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This study aims to address the issue of practicing information security risk assessment (ISRA) on cloud solutions by studying municipalities and large organizations in Sweden.

Four large organizations and five municipalities that use cloud services and conduct ISRA to adhere to their information security risk management practices were studied. Data were gathered qualitatively to answer the study’s research question: How is ISRA practiced on the cloud? The Coat Hanger model was used as a theoretical lens to study and theorize the practices.

The results showed that the organizations aimed to follow the guidelines, in the form of frameworks or their own experience, to conduct ISRA; furthermore, the frameworks were altered to fit the organizations’ needs. The results further indicated that one of the main concerns with the cloud ISRA was the absence of a culture that integrates risk management. Finally, the findings also stressed the importance of a good understanding and a well-written legal contract between the cloud providers and the organizations using the cloud services.

As opposed to the previous research, which was more inclined to try out and evaluate various cloud ISRA, the study provides insights into the practice of cloud ISRA experienced by the organizations. This study represents the first attempt to investigate cloud ISRA that organizations practice in managing their information security.

The decision to buy a holiday home depends on a number of social, cultural, economic and demographic factors. These factors are related to home and environmental characteristics as well as demographic characteristics of buyers. The aim of this paper is to investigate the factors that shape the decision to purchase a holiday home in Greece.

This paper presents the results of a survey, involving a representative sample of potential buyers of holiday homes in Greece.

According to the research results, buying a holiday home in Greece is mainly an investment decision for the future and is determined by the value and characteristics of the house, the hidden costs and the factors that shape the external economic environment. (1) Further, the analysis has shown that there is a limited use of electronic channels in the real estate market in Greece with further potential of development.

The investigation focuses on the characteristics of the house, the variables of the external environment, (2) considering any obstacles or catalysts, such as the use of electronic channels. Even though similar studies have been conducted worldwide on the topic, very few have been carried out in Greece which lately has gone through major market changes.

This monograph contains abstracts from the 2005 Employment Research Unit Annual Conference Cardiff Business School, Cardiff University, 6‐7th September 2005

The German Banking Act (the Act) sets out the licensing requirements for the provision of cross‐border financial services into Germany. The licensing requirements under the Act incorporate the old licensing regime as well as subsequent EU regulations. The licensing requirements for non‐European Economic Association (EEA) credit institutions were not sufficiently addressed in the Act. Consequently, controversy surrounds the lawfulness of crossborder financial services by non‐EEA institutions in Germany. While, however, the German Financial Supervisory Authority (Bundesanstalt fürinanzdienstleistungsaufsicht, the BAFin) followed a liberal licensing policy, this dispute was mainly academic. In April, 2002, the BAFin published a letter expressing its intention of changing this liberal policy. Market participants voiced concerns at the proposed changes to the BAFin policy. This paper describes the statutory background of the licensing requirements and discusses the possible consequences for the market of the policy change.

Sets out the provisions of the US Family and Medical Leave Act, and summarizes the exceptions clause which defines which employees are excepted from these provisions. Explains how the Act works in practice and the duties it places on the employer. Gives examples from cases brought under the Act to illustrate how it is working in practice. Discusses how the Act might be expanded in the near future.

Multi-risk environments pose challenges for rural and coastal communities in the Asia-Pacific region, particularly with regard to disaster risk management and climate change adaptation strategies. While much research has been published on disaster response and recovery for specific climate-related hazards in the region, such as cyclones, floods and droughts, there is a growing need for insight into how communities respond, recover and adapt to the multiple, intersecting risks posed by environmental, societal and economic change. This chapter frames the body of new research presented in this book from the perspective of multi-risk environments, paying particular attention to concepts central to the disaster response and recovery cycle, and rejecting the notion of a distinct boundary between climate and society. Further, this introductory chapter foregrounds the importance of cultural values, power relations, Indigenous knowledge systems, local networks and community-based adaptive capacities when considering resilience, recovery and adaptation to climate-induced disasters at the community and household level. Overviews of the research presented in this book demonstrate a diverse range of responses and adaptive strategies at the local level in case studies from Solomon Islands, Fiji, Cambodia and Samoa, as well as implications for policy, planning and management.

Purpose – This chapter represents a dynamic cycle in a collaborative inquiry conceived some six years ago. The aim of this study is to share some of our reflections, tensions, questions and uncertainties in positioning our own emotional responses as legitimate research data.

Methodology/Approach – We adopted a collaborative second-person methodology within an action research framework in the process of inquiring into our own practice as systemic psychotherapists and women.

Findings – We offer reflections on the positioning of emotion as researchers, tutors and psychotherapists. We discuss three themes from the emotional landscape of the inquiry, research process, research product and gendered voices, in anticipation that they will connect with and be useful to other researchers.

Originality/Value – The chapter introduces our sense-making framework for reflexively exploring the salience of emotion in research. It argues that attenuating, listening and responding to the emotions we feel as researchers both serves as a guide to inquiring into critical social constructs and engenders opportunities to promote social change.

Outlines the effect of exchange rate fluctuations on bank performance and investigates the relationship between exchange rate exposure and stock value for eight major Greek banks. Explains the methodological problems involved, develops a mathematical model and applies it to 1995‐1998 data for the banks. Discusses the results for each bank individually and suggests that although their stock returns are affected by exchange rate variations, other factors (e.g. asset/liability structure, management style etc.) are also important. Calls for further research on the impact of changes in exchange rates.

In a knowledge‐based society the onus is placed upon teachers to provide their students with high‐quality experiences that will enable them to work autonomously in the rapidly changing world of work. The Times 100 has created a range of partnerships between The Times, it's sponsors and educational users by providing opportunities for young people to use up‐to‐date case studies as part of their learning.

Whether a worker is an employee of a business or an independent contractor with that business is an issue that can have many significant problems. Generally, an employee is someone who works for an employer. An employee is controlled by the employer and has little discretion in the timing and performance of his tasks. According to Wilson, on the other hand, “independent contractors contract to do work and have the ability to perform the work without being subject to the control of the employer as long as they meet the expected results required by the contract (Wilson, 1999).” In short, independent contractors are independent business people who are hired to perform specific tasks. They are just like any other vendor, except they perform services rather than provide tangible goods and basically are in the business for themselves. Thus, they are not the hiring firm’s employees. They are not eligible for unemployment, disability, or workers compensation benefits (California Chamber of Commerce, 1991). There is no certain and consistent definition to distinguish an employee and an independent contractor. However, there are a number of rules that govern whether someone is an employee or an independent contractor; and each of the rules has its own characteristic in determining the issue.