The influence of marketing logistics networks on organisational performance in Australia and New Zealand

Predictions concerning the influence of traditional and online marketing logistics network competency on organisational performance were tested via structural equation modelling employing a sample of Australian and New Zealand companies. The study finds a significant influence of the use of traditional marketing logistics networks on organisational performance, but that the use of the Web in this regard is yet to have such an influence.

Salvage material logistics management for building demolition project

Building demolition imposes substantial environmental impacts. In particular, large amount of demolition wastes are disposed to landfills. A solution to ease the situation is to maximally reuse and recycle waste building material. Management philosophies such as Just-in-time are applied into demolition project management in order to promote reuse and recycling of demolition wastes. Transportation logistics, widely applied in the manufacturing industry, is ideal to be adopted into demolition projects to optimise waste material production, inventorying, and transportation. In particular, it enables right types and amounts of dismantled building materials to be transferred to right location, and at right time, as required by material demanders. Consequently, waste reuse and recycling can be facilitated. Furthermore, logistics management helps the demolition project team to reduce cost, shorten project duration, and satisfy material demanders. Transportation planning concerns thorough preparation technically and managerially on the demolition site for transportation activities. Information exchange is playing a significant role in delivering and sharing information among project participants, including building owner, demolition project team, potential material demanders, and transporters. This research paper aims to identify the role of transportation logistics in a building demolition project and to analyse inventory control, transportation, and various technical aspects of logistic management for demolition wastes.

Analysis of work hardening and recrystallization during the hot working of steel using a statistically based internal variable model

A mathematical model has been developed which describes the hot deformation and recrystallization behavior of austenite using a single internal variable: dislocation density. The dislocation density is incorporated into equations describing the rate of recovery and recrystallization. In each case no distinction is made between static and dynamic events, and the model is able to simulate multideformation processes. The model is statistically based and tracks individual populations of the dislocation density during the work-hardening and softening phases. After tuning using available data the model gave an accurate prediction of the stress–strain behavior and the static recrystallization kinetics for C–Mn steels. The model correctly predicted the sensitivity of the post deformation recrystallization behavior to process variables such as strain, strain rate and temperature, even though data for this were not explicitly incorporated in the tuning data set. In particular, the post dynamic recrystallization (generally termed metadynamic recrystallization) was shown to be largely independent of strain and temperature, but a strong function of strain rate, as observed in published experimental work.

Internal representation of movement in children with developmental coordination disorder : a mental rotation task

Recent studies show that children with developmental coordination disorder (DCD) have difficulties in generating an accurate visuospatial representation of an intended action, which are shown by deficits in motor imagery. This study sought to test this hypothesis further using a mental rotation paradigm. It was predicted that children with DCD would not conform to the typical pattern of responding when required to imagine movement of their limbs. Participants included 16 children with DCD and 18 control children; mean age for the DCD group was 10 years 4 months, and for controls 10 years. The task required children to judge the handedness of single-hand images that were presented at angles between 0° and 180° at 45° intervals in either direction. Results were broadly consistent with the hypothesis above. Responses of the control children conformed to the typical pattern of mental rotation: a moderate trade-off between response time and angle of rotation. The response pattern for the DCD group was less typical, with a small trade-off function. Response accuracy did not differ between groups. It was suggested that children with DCD, unlike controls, do not automatically enlist motor imagery when performing mental rotation, but rely on an alternative object-based strategy that preserves speed and accuracy. This occurs because these children manifest a reduced ability to make imagined transformations from an egocentric or first-person perspective.

Internal structure and paleoecology of the lower Permian Uzunbulak reef complex of the Tarim Basin, Northwest China

The internal construction and biotic communities of the Uzunbulak reef of the northwestern Tarim Basin are studied for the first time. The reef was built during the Sakmarian, while the reef substrate and capping beds are of latest Asselian and earliest Artinskian ages, respectively. The reef substrate beds are composed of skeletal and oncoid grainstone. Those fusulinid-dominated skeletal shoals and oncoid banks indicate a high-energy environment and produced local topographic highs on which the reef grew. Reef framework consists mainly of calcisponge bafflestone, calcisponge-Thartharella framestone, and Tubiphytes, Archaeolithoporella and Girvanella boundstones. Calcisponges were the primary frameconstructors that baffled high-energy currents. Archaeolithoporella, Tubiphytes, Girvanella and possibly microbes acted as the primary binders for the boundstone framework. Fusulinids and brachiopods were common reef dwellers. The interreef facies sediments are composed of skeletal-crinoid wackestone-packstone. Most of bioclasts have thick, micritized envelopes. The back-reef facies deposits consist of alternating skeletal packstone to wackestone and black shale. Sea-level fluctuations were probably accountable for the reef growth and demise.

Of the reefal dwellers, brachiopods are extraordinarily abundant in Uzunbulak. They are assignable to five distinctive associations, one each from the reef substrate, framework and inter-reef facies, respectively, and two from the reef capping facies. The brachiopods in the substrate beds were mostly attached to hard substrates by a pedicle, while a few species rested on soft substrates by support of halteroid spines. Cementation of the ventral valve on hard substrates characterizes attachment of the reef framework brachiopods. All inter-reef species were anchored into the substratum comprising hard material by a strong pedicle. Back-reef brachiopods dominantly rested on the soft substrates by support of halteroid spines. the framework brachiopods had the strongest wave-resistant capability;those from both substrate and inter-reef facies were moderately capable of withstanding agitation; and the backreef species preferred to live in calmwater, organic-rich muddy environments.

Public sector ethics in Sweden : a 4P-model of internal and external determinants in codes of ethics

This article summarizes and aggregates the results of a study conducted of the largest 100 public sector organizations derived from three categories in Sweden. These categories of organizations comprise 40 entities of government, 40 municipalities, and 20 county councils. The objective was to describe the determinants of codes of ethics in Swedish public sector organizations. This research reports on the responses of 27 organizations that possessed a code of ethics. The principal contribution is a 4P-model of seven internal and external determinants in public sector codes of ethics. The identified determinants relate to four principal sectors of a society, namely: public community sector, private corporate sector, private citizen sector, and political/policy conduct sector.

The rise and fall of the internal reserve

The 'internal reserve' distinguished world's best practice for the early garden suburb movement. These 'hidden' spaces were designed for a variety of reasons: to encourage the formation of community, promote safe play for children, offer sites for small-scale agricultural pursuits, address  topographic and drainage constraints, and facilitate conservation of natural features. They were a feature of progressive plans for British icon developments such as Hampstead Garden Suburb. As these plans travelled globally, however, the purpose of the internal reserve was less clear than their spatial form, and most languished as undistinguished, left-over spaces. The historical origins, development and demise of the internal reserve are surveyed, with a focus on the Australian experience against an Anglo-American backdrop.

The Asia Pacific literature review on internal auditing

Purpose – By conducting the 2006 global Common Body of Knowledge (CBOK) study, The Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA) attempts to better understand the expanding scope of internal auditing practice throughout the world. The purpose of this review of recent internal auditing literature in Asia Pacific is to document how the internal audit function is changing in response to the shifts in global business practices.
Design/methodology/approach – The literature in Asia Pacific is reviewed with a focus on developments that have implications for the expanded scope of internal auditing and the changing skill sets of internal auditors. This focus has implications for CBOK 2006.
Findings – The literature indicates a paradigm shift in the activities performed by internal auditors. The increasing complexity of business transactions, a more dynamic regulatory environment in Asia Pacific, and significant advances in information technology have resulted in opportunities and challenges for internal auditors. Although in 2004, The IIA responded to the changing organizational environment by updating the professional practices framework, more work needs to be done to prepare internal auditors for the expanded set of skills and knowledge required to perform audits of the future.
Originality/value – By presenting an overview of past literature in Asia Pacific and discussing the shifting demands on internal audit services, the researchers hope to motivate further research in the field.

Evaluation of the Chinese version of the disability of the arm, shoulder and hand (DASH-HKPWH): cross-cultural adaptation process, internal consistency and reliability study

Abstract
The Disability of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (DASH) was translated into Chinese by a physiotherapy team of the Prince of Wales Hospital, Hong Kong (DASH-HKPWH).

Objectives
This study evaluated the cross-cultural adaptation process, face validity, internal consistency and reliability of the DASH-HKPWH.

Method
Language officers and medical professionals from different fields were invited to translate and evaluate the face validity of the DASH-HKPWH. 88 patients were recruited to complete two DASH questionnaires on two occasions 1-2 weeks apart.

Results
Some adjustments were made to the translations based on the cultural and linguistic practice in Hong Kong. The face validity was satisfactory with a mean endorsement score of 3.2. The difference between the mean of DASH scores was not significant (t = −0.35, p = 0.73). The ICC (1,1) and Cronbach's alpha for the 30-item Disability/Symptom of the DASH-HKPWH was 0.77 and 0.94, respectively.

Conclusion
The translation was valid and reliable and acceptably equivalent to the original version. The questionnaire is suitable for measuring changes experienced by patients with any upper extremity disorders.