ALBERT

Notes: Purpose - To present two non-contact methods of measuring vibrations and impact events. Design/methodology/approach - The paper concentrates on the practical capabilities and underlying technology of commercial high-speed CMOS cameras and laser Doppler vibrometers. Findings - The instruments are used to analyse modes of failure and to test quality in a very wide range of products. They are also used to develop safety and protective devices, and to study natural phenomena. Originality/value - A practical guide to the tools available, with some example applications of interest to production engineers.

Notes: Purpose - This paper describes a recent collaborative project involving the development of a multiplexed fibre Bragg grating (FBG) sensor system for structural integrity monitoring. Design/methodology/approach - The system is described and field trials on both conventional and novel composite bridges are discussed. A FBG sensor-based structural monitoring system was developed, based on a fluorescent fibre as the optical source. It used a tuneable, fibre-coupled, Fabry-Perot filter, actuated by piezoelectric transducers and operated over the bandwidth of the source at up to 250 scans/second. Light from the source was filtered and reflected back from the Bragg gratings, through optical couplers, to eight photodiode detectors. These detected the resulting time-domain spectra of the sensors in each of the serially connected sensor arrays. The system was tested at City University and then subjected to trials on the Mjosund road bridge in Norway and on West Mill bridge in Oxfordshire, UK, which is the first bridge to be fabricated from a new type of composite material. Findings - During the Norwegian trials the system was arranged with four or five FBG sensors per channel giving a total of 32 measurement points with eight parallel channels. Twelve conventional foil strain gauges and a number of thermocouples were also installed. Different static and dynamic loads were applied over a period of 18 months and the results showed that the thermally compensated strain data obtained optically matched those from the resistive gauges to within 〈5?µ?. During the construction stage of the Oxfordshire bridge, sections of the decking and longitudinal composite support beams were instrumented with 40 FBG sensors with temperature compensation, placed at pre-selected sites of maximum strain. These exhibited a resolution of ±5?µ? and an operating range of over ±2,000?µ?. Originality/value - This research has shown that multiplexed, multi-point FBG sensor systems can accurately and reliably monitor both static and dynamic strains in large structures over a range of temperatures and for extended periods of time.

Notes: Purpose - To describe the function and use of the GreenSeeker™ active remote sensor used to detect crop nitrogen status. Design/methodology/approach - In this paper, the GreenSeeker active remote sensor and its use in irrigated maize production systems will be described. A brief discussion of the science of using remote sensing for studying plants is presented. Additionally, a summary of observations collected from field trials is presented. Findings - The GreenSeeker active sensor has tremendous potential for accurately characterizing crop variability for site-specific N rate determinations in the Western Great Plains region of the United States. Originality/value - This paper discusses the GreenSeeker active sensor for detecting crop variability. Data from the GreenSeeker can be used to make site-specific nitrogen fertilizer applications which may lead to improved nitrogen use efficiency.

Notes: Purpose - Examines some of the recent technical developments that are leading to a wider use of powerful methods in medical microscopy. Design/methodology/approach - Reviews some of the microscopic techniques relevant to medicine, then looks at hardware developments in microscopes, filters and cameras. Findings - Highly sophisticated techniques such as time-resolved fluorescence measurements are now incorporated in turnkey instruments, using picosecond diode lasers for accurate measurement of fluorescent lifetimes. Advances in optical fibre coating technology in the telecoms field have led to improved filters for fluorescence microscopy, and imaging allows the detection of non-visible wavelengths and very low light levels. Many microscopes are modular, so that users can upgrade to further capabilities at will. Automatic medical diagnosis software is coming onto the market. Originality/value - Highlights the hardware and software developments that are enabling powerful microscopic methodologies to enter into general use.

Notes: Purpose - To describe a new high sensitivity, nanotechnology-based technique for detecting DNA and disease-related proteins. Design/methodology/approach - Gold nanoparticles and magnetic microparticles are bound to single-stranded DNA molecules that are complementary to segments of the target DNA. The nanoparticles also link to hundreds of strands of "barcode" DNA and in the presence of the target, each molecule binds to a gold nanoparticle and a magnetic microparticle. Applying a magnetic field enables the separation of the target molecules and their attachments. The DNA is removed from the molecules and detected by a chip-based DNA procedure. As each nanoparticle links to a large number of strands of DNA, the method amplifies the signal from each target molecule. The technique can also detect proteins by replacing the complimentary DNA with antibodies. Findings - This research shows that this technique can detect very low concentrations of DNA and proteins. Ten copies of anthrax DNA were detected in 30?µl of solution, a sensitivity comparable to polymerase chain reaction, and 18-20 PSA molecules were detected in a 10?µl sample, a level of detection that is six orders of magnitude more sensitive than conventional assays. Recent research has also shown that the assay can detect ADDLs, which are biomarkers for Alzheimer's disease. The technologies are now being commercialised by Nanosphere, Inc. Originality/value - These developments offer prospects in a wide range of clinical applications such as the rapid and simple diagnosis of a variety of diseases and single nucleotide polymorphisms tests for the detection of hypercoagulation disorders. Other potential applications include homeland security and environmental monitoring.

Notes: Purpose - Aims to report on a new trend of research and development in the wireless capsule endoscope. Design/methodology/approach - Presents a conceptual design of a wireless capsule endoscope having new features like navigation control, self-propulsion, higher rate image transmission, acquisition of samples, application of medications and so forth. Findings - The basic principle has been verified by experiments. Seems promising. Research limitations/implications - Yet to need a lot of effort for commercialization. Practical implications - If successful, it will provide another way of least invasive medical treatment that must reduce pain of patients drastically. Originality/value - Taking advantage of the state-of-the-art micro-technology it suggests a further step beyond the current wireless capsule endoscope.

Notes: Purpose - To establish an accurate and sensitive method to characterize the moisture content of a particular environment. Design/methodology/approach - This paper proposes a relatively simple humidity sensor design consisting of electrodes on a suitable substrate coated with a polyimide material. The changes in relative humidity are denoted by a corresponding change in the polyimide material's electrical resistance profile. The design proposed in this work can be microfabricated and integrated with electronic circuitry. This sensor can be fabricated on alumina or silicon substrates. The electrode material can be made up of nickel, gold or aluminum and the thickness of the electrodes ranges typically between 0.2 and 0.3?µm. The sensor consists of an active sensing layer on top of a set of electrodes. The design of the electrodes can be configured for both resistive and capacitive sensing. Findings - The polyimide material's ohmic resistance changes significantly with humidity variations. Changes in resistance as large as 4-6 orders of magnitude are attainable over the entire operational humidity range. Research limitations/implications - As the sensitivity varies non-linearly with the humidity, the measurement has to be carried out over a very wide range in order to calibrate the sensor. The sensitivity and output range of the sensor can be easily controlled by changing the electrode spacing or geometry. Practical implications - The control of humidity is important in many applications ranging from bio-medical to space exploration. Originality/value - A simple, easy to fabricate and measure, and low cost resistive-type humidity sensor was developed. The realized sensor is suitable for integrating with microfabrication. Hence, multiple sensors of varying sensitivities and output ranges could be integrated on the same chip. Over the last few years, newly emerging micro-electro-mechanical-systems technology and micro-fabrication techniques have gained popularity and importance in the miniaturization of a variety of sensors and actuators.

Notes: Purpose - Describes the history and development of biosensors and their commercial application. Design/methodology/approach - Provides background information on different forms of biosensors and how they can be brought to market. This review is edited from a very detailed market research report "Medical and Biological Sensor and Sensor Systems: markets, applications and competitors worldwide". Findings - Finds that the commercial potential for biosensors is very large and is expected to reach US$ 2.3 billion worldwide in 2005. Originality/value - The full market research report provides a detailed insight into biosensors and how they are made and the various application areas, together with discussion regarding a large number of vendor and research companies.

Notes: Purpose - Introduction of an automated laboratory system for a new field of laboratory operation, namely cultivation and handling of live brain tissue. Design/methodology/approach - The company's expertise in manual throughput was transferred to automatable methods. Processing data is used for scheduling purposes to yield efficient production of results. Findings - Automated process has comparable survival rates and high reproducibility. Time tolerance is lower than for manual operation. Research limitations/implications - Several bottle necks of the system have been identified and are to be improved upon in future research. These are especially "handling of membrane inserts" and slow-running procedures. Practical implications - Cataloging of activity data (timestamps, parameters, etc.) allows for much easier statistical analysis and data-mining than with manual operation data. Originality/value - Tissue-based, high-throughput screening is a seminal field in laboratory automation.

Notes: Purpose - To explain how genres structure temporal coordination in virtual teams over time. Design/methodology/approach - The first year e-mail archive of a small distributed software development start-up was coded and analyzed and these primary data were complemented with interviews of the key participants and examination of notes from the weekly phone meetings. Findings - In this paper, it is found that members of a small start-up organization temporally coordinated their dispersed activities through everyday communicative practices, thus accomplishing both the distributed development of a software system and the creation of a robust virtual team. In particular, the LC members used three specific genres - status reports, bug/error notifications, and update notifications - and one genre system - phone meeting management - to coordinate their distributed software development over time. Research limitations/implications - The study confirms the various suggestions from prior virtual team research that structuring communication and work process is an important mechanism for the temporal coordination of dispersed activities. In particular, an attempt has been made to show that the notions of genre and genre system are particularly useful to make sense of and analyze how such structuring actually occurs over time. Originality/value - In this paper, the research focus is shifted from how a given set of temporal coordination mechanisms affect team performance to how coordination mechanisms emerge, are stabilized, and adapted over time. It is also shown how the notion of genre may be used to shed light on the practices through which temporal coordination is accomplished in geographically distributed teams.

Notes: Purpose - The purpose of this article is to examine the structures and business models of electronic metals exchanges between 1995 and 2003. Design/methodology/approach - A dialectical institutional analysis is applied to understand the exchanges' responses to competing pressures for efficiency and legitimacy. Findings - Although efficiency is enabled by internet technologies that provide greater information transparency and access, public metals exchanges exhibited less ability to survive than private exchanges. It is argued that private exchanges survived because traders regarded them as more legitimate. Private exchange models allowed existing traditional relationships involving trust and privacy to continue, whereas public exchanges did not. Originality/value - The institutional analysis complements economic analyses of the role and structure of intermediaries in B2B electronic commerce.

Notes: Purpose - To develop a model that can explain the "government to e-government" transition process. Design/methodology/approach - Reviews the literature on and practice of e-government, as well as the related literature of strategic alignment and maturity models for technology adoption. Offers evidence for the model's validity through case-type material from the web sites of e-governments worldwide. Findings - Six transition paths can be identified, four of which are more likely to result in effective e-government transition. Research limitations/implications - Further work is needed to test the validity of the model. This could involve historical and longitudinal studies of the government to e-government transition process in different governments around the world. Practical implications - The transition model should be of value to e-government strategic planners who are seeking possible transition paths towards the effective development of e-government. Originality/value - The paper tackles the little investigated topic of the transition process through which governments must go as they shift from traditional government to e-government.

Notes: Purpose - This article aims to focus attention on users of information technology (IT), especially mobile telephony. It focuses on what people actually say about mobile technology but also aims to pay attention to what they do not talk about, what is found in the silence, especially with new technology when much can be taken for granted. This latter is, according to Foucault, even more important to understand. Design/methodology/approach - The research draws on empirical research through 11 semi-structured interviews and interviews with five focus groups, comprising between four and eight care assistants in each group. The interviews were with three women and three men between 25-70 years old, five female public sector middle managers and care assistants from five focus groups at social services departments in the north of Sweden. A Foucauldian approach is adopted to interpret the findings and explore how their locations within the circuits of socio-technical networks engender uncertainty with mobile technology. The present spread of IT reinforces a belief that people are integrated into the circuits of socio-technical networks. Findings - The findings suggest, on the one hand, that new technologies like mobile communication can be used to organise our everyday lives, whilst, on the other, there are risks with the new technologies, which can discipline discourses. Originality/value - These issues are discussed from a sociological and informatics perspective.

Notes: Purpose - To introduce the special issue on "Genres of digital documents." While there are many definitions of genre, most include consideration of the intended communicative purpose, form and sometimes expected content of a document. Most also include the notion of social acceptance, that a document is of a particular genre to the extent that it is recognized as such within a given discourse community. Design/methodology/approach - The article reviews the notion of document genre and its applicability to studies of digital documents and introduces the four articles in the special issue. Findings - Genre can be studied based on intrinsic genre attributes or on the extrinsic function that genre fulfills in human activities. Studies on intrinsic attributes include classifications of genres as clusters of attributes, though these classifications can be problematic because documents can be used in flexible ways. Also, new information technologies have enabled the appearance of novel genres. Studies on extrinsic function include ways to use genre for education or information accesses, as well as the use of genre as a lens for understanding communications in organizations. The four articles in the special issue illustrate these approaches. Originality/value - The paper provides a framework that organizes the range of research about genres of digital documents that should be helpful to those reading this research or planning their own studies.

Notes: Purpose - To provide a social-theoretic framework which explains how e-commerce affects social conditions, such as availability of information and equality of access to information, influences actors' behavior, shapes e-commerce business models, and in turn impacts industry structure. Design/methodology/approach - Empirical investigation based on one-hour interviews with owners/managers of nine vehicle dealerships and six vehicle buyers in a large US metropolitan region. The hermeneutic method of understanding was used, involving a circular process from research design and attentiveness to data, to data collection and interpretation. This circular process exemplified the dialectic relationship between the theoretical framework (derived from Habermas's Theory of Communicative Action) and empirical data, through which interpretation and theoretical explanations grounded in the data emerged. Findings - Demonstrates that e-commerce gives rise to increasing competition among the dealers, decreasing prices and migration of competition to price, decreasing profitability of the average dealer, and erosion of traditional sources of competitive advantage. Moreover, e-commerce emancipates and empowers vehicle purchasers while reducing the power of automobile dealers. Research limitations/implications - The research findings focus on the effects of e-commerce on the automobile distribution industry. However, one could argue that a number of the findings extend to other retailing-based industries. Practical implications - The paper illustrates a research methodology that may be useful to study other e-commerce applications. Originality/value - This paper illustrates the application of Habermas's Theory of Communicative Action to studying the effect of e-commerce.

Notes: Purpose - This paper seeks to critique the notion of diffusionism. Design/methodology/approach - The notion of diffusionism provides a general way of understanding innovation and human progress. It is pervasive within IS research and practice. Generically, diffusionism denotes an asymmetrical view of innovation as originating exclusively in "progressive" centres, from which it spreads through an essentially passive recipient community. This model is pernicious, as it privileges an élite few over the majority, with the innovator/imitator dichotomy presented as natural, moral and inevitable. This paper analyses the notion of diffusionism in information systems (IS). Findings - The failure to find any empirical support for diffusionism reveals both its mythical character and its ideological rationale in lending moral legitimacy to colonialistic projects. Empirical examples demonstrate both the ubiquity of the diffusionist mindset in IS research and practice, and its linkage to pseudo-colonial activities in the home domain. Originality/value - The paper concludes by arguing for a more critical approach within IS research on innovation, the use of richer, process-based theories, and greater partnership with practitioners in order to close the research/practice gap.

Notes: Purpose - This study focuses on gender differences in the relationship between transformational leadership and leader's occupational self-efficacy. The aim is to explain how female and male leaders develop their self-efficacy. This knowledge is important for leaders as well as organizations (e.g. human resources departments). Design/methodology/approach - A total of 58 leaders were asked to indicate their transformational leadership as well as their occupational self-efficacy, and 113 followers to indicate these leaders' transformational leadership. Hypotheses were examined using regression analyses. Findings - We found no significant relationship between self-rated transformational leadership and occupational self-efficacy for women, although we did find a positive relationship for men. No interaction effect with respect to leaders' occupational self-efficacy could be found between leaders' gender and follower-rated transformational leadership. Research limitations/implications - Whereas the relationship between transformational leadership and occupational self-efficacy was examined for men and women, we could not examine the processes that lead to the differences. Practical implications - Knowing that female and male leaders differ in the relationship between transformational leadership and occupational self-efficacy can help organizations to seek ways to build up their occupational self-efficacy. This is especially important when considering that occupational self-efficacy is related to performance in organizations. Originality/value - The paper employs both leader and follower evaluations on leaders' transformational leadership to explore the relationship between transformational leadership and occupational self-efficacy. The paper sheds light on the different processes involved in establishing occupational self-efficacy.

Notes: Purpose - The ascendancy of women to top management positions is a perennial problem plaguing organizations worldwide. The purpose of this paper is to present some insights relating to this pervasive phenomenon from a Middle Eastern context by exploring the constraints reported by Lebanese women managers throughout their careers. Design/methodology/approach - Literature review and qualitative research methodology consisting of interviews with 62 Lebanese women managers in different fields of occupation. Findings - The findings suggest that the constraints reported by Lebanese women managers are similar to those reported worldwide. The main differences revolve around the strongly felt salience of cultural values and expectations constraining women to traditional roles and a more accentuated sense of patriarchy. Originality/value - The value added of this research is to present an insider view and fresh perspective into career constraints facing women from a non-traditional context, namely Lebanon. In view of the Western-centric nature of academic publication on the topic, there is a real need and added value in empirical research stemming from an Arab-Middle Eastern context.

Notes: Purpose - The dynamics of professional women's mid-career satisfaction are important to understand, given the vast knowledge, experience and skills typically accrued by mid-career that are often difficult to replace. Design/methodology/approach - This study empirically examines Auster's multilevel framework of factors affecting the mid-career satisfaction of professional women using a sample of 125 professional women engineers. Findings - Results of logistic regressions reveal that individual, career, job, stress and organizational factors all impact the mid-career satisfaction of professional women, but that stress and job factors are the most powerful determinants for this sample of women. Research limitations/implications - While this study offers many insights and possible directions for future research on women at mid-career, there are a number of limitations. Future research could broaden the macro and micro factors explored, as well as compare these results with those of women in other fields and industries, women at other career stages, and women across other geographic regions. Practical implications - Organizations should strive to be more transparent about advancement options and opportunities, provide interesting and challenging work and more flexibility in work schedules (emphasize output, not face time), and offer support for key drivers of stress. Originality/value - This is the first fairly large-scale empirical study of macro and micro factors affecting women's mid-career satisfaction. This article should be of interest to managers concerned with retention of high-performing employees, HR practitioners, and academics specializing in careers, women's issues, and human resource management.

Notes: Purpose - To introduce the reader to a new way of understanding how the glass ceiling, the informal mechanisms and structures that slow or prevent women's advancement, may be configured, using capabilities theory. Design/methodology/approach - Capabilities theory is used as an analytical lens to evaluate the nature of interaction between the senior women's "internal capabilities" (their readiness to act), and the external "work environment" (work and non-work factors) that in combination with internal capabilities, constitute combined capabilities. In particular, we reflect on how the character of combined capabilities might effect senior women's perception of ambition and risk and the choices that are made during the "career journey". Findings - From a capabilities perspective, it can be argued that the remit of HRM policy makers regarding the careers of women attempting to break through the glass ceiling needs to be broadened, particularly by those organisations not only wishing to enhance their corporate social responsibility with regards to existing and potential employees but also those wishing to deepen their understanding of workplace inequality. Originality/value - This paper adds to our understanding of women's career journeys, and is likely to be of interest also to those researching the in areas of workplace equality and diversity and HRM policy and practice.

Notes: Purpose - The aim of this paper is to investigate the issue of women entrepreneurs in Greece by looking into personal characteristics and motivation of female Greek entrepreneurs in order to assist Greek policy makers in their future attempts to devise programs to support them in the start-up phase. Design/methodology/approach - The paper is a review of the entrepreneurial environment and female entrepreneurship in Greece, approached first through an analysis of the existing bibliography and then through the presentation and analysis of data exploring personal characteristics and motivation, drawn mainly from three similarly designed surveys (two of which were designed and carried out by the authors), covering the period 1990-2000. Findings - It is important that women entrepreneurs are not treated as a monolithic category: rather, policies and programs to support them should begin with a diagnosis of their personal characteristics and motives aimed at strengthening pull motives that comprise a base for more viable and innovative entrepreneurial activity. Originality/value - The paper's originality lies in its review of the Greek situation, adding more evidence of the characteristics of women entrepreneurs in a different setting.

Notes: Purpose - Aims to investigate managers' reports of their job experiences, wellbeing, and health outcomes as a function of whether they had either a male or a female supervisor. Design/methodology/approach - Self-report survey data were collected from male (n =328) and female (n =222) managers; these managers, in turn, had either a male or a female supervisor. Findings - Consistent with the hypothesis, two (gender of participant) by two (gender of supervisor) analyses of covariance revealed that all managers with female supervisors reported significantly higher levels of mastery and social support at work, and lower levels of work to family conflict and depression. Women with female supervisors also reported significantly higher levels of job autonomy and work absences than did women with male supervisors or men with either male or female supervisors. In an effort to explain these outcomes, the mediational role of work-based social support was explored as well as the gender ratio of the subordinate's work environment. Findings suggest that, for both men and women, there are some modest benefits associated with having a female supervisor and with working in a more female-dominated environment. Originality/value - The study is one of the few to focus on possible work-related outcomes associated with the gender of the supervisor and the first to examine if there are any associated health and well-being effects for their subordinates.

Notes: Purpose - This study aims to examine gender issues in a sample of male and female police officers in Norway. Design/methodology/approach - Three gender issues were considered: perceptions of equal opportunity, possible reasons for differences in male and female career opportunities, and experiences of sexual harassment. Data were collected from 766 police officers in Norway using anonymous questionnaires, a 62 percent response rate. Findings - Female officers indicated significantly lower levels of equal opportunity perceptions, more reasons for career opportunity differences (particularly discrimination), and more sexual harassment than did male officers. Female officers reporting lower levels of equal opportunity perceptions were less job-satisfied, more cynical, rated their quality of leadership lower and indicated more health complaints. Female officers experiencing more sexual harassment also indicated less job satisfaction. Finally, female officers offering more reasons for career differences (particularly discrimination) reported less job satisfaction, and lower professional efficacy. Research limitations/implications - Future research needs to examine gender issues in policing in greater depth using qualitative methodology. Data collected used self-reports ,raising the possibility of response set tendencies. Results may not generalize to other countries or other professions. Practical implications - Suggestions for addressing gender issues in organizations are offered. Originality/value - Provides current information on consequences of gender issues in policing in a cross-cultural context.

Notes: Purpose - Aims to determine the self-perceptions of Japanese female white-collar employees regarding defined aspects of their work environment. Design/methodology/approach - The sample consisted of Japanese workers employed in Japanese and foreign (US and European) financial services companies. The self-perceptions were tested and compared: directly with the self-perceptions of male counterparts, and within an exclusively female sample divided into two subsets of Japanese and foreign companies operating in Japan. Findings - Results show that despite recent employment system changes, clearly segregated gender roles persist in the Japanese workplace with female employees reporting significantly lower self-evaluations of their training-received, future prospects and understanding of operations than their male counterparts. However, when female results are subdivided by national origin of their company, Japanese women employed in foreign companies show significantly higher self-evaluations of training-received, future prospects than their female counterparts employed in Japanese companies. Research limitations/implications - To eliminate cross-industry interference and erroneous differences the research focuses exclusively on the financial securities industry. Therefore, the results cannot be generalized to other companies operating in other industries in Japan. Practical implications - The results suggest that foreign companies are providing a higher degree of gender empowerment and offer important early insights into the hiring, training and creation of a new cadre of female white-collar workers in Japan. Originality/value - The study extends research into understanding issues surrounding female white-collar workers in a period of great change in Japanese companies and society itself.

Notes: Purpose - To stimulate research on Latin American businesswomen's career development and help human resource practitioners design culturally-adapted advancement programs. Design/methodology/approach - A total of 27 interviews with human resources professional from US Fortune 500 companies with business in Latin America undertaken during 2001-2003 are the basis for reporting on women's advancement programs in Latin America. A survey of literature on culture in Latin American work organizations provides basis for suggestions about cultural adaptation of these programs. Latin American businesswomen's perceptions of their own career development, recorded in interviews with over 100 businesswomen in six Latin American countries in 2002 by participants in the Women Business Leaders in Latin America project, corroborate these suggestions. Findings - Women's initiatives imported from the USA to Latin America are likely to suffer several shortcomings unless modified to accommodate several common cultural attributes of Latin American work organizations. Practical implications - Provides a guideline for developing gender diversity practices specifically suited to the Latin American context. Originality/value - Major cross-national projects on women, culture and leadership in business to date tend to neglect the Latin American region. This research begins to highlight and remedy that lacuna.

Notes: Purpose - To address the research gap on East German women managers and to examine some of the experiences of post-socialist East German women who entered management positions during 1990s. The discussion focuses on the nature of women's commitment to career and organisation. Design/methodology/approach - The study presented adopts a methodology based on a qualitative approach, the grounded theory approach as developed by Glaser. One-to-one, semi-structured interviews were carried out in 2000 with 24 East German women managers and five human resource managers in eight companies located in Eastern Germany, headquartered in Western Germany. Findings - The case of post-socialist East German women managers shows that gender can in fact become secondary criterion in employing women managers. It was revealed that opportunities for advancement were greater for East German female managers than West German managers due to the existence of childcare and women's programmes. The support structures, however, are currently being dismantled and women's growth and development in management levels is uncertain. The data show that women managers have coped with transition very effectively and are highly committed to their organisation and their career. However, their high commitment needs to be understood in relative terms as it is strongly context-related. Research limitations/implications - Considering the qualitative nature of this study research results should not be generalised, rather they serve as a base for future research. Practical implications - Particularly, the identification of personnel strategies employed towards post-socialist women managers and an insight into East German women's commitment could benefit HR practitioners. Originality/value - This paper contributes to the limited literature on women in management Hungary as well as literature on women in post-socialism.

Notes: Purpose - The paper critically reviews women managers' experiences of managing transition in post-Soviet Belarus. The main aim of the paper is to explore the emerging learning experiences and learning practices of women managers in Belarus who are working in small and medium-size business enterprises. Design/methodology/approach - The paper commences with an exploration of the country context. It then seeks to draw attention to ongoing economic, political and cultural transformations within Belarus with a view to highlighting ways in which these transformations have impacted on the professional identities of women in Belarus in the post-Soviet era. Interviews with 16 female managers were constructed to investigate specific issues such as how women managers in Belarus learn to be managers, how they perceive their own positions within organisations, the ways in which women managers use learning strategies as sense-making mechanisms, and the career-related obstacles faced by women managers in Belarus. Findings - The findings indicate that women managers have adopted a variety of learning strategies to adjust to the changing nature of Belarusian business culture. These strategies involve drawing on multiple notions of a feminine work identity, which both resists and reaffirms traditional gender roles. The findings highlight women have learn to cope with a fragmented learning organisational context that is devoid of established networking and mentoring systems that are accessible normally to women managers. As such, the interview data indicate that women are developing and adopting individualised learning strategies and mechanisms to enable them to survive and succeed within business organisations. Research limitations/implications - This research describes experiences of middle-aged, urban, educated women employed in small and medium business enterprises without taking into account generational, ethnic and other differences. Originality/value - Although this paper was written from the experiences of women in Belarus, it will be of interest to women experiencing career-related obstacles.

Notes: Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to fill a gap in the literature on Arab women's conceptions of leadership. By comparing women's leadership authority values in three Arab countries, the paper aims to refine existing gender-neutral research on leadership in the "Arab world". Design/methodology/approach - The study involved administering a survey, which had been developed based on Weber's work on authority (1978) and contemporary discussions of implicit leadership theories (ILT). The data (n=320) were drawn from female subjects who were enrolled in upper-division business major classes in three countries, Oman, Lebanon and the UAE The women thus constituted educated entrants to their respective labor markets. The data were subjected to an analysis of group means on each of the questions, using the Scheffe option available in ANOVA. Findings - The analysis found evidence of common leadership authority values in the Gulf countries (Oman and the UAE). Lebanon, meanwhile, was distinguished by relatively low levels of "traditional" authority, and very high levels of "charismatic" authority. The findings demonstrate important regional similarities and difference in leadership authority values in the "Arab world." Research limitations/implications - The study is limited by the number of countries studied. It is thus anticipated that future comparative research will be extended to include other countries (both Arab and non-Arab), and men. Practical implications - Leadership training in the Arab region must be sensitized and tailored to address regional and gender-specific conceptions of leadership. Originality/value - The paper challenges and refines widespread meta-notions and analyses of the "Arab world" and "Arab leadership."

Notes: Purpose - This research was undertaken to investigate the differences in preferred managerial leadership behaviour among genders and racial groups in South Africa. Design/methodology/approach - Data were collected from part time MBA students in South Africa, and subjects' preferences for explicit leader behaviour was assessed by the Leader Behaviour Description Questionnaire XII, with samples of Asian[1], black, coloured[2], and White South Africans further categorized by gender. Findings - Coloured sample subjects were most dissimilar from the other samples as to preferred leader behaviours. The most similar grouping was black males with white males and females. Research limitations/implications - Different results were obtained than predicted by past studies comparing only black and white subjects. Studies comparing only those two racial groups could yield misleading interpretations of the actual managerial leader race and gender dynamics in South Africa. Owing to the small samples obtained for coloureds and Asian women, a follow-up study is underway to increase these sample sizes. Practical implications - Implications of this study for practice are that programmes of managerial leadership development and practice need to consider that the race and gender dynamics in South Africa extend beyond the majority blacks and whites, and need to be more inclusive of all groups. Originality/value - The results tend to contradict the interpretations of past studies of management and leadership that have indicated significant differences between the behaviours of blacks and whites in the business environment. These two groups were found to be most similar in preferences.

Notes: Purpose - Bench-top wind tunnels are used extensively by the US Air Force for calibrating anemometers. As anemometers have improved, the need for reduced uncertainties in the bench-top wind tunnels was required. A three-pronged approach was used to reduce low velocity uncertainties by a factor of 2-3.Design/methodology/approach - The reduction in velocity uncertainties was achieved by upgrading the wind tunnel instrumentation that measured the pressure and differential pressure and by improving the velocity calibration of the bench-top wind tunnel. A detailed uncertainty analysis was performed to determine how much the instrumentation needed to improve. A laser Doppler velocimetry (LDV) was used to calibrate each wind tunnel at low velocities.Findings - The uncertainty analysis indicated that the main contributors to the velocity uncertainty were the differential pressure and the pressure measurements. These two process instruments were upgraded to reduce their individual uncertainties by a factor of 2. Additionally each bench-top wind tunnel was calibrated using the LDV with special emphasis on flows from 0.15-3.0?m/s. In all, nine wind tunnels were calibrated and the upgraded systems exhibited a reduction in uncertainties in the low flow region of a factor of 2-3.Originality/value - A need to reduce velocity uncertainties in bench-top wind tunnels was a requirement for the US Air Force calibration program. Upgraded instrumentation and individual calibration with an LDV provided the needed reduction. In the low flow region of 0.15 to 3.0?m/s, uncertainties were reduced by a factor of 2-3.

Notes: Purpose - The sensitivity of orifice plate metering to poorly conditioned and swirling flows are subjects of concerns to flow meter users and manufacturers. The distortions caused by pipe fittings and pipe installations upstream of the orifice plate are major sources of this type of non-standard flows. These distortions will alter the accuracy of metering up to an unacceptable degree.Design/methodology/approach - The design of orifice plate meters that are independent of the initial flow conditions of the upstream is a major object of flow metering. Either using a long straight pipe or a flow conditioner upstream of an orifice plate usually achieves this goal. The effect of cone swirler flow conditioner for both standard and non-standard flow conditions has been carried out in the experimental rig. The measuring of mass flow rate under different conditions and different Reynolds numbers were used to establish a change in discharge coefficient relative to a standard one.Findings - The experimental results using the cone swirler flow conditioner showed that the combination of an orifice plate and cone swirler flow conditioner is broadly insensitive to upstream disturbances. The results clearly show that this flow conditioner can attenuate the effect of both swirling and asymmetric flows on metering to an acceptable level.Originality/value - Previous work on the orifice plate has shown that the concept has promise. The results of using a combination of a cone swirler and orifice plate for non-standard flow conditions including swirling flow and asymmetric flow show this package can preserve the accuracy of metering up to the level required in the standards, providing that a new discharge coefficient is used for the combined swirler and orifice plate.

Notes: Purpose - A review of selected vision exhibits and innovations at a new biennial international trade fair in Germany, which essentially replaces the traditional substantial vision presence at the annual Hanover Industry Fair.Design/methodology/approach - Five companies are profiled; four (ISRA Vision, Vitronic, AKATech, and INOS Automation) with innovative products and one (Stemmer Imaging) with a highly European approach to marketing.Findings - One claimed innovation was foreshadowed 20 years ago, but this time it works! Many successful applications of machine vision are now in sectors outside the traditional manufacturing field. These include logistics and aspects of traffic management. The ability to measure moving items accurately was a major advance.Originality/value - This will alert vision practitioners, and researchers intent on commercialisation, who did not get to Munich to the latest developments and opportunities for commercial exploitation of automated imaging technology. It will help them to judge whether a visit to the next event in May 2006 will be justified.

Notes: Purpose - To provide corporate and technical details of the US-based Endevco Corporation. This company is a leading manufacturer of sensors and systems for measuring vibration, shock and other physical variables.Design/methodology/approach - This profile considers the Endevco company structure, technology, products, markets and applications, including historical achievements and recent developments.Findings - This paper discusses the company's use of piezoelectric ceramic and microengineered silicon technologies in a range of high performance sensors for measuring shock, acceleration, vibration and pressure.Originality/value - This provides an insight into the Endevco company structure, products, technologies and markets.

Notes: Purpose - To describe a new laser-based, optical airspeed sensor development project. Dubbed laser air speed sensor instrument (LASSI), the sensor aims to overcome certain operational limitations of existing devices used on aircraft.Design/methodology/approach - The LASSI system is being developed by a consortium of UK organisations. It relies on Doppler wavelength shifting and involves firing short duration laser pulses from the aircraft into the atmosphere and measuring the velocity-induced Doppler shift in the reflected (Rayleigh scattered) signal. The source is a diode-pumped Nd:YAG laser operating at UV wavelengths.Findings - The project has reached the stage where a prototype system test bed is being assembled. Preliminary findings suggest that the system will offer a number of operational and economic benefits over existing devices, notably Pitot tubes.Originality/value - This new optical system is expected to improve helicopter safety during low-speed activities, yield fuel savings on long-haul passenger aircraft through a reduction in drag and also reduce the radar cross-section of military aircraft.

Notes: Purpose - The need for an instrumented grinding system that addresses the requirements of ductile regime machining of brittle materials is implemented. The static and dynamic stiffness of the structural loop of the grinding system meets or exceeds those of previous researchers. An instrumented spindle is introduced which features capacitance gages embedded in the stator of an air bearing spindle. Design/methodology/approach - The instrumented spindle is demonstrated to provide valuable force feedback for fine grinding and is capable of resolving intra-revolution force components. Tests are performed to demonstrate the use of the instrumented spindle for ductile grinding of brittle materials with superabrasive wheels. Findings - The results of the test show that the instrumented spindle is capable of determining intra-revolution force components for square alumina-titanium carbide wafers. Originality/value - Outlines some important work developing and building instrumented spindles to aid the precision grinding industry.

Notes: Purpose - This article provides details of recent research in France and Germany which has extended the operational range of the laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) technique through the use of a transportable terawatt laser, the "Teramobile". Design/methodology/approach - The high power of the Teramobile's laser generates self-guided filaments of light which overcome the diffraction limit that restricts the range of conventional pulsed laser sources in air to around 100?m. The system can deliver laser intensities of around 1013?W/cm2 to locations at a distance of several kilometer without focusing. It has been used in a variant of the LIBS technique termed remote filament-induced breakdown spectroscopy (R-FIBS). Findings - Experiments have shown that the R-FIBS technique can analyse metal samples for elemental composition at a range of up to 180?m. Further work offers prospects to extend the range to as much as 1?km. Originality/value - This research illustrates that a transportable terawatt laser can be used as the source in the new R-FIBS technique, suggesting many remote sensing analytical applications such as environmental monitoring, detecting chemical and biological warfare agents, monitoring the composition of molten metals and identifying radioactive waste.

Notes: Purpose - This paper discusses the size and structure of the global biosensor market which is presently dominated by medical applications. Design/methodology/approach - It considers a number of recent developments based on nanotechnology. Findings - Identifies homeland security as an emerging area offering significant prospects for technological innovation and market growth. Originality/value - Of interest to those concerned with technology developments.

Notes: Purpose - To review the manufacture of specialty optical fibres used in sensors.Design/methodology/approach - Describes speciality optical fibres that use fibre Bragg gratings and time division multiplexing. Applications include structural monitoring in wind turbines, yacht masts and civil engineering structures.Findings - The oil and gas industry has used these types of sensors because of their cost efficiency and safety. As the sensors have no electrical connections they generate no heat and use only low power light, which makes them ideal for hazardous areas. It also enables reliable and highly-stable, long term monitoring of critical production equipment.Originality/value - Provides a source of information on speciality optical fibre sensors.

Notes: Purpose - There is a need to understand both theoretically and empirically the dominant guiding principles that are becoming embedded in people's technologically mediated interactions and what the alternatives may be. Aims to provide an evaluation of the work of Rob Kling in helping to find guidance on these issues. Design/methodology/approach - The paper combines narrative with argument and analysis. Findings - How people communicate in different organisational contexts is informed by the way meanings are created (in this study, contractual understandings to supply material goods) and how various processes can be made to work in both offline and online environments. The results of this study illustrate one of Rob Kling's dictums: the social context of information and communication technologies (ICT) development matters. Originality/value - Provides a contribution to the literature on Kling's work on social informatics.

Notes: Purpose - To examine the evolution of the online newspaper genre in Scandinavia. To provide an understanding of the institutional context in which online newspapers initially were produced and modified over time. Design/methodology/approach - A longitudinal study of three different types of newspapers in three Scandinavian countries. The study is based on interviews with newspaper representatives conducted during recurring visits in 1996, 1999 and 2002, and web page analysis of their online newspapers. Findings - The study illustrates how online newspapers have established a number of communicative practices significant for recognizing them as a distinct digital genre, and it outlines a set of institutional factors shaping the ongoing change of these newspapers. In addition, the study demonstrates the emergence of sequential interdependencies between online and printed news. Originality/value - The focus on Scandinavian newspapers in this paper complements studies conducted in other parts of the world regarding online newspaper genre evolution.

Notes: Purpose - The paper aims to show, through the case of Jordan, how e-government is difficult to implement, given the characteristics of the local administration, the socio-economic context and the dynamics of the technological infrastructure. It also aims to ascertain more generally whether the marketisation of the state, embedded in e-government, makes sense as the paramount approach to improve democracy and foster development. Design/methodology/approach - Describes how the Kingdom of Jordan, as a case study of an innovative and extensive application of e-government ideas and models, provides a paradigmatic example of how ICTs are being introduced in economically less developed countries and identifies the risks of failure in implementation. Based on the empirical evidence provided by the case, examines the more general implications of e-government and new public management in the transformation of the relationship between the state and citizen. Findings - The transformation of citizens into customers is problematic, and the correlation between good governance and minimal state with development can hardly be demonstrated historically. Originality/value - The paper puts forward a new interpretation centred on the newly established link between aid and security. In this light, e-government appears to be one of the new tools for the rich metropolitan states to govern "at a distance" (through sophisticated methodologies and technologies) the potentially dangerous, weak, borderland states.

Notes: Purpose - Organisational work-life policies and programs allow employees to have greater control over how, when and where they work but these policies are often under-utilised, particularly by men and career-oriented employees. In what is largely an atheoretical area of literature, the paper aims to theoretically integrate the empirical literature related to the uptake of organisational work-life policies. Design/methodology/approach - The paper links three related areas of literature: the associations between work-life policies and individual/organisational outcomes; explanations for the low uptake of work-life policies in many organisations; and preliminary studies which have explored organisational culture and its relationship to work-life policies. These literatures are integrated to develop a five-dimensional construct, "organisational work-life culture", for testing in future research. Findings - It is suggested that the following five dimensions underlie this aspect of organisational life: lack of managerial support for work-life balance; perceptions of negative career consequences; organisational time expectations; the gendered nature of policy utilisation; and perceptions of unfairness by employees with limited non-work responsibilities. Practical implications - The development and validation of the organisational work-life culture construct requires further research and may result in specific organisational strategies and policies which address the barriers to work-life policy utilisation. Originality/value - Based on existing empirical evidence, the paper suggests an original theoretical proposition: that organisational work-life culture is underpinned by five dimensions and explains much of the provision-utilisation gap in work-life policy.

Notes: Purpose - To discusss the first concept car development project in the automotive industry managed by female engineers and designers. Design/methodology/approach - An abiding concern in feminist discourses is to understand how and why women are excluded from certain positions and activities and how organizations become gendered. Drawing on the Russian literature theorist Mikhail Bakhtin, exceptional events such as concept car development projects in the automotive industry may be examined as a form of carnival wherein the predominant social order is overturned for a period of time and thereafter restored. Findings - Exploring the "all female" project at Volvo Cars as a carnival event captures the double nature of such "affirmative" activities; on the one hand, they are giving space to marginal groups, while, on the other hand, being events that differ from the everyday work life order, they therefore risk being marginal activities with limited sustaining impact. Originality/value - In theoretical terms, the paper has integrated feminist theory and Bakhtin's writing on the carnival as an institutionalized way to mediate conflict and discontent.

Notes: Purpose - This paper seeks to examine the experience of, and attitudes towards, work/life balance (WLB) by female and male senior managers in a major Irish organisation for which WLB is now a strategic corporate objective. Design/methodology/approach - Both quantitative and qualitative data were collected using an electronic questionnaire survey designed to obtain the views of female and male managers on strategies that would contribute to a better gender balance, promote diversity and raise leadership capacity in the organisation. Work/life balance emerged as a major issue in impeding the career progression of female managers. All female managers and a sample of male managers were surveyed. This paper concentrates on the responses of the two senior management grades below Executive Director on the issue and strategies to promote work/life balance. Additional qualitative data were drawn from interviews (with eight women and five men) and three focus group sessions with all male, all female and mixed gender groups. Findings - The greatest obstacle to achieving WLB is seen as the "long hours" culture in which availing oneself of flexible options (e.g. working from home/reduced hours/flexitime) is incompatible with holding a senior management post. Many of the senior men have followed the "breadwinner" model by being able to delegate family and caring activities to their wives. This option has not been possible for the majority of women in senior posts. Hence, men seek WLB to resolve commuting/working time issues. Women want to avail themselves of more flexible arrangements for family/quality of life reasons. Both men and women in senior management recognise that their own careers would be seriously jeopardised by taking up WLB arrangements. Originality/value - In the absence of role models willing to display any contrary behaviour there is a pragmatic need to align corporate policy and practice with prevailing and future family structures and demonstrate, by senior management example, how WLB can work and provide assistance for managers/staff who seek to avail themselves of it. WLB policies are not enough in themselves to ensure take-up and acceptance. It will require trust, courage and a range of interventions to champion WLB, not just at management level.

Notes: Purpose - The aim of the paper is to analyse the position of the Czech women in the labour market in a comparison to the EU-15 countries. The paper critically reviews three domains of female labour market participation: general characteristics of the female employment, work-life balance indicators, and disadvantages of the female labour force related to motherhood. Design/methodology/approach - The data draw on harmonized data from international/supranational institutions (EUROSTAT, OECD, ILO) in order to compile comparative statistics on gender and labour market characteristics. A cluster analysis is performed in order to group countries with similar gender and labour market characteristics together. Findings - The results identify three clusters with respect to the position of women in the labour market: southern model, Scandinavian model, and mixed model. The southern model includes Spain, Italy and Greece. These countries are characterised by women's low participation in the labour market, shorter working careers and a low incidence of part-time working. The Scandinavian model (Denmark, Sweden, Finland) represents countries, which have high levels of female labour market participation, and a work culture that fosters high numbers of part-time and flexible work systems. The mixed model (UK, France, Germany) falls in between these two extremes and includes the Czechoslovakia. The mixed model has relatively high female employment rates both full- and part-time but tends to have less support structures for combining work-life balance. Originality/value - The data provide an insight into the gendered labour market systems in the Czech Republic and highlight how state and private employer organisations can develop gender sensitive policies to assist women's career and professional development. It is suggested that the Czech Republic needs to develop policies that will foster part-time and flexible working arrangements.

Notes: Purpose - The aim of this paper is to examine the gendered nature of work-life policies in and the work-life conflicts of managers in a multinational corporation in Hungary. Design/methodology/approach - The research is based on 30 qualitative interviews with male and female managers at junior, middle and senior management levels located in Unilevers Eastern European headquarters in Budapest. Findings - The results show that while legislative measures for family-leave related policies are being encouraged in the EU, this is not the case with employer organizations in transition states, yet this is an important aspect of gender and employment policy as accession states begin to redesign their programmes to fall in line with EU guidelines. The research reveals that attempts to introduce family-friendly policies still create gendered effects and gendered dilemmas for individual managers. The results reveal that men and women have different perceptions of work-life balance and adopt different coping strategies to manage work and family commitments. Overall it is found that work-life balance is constructed as an individual, rather than a corporate responsibility and this also creates gendered inequalities. Research limitations/implications - The study focuses on one organisation in a transition context and so results cannot be generalised. Originality/value - The paper aims to contribute to the limited knowledge that currently exists on work-life initiatives in a transition context and attempts to clarify how gender equality measures can be understood and further developed within the Hungarian context.

Notes: Purpose - The main aim of this paper is to explore the general impact of post-Soviet transition on the experiences of women managers in Estonia. Using survey data the paper reviews women's responses to organisation change in a transition context. The paper focuses specifically on economic and social changes that are occurring in Estonia following its reassertion of independence from the Soviet Union. Design/methodology/approach - A contextual background to transition is provided and the recent history of Estonia is charted in relation to the demise of the Soviet Union and events in the recent post-Soviet era. The paper discusses the issue of whether women have, in general terms, benefited from Estonia's move away from the Soviet Union and into the independent European State of Estonia. Estonia's membership of the European Union is highlighted as a key factor that is likely to influence the experiences of women managers in the future. The results of a comparative survey (n=682) into the attitudes of Estonian women managers towards various change management issues at the organisation level are presented. Findings - The results of the study suggest that many women face cultural barriers to advancement in the workplace, and that women are seeking out opportunities in response to economic and social change. Recent legislation changes suggest however, that Estonia's institutional framework will assist women's career development and position in the economic sphere. Research implications - There is a need for more focused gender-based management research relating to Estonia. Such research could, in part, be based on information gathered from the further development of formal gender-specific employment monitoring practices at both organisational and governmental levels in Estonia. Originality/value - Because there is a dearth of gender-focused research across Central and Eastern Europe, this paper provides valuable insights into the effects of independence on the experiences of women in Estonia.

Notes: Purpose - Reviews and reflects on how well European businesses are doing with regard to diversity, specifically with regard to reporting on diversity. Design/methodology/approach - Reviews diversity and diversity reporting in several large European companies. Findings - Diversity reporting is still in its infancy. The growing public pressure for diversity reporting seems likely to continue, though at present there are few mandatory requirements. Pressure from shareholders, fund managers or pressure groups may help. Another less expected pressure point may come from a younger generation of workers who have higher expectations than their predecessors. The biggest change will occur when companies seize the business case for diversity. Originality/value - Provides a snapshot of current diversity reporting in European companies.

Notes: Purpose - To challenge gender neutrality within management theories and to show how such theories influence the practice of management development to the detriment of women managers. Design/methodology/approach - The paper is based on a feminist questioning of changes in management theory over the past several decades and the impact this has on management development practice in relation to women. Findings - The notion of a feminine ethos being carried to practicing managers through characteristics culturally associated with females should be helpful to women. However, the basis for formal, mixed group situations as a means of enabling women to develop as managers is debatable. A continuing reliance on questionnaires that fail to quantify the extent to which the constructs reflect a gender sensitivity and the failure to recognise such situations as reflecting relations between women and men in the wider social context serve to reinforce women in a subordinate role to men, deferring to and privileging men's knowledge. Originality/value - The value lies in how the paper shows the barriers facing women as they develop as managers in contexts that are still masculine despite claims of a feminisation of management. It is also valuable in the way it suggests a different way of working with women on their development as managers.

Notes: Purpose - This exploratory study examined backlash in the workplace. Backlash was operationalized by employee views on how much their employer had done to support the advancement of four designated groups (women, disabled, aboriginal people, racial/visible minorities): too much, about right, too little. Design/methodology/approach - Data were collected from 2,514 employees of a single financial services organization (1,962 women, 480 men) using anonymous questionnaires. Findings - The majority of the sample thought their employer had done about the right amount. Women thought the firm had done less for women than men did; men thought the firm had done less for aboriginals than women did. Males more strongly endorsing backlash had longer company tenure and tended to be at lower organizational levels. Women and men endorsing backlash were then compared on a variety of work and organizational outcomes. Men believing the firm had done too much, and women believing the firm had done too little generally indicated less satisfying work and organizational outcomes. Research limitations/implications - Study needs to be replicated in other organizations using a different measure of backlash. Practical implications - Suggestions for dealing with backlash are offered. Originality/value - Examines a relatively important but under-researched subject.

Notes: Purpose - To identify, classify, and propose a preliminary theory of the value conflicts and social choices that arise in enterprise system use. Design/methodology/approach - Ethnographic case study of a medium-sized manufacturing firm, using a participant-observer approach. Findings - Three areas of value conflict are identified between functional areas: conflicts over work priorities, conflicts over dependency on the commitments of others, and conflicts over evaluation fairness. When participants perceived that the value conflicts were accommodated in a balanced and legitimate way, they chose to use information resources within the enterprise system. When the conflicts were perceived as too great, participants chose to ignore the enterprise system, or develop their own competing information resources. Research limitations/implications - This paper reports on theory building from one intensive case study. It implies, however, that previous attempts to account for the difficulty of enterprise resource planning (ERP) use have not focused enough on the social relationships between the functional areas that are tightly integrated through enterprise systems. Practical implications - The three value conflict questions (work priorities, dependency on commitments, and evaluation fairness) can be used to identify potential ERP problem areas, and to clarify the costs and benefits of different ERP choices for various functional areas. Originality/value - For information systems researchers and practitioners, this paper offers another means for identifying value conflicts and social choices in computerization, hopefully bringing us closer to Rob Kling's dream that computerization choices be made in a more socially benign way.

Notes: Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to account for the genre characteristics of non-linear, multi-modal, web-mediated documents. It involves a two-dimensional view on genres that allows one to account for the fact that digital genres act not only as text but also as medium. Design/methodology/approach - The theoretical framework of the article is the Swalesian genre theory used in academic settings all over the world to investigate the relationship between discourse and social practice and to teach genre conventions to students of language and communication. Up till now most genre research has focused on the characteristics of "printed" texts, whereas less has been done to apply the genre theory to digital genres. Findings - The article discusses the characteristics of digital genres, notably the media constraints that have a significant effect on the production and reception of digital genres and suggests an extension of the Swalesian genre model that takes the digital characteristics into account. Research limitations/implications - The suggestion for a revised genre model is not based on an extensive empirical study of various types of web sites. The observation is restricted to a limited number of commercial web sites. Originality/value - The article proposes new insights into the concept of genre adapting traditional models of genre theory to web-mediated texts. A revised two-dimensional genre model incorporating media elements into the concept of genre thus takes account of the particular characteristics of the navigation and reading elements of web-mediated genres.

Notes: Purpose - To extend the work of Rob Kling, whose research interests, and advocacy were at the center of a movement in analytical inquiry and empirical research now known as "social informatics". Design/methodology/approach - Reviews the work of those who engage in social informatics research to strengthen and further the conceptual perspective, analytical approaches, and intellectual contributions of social informatics. Findings - The vibrant and growing international community of active social informatics scholars has assembled a social informatics resource kit that includes: perspective lenses through which research data can be viewed critically; techniques for building theory and developing models from socially rich empirical data; and a common body of knowledge regarding the uses and effects of ICTs. Originality/value - The paper identifies opportunities to engage new scholars in social informatics discussions, and suggests new venues for promoting and extending the work of scholars already enrolled in the social informatics movement.

Notes: Purpose - This paper is intended to pay tribute to the inspiration provided by Rob Kling by showing how his ideas about social informatics in general and the use of web models in particular, have helped us to formulate and develop our own work in the field of information systems development methods. Design/methodology/approach - A conceptual discussion and approach are taken. Findings - Illustrates how Kling's advocacy of the need for a more holistic form of explanation of the behaviour of what he (and Walt Scacchi) termed "computer resources" gave shape to ideas emerging from others' action research studies at that time, and how his attempts to set the agenda for the emerging field of Social Informatics have informed subsequent developments in work in the area of methodological inquiry. Originality/value - Provides an evaluation of Kling's pioneering and inspirational work on information and communication technologies.

Notes: Purpose - To provide a view of Rob Kling's contribution to socio-technical studies of work. Design/methodology/approach - The five "big ideas" discussed are signature themes in Kling's own work in the informatics domain, and of his intellectual legacy. Findings - This paper conveys something of Kling's presence in social informatics (SI) thinking by focusing on a number of "big" ideas - "multiple points of view", "social choices", "the production lattice" (and its corollary, the problematization of the user), "socio-technical interaction networks", and "institutional truth regimes". Research limitations/implications - A growing research community has demonstrated the power of SI techniques. It is essential that this body of work is sustained and developed, demonstrating how to undertake investigation and observation, that is not driven by instrumentalism but is informed by and leads to "technological realism". Practical implications - The SI corpus, exposing the dangers of naïve instrumentalism as an approach to information systems design and management, can guide practitioners on how to unpack the history of what is in view. This may be a specific technology, a social formation, or a sociotechnical circumstance. Practitioners may draw on the concepts presented, not as a prescriptive toolkit, but rather as a sensitizing frame to assist those who wish to re-vision the workplace. Originality/value - Central to the successful utilisation of computers in work, we argue, is the continuing development of a portfolio of interpretive concepts (such as STINs, regimes of truth, production lattices) that can consolidate Rob Kling's "big" ideas that are the core of this paper.

Notes: Purpose - Aims to describe systematically the characteristics of weblogs (blogs) - frequently modified web pages in which dated entries are listed in reverse chronological sequence and which are the latest genre of internet communication to attain widespread popularity. Design/methodology/approach - This paper presents the results of a quantitative content analysis of 203 randomly selected blogs, comparing the empirically observable features of the corpus with popular claims about the nature of blogs, and finding them to differ in a number of respects. Findings - Notably, blog authors, journalists and scholars alike exaggerate the extent to which blogs are interlinked, interactive, and oriented towards external events, and underestimate the importance of blogs as individualistic, intimate forms of self-expression. Originality/value - Based on the profile generated by the empirical analysis, considers the likely antecedents of the blog genre, situates it with respect to the dominant forms of digital communication on the internet today, and suggests possible developments of the use of blogs over time in response to changes in user behavior, technology, and the broader ecology of internet genres.

Notes: Purpose - To articulate the interpretations and adaptations of Grounded Theory made within the 2G method, and the motivations behind them. Design/methodology/approach - Literature review and conceptual approach reflecting on the authors' experience of having developed the 2G method. Findings - Identifies six adaptations of Grounded Theory as being of particular interest. Five relate to method procedures, namely: developing a core category; coding interview data; exposing evolving theories to stakeholders; developing multiple concept frameworks; and inter-linking concepts. The sixth relates to expectations on method users, and the tension between expertise relating to the phenomenon being analysed, and openness in interpreting the data. Research limitations/implications - Shows how Grounded Theory procedures have been adapted and used in IS methods. Specifically, the paper illustrates and makes explicit how a specific method (the 2G method) has evolved. Practical implications - Provides insights for users of Grounded Theory (GT) and developers of IS methods on how GT procedures have been interpreted and adapted in previous and the authors' own research. Originality/value - Provides insights into how Grounded Theory (GT) procedures have been adapted for use in other IS methods, with insights from the authors' own experience of having developed the 2G method. Reflects on the use of GT procedures in a number of case studies related to tool evaluation. Identifies six areas in which specific interpretations or adaptations of GT were considered necessary in the contexts in which the studies were undertaken, and justifies these six departures from standard interpretations of GT procedures.

Notes: Purpose - To develop a testable model for girls' career choices in technology fields based on past research and hypotheses about the future of the information technology (IT) workforce. Design/methodology/approach - Review and assimilation of literature from education, psychology, sociology, computer science, IT, and business in a model that identifies factors that can potentially influence a girl's choice towards or against IT careers. The factors are categorized into social factors (family, peers, and media), structural factors (computer use, teacher/counselor influence, same sex versus coeducational schools), and individual differences. The impact of culture on these various factors is also explored. Findings - The model indicates that parents, particularly fathers, are the key influencers of girls' choice of IT careers. Teachers and counselors provide little or no career direction. Hypotheses propose that early access to computers may reduce intimidation with technology and that same-sex education may serve to reduce career bias against IT. Research limitations/implications - While the model is multidisciplinary, much of research from which it draws is five to eight years old. Patterns of career choices, availability of technology, increased independence of women and girls, offshore/nearshore outsourcings of IT jobs are just some of the factors that may be insufficiently addressed in this study. Practical implications - A "Recommendations" section provides some practical steps to increase the involvement of girls in IT-related careers and activities at an early age. The article identifies cultural research as a limitation and ways to address this. Originality/value - The paper is an assimilation of literature from diverse fields and provides a testable model for research on gender and IT.

Notes: Purpose - The paper seeks to explore the impact of events in Software Process Improvement (SPI) environments based on a longitudinal study of a requirements management initiative at Ericsson. Design/methodology/approach - The paper presents the initiative from three perspectives - the improvement initiative, the targeted software practices, and the environment. Findings - SPI initiatives easily get interrupted, are side-tracked, and progress slowly due to changing environments. While most practitioners are painfully aware of this, the SPI literature has so far only touched on the issue. Agility principles would have helped Ericsson respond more effectively to events that impacted the initiative. Development of agile SPI practices requires coordination and alignment with other initiatives to develop agile software organizations. Originality/value - SPI has been adopted by many organizations to help them to deliver quality software. However, its success is a matter of debate and this paper deals with the issues involved.

Notes: Purpose - The paper aims to examine whether the South African government and its corporate organizations have been successful in employing women as professional equals by utilizing them fully in senior and top management positions after equal opportunity and affirmative action legislation was introduced by the democratic government. Design/methodology/approach - A descriptive and theoretical paper, and thus secondary data from previous studies are used as comparative analysis for discussions and examinations. Findings - Reaching top level positions is still uncommon for South Africa's women, as its corporate environment is not yet ready to accept women as professional equals, resulting in government legislation and policies working against women's growth and advancement instead of working in their favour. Suggestions are made for future studies to investigate what makes women worldwide flourish in government and public sector jobs, but fail in private and corporate sectors. Practical implications - Recommends implications for South Africa's corporate organizations to become more women-sensitive and friendly by empowering women as a group regardless of their race and colour for government policy and legislation to be successful. This area is unexplored, thus making it a new topic. Originality/value - This paper may be of value to those professional women who are oblivious to barriers affecting their advancement and to corporate organizations puzzled by the imperceptible upward mobility of women in top management positions despite the implementation of equal opportunity and affirmative action legislation.

Notes: Purpose - To investigate the career experiences of women professors in order to gain an in-depth understanding of factors contributing to their present status of profession. Design/methodology/approach - Data were generated from career history method on 31 women professors who have been identified as high-flyers. They were selected based on a criterion that they achieved professorship at the age of 48 years and below. Each respondent was interviewed on questions addressing topics across the entire life stages. Constant comparative analysis of data was conducted to generate themes. Findings - Reveals the factors associated with their fast performance in academia that were divided into two stages, i.e. career exploration, and career establishment and maintenance. Factors dictated at the career exploration stage are early exposure to learning, entrance to boarding schools, first degree experience and personal qualities, while factors that contribute during their establishment and maintenance stage are graduate study experience, career centrality, family support, uniqueness of academic role, health consciousness and sense of religiosity. Research limitations/implications - It involved women professors only in order to understand the complexities of women academicians and their careers. Practical implications - Provides evidence and information on the subjective interpretation of a career in academia, which should be taken into consideration in promotion and selection exercises, especially re women academicians. It also enhances women's understanding of their own careers and the interplay of other aspects of life as well as organizational environments in their careers. Originality/value - This paper offers practical information to inspired individuals, especially women academicians, in order to achieve professorship.

Notes: Purpose - The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of gender on the job satisfaction of US academics. Design/methodology/approach - The population for this study consisted of full-time college and university teachers listed in the "Brain Track University Index Directories of the United States Colleges and Universities". A sampling technique was used to select the respondents surveyed for this study. A total of 1,100 questionnaires were administered to respondents chosen from 80 universities. A total of 560 usable questionnaires were returned, giving a response rate of 51 percent. Findings - The findings of this research show that there are gender differences apparent in the job satisfaction levels of university teachers surveyed for this study. Female faculty were more satisfied with their work and co-workers, whereas, their male colleagues were more satisfied with their pay, promotions, supervision, and overall job satisfaction. Results also indicated that ranks were significant in explaining gender differences and job satisfaction of the respondents. Research limitations/implications - This research is delimited to 4 year colleges and universities. Thus, the results of this study cannot be generalized to 2 year and community colleges. Practical implications - Findings of the study provides institutional leaders, university and college administrators, and human resources professionals with key information that would enable them to recruit, reward, promote, and retain women faculty. The finding would also enable the government address the issues concerning female academics. Originality/value - This paper offers practical recommendations to higher education administrators and human resources professionals on how to enhance job satisfaction of female faculty. It also offers suggestions to how to maintain more balanced gender equity in higher education.

Notes: Purpose - To investigate specific barriers that might be hindering Maltese women from achieving a managerial position. Design/methodology/approach - This study is based on research by Cromie. Barriers are classified into two main categories; internal and external barriers. Job-involvement and work-based self-esteem are considered to be internal barriers, whereas attitudes towards women in management are considered to be external barriers. The total population was 200, consisting of male and female middle managers, female and male employees and B. Commerce students. Findings - Results indicate no differences between job involvement and work-based self-esteem of male and female managers. On the other hand, both male employees and students seem to hold more stereotypical attitudes towards women in management than their female counterparts. Research limitations/implications - One of the basic limitations of this study was the sample size since small samples make it difficult to generalize. Further research may focus on two main areas. First, it would be useful to have qualitative research on the work experiences of female managers to further investigate the various factors that have helped and hindered women thorough their career advancement. Secondly, research on corporate climate can be helpful in identifying organizational practices that might be blocking female career prospects. Finally, a study considering how attitudes can be reshaped through the educational system and through the use of the media can also help to reduce gender stereotypes. Practical implications - This study indicates that women often have to face several attitudinal barriers, which in turn may explain the lack of female participation in managerial occupations. A change in organizational policies can help women to overcome these barriers. Originality/value - This paper confirms that, as in several countries, Maltese women are facing several barriers, which are hindering their career prospects. It also highlights the important role of organizations in reducing workplace barriers.

Notes: Purpose - This paper aims to examine how women perceive the assumption that they are receiving different and unequal treatment in appraisal in two British universities. The research literature has argued that men and women appear to have learned that women are different and not equal in organizations. The theorists have debated the issues of difference or sameness and equality at some length but as yet empirical investigation has not looked at what women themselves have learned and how they may, or may not, see themselves as different and not equal. Design/methodology/approach - In-depth interviews from two universities were used. Findings - The findings show that, while the women do not necessarily see themselves as being seen to be different, men see them as having different and inferior qualities. Women are seen as "other" when measured against the standards and norms set by men. Originality/value - Linkages are made to the work of de Beauvoir, Foucault and Irigaray.

Notes: Purpose - To display both the statistical data and the subjective evaluation on the situation of women in management in Hungary. Design/methodology/approach - In the last ten years research activity on gender and work countries have concentrated on the investigation of the sociological issue of the extent to which equal opportunity programmes at the company level have been accomplished in Hungary. The investigations consist of two interrelated parts: questionnaires on women's situation in top management completed by HR departments, and in-depth interviews with employees. This paper brings together these studies and reports on women's management position at senior levels in Hungarian organisations. Findings - The results show that, although women's share in the elite pool of economic life increased, women are badly represented in higher managerial positions. Neither employers nor employees find this situation problematic, and continuously emphasised the liberal meaning of equality. There were various ideas about the explanation for the poor representation of women in the company boards, but none of them stressed the organisation as the hindrance of women's advancement. Research limitations/implications - It is not based on a representative sample. Originality/value - There have been minimal investigations on gender issues at companies in Hungary. These results display not only companies' official opinion but also the employees' perceptions on gender inequality. The paper contributes to the neglected area of gender and management research with the Hungarian and Eastern European context.

Notes: Purpose - The aim of this paper will be to examine the social and economic changes that have shaped women's work identity in the USSR and Russian Federation. Based on interview research with 30 female professionals in St Petersburg, Russia, we unravel the complexities of the "woman question" in soviet discourse and explore the individual subjectivities of managing gender and managing transition. Design/methodology/approach - The paper adopts a life-history qualitative research approach. We examine how transition from a Marxist system to a free market economy has impacted employment experiences of women. Findings - It is shown that women have traditionally progressed in managerial and professional fields in Soviet society but that this advancement is being reversed during transition stages. Emphasising the socio-political legacies of the Soviet gender order, we highlight how dominant gender roles are being reinforced along essentialist lines. The results highlight how women's work identity is being reconstructed along stereotypically feminine lines. This feminisation of work identity however, focuses on the aesthetic qualities of being a professional woman rather than on personal managerial qualities. We argue that the construction and reconstruction of a feminine professional self is an important aspect of managing gender and transition. The results also highlight an increase in discriminatory practices in HR systems and that women face both cultural and organisational barriers to their career advancement. Originality/value - The paper argues that socialist ideology did not solve the woman question, but rather produced different forms of gendered inequalities. It suggests that equal opportunities will only be achieved when organisations comply with employment legislation. The research provides important insights into the gendered management processes within transitional contexts, which have previously remained uncharted.

Notes: Purpose - This paper attempts to present varying discourses pertaining to women's work and how it is impacted by interpretations of Islam. Design/methodology/approach - Current discourses from various viewpoints are presented including Muslim scholars on the one hand and active feminists on the other. Personalities are presented as being representative of the debate that has been going on pertaining to women in Arab societies. Findings - Attempts that aim at categorizing Arab thought and activism into two camps, one is religious-based adverse to women's causes, and the other being secular and supportive of their causes does not present a candid depiction of the different forces. Research limitations/implications - Personalities chosen represent specific case studies that, although thought to be representative, cannot realistically reflect all the multitudes of views expressed pertaining to the issues discussed. Future studies may cover other relevant personalities in the region. Practical implications - Developing the status of women in Arab societies requires a major reassessment of Muslim history and traditions. The dialogue and debates going on among religious scholars and feminists should be continuously communicated, discussed and exposed. Readers and mangers would benefit from understanding the complexity of issues and diversity of views presented. Originality/value - This paper offers a window into the world of women's work and participation in Arab societies and how such participation is impacted by Islam, or its interpretations thereof. In addition to the English sources, this paper offers an opportunity for the reader to get a glimpse of the debate that has been going on in Arabic (especially when it comes to the little known religious discourse).

Notes: Purpose - The purpose of this study is to explore empirically how female and male managers describe their perceived leadership qualities in an Asian context. Design/methodology/approach - A total of 171 middle managers in telecommunications and financial services in Hong Kong were surveyed. Three sets of survey data - leader attributes, societal culture, and organizational practices - were collected from independent samples of respondents. Findings - The results provide valuable insights into the function of leadership behavior in a Chinese community. Irrespective of the sex of the person making the direct report, perceived attributes in rating managers showed no substantial differences. Females projected a more favorable image of leaders than their male counterparts. Research limitations/implications - One limitation is that the gender of the leader respondent pairs is not known and no attempt was made to distinguish between the characteristics of male and female leaders, but only to reflect the perceptions of male and female direct reports. Practical implications - Despite the limitation of small sample size, the results from the present study will provide some significant implications for firms in recruiting managerial talent and achieving gender equality in employment. Originality/value - Regarding the responsibilities to enable women to be valued for leadership qualities, organizations could provide opportunities for women to contribute and excel in using their leadership potential in management.

Notes: Purpose - Human resources management directed at improving job satisfaction has become a subject of growing interest in both the professional world and the academic world, and is justified by the impact that satisfaction has on business performance. The main objective of this work is to determine empirically the factors that have an impact on the satisfaction of Spanish workers, as well as to compare the existence of differences in the key dimensions of satisfaction according to workers' gender. Design/methodology/approach - Of the study sample, only information pertaining to Spain was selected. Of 413 specific cases, 668 per cent were male and 33.2 per cent female. A factor analysis was conducted on those variables which could impact on an individual's job satisfaction. These aspects were considered through an 11-item questionnaire. Findings - The results obtained in this research show that the job satisfaction of Spanish workers is an element that is susceptible to improvement. Moreover, it is observed that the level of job satisfaction is determined by four factors: "economic aspects", "interpersonal relations", "working conditions", and "personal fulfilment". A subsequent analysis according to workers' gender shows that although men and women take into account the same dimensions, the degree to which each dimension has an impact is different for each sub-sample. Research limitations/implications - The sample used refers to a Spanish case. In the future it would be interesting to extend this and include other countries. Practical implications - The main results of this study are a knowledge of the variables that affect the level of employee satisfaction, which should be useful to the management of companies, and those that should be considered in order to take better advantage of the competitive opportunities that can provide a company with motivated to committed staff. Originality/value - This study analyzes factors that determine job satisfaction according to the worker's gender.

Notes: Purpose - This paper examines gender, work and equal opportunities in central and eastern Europe (CEE) countries. The worker-mother contract in socialist systems is discussed and reveals how transition from a communist economic system to a market economy has eroded women's equality within the workplace claimed with the Communist and economic social legacy. The aim is to explore the opportunities and constraints on women's professional career advancement in post-socialist societies. Design/methodology/approach - The paper consolidates research on gender and work within CEE countries and draws on international datasets including, the Gender Development Index and Gender Empowerment Index. Findings - The results show that women's high representation in management and professional occupations, once the hallmark of socialist employment structures, is now being threatened by the erosion of state childcare services and the increasing level of discriminatory practices in recruitment, selection and development. It is suggested that the formal state structures have acted to foster neo-traditionalism and a traditional gender identity. Economic and political transition is argued to be a process of remasculinisation, which reaffirms gendered hierarchies and gendered power relations in public and private realms. Originality/value - The paper contributes to the limited subject of equal opportunities and gender issues within an organisation context within CEE regions. The paper examines gender-mainstreaming methodologies and considers implications for the development of equal opportunity and diversity management policies at state and organization level.

Notes: Purpose - To assess changes over the past decade in the self-reported levels of adjustment, job performance, and professional acceptance of western women professionals working in Japan. Design/methodology/approach - Napier and Taylor's benchmark 1995 study of western women working in Japan is replicated ten years later on a similar sample group of women in Japan. Questionnaire responses to questions about cultural adjustment, job performance, and professional acceptance are compared for the original and new samples. Findings - Despite increased westernization of business practices in Japan and a greater representation of Japanese women in management positions, no statistically significant change is found in the scores for the three measures examined over the ten year period. The incidence of formal training, preparation, and support provided by employers was higher for the more recent sample. Research limitations/implications - The sample size is relatively small and represents only women in the Tokyo area, which may limit the study's generalizability to women in less metropolitan areas of Japan. Practical implications - Both for those women professionals who live and work in Japan and for HRM professionals responsible for expatriation and adjustment issues involving those women, provides evidence that adjustment challenges persist despite changes in Japan's sociocultural environment. Originality/value - By carefully replicating the original study and sample characteristics as closely as possible, this paper provides a useful longitudinal perspective on the situation of foreign women professionals in Japan.

Notes: Purpose - The broad aim of this paper is to investigate whether managers in Australia allocate their time differently than other occupational groups, and the impact gender and life situation (using marital status and presence or absence of dependent children as a proxy) has on time allocation. Design/methodology/approach - To address these broad aims, data are drawn from the 1997 Australian Time Use Survey. This is a nationally representative survey that examines how people in different circumstances allocate time to different activities. Findings - The results of this study highlight three important issues. The first is that male and female managers display different patterns of time use. Male managers' time is dominated by paid employment activities, whereas female managers' time is spent predominantly on employment and domestic activities. The second is that life situation impacts on the time use of female managers, but not male managers. The third important find of this study is that managers' time use is different to other occupational groups. Practical implications - These findings have policy implications relating to work-life balance, career progression and changes in patterns of work. In terms of work-life issues, it reveals that male and female managers face a "time squeeze", with some evidence of a "second-shift" for female managers. In addition, the findings provide insight into the work-life issues faced by male and female managers. Originality/value - The results of this inquiry provide insight into how different individuals spend their time - insight into "lifestyles". However, in-depth qualitative studies are required to reveal why individuals allocate their time in this way and to understand the opportunities and constraints individuals face in time allocation.

Notes: Purpose - Computer tomography (CT) for 3D reconstruction entails a huge number of coplanar fan-beam projections for each of a large number of 2D slice images, and excessive radiation intensities and dosages. For some applications its rate of throughput is also inadequate. A technique for overcoming these limitations is outlined.Design methodology/approach - A novel method to reconstruct 3D surface models of objects is presented, using, typically, ten, 2D projective images. These images are generated by relative motion between this set of objects and a set of ten fanbeam X-ray sources and sensors, with their viewing axes suitably distributed in 2D angular space.Findings - The method entails a radiation dosage several orders of magnitude lower than CT, and requires far less computational power. Experimental results are given to illustrate the capability of the techniquePractical implications - The substantially lower cost of the method and, more particularly, its dramatically lower irradiation make it relevant to many applications precluded by current techniquesOriginality/value - The method can be used in many applications such as aircraft hold-luggage screening, 3D industrial modelling and measurement, and it should also have important applications to medical diagnosis and surgery.

Notes: Purpose - Owing to the technology growth, especially in Microsystems technology and Nanotechnology, new products will provide new ways to sense variables that are crucial for product improvement and system reliability. A big concern of the scientific community is the measurement of low level flow measurements, especially for the biomedical and/or systems on a chip approaches.Design/methodology/approach - A new flow meter concept design consists of a surface micromachined sensor having an optical high reflective mirror made of gold, which is attached to unique cantilever designs that bend due to the drag force of mass flow. The bending of the cantilevers produces the mirror to approach/depart from an optical fiber end-tip. The reflective light to fiber is modulated using a Fabry-Perot interferometry technique to determine the mirror separation to the fiber, which corresponds to the mass flow.Findings - The new concept design shows a big potential approach to measure low flow measurements for air, gas and liquids of low viscosity. The results of this concept, through finite element analysis, show that the material used to build the sensor, makes them excellent candidates for fabrication. The stresses of the materials and allowable (readable) bending are among the tolerances of such materials/construction-design. The sensor is not affected by electromagnetic interference and does not require electrical currents to sense, i.e. it is perfectly suited for biomedical and low mass-flow sensing such as lab-on-chip applications.Originality/value - Among all approaches to sense low flow measurements, most of them need either "big" turbine approaches (dimensions over 1?cm diameter), or the need of an electrical approach needed in the end measurement sensor. This work proposes a non-electrical approach.

Notes: Purpose - To describe the development of and experience with a system that tracks the position of knocks and taps atop a large sheet of glass for use as an inexpensive retrofit that can make large windows into interactive interfaces. Design/methodology/approach - The structural-acoustic wavefront coming from the impact is simultaneously recorded by four contact piezoelectric pickups mounted near the sheet's corners. A digital signal processor extracts relevant characteristics from these signals, such as amplitudes, frequency components, and differential timings, which are used to estimate the location of the hit and derive other parameters, including a degree of confidence in the position accuracy, the strike intensity and the nature of each hit (e.g. knuckle knock, metal tap, or fist bang - our system responds to any kind of impact). A set of heuristically-guided rules are employed to compare the waveforms recorded by different sensors and determine the differential timing. Findings - Across sensitive areas ranging up to 2×2?m, we have obtained position resolutions of s=2.5?cm for 1/4?in. tempered glass and s=3-4?cm for 1?cm thick shatterproof glass. Our system delivers 65?ms latency, hence is essentially real time. The system has been installed in several public settings, and has proven to be very robust. Research limitations/implications - Suggestions are given for doing everything in software and not using the DSP. Analytical compensation of the dispersion would probably yield better precision but require more computation time. Practical implications - As this system requires only simple hardware, it needs no special adaptation of the glass pane, and allows all tracking transducers to be mounted on the inner surface, hence it is quite easy and inexpensive to deploy as a retrofit to existing windows. This opens many applications, such as an interactive storefront, with content controlled by knocks on the display window, an interactive museum display case, or a vending machine where one can select by tapping directly above the desired item. Originality/value - As large displays become less costly and more common, systems like these can make them interactive. This paper details our approach.

Notes: Purpose - To describe a new substrate for use in surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS). Design/methodology/approach - Novel SERS substrates have been produced by the nanometre-scale patterning of gold surfaces on silicon. This forms photonic crystals which tightly control the physics of the surface enhanced Raman amplification process, producing consistent SERS signals. Findings - It has been shown that these substrates can increase significantly the sensitivity and reproducibility of SERS. Originality/value - These substrates will allow SERS to be used in critical applications requiring high sensitivity detection of chemical compounds such as security, forensics, healthcare and environmental monitoring.

Notes: Purpose - Reviews some of the improvements in image sensor technology that are yielding applications in the medical field. Design/methodology/approach - Discusses the characteristics and gives examples of cameras and imaging sensors used in endoscopy, microscopy, pharmaceutical label inspection and X-radiography. Reviews some innovative camera-based products for endoscopy, skin imaging and health monitoring. Findings - Improvements in camera resolution, miniaturisation and interfacing are widening the applications in medical imaging and enabling the development of some exciting new products addressing the needs of patients and medical staff. Originality/value - Identifies some suppliers of medical imaging devices and their applications.

Notes: Purpose - The paper outlines a new approach for positioning a patient on the treatment table for radiation therapy sessions. The vision approach utilizes lasers and cameras for positioning and has several advantages over the conventional methods. Design/methodology/approach - The positioning is accomplished by comparison of a set of computed tomography (CT) contours (acquired from the patient) with a set of corresponding contours acquired by a 3D vision system from the same region of the patient's body. The overall positioning error calculated by the iterative closest point algorithm is used to reorient the treatment table. Various issues related to the acquisition and generation of the 3D spatial data are discussed. Findings - Positioning is accurate and can detect small movement in the patient's position. Research limitations/implications - Testing was done on a cast of a human torso and additional testing is required on in a hospital environment to fully test the efficiency of the approach. Practical implications - The method merges data readily available from standard CT imaging systems and 3D imaging systems. Therefore, the additional hardware requirements are minimal. The system integrates well with existing hardware, software and treatment practices. Originality/value - The method introduces a new approach to patient positioning employing a combination of sensor technologies. The approach is accurate, reliable, consumes less time and most importantly prevents the use of X-rays for patient positioning.

Notes: Purpose - A prototype gas prover was constructed to serve as the Italian primary standard for gas flow rates in the range 0.1?ml/min to 2?l/min. The new prover is used to calibrate high-quality industrial standards, as well as the MFCs used in microelectronic fabrications and preparation of reference gas mixtures.Design/methodology/approach - The prover measures gas volume transfers caused by displacements of a 120?mm dia. motor-operated piston, which is introduced into a temperature-controlled chamber containing up to 3?l of the required working gas at near ambient conditions. Gas delivery is made at constant rate, whereas possibly variable incoming flows are measured at constant pressure. Displacements of the piston are measured by an optical interferometer.Findings - The analysis shows that standard uncertainty ranges between 0.013 and 0.03 percent. Owing to the very accurate control and measurement of both pressures and temperatures, these figures refer equally to volume and mass flowrate. Experimental comparisons with similar national standards at LNE-France and NIST-USA confirmed the consistency of measurement results in the three Nations.Research limitations/implications - The gas prover should be used with inert gases only.Practical implications - The national industrial gas standards and the best flow transducers can now be calibrated accurately down to unprecedented flowrate values.Originality/value - The need for measurement of extremely low gas flows is quite recent, therefore possibly less than ten primary national standards are available today worldwide. Several completely different principles and designs have been developed; description of design and performance of each instrument is important to assess their respective merits. The described apparatus is innovative as regards measurement range, accuracy and control techniques.

Notes: Purpose - Aims to design a heterogeneous embedded system with CPLD and microcontroller as co-processors sharing a memory module. Design/methodology/approach - The system receives external analog input signal, which is applied to the PIC 16F73 microcontroller. Upon converting the data in to digital format using the on-chip ADC, the PIC stores the digitized version in the SRAM (HCM 6264) chip. SRAM HCM 6264 has been used as a shared memory model, of which both the PIC and CPLD can access all the locations. Once the PIC passes controls to the CPLD, the further processing is carried out by the CPLD without any intervention of the PIC. This is a true example of co-processing of the architecturally diversified computing modules from completely different vendors with totally different programming suits. Findings - The board has been tested with IC temperature sensors and also found to be useful for sensor array applications involving three types of processing viz. analog (through instrumentation amplifier), real-time digital (through microcontroller) and customized reconfigurable digital (with the CPLD). Practical implications - The system has several potential applications in avionics, military and robotic embedded systems, which have inherent real-time constraints that need to be supported by the underlying hardware and driver programs. Originality/value - Discusses the rare and unique combination of diversified processing core to build an embedded system.

Notes: Purpose - There are various temperature measuring systems presented in the literature and on the market today. Over the past number of years a range of luminescent-based optical fibre sensors have been reported and developed which include fluorescence and optical scattering. These temperature sensors incorporate materials that emit wavelength shifted light when excited by an optical source. The majority of commercially available systems are based on fluorescent properties.Design/methodology/approach - Many published journal articles and conference papers were investigated and existing temperature sensors in the market were examined.Findings - In optical thermometry, the light is used to carry temperature information. In many cases optical fibres are used to transmit and receive this light. Optical fibres are immune to electromagnetic interference and are small in size, which allows them to make very localized measurements. A temperature sensitive material forms a sensor and the subsequent optical data are transmitted via optical fibres to electronic detection systems. Two keys areas were investigated namely fluorescence based temperature sensors and temperature sensors involving optical scattering.Originality/value - An overview of optical fibre temperature sensors based on luminescence is presented. This review provides a summary of optical temperature sensors, old and new which exist in today's world of sensing.

Notes: Purpose - To present a new generation of liquid flow sensors that is capable of meeting the requirements as imposed by the life science, analysis, biotech and other markets.Design/methodology/approach - A description of the design and development of low flow rate measuring system and typical applications.Findings - The system described uses tubes made of silica, stainless steel or PEEK, and either constant power or constant temperature methods in conjunction with a heater and temperature sensor. The tested instruments were capable of measuring flow ranges between 25-500?nl/min (smallest flow range) and 100-2000?µl/min (largest flow range) water, with operating pressures up to 100 bar (up to 400 bar for flow meters with flow ranges below 100?µl/min).Originality/value - Presents information on a new generation of liquid flow sensors.

Notes: Purpose - To describe a new technique, developed in Korea, which extends the operational length of fibre Bragg grating strain and temperature sensors to approximately 50?km. It is based on distributed Raman amplification.Design/methodology/approach - The system uses a single pump source to achieve distributed Raman amplification in the transmission optical fibre and does not employ an additional broadband light source, as the residual pump power after the transmission fibre is recycled to generate broadband amplified spontaneous emission in an erbium-doped fibre.Findings - The temperature and strain response of the system was tested by measuring changes in reflection from the sensor which were captured on an optical spectrum analyser, located at the end of a 50?km length of fibre. The thermal sensitivity was found to be 8.2?pm/°C over the range 30-100°C and a strain sensitivity of 1.1?pm/µ? was exhibited between 0 and 1,700?µ?. The measurement resolutions of the system for temperature and strain were estimated at 0.7°C and 8.64?µ?, respectively. The signal-to-noise ratio was approximately 11?dB.Originality/value - This work has shown that the use of distributed Raman amplification can extend the operational length of fibre Bragg grating sensors from around 25?km to at least 50?km, whilst achieving good strain and temperature sensitivities.

Notes: Purpose - In model-based recognition the 3D models of objects are stored in a model library during an offline phase. During the online recognition phase, a view of the scene is matched with the model library to identify the location and pose of certain library objects in the scene. Aims to focus on the process of 3D modeling and model-based recognition. Design/methodology/approach - This paper discusses the process of 3D modeling and model-based recognition along with their potential applications in industry with a particular emphasis on robot grasp analysis. The paper also emphasises the main challenges in these areas and give a brief literature review. Findings - In order to develop an automatic 3D model-based object recognition system it is necessary to automate the process of 3D modeling and recognition. The challenge in automating the 3D modeling process is to develop an automatic correspondence technique. The core of recognition is the representation scheme. Recognition is an online process. Therefore, representation and matching must be very fast in order to facilitate real time recognition. Practical implications - There are numerous applications of 3D modeling in a variety of areas ranging from the entertainment industry to industrial automation. Some of its applications include computer graphics, virtual reality, medical imaging, reverse engineering, and 3D terrain construction. Originality/value - Provides information on 3D modeling which constitutes an important part of computer vision or robot vision.

Notes: Purpose - This paper describes the discovery of waveguides capable of transmitting electromagnetic radiation at terahertz (THz) frequencies. Until now this has not been possible, despite extensive research. Design/methodology/approach - The discovery was made by a research group at Rice University whilst working on apertureless, near-field THz microscopy. By chance, the group found that bare metal wires are capable of transmitting THz radiation to and from remote samples with virtually no dispersion and little attenuation. Findings - This discovery allows THz waves to be taken directly to and from the source and detector and eliminates the need for objects to be positioned directly in the THz beam. It also overcomes problems associated with shock and vibration. Subsequently, the group used this phenomenon to develop the world's first prototype THz-frequency endoscope, which was used to examine a glass flask. Originality/value - The availability of THz waveguides will allow many new applications to be realised. A major use is expected to be security, where systems could be used for checking passengers and baggage at airports, etc. for concealed weapons, drugs and explosives. Uses in product quality control and healthcare are also anticipated.

Notes: Purpose - A novel sensor system is described that can replace the need to use a touch screen, mouse or keyboard for use with either a thin film transistor (TFT) or cathode ray tube (CRT) screen. Design/methodology/approach - A tri-colour photodiode in a colour sensor pen (CSP) is used as an input to depict where a user is pointing by detecting a dynamic kaleidoscope of colours flashed onto the screen. The most easily detected colours are placed around the predicted position of the sensor. The output from the sensor is filtered and transmitted to a computer where colour is translated into a corresponding co-ordinate. An artificial neural network (ANN) ensures that optimum colours are placed closest to the sensor by predicting future pointer position. Findings - The CSP successfully provided an input that depicted where a user was pointing. Sensors tested were not able to differentiate more than 28 colours on a TFT screen but an ANN system made them more accurate. Hue and Saturation were successfully used to model colour in a two-dimensional colour grid as they were unaffected by brightness. The sensor output was successfully converted into a co-ordinate and used to move a cursor. The kaleidoscope of colours was dynamic as it changed size and colour to increase accuracy. The ANN successfully predicted future positions to assist the sensor in making optimum colour detections. The best predictions of future positions were obtained with four and eight hidden neurons and there did not appear to be any significant advantage in training with more than 2,000?epochs. The system has performed satisfactorily for various inputs. Research limitations/implications - The novel light pen works on TFT and CRT screens. Problems included the time that colours needed to be left on a screen to be detected and the limited number of colours that could reliably be detected. These were overcome by using a dynamic kaleidoscope of colours to improve colour detection and an ANN to predict future pointer positions, based on previous locations. This prediction was used to place optimum colours closest to the sensor in order to increase accuracy. Further testing is taking place to confirm that the sensor can be used at any angle. Practical implications - The novel light pen type peripheral and intelligent colour sensing system can replace the need to use a touch screen, mouse or keyboard. Originality/value - The new intelligent colour sensing system works on either a TFT or CRT screen. The use of the colour translation and sensor and the ANN to predict future pointer position are all novel.

Notes: Purpose - To review the use of near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy in the process control of foodstuffs. Design/methodology/approach - Presents two spectroscopy products used in the production environment: a single-board system aimed at OEMs, and a complete fibre-optic spectrometer ready for the end-user. Gives examples of applications within the food and drink industry. Findings - Finds that these instruments are fast, effective and inexpensive, and rugged enough for the processing environment. Originality/value - Draws attention to the potential of NIR spectroscopy outside the confines of the laboratory.

Notes: Purpose - Describes the properties and uses of a new colour-change chemical for laser-printing of human and machine-readable data. Design/methodology/approach - Presents the characteristics and modes of application of the chemical, its advantages over the current techniques of inkjet printing and laser-marking, and a number of applications which show its distinctive features. Findings - This chemical gives faster throughput and better print clarity than existing laser scribing processes, and opens up new anti-counterfeiting techniques. Originality/value - Draws attention to an invention that will make an impact on factory date-coding procedures.

Notes: Purpose - To examine the possibilities for dry calibration or in situ calibration for flowmeters in the field. Design/methodology/approach - Reviews history and current situation with regard to in situ/dry calibration of flowmeters. Its acceptability for modern flowmeters is considered. Various options are considered to achieve dry calibration or in situ calibration. The possibility of action at a distance via the internet, for example, naturally follows from these developments. Findings - The paper concludes that this development is likely to be of importance to manufacturers. It will need to be addressed by certification authorities. Originality/value - The concepts will reduce the cost of calibration and the discussion should be of value to research workers, industry and government.

Notes: Purpose - Feathermoss is ubiquitous in the boreal forest and across various land-cover types of the arctic and subarctic. A variety of affordable commercial sensors for soil moisture content measurement have recently become available and are in use in such regions, often in conjunction with fire-susceptibility or ecological studies. Few come supplied with calibrations suitable or suggested for soils high in organics. Aims to test seven of these sensors for use in feathermoss, seeking calibrations between sensor output and volumetric water content. Design/methodology/approach - Measurements from seven sensors installed in live, dead and burned feathermoss samples, drying in a controlled manner, were compared to moisture content measurements. Empirical calibrations of sensor output to water content were determined. Findings - Almost all of the sensors tested were suitable for measuring the moss sample water content, and a unique calibration for each sensor for this material is presented. Differences in sensor design lead to changes in sensitivity as a function of volumetric water content, affecting the spatial averaging over the soil measurement volume. Research limitations/implications - The wide range of electromagnetic sensors available include frequency and time domain designs with variations in wave guide and sensor geometry, the location of sensor electronics and operating frequency. Practical implications - This study provides information for extending the use of electromagnetic sensors to feathermoss. Originality/value - A comparison of volumetric water content sensor mechanics and design is of general interest to researchers measuring soil water content. In particular, researchers working in wetlands, boreal forests and tundra regions will be able to apply these results.

Notes: Purpose - To discuss the application of direct part marking identification (DPMI) using 2D matrix codes, the use of which is increasing in industries as diverse as automotive and medical instruments.Design/methodology/approach - The benefits of 2D codes are explained, emphasising that they have sufficient storage capacity to provide data for tracking a part during its manufacture and through the supply chain and allow traceability throughout its lifetime. It describes the operation of Cognex, one of the leading manufacturers of ID products and also the world's largest supplier of machine vision systems is Cognex. It explains that initially the electronics industry exploited Cognex' code reading technology and an application at a German board manufacturer is described. Another system, at a diesel engine injector manufacturer in France, has 42 Cognex systems reading 2D codes and guiding robots in assembly. Also described is a new range of Cognex hand-held and fixed-mount 1D and 2D code readers "loaded" with software that allows reading in difficult conditions and with degraded or partially obscured codes.Findings - The DPMI market has expanded into industries other than automotive, which has prompted Cognex to establish a new division of ID products.Originality/value - The paper emphasises the importance of 2D codes in product traceability and indicates how vision technology is being utilised to read these codes even under difficult conditions.

Notes: Purpose - To describe a new optical fibre Bragg grating (FBG) sensor system, based on a novel time division multiplexing technique, which is being commercialised by UK start-up Insensys. This new technique allows sensor costs to be reduced dramatically and also yields operational benefits.Design/methodology/approach - The system uses time division multiplexing (TDM) rather than wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) to interrogate the sensors. All the FBG sensors are written at the same wavelength and the interrogation unit receives a number of pulses from each grating. These pulses arrive at a time determined by the grating distance from the interrogator and one grating sensor can be distinguished from another by analysing the pulse arrival times. As a result, there is no need for a tuneable laser or filter and a single mask can be used to write all of the gratings, thus reducing both manufacturing and component costs.Findings - This design has led to lower costs and allows up to 100 strain or temperature sensors to be incorporated into a single channel system, rather than around 4, which is the norm for conventional WDM systems. The company is now in production and has orders for systems to monitor the strain in wind turbine blades, to measure temperature profiles in oil wells and to monitor the stress in composite structures.Originality/value - This TDM-based design allows FBG sensor systems to measure far more points per fibre than is possible with conventional WDM system, combined with lower system costs. Applications are being found in the marine, aerospace, offshore and power generation industries.

Notes: Purpose - To provide detailed information about the novel universal frequency-to-digital converter UFDC-1, which can help engineers and researchers to design new digital sensors and transducers, as well as smart sensors and sensor systems. Design/methodology/approach - The high performance of the UFDC-1 is achieved by using four novel measuring methods for frequency-time parameters. All existing integrated frequency-to-digital converters and frequency (time) output sensors have been reviewed and current design requirements for the UFDC-1 have been formulated. Findings - The UFDC-1 enables the transition from traditional analog (voltage and current) sensors output to frequency-time output. This yields a lot of benefits due to the properties of frequency as informative parameter. No output standardization is necessary, as opposed to the case of analog output sensors. Users can now work with the UFDC-1, the same as with traditional ADCs. Sensor manufacturers can simply integrate the UFDC-1 in microsystems and digital output sensors in order to produce serial output or bus capability. Practical implications - The UFDC-1 has many applications: obtaining a digital output from any frequency, period, duty-cycle, time interval, phase-shift, pulse number output sensors, up to one chip digital sensors design and smart (self-adaptive) sensors, thanks to its programmable relative error and non-redundant conversion time. The UFDC-1 can work with any existing frequency-time domain sensor to produce a digital output or create multiparametric smart sensors and systems. Originality/value - This paper fulfils an identified information need and offers practical help to engineers and researchers in designing new digital sensors and transducers, as well as smart sensors and systems using a minimum of hardware.

Notes: Purpose - To provide an overview of the similarity-based modeling (SBM) technology and review its application to condition monitoring of rotating equipment using features calculated from vibration sensor signals. Design/methodology/approach - Concentrates on the practical capabilities and underlying technology of SBM. Examines the effectiveness of it as an approach to detect and diagnose faults in an electric motor-driven shaft during variable speed operating conditions. Findings - The SBM is a non-parametric pattern recognition technology developed by SmartSignal that is applied generally to multivariate condition monitoring problems. A vibration sensor is monitored by first transforming the digitized time domain sensor signal into relevant features over time. These features are monitored continuously in real time to detect any discernable differences from normality. The deviations in turn, produce fault signatures in time-feature space that aid in fault diagnosis. Originality/value - Gives information on an approach that employs a multivariate similarity-based modeling technique to characterize the expected behavior of vibration signal features which enables the detection of incipient faults in rotating machinery.

Notes: Purpose - This paper reports on a novel load cell and a novel torque transducer having stiffness and potential overload capability some ten times that of existing load cells and torque transducers based on the resistance strain gauges. Design/methodology/approach - Describes the practical capabilities and technology - the design, construction and characterisation. Findings - Both the load cell and the torque transducer use recently developed metallic triple beam resonators with thick-film lead zirconate titanate (PZT) drives and pickups. The advantages of this technology are frequency output, high overload capability, high sensitivity, high resolution, and low-cost manufacture. Both the load cell and torque transducer output large changes in frequency (〉500?Hz for relatively low changes in strain level i.e. 〈200 microstrain for the load cell and 〈400 microstrain for the torque transducer), providing high sensitivity and high overload capability. Practical implications - Load cells and torque transducers employing the new metallic resonators are expected to be far more robust than those using metallic resistance strain gauges. Originality/value - Focuses on an instrument with important features of use in many applications.

Notes: Purpose - To draw attention to some recent developments in machine vision equipment. Design/methodology/approach - Presents advances in light emitting diode (LED) lighting, cameras and software, and gives examples of new products and their capabilities. Findings - New thermal management techniques allow LED lights to take over many machine vision illumination systems. Lights and cameras can be ruggedised to withstand wash down. Standard interfacing is being adopted for machine vision cameras. Originality/value - Highlights some new products which have applications including the food industry.

Notes: Purpose - The paper draws together a range of somewhat unusual machine vision applications, with an integrating overview. Design/methodology/approach - The National Centre for Engineering in Agriculture is amassing a portfolio of projects involving machine vision. These include identification of animal species, visual counting of macadamia nuts, analysis of animal behaviour and a number of quality control functions. DirectX tools have been developed and are applicable across a wide range of applications, while theory is extended in several ways. Findings - Most of the projects are still in progress, but results are reported on the degree of success of a range of methods. Strategies and algorithms are discussed. Research limitations/implications - Vision-based solutions are applied to a diversity of tasks. There will be a continuing stream of such problems with abundant opportunities for research. Practical implications - The projects are in essence practical, although they have inspired new methodologies. They are conducted in close collaboration with the industries involved and will be deemed to have failed if the outcome is not put to commercial use. Originality/value - The paper draws together a portfolio of projects, allowing an analysis to be made of the features that unite and differentiate them. It will be of interest to both researchers and those with instrumentation problems.

Notes: Purpose - To find the optimal geometries of rectangular and cylindrical fins for maximum heat dissipation. Design/methodology/approach - The objective function for finding the optimized profiles of fins are solved by using the genetic algorithms (GAs). A range of fin shapes are investigated and the optimum solutions for various profile area are obtained. Findings - Provide information to thermal engineers to what extent any particular extended surface or fin arrangements could improve heat dissipation from a surface to the surrounding fluid. Smaller fin volume in fin design is preferable as the heat is dissipated more effectively. Originality/value - A new method of using GA for optimization of fins is used here. The value of this paper lies in providing data for selecting suitable fins for thermal management in electronic systems. Research limitations/implications - Limited to cases where the correlations for heat transfer coefficients are valid. Practical implications - A very useful finding for practising thermal engineer especially in the area of electronic packaging as the parameters for the fin design can easily be found for any chosen profile area.

Notes: Purpose - Possible application of mixed (thick/thin film) thermopiles to supply autonomous microsystems. Design/methodology/approach - PdAg/AG or PdAg/TSG thermocouples were deposited onto a circular alumina or LTCC substrates. Their thermoelectric power, resistance as well as output electrical power were characterized vs temperature gradient and chosen parameters of thermopile fabrication process. Findings - Semiconductors have high Seebeck coefficient, so investigated kind of thermopile has high output electrical power ET. It achieves 50?mV per single junction for temperature difference of about 200°C. Research limitations/implications - The problem is very high resistivity of germanium alloys, even after burn-in process. Therefore output electrical power P is seriously reduced. To improve thermocouples properties, optimization process is required. For example, thin film layers quality can be improved, semiconductive arms width can be increased or shorter arms can be used. Originality/value - Application of mixed thick/thin film technology for fabrication of miniaturized thermoelectric generators.

Notes: Purpose - This paper aims to present systematic studies of a wide spectrum of geometrical and electrical properties of thick-film and LTCC microresistors (with designed dimensions between 50?×?50?µm2 and 800?×?200?µm2). Design/methodology/approach - The geometrical parameters (average length, width and thickness, relations between designed and real dimensions, distribution of planar dimensions) are correlated with basic electrical properties of resistors (sheet resistance and its distribution, hot temperature coefficient of resistance and its distribution distribution) as well as long term thermal stability and durability of microresistors to short electrical pulses. Findings - Fodel process gives better resolution than standard screen-printing and leads to smaller dimensions than designed, smaller absolute error and better uniformity of planar sizes. Microresistors made in full Fodel process show much weaker dimensional effect and exhibit noticeably smaller distribution of basic electrical properties. Originality/value - Presents systematic studies of a wide spectrum of geometrical and electrical properties of thick-film and LTCC microresistors.