bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
A lifetime's change in LIS
Authors: Line Maurice B. 
Published: July 2005

PurposeTo investigate and comment on changes in LIS during a lifetime in libraries, half of it spent in senior positions.Design/methodology/approachNarrative reminiscence.FindingsDramatic changes have occurred in the use of technology, management and attitudes to users, but most of them were initiated by non‐librarians. LIS needs more leaders and innovators.Originality/valueReflections on a lifetime in librarianship by one of its leading practitioners and the subject of this festschrift.
Psycho‐social factors influencing practice of total quality management in some Nigerian organizations
Authors: Osayawe Ehigie Benjamin , Clement Akpan Regina 
Published: July 2005

PurposeTo identify some psychological and social variables that could enhance employees' adoption of total quality management (TQM) in an organization that chooses to implement the management philosophy.Design/methodology/approachA survey research was conducted, using 418 middle management staff, randomly drawn from some TQM and non‐TQM courier organizations in Nigeria. Respondents received standardized scales measuring perception of their leaders' leadership styles, organizational reward system and self‐report of personality attributes (psychological variables), along with items measuring gender, age, job tenure and level of education (social variables). They also responded to questionnaire items measuring the extent to which they practice TQM.FindingsCorrelation analysis show that higher level of maintenance leadership style along with lower level of performance leadership style, low levels of extraversion and neuroticism, higher level of education and shorter job tenure enhance subordinates' practice of TQM. t‐test results show that Employees in TQM organizations were significantly higher on perceived maintenance and performance leadership styles and reward but significantly lower on extraversion, neuroticism and psychoticism than their non‐TQM counterparts.Research limitations/implicationsAll measures were based on self‐report of the respondents and data were from only service organizations, thus, limiting generalizations of the findings.Practical implicationsImplementers of TQM in organizations in Nigeria should endeavor to put in place appropriate leadership styles, consider personality attributes, level of education and duration of working in any non‐TQM organization among other personnel issues for selection and retention in a TQM practicing organization.Originality/valueTQM is a management technique being adopted in Nigeria with some difficulties. The present study brings to focus psychological and social variables that could ease its implementation.
Strategies for managerial self‐change in a cleaned‐up bureaucracy: a qualitative study
Authors: Jones Robert , Kriflik George 
Published: July 2005

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to present a set of strategies for effective managerial self‐change within the substantive setting of a cleaned‐up bureaucracy.Design/methodology/approachUsing inductive methodology, data have been collected and analysed from a large Australian public‐sector bureaucracy by means of 26 personal interviews conducted between 2000 and 2002.FindingsA conceptual model of managerial self‐change is presented stressing the importance of both cognitive and behavioural strategies within the context of an “awareness‐understanding‐accomplishment” feedback loop and learning process. The model incorporates and extends some of the major concepts in the extant literature on thought self‐leadership and learned optimism by incorporating attributional analysis into managerial cognitive thought patterns. The findings also suggest refinements to the concept of managerial credibility within cleaned‐up bureaucracies.Research limitations/implicationsFindings are derived on the basis of a substantive case study of one cleaned‐up bureaucracy in a particular country. Further research needs to expand this base to encompass other organizations in a wider range of countries across different cultures.Practical implicationsThe model draws attention to how the behaviour of organisational subordinates within cleaned‐up bureaucracies is significantly affected by the attitudes and actions of their immediate manager. By adopting a set of strategies contained with the conceptual model, managers can learn how to change themselves.Originality/valueThe paper departs from the prevalent tendency of the extant literature to employ laboratory or experimentally derived data by using systematically gathered and grounded empirical data in a naturalistic organisational setting. Additionally, the findings have more to say about the nuances of a particular organisational context rather than generalising across numerous contextual environments.
Managers dealing with work‐family‐conflict: an explorative analysis
Authors: Kasper Helmut , Meyer Michael , Schmidt Angelika 
Published: July 2005

PurposeMost managers are heavily affected by the relationship between their professional and their private life. Work‐life‐balance is discussed rarely without discomfort, which suggests a massive tension and conflict caused by the contradiction of private and professional requirements. Managers use a range of individual strategies to deal with this conflict situation. An explorative empirical study on these strategies is presented.Design/methodology/approachThe sample is drawn largely according to the principles of theoretical sampling, different family‐work constellations provide the basis of selection. Our sample includes people from the upper and highest levels of organizational hierarchies. Most of them have children and working partners, hence they find themselves in specific phases of the family cycle. Thirty problem‐focussed interviews are content analyzed. In order to reveal pattern of dealing with work‐life‐conflict cluster and pronominal analyses are applied.FindingsResults show three distinct prototypes of dealing with the work‐family‐tension: career as subject of social fascination, family as a factual task, the tradition of two worlds, double burden and the pressure of tasks. One outstanding result in advance: if both partners are professionally active (Double Career Couples), the family will increasingly be dominated by merely functional requirements.Originality/valueExplorative analyses and results are presented. The applied combination of content analysis and detailed linguistic procedures allows a new, more differentiated view on how managers perceive work‐life‐balance. Real types of handling work‐life‐conflicts are revealed. Based on these findings, more quantitative and structured analyses of managers' work‐life‐behavior can be conducted, especially on these types' overall prevalence, on changes in the course of managers' life cycle, on causal factors, and on implications for human resource management.
Risk management, internal controls and organizational vulnerabilities
Authors: Pathak Jagdish 
Published: July 2005

PurposeThis is a theme editorial written exclusively by the guest editor for this special issue. This opinion piece demonstrates the impact of technology convergence on the internal control mechanism of an enterprise. It is important for an auditor to be aware of the security hazards faced by financial or the entire organizational information system. Author attempts to bring security systems design and the organizational vulnerabilities in the context of the convergence of communication and networking technologies with the complex information technology in business processes.Design/methodology/approachThis editorial is mostly conceptual analysis of the current state of affairs.FindingsBeing an editorial, there are no specific findings presented in this piece.Research limitations/implicationsTheme editorials, being conceptual expositions of a particular current issue generally lack support of data analysis. However, advantage can be obtained by the future researchers by designing a study around the theme propounded in it here.Practical implicationsIts conceptual contribution is mostly knowledge enhancement and skill building for the professional external, internal or information systems auditor and budding researchers in the field of internal controls, new technologies and security.Originality/valueIt is an original piece written with a purpose of presenting the importance of convergence of technology vis‐à‐vis its impact on the internal controls in an organization and the matters of security.
The impact of procurement card usage on cost reduction, management control, and the managerial audit function
Authors: Boulianne Emilio 
Published: July 2005

PurposeProvide a better understanding of the functionalities and benefits of the procurement card technology (P‐Card), and examines the card's impact on management control and the audit function.Design/methodology/approachDescribes the recent published works on P‐Card's benefits in costs reduction and data integration with information systems, aiming to provide comprehensive research and practical advices.FindingsProvides information about the impact of P‐Card on business processes, along with opportunities to set managerial reports. The future of P‐Card technology is elaborated in order to broadening P‐Card usage.Research limitations/implicationsTo explain the determinants of and outcomes from the adoption and usage of P‐Card, contingency variables such as size, business environment, and structure may be examined. Also, studies on P‐Card have only used the survey method as the way to gather information, while interviews, observation, and system documentation examination should be performed to corroborate the survey results obtained. Intangible benefits such as improved decision‐making, better management control, or improved job satisfaction should be considered to provide more robust assessment of P‐Card usage and benefits.Practical implicationsA useful source of information to help management auditors to take proactive approaches to improve business efficiency, design effective control systems, and streamline accounting processes.Originality/valueThe paper describes ways to integrate P‐Card data directly to computer‐based accounting information systems via electronic posting to the ledger offered by software capabilities.
Employing generalized audit software in the financial services sector
Authors: Debreceny Roger , Lee Sook‐Leng , Neo Willy , Shuling Toh Jocelyn 
Published: July 2005

PurposeComputer assisted audit techniques (CAATs) encompass a range of computerized techniques that internal and external auditors use to facilitate their audit objectives. One of the most important CAATs is generalized audit software (GAS), which is a class of packaged software that allows auditors to interrogate a variety of databases, application software and other sources and then conduct analyzes and audit routines on the extracted or live data. This study seeks to evaluate the nature and extent of the utilization of CAATs in financial institutions. In particular, the study establishes the extent and nature of use of GAS by bank internal auditors and their external auditors. The study is conducted with large local and international commercial banks in Singapore, a major financial center. Given the limited research on GAS in general and in the financial services sector in particular, the study uses exploratory qualitative research.Design/methodology/approachQualitative research employing depth interviews with internal and external auditors of financial institutions.FindingThe research finds that the extent and range of use of GAS varies widely between the institutions in the sample. Internal auditors see GAS primarily as a tool for special investigations rather than as a foundation for their regular audit work. External auditors make no use of GAS, citing the inapplicability of this class of tool to the nature of testing the financial statement assertions or the extent or quality of computerized internal controls maintained by the bank.Research limitations/implicationsThis is a small sample study. While the data are rich, the findings cannot necessarily be extrapolated to broader populations.Practical implicationsThis study provides guidance on the role that CAATs play in the audit process of financial institutions that is relevant for the audit community.Originality/valueThis is the first in‐depth study of the application of CAATs to financial institutions.
The commercial use of PROLOG
Authors: Andrew Alex M. 
Published: July 2005

PurposeThe commercial use of the logic programming language PROLOG is reviewed, with reference to applications in legal document preparation, advice to medical practitioners, natural language processing and analysis of social networks. Natural language processing is applied to story generation with extension to a flexible scheme for production and editing of documents, and in a separate scheme to computer programming. PROLOG is also the basis of a means of network analysis that has been applied in the study of business alliances and in analysis of terrorist networks.Design/methodology/approachThe aim is to review developments accessible through the internet, especially those of general cybernetic interest.FindingsReference is made to tested practical applications and it is shown that logic programming continues to be a live topic. There are implications for its relationship to human mental processes, but these are not explored here.Practical implicationsIn a large class of application areas, the use of logic programming allows rapid and relatively error‐free program development, possible with modest hardware requirements.Originality/valueIt is hoped this is a valuable periodic review.
Revisiting the political cybernetics of organisations
Authors: Yolles Maurice 
Published: July 2005

PurposeThe viable systems theory of autonomous social communities is a cybernetic theory in which politics is seen as a facilitator for social coherence. A recent paper by Yolles explored this dimension, considering, how power and its process affects structure, manipulates information, and influences the way that people behave. A core conceptualization of that paper about political temperament is corrected and further developed.Design/methodology/approachInterest in this paper lies in the social cybernetics of autonomous social communities that have a culture, normative behaviour, and where the behaviour is ultimately determined from that culture. Autonomous social communities that have a culture have a history and dynamic that can be argued to have a potential for behavioural coherence through policy formation and processes of action research. It is through this proposition that politics is engaged in the theory.FindingsThis paper offers a correction and development of Yolle's conceptual representation of the notion of political temperament as discussed by Duverger. Political temperament is a part of political culture, and is ultimately connected to the way that power is created, assigned and used. Yolles was concerned with the relationship between political temperament, political management, and processes of power distribution. However, this model was misconceived, and we shall redefine it by expressing political temperament as the relationship between political mindedness, political management, and political centripetality (or process of power distribution).Originality/valueIn this paper it is argued that political temperament comes from a set of attitudes that underpin the political nature of a governing body that becomes responsible for the political management of a social community. It is seen to contribute to the formation of the political culture of autonomous social communities.
Non‐linear dynamics in affective solutions: analysis of massive collectives of emotional agents
Authors: Adamatzky Andrew 
Published: July 2005

PurposeAims to take an atomistic view on emotions, where emotions are seen as discrete entities interacting with one another.Design/methodology/approachTakes an unconventional route in simulation of mental processes – studying emotions in terms of artificial, abstract, chemical systems, where emotions are seen as chemical species and chemical reactions correspond to rules of emotional interactions.FindingsAn affective solution is a theoretical construct which represents emotions spreading and interacting in massive pools of locally interacting entities. Molecules in the affective solution stand for basic emotions: happiness, anger, fear, confusion and sadness, which diffuse and react with each other by quasi‐chemical laws. In computational experiments with affective solutions, in well‐stirred and thin‐layer reactors, uncovers varieties of behavioural modes of emotion interactions.Originality/valueTests applicability of affective solutions in an example of emotional abuse therapy.
Secondary holodiffractional radiation of biological systems
Authors: Shaduri Marina 
Published: July 2005

PurposeReproducible images of human fingertips' induced glow (Kirlian radiation) were captured despite extremely unstable nature of living systems' emission. The matrix of correlations between fingertips' radiation in the electromagnetic field of high frequency and systemic features of human organism has been studied.Design/methodology/approachWeak natural emission of biological object is enhanced and transformed into visual images by gas discharge processes, which proceed in the electromagnetic field of high frequency. Such secondary radiation was found to be reproducible only when special polyethylene membrane is placed between the glass surface of the camera screen and target fingertip (or other living object). Resulting images of fingertips' discharge coronas provide comprehencible information on the whole living system.FindingsPresent research resulted in the discovery of previously unknown phenomenon, which turned out to be specific for living systems. It is demonstrated that Kirlian radiation of fingertips can display almost exact replicas (holograms) of organism's internal organs and tissues. Each part of the body is able to provide holographic information on any problematic element of dynamic system. Holodiffractional nature of discovered phenomenon has been confirmed experimentally.Originality/valueThe discovery of new natural phenomenon represents a major step forward regarding both theoretical disciplines and practical biomedicine. Secondary holodiffractional radiation of body parts provides previously unavailable information on dynamic organization of the whole living system. Bioholographic information is already widely used for diagnostics of body/mind pathology.
A systematic approach to tropical cyclone track forecasting
Authors: Peng Tao‐Yong , Joe Kwon H. , Lee Woo‐Jin , Lim Jang‐Ho 
Published: July 2005

PurposeIn operational tropical cyclone (TC) forecasting practice, there are usually many TC track guidances available from various official sources. When they do not converge, the guidances need to be ensembled by systematic approaches to formulate the best possible track as an official local TC track forecasting.Design/methodology/approachThe main approach of the research is focused on finding an atmospheric environment favourable for TC survival (genesis) with the help of commonly accepted knowledge in atmospheric physics that reveals mechanism driving evolution and change of synoptic patterns in the atmosphere, using routinely available observational data, i.e. identification of TCF/TCR areas. The techniques developed are then applied to ensemble the TC track guidances available operationally to formulate an official TC track forecasting.FindingsThe results show that TC movement is very dependent on the atmospheric environment surrounding a TC. Whether the environment is favourable (TCF) or resistant (TCR) to survival of a TC system is a vital factor to determine where the TC moving. A systematic approach to the identification of the TCR/TCF areas is a key technique to ensemble available TC track guidances to formulate an official TC track forecasting.Originality/valueIn operational TC forecasting, TC track forecasting is the most important and difficult issue. The results indicate that the systematic approach to TC track forecasting has philosophical justification, solid scientific ground, sound logic and practical viability, and thus, make TC track forecasting easy and effective.
Cognitive and neuropsychological basis for quantum mechanics: Part III
Authors: Fidelman Uri 
Published: July 2005

PurposeThis is a continuation of Parts I and II of the paper. In this part it is suggested that microscopic particles behave similarly to macroscopic objects: Features of two entangled particles, having the same “dimension” (kind of feature), may interchange and migrate from one particle to the other while their wave function collapses. In the particular case of electrically charged particles, like an electron and a proton, the migrating features that are interchanged between the particles, may be the electrical charges (that have the same “dimension”). This implies that each atom of matter has some very small probability to be an atom of antimatter, and it may be annihilated if it collides with an atom of matter. The purpose of this study is to suggest how this hypothesis may be tested empirically.Design/methodology/approachThe cooler are the molecules of gases, the slower they are. Therefore, according to Heisenberg's principle of uncertainty, the probability that gaseous molecules will collide increases when the gas is cooled.FindingsWe may expect that when gases are cooled there is a higher than usual probability that gaseous molecules of matter and antimater will collide and will annihilate each other, emitting photons of gamma rays. Such findings has been reported by Molchadzki, but not explained. The same is true regarding other situations in which the probability of collisions of gaseous molecules is higher than the usual, like the colliding of gaseous molecule at the center of an imploding bubble of gas.Originality/valueIf a procedure that increases the number of collisions between gaseous molecules considerably will be developed, it may be that this procedure will be applicable for obtaining clean energy by annihilations of matter and antimatter.
EDSIM: expert database system for inventory management
Authors: Subramoniam Suresh , Krishnankutty K.V. 
Published: July 2005

PurposeExpert database system (EDS), which is still in its infancy, is developed and demonstrated for a business function by coupling expert systems (ES) and database systems.Design/methodology/approachAn EDS for inventory management (EDSIM) using the fifth generation artificial intelligence (AI) language, Prolog, is developed. The convergence of logic programming and database techniques is focused in achieving the objective. EDSIM development is based on modular design and integration of several intelligent modules, with own knowledge base and shared dynamic database.FindingsEDSIM developed demonstrates the peculiarities of such an EDS over a system developed using conventional procedural language. It shows that development of such systems has great deployment potential in the next generation enterprise systems where embedded intelligence is inevitable.Research limitations/implicationsThough no attempt is made to demonstrate distributed processing and interaction among various intelligent autonomous modules, an initiative in that direction definitely can kindle reengineering of today's enterprise system.Practical implicationsThe language chosen for the development of EDSIM is Turbo Prolog™ and can be easily converted to a program in Visual Prolog™ which is the newer version of Turbo Prolog™. The advantage of such a conversion is that it will enable web readiness of the EDS there by facilitating e‐business in the web environment.Originality/valueThe benefits of the application of EDS, by the integration of ES and database systems in a fifth generation AI language, Prolog, paves way for capturing developments in AI and databases, simultaneously. This technology demonstrator has the potential to bring in an optimal mix of the above technologies in achieving major milestones while reengineering enterprise systems.