The purpose of this study is to respond to the Journal of Historical Research in Marketing special issue call for discussions that can assist advertising and marketing history…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to respond to the Journal of Historical Research in Marketing special issue call for discussions that can assist advertising and marketing history researchers locate primary sources of interest to their research by describing the resources available through the online family history websites Ancestry.com and FindMyPast.com.
Design/methodology/approach
Brief histories of Ancestry and FindMyPast are presented, based on publicly available records and secondary sources. This paper explains the types of data researchers can access via Ancestry.com and FindMypast.com, the costs of access and then provides some examples of how these resources have been used in past research by marketing and advertising historians.
Findings
Family history websites such as Ancestry and FindMyPast can provide researchers with access to a wide variety of data sources, such as census and voting records; immigration records; city directories; birth, marriage and death records; military records; and almanacs and gazetteers, but at a cost. In some cases, paying for digital access to records is more convenient, timely and can cost less than travelling to access these same documents in physical form. Depending on the researcher’s geographical location and the country from which records are sought, this can add up to quite a cost savings. When using these sources, it is wise to determine which database contains more of the records you are searching for; Ancestry tends to have better US and Canadian resources, while FindMyPast covers the UK better.
Originality/value
Researchers interested in conducting advertising and marketing history research need access to primary data sources. Given restricted travel budgets and, indeed, restricted travel under COVID-19 conditions, gaining access to primary sources in digital form can allow researchers to continue their work. At any time, gaining access to digital records without having to travel can speed up the research process. Researchers new to the field, and those with many years of experience, can benefit from learning more about family history databases as primary data sources.
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Alina Lee, John Neilson, Greg Tower and J‐L.W. Mitchell Van der Zahn
The first objective of this study is to examine the nature and extent of intellectual capital (IC) information Australian hospitals disclose to their stakeholders (patients…
Abstract
Purpose
The first objective of this study is to examine the nature and extent of intellectual capital (IC) information Australian hospitals disclose to their stakeholders (patients, general public, healthcare professionals) via the internet. The second objective is to examine whether four hospital characteristics influence the disclosure of IC‐related information.
Design/methodology/approach
Analysis reported in this study is based on IC disclosures by 128 hospitals on their internet web sites. IC disclosure is measured using an 85‐item research constructed index that covers six major sub‐categories. Measurement of IC disclosure was conducted during a four month period in the last third of 2005.
Findings
It is found that whilst the incidence rate of hospitals disclosing IC information is high, the extent of IC disclosure is relatively low. The quantity of IC disclosure varied significantly between different IC sub‐categories. In addition, the paper investigates possible determinants of variations in IC disclosure by Australian hospitals. Specifically, it is found that the quantity of IC information disclosed on a hospital web site varied according to the state location, designation as a private or public hospital, whether the hospital is specialized or general in its operations, and if the hospital is based in a city or regional location. A hospital's designation as being network or non‐networked is not a significant determinant.
Originality/value
Few studies have examined the disclosure of IC information by healthcare providers such as hospitals. No studies, to the knowledge of the authors, have examined the specific disclosure of IC information by hospitals on their internet web sites.
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Emita W. Astami, Greg Tower, Rusmin Rusmin and John Neilson
The purpose of this paper is to investigate whether partially privatised state‐owned‐enterprises (SOEs) perform significantly better than fully SOEs in the developing country of…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to investigate whether partially privatised state‐owned‐enterprises (SOEs) perform significantly better than fully SOEs in the developing country of Indonesia.
Design/methodology/approach
This study uses a data set of 157 SOEs in Indonesia for the year 2006 to examine the issue of ownership structure and its performance.
Findings
Statistical analysis supports the hypothesis that SOEs with private sector ownership have higher levels of performance than those fully owned by the government. There are also significant differences in financial leverage, firm size, assets‐in‐place, financial statement reliability, and industry variances between fully privatised and partially privatised SOEs.
Originality/value
These findings support the Indonesian Government move towards further privatisation in that SOEs with at least some private sector ownership have greater performance levels.
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Grantley Taylor, Greg Tower, Mitchell Van Der Zahn and John Neilson
This paper seeks to investigate the corporate governance determinants of financial instrument disclosure (FID) practices of Australian listed resource firms in their annual…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper seeks to investigate the corporate governance determinants of financial instrument disclosure (FID) practices of Australian listed resource firms in their annual reports for the 2005 financial year. This is an important time period to explain FID patterns for Australian resource companies leading up to formal adoption of the Australian equivalents to the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS).
Design/methodology/approach
The extent of FID was measured using a Financial Instrument Disclosure Index (FIDI) comprised of 120 items of both mandatory and discretionary financial instrument information. Hypothesis testing used empirical data from a representative sample of Australian listed resource firms.
Research limitations/implications
The results of regression analysis demonstrate that corporate governance characteristics of firms are significant determinants of FID patterns. Univariate and multivariate results showed that FIDs were significantly and positively associated with strength of corporate governance structure and the control variables – leverage, firm size and industry.
Originality/value
This paper contributes to an emerging paradigm that emphasises the link between firms' governance structures and their disclosure responses to financial instruments and in particular, financial derivatives.
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We give more space than usual to the Conference of the Library Association, but, even so, our correspondent has attempted impressions rather than factual accounts of the papers…
Abstract
We give more space than usual to the Conference of the Library Association, but, even so, our correspondent has attempted impressions rather than factual accounts of the papers read. Good as those papers were, the main effect of our conferences is to provide for every type of librarian a sense of community and of unity with librarianship in general. This was achieved in a large measure at Edinburgh. Moreover, as our correspondent suggests, there was interest in problems that do not affect, at least at present, many who participated. Nearly every session, general or special, was so well attended, that we can infer that the vitality of interest in library matters is as great as it ever has been; indeed, it is possibly greater.
Abstract
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Martyn J. Bridges and Peter Green
The purpose of this article is to address the issue of tax evasion and the internet. While the internet has been the subject of growing media attention, the concept of tax evasion…
Abstract
The purpose of this article is to address the issue of tax evasion and the internet. While the internet has been the subject of growing media attention, the concept of tax evasion and the internet has only recently been considered.
Following on from the thawing‐out of the cold war and the revolutions of Eastern Europe, the threat of lower armament levels provided opportunities for the rationalisation of…
Abstract
Following on from the thawing‐out of the cold war and the revolutions of Eastern Europe, the threat of lower armament levels provided opportunities for the rationalisation of European defence and its military‐industrial complexes. Coupled with the continuing threat of reduced defence expenditures and increasing competition, defence companies have reacted to the changes with a number of strategic moves involving mergers and acquisitions, market nicheing and diversification, in addition to lay‐offs and plant closures. More recently, moves towards a single European defence industry have been discussed among the major contributing member countries and their industry leaders. The integration of a defence aerospace industry seems well placed to succeed, given French co‐operation, and this should produce a formidable, global competitor. East and Central Europe’s contribution to the equation is questionable, although the early signs are that west European defence companies are establishing firm footholds in the region against strong US competition.
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The milk supply of our country, in one form or another, has been the subject of discussion year after year at Congress meetings. Its importance is an admitted fact, but…
Abstract
The milk supply of our country, in one form or another, has been the subject of discussion year after year at Congress meetings. Its importance is an admitted fact, but, notwithstanding, I again venture to call attention to the matter. On this occasion, however, I do not propose to touch much of the ground already covered by former papers, but to consider the results of experiments and observations made while dealing with milk supply under the Sale of Food and Drugs Acts. For many years dairy regulations have been in force throughout the country which deal with the construction of floors and walls, and with lighting and ventilation. The owners of dairy farms in many parts of Scotland have spent large sums of money in improving their farms. Indeed, some enthusiasts have gone the length of introducing a system of heating and mechanical means of ventilation. It is only reasonable to pause and consider the practical results of these improvements, and to discover who are reaping the benefits from a milk supply standpoint. Do the owners of dairy farms receive anything like a fair return for their capital outlay? No. It is a well‐known fact that rents are on the down grade. Is the farmer of to‐day in a better financial position than formerly? No. He will tell you that the working of a “modern dairy” is more expensive than in the old steading, and that there is less flow of milk from the cows in the large airy byre than in the small old “biggin.” The price of milk is considerably less than it was fifteen or twenty years ago. At that time it ranged from 10d. to 1s. per gallon, and it is well known to you that hundreds of gallons of milk are now sent into our large cities for at least a distance of 100 miles, carriage paid, at 7½d. per gallon. In some cases the price is 9d. per gallon during the winter and 7½d. in summer. A farmer I know has a contract with a dairyman to supply him with 20 gallons of sweet milk, 16 gallons of skim milk, and 4 gallons of cream every day at an average rate of 7½d. per gallon all the year round. I have proved, by having test samples taken of the sweet milk, that it contains an average fat of 4.89 per cent. in 16 gallons. Neither the owner nor occupier of the farm can be any better off so long as such small prices prevail. Does the profit then come to the consumer? It does not.
Globally and particularly in Ireland, reduced expenditure on healthcare along with increasing pressure to increase patient throughput and improved performance against standards…
Abstract
Purpose
Globally and particularly in Ireland, reduced expenditure on healthcare along with increasing pressure to increase patient throughput and improved performance against standards, is forcing healthcare providers to adopt tools from the business sector and apply them in the healthcare sector to bring about improved performance. The paper aims to discuss these issues.
Design/methodology/approach
This study is interpretivist in nature, specifically focussing on exploring how the balanced scorecard can support improved service delivery within a hospital department. The research will conduct an exploratory case study of a single hospital site within the Irish republic. This research is based on qualitative interviews with corroboration from document review and direct observation. This study provides a snap-shot of the Cath Lab service at a moment in time.
Findings
The development of a strategy map and proposed balanced scorecard for an Irish hospital unit.
Originality/value
The development of a balanced scorecard for a healthcare organisation.