bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
What is postgraduate marketing education for? Observations from the UK
Authors: Centeno Edgar , Harker Michael J. , Ibrahim Essam B. , Wang Lee‐Wei 
Published: October 2008

PurposeThis paper seeks to highlight the significance of the recent debate on the “academic‐practitioner divide” for postgraduate marketing education in terms of informing objectives, chosen scope and structure and service provision.Design/methodology/approachData were collected on 60 programmes at 45 UK higher education institutions (HEIs) by desk research and from 129 PG students enrolled at five British Universities by means of a questionnaire.FindingsIt was found that these were close parallels between PG and UG programmes in the UK. From the perspective of students intending to become marketing practitioners, five key strengths and weaknesses of current marketing education provision were identified.Research limitations/implicationsData on current PG marketing programmes was only collected from a sample of UK HEI's and not internationally. Data from students was collected only from five UK Universities.Practical implicationsSuggestions are made for the ways and means by which PG programmes can be enhanced pedagogically and made more relevant to practice. Brief proposals are also made in respect of improving input into programme and class design by current practitioners – especially programme alumni.Originality/valueIt is hoped that all sections of this paper will be of value to postgraduate programme leaders in directing, leading and developing their courses strategically and tactically.
Purchasing theory and practice: an agenda for change
Authors: Ramsay John 
Published: October 2008

PurposeThe purpose of the article is to describe the consequences for the purchasing and supply management field of its current focus on the behaviours and concerns of extremely large corporations.Design/methodology/approachThis is a short viewpoint article.FindingsIt is found that there is a lack of research in purchasing and supply management in SMEs. Small and medium sized companies are in need of a deeper understanding of dyadic relations. Sadly, as fashion in the field has embraced metaphors‐fit‐only‐for giants, it may be increasingly difficult to get studies published that adopt this ancient, diminutive metaphor.Originality/valueThe main contribution of the piece is to draw attention to the current lack of research in the field to the dominant form of company in every economy – the SME.
Compromise is so … compromised: Goldilocks, go home
Authors: Holbrook Morris B. 
Published: October 2008

PurposeThis paper aims to discuss issues concerning the desirability of finding ways to close the gap between academic research and management practice – especially in the case of marketing and consumer research.Design/methodology/approachThe issues are addressed by means of a personal essay.FindingsThe discussion adopts the extreme viewpoint that achieving a reconciliation or resolution of the differences between scholarly inquiry and managerial relevance in either research or teaching constitutes an undesirable or even deplorable form of compromise.Originality/valueThe essay concludes that – contrary to the wisdom of Goldilocks – compromise between academic scholarship and practical relevance merits opprobrium rather than approbation.
Revisiting the smiling service worker and customer satisfaction
Authors: Söderlund Magnus , Rosengren Sara 
Published: October 2008

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine if the service worker's display of smiles in the service encounter has an effect on customer satisfaction.Design/methodology/approachAn experimental design was used in which participants (N=220) were randomly allocated to one of four service encounters. Two variables were manipulated; the service worker with whom the participant interacted had either a neutral facial expression or a smiling facial expression, and the service worker was either male or female.FindingsThe smiling service worker produced a higher level of customer satisfaction than the neutral service worker, regardless of the sex of the service worker (and the sex of the participant). In addition, the results indicate that this outcome involved both emotional contagion and affect infusion.Originality/valueThis paper extends the service literature's discourse on the impact of the service worker's smile behavior on customer satisfaction by including intermediate variables such as appraisals, emotions, and the attitude toward the service worker.
Stressors and resources in customer service roles
Authors: Yagil Dana , Luria Gil , Gal Iddo 
Published: October 2008

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to explore the role of core self‐evaluations (CSE) as a coping resource in customer service roles.Design/methodology/approachQuestionnaires were administered to 265 service providers, measuring CSE, burnout, social stressors involved in interaction with customers (perceived customer negative behaviors and emotional regulation performed by service providers) and coping resources (service orientation and social support).FindingsThe results show that CSE is negatively related to service provider burnout as reflected in depersonalization and emotional exhaustion, and positively related to a sense of accomplishment. CSE was also negatively related to perceived customer negative behaviors and to emotional regulation. The results show a partial mediation effect of emotional regulation on the relationship between CSE and burnout. Service orientation and social support were found to interact with CSE and enhance its effect on social stressors.Research limitations/implicationsThe use of a non‐randomized sample might bias the results.Practical implicationsThe results can inform managerial practices designed to enhance service providers' resources of coping with role stressors.Originality/valueThe study introduces a fundamental personality trait, CSE, to the area of service and shows its effect on burnout through its relationship with situational stressors and interaction with coping resources.
Exploring tools for learning about customers in a service setting
Authors: Wägar Karolina 
Published: October 2008

PurposeThe purpose of the paper is to explore how frontline contact persons appropriate and use learning tools from the socio‐cultural context for learning about customers in their everyday work.Design/methodology/approachThe study utilises an ethnographic‐research approach involving participant observations, informal conversations, and interviews among car salespersons and service advisors at a car‐retailing company.FindingsThe study comes to two main conclusions. First, learning tools are appropriated and utilised for learning about customers in a two‐layered process: interactions between frontline contact persons and the socio‐cultural context; and interactions between frontline contact persons and customers. Secondly, learning about customers can be of two types: subject‐ or object‐driven learning.Practical implicationsTools that enhance the process of learning about customers can be developed within the socio‐cultural environment of an organisation whereas tools that inhibit the learning process can be minimised.Originality/valueThis paper provides a novel socio‐cultural conceptualisation of how learning about customers takes place. This approach has not been previously emphasised in service‐management research.
Development of an integrated product‐service roadmap with QFD
Authors: An Yoonjung , Lee Sungjoo , Park Yongtae 
Published: October 2008

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to provide a concrete integrated roadmap structure and a supporting tool for efficient roadmapping, to enhance interdisciplinary research on product‐service.Design/methodology/approachThe paper first clarifies definitions based on literature review. Next, the integrated roadmap structure is designed by overcoming limitations of the existing product‐service roadmaps. Lastly, a modified quality function deployment technique is developed to be used as a means for the integration process and applied to the mobile communications industry for the case study.FindingsThe suggested roadmap and roadmapping process have potential advantages that can help strategic planning and management of product‐service.Research limitations/implicationsThere are issues related to complexity of the suggested technique and completeness of the case study.Practical implicationsThe suggested approach stimulates communication and knowledge sharing between manufacturers and service providers, providing a useful guidance to picture the long‐term future from the same perspective.Originality/valueThe paper provides a holistic approach on the development of the product‐service sets, which is characterized by many challenges and uncertainties.
Revisit service classification to construct a customer‐oriented integrative service model
Authors: Liu Chun‐Hsien , Wang Chu‐Ching , Lee Yueh‐Hua 
Published: October 2008

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to construct a customer‐oriented integrative service model based on the generic service process. Business strategies can then be formulated by using the model.Design/methodology/approachThe key classifying dimensions and their respective attributes are identified through literature reviews. Operational dimensions are formed by combining their attributes weighted by manager‐determined importance weights (IW). A generalized mathematical model is built to integrate the core services of a firm with customer‐based performance weight (PW). The integrative service model is constructed by combining the operational dimensions.FindingsThe selected classification model covers knowledge, information and virtual space dimensions that most of the previous service‐process based model lack. The developed model is simpler to understand and to use for managers comparing to the other complicated mathematical models.Research limitations/implicationsEmpirical studies need to be done to test the effectiveness of the model. Experienced managers are needed to decide the IW.Practical implicationsManagers can use the developed model to formulate integrated business strategies as well as forecasting competitor's strategies. The developed model is a customer‐oriented approach for service strategy formulation.Originality/valueA generalized mathematical model is derived for a firm offering “n” kinds of core services. Computer software can be written based on it to handle the complex cases.
An examination of the impact of cultural orientation and familiarity in service encounter evaluations
Authors: Patterson Paul G. , Mattila Anna S. 
Published: October 2008

PurposeCustomers' judgment of service quality is by and large based on their evaluation of personal experiences during the service encounter. The purpose of this study is to investigate from a customer perspective, the impact of familiarity (of the individual service provider) and cultural orientation on evaluations of both successful and failed service encounters.Design/methodology/approachThe authors employ an experimental design with data collected from student samples in the USA (Western, individualist culture) and Thailand (Eastern, collectivist culture).FindingsResults show an individual customer's cultural orientation, as well as familiarity (with a focal service provider), have an impact on perceptions and post‐purchase evaluations of both successful and unsuccessful service encounters.Originality/valueThis research contributes to the services marketing and consumer behavior literature by shedding light onto the role of familiarity and cultural value orientation in influencing consumer responses to service encounters. It is one of only a handful of cross‐cultural studies in this research domain.
The development of records management at the European Central Bank
Authors: Orr Stuart 
Published: October 2008

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to provide background to the other papers in this issue of theRecords Management Journal.Design/methodology/approachThe information in this paper is based on the author's own experience and discussions with colleagues with direct experience of the events described.FindingsThe European Central Bank's approach to building capacity in records management, by appointing in‐house staff and investing in professional training and qualifications and fully integrating records management and archives management, is an approach that has been shown to work and deliver benefits.Originality/valueThe paper provides a description of an approach to developing a fully integrated records and archives management service.
A balancing act: learning lessons and adapting approaches whilst rolling out an EDRMS
Authors: Luisa Di Biagio Maria , Ibiricu Bernice 
Published: October 2008

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to analyse and share the experience of implementing an electronic document and records management system (EDRMS) by identifying what went well and what could be done better.Design/methodology/approachIn the implementation of an EDRMS, the European Central Bank has opted to place the role of records managers prominently between technology and business needs to ensure that the preservation of institutional memory is the centre‐piece of its information policy.FindingsThe acceptance to improve and the flexibility to introduce corrective measures during the deployment of an EDRMS keeps the aim in sight whilst improving the quality of records management delivery.Practical implicationsThe ups and downs of roll‐outs provide valuable lessons and opportunities to introduce corrective measures to keep EDRM projects on track and generate awareness of the balancing act that exists between technology and people.Originality/valueThis paper reveals practical experiences encountered during the roll‐out of an EDRMS and aims to highlight the aspects that records professionals can identify as potential sources for success, failure or a combination of both.
Organising electronic documents: the user perspective
Authors: García Garrido Beatriz 
Published: October 2008

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explore whether user needs and preferences in organising electronic information are properly identified by records managers when implementing folder structures in electronic document and records management systems (EDRMS). The intention is also to find out to what extent user needs and preferences correspond to records management best practices.Design/methodology/approachThe research was designed as a case study of a specific team at the European Central Bank. In order to look at the user needs and preferences, the research is based on the qualitative analysis of data obtained via semi‐structured interviews and direct observation.FindingsThe case study shows that users' objectives are very similar to records management objectives. Moreover, their needs and preferences stem from a number of factors that can be identified and categorised.Research limitations/implicationsThe research was subject to severe limitations in terms of resources, in particular the time and tools available. Similar studies should be conducted involving diverse teams at different organisations in order to fine‐tune the proposed principles and test their general applicability. Further studies could benefit from the use of IT tools to observe user behaviours.Practical implicationsBased on the findings, guidance principles are proposed in order to improve user acceptance of folder structures.Originality/valueThe paper aims to raise awareness in the records management world of the necessity of prioritising user needs as the best way to achieve records management objectives. Records managers should also work closely with IT experts in the design of EDRMS.
Employee attitudes to information sharing: a case study at the European Central Bank
Authors: Julibert Sara 
Published: October 2008

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explore the perceptions and attitudes of employees towards information sharing as well as the possible reasons behind these attitudes in the specific organizational context of the European Central Bank (ECB).Design/methodology/approachData obtained in interviews with seven employees were analyzed using the grounded theory technique of constant comparative analysis. Categories, their sub‐categories, attributes and dimensions were used to group data about related concepts and these groupings, and the emerging relations between categories, were linked to theoretical questions regarding the perceptions and attitudes of information sharing amongst ECB employees.FindingsThe employees interviewed acknowledged the advantages of information sharing and expressed the need for greater access to information as well as more open communication with colleagues. The fear of disruptive intrusions to the creative process and the influence of personality and national culture on the willingness to share were raised by some interviewees. The participants' perceptions of the organizational support to information sharing and their possible influence on employees' attitudes to share with colleagues also emerged.Research limitations/implicationsValidity of findings would benefit from the use of additional data collection methods; observation or the use of focus groups could provide data that would not normally be obtained in the interview setting. Quantitative methods could be used to measure the impact of some of the elements identified.Practical implicationsOrganizations need to take into account a number of factors that may enhance or inhibit information sharing behaviours. Employees seem to be inclined to adopt information practices that would contribute to improving efficiency but the unambiguous support of the management and the organization to such practices seems to be crucial to their success.Originality/valueThe descriptions obtained through the interviews provide a rich picture of different elements, from diverse perspectives, that influence the current information sharing attitudes of employees in the case study organization. This constitutes a first step in the integration of theoretical accounts of information sharing previously studied independently from each other.
Appraising the value of statistical records of the European Central Bank for retention scheduling purposes
Authors: Beneito Arias Paloma 
Published: October 2008

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explore the practice of records retention in relation to statistical records and to provide answers and solutions to the challenge of retention from two perspectives: by offering some recommendations on how to approach the identification of validated retention periods and by presenting findings resulting from the practical use of this recommended approach.Design/methodology/approachThe research presented in this paper was conducted for the final dissertation of the BSc (Hons) Information and Records Management Programme at the University of Northumbria. A Delphi study was used as the method to achieve the research objectives.FindingsWhile answers to the question of what retention value should be attributed to records vary enormously depending on who is asked, this research shows that the involvement of end‐users to gather feedback and attempt to reach a consensus of opinions on retention periods is successful and provides meaningful results, and can also help in gaining end‐user support in the subsequent schedule implementation.Practical implicationsSuccessful implementation of a retention schedule is more likely to happen if end‐users are involved from the start in the design process and if they understand the benefits of this tool. In this respect, involving end‐users in the retention decisions throughout the performance of a Delphi Study has revealed to be very effective and is therefore recommended for attaining similar objectives.Originality/valueThe paper presents a validated method for assigning retention values to records that could be applied by practitioners in other organisations. Further information on the resulting retention schedule can be obtained by contacting the author.
An examination of the impact of records on the value of artworks
Authors: Fritzke Leena 
Published: October 2008

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to discuss the role and type of records required to support the financial value of artworks and the importance of records for accountability. It looks at the impact of records of provenance, authenticity and investment value and it identifies the impact of the presence, absence and quality of supporting records on the value of an artwork.Design/methodology/approachAssessing records and their impact on the value of artworks involves investigating whether an artwork without records of authenticity, provenance and investment has the same value as one with such records. It also involves examining how records that provide evidence of an artwork's financial value (prices, auctions, transactions, condition reports, etc.) affect the value of the artwork. What is the impact of records on the value of an artwork? Research was conducted starting with a review of the literature and a small survey of experts.FindingsThe results suggest that art records are increasingly important with regard to ownership disputes, insurance claims, accountability for public spending, risk reduction and investment value. Records of provenance, investment and authenticity clearly support the value of artworks, yet the research highlighted a lack of awareness amongst experts about the importance of authenticity. Higher standards, record‐keeping, regular reviews of the artwork and the market and continuous improvements are required to maintain accountability and the value of a collection. Recommendations include regular updates of records, the keeping of records on rights, proof of ownership and long‐term retention.Practical implicationsFurther research would be required to clarify whether comparison methods are adequate for the price formation of artworks, to ascertain which records would be required and to establish recognised standards for the content of records. The findings raised awareness of the need for information on the creation of artworks.Originality/valueThe paper concludes by emphasising that it is essential to obtain records for a collection and to keep them secure and updated. It proposes that good record‐keeping reduces risks, improves transparency, supports the value attained and increases in importance as the financial value of art climbs. Many sources and types of record are necessary to support the value of an artwork, especially records of provenance, investment value and authenticity. An artwork with quality records in these categories has higher financial value.