Flow and consumers in e-based self-services: New provider–consumer relations

This paper examines how consumers' attention can be captured and maintained in an e-based self-service relationship. We investigate how a consumption environment can be constructed that uses ‘flow’ to capture the attention of the consumer. By means of two case studies, the article explores how knowledge services can be appropriated along these lines given that the service is delivered in the form of a self-service. We argue that the service must remain in ‘flow’ at various points of consumption, which are critical; this is in order to produce the positive reactions of ‘improvement’ and ‘voice’. Whether this happens depends on the ‘flow competencies’ of the consumer.     

Management of Innovation in Services

The article discusses two issues. The first is whether service firms innovate at all; the second is how they organise the innovation activities. The basis for the analysis is a series of case studies in Danish service firms. The first issue is discussed theoretically. Of the several paradigms within traditional innovation theory, the strategic innovation paradigm is the most adequate to explain service innovations. Organisational learning must be separated from innovation whereby the latter means a jump in turnover and profit while the first means a lower and continuous growth. The emphirical analysis demonstrates that the service firms innovate. The second issue is analysed empirically. Different ways of organising the innovation activities are set placed a taxonomy. It is concluded that the service firms rarely have R&D departments and innovation generally is an unsystematic search-and-learn process.     

Raw materials price and technological uncertainty in a small open economy

This paper examines the implications of raw materials price uncertainty for capital allocation and compares the impact of production uncertainty and raw materials price uncertainty. It shows that the economy may avoid risk by allocating more capital in a sector using an input (for example, raw materials) which has a random price. This contrasts with multiplicative production uncertainty case, in which the economy avoids risk by allocating less capital to the risky (uncertainty) sector. Input efficiency uncertainty and materials input price uncertainty have the same implications for a raw-materials-importing economy, but quite opposite implications for a raw-materials-exporting economy.     

An Examination of the Relationship Between Ethical Work Climate and Moral Awareness

This paper draws from the fields of history, sociology, psychology, moral philosophy, and organizational theory to establish a theoretical connection between a social/organizational influence (ethical work climate) and an individual cognitive element of moral behavior (moral awareness). The research was designed to help to fill a gap in the existing literature by providing empirical evidence of the connection between organizational influences and individual moral awareness and subsequent ethical choices, which has heretofore largely been merely assumed. Results of the study provide evidence that ethical work climate (EWC) is a primary predictor of individual moral awareness, and that the influence of social factors often overrides the effects of individual differences in a work group setting. Implications for future research are provided.     

Creative teachers and creative teaching strategies

The purpose of this study is to explore the factors that influence creative teaching and to find out what effective strategies are used by three award‐winning teachers in the learning area of Integrated Activities. As creative thinking is crucial for the knowledge economy, it is essential that education serves its purpose in improving this important aspect. The methods used for data collection include in‐depth interview, focus group interview, classroom observation and content analysis. Three teachers with a GreaTeach Creative Instruction Award for creative teaching in the Integrated Activities field were selected as subjects. Results were acquired by analysing the interview content, the teaching plans, teachers’ reflection and the classroom observation videotapes. The study found that: the factors influencing creative teaching in Integrative Activities are (a) personality traits: persistence, willingness to develop, acceptance of new experiences, self‐confidence, sense of humour, curiosity, depth of ideas, imagination, etc.; (b) family factors: open and tolerant ways of teaching children, creative performance of parents, etc.; (c) experiences of growth and education: self‐created games and stories, brainstorming between classmates, etc.; (d) beliefs in teaching, hard work, motivation and (e) the administrative side of school organization. Among these factors, beliefs in teaching, hard work and motivation are the main aspects. The effective teaching strategies used by the awarded teachers are: student‐centred activities, a connection between teaching contents and real life, management of skills in class, open‐ended questions, an encouragement of creative thinking and use of technology and multimedia. Integrated Activities are closely connected to life experience and a basis for the development of creative thinking within education.