Search results

The Strategic Leadership Forum's Conference in Washington, D.C. (April 27–30, 1997) was a showcase of advanced leadership insights. More than 30 top management experts told of their most recent experiences and their latest theories about meeting the management challenges of the next decade. There were many real‐life examples of how the old, “control” style of leadership, which grew out of the Industrial Era, is being replaced by the newer leadership styles that match the realities of the Knowledge Era.

Derived from field interviews and secondary research, the case describes the dilemma that the Marketing Manager Bentley Collins of Sabre Yachts faces in developing a profitable marketing mix given the firm's current product line, competitors, industry and national economic trends. Sabre had always been a niche boat builder. Their product line was divided into two distinct categories; sail boats and power boats. Their sailboats were targeted toward boaters interested in the comfort desired for cruising but also the capability of competitive racing while their power boats were designed to be modern yachts that could cruise 20 knots or better. A majority of sales came from the New England and Mid-Atlantic regions with only sporadic success in other areas. Bentley worried that slower phone traffic in Spring of 2001 would be indicative of slower sales and wanted to know what actions the firm should take to continue their regional growth as well as their push to become a more nationally-based firm. The case has a difficulty level appropriate for a junior or senior level course. The case is designed to be taught in one class period and is expected to require between five to seven hours of outside preparation by students.

The purpose of this paper is to describe and analyze Sabre Yachts, a firm that manufactures specialty sail and power boats.

A case research method including field interviews and secondary research was carried out. The case describes the dilemma that the Marketing Manager, Bentley Collins of Sabre Yachts faced in developing a profitable marketing mix given the firm's competitors, product line, industry and national economic trends and provides an analysis of the situation through structured case questions and answers.

Sabre decided to “stick to the knitting” (Peters and Waterman) and not expand geographically, as the authors suggested, into the largest state market segments. Instead, they took a more conservative approach and expanded their product line which expanded the breadth of their market into other boat market (size) segments.

The case analysis applies strategic management and marketing concepts to a specific real‐life business situation and demonstrates the value of using theory in practice.

The purpose of this paper is to analyse the isomorphism phenomenon in the Indonesian HR field. It also attempts to identify characteristics of a highly isomorphic field which tend to be overlooked in institutional analysis.

The research was conducted within a qualitative, interpretive paradigm. Both primary and secondary data sources were utilized in this study. Primary data were obtained from more than 56 interviews, including informal talks and observations. Two types of interviews were conducted, i.e., face to face, narrative, open-ended interviews with HR professionals, consultants and academics and e-mail interviews with several of the HR professionals who were involved in several HR mailing lists in Indonesia.

HR field in Indonesia shows how institutional influences work, characterized by the diffusion and adoption of human resource practices among foreign multinational and large local companies in Indonesia. HR actors within organizations interact with multiple, and often competing, ideas within complex and overlapping multi-institutional settings and take decisions explained by the characteristics of Indonesian HRM as an isomorphic field.

Further research is needed to be conducted in similar isomorphic fields to identify the characteristics and whether or not they confirm the results of this research. Further research into the HR field in Indonesia is also suggested to uncover deep-seated institutional logics and mechanisms that can facilitate or constrain future changes in the field. As a transitional field usually contains different, sometimes conflicting, institutional pressures in influencing the direction of change, a better knowledge of how the conflicting forces work is needed to provide understanding about how to steer a well-informed institutional change.

Involvement in the networks of diffusion of ideas can benefit the HR professionals of participating firms. The study suggests an active but critical participation in the networks of HR ideas diffusion to obtain greater benefits. The study has shown the existence of different channels of HR knowledge transfer. HR actors therefore need to decide which channels might be more effective in the knowledge transfer. Because the different sources of ideas may provide conflicting ideas, HR actors may need to be mindful in their participation in the different networks to take advantage of them, rather than being confused by the conflicting forces.

This research contributes empirically to studies of isomorphism of HRM practices by providing evidence that connects the micro-organizational and the broader organizational field levels. A significant methodological contribution of this research is the use of observations and the participation in professionally oriented electronic mail-list groups as a method of investigating knowledge diffusion within a field.

Knight's Industrial Law Reports goes into a new style and format as Managerial Law This issue of KILR is restyled Managerial Law and it now appears on a continuous updating basis rather than as a monthly routine affair.

This article seeks to address aviation as an emerging biofuel consumer and to discuss sustainability issues and consequences for feedstock production concepts. Biojet fuels have been identified as a promising, readily deployable alternative to fossil‐based aviation fuels. At the same time they are highly criticised as their production may have negative social and environmental impacts. Therefore, the paper aims to identify major sustainability issues and assessment challenges and relate these to the production of biojet fuel feedstock.

Two plant oil production concepts are presented that address the sustainability issues discussed. Both concepts are being investigated within the research project “Platform for Sustainable Aviation Fuels”. A literature‐based overview of sustainability issues and assessment challenges is provided. Additionally, conceptual insights into new plant oil production concepts are presented.

The use of biojet fuels is often hailed as a strategy for the aviation industry to become more sustainable. However, biofuels are not necessarily sustainable and their potential to reduce GHG emissions is highly debated. Several unresolved sustainability issues are identified highlighting the need for improved assessment methods. Moreover, the two concepts presented have the potential to provide sustainably grown feedstock, but further empirical research is needed.

This article addresses researchers and practitioners by providing an overview of sustainability issues and assessment challenges related to biojet fuels. Consequences are identified for two plant oil feedstock concepts: catch cropping in temperate regions and silvopastoral systems in tropical and subtropical regions.

The challenges of achieving housing stability are examinable from a variety of locations and perspectives, resulting in a range of solutions and recommendations for practice. Attending to the experiences and understandings of both service users and service providers within a broad environmental scan, one can obtain a more complete picture of how housing stability can be supported and sustained. The purpose of this research is to better understand the practical landscape, human relationships, interdisciplinary understandings and everyday activities of housing stability.

The paper draws on thematic analysis from expert informant interviews conducted during an environmental scan of housing options and facilities for those who have been labelled “hard to house” in a large, ethnically‐diverse urban city in western Canada. Interviews of selected service users yielded information on their perspectives of the barriers and facilitators of housing stability. Parallel interviews of service providers and/or policy makers were also conducted, and responses compared and contrasted with those of service users.

Three interconnected patterns on the path to housing stability were experienced by the expert informants, and are explored herein. The overlapping and developmental themes “more than a house,” “finding support,” and “connecting multiple supports” are discussed. Conditions and realities of coordinated support need, particularly for those deemed “hard to house” because of addictions or mental health problems were revealed by the expert informants in this study.

Thematic analysis of the parallel interviews brought the landscape of housing stability into clearer focus and contributed to practice recommendations. This qualitative research approach was not intended to provide generalizable findings, but rather sheds light on particular experiences and understandings in ways that may contribute to further research. The themes identified may resonate in differing circumstances having arisen from the more generalized practical realities and social conditions which warrant an ongoing analysis.

The analysis revealed an ongoing gap of support for the management and coordination of the often complex requirements of support for housing stability for service users. Various service agencies, providing houses, providing financial aid, providing health and social support need to “connect multiple levels of support” something identified as an all too often missing link in achieving housing stability. Recommendations include recognizing the necessity of multiple sectors working together with multiple sites and layers of support, in particular for those who experience addictions or mental health problems. More tailored support, follow up and recognition of the potential for instability is a particular practical implication of the study. Invigorating a coordinative, case management role, with a view to bridging and bringing together seemingly disparate sectors and service providers are relevant practical implications of this study.

The research is novel in approach, drawing on a parallel expert informant interview process, and findings are of relevance to practical activities in housing, social and health services and policy as well as for scholarly dialogue and discussion.

The purpose of this paper is to develop near infrared (NIR) techniques coupled with multivariate calibration methods to rapid measure cotton content in blend fabrics.

In total, 124 and 41 samples were used to calibrate models and assess the performance of the models, respectively. Multivariate calibration methods of partial least square (PLS), extreme learning machine (ELM) and least square support vector machine (LS-SVM) were employed to develop the models. Through comparing the performance of PLS, ELM and LS-SVM models with new samples, the optimal model of cotton content was obtained with LS-SVM model. The correlation coefficient of prediction (r _p ) and root mean square errors of prediction were 0.98 and 4.50 percent, respectively.

The results suggest that NIR technique combining with LS-SVM method has significant potential to quantitatively analyze cotton content in blend fabrics.

It may have commercial and regulatory potential to avoid time consuming work, costly and laborious chemical analysis for cotton content in blend fabrics.

The purpose of this paper is to initiate investigations to develop near infrared (NIR) spectroscopy coupled with spectral dimensionality reduction and multivariate calibration methods to rapidly measure cotton content in blend fabrics.

In total, 124 and 41 samples were used to calibrate models and assess the performance of the models, respectively. The raw spectra are transformed into wavelet coefficients. Multivariate calibration methods of partial least square (PLS), extreme learning machine (ELM) and least square support vector machine (LS-SVM) were employed to develop the models using 100 wavelet coefficients. Through comparing the performance of PLS, ELM and LS-SVM models with new samples, the optimal model of cotton content was obtained with the LS-SVM model.

The correlation coefficient of prediction (r_p) and root mean square errors of prediction were 0.99 and 4.37 percent, respectively. The results suggest that NIR spectroscopy, combining with the LS-SVM method, has significant potential to quantitatively analyze cotton content in blend fabrics.

It may have commercial and regulatory potential to avoid time-consuming work, costly and laborious chemical analysis for cotton content in blend fabrics.