Gaming addiction, definition, and measurement: a large-scale empirical study

Aims: Although the general public appears to have embraced the term 'video game addiction', the scientific debate as to whether 'gaming addiction' can actually be considered an addiction similar to substance addictions of DSM-IV is still unsettled. To date, research on gaming addiction has focused on problematic behavior from the gaming activity itself and there has been little empirical research related to pathological personality patterns that usually are associated with substance addictions. Therefore, the current study examined how excessive gaming and ‘problematic gaming behavior’ are related to personality patterns associated with addiction by means of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 MMPI-2). Design, setting, and participants: A large-scale survey study among 1,004 adolescent boys (age-range 11-18 years; M =14.18, SD=1.36; response rate 96.17%). Measurements: Problematic gaming behavior, physical game-related symptoms, gaming behavior and three MMPI-2 subscales measuring personality patterns usually associated with substance addiction (MAC-R, APS, AAS) were assessed. Findings: Results showed that problematic gaming and physical game-related symptoms were positively related to all three substance abuse subscales of the MMPI-2. Conclusions: Problematic gaming should be clearly distinguished from excessive gaming. In short, excessive gaming merely indicates enthusiasm for some although it may be psychopathological for others

Alliance Management: The Journey Towards Partnerships

Mr. Spekman discusses corporate alliances

Extended Enterprise Metrics: The Key To Achieving Synthesized Effectiveness

In this paper we argue that the Extended Enterprise is a natural response to changing competitive dynamics and is predicated upon adapting some of the traditional performance measures.  We examine how the constructs of the Balanced Scorecard, Economic Profit (or Economic Value Added) and boundary spanning metrics such as the cash-to-cash cycle are useful tools for developing metrics for the Extended Enterprise.  We illustrate that when these measures are jointly adopted they can help to drive the integrating behaviors that epitomize the truly revolutionary Extended Enterprise.  The key phrase here is integrative – what is good for one must be good for all since the true competitive battle is fought supply chain against supply chain

Perceptions of healthcare robots as a function of emotion-based coping:The importance of coping appraisals and coping strategies

The urgent pressure on healthcare increases the need for understanding how new technology such as social robots may offer solutions. Many healthcare situations are emotionally charged, which likely affects people's perceptions of such robots in healthcare contexts. Thus far however, little attention has been paid to how people's prior emotions may influence their perceptions of the robot. Based on emotional appraisal theories and prior research, we assume that particularly emotional coping appraisals would influence healthcare-robot perceptions. Additionally, we tested effects of actual coping through the use of emotion-focused and problem-focused coping strategies. Hypotheses were tested in a 2 (sad vs. angry) x 2 (hard-to-cope-with vs. easy-to-cope-with) between-subjects experiment, also including a control group. Results (N = 132; age range 18–36) showed that manipulated coping potential indirectly affected perceptions of a healthcare robot via the appraisal of coping potential. Furthermore, positive emotion-focused coping affected perceptions of a healthcare robot positively. Thus, people's healthcare-robot perceptions were affected by how they cope or how they think they can cope with their emotions, rather than by the emotions as such

Evaluating the integration of supply chain information systems: A case study

Supply chain management (SCM) is the integrated management of business links, information flows and people. It is with this frame of reference that information systems integration from both intra- and inter-organisational levels becomes significant. Enterprise application integration (EAI) has emerged as software technologies to address the issue of integrating the portfolio of SCM components both within organisations and through cross-enterprises. EAI is based on a diversity of integration technologies (e.g. message brokers, ebXML) that differ in the type and level of integration they offer. However, none of these technologies claim to be a panacea to overcoming all integration problems but rather, need to be pieced together to support the linking of diverse applications that often exist within supply chains. In exploring the evaluation of supply chain integration, the authors propose a framework for evaluating the portfolio of integration technologies that are used to unify inter-organisational and intra-organisational information systems. The authors define and classify the permutations of information systems available according to their characteristics and integration requirements. These, classifications of system types are then adopted as part of the evaluation framework and empirically tested within a case study

Assessing Organizational Change in Multisector Community Health Alliances

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/110557/1/hesr12216-sup-0001-AuthorMatrix.pdfhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/110557/2/hesr12216.pd

Buyer–supplier collaborative relationships: Beyond the normative accounts

This paper presents a critique of the normative, buyer–supplier literature and in addition suggests that the more empirically based literature needs to expand its scope of attention beyond its traditional confines. Four main deficiencies are identified within much of the existing buyer–supplier literature. Firstly, collaborative buyer–supplier theories fail to discriminate sufficiently between individual and firm-level buyer–supplier decision-making. Secondly, the stage models of relationship development are challenged. Thirdly, the interdependencies between buyer–supplier relations and other, competing organisational priorities are highlighted. Fourthly, we question the monolithic constructs of organisational ‘commitment’ and ‘trust’ underpinning much existing relationship-marketing literature. Examples are presented of collaborative buyer–supplier practice drawn from multi-sector case study research of customer-responsive supply chains. We argue that, even in exemplary circumstances, collaborative relationship practices are susceptible to failure due to wider organisational and behavioural issues. We conclude that researchers and management practitioners need to pay more attention to these issues if sustainable benefits derived from advances in buyer–supplier understanding are to be realised

The ‘T-Shaped Buyer’: a transactional perspective on supply chain relationships

This paper challenges the normative view of interdependent buyer-seller relationships and provides a more holistic perspective of the contextual reality that shapes buyer behaviour. By proposing an innovative qualitative methodology, which focusses on boundary-spanning, pre-sales interactions, the research penetrates complex and commercially sensitive buyer-seller relationships. The longitudinal research design uses web-based diaries and follow-up interviews to explore conditions of power based interdependence between buyers and sellers. The ensuing data is mapped using qualitative content analysis and the results are aggregated graphically for assessment. Using this approach the study develops a nuanced view of the dominant patterns of buyer behaviour, and challenges the opinion that a search for competitive advantage will strengthen cooperative relationships in conditions of power based interdependence. The paper introduces the metaphor of the 'T-Shaped Buyer' to explain the empirical findings and, while acknowledging the contextual limits of the study, suggests that this metaphor may cause both academics and practitioners to reflect on normative thinking

Incorporation of Radio Frequency Identification Tag in Dentures to Facilitate Recognition and Forensic Human Identification

Forensic identification using odontology is based on the comparison of ante-mortem and post mortem dental records. The insertion of a radio frequency identification (RFId) tag into dentures could be used as an aid to identify decomposed bodies, by storing personal identification data in a small transponder that can be radio-transmitted to a reader connected to a computer. A small passive, 12 x 2,1 mm, read-only RFId-tag was incorporated into the manufacture of three trial complete upper dentures and tested for a signal. The aim of this article is to demonstrate the feasibility of manufacturing such a dental prosthesis, the technical protocols for its implantation in the denture resin and its working principles. Future research and tests are required in order to verify human compatibility of the tagged denture and also to evaluate any potential deterioration in strength when subjected to high temperatures, or for damage resulting from everyday wear and tear. It should also be able to withstand the extreme conditions resulting from major accidents or mass disasters and procedures used to perform a forensic identification