Abstract
Details
Keywords
David Ellis and Christine Urquhart
The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of research in the Department of Information Studies at the University of Wales Aberystwyth and an introduction to the papers…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of research in the Department of Information Studies at the University of Wales Aberystwyth and an introduction to the papers in the special issue.
Design/methodology/approach
A narrative review of the previous research activities and contemporary research environment of the Department of Information Studies.
Findings
There is more to be learnt about the future of the research assessment exercise, whether it is moving to a metrics‐based system, or whether the system will look more favourably on departments that attract a range of research funding.
Originality/value
Identifies how changes in the scope of research activities in a department reflect changes in research funding and structures for the information sector, as well as changes in staff interests.
Details
Keywords
Xi Yang, Zhiyuan Zhou, Quanwu Zhao, Jackie (Jake) London and Guangzhu Tan
Service providers on highly competitive online outsourcing platforms employ various signals to entice buyers to make online purchases. One such signal—the solution…
Abstract
Purpose
Service providers on highly competitive online outsourcing platforms employ various signals to entice buyers to make online purchases. One such signal—the solution exemplars—attracts attention through depictions of exemplary prior work completed by the service providers. Unfortunately, it is not known the extent to which solution exemplar characteristics affect sales performance nor is it clear how such signals perform in the presence of complementary signals such as service provider expertise. This paper explores these issues.
Design/methodology/approach
Extending signaling theory, the authors develop a model to explore the effects of solution exemplar characteristics (i.e. exemplar quantity, exemplar diversity and exemplar popularity) on sales performance under the moderating impact of service provider expertise. The authors test the model using proprietary data from ZBJ.com, a leading online outsourcing platform in China.
Findings
Exemplar quantity and exemplar popularity positively affect sales performance; exemplar diversity has no significant impact on sales performance and service provider expertise positively moderates the relationships between exemplar quantity, exemplar popularity and sales performance.
Originality/value
This work makes several significant contributions. First, the authors enrich the research on signals in online outsourcing by exploring the impact of solution exemplar characteristics on sales performance. Second, the authors analyze three solution exemplar characteristics: exemplar quantity, exemplar diversity and exemplar popularity. Third, this work shows that service provider expertise moderates the relationship between solution exemplar characteristics and sales performance. Important practical implications for both online outsourcing platforms and service providers are discussed.
Details
Keywords
Tara Officer, Jackie Cumming and Karen McBride-Henry
The purpose of this paper is to lay out how advanced practitioner development occurs in New Zealand primary health care settings. The paper specifically focuses on mechanisms…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to lay out how advanced practitioner development occurs in New Zealand primary health care settings. The paper specifically focuses on mechanisms occurring across policy creation and in practice leading to successful role development.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors applied a realist approach involving interviews, document review and field log observations to create refined theories explaining how successful development occurs.
Findings
Three final mechanisms were found to influence successful advanced practitioner role development: engagement in planning and integrating roles; establishing opportunities as part of a well-defined career pathway; and championing role uptake and work to full scopes of practice.
Research limitations/implications
This research focuses on one snapshot in time only; it illustrates the importance of actively managing health workforce change. Future investigations should involve the continued and systematic evaluation of advanced practitioner development.
Practical implications
The successful development of advanced practitioner roles in a complex system necessitates recognising how to trigger mechanisms occurring at times well beyond their introduction.
Social implications
Potential candidates for new roles should expect roadblocks in their development journey. Successfully situating these roles into practice through having a sustainable and stable workforce supply provides patients with access to a wider range of services.
Originality/value
This is the first time a realist evaluation has been undertaken, in New Zealand, of similar programmes operating across multiple sites. The paper brings insights into the process of developing new health programmes within an already established system.
Details
Keywords
Looks at the 2000 Employment Research Unit Annual Conference held at the University of Cardiff in Wales on 6/7 September 2000. Spotlights the 76 or so presentations within and…
Abstract
Looks at the 2000 Employment Research Unit Annual Conference held at the University of Cardiff in Wales on 6/7 September 2000. Spotlights the 76 or so presentations within and shows that these are in many, differing, areas across management research from: retail finance; precarious jobs and decisions; methodological lessons from feminism; call centre experience and disability discrimination. These and all points east and west are covered and laid out in a simple, abstract style, including, where applicable, references, endnotes and bibliography in an easy‐to‐follow manner. Summarizes each paper and also gives conclusions where needed, in a comfortable modern format.
Details
Keywords
John F. Sacco and Gerard R. Busheé
This paper analyzes the impact of economic downturns on the revenue and expense sides of city financing for the period 2003 to 2009 using a convenience sample of the audited end…
Abstract
This paper analyzes the impact of economic downturns on the revenue and expense sides of city financing for the period 2003 to 2009 using a convenience sample of the audited end of year financial reports for thirty midsized US cities. The analysis focuses on whether and how quickly and how extensively revenue and spending directions from past years are altered by recessions. A seven year series of Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (CAFR) data serves to explore whether citiesʼ revenues and spending, especially the traditional property tax and core functions such as public safety and infrastructure withstood the brief 2001 and the persistent 2007 recessions? The findings point to consumption (spending) over stability (revenue minus expense) for the recession of 2007, particularly in 2008 and 2009.
Stephen E. Maiden and Elliott N. Weiss
In an effort to save his business, Paul Marciano, the owner of Italian family restaurant Maria’s Ristorante, runs a number of experiments focused on improving the customer…
Abstract
In an effort to save his business, Paul Marciano, the owner of Italian family restaurant Maria’s Ristorante, runs a number of experiments focused on improving the customer experience around his target customer segment. These experiments lead to a better understanding about his business and cause him to make specific changes to his business model that ultimately improve things across the board. The experiments are based on research from the academic literature on the use of behavioral variables to manage customer perceptions.
The objectives of this study are twofold: to investigate the impact of service encounter quality dimensions on perceived value, customer satisfaction, and loyalty, and to examine…
Abstract
Purpose
The objectives of this study are twofold: to investigate the impact of service encounter quality dimensions on perceived value, customer satisfaction, and loyalty, and to examine the moderating effect of perceived risk on the relationship of loyalty with perceived value and customer satisfaction in high contact services.
Design/methodology/approach
A questionnaire survey was adopted. Data were collected from customers who had used either hairdressing services or health care services in the past three months. Confirmatory factor analysis was used to evaluate the validity of the measures and structural equation modeling was used to assess the hypothesized relationships.
Findings
Technical quality and empathy were found to display a positive effect on satisfaction in both hairstylist and physician samples. Physical environment was found to display a positive effect on satisfaction in the physician sample, but not in the hairstylist sample, and its effect on perceived value was non‐significant in both samples. The results also showed that there was a significant difference between low and high perceived risk groups in both samples with respect to the relationship between satisfaction and loyalty, and the relationship between perceived value and loyalty.
Research limitations/implications
The study was conducted in a professional and relational service context, thus the scope for generalization of the results to other contexts may be limited. Moreover, this study focused on performance risk.
Originality/value
This study provides empirical support for the moderating role of perceived risk in the relationship between satisfaction and loyalty, and the relationship between perceived value and loyalty.