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1 – 10 of 21Christiaan Davids, Robert Beeres and Paul C. van Fenema
This paper aims to present a study on the organization of military logistics under “hot” conditions in an expeditionary crisis response operation. The authors' main research…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to present a study on the organization of military logistics under “hot” conditions in an expeditionary crisis response operation. The authors' main research question is: in what way is armed forces logistics sourcing organized in the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan?
Design/methodology/approach
To answer their research question, the authors conducted a case study including field research at military sites in Afghanistan. The case study is focused on military organizations that operate in a hostile and ambiguous environment. The authors compare sourcing of three categories of support services, i.e. facilities management, maintenance & logistics and security.
Findings
The authors' results include a systematic overview of the organization of command, logistic and accounting (sourcing) in the ISAF mission, involving multinational military partners and contractors. Second, the authors show how Canada, NATO, The Netherlands, the United Kingdom and the USA sourced the three categories of services mentioned in terms of sourcing profiles. Focusing on contracting, the authors outline which strategies NATO and the countries mentioned used in practice. And finally, differences and similarities are highlighted in the area of funding and accounting.
Research limitations/implications
While the authors' study provides insight in the use of sourcing profiles identified in this paper, more research is necessary to identify criteria for explaining sourcing decisions of armed forces.
Practical implications
The paper provides a systematic overview for practitioners and scholars and enhances manageability and policy development relevant for those who prepare, execute, monitor and evaluate missions.
Originality/value
The authors' paper is one of the first to provide a systematic overview in operational defense sourcing relying on first‐hand field data. This area of study is fragmented and remains mostly closed for non‐military researchers.
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Christiaan Davids and Joseph Soeters
Afghanistan is without a doubt one of the poorest countries in the world and it has all the characteristics of a failed state. In such a country, where there is neither a physical…
Abstract
Afghanistan is without a doubt one of the poorest countries in the world and it has all the characteristics of a failed state. In such a country, where there is neither a physical nor an economic infrastructure of any significance, the payment of salaries is an overwhelming problem for government organisations. The international community is providing advisers and trainers for Afghan government organisations, including the armed forces, in order to combat these kinds of problems. This article focuses on how the payment of salaries is organised within the 205th Corps of the Afghan National Army and ascertains if there are proper ways for a developing army to adopt Western ideas on financial and general management. Our research indicates that the payment and accountability ideas within the 205th Corps are fully in line with the processes in any Western armed forces or government organisation. Only when matters literally fall beyond the scope of the West-dominated organisation and payments are to be made in the outlying areas, uncertainties arise which can lead to questions and even friction. Furthermore, specific focal points derived from our literature review and our study are the concept of recording a number of basic details and keeping the disclosure relatively limited, and adapted to local needs.
Christiaan Ernst (Riaan) Heyman
This study aims to, firstly, develop a red flag checklist for cryptocurrency Ponzi schemes and, secondly, to test this red flag checklist against publicly available marketing…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to, firstly, develop a red flag checklist for cryptocurrency Ponzi schemes and, secondly, to test this red flag checklist against publicly available marketing material for Mirror Trading International (MTI). The red flag checklist test seeks to establish if MTI’s marketing material posted on YouTube® (in the form of a live video presentation) exhibits any of the red flags from the checklist.
Design/methodology/approach
The study uses a structured literature review and qualitative analysis of red flags for Ponzi and cryptocurrency Ponzi schemes.
Findings
A research lacuna was discovered with regard to cryptocurrency Ponzi scheme red flags. By means of a structured literature review, journal papers were identified that listed and discussed Ponzi scheme red flags. The red flags from the identified journal papers were subsequently used in a qualitative analysis. The analyses and syntheses resulted in the development of a red flag checklist for cryptocurrency Ponzi schemes, with five red flag categories, containing 18 associated red flags. The red flag checklist was then tested against MTI’s marketing material (a transcription of a live YouTube presentation). The test resulted in MTI’s marketing material exhibiting 88% of the red flags contained within the checklist.
Research limitations/implications
The inherent limitations in the design of using a structured literature review and the lack of research regarding the cryptocurrency Ponzi scheme red flags.
Practical implications
The study provides a red flag checklist for cryptocurrency Ponzi schemes. The red flag checklist can be applied to a cryptocurrency investment scheme’s marketing material to establish if it exhibits any of these red flags.
Social implications
The red flag checklist can be applied to a cryptocurrency investment scheme’s marketing material to establish if it exhibits any of these red flags.
Originality/value
The study provides a red flag checklist for cryptocurrency Ponzi schemes.
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Many scholars and practitioners consider development to be as much an institutional and organizational phenomenon as it is an economic one. Among other elements, civil society is…
Abstract
Many scholars and practitioners consider development to be as much an institutional and organizational phenomenon as it is an economic one. Among other elements, civil society is a key determinant of a country’s level of social capital. Important links appear to exist between a robust associational milieu and the effective operation of democracy. However, the role of civil society organizations in human development has only recently gained attention.
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The following list is a first attempt to catalogue and describe systematically the British Museum's extensive holdings of early opera librettos and related plays. The great…
Abstract
The following list is a first attempt to catalogue and describe systematically the British Museum's extensive holdings of early opera librettos and related plays. The great importance of these unpretentious booklets as supplementary and, more often than not, even primary sources for the history and bibliography of dramatic music, besides or instead of the scores, was already clearly recognized in the eighteenth century by Dr. Burney and other scholars. But it is only since 1914, the year in which O. G. T. Sonneck's Library of Congress Catalogue of opera librettos printed before 1800 appeared, that their documentary value could to any greater extent be put to general use in international musicological research. A similar bibliography of the British Museum librettos, while naturally duplicating many Washington entries, would produce a great number of additional tides, not a few of them otherwise unrecorded; it would provide the musical scholar with the key to a collection unequalled elsewhere in Europe, which owing to the peculiar nature of the material is not easily accessible by means of the General Catalogue.
Surajit Bag, Pavitra Dhamija, Jan Harm Christiaan Pretorius, Abdul Hannan Chowdhury and Mihalis Giannakis
The authors aim to investigate whether ability electronic human resource management (e-HRM) practices, opportunity enhancing e-HRM practices and motivation enhancing e-HRM can…
Abstract
Purpose
The authors aim to investigate whether ability electronic human resource management (e-HRM) practices, opportunity enhancing e-HRM practices and motivation enhancing e-HRM can possibly lead to development of sustainable e-HRM systems. Finally, the authors also examined if sustainable e-HRM systems can enhance firm performance.
Design/methodology/approach
The model was developed using dynamic capability view perspective. The study tests theoretical model and presents findings by analysing data (partial least squares structural equation modelling method) gathered from 151 South African firms.
Findings
The findings indicate that ability enhancing e-HRM practices and motivation enhancing e-HRM practices can result in development of sustainable e-HRM systems, and findings also indicate that sustainable e-HRM systems can improve firm performance.
Practical implications
Emphasis is required on ability enhancing e-HRM practices and motivation enhancing e-HRM practices to develop sustainable e-HRM systems. Once workforce understand the complete benefits of e-HRM, they will start using this system on a regular basis for activities including goal setting, and performance measurement. The development of sustainable e-HRM systems will improve firm performance especially from cost control and customer satisfaction perspective.
Originality/value
This study advances the conceptual debate in the e-HRM domain through the development and testing of theoretical model.
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