Search results

Service innovations require a revitalising process to be viable over time. Both provider and customer satisfaction must be associated with these innovations to assure their continuing success. A framework and a model for service revitalisation are developed and then illustrated through examining the past and potential future of one of the world′s more prominent service innovations, the automated teller.

Most services rely on a real‐time transaction between provider and customer. The nature of this interaction determines an immediate quality perception of the service by the user. In the long term, these cumulative quality perceptions may significantly affect the overall viability of the service and success of the provider firm. A transaction matrix is developed that allows placement of any service delivery process with respect to the technology and people interface characteristics. Selective repositioning within the matrix is shown to influence performance and productivity. A prescription for management is presented to allow use of the transaction model in strategic planning and tactical decision making.

The world is moving into a services industry environment which is evidencing many of the same productivity and quality issues associated with manufacturing during the past two decades. Quick fixes using qualitative approaches have not been universally successful and some have advocated a more quantitative direction. Proposes a middle ground incorporating both ideas. Reports the development of a process model based on current service sector paradigms and more traditional statistical quality‐control techniques from manufacturing management. Details a test of the proposed model in the travel agency industry with results generally confirming the potential for transporting quality‐control concepts from manufacturing into services on a selected basis. While the heterogeneity of services may constrain and even preclude direct application of the process‐control approach in all cases, the five‐step plan proposed may prove to be a useful tool for service management across diverse businesses.

The oxidation behaviour of a wrought Ni‐Mo‐Cr alloy was studied under thermal cyclic conditions in air at 800°C for exposure periods of up to 1,000 h. The morphologies, microstructures and compositions of the oxide scales were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy and X‐ray diffraction. Oxidation kinetics were determined by weight gain measurements. Results show that steady‐state oxidation was achieved within 1 h of exposure while partial scale spalling was observed after 400 h. The alloy grain boundaries intersecting the alloy surface showed preferential oxidation. They became depleted in Ni and enriched in Mo and Cr during transient oxidation. The scale initially formed at the surface was NiO which grew outwardly and laterally to cover the entire alloy. Upon continued oxidation, the scale developed into an outer NiO layer and an inner Cr₂O₃ layer while the presence of NiMoO₄ was also observed within the scale.

In the optimisation of processing parameters for additive manufactured parts using, e.g. selective laser melting (SLM) or electron beam melting, the measurement of the part densities is essential and of high interest. However, there is no common standard. Different institutes and system providers are using their own principles and guidelines. This study investigates the accuracies of the three measurement principles: Archimedes method, microscopic analysis of cross sections and X‐ray scanning.

A total of 15 test samples on five density levels (densities between 90 and 99.5 per cent) were produced using the SLM process. The samples are analysed regarding the accuracy of the measurement principles and their reproducibility taking into account influencing parameters like the buoyancy of a sample in air (Archimedes method) or different magnifications of a cross section.

The Archimedes method shows a very high accuracy (±0.08 per cent for high densities) and repeatability (±<0.1 per cent) on all density levels. In contrast to the Archimedes method, taking a micrograph of a specific cross section allows to influence the resulting density and the coefficient of variation reaches values>4 per cent. However, for low porosities, mean densities are comparable to the results of the Archimedes method even though calculated densities are typically somewhat too high. The advantage of the image guided analysis (2D and 3D) is getting more information about the distribution, size and form of pores in the part.

The findings do not only refer to metallic parts but generally to all parts having a specific porosity. The study is a contribution to the American Society for Testing and Materials initiative F42 “Additive Manufacturing Technology” and especially to the subcommittee “test methods”.

Current data suggest that the homeschooling community is a diverse and growing social movement, varying demographically in terms of race, religion, socioeconomic status, and political beliefs. However, with over 68% of the homeschooling population being non-Hispanic White – a group not accustomed to systemic oppression and racial marginalization – the homeschooling narrative reflected in research is often skewed by the socioeconomic status, political power, and cultural interests of White, two-parent, middle-class homeschooling households. Amidst increasingly amiable responses toward homeschooling, Black families of varying socioeconomic backgrounds have shown interest in becoming home educators. Included in this chapter are their lesser-told accounts – narratives from the primary homeschooling parent – Black mothers. Relying on 20 in-depth interviews, this study utilizes the theoretical frames of systemic gendered racism, intersectionality, and the coding procedures of grounded theory methods to analyze the narratives of Black homeschooling mothers. Overlooking the experiences and concerns of marginally represented homeschooling families such as Black homeschoolers can haphazardly reproduce social inequalities and/or fracture the homeschooling movement along stratified categories. Findings underscore homeschooling as a classed and gendered process and draw attention to the specific racialized boundaries and indignities that obstruct Black mothers’ educational and parenting goals. The author explains how Black women navigate systemic marginalization while homeschooling.

The purpose of this paper is to explore the adoption of management accounting and control systems in the non-profit sector.

The theoretical framework of this comparative interpretative study draws on new institutional theory, especially the concepts of institutional logics and institutional work.

New accounting and management controls serve as a medium through which organizations negotiate between multiple and conflicting objectives and choose institutional logics in the organizational field.

The data comprise interviews, observations and archival data and provides a limited view on how the organizational field is structured.

The paper contributes to the accounting literature by investigating how institutional work and operating under contradictory logics explain management accounting change.

Rape is one of the most heinous and underreported crimes against women. However, if women knew about recent technological advances in the war on rape, maybe they would report the crime more often. For example, biting incidents in connection with violent rapes are not rare. Consequently, bite mark evidence should be carefully searched for and uncovered early on in the beginning stages of all violent rape/murder investigations. The present case study analysis of nine serial rapists and murderers reveals and captures these criminals through the modern use of odontology. Modern technology in the form of alternate lighting, the skills of the criminal investigator, odontologist, and pathologist are combined in a team effort to bring these offenders to justice. Thus it is necessary to train law enforcement officers and to educate women to make them more aware of such crucial evidence, since many of these rapists are often repeat offenders.

Machiavellian, narcissistic, and psychopathic traits are often viewed as negative or undesirable personality traits. However, recent research demonstrates that individuals with these traits possess qualities that may be personally beneficial within the business contexts. In this chapter, we conceptualize a balanced perspective of these traits throughout the entrepreneurial process (opportunity recognition, opportunity evaluation, and opportunity exploitation) and discuss human resources management strategies that can be employed to enhance the benefits, or minimize the challenges, associated with Machiavellian, narcissistic, and psychopathic traits. Specifically, we propose that Machiavellian qualities are most beneficial in the evaluation stage of entrepreneurship, and Machiavellian, narcissistic, and psychopathic qualities are beneficial in the exploitation stage of entrepreneurship.