The purpose of this paper is to present evidence that academic and school libraries can serve users by offering readings in phone‐compatible files, and describe how to use readily…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to present evidence that academic and school libraries can serve users by offering readings in phone‐compatible files, and describe how to use readily available tools to cleanly and effectively format various types of documents for mobile devices.
Design/methodology/approach
A survey was made of a variety of utilities for preparing texts to accommodate mobile reading and the products were tested on several types of phones – from the least sophisticated to popular smartphones.
Findings
Cell phones are effective, convenient appliances for use as text readers. Though US subscribers have been slower than others to embrace their phones as readers, a fast‐growing segment of users is doing so. Course materials traditionally offered as reserves can easily be made available to students on a device that is familiar and comfortable.
Practical implications
Furnishing content in relevant formats increases user convenience and positions libraries to respond to technological change. Providing readings on mobile phones is a move toward the mainstream of today's networked mobile environment.
Social implications
In the USA, people of color and youths have led others in internet access by phone. Libraries, in acknowledging the primacy of mobile devices in people's information universe and providing them with genuinely usable texts, can claim a place in users' pockets, as the commercial sector has already done.
Originality/value
The techniques presented in this paper are within the capabilities of all libraries and can dramatically broaden their service profile, enabling them to bring materials to readers in new, perhaps unexpected ways.
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Robin Canuel and Chad Crichton
The purpose of this paper is to assess how Canadian academic libraries have responded to the rapidly evolving mobile environment and to identify gaps in the services provided…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to assess how Canadian academic libraries have responded to the rapidly evolving mobile environment and to identify gaps in the services provided, while suggesting areas for future development.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper conducted an examination of the mobile content and services provided by the libraries of the member institutions of the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada (AUCC). Based on this examination, the paper describes the current state of mobile librarianship in Canadian academic libraries. A review of the literature places the investigation in its broader context.
Findings
Only 14 percent of AUCC libraries currently advertise some type of mobile web presence, with mobile web sites being prevalent over downloadable apps. Examples of content and services are highlighted to illustrate current trends and to provide insight into future directions for developing mobile services.
Practical implications
This study raises awareness of the importance of mobile technology for academic libraries and the need to address the lack of mobile content and services provided by most Canadian post‐secondary institutions. The paper also identifies best practices exhibited by the surveyed libraries.
Originality/value
This is the first exploration of this type into how academic libraries in Canada have responded to the mobile environment. The value of this research is in helping libraries identify and address shortcomings in the mobile content and services they provide, and in highlighting efforts by libraries to address their users' needs in this area.
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The purpose of this paper is to assess the state of mobile library services available for students’ information needs at the University of the West Indies, Mona Campus. In…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to assess the state of mobile library services available for students’ information needs at the University of the West Indies, Mona Campus. In addition, this study will determine the extent to which mobile services has helped the Mona libraries to have greater reach to students.
Design/methodology/approach
Surveys and content analysis were used to collect data. A comparative content analysis was used to highlight the strides made in mobile library services in universities across the world vis-à-vis the current reality in the Caribbean, specifically Jamaica.
Findings
The findings identified that there is a proliferation of mobile and internet users among university and college students and they are heavily using their devices for the furtherance of their educational attainment. Additionally, the findings indicated that libraries in the academic realm can benefit greatly from allowing their content to be accessible through these mobile devices, as it would also help with greater usage. Furthermore, this service is guaranteed greater support the distance programmes offered by these universities.
Research limitations/implications
This study will focus on assessing the state of mobile library services offered at the University of the West Indies, Mona Jamaica. This study will also determine the extent to which mobile services can help libraries to have greater reach to students and provide best practices for academic libraries implementing mobile service offerings to clients. This study will not attest to the financial feasibility of academic institutions to start such a programme.
Practical implications
The research excavated that the University of the West Indies, Mona Campus, along with other academic libraries in the Caribbean are all not fully offering mobile library services to all their users. In addition, with the rise of technology and the proliferation of cell phones and other mobile devices, students (distance and onsite) expect a service that allows them greater access to the offerings of the university and their libraries.
Originality/value
This is the premier investigation of its kind into how the University of the West Indies Mona Campus has responded to the mobile library environment. The value of this research is in helping academic and university libraries in the Jamaica to identify the importance of leveraging the benefits of the dynamic technological era, allowing greater and wider reach through mobile library services proliferation and access to services. In addition, this study showed that academic libraries need to enhance services in a bid to provide greater support the teaching component of the university or college they serve.
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Abstract
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Kristine L. Beck, James Chong and Bruce D. Niendorf
This study aims to examine whether a good corporate reputation leads to superior investment returns. Theory and empirics provide support for the idea that a good corporate…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to examine whether a good corporate reputation leads to superior investment returns. Theory and empirics provide support for the idea that a good corporate reputation improves firm value, but much of the previous research fails to consider the risk of the companies they study and relies only on accounting measures of performance such as return on assets. A complete picture of the relationship between corporate reputation and shareholder value should include risk-adjusted returns and correlation with benchmark returns.
Design/methodology/approach
The Harris Poll Reputation Quotient (RQ), based on the reputations of the 100 most visible companies, suggests that companies with a “solid reputation” are more likely to be attractive investments. The authors construct portfolios using deciles and the RQ categories, rebalancing annually as RQ rankings are updated. Returns are adjusted for risk using Jensen's alpha, the information ratio, the Sharpe ratio, Modigliani and Modigliani's M2 measure, and Muralidhar's M3 measure.
Findings
The results indicate that choosing a portfolio based on the highest RQ-ranked firms does outperform the market on a risk-adjusted basis, and that the relationship between rankings and time-weighted returns is roughly monotonic. The authors also observe that corporate reputation is persistent, and that the best and worst most-visible firms are more likely to be privately held.
Originality/value
This research adds to the literature by including both market-based return measures and risk in the examination of the relationship between corporate reputation and financial performance.
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FAYEZ A. ELAYAN, JAMMY S.C. LAU and THOMAS O. MEYER
Incentive‐based executive compensation is regarded as a mechanism for alleviating agency problems between executives and shareholders. Seventy‐three New Zealand (NZ) listed…
Abstract
Incentive‐based executive compensation is regarded as a mechanism for alleviating agency problems between executives and shareholders. Seventy‐three New Zealand (NZ) listed companies are used to examine the relationship between executive incentive compensation schemes (ICS) and firm performance. The results suggest that neither compensation level nor adoption of an ICS are significantly related to returns to shareholders or ROA. However, there is a statistically significant relationship between Tobin's q and both CEO compensation and executive share ownership. Further, the evidence suggests the recent compensation disclosure requirements in NZ are not yet stringent enough to allow adequate analysis of the link between ICSs and corporate performance.
Walaa Wahid ElKelish and Panagiotis Zervopoulos
This paper aims to investigate the internal and external determinants of firms’ efficiency and develop optimal corporate governance risk benchmarks for the manufacturing sector…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to investigate the internal and external determinants of firms’ efficiency and develop optimal corporate governance risk benchmarks for the manufacturing sector across different countries.
Design/methodology/approach
Corporate governance risk data were acquired from Institutional Shareholder Services Europe SA. Data on firms’ efficiency and for explanatory and control variables were taken from the DataStream database. The generalised directional distance function data envelopment analysis (GDDF-DEA) model and its stochastic extension provided corporate efficiency measures and optimal corporate governance benchmarks. The authors used ordinary least squares multiple regression analysis with wild bootstrapping to test the study hypotheses.
Findings
The authors found significant differences between firms’ optimal and actual efficiency input/output variables and corporate governance risks in the manufacturing sector across countries. Internal firm characteristics such as group affiliations, product market competition and insider ownership and external institutional factors such as the legal system, the rule of law, control of corruption, law enforcement and cultural values are vital determinants of firms’ efficiency.
Practical implications
This paper provides valuable guidance to enable corporate managers, regulators and policymakers to enhance firms’ efficiency and corporate governance practices.
Originality/value
This paper develops optimal corporate governance risk benchmarks and identifies the most critical internal and external factors affecting firms’ efficiency in the manufacturing sector in various countries. It also used a novel GDDF-DEA model, with the multi-parametric model for bias correction of efficiency estimator.