Flavio Corradini, Andrea Polini, Barbara Re, Lorenzo Rossi and Francesco Tiezzi
This paper aims at supporting business process designers in modelling collaborative scenarios in terms of hierarchical BPMN collaboration diagrams, to enforce consistency among…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims at supporting business process designers in modelling collaborative scenarios in terms of hierarchical BPMN collaboration diagrams, to enforce consistency among different hierarchical levels.
Design/methodology/approach
The proposed approach is based on a set of guidelines to apply during the modelling of hierarchical diagrams. These guidelines address consistency issues related to the hiding capability provided by sub-process and call activity elements, which may obscure behaviours at inner levels, especially exchange of messages, that are inconsistent with those in other hierarchical levels. A laboratory experience validates the guidelines' effectiveness.
Findings
The paper points out the issues of hierarchical diagrams, and the lack of support in this context from the existing BPMN modelling tools. Moreover, through a laboratory experience, the paper shows the benefits carried by the proposed guidelines concerning the quality of the modelled diagrams.
Practical implications
The proposed guidelines have been implemented in a consistency checking tool that avoids consistency errors during the modelling activity. To foster its usage, the tool has been integrated into the Eclipse BPMN modelling environment.
Originality/value
The paper, employing consistency guidelines, provides a novel solution to the weaknesses of hierarchical modelling.
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Entering a work organisation is a time of uncertainty both for the newcomers and for the organisations they join. For new graduates, uncertainty surrounds their own skills and…
Abstract
Entering a work organisation is a time of uncertainty both for the newcomers and for the organisations they join. For new graduates, uncertainty surrounds their own skills and attitudes, their future work and colleagues, and organisational practices. This uncertainty is particularly marked for the many graduates who have never worked full‐time. For the organisation, sources of uncertainty include the graduates' competence, motivation and ability to “fit in” with their work colleagues.
Sharon L. Howell, Vicki K. Carter and Fred M. Schied
Investigates how a particular work team interprets and comes to understand quality management initiatives centered around customer service. The study set out to add to the…
Abstract
Investigates how a particular work team interprets and comes to understand quality management initiatives centered around customer service. The study set out to add to the understanding of how work team members interpret and learn as a part of a functional work based team operating within a quality management work environment. Data sources, including field notes, an extensive reflective journal, strategic plans, annual reports, e‐mail messages and office memos, provided rich, in‐depth information. The study argues that, contrary to much of the management‐based learning literature, learning is used as a way to mold and shape attitudes of workers and to control them.
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The purpose of this essay is to survey the ethical guidelines Red Cross personnel use to determine the appropriate course of action when faced with morally dilemmatic situations…
Abstract
The purpose of this essay is to survey the ethical guidelines Red Cross personnel use to determine the appropriate course of action when faced with morally dilemmatic situations, such as whether or not to accept private donations to fund humanitarian operations.
A review of the principles which buttress and guide all Red Cross action is presented along with two case studies – one in which the Solomon Islands Red Cross Society refused money from a controversial mining company, which could have been used to assist flood victims, and the other in which the Nigerian Red Cross Society accepted money from oil companies that have been historically ethically-challenged – which illustrate the necessity of contextual analysis in making these decisions.
The principles upon which all Red Cross actions are based – humanity, impartiality, neutrality, independence – provide the guidelines by which to evaluate whether or not to accept private, corporate donations. The Red Cross principles-based ethics allows for seemingly contradictory decisions to be reached in different countries and contexts, but in manners which are ethically coherent and transparent.
This paper sets the foundation for future research into what guides humanitarian organizations as they carry out their life-sustaining operations. Organizations which use such ethical principles to determine the appropriateness of their actions should benefit from transparently demonstrating this.
Case studies from recent disasters demonstrate the value of using ethical guidelines to evaluate donor suitability. This rigor and transparency benefits not only the Red Cross and other humanitarian organizations, but most importantly those rendered vulnerable by disaster around the world.
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Elyria A. Kemp, Aberdeen Leila Borders, Nwamaka A. Anaza and Wesley J. Johnston
Organizational buying behavior has often been treated as a rational activity, even though humans are involved in the decision-making. Human decision-making often includes a…
Abstract
Purpose
Organizational buying behavior has often been treated as a rational activity, even though humans are involved in the decision-making. Human decision-making often includes a complex cadre of emotions and rationalizations. Subsequently, organizational buyers may not only be driven by logic, testing and facts, but also by emotions. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the role that emotions play in organizational buying behavior.
Design/methodology/approach
In-depth interviews were conducted with marketing decision-makers for one of the most valuable brands in the world. The role that emotions play in the behavior of organizational buyers is elucidated from the perspective of these marketing professionals.
Findings
Emotions are prevalent at all stages in the organizational decision-making process and various discrete emotions fuel action tendencies among buyers. Efforts are made by marketers to strategically manage the emotions buyers experience.
Practical implications
Although organizational buyers must see the functional value of a product or brand, companies need to consider ways in which brands can connect with buyers on an emotional and personal level.
Originality/value
This paper contributes to the literature by offering insights into which discrete or specific emotions are most prominent in organizational buying behavior and how the manifestation of these emotions impact decision-making at each stage in the buying cycle.
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Barrie O. Pettman and Richard Dobbins
This issue is a selected bibliography covering the subject of leadership.
Abstract
This issue is a selected bibliography covering the subject of leadership.
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Margaret‐Anne Lawlor and Andrea Prothero
The aim of this article is to explore children's understanding of television advertising intent.
Abstract
Purpose
The aim of this article is to explore children's understanding of television advertising intent.
Design/methodology/approach
A different perspective on advertising intent is offered in this paper, as evidenced in an interpretive study of Irish children, aged between seven and nine years. A qualitative approach was employed, involving a series of focus group discussions and in‐depth interviews with 52 children.
Findings
The findings indicate that the participating children view advertising as serving interests including, but not limited to, the advertiser. The existence of other interested parties is suggested by the children, namely the agendas of viewers and television channels. The authors assert that these children view advertising as being larger and more complex than the advertiser's perspective, which has been the traditional focus in the extant research.
Originality/value
Adopting an advertising literacy perspective, the authors seek to explore children's “reading” and understanding of advertising. Advertising literacy is an approach to understanding advertising that has not received substantial attention in the child‐advertising literature. The literature to date has tended to focus on the following question – do children understand the persuasive intent of advertising? This question is suggestive of a “yes/no” answer. In contrast, the authors view the concept of understanding as being more complex and multi‐faceted, and accordingly, seek to develop this concept by way of a classification that suggests four different levels of understanding that children may exhibit towards advertising
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Flavio Corradini, Andrea Polini and Barbara Re
Public services can be modelled, analysed and implemented using notations and tools for the business process (BP) abstraction. Applying such an explicit approach public…
Abstract
Purpose
Public services can be modelled, analysed and implemented using notations and tools for the business process (BP) abstraction. Applying such an explicit approach public administrations (PAs) can better react to the undergoing transformation in service provisioning and they can continuously improve service quality in order to satisfy citizens and business requests, while coping with decreasing budgets. The purpose of this paper is to discuss these issues.
Design/methodology/approach
The proposed approach relies on using formal methods, in particular unfolding to analyse the correctness of BP. The paper also compares and selects mapping rules from semi-formal to formal modelling languages; these techniques are presented in the context of the BP Modelling Languages and Petri Net (PN).
Findings
Main aim of this paper is to raise the need for formal verification of BP governing the interactions among PAs, which more and more need to be supported by ICT mechanisms, and then are not so much tolerant to errors and imperfections in the process specification. The paper illustrates the main motivations of such a work and it introduces a verification technique of a BP using a mapping of a high-level notation (such as BPMN 2.0) to a formal notation (such as PNs) for which formal analysis techniques can be adopted. In particular the verification step is implemented using an unfolding-based technique.
Originality/value
The paper answers a call for further development of the body of knowledge on effective analysis of BPs, a rapidly emerging field of interest for large and ultra large scenarios, where a clear gap in literature exists. Than the paper shows that formal techniques are mature enough to be applied on real scenarios.
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Simon Dale, Matthew Frost, Jason Gooding, Stephen Ison and Peter Warren
A Workplace Parking Levy (WPL) scheme represents a major transport demand management intervention which raises a levy on private non-domestic off street parking provided by…
Abstract
Purpose
A Workplace Parking Levy (WPL) scheme represents a major transport demand management intervention which raises a levy on private non-domestic off street parking provided by employers to employees, regular business visitors and students. It therefore increases the average cost of commuting by car and stimulates a contraction in the supply of workplace parking places. Under UK legislation the revenue from such a scheme is hypothecated funding for further transport improvements. As such it is potentially an important mixed policy instrument available to transport authorities to tackle traffic congestion and create extra transport capacity by using the additional funding such a scheme provides. At present, in the United Kingdom, only Nottingham City Council has implemented such a scheme and thus an understanding of how that scheme was implemented, how it operates and the outcomes after a full year of operation are of importance to transport academics and other local authorities considering utilising a similar approach.
Methodology
This chapter presents an overview of the WPL scheme in Nottingham. The legislation, implementation experience, monitoring framework and outcomes for this scheme after the first year of full operation are discussed by drawing on current literature, documentary evidence and monitoring data.
Findings
The Nottingham WPL scheme was fully implemented in April 2012. The gap between the provisions of the underpinning legislation and the functioning scheme has necessitated the formulation of policy in line with the spirit of the legislation. Acceptance by the business community and the public were further barriers to implementation which were mitigated by a consultation process and a Public Examination. However acceptance remains a concern until the scheme has been shown to meet its key objective of reducing congestion. To date there is no evidence that the scheme has had a negative impact on business investment and, while there is as yet no evidence traffic congestion has reduced, it is still early for such impacts to be identified especially as the majority of the associated public transport improvements are yet to be implemented. However the WPL has already raised £7 million in net revenue in its first year of operation which is hypothecated for public transport improvements which may help encourage inward investment and reduce car travel.
Practical implications
At present the Nottingham WPL scheme has only been operational for a short time and a limitation to the research presented here is that the major public transport improvements part funded by revenue hypothecated from the WPL are not yet in place. It will be necessary to wait at least a further 3 years before more definite conclusions as to the success of the WPL package can be drawn.
Originality/value of the chapter
As the first of its kind in the United Kingdom or indeed in Europe, the WPL scheme in Nottingham provides a unique contribution to the literature, comparing and contrasting implementation and outcomes with those in Australia and Canada. Geographical and cultural differences between the United Kingdom and these countries mean that conclusions drawn concerning existing schemes in other continents are not necessarily transferable to the United Kingdom. This chapter provides evidence in a UK framework to assess if the approach could be suitably applied more widely.