Describes how technology is rapidly changing the way information is distributed and paid for. Libraries face the risk that they will be cut from the loop that includes publishers…
Abstract
Describes how technology is rapidly changing the way information is distributed and paid for. Libraries face the risk that they will be cut from the loop that includes publishers and information consumers. Libraries must take an active role in experimenting with emerging technology and trends in the economics and distribution of information. If they do so, they stand to maintain their strong position as collection builders and organizers, and to continue their tradition of excellence in providing access to information for their users. Highlights a number of issues that need to be addressed as libraries make the transition from paper to digital: funding models, fee versus free use of information, and the infrastructure of digital economy. Explores the role that electronic money may have in those libraries in more depth.
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Sandeep Kumar Kujur and Diti Goswami
As a developing country, India initiated several labor measures to contain the Covid-19 pandemic. This study analyzes the impact of the Covid-19-induced comprehensive labor…
Abstract
Purpose
As a developing country, India initiated several labor measures to contain the Covid-19 pandemic. This study analyzes the impact of the Covid-19-induced comprehensive labor measures by Indian states on the Case Fatality Ratios and Recovery Rates. Such an analysis will provide deeper insights into the importance of labor measures during a health emergency. It will also be a reality check to the existing National Health Policy.
Design/methodology/approach
The study examines the four major aspects of labor measures on migration, social security, state-specific needs and health and human rights. The authors use these to formulate a composite labor measure index to comprehend the Covid-19-induced various labor measures. Additionally, the authors apply pooled ordinary least squares and panel random-effects models with the state-wise monthly data to examine the impact of Covid-19-induced labor measures on the severity of the pandemic.
Findings
Covid-19-induced comprehensive labor measures reduce fatalities and increase recovery rates. In particular, the measures on labor migration, state-specific needs and health and human rights adopted by the Indian states successfully reduce the Covid-19 fatalities and improve the recovery rates. However, the measures taken to address social security have been ineffective in reducing the severity of the pandemic. The study results are robust to various other specifications.
Research limitations/implications
The time period covered in this research is very brief and does not account for the qualitative impact of labor measures on the severity of the pandemic. This study specifically addresses the number of Covid-19-induced labor measures and not the resources allocated to their implementations or the number of people who benefited from the measures.
Practical implications
This study emphasizes the need for subnational comprehensive labor measures to reduce the severity of the pandemic in developing countries. The study confirms the need for effective Covid-19-induced social security measures to cope with the pandemic in India. This study also ascertains the beneficial impact of the measures on migration, state-specific needs and health and human rights.
Originality/value
The authors make a composite labor measure index that captures state-level Covid-19-induced labor measures on diverse aspects, namely migration, social security, state-specific need and health and human rights, hitherto unexplored. In addition, the authors analyze the impact of these labor measures on the severity of the pandemic.
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The first article in this series described the events of an In‐Company Training Course from Sunday evening to late Tuesday afternoon. John Teire and David Allner of Simulon find…
Abstract
The first article in this series described the events of an In‐Company Training Course from Sunday evening to late Tuesday afternoon. John Teire and David Allner of Simulon find that conventional descriptions of the experiential programmes they are running for organisations do little to inform the reader. For this reason, these articles are written from the point of view of Ray, who is a course member, and the story continues from the Tuesday evening of his course.
Abe de Jong, Marieke van der Poel and Michiel Wolfswinkel
This paper aims to present case study evidence on the changes in the relations between chief executive officers (CEOs) of large firms and shareholders in the past three decades of…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to present case study evidence on the changes in the relations between chief executive officers (CEOs) of large firms and shareholders in the past three decades of the twentieth century. In line with insights from agency theory, the CEOs have experienced increased scrutiny from their principals, the shareholders. This development has affected financial communication and investor relations as well as stock market prices.
Design/methodology/approach
The Dutch electronics firm Royal Philips NV in the transition period of 1971-2001 has been studied using publicly available disclosures and stock market prices. A descriptive case study approach is combined with event study methodology.
Findings
It was observed that the increased emphasis on shareholder interests has affected the interactions between Philips’ respective CEOs and the shareholders’ reactions to strategic decisions as measured by stock price changes. Around the beginning of the twenty-first century, clarity and openness in CEO communication was the norm and deviations were punished with volatile stock prices.
Research limitations/implications
The study relies on publicly available data.
Originality/value
The case study of Philips can be extrapolated to other exchange-listed firms in the late twentieth century, which faced changed expectations about the role of the CEO, investor relations and the CEO’s accountability toward shareholders. This transition is relevant not only as a historical observation, but also as a background to studies in finance and management about top management and financial markets.
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This paper presents a review and classification of reported experiments in job design. The study is confined, in the main, to published experiments directed towards the…
Abstract
This paper presents a review and classification of reported experiments in job design. The study is confined, in the main, to published experiments directed towards the improvement of the motivational content of blue‐collar jobs, and is intended principally to provide a reference source to those researchers or practitioners engaged in work in this field. Before describing these experiments, we shall briefly review the methods available to the job designers who seek to restructure jobs. Much has been written on the subject and for this reason our discussion will be brief, nor will we discuss the history or development of job design principles which is adequately dealt with elsewhere.
FOR a number of years, the X‐ray macro‐structural examination of metals, alloys and other raw materials has been success‐fully applied in many factories for the detection of…
Abstract
FOR a number of years, the X‐ray macro‐structural examination of metals, alloys and other raw materials has been success‐fully applied in many factories for the detection of internal defects, fractures, cracks, blow‐holes, piping, etc. It has recently been possible also to develop microstructural examination to such an extent that besides being used in research laboratories it is now applied to the practical inspection and testing of materials.
Matthew Philip Masterton, David Malcolm Downing, Bill Lozanovski, Rance Brennan B. Tino, Milan Brandt, Kate Fox and Martin Leary
This paper aims to present a methodology for the detection and categorisation of metal powder particles that are partially attached to additively manufactured lattice structures…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to present a methodology for the detection and categorisation of metal powder particles that are partially attached to additively manufactured lattice structures. It proposes a software algorithm to process micro computed tomography (µCT) image data, thereby providing a systematic and formal basis for the design and certification of powder bed fusion lattice structures, as is required for the certification of medical implants.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper details the design and development of a software algorithm for the analysis of µCT image data. The algorithm was designed to allow statistical probability of results based on key independent variables. Three data sets with a single unique parameter were input through the algorithm to allow for characterisation and analysis of like data sets.
Findings
This paper demonstrates the application of the proposed algorithm with three data sets, presenting a detailed visual rendering derived from the input image data, with the partially attached particles highlighted. Histograms for various geometric attributes are output, and a continuous trend between the three different data sets is highlighted based on the single unique parameter.
Originality/value
This paper presents a novel methodology for non-destructive algorithmic detection and categorisation of partially attached metal powder particles, of which no formal methods exist. This material is available to download as a part of a provided GitHub repository.
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Antonyraj Arockiasamy, Dan Eliezer, Paul T. Wang, M.F. Horstemeyer and Roger L. King
The aim of this paper is to investigate the effect of cathodic charging and corrosion behavior of Ti‐48Al‐2Cr‐2Nb alloy in hydrochloric acid solutions.
Abstract
Purpose
The aim of this paper is to investigate the effect of cathodic charging and corrosion behavior of Ti‐48Al‐2Cr‐2Nb alloy in hydrochloric acid solutions.
Design/methodology/approach
TiAl alloy specimens of thickness 0.5 mm were cathodically charged in 0.1 M HCl solution at room temperature. The prominent current densities selected for this investigation were 25 and 50 mA cm−2 for durations of 24‐120 h. The change in weight of the specimen after charging was measured by a microbalance with an accuracy of ±1 μg.
Findings
The nature of the specimen surfaces was characterized by X‐ray diffraction (XRD), auger electron spectroscopy (AES) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) equipped with energy dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy (EDS). XRD revealed the phase transformation from microcrystalline to nano‐crystalline, particularly after high charging times (120 h) and high current density (50 mA cm−2). AES and EDS further assessed the compositional fluctuations on both cathodically charged and potentiodynamically polarized specimens. Surface corrosion leading to the generation of microcracks throughout the surface region was observed by SEM. Cathodic charging and the polarization process were responsible for embrittlement and pitting. Decreases in both weight and Vickers hardness values with an increase in charging time revealed that surface erosion depended strongly upon charging density.
Originality/value
The results presented in this work shed light on the role of alloying elements the passive behavior and their implications on their stability in hydrochloric acid environments.
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Marc Wouters, Susana Morales, Sven Grollmuss and Michael Scheer
The paper provides an overview of research published in the innovation and operations management (IOM) literature on 15 methods for cost management in new product development, and…
Abstract
Purpose
The paper provides an overview of research published in the innovation and operations management (IOM) literature on 15 methods for cost management in new product development, and it provides a comparison to an earlier review of the management accounting (MA) literature (Wouters & Morales, 2014).
Methodology/approach
This structured literature search covers papers published in 23 journals in IOM in the period 1990–2014.
Findings
The search yielded a sample of 208 unique papers with 275 results (one paper could refer to multiple cost management methods). The top 3 methods are modular design, component commonality, and product platforms, with 115 results (42%) together. In the MA literature, these three methods accounted for 29%, but target costing was the most researched cost management method by far (26%). Simulation is the most frequently used research method in the IOM literature, whereas this was averagely used in the MA literature; qualitative studies were the most frequently used research method in the MA literature, whereas this was averagely used in the IOM literature. We found a lot of papers presenting practical approaches or decision models as a further development of a particular cost management method, which is a clear difference from the MA literature.
Research limitations/implications
This review focused on the same cost management methods, and future research could also consider other cost management methods which are likely to be more important in the IOM literature compared to the MA literature. Future research could also investigate innovative cost management practices in more detail through longitudinal case studies.
Originality/value
This review of research on methods for cost management published outside the MA literature provides an overview for MA researchers. It highlights key differences between both literatures in their research of the same cost management methods.
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The purpose of this paper is to explore the strategy for latecomers in large developing countries under globalization. The relationship between innovation and learning is deeply…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to explore the strategy for latecomers in large developing countries under globalization. The relationship between innovation and learning is deeply studied.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper formulates an in‐depth case study on the digital video player industry through consideration of government documents, reports, and research papers; intensive interviews; and questionnaire study.
Findings
The firms in developing countries might be able to innovate before they can match the firms in advanced countries in technological capabilities, and innovation is the most effective way of learning. The firms can achieve competitive advantage owing to the effect of the national value network, the nature of architectural technology, and the relationships between them in product development. The national market should be deliberately taken as a strategic asset for the technological learning and latecomers should learn how to exploit the advantage of globalization.
Originality/value
The paper tries to understand how firms in developing countries conduct learning by innovating to build their competitive advantages.