The purpose of this study is to deliver a mobile solution for our next-generation users to locate the library’s collections and facilities effectively through advanced…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to deliver a mobile solution for our next-generation users to locate the library’s collections and facilities effectively through advanced visualisation and interactivity techniques. The widespread use of mobile devices within our students and staff community for their day-to-day operations has significantly driven the demand for more library services to go mobile.
Design/methodology/approach
Development of the solution was done in two phases. The first is to construct a real-world model of the library to optimise visual impact and interactivity. The model captures all library facilities such as discussion rooms, cafés, service counters, book shelves, furniture as well as the décor and general ambience. The second is to build the native mobile application on the popular iOS and Android platforms, making use of the same back-end functionalities and services as the existing online and kiosk application. Perspective rendering technique is also used to generate 360° panorama, path overview and step-by-step guide which greatly enhance user orientation and navigation. The guiding principle is to develop a lightweight solution and to keep the design intuitive so that users are able to access the service without any assistance.
Findings
This initiative has received good feedback from our users, especially Generation Y students who prefer visual images rather than large amounts of text. Compared to static maps and directories, the ability to interact with the system appeals to all groups of users.
Originality/value
The integration with the library catalogue to allow users to pinpoint the exact location of resources is unique. On top of the wayfinding services that have been developed, there is a lot of potential for further development of richer user interactive applications to embrace the new generation of users.
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This paper is a study of the current trends and conditions of electronic resources for Chinese studies, based on a recent survey on the Internet of 29 Chinese libraries in North…
Abstract
This paper is a study of the current trends and conditions of electronic resources for Chinese studies, based on a recent survey on the Internet of 29 Chinese libraries in North America and eight Chinese libraries in China, Taiwan and Hong Kong. The survey discussed current electronic resources for Chinese studies, with a union list of major Chinese language databases currently used in libraries in Asia and the US. Current views on the use and development of electronic resources for Chinese studies were summarised.
The Communist revolution in China has led to the appearance in this country of increasing numbers of Chinese books in Russian translation. The Chinese names in Cyrillic…
Abstract
The Communist revolution in China has led to the appearance in this country of increasing numbers of Chinese books in Russian translation. The Chinese names in Cyrillic transcription have presented many librarians and students with a new problem, that of identifying the Cyrillic form of a name with the customary Wade‐Giles transcription. The average cataloguer, the first to meet the problem, has two obvious lines of action, and neither is satisfactory. He can save up the names until he has a chance to consult an expert in Chinese. Apart altogether from the delay, the expert, confronted with a few isolated names, might simply reply that he could do nothing without the Chinese characters, and it is only rarely that Soviet books supply them. Alternatively, he can transliterate the Cyrillic letters according to the system in use in his library and leave the matter there for fear of making bad worse. As long as the writers are not well known, he may feel only faintly uneasy; but the appearance of Chzhou Ėn‐lai (or Čžou En‐laj) upsets his equanimity. Obviously this must be entered under Chou; and we must have Mao Tse‐tung and not Mao Tsze‐dun, Ch'en Po‐ta and not Chėn' Bo‐da. But what happens when we have another . . . We can hardly write Ch'en unless we know how to represent the remaining elements in the name; yet we are loth to write Ch'en in one name and Chėn' in another.
Kofi Mintah Oware and King David Kweku Botchway
The purpose of this study is to examine the effect of moral and exchange capital of corporate social responsibility (CSR) disclosure on the financial distress likelihood of family…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to examine the effect of moral and exchange capital of corporate social responsibility (CSR) disclosure on the financial distress likelihood of family management firms in India.
Design/methodology/approach
The constructed data set (i.e. Morgan Stanley Capital International) and Kinder, Lydenberg and Domini social performance rating data format) consists of 66 firms with 655 firm-year observations for family-managed firms that practise sustainability reporting on the Indian stock market from 2010 to 2019.
Findings
The first findings show that current and previous year-two CSR disclosure reduces family management firms’ financial distress. The second findings show that the exchange capital of CSR disclosure does not influence the financial distress likelihood of family management firms in India. The third findings show that moral capital of CSR disclosure of the current year, previous year-one and previous year-two more than likely reduce financial distress likelihood of family management firms in India. This study is robust due to the lagged variables of the dependent variables.
Practical implications
Management investment must be high in moral capital to accrue social capital, but the success is dependent on a policy of continuous support for establishing family-related businesses. Similarly, society can benefit as the firm becomes attractive to green consumers as additions to the consumers of a CSR-driven firm. The consequences can cause firms to be more philanthropic to the community.
Originality/value
The novelty shows that to the best of the authors’ knowledge, no studies examine CSR disclosure’s moral and exchange capital on financial distress likelihood in India. Also, there is no evidence from the perspective of family management studies in CSR-financial distress likelihood nexus.
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This study aims at providing exploratory insights into the initiative and capabilities of Chinese SMEs to develop and utilize diverse networks to support internationalization…
Abstract
This study aims at providing exploratory insights into the initiative and capabilities of Chinese SMEs to develop and utilize diverse networks to support internationalization. Such network development and utilization efforts are fundamental to the analysis and explanation of Chinese firms’ internationalization patterns and outcomes. Extending from the existing network studies in the Chinese context that generally put emphasis on strong‐tie and ethnic‐oriented networks, this paper investigates and explains explicitly the use and effects of both strong‐ and weak‐tie networks in the international development of Chinese SMEs. Indepth case studies on four rapidly internationalized Chinese SMEs are conducted. The case findings demonstrate that weak‐tie networks are essential to the firms’ business development in foreign markets; and were proactively developed and utilized in the course of the firms’ development. The cases also provide alternative perspectives to the beliefs and values underpinning strong‐tie networks presumed in existing literature. The findings draw attention to the changing business values and approaches of the Chinese firms aiming at developing internationally. Managerial implications concerning the significant influence of effective networking on internationalization are pinpointed.
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Kofi Mintah Oware and Kingsley Appiah
The purpose of this study is to examine the effect of corporate social responsibility assurance practice (CSRAP) on the financial distress likelihood of listed firms in India. It…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to examine the effect of corporate social responsibility assurance practice (CSRAP) on the financial distress likelihood of listed firms in India. It uses the signalling theory to interpret the relationship among the variables of the study.
Design/methodology/approach
The study used the Indian stock market as the testing grounds and applied probit and panel probit regression to examine the data set with 800 firm-year observations from 2010 to 2019.
Findings
The study’s first findings show that firms with an assurance service have a negative correlation and are less likely to stay in financial distress situations for an extended period. However, corporate social responsibility (CSR) assurance has a positive but weak correlation with insignificance with financial distress likelihood of firms in India. The authors also find that the engagement of CSR assurance and level of assurance (limited assurance) does not cause a change in a firm financially distress likelihood of firms in India. However, as assurance service providers, auditing firms are more likely to reduce a firm’s likelihood of financial distress. Finally, the study shows that CSRAP (CSR assurance, assurance service providers and level of assurance) does not moderate the association between CSR expenditure and financial distress likelihood of listed firms in India.
Originality/value
The study findings are the first to examine the level of assurance and financial distress of firms according to the authors’ knowledge. This study also adds new knowledge to the factors that cause or reduces the financial distress of listed firms, including CSRAPs.
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Phaik Kin Cheah, N. Prabha Unnithan and Suresh Suppiah
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the work roles of the Royal Malaysia Police Volunteer Reserve officers.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the work roles of the Royal Malaysia Police Volunteer Reserve officers.
Design/methodology/approach
A grounded theory approach was utilized for the generation and analysis of the data. Data were collected through interviews, observations and follow-ups. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 20 male and female volunteer reserve officers and 5 regular police officers aged between 24 and 58 years of mixed socioeconomic backgrounds, ethnicities and ranking in the Royal Malaysia Police force. Two civilian respondents (spouses of the Police Volunteer Reserve officers) were also interviewed for this study for the purpose of theory sampling.
Findings
The data were analyzed qualitatively resulting in a model of Royal Malaysia Police Volunteer Reserve officer roles consisting of four orientations.
Research limitations/implications
Study outcomes are discussed theoretically and administratively. The four role orientations identified will assist researchers studying police reserve volunteerism.
Practical implications
Study outcomes allow administrators to utilize and deploy police reservists in consonance with the four role orientations identified.
Social implications
This study provides insight into how police reservists conceive of and execute their roles as they negotiate them in relation to the regular police officers they work with and the public from which they are drawn.
Originality/value
This is the first study of police volunteerism in Malaysia.