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A short personal view on the development of the Internet phenomenon is given. It is argued that the Internet is a powerful paradigm of change and community building. Changes which enable the learning organization are of particular interest. This is investigated in the context of corporate training using, or learning from, the Internet. Next, capabilities and rigidities of the net as a knowledge management tool rather than yet another way to distribute unwanted information, are listed. Finally, the important lessons learnt from the success of the Internet are linked to the future of marketing the Internet world wide.

The purpose of this paper is to examine the state of knowledge management (KM) in the energy sector and more broadly, and consider future directions for research and practice.

The paper reviews the literature on KM and the practice of KM as relevant to the energy sector.

There are many examples of good practice in KM in the sector, and some organisations, especially in the oil industry, are seen as leaders in KM practice. However, other organisations have yet to embark on explicit KM initiatives or projects at all. In addition, some parts of the energy sector discuss KM without any reference to the more general KM literature.

Although some parts of the energy sector have justifiably earned a good reputation for KM, other parts are completely unaware of the field, as is apparent from the literature. This review helps to raise awareness and guide future work.

The World Wide Web's search engines are the main tools for indexing and retrieval of Internet resources today. Comparison and evaluation of their performance is of great importance for system developers and information professionals, as well as end‐users, for the improvement and development of better tools. The paper describes categories and special features of Web‐based databases and compares them with traditional databases. It then presents a review of the literature on the testing and evaluation of Web‐based search engines. Different methodologies and measures used in previous studies are described and their findings are summarised. The paper presents some evaluative comments on previous studies and suggests areas for future investigation, particularly evaluation of Web‐based search engines from the end‐user's perspective.

The purpose of this research is to investigate the dynamics and dimensions of behaviors of supply chain employees that may impede the success of supply chain relationships.

A grounded theory qualitative method was used to explore the concept of counterproductive work behavior in a supply chain context.

Through analysis and evaluation of the data, five key supply chain counterproductive work behaviors (avoiding, withholding, emoting, confounding, and shifting) emerged. Overall, these behaviors are associated with perceived contract breaches, which undermines trust within supply chain relationships.

This work provides a basis for researchers to explore counterproductive work behaviors within supply chain management and managers to consider these behaviors in relational exchange. Future research can build on the insights provided here by applying quantitative methods to exploring the phenomenon and investigating counterproductive behaviors from the actor's perspective.

This research provides an overarching framework for relationship management behaviors that may detract from supply chain relationships. Research has previously explored these types of behaviors in a segmented fashion. This work takes a comprehensive look at behaviors and through evaluation of the data, relational and informational contract breaches emerge. The data suggests these contract breaches may undermine the trust within supply chain relationships.

The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the logistics performance of intermodal freight transportation, a reasonably innovative methodology, to Thailand.

Fuzzy set techniques are applied to assess the meaning of logistics performance within the decision process of freight operators. The fuzzy‐analytical hierarchy process is applied to identify the relative significance among the attributes in the hierarchy framework levels. Consequently, the fuzzy‐multi‐criteria analysis is used to assess decision makers' perception of the logistics performance via proper assignment of numerical scores. The subjective judgments for hierarchical attributes are transformed into fuzzy degrees of score.

Results show a summary of performance indices for different levels in the hierarchy framework. The results demonstrate that the lack of coordination among modes limit the attractiveness of intermodal system. In addition, the methodology is proposed to examine changing variables regarding modal shift and challenge the truck dominance in Thailand.

The proposed framework is only a starting point for integrating the views of logistics operators in the analytical processes. This study did not include several external social costs such as accidents, congestion, and environmental costs.

The methodology provides an approach lead to the index values for assessment and comparative analysis. The strengths and limitations of each alternative were benchmarked relative to a set of hierarchical attributes. Sensitivity analyses of significant variables are performed to examine the impact on changed costs and services levels. The model can entail use of corresponding parameters to improve a logistics system.

The performance measurement is formulated from the modal choice perspective with a human decision problem. The use of logistics performance base indicators has been linked to the intermodal transport system. This study extends the newly developed methodological framework to evaluate the logistics performance of intermodal transportation.

The purpose of this paper is to analyse the information shared by SMEs with their main customers and suppliers and its implications on their performance.

The paper puts forward the concept of arcs of communication based on the frequency and direction of the information exchanged by SMEs with their main customers and suppliers. SMEs are classified by the arc of communication they belong to using data from a survey carried out in the Canary Islands (Spain). The Rasch Measurement Theory is applied.

The largest group of small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) shares information frequently with both customers and suppliers (broad arc of communication). Differences were detected in the performance of SMEs belonging to this broad arc, as well as, in those firms that communicated frequently with their main suppliers (asymmetrical arc of communication towards suppliers). In both cases, these firms were better than their competitors in innovation.

This study demonstrates the need for better management of the links between SMEs and their suppliers and with their customers in accordance with their strategies, promoting a greater cooperative behaviour throughout the supply chain.

SMEs’ customers and suppliers are their main sources of information compared to large firms, which have greater resources to search for and acquire information. This paper investigates the information exchanged by SMEs with their main customers and suppliers from a strategic focus by adding to the literature the concept of arcs of communication. It also has the added value of applying the Rasch Measurement Theory (Rasch, 1960/1980).

The purpose of this study is to draw on several perspectives rarely used in reverse logistics (RL) research – such as sustainable development, the natural resource-based view and green innovation – to examine the relationship between RL innovation and environmental and economic performance while incorporating institutional theory to verify how institutional pressures moderate these relationships.

A questionnaire survey is used to investigate Taiwan's electrical, electronic and information industries, as well as maintenance and retail stores selling computers, communications and consumer electronics. First, a hierarchical regression analysis is used. Next, moderating relationships are examined along with the related regulatory, competitor and customer pressures.

The results indicate that RL innovation is positively associated with environmental and economic performance. Moreover, three institutional pressures positively moderated the relationships between RL innovation and environmental performance. However, investment in greater RL innovation under higher-level institutional pressures did not always enhance economic performance.

Reverse logistics innovation comprises five components, one of which is cross-functional integration, the process of obtaining information from marketing, production and logistics managers about how their firms created the marketing-operations interface to better handle RL. However, we obtained RL innovation information only from individual respondents. In addition, this study focuses on the economic and environmental aspects of RL activities. Future studies should apply the RL perspective on social sustainability to probe RL issues from sustainability's environmental, social and economic points of views.

Contrary to the conventional wisdom that RL imposes costs, reduces productivity and curbs competitiveness, this study finds that RL innovation can enrich environmental and economic performances, indicating that firms with more innovative RL capabilities yield more sustainable outcomes for environmental protection, social responsibility and economic performance.

This study contributes to the RL literature by applying multiple perspectives – including sustainable development, the natural resource-based view and green innovation – to explore the relationship between RL innovation and performance while using institutional theory to probe the moderating effects of institutional pressures on RL innovation and performance.

This study aims to explore the relationships among institutional pressures, commitment of resources and returns management. Returns management is regarded as a part of supply chain management. However, the research in returns management has received much less attention. To bridge the gap, this study concerns key concepts from two important schools of thought, i.e. institutional theory and the resource-based view, to build up the research model.

Retailers and maintenance providers in the 3C industry (computers, communication and consumer electronics) in Taiwan were surveyed, and the statistical methods of hierarchical and moderated regression were used to examine the relationships among institutional pressures, commitment of resources and returns management.

Institutional pressures, comprising non-market and market pressures, affect the implementation of returns management (product return practices and product recovery practices). Commitments of resources positively and significantly moderate the relationship between the pressures imposed by non-market and market actors and product return practices and product recovery practices.

This study investigates only the factors that drive returns management. Future research can examine the relationship between the antecedents and consequences of returns management. Furthermore, returns management may become increasingly critical for firms to develop and perform corporate social responsibility (CSR). Therefore, future research can investigate the relationship between CSR practices and returns management.

This research suggests that managers under institutional pressures should continually pay attention to the effects of external factors on returns management. Additionally, the results reveal that a commitment of resources can reinforce the relationship between the pressures imposed by non-market and market actors and the implementation of returns management. Under significant institutional pressures and resource constraints, managers may increase the effectiveness of returns management while attending to the concerns of non-market and market actors.

This study presents a model that considers three major explicative variables: institutional pressures, resources commitment and returns management. It is the first investigation to integrate three streams of literature on institutional theory, the resource-based view and returns management.

Addresses one of the fundamental issues of e‐marketing: how to attract and win over the consumer in the highly competitive Internet marketplace. Analyses the factors affecting the online consumer's behavior and examines how e‐marketers can influence the outcome of the virtual interaction and buying process by focusing their marketing efforts on elements shaping the customer's virtual experience, the Web experience. Identifying the Web experience components and understanding their role as inputs in the online customer's decision‐making process are the first step in developing and delivering an attractive online presence likely to have the maximum impact on Internet users. Click‐and‐mortar firms delivering superior Web experience influence their physical clients’ perceptions and attitudes, driving additional traffic to traditional sales outlets. Provides a contribution to the theoretical debate around the factors influencing the online consumer's behavior and outlines some noticeable similarities and differences between the traditional and virtual consumers.