Taking the numb out of numbers

2014 ◽  
Vol 27 (3) ◽  
pp. 86-88 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anthony McMullen
Keyword(s):  
Real World ◽  
Return On Investment ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Popular Media ◽  
Alternative Methods ◽  
Traditional Methods ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Accurate Picture ◽  
Library Resources

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to provide insights and commentary into issues encountered in maintaining and assessing library technologies and technology-based services with limited budgets and with limited personnel. Design/methodology/approach – Uses real-world experiences, data and examples gleaned from the evolution of baseball metrics to propose alternative methods of assessing library resources and services. Findings – Traditional methods of measuring success in baseball proved to be insufficient in telling the entire story behind the numbers. The same is true of libraries where librarians have been very good at gathering numbers, but very poor at using these data to the greatest advantage. Originality/value – This paper examines the parallels between the baseball and library worlds. It uses anecdotes gleaned from popular media to illustrate the similarities in the number-driven aspects of these institutions. It suggests that libraries take a path similar to that of baseball in developing new measures to paint a more accurate picture of their value and return on investment.

A roadshow of library resources: familiarize students with what you have

2015 ◽  
Vol 43 (2) ◽  
pp. 280-291 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katie Lai
Keyword(s):  
Information Literacy ◽  
Return On Investment ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Limited Resources ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Simple Set ◽  
Library Resources ◽  
Music Databases ◽  
Set Up ◽  
Teaching Time

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to describe how the popular culture of flash mob inspired the creation of the library roadshows and elaborate on the conducting of flash outreach events to market music databases to students with limited resources. Design/methodology/approach – By not requesting faculty for in-class teaching time, the promotion of library e-resources took place beyond the library building, in places where students live and hangout, and during the short window when students mingle before classes. Simple set-up with laptops and a movable large screen TV was used for brief database demonstration. Findings – The provision of quick demos and on-the-go consultations of e-resources through the library roadshows proved to encourage usage and obtain a higher return on investment without requiring much extra manpower and funding. Students also welcomed this new way of learning without having to go to a class. Social implications – Seeing students and offering services where students live and hangout help make the library more visible and blend librarians in students’ campus life. Originality/value – While information literacy workshops oftentimes happen inside the library or during a class hour, the library roadshows go beyond physical boundaries and take information literacy instruction to where the targeted audience is. Not only are these flash outreach events quick and easy to conduct, but this casual learning also fits the learning behavior of the millennial generation who wants everything succinct and straight to the point.

Improving recommender systems’ performance on cold-start users and controversial items by a new similarity model

2016 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 126-149 ◽  
Author(s):  
Masoud Mansoury ◽  
Mehdi Shajari
Keyword(s):  
Real World ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Cold Start ◽  
Selection Function ◽  
Data Sets ◽  
Real World Data ◽  
Content Type ◽  
User Similarity ◽  
Active User ◽  
Similarity Model

Purpose This paper aims to improve the recommendations performance for cold-start users and controversial items. Collaborative filtering (CF) generates recommendations on the basis of similarity between users. It uses the opinions of similar users to generate the recommendation for an active user. As a similarity model or a neighbor selection function is the key element for effectiveness of CF, many variations of CF are proposed. However, these methods are not very effective, especially for users who provide few ratings (i.e. cold-start users). Design/methodology/approach A new user similarity model is proposed that focuses on improving recommendations performance for cold-start users and controversial items. To show the validity of the authors’ similarity model, they conducted some experiments and showed the effectiveness of this model in calculating similarity values between users even when only few ratings are available. In addition, the authors applied their user similarity model to a recommender system and analyzed its results. Findings Experiments on two real-world data sets are implemented and compared with some other CF techniques. The results show that the authors’ approach outperforms previous CF techniques in coverage metric while preserves accuracy for cold-start users and controversial items. Originality/value In the proposed approach, the conditions in which CF is unable to generate accurate recommendations are addressed. These conditions affect CF performance adversely, especially in the cold-start users’ condition. The authors show that their similarity model overcomes CF weaknesses effectively and improve its performance even in the cold users’ condition.

Unlocking the value of HR to drive a change-ready culture

2017 ◽  
Vol 16 (4) ◽  
pp. 171-176
Author(s):  
Campbell Macpherson
Keyword(s):  
Real World ◽  
Culture Change ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
World Culture ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Large Organization ◽  
The Real ◽  
Personal Experiences

Purpose This paper aims to present a case study focused on developing a change-ready culture within a large organization. Design/methodology/approach This paper is based on personal experiences gleaned while driving an organization-wide culture change program throughout a major financial advisory firm. Findings This paper details over a dozen key lessons learned while transforming the HR department from a fragmented, ineffective, reclusive and disrespected department into one that was competent, knowledgeable, enabling and a leader of change. Originality/value Drawing on the real-world culture change intervention detailed here, including results and lessons learned, other organizations can apply similar approaches in their own organizations – hopefully to similar effect.

scholarly journals Putting resilient sustainability into strategy decisions – case studies

2018 ◽  
Vol 56 (7) ◽  
pp. 1598-1612 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julie Winnard ◽  
Jacquetta Lee ◽  
David Skipp
Keyword(s):  
Case Studies ◽  
Real World ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Strategic Decision ◽  
New Approach ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Industrial Companies ◽  
Different Types ◽  
Strategic Decision Support ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to report the results of testing a new approach to strategic sustainability and resilience – Sustainable Resilient Strategic Decision-Support (SuReSDS™). Design/methodology/approach The approach was developed and tested using action-research case studies at industrial companies. It successfully allowed the participants to capture different types of value affected by their choices, optimise each strategy’s resilience against different future scenarios and compare the results to find a “best” option. Findings SuReSDS™ enabled a novel integration of environmental and social sustainability into strategy by considering significant risks or opportunities for an enhanced group of stakeholders. It assisted users to identify and manage risks from different kinds of sustainability-related uncertainty by applying resilience techniques. Users incorporated insights into real-world strategies. Research limitations/implications Since the case studies and test organisations are limited in number, generalisation from the results is difficult and requires further research. Practical implications The approach enables companies to utilise in-house and external experts more effectively to develop sustainable and resilient strategies. Originality/value The research described develops theories linking sustainability and resilience for organisations, particularly for strategy, to provide a new consistent, rigorous and flexible approach for applying these theories. The approach has been tested successfully and benefited real-world strategy decisions.

An areal openness model (AOM) for quantifying the “openness” of floor plans

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Zoraya Roldán Rockow ◽  
Brandon E. Ross
Keyword(s):  
Real World ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Floor Plan ◽  
Existing Buildings ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Alternative Plan ◽  
Proposed Model ◽  
Reasonable Approach ◽  
Floor Plans

PurposeThis paper aims to describe and demonstrate a quantitative areal openness model (AOM) for measuring the openness of floor plans. Creation of the model was motivated by the widely reported but rarely quantified link between openness and adaptability.Design/methodology/approachThe model calculates values for three indicators: openness score (OS), weighted OS (WOS) and openness potential (OP). OS measures the absence of obstructions (walls, chases, columns) that separate areas in a floor plan. WOS measures the number of obstructions while also accounting for the difficulty of removing them. OP measures the potential of a floor plan to become more open. Indicators were calculated for three demolished case study buildings and for three adapted buildings. The case study buildings were selected because openness – or lack thereof – contributed to the owners' decisions to demolish or adapt.FindingsOpenness indicators were consistent with the real-world outcomes (adaptation or demolition) of the case study buildings. This encouraging result suggests that the proposed model is a reasonable approach for comparing the openness of floor plans and evaluating them for possible adaptation or demolition.Originality/valueThe AOM is presented as a tool for facility managers to evaluate inventories of existing buildings, designers to compare alternative plan layouts and researchers to measure openness of case studies. It is intended to be sufficiently complex as to produce meaningful results, relatively simple to apply and readily modifiable to suit different situations. The model is the first to calculate floor plan openness within the context of adaptability.

scholarly journals Traditional and alternative methods of measuring the understandability of accounting narratives

2014 ◽  
Vol 27 (1) ◽  
pp. 183-208 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael Jones ◽  
Malcolm Smith
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
Alternative Methods ◽  
Annual Reports ◽  
Good Measure ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Identification Test ◽  
Alternative Measures ◽  
Comprehension Tests ◽  
Cloze Test

Purpose – The study aims to explore the use of alternative measures of “understandability” on accounting texts. This includes the meaning identification test (MIT) and the sentence verification technique (SVT), which have not previously been used by accounting researchers, as well as variants on the traditional Cloze tests such as the C-Test. Design/methodology/approach – This study focuses on the understandability of accounting texts and evaluates how reliable the Cloze test is as a measure of comprehension. An experiment was designed and conducted to measure users' performance with a variety of comprehension measures (MIT, SVT, Cloze, C-Test). Findings – The study concludes that the outcomes from the MIT and SVT comprehension tests are not significantly associated with those from the Cloze tests. This implies that while the Cloze test is a good measure of the predictability of accounting narratives, and of textual redundancy, it does not necessarily measure the understandability of the text. Originality/value – These measures of understandability, which have not previously been used in accounting, would enable researchers to test the communicational effectiveness of using different accounting narratives such as annual reports or prospectuses. Such a measure could be used to improve the understandability of accounting narratives. The strengths and weaknesses of the various tests are assessed. It is suggested that there is a need for further experimentation especially with the MIT test.

Pseudohomophones as brand names

2018 ◽  
Vol 52 (9/10) ◽  
pp. 1909-1930
Author(s):  
Jasmina Ilicic ◽  
Stacey Baxter ◽  
Alicia Kulczynski
Keyword(s):  
Real World ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Brand Names ◽  
Brand Name ◽  
Superiority Effect ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Real ◽  
Brand Meaning ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose The purpose of this study is to introduce the homophone emotional interest superiority effect in phonological, or sound-based, priming, whereby pseudohomophone brand names (i.e. non-words that are pronounced identically to English words, for example, Bie) prime brand meaning associated with the member of the homophone pair that is emotionally interesting (i.e. Bie will be prime brand avoidance (purchase) when consumers are emotionally interested in the homophone bye [buy]). Design/methodology/approach Studies 1 and 2 examine the effect of homophone emotional interest on brand judgements and behaviours. Study 3 investigates the role of boredom with the brand name in attenuating the homophone emotional interest superiority effect. Findings Findings indicate that pseudohomophone brand names prime brand judgements and behaviours associated with the word from the homophone pair that evokes emotional interest. Study 2 provides further evidence of homophone emotional interest as the process influencing brand judgements and behaviours. Study 3 establishes that the effect of pseudohomophone brand names on brand judgements weaken when boredom with the brand name is induced. Research limitations/implications This study is limited, as it focuses only on fictitious brands and methodologically creates boredom in a way in which may not be typical of what would be experienced in the real world. Practical implications This study has important implications for brand managers in the development of new brand names and in prioritising the intended homophone pair from a pseudohomophone brand name to influence consumer judgements and behaviours. Originality/value This study introduces and provides evidence of a homophone emotional interest superiority effect. This study also identifies a condition under which the homophone emotional interest superiority effect is attenuated.

Where does the time go? A perceived shortage of time in the digital age – the Data Deluge Column

2017 ◽  
Vol 34 (2) ◽  
pp. 1-7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Donna Ellen Frederick
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
Communication Technologies ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Popular Media ◽  
Class Inequality ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Personal Lives ◽  
Personal Time ◽  
Time Poverty ◽  
The Relationship

Purpose The purpose of this column is to explore the relationship between the increasing presence of computers and communication technologies during the twentieth and twenty-first centuries on the changed perception of the level of personal time available to individuals. Design/methodology/approach In recent years, there is considerable writing in research journals and the popular media around a cluster of time-related issues which is sometimes referred to “the time crunch”, “time poverty”, “time famine”, “overwork”, “time scarcity” and countless other similar phrases. Findings A predominant contemporary struggle is that we seem to lack the time. We cannot seem to do everything we should and want to do. Originality/value The issue of time poverty is likely to remain with us in both our professional and personal lives. The question “where did the time go?” has been growing in importance since the mid-twentieth century, and it appears reasonable that even if some of the other causes of time poverty such as gender and class inequality, lack of new experiences in later life and cultural tolerance of obsessive attitudes toward work were to be miraculously reversed, the growing persistence and invasiveness of technology in our lives are not likely something that will diminish.

Fairy tales of global consumer culture in a polarizing world

2019 ◽  
Vol 36 (4) ◽  
pp. 581-586
Author(s):  
Marieke de Mooij
Keyword(s):  
Consumer Behavior ◽  
Real World ◽  
Fairy Tales ◽  
Consumer Culture ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Real ◽  
Local Cycle ◽  
Dominant Process ◽  
New Research

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to respond to the essay by Cleveland and Bartsch in this issue. The paper also aims to counter argue the various drivers of global consumer culture (GCC). Design/methodology/approach Based on many findings from the study of consumer behavior, the assumed drivers of GCC are discussed and a suggestion for new research is made. Findings Instead of globalization processes that drive GCC, the most dominant process is a local-global-local cycle of global products and brands. Originality/value It offers a different approach to the study of global vs local products and brands. It is suggested that instead of continuing abstract discussions of GCC, scholars do more service to international marketing by researching developments in the real world.

How tall is your claim? Strategically acing patent scope

2020 ◽  
Vol 36 (4) ◽  
pp. 1-3
Author(s):  
Mayuree Sengupta
Keyword(s):  
Real World ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Contemporary Literature ◽  
Academic Discourse ◽  
Research Papers ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Research Findings ◽  
Patent Grant ◽  
Patent Scope ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose The article examines strategically directing the breadth of scope of a patent and hazards of litigation vis-à-vis the length of claims for innovating firms. Design/methodology/approach This paper enumerates latest literature on assessing patent scope and hence protection afforded to firm innovations. Based on prior research findings, this paper proposes to maintain a balanced and nuanced approach to claim drafting to assure grant of patent while minimizing litigation threats. Findings To strategically manage patent grant and minimize litigation threat, firms would better take a leaf out of academic discourse and streamline claim drafting – not too wide to earn an examiner’s ire and not too narrow to let an infringer bypass by. Unlike smaller firms or universities, big firms are less likely to renew a patent with less scope. Research limitations/implications The study sample in contemporary literature is exclusive to patents from US Patent and Trademark Office. Whether the same result will be replicated for diverse countries is uncertain. Practical implications The understanding that patent scope not only influences grant chances but also is an indicator of future litigation threat can help patent practitioners and innovating firms in strategically directing the patent. Originality/value The paper draws from the findings of three well-articulated recent research papers. The paper’s originality and value is in providing practical insights on how to perfect patent scope in a real world based on academic discourse.

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