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1 – 10 of over 1000
Article
Publication date: 1 May 1998

Richard W. Kopak and Joan M. Cherry

This paper presents an evaluation of three Web based prototypes for bibliographic displays developed as part of an ongoing research project at the Faculty of Information Studies…

Abstract

This paper presents an evaluation of three Web based prototypes for bibliographic displays developed as part of an ongoing research project at the Faculty of Information Studies of the University of Toronto. The development of these prototypes builds upon results obtained in earlier phases of the project that addressed issues of both the content and form of bibliographic displays in Public Access Catalogues (Chan 1995; Luk 1996). Anticipation of continued growth in the number of catalogues available through the World Wide Web, combined with evidence (Cherry and Cox 1996) that existing Web based displays have not shown improvement over their text‐based counterparts, motivated the development of these prototypes for use on the Web. The findings from a focus group evaluation of the three prototypes are also reported, and suggestions made for future research.

Details

The Electronic Library, vol. 16 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0264-0473

Article
Publication date: 6 November 2017

Nathan Kunz, Luk N. Van Wassenhove, Maria Besiou, Christophe Hambye and Gyöngyi Kovács

This paper is based on a panel discussion at EurOMA 2015. The purpose of this paper is to identify a number of barriers to relevant research in humanitarian logistics. The authors…

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Abstract

Purpose

This paper is based on a panel discussion at EurOMA 2015. The purpose of this paper is to identify a number of barriers to relevant research in humanitarian logistics. The authors propose a charter of ten rules for conducting relevant humanitarian research.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors use operations management literature to identify best practices for doing research with practice. The authors compile, condense and interpret opinions expressed by three academics and one practitioner at the panel discussion, and illustrate them through quotes.

Findings

The increasing volume of papers published in the humanitarian logistics literature has not led to a proportional impact on practice. The authors identify a number of reasons for this, such as poor problem definition, difficult access to data or lack of contextualization. The authors propose a charter of ten rules that have the potential to make humanitarian logistics research more relevant for practice.

Practical implications

By developing best practices for doing relevant research in humanitarian logistics, this paper enables the academic community and practice to better work together on relevant and impactful research projects. Academic knowledge combined with practice-inspired problems has the potential to generate significant improvements to humanitarian practice.

Originality/value

This paper is the first to address the problem of relevance of humanitarian logistics research. It is also one of the few papers involving a practitioner to discuss practical relevance of research. Through this unique approach, it is hoped that this paper provides a set of particularly helpful recommendations for researchers studying humanitarian logistics.

Details

International Journal of Operations & Production Management, vol. 37 no. 11
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0144-3577

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 8 August 2016

Alan C.K. Cheung, E. Vance Randall and Man Kwan Tam

This paper is a historical review of the development of private primary and secondary education in Hong Kong from 1841-2012. The purpose of this paper is to examine the evolving…

Abstract

Purpose

This paper is a historical review of the development of private primary and secondary education in Hong Kong from 1841-2012. The purpose of this paper is to examine the evolving relationship between the state and private schools in Hong Kong.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper utilizes sources from published official documents, public data available on government websites, archival documents and newspapers. The authors also carried out a few individual interviews with legislators, government officials and principals who were familiar with the history of private education in Hong Kong.

Findings

The colonial Hong Kong Government adopted laissez-faire policy in greater part of its rule until 1970s. The year 1978 marked the period of “state control” until the 1990s when privatization and deregulation emerged as a world trend in the governance of education. The role of government changed to that of “supervision” instead of “control.” Further, it is shown that the change of sovereignty did not avert the trend of decentralization, deregulation and privatization in education which is entrenched in the management of public affairs in human societies.

Originality/value

The findings provides an illuminating look into the development of a society and how it grapples with the fundamental questions of the degree of social control and proper use of political power in a colonial setting.

Details

International Journal of Educational Management, vol. 30 no. 6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0951-354X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 4 December 2018

Kenneth Lan

The purpose of this paper is to reveal the development of Chinese studies in selective Canadian universities through examining the remarkable careers of three middle-aged ethnic…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to reveal the development of Chinese studies in selective Canadian universities through examining the remarkable careers of three middle-aged ethnic Chinese intellectuals.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper analyses the origin and growth of East Asian Studies programs in Canada by first describing the backgrounds of the three scholars. Why did Canadian universities accept them despite their Chinese origin?

Findings

Canadian universities are indeed the incubators of racial tolerance. Racism existed in the 1950s but was only confined to the collegial level. Universities generally welcomed a diversified representation of their payroll. While none of three academics founded East Asian Studies programs in their institutions, they had forcibly become their mascots and had lured more students into lifelong studies of the Far East. Despite the early fanfare of their recruitments, all three had become disillusioned with their employers as years passed. They felt their contributions were taken for granted and had shifted their career focuses elsewhere. The Asia-Pacific is still marginally focussed in the Canadian academe.

Originality/value

The three men and many others in the field have sowed the seed for the study of China and the East Asian region in Canada. It is up to future “East Asianists” to carry on this tradition that they had built in the twentieth century.

Details

Asian Education and Development Studies, vol. 8 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2046-3162

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 3 May 2016

Alok Kumar Singh

The purpose of this paper is to measure competitive service quality (SQ) performances of domestic full service airlines in India by providing a framework based on analytic…

3487

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to measure competitive service quality (SQ) performances of domestic full service airlines in India by providing a framework based on analytic hierarchy process (AHP), in order to benchmark their SQ thus, enhancing competitiveness and gaining competitive advantage.

Design/methodology/approach

The present study has used the AHP methodology to benchmark the SQ of airlines in India. Subsequently, competitive SQ gap analysis is performed to evaluate and compare strength and weakness of focal firm (Airline “B”) against its competitors.

Findings

In this research work, total of 23 SQ attributes and five dimensions have been identified based on extensive literature review, focus group brainstorming and experts opinion from the Indian airline industry. The study reveals that air travelers rate assurance as the most important criteria and safety as the most important sub criteria followed by on time performance, performing the services right, the first time and remedial process for delayed or missing baggage. Furthermore, based on AHP methodology, the result shows that Airline “A” has emerged as a market leader and is considered as a benchmark airline.

Practical implications

This framework will help airline management and policy makers to identify area of service improvements and identify SQ gaps with respect to the benchmark airline. This will help in formulating suitable competitive strategies for SQ improvements, thus gaining competitive advantage.

Originality/value

In this research work, AHP-based SQ framework have been applied in Indian domestic aviation industry for competitive SQ benchmarking which is a novel contribution, thus widening the existing knowledge base in aviation SQ literature.

Details

Benchmarking: An International Journal, vol. 23 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1463-5771

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 12 June 2018

Sherriff T.K. Luk, Ben S.C. Liu and Esther L.Y. Li

This paper aims to draw on the trust-commitment theory and the framework of service-dominant marketing logic to investigate the potential effect of trust at both brand and service…

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to draw on the trust-commitment theory and the framework of service-dominant marketing logic to investigate the potential effect of trust at both brand and service personnel level on consumers’ value co-creation behaviour.

Design/methodology/approach

The study adopts a consumer perspective to investigate and interpret consumers’ value co-creation behaviour. The measurement scales were developed based on literature review and findings from focus group study. Survey interviews were undertaken in the USA and Hong Kong so as to test the potential moderator effect of country.

Findings

Effort-in-use and service co-design behaviour are two aspects of value cocreation behaviour. The findings provide theoretical expansion of the theory on value cocreation in two ways and suggest to discriminate the effect of consumer trust on and role in value cocreation behaviour at brand and service employee levels. Besides, the relationships among “trust in employee”, “trust in brand”, effort in use behaviour, service co-design behaviour, and customers’ perceived value actually could be moderated by country factor.

Research limitations/implications

The study only focuses on the behavioural dimension of value cocreation behaviour but provides a number of suggestions on how to expand the domain of the measurement scale for value co-creation behaviour, cultural influences and customer perceived value and identifies several potential moderators such as reputation of the service brand and type of service for future research.

Practical implications

The findings provide important insights to service marketers on how to adopt appropriate service strategy, service operation, marketing communications and service training to facilitate consumers’ value co-creation behaviour.

Originality/value

The present study represents the first attempt to investigate the potential impact of consumer trust at different levels on customers’ value cocreation behaviour. It explains the connections between trust as an antecedent to value cocreation under different country contexts, thereby adding new knowledge in both domains.

Content available

Abstract

Details

European Journal of Marketing, vol. 58 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0309-0566

Article
Publication date: 23 June 2022

Luk Noel Van Wassenhove

Engage scholars and humanitarian organizations to collaborate on impactful problems.

286

Abstract

Purpose

Engage scholars and humanitarian organizations to collaborate on impactful problems.

Design/methodology/approach

A total of 20 years of experience working with Humanitarian Organizations and doing research in partnership with them.

Findings

A set of recommendations.

Originality/value

Knowledge sharing.

Details

Journal of Humanitarian Logistics and Supply Chain Management, vol. 12 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2042-6747

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 5 December 2016

Marianne Jahre, Ala Pazirandeh and Luk Van Wassenhove

The purpose of this paper is to contribute to a more complete understanding of logistics preparedness. By comparing extant research in preparedness and logistics with findings…

3832

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to contribute to a more complete understanding of logistics preparedness. By comparing extant research in preparedness and logistics with findings from empirical analysis of secondary data, the authors develop a definition of and framework for logistics preparedness, along with suggestions for future research agenda.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors link the way in which humanitarian organizations define and aim to achieve logistics preparedness with extant academic research. The authors critically analyze public data from 13 organizations that are active in disaster relief and review papers on logistics preparedness and humanitarian logistics.

Findings

The authors found that, despite the increased attention, there is no unified understanding across organizations about what constitutes logistics preparedness and how it can contribute to improvements in operations. Based on the review of the academic literature, the authors found that the same is true for humanitarian logistics research. The lack of a common understanding has resulted in low visibility of efforts and lack of knowledge on logistics preparedness.

Research limitations/implications

On the basis of extant research and practice, the authors suggest a definition of and framework for logistics preparedness with related suggestions for future studies.

Practical implications

Findings can help the humanitarian community gain a better understanding of their efforts related to developing logistics preparedness and can provide a better basis for communicating the need for, and results from, funding in preparedness.

Social implications

Results can support improvements in humanitarian supply chains, thereby providing affected people with rapid, cost-efficient, and better-adapted responses.

Originality/value

The findings contribute to humanitarian logistics literature, first by identifying the issues related to the lack of a common definition. Second, the authors extend the understanding of what constitutes logistics preparedness by proposing an operationalized framework and definition. Finally, the authors add to the literature by discussing what future topics and types of research may be required.

Details

Journal of Humanitarian Logistics and Supply Chain Management, vol. 6 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2042-6747

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 10 April 2017

Chung Leung Luk, Cheris W.C. Chow, Wendy W.N. Wan, Jennifer Y.M. Lai, Isabel Fu and Candy P.S. Fong

Building on institutional theory, the purpose of this paper is to propose a framework for analyzing how consumer attitudes toward nudity in ads change as a result of…

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Abstract

Purpose

Building on institutional theory, the purpose of this paper is to propose a framework for analyzing how consumer attitudes toward nudity in ads change as a result of modernization. Modernization is driven by the currents of pluralism and rationalism. The authors highlight the inherent contradiction of these two pillars and how this contradiction results in an inverted-U pattern in the relationship between level of modernization and consumer attitudes toward sex appeals. Consumers’ sexual permissiveness and their perceived insufficiency of regulatory control over sexual content in the mass media are the individual-level mediators of the two pillars.

Design/methodology/approach

The data were collected from three Chinese cities at different levels of modernization. A total of 811 college students from the three cities participated in the study.

Findings

The relationship between level of modernization and attitude favorability followed an inverted-U pattern. Female participants in the most modernized city possessed significantly less favorable attitudes to the ads than their male counterparts. Female and male participants were similar in their attitudes in the less modern cities. Sexual permissiveness mediated the relationship between modernization and male participants’ attitudes, but not with female participants’ attitudes. Perceived sufficiency of regulatory control over sexual content mediated the relationship between modernization and their attitudes among both male and female participants.

Originality/value

The paper makes an empirical contribution by testing the hypotheses regarding consumers responses to sex-appeal advertising with data collected from three Chinese cities at different levels of modernization. Additionally, it offers an institutional perspective on social attitude changes. Social attitude change is of great interest to researchers, but a systematic theoretical analysis is currently lacking.

Details

Asia Pacific Journal of Marketing and Logistics, vol. 29 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1355-5855

Keywords

1 – 10 of over 1000