Böcker utgivna av Anchor Academic Publishing

In the airline industry, the formation of highly integrated strategic alliances started during the 1990¿s. Thereby, Star Alliance became the first global player when passenger airlines faced deregulation, and wanted to support their growth and expansion in international markets. For cargo companies, this type of integration came around later, namely in the beginning of 2000. As a result of the increased co-operation, major alliances were formed with the launch of SkyTeam Cargo and WOW. In the dawn of the new century, these alliances should lay the cornerstone for the achievement of a long term success through synergy effects, and higher competitiveness in terms of the individual and the group. A decade later, WOW and SkyTeam Cargo have evolved in different directions but, not all members or ex-members are pleased about the results. Strategic alliances in air transport have been studied widely but, most of the recent publications only cover the passenger side in this business. There are a lot of information and statements about the benefits that alliances can bring to its members. But, the review of the literature shows that research is very sparse when it comes down to the evaluation of the actual impact of alliance integration on air cargo carriers¿ standing. The objective of this book is to analyze and interpret the impact of a strategic alliance on cargo airlines¿ revenue-tonne-kilometres key figures (provided by Airline Business 1998-2010), and market share developments. The author¿s aim is on the one hand, to answer the question if air cargo operators did profit from alliance integration, and on the other hand, to give the reasons for this development. Besides, the book gives an overview about the market¿s environment, the characteristics of air freight, and the history of WOW and SkyTeam Cargo. Further, the additional questions are discussed in detail: ¿ How did carriers react to the challenges and opportunities in the market? ¿ What are the main benefits or disadvantages for alliance members?¿ What major challenges do (prospective) members face in an alliance?¿ What are the core arrangements and prerequisites for alliance integration?¿ Is there a common success, are there stability factors and why do alliances fail?¿ What alternatives are there to alliance formation

Biopharmaceutical medicinal products (biologics) represent a huge financial market. Thus upon patent protection expiry of the innovator (reference) biologic there is interest from industry to gain a portion of this market by launching a 'similar' biologic at a reduced development cost, thus boosting potential gains. The EMA responded to this desire and lead the guidance process with industry on the topic of biosimilars. Based on the experience gained with biosimilars in the past, the EMA started to introduce a second generation series of guidance documents, which take into account the past, current and possibly future challenges of biosimilars. Those proposals were evaluated by EMA and partially incorporated into new guidance documents. This work highlights the challenges and risks associated with biosimilar submissions for large and complex bio-molecules such antibodies. Results: There are unaddressed questions for the regulator with regard to the unsolved dynamic of heterogeneity and variations of the quality profile, which have potential implications on safety and efficacy. This is neglected and not taken into account seriously enough by the stakeholders. Solution: Further, the only (in my view) progressive way to deal with such foreseeable situations from the biosimilar developer's point of view is to incorporate a design space.

Manufacturing companies including a local micro-enterprise - Quality Postform Ltd are persistently facing competitive pressures as a consequence of customers demanding higher quality products. The emergence of Quality Management has been attributed by many researchers and Quality Gurus including Phil Crosby as a strategic imperative for typical organisations to survive within a highly competitive environment. Nevertheless, research carried out throughout the past years is relatively restricted regarding the practicality of micro-manufacturing firms in implementing Crosby's Quality Improvement Programme, which is claimed to be highly beneficial in typical situations. This dissertation seeks to investigate this scenario from both a descriptive and critical perspective towards Quality Postform Ltd. The research provides a critical evaluation of the academic contributions towards the quality management concept. Distinct disputed viewpoints have been identified focusing on Crosby's 14-Step Quality Improvement Programme. From one end of the spectrum, supporters uphold that claimed benefits have been acknowledged. Alternatively, others sustain that in essence a Quality Improvement Programme is counter-productive in terms of its application within Small and Medium sized Enterprises. However the researcher has identified four key pre-requisites in order for micro-firms to effectively implement Crosby's programme. These include: management commitment, the acknowledgement of a quality problem, the organisation's readiness to embrace change together with the suppliers' readiness to support the quality programme. The methodology applied to assess the presence of these four pre-requisites at QPL was to compile primary, qualitative data through one-to-one / face-to-face interviews with key management officials. This approach is justified due to the absence of formalised documentation and as a result, it is imperative to assess that historical data on Quality Systems is seriously lacking at QPL. The field research outcome reveals that QPL's management is experiencing serious doubts regarding the feasibility and practicality of the program's implementation within a micro-manufacturing firm. This is the case primarily whenever the latter is facing limited financial and human resource capabilities such as at QPL. The research findings disclose that none of the four pre-requisites are present within this micro-firm. Moreover it confirms the scepticism on the part of specific scholars regarding quality management programmes that micro-firms fail to afford such initiatives. Thus, it transpires that a distinct approach towards Quality Management within small business is more appropriate.

As ethical banks have developed from niche players to a serious competition for traditional banks, supposedly ethical banks and even traditional banks use the term ethical bank in order to sell bank services under the cloak of sustainable and ethically correct business conduct.Therefore, the aim of this research is to make truly ethical banks distinguishable from traditional banks by investigating, analyzing and determining principles, ethical banks have to fulfill or refrain from in order to call themselves truly ethical. Based on academic research results, a web-based survey identifies the bank customer's attitude towards sustainability, ethics, and their banking, and the ethical attitude towards the nine areas of business, banks may be confronted with. The survey results build the basis for a list of positive and negative ethical guiding principles which should serve as a general standard for ethical banks.Nevertheless, the ethical guiding principles need to be continuously reviewed and validated as a consequence of the ever-changing environmental, social and legal environment. In the case of its direct implementation, a control mechanism within or outside the bank must monitor and ensure compliance with these principles.

The author has chosen the topic as it is becoming increasingly difficult to find, identify and motivate good employees, and to keep them in one's own company. The demand for high potentials is unimaginably high. In the end, it is in the interest of the company itself, not to lose the high potentials. Therefore, it is important to identify and motivate high potentials in order to retain them in the company. Primarily, this concerns the highly dedicated staff, but also the tacit knowledge of the employees that is not explicitly written down. The author starts with the introduction to the subject, and the exemplification of the problem. Moreover, the objectives are presented, and a demarcation issue is set. Then, it is shown how a simple method can identify high potentials. Chapter three describes the proper motivation of A-staff on the basis of a case study. The following chapter investigates the way to keep the previously identified employees in the company in order to exploit the existing potential, and further presents the top 10 employee retention tools. Thereby, the topic is also completed by a case study. A final conclusion collects all the previously mentioned points and ventures a prognosis for the future.

The present work is analysing the successful turnaround of the Japanese car manufacturer Nissan in 1999 to 2001. Very often transformational change fails due to different factors, in most cases though due to the insufficient employee's motivation or due to cultural problems when two international partners try to gain the competitive advantage through merger or alliance. To analyse the successful turnaround of Nissan after its alliance with Renault, a 'new' model for conducting organizational change was introduced. The provided framework unites both actions and attitudes, necessary for motivating employees and establishing new structural and cultural patterns. The example of Nissan proved that clear analysis of the present situation, cross -border communication during the whole transformational process, the sense of urgency established from the very beginning and total commitment of top management and employees are the vital factors that define the success of transformational intention.

Fact is that commercial computer games play an extensive role in young people's lives, today. According to a recent study, 62 % of German teenagers play computer games at least once a week. This development led many researchers, school leaders and teachers to the question in how far games can be used to engage young people and support their learning inside the classroom. These considerations have been supported by various studies, showing that computer games can enhance various cognitive skills such as the ability of concentration, stamina, tactical aptness, anticipatory thinking, orientation in virtual spaces, and deductive reasoning. Since then, few research projects have launched which examine digital game based learning (i.e. the learning with the help of computer games), both on a theoretical and empirical level. This study approaches the subject of digital game based learning in the EFL classroom from three different angles:Firstly, a scientific perspective will be adopted. The principles of the design and construction of games and game worlds will be examined. Secondly, the subject of the psychological effects of games on the player will be broached. Thirdly and as the main point, the didactic potential of computer games will be explored in detail. The author presents ways of integrating games into teaching units, and further, the abilities and competences that can be enhanced by the use of digital games. Moreover, particular challenges and problems will be identified that arise when the use of a digital game in class is planned.

With an average annual rainfall of less than 240 mm, Pakistan is one of the most arid countries in the world. Every year, during the monsoon season from July to September, Pakistan experiences heavy rainfalls. However, this year the substantial amount of unexpected monsoon rainfall resulted in heavy floods as a consequence of the absence of adequate infrastructure (dams, barrages, reservoirs). The heavy rainfall started in the last week of July 2010, and continued for days in the regions of Balochistan, followed closely by a second spell in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK). The rain continued until the first few days of August 2010, causing tremendous damage to both property and lives. The heavy rainfall flooded the already flooded rivers and streams, causing the river banks to burst. The flood water started causing destruction in KPK, and continued its journey towards Punjab and Sindh. The floods in Pakistan have had an impact on all the sectors of the economy. Handling these problems would require a model that could simultaneously capture the major relations among different sectors of the economy, and thereby, trace through the indirect and secondary effects on the economy. The model used to calculate the impact is subjected to a number of simulations that are run on E-views. In this study, the author uses a model that reports clearly what Pakistan will face in terms of production loss and recovery. The results are assessed on the basis of past data and the current situation in the country. The author's main purpose is to define the costs Pakistan faces in such a situation, and further, to develop policy recommendations.