Strategy development based on intangibles in SMEs – an integrated approach

The approach in this paper is based on the principles of action research and rapid prototyping. The paper shows the current status of a ‘bottom-up’ research process dedicated to continuously developing and improving management instruments that suit the requirements of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs): pragmatic, easy-to-use and generating direct practical benefit. As a result, this paper links the concept of intangibles to the practical strategy development process in SMEs. The integration shown concerns several challenges: (1)?Integrate the internal and external perspective on intangibles, and, by that, link the concept of intellectual capital (IC) as a resource-based view with the concept of customer value as a market-based view. (2)?Integrate the theoretical concept of IC with a methodology for comprehensive strategy development. (3)?Integrate the formulation and implementation of business strategies taking into account the actual practice in SMEs.     

STABILITY OF SCALE QUALITY UNDER VARIOUS DATA COLLECTION PROCEDURES: A MODE COMPARISON ON THE 'DE JONG-GIERVELD LONELINESS SCALE

Data collection procedures can influence respondents' self-disclosure,accuracy and motivation to complete the interview. In comparingresearch results across different studies, it is important touse robust measuring instruments. The ‘De Jong-GierveldLoneliness Scale’ was developed to measure lonelinessamong different populations and in studies with different designs.Data on this loneliness scale were re-analyzed to investigatethe robustness of the scale. The data were from six Dutch surveys.Different interview modes were used for data collection: threesurveys with self-administered paper questionnaires, two surveyswith face-to-face interviews, and one telephone survey. In orderto compare the properties of the loneliness scale, a relativelyhomogeneous category of respondents was selected: single womenbetween the ages of 25 and 65. An examination of the scale withregard to five aspects of robustness showed in very few casesthat it was affected. No evidence was found for the assumptionthat the use of a self-administered questionnaire would leadto high item non-response, any higher than using other datacollection procedures. It was also assumed that in self-administeredquestionnaires or telephone interviews, a better inter-itemhomogeneity and a better person scalability would be found instudies with face-to-face interviews. The results sustainedthis hypothesis. Further, it was believed that the absence ofan interviewer would result in greater self-disclosure and thereforein higher scale means. We found on evidence to support this.In general the results showed that the loneliness scale metthe psychometric requirements of items non-response, scale homogenityand person scalability. After testing the robustness of thescale, we conclude that it is questionable on two aspects: theinter-item homogeneity and the person scalability.     

Assessment in Roman Education

This paper examines the content and institutions of Roman education, focusing particularly on the education associated with literacy and numeracy. It seeks to show how a widely standardised and highly socially embedded web of educational practices could function, without formal examinations, by means of high levels of competition and other less formal means of assessment. It considers the role of educational competition in defining and maintaining social élites and looks at the increasingly formal assessment of teachers in the later Roman empire.     

A Note on the Bias of UCON Item Parameter Estimation in the Rasch Model

Divgi (1986) demonstrated that the bias of UCON item parameter estimates is not removed by the factor (n − 1)/n. Andrich (1989) argued in this journal that the demonstration was faulty. In this note a complete proof of Divgfs conclusion is presented.     

400 m跑竞赛成绩与100 m跑分段相应速度回归分析

收集、整理了世界28名优秀的400 m跑运动员的竞赛成绩及100 m分段速度等相关资料,并以其为研究对象和研究样本,运用数理统计学的相关、多元回归等方法进行了定量分析,初步探明了400 m竞赛成绩与各分段速度之间的相关关系,建立了400 m竞赛成绩与各段速度的回归方程,制定了400 m跑竞赛各分段相应速度表.