Implications for research

We aimed to study the anatomical distribution, severity, and outcome of hospitalised trauma pedestrian patients in Al Ain, United Arab Emirates (UAE), so as to improve preventive measures. All pedestrian trauma patients who were involved with a road traffic collision and admitted to Al Ain Hospital for more than 24 hours or who died in the hospital were included in the study. Data were prospectively collected during March 2003–October 2007. Three hundred and eighteen patients were studied, 279 (87.7%) were males. Median (range) age was 31 (1–75) years. UAE nationals were significantly younger than non-nationals (median (range) age of 14 (2–75) years compared with 33 (1–75) years, p = 0.001, Mann–Whitney U-test). The lower limb (57.2%) was the most common injured region followed by the head (46.9%). The median (range) Injury Severity Score of patients was 5 (1–45). The median (range) total hospital stay was 11.3 (1–130) days. Thirty patients died (overall mortality 9.4%). In conclusion, mortality of pedestrian injured patients in the UAE is high. Severe head injury was the main cause of death. Measures to improve pedestrian safety should be adopted so as to reduce morbidity and mortality. These include educating drivers and pedestrians on road safety and enforcement of traffic safety laws.     

The impact of supervisor–subordinate relationships on morale: implications for public and private sector nurses' commitment

This paper used leader–member exchange theory as a lens for comparing the impact of the supervisor–subordinate relationship on public and private nurses' perceptions of morale and affective commitment. Many countries that are part of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development are experiencing nurse shortages, and this theoretical framework proved insightful into factors contributing to turnover. The findings suggested that private sector nurses are significantly more satisfied with their supervision, enjoy greater morale and are more committed to their organisations. However, both groups were only slightly satisfied with their supervisor–subordinate relationships, implying that present management practices are not ideal for promoting effective workplace relationships. Implications for health-care management are discussed.     

Use of loan loss provisions for capital, earnings management and signalling by Australian banks

This study examines whether and to what extent Australian banks use loan loss provisions (LLPs) for capital, earnings management and signalling. We examine if there were changes in the use of LLPs as a result of the implementation of banking regulations consistent with the Basel Accord of 1988, which made loan loss reserves no longer part of Tier I capital in the numerator of the capital adequacy ratio. We find some evidence to indicate that Australian banks use LLPs for capital management, but we find no evidence of a change in this behaviour after the implementation of the Basel Accord. Our results indicate that banks in Australia use LLPs to manage earnings. Furthermore, listed commercial banks engage more aggressively in earnings management using LLPs than unlisted commercial banks. We also find that earnings management behaviour is more pronounced in the post‐Basel period. Overall, we find a significant understating of LLPs in the post‐Basel period relative to the pre‐Basel period. This indicates that reported earnings might not reflect the true economic reality underlying those numbers. Finally, Australian banks do not appear to use LLPs for signalling future intentions of higher earnings to investors.     

When customers get clever: Managerial approaches to dealing with creative consumers

Creative consumers (defined as customers who adapt, modify, or transform a proprietary offering) represent an intriguing paradox for business. On one hand, they can signify a black hole for future revenue, with breach of copyright and intellectual property. On the other hand, they represent a gold mine of ideas and business opportunities. Central to business is the need to create and capture value, and creative consumers demand a shift in the mindsets and business models of how firms accomplish both. Based upon their attitude and action toward customer innovation, we develop a typology of firms' stances toward creative consumers. We then consider the implications of the stances model for corporate strategy and examine a three-step approach to dealing with creative consumers: awareness, analysis, and response.     

Environmental Conservation NGOs and the Concept of Sustainable Development

On the background of the widely known and controversially discussed concept of sustainable development and the ever increasing influence of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) on social, environmental and economic issues, this article focuses on how NGOs, specialised in environmental protection and conservation issues, reacted to the holistic societal concept of sustainable development which aims at finding solutions not only to environmental, but also to social and economic issues. For this purpose, the article investigates whether and to what extent the sustainability concept has been adopted by three worldwide leading environmental conservation NGOs: Greenpeace International, WWF International and IUCN International. The research, conducted in early 2006, reveals that the three organisations integrated the sustainability concept to different degrees depending on the organisations’ dominant value set. The more an organisation is bound to the idea of environmental protection, the less it is inclined to adopt strategies stemming from the sustainability concept whose implicit value system contradicts a strong bio- or eco-centric position. This finding adds evidence to the assumption that the holistic sustainability concept is most likely to be reduced and adapted when addressed by a specialised societal actor such as an NGO. Such insight into the influence of value systems on the actual actions of pressure groups might also be valuable in the light of the ever increasing number of strategic partnerships between NGOs and the private sector. To be familiar with each others’ action-leading key assumptions can significantly contribute to establishing a sound basis for a fruitful and rewarding collaboration.     

An analysis of substance abuse patterns, medical expenses and effectiveness of treatment in the workplace: long-term followup

This study of workplace substance abuse programs indicates that they are effective for many participants and also shows that these programs can significantly lower medical expenses for those who successfully complete them.     

An analysis of substance abuse patterns, medical expenses and effectiveness of treatment in the workplace

This article examines the effectiveness of substance abuse treatment offered by the Members Assistance Program of a self-insured union welfare fund. The authors find that medical costs decreased dramatically for participants who were under treatment for at least one year.     

Measuring the Extent of Impact from Occupational Violence and Bullying on Traumatised Workers

Across the industrialised world, there is evidence that both the incidence and the severity of occupational violence and bullying are increasingly being reported over time. While there have been few substantive scientific studies in Australia, all the available evidence shows a similar increasing level of risk. It has long been assumed that those who suffer a physical assault during the course of violent events are more likely to be emotionally traumatised by the experience than are those who are merely threatened or bullied at work. However, there are no substantive data published to date. In this paper the authors aim to elucidate and quantify the extent of emotional injury/stress suffered as a result of different forms of occupational violence, based on empirical data collected during face-to-face interviewing of 800 Australian workers employed in the tertiary education, health and long-haul transport industry sectors. The authors conclude that the impact from more covert forms of occupational violence (such as bullying) can, in many instances, at least equal the emotional trauma following assaults on-the-job.     

Wage and price determination in a labour-exporting economy: The case of Ireland

A model designed to incorporate external influences through the labour and goods markets on the rates of domestic wage and price inflation is specified and estimated from postwar Irish data. It consists of equations explaining the rate of change of prices, migration, the supply of labour, the rate of change of wages and three identities. The model is both simultaneous and nonlinear, and an appropriate modification of the two-stage least-squares estimation technique is used. The estimated equations explain between 71 percent and 84 percent of the variance in the dependent variables. Since two of these are proportionate first differences, the remaining two a ratio and a first difference, this might be deemed satisfactory. However, some of the individual coefficient estimates are not.