Learning processes in municipal broadband projects: An absorptive capacity perspective

Effective knowledge management is important to the success of information technology projects. This research applies the integrated lens of the absorptive capacity theory and the social process model of information system development projects to examine the dynamic of knowledge activities concerning broadband infrastructure development in the context of municipal broadband networks. The research questions are: (1) What is the extent of the dynamic of knowledge activities involved in the development process?, (2) What are the events that trigger knowledge activities in municipal broadband development?, and (3) How does a city create and utilize new knowledge in the development process? This study examines municipal wireless projects in three cities (Chaska, MN; Hermosa Beach, CA; and Fredericton, Canada). Events that trigger knowledge activities are assignment of personnel, physical system construction, performance problems, resistance, and reassignment of organizational roles. Four factors that influence knowledge activities and project performance are the dynamic of technology development, partnership commitments, limitation of external knowledge and learning-by-doing, and political dynamics. The study has policy implications for cities that are in the process of planning and deployment. A good project planning, user expectation management, systematic performance evaluation, a careful partner selection process, and the use of service level agreements are important to project success. In addition, cities need to take into consideration that the technology is not a plug and play technology and that considerable efforts are needed to integrate the technology with other solutions to deliver broadband services as well as to configure the system according to topologies, street conditions, buildings, density of trees, among others.     

How the automotive insurance claims experience affects customer retention

The authors were commissioned to carry out a study of the way in which the experience of automotive insurance companies of claiming after an accident affected their attitude to companies and their subsequent loyalty. A consumer omnibus study was used to identify relevant market segments and to provide an estimate for the overall number of claims. This indicated that under half of all motorists had claimed on either their own or on another driver's insurance. A telephone questionnaire was then used to determine customers' actual experience of the claims process and their attitudes to insurance companies and to car insurance in general. Three hundred telephone interviews were conducted with motorists using a bought-in list of drivers. These respondents were distributed throughout the UK. There was an equal split of men and women drivers. All those interviewed were responsible for arranging and purchasing their own motor insurance. The study found that whether a replacement car was provided and the standard of the replacement car had a strong effect on customers' subsequent loyalty. It also identified many aspects of the automotive claims experience that could be improved to the benefit of both customers and insurers.     

An interview with Peter I. Buerhaus, PhD, RN, FAAN: on hopes and threats for nursing's future

Peter I. Buerhaus, PhD, RN, FAAN, reflects on several recently published studies examining workforce and nurse survey data and reveals more findings. Dr. Buerhaus identifies several policy and research priorities to accelerate progress and secure a more stable future for nursing. Dr. Buerhaus will be the recipient of the 2007 Nursing Economics/Margaret D. Sovie Writer's Award, for his collective works on nursing workforce issues in the journal, during the Nurse Faculty/Nurse Executive Summit, sponsored by Nursing Economics, in Scottsdale, AZ, November 29-December 1.     

Should there be more showers at the summer music festival? Studying the contextual dependence of resource consuming conventions and lessons for sustainable tourism

Summer music festivals that involve a few days of camping have often been linked to sustainability agendas. Yet relevant studies have so far overlooked how these events can themselves serve as experiments in less resource consumptive living. Building on a wider interest in the cultural evolution of cleanliness norms, this paper explores how attendees come to use water in personal washing at two UK festivals. Through survey, observation and interview research, it examines how current festival goers respond to the disruption of their usual washing regimes, paying particular attention to how a combination of social and infrastructural cues serves to encourage the emergence of a temporary new cleanliness culture. Doing so highlights the value of seeing human resource consumption as a matter of dynamic collective convention more than fixed personal preference since these respondents were seen to embrace a new relationship with washing that was otherwise deemed unthinkable. This leads to a broader discussion of how visitor needs and the social world are most usefully studied by both future festival organisers and the wider field of sustainable tourism research.     

The Emergence of Corporate Social Responsibility in Chile: The Importance of Authenticity and Social Networks

Little is known about how and why corporate social responsibility (CSR) emerged in lesser developed countries. In order to address this knowledge gap, we used Chile as a test case and conducted a series of in-depth interviews with leaders of CSR initiatives. We also did an Internet and literature search to help provide support for the findings that emerged from our data. We discovered that while there are similarities in the drivers of CSR in developed countries, there are distinct differences as well. In particular, we found that different sectors drive CSR in Chile. In contrast to other geographies where consumer demand and government regulation provided the impetus for CSR efforts, multinational companies (MNCs) and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) are key actors in Chile. MNCs imported their CSR beliefs, skills, and processes into Chile. Their efforts resulted in a virtuous cycle. Once large domestic firms felt pressured by their MNC rivals, they too adopted CSR initiatives. The ability to manage relationships with multiple stakeholders and perceptions of authenticity were also critical to the success of CSR in Chile. Using network theory as a lens, we suggest that network density and centrality largely determine whether CSR efforts will be authentic. Based on these contentions, we suggest avenues for future research.