This doctorate research (EdD): work in progress describes the value systems and other driving powers of hotel upper segment restaurant managers (HUSRM's) and the way that these can influence hospitality management curriculum design. The transcripts of the digitally recorded semi‑structured interviews were analysed applying grounded theory methodology (Glaser and Strauss) and using NVivo7 QSR software in order to conceptualize on the answers provided by the respondents. The research generated some elements in the ongoing construction of theory about the characteristics of this specific category of professionals and the application in education. By using grounded theory methodology, theory is constructed from the empirical data. The outcomes of the research provided an overview of the divers value systems and driving powers of the respondents. Recommendations were made to have these value systems, driving powers and other characteristics to be taken into account by hospitality management schools in the curricula content and proximaty to the industry. A moderate alert was issued in relation to schools' size and format as perceived by the respondents. The research is going to be moved into a next phase that involves expanding the interview sample. 

This paper examines some of the philosophical and practical dilemmas that are faced by researchers in management and business studies — in the context of the epistemological and ontological assumptions introduced. The relevant methodological frameworks to be used stem from Strauss and Quinn (1997). The importance of employee language and organisational discourses are presented from the empirical data on "Aspects of Organisational Culture and Change" in Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire to demonstrate the epistemological and ontological dilemmas faced by researchers in organisational analysis. Symbolic interactionism and stories are also used to highlight the importance of speech actors within an organisational change context in order to surface some of these dilemmas in business studies in general and management research in particular. These two provide alternative positions to Strauss and Quinn's "maintained" analysis of how organisations and managers implement change interventions and employees' reactions to these. Amongst some of my principal objectives is to demonstrate what can be contributed when researchers focus on what can be considered credible and valid knowledge that can be generalised in organisational and management studies. 

In the United States, the performance of public transit systems is often characterized, in both the popular press and academic literature, as being mediocre at best and growing steadily worse. Drawing on insights from the extant literature and a census of all U.S. transit systems, this research argues that "multiple definitions" of transit performance exist and are composed of three macro‑constructs which are weighted differently by different stakeholder groups and thereby provide unique definitions for each stakeholder group. Statistical analysis of the data suggests that there are differences in both the absolute importance and relative importance placed on the three macro‑constructs by U.S. transit stakeholder groups. Therefore, the examination of public transit performance from a multiple stakeholder points‑of‑view perspective appears warranted in order to better evaluate the performance of public transit systems. 

This paper shows the application of Grounded Theory (GT) method, particularly the Straussian approach to GT, in a research project that studies the role of managers during and after the implementation of an inter‑organizational information system (IOIS). We present the steps followed —sampling, data collection, analysis, and literature comparison— paying special attention to the intricacies that arose during the research process, and we reflect on the lessons learned from using GT in an interpretive case study. The paper shows: first, the application of the coding paradigm proposed by Strauss and Corbin to analyse process data; second, how action diagrams can help structure and report on process data; and, third, the importance of flexibility, creativity, and keeping an open mind when using GT analytical tools, given that various avenues may be apparent before a plausible theory starts to emerge. We consider the paper illustrates some experiences that may inform others in their GT research process. 

This paper is about an exploration of international business students' learning through the use of mini‑vivas as a form of assessment. It also includes an investigation of the meaning of a mini‑viva for students who come from a wide range of nationalities. Pedagogical research has indicated that using this form of summative assessment for large cohorts of international students may be problematic (Carless 2002). However, experimentation with this model of assessment with MA business students in research methods has indicated that mini‑vivas can enhance and consolidate the learning potential of international students. So in effect this paper is also about explaining why this has happened in relation to students' learning. 

The usability of interfaces is mainly tested via standardized‑questionnaires or via less standardized processoriented verbal protocols. Standardized questionnaires have got the advantage of generating reasonable indices with quite low effort. In contrast, process oriented verbal protocols offer the opportunity of gaining more thorough insights into the interaction and the problems that might come up. While efficient standardized methods for the measurement of online media with their non‑linear structure already exist, there are no such methods to measure the usability of linear structured offline media. However, it can be assumed that usability of offline print media plays an important role for a brand's image and the buying behavior of customers. The objective of our study was to adapt a scale to measure usability of online shops to print catalogs in order to measure their usability. A field study (n = 60) and a laboratory experiment (n = 92) have been made to test the reliability and validity of the adapted scale. Participants were asked to evaluate the catalogs of two travel companies by using the adapted questionnaire. Concerning the reliability, in both studies the scale showed good internal consistency. The values of Cronbach's alpha were comparable to results in studies using the original scale with online shops. Concerning the validity, results show correlations between usability and buyer's intention as well as recommendation. Furthermore, the usability scores of both catalogs differed as experts (n = 20) expected. Moreover, the questionnaire was validated using the results of verbal protocols that were collected simultaneously in the laboratory study. In example, the correlation between usability scores and problems that came up during the interaction was proven. Overall, the results support the usefulness of the adapted scale to measure the usability of print‑catalogs. Implications for research and management will be discussed. 

Security is still too orientated towards technology and behavioural aspects are under prioritized. Organisations focus on the ability of technology to minimise risks. This paper as a preliminary research of a PhD thesis will argue that this assumption and approach is misguided, so we will focus on how a critical approach is more useful to exposing these issues. The key to secure systems is employees' perception and the action they take in accordance with the learned and perceived need for an understanding of compliance. The paper is about critical approaches to research and it just happens to be information and communication technology (ICT) that is the subject area.