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Entrepreneurial environment, market-oriented strategy, and entrepreneurial performance: A study of Chinese automobile firms
|
[
"E-commerce",
"Market orientation",
"Entrepreneurialism",
"Automotive industry",
"Information industry"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n1. Introduction: The trend of globalization is irreversible. In recent years, the pace of worldwide industrial structure adjustment has become faster and faster. In order to expand the space for international economic development, most countries adopt open economic development policies. Furthermore, trade and investment policies have become more liberal. Well known multinational firms have set up their integrated international manufacturing networks and have moved their operating focus from home countries to host countries (Aldrich et al., 1989). In addition, economic globalization and the gradually integrated world market have driven firms to expand their business around the world. In order to get the benefits of global expansion, firms need to promote entrepreneurship in their business operations. Driven by powerful forces, such as the technology revolution, the alternate shift of the main markets, and the ever-growing global market, firms in the automobile industry have adopted various approaches to expand their global business and to conduct international entrepreneurship. For now, international entrepreneurship is moving to the top gear in the automobile industry. The amount of global automobile production hits a new peak again and again.\n2. Literature review: 2.1. Entrepreneurial environment\n3. Hypotheses: As the speed of globalization becomes ever faster, the economy, market, government, and organization in one country interrelate with those in other countries far more than ever before. This change requires firms to pay more attention to the possible impacts that political factors have on the selection and implementation of competition strategies. As Palich and Ray Bagby (1995) point out, managers who make decisions about international entrepreneurship in firms should have the ability to think about problems from the perspectives of politics and laws. When selecting international entrepreneurial strategies, they must have a competent knowledge of the political system, the situation, and the laws in their target countries. Specifically for those firms that count on resources, facilities, product sales, special supports, and users in other countries, political prediction is very important, but it is also very complicated. When the limitations from institutional environments in foreign countries are not high, firms should access the markets in these countries quickly and should try to achieve their goals and dominate these markets hardily and quickly. When the institutional environments in foreign countries are not so friendly, firms should be cautious. Peng and Heath (1996) explore the impacts of social and cultural environments on firms' strategy selection. According to them, the status and change of culture influence firms' operation. When the degree of recognition from the cultural environment is high, firms tend to launch new projects based on the demands of the society. Their attitude is more likely to be courageous and active, so they can pounce on potential opportunities. Meanwhile, they are more likely to launch new products earlier than their competitors, in order to access new markets faster and to adopt new management mode and new technologies. More importantly, higher level managers in these firms should act actively as well. Firms act in this way because once they have loyal customers for their products or services, their market positions will be fortified. Thus, taking entrepreneurially oriented strategies at this time is extremely favorable for firms. This leads to the following hypothesis:\n4. Data and methodology: 4.1. Data\n5. Conclusions: International entrepreneurship in the automobile industry has been a hot topic in academia for a long time. Scholars have studied this topic from diverse perspectives. However, research in emerging countries on this topic is lacking. This paper specifically explores the relationship among entrepreneurial environments, market-oriented strategies, and firms' performance by conducting a survey on 176 large Chinese automobile firms. The results show that the uncertainty of institutional environments is positively related with market-oriented strategies and that market-oriented strategies are positively related with firms' performance. The stronger the uncertainty of industrial environments is, the bigger the impacts that firms' market-oriented strategies have on their performance will be. However, the test results do not support the hypotheses about the positive relationship between the uncertainty of an institutional environment and firms' market-oriented strategies and the positive relationship between the magnitude of the uncertainty between an industrial environment and the impact that firms' market-oriented strategies have on their performance.\n",
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"content": "Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to explore the correlations among entrepreneurial environment, market-oriented strategies, and entrepreneurial performance.\nDesign/methodology/approach: Entrepreneurial environment is measured by institutional environment and industrial environment. A survey of 176 large Chinese automobile firms is conducted. The structural equation model is applied to perform analysis.\nFindings: The uncertainty of the institutional environment is positively related with market-oriented strategies and market-oriented strategies are positively related with firms' performance. The stronger the uncertainty of the industrial environment is, the larger impact that market-oriented strategies have on firms' performance will be. There is no distinct positive relationship between the uncertainty of industrial environment and firms' market-oriented strategies. The hypothesis, that the stronger the uncertainty of institutional environments is, the larger the impact that market-oriented strategies will be on firms' performance, is not supported.\nResearch limitations/implications: In terms of research design, this paper does not select survey samples randomly. This paper only takes institutional and industrial environments into consideration while the environmental characteristics are omitted.\nOriginality/value: This paper expands entrepreneurship research by integrating previous studies. Findings in this paper are helpful for firms in emerging countries to implement \"going abroad strategies,\" to start up new businesses in other countries, and to achieve the goals of improving competitiveness and integrating with international firms.\n",
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A unified framework for incorporating decision making into explanations of business failure
|
[
"Human capital",
"Business failure",
"Decision making",
"Information processing"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: Over the past five decades, management scholars have offered a plethora of business failure prediction models (see Aziz and Dar, 2006). Although organisational decision-maker characteristics (DMCs) have been identified as a contributory factor in organisational failure (Wiesenfeld et al., 2008), to date, scholars have relied mainly on either the embeddedness or ecological explanations of business failure, which place primary emphasis on a firm's size, age and density of the population (Hager et al., 2004).\nDefinitions and decision maker: Decision making can be defined as the ability of organisational leaders to choose between competing courses of action based on careful evaluation of the alternatives (Balleine, 2007). One of the key elements during decision making is timing. Decision time refers to a period \"when the situation will be altered in the near future, after which no decision can be made or the decision can be made only under less favorable circumstances\" (Billings et al., 1980, p. 301).\nOrganisational failure as a decline and decision process: For analytical clarity, organisational failure refers to \"the actual demise of the organization when an entire company goes out of business or a plant, office, or other unit is closed [...] the organization completely ceases to exist\" (Marks and Vansteenkiste, 2008, p. 810). It stems from a downward spiral of extended or unrestrained decline which leads to the loss of legitimacy and an inability to meet obligations (Hambrick and D'Aveni, 1992). Organisational decline can be defined as \"a condition in which a substantial, absolute decrease in an organization's resource base occurs over a specified period of time\" (Cameron et al., 1987, p. 224).\nDMCs as antecedents to organisational failure: We contend that a set of cognitive and psychological attributes of the decision maker, namely: powerlessness, meaninglessness, obsolescence and institutional linkages, interacts to precipitate business failure (see Figure 2). As shown in the figure, both the incubation period (organisational decline) and dissolution/exit (organisational failure) are influenced by the actions and inactions of the decision maker. We conceptualised firm-level factors (i.e. DMCs) as a continuum encompassing a high and low axis. The broad categories of factors influence the perceptions and decisions of organisational decision makers, which ultimately lead to business failure.\nQuadrant 1: meaninglessness: Meaninglessness stems from the inability to comprehend the nature of threats posed to the organisation (Seeman, 1972). This is a situation where the environmental analysis and interpretation convey no clear course of action or meaning. Research across fields has shown that meaninglessness leading to business failure is predicated upon factors such as lack of \"foresightfulness\" and information-processing capability. We restrict our focus to these two broad categories of factors.\nQuadrant II: obsolescence: Obsolescence refers to where \"the person requirements of a job which are demanded by its tasks, duties, and responsibilities become incongruent with the stock of knowledge, skills, and abilities currently possessed by the individual; given that the knowledge, skills, and abilities were previously congruent with job demands\" (Fossum et al., 1986, p. 364). This can also be referred to as human capital decay which stems from lack of fit between the knowledge, skills and abilities held by the decision maker and job requirements (Aryee, 1991).\nQuadrant III: institutional linkages: A line of research anchored in the traditional institutional theory (Meyer and Rowan, 1977) has demonstrated that organisations can improve their chances of survival by obtaining support of legitimating actors such as consumers and investors, and demonstrating conformity to societal norms and expectations. Such actions enable them to signal their adherence to obligations imposed on them through conventions and codes of conduct (Baum and Oliver, 1991). It is through this process that some firms gain wider social acceptance, access to new resources and enhance their reputation. Indeed, firms with wider networks of ties and societal endorsement can gain legitimacy and are therefore better able to mitigate organisational failure (Baum and Oliver, 1991).\nQuadrant IV: powerlessness: Powerlessness refers to lack of power or being feeble in the face of hostile environmental jolts (see Seeman, 1972). The powerlessness perspective argues that organisational failure stems from lack of control and power to identify the locus of causality and respond to early-warning signals adequately. Two main sources of powerlessness have been identified in the literature: the power-hoarding executives (locus of control) and \"leadership vacuum\" (lack of control).\nConclusion and discussions: The paper sought to examine how DMCs unfold to precipitate organisational failure. In a broader conceptualisation of the literature, we articulate how four attributes of the decision makers, i.e. obsolescence, powerlessness, meaninglessness and institutional linkages, interact to precipitate business failure. Our study viewed organisational failure as a decision-making process which entails a period of unrestrained decline leading to exit. It has been suggested that the over-accumulation of errors and omissions during the incubation stage of decline can lead to misallocation of resources and create conditions for dissolution to occur.\nImplications and directions for future research: Our study makes two main contributions to organisational failure literature. First, although there has been a growing body of literature that recognises the role of decision makers in business failure, to date, little effort has been made to integrate the largely scattered body of research across multiple social science disciplines. Our study moves beyond a mere review to integrate the largely scattered body of literature on DMCs into an integrated framework in an attempt to clarify the boundaries of the subject.\n",
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"content": "Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to examine how decision-maker attributes unfold to precipitate organisational failure. The analysis brings to light how key attributes such as information-processing capabilities and human capital decay interact to bring about business decline and exit.\nDesign/methodology/approach: The study is based on an integrated review and conceptualisation of the literature.\nFindings: The study articulates how a set of attributes of decision makers, i.e. human capital obsolescence, powerlessness, meaninglessness and institutional linkages, contributes to organisational failure.\nResearch limitations/implications: The paper concludes by setting out an array of strategies of learning from others' failures.\nOriginality/value: In spite of a growing body of research on organisational failure, scholars have placed overwhelming emphasis on ecological explanations and business failure prediction models. The study moves beyond the ecological explanations to offer a more fine-grained analysis of firm-level factors that precipitate business failure.\n",
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Turning values into valuation: Can corporate social responsibility survive hard times and emerge intact?
|
[
"Corporate social responsibility",
"Citizenship",
"Economic sustainability",
"Cause marketing",
"Economic cycles"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n__NO_TITLE__: Corporate social responsibility (CSR) as a movement has generally sought to stake out a territory for itself off the tyranny of the balance sheet, positioning good corporate citizenship as simply the right thing to do. Advocates contend that the movement, called CSR by its advocates, produces a plethora of overall benefits to the community (not just those who own or work for the company) including environmentally friendlier processes, improved product quality, fuller financial disclosures; community support; and more opportunities for women and ethnic minorities among other benefits. Increasingly, its champions find that doing the right thing does pay off - at the cash register and on Wall Street. While the movement's growth has largely coincided with a historic period of rising market valuation, the current global financial downturn tests the movement's ability to survive economic fluctuations and will surely shape its face as the recession eases.\n",
"role": "user"
},
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"content": "Purpose: - This article aims to explore the recent evolution of corporate social responsibility (CSR) from fringe philosophy to corporate buzzword.\nDesign/methodology/approach: - For the period 2008 to mid-2009, the author surveyed articles in mainstream media and business periodicals focusing on corporate social responsibility; reviewed polls for methodology and results; searched press releases for mention of corporate social responsibility; and interviewed professionals employed in the field. The author sought quantifiable examples of corporate financial support for programs in light of the recessionary economy. The author also looked to define today's corporate social responsibility as a philosophy reflecting the values of environmentalism, corporate transparency, community investment, diversity programs and other social benefits.\nFindings: - CSR is a wide-ranging global movement advocating good corporate citizenship through such values as sustainability, corporate transparency, business ethics, workforce diversity, philanthropy, quality, service to community and workforce education. Even as corporations shed costs by the billions, CSR programs are thriving. The reasons are complex, but involve the conflation of CSR with environmentalism, and the apparent genuineness of corporate executives' commitment to its principles.\nResearch limitations/implications: - Research found fewer in-depth articles on the topic than might be expected, particularly articles providing or examining hard data.\nPractical implications: - For those seeking to develop, sustain or evaluate a corporate social responsibility program, this article offers context, insight, and caution.\nOriginality/value: - The article suggests there is resilience to corporate social responsibility, in light of the durability it has shown in the current economic downturn.\n",
"role": "assistant"
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Determinants of absorptive capacity: the value of technology and market orientation for external knowledge acquisition
|
[
"Knowledge transfer",
"Market orientation",
"Open innovation",
"Technology orientation",
"Absorptive capacity",
"Desorptive capacity"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n1. Introduction: Firms increasingly pursue innovation strategies that involve an active acquisition of external knowledge, often through alliances and licensing (Chesbrough, 2003; Swaminathan and Moorman, 2009; Marabelli and Newell, 2014). In dynamic environments, a focus on closed innovation with limited inter-firm knowledge exchanges is often dangerous because it may delay access to new technologies (John et al., 1999; Sivadas and Dwyer, 2000; Wuyts and Dutta, 2014). Thus, many firms foster innovation with external knowledge (Wuyts et al., 2004; Hauser et al., 2006; Cheng and Chen, 2013). For example, 45 per cent of Procter & Gamble's (P&G) innovation projects in 2006 had core elements from external sources. P&G launched more than 100 new products with substantial external input in recent years (Huston and Sakkab, 2006).\n2. Conceptual framework: 2.1 Absorptive capacity\n3. Propositions: 3.1 Knowledge exploration\n4. Discussion: 4.1 Implications\n",
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"content": "Purpose: This paper aims to draw on a knowledge-based view to emphasize that internal technological and market knowledge is critical to developing absorptive capacity.\nDesign/methodology/approach: This is a conceptual paper, which draws on recent transformations of management practices. Thus, the paper builds on prior academic contributions.\nFindings: Firms increasingly establish innovation processes that involve an active acquisition of external technologies, often through alliances and licensing. To explain differences across firms in external knowledge acquisition, marketing and product innovation researchers have recently adopted a process perspective of absorptive capacity, which refers to a firm's ability to explore, retain and exploit external knowledge. This paper develops a conceptual framework with propositions relating technology orientation, responsive market orientation and proactive market orientation to the three process stages of absorptive capacity under different conditions of environmental dynamism.\nOriginality/value: Beyond the relevance of technology and market orientation for fostering internal innovation, this paper points to their importance for successfully acquiring external technological knowledge. In light of increasingly open innovation processes, absorptive capacity is an essential complement to internal innovation in linking technology and market orientation to firm performance.\n",
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Developing wisdom and moral duty in management
|
[
"Wisdom (sophia)",
"Moral virtue (areté )",
"Moral goodness (honestum)",
"Moral duty (officium)",
"Moral propriety (decorum)",
"Moral rectitude (honestas)",
"Happiness (eudaimonia)",
"Business ethics",
"Philosophy",
"History"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: This article is focused on the writings of Aristotle's Nichomachean Ethics and Cicero's De Officiis (On Duties). The paper analyses Aristotle's and Cicero's use of key terms and concepts in the area of moral philosophy, and illustrates how these terms relate to business management practice today. Both Aristotle and Cicero wanted to find \"knowledge of the true\", the \"good life\" or simply \"happiness\" (eudaimonia). Both writers recognised the same problems and issues in respect to this intellectual journey. For example, \"wisdom\" was seen as the key quality upon which so much depended. Wisdom (sophia/sapientia) was one of the four cardinal virtues - the others being justice (iustitia), fortitude (fortitudo), and temperance (temperantia). Wisdom or prudence (phronesis) or even artistic excellence was essential in the pursuit of \"knowledge of the true\", or the \"good life\" or \"happiness\". Aristotle and Cicero were similar in the way they described the struggle to finding and achieving these qualities. The person seeking the \"good life\" or happiness (eudaimonia) would have to demonstrate moral virtue (arete - Greek) or moral goodness (honestum - Latin). S/he must also demonstrate moral dignity (decus), moral rectitude (honestas), moral duty (officium), and act with moral propriety, i.e. behaviour which was \"seemly or proper\" (decorum). In other words, the person must conform to a strict moral code, i.e. act rightly, behave decently and honourably, and deliberate on matters of right principle. All of which contribute to an active intellectual life, and so would eventually achieve the state of eudaimonia.\nTheoretical framework: The paper is focused primarily on the two major classical sources, but is positioned within the context of a business ethics/cognitive moral development (CMD)/reasoning framework. It is recognised that works of other scholars in CMD are relevant to the study: for example, John Dewey's (1900/1901) theoretical work on ethics and moral language; Jean Piaget's (1932) empirical study of children's stages of moral development; Lawrence Kohlberg's work elaborating Piaget's stages of moral development; and William Perry's theory of the intellectual and cognitive development of college students (Lickona, 1970).The emergence of character education and values education in schools and colleges following research in CMD reflects the position which Aristotle and Cicero had originally taken up.In addition, Trevino (1992) addressed the relationship between CMD and business ethics, i.e. which course of action is morally right? Fraedrich et al. (1994) referred to the contribution that CMD has made to business ethics and social responsibility. The Australian Commission for Law Enforcement Integrity cited in TI Australia News (2009) reports on integrity, corruption, bribery, transparency, whistle blowing, and related subjects. The Journal of Business Ethics and Business Ethics Quarterly have both published extensively on corruption, integrity, moral reasoning, ethical decision making, practical wisdom and business ethics, and principles of managerial moral responsibility. Bentley University, a highly regarded private business university, promotes ethics and integrity in business by its lecture series and publications. Such work and publications indicate a growing interest in applied ethics and moral reasoning for those who are engaged in the practice of management.\nWisdom, management, and moral duty: Aristotle believed that there was a close relationship between wisdom and moral virtue. He believed that wisdom was a part of virtue and being wise would make a man happy. The happy man, according to Aristotle (1982, p. 55) was the one who \"realised complete goodness in action and who was adequately furnished with external goods\". Cicero (2005, I, XXVII, 94, p., 96-7) believed that propriety was inseparable from moral goodness, stating:[...] nam et, quod decet, honestum est et, quod honestum est, for what is proper is morally right, and what is morally right is proper.In the context of contemporary business and management practice, we can ask if \"wisdom, moral virtue, moral goodness, and propriety\" count for anything in the current hi-tech/business environment. Are these ideas of a bygone era? Are these ideas relevant to present-day CEOs and CFOs? Should management practitioners have knowledge and understanding of concepts such as wisdom, prudence, moral goodness, and use them in the normal course of their duties? A partial answer to these rhetorical questions would be a \"yes\". To illustrate that they are relevant and in use today, a number of examples have been taken from recent (2010) publications. They are summarised as follows:* The chairman of BHP Billiton in a letter to shareholders, March 18, 2010, described the board's action as \"prudent\" given the continued uncertainty surrounding the world financial markets.* The managing director of rural services provider Elders, earlier known as Futuris, thought a review would be \"prudent\" because events and developments in his industry could affect asset values (The Australian Financial Review, March, 2010). Elders expects a loss of somewhere between $8-$14m this year, (The Weekend Australian, Business, June 26-27, 2010, p. 25). \"Prudent\" can also mean sagacious or shrewd or discerning and practically wise. Is this what the chairman of BHP Billiton and the Elders managing director had in mind when they talked about \"prudence\" and being \"prudent\" in their business transactions?* The CEO of BHP Billiton referred to his chairman as a \"moral compass\" (The Australian Financial Review Magazine, April 2010). A moral compass is presumably an instrument of moral navigation indicating the correct moral path to follow (a compass being an instrument of navigation showing true north). We can only surmise that BHP Billiton's CEO needed to be pointed in the right (moral) direction.* A director of a finance group lamented upon the \"lack of wisdom\" in his company's senior executives (The AFR, Friday, March 26, 2010, p. 5).* Henry Kissinger, cited in Goldrick (2010, p. 11), stated that a person did not become wiser while doing a highly responsible, demanding, and complex job:Wisdom came only during an inter-regnum, in which one could consider and build upon one's experiences to develop a more complete and better judged picture of the world and an understanding of what still needed to be done.* Newman (2010) argued that \"happiness was good for business, and would ensure our personal wellbeing and business prosperity\".He also stated, with an appropriate reference to Aristotle, that there was a clear relationship between moral virtue and happiness. So terms, such as wisdom, moral rectitude, and prudence are still used in today's world of business and management. Other examples illustrating wisdom, management, moral duty and the link between wisdom and happiness could have been chosen, but for the purpose of this present exercise these will suffice. Extracts from Aristotle's Nichomachean Ethics and Cicero's De Officiis (On Duties) will show how these terms were used in the original.\nAristotle (384-322 BC): Aristotle's views on wisdom, prudence, moral virtue, the habit of acting rightly and his argument \"for moderate wealth\" were considered in the light of current business and management practice. Aristotle argued that seeking out and achieving \"truth\" was the real issue. This could be achieved by focusing on art, scientific knowledge, prudence, wisdom, and intelligence. On the profit motive Aristotle wrote (Newman, 2010, p. 507):All men, or most men, wish what is noble but choose what is profitable; and while it is noble to render a service not with an eye to receiving one in return, it is profitable to receive one.Moral virtue (arete)\nCicero (106-43 BC): Marcus Tullius Cicero (Cicero, 2005, p. 275) was a lawyer, philosopher and orator, but according to Johnson (2006, p. 67) only \"a second-rate politician\". Johnson (2006, p. 65) argued that Cicero's political skills never quite matched his literary genius, and although he was fundamentally right, \"he was always let down by his own vanity and self-importance\" (Johnson, 2006, p. 68). For example, Johnson (2006) told how Cicero had quipped that Octavian was laudandum, ornandum, and tollendum (he was to be praised, honoured, and extolled). The problem for Cicero was that tollendum could also mean \"to be removed\". Octavian bided his time, and eventually had Cicero murdered in 43 BC as he was reading Euripides' Medea. Cicero's severed head and his hands were returned to Rome, thus reinforcing Johnson's point that Cicero was a \"second rate politician\", and so probably also lacking in wisdom.Moral goodness (honestum)\nFurther research and implications for practice: What are the implications for research and practice and what can be learned from Aristotle and Cicero in regards to developing a program in wisdom for MBA and management-related students? In respect to further research, a longitudinal study is warranted to see how participants fared in coping with this approach. In respect to practice, a course in rhetoric (i.e. using language to persuade or influence others with eloquence), and debating business issues of moral significance should be developed. The art of deliberating, i.e. reflecting upon a subject or topic or thinking over issues carefully or weighing up the consequences of one's actions and/or simply discussing a pressing problem should also be developed. This could be part of a course on problem solving related to practical management issues. Aristotle said we acquired virtues by actually practising them. Wisdom was an aspect of virtue, and in the long term, practising virtues made a person happy and so, he argued would lead to wisdom.Nohria (2010) Dean of Harvard Business School stated recently that MBA students should take an oath similar to that taken by medical and law students. This sounds very similar to what Cicero had argued (see pp. 12-13) in 44/43 BC that a moral code was essential for anyone who aspired to a good career. Areas of discussion for those practising management and who are seeking wisdom could therefore be focused primarily on the nature of moral goodness, moral duty and the four cardinal virtues.\nConclusion: The purpose of this paper was to illustrate that some of the comments that Aristotle and Cicero made in respect to \"wisdom, moral rectitude, moral duty and honourable conduct\" could still be applied to business management practice today. A study of and understanding the guidelines as suggested by these precepts should be mandatory for management professionals. Unethical and illegal behaviour in business finance, marketing and public relations might have been averted and unforeseen and unpleasant consequences avoided, had there been a strong commitment to the wisdom and \"moral virtue\" (arete) of Aristotle and the wisdom and \"moral goodness\" (honestum) of Cicero in the pursuit and conduct of business.\n",
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"content": "Purpose: - The primary purpose of this paper is to demonstrate that the writings of Aristotle and Cicero can be used to as a conceptual tool to promote an understanding of wisdom, moral duty, and related subjects in respect to contemporary business management practice.\nDesign/methodology/approach: - The methodology comprised a critical reading and analysis of Aristotle's Nichomachean Ethics and Cicero's De Officiis (On Duties). The approach combines both historical and philosophical research. An earlier version of the paper was presented to a group of early/middle managers, and then to a group of more senior/experienced managers.\nFindings: - Both groups supported the idea that the article was appropriate for highlighting moral issues in contemporary business management practice.\nResearch limitations/implications: - A limitation was dealing with the amount of material that Aristotle and Cicero produced. A secondary limitation was translating the original Greek and Latin (notwithstanding the Loeb Classical Library) into understandable everyday English.\nPractical implications: - Developing understanding of concepts, such as wisdom, moral duty, and related subjects should be included in MBA programs.\nOriginality/value: - The paper has value because: it relates concepts and ideas conceived in Aristotle's and Cicero's time to contemporary management practice, and it illustrates that these ideas are still relevant and applicable in the modern business environment.\n",
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Considering socio-cultural factors of disaster risk management
|
[
"Disaster management",
"Cultural behaviour",
"Emergency management theory",
"Risk behaviour"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: The growth of disaster occurrences in contemporary societies is largely an artifact of human activity, rather than an increase in the frequency of the phenomena themselves (Oliver-Smith, 1996; Perrow, 1984/1999; Tierney, 2014). This prompts the need to integrate social sciences into disaster risk management (DRM) to improve understanding of the phenomena in societies, in contrast to the technological approach that attempts to engineer DRM solutions apart from subjective realities. The Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030 emphasizes that future emergency management should integrate behavioral aspects, including the concepts of understanding risk, governance, investing, and preparedness for disasters (UNISDR, 2015). This research considers two different ways of measuring socio-cultural contexts and how they may inform better approaches to DRM governance: the World Values Survey (WVS) and Dimensions of National Culture (DNC). This is not to say that previous research has ignored cultural contexts - a notable recent entry is the World Disasters Report: Focus on Culture and Risk (Cannon and Schipper, 2014) that \"looks at different aspects of how culture affects disaster risk reduction (DRR) and how disasters and risk influence culture\" (p. 8) - but the mass of DRM research has come from natural science perspectives. This research aims to add depth to social science concerns for DRM in the hopes of building a more holistic (Quarantelli, 1979) and strategic (Choi, 2008) approach that is adaptable to a variety of contexts.\nLiterature review: The research literature on socio-political, cultural, and other \"ancillary\" factors of disaster management is gaining prominence. The globalization effort of the UNISDR and other agencies notwithstanding, there is still little scholarship that discusses the relative effectiveness of policies between countries. The reasons for this shortfall start with the acknowledgment that social and cultural elements are unique to each context (and even by regions within nations), closely followed by the extension of those unique elements into the unique processes that form DRM policies. As stated in the World Disaster Report (IFRC, 2014, p. 8): \"The one thing that is certain is that we will have less sustained impact if we do not adequately take account of people's cultures, beliefs, and attitudes in relation to risk.\"\nData and methodology: This section describes the data in this study and how the measures are connected to concerns of DRM. For this study, the WRI is essentially a dependent variable and the two other data sources are examined for their relationship to the WRI. There is a valid objection to such an analysis being conducted with observations at the national level; nobody would agree that the socio-cultural environment of, say, the Northeastern USA is the same as that of the Southwestern region. Yet the preponderance of data collected at this level and the reserved claims from the forthcoming analysis allow for some latitude to say that the \"labels\" of a country based on the data sources is not meant to serve as anything more than a proxy for a type of behavioral context that seems to be located in that place. Thus, the conclusions drawn from the eventual analysis are not intended to make specific claims about a country, but rather to offer some connections between certain kinds of socio-cultural characteristics and effective DRM efforts.\nAnalysis and discussion: There are two ways to analyze the data in this study. The first is to consider each of the sources independently from each other and look for relationships to the WRI scores for each country. In this approach, certain measures may show some relationship while others do not. This is problematic insofar as the level of measurement generalizes both the characteristics of a nation's population and its disaster risk as being homogeneous throughout its borders, i.e. it may lead to conclusions that ignore the reality of sub-national diversity in behavior and vulnerability. The second way employs a holistic interpretation, potentially illuminating how different measures contribute to understanding the socio-cultural influences on DRM. Again, the objective is not to establish a time order and determine causality of disaster risk, but rather to find extant variables in populations that may be integrated into other models for greater DRM effectiveness.\nConclusion: DRM is an especially pernicious challenge for governance; it must contend with the disaster itself, the population at risk, and the government agencies tasked with protecting the public from the disaster. A standard approach is to confront the unpredictable nature of the disaster phenomena with rational understandings of the population at risk, technological applications, and the attendant governance capacities. The behaviors of a population, as affected by socio-cultural factors, can be difficult to ascertain. This leaves DRM agencies to deal with two unknown values when it comes to the calculus for effective mitigation: the disaster phenomena and the people. This research illuminates some of the ways that a population's behavioral context can vary according to its socio-cultural character in an attempt to get a better handle on one of these unknowns.\n",
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},
{
"content": "Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to explore the relationship between factors of socio-cultural contexts and disaster risk. Recent efforts by international organizations and research scholarship have emphasized that applying contextual understandings of human behavior can improve the effectiveness of disaster risk management (DRM).\nDesign/methodology/approach: The research employs multiple correlation analysis to find significant relationships between two sources of socio-cultural data and the World Risk Index scores.\nFindings: There are interesting relationships between various measures of socio-cultural context and disaster risk, such as correlations with levels of individualism, self-expression, and secular-rational values.\nResearch limitations/implications: While using the broadest sample available with the data sources, generalizations about the relationships must be tempered as inherently anecdotal and needing greater depth of study. The national level of analysis is controversial.\nPractical implications: Emergency managers can extend the knowledge about socio-cultural influences on disaster risk to tailor policy for effective practices.\nSocial implications: Societies may recognize their behaviors as being conducive or obstructive to DRM based on their socio-cultural characteristics; governments may operationalize the findings into policy responses for more nuanced mitigation efforts.\nOriginality/value: This research adds to the momentum for considering non-technical approaches to DRM and expands the potential for social science derived variables in DRM.\n",
"role": "assistant"
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] |
Who's in charge of change?
|
[
"Organizational change",
"Change management",
"Accountability",
"Ownership",
"Executives",
"Project teams",
"Supervisors"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n__NO_TITLE__: Who's in charge of change in your organization? The usual response is, \"everyone is in charge of change\" and typically means no one is really in charge at all. Who really is ultimately accountable for change in your organization? How that question is answered is very telling and directly related to how successful your organization is at implementing change.\nFour dimensions for successful change: Before determining who is supposed to be in charge of change, it is important to clarify the actual work involved in successfully changing any organization.There are four dimensions required for successful change:1. strategy;2. change;3. transition; and4. communication.When each of these essential aspects of change are integrated together and owned by the appropriate groups, an organization can evolve and grow through a continual flow of changes. If one or more dimension is under-emphasized or if accountability for each dimension is in the wrong place, success of the changes will be compromised (Figure 1).Effective strategic leadership involves the ongoing choices an organization makes that continually shapes its nature and direction. Choices such as what business are they in, who are their customers and how can they best serve them, what internal and external pressures continue to impact the organization that require attention, what are they trying to create and what are their current priorities.Traditionally Senior Executives have been viewed as solely responsible for strategy. It typically involved some form of annual strategic planning exercise. The results of those discussions would be developed into that year's strategic plan which would occupy space on shelves or hard drives, often never thought of again until the next round of strategic planning.While Senior Executives still must take the lead on developing the strategy, many organizations have successfully used large group processes such as Future Search and Open Space Technology to get more and more people involved in continually shaping the nature and direction of their organization. The more people involved in creating the strategy, the easier it is to fulfill its promise.Arguably it is the First Level Supervisors who are the most important group when it comes to realizing an organization's strategy. They are the group who must answer the question that often is first raised when a new change is launched which is, \"Why are we doing this?\" The answer to that question is grounded in the organization's strategy and until it is answered clearly, people will not engage in the change.Implementing successful change involves the detailed work of planning and implementing the activities to ensure the change will actually take place in the real world, not just on paper. Whether it is restructuring or a new IT system implementation, an organization will have either a formalized or more informal process for determining who needs to do what by when in order for the change to succeed.Traditionally, Project Teams have been seen as responsible for the change's success. However, many Project Teams fail to grasp their mandate has two sides:1. develop the plan; and2. help engage the willingness and ability of everyone involved to implement the plan.Project Teams are initiated by Senior Executives as temporary task forces to do all the heavy lifting of developing the plan. Sometimes subject matter experts or process experts are involved. Usually that aspect of the work is very well done.Unfortunately not enough attention is put on the second side of their mandate. It is essential for Project Teams to stay connected to the Senior Executives to ensure they have the resources they require, which are usually adequate time and people. More importantly, they must continually engage, for as long as they are in place, with all levels of management, especially the First Level Supervisors. Once the Project Teams wrap up their activities, which is usually not long after implementation begins, the Managers and Supervisors must do the hard work of ensuring the change is successfully integrated into the day-to-day operations of the organization.Leading people through transition involves helping everyone adapt to the reality of the new world defined by the changes. This involves intentionally letting go of those aspects of the old world that are no longer appropriate and successfully navigating the confusion that always accompanies getting familiar with the new way of doing things.All too often, transition has been either overlooked or it is simply assumed that people will adapt by themselves. Or the expectation is that Human Resources or the \"change management professionals\" will take care of this. Rarely does this yield satisfactory results.It is essential to help people through transition if the change is going to be implemented on time, on budget and with the desired results. Cost overruns, missed deadlines and poor results can often be attributed to people simply not adapting to the new ways the change requires.Some hard decisions must be made and clarified throughout the organization in order to lead people through transition quickly and safely. Perhaps the most difficult question is, \"What is over now and what isn't?\" That answer usually comes with many power and authority issues attached that can only be addressed at the most senior levels. Without that executive clarification, different groups answer it in their own way or ignore it all together, leaving the change to flounder among all the old habits and activities.Another aspect of leading people through transition is to provide the supports and encouragement that will enable everyone to learn what is required to develop the skills and attitudes necessary for the change to be successful. Project Teams are well advised to integrate transition tactics right into the project plans. Once the Senior Executives and Project Teams integrate transition into the mix, they need to engage with the First Level Supervisors to determine the specifics of how the change impacts the local work areas. The supervisors are the experts here and need to have enough information about the changes and accompanying transitions in order to lead the change in their area.Engaging communication involves the effective exchange of information between all people impacted by the change and those who have to implement it. Communication is what makes the whole thing work. Information that needs to be communicated relates to the strategy, the changes, as well as the transition.All too often, organizations rely on an expectation that change related information will naturally cascade down through the organization from the top to the bottom. It does not. Or organizations rely on Communication Professionals to broadcast change related information to everyone using broadcast, technology based communication tools. Those efforts usually fall short as well.Communication Professionals play a support role in communicating change, not an ownership role. They lack the authority, depth of current change details and ongoing face-to-face access with the employees that is essential for engaging change communication throughout an organization.Some people are already willing and able to make the changes. They are motivated to get the necessary information from web sites, meetings or from key people they know have the answers to their questions. Rarely does that group encompass everyone in a changing organization. When people are not motivated to change, they will need some special attention.That special attention must come from their immediate supervisor, who for most of the employees in the organization is the First Level Supervisor. These supervisors hold the keys for engaging change communication throughout an organization. They already have ongoing face-to-face access to employees and they have a very clear understanding of the day-to-day work their people do. What they need to have is the most current change details that relates to their local work area. The Project Teams need to ensure the First Level Supervisors have that information.Employees also need to see a consistent commitment to the changes from the most senior levels of power and authority in the organization. That means the Senior Executives have a key role in communicating change as well. They can be very helpful using short, effective all hands presentations, spending time with First Level Supervisors that need additional support or continually connecting with the Project Teams while they are still in place.\nWho must be in charge of change: Organizations that have clear lines of responsibility and accountability for each of these four dimensions of successful change realize there are five key roles required to ensure the entire enterprise continually sustains change over the long haul. Each of these roles is held by specific groups with well defined mandates (Figure 2).Here are the five groups who must be in charge of change, in relative order of importance along with the key roles they must each fulfill:1. Senior Executives: The most important group who must see themselves and be seen throughout the organization as the true owners of change is the senior executives. They represent the highest level of power and authority. Their role is to ensure they are all aligned at the senior level, initiate and support the project teams and engage all levels of management and supervisors. The senior leaders must determine and clearly communicate the essential strategy, change and transition messages that are so vital to ensuring all levels of leadership and all project teams are engaged and aligned. They must also ensure the formal and informal reward system throughout the organization supports the strategy and changes.2. Middle Managers and Supervisors: Middle managers are responsible for all functional and geographic alignment and implementation of the changes in their respective parts of the organization. They also must continually support the supervisors who are the experts in the work done in their area. It is the supervisor's role to engage all the employees in their specific groups and teams. Supervisors must be seen as the face and voice of the changes in the eyes of the employees. If they are not, the changes will never fully succeed.3. Project/Change Teams: Project teams should represent all major parts of the system their specific changes will impact and be implemented. They are the group that will have the most current change related details for as long as they are in place. Not only do they have the responsibility of doing all the painstaking work of developing the detailed plan for the change, they also need to help increase the willingness and ability of everyone to implement the change successfully. This requires an ongoing relationship with middle managers and supervisors during the planning and initial implementation, which many project teams overlook.4. Employees: The employees must adapt their ongoing behaviors and attitudes to align with the desired outcomes of the changes. Ultimately they are responsible for the heavy lifting of the changes success as they do the necessary things differently. At the end of the day, if the employees do not own the changes, the changes will not be successful. It is the obligation of the senior executives, project teams and managers/supervisors to set the employees up for success.5. Supporting cast: There are several roles in the supporting cast. Communication professionals can help the senior executives, project teams and managers/supervisors simplify the essential strategy, change and transition messages. They can provide the necessary tools and supports to help ensure all leaders are aligned and are providing the necessary communication to engage all employees.Specific subject matter experts or process experts may be required, depending on the specifics of the changes underway.An effective supporting cast should also include internal qualified guides who understand the overall process of sustaining ongoing change in complex organizations. They must have access to the necessary resources and programs to build the necessary change competency within all levels of leadership, project teams and employees. They provide the ongoing coaching, training, facilitating and consulting support where it is required. Typically these guides are from the human resources, organizational development, training and development or organizational effectiveness roles within the organization.Organizations are wise to make prudent use of external people in these support roles. Outsiders can never sustain change in an organization - only people inside the organization can ensure change is enduring and successful. However in some situations, it can be helpful to bring in necessary external expertise and perspectives while ensuring the key ownership roles for the changes success stay in the hands of the people who work in the organization every day.When you think about your own organization, are the right groups doing the right things to ensure change is successful? If it is the groups outlined above, you are in good shape. If not, you have some work to do.\n",
"role": "user"
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"content": "Purpose: - The question of who is in charge of change is often met with confusing answers in changing organizations. That confusion is accompanied with a correspondingly poor ability to sustain change successfully. The purpose of this paper is to outline what is required to sustain constant, complex change and most importantly, who must be accountable.\nDesign/methodology/approach: - Drawing on three decades of practical experience helping organizations change, it has become clear that unless a very small handful of groups inside a changing organization see themselves and are seen by everyone else as ultimately in charge of change, the organization will not be successful at sustaining constant change. The paper clarifies who those three groups are and what specific things they need to be accountable for to enable the organization to improve its ability to change successfully.\nFindings: - Many organizations attempt to in source or out source the responsibility for change to \"change management\" experts which usually leads to dismal results. The three essential groups that actually must own change are the executives, project teams and first level supervisors. Every other group involved plays a support function to those three groups who must be in charge of change.\nOriginality/value: - When executives, project teams and first level supervisors align their efforts using an integrated approach to leading change, an organization significantly increases its capacity for sustaining successful change over the long haul. When an organization relies on external consulting firms, internal support functions or some combination of the two without having accountability for change resting with the three key groups, the capacity for change is compromised significantly.\n",
"role": "assistant"
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] |
Multi-tier store brand strategies: a case study
|
[
"Italy",
"Regression analysis",
"Food retailing",
"Consumer’s preference for variety",
"Extra-virgin olive oil",
"Multi-tier private label portfolio",
"Premium private label",
"Retail differentiation strategy",
"Store format and assortment choice"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n1. Introduction: Over the years, private labels (PLs) have become an obvious choice in the assortment policies of the food retail sector worldwide (Kumar et al., 2017; Cuneo et al., 2015). A large body of literature (amongst others, Olbrich et al., 2016; Foscht and Brandstaetter, 2014; Manikandan, 2012; Hyman et al., 2010) has investigated the causes and effects of the proliferation of PLs in the food retail sector and consumer acceptability of PLs compared to national brands (NBs). The concentration of retail companies has been indicated as the main cause of PL proliferation (Rubio and Jesus Yague, 2009), stemming from the evidence that everywhere the growth of the PL (Sethuraman and Gielens, 2014; Sethuraman and Raju, 2012) market share has been roughly proportional to the growth of the degree of retail sector concentration. Indeed, PLs are among the best competitive weapons which help retailers to increase their market share (Hoskins, 2016; do Vale et al., 2016; Ngobo, 2011), providing them with at least three types of benefits: competitive advantage over other retailers (intra-brand competition); competitive advantages vs NBs (inter-brand competition), whose bargaining power is reduced by PL competition; and higher margins, because of the generally high buyer power exercised by retailers vs. PL manufacturers (Chambolle and Villas-Boas, 2015). Once its market share has increased, a retailer can more successfully manage the other retail marketing levers, such as price, promotion, assortment and shelf space. With regard to the effects of PL proliferation, besides the observed positive effects (benefits) in terms of competitive advantage, two risks have been highlighted. The first is a possible crowding-out of NBs, which might leave consumers with a reduced purchasing choice and trigger price wars among retailers, with consequent profit losses, in a still quite competitive retail sector. The second risk consists in the possible anticompetitive effects of a growing retail sector concentration. Over time, the retail sector has undoubtedly become the leading actor along the food supply chain, mainly because of the higher concentration ratio with respect to those further upstream (manufacturing and agricultural sectors) and their pricing autonomy (Olbrich et al., 2016), which gives them the opportunity to exercise both market and buying power. The risk of buying power is particularly high because of the poor provisions of the current competition laws (especially in Europe) on the issue of vertical restraints (Sodano and Verneau, 2014). The European prohibition of resale price maintenance, for example, makes manufacturers unable to compete with PLs on a level playing field, since they cannot control the price leverage, increasing both retailers' market power on the final market and bargaining power towards suppliers (Berges-Sennou, 2006; Buhr and Olbrich, 2005).\n2. Introducing premium private labels in the extra virgin olive oil sector: theoretical framework and hypothesis development: 2.1 Specific category incentivises\n3. The empirical study: 3.1 Data collection and sample description\n4. Conclusions and implications: Our results are consistent with the findings of previous studies describing and interpreting the spread of premium PLs. First of all, it emerges that also in Italy, like other countries where the phenomenon has been more extensively investigated, multi-tier PL policies have been embraced by the major retail groups. Second, the product category in question, EVOO, for which the PPL offer was assessed, presents all the characteristics suggested by the literature as being favourable to the introduction of the premium PL. Third, in the case of EVOO the observed assortment choices are consistent with those suggested by the literature in the case of a multi-tiered PL strategy; the presence of the NB together with the PPL shows that the multi-tiered PL strategy is part of a broader differentiation strategy with large assortments which need to include NBs. Fourth, also the observed price positioning across brands in the category assortment confirms the findings of previous research. The presence of the premium PL leads to a price upgrading of the store brand with respect to the NB. In the sample, PPLs often exhibit higher prices than those of NBs and both the average price of all the stock keeping units (SKUs) and of PLs in the category is higher in stores where the premium PL tier is present. The higher prices of PL products, despite the consequent switch towards the NB alternatives, positively affect retailers' profitability.\n5. Limitations and further research: Despite its insights and its novelty (the first study to investigate the PPL market in Italy taking into account policies actually carried out at the individual store level), our study nevertheless presents some limits. The chief limit is that it focuses on only one product and a limited number of geographical units. Further research should extend the study to several product categories to clarify the category-specificity of PPL drivers, and to several other provinces to increase the robustness of the results. Moreover, for a more comprehensive picture of the market for PPLs it would be necessary to complete the description of retailers' policies, given in this article, with the description of consumers' attitudes and motivations. Future research should be able to simultaneously analyse firms' strategies, consumer responses and the institutional environment within which the economic actors operate. However, it is also good to underline that the implications in terms of social welfare cannot be generalised and need to be accepted only with great caution as it would take further study to better verify them.\n",
"role": "user"
},
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"content": "Purpose: This paper aims to describe and understand the offer of premium private labels (PPLs) in Italy, with a case study on the extra virgin olive oil (EVOO).\nDesign/methodology/approach: The empirical study on EVOO in Italy was aimed to investigate the drivers of the offer of PPLs and its effects on assortment policies. The study was carried out in three Italian provinces, using a cross-sectional design with data collected through direct observation. A two-step data analysis was performed. First, descriptive statistics were used to preliminary appraise hypotheses on the rationale underlying the offer of PPL, and then, the drivers of PPL policy were studied using a logistic regression model.\nFindings: The estimated model indicates that in the case of EVOO the probability of offering a PPL is higher for stronger with a stronger competitive position (with respect to other stores), and increases with the size of the category assortment (Total Assortment Width) and with the share of the PL products offered by the store (PL Assortment Index). It also increases if the average price (Total Average Price) and the average price of the standard private label (SPL Average Price) improve; by contrast, it decreases if the national brand (NB) share in the assortment (NB Assortment Index) augments.\nResearch limitations/implications: Overall, the study confirms that the multi-tiered PL strategy is one of the current competitive strategies of top retailers, centred more on a differentiation than on a low cost/price policy. Such a differentiation policy may have various effects in terms of channel structure and social welfare depending on the underlying corporate and consumer goals and beliefs and on the existing institutional framework.\nOriginality/value: This is the first study to investigate the PPL market in Italy using original data and taking into account policies actually carried out at the individual store level. A further element of novelty is the attention given to the welfare effects of multi-tier strategies. This paper suggests that these latter may have various effects in terms of channel structure and social welfare depending on the underlying corporate and consumer goals and beliefs and on the existing institutional framework.\n",
"role": "assistant"
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School-based intervention for nutrition promotion in Mi Yun County, Beijing, China: Does a health-promoting school approach improve parents' knowledge, attitudes and behaviour?
|
[
"China",
"Health-promoting schools",
"Effectiveness",
"Nutrition"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: Research from around the world has shown that poor diet and nutrition in children and adolescents is associated with a variety of problems including poor physical and intellectual development, short attention span and low-learning capacity (Raymond, 2010). In addition, a growing body of evidence suggests that the chronic disease conditions of later life, in particular coronary heart disease, Type 2 diabetes, hypertension and stroke, have their origin in adolescence (Greenstone, 2009). The importance of the early learning of nutrition-related knowledge, attitudes and behaviours (KAB) for future health has long been recognised. To be more specific, early learning by adolescents has been found to result in change of their attitudes and behaviours towards their future health (Bartels et al., 2012). Moreover, those adolescents who benefit from nutrition promotion can act as change agents by spreading relevant messages to a large segment of the population, which means that through adolescents, their families and other community members may be reached (Koletzko, 2008). Thus, nutrition promotion for adolescents is of great importance.\nMethods: This study received ethical clearance approval both from Griffith University Human Research Ethics Committee (Reference No. PBH/14/12/HREC) and Peking University Institutional Review Board (Ethics Review Approval No. IRB00001052-12024). Each participant was provided with full information about the study. Informed written consent was obtained from parents.\nResults: Study population characteristics\nDiscussion: The aim of the study was to assess whether the ecological school-based nutrition programme using an HPS framework was effective to improve parents' KAB in relation to nutrition in rural Beijing, China. The results found that the intervention was effective in increasing the nutrition knowledge of parents, however, it had no significant impact on improving parents' attitudes towards nutrition and their eating behaviours. The intervention had a primary focus on parents' nutrition knowledge improvement, and it turned out to be effective. Our study also endeavoured to improve parents' attitudes towards healthy dietary habits and nutrition, because improving peoples' attitudes towards healthy dietary habits and nutrition is crucial for them to develop a healthy dietary behaviour. However, the intervention using the HPS framework had no significant impact on parents' attitudes towards nutrition and healthy dietary habits. This is perhaps because, according to theories of attitudes formation and development, adults are less prone to change their attitudes, as they have relatively fixed attitudes that have been formed and consolidated over many years (Preston et al., 2005). Such results lead us to suggest that other interventions are needed to help parents to form and maintain positive attitudes towards nutrition and healthy dietary intake.\nLimitations: Our study has some limitations. First, we used self-report questionnaires as our research tool, thus the responses of parents may reflect recall error. Second, our intervention was conducted over six months, and while it had improved parents' nutrition knowledge significantly, but it failed to improve parents' attitudes and behaviour in relation to nutrition, and a six-month intervention is generally considered not enough for the reinforcement and maintenance of healthy eating behaviours (Rasanen et al., 2003). Other studies have echoed this reservation regarding the use of a nutrition intervention based on short exposure times and the complex nature of people's eating behaviour. One study has suggested that programmes around healthy eating behaviours should be held over at least a year (Salva et al., 2011). Another study has found it was difficult to gather and maintain momentum in implementing strategies within a one year period, and that it was important to develop strategies that were sustainable after the project ceased (Radcliffe et al., 2005).\nConclusions: Parents play an indispensable role in helping their children to develop healthy eating habits in a long run. Improving KAB in relation to nutrition among parental is essential in promoting young people's nutrition and healthy eating behaviours. Our school-based nutrition intervention using the HPS framework had a significant impact on increasing parents' nutrition knowledge, but failed to improve parents' attitudes towards nutrition and healthy dietary intake, and their eating behaviours. This may be because the intervention we provided for parents was not adequate, in terms of the content, forms and frequency. Therefore, future school-based nutrition interventions might choose to focus more on parents, providing them with more informative, participative, interactive and frequent interventions.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to assess whether the school-based nutrition programme using the health-promoting school (HPS) framework was effective to improve parents' knowledge, attitudes and behaviour (KAB) in relation to nutrition in rural Mi Yun County, Beijing.\nDesign/methodology/approach: A cluster-randomised intervention trial design was employed. Two middle schools were randomly selected and assigned to either the intervention school using the HPS framework (HPS School), or to the Control School, in Mi Yun County, Beijing. From each school 65 parents of seventh-grade students were randomly selected to participate in the study. Nutrition-related KAB were measured at pre- and post-intervention surveys with the same instrument. The nutrition intervention last for six months.\nFindings: The school-based nutrition intervention using the HPS framework was effective in increasing parents' nutrition knowledge; however, it had no statistical significant impact on improving parents' attitudes towards nutrition and their eating behaviours.\nResearch limitations/implications: The intervention appeared to be inadequate from the point of view of its impact on parents in terms of content, form and frequency.\nPractical implications: Future school-based nutrition promotion programmes using the HPS framework should focus more on parents, providing them with a more informative, participative and interactive, and frequent intervention.\nOriginality/value: There is very limited published research focusing on the effect of the school-based nutrition promotion programmes using an HPS framework on parents' nutrition-related KAB. Although, the improved KAB in relation to nutrition among parents is essential to promote young people's nutrition and healthy eating behaviours.\n",
"role": "assistant"
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] |
Familial fictions: families and food, convenience and care
|
[
"Food advertising",
"Care and caring",
"Convenience food",
"Family dynamics"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: In June 2016, the Swedish home furnishings company IKEA launched the latest in its series of advertisments, The Wonderful Everyday. Called \"Cooks\", the advert featured a grandfather and granddaughter making a meal together when the grandmother and her daughter go out for the day, leaving the grandfather in charge. After a nervous start, struggling to find the right ingredients and appropriate cooking utensils, they begin to have fun, messing around in the kitchen and cooking lunch together[1]. Even when the grandfather looks in the fridge and discovers that some food has already been prepared for them, they carry on with their meal and are still enjoying themselves when the mother and grandmother return home. A voice-over (in heavy Swedish accent) delivers the final line: \"When we cook together, we make more than just food\".\nFood and families: It is often claimed that food is a powerful \"lens\" on family life, where family roles and relations are performed and family dynamics are defined and displayed (Jackson, 2009; Finch 2007). Given the diversity of contemporary families - with increasing numbers of gay and lesbian couples, more single-person households (both young and old) and increasingly complex household arrangements following divorce and separation, it might reasonably be concluded that there is no such thing as \"the family\" (viewed as a single, timeless and homogeneous entity). \"The family\" is, as DeVault (1991, p. 15) acutely observed, a \"falsely monolithic\" concept, challenged by the diversity of family life but still powerful in ideological and institutional terms. In these circumstances, researchers have begun to emphasise the diverse practices involved in \"doing families\" (Morgan 1996) rather than focusing on archetypal family forms such as the so-called nuclear family. Yet, the (nuclear) family remains a powerful normative social ideal, underpinned by strong institutional structures and legal force, capable of exerting considerable moral authority.\nConvenience and care: Cooking from scratch using fresh ingredients is often counter-posed to the use of prepared ingredients and processed food, disparaged by reference to its \"convenience\". The contrast between home-made foods, cooked from scratch with love and care, and convenience foods, which are assumed to demonstrate a lack of care, is a key trope within contemporary culinary discourse. Indeed, British sociologist Alan Warde refers to convenience and care as one of four \"culinary antinomies\" (structural oppositions) around which contemporary food consumption is currently organised, the others being novelty and tradition, health and indulgence and economy and extravagance (Warde, 1997). And yet, it takes little reflection to realise that \"convenience food\" is a complex and contested category, encompassing a wide variety of processed and semi-processed foods: bagged salads, frozen pizza, ready-meals, sausages, sandwiches and pies, confectionery and crisps - among many other products (Jackson and Viehoff, 2016). Despite this wide range of formats, \"convenience food\" is commonly disparaged as unhealthy and unsustainable, its use \"tinged with moral disapprobation\" (Warde, 1999, p. 518). This is also part of the context for the IKEA cooks who strive to make a decent home-made meal, supplementing prepared ingredients with fresh tomatoes and red peppers.\nConclusion: This paper has explored the relationship between families and food, arguing that changing domestic practices associated with food and eating are a valuable lens on contemporary family life, while changes in family life underpin the commercial challenges of food marketing and retail. The paper began by reviewing a series of recent TV adverts, which provide insight into the dynamics and diversity of contemporary family life. The \"audiencing\" of these adverts was then discussed, including the way they might be read in different social contexts where, for example, divorced or separated families provide a particular set of circumstances that may have emotional resonance for other kinds of families and household contexts.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to explore the way diverse family forms are depicted in recent TV advertisements, and how the ads may be read as an indication of contemporary attitudes to food. It focuses particularly on consumers' ambivalent attitude towards convenience foods given the way these foods are moralised within a highly gendered discourse of \"feeding the family\".\nDesign/methodology/approach: The paper presents a critical reading of the advertisments and their complex meanings for diverse audiences, real and imagined. The latter part of the paper draws on the results of ethnographically-informed fieldwork in the north of England.\nFindings: The research highlights the value of food as a lens on contemporary family life. It challenges the conventional distinction between convenience and care, arguing that convenience food can be used as an expression of care.\nResearch limitations/implications: The paper makes limited inferences about audiencing processes in the absence of direct empirical evidence.\nOriginality/value: The paper's value lies in its original interpretation of TV food advertising within the context of contemporary family life and in the novel connections that are drawn between convenience and care.\n",
"role": "assistant"
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Understanding brand equity in hotel firms. What is the role of brand loyalty and satisfaction?
|
[
"Hotels",
"Alternative models (AMs)",
"Attitudinal loyalty (AL)",
"Behavioral loyalty (BL)",
"Brand equity (BE)",
"Brand satisfaction (BS)",
"Spain"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n1. Introduction: In recent years, there has been an increasing interest in the concept of brand equity (BE) in hospitality literature (Huang and Cai, 2015; Liu et al., 2017; Seric et al., 2018). Still, while considerable progress has been made in understanding the concept, the establishment of a theory of hotel BE is still in its infancy (Hsu et al., 2012). Although the direct influence of different BE drivers on the overall BE construct was examined in different settings, there is little empirical evidence on these relationships within the hospitality industry (So and King, 2010; Seric et al., 2018).\n2. Conceptual framework and research hypotheses: 2.1 Proposed model (PM)\n3. Research method: 3.1. Fieldwork\n4. Data analysis and results: 4.1 Data processing and selection of the structural equation modeling approach\n5. Discussion of findings: Our results reveal that the impact of brand awareness on BE (H1) is found to be insignificant in PM, AM1 and AM5, significant at the 95 per cent level in AM2 and AM4, and significant at the 99 per cent level in AM3 and AM6. The insignificant role of brand awareness in BE formation found in PM, AM1 and AM5 might be due to the strong impact of AL on BE. In fact, when AL was omitted from BE antecedents in AM3 and AM6, brand awareness relevance significantly increased. This is line with a number of studies, which concluded that awareness showed a weak (Kim and Kim, 2004, 2005) or even insignificant effect on BE in hospitality (Kayaman and Arasli, 2007; So and King, 2010; Seric et al., 2018), thus suggesting that experience-based perceptions, rather than brand awareness, affect behavior of hotel guests. Another possible explanation for not accepting H1 in the three models might be related with the fact that there are hotel brands with high awareness, but poor service quality, which makes out of awareness an irrelevant BE asset. However, findings from AM2, AM4, and especially, AM3 and AM6, reveal that brand awareness still has a role to play in evoking the brand in the customer's consideration set.\n6. Conclusion: The intention of this study was threefold:\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: This paper aims to focus on examining the relationships between hotel brand equity (BE), brand satisfaction (BS) and brand loyalty, considering both behavioral loyalty (BL) and attitudinal loyalty (AL). These relationships are tested through seven causal models, i.e. one proposed model (PM) and six alternative models (AMs).\nDesign/methodology/approach: The fieldwork was conducted among 360 hotel guests in Spain in 2016.\nFindings: The findings reveal that the PM, which considers BL, AL and BS as direct antecedents of BE, performed better than the alternative ones. AL is confirmed as the most significant driving factor of hotel BE, followed by brand image and perceived quality.\nResearch limitations/implications: More rigorous measurement of brand image could be used as some of its indicators did not result significantly.\nPractical implications: AL needs to be highly encouraged, as concerning customers' subjective disposition and appraisal of a brand helps them maintain preference for the brand over alternatives. In addition, a positive brand image and superior perceived quality should be considered by hotel marketers as a basis for BE building.\nOriginality/value: The models proposed in this study can be used to examine how hotel BE results from its potential antecedents and outcomes. The significant insight lies in identifying key drivers of BE and in considering the causal relationships between BE, satisfaction and loyalty in hotel firms.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
The hunt for computerized support in information security policy management: A literature review
|
[
"Literature review",
"Information security policy",
"Computerized support"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n1. Introduction: Today, the not-so-big news is that governments, organised criminals and hacktivists are attacking organisations' information and information systems. As information has become the lifeblood of modern society it has also become a valuable asset. Therefore, it is not surprising that information security management, where the purpose is to safeguard an organisation's information assets, has become an important strategic issue (Van Niekerk and Von Solms, 2010). Organisations are in a situation where knowledgeable employees need to be the first line of defence. Unfortunately, breaching organisations still does not typically require advanced technical skills; many victims are tricked into opening attachments and clicking on links (Palmer, 2017; Albors, 2016; Kelion, 2013). In other cases, breaches are caused by employees' malicious actions, such as in the example of Morgan Stanley (Gara, 2015).\n2. Related research: ISPs are seen as an important managerial tool for regulating employees' information security behaviours, and this research stream has gained significant attention during the last two decades (Cram et al., 2018). A number of literature reviews (Siponen and Oinas-Kukkonen, 2007; Siponen et al., 2008; Soomro et al., 2016; Zafar and Clark, 2009) have highlighted ISP studies as an important category within a broader information security literature. Several literature reviews have addressed subsets of the ISP management process such as security awareness (Lebek et al., 2013; Lebek et al., 2014), culture (Karlsson et al., 2015) and employees' behaviours and compliance (Guo, 2013; Sommestad et al., 2014; D'arcy and Herath, 2011; Wall et al., 2015; Siponen and Vance, 2014). Among these subsets of ISP management topics, employees' behaviours and compliance with information security policies has garnered the most attention. Cram et al. (2018) argue that the previous reviews of the ISP management literature make it difficult for researchers and practitioners to grasp the current state of knowledge on the whole process of the development, implementation, and effectiveness of ISPs in organisations.\n3. Research method: A structured literature review is a \"crucial endeavour\" (Webster and Watson, 2002) for a research community, as it provides an overview and synthesis of what has been accomplished so far. It is therefore vital that it is carried out in a rigorous and comprehensive manner (Levy and Ellis, 2006). Our research method is quite straightforward on the general level, consisting of four main steps. That said, their implementation has been far from instrumental and below we discuss the details related to selecting and classifying papers. The general outline of the research process is as follows:\n4. Results: In this section, we present a summary of our literature review, structured into three subsections. The first subsection focuses on what are the most investigated phases of ISP management. We start by assessing research on manual support for ISP management and then continue with research on computerised support for ISP management. In the second subsection, we concentrate on to what extent research has addressed the interaction between ISP management phases. Finally, the last subsection presents the dominant research methods in the assessed studies. In addition, we analyse what kind of research methods have been used to research the interaction between the ISP management phases. The details of our analysis are found in Appendix 5-6.\n5. Discussion: Our literature review considers the entire process of ISP management, similarly to Tuyikeze and Flowerday (2014), Jarvelainen (2016) and Cram et al. (2018). It contributes to previous knowledge by explicitly focussing on the extent to which manual and computerised support have been suggested, and the ways in which the suggested support have been brought about. Figures 1 to 5 show the patterns we found in the current literature. Based on our findings, some notable lessons can be learned with regard to:\n6. Conclusion: The aim of this paper was to survey existing information security policy (ISP) management research to scrutinise the extent to which manual and computerised support have been suggested, and the ways in which the suggested support have been brought about. To this end we used the ISP management process framework proposed by Flowerday and Tuyikeze (2016) together with an extended version of Mingers' (2003a) research method framework. We can conclude that the existing research focuses mainly on manual support for ISP management. Computerised support has received very little attention.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to survey existing information security policy (ISP) management research to scrutinise the extent to which manual and computerised support has been suggested, and the way in which the suggested support has been brought about.\nDesign/methodology/approach: The results are based on a literature review of ISP management research published between 1990 and 2017.\nFindings: Existing research has focused mostly on manual support for managing ISPs. Very few papers have considered computerised support. The entire complexity of the ISP management process has received little attention. Existing research has not focused much on the interaction between the different ISP management phases. Few research methods have been used extensively and intervention-oriented research is rare.\nResearch limitations/implications: Future research should to a larger extent address the interaction between the ISP management phases, apply more intervention research to develop computerised support for ISP management, investigate to what extent computerised support can enhance integration of ISP management phases and reduce the complexity of such a management process.\nPractical implications: The limited focus on computerised support for ISP management affects the kind of advice and artefacts the research community can offer to practitioners.\nOriginality/value: Today, there are no literature reviews on to what extent computerised support the ISP management process. Findings on how the complexity of ISP management has been addressed and the research methods used extend beyond the existing knowledge base, allowing for a critical discussion of existing research and future research needs.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Why should errors be tolerated? Perceived organizational support, organization-based self-esteem and psychological well-being
|
[
"Self-esteem",
"Error management",
"Well-being",
"Organizational support",
"Conservation of resources theory",
"Psychological resource"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: Proclaimed by the UN General Assembly, the first-ever international day of happiness was celebrated worldwide in 2012, with the purpose of promoting happiness and well-being as a fundamental goal of human development around the world. As an indispensable component of people's lives, the workplace plays decisive roles in affecting individuals' psychological well-being because it is where most people spend most of their time and seek fulfillment of their physiological and social needs (Hsu et al., 2019; Keeman et al., 2017). However, instead of contributing to the development of psychological well-being, organizations seem to stand at the opposite side and produce factors that continuously impair employees' psychological well-being, such as a poor physical work environment, over-control, unnecessary rules and regulations, heavy workload, unrealistically high performance expectations, lack of support, abusive supervision, bullying or harassment and few promotion opportunities (Haver et al., 2019; Huyghebaert et al., 2018). The customer-oriented hospitality work setting is characterized by long work hours, a heavy workload, a high likelihood of interpersonal tensions and high emotional labor (O'neill and Davis, 2011), rendering the job highly stressful and demanding. The annual jobs exodus survey from investors in people found that 65% of hospitality employees are unhappy in their current jobs (2015). A study conducted by Kansas State University indicated that every 100 unhappy employees can cost $390,000 per year in lost productivity.\nLiterature review and hypothesis development: Error tolerance\nMethod: Sample and procedure\nResults: Psychometric analyses\nDiscussion and conclusions: Conclusions\nLimitations and future research directions: Methodologically, this paper utilized the multi-wave approach to measure the antecedent, mediators and outcome variables at three times, which decreased the common method bias compared to many previous studies where all variables were measured at one time (Podsakoff et al., 2003). Nonetheless, a structural equation modeling of the mediation model with longitudinal data following the instructions of Cole and Maxwell (2003) would make more rigorous references to establish causal relationships. In addition, the data were collected in Turkey, which might raise the question of whether or not the results could be generalized to other cultural contexts. Based on the national culture model (Hofstede, 2011), national culture can vary in the dimension of uncertainty avoidance, which describes a country's general acceptance level of uncertainty. It is possible that countries with higher levels of uncertainty avoidance tend to have lower error tolerance in general, which, in turn, serves as a point of reference when employees assess the level of error tolerance in the organization. Therefore, future studies could collect data from other countries to determine whether the impacts of organizational error tolerance on employee psychological well-being differ. Finally, future studies can identify other domains of individual psychological well-being as outcomes of different organizational practices, such as purpose of life, environmental mastery and perception of autonomy.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: On the basis of conservation of resources theory, the purpose of this paper is to propose a framework linking an organizational factor, organizational error tolerance, with employees' psychological well-being through gains of psychological resources: perceived organizational support (POS) and organization-based self-esteem (OBSE).\nDesign/methodology/approach: Across three-wave data collected from 220 hotel frontline employees, this study tests the proposed model using structural equation modeling through AMOS.\nFindings: Employees' perceived organizational error tolerance positively influenced their psychological well-being through significant sequential mediation effects of POS and OBSE.\nPractical implications: This study contributes to the existing literature of psychological resources, positive psychology and error management by providing insights into how organizational practice in error situations can be positively related to employees' psychological well-being.\nOriginality/value: This paper identifies error-related organizational practices as precursor of individual psychological well-being and explores the non-work-related outcome variable of error management for the first time. The examination of the linkage between organizational error tolerance and employees' psychological well-being via the underlying mechanism of psychological resources provides the insight into how resources dynamics play important roles in influencing employees' psychological well-being.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
A multi-layer framework for semantic modeling
|
[
"Semantics",
"Semiotics",
"Information management",
"Knowledge management",
"Conceptual framework",
"Document management",
"Knowledge organization systems"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n1. Introduction: Knowledge management has been a crucial issue in the efficiency and efficacy of different types of organizations (Flett, 2012). The knowledge management process has been of central interest to knowledge-organization systems (KOS), which permit the description, indexation, ordering and posterior retrieval of documents in different contexts (Hider, 2006, 2017; Hjorland, 2003, 2008). The basic purpose of these systems is to afford the user higher efficiency in their search for documents (Bosnjak and Podgorelec, 2016; Hjorland, 2019; Jindal et al., 2014; Li et al., 2017).\n2. Multi-level framework for semantic modeling (MFSM): 2.1 The levels and processes of signification\n3. Method: From the methodological point of view, this research comprises two branches. First, the deductive approach was employed to obtain the MFSM, which consists of an integrative view generated from the combination of the semantic modeling in several levels (see Figure 1). Second, by using the inductive approach (Yin, 1994; Eisenhardt, 1989), this model was empirically validated in two ways: through its use in the classification of articles that deal with semantic modeling issues; through the modeling of documents related to lean manufacturing, a field of management science.\n4. The application of the MFSM for modeling the lean-manufacturing literature: In this section, we outline the modeling of texts of the lean-manufacturing literature through the MFSM, thus demonstrating its applicability and usefulness to identify objects and instantiate them in the semantic context.\n5. Discussion: 5.1 A comparative analysis of the MFSM with current models\n6. Conclusion: This paper outlines the MFSM based on four levels of signification, which encompass physical and abstract objects of the world, based on the tenets of information science (Gnoli and Ridi, 2014; Hjorland, 2019). In relation to the research questions presented at the beginning of this paper (What are the levels of semantic modeling capable of linking objects, with the domains in which they are related? What are the processes of the construction of meaning through these levels?), we can state that the four proposed levels (object, class of entities, data instances and domains) seem to be highly consistent with reality, which addresses the first question.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to introduce a multi-level framework for semantic modeling (MFSM) based on four signification levels: objects, classes of entities, instances and domains. In addition, four fundamental propositions of the signification process underpin these levels, namely, classification, decomposition, instantiation and contextualization.\nDesign/methodology/approach: The deductive approach guided the design of this modeling framework. The authors empirically validated the MFSM in two ways. First, the authors identified the signification processes used in articles that deal with semantic modeling. The authors then applied the MFSM to model the semantic context of the literature about lean manufacturing, a field of management science.\nFindings: The MFSM presents a highly consistent approach about the signification process, integrates the semantic modeling literature in a new and comprehensive view; and permits the modeling of any semantic context, thus facilitating the development of knowledge organization systems based on semantic search.\nResearch limitations/implications: The use of MFSM is manual and, thus, requires a considerable effort of the team that decides to model a semantic context. In this paper, the modeling was generated by specialists, and in the future should be applicated to lay users.\nPractical implications: The MFSM opens up avenues to a new form of classification of documents, as well as for the development of tools based on the semantic search, and to investigate how users do their searches.\nSocial implications: The MFSM can be used to model archives semantically in public or private settings. In future, it can be incorporated to search engines for more efficient searches of users.\nOriginality/value: The MFSM provides a new and comprehensive approach about the elementary levels and activities in the process of signification. In addition, this new framework presents a new form to model semantically any context classifying its objects.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Inquiry-based leadership: The influence of affective attitude, experienced social pressure and self-efficacy
|
[
"Leadership",
"Educational research",
"Self-efficacy",
"Data use",
"Inquiry-based leadership",
"School leaders"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: Schools are held increasingly accountable for their output in terms of student achievement. In countries worldwide, schools are more and more expected to provide stakeholders with data that illustrate the quality of their education and to effectively use these data as the basis for the improvement of student performance (Earl and Katz, 2006; Lai and Schildkamp, 2013; Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, 2013; Vanhoof et al., 2014). At the same time, schools in the Netherlands are more and more allowed to make their own decisions with regard to the education they provide in order to reach these results. As a result, school leaders and teachers are expected to use data as the basis of their decisions at school and classroom level (Schildkamp and Kuiper, 2010; Vanhoof et al., 2014).\nTheoretical framework: Inquiry-based leadership\nMethod: Participants\nResults: The mean scores of the scales measuring the different aspects of inquiry-based leadership are between 3.08 and 3.39, as can be seen in Table III. For the three psychological factors with regard to inquiry-based leadership, the mean scores are between 2.95 and 3.48. Bearing in mind that the midpoint of the assessment scale is 2.5, the results indicate that respondents score as moderately positive on the scales measuring inquiry-based leadership as well as the measured psychological factors. Since school leaders filled out the questionnaire themselves, all scores measure the school leaders' perceptions.\nDiscussion and conclusions: This study shows a positive correlation between attitude, experienced social pressure and self-efficacy on the one hand and inquiry-based leadership on the other hand. However, some predictors appear to make a unique and significant contribution to aspects of inquiry-based leadership and others do not. From a theoretical perspective, these findings narrow the two mentioned gaps in research and offer new insights in how psychological factors are related to whether and how school leaders lead their schools in an inquiry-based manner. The predictor that stands out to the greatest degree is self-efficacy. In line with earlier research that shows the impact of self-efficacy on educators in schools (Kruger and Geijsel, 2011; Geijsel et al., 2009; Vanhoof et al., 2014), this study hypothesized that school leaders with a high sense of self-efficacy toward inquiry-based leadership would lead their schools in a more inquiry-based way. This study, indeed, shows a significant relationship between self-efficacy and all three aspects of inquiry-based leadership. The sole (sub-)aspect for which self-efficacy regarding inquiry-based leadership has no significant unique contribution is stimulating the inquiry habit of mind of teachers.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to improve the understanding of psychological factors that influence inquiry-based leadership. This study investigates how affective attitude, experienced social pressure, and self-efficacy relate to aspects of inquiry-based school leadership. A school leader's inquiry habit of mind, data literacy, and the extent to which he or she creates a culture of inquiry in the school are each identified as aspects of inquiry-based leadership.\nDesign/methodology/approach: Data were collected from questionnaires completed by a sample of 79 school leaders.\nFindings: A significant relationship was found between self-efficacy regarding inquiry-based leadership and all aspects of inquiry-based leadership. Affective attitude toward inquiry-based leadership was significantly related to creating a culture of inquiry. There was no unique relationship between experienced social pressure and inquiry-based leadership.\nPractical implications: Administrators and educators of school leaders who aim to stimulate inquiry-based school leadership should not only focus on increasing the capacity of school leaders to lead their school in an inquiry-based way, but they should also focus on leaders' self-efficacy and on fostering leaders' positive attitude toward inquiry-based school leadership. Administrators and educators can, for example, give positive feedback, emphasize the added value of inquiry-based leadership, encourage working with critical friends, and stimulate collaboration with other leaders.\nOriginality/value: This study addresses two gaps in the existing research, by focusing on inquiry-based leadership instead of data use and on psychological factors instead of knowledge and skills that are related to this type of leadership.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
An enterprising phoenix: materiality, affect and learning
|
[
"Materiality",
"Learning",
"Organizational change",
"Affect"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: This paper explores how a group of workers experienced planned and unplanned change(s) in a workplace setting and how the effects of change endure in organizations through the entanglement (Gherardi, 2015) of materiality, affect and learning.\nLiterature: Three decades of concentrated effort in workplace learning research has progressed the general field substantially. Over this period, understandings of workplace learning have become available through developments in conceptual ideas used to frame them. Hager (2011) traces three main categories of theoretical development. First are theories drawing mainly on psychological ideas that are well-represented in earlier accounts of workplace learning (e.g. behaviourism). Second are socio-material theories, which are attentive to social context and generally reject the individual focus of the first group (Billett, 2004; Lave and Wenger, 1991). Finally, postmodern ideas, that among other things, more or less see learning as emergent, give prominence to the socio-material and are attentive to the relationship between learning and practices (Fenwick, 2016; Gherardi et al., 1998; Hager, 2014). While not necessarily accepting the nomenclature of Hager's third category (Hager himself anticipated this rejection), we agree with its general tenets and locate this paper in this research space.\nThe research: Our interest in organizational change events and practices is related to a three-year Australian Research Council[1] project. The research focus is on work practices, in particular, on organizational practices that facilitate learning yet are independent of formal education and training programs. This involved developing and investigating detailed accounts of specific learning practices and their effects on individual workers and on the organizations selected.\nStories of change at PCC: a first framing: Over the past three decades, PCC has faced what might be described as three \"happenings\" of change. The enactment of the Local Government Act 1993 and the implementation of the National Competition Policy (1995-2005) in the Australian state of New South Wales marked an important turning point for PCC. The council was being positioned (and began positioning itself) within the discourses and practices of New Public Management (Brunsson and Sahlin-Andersson, 2000).\nThe entanglement of materialiy, affect and learning: a reframing: It is the stories of change told by PCC workers that we have drawn on above to tell our own first research story. However, the telling of that research account invites yet another. This section refocuses analytically by (re)presenting the fire stories in terms of \"materiality\", \"affect\" and \"learning\" and illustrates their entanglement. We offer this emergent research account \"to entertain\", \"to teach\" and \"to learn\".\nConcluding comments: The organizational stories gathered as part of our initial narrative enquiry featured individual and organizational \"stories of change\" and centred around the fire story. The fire story itself was told as a kind of regeneration or even re-birthing of the organization with attendant excitements and challenges and ways this impacted individually, collectively and organizationally. In the \"reframing\", we argued that the changes experienced individually and collectively in situ to workers, team members and to Council itself reflect the entanglement of materiality, affect and learning.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to explore how workers experience planned and unplanned change(s), how the effects of change endure in organizations and the entanglement (Gherardi, 2015) of materiality, affect and learning.\nDesign/methodology/approach: Research design is ethnographic in nature and draws from 30 semi-structured interviews of workers in an Australian organization. Interviews were designed to elicit narrative accounts (stories) of challenges and change faced by the workers. Desktop research of organizational documents and material artefacts complemented interview data. Analysis is informed by socio-material understandings and, in particular, the ideas of materiality, affect and learning.\nFindings: Change, in the form of a fire, triggered spontaneous and surprisingly positive affectual and organizational outcomes that exceeded earlier attempts at restructuring work. In the wake of the material tragedy of the fire in one organization, what emerged was a shift in the workers and the practices of the organization. Their accounts emphasized challenges, excitement and renewal, which prompt reconsideration of learning at work, in particular the entanglement of affect, materiality and learning in times of change.\nOriginality/value: Much workplace learning research identifies change as conducive to learning. This paper builds on this research by providing new understandings of, and insights into, the enduring effects of change.\n",
"role": "assistant"
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] |
Destination competitiveness in Russia: tourism professionals' skills and competences
|
[
"Russia",
"Competences",
"Sustainability",
"Employability",
"Hospitality education",
"Destination competitiveness"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: A key aspect of a country's ability to grow and develop is without question the quality of its workforce and the relevance of its educational system. This study addresses the competences and skills that hospitality and tourism employees should have to perform efficiently professional responsibilities as well as to help their country's efforts in improving destination competitiveness.\nRussia as a tourism destination: the need for a qualified labor force: Russia has experienced recent tourism development at a rate comparable to some mature European destinations. Russia has a long tradition of internal travel (Artal-Tur et al.2015) but it has only recently opened up to international tourism (UNWTO, 2011, 2015, 2016). With its soviet history, Russia was never a popular destination for the major western markets. However, this started to change in the late 1990s, and the country gradually became more welcoming to travelers (Sheresheva and Kopiski, 2016). In the past two decades, Russia experienced significant economic growth, and with new border policies and the development of travel infrastructure (Mu\"ller, 2014), the country experienced double-digit growth for inbound visits (Euromonitor, 2012, 2015; OECD, 2014, 2016; Rosstat, 2015, 2016; UNWTO, 2013). However, the main international tourist flows tend to be limited to Moscow and St. Petersburg (Euromonitor, 2014).\nHuman resources as a key success factor for competitiveness: TDC has been a frequent topic in the literature (Crouch, 2011; Dwyer and Kim, 2003; Enright and Newton, 2004; Mazanec et al., 2007; WEF, 2017), and competitiveness has become the ultimate goal of any tourism organization or destination. A basic tenet of this paper is the idea that TDC is about more than attracting tourists; it is about a destination's ability to provide visitors with memorable experiences (Andrades-Caldito et al.2014), and to do so, the role of human resources becomes fundamental. Offering such experiences entails that public and private tourism organization personnel have the skills to anticipate tourist needs and satisfy them. Tourist experiences are co-created at the destination with tourist participation and interactions with staff (Andrades and Dimanche, 2014). Consequently, operant resources are important to explain destinations' capability to attract and satisfy tourists and to compete in the marketplace (Line and Runyan, 2014).\nTourism professionals' skills and competences: One aim of hospitality and tourism education is to transmit knowledge and develop skills that will help graduates meet industry needs (Kay and Russette, 2000; Tesone and Ricci, 2005). Higher-education institutions must be able to provide the sector with competent graduates who will be able to perform their jobs efficiently (Johanson et al., 2010). The academic community may be concerned in regards to meeting this goal: An increasing number of studies about identifying industry needs for adequate knowledge and competences are published (Ineson et al., 2011; Testa and Sipe, 2012). This is a concern for not only educators but also professionals (Wallace and Hunt, 1996; Zehrer and Moessenlechner, 2009). Competences are typically understood as the set of knowledge, skills, performance attributes and motivations needed to perform a job efficiently and successfully (Dalton, 1997; Perdue et al., 2001). One can add that being competent is not only about possessing knowledge, but also about having the behavioral capacity to act correctly (Dimmock et al., 2003).\nMethods: Importance-performance analysis (IPA) was originally formulated for marketing purposes, to assist management in the decision process (Martilla and James, 1977). Conceptually, it is an expectation-disconfirmation model, which provides managers with information about those product or service attributes whose improvements would be most appreciated by customers. Therefore, IPA helps organizations manage effectively resources, allocating them on those areas that have more impact on customer satisfaction.\nResults: The sample (Table I) was composed of relatively young tourism professionals who play a managerial role in a variety of businesses, with hotels, restaurants and travel agencies the most represented. Only 10 per cent of the sample exhibits more than 10 years of experience in the sector. All of them had, at least, a tourism management degree. Geographically, 48 per cent of respondents are from Krasnodar region while the rest are from Moscow and St. Petersburg.\nConclusions and implications: The factors of and conditions for tourism development and growth in transition economies have not yet been examined extensively. A number of authors have addressed human resource development issues in China but the case of Russia remains particularly understudied, despite the significant size and growth of this country. Countries with transition economies represent significant markets and destinations for tourism and their characteristics and challenges should be studied and better understood. This research is a step towards better understanding the issue of professional competences in tourism and hospitality as a key aspect of destination competitiveness. It is now well documented that Russia experiences difficulties regarding sustainability, the use of technology in tourism services and distribution, the challenges of attracting international visitors or the relatively negative international image of Russia as a country/destination in Western markets. Another challenge is the country's capacity to train, educate and develop young professionals who will make the destination successful in years to come (Andrades and Dimanche, 2017). This study contributes to understanding Russia's difficulties with respect to providing, through higher education, the workforce that is needed to foster quality and efficient tourism services. More specifically, the study focused on how Russian tourism professionals perceived the relative importance and performance of several skills and competences they should have. The major challenges that Russia's educational system should address are related to environmental issues, tourism-specific knowledge, Internet-related expertise, research expertise, and a service orientation.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: The purpose of this study is to address one of the main issues in Russia's efforts to enhance tourism competitiveness: to educate a qualified workforce at the university level.\nDesign/methodology/approach: A survey of tourism professionals was conducted to assess importance and performance toward a set of hospitality- and tourism management-related skills and competences. An importance-performance analysis was performed to identify relative strengths and weaknesses.\nFindings: Russian professionals need improved competences with respect to sustainable management, marketing and research skills.\nResearch limitations/implications: The study is limited to surveying professionals in the western part of Russia (St Petersburg, Moscow, Krasnodar and Sochi). Nevertheless, its implications for curriculum reform and development should be considered in the whole country.\nPractical implications: The study identifies specific areas for Russian universities to address and focus on in their curriculum reform and development efforts.\nSocial implications: Better education at universities enhances students' employability at the time that supports tourism firms to perform better. Both together help to boost tourism destination competitiveness and sustainability, favoring progress and socio-economic development.\nOriginality/value: Few studies have addressed human resource development in Russia. This study investigates the need for developing skills and competences in hospitality and tourism in Russia. This country has a significant potential for tourism development. Other countries with a developing tourism sector should benefit from the results of this study.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Effect of intellectual capital on dynamic capabilities
|
[
"Social capital",
"Dynamic capabilities",
"Human capital",
"Intellectual capital",
"Organizational capital"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: Due to the rapid global evolution of the knowledge economy and intensified competition, organizations are encountering gruelling challenges to sustain their competitiveness. In this challenging and dynamic business landscape, dynamic capability has emerged as a vital element for firms' growth, survival and competitiveness. This significance of dynamic capability has attracted a huge amount of responsiveness from the research communities (Ambrosini and Bowman, 2009; Ambrosini et al., 2009; Eisenhardt and Martin, 2000; Helfat and Peteraf, 2009; Li and Liu, 2014; Teece, 2007; Zollo and Winter, 2002; Zahra et al., 2006) not only in its native domain of strategic management, but also in logistics (Glenn et al., 2005), risk management (O'Connor et al., 2008) marketing and entrepreneurship (Barreto, 2010). From this overarching concern, dynamic capability becomes the common goal of every firm for achieving strategic agendas, and research on the dynamic capability factor turns out to be the need of the hour (Ambrosini et al., 2009; Chien and Tsai, 2012; Eisenhardt and Martin, 2000; Helfat and Peteraf, 2009; Lin and Wu, 2014; McKelvie and Davidsson, 2009; Nieves and Haller, 2014; Singh et al., 2015; Tseng and Lee, 2014; Wu, 2006; Wang and Ahmed, 2007; Zahra et al., 2006).\nConceptual framework and hypotheses: Based on an extensive review and synthesis of intellectual capital and dynamic capability literature, conceptual framework of this study is depicted in Figure 1 that shows the several relationships between intellectual capital and dynamic capabilities. Essentially, the framework assumes that human, social and organizational capital dimensions of intellectual capital affects the development of learning, integration, reconfiguration and alliance management capabilities and illustrates the role of specific knowledge resources for developing different dynamic capabilities (learning, integration reconfiguration and alliance management capabilities).\nDynamic capabilities: Since the conceptualization of DCV (Teece et al., 1997) numerous researchers have explored the definitions, precursors, processes and aftermaths of dynamic capabilities (Ambrosini et al., 2009; Chien and Tsai, 2012; Easterby-Smith et al., 2009; Helfat et al., 2007; Lin and Wu, 2014; Sher and Lee, 2004; McKelvie and Davidsson, 2009; Nieves and Haller, 2014; Prieto and Easterby-Smith, 2006; Teece, 2007; Tseng and Lee, 2014; Wu, 2006; Zahra et al., 2006). However, consensus is somehow missing on its conceptualization. Originally, dynamic capability was defined as \"firm's ability to integrate, build and reconfigure internal and external competences to address rapidly changing environments\" (Teece et al., 1997). Further, dynamic capability was explained as \"a learned and stable pattern of collective activities directed to the development and adaptation of operating routines\" (Zollo and Winter, 2002). Later on, dynamic capabilities was described as \"firm's behavioural orientation constantly to integrate, reconfigure, renew and recreate its resources and capabilities and, most importantly, upgrade and reconstruct its core capabilities in response to the changing environment to attain and sustain competitive advantage\" (Wang and Ahmed, 2007).\nIntellectual capital: In 1969, Galbraith coined the term intellectual capital and outlined it as intellect, knowledge, skills and brainpower activity that whenever utilized, will create value. Since then, numerous interpretations have been arisen. Intellectual capital has been defined as packaged useful knowledge (Stewart, 1997) convertible into profit (Sullivan, 2000) and value (Edvinsson and Sullivan, 1996). It is also deliberated as a critical intangible asset for future competitiveness that firm should manage and deploy in order to achieve desired outcomes (Hsu and Sabherwal, 2012; Hsu and Wang, 2012; Mondal and Ghosh, 2012; Shih et al., 2010; Wiig, 1997).\nIntellectual capital and dynamic capabilities: Existing literature indicates a significant association of knowledge and dynamic capabilities. For instance, Teece et al. (1997) and Eisenhardt and Martin (2000) outlined knowledge as a significant factor for firm's dynamic capabilities. Sher and Lee (2004) posited endogenous and exogenous knowledge as an impacting factor for developing dynamic capabilities in manufacturing and service firms. Wu (2006) established that Taiwanese IT enterprises build dynamic capabilities through knowledge resources. Chien and Tsai (2012) found that knowledge is a critical driver of dynamic capabilities in the Taiwanese restaurant chain. McKelvie and Davidsson (2009) associated employee human capital and founder's human capital with dynamic capability in new firms. Nieves and Haller (2014) linked human capital and organizational declarative and procedural knowledge with dynamic capabilities in the hotel industry. Lin and Wu (2014) mentioned the contributory role of valuable, rare, inimitable and non-substitutable resources for different dynamic capabilities in Taiwanese companies. Similarly, Reijsen et al. (2014) cited the significant linkage of internal social capital as opposed to external social capital with dynamic capability in large and SME's.\nResearch approach: Research context and sample\nEmpirical results: Measurement model\nDiscussion and conclusion: The empirical analysis has revealed several key findings.\nTheoretical contributions of the study: This study addresses the un-clarified and under-explored issues left by previous researchers in numerous ways. First, the study funds to the emerging knowledge on dynamic capability evolution. Second, the study postulates explicit details on the role of specific knowledge resource for developing different dynamic capabilities. Prior literature basically examines the association in a holistic pattern or else, concentrates on personal or relational aspects of knowledge resources and generally left out structural aspect. Third, this study fulfils the methodological demand of the dynamic capability domain as mentioned by Prieto and Easterby-Smith (2006) by employing SEM. Fourth, this study broadens the concepts appeal in new geographical boundaries and empirical context. Fifth, three influential paradigms of strategic management, i.e. RBV, KBV and DCV are jointly applied first time in the banking industry. Overall, this study is an original contribution to the banking industry and strategic management literature that offers a rich set of results.\nManagerial implications of the study: This study has key implications for the managers willing to nurture or develop dynamic capability portfolio of the firm. Although dynamic capability can be developed, organizational initiatives may go pear-shaped due to lack of awareness on the critical drivers of the particular type of dynamic capability. The study puts forward intellectual capital as a vital driver and clarifies the role of each dimension of intellectual capital on different dynamic capabilities. Thus, this study serves decision makers a base for strategic decision making regarding specific dynamic capability development and respective knowledge resources investment.\nLimitations and future avenues: The present study has definite limitations that offer the possible areas for further research undertakings. First, the cross-lagged nature of the present research prevents the examination of causal relationship within a large span of time and upholds the interpretation of the results with caution. Thus, longitudinal studies would be valued to realize how the association of intellectual capital and dynamic capabilities develop and fluctuate over time. Second, employed self-report data may bring potential common-method variance. Although several cures have been taken, yet, future research should consider the perceptions of the numerous agents involved in developing dynamic capabilities.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to examine the effects of intellectual capital (human, social and organizational capital) on dynamic capabilities (learning, integration, reconfiguration and alliance management).\nDesign/methodology/approach: A methodical review of relevant literature and the theory of resource-based view, knowledge-based view and dynamic capability view serves as a starting-point to develop a framework for linking intellectual capital with dynamic capabilities. A total of 241 managers from the public sector banks in India was selected as sample of study and structural equation modelling was applied to provide strong evidence for the hypothesis.\nFindings: The study established a strong effect of intellectual capital dimensions on dynamic capabilities in the surveyed banking firms. Human and social capital had the most profound effect on learning, integration, reconfiguration and alliance management capabilities. As regards to organizational capital, an unexpected negative effect on reconfiguration and alliance management capabilities was observed.\nOriginality/value: The study clarifies the role of knowledge for various capability developments. One of the significant contributions is with reference to the linkages of structural aspects of knowledge and dynamic capabilities, a link that can barely be seen in the existing literature. To the author's knowledge the present study makes a preliminary effort to broaden the concepts appeal in new geographical boundaries and empirical context, thus making an original contribution to the Indian banking industry and strategic management literature, significantly.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
User experience in personalized online shopping: a fuzzy-set analysis
|
[
"Consumer behaviour",
"Trust",
"Privacy",
"E-commerce",
"Emotions",
"Fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA)"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: With the advancement of digital platforms, online shopping environments are evolving as well, and they are able to offer consumers more options in the purchase process, providing them with better services and products. Indeed, personalization strategies can be used to influence consumers' behaviour and increase their loyalty both offline (Melewar et al., 2017) and online (Ho and Bodoff, 2014; Pappas et al., 2016), while at the same time they may indicate a company's commitment to offer value to its customers (Adobe, 2015). By 2020, four billion people are expected to be online, suggesting that addressing customers' needs will be more important than ever (IDC, 2015) while developing new or improved business strategies and models. Personalization can change consumers' behaviour, and reduce acquisition costs, while increasing revenues, and marketing efficiency (Ariker et al., 2015). However, marketing practice requires further advancement, as it is not at the same level as current technical capabilities (Adobe, 2015).\nTheoretical background: Complexity theory and configuration theory\nMethodology: Data collection\nFindings: Measurements\nDiscussion, implications and future work: The present work proposes that trust, privacy, emotions, and experience combine to form different configurations that can explain online purchase intentions in personalized service settings. Drawing from complexity theory and configuration theory, a conceptual model is developed to identify such configurations (or combinations), which includes four antecedents of online shopping adoption, that are trust, privacy, emotions, and experience, and purchase intention as the outcome variable. The findings identify multiple configurations explaining both high and low/medium intention to purchase and highlight the importance of trust, privacy, emotions, and experience for the adoption of personalized services in online shopping. Trust, happiness, and customer experience are key reasons that people continue purchasing online, whereas bad service and product experience, which lead to negative emotions or a lack of positive experience overall, are key reasons for people stopping online shopping.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: In the complex environments of online personalization, multiple factors have been considered to explain consumers' online behaviour, but largely without considering the role of specific configurations of variables and how they may affect consumer behaviour. This study aims to show how trust towards online vendors, privacy, emotions and experience combine to predict consumers' purchase intentions.\nDesign/methodology/approach: Building on complexity theory, a conceptual model followed by research propositions is presented. The propositions are empirically validated through configurational analysis, using fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) on 182 customers with experience in personalized online shopping. Predictive validity analysis is also performed.\nFindings: Five solutions of trust, privacy, emotions and experience increase intention to purchase, and six solutions inhibit it. The findings verify the importance of trust and happiness in successful personalized online shopping. Their absence inhibits purchase intentions. Also, high experience may help to overcome low trust or negative emotions, whereas low experience requires the combination of high trust and happiness. None of the examined factors are indispensable to explain purchase intentions.\nResearch limitations/implications: The study uses fsQCA, differentiating from traditional studies in the area that use variance-based methods and identifies multiple solutions explaining the same outcome. The proposed approach contributes to theory development in the field.\nPractical implications: The multiple solutions lead to new ways on how companies may approach their customers, as each one covers a specific part of the sample, adding to the fact that in personalized marketing there is not one single optimal solution explaining customer purchase intentions.\nOriginality/value: This study contributes by extending existing knowledge on how trust, privacy, emotions and experience combine to increase or mitigate intention to purchase towards the development of new emotion-centric theories and the design and provision of personalized services and presenting a step-by-step methodological approach for how to apply fsQCA in e-commerce studies.\n",
"role": "assistant"
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] |
Consumer privacy issues in mobile commerce: a comparative study of British, French and Romanian consumers
|
[
"Consumers",
"Privacy",
"Mobile communication systems",
"Europe"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n__NO_TITLE__: An executive summary for managers and executive readers can be found at the end of this article.\nIntroduction: The rapid development of wireless communication technology has created new opportunities and challenges for both consumers and marketers. In comparison with other electronic communication channels, such as the internet, mobile devices have specific characteristics that facilitate highly customised marketing communication in terms of person, time, location and context (Scharl et al., 2005). On the other hand, the ease to locate and communicate with mobile phone users creates significant potential threats for consumers' privacy (Leek and Christodoulides, 2009).The new generations of mobile phones started to incorporate advanced computing and communication facilities, such as location-tracking or position-aware applications, which can be used by mobile phone companies, relatives and friends, or third parties, to identify the specific location of a mobile phone user (Leek and Christodoulides, 2009). With the introduction of the SMS and mobile web browsers, the phenomenon of spam has infected also the mobile phones (Smith, 2005). A new generation of hackers started to attack mobile devices, creating specific viruses. Recently, a company called Vervata announced the development of the first spyware for mobile phones - FlexiSPY - that is \"absolutely undetectable by the user\", and which can be used to monitor the SMS messages that are send and received, or to record the duration and the history of these calls. The data captured is then sent to Vervata's servers, being accessible by customers via a special website (Evers, 2006).Previous publications have emphasised customers' concerns regarding the threats to their privacy in the mobile commerce environment and the need for higher privacy standards (Dixon, 2007; King, 2008; Milne and Rohm, 2003), however, there are yet no studies that investigate privacy issues using a multi-level or a multi-cultural approach. This paper attempts, on one hand to provide a comparison of mobile consumers' perceptions regarding privacy issues in three different national and cultural contexts (England, France and Romania), and on the other hand, to investigate the strategic approach taken by respondents for protecting their privacy.After a brief presentation of the existing studies and theories regarding consumers' privacy in the mobile commerce environment, the research methodology used to collect secondary and primary data is explained. The analysis of the collected data is complemented by a discussion of the main results in relation to the existing literature. The article ends with a revision of the main findings and limitations of this study, and with propositions for future research.\nConsumer privacy issues in mobile commerce: Privacy was constantly considered a central issue in relation to the use of Information and Communication Technologies. However, its meaning has evolved in direct relation to the social transformations determined by the evolution of technology. Palen and Dourish (2003) have analysed the issue of privacy within a networked environment, using the theoretical framework developed by Altman. Altman (1975, 1977) argues that privacy is not a fixed and immutable concept, but represents a selective control of access to the self, regulated through a process of dialectic and dynamic boundary regulation. For Altman, privacy does not simply means avoiding information disclosure, but rather a selective disclosure of personal information that permits us to reconcile the desire for a private life with the maintenance of an accepted social persona (Margulis, 2003).The realisation and maintenance of this equilibrium between private and social are increasingly complex in a networked society, in which the very existence of a person is linked to some form of information sharing (see Figure 1). The extreme case of total privacy control will imply an asocial life, which eliminates not only the disadvantages but also the advantages of communication and social involvement.The case of mobile phones is rather symptomatic for this situation: the use of mobile phones provides clear personal and social advantages, together with a series of threats and problems concerning the management of personal information. The solutions to these privacy issues should be identified and applied intelligently, in order to eliminate or reduce the problem, but also to maintain the advantages offered by mobile communication and computing. Most of the existing studies are only indirectly addressing the issue of privacy, their primary focus being on the consumer acceptance of mobile advertising (Bruner and Kumar, 2007; Carroll et al., 2007; Drossos et al., 2007; Ferris, 2007; Leek and Christodoulides, 2009; Merisavo et al., 2007) or the principle of permission-based advertising (Barnes and Scornovacca, 2004; Barwise and Strong, 2002; McCarthy, 2008).The first logical step in solving privacy problems is to identify the range and intensity of these issues. The existing studies outline the following customer privacy threats related with mobile commerce (Dixon, 2007; King, 2008; Milne and Rohm, 2003):* unsolicited calls, MMS, or intrusive advertising on websites accessed though mobile devices;* collecting information about consumer profile and/or behaviour without consumer consent;* incapacity to control the inclusion of personal or behavioural information in marketing databases (the opt-in/opt-out principle); and* using consumer information for other purposes than those explicitly accepted by consumers.On the other hand, it is necessary to identify the existing solutions for eliminating or limiting these threats, as well as the locus of responsibility in developing and implementing these solutions. A review of the existing publications indicate two major solutions for reinforcing and respecting consumers' privacy: the development of voluntary codes of conduct by professional associations (Mobile Marketing Association, 2008), and the legislation developed and applied by governmental or supra-governmental institutions (Cleff, 2007; King, 2008). Oddly enough, the consumer is often presented only as a victim, who has to be actively protected, but who hardly has any responsibility in the protection of its own privacy rights (Dixon, 2007; Federal Trade Commission, 2008; Milne and Rohm, 2003).The studies of Xu and Teo (2004, 2005) introduced the concept of locus of control, to express the belief that people have the ability to affect the outcomes of their own actions, and applied it to privacy protection in the area of location-based services (mostly associated with mobile devices). They identified three main privacy insurance approaches that could lower consumers' privacy concerns:* technology-based assurance of control via mobile device that empowers consumers' direct control over the disclosure of personal information;* institution-based assurance of control via self-regulation of corporate practices; and* institution-based assurance of control via legislation.Although this is an interesting attempt to clearly define and categorise the alternative sources of privacy control, in reality it is impossible to separate these three approaches that are both dynamic and interdependent. On the other hand, since privacy concerns are related with individual perceptions and actions (that can vary from one person to another), we consider that the focal point of these three control approaches should be the consumer. The mobile device user should therefore not only used the technology-based control, but to be aware of the other two sources of privacy protection, combining them, on a case-by-case basis, in order to adjust the subjective balance between privacy costs and commercial benefits. The effectiveness of consumer privacy protection in the mobile commerce environment should therefore be based on the effective knowledge and use of all three systems (see Figure 2):* specialised national legislation enforced by governmental institutions;* privacy rules applied by commercial organisations; and* the personal privacy protection strategy of individual consumers.Unfortunately, there is yet no existing study that takes into consideration the interdependence of these three elements, from the point of view of the individual customer. This study attempts to address this theoretical and practical gap, by investigating the perception of individual consumers regarding privacy threats, but also their personal strategy for reinforcing privacy protection.\nResearch methodology: Considering the existing gaps in the specialised literature on customers' privacy in the mobile commercial environment, the following research objectives have been defined for this study:* To compare mobile consumers' perceptions regarding privacy issues in three different national and cultural contexts (England, France and Romania).* To identify and compare the personal strategy applied by respondents to protect their privacy in the mobile commerce environment.* To investigate the influence of age, gender and intensity of mobile phone usage, on the privacy protection strategy adopted by respondents.In the first stage of the research process, a series of academic and professional articles have been accessed and analysed in order to identify the main consumer privacy issues in the mobile commerce environment. This secondary research provided useful information about the existing studies, and helped the development of a primary research framework. On the other hand, the secondary data regarding the mobile phone penetration rate in the investigated countries facilitated the understanding of the national context in which privacy issues are defined and perceived.In the second stage of the research process a questionnaire was developed and tested on a sample of ten randomly selected mobile phone users in each of the investigated countries. The answers and the comments provided by these respondents have been used to improve the structure and the content of the questionnaire. Then, the questionnaire was applied to 300 randomly selected mobile phone users in each of the three investigated countries. All respondents included in this study indicated that they use mobile phones or other mobile devices for commercial purposes. Primary data collection was realised during March-June 2008, in multiple locations of the three mentioned countries (see Table I).The questions were designed to collect information about:* the demographic/behavioural profile of respondents: age, gender and intensity of use of mobile devices;* the level of danger associated with different privacy threats specific for the mobile commerce environment;* the level of respondents' awareness regarding the specific methods/procedures that can enhance the protection of personal privacy; and* the personal strategy applied by respondents to enhance privacy protection.The collected data have been analysed using the SPSS software package. In line with the exploratory approach adopted in this study, the statistical methods used to analyse the data were frequency, cross-tabulations, and the Chi square test. On the other hand, the personal comments provided by respondents during the data collection process represent an interesting complement to the qualitative findings.\nPresentation and analysis of data: The penetration of mobile devices in the three investigated countries\nThe influence of age, gender and intensity of mobile phone usage, on the privacy protection strategy adopted by respondents: Gender\nPractical implications: Because of the specific organisation of mobile phone operators and the restrictions introduced by national legislations, mobile marketing activities were designed and implemented mainly at national level. However, there are strong signs of de-regulation, which create the necessary premises for a common mobile telecommunication market within the European Union (Gremont et al., 2008). The integration of national markets will soon force mobile marketers to evolve from a national strategy to a European approach. In these circumstances the necessity and the utility of transnational and comparative studies will significantly increase. The mobile marketers will need empirical data about consumer perceptions, attitudes and behaviours, in order to identify the limits of standardisation and integration of mobile marketing campaigns. On the other hand, the privacy policy of mobile marketers represents, in the specific context of the mobile market, an essential element for consumer acceptance, adoption and use of mobile marketing offers.The findings of this study can provide useful insights for corporate managers, legislators, and customers. Virtual retailers should attempt to design clear privacy statements that provide not only the necessary level of assurance for customers, but also a series mechanisms that facilitate consumers' control over the collection and use of their personal information (such as opt-in/out-out alternatives). On the other hand, the findings indicate an important variability in consumers' perceptions and behaviour regarding mobile privacy issues, which requires a better segmentation of mobile consumer population and the application of specific privacy control strategies. It is also important to note that consumers' attitudes regarding mobile privacy are strongly influenced by the perceived benefits of mobile advertising. Therefore, an increased personalisation of mobile advertising, which provides additional value to mobile customers, can significantly enhance mobile marketing adoption and use.The legislators must develop more effective privacy protection legislation, but also new ways to educate mobile consumers regarding their specific privacy rights and responsibilities. Some of the results indicate, for example, that in Romania the level of mobile customers' awareness is very low in regards to privacy protection legislation, which can create false interpretations and perceptions about the role of state authorities.Finally, the mobile consumers should understand that it is not only their right, but also their responsibility to protect their personal privacy. In this respect no rigid formula can be applied, since every person is different in terms of interests, behaviours, experience and perceptions. Privacy is not a rigid, static element, but a dynamic phenomenon that should be continuously negotiated and balanced in terms of the specific costs and benefits perceived by each individual customer.\nConcluding remarks: This study attempted to address consumer privacy issues specific for the mobile commerce environment, introducing both a multi-cultural and an individual approach. At multi-cultural level, the findings demonstrated that the national environment has indeed an influence on the consumers' perception of privacy issues. On the other hand, the specific national environment has an impact on consumers' choice of their privacy protection strategy. However, the exploratory nature of this study has limited the depth of analysis to descriptive statistics. This research should be continued and expanded in order to identify the specific socio-economic and cultural factors that determine the change in perceptions from one country to another (e.g. the amount and the intensity of mobile advertising, the cultural acceptance of un solicited advertising, the level of confidence in privacy protection legislation and in state institutions, etc.).The personal profile of consumers (gender, age and intensity of mobile devices usage) introduces a variation in their knowledge about privacy legislation, as in the choice of their personal protection strategy. The findings of this study indicate that the behavioural profile of respondents (intensity of mobile device usage) represents a strong segmentation criteria regarding the choice of a privacy protection strategy. These results should be empirically validated by further research, and other behavioural factors should be investigated. It is also necessary to take into account the level of experience of mobile device users, since their privacy protection strategy may evolve in time, as well as the frequency of purchase from specific retailers, since the level of privacy protection might be negatively correlated with their level of trust in various virtual retailers.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: - This paper aims on one hand to provide a comparison of mobile consumers' perceptions regarding privacy issues in three different national and cultural contexts (England, France and Romania), and on the other hand, to investigate the strategic approach taken by respondents for protecting their privacy.\nDesign/methodology/approach: - Both secondary and primary data are collected and analysed. Secondary data collection focuses on the topic of consumer privacy issues in mobile commerce. Primary data collection was realised between March-June 2008, when 300 mobile device users answered to a face-to-face questionnaire, in each of the three investigated countries.\nFindings: - Both the country of origin and the personal profile of users, are influencing their perception regarding privacy threats in the mobile commerce environment, as well as the privacy protection strategy they adopt.\nResearch limitations/implications: - This study has an exploratory approach, the results being mostly descriptive. The findings can provide a useful insight for marketers, legislators and consumers regarding the privacy related concerns and behaviours in the mobile commerce environment.\nOriginality/value: - This study realises a multi-country comparative analysis regarding the perceptions of mobile device users, and investigates the influence of their profile on the personal privacy protection strategy adopted in the mobile commerce environment.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Women's activewear trends and drivers: a systematic review
|
[
"Women",
"Trends",
"Consumers",
"Activewear",
"Physical activity"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: Women are a significant and partially untapped segment in the sport and activewear marketplace. Quester et al. (2014) assert how important it is for marketers to identify the motives that influence the behaviour of their target market. In the case of women's activewear, these motives are evolving. If marketers of activewear assume that women identify with the \"traditional\" idea of the female athlete, they may be missing out on the majority of women who do not connect with this identity (Glass, 2014). A prudent activewear marketer would seek to understand the trends and future projections of how women are physically active, and how their apparel might better meet their needs.\nMethods: Activewear has been defined quite narrowly as clothing designed for being active in sport or exercise, and more broadly as clothing designed to transition from leisure to casual daytime wear or evening wear. In the current literature search, a broad definition of activewear was utilised in regard to the search terms. However, some link to being active in the design purpose of the garments, such as sport, exercise or being outdoors was important. This helped differentiate the term \"sportswear\", which in Asia and Europe refers to apparel for the purpose of being active, from the USA where it is a fashion term that defines casual day wear.\nResults and discussion: what do we know about the influences on women's activewear consumption?: The review identified six key themes in the literature: activewear sales growth; impact on branding; activewear as fashion; consumer decision making; generation and age; and marketing to women. The findings generally highlight the lack of focus specifically on women in this area of research.\nConclusion: This review is the first to identify what knowledge exists and more importantly what gaps are evident in understanding the drivers and industry trends that pertain to female consumers of activewear. Very few studies have sought to identify the specific consumer context of women and many missed the opportunity to make meaningful and reliable gender comparisons. This review is also the first to link marketing and design of women's activewear to the needs of female consumers based on their actual patterns and trends in physical activity.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: The activewear industry would benefit from an evidence-based understanding of how activewear is incorporated into women's lives and their changing participation in physical activity. Activewear brands may be missing the trend of women moving from organised sport to non-organised and individualised sport and recreation. The purpose of this paper is to explore the degree to which academic and industry research understood patterns and influences on female's activewear consumption and identified what significant gaps are evident in understanding the drivers and industry trends that pertain to female consumers of activewear.\nDesign/methodology/approach: The systematic literature review sought academic and industry research papers. Articles were selected if they included female participants; and/or addressed consumer related information; and focussed on active wear. Article findings were thematically analysed.\nFindings: Most literature exploring activewear consumption fails to take gender into consideration or explore unique female consumer profiles. Females are bringing activewear into other parts of their wardrobe and place more value on fashion, even for sports attire. Research identified the need for activewear brands to consider lifestyle, emotional and personality elements of consumer behaviour. However a specific focus on women's branding was absent. Women's age and generation influenced their activewear consumption. Although some industry reports discussed the shift in use of activewear, no studies explored the impact of the critical shift in women's physical activity patterns on the activewear industry.\nOriginality/value: This review identifies the gap in knowledge regarding women's activewear consumption patterns and needs, and the importance of reflecting the changes in female physical activity participation. It also links marketing and design of women's activewear to the needs of female consumers based on their actual patterns and trends in physical activity. The findings are relevant to activewear researchers, brands, marketers and producers.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Step change-point estimation of multivariate binomial processes
|
[
"Change point",
"Maximum likelihhod estimator",
"MEWMA control charts",
"Multi-attribute processes",
"Root/power transformation",
"T2 control charts",
"Statistical process control (SPC)",
"Multivariate binomial distribution"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n1. Introduction and literature review: Statistical control charts are one of the most important statistical process control tools used to monitor the quality characteristics of a process. Despite the fact that control charts are very useful in distinguishing between common and special causes of process variation and determining the out-of-control conditions, neither they determine the real time at which the process has moved to out-of-control state (change point), nor they provide specific information about the root causes of the process variation. Nonetheless, in monitoring a process by a control chart, when the chart generates a signal due to the out-of-control condition, process engineers start a search to identify the special causes of process variation. In these cases, knowing the time of the process change would simplify the search for identification of the special causes. In other words, if process engineers know the time of change in the process, they can start a search in process around this point and identify the root causes that led to the process change. However, in most cases the signaling time is far away from the time of the process change.\n2. The proposed control charts for multi-attribute processes: The majority of multivariate control charts have been constructed based on multivariate normal distribution and are a generalization of Shewhart-type control charts. The normal distribution is symmetric with zero skewness whereas, there exist some skewness in multi-attribute distributions and consequently using normal-based control charts with zero skewness will cause some problems (see Niaki and Abbasi, 2007a, b, 2009 for more details). The most important problem is the skewness involved in the attributes in which inattention leads to misleading results in distinguishing the in and out-of-control conditions (see Niaki and Abbasi, 2007a, b, 2009 for more details). To overcome this problem the root transformation and power transformation methods proposed by Niaki and Abbasi (2007a) and Abbasi et al. (2011), respectively, are employed to almost eliminate the skewness. These remedies are described in the following subsections.\n3. Modeling the process and MLE derivation: In monitoring processes by proposed control charts, as long as the plotted points fall below UCL, the process assumed in-control. However, when a point exceeds UCL, the chart signals a change in the process parameters and the process is assumed out-of-control. The most important problem is that the chart signals after a considerable amount of time after the change point. Therefore, knowing when the change had actually occurred would substantially improve the diagnostic procedure in which one can focus on around the estimated change point in order to identify and remove the root causes of variation, as quickly as possible.\n4. Performance evaluation of the change point estimator: In this section, the performances of the proposed change point estimator are evaluated by Monte Carlo simulation approach, where using both control charts the estimated change points for various shift magnitudes are reported.\n5. A real case: An illustrative example provided by Mukhopadhyay (2008) is used in this section to show the applicability and the implementation of the proposed method. The example deals with the fraction non-conforming of various kinds of paint defects of a ceiling fan cover, including poor covering, overflow, patty defect, bubbles, paint defects and buffing defects. Considering the two first paint defects of poor covering and overflow, the data are presented in Table IX, in which the sample size is changed to 100 (see also Yang and Yeh, 2011). Since, based on a preliminary analysis, all observations are within the control limits, the first 15 observations are used as the in-control observations of the process and thereafter, a shift of size d\n6. Conclusions: When a control chart issues a signal due to an out-of-control condition of a process, it is important to note that there exists a difference between the signaling time and the process change-point, and in most cases, the change had really occurred much earlier than the signaling time. Therefore, providing an accurate estimate of the change point would enable process engineers to identify and eliminate the root causes of process variation in a quick manner and improve the quality of the process. In this paper, two new control charts based on a transformation method was first proposed to monitor multi-attribute processes. Then, the MLE of a step-change in the parameter vector of a multivariate binomial process monitored by the proposed control charts was derived. Using Mote Carlo simulation, the performances of the proposed estimator were next evaluated for processes with various dimensions. We showed that for both control schemes the estimator works well in estimating the time of a step-change in the parameter vector of a multivariate binomial process for different shift magnitudes, regardless of the process dimension. However, the change point estimates obtained from the MEWMA control chart are generally closer to the actual change point for small shift magnitudes while the Hotelling T2 control chart provides better estimates of change point as the shift magnitudes gets larger. We also showed that the proposed estimator is independent of the values of correlation and provides accurate and useful estimation of the change point.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to propose two control charts to monitor multi-attribute processes and then a maximum likelihood estimator for the change point of the parameter vector (process fraction non-conforming) of multivariate binomial processes.\nDesign/methodology/approach: The performance of the proposed estimator is evaluated for both control charts using some simulation experiments. At the end, the applicability of the proposed method is illustrated using a real case.\nFindings: The proposed estimator provides accurate and useful estimation of the change point for almost all of the shift magnitudes, regardless of the process dimension. Moreover, based on the results obtained the estimator is robust with regard to different correlation values.\nOriginality/value: To the best of authors' knowledge, there are no work available in the literature to estimate the change-point of multivariate binomial processes.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
The influence of plants on productivity: A critical assessment of research findings and test methods
|
[
"Plants",
"Productivity rate",
"Research methods",
"Work psychology",
"Workplace"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: In order to be able to design the optimal working environment where people can flourish in their work and organisations will be successful, it is important to know how the physical environment affects people and productivity. One of the variables is the presence of plants. In search for evidence-based knowledge about the impact of plants on labour productivity it turned out that the existing literature is not always clear on what the impact exactly is. It is needed to define this impact more exactly. Second, we observed a large variety of research methods and test conditions. As a consequence, the comparability of different research projects and the conclusions that came out of the research is limited. And third, the first scan of a number of studies and included references showed that in particular information about the plants themselves is often lacking. This is an omission, because probably nobody will be more productive by seeing a faded or dead plant. Apart from the appearance, the type of the plant may be an important issue too. It may be expected that people respond differently when seeing a cactus or a rose plant. These observations have led to three main questions for a more extensive literature review on the impact of plants on productivity:1. What is the influence of plants on productivity?2. Are different studies sufficiently comparable to draw sound conclusions?3. What is the impact of the appearance and vitality of the plant?These questions have been rephrased into three hypotheses:H1. Plants have a different impact on different types of productivity.Productivity covers a diversity of activities such as routine work and creativity. Creativity tasks and complex knowledge work need inspiration and deepening. Through history many statements of famous philosophers, writers and artists such as Nietzsche or Liszt refer to the inspiring and deepening effect of nature. Our hypothesis is that in case of routine work plants might help to support wellbeing and as such keep people going on, whereas in case of creativity work a positive effect is expected in relation to inspiration and deepening:H2. Research concerning the impact of plants on productivity is not well comparable.Research is rather complex. Even when the focus is just on one \"dependant\" variable, plants, many \"independent\" variables can influence the results. It is expected that research so far does not use standardised research methods.H3. Both the appearance, type and vitality of the plant have an impact on the productivity.One of the wonders of nature is its infinite variation combined within certain patterns and structures. Each variety has its own characteristics. As a consequence one might expect different effects of different plants. In particular, the vitality of a plant is expected to be important. Probably a healthy plant has a more positive impact on people than a plant that is not vital. In addition it is important that a plant lives in an environment with healthy conditions that support the plant and conditions people need.\nResearch methods and conceptual model: Initially, 17 studies from renowned researchers and research institutes were collected (see the Appendix). These documents have been scanned on possible effects of plants on people and labour productivity, relevant variables and references for further reading (see list of references). Without any exception all studies make a significant contribution to the field. Together an incredible amount of data has been collected on many different effects. Second, in order to enlarge the knowledge that came out of the documents - both technical and psychological - discussions with specialists of the knowledge institutes TNO and Fytagoras/TNO have taken place as well. Third, because of the many different phenomena that are being mentioned in the studies and additional references, the need came up to develop a conceptual model that visualises the different types of impact of plants on human beings (Figure 1). Two different mechanisms were traced:1. Evolutionary influence. Since our genesis we have been surrounded by green plants and trees. From this point of view it is generally assumed that seeing plants has, in general, a restful effect (Ulrich, 1984; Kaplan and Kaplan, 1989).2. Healthy indoor climate. Plants have an impact on the indoor climate; this indoor climate in turn affects people and their productivity (Wolverton, 1989; Wood et al., 2004).The evolution of human beings and a healthy indoor climate affect people in three ways: plants evoke a physical/physiological response, an affective response and/or a cognitive response. In the literature six components of the indoor climate are being mentioned in relation to the impact of plants: light, temperature, relative air humidity, air quality, sound and static electricity. Another point of attention is the characteristics of plants themselves, including form properties and metabolics. The latter are hardly mentioned in the literature.This conceptual model has been used as a guiding principle to analyse and discuss the collected data to examine the research findings and conclusions in the studies more closely. In a cyclic process of reading, reflecting, discussing, further reading, etc. a list of items has been traced with regard to the test conditions (Table I). This list includes six main aspects:1. characteristics of the plant;2. the test surroundings;3. the test persons;4. the test process;5. test strategies; and6. methods and variables.Table II shows the variables that have been investigated in each research.\nResearch findings: Effects of plants on human beings: physical/ physiological, affective and cognitive response\nReflections on the attention paid to five test items: As has been said before, to improve the comparability of research on plants, a test structure has been developed with five test characteristics that should be described very clearly: the plant; the test surroundings; the test persons; the test process; and the test itself. Furthermore standard items have been formulated per aspect. The collected studies have been examined on the attention paid to these five aspects and the components (Table II).The plant itself\nA closer look at the appearance and vitality of a plant: Table V shows an overview of relevant aspects with regard to appearance and vitality. Based on this scheme, all remarks about the appearance and vitality of plants have been collected and analysed. It is obvious that researchers do not pay sufficient attention to the appearance of plants or their health condition. Research with significant evidence of the impact of the appearance and health condition of a plant on human behaviour has not been found yet. It has been noted that plants with flowers give most entertainment. Costa and James (1995) discuss the size of the leaf and/or the length of the little hairs in connection with admission of specks of dust and chemical substances. Only the study of Van Dortmont and Bergs (1997) discusses plant properties based on conversations with garden experts.The comparative analysis shows that hardly any attention is being paid to the properties of the plant itself, like the shape of the leaves, colours and structures of the vascular bundle. One can imagine that a cactus has another effect on people than a rose plant, and that an unhealthy or nearly dead plant makes people feel less pleasantly than a strong and healthy plant. These considerations are missing in nowadays research.\nDiscussion and conclusions: H1. Plants have a different impact on different types of productivity\nRecommendations: It is highly recommended to make the approach of future research less unambiguous in order to improve its comparability with other research and to support sound conclusions. For that purpose a more elaborate standard research approach is needed. The tables and schemes that came out of this paper may be helpful here, in particular in recording of the properties of plants in a structured way. It is also important to use unambiguous definitions without overlaps and to pay more attention to the appearance and vitality of plants. This will help to create a more complete picture. However, people have to be humble. Nature is so infinite in her expressions that it is impossible to gather all variations of nature in a model made by human beings. Finally it is recommended to pay more attention to the health of the plants themselves. It is hypothesised that the happier the plant, the more positive effect the plant has on human beings. It is interesting to study this hypothesis more closely.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: - This paper aims to review available research into the impact of plants on people and labour productivity in order to test a number of hypotheses and the reliability and validity of \"evidence based\" statements.\nDesign/methodology/approach: - An extended literature review was conducted of research concerning the potential impacts of plants on people and labour productivity. In order to be able to compare the findings of different researchers, an analysis was made of similarities and dissimilarities with regard to the research context, starting-points and test methods.\nFindings: - The paper identifies a lack of precise descriptions of the research design and poor comparability between different research with regard to the characteristics of the plant, test persons, test procedures, surrounding conditions and contents of the reports. Although it can be concluded that plants can have a positive impact on the productivity of human beings, it is remarkable that in research reports and research papers the properties of the plant itself are only mentioned by exception. The condition of the plant - whether it is healthy or not - is not described at all.\nResearch limitations/implications: - Only 17 studies and underlying papers were investigated and no new research was conducted with the proposed improvements.\nPractical implications: - The findings can be used by managers to legitimate investments in plants and by researchers to improve (the comparability of) research into plants.\nOriginality/value: - In addition to the review of the impact of plants on different types of productivity a vision is presented about the impact of the vitality of plants. Furthermore recommendations are given on how to cope with the methodological problem of poor comparability of research.\n",
"role": "assistant"
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] |
Influence of environmental and organizational factors on the success of internet-based interorganizational systems planning
|
[
"Internet",
"Information systems",
"Organizational performance",
"Business planning"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: Internet-based interorganizational systems (IIOS) defined as internet-based information systems (IS) shared by two or more organizations, such as extranets, virtual corporation, internet-based electronic data interchange (EDI), business-to-business electronic commerce (B2B e-commerce) (Grossman, 2004). In today's business environment, most organizations face developing an e-business strategy, the IIOS planning issues are those that appear to have the greatest weight (Rodgers et al., 2002; Salmela and Spil, 2002; Finnegan et al., 2003). IIOS planning differs from planning for internal IS, and deal with different organizational structure, diverse business strategies, differing information technology (IT) infrastructures and cooperative issues (Finnegan et al., 1999). IIOS planning describes the procedure of identifying a portfolio of IIOS applications that integrate organizational and interorganizational processes and provide organizations with capabilities to enhance linkages between trading partners along the supply chain.Most research in the IS field focused on examining the planning of IIOS to support interorganizational activity, and several frameworks were proposed to identify the systems planning in e-commerce environments (Finnegan et al., 1999; Pant and Ravichandran, 2001; Marshall and Mckay, 2002). IIOS involves that all participating members coordinate their efforts and cooperate with each other. These participants may have complex business relationships between the firms and trading partners, resulting in a number of social and political factors that influence IIOS planning (Hong, 2002; Finnegan et al., 2003). Since the planning of IIOS, unlike the conventionally adopted IS, requires the cooperation of the firm's trading partners, various aspects of uncertain business environments and interorganizational relationships have a significant influence on the planning process. Moreover, IIOS also involves substantial internal operations and efforts for IS development and has significant impact on the organization. Numerous researchers indicated that organizational factors (such as management involvement and commitment, IT infrastructure, and IT expertise) expect to influence the planning guidelines for EDI and B2B e-commerce (Galliers et al., 1995; Marshall and Mckay, 2002; Finnegan et al., 2003). However, very limited empirical research has been performed to evaluate the environmental and organizational factors that influence the success of IIOS planning.Based on interorganizational relationship perspectives, organizational theory, and IS planning literatures, this study attempts to examine the influence of environmental factors (environmental uncertainty and trading partners' influence) and organizational factors (CEO/CIO relationship and IIOS maturity) on the IIOS planning success (planning alignment and improvement in planning capability) and whether more leads to superior organizational performance. The research model and hypothesized relationships are empirically tested using the structural equation modeling (SEM) approach, supported by LISREL software. The present findings contribute to IIOS planning research by clarifying the effects of both environmental and organizational factors on the success of IIOS planning, and provide a valuable reference for e-business managers and IIOS planners, as well as researchers interested in IIOS planning and management.\nBackground and research questions: Both practitioners and researchers have considered IIOS planning to be very important, because IIOS contribution to organizational performance depends on its successful execution (Bauer and Colgan, 2001; Kao and Decou, 2003). The advent of new technologies, such as internet-based systems for interorganizational activity, possibly makes the challenge of aligning IS with business more significant and difficult than ever before (Salmela and Spil, 2002). Additionally, some problems exist in developing the IIOS planning, including inadequate knowledge of IIOS planning leading to inadequate decision making, difficulty to convince top management to approve the process, difficulty to secure top management commitment for implementing plans, plan fails to assess the current IIOS application portfolio, and failure to adjust IIOS plans to reflect environmental changes (Teo and Ang, 2001; Marshall and Mckay, 2002).Numerous studies have examined the influence of environmental factors on success of IS planning. For example, Teo and King (1997) studied the relationship of environmental variables to IS alignment evolution. Kearns and Lederer (1999) investigated that environmental uncertainty is an important contextual factor influencing strategic IS planning success. Moreover, much of the research examining the impact of trading partners (e.g. suppliers or customers) on technology adoption has focused on the implementation success of EDI (Premkumar et al., 1997; Chwelos et al., 2001; Chau and Jim, 2002). For similar reasons, environmental factors and interorganizational relations may influence corporate IIOS planning and implementation (Scupola, 2003).IIOS planning enables organizations to focus explicitly on setting business directions and organizational redesign (Galliers et al., 1995; Pant and Ravichandran, 2001). The strategy-based framework for IIOS planning also was expanded to include organizational, technological and environmental factors (Evans, 2001; Wang, 2001; Kao and Decou, 2003). Since IIOS planning is performed in an organizational context, organizational characteristics may significantly influence the success of IIOS planning (Lederer et al., 2001; Shi, 2002). Additionally, IIOS planning has many benefits. For example, IIOS planning can help an organization use IIOS to carry out existing business objectives (Chang et al., 2003), assess the impact of corporate IIOS investments on existing business activity (Marshall and Mckay, 2002), and define new business strategies, technological policies, and approaches (Jarvenpaa and Tiller, 1999; Futla et al., 2002).Given the above, the following research questions were proposed:* What is the relationship between environmental factors and IIOS planning success?* What is the relationship between organizational factors and IIOS planning success?* What is the relationship between IIOS planning success and organizational-level outcomes?\nResearch model and hypotheses: To examine the three questions proposed above, a research model was shown in Figure 1. The research model was based on the interorganizational relationship perspectives, organizational theory, and IS planning literatures (Segars and Grover, 1998; Doherty et al., 1999; Hong, 2002; Ranganathan and Kannabiran, 2004). The research model includes a set of four (two environmental and two organizational) antecedent factors that are expected to influence IIOS planning success. IIOS planning success is a two-dimensional construct represented by planning alignment and improvement in planning capability. The research model also posits a relation between IIOS planning success and organizational-level outcomes. Each of the constructs in the research model and hypotheses is detailed below.IIOS planning success\nResearch methodology: Survey procedure\nData analysis and results: Sample characteristics\nDiscussion: This study focused on answering three research questions: What is the relationship between environmental factors and IIOS planning success? What is the relationship between organizational factors and IIOS planning success? and What is the relationship between IIOS planning success and organizational-level outcomes? The analytical results are discussed below.Environmental factors\nConclusions: This study examined the effects of environmental and organizational factors on the success of interorganizational systems planning within the specific context of internet-based systems. The results from a SEM approach provide quite a strong support for the hypothesized relations. One of the environmental factor (trading partners' influence) and two organizational factors (CEO/CIO relationship and IIOS maturity) significantly influence the IIOS planning success. These results reinforce some of the past findings of interorganizational relationship perspectives, organizational theory, and IIOS planning literatures. The results also demonstrate that IIOS planning success can enable the firm to achieve superior organizational performance. The implications for practitioners and researchers and the limitations of this study are discussed below.Implications for practitioners\n",
"role": "user"
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"content": "Purpose: - To examine the influence of environmental factors (environmental uncertainty and trading partners' influence) and organizational factors (CEO/CIO relationship and internet-based IOS maturity) on the internet-based interorganizational systems (IIOS) planning success and whether more leads to superior organizational performance.\nDesign/methodology/approach: - Data gathered from 202 IS executives in large Taiwanese organizations were employed to test the relationships between the research model constructs. Moreover, the structural equation modeling technique was used to evaluate the research model.\nFindings: - One of the environmental factors (trading partners' influence) and two organizational factors significantly influence the IIOS planning success. The results also indicate that the success of IIOS planning enables the firm to achieve organizational-level outcomes.\nResearch limitations/implications: - Future studies could seek an enhanced understanding of the effects on IIOS planning of the environmental and organizational factors investigated in this study through structured interviews and case studies of IS executives dealing with ongoing or recently completed IIOS planning projects.\nPractical implications: - IIOS planning is an organizational and inter-organizational process. Top management and IS executives considering IIOS involves not only technical innovations, but also considerable environmental and organizational changes.\nOriginality/value: - This paper contributes to IIOS planning research by clarifying the effects of both environmental and organizational factors on the success of IIOS planning, and provides a valuable reference for e-business managers and IIOS planners, as well as researchers interested in IIOS planning and management.\n",
"role": "assistant"
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] |
Skills and knowledge management in higher education: how service learning can contribute to social entrepreneurial competence development
|
[
"Knowledge management",
"Service Learning",
"Social Entrepreneurship Competences",
"Social Entrepreneurship Education"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n1. Introduction: Today, society faces a number of severe sustainability issues that require new knowledge, new strategies for knowledge management and skill acquisition (Gloet, 2006; Lang et al., 2012; uit Beijerse, 2000). Higher education plays a crucial role in the production, implementation and management of this knowledge in the context of sustainable development (Conchado et al., 2015; Gertner et al., 2011; Romano et al., 2014; Tian et al., 2009). Universities enable students not only to be aware of sustainability problems but also to develop solutions (Barth, 2015; Wiek and Kay, 2015). Universities with appropriate knowledge management can use their human resources to strategically create innovative teaching formats (Fidalgo-Blanco et al., 2014; Rodriguez Perez and Ordonez de Pablos, 2003). One of these new educational formats is the service learning (SL) approach. SL combines community service with assembling academic competences (learning) to a novel form of teaching and learning that is different from traditional artificial education settings (Jacoby, 2014; Waterman, 2014). SL addresses subject-specific and personal learning processes as well as sensitization for social responsibility (Dewey, 1996; Seifert et al., 2012). According to Tonkin (2004, p. 5), \"the idea behind service-learning, of linking the classroom with the larger world, theory with practice, is an idea of worldwide potency\". It is thus an educational setting that allows students to experience real-world sustainability problems and contribute to solving them, as is often required in sustainability education research (Brundiers et al., 2010; Scholz et al., 2006).\n2. Theory: 2.1 The service learning approach\n3. Methodology and research design: For the research design, we chose an empirical qualitative educational research framework. For data collection and analysis, we selected the sample using a two-step procedure. We predefined selection criteria according to:\n4. Results and discussion: 4.1 Influences of service learning on students' competencies\n5. Conclusion: SL is a currently relevant but thus far neglected area of research and higher education practice. At the same time, the need for innovative social entrepreneurial approaches is increasing, and SE education is thus playing an increasing role in higher education. Our article is one of the first attempts to interlink these fields since we emphasize the specific potential for applying SL to SE education. Our research question thus concerned how SL contributes to the development of social entrepreneurial competences.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to elaborate on how service learning approaches are able to foster social entrepreneurship competences. The aim of the paper is to formulate a framework of key competences for social entrepreneurship and to give first insights in how service learning actually has an impact on change in students' set of competences.\nDesign/methodology/approach: This paper uses a mixed-methods approach combining qualitative data collectionmethods of learning diaries of the students and semi-structured interviews, including 40 master's students studying at a German university in interdisciplinary learning settings and five instructors from the same universities. Analysis was carried out by means of qualitative content analysis.\nFindings: This paper provides empirical insights about the competences that are being fostered by service learning. From these, a framework for social entrepreneurship competences is being derived.\nResearch limitations/implications: The set of competences should be further investigated, as it was derived out of a small data set. Therefore, researchers are encouraged to use the set of competences for social entrepreneurship as a basis for future research and on a longer-term perspective, which lead to substantial implications for educational practice.\nPractical implications: This paper includes implications for new perspectives on service learning in the light of the development of a relevant framework for social entrepreneurship competence, having significant implications for educational practice in social entrepreneurship education.\nOriginality/value: With this paper, the authors fulfill the need of a framework of social entrepreneurship competences that serves as a foundation for educational practice and further research in the context of service learning and beyond.\n",
"role": "assistant"
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] |
Effects of the internet on the marketing communication of service companies
|
[
"Internet",
"Marketing communications",
"Services",
"Relationship marketing",
"Sweden"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n__NO_TITLE__: An executive summary for managers and executive readers can be found at the end of this article.\nIntroduction and purpose: During the so-called \"internet bubble\" all investments that concerned the internet were strongly praised. So much so that companies that based all or most of their activity on the web were seen as visionaries. Developments during the last few years have led to wide spread pessimism regarding all online ventures. However, internet use is constantly increasing. Notably, for young and well-educated people world-wide, it has become the natural way of finding information. The adoption of the internet is faster than it has been for any media. Whereas it took 38 years for the radio and 13 years for the TV to reach 50 million users, the internet achieved this level in only five years (Ellsworth and Ellsworth, 1997). This development has to influence the way marketing communication is and/or should be conducted. Also, although the media focus has been to a very high degree centred on companies that act solely on the web, the internet might substantially effect companies that sell their goods or services through traditional channels. It should be interesting to see how these companies choose to use the internet. Further, it should be valuable to find out how the advent of the internet has influenced the use of the more traditional marketing channels. Have the investments in internet activities led to reductions in the use of traditional marketing communication and have they changed the way that traditional marketing communication is used? Many authors emphasise the value of integrating different marketing communication efforts (Burnett and Moriarty, 1998). Thus, it should be of value to study if and how internet communication is integrated in the traditional communication mix. In this study we have chosen to concentrate on service companies since much of the previous focus has been on goods. Since services are high in information content the internet should be particularly suitable to promote and deliver services (Zinkhan, 2002). Services do not involve transfer of ownership and they usually involve at least some level of consumer participation in the production process (Lovelock, 2000). For this reason the interactive possibilities that the internet offers should have interesting implications. The research question has been: \"how does the internet influence the marketing communication of traditional service companies?\" The purpose has been to gain a preliminary understanding of how traditional service companies use the internet in their marketing communication and what effect the internet has had on their use of other marketing communication channels. Some delimitations have been chosen. We decided to focus solely on private service companies serving consumers and thus excluding business-to-business companies and the service providing organisations of the public sector. Further, we also chose to exclude companies in the retailing and wholesaling industries since these companies often also sell goods via the web and we wanted to concentrate on online marketing communication and avoid the intricacies of e-commerce in this study.\nInternet marketing strategies: With the advent of the internet, many marketing communication researchers realised that this new medium would bring new opportunities for the marketing communication process (Heinen, 1996). Some scholars even predict the death of the traditional marketing function (Holbrook and Hulbert, 2002).New strategies for internet marketing have been predicted to include new ways of targeting, focusing on benefits; product strategy emphasising authenticity and promotion based on well-managed websites (Aldridge et al., 1997). Since the internet is a global medium, companies using it are always potentially addressing international audiences. This might lead to increased international competition (Wymbs, 2000). There are also international differences in how the internet is used for marketing. For instance a comparative study between the UK, Australia and New Zealand showed that companies in all three countries generally use the internet for marketing communication whereas the use for transactions was much lower in Australia and New Zealand (Adam et al., 2002).In order that marketing communications efforts reach their full potential they need to be integrated into a co-ordinated framework (Burnett and Moriarty, 1998). Thus, internet communication activities need to be integrated in the overall marketing communications mix. They need also to be co-ordinated with the operations of the company (Lovelock, 2000). In e-business, the very distinctions between marketing communications and business operations also become more diffuse especially at a strategic level (Rowley, 2001).Recently, many marketing scholars have highlighted the value of relations in marketing, stressing that traditional transactional marketing needs to be replaced or complemented with new frameworks that focus on the value of relations and interaction (Gummesson, 1999). Due to the relational nature of services, relations are particularly important for service companies (Gronroos, 2000). In the building and management of relations, the interactivity of the internet makes it a particularly useful tool. Among the relations that Gummesson (1999) points to, the electronic relation is that which can be created when companies and customers interact via the internet. Several stages of e-marketing can be defined ranging from the contact stage focusing only on promotion and information to the relate stage when a two way relationship is established and the internet is integrated into business operations (Rowley, 2001). A fruitful relation, lock-on, can be created when customers choose a company as their primary choice on a long term basis, which many customers tend to do if they feel that the communication and delivery is satisfactory (Vandermerwe, 1999).In order to relate to customers via the web, companies need to shift their focus from web presence and low price to delivering electronic service quality (Zeithaml, 2002). For this purpose it is crucial that the services are customised and personalised (Teo and Tan, 2002). Often, supplementary services, which are more relational, have a stronger bearing on customer satisfaction than the core services (van Riel et al., 2001). Using the new technology, companies need to continuously create new supplementary value for the customers in order to build active relations (Vandermerwe, 1999).For relation-building the internet presents completely new modes of interaction. One example is e-communities or virtual communities in which people with a common interest carry out their social discourse and activities using the internet (Barnatt, 1998; Sands, 2003). By participating in such communities companies can go beyond \"one-to-one\" and develop \"many-to-many\" communications (Maclaran and Catterall, 2002). Another example is the moderated group chat in which groups of customers interact in real time co-ordinated by a company representative with a commercial motive (van Dolen and de Ruyter, 2002). By using e-bulletins, newsletters delivered via e-mail, the companies can keep the audience informed about new features on their website (Sands, 2003).Although the potential for relationship building based on the internet exists, earlier studies indicate that relatively few companies take advantage of these possibilities and that most companies use the internet solely for informational purposes (Arnott and Bridgewater, 2002). Many companies tend to transfer direct marketing techniques to their online communications effort neglecting the vital difference that the internet is an interactive medium where the consumers may adopt a far more dynamic role (Peters, 1998).\nMethodology: Since the study is of an explorative nature, qualitative methods were chosen for data collection. Due to the intangible, variable and volatile nature of services, qualitative methods are particularly valuable in this context since they are better suited to handle ambiguous data (Gilmore and Carson, 1996). We decided to use multiple case studies on a number of service companies. This method does not allow traditional statistical generalisation but analytical generalisation may be possible when multiple cases support the same theory (Yin, 1989). The sample was not decided in advance. Instead we worked towards theoretical saturation (Glaser, 1992; Glaser and Strauss, 1967). We wanted to include a wide spectrum of private service companies but in accordance with the delimitation above we excluded business-to-business services and companies in the retailing and wholesaling industries. By the time that we judged that saturation had been achieved, 19 companies had been included. The companies are briefly presented in Table I.In the data collection we wanted to get access to data giving a deep understanding of the companies' activities. The method that is normally considered to be most suitable for this purpose is in-depth interviews (Patton, 1990). The author trained students to carry out in-depth interviews. Depending on the size of the company, the access and the richness of the data from each interview, they carried out between one and four interviews at each company. The total number of interviews was 33. In order not to force the data, the respondents were asked to speak freely about their use of the internet and their view of the value of it. The data from the interviews was analysed by the author with methods inspired by the grounded theory approach (Glaser, 1992; Glaser and Strauss, 1967; Strauss and Corbin, 1990).\nFindings: When the empirical data was analysed with the help of the constant comparative method (Glaser, 1992; Glaser and Strauss, 1967; Strauss and Corbin, 1990) six categories emerged:1. The value of online marketing communication.2. The extent of online marketing communication.3. Centralisation vs decentralisation.4. Collaboration with external organisations.5. Measurements.6. The effect of internet activities on the use of other communication tools.The value of online marketing communication\nA communication strategy model: Analysing the findings we found that a fairly coherent picture emerged regardless of the industry. One dividing line between the companies was the scope of the internet operations. In the large and centralised companies such as SEB and SAS, the internet operations are of completely different magnitude to that of the small independent hotels. This is in line with earlier research that has shown that small companies use marketing differently from larger companies due to their limitations on resources (Gilmore et al., 2001). In the large but decentralised companies such as Svenska Handelsbanken and Lansforsakringar the scope is in many aspects comparable to that of the small companies.The other major dividing line was between those companies that focused heavily on relations and those that concentrated less intensely on this issue. Although no company said that it was not interested in relations, systematised procedures for handling them was fairly absent in some of the companies. This is apparently related to their general marketing strategy. In the light of the recent writings on relationship marketing many companies have come to adopt this framework to a very high degree and others have not. Departing from these two distinctions we can define four possible core communication strategies that service companies use or could use (see Table II).Since services are created in interaction between the customer and the service provider, they are relational in their nature and service companies should have a great tendency to embrace relationship marketing (Gronroos, 2000). However, some of the large companies in this study such as Foreningssparbanken and Folksam showed relatively limited focus on relations and their communication was predominantly on the contact stage (Rowley, 2001). Thus their communication strategy resembles mainly the mass transaction communication strategy. Other large companies such as SEB and SAS have a more explicit focus on relations and their communications bear a resemblance to the relate stage (ibid.). Their strategy can thus be characterised as a mass relationship communication strategy. None of the small or decentralised companies in this study has adopted a strategy that can be characterised as transaction oriented. Probably, it is difficult to conceive of a small service company doing so. It should be possible for small goods producing companies. However, for service companies that need to be constantly in contact with a limited number of customers this option is hardly viable. Thus the strategy that the small or decentralised companies in this study have adopted is the personalised relationship communication strategy. It is interesting to note that the role of the customer will be substantially different in the three strategies. In the mass transaction communication strategy, the customers have the traditional, rather passive role and the role of the communication is to lead them through a sequential process from awareness to purchase such as in the AIDA model. In the mass relationship communication strategy the objective is to create relations with large numbers of customers. In order to make the customers loyal, different membership schemes such as the SAS customer card system are particularly useful. Following such schemes in which their only interest is commercial the customers become pseudo-members as opposed to the genuine membership that people obtain when engaging in associations for idealistic or personal development reasons (Gummesson, 1999). Still such pseudo-membership is reasonable as long as it brings commercial or other benefits to both parties. For smaller companies the network of the managers are particularly important for market success (Gilmore et al., 2001). Sometimes social networks may be equally important as traditional business contacts (Gummesson, 1999). Thus, in the personalised relationship communication strategy the customers take the role of partners in the network. The characteristics of the three strategies that are used are listed in Table III.\nManagerial implications: For managers of service companies it should be valuable to make a conscious choice regarding the strategies presented above. Service companies that are small or decentralised do not, however, have any real option in our opinion. They should develop the personalised relationship communication strategy utilising the features presented above. For large centralised companies two options are possible. The proponents of relationship marketing would argue that the mass relationship communication strategy should be the natural option. In this case use of an advanced, elaborated website with effective interactive opportunities should be very valuable. Also the other tools mentioned in Table III should be considered. However, some large companies may possibly gain from choosing the mass transaction communication strategy. In that case, this should probably be coupled with cost leadership. In this option it will be particularly important that the internet activities are co-ordinated with and supported by traditional advertising and sales promotion.\nConclusions, limitations and suggestions for future research: The study has shown that the internet communication strategies of Swedish service companies can be characterised according to three different options. The mass transaction communications strategy is used by some large companies. Other large companies have opted more for the use of relationship marketing in their marketing communication and in consequence they follow the mass relationship communication strategy. For the small companies it has been found that they all follow the personalised relationship communication strategy. It is argued that this is the only reasonable choice for them since small service companies probably need to focus on relations. Some of the large companies have adopted a greatly decentralised organisational structure. The communication strategy that their sub-units utilise has been found to resemble that of the small service companies.There are a number of limitations to the findings of the study. One is that only Swedish companies have been studied. The possibilities of generalising the findings to other countries are unknown. Although the context in many western countries is probably fairly similar, generalisations can only be made with substantial caution. Further research in other countries and particularly cross-country comparisons should therefore be valuable. The choice of the empirical field provides another limitation. Research in the goods sector and in retail services would also be useful for a more complete understanding of this area.Furthermore, while the three strategies have been identified and described, the consequences for economic and market success remain unknown. For instance, can a large service company obtain sustainable profitability by choosing the mass transaction communication strategy or is the mass relationship communication strategy superior? This will be an interesting area for future research.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: - The purpose is to gain an understanding of how traditional service companies use the internet in their marketing communication and what effect the internet has had on their use of other marketing communication channels.\nDesign/methodology/approach: - Multiple case studies have been carried out at 19 Swedish service companies.\nFindings: - The findings show that three different communications strategies are used depending on the scope of internet use and the extent to which the companies utilise relationship marketing. Small or decentralised companies use the personalised relationship communication strategy. Large companies have the option of using either the mass relationship communication strategy or the mass transaction communication strategy. The characteristics of the strategies and their respective effects on the other marketing communications tools are described.\nResearch limitations/implications: - The conceptualisation of the communications strategies provides a framework that gives added understanding and is useful for further studies.\nPractical implications: - The presentation of the strategies and their implications should be useful for managers of service companies when planning their communication activities. The managers will benefit from making a conscious choice between the strategies and considering their features and implications.\nOriginality/value: - The conceptualisation of the internet communications strategies provides a novel view of the communications options for service firms. This framework is useful for further research and for managers of service firms.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Content marketing in e-commerce platforms in the internet celebrity economy
|
[
"Content marketing",
"E-commerce sales",
"Interaction behaviours",
"Internet celebrity economy",
"Internet celebrity endorsement"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n1. Introduction: The cost of people rising to fame has dropped significantly due to the popularity of social media and live streaming. There are a large number of people who contribute content through the internet. Only a few of these people can develop a distinctive social image from the content they contribute. Those who become famous by means of the internet are described as internet celebrities (Rich, 2009). E-commerce retailers have already realized the positive impact of celebrity endorsements on purchase intentions; through endorsements, internet celebrities deliver convincing information about products to consumers and consequently help e-commerce sellers reap attention and trust from consumers. Increasingly, internet celebrity acts as an endorser bridging marketers and consumers together, and generates informative and persuasive content on social media or other online communities to actively engage consumers.\n2. Literature review: This paper is related to three streams of research. The first is research on the impact of UGC and MGC on sales. The second stream of research relates to the impact of opinion leaders on sales and celebrity endorsement effect. This paper also draws upon the literature examining the impact of social interactions on sales. To place our study within these literature streams, we review several relevant studies in the three streams and discuss how our work is related to these literature streams.\n3. Hypotheses development: It is recognized that celebrity endorsement advertising is a new prevalent marketing tool (McCracken, 1989). There is a wealth of literature on endorser effects, providing insights into the efficacy of endorser effects, the underlying processes and the conditions that may enhance endorser effects. The main explanations of endorser effects provided in the literature include source credibility, image consistency and affect transfer (Mittelstaedt et al., 2000). Traditional celebrities include film stars, musicians, sports icons, TV personalities and writers. In recent years, there has been a rise in new types of internet celebrities, such as bloggers, YouTube personalities and \"Instafamous\" profiles. Celebrity endorsement is currently prevalent in online platforms. Internet celebrities can serve as a reference for their fans in forming values and attitudes and making purchasing decisions. Djafarova and Rushworth (2017) find that internet celebrities are more powerful than traditional celebrities, as consumers regard them as more credible and more closely related to them. Previous studies confirm that opinions from social media are considered very important for users (Thoumrungroje, 2014; Wilcox and Stephen, 2013). Thus, internet celebrities serving as opinion leaders can exert a significant influence on users' purchasing decisions. Therefore, we propose the following hypothesis:\n4. Data and context: The data used in our study were obtained from Taobao, one of China's largest \"consumer to consumer\" (C2C) e-commerce platforms. We collected transaction data of 56,060 medium-volume sellers in June 2017 whose main business is women's apparel, which is a segment in which internet celebrities play an important role in guiding consumption. We focus on \"medium-volume sellers\" whose sales rank is in the middle of the long tail distribution rather than \"top sellers\" or \"bottom sellers.\" Because \"medium-volume sellers\" are the most promising candidates to become \"top sellers\" in the whole e-commerce platform, they have the greatest potential to further enhance the number of successful transactions with the help of internet celebrities. It is these middle-ranking sellers who are eager to engage in content marketing to promote their products.\n5. Models and results: 5.1 Model specification\n6. Discussion: According to the empirical results, content marketing with internet celebrity endorsements plays a deterministic role in directing and increasing traffic to e-commerce retailers. This paper has three noteworthy findings. First, we empirically confirm that internet celebrity endorsement has a significant positive impact on e-commence retailers' average user visits, average sales amount and average number of new followers. However, contrary to our expectations in H1, internet celebrity endorsement is negatively related to the conversion rate. The conversion rate indicates consumers' willingness to pay. The negative impact of internet celebrity endorsement on the conversion rate suggests that \"medium-volume sellers\" introduce too many invalid user visits (as the denominator) but fail to target potential consumers (as the numerator) through content marketing. Despite the great effort made by internet celebrities in content marketing, viewers attracted by content or internet celebrities are not willing to buy the products sold by e-commerce retailers. Thus, more elaborate product and internet celebrity image match-up strategies are needed. Moreover, according to the LAPSM procedure, the conversion rate of early adopters actually increased after the internet celebrity endorsement compared with that of late adopters, but such increments might be absorbed by the large number of user visits (as denominators) when compared to retailers who never adopt internet celebrity endorsement campaigns. Overall, internet celebrity endorsement significantly boosts the sales performance of e-commerce retailers.\n7. Conclusion and limitations: In this study, we investigate whether and how internet celebrities, as content marketers, and fans, as seeding consumers, influence e-commerce sales performance, which provides insights into research on internet celebrity endorsement and MGC. A cross-sectional regression is conducted to evaluate the economic value of internet celebrity endorsement, and a PVAR model is employed to examine the relationship between celebrities' and consumers' content marketing behaviors and e-commerce sales performance. The empirical results emphasize that the interaction behaviors within the fan community exert second-order effects on content marketing in the \"internet celebrity economy\" era.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: With the popularity of social media and, recently, live streaming, internet celebrity endorsements have become a prevalent approach to content marketing for e-commerce sellers. Despite the widespread use of social media and online communities, empirical studies investigating the economic value of user-generated content (UGC) and marketer-generated content (MGC) still lag behind. The purpose of this paper is to contribute both theoretically and practically to capture both first-order effects and second-order effects of internet celebrity endorsements on marketing outcomes in an e-commerce context.\nDesign/methodology/approach: This study conducts a cross-sectional regression to evaluate the economic value of internet celebrity endorsement, and a panel vector autoregressive model is adopted to examine the relationship between celebrities' and consumers' content marketing behaviors and e-commerce sales performance. The authors also adopt look-ahead propensity-score matching technique to correct for selection bias.\nFindings: The empirical results show that the content generation efforts of marketers and the interaction behaviors between marketers and consumers will significantly influence the e-commerce sales, which refers to the first-order effects of internet celebrity endorsement. Moreover, interactions within the fan community exert second-order effects of content marketing on sales performance.\nOriginality/value: This paper provides new insights for e-commerce retailers to evaluate the economic values of internet celebrity endorsement, a new content marketing practice in e-commerce platform.\n",
"role": "assistant"
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] |
Pre-Brexit: The EU referendum as an illustration of the effects of uncertainty on the Sterling exchange rate
|
[
"Uncertainty",
"European Union",
"Exchange rate tendencies",
"Sterling exchange rate market",
"D81",
"F36",
"O24"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n1. Introduction: Changes to exchange rates are a perennial cause for concern. Exchange rates sit as one among many problems for the contemporary UK economy. Brexit has resulted in a significant subsequent depreciation of Sterling. Inter alia, though the immediate effect of Brexit on growth was muted due to unexpected sustained consumer spending, throughout the latter half of 2016 and the first two quarters of 2017, business investment slowed, the rate of deficit reduction slowed (but without any concomitant meaningfully rise in government investment in infrastructure, etc.) and both main measures of inflation began to rise. Given the policy framework in the UK, all these trends are adverse. Clearly, Brexit means that the future structure of the UK economy is liable to change in some basic ways, and major policy challenges now arise. The current environment is one of uncertainty and this will continue to be the case, at least until the UK formally leaves the European Union (EU)[1]. However, the uncertainty began prior to the result of the June 23 referendum in 2016, and the period surrounding the referendum provides an interesting case to consider how uncertainty may have real effects on the exchange rate.\n2. The reduced form exchange rate model: An estimated reduced-form exchange rate model sets out to explain the behaviour of the real effective exchange rate (REER) associated with the constituents of actual trade-related activity. According to the work of Edwards (1994), there are dominant influences on the REER over the long term. Edwards (1994) provides a model of real exchange rate determination that allows for both real and nominal factors to play a role in the short run. However, only real factors or \"fundamentals\" (e.g. terms of trade, speed of innovation, productivity and composition of government consumption) influence the long-term real exchange rate (LRRER) (see Edwards, 1994 for details of this model). This approach is used because it distinguishes between short- and long-term factors, and thus provides an analytical point of departure for the focus on the Brexit referendum period. Gan et al. (2013) provide the following general expression of the long-term relationship:(1)\n3. Exchange rate data: As stated, the model is applied to the Bank of England data of the effective exchange rate. The initial data are for indexed daily averages of the combined trade-weighted exchange value of Sterling against multiple currencies, including the US$, the Chinese RMB and Euro. The base year for the original effective exchange rate index is January 2005 (and this is 100). In order to render the number of observations more manageable, the daily averages were then converted (using the mean) to weekly figures. This conversion has no significant effect on the subsequent calculation of the deviation from the long-term trend, since daily fluctuations are captured in the weekly mean. In order to give some point of comparison, but to also capture the shorter duration effects most closely associated with the referendum, data collection was initially restricted to a period beginning approximately three months before the announcement of the referendum, and ending just after the result was declared (since declaration is a triggering event and reconciles the initial cause of uncertainty). That is, the period from Monday 2 November 2015 to 1 July 2016[9].\n4. Analysis and findings: The results for analysis are presented in Figure 2. Overall, we observed a depreciation of about 3.5 per cent from the long-term trend during the period of the referendum. More specifically, a downward movement begins in January, and this is likely associated with market actors' focus on the Brussels summit where the UK Prime Minister David Cameron sought to negotiate concessions from other EU members, and so avoid triggering his Party's general election pledge to hold an in/out referendum for EU membership. The arising uncertainty here has prior context (see Morgan and Patomaki, 2017a, b). Before the 2015 general election, it was commonly believed that there would be another coalition government, and that a Liberal Democrat Party partner to such a coalition would reject a referendum. Centrist Conservatives felt they could support a referendum pledge in their manifesto, but likely never have to implement it. The intent was to both undercut the growing popularity of the UK Independence Party (UKIP) and placate Conservative Euro-sceptics. European integration had been a source of division within the Conservative Party for many years, focussed mainly on the ceding of sovereignty to the EU via the Maastricht Treaty 1992 (1993) and the Lisbon Treaty 2007 (2009).\n5. Conclusion: Clearly, the degree of uncertainty for economic decision making is itself variable. The UK remain or leave EU referendum is a particular case. It provides an unusual circumstance in which one can reasonably assume that one factor that may create uncertainty is dominant. We have explored this factor in terms of the exchange rate. In this case, one can also make two further points. First, causes of the prior long-term trend depreciation in Sterling remain relevant. Here, one cannot ignore the implications of the UK's current account position. As many have noted, this has been adversely constituted for many years, reflecting problems with the balance of trade and the capital account, both of which are indicative of structural problems and dependencies within the UK economy. The current account deficits of Q4 2015 and Q1 2016 were manifestations of enduring basic weaknesses in the British economy (Office for National Statistics, 2016)[11]. Second, though 24 June 24 is a single event-as-shock, it is also a trigger or breakpoint liable to reset the long-term trend for many significant metrics, including the exchange rate. Depending on how Brexit is implemented the organisational and institutional context of the UK economy is set to change in significant ways. Again, there is basic uncertainty here that will persist for the (un)foreseeable future. This extends, for example, to the status of Sterling as one of several unofficial reserve currencies[12]. It is truistic to state that the future is not yet written, but some futures are blanker than others. The UK seems to have opted for a particularly empty page.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to explore the period of uncertainty created by the referendum. The focus is the UK real effective exchange rate (REER). The authors set out to measure the additional impact of the uncertainty surrounding the referendum. The authors distinguish this from the longer trend value of Sterling.\nDesign/methodology/approach: The study applies a reduced form exchange rate model, first introduced by Edwards (1994), and makes use of Bank of England daily data for the period November 2015-July 2016.\nFindings: The results indicate a sharp depreciation of Sterling with reference to its long-term trend. The authors set out some of the possible context which may account for fluctuations during the referendum campaigning period. This can be distinguished from other longer-term factors likely to be previously responsible for trend depreciation, and also from the further sharp depreciation effects triggered by the referendum outcome. The principal finding is that during the week of the referendum, up to the declaration of the result, exchange rate depreciation deviated from the long-run trend by approximately 3.5 per cent, but the actual immediate effect on the exchange rate was an 8 per cent depreciation. Over the period from the announcement of the referendum, the exchange rate fluctuated markedly around its trend and one can also identify a larger effect based on the \"wrong-footing\" of markets at the point when the outcome was announced.\nResearch limitations/implications: The research has important implications, as one might further infer that this marks a step change in attitudes to Sterling as Brexit became a real issue rather than a notional concern. One can thus consider the exchange rate as both symptom of and indicator for determinations of the underlying economic strength or weakness of the economy. In essence, it has acted as a litmus test.\nPractical implications: The research has important practical implications in understanding the dynamics of the exchange rate market and the role of uncertainty in its dynamics.\nSocial implications: The study has important social implications as the changes to exchange rates are a perennial cause for concern. Exchange rates sit as one among many problems for the contemporary UK economy. Brexit has resulted in a significant subsequent depreciation of Sterling. Inter alia, though the immediate effect of Brexit on growth was muted due to unexpected sustained consumer spending, throughout the latter half of 2016 and the first two quarters of 2017, business investment slowed, the rate of deficit reduction slowed (but without any concomitant meaningfully rise in government investment in infrastructure, etc.) and both main measures of inflation began to rise.\nOriginality/value: The study contributes to the existing body of knowledge by exploring the period of uncertainty created by the referendum and its implications for the UK REER. The study differentiates and reflects on the weakness of Sterling due to the weak external position of UK's economy and the further role played by the uncertainty surrounding Brexit. In this sense, it important contribution to theory as well as practice.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Natural hazards and environmental implications in Nepal
|
[
"Natural disasters",
"Nepal",
"Floods",
"Landslides"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: Nepal is characterized by a rugged topography, high relief, variable climatic conditions, with complex geological features. Furthermore, it lies in the tectonically active zone. The elevation of the country varies from 60 m in Terai (plain land) to 8,848 m in the Himalayas within a short distance of 90 to 120 km (HMGN, MoWR, 2002). Due to the sharp vertical variation, Nepal is susceptible to various types of disasters, especially water-induced (landslide, slope failure, soil erosion, landmass movement and flood). The Himalayan region of Nepal is one of the most flood-prone zones of the world (Pokharel, 2002). Nepal is divided into three major geographic regions: mountain (35.2 percent), hill (41.7 percent) and terai (23.1 percent). The population distributions in these geographic regions are:* mountain 7.3 percent;* hill 44.2 percent; and* terai 48.5 percent (HMGN, MoPE, 2003).Natural hazards would lead to disasters in areas with settlements in the lime stone deposit and steep slope rendered vulnerable to landslides in extreme or prolonged rain events. So, \"natural hazards\" and \"disasters\" are discussed as complementary terms throughout this paper.Nepal experienced numerous disasters in the past. The impacts of these disasters are enhanced due to human activities such as construction of roads, irrigation, and other infrastructure in hill regions when heavy precipitation occurs in the monsoon season. Rapid deforestation, encroachment of the forest-land for cultivation, and unplanned settlements are also contributing towards the increased loss of lives and property through water-induced disasters. The annual death toll due to various types of disasters in Nepal varies from a few hundred to thousands and the cost of damage on infrastructure reaches approximately billions of rupees (Nepalese currency; US$1=67 rupees). Cumulative data on disaster and their effect on public health and environment of Nepal are limited. This paper presents an analysis of various natural hazards and disasters in Nepal and the damage caused by them.\nGeographic and geologic features of Nepal: Geologically, Nepal is divided into five regions: High Himalaya (23 percent), High Mountains (20 percent), Middle Mountains (30 percent), Siwaliks (13 percent) and Terai (14 percent). Himalaya and mountain ranges were formed by orogeny, resulting from the collision of the Indian sub-continental plate with the Eurasian continental plate. The orogenic movement is still active as evidenced by numerous earthquakes in the region (HMGN, MoWR, 2003). A vertical geomorphology of Nepal is presented in Figure 1.High Himalayas are formed by granite, schist and gneiss; High Mountains are formed by metamorphosed argillaceous rocks; Middle Mountains are formed by granite, schist and limestone; Siwaliks are formed by schist, conglomerate and sandstone whereas Terai is formed by alluvium deposit. In a study on landslides in the Himalayas it was suggested that the degree of susceptibility for landsliding varied from most to least according to the rock types as follows: phyllites, shales, poorly cemented sandstones, gneiss, granites and quartzites (Gerrard and Gardner, 2000). Glacier Lake outbursts and snow avalanches are the major disasters taking place in the Himalayas. The mountains and hilly lands are young and unconsolidated and are susceptible for crustal destruction during orogenic movement. Steep gradient, intense rain, the type of geologic formation, and various human interventions over nature have made mountains and siwaliks vulnerable to water-induced disasters. Terai is susceptible to bank-cutting and flooding during the rainy season.\nHydrological features of Nepal: Nepal is blessed with approximately 6,000 rivers and streams. The precipitation in Nepal is normally high; the average annual precipitation is 1,600 mm and the precipitation varies from 300 mm to 5000 mm per annum (HMGN, MoWR, 2000). About 80 percent of the precipitation occurs in summer (June-September), 15 percent during post monsoon (October) and 5 percent in the rest of the year (Pokharel, N.L., 2003). Thus, Nepal experiences a series of water-induced disasters during the summer. A plot of typical precipitation distribution at different seasons of the year in Nepal (data recorded at Thankot, Kathmandu) is presented in Figure 2. Water-induced disasters were caused by extreme rainfall occurring in a short period of time. Select data on 24-hour extreme rainfall recorded at various stations in Nepal are presented in Table I.\nNatural hazards and disasters in Nepal: Earthquake\nDiscussion and summary comments: Many disasters may have been caused or aggravated due to the impact of human activities on the environment. In general, improper planning and construction of roads, irrigation and other infrastructure in the unstable terrain caused a loss of property and environmental damage in Nepal. Extreme rainfall events, settlements in unstable terrain and weak geologic formations were the reasons for disasters in the past. For instance, the total extent of roads in Nepal increased almost three times in 1998 compared that in 1980. According to a study, 5 percent of all landslides occurred due to the construction of roads and trails in Nepal (UNEP, 2001). Studies have shown that the landslide density in Nepal ranges from 0.2 landslides per linear kilometer on stable land to 2.8 landslides per linear kilometer on more unstable area that is fully exposed to human activity (Poudel, 2003).Human encroachment of the land such as unplanned/illicit deforestation, use of forest land for agriculture and urbanization are leading to increased disasters and environmental damage in Nepal. As an example, fuel wood supplies approximately 86 percent of the total energy demand in Nepal (HMGN, MoPE, 2003). This has put tremendous pressure on forest resources leading to numerous disaster events. The forest coverage of Nepal was 45 percent in 1960s, this decreased to 37.4 percent in 1980s and was 29 percent in 2002 (Fuyusawa, 2002). The agricultural land in Nepal had increased from 23.52 percent in 1986 to 28.20 percent in 2000 (Pradhan, 2006). The change in the landuse pattern could degrade the environment especially due to top soil erosion and nutrient loss. The soil loss in the forested-grazed land and heavily grazed forest land in the Siwalik varies from 7.8-36.8 tons/ha/year to 200 tons/ha/year, respectively (Pradhan, 2006). Mishra and Bista(1998) reported an estimated 240 million m3 of sediment loss from Nepali territory every year. Studies showed that about 60-70 percent of the total annual soil loss from the cultivated terraces occurs during the pre-monsoon period when the vegetative cover is minimum and the fields are ploughed for planting (UNEP, 2001). The land degradation or nutrient loss is also impacted by the water-induced disasters. It was reported that approximately 12 percent of the development budgets in Nepal was being spent on disaster recovery and reconstruction every year (Pokharel, J.R., 2003). In this context, Nepal needs to formulate a sustainable plan to reduce the frequency of disasters and to lessen the impact of disaster on environment and economy by a suitable management strategy. The governmental and non-governmental organizations should be ready to manage such a crisis and lessen the impact on public health and environment. Public awareness and cooperation are essential to minimize the impact of disasters.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: - The purpose of the paper is to evaluate the published information on natural hazards and their implications in the environment.\nDesign/methodology/approach: - The published data/information on natural hazards were collected and analyzed.\nFindings: - An analysis of the disaster data (1983-2003) showed that a total of 1,063 lives on an average were claimed by natural calamities (earthquake, landslide, flood, fire, windstorm, epidemics and avalanche) each year. Water-induced (flood and landslide) disasters alone contributed to 31.8 percent of the total deaths. Epidemics claimed the maximum number of deaths (55.9 percent) especially in the post-disaster period. Many of these epidemics occurred due to the contamination of the drinking water sources by flash floods, and landslides. Poor sanitation, unsafe water and unhealthy living conditions contributed to major outbreaks of water-borne diseases especially in the monsoon period claiming numerous lives.\nOriginality/value: - Published information on natural hazards and implications on environment is limited. This paper integrated and analyzed 21 years of disaster data. A discussion of environmental implication is provided.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Effects of dialogue groups on physicians' work environment
|
[
"Doctors",
"Health services sector",
"Workplace",
"Work psychology",
"Group discussion",
"Sweden"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: Health care systems have undergone major technological, organisational and financial changes in many countries during the last decades. These changes have had a substantial effect on the work environment for employees, not the least for physicians (Axelsson, 2000). Financial productivity incentives have been introduced, which might result in an increased organisational efficiency but, at the same time, also an impairment of the physicians' working conditions (Forsberg et al., 2000). Other professional groups are increasingly competing for management positions that, traditionally, have been the exclusive domain of physicians (Forsberg et al., 2001, Friedman, 1995). Several reports have described a decreasing autonomy, influence and participation, a loss of control and a decreasing power of the medical profession (Akre et al., 1997, Burdi and Baker, 1999, Forsberg et al., 2001, Linzer et al., 2001, Schmoldt et al., 1994). There are signs that the health and well-being among physicians is declining, and that this is, at least partly, work-related (Filipsson, 1999, Johnson, 1997). An increase in the sickness absentee rates for physicians has also been observed (Stockholm County Council, 1998, 2001).It has been suggested that a decrease in physician well-being could affect quality of patient care (Akre et al., 1997; Arnetz, 1999; Gundersen, 2001; Linn et al., 1985; Schultz and Schultz, 1988; Thomsen, 2000). An extensive international study found that the majority of physicians express concern that quality of care, as a result of physicians impaired work environment, has deteriorated over the last five years (Blendon et al., 2001).New technologies, such as computerised images and computer-based information systems, have further challenged the role of physicians (Arnetz, 1997; Bonn and Bonn, 2000; Davenport, 2002). Due to the fast scientific development in medicine, most physicians are forced to specialise with a corresponding demand to collaborate closely with colleagues and other professionals. Physicians have become increasingly dependent on working in teams with other physicians and personnel with different competence. Despite this, physicians are to a great extent socialised into a role where they expect themselves to manage all situations on their own (Lehto and Norlin-Mistander, 2001). In medical education, limited time is devoted to skills belonging to behavioural science, psychology, leadership and management. In a previous project for young male physicians it was concluded that one part of the problems of the work environment is related to leadership, but that physicians lack leadership education and training (Lehto and Norlin-Mistander, 2001).Studies from the non-medical sector have suggested that management programmes could be beneficial to increase influence, authority and well-being on both an individual and an organisational level (Dolan, 1999; Kovner et al., 1996; Lutz, 1995; Peluchette and Jeanquart, 2000; Umiker, 1998). Management programmes might thus be one strategy to enhance organisational influence, health and well-being among physicians (Edmonstone and Western, 2002). However, there is a lack of intervention studies regarding the efficacy of such programmes. There are few prospective, long-term intervention studies within this field in general, and especially regarding interventions directed toward physicians, concerning the effects on professional and personal well-being (Von Vultee and Arnetz, 2004).A general experience, however, is that such a programme, in order be successful, should focus mainly on implicit knowledge involved in relational behaviour and not on teaching theories (Dowton, 2004). In a small-scale pilot study it was for example demonstrated that \"supervision groups\" for managers that met once monthly during a one- to two-year period seemed to have an effect in the organisation. At the follow-up, stress among co-workers was reduced and they felt more support from their superiors who had participated in the supervision groups (Sandahl and Lindgren, manuscript in preparation). It seemed that the managers had learned something that was not only in their minds, but that it had had some effect on their behaviour, which had influenced their co-workers in a positive way.The supervision groups used in this study were based on \"dialogue groups\" as described by De Mare et al. (1991), Bohm (2004), Isaacs (1999) and Olausson (1996). Dialogue in groups is not only a technique to improve organizations, enhance communication, engender consensus or solve problems. During the dialogue process people are given the opportunity to think together - not only to analyse common problems or to create new parts of shared experiences but also to create a collective sensitivity in which thoughts, feelings and acts do not belong to a specific person but to all in the group (Senge, 1994).In dialogue groups the participants can learn from each other, develop new perspectives and create new knowledge together about the organisation they all are part of. This knowledge is not possible to create from only one person's perspective or experience. The collective learning processes create synergy effects, on which action can be taken in order to improve work environment (Wilhelmson and Doos, 2002). Research in this field is scarce and there is a need for systematic collection of empirical data related to the subject.Experience suggests that sometimes the result of a dialogue process can be common creative solutions and a common commitment to the organisational development and work environment development, but dialogue groups for physicians have never been evaluated systematically against such an outcome. Therefore the aim of this study was to evaluate if dialogue groups for physicians can improve their psychosocial work environment, in terms of a better social climate, participation, workload and leadership.\nMethodology: The outcomes presented are the results of a five year study at a children's clinic, Sachs' Children's Hospital, at one of the main hospitals in Stockholm, Sodersjukhuset, which is serving a catchments area of 600,000 inhabitants. Baseline measures of psychosocial work environment were collected 1999 and 2001. Two dialogue groups for resident doctors met ten times from late 2001 until the end of 2002 (see Figure 1). In the beginning of 2003 the same psychosocial measurement instrument was distributed to all physicians at the clinic. Thereafter six new dialogue groups started and met ten times during one year. The groups were open for all physicians at the clinic. From 2001 to 2003 the group of resident doctors at the clinic increased from 22 to 33 physicians thus 11 new resident doctors were invited to the dialogue groups that started in 2003. Follow-up data were collected after the termination of the groups in 2004. The ethics committee of the county council approved the project.Participants\nDiscussion: In the present study, the impact of dialogue groups for physicians was evaluated in terms of its influence on individual and organisational well-being. To our knowledge, it is the first time this type of management program is studied within the health care setting.The overall score of organizational and staff well-being (FSEI) as assessed by the physicians at the Sachs' Children's Hospital deteriorated from 1999 until 2003 and then improved in 2004. This shift in the trend, from deterioration to improvement, coincided with the dialogue group intervention for all physicians at the clinic. In a naturalistic study of this kind it is not possible to prove any causal relationships. In order not to exclude alternative explanations, the head of the clinic was interviewed and the annual reports from 2002 until 2004 have been studied carefully.During a short period of the second project year (2003) the clinic's existence was threatened by economical decisions of the politicians in Stockholm. The results of such stress factors are usually deterioration in work climate. In spite of this threat the work climate as measured by QWC improved. Previous research has pointed out that organizational support may be an important factor for mitigating work environment stressors (Davidson et al., 1997; Jackson, 1983; Olson, 1988; Anderzen and Arnetz, 2005). The improvement of the work environment among the physicians at the clinic despite the threat to the clinic's existence might be an effect of the dialogue groups.In 2000 the head of the clinic was changed, which may have affected the work environment. However, there were no significant changes in the overall FSEI for the specialist doctors during the period from 1999 to 2004 but they improved the indices feedback and leadership from 2003 to 2004. For the group of resident doctors the indices goal clarity, feedback and the overall FSEI for the work environment deteriorated from 1999 to spring 2001, stayed at the same level until 2003 and then improved 2004. This shift in the trend of deterioration to improvement for these three indices also coincides with the start of the dialogue groups for the resident doctors in October 2001. This can be understood as a more general improvement for the resident doctors than for the specialist doctors. One explanation to this could be that the majority of the resident doctors participated in the dialogue groups during two years from 2002 to 2004 while the specialist doctors only participated one year from 2003 to 2004.It could also be that resident doctors in general may be more susceptible to influences since they are new in their professional role. The resident doctors are in a stage of development where they may be more sensitive to influence and they may be more independent to form their own professional role. Since the resident doctors scored lower than the specialist doctors in six of the ten indices including the overall FSEI in 2003 there was more room for improvement.Another difference between the groups of doctors is that the project with dialogue groups started as an intervention for the resident doctors the first project year. At the beginning of the first project year some of the specialist doctors were of the opinion that the project was negative for the total group of physicians at the clinic. Despite these controversies in the beginning, the positive experiences of the dialogue groups among the resident doctors were spread to the specialist doctors and a result of this was a second project year with dialogue groups for all doctors at the clinic. These new groups were formed of both specialist doctors and resident doctors. As a result the groups became more heterogeneous during the second year. This heterogeneity in combination with positive expectations from the first year were challenges for the supervisors of the dialogue groups during the second year.As a result of the participation of all physicians, the schedule for the group meetings in combination with the medical care of patients were more complex the second year. During this period some physicians felt that it was an obligation to participate. In spite of this the attendance was lower the second year. The experiences from the supervisors were that due to the more heterogeneous groups and the lower attendance it took more meetings during the second year to create cohesion in the groups compared to the first year. Since the participants shifted from one meeting to another, the collective learning process in the groups were more difficult to achieve during the second year compared to the first year. The different circumstances during the two project years may explain the differences between the groups of physicians.One cannot exclude other causes than the dialogue groups to the improved work environment during this period, but from the data that has been available we cannot find any other external factor than the quite strong and unusual intervention to offer three hours per month to discuss problems at work in small groups for physicians only.During the period for the dialogue groups from 2003 to 2004 none of the ten work environment indices declined, but four of the ten indices improved for all physicians. These indices were feedback, leadership, work-related exhaustion and the overall FSEI. One explanation for this could be that these areas corresponded with the aims of the intervention and the methods used.The improvements for the four indices were significant only for the group of physicians working in the inpatient clinic. One reason could be that the group of 14 responding outpatient physicians was too small to show statistically significant differences. It is also a fact that these 14 physicians work in four different outpatient departments in different areas of southern Stockholm.\nConclusion: The results indicate that dialogue groups can be one way to improve the psychosocial work environment among physicians. The effect of such an intervention may be greater if it is offered during two years rather than one year.\nRecommendations: Dialogue groups for physicians seem to be a valuable tool to improve psychosocial working conditions. To learn more about the method and its possible potential to influence the work situation for physicians, we recommend its further application in settings where methods for quality assurance or research are available.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: - The purpose of this study is to evaluate whether dialogue groups for physicians can improve their psychosocial work environment.\nDesign/methodology/approach: - The study assessed the impact of eight dialogue groups, which involved 60 physicians at a children's clinic in one of the main hospitals in Stockholm. Psychosocial work environment measures were collected through a validated instrument sent to all physicians (n=68) in 1999, 2001 and 2003. Follow-up data were collected after the termination of the groups.\nFindings: - The overall score of organizational and staff wellbeing, as assessed by the physicians at the clinic, deteriorated from 1999 until 2003 and then improved 2004. This shift in the trend coincided with the intervention. No other factors which might explain this shift could be identified.\nResearch limitations/implications: - In a naturalistic study of this kind it is not possible to prove any causal relationships. A controlled survey of management programmes concerning the work environment among physicians would be of interest for further research.\nPractical implications: - The results suggest that dialogue groups may be one way to improve the psychosocial work environment for physicians.\nOriginality/value: - There is a lack of intervention studies regarding the efficacy of management programmes directed toward physicians, concerning the effects on professional and personal wellbeing. This is the first time dialogue groups have been studied within a health care setting.\n",
"role": "assistant"
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] |
Challenges facing business schools in the future
|
[
"Business schools",
"Curricula",
"Marketing strategy",
"Innovation"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: European versus US funding: The main goal of a higher education institution should be that of delivering (and continually enhancing) excellence in teaching and learning and of combining the values of a liberal education with the professional qualifications required in a globalized economy. With the proliferation of institutions offering higher education it is fundamental that business schools employ the right strategies and resources that will allow them to achieve their ambitious goals, while remaining competitive in the evolving global market for business education.The successful business schools of the future will need to ensure an adequate level of resources to concretize their mission statements and afford qualified faculty, will need adequately funded doctoral research programmes in the field of management and other incentives for academics in this field, will need to globalize their faculty and student body but also their curricula (which will have to be re-shaped to be both multi-cultural and multi-disciplinary), and will train students to become globally responsible leaders.While these challenges are common to business schools worldwide, great concerns exist in Europe for the declining level of its higher education offerings. The great discrepancy in resources available to European universities, when compared to those of its competitors may offer some insight into this decline: European business schools are finding themselves unable to recruit the same quality of researchers and faculty as those of the USA, spend less in research programmes, and are smaller in size, often struggling to provide valuable offerings in the competitive market of higher education.When the European Council met in Lisbon in March 2000, it identified as one of the central targets for the upcoming decade that of turning the European Union into \"the most competitive and dynamic knowledge-based economy in the world\" by the year 2010.As the European Commissioner for Education, Training, Culture and Multilingualism, Jan Figel, stated: \"Knowledge and innovation are the engines of sustainable growth in Europe today, and universities are crucial for achieving the goals set out by the [...] European Council\". However, it soon became clear that major weaknesses existed in the performance of European higher education institutions.These weaknesses are easily explained by looking at some basic figures. While countries such as Australia, Canada, the USA and Korea invest, respectively, 1.5, 2.5 and 2.7 per cent of their GDP on higher education, the EU invests about 1.1 per cent of GDP. In the EU, private investment in higher education is regressive and has declined to below weighted OECD average, and is ten times smaller than that of the USA (European Commission, 2005).The greatest obstacle to proper funding seems to be that most European universities remain largely state-funded, as opposed to having diversified sources of funding (student fees, corporates, and donors). In many cases the state even prohibits charging tuition fees and creates obstacles for other sources of funding. This is worrying when considering that even developing countries are developing a for-profit sector in higher education, concentrated in business-related subjects. European universities face the problem of low levels of funding, and will be less able to adapt to the changing needs and demands of the market and to adopt appropriate solutions for the challenges that the business schools of the future will be facing.\nFaculty shortage: The most urgent concern of many business schools is that of faculty shortage. A recent report has revealed that the number of doctorates awarded between 1995 and 2000 has declined by 19.3 per cent (AACSB, 2003). A large number of schools are facing the problem of a decrease in supply of faculty in management education in a market where demand continues to grow. Unless doctoral research and education in this field is encouraged, the level of business education offered worldwide will continue to decrease and business schools will no longer be able to prepare future professionals and leaders for the global economy. For example, in the USA, it is common practice for state universities to decrease funding to their doctoral business programmes when facing budget cuts.This problem is even more relevant in Europe, where it is again rooted in the lack of resources. European institutions will need to meet the salary levels of their competitors across the Atlantic if they want to stop the ongoing brain drain that has characterized the past few decades. Young lecturers in the USA currently earn about EUR100,000 per year, while in Europe the figure for the same position is c. EUR40,000 per year. It should then be of no surprise that of the 1,200 top scientists in the world, the great majority are in the USA, with only 80 in the UK, 65 in Germany and 30 in France. Furthermore, 70 per cent of the world's Nobel prize-winners are working for US universities; 30 per cent of articles published on science and engineering and almost half of the world's most-cited articles are produced in the US (The Economist, 2005). Note that the greatest upcoming competitor in this field is China, which is attracting an increasing number of international faculty, and in particular American PhDs.Social status and recognition is another means to encourage students to pursue an academic career in business and join the faculty body. Considering that a professor in this field has the same status and often a lower salary than a middle manager, it is clear that greater incentives are needed to make an academic career more attractive.Schools are seeking solutions to the problem of faculty shortage by hiring part-time faculty, academics from other disciplines, or retired business professionals. The problem, however, should be tackled at its roots: doctoral research in the field will have to benefit from greater resources, and measures such as higher salaries and tax incentives should be provided to young students, to encourage them to pursue an academic career in business and remain in the field.\nMassification of higher education: Other challenges arise due to the increasing massification of higher education, as well as the rapidly changing preferences of students, employers, governments and other stakeholders. Business schools will have to develop new strategies to increase their resources and the wealth of their offerings, and will have to globalize their programmes and resources in order to remain competitive and relevant.Academic clusters are one strategy that business schools will be adopting more and more in the future. By merging or forming partnerships and alliances, schools will benefit from economies of scale and, at the same time, multiply the resources and opportunities offered to faculty and students.Mergers, partnerships and other interconnections among institutions and across borders will generate greater opportunities for student and faculty mobility, will provide incentives for the internationalization of curricula and will encourage the participation of different stakeholders in the higher education system.The collaboration of different institutions with complementary strengths, as well as collaboration with other stakeholders, such as the corporate world, is a popular trend that will continue to grow. Business schools are increasingly forging links with corporate universities and the corporate world in general. Through these links, they can provide an education that is relevant to the productive economy by identifying common goals and objectives with the corporate world. Links with the corporate world should also be created in order to conduct joint research projects in areas of common interest. Leveraging resources from the two stakeholders may lead to a great deal of useful research and, ultimately, innovation.One example of such collaboration is India, where several private higher education institutions forge links with the fast-growing private sector in order to fulfill the expectations of the corporate world in terms of their applicants' academic preparation, in return for funds. This allows for the development of a more practice-based education, which benefits both students and their future employers.\nGlobalization of education: Globalizing education also implies internationalizing the faculty of business schools for the benefit of the global learning of both faculty and students. This internationalization, however, has not yet spilled over into the research area, where most research papers still focus on Western businesses. This can be a shortcoming to the development of global course content and mindsets.Student bodies are also becoming more international, and this trend will have to be encouraged through different tools in the future. Some business schools have now made great strides in this regard: the establishment of cross-cultural programme teams, regional and national days on campus, exchange programmes with other business schools around the world, student treks to other countries and internships in locations outside the student's own region are only some of the initiatives under way. Some businesses are structuring themselves to offer business schools the opportunity for MBA students to build their vision of corporate global responsibility and improve their experiences of social and environmental projects by organizing visits and/or internships on such projects. Such opportunities should be encouraged - and increased.The Bologna process is one tool to promote and facilitate student mobility by harmonizing academic degree standards and quality assurance standards throughout Europe. With an aim of creating a European Higher Education Area (EHEA) the process is one of the first concrete steps at the European level that will encourage students to travel abroad to complete their higher education. As a result, with students travelling across Europe through a more transparent system, competition among schools will inevitably increase.\nCurriculum changes: Curricula also need to be globalized to involve the attainment of broader knowledge and awareness of non-Western business practices, the development and use of case studies on businesses around the world and familiarity with a wide range of countries and cultures. There needs to be a more equitable balance between the transfer of West-East and East-West knowledge, skills and attitudes. At the same time, curricula will have to be more \"global\" in the multi-disciplinary sense. The job market will increasingly demand specializations across a variety of fields, and demand for joint studies such as \"business technology\" programmes will be in high demand.The future managers will not be able to compete with a theoretical degree in business; they will need to have acquired practical skills through their higher education, such as case-solving skills, entrepreneurial competences and others that will allow them to become the knowledge workers of the future. Learning processes will have to become more real-world focused, with the appropriate incentives for faculty which this entails.The top business schools of the future will train their students to meet the increasingly complex worldwide demands by challenging management education; they will implement substantial changes in the ways they prepare the next generation of leaders.\nGlobally responsible leaders: Putting globally responsible leadership and corporate responsibility at the heart of business school curricula will also present business schools with a rich opportunity to expand and enrich their academic offering and to employ new pedagogical approaches. While some schools are already employing multi-disciplinary approaches to learning, the topic of corporate global responsibility presents a further opportunity for integrated learning and for co-operation between the traditional business school subject areas. Corporate global responsibility requires both the knowledge and application of learning to a diverse set of business topics. Studies in this area provide an avenue whereby business schools can move beyond functional boundaries to holistic practice.Bringing to the fore the capabilities, capacities and attitudes required for the next generation of globally responsible leaders requires more than relying solely on the cognitive acquisition of knowledge. Experiential, presentational, propositional and practical ways of learning must be integrated into the curriculum.\"Globally responsible leadership\", a report published by EFMD with the support of the UN Global Compact, is the first output from a global network of 21 companies and learning institutions from four continents, who have completed a year-long learning journey on how to best develop the next generation of business leaders. The Globally Responsible Leadership Initiative aims to promote understanding of what constitutes responsible leadership and to develop its practice by focusing on three key issues:1. the need to change how people learn;2. a new definition of the purpose of business; and3. the need to embrace concepts of GRL in every aspect of education.\nConclusion: The more forward-looking schools are already beginning to implement changes to their curricula, their marketing strategies, their alliances and partnerships. They have realized that in the future, the business education market will become increasingly competitive. More providers, new methods, creative strategies, global opportunities will provide a varied choice to students across the world.While higher education institutions struggle to increase funding and spending in order to achieve ever-greater value propositions, they will need to adopt strategies that will allow them to differentiate themselves from their competitors and prove their value.Quality will become an ever-growing concern for business schools, in particular with regard to measures for determining and improving the quality of programmes and business schools. The most competitive business schools are already looking for benchmarking opportunities as well as quality improvement programmes that will provide them with an opportunity to gain a thorough understanding of their strengths and weaknesses, to develop new and better programmes, and to prove the level of their offerings to the market through accreditations. Students and faculty will also benefit greatly from having tools that aid them in their choice of institution and programme.The successful business schools of the future will offer innovative programmes, backed by the appropriate resources, to guarantee an excellent faculty body, an international experience and a multi-cultural enviornment to its students. The top business schools of the future will not only implement changes to remain competitive, but they will seek accreditation and quality improvement programmes to prove to the market that they are committed to excellence and innovation.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: - Forward-looking schools around the world are beginning to implement changes to their curricula, their marketing strategies, their alliances and partnerships to face the challenges of the increasingly competitive business education market of the future. This paper seeks to identify success factors for business schools in their competitive environment, and to provide some recommendations for higher education in the future.\nDesign/methodology/approach: - The paper outlines the current challenges faced by business schools and those posing a threat for their success in the future. Furthermore, the paper proposes tools and strategies for facing these challenges.\nFindings: - The successful business school of the future will offer innovative programmes, backed by the appropriate resources to guarantee an excellent faculty body, an international experience and a multi-cultural environment to its students. At the same time, successful business schools will seek accreditation and quality improvement programmes to prove to the market that they are committed to excellence and innovation.\nOriginality/value: - The paper encourages business schools to ensure an adequate level of resources to concretize their mission statements and afford qualified faculty, to globalize their faculty and student body but also their curricula, to create links with other schools and companies, and to train students to become globally responsible leaders.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Modal shift for greener logistics - exploring the role of the contract
|
[
"Sustainability",
"Contracting",
"Green logistics",
"Incentive alignment",
"Intermodal transportation",
"Modal shift",
"Risk sharing",
"Service providers"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: Over the last decade European politicians have stressed that a modal shift from road transport to intermodal road-rail transport, is a promising way to reach the target reductions in CO2 emissions as dictated by national and international agreements (see e.g. European Commission, 2001). The minutes from the EU's European Council in 2001 stressed that \"Action is needed to bring about a significant decoupling of transport growth and GDP growth, in particular by a shift from road to rail, water and public passenger transport\" (European Council, 2001). But despite political effort and financial stimulation, very little progress can be seen. Road transport still dominates the transport market in Europe (Eurostat, 2010).\nLiterature: The study builds on two streams of literature: research on green logistics through modal shift, and the contract's role in supply chain coordination.\nMethodolgy: The purpose of this study is to investigate contracts of the intermodal transport market and the incentives they create for a modal shift. For this we use a multiple methods design (Reiner, 2005; Mangan et al., 2004; Campbell and Fiske, 1959) combining qualitative case interviews and modeling. Insights induced from two case companies are consolidated and formalized into mathematical models to deduce further insights. By proceeding in this manner we are able to get a rich understanding of the situation, but also study the effect a change in contract has on the incentives for a modal shift without expensive real life implementation (Mangan et al., 2004).\nThe cases: Two cases were studied; BF and VLC. These companies are service providers that have both initiated a carrier/operator (TX and DB Schenker) to setup intermodal capacity.\nThe model: The model is a simple one-period model based on insights and data from the two cases (Table II). In line with the case observations, a service provider approaches an intermodal train operator to have her build service capacity, which the service provider can use to satisfy demand created by the downstream Shippers[3]. The game consists of the following steps (Figure 3): First, both players observe the demand distribution, interpreted as the service provider's forecast based on his downstream contracts with shippers. We assume that throughout the contracting period, the expected demand per shipment is the same. Next, the intermodal operator chooses a contract and sets her price to maximize profit (no profit < zero is possible), reflecting the powerful position of the operator in this context, as witnessed in the cases. The service provider then chooses how much service capacity to contract, accepting any contract that offers a margin higher than his alternative profit (i.e. the profit from using an all-truck carrier solution). He pays the operator, who reserves the capacity of the desired quality as agreed in the contract. When demand is realized, service is performed according to contract (forced compliance). To capture the difference in business models observed in the cases, additional truckloads are purchased by the service provider from a truck carrier at the market price if demand is larger than the contracted capacity, while any unused contracted capacity is salvaged by the service provider through a transport spot-market[4]. The model's mathematical specification is given in Appendix 1.\nNumerical analysis: The numerical analysis illustrates some key results from the modeling to show what incentives the contracts create. Parameters are calibrated (e.g. with regards to the capacity size and the break-even of the cost-structure) to capture the case companies in Section 4. First, the model was run with four varying parameters for a total of 24 scenarios. Three parameters (the standard deviation of demand; the semi-fixed cost; and the relation between underage and overage costs) were varied between a low and a high value. The semi-fixed cost is the \"train-variable cost,\" the fixed cost per departure (slot-fees, wages, etc.) as reported in the cases. The underage cost is the cost of underinvestment, and the overage cost is the cost of overinvestment. A fourth parameter, the expected demand, was varied between a low, a medium, and a high value, to cover cases just below a full train, exactly a full train and slightly above a full train. For all analyses the maximum train length was assumed to be 25 wagons (the maximum train length in Central Europe). The service provider's reservation profit was set to zero. The four parameters and their low and high values are presented in Table IV. The model results for all 24 scenarios are provided in Appendix 2. Second, interesting scenarios were extracted from the original 24 scenarios and subjected to more detailed tests and sensitivity analyses. In this section, we discuss the findings from these analyses, and provide representative figures for some of the scenarios to illustrate these findings.\nInsights and implications: Now we first discuss the actors' behavior under the different contracts to explain the dead lock previously described, and the situation observed in the cases. Thereafter, we expand our perspective, and discuss how the actors' behavior impact the state of the system, on short-term as well as long-term, to understand and predict the contract's impact on the environmental performance of the system.\nContributions, limitations, and further research: Theoretical contributions\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to investigate contracts of the intermodal transport market and the incentives they create for a modal shift and thus the financial and environmental efficiency of freight transport.\nDesign/methodology/approach: The research used a mixed-methods approach where qualitative case interviews and quantitative modeling was combined. Two cases of contractual relationships between a service provider and its intermodal train operator on a specific lane were investigated. The case findings were then consolidated and used as input for a model of the contractual relation. Findings were sought through an extensive numerical study.\nFindings: The cases reported that intermodal rail operators had a strong production focus, transferring the capacity risk (i.e. the risk of unused capacity) to the service provider, which the service providers argued limited the shift from truck to intermodal transportation. The paper shows that, due to the market structure, it is rational for the operator to transfer the capacity risk but not the profit. Consequently, a modal shift is only likely to occur when there is strong shipper pressure or low capacity risk. We present a risk-sharing contract that could release this dead lock.\nResearch limitations/implications: The conclusions are modeling outcomes subject to assumptions based on the cases. For further validation, large-scale quantitative studies are necessary.\nPractical implications: The paper shows that a three-part tariff in which the capacity risk is shared may lead to increased modal shift and hence assumed improved environmental performance.\nSocial implications: Instead of arguing for operators to be more customer-focussed, policy makers and other stakeholders may have more to gain by having both actors being more cooperation focussed.\nOriginality/value: The paper is the first attempt to quantify how the contractual relations on the freight transport market affect the modal mix and thus the financial and environmental efficiency of freight transport.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
The company in society: when corporate responsibility transforms strategy
|
[
"Strategy",
"Corporate social responsibility",
"Sustainable business",
"Sustainability",
"Executive",
"Strategic decision-making"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n1. Introduction: Top executives' decision-making is strategic in nature: it includes considerations of the company's long-term viability and the ability to answer multifaceted challenges in the global environment. One of the domains increasingly attracting the attention of top executives is the strategic decision-making concerning corporate social responsibility (CSR). While most top executives today are recognizing the environmental, economic and social challenges related to their business and making necessary changes to their business operations, a clear understanding of the role of CSR in corporate strategy remains a challenge for many. Prior research has widened our understanding of the strategic nature of CSR by focusing on integrating issues regarding sustainability and responsibility into existing strategies and business models. In this paper, we demonstrate how sustainability issues can also inspire new strategic initiatives and drive strategic changes a priori when the role of CSR is recast in companies.\n2. The evolving role of corporate social responsibility: Mirroring the changing landscape of business and the society and environment at large, the concept and usage of CSR is constantly evolving and taking new forms. Building on to the ideas of Carroll (1999), we propose that CSR consists of legal, economic, ethical and operational dimensions, which are complementary - rather than contradictory - ways of viewing the concept. In this paper, we show that CSR, as a definitional construct, also has a strategic dimension.\n3. Dimensions of strategic decision-making: In analyzing the different roles that CSR can take in corporate strategy, it is necessary to distinguish two strategic dimensions:\n4. Empirical study: 4.1 Methodology\n5. Discussion: This paper addresses the call for a new approach to strategy regarding sustainability (McPhee, 2014). We have argued that the role of CSR in the boardroom needs to be reconfigured, and we have illustrated potential new roles for CSR through two strategic dimensions:\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: This study aims to identify and analyze the different roles corporate social responsibility (CSR) can play in corporate strategy. By acknowledging that one of the biggest challenges for companies in committing to sustainability is the strategy work, the authors outline specific strategic initiatives to achieve these roles and the strategic outcomes that will follow such initiatives.\nDesign/methodology/approach: Four illustrative case examples show how companies are recasting the role of CSR. The new CSR roles are characterized through two strategic dimensions: an inside-out (firm-oriented) vs outside-in (market-oriented) orientation and an emphasis on leveraging vs an emphasis on prospecting activities.\nFindings: The findings show that to realize the opportunities of CSR for business, the environment and society at large, the role of CSR in the boardroom must be reconfigured. By recasting its role, CSR can become a driver for the strategy process and a transformative force generating strategic changes.\nPractical implications: This paper aims to encourage top executives to take a proactive stance toward responsibility, recognize the new roles and potential impact that CSR can have in corporate strategy and assist strategic decision-making regarding CSR.\nOriginality/value: The paper aims to move beyond integrating sustainability into existing strategies and business models by demonstrating how sustainability can also inspire strategic changes a priori when the role of CSR is recast in companies. By viewing CSR as a driver of corporate strategy and strategic initiatives, the authors suggest that besides helping the environment, the community and society, CSR can take care of corporate strategy.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Employers' ratings of importance of skills and competencies college graduates need to get hired: Evidence from the New England region of USA
|
[
"Skills",
"Education",
"Competencies",
"Employers"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: Those skills widely considered as soft skills are commonly reflected in nearly all occupations but will be in exact demand in jobs that are both high growth and well above median in salary potential. [Therefore], an education system that supports the development of these widely common and diverse skills not only support the future success of the students who aspire to those positions but also foretells the future success of students across the academic continuum.(Anderson and Gantz, 2013, p. 2)In the present-day global and competitive economy, the nature of workforce requirements is continuously undergoing phenomenal metamorphosis. To secure a sustained competitive advantage, employers need core competencies in terms of human resources, which are rare, valuable, non-imitable, non-substitutable and non-transferable (McMurray et al., 2016). Research demonstrated that core competencies and essential skills include: quantitative, analytical, technological capability, strategic and integrative thinking, creative problem solving, cross-cultural communication and collaboration, flexibility and adaptability to change, self-awareness, a global perspective, and an ethical, socially responsible outlook (Finch et al., 2016). It is essential to note that screening candidates for said skills and competencies initially takes place in the interview, albeit, the literature does not indicate effective interview performance as a necessary skill or ability of graduates to sell themselves as qualified to execute the duties of a vacant position.\nTheoretical background: The theoretical background for the present study comes from the human capital theory, the social learning theory and the experiential learning theory.\nMethod: Sample\nResults: Descriptive statistics, means, standard deviations and correlations are presented in Table I.\nDiscussion: The present study is aimed at examining the skills employers seek in college graduates. Given the current problem of employers' dissatisfaction with the preparation and qualification with which new entrants and college graduates transition into the twentieth century workforce, the results of this research study provided HEIs with a better consideration for employers' perceptions of the importance of skills and competencies they needed from students graduating from colleges and universities, HEIs today (McAleer, 2013). Moreover, HEIs in the northeastern part of USA are better updated about the employment skills and qualifications college graduates need to get hired (Busteed, 2014). The preparedness and skills levels of the workforce of the northeast are critical factors in the USA's ability to remain competitive in the twenty-first century global economy. Throughout the USA, conversations are taking place in the business community about educating tomorrow's workforce. Therefore, the findings from this study provided some evidence to HEIs' officials who may need to respond to the outcry of the criticism about the professional and career readiness of today's college graduates. HEIs can benefit from the insights provided and this much needed information on how their graduates perform as they transition into the world of work, when they get past the interview and candidate selection process, hired and employed (Shapiro, 2008; Trilling and Fadel, 2009). The results obtained from this research study help HEIs to be more effective in responding to the needs and expectations of two of their key stakeholders, the students and the employers, on the quality of talent graduating from colleges and universities. McAleer (2013) pointed out that in today's competitive higher education market, colleges and universities must prove the value of the degrees they bestow to graduates each year. Furthermore, college administrators need to make strategic decisions to ensure those students' educational experiences sync with employer and industry expectations (McAleer, 2013).\nConclusions: Among four categories of skills, the most important skills needed are communication skills. Career preparedness is 2nd in importance because the graduating seniors are concerned with taking careers, in which they are interested and fit. One of the most important things in the organization is job-person-fit. Unless students are prepared for their careers, it is likely that they end up in careers either they are not interested in or not willing to stay. This results in job dissatisfaction. Employers rate the interpersonal skills as important because in the present-day diversified organizations structured around teams. Organizations are consisting of employees from all over the world and it is essential to exhibit interpersonal skills so that they recognize the cultural differences among employees from different countries. Third, critical thinking and problem-solving skills are rated as important by employers because of dynamic environment, which is challenging and constantly changing. Graduating students need to acquire the critical problem-solving skills as they may have to come out with out-of-the-box thinking. Personal motivation and knowledge of computers are also considered important to move up the hierarchy in organizations. Finally, written communication is necessary for the graduates to get employed and most of the universities' curriculum include written communication.\nRecommendations for higher education institutions: Practice and policy leaders of HEIs need to determine via their vision statements, mission statements and strategic plans how they are reimagining their institutions and graduates' preparation, professional and career readiness. Specifically, they need to state to their constituents, with confidence, that their graduates will be prepared with the important skills and competencies for the twenty-first century workforce. HEI leaders should support freshmen and senior seminar capstone courses philosophically, financially, from an infrastructural standpoint, and as a matter of practice and policy, to develop and test interdisciplinary skills cited in this study to demonstrate the institution's full support toward the student's success.\nRecommendations for employers: Employers are equally responsible for the rich development of talent coming out of HEIs. The skills and competencies employers in business and industry need and want from college graduates seeking employment can only come, realistically, from a shared and mutual partnership among students, HEIs and employers. As industry and university partners, recruiters and alumni must be invited to serve on boards, topic specific panel discussions and classroom visits to relate industry experiences to classroom instruction.\nFuture research: The present research provides a platform for continuing to study the skills and competencies required by employers. Why the composition of requisite skills changed over decades and what the HEIs need to do to counter the changing needs of employers are the questions the future researchers need to focus. A report, commissioned by the Secretary of Education, pointed out that the value of higher education has never been more salient than now (US Department of Education, 2006; Hagan, 2013). The report contended that in an era when intellectual capital is increasingly prized, both for individuals and for the nation, post-secondary education has never been more important. In total, 90 percent of the fastest-growing jobs in the new knowledge-driven economy will require some post-secondary education. Already, the median earnings of a US worker with only a high school diploma is 37 percent less than those of a worker with a bachelor's degree. Colleges and universities must continue to be the major route for new generations of Americans to achieve social mobility. And for the country, future economic growth will depend on the ability to sustain excellence, innovation and leadership in higher education. But even the economic benefits of a college degree could diminish, if students do not acquire the appropriate skills (US Department of Education, 2006; Hagan, 2013).\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: Higher education institutions play an important role in the economic growth of any country, through skills and productivity of their graduates. Employers have some expectations about the skills the graduates possess when they graduate out of universities. The purpose of this paper is to examine the skills employers look for in graduates before they hire them.\nDesign/methodology/approach: Using a structured survey instrument, this paper gathered data from 50 organizations employing over 50 people. The data consisted of 21 skills the employers rate as important. These skills were categorized into four dimensions: analytical skills, career professional and readiness skills, communications skills, and personality, leadership skills and team/group work. After checking the reliability of the scale, kh2 test and rank correlation were used to analyze the importance of these skills.\nFindings: The findings from a study of employers in the northeastern part of USA suggest that the top six skills and competencies rated with highest importance by employers were: interpersonal skills/works well with others; critical thinking/problem-solving skills; listening skills; oral/speech communication skills; professionalism; and personal motivation. Of all 21 skills, the highly ranked skills needed were interpersonal skills followed by critical thinking and problem solving and listening.\nResearch limitations/implications: The present research is based on self-report measures and, hence, the limitations of social desirability bias and common method bias are inherent. However, adequate care is taken to minimize these limitations. The research has implications for the higher educational institutions and researches in the field of education.\nPractical implications: In addition to the employers, this study contributes to higher educational institutions. The study suggests that employers look for interpersonal skills and problem-solving skills before making hiring decisions. Educational institutions need to focus on enhancing these skills in classrooms by emphasizing the teamwork. The implications for both academicians and practitioners are discussed in the paper.\nSocial implications: The findings from the study help in creating a fruitful social environment in organizations.\nOriginality/value: This study provides new insights about the changing pattern of skills students need to secure before seeking employment.\n",
"role": "assistant"
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] |
When supermarket consumers get stocked in the middle
|
[
"Denmark",
"Consumer behaviour",
"Customer satisfaction",
"Supermarkets",
"Consumer store preferences",
"Consumer satisfaction",
"Mental justification",
"Cluster analysis",
"Structural equation modelling"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n1 Introduction: Consumers' perceived value can be regarded as a strategic and fundamental term for the retail industry (Rintamaki et al., 2006; Baltas et al., 2010). Perceived value may positively influence repurchase loyalty and store affect (Chaudhuri and Ligas, 2009) and other important retail outcomes such as trust (Harris and Goode, 2004) and shopping intentions (Kukar-Kinney et al., 2007). According to Zeithaml (1988, p. 14), a consumer's perceived value may be seen as an expression of an \"overall assessment of the utility of a product (or service) based on perceptions of what is received and what is given.\" The use of the value term most often relates to the trade-off between quality and price, which may also be termed the value-for-money perspective (Mishra, 2009; Chaudhuri and Ligas, 2009). According to this perspective some consumers may emphasise price over quality, while others, in turn, may emphasise quality more than price (Baltas et al., 2010; Zeithaml, 1988). Thus, some consumers may prefer a value package combining high quality and high price, while others may prefer a value package consisting of the combination of lower quality and reduced price.According to consumers not many supermarkets offer high quality at low prices (Hansen and Solgaard, 2004) suggesting that consumers with a high-quality/low-price preference structure should be disconfirmed and thus dissatisfied. However, cognitive consistency theory states that in order to avoid a mental imbalance, people seek to justify their decisions (Gbadamosi, 2009; Cronley et al., 2010; Festinger, 1957). On a similar note, recent research on cognitive conflicts suggests that the task of choosing between alternatives orients the consumers to look for reasons to choose (Nagpal and Krishnamurthy, 2008). According to cognitive consistency theory consumers are motivated by the pursuit of internal consistency. The theory implies that a consumer when faced with a decision problem (like buying groceries in a supermarket) seeks to balance her/his knowledge, attitudes, goals, feelings or desires in order to serve her/his self-interest and to avoid a state of cognitive dissonance (Gbadamosi, 2009; Soutar and Sweeney, 2003; Todd and Gigerenzer, 2003). For instance, consumers with a high-quality/low-price preference structure have the opportunity of gaining mental justification by referring to a perceived low price (while neglecting poor quality) when patronising a discount supermarket, and vice versa when patronising an upscale supermarket. That is, consumers possessing such a preference structure may be satisfied even though their preferences are only partially fulfilled. Based on such considerations, the purpose of this paper is to investigate whether consumer supermarket satisfaction is influenced by the mere composition of consumers' preference structure as opposed to more widespread approaches where consumer satisfaction is regarded as the degree to which consumer expectations and/or preferences are met.\n2 Mental justification and consumer satisfaction: Cognitive dissonance theory (Festinger, 1957; Soutar and Sweeney, 2003) implies that a consumer when faced with a decision problem (like buying a food product) seeks to balance her/his knowledge, attitudes, goals, feelings or desires in order to mentally justify her/his behaviour and to avoid a state of cognitive dissonance. In a more general sense, mental justification may reduce cognitive dissonance. Because dissonance can be \"[...] an extremely painful and intolerable thing\" (Festinger, 1957, p. 266) mental justification is generally believed to represent a basic consumer choice motivation (Bettman et al., 1998; Shafir et al., 1993; Simonson and Nowlis, 2000). Mental justification can be conceptualized as the selective interpretation of choice evidence in order to reduce cognitive choice dissonance (Cheema and Soman, 2006). Dissonance reduction is thus different from motivated reasoning, which focuses on how individuals rationalize a decision before it is made. This research focuses on how consumers interpret their choices to mentally justify a previous store patronage decision. Our conceptualization of mental justification assumes that when choices can be interpreted in multiple ways, consumers are likely to interpret them in a way that allows them to justify their decisions. This proposition is consistent with previous research. Attribute balance theory suggests that consumers will avoid extreme attribute combinations (e.g. on a 100-point rating scale the combination of 60/60 will be preferred over the combination of 50/70 since the former has a more balanced attribute combination). This is because the more balanced combination is the easiest to justify (Chernev, 2005). Okada (2005) suggests that people will be less likely to consume hedonistic goods when the situation makes it difficult for them to justify it. On a similar note, Cheema and Soman (2006) found that in order to justify their spending individuals tend to classify a restaurant visit as a food expense when they have some surplus money in their food account but as an entertainment when they have a surplus in their entertainment account.Consumers are generally believed to bring goals to the marketplace (Bagozzi and Dholakia, 1999). These goals are organized into goal hierarchies where lower-level goals may help obtaining higher-level goals (Bettman et al., 1998). Goals can invoke a regulatory influence on consumer decision making and can be activated when the consumer is confronted with various choice situations (Carver and Scheier, 1982, 1990). Hence, consumers establish goals for good reasons. Goals serve as personal blueprints for directing the consumer's behaviour and thus goals also constitute useful referents in the process of mentally justifying intended and/or conducted choice behaviour. Lawson (1997) proposes a hierarchical goal structure consisting of four levels of goals; abstract principles or values, actions programs, more concrete product acquisition, and brand acquisition goals. Heckenhausen and Kuhl (1985) distinguish between action goals (concerned with the act itself), outcome goals (immediate effects on action), and consequences (indirect effects stemming from outcomes). In line with previous research, we suggest that consumers may organize goals into goal hierarchies where lower-level goals such as choice satisfaction may help obtaining higher-level goals such as mental justification. Higher-level goals (like achieving mental justification) represent the most basic consumer motivations (Bettman et al., 1998). The proposed link between supermarket satisfaction and mental justification resembles - in principle - the proposals put forward by Gutman (1997). Gutman considers the elements in a means-end chain (MEC) - attributes, consequences, and values - to be elements in a goal hierarchy and suggests that \"it is easier and more direct to think of goals being achieved than to think about attributes, consequences, and values being achieved\" (p. 548). In the MEC model, products are not purchased for themselves or their characteristics, but rather for the meanings they engender in the mind of the consumer (e.g. buying this product would be good for my healthiness, or the like). That is, the personal consequences produced by a shopping experience are more important (more self-relevant) than the characteristics of the experience itself. In relation hereto, a distinction should be made between the psychological-oriented goals such as mental justification and more product-oriented goals, which may be more directly related to various products (e.g. in the case of food products, the achievement of healthiness, pleasure feeling and enjoyment, value-for-money, social approval, tastefulness, naturalness, nutritional value, and the like (Zeithaml, 1988; Okada, 2005).The notion that satisfaction may lead to mental justification is also consistent with the comparison standards (CS) paradigm, which posits that consumers hold preconsumption preferences, observe product performance, compare performance with their standards, form confirmation or disconfirmation perceptions, combine these perceptions with standards levels, and then form summary satisfaction judgments (Mick and Fournier, 1999). If consumers form (negative) disconfirmation perceptions, this may lead them to experience a state of cognitive dissonance. Thus, since becoming unsatisfied can be a highly stressful experience leading to mental imbalance, consumers can be expected to seek ways to avoid it when possible. According to the CS paradigm, consumers can easily gain mental justification when their preferences are served (confirmed) in the marketplace and may experience a mental imbalance when preferences are negatively disconfirmed. However, when consumers are disconfirmed they may instead switch to one of many other strategies. For example, the consumer can modify the importance of the gap by seeking to convince her/himself that the gap is unimportant; thereby mentally postponing perceived negative consequences of a certain behaviour (e.g. smokers mentally postponing the unhealthy consequences of smoking); and/or the consumer can simply seek to neglect one or more preference components and/or construct the gap to be of minor importance. Therefore, even when consumers' preferences are only partially served, consumers may still become satisfied if they can find ways to mentally justify their choices.Consumers do not necessarily try to create justifications for all decisions; rather they seek to justify decisions they are motivated to make (Nagpal and Krishnamurthy, 2008; Kunda, 1990) or which they cannot justify by using other mental strategies. Consequently, consumers attaching high weight to either low price and/or high quality will presumably experience a significant mental imbalance if their preferences are not met or if their choices cannot otherwise be mentally justified. In contrast, consumers attaching more moderate weights to either low price and/or high quality will presumably experience a less significant mental imbalance if their preferences are not met or if their choices cannot otherwise be mentally justified. This leads us to suggest the following research hypotheses.Research hypotheses\n3 Methodology: Data collection\n4 Results: Cluster analysis\n5 Discussion: In principle, a consumer's value emerges partly based on what the consumer perceives she/he receives, partly on what the consumer perceives she/he gives. From the value perspective point of view, a retailer thus achieves a competitive advantage by offering the consumer greater value than its competitors. In this connection, previous research (Rintamaki et al., 2006; Gale and Klavans, 1985) suggest two different strategies in relation to increasing the consumer's perceived value. One possibility is for the retailer to try to decrease the perceived price and, at the same time, maintain the currently perceived service output (quality). Another possibility is for the retailer to try to improve the perceived service output and, at the same time, maintain the currently perceived price. The results obtained in this paper suggest, however, also the use ofs a third strategy. This strategy may be labelled the strategy of offering mental justification. According to this strategy, retailers should provide consumers with reasons, which they can use to justify their store patronage behaviour. While the present study focuses on price and quality such reasons can in principle be anything that may be related to consumers' preference structure (e.g. supermarket values, ethical behaviour, and the like). The basic characteristics of this strategy is that consumers may just need one good reason (which matches the composition of their general preferences) in order to gain mental justification and, in turn, satisfaction. In that respect, our results suggest that retailers providing medium quality at medium prices are \"stocked in the middle\" even though their value package may seem fair when calculated as value=quality/price. Specifically, consumers with a high-quality/low-price preference structure can more easily justify visits to retailers providing either high quality at high prices or low quality at low prices; this being the case even though their value preference is only partially served.Managerial implications\n6 Conclusion: This paper focused on investigating whether consumer supermarket satisfaction is influenced by the mere composition of consumers' preference structure. Specifically, we found that - when patronizing discount stores and upscale stores - consumers who attach high weight to both quality and price are likely to become more satisfied than consumers who attach only medium weight to both parameters. This proposition was derived from cognitive dissonance theory stating that in order to avoid a mental imbalance people seek to justify their decisions. When patronising a discount supermarket, consumers with a \"high quality/low price\" preference structure have the opportunity of gaining mental justification by referring to a perceived low price (while neglecting poor quality), and vice versa when patronising an upscale supermarket. Consumers attaching medium weight to both price and quality lack this opportunity for gaining mental justification and are thus likely to become relatively less satisfied. For traditional supermarkets (i.e. supermarket offering medium quality at medium prices) both groups of consumers were found to be equally satisfied.\n",
"role": "user"
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{
"content": "Purpose: - The purpose of this paper is to investigate whether consumer supermarket satisfaction is influenced by the mere composition of consumers' preference structure, as opposed to more widespread approaches where consumer satisfaction is regarded as the degree to which consumer expectations and/or preferences are met.\nDesign/methodology/approach: - Survey data were collected from 130 consumers using self-administered questionnaires. Structural equation modelling was used to test the authors' proposed hypotheses.\nFindings: - According to consumers, not many supermarkets offer high quality at low prices, suggesting that consumers with a high-quality/low-price preference structure should be disconfirmed and thus dissatisfied. However, this study finds that - when patronising discount stores and upscale stores - consumers who attach high weight to quality and price are likely to become more satisfied than consumers who attach only medium weight to both parameters. For traditional supermarkets (i.e. supermarkets offering medium quality at medium prices) satisfaction occurs equally for both groups of consumers.\nPractical implications: - Consumers' level of satisfaction with various retailers may not solely be determined by matching preferences with retail offerings, but may also be based on considerations of possibilities for mental justification within a certain preference structure. It is therefore important that managers seek to understand the process of mental justification that may be associated with their offerings, and also the various possibilities for offering mental markers (i.e. anything the consumer can use for the purpose of gaining mental justification of her/his supermarket choices) to be used by consumers.\nOriginality/value: - The authors' results suggest that retailers providing medium quality at medium prices are \"stocked in the middle\" even though their value package may seem fair when calculated as value=quality/price. Specifically, consumers with a high-quality/low-price preference structure can more easily justify visits to retailers providing either high quality at high prices or low quality at low prices; this being the case even though their value preference is only partially served.\n",
"role": "assistant"
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] |
How to scale up contact-intensive services: ICT-enabled service innovation
|
[
"Contact-intensive services",
"Service scaling practices",
"Service scalability",
"Scaling up",
"Vertical scaling",
"Service innovation practices"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: The demand for services with high customer interaction is increasing (Buell, 2018; Glushko and Nomorosa, 2012). In fact, 85 per cent of companies predict higher levels of complexity in the interaction with customers in the upcoming years (Deloitte, 2017). This focus on personal interaction is central to contact-intensive services (CIS) that rely on personalisation, competence, and trustworthiness of employees (Patricio et al., 2008). Examples of such services exist in healthcare, education and social services; most of them improve human well-being and are therefore socially desirable (Breidbach et al., 2016). The characteristics of CIS - being labour-intensive with high personal interaction and individual service delivery (Jaakkola et al., 2017) - imply a resource intensity that constitutes a decisive factor when it comes to adapting service capacity that is relevant whether in reduction or in growth. As CIS are restricted in resources (Chase, 1981), service providers have to find new ways to innovate their services (Barras, 1986). In that regard, service innovation means the process of enhancing the service and/or the service delivery offered (Troilo et al., 2017). Service scaling is a possible operationalisation of service innovation, which refers to the ability of service providers to adapt service capacity (Di Pietro et al., 2018) and is particularly useful given the aforementioned resource intensity and resource restriction of CIS. This service scaling is often enabled by information and communications technology (ICT) (Lewis et al., 2011).\nRelated literature: Service innovation practices\nResearch method: Research objective\nFindings: The service innovation projects and the scaling of the CIS in the included cases were successful as they simplified the service processes and reduced the employees' workload. However, a project lead described the results as follows:Thanks to the service platform, we have a more automated service. We can prove this with our performance indicators that show a higher volume of transactions. However, we still work with people that talk to each other. That's a good thing because this is the core of what we do, but it's not a fully automated process.(Project lead, Case A)\nDiscussion: Theoretical contribution\nConclusion: The growing demand for personal services forces service providers to innovate and scale their CIS. However, knowledge about service scaling practices as an operationalisation of ICT-enabled service innovation was missing. Therefore, the objective of this study was to identify and describe how service providers achieve scalability of CIS (RQ of this study). Drawing on qualitative methods - including a practice-based approach, a case-based data collection as well as an interpretive and in-depth analysis - this study identifies for the first time three practices for scaling CIS: service interaction analysis, service pivoting and service validation. The descriptions of the corresponding activities for each practice from the cases detail the insights. Therefore, the practices offer contributions detailing the service innovation process, the role of ICT-enabled service innovation in scaling, and the adaption of the innovations. Service providers are thereby assisted with hands-on advice on how to approach scalability of CIS.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: While scaling is a viable approach to respond to growing demand, service providers in contact-intensive services (CIS) - such as education, healthcare and social services - struggle to innovate their offerings. The reason is that the scaling of CIS - unlike purely digital settings - has resource limitations. To help ease the situation, the purpose of this paper is to identify and describe the practices used in scaling CIS to support ICT-enabled service innovation.\nDesign/methodology/approach: The research draws on an in-depth analysis of three CIS to examine service innovation practices. The analysis informs model development for service scaling.\nFindings: The analysis uncovers three practices for service scaling - service interaction analysis, service pivoting and service validation - and their related activities that are applied in a cyclic and iterative logic.\nResearch limitations/implications: While the findings reveal that the scalability of CIS is limited and determined by the formative characteristic of personal interaction, this study and its findings describe how to leverage scalability in CIS.\nPractical implications: The insights into the practices enable service providers of CIS to iteratively revise their service offerings and the logic of creating value with the service.\nOriginality/value: This research identifies and describes for the first time the practices for the scaling of CIS as an operationalisation of ICT-enabled service innovation.\n",
"role": "assistant"
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] |
How are higher education institutions defining their meta-description tags?
|
[
"Educational marketing",
"Higher educational institutions (HEIs)",
"Meta-description tags",
"Meta-keywords",
"Meta-tags",
"Search engine optimization (SEO)"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: The importance of digital communication channels has increased significantly for higher educational institutions (HEIs) as the present generation of students is accessible online (Jones and Healing, 2010). Technologically based interactive communication plays an ever-increasing role during undergraduate and postgraduate students' decision-making process (Gomes and Murphy, 2003).\nStudent's decision-making process: Selecting a college is a complex and multi-stage process, during which an individual develops aspirations to continue formal education beyond high school, and this is later followed by a decision to attend a particular college, university or institution of advanced vocational training (Hossler et al., 1989). Moreover, the decision to study abroad is one of the most expensive and complicated decisions by the students (Mazzarol, 1998; Assael, 1981, cited in Nicholls et al., 1995). Prospective students make trade-off among the various important attributes to determine their preference (Soutar and Turner, 2002).\nFactors considered by students during decision-making process: Chapman (1981) observed that student characteristics and external factors mainly influenced the choice of college. A study by Kotler and Fox (1985) revealed that image of the college has a strong impact on the college selection process. According to a study conducted on Chinese students, their decision of choosing an American university depends mainly on their perception of an institutional brand. Further, the study reported that the perception of an institutional brand is built in the eyes of the prospective student mainly due to academic ranking, campus security, location, alumni network, social environment, university name and word of mouth (Gai et al., 2016). Factors such as information related to student life, reviews, courses offered, duration of the study, events and activities, university news, job opportunities, tuition fees and the freedom of customizing education influenced the choice of international students (Galan et al., 2015). A review study reported that the purchase intention of international students is mainly dependent on five factors, i.e. personal reasons, the image of the country, the image of the city, image of the institution and the evaluation of the program of study (Cubillo et al., 2006).\nRole of internet during college selection process: Introduction and growth of the internet in higher education marketing and admission was quite evident in 1990s. According to a study (Strauss, 1998) conducted on students of Ohio state university, students had access to the internet and used it to obtain the information about the colleges.\nCommunication approaches by HEIs: Schultz et al. (2012) observed that marketing communication is changing from traditional marketing to a combination of conventional and interactive activities due to increasing use of the internet by the consumers. HEIs are using a mix of outbound and inbound marketing for communicating the messages to the target audience. Outbound marketing is a conventional form of marketing and focuses on sending the promotional message to the target audience through the traditional media (Royo-Vela and Hunermund, 2016). Inbound marketing focuses on showing the appropriate message to the target audience when they are actively searching for similar information through online channels. Inbound marketing includes social media marketing (blogging, virtual communities and apps), content marketing (user-generated content using Web 2.0), search engine marketing and SEO (Pellissier, 2012). Therefore, this approach uses online channels and platforms to mobilize appropriate resources as per the requirement (Hagel and Brown, 2011). Inbound marketing is important for HEIs due to the limited resources. HEIs can reach the national and international target audience with the limited budget (Royo-Vela and Hunermund, 2016). Inbound marketing is 62 percent cheaper, regarding marketing expenses, than outbound marketing (Loomer, 2012). Thus, inbound marketing can increase organization's return on investment (Halligan and Shah, 2009). Inbound marketing tools such as search engine rankings and advertising followed by word of mouth, content and information of HEIs and the SNS affect the student's decision-making process and thus improve the brand perception, preference and the image (Royo-Vela and Hunermund, 2016).\nRole of Meta description in information search: Metadata is data that describe other data. Meta is outlined in the information technology as \"underlying definition or description.\" Metadata summarizes the basic information about the data so that it is easy to find. Metadata for web pages contain information about the content and is usually expressed in the form of HTML Meta tags by web page authors. Each Meta tag has a name field and a content field. The name field describes the type of information contained in the content field. There are various kinds of Meta tags but only \"description,\" \"keywords\" and \"robots\" are recognized by the search engine (Nowick, 2002; Zhang and Dimitroff, 2005). The use of Meta tags on websites especially the \"description\" tags was reported by a few authors (Craven, 2001; Nowick, 2002; Zhang and Dimitroff, 2005).\nResearch questions: The lack of empirical research regarding strategic utilization of Meta tags to enhance the visibility of the website makes a strong case for such study. Therefore, the following research questions arise based on the reviewed literature and its respective gaps:\nMethodology: The first phase of this study seeks to provide a general understanding of the current status of the use of the Meta tags by the leading global educational institutions. The second phase of this study examines the content of meta-description tags regarding the keywords used, the major concepts they have in common and the types of persuasive messages they are trying to convey.\nFindings: The results of this study are presented in two sections. The first section summarizes the results of the general descriptive analysis and provides a summary of frequencies and distribution of length of Meta tags. The second section presents results of the content analysis of meta-description tags regarding the major concepts and variability in the content.\nDiscussion and conclusion: The goal of this study was to gain a better understanding of the themes used by the leading global universities by looking into the current practice of using meta-description tags of their websites. The results indicate that there are several issues related to the use of Meta tags. Significant numbers of global university websites are not using Meta tags, suggesting that there is inferior understanding of the same among the web designers and IT team of the universities. Web pages without meta-tags are certainly going to impact their visibility negatively in SERP (Zhang and Dimitroff, 2005). The consequences for ignoring the use of meta-description tags can be far-reaching. If a website homepage does not contain a \"description\" Meta tag, some search engines will show the first few sentences which may result in non-relevant content to the searcher. The searcher may not click the link due to unwanted content leading to low CTR. Low CTR may result in a low number of target audiences reaching to the website.\nSuggestions and managerial implications: The results and findings of this study provide guidelines and information for universities' marketing staff to help them understand the role of meta-tags in the web page visibility in online search. Students consider search engine as the most important factor for gathering information and it is an influencing factor in the final decision, so, defining the relevant and exciting meta-description is necessary for motivating the searcher to click the link shown on SERP.\nSuggestions for future research: Many directions for future study exist since research in the field of use of SEO tools by HEIs is limited. For instance, there is scope for a comparison of meta-description tags between the HEIs of different continents or countries. Second, meta-keywords of the HEIs can be analyzed and compared with the student's perspective. Meta-keywords can be compared to various courses and the nationalities. Third, a primary study can be conducted to understand the influence of meta-tags on the prospective students' behavior. Fourth, a longitudinal study on meta-tags can be carried out to understand the frequency, timing and reasons of updating the meta-tags. Finally, an experimental study can be conducted to analyze the impact of metadata implementation on HEIs web page visibility on SERP.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to investigate the use of meta-tags by the leading higher educational institutions (HEIs). It explores the various kinds of messages conveyed by HEIs in the meta-description tags of their website homepage. It further examines that whether the messages conveyed by HEIs are in accordance with the prospective students' perspective.\nDesign/methodology/approach: A list of leading 200 universities was procured from the website of The Times Higher Education. Meta-keywords and meta-description tags of the HEIs websites' homepage were drawn using online software. Descriptive analysis of the meta-tags was conducted to analyze their use by HEIs. Quantitative content analysis tool was applied to understand the messages conveyed by HEIs.\nFindings: Meta-description tags are defined by more than half (58.79 percent), whereas meta-keywords are written by approximately a quarter (27.47 percent) of HEIs on their homepage. While defining their meta-description tags, HEIs frequently used words related to the themes such as institution, focus area, academic programs, image building, geography, student group and environment.\nPractical implications: It will help the HEIs to understand the importance of meta-tags. Moreover, HEIs will be able to define their meta-description tags better.\nOriginality/value: This is the first research paper to explore and analyze the meta-tags of the HEIs websites.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Linking LMX, engagement, innovative behavior, and job performance in hotel employees
|
[
"Job performance",
"Employee engagement",
"Innovative behavior",
"LMX"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: Hospitality organizations large and small have realized that a company needs to engage its employees to achieve sustainable success so that their employees bring passion and high energy to their task (Agarwal et al., 2012). (Schaufeli and Bakker (2004) consider work engagement cognitive-affective motivation in a workplace, marked by absorption, dedication, and vigor. Because work engagement supports extra-role performance in a work setting, scholars have emphasized the roles of work engagement with regards to employees' work responsibility and quality (Lee et al., 2014). Also, practitioners have considered engaged employees vital resources for survival, growth and sustainability, and have outlined ways to cultivate this status among them (Agarwal et al., 2012).\nLiterature review: Leader-member exchange\nResearch hypotheses development: On the basis of previous research on human resource (HR) management, this study proposes the following research framework in the context of the hotel industry. Figure 1 describes the proposed research framework in this study.\nMethod: Sample and data collection\nResults: Sample characteristics\nDiscussion and conclusions: Conclusions\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: The concept of leader-member exchange (LMX) is well accepted in the service industry. This study examines how the quality of LMX helps hotels to achieve desirable outcomes, such as innovative behavior and job performance. The model was developed based on the LMX theory, and considers the relationship among the quality of LMX, employee engagement, innovative behavior and job performance.\nDesign/methodology/approach: The model was tested on employees of hotels in South Korea using a survey method. Data were analyzed using frequency, reliability, confirmatory factor, correlation and structural equation modeling analyses.\nFindings: LMX significantly influenced job engagement and innovative behavior but did not significantly affect organization engagement. Job engagement significantly affected organization engagement and innovative behavior but did not significantly influence job performance. Organization engagement significantly influenced job performance but did not significantly affect innovative behavior. Job performance was significantly influenced by innovative behavior.\nPractical implications: The findings of this study suggest that an immediate leader plays a critical role in fostering engagement, behavior and performance.\nOriginality/value: The current study is the first to use the LMX theory to develop and test a research model that accounts for the antecedents and desired outcomes (i.e. innovative behavior and job performance) of two types of employee engagement in the hotel context.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Consumer interpretation of brand prominence signals: insights for a broadened typology
|
[
"Impression management",
"Consumer behavior",
"Branding",
"Brand prominence",
"Conspicuous consumption",
"Consumer identity projects"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: Conspicuous consumption has been heavily documented in the academic literature and is a topic of interdisciplinary interest by academics for decades. Veblen's (1899) The Theory of the Leisure Class remains a classic in supplying an analytical framework for studying this phenomenon in the social sciences. Recently, a new construct has been added to this field of study: brand prominence. This construct was first introduced by Han et al. (2010) and is defined as the conspicuousness of a brand on a product. Brands that are more conspicuous are viewed as being more prominent because they are sending louder signals to others, and vice versa. Because of this, the consumer who engages in high levels of brand prominence behaviors is engaging in a louder form of conspicuous consumption. The extant literature on brand prominence so far only measures this construct in terms of a loudness or quietness continuum. The current research study aims to extend the brand prominence literature by providing additional ways to operationalize this construct. This will enable further investigations into brand prominence variation by other academic researchers and business practitioners.\nLiterature review: Consumer identity projects and conspicuous consumption\nMethodology: An exploratory study design was implemented, whereby a qualitative data analysis was completed in Step 1 and a quantitative data analysis was completed in Step 2. In addition, the use of photographs as data as the documentation of social phenomena is becoming increasingly more common in marketing and consumer research (Basil, 2011). Photographic methods were used in this study to capture and document brand prominence variations.\nStep 1: qualitative analysis, findings and hypotheses formulation: Utilizing Weiss's (1994) methodology of coding, sorting, local integration and inclusive integration, several brand prominence themes inductively arose out of the photographic data. The three primary brand prominence variations found in Step 1 of the study are brand visibility, brand frequency and brand distribution. Each brand prominence theme will be presented, and a photographic data example will be displayed to illustrate the theme. In addition, each brand prominence variation contains several facet dimensions. Table II summarizes the results of Step 1.\nStep 2: quantitative analysis and findings: Scholars have generally acknowledged that content analysis is a viable research method for understanding various aspects of content and is especially helpful in exploring an underexplored phenomenon in a constructive manner, which is the focus of this study on brand prominence variation. The hypotheses advanced during Step 1 enable the testing of differences in brand prominence variation related to brand visibility presence (H1 and H2), individual unique and gross brand frequency (H3 and H4) and product unique and gross brand frequency (H5).\nDiscussion: One of the most interesting outcomes of this exploratory study is the application of both inductive and deductive logic to the same social phenomenon. The aim of this study was to document the variations in brand prominence. The three themes of brand visibility, brand frequency and brand distribution inductively arose out of the data from Step 1. The organizing framework presented in Step 1 provides future researchers with a starting point to operationalize and analyze the phenomenon of brand prominence.\nConclusion: Conspicuous consumption has been a topic of interest for consumer researchers for over a century. The recent introduction of the construct of brand prominence has shifted the discussion of this topic in that it gives researchers an additional avenue of exploration into this cultural phenomenon. The newly minted construct of brand prominence allows researchers to study the conspicuousness of brands on products. The current study was conducted to further the understanding of brand prominence variation. In total, 20 interviews were conducted, where participants created five outfits that were photographed, catalogued and content assessed and then content analyzed. The results of this exploratory study generated some new dimensions that can be used to study this phenomenon. Step 1 uncovered the themes of brand visibility, brand frequency and brand distribution. Results from Step 2 showed that over half of the outfits created by participants contained at least one conspicuous, prominent brand. Plus, individual preferences of brand prominence variation were uncovered. In addition, shoes are an article of one's outfit where brand prominence is high, which is not an outcome that has been discussed in the conspicuous consumption literature. This paper supplies insight on brand prominence variation and extends the conspicuous consumption literature.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: Brand prominence describes the conspicuousness of a brand on a product. The purpose of this research is to investigate the types of brand prominence variation.\nDesign/methodology/approach: Utilizing an exploratory approach, 20 in-depth interviews were conducted where respondents created five outfits for anticipated social scenarios. The prominence of brands on these outfits were photographed, catalogued and qualitatively analyzed for thematic variation. Then, the brand prominence data points were quantitatively content analyzed.\nFindings: The results from the qualitative analysis is an organizing framework describing three major types of brand prominence variation: brand visibility, brand frequency and brand distribution. In addition, heat maps were generated to visually display the prominence of brands distributed on the individual's body. Subsequent results from the quantitative content analysis revealed that brands on shoes and pants were most likely to display significant levels of prominence in relation to frequency and visibility dimensions. Significant differences across participant demographic groups were also found in terms of the brand visibility.\nPractical implications: This new information on brand prominence variation provides business brand managers with insight on how to measure and monitor their own levels of brand prominence displays. They, in turn, can engage in more strategic placement and prominence of their brands in the future production of fashionable clothes, shoes and accessories.\nOriginality/value: The conspicuous consumption literature has long been interested in studying how consumers display their brands. The current study demonstrates how consumer researchers can measure brand prominence variation and therefore gain better insight on the consumer who engages in conspicuous consumption via brand prominence variation.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
What successful branding looks like: a managerial perspective
|
[
"Brand equity",
"Brand management",
"Food marketing",
"Marketing performance metrics",
"Store brands"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: Some food products have evolved to become greatly popular and valuable brands. Coca-Cola is the most obvious example, being valued at 72 billion dollars (by Interbrand) and having 35 million Facebook fans (as of October, 2011). Other examples are Kellogg's (11 billion dollars) and Heinz (8 billion). These brands all have what can be called brand equity, which has been defined as the volumes and margins that are earned due to a brand name (Farquhar, 1989; Srivastava and Shocker, 1991), and which is a particularly interesting concept for anyone interested in how brands become valuable. A central idea in brand equity theory is that a brand can evoke mental associations which add value to a product or service (see Farquhar, 1989; Keller, 1993); these associations can relate to personality, feelings, country-of-origin or prestige, rather than to product features or quality (Keller, 2001).\nConceptual framework: There are different views on the micro-elements of brand equity, but the brand equity or brand value chain in Figure 1 is a framework of how the value of a brand is created, and this model reasonably well reflects the common denominators within this realm (see also similar chains published by Srivastava and Shocker, 1991; Keller and Lehmann, 2003; Wood, 2000; Persson, 2010).\nMethod and sample: The study is built on a web survey completed by 77 brand managers who managed domestic and foreign brands competing in the Swedish market for consumer packaged foods.\nResults and discussion: Q1. What do managers prioritise in their brand building efforts?\nConclusion and implications: The present study reveals that managers of food brands want to build popular and profitable brands, mainly by creating a favourable product quality image. At a general level, the major contribution of this finding is that it highlights a central idea in brand equity theory: strong brands manage to appeal to both rational and emotional concerns (see Keller, 2001). When comparing food brand managers' views with brand equity literature, there is, in general, less emphasis among managers on typical branding elements such as uniqueness, brand imagery, feelings and the social status that brands can evoke. Instead, there is a stronger focus on perceived quality. A focus that is well in line with the retail literature, which traditionally has treated quality as a main competitive tool to use for product brands that want to differentiate and avoid price war (see Hoch, 1996; Steenkamp et al., 2010). A quality focus is also in line with general marketing metrics studies, where quality has emerged as highly prioritised (c.f. Barwise and Farley, 2004). However, managers of the most successful brands in the present study seem to have a more balanced view, as they put more effort into measuring the emotional components of their brands. A finding that makes sense if one considers how food marketing research has shown that product quality perceptions can only partly explain consumers' preferences and willingness to pay for food brands (Anselmsson et al., 2007; Sethuraman, 2003; Tikkanen and Vaariskoski, 2010), and that quality judgements are strongly influenced by non-quality related perceptions (Mendez et al., 2011; Vranesevic and Stancec, 2003).\nLimitations: The study is detailed in terms of specific brand image and brand strength elements, but rather coarse on the brand value side. The reason is that we felt that questions that were too detailed would influence the response frequency negatively (since the information could be sensitive as well as possibly difficult to locate during the interview). Future measuring efforts could attempt to link the internal brand building process more effectively to key financial numbers. The use of self-reporting should also be mentioned, as it could impact the results. Particularly when it come to the stated importance of different brand elements (see Table I), it is not hard to imagine that the everyday priorities and trade-offs that managers often need to make are not fully reflected in their reports. On the other hand, the question on measurement was included partly of that reason: to reveal which elements that seemed to actually be evaluated and managed.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to develop an understanding of the ways in which food companies can work with branding to perform better in the market. The authors achieve this purpose by comparing how different managers of food brands prioritise and evaluate their brands, in relation to a theoretical ideal framework.\nDesign/methodology/approach: A survey of 77 managers of domestic and international brands.\nFindings: Beliefs and priorities are similar between managers. What differs is how they measure and monitor their brands. Managers of high performing brands, for example, in general measure brand equity to a greater extent than other managers, and they focus significantly more on monitoring typical brand equity elements such as brand awareness, uniqueness, and feelings. Also managers of international brands measure and monitor more intensively than those of domestic brands.\nPractical implications: Weaker and domestic brands could learn from the better-performing brands, by becoming more oriented towards key brand equity elements when performing monitoring, rather than focusing mainly on perceived quality.\nOriginality/value: A comparative and systematic method that suggests an alternative and analytical approach to strengthening domestic and weaker brands\n",
"role": "assistant"
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] |
The determinants and measurement of a country brand: the country brand strength index
|
[
"Brands",
"Country of origin",
"Brand image"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n1 Emergence of country branding: In an increasingly complex and tightly-linked world, not only companies but also countries are engaged in competition at every level. As Anhholt (2002, p. 234) states, \"globalization is turning the world into a gigantic supermarket\" where countries compete to stimulate exports, attract tourism, foreign direct investments (FDIs), and immigration. Governments are turning to branding techniques to differentiate their country on the global stage in order to establish a competitive edge over rival countries in the belief that a strong country brand can contribute to the country's sustainable development (Jaffe and Nebenzahl, 2001; Kleppe and Mossberg, 2006).It may also restore flawed international credibility, increase international political influence, and stimulate stronger international partnerships (Yan, 2008). As many countries have gained awareness of the importance of their country brand, they have adopted country branding projects. A few have even enacted laws to promote their brand and established special organizations charged with coordinating private-public partnerships. Switzerland, for example, established the Presence Switzerland organization in order to coordinate and establish priorities among different entities such as Pro Helvetia, location Switzerland, OSEC Business Networks, and Swiss Tourism.Dinnie (2008) has stated that country branding is an exciting and complex but controversial phenomenon; it is exciting because there is currently little theory but a significant amount of real-world activity. It is complex because it encompasses multiple levels, dimensions, and disciplines beyond conventional branding. And, as a highly politicized activity that generates conflicting viewpoints and opinions, it can be controversial. A country brand can also be influenced in the short- or long term by major events. China's country brand, for example, was deeply affected by the 1989 Tiannanmen Square event, the SARS epidemic in 2003, the 2008 earthquake and, later that year, the Olympic Games, and then the milk scandal. Some studies (Papadopoulos and Heslop, 2002) have investigated the influence of major events on the country image. The small number of longitudinal studies suggest that country image may shift slowly over time, even in the absence of major events (Darling and Kraft, 1996; Anholt, 2007). The majority of those studies, however, conclude that major events can help to speed up or hinder the process of country image change (Papadopoulos and Heslop, 2002).Nation or country branding (as they are used interchangeably in the literature) emerged from the marketing literature. There are four main marketing fields which relate to and underpin country branding: country of origin (Roth and Romeo, 1992; Parameswaran and Pisharodi, 1992; Shimp et al., 1993; Nebenzahl and Jaffe, 1996), destination branding (Pritchard and Morgan, 1998; Hankinson, 2007), country image or country-product image (Parameswaran and Yaprak, 1987; Martin and Eroglu, 1993; Agarwal and Sikri, 1996; Kleppe et al., 2002; Brown et al., 2006), and country identity (Keillor et al., 1996; Keillor and Hult, 1999; Anholt, 2007). However, over the years it became evident that country branding is much broader than marketing and branding and involves other disciplines such as international relations and public diplomacy (Anholt, 2007).In that respect, country brand research is still in its infancy and only in the last decade has an increasing number of academics (Kotler et al., 1993; Kotler and Gertner, 2002; Caldwell and Freire, 2004; Fan, 2006; Aronczyk, 2008) and practitioners (Anholt, 1998) focused on this research. Kotler et al. (1993, 1997) were among the first to discuss country branding. Despite an increasing number of articles dedicated to the topic, there is still no common definition of country brand. Fan (2006, p. 8) makes an early attempt at defining it as \"a country's whole image, covering political, economic, historical and cultural dimensions. The concept is at the national level, multidimensional and context dependent.\" Dinnie (2008, p. 15) defines country brand as \"the unique, multi-dimensional blend of elements that provide the nation with culturally grounded differentiation and relevance for all of its target audiences.\" Aronczyk (2008, p. 42) states that a country brand should \"attract the 'right' kinds of investment, tourism, trade, and talent.\" Kotler et al. (1993) as well as Rawson (2007) argue that governments should create, promote, protect, and supervise a country's brand.We offer the following definition: a country brand belongs to the public domain; it is complex and includes multiple levels, components, and disciplines. It entails the collective involvement of the many stakeholders it must appeal to. It concerns a country's whole image, covering political, economic, social, environmental, historical, and cultural aspects. The main objectives of country branding are to stimulate exports, attract tourism, investments, and immigration, and create positive international perceptions and attitudes.Our literature review reveals that, to the best of our knowledge, there is no objective measure that assesses the strength of a country brand. Such a measure would greatly help countries assess their competitive positions. This paper contributes to the country branding literature by developing and presenting a standardized instrument for measuring the strength of a country brand. Since the measurement instrument yields standardized results, it can be used to compare countries with one another. The proposed country brand strength index (CBSI) helps to advance country brand research since it is the first index of its kind that provides objective measurement rather than survey perceptions. It provides organizations and governments with a tool to measure the strengths of a country brand, identify any weaknesses, and then revise the country brand strategy. This is especially important because countries, like companies, need to build, manage, and protect their brand.\n2 Measuring a country brand: The two most high profile existing measures which assess a country brand both come from private sources rather than the academic literature: the country brand index from FutureBrand consultancy and the Anholt GfK Roper nation brand index (NBI). Although these indexes are useful and widely used for many country branding projects worldwide, they are limited by their use of proprietary methodologies in terms of specific questions asked as well as aggregation and statistical method used. Moreover, they are based on subjective perception survey data. We propose an alternative measurement based on objective secondary data to assess the strength of a country brand. The construction of our index is inspired by previous studies (Shimp et al., 1993; Anholt, 1998; Cho and Shu, 2006) and specifically the theoretical considerations described in the following section. Because country branding is unusually complex, we do not claim that our index accounts for all dimensions of country branding. However, it is a starting point and an alternative measurement with a transparent approach and methodology based on objective secondary data. Our proposed index is designed to be manageable and straightforward yet still yield meaningful results.2.1 Developing a country brand strength index\n3 Analysis and results: The analysis is based on secondary country level data from various sources, as shown in Table I, where we include a short description of the data and the source of data for each parameter used in this paper.Based on the approach described above, we calculated the CBSI for 31 countries, presented in Table II. A high CBSI score indicates a strong country brand while a low CBSI score indicates a weak country brand. In our sample, Ireland has the highest score (i.e. the strongest country brand) and China has the lowest score (the weakest country brand).In our sample, the USA ranks no. 15, which may be surprising, but studies by Rawson (2007) and other researchers also indicated a largely negative perception of the USA among those surveyed. The Anholt (2003) study ranked the USA no. 10 and the Pew Global Attitudes Project (2006) showed a steady decline in the image of the USA. This is consistent with our results, although the change of administration following the election of Barack Obama as President appears to have improved external perceptions of the USA.3.1 Comparative analysis with the Anholt GfK Roper NBI\n4 Conclusion: A strong country brand help increase exports, attract tourism, investment, and immigration. Country branding has become an essential part of a country's sustainable development. However, it is complex and includes multiple levels, components, and disciplines and entails the collective involvement of different stakeholders.This paper presents a standardized instrument for measuring the strengths of a country brand. Our research has both theoretical and practical implications. From a theoretical point of view, the proposed composite index yields standardized results to measure the strengths of the country brand and enables us to compare it with other country brands. Hence, this paper provides an important contribution to the existing country branding literature. It is the first of its kind to construct an objective composite index measuring the strengths of a country brand. However, the proposed index should be considered a starting point for a more complete and complex measurements. Other factors need to be included and the aggregation method used needs further evaluation in order to make sure that all factors are properly considered.From a practical viewpoint, countries can use this index as a performance reference point to see where they stands and changes are required to improve the current position. By using this index, public and private organizations can formulate a more powerful country brand strategy. But improving the country brand may require fundamental changes in the political, economic, legal, and social systems.Communicating the country brand is a major undertaking. Public and private organizations as well as national policy-makers need to become aware of the power of branding to help achieve national goals. They need to understand how to build, manage, and protect a country brand as well as how to coordinate country branding efforts. By comparing both indexes, we were able to assess their similarities and differences. Our results show that, in most cases, if countries are perceived positively by the NBI, they also have a strong country brand as measured by the CBSI. Those perceived negatively have a weak country brand. Finally, countries must realize that analyzing and studying ways to enhance their country brand is no longer a matter of choice. Either a country is proactive and takes some action to control its country brand or it risks allowing the brand to be influenced and controlled by public opinion and lack of information.As with all research, this paper has some limitations. First, due to data limitations and comparative analysis, our analysis only includes 31 countries. Second, for immigration we do not differentiate between skilled and unskilled workers. Third, we used per capita measurements which might favor small countries and further studies might use other data. Fourth, we aggregated the index by adding the different parameters equally, but other aggregation and weighting methods could be used. Fifth, since we used data from only one year, further research should examine data for multiple years in order to conduct longitudinal studies. Such studies would indicate the directionality between the dependent and independent variables and the sustainability of country branding. Sixth, other objective data could be integrated in the model, such as a measurement for landmarks, heritage, landscape and environment, history or cultural aspects. Further studies should also differentiate between large and small countries, or city-nations and island-nations. Researchers could also examine the effects of globalization on country brand strengths; public diplomacy and sustainable environments and their importance to country branding; the importance of major sports events and natural catastrophes on country brand; and the relationship and importance of celebrities or country brand ambassadors to the country brand. Future research should also explore the effect of culture and cultural distance on the country brand and the legitimacy of country or nation brand management.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: - A strong country brand can stimulate exports, attract tourism, investments, and immigration. The purpose of this paper is to construct and present a country brand strength index (CBSI) which assesses the strength of a country brand based on objective secondary data.\nDesign/methodology/approach: - By applying a company-based brand equity approach, we present a standardized CBSI.\nFindings: - The results show that the countries with the strongest country brand are smaller, developed countries in Europe. The proposed index leads to results similar to the widely-used Anholt GfK Roper nation brand index (NBI), which measures perceptions of a country brand based on subjective survey data. Countries that are perceived positively (based on NBI) have a stronger country brand (CBSI) and countries perceived negatively (based on the NBI) have a weak country brand (CBSI). The two indexes are highly and significantly correlated, indicating they measure the same phenomena, although they use different approaches, methodologies, and data, suggesting that the indexes are complementary and inter-dependent.\nPractical implications: - To stay competitive in the global economy, countries need to understand how to assess their country brand in order to manage it. With the proposed index, a country can identify its position compared to others. This can assist public and private organizations to develop a more powerful country brand strategy.\nOriginality/value: - The proposed index is original in operationalizing the strength of a country brand based on objective secondary data. The proposed index represents an alternative measurement to the existing subjective survey-based measurement indexes.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Collective intelligence: a keystone in knowledge management
|
[
"Knowledge management",
"Innovation",
"Problem solving",
"Value chain"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: The key elements of knowledge management, including creation, organization, sharing and utilization (Nonaka and Takeuchi, 1995) are now well established. If the weight on any of these blocks may differ depending on the situation, the conceptual link between them is critical to the understanding of what knowledge is about. In order for knowledge to eventually be produced and used, it needs to be developed. In this development process any of the other three blocks may intervene in various ways. Sometimes the sharing of ideas will help create a new idea which will then be reformulated, validated yet through further exchanges, finally yielding a new piece of knowledge. In other cases, the three blocks will play different roles. But in order for knowledge to emerge, they will always have to play some complementary role. If not, that is if no idea stems out of the exchanges (no actual creation and formalization of a new idea) then no knowledge will have been developed.It is worth asking which parameters favor the development of knowledge, as opposed to a simple exchange of information. Not surprisingly, knowledge seen as an emerging concept will appear when a solution is needed, that is when a problem exists. In other words, every time a situation exhibits a problem, then there is potential need for confronting ideas and reformulating them. But, whilst knowledge management progresses and investigates various routes, in concrete enterprises applications, a lot of emphasis is placed upon the sharing aspect. One reason is because it is a rather obvious aspect to implement. Methods to promote the sharing of ideas through networking, working sessions, interactive training and many others are numerous and indeed have existed long before knowledge management had formally appeared. As a consequence, the actual creation of knowledge is often undermined or limited to technological innovation. This, in turn, did not help to differentiate between the sharing of information and the actual creation and sharing of knowledge. When \"knowledge is shared\" without creation and without being organized, then one should talk about information sharing, as it is not viewed within the context of a clear action responding to a need. Reciprocally, knowledge stems out of a situation where a solution is searched. Now, when a solution is searched, it means that a goal is pursued. And this is the characteristic of an entity, i.e. a person, a group and in fact any system. In other words, knowledge is not dissociable from the notion of a system. This is not surprising since, by definition, a system possesses an internal coherent construction allowing it to draw complex inferences and a system is also goal-driven. Both these characteristics can be seen as encapsulating the essence of knowledge. As Newell (Newell, 1982) puts it:... To treat a system at the knowledge level is to treat it as having some goals, and believing it will do whatever is within its power to attain its goals ... .This also follows Rumelhart's view (Rumelhart, 1992) that knowledge resides in the pattern of connections built (either within a system or across systems) whilst addressing a problem.This has a direct impact upon many situations encountered in the world of organizations and business. Knowledge management is considered as an activity to support the business, either by contributing to cost reduction (by avoiding mistakes), time saving (by avoiding redundant activities), improved quality (through better customization of products) or yet sales increase (new business by investigating the customer's knowledge and needs). And yet, so many have struggled and still struggle with little success to measure its real quantitative impact. But if knowledge is to be seen as a constituent of a goal-oriented system, then knowledge management should be intrinsically embedded within the goals of the organization. And so for example, the search for uniqueness and differentiation in the innovation process should be approached with the idea of building a system - the company's value chain[1], where the various steps leading to the product should be described in terms of the knowledge involved, which constitutes its real value. Knowledge management is not anymore an activity to support the business. Its function is to develop the very elements that generate the value of the organization. In this view, the challenge for knowledge management is to value the interactions taking place in the innovation process and to organize them into a coherent system. In the case of a human being, the system is \"built in\" and the coherence between the interactions is inherent to the system. As a result, one talks about tacit knowledge to characterize these various constituents and interactions that make the internal construction coherent. But in an organization, it is not the case. Everything has to be constructed, or at least made explicit and described, in order for all members of the organization to have a common understanding of what the system is about and who does what. This calls for a well-structured process. I call this process the \"collective intelligence\" of the system - of the organization.\nCollective intelligence to generate organizational knowledge: Problem-oriented knowledge management\nScenarios for knowledge creation: The value chain: a backbone to develop organizational intelligence\nCreating generic knowledge: So far, this paper has provided a framework and several cases to demonstrate how an organization in evolution (a learning organization) can find innovative ways to resolve problems. The hypothesis was made that in today's economic world, critical problems should be addressed by establishing partnerships and networks within the organization, as well as in-between organizations. It has been advocated that the way to realize this is in creating new knowledge by building a collective intelligence. The cases presented above have exemplified how collective intelligence proceeds to find ad hoc solutions. This is a response to the first one of two challenges for knowledge management.The second challenge for knowledge management, more ambitious, consists in finding out how an organization may extract know how generated in specific applications and merge them into a higher more generic level of knowledge. This is critical for the evolution of the organization, because this higher-level knowledge is a potential asset to generate new applications in other domains. If the organization has a clear and explicit driving force, it can then match areas of potential innovation with generic know how, yielding new paths for strategic innovation. Put in different terms, the issue is to generate generic knowledge to allow to transfer experience from one situation to another in a systematic manner.So the issue is to make explicit what an organization's competences consist of, in order to systematically build on them and expand. This task is quite tricky, because it is by digging more in-depth into a contextual case and looking at how the solution was actually discovered, that the company's specific expertise will be uncovered and in turn that higher level knowledge will be revealed. I made the hypothesis that knowledge is created by complementing and integrating pieces of knowledge stemming from various sources. The key point in the process of \"complementing\" and \"integrating\" knowledge is that it is not just by digging into the organization's internal knowledge that a higher level will be reached, but by simultaneously looking at the partner's (customer) explicit and implicit needs (current and future).The first of the two examples provided here relates the way one of the units in the Geneva University Hospital, mentioned earlier in the paper, originally specialized in the treatment of diabetic patients became a world reference in the management of chronic diseases. Typically there has been an expansion or re-application of know-how, initially limited to the treatment of diabetes.Originally, the problem tackled was the inadequacy of a strict biomedical treatment offered to diabetic patients. The major reason for the inadequacy is the long-term aspect of diabetes, requiring recurrent actions impacting on the everyday behavior. So for instance, particular attention must be made in self-monitoring the food, the daily activities and the feet, to check for possible degradation resulting from neuropathies. Hence, the therapy must be complemented by an additional approach. This complementary approach revolves around education brought to the patient. The key element in integrating education into the therapeutic process is to design a scenario whereby the biomedical aspect will be smoothly articulated with the psychological aspects, especially when both cognitive (the patient's representation of the disease) and emotional aspects must be taken care of.This know how has later on be considered beneficial for other chronic diseases, turning it into a more generic know-how. The point to make here is that it is because the problem has been addressed to such a degree of deepness, calling for integration of a new approach and complementary actions, that the resulting solution is potentially applicable outside the scope of the original diabetes needs. In other words, the likelihood to come up with a generic know-how is linked to the effort made in investigating the problem on the \"client\" side and in opening up ones own scope in the search for solutions. As Teece (2000) puts it:... Deep process understanding is often required to accomplish codification and replication. Indeed, if knowledge is highly tacit, it indicates that the phenomenon is not well understood ...The second example is borrowed from the domain of measurement of electricity in the industry, also described earlier. The issue here is to find out how a technology applied in a rather limited way to the measurement of electricity evolved and generated a more generic know how. The answer revolves around the notion of application know how. Namely, a company initially developing simple transducers to measure electricity ended up producing several thousands of different types of transducers, drawing on the same initial concept, but each time adding a new function to it. In fact, the core know how has progressively shaped up from the many applications developed for various customers. In other words, the more applications implemented, the better the commonalities between them were mastered. As a consequence, knowledge has become less tacit. Namely, the social process of exchanges between engineers and subsequent externalization turned the tacit knowledge into explicit knowledge, following the process described by Nonaka and Takeuchi (1995).\nConclusion: In order to survive and to evolve, a company must create novelty. To respond to this challenge, two orientations have been emphasized in the paper. One is to draw upon the company's knowledge, by building a collective intelligence in complementing the various individual know-how. The other is to integrate the company's knowledge with partners' knowledge by coordinating their respective value chains. It has been argued that knowledge is critical in these processes, because it guarantees coherence and uniqueness internally, particularly when higher-level generic knowledge can be generated. On the other hand it is a reference for co-innovating with partners.In addition, it has been argued that collective intelligence will generate new knowledge and hence innovation while in the context of solving critical problems for the company. Therefore, a distinction has been made between the sharing of information, as a heuristic process, and the creation of new knowledge as a process to generate solutions to evolve. Collective intelligence needs to be constructed, by drawing upon individual expertise, norms, informal networks and strategic marketing knowledge in the organization. It has been suggested that this construction relies upon three blocks: complementary competences, a collective representation of goals and a mechanics to ensure trust, respect and mutual understanding. When problems are encountered, the three blocks may be called upon and combined in the form of six actions and a series of tools are selected to implement the actions.Three scenarios have been presented to demonstrate how collective intelligence develops. The first scenario revolves around the concept of value chain, where it has been argued that knowledge is incremented along the value chain and that novelty will stem from integrating knowledge from both the company's and the customer's value chains. The second scenario has shown how a medical team develops collective intelligence from a variety of backgrounds, in order to cope with a medical challenge, particularly the integration of scientific knowledge with know how acquired in the practice. The third scenario was an example of a change of culture required to adapt to new requirements in the market, such as cost and anticipation of customers' implicit needs. Here the change of culture implied to open one's scope of search, so as to be innovative in solving the problems.Finally the challenge for knowledge management to develop generic know how, considered as critical for the evolution of the company's \"niche\" has been exemplified with two cases. The first case showed the importance, somewhat paradoxical, of making a special effort to investigate the problem on the client's side. Indeed, this will allow a company to understand the problem in-depth and to develop an appropriate approach to be replicable in a variety of cases, hence comforting the company's driving force. The second case demonstrated even more clearly how a customer-oriented approach generating an application know how leads to a better definition of a company's core knowledge.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: - The purpose of this article is to provide a new paradigm and a practical model whereby knowledge management may reunify the founding principles of knowledge with business challenges in organizations, such as innovation or yet customer's needs.\nDesign/methodology/approach: - The new paradigm revolves around the concept of collective intelligence. It is broken down into three blocks, each of which constitutes an aspect that needs to be taken into account while addressing a business challenge. In each case presented, these aspects have been exemplified, so as to show how they participate to the problem solving process.\nFindings: - The paper provides practical methods. The paper also provides information about how the approach can be applied in a great variety of domains, such as electrical engineering, health care or yet information technology.\nResearch limitations/implications: - Opens a new field of reflection whereby the organization's knowledge, seen as representing its uniqueness, internal coherence and ability to solve everyday problems, can play a strategic role. Also, it is a reference for co-innovation between partners, as the reciprocal integration between two sources of knowledge may be seen as a co-adaptation between the organization's value chain and the partner's one.\nPractical implications: - Constitutes a real potential to develop a variety of new approaches in knowledge management, based on the concept of collective intelligence.\nOriginality/value: - The paper brings together issues that are usually dealt with in separate domains, such as customer relationships, analysis of competencies and know how or yet innovation processes and value chains.\n",
"role": "assistant"
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] |
A hybrid multi-criteria decision model for supporting customer-focused profitability analysis
|
[
"CRM",
"AHP",
"TOPSIS",
"MCDM",
"ABC"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n1. Introduction: Airline industry is one of the global industries that struggle for survival and growth. During the last four decades to 2010, the ratio of cumulative net post-tax profits to revenue of the airline industry was only 0.1 percent, which was among the least profitable of all industries (Bisignani, 2011; Ramsay, 2013). The unique characteristics of perishable seat availability, high aircraft sunk costs, and low marginal costs for adding passengers within the capacity constraints combined to intensify competitive rivalry to limit price and profits. From an industry perspective, there is almost no airline company earning attractive return on investment, mainly due to the intense competitive forces influencing the airline industry (Porter, 2008). Each airline is in a constant search for ways to improve profit.\n2. Literature review and problem description: Added to the unprecedented competitive pressure, the internet technology has reduced intermediaries and distribution costs substantially, thus making airlines even more price competitive. However, results of the survey piloted by this airline company indicate that its corporate customers are still attracted by service quality. Airlines have traditionally segmented its customers into classes (first, business, and economy) for designing service quality levels. However, this simple segmentation logic no longer matches the ever more complex and heterogeneous choices of trading off flexibility and price with other product offerings in the current airline business environment. New airline market segmentation has been proposed, for example Teichert et al. (2008) segment the airline market on the basis of seven attributes, namely total fare and frequent flyer program (sales and marketing), flight schedule, flexibility, punctuality, catering, and ground services (operations and supply chain). Similarly, a few other studies have deliberated various combinations of clustering attributes and/or methods in airline market segmentation such as cross-national consumer preferences and demographics factors (Bruning et al., 2009), fare class (Cizaire and Belobaba, 2013), passengers' value-driven needs and service requirements (Holloway, 2008; Prokesch, 1995), and price, product and schedule sensitivity (Drabas and Wu, 2013). Though these alternative segmentations generate insight into customer preferences for redesigning product and service offerings, it still has not solved the puzzle of discovering the best segments that maximize profitability.\n3. Research methodology: The methodology involves two stages: first, development of a hybrid model, based on the ABC method, CRM and RM models as well as FAHP and TOPSIS; and second, a case study for testing the feasibility of the proposed model. The objective of this study is to assess customer profitability for an airline company. Referring to the RM model, the subjective qualitative and objective quantitative criteria and sub-criteria are measured to form the basis for identifying and ranking profitability of the top 100 corporate accounts. A vast amount of previous studies on FMCDM techniques are relevant to address this problem. Many of the surveyed publications in the FMCDM literature (Chai et al., 2013) that combine both analytic hierarchy process (AHP) and TOPSIS methods develop their hybrid decision models for uncertain decision environment, similar to this study. They used the pairwise comparison of FAHP to determine the accurate weights of criteria, and then TOPSIS multiplies the decision matrix with this set of weights to determine the optimal and worst alternatives. Ranking of the alternatives can be performed efficiently, especially for a large number of alternatives under consideration, by deriving from their differential values as measured against these two reference alternatives. Other reasons for choosing FAHP and TOPSIS are detailed in sections 3.1 and 3.3, respectively.\n4. Case study: Consistent with the development of the global airline industry, this Asia-based airline company has a ratio of cumulative net post-tax profits to revenue of less than 1 percent over the last decade. Therefore, this airline company is searching for ways to increase its profitability, one of which is to identify airline customers with high profit potential. In general, customers of this case study airline company do not rate loyalty highly because customer relationship has not been managed prudently to optimize customer loyalty and profitability in the past. Though this case study company has sophisticated software applications in its ERP, CRM, and SCM systems, these legacy systems were not designed originally to synchronize in business logics and data sharing. Time was wasted and the full information captured by these systems has not been exploited for CRM analytics.\n5. Conclusion and future research: The case study company operates in the fiercely competitive global airline industry of which profit margins are the lowest compared with other industries. All other related entities of their value chain are capable of achieving higher returns than airlines, e.g. jet fuel supply, airplane manufacturers, and other suppliers. Therefore, it is not appropriate to improve operations merely by becoming lean in all aspects of the supply chain. The literature is relatively discreet in proposing a workable solution to address this research issue. To bridge this research gap, the contribution of this study is to develop a novel hybrid MCDM model that integrates multi-disciplines (management strategy and systems - CRM and RM; accounting and financial techniques - ABC and CPA; MCDM methods - FAHP, and TOPSIS) to measure and identify profitable and unprofitable customers. Based on the results of ranking the top 100 corporate customers, management of this airline company is in better position to restructure market segmentation strategy toward increasing customer profitability and firm performance. Based on the integration and interface management of the multi-functional departments that touch customers, results of this proposed model demonstrate feasible and valid classification of the customers on the basis of various CRM criteria and sub-criteria, thus allowing this airline company to customize service offerings and introduce appropriate service levels to engage different categories of customers so as to maximize customer profitability.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: Strategic analysis of customer profitability for assessing market segmentation and reconfiguring customer relationship management (CRM) activities remains the key factor for achieving high return on CRM investment. The purpose of this paper is to map the profit-based ranking of corporate customers into the current market segments, with a view of determining the relative profitability of each market segment.\nDesign/methodology/approach: This study develops a novel model that combines activity-based costing (ABC), CRM, fuzzy analytic hierarchy process (AHP), and technique for order preference by similarity to ideal solution (TOPSIS) methods to evaluate strategically customer profitability and prioritizing corporate accounts. This case study airline company has invested heavily in CRM over the past seven years on integrating multi-functional departments that touch customers. The airline operations management and marketing functions provide key inputs. Results of the hybrid model validate feasibility of the proposed model.\nFindings: The airline management makes use of the ranking results to optimize customer profitability by reconfiguring marketing programs, integrated schedule design, fleet assignment, maintenance routing, crew scheduling, and real-time optimization of schedule recovery in the aftermath of disruptions or irregularities. The proposed model also directs the marketing function to customize service offerings and introduce appropriate service levels to engage customers of different segments for the purpose of maximizing corporate profitability.\nResearch limitations/implications: Significant amount of investment is necessary to design and implement the extensive CRM database and systems to assure customer data quality and availability so as to bear fruits in the proposed hybrid model. These data requirements can especially be a critical barrier for small to medium-sized companies.\nPractical implications: This hybrid model is able to capitalize on the benefits of the ABC, CRM, fuzzy AHP, and TOPSIS methods and offset their deficiencies. Most importantly, it can be applied to various industries without complex modification.\nOriginality/value: This study represents the first move to adopt the fuzzy AHP and TOPSIS methods to analyze the ABC and CRM data inputs of an airline company. In mapping the profit-based ranking of corporate customers into the current market segments, the relative profitability of each market segment can be determined.\n",
"role": "assistant"
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] |
A protean practice? Perspectives on the practice of action learning
|
[
"Action learning",
"UK higher education",
"UK NHS",
"Uses and practice"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: Action learning is used in a wide range of organizations and contexts around the world mainly for the purpose of dealing with ill structured, intractable problems (Willis, 2004; Marquardt and Yeo, 2012). This spread of action learning has been accompanied by a proliferating variety of practices so that it may best be described as an ethos informing a family of approaches rather than a single method (Pedler et al., 2005).\nA Revans gold standard: Revans\nResearch context and rationale: The NHS and HE sectors were chosen for this exploratory study because our survey of the literature had indicated that there was considerable interest in, and evidence of, engagement with, action learning in these sectors, expressed, for example, in single accounts of practice.\nLiterature review: This review is limited to literature which addresses, wholly or in part, issues of action learning practice. An appreciable growth in interest in action learning is apparent in reviewing the literature. This may in part be attributable to the development of different kinds of action learning practice which have emerged, such as business-driven action learning and self-managed action learning, though the extent and reach of these varieties has not, as yet, been accurately determined. One example of these approaches, critical action learning, which involves questioning the ends as well as the means of action, and challenging the often unstated assumptions attached to such action, is practised in some UK universities (Fenwick, 2003; Nicolini et al., 2004; Reynolds and Vince, 2004; Rigg and Trehan, 2004; Pedler, 2005; Lawless, 2008; Vince, 2008; Ram and Trehan, 2009).\nMethodology: The overall aim of this study was to explore the character of action learning practice in both UK HE and the NHS.\nFindings: NHS and HE perspectives on action learning: This section of the paper consider interviewees\nDiscussion: Running counter to Willis\nConclusion: This study extends earlier research by confirming the persistence of RCP across two professional practice contexts and in confirming that it is indeed a distinct entity. This differs from Willis\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: The purpose of the paper is to assess the extent to which these practitioners\nDesign/methodology/approach: This study adopts a qualitative design and methodology based on interviews and the collection of cases or accounts of practice, and upon the analysis of both. This exploratory study draws on 24 cases of academic practice of action learning within higher education (HE) institutions in the UK and 21 cases drawn from practitioners in the UK National Health Service.\nFindings: Whilst action learning is shown to be a context sensitive and protean methodology, the findings demonstrate that approaches to practice are not as divergent as anticipated. On the evidence of this study, many aspects of action learning practice remain rooted in the principles originally established by Revans, sometimes termed.\nResearch limitations/implications: The limitations of this study stem from its exploratory nature using small samples in the NHS and HE sectors. Nonetheless, the results could stimulate further empirical research on approaches to the practice of action learning in a range of other contexts.\nPractical implications: The study provides a basis on which practitioners can critically reflect on their own professional practices, and a means to review their own purposes in making use of action learning in their work situations.\nOriginality/value: The study extends earlier research by confirming the persistence of Revans Classical Principles in the present practice across two professional practice contexts.\n",
"role": "assistant"
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Idea generation: customer co-creation versus traditional market research techniques
|
[
"Market research methods",
"Product innovation",
"Services",
"Consumer goods",
"Consumer panels",
"Europe"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: From the service-dominant logic perspective, a market offering is attractive if it captures its value-in-use (Vargo and Lusch, 2004). The true value of a market offering can only be evaluated through the lens of the customer. The focus is not on the market offering, per se, but on the customers' value creation processes, in which value for customers emerges (Gronroos, 2000; Moeller, 2008). These processes should be the point of departure when conducting market research, yet the literature remains preoccupied with decision making, focusing on what customers purchase rather than what they actually do (Xie et al., 2007). Contemporary marketing research seems to be based on an artificial separation of production and consumption (Xie et al., 2007; Firat and Venkatesh, 1995), and customers are often viewed as passive responders to various market offerings rather than active participants in the value-creation process. This paper argues that replacing the passive view of customers with an active view, in which customers are invited to use their own initiative rather than simply react to predetermined questions and instructions, will provide new opportunities for companies to create market offerings with greater customer value.According to the literature, the difference between a passive customer and an active one depends on whether a firm embraces a responsive or a proactive market orientation (Narver et al., 2004). Responsive market orientation[1] concerns a firm's attempts to discover, understand and satisfy the expressed needs of its customers. Proactive market orientation, on the other hand, has been described as a \"customer-driven\" process in which the firm must discover, understand and satisfy the latent needs of its customers or discover new market opportunities. This can be accomplished by working closely with lead users or by conducting market experiments to discover future needs (Jaworski et al., 2000; Slater and Narver, 1998; Atuahene-Gima et al., 2005; Narver et al., 2004). While previous research has focused on responsive market orientation (Jaworski et al., 2000; Slater and Narver, 1995), this study has focused on demystifying the role of proactive market orientation and some of the market research techniques connected to the notion of the active customer (Prahalad and Ramaswamy, 2000).Some of the more common market research techniques that companies use to generate customer information include surveys, in-depth interviews, and focus groups (Verma et al., 2008). These techniques, which concentrate on capturing customers' previous experiences with a product or service, have been designed so that the participants respond to stimuli from the company. Accordingly, these market research techniques have been categorized as reactive or backward looking (Johnson, 1998). Companies that employ these techniques either decide what type of questions should be asked (for example, in a survey) or they limit responses by, for example, asking about a consumer's previous experience with a service or the usability of a new service. This limits the opportunity to provide new insights and thoughts that lie outside the prepared interview guide or questionnaire. In such cases, customers are likely to base their responses on their experiences with previous usage, which is not really suitable when predicting future usage (Trott, 2001). In contrast, forward-looking techniques assist in the development of innovative new services that build on gaining greater access to customers' underlying values and behaviors (Johnson, 1998). According to Johnson (1998), the main difference between proactive and reactive methods is that reactive methods capture consumers' spoken needs, while proactive methods seek to capture a wider range of information, in the form of both spoken needs and unspoken - or so-called latent - needs. The distinction between the spoken needs captured by the above-mentioned methods and latent needs can also be found in Narver et al. (2004). Gustafsson et al. (1999) and Lilja and Wiklund (2007) argue that methods such as in-depth interviews and focus groups are able to capture spoken needs, but that there are better methods for capturing unspoken latent needs.The lead user method is a market research technique that is frequently cited as being proactive (von Hippel, 1986) because the user is actively engaged in creative problem-solving at the location where needs are present. This increases the likelihood that latent needs will be taken into account when suggesting a new solution. In contrast, a typical characteristic of reactive market research is that the role of the customer, \"... is essentially that of respondent, speaking only when spoken to\" (von Hippel, 1978, p. 40). This paper argues that market research techniques that give customers greater leeway to take the initiative and make their own discoveries, and in which value is co-created with the customer, are more likely to contribute to the success of new development projects. It should be noted, however, that the application of a certain market research technique does not, in and of itself, lead to commercial success. The degree of market orientation within a firm is likely to influence whether a market technique will help the firm discover new ideas and implement these ideas in new services (Narver et al., 2004).The purpose of this research is to understand the differences between proactive and reactive market research techniques when developing new market offerings. The empirical investigation focuses on how the performance of traditional market research techniques, such as focus groups and in-depth interviews, compares to more co-creation-oriented techniques designed to capture customers' value-in-use. The paper argues that market offerings that are developed with a market research technique that allows customers to focus on their own value-in-use are more likely to provide ideas that are beneficial for service innovation. The research was conducted within a two-stage research study that compared various market research techniques on two different levels. The first step was to investigate how the two different kinds of market research techniques contributed to the profit margins of newly developed products and services. Study I is an empirical investigation of 195 development projects in European companies. It examines how these companies use different market research techniques and how their usage is related to the profit margins of new products and services. The second step investigated the content of the contribution using three different market research techniques in order to study their relationship with originality and customer value. In Study II, an experiment was designed with 50 users of a consumer good and evaluated the contribution of various market research techniques based on the degree of originality and customer value. The results of these two studies make several contributions to the existing literature. They show that market research techniques affect a project's success in a number of ways and that the content of the output varies depending on the role of the customer in the development project. Given the importance of market research, the results indicate that a more deliberate approach should be taken to selecting market research techniques; in other words, the various methods have different strengths and weaknesses.The concepts of co-creation and prosumption\nDiscussion and managerial implications: A large body of scholarly work contends that co-creation has become a critical means for customers to achieve value-in-use. Although this \"collaborative trend\" seems well established in the consumption phase through co-creation for use, its consequences are not adequately understood in the service innovation process through co-creation for others. Although some researchers have shown that applying market research techniques based on co-creation can lead to innovative ideas, there is a lack of valid studies regarding how co-creation relates to more traditional methods of collaboration with customers (von Hippel, 2005).In order to fill this void, the first part of this study indicates that new market offerings developed through market research techniques based on co-creation are more profitable than those developed through traditional market research techniques. The cross-sectional sample revealed that products and services that are developed from ideas derived by active customers through the lead user approach made a significant contribution to the profits of the firm in question. These results are in accordance with those of Lilien et al. (2002), who concluded that the performance of innovations generated by lead users made a greater contribution to profits than innovations generated in a more traditional fashion. Because lead users are accustomed to technology and user needs, the lead user method represents one variant of co-creation for others, which strengthens the validity of the study's findings.Study II identified some of the reasons why co-creation for others makes a greater contribution to profit margin from new products and services than traditional market research techniques. Active customers in the development process produce ideas that are significantly more innovative than those generated through traditional market research techniques. One potential explanation for this involves the location of the idea creation. Participants in the co-creation condition appear to have derived their ideas from an experience that has triggered their understanding of how value-in-context can be created, and they generate ideas about where usage takes place or is assumed to take place. Other techniques that also emphasize the situational aspect of understanding needs are related to ethnographic methods such as contextual inquiry or research in the so-called gemba (Imai, 1997). Customers participating in traditional market research methods, such as focus groups and in-depth interviews, have had to rely on their memories of previous experiences in order to produce ideas (Johnson, 1998). These memories could share some commonalities and represent standard situations of usage, which might explain why the ideas derived from that material were not as innovative (Ward, 1994). Therefore, traditional market research techniques seem restricted by the fact that users have difficulty imagining or remembering scenarios in which they have experienced certain needs (Kristensson, 2006; Trott, 2001). Because cognition is often limited to the situations in which people find themselves at that point in time (Schkade and Kahneman, 1998), focus group participants are likely to be limited to making suggestions connected to that particular moment, or to standard situations that are typically shared by most people. It can be difficult to express latent needs, either because they are difficult to grasp in the absence of a specific need or because they emerge slowly and may not be reflected upon at first. For technology-based companies, many new solutions to customer problems are latent in nature because customers may not understand exactly how they could benefit from the technology in the future. Asking users to derive solutions at the same time as they experience needs is likely to improve their understanding of latent needs, which will make their ideas more innovative.Theoretical implications\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: - The purpose of this paper is to understand the differences between proactive and reactive market research techniques during the development of new market offerings. The study focused on the financial and innovative performance of traditional market research techniques, such as focus groups and in-depth interviews, in comparison to more co-creation-oriented techniques that are designed to capture customers' value-in-use.\nDesign/methodology/approach: - The study was a two-stage process. Study I, an empirical investigation of 195 development projects in European companies, examined how these companies use different market research techniques and how this relates to the profit margins of new products and services. Study II designed an experiment with 50 users of a consumer good and evaluated the contribution of different market research techniques, based on the degree of originality and customer value.\nFindings: - Significant differences were found, in terms of both content and originality, between the technique based on customer co-creation and the two traditional market research techniques (Study II). These findings can help to explain why the relationship between the use of market research techniques and profit margin (Study I) is stronger for co-creation techniques than it is for traditional market research techniques.\nOriginality/value: - Despite empirical evidence that the application of market research techniques based on co-creation can lead to original ideas, there is a lack of valid studies regarding how co-creation techniques perform in relation to more traditional methods of collaboration with customers.\n",
"role": "assistant"
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] |
From whence cometh this Welfare consensus? US welfare policy discourse as class warfare in the 1980s and 1990s
|
[
"Power",
"Politics",
"Ideology",
"Welfare state",
"Social stratification"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n__NO_TITLE__: We have to replace the welfare state with an opportunity society. It is impossible to take the Great Society structure of bureaucracy, the redistributionist model of how wealth is acquired and the counterculture value system that now permeates the way we deal with the poor, and have any hope of fixing them. They are a disaster. They ruin the poor, they create a culture of poverty and a culture of violence which is destructive of this civilization, and they have to be replaced thoroughly from the ground up (Newt Gingrich's Closing Remarks in the Contract with America) (Gingrich et al., 1994, p. 189).\nIntroduction: The above quotation captures almost perfectly the fusion of disparate conservative philosophies which informs the \"neoconservative persuasion,\" as Irving Kristol (2003, p. 2) once called it, on the issue of welfare. It simultaneously reinforces the laissez-faire fetish of opportunity, evokes the neocon disparagement of the leftist counterculture, and conjures up the traditional conservative emphasis of civilization being in crisis and the behavioral/ cultural otherness of the poor by evoking the culture of poverty. It encapsulates quite succinctly the contemporary welfare consensus. The USA, unlike most advanced capitalist societies, has not maintained an extensive social safety net. There are many explanations for this fact of American exceptionalism. For many, it is safe to take it for granted as part of the culture and legacy of rugged individuals who bravely pulled themselves up from nothing to carve out their existence along and beyond the untamed frontier. For others, it represents a superior arrangement - more lean than the comparably massive European-style welfare states - with an emphasis on self-sufficiency, productivity, and hard work. The findings of this project will contribute to demythologizing such ideology. Rather than uncritically accepting such narratives, a fundamental premise here is that the prevailing ideologies about welfare have been developed in a rather complex and particular context. It is not simply a product of the frontier ethic, that Americans intrinsically appreciate hard work, or that everyone knows welfare produces idleness and malaise.\nA note on methodology: The emergence of this new consensus and corresponding process of political and financial devolution are explored by articulating macro-level systems and transformations with a micro-analytical critique of ideology to understanding the shifting fields of opinion related to welfare state discourse and how they function to reproduce structures of power in contemporary society. These macro-level processes are clarified through an analysis of various types of texts such as policy statements, journal articles, political addresses, books of influence, primary and secondary source interviews, congressional transcripts and testimony, legislation, and newspaper and magazine articles pertaining to what we call welfare and which have contributed to producing our common understanding of it. That is, the particularities of the texts studied are located within their larger contexts to help clarify the formation of the new welfare consensus. This is not at all to assume that there is a seamless unification between macro- and micro-level phenomena (here, larger attitude structures and particular ideological productions, respectively). Rather, the contradictory, yet mutually determinitive relation between these two realms of sociality reflects the nature of the social world itself. Instead, apparently unified realities are interrogated so that their constituent and contradictory particularities may be better understood, unpacked, and contextualized. In other words, the new welfare consensus is not immanently validated (i.e. taken for granted).\nNot \"Some Kind of PhD Committee\": Conservative and pro-capital think tanks played an essential role in the formation of the new welfare consensus. They were important producers of ideas, but also of a workforce of intellectuals and an infrastructure in which they could seize a larger share of power within the economy of ideas. By the late 1970s, the American Enterprise Institute (AEI) was quickly expanding its influence, and between 1978 and 1981 it began to compete with the moderately conservative Brookings Institution for the distinction of being DC's most influential think tank. It became a revolving door for those who had concrete experience in government and others who had specialized in academic research. Gerald Ford, after losing the 1976 election to Jimmy Carter, had become the AEI's \"Distinguished Fellow\" (American Enterprise Institute, 2009, p. 5; Smith, 1991, p. 179). Ford had brought with him many colleagues who would situate themselves within the growing network of conservative research institutes (Peschek, 1987; Smith, 1991). Among those who would reenter government were Arthur Berns, Antonin Scalia, Laurence Silberman, Robert Bork, and Michael Novak (American Enterprise Institute, 2009; Peschek 1987; Smith 1991). In fact, over 30 AEI recruits had served as officials in senior government posts during Reagan's presidency (Peschek, 1987; Smith, 1991). Irving Kristol had made the AEI his Washington center of operations and was acting as a broker between conservative funders and the expanding pro-capital, conservative policy planning network (Smith, 1991; Kristol, 1995). Kristol, along with General Electric's chairman, Reginald Jones, and the former chairman of General Motors, Thomas Murphy, oversaw the fundraising for the AEI, having raised nearly $60 million and establishing a board of directors, which counted among its membership executives from Chase Manhattan, Standard Oil, Hewlett-Packard, and Citicorp (Peschek, 1987; Post 1996; Smith, 1991). The AEI's ability to coordinate and financially mobilize American capitalists was evident in both its governing structure and funding sources (Post, 1996). In the years leading up to PRWORA, backing from corporate sources composed a majority of the institution's total funding. In 1993, corporate contributions made up 39 percent and corporate foundations 38 percent of its annual revenue (Post, 1996). In 1994, the AEI received 41 percent of its annual revenue from corporate donors while another 41 percent came from corporate foundations (Post, 1996). The great majority of the AEI's trustees (28 out of 30) were corporate executives from the Fortune 1000, including executives from ALCOA, AT\nThe Reagan devolution: The strategy of decentralizing welfare program administration and financing, i.e. increasing the autonomy of state and local governments to implement their own reforms and fund them, was as much a political strategy as it was financial. This process functioned as an essential mechanism for testing and implementing reforms articulated through the policy planning network. It squeezed state and local government funds and fostered resentment toward welfare populations. This further validated behavioral explanations for poverty which blames victims for their socio-economic circumstances, which is a constituent aspect of the new welfare consensus. It took ideas, implemented them within state and local contexts, and ultimately influenced provisions in federal legislation, including the Family Support Act (FSA) of 1988 and PRWORA. The encouragement of waivers from federal requirements in the administration of Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) was a driving force behind the eventual elimination of AFDC as an entitlement (Law, 1983; Rector, 1987; Wiseman, 1993). In California, under Reagan's gubernatorial administration, the Spring of 1971 saw major changes in that state's welfare programs which would resurface in the 1981 Social Security Act amendments and the FSA. According to Hobbs (1975/2005, p. 102), Reagan had \"cleaned up\" California's \"federally created welfare mess\" by identifying a group of deserving poor or \"truly needy\" and restricting benefits for that target population while requiring those who were \"undeserving\" of a social wage to either get a paying job or work for their benefits. In five years, there were approximately 400,000 fewer welfare recipients in California (Hobbs, 1975/2005). Similarly, the main goal of the 1981 amendments to the Social Security Act was to force those on welfare into the labor market (Law, 1983). With the gradual decline in the federal government's role in financing AFDC and the increasing responsibility of state and local financing of the program, there were unavoidable pressures to keep benefits low (Law, 1983). Looking back in 1973 on his accomplishments as governor, Reagan (1973/2005, p. 63) saw welfare reform as possibly his \"greatest success.\" A major attribute of this \"success\" was the shift in the financial burden for health and welfare services from the state to the counties (Law, 1983). As pressures from their new responsibility to administer and fund welfare programs were escalating, municipalities were cutting benefits and services and raising taxes (Law, 1983). This contributed to California's growing anti-tax environment and inflamed frustrations about welfare and poverty. The property tax revolt realized through the now infamous 1978 California Proposition 13 which placed a cap on property taxes, was in part generated by these pressures (Law, 1983). Similar pressures would evoke reactionary consequences across the states as attitudes were changing to reflect a proliferating reactionary individualism.\nEnforcing good behavior ... for the poor: Moynihan, the FSA's sponsor continued to frame the issue of poverty in terms of behavior and the breakdown of the male-headed, two-parent family, in essence, never departing from the \"tangle of pathology\" rationale from his infamous 1965 report on the black family. During an address on the FSA in the Senate, he asserted that the \"problems [of poor children] do not reside in nature, nor yet are they fundamentally economic. Our problems derive from behavior\" (quoted in Fineman 1991/1997, p. 90). Reflecting on funding trends for AFDC after the FSA, Moynihan noted that the program had been reduced from 1967-1992 by 40 percent in real dollars (US Congress Senate, 1992). He attributed the reduction to the increased \"focus [...] on behavior modification\" (US Congress Senate, 1992, p. 96). He continued, \"This concept was central to welfare reform, whose main objective, after all, is to modify recipient behavior so as to encourage self-sufficiency\" (US Congress Senate, 1992, p. 96). In a March 1992 speech at the HF, Dr Louis Sullivan, President Bush's Secretary of Health and Human Services, directly cited Moynihan's comments from his 1990 remarks on the FSA in the Senate and connected child poverty with behavioral origins - single motherhood and welfare dependency (Sullivan, 1992). This paternalistic problem solving approach, the two-prong approach of enforcing \"good behavior\" by reducing program participation and explicitly requiring behavioral compliance in return for benefits, was instrumental in reinforcing the notion that poverty is caused by individual behavioral pathology and in weakening and ultimately ending the consensus that welfare should be a public entitlement. This rationale assumed that programs should be cut where specific behaviors considered desirable by policy elites could be enforced simply through the discipline of the market, and where the state could directly modify the behavior of the poor through program administration, such programs should be spared or even expanded.\nConclusion: The PRWORA of 1996 incorporated many of the propositions of the policy experts who had been subjecting the welfare system to ruthless condemnation and criticism. Key features of the bill include work requirements, a five-year time limit, education and live-at-home requirements for teen mothers, optional family caps for states, and state block grants which give states more autonomy in how benefits are administered (Administration for Children and Families, 1996; Post, 1996). Hobbs, Butler, and Murray were key advocates for devolution as were Rector and Besharov. With the exception of Besharov, the expectation and hope was that some states and municipalities would terminate benefits completely and others would impose even stricter time limits than that of the five years indicated in the bill. The \"tangle of pathology\" and underclass concepts inform the perspective of poverty which associates it with individual failings, immediately problematizing any efforts at providing a basic income entitlement for poor mothers without behavioral obligation. This same expectation of obligation and work is not expected of affluent women with children. This reveals a disdain for the \"welfare mother\" who, in the popular imaginary, is an impoverished woman of color residing in the inner city. Poor single motherhood, constructed as \"other-hood,\" therefore comes to inhabit the same plane of immoral behavior inhabited by other forms of \"chronic pathology\" demonized through dominant ideological narratives - sexual permissiveness, indolence, criminality, etc. - while reinforcing racial stereotypes and traditional heteronormative conventions.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to address the ideological narratives which came to comprise a new welfare consensus in the USA and subsequently a welfare state which was more fiscally austere, demeaning, and coercive. It also explores the role of the political and financial restructuring which facilitated the implementation of retrogressive reforms.\nDesign/methodology/approach: Macro-level historical forces are investigated through various texts such as policy statements, journal articles, press releases, political addresses, congressional transcripts and testimony, archived papers, newspaper articles, and occasional sound bites and popular culture references pertaining to welfare and which have come to construct the common understanding of it.\nFindings: The formation of this consensus was due in part to three factors: first, the growth of and increased influence of an elite policy planning network; second, welfare program administration and financing had been decentralized which allowed greater autonomy of state and local governments to implement their own retrogressive reforms; and third, there emerged an overarching discourse and paradigm for structuring policy and explaining the causes of poverty which emphasized individual behavior.\nOriginality/value: This paper focusses on the materialization of the contemporary welfare consensus during the 1980s and 1990s in terms of its ideological and political history and on its persistence which has affected the ensuing policy culture and which continues to constrain anti-poverty policy discourse as well as what can be accomplished legislatively. The paper is of value for for readers, fields, courses with work that encompasses an examination of political and social theory, ideology, social policy, power/hegemony, poverty, inequality, families, gender, race, and meaning making institutions.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
The hybridization and internationalization of HRM in the Maghreb: Examining the case of commitment and intention to quit amongst employees of multinational companies
|
[
"Maghreb",
"Morocco",
"Algeria",
"Tunisia",
"Libya",
"Mauritania",
"Human resource management",
"Employees turnover",
"Multinational companies",
"Internationalization of HRM",
"Hybridization",
"Commitment",
"Intention to quit",
"Convergence"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: History in the Maghreb has shaped a context that is marked by outside influences that continue to interact with and weigh upon the management practices and tools of businesses. For Parker (2002) and De Gaulejac (2005), management seems to be a new form of domination. Dissemination of the principle of rationality, the cult of performance, jargon, techniques and the organization of materials imposes a hegemonic model of organization (Broussard, 2008; Palpacuer and Balas, 2009). From a Gramscian perspective, Mumby (1997) sees hegemony as a complex interrelationship between domination and consent.The reference model for management science has an effect on the scope of human resource management (HRM) within companies: pay, recruitment, performance appraisal, etc. These management tenets are spread by multinational companies (MNCs), expatriates, consultants and trainers. The policies and practices of outside models are transmitted through a process of isomorphism. Contextual factors are not taken into account or else are disparaged. Moreover, western managers are rarely aware of differences in \"locus of human value\" (Jackson, 2002). Such contingency factors, especially cultural ones, are systematically considered to be a source of hindrance or unsuited to \"good\" management rules. Yet there is no incompatibility between the diversity of cultures in the Maghreb and the harmonization of economic and social performance.From this perspective, hybridization, which mixes external elements with contingency factors, seems to enrich the discussion about the convergence and/or divergence of HRM practices between European firms and their counterparts in the Maghreb. To begin with, transferring and reconciling tools, concepts and models requires the building of bridges between people on both sides of Mediterranean. Yet, relations between the different groups collide with religious, economic, political and spiritual barriers against a background of East-West divisions. Relationships are filled with bias and conflict often causing things to not work well in the subsidiaries of MNCs and increasing the number of irritants that cause the social environment and employee commitment to break down. Too often, the transfers only go in one direction and make people feel displaced, adrift and uprooted. To think of and experience diversity requires a real relationship between the parties involved. It is a matter of coming together. Differences are accepted, not just tolerated, and become the basis for a dialogue that is calm and free of angst.The culture factor is a very important element of contingency. Nonetheless, the explanatory power of the cultural dimension is limited. Within the framework of internationalization of management practices, it should be used in conjunction with other modes of interpretation and understanding. To consider the hybridization process from the perspective of interaction between cultural and institutional approaches seems to be an interesting alternative to understanding the phenomenon and its effect upon commitment and turnover.We argue that hybridization provides people with a springboard for coming together, dialogue, intersection of thoughts, balance, lucidity and serenity. Diversity and the recognition of otherness can train the mind against ignorance. As a process of synthesis and conciliation, does hybridization reduce psychological and management stresses? Does it have an impact on employee commitment? Does it have an effect upon turnover?\nConverging views and contingent practices: The convergence of HRM policies and practices between European companies and their counterparts in the Maghreb is underway. The visions, vocations and missions of the human resource function (HRF) are the same on both sides of the Mediterranean. The convergence of trends is probably even greater. However, operational approaches are different. Contextual factors make the \"conversion\" to the dominant Anglo-Saxon model very rare. Hybridization can slowly bring the two spheres together without substituting one for the other. Before considering the convergence of HRM practices and the Maghreb, it is necessary to ask some questions about the existence of a European model of HRM.The existence of a European model of HRM\nFrom convergence to hybridization: The dimensions of contingency are generally considered to be a potential source of conflict. They are therefore naturalized through hegemonic and mimetic processes (Shrivastava, 1986). And yet, imitation often goes hand in hand with failure and dysfunction prompting those involved in the HRF to explore new approaches. This process can lead to the emergence of new tools. The encounter between the external model and contextual factors promotes hybridization.Hybridization an alternative and a complement\nCommitment and intention to quit: In this study, we have decided to focus on two organizational outcomes commonly used: in the OB/HRM literature, namely commitment and the intention to quit.Commitment\nModel and hypotheses: Derived from the preceding literature review the following model and hypotheses are presented shows in Figure 1:H1. Hybridization of HRM practices increases employee's commitment.H1a. Hybridization is positively linked to the calculative dimension of commitment.H1b. Hybridization is negatively linked to the affective dimension of commitment.H2. Hybridization of HRM practices reduces the employee's intention to quit.H3. Organizational commitment reduces the employee's intention to quit.\nMethods and procedures: Sample\nResults: In order to assess the quality of the internal model (i.e. the structural model), we will rely on:* the Pearson correlation coefficient squared, known as R2, which gives an idea of the proportion of the variation of one variable explainable by another variable;* the redundancy index which measures the quality of structural model for each endogenous latent variable;* Stone and Geisser's Q2 criterion, which corresponds to the cross-validation redundancy index (Tenenhaus et al., 2005); and* goodness-of-fit (GoF) which allows us to estimate the degree of adjustment of the structural and measurement models to the empirical data (Table II).The scores shown in Table II indicate a low R2 value (0.10) and a very slight redundancy (0.08) of the endogenous variable, affective commitment. However, these indexes are still acceptable for the remaining variables. Stone and Geisser's Q2 measures the quality of each structural equation. This criterion is always positive and thus proves that the model is valid. With a GoF index score somewhere between 0 (the model is not valid) and 1 (the model is perfect), a score equal to 0.37 on the GoF index tends to validate our model. The overall model is therefore acceptable (Figure 2).To test the explanatory hypotheses three indices were retained. In the first place, the t-student index which represents the significance of the correlation between the endogenous variables and the exogenous variables at a significance threshold of 0.05. Next, the variable importance in the projection (VIP) which is an index of the explanatory power of the effect an independent variable has on a dependent variable. Lastly, the regression coefficients (path coefficients) that link the latent variables to each other.H1: hybridization of HR practices/organizational commitment\nDiscussion: The results suggest that the perception of the hybridization process is significantly linked to the employee's commitment to the company. Thus, hybridization seems to have an effect on affective and calculative commitment. The employee's perception of the hybridization process accounts for a large part of his intention to quit. To understand these results, the concept of legitimacy can provide the basis for an interesting analysis. Indeed, the transfer of management tools cannot be considered without giving thought to their legitimization. Hybridization seems to be perceived both as a threat causing an increase in the intention to quit and as an opportunity that can affect employees' commitment.A hybrid practice that is recognized and accepted within a socially constructed system of norms and values will be qualified as legitimate by employees. Companies may adopt practices that are known abroad without necessarily analyzing the internal repercussions of the transfer within the company. Legitimate hybridization seems to allow commitment to be maintained and to lessen the invasive aspect of management which employees associate with a loss of freedom, despair, unawareness, the will to expand and exploit, inferiority and superiority complexes, the illusion of being in possession of the truth, depersonalization, etc. All management practices are meant to overlap and enrich each other. Managerial transfer should not flow only in one direction and be part of a debate between the upper crust and the indigenous people. Instead it should be a communion of minds, a share and share alike. Social relations are not simply a matter of power relations, lobbying or calculations. The need for security, the fear of the other, give legitimacy to and end up in crusades against difference. Identity raised as a shield is a barrier to critical thinking.During the transfer of HRM practices, the diversity of temporal aspects must be taken into account by the management executives (see above). The initial loss requires an ability to listen (break with past practices, gradual adaptation); admission to the neutral zone (equal to real hybridization) requires action to bring people into line and the emergence of new practices involves making an effort to support, stimulate and clarify. Hybridization is a continuous development, fragmented, by nature repetitive and incremental. Every new situation is based on an old set-up in a continuing process of trial and error. Reserves of knowledge built up during the firm's past and present activities determine the latter's evolution. This process corresponds to the \"path dependence\" approach developed by Dosi et al. (1990). The latter suggests that future development of business activities depends on the skills available in the company at any given moment, the weight of the past, culture, current projects, past decisions. Not taking temporal aspects into account may cause rejection of hybrid practices that are considered to be non-legitimate and increase intention to quit the firm. These are forms of resistance to managerial hegemony (Bohm, 2006). Hybridization implies an emotional and evaluative situation.\nConclusion: The professionalization of the HRF facilitates the emergence of \"best practices\" models and tools that serve as standards and frameworks for businesses and scholars. These ideas inform a type of managerial hegemony based on membership, domination, internalization and naturalization (Levy and Scully, 2007). The issue of \"transferability\" is complex. The world is made up of not just one substance (monism) or two (dualism) but several (pluralism). Despite alternating movements in the migration of people from the North to the South of the Mediterranean and from the South to the North, examples of cross-cultural synthesis able to overcome cultural differences without altering them are extremely rare. Interpenetration remains the exception, unlike certain elements of colonialism and resentment that still persist. The Mediterranean divides although it could connect. For Jacques Berque, the Mediterranean associate is a \"Siamese twin who is ignored and rejected\" on both shores of the Middle Sea, the \"Mare Nostrum\", the \"al-Bahr al Mutawassit\". Hybridization is part of a framework of relations between domination and resistance. Hybridization requires an encounter, the possibility of a contact and relationships between individuals that are guided by \"a diversity of thought\" and not by the negation of the other. What is at stake is the ability to escape from stultifying conformity that shows no regard for cultural heritage and specificity. Hybridization consists in fashioning an acceptable compromise between the parties involved in the company's functioning in which both sides have a stake in order to increase its legitimacy. This is needed in order to maintain employee commitment and reduce turnover. Hybridization must be accepted by the employees. Those involved assess the practice on the basis of the potential benefits they might be able to get. This has to do with pragmatic legitimacy (Suchman, 1995). The members of the organization participate in an internal evaluation of the hybrid practices (Ruef and Scott, 1998).\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: - The purpose of this paper is to argue that the direct application of an imported model of human resource management (HRM) is seldom successful. The dissemination and transfer of management practices of European firms to their counterparts in the Maghreb cannot simply be cloned. Indeed, in order to gain legitimacy, internalization of HRM practices of multinationals implemented in the Maghreb must include elements of contingency (culture, religion, etc.). The paper asks: does hybridization have an impact on employee commitment? Does it have an effect upon turnover?\nDesign/methodology/approach: - In total, 187 executives operating within 40 subsidiaries of multinational companies in the Maghreb and employed in HRM positions participated in the survey. Respective hypotheses connected with hybrid models were supported using structural equation modelling procedures.\nFindings: - The results show that hybridization of HRM practices increases an employee's commitment and reduces the intention to quit.\nResearch limitations/implications: - The present study is limited in particular by the perceptual and self-report nature of the data assembled.\nPractical implications: - Multinational companies' image operating in the Maghreb may be enhanced through hybrid HRM practices. Hybrid HRM practices will open new avenues for a Mediterranean collaboration.\nOriginality/value: - This paper advances the state of HRM research in the Maghreb and provides a unique empirical investigation on the consequences of the internationalization of HRM practices in the Maghreb.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Examining consumers' luxury hotel stay repurchase intentions-incorporating a luxury hotel brand attachment variable into a luxury consumption value model
|
[
"Emotions",
"Attachment",
"Luxury hotel",
"Consumption value model",
"Perceived luxury value"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: The global luxury goods and services market is expected to be valued at US$1.4tn in 2017. Within this steadily growing market, about a third relates to the consumption of luxury services (D'Arpizio et al., 2017). Researchers have explored the luxury market and its consumers, and scholarly interest in this industry increased further after its success during the global financial crisis, which began in 2007 (Chen and Peng, 2018). Between 2009 and 2010, the global personal luxury goods market grew 13 per cent and regained the value that it lost during 2007 and 2009. The market grew another 11 per cent between 2010 and 2011 (D'Arpizio et al., 2017). Within the luxury product industry, staying at luxury hotels when traveling for tourism purposes is a growing trend. Researchers and practitioners have suggested that additional research into this market and its consumers can have theoretical and practical implications (Chen and Peng, 2014; D'Arpizio et al., 2017). In this study, a luxury hotel is defined as a hotel that is unique, superior in quality, provides excellent service and can symbolize the wealth and status of the owners (Berthon et al., 2009; Chen et al., 2015).\nLiterature review: Perceived luxury value\nHypotheses: Based on the gaps in the literature identified and the study's research objectives, a research framework for the study is proposed (Figure 1). The effect of the perceived functional value of a luxury hotel on consumers' emotions will be the first hypothesis this study examines. From a theoretical perspective, the significance of this relationship can be expected because perceived functional value measures a consumer's perceptions of a product's core benefits, and these core benefits represent the main reason why consumers initially need/want to purchase the product. Therefore, consumer research has consistently shown that a product's functional value has a significant effect on consumer evaluations (Ryu et al., 2012). In the context of luxury goods and services consumption scenarios, consumers anticipate luxury products to have a high functional/utilitarian value (Berthon et al., 2009). Scholars who studied the consumers of luxury services have confirmed that perceived functional value is a key determinant of consumers' experiences and emotions (Chen and Peng, 2014). The current research hypothesizes that consumers will find staying at luxury hotels to be a joyful experience when they perceive that these products are sophisticated and aesthetically appealing (H1).\nResearch method: Data collection and sampling methods\nData analysis and results: Model measurement\nDiscussion and conclusions: Conclusions\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: Luxury consumption research has focused more on the consumers of goods than services, despite the trend that consumers are more interested in luxury services, such as luxury hospitality services, than ever before. Additionally, the results regarding the factors that can influence consumers' luxury service product purchase intentions can be further tested. The purpose of this research is to examine the factors that contribute to consumers' luxury hotel stay repurchase intentions, to further develop the luxury hospitality service consumption literature and to identify implications for practitioners to consider.\nDesign/methodology/approach: To contribute to the luxury consumption literature, this research incorporates a \"luxury hotel brand attachment\" variable into a luxury consumption value model to examine consumers' intentions to repurchase luxury hotel stays when traveling for tourism purposes. The authors draw on a survey of over 450 luxury hotel consumers.\nFindings: The findings confirm that luxury hotels' perceived functional value, hedonic value and symbolic/expressive value affect consumers' emotions, which in turn affects their luxury hotel attachment and repurchase intentions. In addition, luxury hotel attachment moderates the influence of emotion on repurchase intention.\nDesign/methodology/approach: Luxury hotels need to review their customers' emotions during their stay and their attachment with the hotel. These factors can influence customers' repurchase intentions. To stimulate customers' emotions, luxury hotels need to offer functional value (e.g. attentive service staff), hedonic/expressive value (e.g. position as a form of self-indulgence) and symbolic value (e.g. conspicuous lobby). However, managers should know that having superior perceived functional value does not influence customers' repurchase intentions directly. These characteristics may be commonly shared by most luxury hotels. Furthermore, they do not need to be too worried about providing financial value (e.g. value-for-money).\nOriginality/value: This study conceptualizes tourists' luxury hotel stay intentions by examining the influence of perceived luxury value (i.e. functional value, financial value, hedonic value and symbolic/expressive value), tourists' emotions and luxury hotel brand attachment. In addition, this research explores how luxury hotel brand attachment can moderate the relationship between consumers' emotions and their repurchase intentions. Several implications of the study are identified, and avenues for future research are suggested.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Transparency: panacea or Pandora's box
|
[
"Strategic management",
"Governance",
"Volatility"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n__NO_TITLE__: It is conventional wisdom that transparency, openness and full disclosure make for efficient financial markets and exemplary corporate governance. It is persuasively argued that there are few, if any, arguments against those advantages. One of the reasons why this is so is because it is deemed inappropriate, if not undemocratic, to argue for the opposite - secrecy and obfuscation. That may all be true, but surely there is room for quality research which might illuminate some of the unintended, if not counterintuitive notions, of \"transparency.\" Such research might inform public policy makers, management practitioners and securities analysts of consequences that might be unforeseen or even adverse to public or private interest. It may be useful, therefore, to examine some lines of research and analysis. The following are but selections.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: - The purpose of this article is to share with executives, public policy makers, and securities analysts some key behavior constraints on transparency seldom addressed in the professional literature. Focus is on unexpected and perhaps counterintuitive issues of transparency and full disclosure.\nDesign/methodology/approach: - Recent contributions from management research are presented to inform behavioral constraints on transparency and full disclosure. A number of studies are reported including research on the herd instinct in market volatility, the private information paradox in competitive strategy, insider trading in technology-intensive companies, symbolic corporate governance reform, and attribution theory and corporate responsibility.\nFindings: - Executives, public policy makers, and securities analysts should focus on the latest research that impacts their duties.\nOriginality/value: - The paper reports new research which questions \"conventional wisdom\" that there are few, if any, negative aspects to transparency and full disclosure.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Voice picking: analysis of critical factors through a case study in Brazil and the United States
|
[
"Picking processes",
"Voice picking systems",
"WMS",
"Voice recognition"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n1. Introduction: The need to adapt to new realities imposed by the competitive environment demands that companies develop an ever-increasing ability to plan and manage their operations. Therefore, logistics has come to play a critical role in the competitive differentiation of companies. The impetus behind this strategic importance relates to its capacity to reduce costs and add value (Ballou, 2004). Thus, as new processes and technologies emerge that are able to improve the productivity of logistics operations, companies become more willing to adopt them, as in the case of voice picking systems (Minis et al., 2011).\n2. Voice picking systems: background and theory: Order picking is the process of collecting materials from their place in the warehouse and preparing the orders for the production line or clients. This is a time and labour intensive activity in most warehouses. A warehouse's picking process can account for up to 60 per cent of its labour cost, while movements between locations can represent 50 per cent of that value. As such, it is crucial to choose the most appropriate collection method (Richards and Grinsted, 2013).\n3. Research methodology: The research used a qualitative approach of an exploratory nature. According to Vergara (2009), an empirical investigation is one conducted in the location where the phenomenon occurred or occurs, or that offers elements to explain it, which may include interviews, questionnaires, trials, or participant observations. Therefore, the researchers chose for field research as the investigation strategy. Since the focus was investigating an implementation that took place in Brazilian and USA plants, this research is also characterised as a case study. According to Yin (2005), a case study is a form of empirical research that investigates contemporary phenomena within the context of real life, in situations in which the boundaries between the phenomenon and its context are not clearly established. Therefore, the case study approach is an appropriate procedure here and will be utilised as the guideline for the field study in this research.\n4. Case study of the implementation process: The case study is described following in this chapter.\n5. Analysis of the implementation process: Through the analysis of the case study, some facts became evident, as described below.\n6. Final considerations: The objective of this study was to identify and analyse the difficulties encountered in the implementation of voice picking in two production units of an industrial equipment company with a global presence. To that end, one plant of the company in Brazil and another in the USA were studied and compared. The study highlights these difficulties, based on the information obtained from different employees and providers who participated in the projects.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to identify and analyse the difficulties encountered in the implementation of a voice picking system at a large multinational company of the tractor industrial segment, outlining a comparison related to the main critical factors concerning the system implementation at a Brazilian and a USA plant.\nDesign/methodology/approach: The methodology utilised was qualitative and exploratory conducted through case studies in the two plants of the multinational company. The main data were collected through interviews with key managers directly involved in the project of voice picking system implementation.\nFindings: The results indicate that the picking processes in the two plants were similar, since both were designed for the production line and conducted using bar-code readers and paper lists. Nevertheless, the internal warehousing process in the USA was more mature and computerised, whereas the Brazilian process still had opportunity for improvement, such as, the visual storage process, where the operator was responsible for locating an empty position.\nResearch limitations/implications: Since this research is an exploratory case study, its results cannot be generalised.\nPractical implications: The paper provides relevant practical information and experiences to managers interested in implementing voice picking systems, as well as interested in improving the accuracy and productivity of logistics processes within warehouses.\nOriginality/value: The voice picking systems are more widespread in the USA than in Brazil, and therefore, companies around the world can use this studied case to better understand about the voice picking systems implementation process in both emerging and mature marketplaces.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Why do people switch mobile platforms? The moderating role of habit
|
[
"Smartphone",
"Information systems success model",
"Habit",
"Switching intention",
"Mobile operating system (mobile OS)",
"Perceived switching value"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n1. Introduction: Progress in wireless connectivity technology has resulted in a mature infrastructure for network communications, which has substantially changed modern lifestyles and economic activities. Individuals use mobile-based services to perform many daily tasks (e.g. banking, learning, and social networking) (Lin et al., 2016; Tam and Oliveira, 2017; Tang et al., 2016). Communication technology is crucial in daily life. In markets where the smartphone market share has grown and continues to expand, smartphone products have become prevalent, and this has engendered various emerging commercial services (Islam et al., 2013). Moreover, eMarketer (2016) reported that worldwide, the number of smartphone users soared to more than 4.1 billion in 2015 and increased to 4.3 billion in 2016. This report predicted that this figure will rise to 4.6 billion by 2018. The momentum of growth stems from emerging markets including the Asia-Pacific region, the Middle East, and Africa. The eMarketer report also predicted that the market penetration of smartphones will increase from 57.3 percent in 2015 to 61.1 percent in 2018. Ericsson (2016) predicted that the number of global smartphone users will reach 6.3 billion (i.e. 85 percent of the global population) by 2021. These market studies clearly highlight the importance and necessity of smartphones.\n2. Theoretical background: 2.1 ISs success model\n3. Research model and hypotheses: Figure 1 illustrates the research model of this study, which is based on the ISs success model (DeLone and McLean, 1992, 2003) and perceived switching value (Hsu, 2014). According to DeLone and McLean (1992, 2003), the ISs success model describes IS success measures and indicates that information quality, system quality, and service quality affect users' satisfaction with ISs (DeLone and McLean, 2003; Dong et al., 2014; Gao et al., 2015). Chen and Chen (2010) reported that significant relationships exist among quality, value, and satisfaction; they demonstrated that users' cognized product and service quality exerted a positive influence on their perceived value and satisfaction.\n4. Research method: 4.1 Data collection and sampling\n5. Data analysis and results: We used structural equation modeling for data analysis because it is a powerful second-generation multivariate technique for analyzing causal models with an estimation of the following components of such models: measurement and structural components (Bollen, 1989). We executed the data analysis process using a two-step approach (Anderson and Gerbing, 1988). First, we tested the convergent and discriminant validity of the measurement model; subsequently, we tested the research hypotheses and the structural model.\n6. Discussion: The objective of this study was to more thoroughly understand why individuals switch from one mobile OS to another. Our theory integrated the ISs success model, perceived switching value, and habit to understand the factors that influence mobile OS users' switching intention. Specifically, we present empirical evidence that system quality has significant effects on perceived switching value and satisfaction. The results reveal that IS quality, satisfaction, and perceived switching value all substantially affect mobile OS switching. The results are discussed in detail as follows.\n7. Conclusions: The results of this study reveal three crucial academic implications. First, this study is one of the first to present an integrated theoretical framework that combines the IS success model and value theory to examine factors affecting users' mobile OS switching. The results clearly demonstrate that quality characteristics can facilitate perceived switching value and user satisfaction, which ultimately contributes to the formation of switching intention. Therefore, this conceptualization has significant implications to address the call to explore the potential effects of perceived switching value on users' switching behaviors (Hsu, 2014).\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: Smartphones have become a critical medium by which people remain in contact with family, friends, and colleagues. A variety of factors have contributed to the rapid prevalence of smartphones. The most influential factor is definitely the mobile platform or mobile operating system (OS). The purpose of this paper is to employ a theoretical framework based on an information systems success model and a theory values to examine the factors that affect smartphone users' switching mobile OSs. Habit is regarded as a moderating variable to construct an integrated research model which helps researchers unveil the puzzle of users' switching mobile OSs.\nDesign/methodology/approach: The proposed model was empirically evaluated using survey data collected from 424 users on their perceptions of smartphones. A structural equation modeling was used to assess the relationships of the research model.\nFindings: The results of the study have shown that users consider the perceived switching value and satisfaction arising from their behaviors when deciding whether to switch to another mobile OS. Quality characteristics, including information quality, system quality, and service quality, are the key factors determining people's perceived switching value and satisfaction. The participants of the study were grouped by degree of habit. The effect on satisfaction was not significant in the high-habit subgroup. Nevertheless, it has been found that the influence of the perceived switching value was stronger in the low-habit subgroup than in the high-habit subgroup.\nOriginality/value: This study contributes to a theoretical understanding of factors that explain users' intention to switch mobile OSs.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Towards a paradigmatic foundation for accounting practice
|
[
"Accounting procedures",
"Accountancy",
"Accounting information",
"Accounting theory"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: Definitions of both financial (AAA, 1966; ASB, 1999) and management (NAA, 1984; CIMA, 2000) accounting have consistently acknowledged the production of information as central to the function of accountants. This is a task that requires the identification and selection of the real world events upon which the information is to be based, the measurement of these events and the assimilation of these measurements into an appropriate form for presentation to and employment by the information user. Together these activities represent the purposeful process of communication that is accounting.It is only in relatively recent decades that accountants have attempted to develop some generally accepted, formal, normative guidance as a basis upon which the generation and communication of accounting information can be based and developed (Macve, 1981; Peasnell, 1982). This has inevitably involved a significant level of self-scrutiny. To justify their practice, accountants have had to make efforts to investigate, explain and understand their action.This quest has been pursued primarily in a financial accounting context although some progress has also been evident within management accounting. In financial accounting, this activity has been manifest in the search for a \"conceptual framework\" for practice (Sprouse and Moonitz, 1962; ASSC, 1975; FASB, 1976; ASB, 1999). The numerous attempts to construct this form of guidance have typically included the following central elements:* A statement of the objectives of financial accounting. This is normally expressed at a general level and taken to involve the supply of information to a range of users making economic decisions.* Basic premises or concepts that have a fundamental influence on the accountant's work. For example, going concern, accruals and money measurement are important examples.* The desirable qualities which accounting information should possess. For example, in the UK, FRS 18 identified these as relevance, reliability and prudence, comparability and consistency and comprehension.The accounting profession has been actively engaged in the developments outlined above[1]. Their efforts emphasise that accounting is not a naturally occurring phenomenon, it is man-made. Accountants are actively creating and justifying accounting as we now find it in the real world. To engage in accounting practice it is necessary for accountants to make assumptions and presumptions about the world in which their actions occur. This paper explores the notion of a practice paradigm to help gain the understanding and develop the explanations of accounting that can provide justifications and defences for those in professional accounting practice. The next section explores the nature of a practice paradigm and highlights the difficulties of employing the traditional paradigm of realism in this way. From this foundation an alternative framework for the development of a practice paradigm (pragmatic constructivism) is explained and then the significance of its implications for accounting practice is explored. Finally, some conclusions are drawn.\nPractice paradigm and method: The notion of a paradigm\nThe paradigm of pragmatic constructivism and its application to accounting: The construction of reality\nAccounting practice and the use of pragmatic constructivism: At the outset of this analysis, two related benefits were claimed for a practice paradigm in accounting. It could provide a basis both for explaining and enhancing understanding of accounting practice as well as for justifying and defending it. This section explores the potential of pragmatic constructivism to provide a basis for a practice paradigm to fulfill these two functions. The first part descibes how pragmatic constructivism provides an integrated framework to facilitate the explanation and understanding of practice while the second illustrates how this framework can also be used to defend practice, in this case against Tinker's (1991) critique.Explaining and understanding accounting practice\nConclusions: This paper contains an explanation of pragmatic constructivism and a case for its viability as a framework for developing a paradigm for accounting practice. It has been shown that it provides a rich, attention-directing framework for the accounting profession based on its four constituent dimensions of the reality of human behaviour i.e. values, facts, possibilities, and communication. It allows accounting to be perceived and represented in a clear and credible manner. In contrast to the more traditional paradigm of realism, it can accommodate the many aspects of accounting practice that are not founded in any objective, physical reality. It emphasises that accounting practice validity depends on the twin attributes of correspondence and coherence. The former is extended beyond the restrictive requirements of realism to encompass socially constructed facts while the latter is given prominence through the need to integrate the four dimensions of pragmatic constructivism to represent practice. Thus it offers significant potential as a basis for building an accounting practice paradigm.It is recognised that absolute truth cannot be a characteristic of information that involves social constructs and future estimates. Indeed, it is claims to that effect that compromise the credibility of accounting practice as it is currently found in the real world. Key aspects of truth in accounting have therefore to be based on a learning theory of truth as the practicing accountant pursues an ongoing process of observing, experiencing and then improving their skill in the representation of agreed accounting facts. It is also apparent that adopted values drive practice. The issue of principles vs rules (Maines et al., 2003; Shortridge and Myring, 2004; Sunder, 2005; ICAS, 2006) becomes a pragmatic issue rather than one of mutually exclusive choice. Whichever, in isolation or in combination, best allows adopted values to be achieved will be used. These aspects make pragmatic constructivism more robust as a basis for understanding and explaining accounting practice. As shown above, its representation of accounting precludes the criticism and ready dismissal that is possible when the paradigm of realism is adopted (Tinker, 1991). Thus, the justification and defence of accounting practice can be substantially improved by its adoption.These advantages render pragmatic constructivism the potential to make a significant contribution to accounting practice. Without the recognition of a paradigmatic base the construction of a conceptual framework for practice will be deficient and this is an issue that has already constrained progress in this quest. Existing conceptual frameworks do not explicitly recognise the conception of reality which underlies them. Adopting the paradigm of pragmatic constructivism addresses this issue and highlights the need for the accounting profession, in its pursuit of a conceptual framework, to identify the values which it wishes to uphold, the choices which have to be made by it in the recognition of accounting facts and in the setting of the discipline's boundaries, the selection of the possibilities derived from applying accounting logic to accounting facts and in its selection of methods of communication. These factors represent the substance of practice and are, therefore, central to a conception of practice based on pragmatic constructivism. Their exclusion and reversion to a paradigm such as that based on realism will result in a conceptual framework that cannot adequately represent the reality of practice.\n",
"role": "user"
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"content": "Purpose: - The purpose of this paper is to propose a framework (pragmatic constructivism) for a new paradigm for accounting practice. The paradigmatic base of practice is an important element in explaining, understanding, justifying and defending practice.\nDesign/methodology/approach: - The paper is designed to argue the case for the use of pragmatic constructivism as a basis for the development of a paradigmatic foundation of accounting practice. To achieve this, pragmatic constructivism is explained and its application to accounting is illustrated and contrasted with the traditional paradigm of realism.\nFindings: - The analysis shows how the use of a less reductionist paradigm than realism can assist accountants both in the creation of a rationale and a defence for practice.\nResearch limitations/implications: - The analysis is exploratory in the sense that a new paradigmatic framework is outlined and used to illustrate its potential to develop a paradigm for practice. The creation of a full practice paradigm for accounting is beyond the scope of one paper. Hence this analysis should be viewed as only a first step towards developing a paradigm of accounting practice.\nOriginality/value: - The proposal of pragmatic constructivism for this purpose is novel to the accounting literature. The value of its application lies in its potential to explain and defend accounting practice.\n",
"role": "assistant"
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] |
The career decisions of professional women with dependent children: What's changed?
|
[
"Mothers",
"Career development",
"Career decisions",
"Women professionals"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: Currently, in the UK, there are more women with dependent children in the workforce than ever before (Office for National Statistics, 2013). This increase is due to changes in societal attitudes, legislation and family-friendly policies that have positively impacted the ability of many women to enter into and remain in the workforce. Research has shown that professional women in the UK (those who have acquired professional knowledge through high levels of experience and/or extensive study) are likely to return to work after having children, and recent figures suggest that approximately nine in ten professionals or associate professionals and over eight in ten managers returned to paid work after childbirth (Chanfreau et al., 2011). It is important to note, however, that over one-third of women in the UK do not return to work after the birth of their first child (Kanji, 2011). This may be a decision women make before leaving work for maternity leave, or a mother who previously intended to return to work may decide to remain at home following the birth of her child. Popular media in the UK and USA have highlighted the \"opt out\" trend, where well-educated, married and professional women choose to leave their careers either temporarily or permanently to become full-time mothers (Grant-Vallone and Ensher, 2011; Lovejoy and Stone, 2012). Furthermore, women who do return to work do not necessarily do so in a full-time and continuous capacity (Kanji, 2011).\nBackground: In the UK, women are now entitled to strengthened legislation concerning maternity benefits and entitlements and there is welcome emerging from the recognition of the role of fathers in the form of paternity rights. Research highlights that mothers take maternity leave of an average of 39 weeks, whereas 71 per cent of men take paternity leave of two weeks or less (Chanfreau et al., 2011), and since April 2015, the Shared Parental Leave bill has come into force, which enables eligible mothers, fathers, partners and adopters to choose how to share time off work after their child is born or placed for adoption. This is specifically designed to give parents more flexibility in how to share the care of their child in the first year following birth or adoption (Gov.uk, 2015). Furthermore, under the Equality Act introduced in 2010 in the UK (Gov.uk, 2010), guidance is provided for flexible working rights for parents who want to adapt to the changes in their working pattern due to childcare responsibilities. Flexible working may take the form of changes in the hours worked, changes in the times when those hours are worked (e.g. term-time only working) and/or an ability to work from home. Research has, however, reported the implicit and explicit prejudice experienced by many women (and men) who take the advantage of family-friendly work initiatives (Davidson and Burke, 2011; Greenhaus et al., 2012). Often, engaging in such initiatives is regarded by managers and fellow colleagues as a lack of commitment to work (Brown, 2010; Hilbrecht et al., 2008).\nMethodology: This study emanated from an interest in the complex issues facing working mothers following the experiences of the authors as working mothers themselves. Specifically, the study addressed a gap in academic literature identified by the authors, that is, to investigate the comparisons between two cohorts of professional women with children at different stages of the lifespan. Professional women were defined as those who have acquired professional knowledge through high levels of experience and/or extensive study (Chanfreau et al., 2011). Cohort 1 consisted of 15 women whose first child was born between 2011 and 2006; essentially, these were women whose first child was five years old or younger (pre-school age in the UK). Cohort 2 consisted of 15 women whose first child was born between 1990 and 1995; for these women, their first child was approximately 18 years old. Therefore, the child was either nearing or at the age when he/she would no longer be considered a \"dependent child\" in the UK. These two time periods were selected to compare the pressing issues currently faced by mothers of pre-school children returning to work (or not) with the experiences of women who had experienced the twists and turns of their careers (or not) whilst raising children but who were now without dependent children at home or on the cusp of their future without a \"dependent\" child in the household and thus in a position to reflect on their decisions. The research compared the two cohorts to identify the extent to which the experiences of women have changed (or not) in the past 15-20 years.\nConclusion: The study revealed some interesting results. Consistent with previous research, most women in Cohort 1 planned to return to work on a part-time basis after their first child was born (Houston and Marks, 2003; Grant et al., 2006). Although the financial implications of not working were frequently mentioned, thematic analysis of the interview materials revealed that work was about much more than this for many women. Interestingly, women in Cohort 1 appeared to express a presumption that they would return to work after having children, which is arguably a positive finding, suggesting that changing societal expectations, improvements in legislation and advances in flexible working mean that professional women expect to return to work (Chanfreau et al., 2011).\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: The purpose of this exploratory qualitative study was to investigate anticipated and real career decisions made by two cohorts of professional women in the UK at differing stages of the lifespan.\nDesign/methodology/approach: Career decisions made by two cohorts of professional women following the birth of their first child at different stages of the lifespan and satisfaction with these choices in retrospect were investigated. Data analysis followed a thematic approach, and comparisons between the two cohorts were made.\nFindings: The study revealed much similarity between the two cohorts. The decisions women make regarding whether to return to work or not and the extent to which they are satisfied with their working arrangements are constrained by similar individual and organisational factors despite the 15-20 year gap.\nResearch limitations/implications: Although mothers in the UK now experience strengthened legislation concerning maternity benefits and entitlements and there have been advances in flexible working, progress in relation to supporting women in reconciling work and home life when they return to work is arguably limited.\nOriginality/value: This paper offers insights into the extent to which the career decisions made by professional women following the birth of their first child and satisfaction with these choices in retrospect have changed (or not) among two cohorts of professional women (15-20 years apart). The findings stress the importance of understanding the complex issues faced by mothers in the workforce and providing appropriate organisational support.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
The use and continuance use of social media applications by small and medium enterprises in Kuwait
|
[
"Kuwait",
"Facebook",
"SMEs",
"Instagram",
"LinkedIn",
"YouTube",
"Use",
"Twitter",
"Social media applications"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: In the late 1990s, internet became well-known; websites that allowed individuals to create and upload content began to emerge. By the late 2000s, social media applications (SMAs) had gained extensive acceptance and some services gained huge numbers of peers. For example, Archambault and Grudin (2012) conducted a longitudinal study in Microsoft to investigate how Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter are used and whether they are considered to be useful for organizational communication and information-gathering. The study found that between 2008 and 2011, SMAs went from being a niche activity to being very widely and heavily used. Growth in use and acceptance was not uniform, with differences based on gender, age and level. In 2011, 82 per cent reported using Facebook and over half reported using it daily. Professionals started realizing the value of SMAs for work. In addition, Turner et al. (2010) interviewed members of a small company about their full range of communication channels. The study found that use of Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter reportedly increased over the year. Leftheriotis and Giannakos (2014) also investigated whether employees make use of SMAs for work purposes, what values increase this usage and if that usage is related with their performance. Results showed that in the case of SMAs for work, employees make extended use of them no matter their age.\nLiterature background: Organizations including SMEs started realizing the potential benefits of SMAs. For example, Kitsantas et al. (2016) found that SNAs were helpful for communication and information gathering. Kim and Yoo (2016) also found that SMAs were helpful for information acquisition and communication; efficiency in work; and relationship building. Moreover, SMAs are used to increase customer loyalty and retention, to increase sales and revenues, to improve customer satisfaction, to create brand awareness and to build reputation (Claussen et al., 2013; Sinclaire and Vogus, 2011; Culnan et al., 2010). In addition, research found that SMAs have several limitations. For example, Kitsantas et al. (2016) found that SMAs can be addictive, distractive and a threat to privacy. Abdulahi et al. (2014) found that privacy and security issues were threats of SMAs, and Kim and Yoo (2016) found that SMAs can be a threat of security.\nMethods: This study adopted a quantitative descriptive approach. A survey was the main method used for data collection. The study explored the use and continued intention to use six SMAs (i.e. Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn, Skype and Instagram) by 357 SMEs in Kuwait. The survey developed for this study consisted of four complimentary parts as follow:\nData analysis and findings: This study explored the use and continued intention to use six SMAs (i.e. Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn, Skype and Instagram) by SMEs in Kuwait. Various questions about the applications such as the use, frequent use, motivation, purpose of use and limitations were explored. The results are presented in Table III.\nDiscussion: According to the findings of this study, the most used SMA by SMEs in Kuwait was Facebook (81.5 per cent), while the least used application was LinkedIn (5.9 per cent). For YouTube, Instagram, Twitter and Skype, they were used by 47.1, 38.7, 35.6 and 17.1 per cent of SMEs, respectively. Of those, more than one third used these applications daily (i.e. Facebook 83.8 per cent, YouTube 41.1 per cent, Instagram 92 per cent, Twitter 69.3 per cent, Skype 78.7 per cent and LinkedIn 38.1 per cent). These findings are consistent with previous research such as Archambault and Grudin (2012) and Turner et al. (2010). The main two motives for using the six SMAs (i.e. Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, Twitter, Skype and LinkedIn) by SMEs were: gaining popularity and enjoyment. This result is consistent with previous research such as Lin and Lu (2011). This result suggests that SMEs could mostly use these applications for advertising and marketing their products and services and attracting skilled persons who use these applications effectively to work with them while keeping their selves enjoyed.\nConclusion and recommendations: The aim of the study was to explore the use and continued intention to use six SMAs (i.e. Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn, Skype and Instagram) by SMEs in Kuwait. A quantitative study was conducted to achieve the study objectives. The study results showed that SMEs mostly used application was Facebook (by more than three quarters of the SMEs), and the least used one was LinkedIn (by around 6 per cent of the SMEs). Also, approximately third of the SMEs used YouTube, Instagram and Twitter. Of those, more than one third used these applications daily. The study also found that both gaining popularity and enjoyment were the main motivations for using all six applications by SMEs. Moreover, the study found that the applications were mostly used for information, communication and marketing. Furthermore, SMEs considered fake identities as the main limitation for using the six applications. In addition, SMEs used and have continued intention to use SMAs for their enjoyment and usefulness, because other SMEs use them and because of their complementarity.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: The purpose of this study is to explore the use and continued intention to use six social media applications (SMAs) (i.e., Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn, Skype and Instagram) by small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Kuwait.\nDesign/methodology/approach: A survey of 357 SMEs in Kuwait was conducted to achieve the study objectives.\nFindings: The study results showed that SMEs mostly used application was Facebook (by more than three quarters of the SMEs), and the least used one was LinkedIn (by around 6 per cent of the SMEs). Also, approximately third of the SMEs used YouTube, Instagram and Twitter. Of those, more than one third used these applications daily. The study also found that both gaining popularity and enjoyment were the main motivations for using all six applications by SMEs. Moreover, the study found that the applications were mostly used for information, communication and marketing.\nResearch limitations/implications: SMEs used and have continued intention to use SMAs for their enjoyment and usefulness, because other SMEs use them and because of their complementarity. In light of the results, several recommendations were suggested to increase the use and continued intention to use SMAs by SMEs in Kuwait. For academics, it may give them an idea of the extent to which SMEs use SMAs in doing work activities, which they can use as a starting point to investigate other factors that might influence the use SMAs by SMEs.\nPractical implications: For practitioners especially SMEs owners and managers, it may help to encourage them to use the SMAs and to raise their awareness of the benefits of these applications to their work.\nSocial implications: The findings generally suggest that SMEs need ongoing support from the government, industry or any bodies that are interested in the development of SMEs. This support includes providing a more comprehensive view about SMAs such as raising the awareness of SMEs about the potential benefits of some of these applications such as YouTube, Skype and LinkedIn and conducting training courses that help SMEs to set up rules, procedures and strategies on how to use these various applications.\nOriginality/value: SMAs have a number of characteristics that make it a suitable option for doing SMEs' work activities. Therefore, SMAs could provide SMEs with opportunities for interaction and communication with customers and suppliers. Although the literature describes the different aspects of these applications and their potential benefits for people in general and industry in particular, little research has attempted to explore the actual use of these applications especially by SMEs in developing countries in general and in Kuwait in particular.\n",
"role": "assistant"
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] |
Postharvest technology for advancing sustainable bioenergy production for food processing
|
[
"Agriculture",
"Food processing",
"Food security",
"Bioenergy",
"Agro-residues",
"Conversion technology"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n1. Introduction: The main thrust for bioenergy production in Africa is beyond simple substitution of fossil fuel in the transportation sector, instead, it is considered as a strategic response to improve local economies by improving access to modern energy services, ensuring food security and safe living environment in rural areas that can subsequently increase agricultural productivity, job creation and diversification of income generating activities (FAO, 2012). Many rural people in Africa are involved in agricultural production at subsistence level, thus collectively, generating substantial amounts of agricultural food residues (agro-residues). The generated agro-residues are mostly confined to household applications such as heating and cooking (FAO, 2008a) using inefficient conversion methods. The agro-residues and by-products generated by industries often are either used for production of low-value products such as animal feed or are disposed into the environment as waste. The bioenergy production by agro-industries is done mainly as a means of reducing onsite energy bills and waste disposal costs rather than providing bioenergy products to the broader community. For example, the sugar mills deliberately use low-efficient conversion technologies to ensure full utilisation of the agro-process residues such as bagasse. High-value utilisation of agro-residues that are unavoidable to generate, can be achieved with improved recovery and transformation in the food value chain thus, creating a semi-closed/ closed process. However, to obtain real value, the harvest and postharvest food processes need to be strategically configured to supply the agro-residues for bioenergy production that meet the food processing energy needs. It is critical that bioenergy production should not be based on residues generated due to inefficiencies in the value chain. In this study, the potential to produce bioenergy for postharvest food processing from three food crops residues in five African countries is discussed. In particular, the diversity and the method of accounting for the residues are discussed. Furthermore, potential conversion routes into bioenergy are outlined.\n2. Approach: The availability of agro-residues from maize, potatoes and sugarcane as examples of residues for bioenergy production in five selected African countries, Malawi, Mozambique, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe, which are countries with strong agro-based economies and have potential to produce bioenergy at a large scale. The crops chosen have potential to bring integration between bioenergy and food production/ processing systems.\n3. Results and discussion: 3.1. Availability of field agro-residues\n4. Conclusion: Agro-residues generated not as a result of inefficiencies in the food value chains are potential feedstocks for sustainable bioenergy production in Africa. However, efficient harvesting, collection, transportation and storage mechanisms are needed. Strategic location and configuration of the bioenergy and agro-industries coupled with efficient multi-objective conversion technologies in a biorefinery set up are likely to provide rural communities with energy security and more participation in the bioenergy and food value chains.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: Agricultural food residues (agro-residues) receive low economic returns and experience disposal problems. The food production and processing is often not configured to supply agro-residues for production of bioenergy needed in food processing. The feasibility of utilising agro-residues through advances in postharvest technology for sustainable bioenergy conversion is reviewed. The paper aims to discuss this issue.\nDesign/methodology/approach: Agro-residues from maize, sugarcane and potatoes in five African countries were assessed from secondary data to identify suitable conversion technologies, energy products and configurations of bioenergy plants for applications in postharvest food processing.\nFindings: Strategic alignment of postharvest technology to bioenergy production systems is vital to advancing both food production and bioenergy that benefit rural communities in Africa. High economic returns are possible when the bioenergy plants are either annexure to existing agro-processing operations or operate as a biorefinery.\nResearch limitations/implications: Assessment of energy self-sufficiency of food production and processing systems is required.\nPractical implications: Agro-residues for bioenergy production require investments in infrastructure for storage, transportation and processing of the residues, and development of new risk management techniques.\nSocial implications: The rural communities will be energy secure resulting in food security through reduced postharvest losses and increased agricultural productivity.\nOriginality/value: The study stimulates innovative thinking in establishing sustainable bioenergy systems for food processes.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
In pursuit of corporate sustainability: factors contributing to employees' workplace behavior
|
[
"Corporate social responsibility",
"Sustainability",
"Organizational citizenship behavior",
"Counterproductive workplace behavior",
"Leader–member exchange theory"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n__NO_TITLE__: Global retail chains have put considerable efforts into making positive leaps in their levels of market orientation and customer responsiveness, but global organizations, such as Apple, Starbucks, Nike, Gap and Forever 21, have still been criticized for engaging in unethical and irresponsible business practices, such as exploiting labors with under age, sweatshop and low wage (Arrigo, 2012; Sharma et al., 2009). Recently, one global fashion business, Zara, received backlash from consumers amidst allegations that it had not paid factory workers for more than a year (Segran, 2017). Since infamous scandals such as this relate to unethical and irresponsible business practices, fashion retail businesses have worked to include ethics and sustainability into their policies and procedures to recover their reputations (Giau et al., 2015; Gupta and Hodges, 2012; Sharma et al., 2009). After all, the goal is to create a positive social identity not only for consumers but also employees by engaging in the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) (Gupta and Hoges, 2012; Lee and Lee, 2018; Lenne and Vandenbosch, 2017).\nLiterature review and hypotheses development: The Social Cognitive Theory of morality and employees' behavior\nResearch methods: Data collection and sample characteristics\nResults: The exploratory factor analysis and the measurement model\nDiscussion and conclusion: Given that the fashion retail businesses actively engage in sustainability initiatives to shift attention away from negative perceptions based on their previously irresponsible activities and practices, this study investigated the extent of corporate sustainability in fashion businesses and how the goals of sustainable organizations could influence employees' behaviors. The results of a nationwide survey using the US fashion retail employees as a sample framework found that the moral responsibility of corporate sustainability among employees was not only highly influential in determining either their OCB or CWB but perceived CEVs were also shown to be an important contributor to these behaviors. This finding supports the SCT of morality which states that internal and external social reinforcements can help determine employees' behavior. Moreover, this study examined the internal social reinforcements for MRCS to understand the importance of employees' views of MRCS.Although numerous fashion retail businesses have implemented sustainability in their business strategies, few studies have explored the level of employees' perceived moral responsibility toward the notion of how corporate sustainability should be accomplished. Thus, the study's results revealed that MRCS had a stronger influence on both employees' OCB and CWB than did CEVs which indicated the importance of internal factors on employees' behavior. This might be because individuals with high moral responsibility may believe in moral principles which may result in behaviors that can be helpful and less harmful to organizations (Forsyth and Hogan, 1980). As social and human capital researchers argue that OCB and CWB could directly and indirectly impact organizational performance however, maintaining and hiring individuals with high morality might be one of the methods to consider in fashion retail or in any industry which strives to improve sustainability.The results found that perceived CEVs also contributed to OCB or CWB. If employees perceive that they are working in an ethical environment, they may present with greater OCB while engaging in less CWB. This is because perceived CEVs provide an indication of what practices the organization considers right or wrong (Trevino et al., 2006). Similar to previous literature (Biron, 2010), if employees perceive a more ethical environment, they may not participate in behaviors that are harmful to the organization, such as CWB. In addition, this study found that LMX was important in enhancing OCB within an ethical working environment. This finding supports previous literature which finds that a high-quality relationship between leaders and followers may lead to greater degrees of employees' OCB. Hence, the results also indicated that LMX relationships were more effective in more ethically perceived working environments. Although ethical working environments may cause employees to reduce their engagement in CWB, LMX was not useful in alleviating employees' negative behavior toward organizations. Finally, our study found that gender and firm size were linked to employees' CWB. Although previous literature suggests that the gender of an employee has a significant impact on OCB (Rupp et al., 2013), our study found that male employees tend to engage in higher degrees of CWB as compared to female employees. Moreover, firm size was found to have a negative influence on CWB. Employees in small to medium-sized firms with less than 500 employees presented with higher degrees of CWB. More interestingly, firm size was shown to have a positive association with MRCS, supporting previous literature. This implies that the bigger the firm, the more employees tend to have higher expectations of the moral responsibility of corporate sustainability.Due to the exploratory nature of this study it has several limitations which could lead to future research opportunities. First, the objective of this study focused exclusively on the US fashion retail employees. Although these results are valuable, studying the moral responsibility of corporate sustainability in other countries may yield different results. Therefore, it is suggested that future research compares the cultural influences on employees as related to the moral responsibility of corporate sustainability to understand the extent to which fashion organizations in different countries engage in corporate sustainability activities. Due to the purposive sampling technique employed, the results cannot be generalized to the whole population of US fashion retail employees. To collect appropriate data for the study's objective, a research firm was commissioned to manage data collection with their panels but the study's findings cannot represent the whole population of US fashion retail employees. Thus, future research could pursue a randomized sampling technique.Third, this study aimed to investigate employees' behavior as either OCB or CWB. Although these behaviors could directly affect organizations' performance in both the short- and long-term, future research could incorporate both objective and subjective aspects of organizational performance to enrich our study's results. Finally, this study examined the US fashion retail employees' behaviors through the framework of the SCT of morality. Since employees were the sole source of data, common method bias was evaluated which could deflate or inflate the results, and the survey was developed with different anchors to reduce common method bias. However, due to the characteristics of organizational studies it is possible to create a halo effect in which the working environment may greatly influence the perception of corporate sustainability. To prevent deflation or inflation of the results, future research could pursue multilevel analysis, including manager/upper level employees and other employee levels.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: Achieving sustainability is imperative for all businesses but perhaps even so more in fashion retail. As a vital group of stakeholders, employees interact with all other stakeholders and play a critical role in the sustainability of an organization.\nDesign/methodology/approach: This study is to investigate internal and external factors that influence employees' harmful or useful behaviors based on the Social Cognitive Theory (SCT) of morality.\nFindings: The findings show that employees' perceptions of the moral responsibility of achieving corporate sustainability both as an internal corporate ethical value and as an external factor influenced their organizational citizenship behavior, as well as their propensity toward displaying counterproductive workplace behavior. Higher quality relationships with managers were found to strengthen the relationship between corporate ethical values (CEVs) and organizational citizenship behaviors.\nResearch limitations/implications: The objective of this study focused exclusively on the US fashion retail employees. Therefore, it is suggested that future research compares the cultural influences on employees as related to the moral responsibility of corporate sustainability.\nOriginality/value: This study is one of few studies which have explored the level of employees' perceived moral responsibility toward the notion of how corporate sustainability should be accomplished.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Corporate governance provisions and firm financial performance: The moderating effect of deviation from optimal franchising
|
[
"Corporate governance",
"Financial performance",
"Franchising",
"Agency theory",
"Restaurant industry"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: The past two decades have witnessed a steady stream of research investigating the relationship between corporate governance mechanisms and firm performance. This is partly because firms' financial success hinges on choosing appropriate corporate governance mechanisms that reduce the conflict of interest between an owner (the principal) and a manager (the agent). On the basis of agency theory, a potential conflict of interest arises when there is a separation between the interests of the company owners and company managers (Berle and Means, 1932). This conflict leads to several fundamental problems, such as increased monitoring costs and reduced profitability. While an agent's decisions affect both his/her own wealth and that of the principal, it is virtually impossible to anticipate and address in a contract every possible action an agent may take (Brennan, 1995). Over time, this impasse forces firms to use various government mechanisms to alleviate the conflict of interest and lower monitoring costs through different forms of business governance (i.e. franchising), corporate governance provisions such as anti-takeover measures (Gompers et al., 2003) or managerial ownership (Singh and Davidson, 2003). Among these governance mechanisms, franchising is one of the fastest developing forms of business adopted by many firms to expand their operations and to mitigate principal-agent conflict, which, in turn, helps firms increase firm performance. The restaurant industry is one of the most prominent industries to use franchising as a governance mechanism because of the advantages mentioned above.\nTheory, prior studies and hypothesis development: Corporate governance and agency theory\nResearch methodology: Sample and data collection\nFindings: Main analysis\nDiscussion and conclusions: The empirical results of this study support the agency theory predictions about corporate governance and firm performance and enrich current explanations of firm performance. For instance, in terms of corporate governance provisions, our findings are similar to Bebchuk et al.'s (2009) findings. The significant negative effect of the E-Index denotes that this measure provides a better depiction of the effect of corporate governance provisions on firm performance than the G-Index does (Denizci Guillet and Mattila, 2010). In other words, our study ascertains that the six key provisions as used by Bebchuk et al. (2009) have a significant influence on the firm value of publicly listed US restaurant firms. However, as opposed to previous studies that looked at the deviation from agency (Vazquez, 2007) or transaction costs (Argyres and Bigelow, 2007; Silverman et al., 1997), the present study findings indicate that the deviation from optimal franchising did not have a significant relationship with firm financial performance. Therefore, we contend that agency costs borne by the deviation from optimal franchising are not severe enough to impact firm performance, at least, among the larger publicly traded restaurant firms included in this study. However, a high level of deviation from optimal franchising worsens the relationship between E-Index and firm performance. We conjecture, however, that agency costs may still be important for individual franchised outlets in a network or chain. This is because Vazquez's (2007) study had a different unit of analysis than our study (outlet level vs firm level, respectively).\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: Borrowing from arguments of agency theory, the present study aims to investigate the moderating effect of the deviation from optimal franchising on the relationship between corporate governance provisions and firm financial performance.\nDesign/methodology/approach: The sample consists of 35 publicly listed US restaurant firms for the 1990-2008 period. The study uses a hierarchical regression with cross-sectional time-series fixed effects.\nFindings: The results show that the deviation from optimal franchising worsens the negative relationship between corporate governance provisions and firm performance.\nResearch limitations/implications: The availability of governance data restricts our sample to large publicly listed firms in the US restaurant industry, limiting the ability to generalize results for small and privately held restaurant firms.\nPractical implications: Firm executives should not only pay attention to which corporate governance provisions they adopt but also strive to maintain an optimal level of franchising.\nOriginality/value: The key contribution of this study to governance literature is that this study demonstrates how the presence of multiple governance mechanisms influences firm performance.\n",
"role": "assistant"
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] |
Infrastructure: a new dimension of real estate? An asset allocation analysis
|
[
"Structures",
"Real estate",
"Assets",
"Risk management",
"Australia"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n1. Introduction: The economic importance of infrastructure has been the subject of extensive research since the late 1980s and is free of controversy. The World Economic Forum (2008) lists infrastructure as one of the most crucial elements to a country's productivity and competitiveness. Aschauer (1989) provides evidence of significant links between investment in infrastructure and a country's economic development and wealth. Yeaple and Golub (2004) suggest that infrastructure is one of the key determinants of a region's comparative advantage. Though infrastructure is recognized as a crucial input for economic productivity, there is no clear and unanimous definition of the term. An early definition is given by Stohler (1964), who characterizes infrastructure as the substructure or the \"skeleton\" assets of an economy that are essential for the production of goods and services. Later approaches have subdivided infrastructure into social and economic subgroups. Economic infrastructure (including transport, energy/utilities and communication facilities) provides key services to business and industry and enhances productivity and innovation. Social infrastructure, on the other hand, is seen as a medium for supplying basic services to households (healthcare, education and judicial facilities) (ING Real Estate, 2006). In recent years, private investments in infrastructure have increased significantly and investors have begun to perceive infrastructure as an attractive asset class enhancing the efficiency of their investment portfolios. Financial strain on governments, making them unable to provide adequate infrastructure provision in times of increasing global competitiveness has contributed to the emergence of private investment opportunities in recent years (Lowik and Hobbs, 2007a). A shortage of good quality commercial real estate, along with declining yields, has intensified this development and amplified the capital flow into seemingly related sectors (Newell and Peng, 2008). Although many investors are restraining their investments due to the current financial crisis, infrastructure still seems to be very attractive, a fact which is underpinned by the INREV[1] Investment Intentions Survey 2009: According to this study, more than 60 percent of all institutional real estate investors considered allocating funds to the infrastructure sector in 2009.Since infrastructure and real estate exhibit many common characteristics, this paper aims at contributing to the debate on whether infrastructure can be regarded as real estate or constitutes a separate asset class. Furthermore, we provide an asset allocation model that determines optimal infrastructure asset allocations for a downside risk (DR) - averse investor. This optimization technique is based on Estrada (2008) and considers target semivariance instead of variance as measure of risk. This might more effectively meet the investment objectives of rational investors and result in more realistic asset allocations for a set of Australian data. The remainder of this paper is structured as follows. Section two presents the applied data, and section three analyzes the differences between infrastructure and real estate. This is followed by a review of the downside risk concept and its application to portfolio structuring. The study is completed with some conclusions and an outlook for future research.\n2. Applied data: The Australian infrastructure market is relatively mature and time series data on infrastructure returns (direct and indirect) are available. For that reason, this market is in the focus of this analysis.During the past decade, definitions of infrastructure have broadened and sometimes encompass categories that can barely be linked to one another (Beeferman, 2008): There are opposing views on the issue of whether utilities can be regarded as infrastructure or not (Inderst, 2009). Researchers and practitioners generally do not draw any accurate distinction between them, but use the term \"infrastructure\" interchangeably. Estimating the correlations between quarterly (1994:4 to 2009:1) indirect infrastructure (UBS Australia Infrastructure Index) and indirect utilities (UBS Australia Utilities Index) returns, reveals a coefficient of correlation of 0.35 which is significant at a 5 percent-level. As a result, we adhere to this common definition and use the UBS Australia Infrastructure and Utilities Index to mirror the performance of indirect infrastructure[2].Time series total return data on direct and indirect infrastructure performance are provided by Bloomberg and Colonial First State, respectively. Return data on equities, bonds and direct property are from Thomson Datastream and IPD (Investment Property Databank). All time series range from Q4 1994 to Q1 2009, which is sufficient to cover at least one entire market cycle. The UBS Australia Infrastructure & Utility Index depicts the performance of indirect infrastructure. An index constructed by Colonial First State measures direct infrastructure performance. This index is an equally weighted total return index comprising five Australian infrastructure funds, and is based on valuations and therefore subject to smoothing. This implies a downward bias in the second central moment of the return distribution, since appraisers take into account current as well as historic information to perform valuations. In order to address this issue and remove the smoothing effect, the methodology of Geltner (1993) is applied. This serves to identify the underlying volatility of the infrastructure market and yields a greater comparability between appraisal-based returns and transaction-based equity and bond returns. Furthermore, the gearing level of 60 percent[3] was removed. Since the IPD Australian Property Index is also exposed to smoothing, the desmoothing procedure has to be applied as well. The Australian Securities Exchange index (ASX 100) is used to mirror equity performance, whereas the JP Morgan Australia Government Bond index depicts the performance of Australian Government Bonds (Table I).The indirect infrastructure index offers the greatest average return, but is also subject to the highest standard deviation. The return from the unsmoothed and unlevered direct infrastructure index is lower than that of property and bonds. The poor performance of equities is due to the substantial withdrawal of funds in the course of the financial crisis.\n3. Why infrastructure is not real estate: There is a lively debate on whether infrastructure can be regarded as real estate or whether it constitutes a separate asset class with unique characteristics (Beeferman, 2008; Newell and Peng, 2006; Mansour and Nadji, 2007b). The typical characteristics which are common to all direct infrastructure investments can be subdivided into three groups of criteria:1. technical;2. institutional; and3. economic.Technical characteristics include indivisibility, long lifecycles and the site dependency of assets (Meeder, 2000). The main institutional criterion is a given level of decision-making competence of the public authorities in terms of allocation and regulation (Backhaus and Wertschulte, 2003). Long-term investment horizons, together with restricted liquidity due to a very limited secondary market, can be classified as two of the main economic criteria (Lowik and Hobbs, 2007a; Erlendson, 2006). Furthermore, infrastructure has inherent monopoly characteristics and provides essential economic and social services (Liem and Timotijevic, 2005; Erlendson, 2006). Stable, and therefore, predictable cash flows associated with potential capital gains allow for high levels of financial leverage (compared to other asset classes) (Beeferman, 2008; Colonial First State, 2009; Mansour and Nadji, 2007b). Furthermore, large investment lot sizes create high barriers of entry. This, in turn, yields a market environment with professional actors who have high levels of market expertise (Mansour and Patel, 2008). Moreover, compared to other markets, the infrastructure market can be described as intransparent, due to a shortage of quality data and research (Inderst, 2009). The pricing of direct infrastructure projects is based on valuations (Newell and Peng, 2008), and underlying cash flows are intended to provide a hedge against inflation (ING Real Estate, 2006). Due to its monopolistic character, there may be a lack of market prices (Backhaus and Werschulte, 2003). Erlendson (2006,) further states that infrastructure has (at least in the short-run) a low elasticity of demand, since the construction of new assets requires a considerable amount of time. A high level of individual expertise in legal and regulatory regimes is necessary to provide efficient asset management.Although direct infrastructure and direct property have some characteristics in common (indivisibility, long lifecycles and site dependency, long-term investment horizons, restricted liquidity, valuation-based performance, supposed inflation hedge, capital gains), there are also substantial differences. Whereas property markets can be described as relatively competitive, infrastructure markets, as mentioned, often have oligopolistic or even monopolistic structures. Moreover, there is a greater degree of transparency in the real estate market than in the infrastructure market. A further issue is the limited potential to obtain ownership of direct infrastructure assets, due to regulatory constraints, which often only allow user rights (Newell and Peng, 2008). Even though an investment in direct real estate is inhibited by large investment scales, this problem becomes even more serious when an investment in direct infrastructure is considered. This, in turn, decreases the diversification benefit when infrastructure is allocated to a(n) (multi) asset portfolio. Moreover, real estate, in general, may provide alternative appropriate uses, whereas infrastructure assets are limited to very specific and restricted uses.Institutional investors also face this classification problem when allocating infrastructure to their portfolios. Therefore, infrastructure is often placed in existing allocations, namely private equity, real estate or fixed income, although the risk-return characteristics do not match (PFG, 2007). However, especially over the last few years, infrastructure has begun to emerge as an independent asset class (Inderst, 2009; Newell and Peng, 2008) as confirmed by a number of investor surveys. According to Preqin (2008), 47 percent of active investors have a separate infrastructure allocation, whereas 43 percent include it in their private equity portfolio and 10 percent in their real estate allocation. PFG's investor survey reveals figures of 47 percent for a separate infrastructure asset allocation, 37 percent for an allocation within the private equity portfolio and 15 percent for a real estate allocation (PFG, 2007).According to Newell and Peng (2008), Colonial First State (2006) and Mansour and Nadji (2007b), infrastructure is appropriate for portfolio diversification, since it delivers a moderate to low correlation with traditional asset classes. We find similar results for the Australian data which, in turn, yield further indications for the separation of real estate from infrastructure.As Table II shows, there is positive but insignificant (5 percent) correlation (0.20) between direct property and direct infrastructure returns from Q4 1994 to Q1 2009, which contradicts the claim that infrastructure can be regarded as a subclass of real estate. Moreover, the correlation is even lower (0.04), when the effects of the financial crisis (Q3 2007 to Q1 2009) are extracted. This indicates that the higher correlation in the period from Q4 1994 to Q1 2009 is due to extreme market downturns from which neither asset class could withdraw. There is a strong and significant relationship between the indirect infrastructure and the NAREIT index (0.54), which might be due to the fact that both indices contain listed companies affected by movements in the equity market. However, before the crisis, this correlation was lower (0.27) and significant at only a 10 percent-level. This indicates that both investments were perceived as only weakly related before the financial crisis. According to these results, one might expect a divergence in return behavior when the world economy recovers.These findings, as well as the different risk-return characteristics, constitute an indicator for distinguishing explicitly between infrastructure and real estate, although many physical characteristics are common to both.\n4. Infrastructure asset allocation: Modern portfolio theory (MPT)\n5. Concluding remarks: This paper, on the one hand, contributes to the debate on whether or not infrastructure can be classified as real estate. The discussion, as well as the empirical investigation, yields at the conclusion that two distinct asset classes are present, even though infrastructure and real estate have some common characteristics. Especially the evaluation of correlation figures provides conclusive evidence of the different performance characteristics of infrastructure and real estate.The portfolio allocation model as well, reveals some interesting results and suggests the benefit of substantial allocations to direct and indirect infrastructure ranging from 0 percent to 85 percent. However, the results obtained from this study must be interpreted with caution. The optimization algorithm does not include equities, due to their very poor performance during the financial crisis. However, due to diversification benefits, a rational investor will always include stocks in his portfolio. Since stocks are usually perceived as high risk - high return assets their inclusion is likely to reduce the allocation to indirect infrastructure at the upper end of the expected returns. Moreover, the portfolio model is not able to take into account some major characteristics of investing in direct infrastructure. Acquiring or selling a direct infrastructure project requires a considerable amount of transaction time, which, in turn, reduces the potential to react immediately to prevailing market trends. In addition, when investing in infrastructure, long-term contracts are imposed on investors by public agencies, considerably restricting flexibility. The very large lot size and indivisibility, especially impedes smaller investment funds in allocating a small proportion of infrastructure to their portfolios, which in turn constrains diversification. Furthermore, infrastructure is a relatively young, immature and illiquid asset class, which lacks a secondary market, thus constituting a risk for an investor who intends to allocate funds to this market. According to these facts, it would be rational for investors to impose a risk premium when investing in direct infrastructure, something that should also be considered in an asset allocation framework. Furthermore, depending on the holding period of infrastructure assets, the incorporation of transaction costs might diminish the return on investment and therefore influence portfolio weights.If the number of investors in the infrastructure market increases and the secondary market grows, these elements of uncertainty may decline, which, in turn, may induce a reduction in the required risk premium. Accordingly, it is possible that infrastructure returns will change fundamentally when the market becomes more sophisticated. This, of course, does not exclude the possibility that infrastructure and real estate return characteristics converge in the future. Nevertheless, a current view of real estate and infrastructure yields a picture of two different asset classes with the associated need to draw an explicit distinction between the two.We conclude that infrastructure represents an attractive asset class, which can enhance the benefits of diversification and, therefore, the performance of institutional investment portfolios. Further research could usefully consider the pricing of infrastructure firms' securities. Thus, the question arises as to what constitutes the main factors driving infrastructure returns and whether infrastructure returns can be explained by conventional asset pricing models. Moreover, transaction costs as well as liquidity risk premia should be on the agenda, when an infrastructure asset allocation model is considered.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: - The purpose of this paper is to provide conclusive evidence that infrastructure constitutes a separate asset class and cannot be classified as real estate from an investment point-of-view. Furthermore, optimal allocations are determined for direct and indirect infrastructure within a multi-asset portfolio.\nDesign/methodology/approach: - Portfolio allocations are optimized by using an algorithm, which accounts for downside risk, rather than variance. This approach is more in accordance with the actual investor behaviour and might meet their investment objectives more effectively. An Australian dataset comprising stocks, bonds, direct real estate, direct infrastructure and indirect infrastructure is applied for portfolio construction.\nFindings: - Although infrastructure and real estate have common characteristics, the conclusion is that that they constitute two different asset classes. Furthermore, the diversification benefits of direct and indirect infrastructure within multi-asset portfolios are highlighted and determine efficient allocations up to 78 percent for target rates of 0.0 percent, 1.5 percent and 3.0 percent quarterly.\nPractical implications: - The results will help investors and portfolio managers to efficiently allocate funds to various asset classes. Most institutional investors are not familiar with investments in infrastructure. The study facilitates a better understanding of the asset class infrastructure and yields some important implications for the optimal allocation of infrastructure within institutional investment portfolios.\nOriginality/value: - This is the first study to examine the role of direct and indirect infrastructure within a multi-asset portfolio by applying a downside-risk approach.\n",
"role": "assistant"
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] |
What influences Chinese fashion retail? Shopping motivations, demographics and spending
|
[
"China",
"International marketing",
"Motivation",
"Consumer behaviour",
"Retailing",
"Demographics"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: Current marketing and design practice assume Chinese consumers shopping motivations and match them with Western countries. Western fashion retailers are increasingly looking to capitalise upon China's expanding market, predicted to be worth over $320bn by 2020 (Lam and Chan, 2016). The importance of retail's expansion within China cannot be understated, with the United Nations (2016) stating that for continued economic growth and stability, the fashion industry depends upon successful growth in China. Given China's increasing prominence, it is surprising that China's distinctive shopping motivations have yet to be profiled. This is despite the disparity between Chinese and Western behavioural motivations being well established (Arvidsson and Niessen, 2015; Rahman et al., 2018; Tsai and Men, 2017). Thus, the unique shopping motivations of Chinese fashion consumers are uncapitalised on.\nReview of literature: Consumer behaviour and shopping motivations\nMethodology: Setting and sample\nFindings: Hedonic and utilitarian shopping motivations\nDiscussion: Demographics\nConclusion: In conclusion, this paper profiles the shopping motivations of Chinese consumers relative to demographics, fashion item expenditure and retail channel preference. Theory is established in the form of consumer description while anticipating behaviours within other developing nations. The understanding of Chinese fashion consumers' unique characteristics is enriched by providing empirical evidence of the key variable's influence.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to establish the influence of shopping motivations on Chinese fashion retail engagement relative to demographics, monthly spend on fashion items and high street/electronic commerce (e-commerce) preference. This is to determine how international fashion retailers should design more effective retails channels, expanding upon established theory in Hedonic and utilitarian motivations. While earlier research suggests shopping motivations associate with demographics while influencing retail channel preference and consumer spending, much of this exploration is Western focused, with all variables being influential. However, the degree to which these apply to China, and the unique fingerprint of influential motivations remains unknown. This paper answers these questions to allow international retailers to develop more efficient marketing strategies and design more effective retail channels.\nDesign/methodology/approach: In all, 403 Chinese consumers generalisable to the broader population were surveyed on their hedonic and utilitarian motivations to shop for fashion apparel in high street and e-commerce environments. Statistical analysis was commenced through direct logistic regression and MANOVA.\nFindings: Demographics have limited association with shopping motivations, with gender and age only producing small effect sizes, while occupation, income and education has no significance. High street store preference is influenced by adventure and social shopping and e-commerce preference only by idea shopping. Spending over Y=1k per month on fashion apparel is influenced by gratification and idea shopping, and regular spending habits inspired by value shopping.\nOriginality/value: This empirical paper characterises the fingerprint of shopping motivations' influence as singular to China while proving their limitation and need for a wider plethora of influential factors to be recognised.\n",
"role": "assistant"
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] |
Legislation and SME retailers - compliance costs and consequences
|
[
"Small to medium‐sized enterprises",
"Regulation",
"Legislation",
"Compliance costs",
"Retailers",
"United Kingdom"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nRegulation - the impact on retailing: Introduction\nMethodology: Primary research was undertaken to provide an understanding of perceptions of potentially disproportionate implementation costs and the resulting consequences. Focusing on UK retailers in rural areas and market towns, it was designed to address the following broad objectives to:* assess the importance of regulatory compliance for SME retailers and its costs;* identify the key information sources on regulatory issues used by SME retailers;* assess the nature of retailer relationships with regulatory advisers and enforcers (primarily Environmental Health and Trading Standards Officers); and* provide a framework for assessing the impact of regulations on SME retailers.There were three stages to the research. An exploratory group discussion with representatives of the Rural Shop Alliance formed a first step to gain insights into the nature of relevant legislation and its impact on independent retailers. Findings from this formed the basis for a series of seven semi-structured depth interviews, carried out with a variety of retailers covering a range of sectors and localities from purely rural to village to small market town. Interviewees were asked to identify key areas of recently implemented legislation and any cost issues which had arisen from compliance. They were also asked about their most important information sources regarding new legislation as well as their relationship with Environmental Healthy and Trading Standards Officers. Thematic analysis of the transcripts was used to establish generic issues applying in all locations. The final stage was a survey of independent retailers in five market towns (chosen on the basis of prior contacts with the places and to ensure a geographically wide coverage): Bury St Edmunds, Dorking, Leominster, Sandbach and Todmorden. The sampling frame used for the survey was obtained from Experian Goad and consisted of a listing of all retail and service businesses in the town centres showing name, address, ownership and type of business. Goad maps of the town centres were also obtained. From the databases, all non-multiple retailers were identified: services such as hairdressing were excluded as the focus of the work was on goods retailing although pubs were included.Using the background provided by the two earlier qualitative stages of data collection, a self-completion questionnaire was designed for completion by the traders. To maximise response rate within the time and resources available, a letter (endorsed by the respective town centre managers) was sent to all potential respondents to alert them to the survey and invite their cooperation. The survey was conducted with the use of field workers in July 2004. The overall response rate was 48 per cent. The questionnaire data were subsequently analysed using SPSS. Table II shows the basic respondent characteristics. The sample included a wide range of trading experiences, business sizes, and membership in groups.\nFindings: The findings section is structured around the research objectives and explores issues of regulatory compliance for SME retailers, illustrations of costs, key information sources and relationships with Environmental Health and Trading Standards Officers.The importance of regulatory compliance for SME retailers\nConceptualisation and frameworks: The overall impact of the perceived disproportional costs of new legislation is shown in Figure 1. Qualitative findings from the key informant interviews indicated that as retail SMEs move through the initial stages of the business life cycle, perceptions of \"regulation creep\" can significantly hinder owners from growing their businesses. Thus, one interviewee commented on the way Environmental Health regulations had stopped her from selling meat informally sourced from her brother-in-law's business. Another respondent stated that it was mostly concerns about bureaucracy and record keeping that stopped him from taking his casual but successful market stall business to a permanent shop base, thus, echoing findings from Bannock (2001), Harris (2002) and PACEC (2004) that regulatory impact can result in reduced competitiveness and impeded growth for small firms.Shop-based micro SMEs often rely on a highly informally organised network of part-time staff, local and family support (Harris, 2002). Interviews indicate that the transition to the formal management of a proper staff base is often experienced as daunting to the point of discouraging growth, thereby, blocking the potential generation of additional jobs in the local micro-economies. This partly challenges the PACEC (2004) findings that start-up firms experience relatively few problems as they are usually tied in with a business support network; whereas \"going for growth\" firms have problems with accessing information, time and complexity; and mature firms with time, complexity and the overall cumulative burden. Firms included here provide evidence that many rural retail SMEs may not follow a straight-forward business life cycle model and remain at the micro-stage for some considerable time, without necessarily making full use of the start-up services available.Figure 2 conceptualizes the key differential cost hurdles experienced by retail SMEs in relation to the introduction of new legislation. For the purposes of identifying the most promising means to address them, these can be grouped into two broad thematic areas.Actual differential costs\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: - The introduction, implementation and enforcement of new laws governing the conduct of business can result in substantial additional costs to retailers. Focusing on small to medium sized (SME) retailers in rural areas and market towns, the study reported here aims to provide an understanding of perceptions of potentially disproportionate implementation costs and the resulting consequences.\nDesign/methodology/approach: - A three-stage design was used. An exploratory focus group with representatives of the Rural Shop Alliance was followed by seven semi-structured depth-interviews with SME retail representatives. Thematic analysis of the qualitative findings formed the basis for a survey of SME retailers in five market towns.\nFindings: - Findings show SME retailers' perceptions of the differential burden related to the impact of new legislation, with the key factors of direct cost, time costs and information costs. Consequently, business growth and the formalisation of staffing arrangements, in particular, can be obstructed. Generally, good relationships with Trading Standards and Environmental Health Officers are often driven by a need for reactive compliance rather than offering a proactive information and support mechanism.\nPractical implications: - Findings clarify the nature of the differential burden of legislation to retail SMEs. The need for an \"outcomes-for-business\" driven proactive stance by local delivery agencies is highlighted. Ongoing support visits, telephone help lines and leaflets and the press rather than the internet are identified as key information sources.\nOriginality/value: - Both qualitative and quantitative evidence is brought together in the assessment of an area of concern to retail SMEs.\n",
"role": "assistant"
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] |
Human resource management practices and workers' job satisfaction
|
[
"Job satisfaction",
"Human resource management",
"Human resource strategies",
"Trade unions",
"Pay policies"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n1. Introduction: The past two decades have witnessed a burgeoning literature on the economics of job satisfaction[1]. There is also a large human resource management (HRM) literature that emphasises the influence of so-called \"high-performance workplace practices\" on job satisfaction and hence employee performance. The HRM literature can be sub-divided into empirical studies, which in the case of the UK are primarily based on the Workplace Industrial Relations Survey (WIRS) series, and a considerably larger number of studies that typically rely on case study analyses[2]. Relatively few attempts have been made to combine the job satisfaction and HRM literatures. A primary objective of this paper is to present new empirical evidence on the impact of HRM practices on workers' overall job satisfaction and their satisfaction with their pay.It is possible that HRM practices are a substitute for unionisation. If HRM policies raise overall job satisfaction, and (especially) satisfaction with pay, then the motivation to join unions could be reduced. A second objective of this paper is thus to investigate whether HRM practices have a different impact on the job satisfaction of union members as opposed to non-union members.There is a longstanding interest by economists in the role played by pay and reward structures in determining worker effort, performance and job satisfaction. However, the focus of this literature has tended to be on the impact of workers' own pay or their comparison wage. Little is known beyond particular cases about the impact of the distribution of pay within a firm on worker performance. This is intriguing because there is a growing literature, which advocates the implementation of contingent, and implicitly variable, pay structures that encourage wage dispersion[3]. As such, a third objective of this paper is to analyse the impact of perceived pay inequality on workers' job satisfaction.To investigate these issues we analyse two British datasets, the \"Changing Employment Relationships, Employment Contracts and the Future of Work Survey\" (CERS), conducted in 2000, and the 1998 Workplace Employment Relations Survey (WERS). The CERS and WERS datasets differ and complement each other in that the former has a larger proportion of workers from small firms (i.e. those with less than ten employees), whereas WERS excludes establishments with fewer than ten employees. This means that WERS excludes 73 per cent of the 1.3 million establishments in the UK (Cully et al., 1999). However, WERS covers 82 per cent of employees, making it representative at the employee level, whereas CERS is representative of establishments. These differences in coverage mean that our two datasets can thus be seen as complements in the analysis.To allow a comparison of the findings from the two datasets we construct a set of covariates that are as consistent as possible. In terms of HRM practices, we identify the following sets of variables: work organisation, supervision, employee involvement/voice, recruitment and selection, training and learning, and pay practices. In addition, we include variables for the workers' perception of pay inequality in the workplace and whether it is unionised. Note that our comparison of the two datasets can only be performed with respect to the workers' satisfaction with their pay, since the WERS dataset does not include a variable for overall job satisfaction. We construct dependent variables in a simple binary form to ease interpretation of results.The remainder of the paper is broken down as follows. In section 2 we briefly review the theoretical and empirical literature on job satisfaction and then discuss the literature on the impact of HRM practices on worker performance. The issue of pay inequality is also introduced. Section 3 describes the two datasets used in the analysis together with our econometric methodology. In section 4 we discuss the findings of our analysis of the impact of HRM practices on workers' overall satisfaction with the job and satisfaction with pay. This section also examines the differences in outcome between union and non-union members, followed by a discussion of the impact of pay inequality. Our conclusions follow in section 5.\n2. Job satisfaction and HRM practices: theory and literature: Various theories of job satisfaction have been developed by psychologists and management scholars. They tend to assign different degrees of importance to sources of satisfaction[4], which can be classified as either intrinsic or extrinsic. Intrinsic sources depend on the individual characteristics of the person, such as attitudes. Extrinsic sources are situational, and depend on the environment, such as workplace climate. Theories which rely on extrinsic sources are more typically adopted by economists, albeit by reference to a different terminology, whereas intrinsic sources are more commonly associated with other social sciences (Luchak, 2003).Traditionally, economists have embraced job satisfaction with \"professional suspicion\" (Freeman, 1978 p. 135) because it is a subjective variable. In 2000, it was still possible to state that the study of job satisfaction by economists is \"still in its infancy\" (Blanchflower and Oswald, 2000, p. 8)[5]. However, the empirical analysis of job satisfaction either implicitly or explicitly draws on the theoretical models discussed above, and in so doing job satisfaction is specified as a function of several individual and job characteristics, and ultimately interpreted as a utility function (Clark and Oswald, 1996; Easterlin, 2001).Some studies show that certain HRM practices, such as working in teams, greater discretion and autonomy in the workplace and various employee involvement and pay schemes, do motivate workers and hence generate higher labour productivity (Cully et al., 1999; Boselie and Van der Wiele, 2002). However, overall job satisfaction need not increase if effort is a \"bad\" and the aim of workers is to maximise the returns from the exerted effort.In terms of the relationship between pay and job satisfaction, Clark and Oswald (1996) show that a workers' reported level of well-being is weakly correlated with their income, whereas Belfield and Harris (2002) find no evidence of such a relationship for those working in higher education. There is mounting research into the weakness of the link between income and life satisfaction, as in the happiness studies of Layard (2003, 2006) and Clark (2005) showing that despite rising wages there are stagnant levels in job satisfaction. Other studies show that it is relative income, rather than own income, that matters for job satisfaction (Clark and Oswald, 1996). Still, some studies contest the importance of relative income at lower pay levels (e.g. McBride, 2001), or highlight the importance of real income (Greene and Nelson, 2007).A wider literature exists on the effects of introducing new pay practices in companies (see, e.g. Black and Lynch, 2004; Booth and Frank, 1999; Cappelli and Neumark, 1999; McCausland et al., 2005; Lazear, 2000). Yet, empirical evidence is lacking on the relationship between such practices and job satisfaction. There are also very few studies that seek to examine the relationship between the pay distribution within a firm, including the perception of that distribution by a worker, and individual worker performance or their job satisfaction[6]. An exception is Bloom and Michel (2002), who discuss the advantages and disadvantages of dispersed and compressed \"actual\" pay structures. Dispersed pay structures may induce higher levels of performance as employees have to work harder to move up the pay ladder. This is consistent with the notion of promoting the \"star\" workers in a competitive environment and the provision of compensating differentials for high-risk jobs. However, consistent with the prediction of tournament theory (Bloom and Michel, 2002), dispersed pay systems may also be linked to workforce instability and higher turnover. On the other hand, compressed pay promotes team effort and cooperation by creating a more egalitarian workplace, which tends to reduce turnover (Beaumont and Harris, 2003). However, it may discourage effort above a certain minimal necessary level, and may be perceived as unfair, not least because of free-rider problems. Hence, it is usually difficult to accurately identify the effect of the pay distribution within a firm on workers' job satisfaction.\n3. Data and methodology: We use two British datasets for our empirical analysis. The CERS was commissioned by the Policy Studies Institute as part of the Future of Work research programme. The data were collected between July 2000 and January 2001, and the main aim of the Survey was to identify and describe the key changes in British employee relations. Two data collection methods were used: interviews and self-completion questionnaires. The one-hour interviews were personal, paper-based, conducted in the home, and totalled 2,466 responses. Self-completion questionnaires were returned by 2,349 respondents, representing a 95-per cent response rate. Once we omit respondents with missing values on key variables and the self-employed (334), the sample size reduces to 1,518. The WERS contains a much larger sample of workers (19,890 after allowing for missing data), and has the advantage that responses are obtained from both employees and their managers.The CERS data set contain a question on overall job satisfaction. This asked workers to report levels of overall job satisfaction on a seven point scale from \"completely satisfied\" to \"completely dissatisfied\". The majority of the respondents to the survey are satisfied with their job or better, the modal group being \"satisfied\". The distribution of job satisfaction that we observe is consistent with other British studies showing that reported levels of satisfaction are very high (Millward et al., 1999; Oswald and Gardner, 2001; Blanchflower and Oswald, 2004). These results may reflect a self-selection effect insofar as workers sort themselves into the jobs that they like and quit those they dislike. However, this explanation is likely to overestimate workers' ability to find a suitable job match. For ease of interpretation we collapse the job satisfaction responses into a binary variable form, where a value of one denotes satisfied or better, taking up 84.0 per cent of the sample. Whilst we report results for overall job satisfaction in the collapsed binary form, we also report - if relevant - the effects of practices on this variable in its original scale form.A similar question is asked in the CERS about workers' satisfaction with pay. Again, we model the determinants of workers' satisfaction with their pay, with a collapsed binary dependent variable with the value one denoting satisfied or better (58.6 per cent of the sample). Again, some of our reported results also use the variable in its original scale form.Unlike CERS, a drawback of WERS is that it does not contain an equivalent question on overall job satisfaction. WERS does ask workers about their satisfaction with pay. Here, the set of categories varies from \"very satisfied\" to \"very dissatisfied\" on a five point scale. The modal group in WERS is again 'satisfied' with pay. In WERS we recode the original five-point variable into a binary variable, where one denotes satisfied or better (35.3 per cent), and we also report some significant results for the variable in its scale form. In terms of HRM practices, employees in CERS are less likely to work in teams, get involved in improvement groups or be in firms that offer profit-related pay. Conversely, employees in WERS are less likely to be supervised, or work in firms that encourage both training and skill development. We conjecture that the complementarity of CERS and WERS makes an analysis of both datasets potentially very revealing.Following the theory and previous literature discussed above, job satisfaction, S, can be expressed as: Equation 1 where X refers to a vector of worker, job and firm characteristics, including whether the worker is a union member[7]. Worker characteristics include age, gender, marital status, number of children, highest educational qualification and union membership, whereas the job and firm characteristics include workers' occupation/skill level and firm size. Unlike the previous literature, a vector of variables reflecting human resource management practices, HRM, is included in the model and classified under the following headings:* work organisation;* supervision;* employee involvement;* recruitment and selection;* training and learning; and* pay practices, including seniority-based pay and performance-related pay.INEQUALITY refers to workers' perception of the pay distribution in the firm and in particular whether is regarded as unequal or not. Hamermesh (2004) has warned about the inclusion of subjective covariates when the dependent variable is itself subjective. We defend the inclusion of this particular variable on the grounds that perception of pay is probably what is most important within a firm. If the distribution of pay is regarded as unequal and this reduces workers' job satisfaction then either management needs to change that distribution by altering its pay practices, or if it is based on a misperception of the pay distribution then management needs to improve information flows in the firm.\n4. Results: 4.1 The effect of HRM practices\n5. Conclusions: In this paper we investigated the effect of HRM practices on workers' overall job satisfaction and their satisfaction with pay. After controlling for a large number of personal, job and firm-related characteristics, we find that HRM practices have a statistically significant, and in some cases substantial, effect on workers' overall job satisfaction and on their satisfaction with pay. Specifically, we find that workers enjoy on-going learning and job autonomy. Close supervision of work is disliked, but workers enjoy some visual assessment of their performance, suggesting that some monitoring is desirable. Furthermore, giving workers a \"voice\" through employee involvement schemes has a positive effect on job satisfaction. Managers who hold regular meetings with employees to enable them to express their views about work have the most substantial effect in raising job satisfaction. Satisfaction with pay is higher where seniority and individual performance-related schemes are in place. When we investigate differences in the effect of HRM practices on the job satisfaction of union members and non-members, we find little evidence that unionisation affects our general findings across our sample.Finally, a pay structure that is seen as overly dispersed is associated with low levels of job satisfaction. Although HRM practices have a direct positive effect in raising workers' job satisfaction, it can be conjectured that there may be an offsetting negative effect on satisfaction and performance if these policies also raise pay inequality in the workplace. This clearly raises implications for the design and implementation of HRM practices, particularly with respect to pay and incentive systems. However, it should be noted that we measure the effect of perceived workplace pay inequality, rather than actual pay inequality, and it may be that the distribution of pay is misperceived. The implication would then be that information flows about pay structure should be improved if managers are concerned with their workers' job satisfaction.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: - The purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationship between human resource management (HRM) practices and workers' overall job satisfaction and their satisfaction with pay.\nDesign/methodology/approach: - The paper uses British data from two different cross-sectional datasets. It estimates probit models with overall job satisfaction and satisfaction with pay as subjective dependent variables.\nFindings: - After controlling for personal, job and firm characteristics, it is found that several HRM practices raise workers' overall job satisfaction and their satisfaction with pay. However, these effects are only significant for non-union members. Satisfaction with pay is higher where performance-related pay and seniority-based reward systems are in place. A pay structure that is perceived to be unequal is associated with a substantial reduction in both non-union members' overall job satisfaction and their satisfaction with pay. Although HRM practices can raise workers' job satisfaction, if workplace pay inequality widens as a consequence then non-union members may experience reduced job satisfaction.\nResearch limitations/implications: - The data sets used in the analysis are cross-sectional, presenting a snapshot of impacts of HRM practices on job satisfaction at a particular point in time. Dynamic effects are therefore not captured.\nOriginality/value: - The paper adds to the empirical literature on effects of HRM practices, focussing on impacts on both overall job satisfaction and satisfaction with pay. A novel feature of the paper is the use of two separate data sets to develop complementary empirical results.\n",
"role": "assistant"
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] |
Working the Spaces of Neoliberalism
|
[
"Neoliberalism",
"Activism",
"Professionalisation",
"Production of knowledge",
"Professional subjectivities"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n__NO_TITLE__: The collected volume Working in the Spaces of Neoliberalism, edited by Nina Laurie and Liz Bondi, provides an excellent platform for thinking through some of the key concerns discussed in this special issue. Contributors to this volume present a series of close studies of the professionalisation of community activism within the context of diverse regional and national neoliberal spaces. As such, this volume offers multiple ways of thinking around a range of issues discussed in this special issue including: the ambiguities and ambivalent outcomes of increasing professionalisation and institutionalisation of equality work; the opportunities within these spaces for activists to challenge state agendas; and the global distribution of technologies that aim to audit, assess and mainstream equality. For theorists and practitioners interested in reflecting on the \"politics of equality\", this will be an exciting and stimulating text.The volume is split into two parts. Part 1 consists of an introductory chapter by the editors and nine chapters that explore empirical cases of state/third-sector partnership, international development programmes, the professionalisation of the gap year, indigenous knowledge production, community psychotherapeutic counselling, lesbian/gay activism and academic work, and community forestry programmes. Part 2 is made up of four commentary chapters, each of which reviews and develops a different selection of the proceeding chapters.The editors frame this collection in their introductory chapter as a response to a shared sense of \"uncertainty, ambivalence and perplexity\" about the politics of professionalisation within the spaces of neoliberalism. Rather than assuming an exhaustive and absolute co-optation, incorporation or neutralisation of potentially radical challenges of the state within neoliberal state processes, the contributors of this volume draw out the complexities and pluralities of these, which in some cases is argued to provide positive opportunities for developing the power of community activists and opening up spaces for critique. The careful teasing out of the ambiguities and tensions of the key themes of partnership, activism, knowledge production and neoliberal subjectivities within and across the empirical chapters is one of the key strengths of this volume.A first central theme that is dealt with in this volume is the nature of the relationship between local and community activists, development agencies, and the neoliberal state. In Chapter 1, Wendy Larner and David Craig consider the emergence of the concept of \"partnership\" as a normative and mandatory tool in the neoliberal space of local and community development programmes in Aotearoa/New Zealand. These authors emphasise that models of \"partnership\" may offer new axes of influence for community activists in programmes of social change, and/or draw activists into proliferating neoliberal state agendas. They argue that analyses must take into consideration the paradoxical processes of neoliberalism and partnership given that \"neo-liberal spaces and subjectivities are not simply imposed from above, nor is 'resistance' simply a bottom-up political response to macro-level structural processes\" (p. 27). Nicholas Fyfe's contribution (Chapter 7) also takes up the concept of partnership by exploring New Labour's neoliberal and neocommunitarian approach to the \"third sector\" through notions of partnership and the development of \"compacts\" between the government and voluntary sector. Fyfe is less ambivalent and more critical of these relationships than Larner and Craig, suggesting that such models of partnership exemplify Foucauldian theorising of governmentality, in which the development of compacts that promote self-regulation can be read as an attempt to mobilise the third sector as a \"shadow state\" and limit its potential for resistance.Relating to this last point, a second theme raised by a number of contributors is the danger of reducing politicisation of activists and community agencies within spheres of neoliberal governance. For example, Diane Richardson (Chapter 6) discusses the changing politics of lesbian and gay activism in the context of increasing professionalisation and the emergence of neoliberal discourses of citizenship. Richardson argues that the shift from rights activism, which cast lesbians and gays as \"different but equal\", to a model where lesbians and gays seek rights as \"normal ordinary citizens\" contributes to the normalisation of lesbians/gays as governable subjects and ignores critical divisions around class, race and gender. Rebecca Dolhinow (Chapter 8) is also suspicious of the reduction of political power through the professionalisation of community activism in her account of the practices of national government organisations (NGOs) and activists within colonias along the Mexico-US border. Dolhinow argues that the funding processes and requirements of donor organisations in this region effectively disable activism and leave NGOs unable to resist \"the demands of mainstream civil society\". However, even in Dolhinow's less-than-optimistic discussion of the impacts of neoliberalism on NGO practices, she argues for the possibilities of politically progressive NGOs to take a major role in challenging state structures and promoting politicisation and social change.The processes involved in knowledge production is a third issue that receives considerable attention in this volume. Nina Laurie, Robert Andolina and Sarah Radcliffe (Chapter 4) perhaps provide the most hopeful account of the potential for strengthening community activism within neoliberal spaces of development. These authors demonstrate how professionalisation of indigenous activism in the Andean countries of Ecuador and Bolivia has opened up a space for indigenous people to challenge governmentality in education and insist on recognition of diverse ways of knowing in state education policy. In this way, their account goes beyond what they suggest are the \"somewhat dated\" debates around the domination of knowledges of expatriate development experts versus the knowledge of indigenous peoples. Nevertheless, Laurie et al.'s account stops short of detailing the conditions under which particular indigenous knowledge is now produced. A more detailed focus however is developed in Andrea Nightingale's discussion (Chapter 9), in which she provides a particularly sensitive account of how knowledge production, through the partnership of development agencies and local communities in Nepalese community forestry development, is embedded in patterns of power relating to caste and gender.Of particular interest here are the questions that these accounts raise in terms of the evaluation of different and often competing knowledges and the transposition of \"best practice\" across different geopolitical contexts. For example, within the area of equality work, how might the knowledge production patterns of a growing set of toolkits for promoting equality emerging out of major international bodies and governmental organisations be analysed? Uma Kothari (Chapter 2) directly takes up this issue, reflecting on the equality practices of gender mainstreaming, gender auditing and diversity management in her discussion of the \"technicalisation\" of development knowledge and the production of development experts in post-colonial contexts.The processes of knowledge production also relate directly to the construction of professional neoliberal subjectivities, and this is the fourth key theme that I will consider here. In their discussion of models of partnership, Larner and Craig consider the rise of \"the strategic broker\", and \"partnership champion\", which they suggest offer differing possibilities for activists to engage in strategic community development. Like Larner and Craig, Liz Bondi (Chapter 5), in her discussion of the professionalisation of community counselling practitioners in Scotland, provides a careful analysis of the ambivalences and ambiguities produced through the neoliberal governance processes of this sector. Bondi's account demonstrates the complex ways in which practitioner subjectivities can be understood; on the one hand through models of neoliberal subject formation, and on the other through notions of empowerment, resistance and collective action. Other contributions track specific neoliberal subjectivities emerging out of \"Third world\" development projects, including the geographically abstracted post-colonial development expert (Kothari), the indigenous development elite (Laurie et al.), and the high-caste and literate forestry manager (Nightingale). Kate Simpson (Chapter 3) also maps the emergence of a \"new\" kind of development expert in her description of the increasing professionalisation of the \"gap year\" in Britain. Simpson argues that taking a gap year between secondary school and tertiary education - once an opportunity to take a break from education and employment - is now an expected and rewarded educational experience that is seen as part of the formation of the \"good British citizen\". However, at the same time, processes - including the burgeoning industry of structured development programmes in the \"third world\" as part of the gap year - construct young British nationals as \"experts\" who contribute advice, support and skills to local indigenous communities.In Part 2 the commentaries by Marcus Power (Chapter 10), Katy Jenkins (Chapter 11), Nicholas Blomley (Chapter 12) and Cindi Katz (Chapter 13) directly reflect on the coherencies and contrasts across the proceeding empirical chapters drawing out the key issues raised. These commentaries usefully provide reflective, readable and short guides through the volume's material for the busy reader. Nevertheless, in general, the commentators might have made greater use of the opportunity to link the empirical analyses of the proceeding chapters to broader theoretical issues relating to this area. Although brief, Nicholas Blomley's discussion of the concept of \"the professional\" in broader terms provides an example of how this approach might have contributed to these commentaries.Edited volumes that attempt to bring together empirical analyses deviating across time, space, theoretical approach and academic discipline are always ambitious. However, in the case of this collection, the coherency and rich development of the primary research issues achieved is praiseworthy. Each successive chapter re-works and re-stages the ambivalent outcomes of partnership, activism, knowledge production and subjectivities in the context of neoliberal geopolitical spaces. With relevance to the focus and aims of this special issue, the re-working of these four key themes collectively argues for a contextualised and nuanced analysis of the shifting politics of equalities work. For example, increasing professionalisation of equality work and the shrinking distance between equality activists and the state may offer greater access to influence state agendas at the same time as threatening de-radicalisation of equality activism. In this respect, the \"whole (of the collection) is more than its parts\" as it insists on the multiplicity and variation of outcomes possible in shifting spaces of increasing professionalisation and bureaucratisation. It will be a valuable read for those new to these issues as well as those who have been working within these \"knowledges\" and spaces for some time.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: - To explore the experience of a key member of the UK equalities policy-making elite, interrogating her shift from activist to top-ranking equalities professional. To focus attention on the under-explored area of lesbian, gay bisexual and transgender equalities work.\nDesign/methodology/approach: - The interview is prefaced with a critical commentary on current UK equalities policy, contextualising the interview discussion, which links personal and collective histories and provides a comparison of equalities work over time.\nFindings: - Angela Mason, while top-ranking civil servant, continues to claim the label activist. Like a variety of other equalities workers she uses multiple tactics to appeal to different constituents at different times and in different contexts.\nOriginality/value: - This is an interview with one of the key protagonists in the development of UK equalities policies over the last 30 years. It is unique in its focus on the current overhaul of UK equalities policy from an \"insider\" and in its timing at the interim point of this reorganisation (October 2006).\n",
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] |
A quality system's impact on the service experience
|
[
"Service design",
"Service experience",
"Customer experience",
"Quality-oriented service system",
"Socio-technical systems (STS)"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n1. Introduction: Service experiences are at the forefront of modern business competition (Klaus and Maklan, 2012) particularly given the increasingly strong ties to customer satisfaction and sustained firm profitability (Grewal et al., 2009). Fortune's list of most admired companies consistently identifies companies with outstanding service experiences as outperforming their competition. However, the converse applies in that poor experiences can do serious harm. This is highlighted by a recent industry report that found 64 percent of consumers switched providers due to a poor experience (DMNews, 2015). The service experience, which Lemke et al. (2011) defines as the customer's subjective response to the holistic encounter with the firm, is a, if not the, key strategic objective for building customer loyalty (Verhoef et al., 2009). A recent report predicted that the customer experience will overtake price and product as the key brand identifier by 2020 (Parature, 2014).\n2. Conceptual development: The service experience is viewed as \"the outcomes of interactions between organizations, systems/processes, service employees and customers\" (Bitner et al., 1997, p. 193), and includes \"contributory events and a number of transactions or interactions\" (Hume et al., 2006, p. 307) that combine to \"create customers' cognitive, emotional and behavioral responses, resulting in a mental mark, a memory\" (Edvardsson et al., 2005, p. 151). Holbrook and Hirschman (1982) have suggested that customer experiences are comprised of both rational and emotional assessments. This view was later expanded by suggesting that the customer experience also includes physical (Miles et al., 2012), sensorial, and spiritual (Gentile et al., 2007) elements. Verhoef et al.'s (2009) conceptual model of the customer experience provides a holistic perspective. They propose that customers' prior experience along with the social environment, service interface, and retail brand are antecedents, while the moderators include situation (e.g. location and culture) and consumer (e.g. attitudes, task orientation). Finally, Klaus and Maklan's (2012, p. 24) service/customer experience scale, which includes product experience, outcome focus, moments-of-truth, and peace-of-mind, \"can be used to monitor and improve the quality of experiences delivered to customers.\"\n3. Hypotheses development: 3.1 Quality climate\n4. Methodology: Our goal was to investigate the interplay between the technical and social systems that affects the service experience. To accomplish this goal, data were collected in two waves. The first collection was used to validate the constructs while enabling the selection of the most relevant questions for use in the second collection. The second collection's goal was to obtain data for the testing of our path model, which includes input from service employees paired with third-party customer evaluations of the service experience. The reason for this two-phased approach was to examine the relevant research questions while also eliminating any potential method biases associated with single-source data collections.\n5. Analysis and results: 5.1 Measurement model\n6. Discussion and conclusion: Prior research has devoted a considerable amount of attention to examining the factors that lead to superior service performance (e.g. Bowen and Lawler, 1992; Gulati and Oldroyd, 2005; Smith et al., 2010). The goal of this study was to explore the potential impact of an integrated service quality system on the service experience. Through the utilization of STS theory, the goal was effectively met. Specifically, we demonstrated the impact technical systems have on employees' inherent abilities (i.e. the social system), which, in turn, affect the overall assessment by customers. Additionally, we investigated the impact of the environment in which an employee works (i.e. high vs low contact) results in differences in the model. In this case, low contact services are more process driven while high contact settings tend to be more managerially oriented. Finally, the results of this study are bolstered by the use of different analytical methods to explore two independent samples (Astrachan et al., 2014). Moreover, when comparing CB-SEM and PLS-SEM, Astrachan et al. (2014) found that \"even though both methods analyze measurement theory and structural path models, there are many advantages in applying PLS-SEM.\" Encouraged by these findings, CB-SEM was used to fit the model to employee responses, while PLS-SEM was utilized to test a more compelling model that includes employee responses and customer ratings.\n7. Limitations and future research: This study is not without limitations. First, all aspects of both the social and technical systems were assessed by individual employees which could induce bias. This is potentially evident in that the employee may not be fully aware of all the specifics of the technical system while also being prone to over-inflating his personal evaluation. Care was taken to ensure all items were measured correctly, but this is firmly acknowledged as a limitation. Also, we do recognize that there are other variables, especially those associated with the social system that could affect employee assessments. The model could have included other factors such as commitment or extroversion, but it was decided to only include the most relevant factors in order to present a more parsimonious model. There is also a limitation associated with the second data collection only encompassing a single item to represent the construct of interest.\n",
"role": "user"
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{
"content": "Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to examine the interplay between technical and social systems within an organization that potentially affect the service experience, as perceived by end customers.\nDesign/methodology/approach: The paper explores the potential impact of an integrated service quality system on the service experience. A conceptual model is presented, accompanied by a detailed development of the hypotheses. Two samples (Study 1: n=474, Study 2: n=225) of consumers are used to empirically test the proposed model.\nFindings: The analysis reveals the impact a technical system has on employees' inherent abilities (i.e. the social system), which, in turn, affect the overall assessment by customers. Additionally, the situation in which an employee works (i.e. operating environmental conditions) results in differences in the model.\nResearch limitations/implications: This paper's main implication is this paper employs established theory to develop a model that is empirically tested to show that implementing and maintaining a quality-oriented service system can positively influence the overall customer experience. The limitations are based primarily on the methodology in which individual employees assessed all aspects of both the social and technical systems.\nPractical implications: Managers should be diligent in their design and implementation of the quality components as these affect the work setting in which employees operate.\nOriginality/value: Prior research has neither explored an integrated service quality system's impact on the service experience nor employed an established theoretical framework. This work accomplishes both with the results providing contributions to both theory and practice.\n",
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E-book lending: the challenges facing interlibrary loan
|
[
"Interlibrary loan",
"Circulation",
"E‐books",
"E‐readers",
"Academic libraries",
"Lending services",
"United States of America"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: E-books continued to rise in popularity amongst consumers in 2012, with adult e-book sales outpacing hardcover sales (Boog, 2012). Public and academic libraries across the United States are also adding e-books to their collections in ever-increasing numbers. Eastern Washington University (EWU) purchases and hosts e-books from vendors on several different platforms, including e-book collections from EBSCO, MIT Press, and ManyBooks.net, as well as single titles from EBL. Despite the growing e-book collection and various methods of delivery, the ability to lend e-books to local users or to other libraries via interlibrary loan (ILL) has not kept pace. In an effort to understand current e-book ILL lending practices, I surveyed over 60 ILL departments across the United States. I also implemented a pilot project for the EWU ILL department in which Kindles were used to purchase e-books for local users in lieu of borrowing certain types of materials through more traditional ILL channels; the lessons learned from this project will be used to promote e-book borrowing and to facilitate library-to-library e-book lending.\nLiterature review: According to the Association of American Publishers' Pew report, e-book sales totaled $282.3 million, a 28 percent increase from e-book sales last year. Additionally the number of Americans owning a digital reading device jumped from 18 percent in December 2011 to 29 percent in January 2012. However, the number of patrons borrowing e-books from the library has not matched this growth. According to the report 62 percent of library users did not know if their library offered e-books for loan (Zickuhr et al., 2012). In 2010, Washington State University surveyed ILL departments in the United States using a set of 11 questions regarding e-book licensing and the ability to lend to other libraries (Frederiksen et al., 2011). At that time, only 2 percent of the responding libraries had negotiated full ILL rights for their e-book collections, while 52 percent of the respondents had no ILL rights to lend e-books and 40 percent either did not know the permissions involved or had not thought to explore it. Harald Muller examined the laws pertaining to book lending in libraries, such as the author's exclusive right to distribute his or her work and the \"exhaustion\" or \"first sale\" doctrines that undergird library lending of print books, and then discussed the obstacles that libraries face in trying to apply these laws to e-book lending. His comparative examination of copyright laws in the US, Canada, Germany, and the European Union and the contract laws that typically govern license agreements concluded that most libraries found the license negotiations and terms a burden and, worse, that the very exhaustion and first sale doctrines used to justify library lending of materials fixed in a printed medium do not and cannot apply to e-books. Muller calls on librarians to \"lobby their legislatures to create new legal instruments that will enable libraries to provide e-book access to their users\" (Muller, 2012). Joyce Neujahr (2011) piloted one of the first Kindle projects specifically for interlibrary borrowing users in 2007 at the University of Nebraska-Omaha. Upon receipt of a book loan request, ILL staff would search the title on Amazon and, if available, email the requestor to ask whether they preferred the Library to purchase the Kindle version or borrow a print copy through traditional ILL channels. Neujahr reports that as many as 90 percent of users preferred to borrow the hard copy via ILL, citing concerns about not being able to make photocopies from the Kindle version, the lack of an approved citation style for e-books, and a preference for accessing the content on their own personal e-readers. While the e-book purchase and circulation of Kindles was primarily intended for ILL use, the program was expanded to include on-demand e-book purchases at the circulation desk. She found that the majority of Kindle checkouts came from this expanded \"Request a Title\" program, indicating that on demand purchasing and patron-driven acquisition is a valuable service.\nAn ILL survey: As a follow up to the 2010 survey conducted by Washington State University, I submitted a new survey in April 2012 asking similar questions. Using the online survey and questionnaire tool SurveyMonkey, I posted the survey directly to the ILL community via the ILL-L listserv and asked ILL staff and librarians to answer the following questions regarding e-book lending and licensing:*Does your library/organization loan e-books via interlibrary loan?*Are you or your ILL department involved in e-book licensing negotiations? (For example: directly involved with the vendors or indirectly with your acquisitions and collection development dept.)A total 66 US libraries responded to the survey and although some commented that they were able to lend chapters, the results below demonstrate that the overwhelming majority of ILL departments (61 of 66 respondents) still do not lend e-books at all via ILL. Other comments noted that they were unsure if they were allowed to lend or that they were unsure how to deliver the content to the end user. Responses to the second question suggest very few ILL staff are involved in negotiating licenses. Out of those 66 libraries that responded, only nine said they were directly involved in any licensing discussions (see Table I.)In September 2012 Krista Higham and I presented at the Northwest ILL conference at Portland State University on e-book lending between libraries. We encountered many of the same responses from ILL staff attending the conference - very few were able to lend e-books and most were out of the loop in the licensing discussions and negotiations (Percy and Higham, 2012).In addition to the problem of delivering an e-book to the end user and having to save each chapter as a separate file, it is also important to note some of the licensing restrictions currently in force that may be preventing ILL departments from lending e-books. Matt Enis (2012) listed some of the new e-book agreements proposed by several publishers but noted \"these major publishers continue to make their purchase and lending terms difficult\". HarperCollins was one of the first of the Big Six publishers to allow libraries e-book lending but instituted a 26-loan limit on e-book circulation. Once the book has been checked out 26 times the library is either forced to buy it again or lose that title from its collection (Hadro, 2011). Penguin initially withdrew all e-book loan privileges but later launched a pilot program with several branches of the New York Public Library on the condition that titles would only be available for lending after a six-month publication window (New York Public Library, 2012). Random House, the only one of the Big Six publishers to make its bestselling titles available to libraries without restrictions, has come under fire for artificially raising the price on e-books for libraries by nearly 300 percent (Kelley, 2012). Macmillan's e-book pilot offers a 52 loan cap or two years (whichever comes first.) This is a much better option than the 26 loan cap from HarperCollins but it still means libraries have no permanent access to a title; instead having to repurchase the same book at least every two years to ensure its availability (Hoffelder, 2013).Springer and Gale Cengage, two of the largest academic textbook publishers, permit ILL lending from their e-book collection and yet the results of my survey indicate that many ILL staff are unaware of this. Of the libraries surveyed, 92 percent did not offer e-books via ILL. Many of the comments suggested their licensing terms prohibited it or the process of making those books available was time-consuming and difficult. The vast majority of ILL departments had no involvement in e-book licensing negotiations either directly with vendors or indirectly with acquisitions and collection development departments.So how can we take specific action to address these problems? Part of the answer lies in educating our ILL staff and keeping appraised of the licensing agreements in place. There are also many technical issues that need to be addressed. Although it is certainly possible to download and move e-books from one device to another, it is made difficult because of different formats (AZW, ePub, MOBI and PDF are the most widely recognized formats currently in use) and because of digital rights management (DRM) which serves to protect the copyright and dissemination of e-books but can also create problems moving a legitimately purchased book from one device to another; for example from a Kindle to a Nook. For library staff, particularly in ILL and circulation, it is also important to encourage our colleagues to include us in the collection development and acquisitions process. Of the libraries I surveyed, 78 percent were not consulted when new e-book platforms or agreements were added to the library. Almost 80 percent had essentially no voice in the decision-making process.\nMoving forward: There are other steps we can take. Though it's important to know what agreements are in place now, it may be more important to negotiate better terms in the future. Colorado's Douglas County Libraries, (DCL) offers an example - buying e-books directly from publishers and hosting them on its own platform. This model for purchasing e-books outright rather than purchasing a license is gaining momentum: DCL has \"identified 12 groups of publishers comprising 800 different companies\", all interested in negotiating better terms with libraries.One suggestion proposed by the Director of the Douglas County Libraries at the annual ILL conference in Colorado (and later reiterated by Dave Hansen, Fellow at the UC Berkeley Law School,) was to keep the licensing language as broad as possible, such that \"borrower\" or \"authorized user\" might include other libraries and institutions (Logan, 2012). Keeping the language broad and as uniform as possible across publications will also allow ILL staff to better navigate the licensing terms. This would allow for more open access and could in turn lead to library-to-library e-book lending.E-readers also provide opportunities for e-book lending between libraries. Though many public and academic libraries offer Kindles and Nooks for general circulation, it is rarer to see ILL departments doing the same. In August 2012, Eastern Washington University implemented a Kindle pilot for interlibrary borrowing.\nThe EWU Kindle pilot: Taking cues from a 2008 University of Nebraska-Omaha Kindle pilot project (Neujahr, 2011) and a 2009 e-reader pilot project at Texas A&M (Clark, 2009) I submitted a proposal to purchase 20 e-readers for Eastern Washington University's ILL department. We initially purchased 10 Kindles and 10 Nooks but after a preliminary analysis we decided to use only the Kindles for Interlibrary loan use. Our reason for this was that with a Kindle the content purchased remains on the device even after the device is de-registered while with the Nook, content would disappear with de-registration. Because we used a departmental credit card to purchase content we wanted to be sure no patron could make additional purchases and only the Kindle guaranteed this.Our criteria for making an e-book purchase rather than using traditional ILL methods was similar to our current ILL-acquisitions process:*The request was unfilled.*The book was a bestseller and unlikely to be loaned.*The book was a new release and unlikely to be loaned.*The patron has specifically asked for an e-book.*The patron needed the book on a rush basis.If the request satisfied one or more of those criteria and was available as a Kindle e-book we would contact the patron and offer the option to purchase the e-book or continue to try to borrow a print copy via traditional ILL. In most cases purchasing a Kindle e-book offered a cost saving over traditional acquisitions and ILL including shipping, IFM fee, and related staff time (see Table II).We introduced the pilot at the end of October 2012 and as of April 2013 we have purchased 36 titles that originated as ILL requests. Of those purchases, 61 percent were for bestselling fiction titles and the remainder for non-fiction titles. In January 2013 we began marketing the service by using posters highlighting the pilot and by posting on the library Facebook page. The response has been overwhelmingly positive with many patrons contacting library staff requesting Kindles for general checkout.Amazon now has many Kindle titles, (both fiction and non-fiction,) available to loan from the Kindle cloud to applications that include iPads, BlackBerrys and Android devices. Although the EWU pilot is currently restricted to local users and has not yet expanded to include interlibrary lending, the ability to lend books from one device to another is there. Eastern Washington University has two campus locations with two separate libraries, the Riverpoint library in Spokane, WA and the JFK library in Cheney, WA. In addition we have several satellite sites for distance education students including Everett and Vancouver, WA. With our Kindle program it is possible to lend books from our cloud account to any remote location as long as the patron has access to a device that can receive the book. The problems we still face include publisher restrictions on certain titles, DRM and incompatible file formats. Out of the 36 titles EWU has purchased for ILL, only a few are available to lend device to device. It's therefore not a technical issue but a licensing issue. The only way this will be resolved is when publishers work with libraries rather than against them.\nConclusion: Despite the reticence of the Big 6 publishing houses to allow libraries permanent access to titles, it does appear that libraries have other options. Pilots such as the EWU Kindle program have demonstrated that lending e-books remotely is possible. The Douglas County Libraries e-book purchasing model has proven that it is possible to negotiate permanent access and more open licensing language. In addition, sales of tablets and e-readers continues to rise, with 29 percent of Americans owning a digital reading device of some kind. With more and more libraries utilizing Kindles, Nooks, and other e-readers, this feature could soon be used for library-to-library e-book lending allowing ILL departments the ability to lend their e-book collections with confidence.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: - This paper aims to explore current trends in e-book lending in US academic libraries and describes the Kindle pilot for interlibrary loan at Eastern Washington University. It also seeks to examine previous e-reader pilots at the University of Nebraska-Omaha, and the Douglas County Library e-book purchasing program.\nDesign/methodology/approach: - The author surveys US libraries on e-book lending practices and conducts a Kindle pilot program.\nFindings: - E-book licensing agreements need to be re-evaluated and interlibrary loan staff should be included in those negotiations.\nOriginality/value: - This paper offers practical solutions for library e-book lending.\n",
"role": "assistant"
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] |
Trading interactions: supplier empathy, consensus and bias
|
[
"Buyer‐seller relationships",
"Exchange",
"Purchasing",
"Buyers",
"Suppliers",
"Behaviour"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: There are a large number of published papers in the Purchasing and Supply Management field concerning the management of inter-company trading relationships. Many actively promote or tacitly support the suggestion that cooperation is better than competition and that buyer-supplier partnerships are desirable (Jonsson and Zineldin, 2003; Matopoulos et al., 2007). One of the underlying assumptions of the partial consensus identified in the literature is that the adoption of a cooperative approach will elicit superior supplier performance (Emberson and Storey, 2006). However, there are also dissenting voices in the academic world who argue against the singling out of any one \"best\" form of trading relationship (Cox et al., 2005), and some evidence that any cooperation consensus is not shared by practitioners (Hughes and Weiss, 2007). It would appear, therefore, that there may be a mis-match between the majority of academe recommendations and practitioner behaviour in this subject area. An investigation of this possible mis-match forms the stimulus and rationale for this study.Drawing on relational exchange theory (Heide, 1994; Joshi and Stump, 1999), the paper explores the extent to which practitioners support a widespread but partial consensus concerning the benefits of buyer-supplier cooperation. Drawing on a variety of sources, buyer-supplier cooperation is described as relationships based on mutual trust and openness in which participating parties agree to invest resources, mutually achieve goals, share information and undertake joint problem solving in order to achieve improved performance and competitive advantage (Ring and van de Ven, 1994; Spekman et al., 1998; Wagner et al., 2002; Soosay et al., 2008). It is argued that buyer concern for, and satisfaction of, supplier needs, preferences and interests is one logical and likely outcome of buyer support for any widespread cooperation consensus. Consequently, the term \"supplier empathy\" is introduced as an external behavioural representation of this kind of buyer attitude. Supplier empathy can be described as the propensity of a buyer to display an awareness of, and willingness to respond positively to, supplier needs, wants, preferences and overall welfare.The study empirically examines whether buyers display supplier empathy in practice and to what extent this shows support for a cooperation consensus. The paper also investigates a number of factors that may influence the degree of supplier empathy and the relationship between supplier empathy and the incidence of supplier problems. Finally, it is argued that the existence and strength of any widespread consensus increases the likelihood of social acceptability bias (Randall et al., 1993) prompting respondents to offer exaggeratedly positive responses to questions probing their attitudes towards trading cooperation and thus undermining the validity of any findings. Thus, the paper addresses the following four research questions:RQ1. To what extent do practitioners support a widespread but partial consensus concerning the benefits of buyer-supplier cooperation?RQ2. What factors influence the degree of supplier empathy displayed by buyers?RQ3. Is there a relationship between the presence of supplier empathy and the incidence of supplier problems?RQ4. Is social acceptability bias present in the respondents' answers?The main contribution of the research is the finding that buyers, regardless of business size, who show an interest in and willingness to respond to their supplier's needs (i.e. display supplier empathy) report a reduced incidence of problem suppliers. This, in conjunction with findings indicating factors that appear to influence buyer attitudes towards cooperation with suppliers, may be employed by firms eager to improve the quality of their interactions with upstream supply chain members. The paper also includes a rare attempt to identify and deal with the effects of social acceptability bias in the operations and supply management field.The paper proceeds as follows. First, there is an examination of the literature relating to relational exchange theory, the extent to which consensus supporting this approach to buyer-supplier relationships exists, and the risk posed by social acceptability bias in this area. Hypotheses are then developed concerning factors that may influence the level of supplier empathy displayed by buyers, and its effect on trading relations. Second, the methodology for the study is described in detail. Third, an analysis of survey data and hypotheses is provided. Finally, conclusions are drawn including the implications for theory and practice, research limitations, and opportunities for further research.\nLiterature review: Relational exchange\nHypotheses development and conceptual model: In this section, we explore a number of factors that may influence the level of support for the relational exchange perspective and set out hypotheses to test their possible effects on the level of supplier empathy. We also examine how supplier empathy may influence supplier performance.Supplier dependence aversion\nMethod: Study design\nData analysis: The data analysis are presented as follows. First, results of factor analysis for the supplier empathy construct, including tests for reliability and validity, are provided. Second, the extent to which practitioners support the partial consensus concerning the benefits of buyer-supplier cooperation is examined. Third, H1-H5 relating to factors that may influence the degree of supplier empathy displayed by buyers are tested. Fourth, the relationship between the presence of supplier empathy and the incidence of supplier problems is analysed. Finally, the extent of social acceptability bias present in the respondents' answers is tested for.Supplier empathy factor analysis\nDiscussion: Given the longevity of the partial buyer-supplier cooperation consensus, one might have expected to discover a high degree of supplier empathy and generalised support for the relational exchange perspective. In this context, this suggests that the \"middle-range\" responses are open to various interpretations. On the one hand, very large organisations of the kind many of the respondents work for might be expected to possess high levels of power, and hence enjoy a sharply reduced need to display empathy with their suppliers. Therefore, one might argue that although relatively low, the overall incidence of empathy is predictable. On the other hand, the staff in these very large organisations may be more highly qualified than their equivalents in smaller companies (Belfield, 1999) and thus potentially exposed to the academic literature. In addition, as members of the Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply, many respondents will have been exposed to the partial cooperation consensus in the Institute's house journal: Supply Management. For these reasons, it can be argued that the relatively low level of supplier empathy is somewhat surprising. Furthermore, there are strong grounds for believing that social acceptability bias is present in this study's responses, and thus respondents' reported degree of supplier empathy may well have been artificially high; respondents may actually have possessed a lower degree of empathy than they reported. Hence, on balance, the findings may indicate not so much a \"relatively low\" as a \"very low\" degree of supplier empathy.The results of the test for the presence of social acceptability bias suggest that academics in the operations and supply management field might benefit from raising their awareness of the possibility of social acceptability bias being present in their empirical findings, and taking appropriate steps to identify and deal with it in their research designs. Although this paper makes very limited comment on the validity or usefulness or the partial consensus concerning the benefits of cooperation, its findings on the presence of social acceptability bias do provide a warning of the potential risks inherent in designing research work in subject areas where a consensus exists. Moreover, logic suggests that the number of such topics may be quite large. In the Purchasing and Supply Management area, for example, these might include: supply base rationalisation is beneficial; enhanced buyer-supplier transparency improves trading relationships; e-commerce improves performance and so on.The analysis has successfully identified several factors that may influence respondent attitudes towards supplier empathy. The variables relating to aversion to supplier-dependence, a strategic focus on innovation, incidence of co-design work, explicit partnership objectives, and length of trading relationship were shown to be related to the respondents' levels of supplier empathy. Several of these variables are amenable to manipulation by management. Thus, organisations wishing to improve their level of supplier empathy might promote staff training that undermined aversion to becoming dependent upon suppliers and emphasise the benefits of the relational exchange approach. They might also introduce explicit cooperation or partnership objectives and encourage the incidence of co-design efforts.The finding that an enhanced awareness and response to supplier needs, wants and preferences is associated with a reduction in numbers of problem suppliers, and thus one might surmise, improved trading performance, appears to support the argument underlying the partial consensus that treating suppliers well is a desirable strategy to adopt. Given the nature of the sample, it is clear that even very large organisations that currently dominate their supply chains can benefit significantly from higher levels of supplier empathy. Such organisations may currently be missing an opportunity to improve purchasing performance and overall competitiveness by ignoring the value of supplier empathy.\nConclusions: Referring back to the main objectives of this study one may conclude that, in very large companies at least, there is indeed a significant mismatch between the partial consensus concerning the desirability of buyer-supplier cooperation and the attitudes and behaviours of buyers. Curiously, this finding was accompanied by the fact that the respondents who displayed more supplier empathy reported better long-term trading interactions. This might appear to be self-evident, since it would have been extremely surprising to discover that suppliers whose interests and needs were addressed more fully responded by generating more problems for their more empathetic customers. There is no suggestion in the relevant literatures that the benefits of cooperative buyer-supplier interactions are limited to small and medium sized companies. Hence, one may conclude that the very large company sector would profit from appreciating that, regardless of the level of power they possess within their various supply chains, the implications of the partial consensus also applies to them.Research limitations and future research opportunities\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: - The purpose of this paper is to explore the nature of buyers' attitudes towards the partial consensus surrounding the benefits of buyer-supplier cooperation - the relational exchange perspective.\nDesign/methodology/approach: - The extent to which buyers display an awareness of, and willingness to respond positively to, supplier needs, wants and preferences - termed supplier empathy - and how this influences their attitude towards buyer-supplier cooperation and support of relational exchange is empirically assessed. In addition, factors that may influence levels of supplier empathy and the effect of supplier empathy on the incidence of supplier problems are examined. Finally, the extent to which social acceptability bias may mask attitudes in areas where consensus exists is considered. An empirical study utilising survey data from members of the Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply in the UK was completed. A total of 421 useable responses were received and analysed to evaluate hypotheses. The design also included efforts to identify the presence, and minimise the effects, of social acceptability bias.\nFindings: - The analysis indicates that the partial consensus surrounding the relational exchange approach is not shared by all practitioners. In addition, it is found that the level of supplier empathy exhibited by respondents is significantly influenced by supplier-dependence aversion, innovation focus, extent of co-design activity, existence of explicit partnership/cooperation objectives, and support for long-term trading relationships.\nOriginality/value: - The paper presents evidence that despite a significant but partial cooperation consensus in the academic literature, many large company practitioners appear unconvinced of the benefits of cooperation. Most analyses of buyer attitudes and behaviours are conducted by marketing researchers seeking to assist organisations-as-suppliers. This research is intended to help companies improve their performance as buyers. The paper also includes a rare attempt to identify and deal with the effects of social acceptability bias in the operations and supply management field.\n",
"role": "assistant"
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] |
Intellectual capital and financial performance of Indian banks
|
[
"India",
"Indian banks",
"VAIC™",
"Profitability",
"Return on equity",
"Productivity",
"Banks",
"Performance management",
"Intellectual capital"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n1. Introduction: In the present economy knowledge, information, information technologies are the dominating resources in the knowledge-based world. Practitioners and academicians also have paid significant attention to the role of knowledge for global competitiveness and they all believe that intangible assets or intellectual capital (IC) is the lever for maintaining competitive advantage and sustainable corporate performance. In reality the wealth of the modern economy no longer depends on physical assets rather it depends on intangible assets. Not only that, there are several companies earn profit and maintain their existence in the present economy merely depending upon the intangible assets or intellectual assets. Therefore, IC is associated with the main source of individual, organizational as well as national competitiveness in today's knowledge economy (Wiig, 1997). Several empirical studies show the significance of IC at corporate level. Canadian Institute of Chartered Accountants' survey concludes that intellectual assets are crucial for firm's success (Ghosh and Wu, 2007). Abernathy et al. (2003) estimate that investment in IC creates twice fruits as compared to the same amount of investment in physical assets.IC has been recognized as an important corporate asset which plays an important role for extraordinary financial performance. Chen et al. (2005) conducted an empirical study in the Taiwanese context and finds significant positive impact of IC on sample companies market value, return on equity (ROE) and return on assets (ROA). Roos and Roos (1997); Bontis et al. (2000) believe that IC is the set of intangible assets which increase not only firm performance but also enhance organizational value. Actually IC forms the roots of a corporation - of a nation - that supplies the nourishment for future strength and growth. It constitutes all factors of production which are invisible on the traditional balance sheet but decisive of a company's long-term profitability (Choudhury, 2010).Academicians and practitioners are very much concern about the strategic importance of IC and they all believe that IC becomes a vital corporate assets that impacts on long-run business performance. The impact of IC on organizational performance is being studied over the last decade but it is quite vital that the impact of IC on firm performance is not direct. Therefore, it is important to examine the link between IC and organizational performance. IC researchers also opined that identifying, valuing, measuring IC is increasingly important for knowledge-intensive companies (Bontis, 1996; Edvinsson and Sullivan, 1996; Roos and Roos, 1997; Stewart, 1997). The empirical examination of the said relationship is particularly important in banking sector because the said sector is a knowledge-intensive sector (Mavridis, 2004). Acting as a financial intermediately, banks provide essential service in stimulating economic growth (Goh, 2005). As the economic growth of a country is influenced by the performance of the banks and the performance of other business organizations of an economy dependent upon the service provided by the banking sector, that is why it is important to examine to what extent banks are capable of utilizing the intangible or intellectual assets.In recent years, financial institutions, especially those in the banking industry, have experienced a dynamic and competitive environment. Competition at a cross-border scale compels local banks to adjust their competitive position by achieving sustainable financial performance. The banking industry is one of the most knowledge-intensive industries. The present study is a modest attempt to examine whether conventional performance measures capture the IC performance or not. The analysis is based on a sample of 65 banks operating in India.Section 2 contains a brief summary of the relevant literature. Authors then describe the development of hypotheses and research method in Sections 3 and 4, respectively, which is followed by analysis and discussion in Section 5. Concluding remarks have been presented in Section 6.\n2. Literature review: IC\n3. Development of hypotheses: Being based on knowledge, intangible assets are recognized as critical factors in generating sustainable competitive advantage necessary for the creation of superior business performance (Barney, 1991). Bontis (2001) argues that leveraging knowledge assets is the key to a firm's prosperity. Such a pivotal role of IC as perceived by Barney and Bontis, in the matter of value creation needs to be assessed by means of estimating the extent to which corporate conventional financial performance measures intrinsically capture the contribution of IC resources like human resources, customer reputation and relation and innovative ideas.The present study explores this issue empirically by analyzing the relationship between a relevant measure of IC and three commonly used measures of a company's financial performance, namely, ROA, ROE and assets turnover ratio (ATO) which represents profitability and productivity, respectively.Thus, in this study authors predict a positive relationship between financial performance as measured by ROA, ROE and ATO and the IC performance of Indian banks. We, therefore, hypothesize that:H1. The greater the performance of banks' IC, the greater will be the banks' financial performance.Researchers agreed that IC is composed of HC, SC and relational/customer capital. HC not only increases the operational efficiency in utilizing the tangible assets but also creates intangible assets. Investment in employee capabilities has direct impact on financial performance of a firm (Becker et al., 2001). However, researcher like Youndt (1998) argues that influence of HC on organizational performance is uncertain. So it is necessary to examine empirically whether HC influences financial performance or not?SC acts as structure of the organization in the knowledge age. Well-trained and motivated employees can do nothing without proper and effective organizational culture, rules and procedures. Strong SC possesses supportive environment to its employees for thus increasing productivity and decreasing total cost of product (Bozbura, 2004). So, SC is vital for organizational financial performance.Therefore, it is hypothesized that impact on financial performance varies between IC components.H1 (a). Companies with greater HC efficiency tend to have higher financial performance.H1 (b). Companies with greater SC efficiency tend to have higher financial performance.IC cannot exits and creates value without minimum amount of tangible capital (Pulic, 1998). Additionally, physical capital employed efficiency has been found to have a significant positive impact on organizational financial performance (Chen et al., 2005; Chan, 2009a, b). Therefore, this relationship is also hypothesized:H1 (c). Companies with greater tangible capital efficiency tend to have higher financial performance.\n4. Research methodology: Regression models\n5. Discussion of results: Table I contains the multiple regression results of all 65 banks for ten years, from 1999 to 2008. The empirical results show that independent variables collectively explain 6.3-35.4 percent of the variance in ROA which are statistically significant.From the Table I, it may be observed that excepting the years 2005 and 2008 VAIC(tm) significantly and positively influences the profitability of banks when the latter is measured by ROA. The impact of debt-equity ratio on profitability appears to be significantly negative in all the years except 2000. Size of the banks and profitability are seen to be significantly and positively related in the years 2002, 2004-2007. The negative significant association is found in case of asset turnover ratio with profitability of banks in the year of 2000 and 2008. Thus empirical results of Table I supports our H1 that is higher the value of VAIC(tm) better will be banks ROA. Therefore, from the results of the table it may not be unwise to claim that intellectual potentiality of banks operating in India significantly influences their profitability.Table I depicts the multiple regression results of ROE, alternative measure of profitability and IC performance as measured by VAIC(tm). The explanatory power of the independent variables and control variables used in this study about the variability of dependent variables vary between 6.2 and 61 percent (adjusted R2).The regression results of VAIC(tm) and ROE are statistically significant in the years 2000, 2001 and 2004. Productivity of banks and ROE are significantly and positively associated in five (2001, 2002, 2004, 2007 and 2008) out of ten years of the study period. Size of banks is also seen to have influenced the ROE significantly and positively from 2002 to 2006 when debt equity ratio significantly and negatively influences banks ROE. Thus, it is very difficult to say that the sample data support the hypothesis that IC performance is positively related to a company's performance (profitability) when measured by the ROE. From the results of this table it is apparent that ROE in this case is influenced by factors other than the intellectual capability of the banks.From the regression results of Table I, it is found that values of Adjusted R2 vary from 28.4 to 73.5 percent. Compared to the earlier regression results, the independent and control variables in the present case are seen to provide more acceptable explanation about the variability of the dependent variable in question. Regression results of ATO and IC performance of banks are statistically significant and positive in all study years except 2002. Similarly, the size of banks as measured by natural log of total assets has significantly and positively influenced the productivity of the banks in all the years during the study period. So, the empirical results of Table I support our hypothesis that IC is crucial for improving bank's productivity. It implies that application of innovative ideas like internet banking, ATMs, mobile banking, core banking services, debit card, credit card, etc. have improved the productivity of banks. Debt servicing of banks shows significant and positive relation with ATO in the years 1999 and 2003-2005.Table II show the regression results of components of VAIC and financial performance. The statistical association between components of VAIC and financial indicators provide some interesting insights. The empirical results show that HCE and banks profitability as measured by ROA and ROE are almost significantly and positively related. However, regression results of ROA and HCE are not significant but positive in the year 2000, 2003 and 2008. Statistical association between ROE and HCE are not significant in 1999 and 2006 out of ten study periods. As SCE and ROA and ROE are not significantly related in almost all study periods, so it can conclude that SCE does not important for banks' profitability. The regression results of banks' productivity as measured by ATO and components of VAIC are importantly encouraging. The statistical results show that all types of banks assets that is, human, structural and physical capital are important for enhancing banks' productivity. However, SC is least important as compared to human and physical capital. Banks productivity also depends on other variables as is seen in Table II that values of constant are higher and positively significant in six years out of ten years. Utilization of debt capital has negative impact on banks' profitability but banks' leverage enhances banks' productivity since leverage and ATO significantly and positively related in five out of ten years. Size of the banks' also influences banks' financial performances.Therefore, Indian banking institutions show the highest results in efficiently utilizing their HC to enhance their financial performance. In the same study Goh (2005) find that the performance of HC is higher than physical and SC for Malaysian banks. Actually, HC is the pool of knowledge contained in it, when used efficiently contributing to the enhancement of a banks overall financial performance. However, Indian banks' SC and physical capital are important for banks productivity but not so much to the banks profitability. This study results consistent with the findings of Bontis et al. (2000) where they conclude that IC influence the performance of the company but all elements are not contribute to the efficiency.\n6. Conclusions: Globalization and deregulation has changed banking business scenario and unveils new business opportunities at the same time there is stiff competition in the industry. In this competitive environment improving assets growth or increasing profitability are not sufficient for survival. Moreover, introduction of Basle norms give emphasis on assets productivity, capital efficiency and revenue growth. Intellectual assets like information technology, and knowledge management employed in the banking industry in a variety of ways to reduce costs and to increase efficiency and innovative activities.The principal purpose of the present study is to investigate the relationship between performance of IC in banks and two dimensions of financial performance. The two dimensions of company financial performance are profitability and productivity. IC performance of banks is measured by means of using VAIC(tm) methodology. Present analysis is conducted on data of a sample of 65 Indian banks. Overall empirical findings, which are based on multiple regression analysis between IC performance and conventional corporate financial performance measures, clearly indicate that IC is an important determinant of the banks profitability and productivity. But when the measure of IC is classified into major components, the efficiency of HC plays major roles in enhancing the returns of banks. This suggests that an increase in HC investment enhances the banks financial performance. However, the roles and attributes of SC for promoting financial performance are subject to future research. The findings of the study also suggest that bank can enhance its productivity by means of managing its intellectual ability in an appropriate manner. Study results also indicate that productivity of banks may depend on other factors like advertising or promotional activities and factors other than HC and SC. The impacts of those factors are remaining outside of this study due to the limitation of IC measurement model employed in the study. The authors observed same results in their work on Indian software and pharmaceutical sector (Ghosh and Mondal, 2009).The main limitation of this study is the use of IC measurement model. Another limitation of this study is the use of data for banks. The data for commercial banks, private banks and foreign banks employed in the model is a consolidated one. Therefore, the study is not able to specify the performance of each particular category of banks over others. RRBs and co-operative banks are not incorporated in the study due to the availability of published data. Therefore, future study can be conducted with a different IC measurement model and wide range of bank data. However, the results obtained in the present study clearly establish the importance of IC in enhancing banks' profitability and productivity. It may, therefore, be argued that developing IC base is no less important than investment of monetary capital for banks and it should be recognized as one of the important and promising investment for driving the banks' sustainable growth, together with the other factors. Another implication of this study is that it helps the Indian banking industry and the regulators also in addressing the factors affecting the banks financial performance and to take actions to maximize their value creation.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: - The purpose of this study is to investigate empirically the relationship between intellectual capital and financial performance of 65 Indian banks for a period of ten years from 1999 to 2008.\nDesign/methodology/approach: - Reserve Bank of India's database and Annual reports, especially the profit and loss accounts and balance sheets of the banks for the relevant years have been used to obtain the data. Value added intellectual coefficient (VAIC(tm)) method is applied for measuring the value based performance of banks. Return on assets (ROA) and return on equity (ROE) are used to measure the profitability and productivity of Indian banks, measured by assets turnover ratio (ATO). The intellectual capital (human capital and structural capital) and physical capital of selected banks have been analyzed and their impact on corporate performance has been measured using multiple regression technique.\nFindings: - The analysis indicates that the relationships between the performance of a bank's intellectual capital, and financial performance indicators, namely profitability and productivity, are varied. The study results suggest that banks' intellectual capital is vital for their competitive advantage.\nResearch limitations/implications: - The study uses only 65 leading Indian banks, including foreign banks operating in India. The value added intellectual coefficient (VAIC(tm)), introduced by Pulic, is used in this study as a basic methodology to measure the IC performance of banks.\nPractical implications: - The VAIC(tm) method can be used as an important tool by the decision makers in the knowledge economy to integrate the intellectual capital in the decision making process.\nOriginality/value: - This is one of the first empirical researches in India that examines the impact of IC on financial performance of the Indian banking sector in the long term.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Explaining market shares of organic food: evidence from Swiss household data
|
[
"Consumer behaviour",
"Switzerland",
"Organic food",
"Generalized Linear Model"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n1. Introduction: The market for organic food has become an important part of the global food market, especially in wealthy parts of the world. Even though the market share of organic food is still low, it has been growing continuously since the 1990s (Thompson, 1998). The market for organic food in Switzerland, together with that in Denmark, is one of the most mature ones with a market share of 6.3 per cent in 2012 which is considerably higher than the shares in other countries like the USA (4.3 per cent), Germany (3.7 per cent), France (2.4 per cent) and the Netherlands (2.3 per cent) (Fitch Haumann, 2014; Willer et al., 2014).\n2. Literature review and hypotheses: Consumers of organic food are considered to be more conscious buyers compared to conventional food shoppers and emphasise reflection traits such as healthiness, ethical and environmental aspects in addition to observation traits such as outer appearance and taste (Torjusen et al., 2001). In the early phase of organic farming, environmental awareness was the main motive to produce and consume organic food (Mellor, 1989). Soon, however, the motives shifted towards health reasons (Hutchins and Greenhalgh, 1997). Wier et al. (2008), Hauser et al. (2011) and Goetzke et al. (2014) find further evidence that the consumption of organic food is closely related to a healthy lifestyle.\n3. Data and methodology: 3.1. Data base and sample\n4. Results and discussion: This section discusses the results reported in Table I in detail. Since the regression model is non-linear, we report the coefficients as well as the marginal effects (evaluated at the means of the explanatory variables) with the corresponding significance levels and robust standard errors[6].\n5. Conclusions: This study identifies three important dimensions that determine the market share for organic products. The first dimension is the apparent demand for unprocessed organic food, mirroring the longing of Swiss consumers for a natural nutrition. In an increasingly industrialised and specialised world with growing rates of cardiovascular diseases and obesity, a growing number of consumers cares about a healthy lifestyle. This study confirms that the dimension of naturalness is important to the average consumer. From a consumer perspective, organic products are closely related to a healthy, responsible and sustainable lifestyle. Hence, where a low degree of processing plays an important role organic products have a clear advantage on the market and thus higher market shares. The organic market share of products that are raw and unprocessed is, therefore, higher than that of products that are highly processed. For the food industry this means that promoting highly processed organic foodstuffs is less promising than marketing unprocessed ones. Nevertheless, it is important to point out to consumers that the authentic nature of organic food is hardly compromised when a product is processed in any way.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to identify those product characteristics that are of importance to consumers of organic food in Switzerland.\nDesign/methodology/approach: In order to identify important organic product characteristics, this study applies a Generalized Linear Model using a six-year sample of Swiss household data distinguishing between organic and conventional products at the product level.\nFindings: The analysis reveals three product-related dimensions of importance. First, Swiss consumers prefer unprocessed organic products over highly processed ones suggesting that communicating potential benefits of organic food is more promising for unprocessed products. Second, organic consumers are reluctant to buy products with high price premiums. Third, Swiss consumers prefer domestically produced organic products over imported ones.\nPractical implications: The results imply that supporting organic agriculture in Switzerland is still promising from a policy and a marketing perspective as long as the organic price premium is not too high.\nOriginality/value: This paper presents results regarding the determinants of the organic market share in Switzerland. They give a first understanding of which product characteristics determine organic market shares. From a policy as well as from a marketing perspective a further investigation at the household level is promising in order to understand and respond to the needs and expectations of Swiss consumers.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
The effect of reporting quality on stock returns of listed companies on the Tehran Stock Exchange
|
[
"Earnings quality",
"Earnings management",
"Accruals",
"Financial reporting quality",
"Stock return"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n1. Introduction: Financial reporting quality (hereafter, FRQ) as well as the increase in the volatility of stock returns has raised considerable concern and interest of regulators and market participants in the past few decades, particularly concurrent with increased globalization of financial and capital markets (Kothari, 1998/2000). Indeed, the extent to which earnings quality, and more broadly FRQ, is associated with firms' stock return has turned out to be one of the most important issues in accounting and finance literature. However, despite a sizeable body of research demonstrating that FRQ, measured using various attributes and proxies, affects costs of debt and equity capital (e.g. Botosan and Plumlee, 2002; Francis et al., 2004; Aboody et al., 2005; Kim and Qi, 2010), there is no general consensus on whether FRQ is significantly associated with stock return, or stock return is influenced by earnings manipulation or disclosure quality (hereafter, DQ). We argue that these topics are highly interrelated and of critical importance in the finance literature. More specifically, there is a remarkable gap in prior literature addressing the hitherto unexplored questions of whether transparent financial statements contribute to the reduction of stock volatility and more accurate stock valuation and whether greater transparency in financial statements results in sound credit and lending decisions by firms operating in financial services industry (e.g. banks). Moreover, to our knowledge, to date, there is neither a well-defined meaning of the terms \"FRQ,\" \"DQ\" and \"earnings quality\" nor a generally agreed-upon proxy for measuring them. Therefore, we regard the transparency of financial information as a determining factor for earnings quality, or more broadly speaking, FRQ and accrual quality (AC)-based measures to capture the transparency embodied in financial reports numbers. From Pownall and Schipper's (1999) viewpoint, financial transparency is defined as \"an accounting and disclosure system that reveals the events, transactions, judgments and estimates underlying the financial statements and their implications.\" Market participants often demand reliable and high-quality information primarily to reduce information asymmetry between corporate managers and external investors and consequently reap the benefits of decreased cost of capital and the volatility of stock and other securities prices (Kothari, 1998/2000). This, per se, provides an incentive for regulators and standard-setters around the globe to develop accounting standards of higher quality. Kothari (1998/2000) documents that, in addition to the quality of accounting standards, there are some other salient institutional factors affecting FRQ and the demand and supply of financial information, namely the nature of corporate governance (i.e. diffuse vis-a-vis concentrated ownership structure), the legal system and the existence and enforcement of laws governing investor protection and disclosure standards. In this respect, higher demand and supply of quality financial information could be found in countries with a common-law legal system and a good enforcement of high-quality laws protecting investors' rights. Such an institutional setup is best described as having publicly held companies, majority owned by widely dispersed, individually atomistic shareholders. By contrast, debt and equity financing in countries characterized by weak investor protection law enforcement like the prevailing legal system in Iran is quite costly. Furthermore, corporations operating in these countries show signs of concentrated ownership and are mostly controlled by shareholders such as families, institutions and/or government agencies. As will be further elaborated in the next section, unique features of Iran's economy such as a high level of concentration (more than 60 percent), prevailing code-law legal system, the domination of petroleum and petrochemical industries in the Tehran Stock Exchange (TSE) and the involvement of large religious foundations called Bonyad, whose combined budgets represent more than 30 percent of central government spending, in the corporate governance of listed companies may provide some unexpected results which are rarely attainable from those of Western or European empirical studies (Bagherpour et al., 2014; Khodadadi et al., 2014; Sadeghi, 2014).\n2. Institutional background and regulatory landscape: 2.1 Prevailing legal system in Iran\n3. Theoretical backgrounds, prior literature and hypothesis development: 3.1 FRQ and stock return\n4. Research design: 4.1 Data sources and sample selection procedure\n5. Research findings: 5.1 Descriptive statistics and Pearson correlation matrix\n6. Conclusions and limitations: The present paper aims to examine the effect of FRQ measured as two accrual-based proxies proposed by Francis et al. (2005) and Jones (1991) on firms' stock returns. Moreover, we attempt to shed light on the relationship between the quality of financial information disclosure and stock returns. Using unique stock return data collected manually from the TSE library and its supplementary software with DQ scores data handpicked from the information disclosed annually by the TSEO, our results demonstrate that, consistent with our primary expectation, earnings quality as a proxy for FRQ is significantly and positively associated with firms' stock returns. However, our findings suggest that DQ and EM are insignificantly associated with stock returns.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to examine the effect of earnings quality (as a proxy for financial reporting quality) of companies listed on the Tehran Stock Exchange (TSE) and the quality of their financial information disclosure on stock returns.\nDesign/methodology/approach: The authors test the hypotheses by conducting panel data analysis on a sample of 1,680 firm-year observations from companies listed on the TSE during 2009-2014. The authors also conduct the variance inflation factor and unit root tests to control for the severity of multicollinearity in their ordinary least squares regression analysis and whether the time series variables are non-stationary and possess a unit root.\nFindings: Using Francis et al. (2005) and modified Jones (1991) models as measures for earnings quality, the results are indicative of a significant and positive relationship between firms' earnings quality and their stock returns. However, the research findings suggest that earnings management as well as disclosure quality (DQ) is not significantly associated with firms' stock return.\nResearch limitations/implications: Although the authors controlled for some of the factors affecting stock returns, there are still some other factors such as the operating environment, institutional setting and/or information uncertainty that could influence stock returns, and accordingly, the authors were not able to exclude their possibility and get the most robust results. Moreover, there are several models proposed in different studies for measuring earnings quality which have led to mixed results particularly without a general consensus on what a good model is, and whether earnings quality is a priced risk factor.\nOriginality/value: Taken as a whole, the paper could provide new insights into the determinants of stock returns which has rarely been considered by prior finance literature. Furthermore, the unique institutional context of the paper could contribute substantially to the literature on the relationship between financial reporting and DQ and stock returns.\n",
"role": "assistant"
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] |
Factors that influence individuals' intentions to purchase family takaful mediating role of perceived trust
|
[
"Trust",
"Knowledge",
"Attitude",
"Purchase intention",
"Perceived usefulness",
"Perceived religiosity"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: Life insurance contributes towards savings, liquidity and the economic growth of any country (Browne and Kim, 1993; Outreville, 1996; Ward and Zurbruegg, 2002; Beck and Webb, 2003). Due to this fact, life insurance is well established in industrialised countries. However, in most emerging economies, it is still at an embryonic stage. Karich (2004) stated that life insurance is not easily accepted amidst Muslim countries because it is not well understood and is associated with misfortune and negative aspects of life. Hence, insurance penetration remains very low in some major Islamic countries: Pakistan 0.82 per cent, Saudi Arabia 1.51 per cent, Indonesia 1.73 per cent, and UAE 2.35 per cent (Swiss re Sigma, 2015).\nLiterature review and hypotheses development: Purchase intentions\nKnowledge and attitude: Before deciding to purchase a certain product and service, consumers usually collect some information and knowledge about the product. According to Brucks (1985), product knowledge is being aware of the information related to a certain product. The most important source of product knowledge is the actual experience with the product and the advertisement that affects the consumer's choice to select a certain product (Rao and Monroe, 1988). The basis of product knowledge is awareness and understanding about a product and feeling confident about it (Lin and Chen, 2006).\nPerceived usefulness and attitude: Perceived usefulness (PU) is defined as using new technology that will enhance or improve the performance (Davis, 1989). According to TAM, PU affects a person's attitude towards using a system or technology (Davis et al., 1989). Past studies showed that PU has a significant and positive effect on attitude towards using information technology or associated systems (Venkatesh and Davis, 2000; Venkatesh and Bala, 2008). PU has been studied in other aspects of technology disciplines like securities and brokers' online ordering systems (Feng et al., 2014), and satisfaction in e-commerce (Devaraj et al., 2002). The influence of PU on attitude has been proven in many studies (Gamal Aboelmaged, 2010). However, PU has been mostly studied in the context of technology as initially the variable was incorporated in Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) (Davis, 1989). Attitude, along with usefulness of the system, enhances the intention to use it (Gamal Aboelmaged, 2010).\nPerceived trust and attitude: Trust is a belief that the counter party will meet the expectations without exploiting the vulnerabilities of trustee (Pavlou and Fygenson, 2006). It can be defined as a belief in takaful providers' honesty and they will not behave opportunistically (Gefen et al., 2003). It is the individual's faith (Constantinides et al., 2010) which determines trust intentions (Lee et al., 2007) and trustworthiness (Benedicktus et al., 2010; Edelman, 2011). According to Ajzen (2002), in the intention-behaviour context, a construct needs to be defined with respect to behaviour by defining specific target, action, context, and time frame. In the present study, the context is family takaful, the action is to purchase, the context is agent's environment, and the time frame is the time when one decides to purchase.\nPerceived religiosity and attitude: Religion has been examined frequently in various contexts, such as religious commitment, religious affiliation and religious obligation or perceived religiosity (Sun et al., 2012). It is one important aspect of a culture. People's habits, attitudes and values are determined by religion (Belzen, 1999; Mokhlis, 2009). Religious commitment is often termed as \"religiosity\", which is defined as to what extent individuals follow religious practices, values, and believes and practice them in daily life (Worthington et al., 2003, p. 85).\nMediating role of trust: An individual's religiosity has been found to affect trust positively (Berggren and Bjornskov 2011; Garza et al., 2006; Tan and Vogel, 2008). Religion is an important predictor of fundamental values. Prior research has shown that religion can strongly influence core value development and hinders the use of unethical products (Quoquab et al., 2017), and consumer motivation to purchase ethically which, in turn, shapes consumption behaviour (Rahman et al., 2018; Minton and Kahle 2013). So, various sellers recurrently use belief cues as marketing tactics to certify positive consumer attitudes by developing consumer trust in their products and services.\nTheoretical framework: The proposed relationships between the variables are illustrated in Figure 1.\nResearch design: The units of analysis for the present study are those who have yet to purchase insurance and family takaful schemes. The objectives of the study are to determine the antecedents of attitude towards choosing family takaful. In this study, the data were collected from individuals who are in insurable age group. As per companies, the eligibility criteria are mostly 18-60 years. According to Palande et al. (2003), insurable age was taken as 18-60 years old as they refer to earning individuals and support others financially. However, most family takaful plans target earning individuals and earning age for salaried individuals starting from 25 years and for entrepreneurs even after 25. The retirement age in Pakistan is 60 years and people above age 50 are less likely to purchase family takaful plan. For this study, the age group chosen for sample selection had been those aged between 25 and 50 years old. In some previous studies, the same insurable age range was adopted (Husin and Rahman, 2016; Omar, 2007).\nResearch instrument: The data were collected by using the survey method through questionnaires. For that purpose, the measurement scales for the constructs in the research study were adopted from the existing literature. The items for the attitude construct were taken from previous studies, for instance, Ramayah et al. (2009), Lajunen and Rasanen (2004) and Chung et al. (2012). These items were also used in a past study regarding takaful (Husin and Rahman, 2016). The items regarding knowledge constructs were adopted from Hall (2013). The items related to perceived religiosity constructs were retrieved from Amin et al. (2011). Perceived religiosity referred to belief about the practices of family takaful company according to Islamic principles of business. PU was defined by Davis (1989) as a subjective evaluation that using a system will enhance the individual's job performance. The phenomenon was proposed for the use of information systems and was adapted from Sum Chau and Ngai (2010). For example, in the study of Sum Chau and Ngai (2010), the PU questions were asked in the context of IBS. However, since the current study examined the usefulness of the takaful schemes, the items were adapted in accordance with the context of the present research. Trust can be defined as belief in takaful providers' honesty and they will not behave opportunistically (Gefen et al., 2003). Perceived trust was measured as the belief of an individual that family takaful companies will not behave opportunistically and will meet the expectations. All the items were taken from Gefen et al. (2003).\nRespondents' profile: The data obtained from 224 respondents were analysed. A total of 161 male respondents and 63 female respondents completed the questionnaires. The analysis showed that 102 respondents were single, while 119 respondents claimed to have marital status and 3 were divorcees. Apart from that, a majority of the respondents held a master's degree, i.e. 117 respondents. About 31.3 per cent of the respondents had their income between the range 20,000 PKR and39,000 PKR, which was the highest in percentage amongst all the income ranges, whereas 26 per cent of the respondents had their savings within the range of 5,000-9,000 PKR (Table I).\nMissing values treatment: Common method bias\nMeasurement model: The assessment of measurement model is usually done for reliability and validity (Hair et al., 2014). To assess the construct's reliability, the measure of composite reliability is used and it should be higher than 0.7 (Chin, 2010). Similarly, to assess the item's reliability, the measure of outer loadings must be determined and score higher than 0.70 (Hair et al., 2011). The AVE values that indicate the convergent validity should be above 0.5. The AVE values were as follows: purchase intention was 0.810, attitude was 0.776, trust was 0.723, usefulness was 0.800, perceived religiosity was 0.778 and knowledge was 0.702. Table II comprehensively summarises the results of the outer loading of all the items for each construct. The CR for each construct satisfied the minimum threshold of 0.7 for convergent validity. The CR of purchase intention was 0.810, attitude was 0.945, trust was 0.913, usefulness was 0.941, perceived religiosity was 0.946 and knowledge was 0.904, thus demonstrating convergent validity for all research constructs (Figure 2).\nStructural model: After the measurement model was assessed, the structural model was assessed. The structural model included the model predictive competencies and the relationships among the reflective constructs. For that purpose, R2 values and Q2 predictive relevance were calculated. As shown in Table V, R2 for purchase intention was 63 per cent, attitude was 59.2 per cent, and trust was 49 per cent. This suggests that the model has a substantial explanatory power. Furthermore, in order to assess the predictive relevance of the model, blindfolding technique was used. Hair et al. (2014) suggested that blindfolding should only be used for an endogenous variable that has a reflective measurement. If Q2>0, then the model has a predictive relevance. As seen in Table IV, Q2 value for attitude was 0.42, for purchase intention it was 0.47 and for trust was 0.33.\nModel fit: In order to assess the goodness of fit (GoF), standard root mean square (SRMR) can be used for PLS models (Henseler et al., 2014). SRMR refers to the residual differences between the samples' correlated data and the predicted correlated model (Hooper et al., 2008). SRMR values range from 0 to 1.0, with values closer to zero indicating a perfect model fit. A well-fitting model should have an SRMR value less than or equal to 0.05 (Hooper et al., 2008; Hu and Bentler, 1999). The value of SRMR for the present study is 0.052, which shows that the data fit the hypothesised model used in this study. Another method was proposed by Tenenhaus et al. (2005) to assess GFI. The GFI uses the geometric mean of the communality and the average R2. Hoffmann and Birnbrich (2012) reported that GFI values of 0.25 and 0.36 are considered as medium and large, respectively. The researchers calculated a GFI value of 0.66 (Table VI), which indicates that the model of this study has a very good model fit (Table VII).\nImportance performance map analysis: The importance of performance map analysis shows that religiosity emerged as the most importance factor in determining attitude towards family takaful schemes and followed by knowledge about family takaful. Trust and usefulness displayed almost similar level of importance in the model (Figure 3).\nDiscussion: This study investigated the factors that affected individual's attitude towards family takaful schemes in Pakistan. The research model had been based on TPB to provide the antecedent of attitude. The model also incorporated perceived trust as the mediator between perceived religiosity and attitude towards family takaful. Additionally, the relationship between attitude and intention to purchase family takaful schemes was examined.\nTheoretical and practical contributions: This study considered the antecedents of attitude to determine the purchase of family takaful schemes. The study concludes that perceived trust fully mediates the relationship between perceived religiosity and attitude. With this finding, this research further extends the literature by introducing the concept of trust between attitudes and one if its antecedents, i.e. perceived religiosity. Hence, the primary contribution of this current research is the introduction of the mediated mechanism of trust. While previous studies may have studied the behavioural intentions considering the antecedents of attitude, the current study has proven trust to be an important factor for developing a positive attitude towards purchasing takaful schemes. Along with PU and knowledge, if the consumer perceives the scheme to be trustworthy and religious, then he is very likely to show positive purchase intentions.\nConclusion: This study concludes that with respect to consumers' intention to purchase family takaful schemes, a positive attitude is very likely to trigger purchase intentions. Apart from that, this research indicates that out of the three antecedents of attitude, i.e. knowledge, perceived religiosity and perceived usefulness, perceived religiosity affects the attitude of consumers through the mediated mechanism of trust. In other words, the consumers would not develop a positive attitude towards buying family takaful schemes even though the schemes are deemed as having a high perceived religiosity until and unless they trust that those schemes will be beneficial and are devoid of any unwanted surprises. So, until and unless the consumers are convinced that the schemes are dependable, they have full confidence on these schemes to take care of their financial planning, because their perceived religiosity alone will not be able to drive them towards developing a positive attitude that may lead them to exhibit a positive behavioural intention to buy those schemes.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to investigate the factors that affect one's attitude and intentions towards family takaful schemes, apart from evaluating the mediating role of perceived trust in the relationship between perceived religiosity and attitude towards family takaful. Most prior studies have considered religiosity as an individual's tendency to be religious. However, the present study employed perceived religiosity as one's perception regarding shariah compliance practices of family takaful schemes. Moreover, this study examines the direct relationship between perceived religiosity and attitude and the indirect relationship between perceived religiosity and trust.\nDesign/methodology/approach: A sample of 224 salaried individuals was selected with an age range of 24-50. Variance-based partial least squares structural equation modelling was employed for data analysis.\nFindings: The results showed that knowledge and perceived usefulness (PU) had significantly positive relationships with attitude towards family takaful schemes. Perceived trust completely mediated the relationship between perceived religiosity and attitude towards family takaful. Attitude was positively related to purchase intention regarding family takaful.\nPractical implications: The findings of the study are important for Islamic financial institutions, especially for takaful companies to revamp their marketing strategies. With enhanced understanding regarding consumer behaviour, takaful companies can sell their products in a more effective manner to increase their market share.\nOriginality/value: Behavioural aspects regarding the purchase of Islamic insurance products have yet to be profoundly explored in the literature. The indirect relationship between perceived religiosity and trust is established in this study. The study contributes to the field of consumer behaviour and marketing of Islamic financial products.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Creating opportunity from crisis: taking a strategic and learning-focused perspective
|
[
"Human resource management",
"Learning",
"Recession",
"Training",
"Resources",
"Public sector organizations",
"Best practice",
"Knowledge mapping"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n__NO_TITLE__: This recession is likely to get worse before it gets better. Organizations have a choice: they can ignore what is happening, or shed staff along knee-jerk, simplistic lines, or they can accept times have changed and adopt new working practices. The third option is patently the most sensible, but previous recessions indicate many companies will instead adopt the second and generate redundancies across the board or weighted to departments that are deemed cost rather than profit centres - with functions such as Human Resources (HR) and operational support disproportionately affected. Yet this ignores where valuable knowledge and experience resides - and runs the risk of leaving the company poorly placed to tackle problems that arise, survive the recession, and maximise the opportunity when the economy improves. If the purpose of HR and Learning and Development (L&D) practitioners is to manage the organiszation's most valuable resource - its people - to deliver business success, then it has never been more important to speak up in favour of truly strategic development and resourcing.\nHR and L&D can add value: HR and L&D need to be proactive in identifying solutions, rather than dealing with the aftermath of financial decisions. An important strategic contribution can be made by collaborating with operational managers to identify the individuals and teams that deliver real value. Mapping the organization's activities and dependencies delivers a more accurate guide for redundancy decisions. This approach highlights any superfluous staffing levels better than thinking in purely departmental terms or arbitrary percentage reductions across all functions. Moreover, ongoing employee evaluation programmes identify the contribution, knowledge and skill-set of each individual. In concert, these activities can pinpoint who must be retained, whether they remain in their current role or are redeployed to another that matches their skills and knowledge. This is significantly more time- and cost-effective than recruiting a new starter who will be lacking in company knowledge and without established internal relationships.As there is no such thing as organizational memory - a collection of information and experiences stored on internal databases is not the same thing - each time a talented, experienced employee leaves, valuable knowledge walks out the door. Experience creates expertise in performance, evaluation and decision-making that is difficult to capture. Instead, it is best shared among teams or with peers, person to person, long before redundancy strikes. Without it, the organization will only have to re-learn the painful lessons that had previously been mastered. Naturally, organizations with a learning strategy and succession planning are best prepared - if HR and L&D managers had not considered this before, they should do so now.\nRetain the knowledge if not the person: One way to retain knowledge is to negotiate with employees; they may consider working flexibly for a lower salary or on a contract basis. Where staff are already contractors, it may be possible to reduce costs by renegotiating day rates or changing the engagement model by weighting payment to success-based bonuses. This increases the company's gross profit margin in the short term while retaining essential knowledge and activity. Another option is to share staff with partners or suppliers, either by having specific individuals float between two or three different companies or by joining together to outsource common functions in a cost-effective way. And don't forget that recognition and praise can be as important as hard cash.\nEstablish communities of best practice: In contrast with previous recessions, the technology exists to support intra-organizational and inter-company communities of best practice to help improve knowledge and decision-making. This is different from knowledge management, which concentrates on collating information; instead, it is more about pulling together people with the right experience and knowledge to learn from one another. This has been leveraged most successfully by sectors like healthcare, which by its very nature creates pockets of expertise in certain hospitals or regions. Coming together to share best practice means clinical staff (and therefore patients) are able to benefit from expert knowledge without overall workforces having to increase.Of course, commercial businesses may not wish to collaborate for competitive reasons but similar, non-competing companies can adopt a similar approach to sharing best practice or services. For example, the cost of creating e-learning is still fairly significant. By identifying and securing the involvement of a number of non-competitive organizations with common needs, it is possible to share both the intellectual property and cost. Organizations can also encourage employees to become involved more closely with customers and stakeholders to increase collaboration, gain a better understanding of how the supply chain operates and make their offering more effective.\nDon't stop learning - think longer-term: It is possible to increase organizational knowledge during a recession; HR managers just need to be creative. They can change the methods of delivery - replacing classroom training with lower cost alternatives, such as mentoring, e-learning or blended learning - as long as the content matches the delivery mechanism. For example, it is easy to switch standard, repetitive learning such as induction training from classroom to e-learning. In commissioning new e-learning, the organization should work with a provider that adopts a modular approach, generating content that can be reused or repurposed and bringing efficiencies in the longer term. Electronic performance support systems can deliver bite-sized e-learning, embedded into software-based systems or processes. This is a fairly recent development but may turn out to be the most efficient way of learning as the user completes relevant modules while they are actually performing their job.\nGrab this opportunity: HR needs to go back to basics, focusing on the fundamentals and moving to integrate learning into the broader management strategy (see Box 1). With money tight, decisions might need to be made as to whether to fund operational development to deliver immediate impact to the bottom line or longer term talent management programmes. The recession is a great opportunity for organizational learning - if employees can deliver business success now that bodes well for the future, but it is important to capture the learning and lessons. HR and L&D managers must demonstrate the contribution they can make and earn their place at the strategic planning table.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: - The recession is forcing many businesses to downsize and in doing so they are losing valuable knowledge and skills. Arif Ahmed, co-founder & director of ikonami, examines how organizations can maintain their knowledge base and still remain competitive during difficult times.\nDesign/methodology/approach: - Approached positively, organizations can do more than passively survive this recession; they can re-evaluate their operations, pinpoint where they deliver value, and identify the knowledge, skills and abilities required by the optimum number of people to deliver the vision.\nFindings: - HR needs to go back to basics, focusing on the fundamentals and moving to integrate learning into the broader management strategy. With money tight, decisions might need to be made as to whether to fund operational development to deliver immediate impact to the bottom line or longer-term talent management programmes. The recession is a great opportunity for organizational learning - if employees can deliver business success now that bodes well for the future, but it is important to capture the learning and lessons. HR and L&D managers must demonstrate the contribution they can make and earn their place at the strategic planning table.\nOriginality/value: - Approached positively, organizations can do more than passively survive this recession and prepare for the upturn; they can re-evaluate their operations, pinpoint where they deliver value, and identify the knowledge, skills and abilities required by the optimum number of people to deliver the vision.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
"Most of them are junk food but we did put fruit on there and we have water": What children can tell us about the food choices they make
|
[
"Action research",
"Qualitative research",
"Policy",
"Guidelines",
"School",
"Food",
"Australia",
"Health promotion",
"Nutrition",
"Health promoting schools",
"Childhood obesity",
"Choices"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: The Australian Dietary Guidelines (ADGs) are evidence-based guidelines that support health promotion and disease prevention through healthy eating and maximising the intake of highly nutritious foods. Diet is an important behavioural risk factor that can be improved and result in a significant positive impact on health (National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC), 2013; World Health Organisation (WHO), 2009). Many children both in Australia and elsewhere are not eating in accordance with the ADGs (Cleland et al., 2004; Ebbeling et al., 2002; Huon et al., 1999; National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC), 2003, 2013).\nMethodology: Ethics\nResults: Children's perceptions A\nDiscussion: This paper describes factors that influence food choices of children in the school food environment and identifies reasons primary school children favour \"sometimes\", i.e. unhealthy foods. In addition, a novel method of data collection has been successfully applied to gather children's perception directly and not through adult interpretation.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: The Australian Dietary Guidelines support good health and disease prevention. Children with healthy eating habits established early in life have been shown to continue these habits into adulthood compared with those children who have poor eating habits in their younger years. The nutritional intake of many Australian children is not in accordance with the national guidelines. The reasons children make the food choices they do are unclear from the literature. The paper aims to discuss these issues.\nDesign/methodology/approach: This study used participatory action research methods to explore why primary school-aged children make the food choices that they do. A non-government primary school requested assistance in encouraging their children to make healthier choices from the school canteen menu. The authors gathered opinions from the children in two different ways; a group discussion during class and a \"discovery day\" that involved four class grades. The authors identified children's food preferences and food availability in canteens. The authors explored how the children perceived healthy foods, the importance of a healthy food environment and what criteria children use to decide what foods to buy.\nFindings: Children's food preferences were mostly for unhealthy foods, and these were readily available in the canteen. The perception about what foods were healthy was limited. Despite being asked to develop a \"healthy\" menu, the majority of choices made by the children were not healthy. Children described unhealthy choices as preferable because of taste of the food, if it was sugary, if it was quick to eat, available and cheap, the relationship of food and weather, the connection to health conditions and peer dominance.\nPractical implications: This study suggests that children make their food choices based on simple concepts. The challenge lies around producing healthy options in collaboration with the school community that match the children's food choice criteria.\nOriginality/value: This paper provides a modern and inspiring whole school approach based on equity and empowerment of the children. Discovering why children make food choices from the children's perspective will help to present healthy options that will be more appealing for children. The methodology used to uncover why children make their food choices has also provided valuable insight into a study design that could be used to address other childhood research questions. The methodology offers an educative experience while gathering rich information directly from the children. This information can be used by the school to support children to have more control over their health and to develop behaviours to increase their health for the rest of their lives.\n",
"role": "assistant"
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Role of consumer vanity and the mediating effect of brand consciousness in luxury consumption
|
[
"Mediation",
"SEM",
"Regression analysis",
"Consumer behaviour",
"Social status",
"Luxury branding",
"Prestige",
"Luxury consumption",
"Brand consciousness",
"Physical vanity",
"Luxury consumer",
"Achievement vanity"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: Vanity is a trait existent since the ancient times. History provides an instance of a Roman connoisseur who served his guests a platter of tongues of birds who were trained to speak (Davidson, 1898). Nevertheless, vanity continues to remain a strong human desire only changing its expression with time. Today, it is demonstrated through brand consumption and is also considered to be a manifestation of consumer value orientation (Wang and Waller, 2006). The present-day global market is controlled by commercial products (Arnould, 2010) and the young generation is a keen participator in the global consumer culture (Park et al., 2008; Mady et al., 2011). Marketing scholars advocate that the exposure to global marketing images trigger enhanced vanity levels among the consumers (Workman and Lee, 2013; Lee and Workman, 2014). Therefore, vanity-driven consumers may be sensitive towards brand names, especially in India, one of the fastest growing economies emulating purchasing behaviour of the West (Durvasula and Lysonski, 2008).\nConceptual model and development of hypotheses: Luxury consumption\nMethod: Data collection and sample\nData analysis and results: To conduct mediation analysis, the interrelationships in the hypothesized models are investigated using SEM. SEM enables complex analysis through a series of regression equations and it clearly represents the causal relationships using path diagrams (Hair, 2010; Gunzler et al., 2013). For the purpose of data analysis, the study used maximum likelihood procedure. Chi-square value was calculated to determine the model fit (Hu and Bentler, 1998). Absolute fit indices, i.e. Chi-square test, goodness of fit (GFI), adjusted goodness of fit (AGFI) and root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA), are reported in the study. Comparative fit index (CFI) was also evaluated for the model fit.\nDiscussions and implications for research: The study has examined the relationship of consumer vanity and brand consciousness in the context of luxury brand consumption. The results show that brand consciousness is mediating the relationship of consumer vanity and luxury consumption. Existing literature supports the relationship of brand consciousness with luxury consumption (Sharda and Bhat, 2018). Past studies also substantiate the relationship between vanity and luxury consumption (Phau and Prendergast, 2000; Park et al., 2008; Hung et al., 2011; Cheah et al., 2015). This is, however, the first study to establish the mediating role of brand consciousness in the relationship of consumer vanity and luxury consumption.\nLimitations and future research: The study has limitations because the samples were collected only from the major cities of India. Even though vanity is said to vary individually than culturally (Hung et al., 2011) and there is an increasing uniformity among the consumers globally (Durvasula and Lysonski, 2008), the generalization of results to other countries must be done with caution. A cross-cultural study would nevertheless be critical in understanding the decision-making styles of vanity-driven consumers from different cultures.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: There has been substantial research on luxury globally, but there is a dearth of studies empirically investigating the key relationships affecting luxury consumption. The aim of this paper is to consider the role of consumer vanity and brand consciousness and to set their relationships in context of luxury consumption.\nDesign/methodology/approach: To measure consumer vanity, brand consciousness, attitude towards luxury brands and purchase intentions, pre-established scale items were adopted. Self-administered questionnaires were distributed through luxury exhibitions and festivals in major cities of India. A sample of n = 342 luxury consumers was analysed using structural equation modelling.\nFindings: The findings support that brand consciousness is mediating the relationship between consumer vanity and luxury consumption. Luxury consumers are primarily driven by achievement vanity. They are likely to evaluate luxury brands based on their price, fame and their ability to portray their professional achievements. They incur unreasonable costs to acquire the expensive, famous and prestigious luxury brands and conspicuously consume them to display their success and accomplishments.\nResearch limitations/implications: The study provides an in-depth explanation of how consumer vanity is leading to consumption of luxury brands. The marketers may benefit by focussing on promotion of their brand's symbols and logos than on specific product features.\nOriginality/value: This is the first empirical examination understanding the mediating effect of brand consciousness as a mediator between consumer vanity and luxury consumption.\n",
"role": "assistant"
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] |
To what is the review process relevant? What's right and what's wrong with peer review for academic business journals
|
[
"Integrity",
"Publication",
"Marketing research",
"Academic journals",
"Review process"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n__NO_TITLE__: Is the double blind-review process sacrosanct in business journals? One would think so based on the title of Kassirer and Campion's (1994; p. 96) article: \"Peer Review: Crude and Understudied, but Indispensable\". Human nature suggests that authors tend to think the review process works well when one's papers are accepted for publication but works poorly when one's papers are rejected. Interestingly, the pool of reviewers comes from the pool of authors, which means that reviewers and authors are actually the same people - at least until the reviewing begins! Do both reviewers and authors share a similarly strong motivation to advance scientifically knowledge in their disciplines? Or is that motivation clouded by realities of the academic workplace? The limited research on the review process, supported by anecdotal evidence expressed in author conversations, leads to legitimate questions about whether the review process is dysfunctional (Armstrong, 1997). Further, if the review process is functional, then what function does it perform?\nReviewers: Who are reviewers?\nThe review: Evaluate\nEditors, authors, reviewers: Editors, authors and reviewers all come from the same population. The same people, individual business academics, play multiple roles. An editor is also an author of and also a reviewer for other journals. Also, the academic community is finite and the researchers within each discipline come to know and become familiar with each other. The potential for conflicts of interest is great.\nConclusions: The blind peer-review process is not perfect. Reviewers are often overworked (or at least the good ones) and sometimes biased. Some authors attempt to \"game\" the system by requesting friendly reviewers, friends and, in the worst case, even themselves (unknowingly to the editor). And they may refuse requests to review for the journal to which they plan to submit. Editors may also show bias, relying on author recognition and school-affiliation or prestige in their decision-making. In some cases, they may provide little guidance to the authors on how to interpret the reviews and may provide little guidance to reviewers as well.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to consider various strengths and weaknesses of the academic review process with an emphasis on the effect the process has on the relevance of business journals, particularly in the marketing literature.\nDesign/methodology/approach: The authors not only highlight some of the literature addressing the review process but also present insight and opinion largely based on decades of experience editing, reviewing, writing and publishing.\nFindings: Reviewers can help develop research papers, but reviewers remain gatekeepers who, theoretically, protect journals from publishing research that would diminish the truthful body of knowledge within a field. However, many inefficiencies, some of which involve volition, allow one to question whether the review process as we know it best accomplishes that purpose.\nPractical implications: Recognizing that reviewers affect journal prestige, the paper concludes with a number of ideas for improving the gate-keeping and developmental functions for academic articles.\nSocial implications: Society should extract value from what appears in publicly circulated, academic, refereed journals. However, to the extent that the publication process interferes with objective dissemination of knowledge, that value is diminished and perhaps even absent.\nOriginality/value: The paper intends to stimulate frank conversation about the Academy's refereed publication process and factors that tend to interfere with its function.\n",
"role": "assistant"
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] |
Between consensus and contestation
|
[
"Priority setting",
"Public participation",
"Agonistic democracy",
"Deliberative democracy"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n__NO_TITLE__: A striking feature of discussions about public participation and priority setting in health care is the extent to which they draw upon concepts and categories found in political theory. For example, in her discussion of the relationship between public participation and public deliberation, Blacksher (2013, p. 4) cites the work of Chambers (2003, p. 309). Public deliberation is seen as being aimed at securing legitimacy and the criteria of legitimacy are derived from deliberative democratic theory, requiring participation to be inclusive, equal, reasoned and voluntary. In her analysis of the Israeli Health Parliament, Guttman (2007, p. 411) sees participative public deliberative practices as ways of creating the conditions of the \"public sphere\" theorized in the work of Habermas. Guttman uses this Habermasian characterization to evaluate how well the Health Parliament realized public deliberation in practice. Oh et al. (2015) describe the moves towards the First Citizen Committee for Participation in South Korea as being inspired by ideas of \"accountability for reasonableness\" as adumbrated in the work of Daniels and Sabin (2008). Abelson et al. (2013, p. 4) locate the origins of experiments in public deliberation within the theory of deliberative democracy, noting that the legitimacy of the decisions at which public deliberation is aimed rests upon the participants being diverse, with each person having an equal opportunity to participate in discussion on the basis of non-partisan information.\n1. Deliberative democratic theory: Within the perspective of deliberative democracy, a number of theorists take consensus as central to legitimate decision making. For example, Cohen (1989, p. 22) writes that political outcomes are legitimate \"if and only if they could be the object of free and reasoned agreement among equals\". Similarly Dryzek (2001, p. 651) holds that \"outcomes are legitimate to the extent to which they receive assent through participation by all those subject to the decision in question\". Such ideas are found in the design of participative deliberative processes. Thus Guttman (2007, pp. 418-422) shows how in the Israeli Health Parliament measures were taken to ensure fairness in recruitment procedures, access to information and stipulations of competence, as well as procedures to ensure an inclusive discursive process, conditions necessary to secure agreement by participants on an equal footing and in a free and reasoned way. In this tradition of thinking, Habermas has offered an important and influential theory of deliberative democracy in which the idea of consensus is central, not as an incidental element of theory but as crucial to its basic construction. In turn, his theoretical construction has important implications for practices of public participation, as well as having been influential on theorists of minipublics like Dryzek and Niemeyer (2008).\n2. Agonistic democracy: A consensus emerging from processes of public participation may be premature if it too easily closes down political controversy. For example, Blacksher (2013, pp. 2-3) has drawn attention to a radical strand of thought in which public participation is seen as a form of citizen power, concerned to give voice to those excluded from effective decision making, rather than a form of institutionalized deliberation. Stewart (2016) has stressed the role of \"uninvited\" participation alongside \"invited\" participation in the making of decisions. Slutsky et al. (2016) have drawn attention to the central role of contestatory participation in societies like Brazil, Colombia and South Africa. In some cases, the interaction of civil society and the state is not one of shared deliberation about a common form of public life. Rather it takes the form of a critique of exclusion. If that form of participation is to be theorized, then it will be necessary to draw upon theories of agonistic democracy of the sort found in the work of Chantal Mouffe.\n3. Consensus or agonism?: It can be argued that the contrast between deliberative and agonistic theories of democracy is less sharp than has been presented so far. For example, some agonistic theorists like Tully (2005, 2008) see deliberation in minipublics as a way of opening up technical and other forms of decision making to political contestation (compare Wingenbach, 2011), although this line of argument is challenged from the agonistic perspective (Wenman, 2013, p. 162). In more theoretical terms, Mouffe's appeal to some underlying procedural consensus that turns enemies into adversaries and the use of language in contestation can be argued to presuppose some discursive agreement (Knops, 2007). Yet, to say that there is overlap is not to say that there is similarity at a deep level. The contrasting ways in which deliberative and agonistic accounts theorize public participation reflects the way in which agonistic theory offers an irreducibly conflictual view of the political world by contrast with deliberative theory (Gursozlu, 2009).\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: Noting that discussions of public participation and priority setting typically presuppose certain political theories of democracy, the purpose of this paper is to discuss two theories: the consensual and the agonistic. The distinction is illuminating when considering the difference between institutionalized public participation and contestatory participation.\nDesign/methodology/approach: The approach is a theoretical reconstruction of two ways of thinking about public participation in relation to priority setting in health care, drawing on the work of Habermas, a deliberative theorist, and Mouffe, a theorist of agonism.\nFindings: The different theoretical approaches can be associated with different ways of understanding priority setting. In particular, agonistic democratic theory would understand priority setting as system of inclusions and exclusions rather than the determination of a consensus of social values, which is the typical deliberative way of thinking about the issues.\nOriginality/value: The paper shows the value of drawing out explicitly the tacit assumptions of practices of political participation in order to reveal their scope and limitations. It suggests that making such theoretical presuppositions explicit has value for health services management in recognizing these implicit choices.\n",
"role": "assistant"
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] |
Americans' cross-cultural schemata of Iranians: an online survey
|
[
"Iran",
"Perception",
"USA",
"Cross-cultural schemata"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: In a world that is characterized by widespread contact and communication among people of different backgrounds, negative perceptions of \"outgroup\" people can more easily circulate within a homogenous social episteme of hatred. The rise of hate crimes from the Middle East to the Far East to the most prosperous Western cities means more research should turn its focus on conflict resolution. Therefore, the aim of this research is first to reveal cross-cultural schemata US American people have of Iranian people, and then find the factors that encourage Americans to have negative perceptions of Iranians. Finally, we offer some suggestions on how to create a less prejudiced environment about Iranians in the US psyche.\nTheoretical framework: cross-cultural schemata: This study takes cross-cultural schemata as its theoretical basis. Cross-cultural schemata are simply schemata which are about outgroup people and are shaped among members of cultures. The concept of the schema can be traced back to Plato and Aristotle, but Kant is generally considered to be the first to talk about schemata as organizing structures that mediate how we see and interpret the world (McVee et al., 2005). In psychology, the term schema is generally first attributed to Bartlett (1932) - a cognitive psychologist who was studying how stories are transmitted among people, especially stories being transmitted to a culture different to that of the people communicating the story. When stories come from \"outgroup\" cultures, it is possible that the content and form of the story are exotic to the perceiver. Bartlett exclusively chose such unusually structured stories and found that the stories seemed to change as they were transmitted, finally becoming more coherent to the perceivers, but losing some considerable details from the original version. After Bartlett, other scholars used the concept of schema for studying similar patterns of cognition.\nResearch questions: In previous sections we found out how cross-cultural schemata are shaped by the environment and previous knowledge and experience. Therefore, the present research on American society manages to exclusively answer these questions:\nMethodology: This study is an online survey. In order to answer the research questions, we designed a questionnaire consisting of quantitative as well as qualitative questions. The first group of questions sought demographic data including gender, age, education level, state of residence and income status. The second group of questions comprised two open-ended questions:\nProcedure: We started e-mailing American citizens over a period of one and a half months in the Summer of 2014. We reached out to American respondents through e-mail lists. We asked operators to send our questionnaire to their American members or we obtained e-mail lists from different states. During the process of data collection, we ran tests to estimate the required size of our sample. When we got 500, 700 and 900 responses, our test showed that (with z=1.96 and e=0.05) our sample size must had been 1,106, 1,121 and 1,121, respectively.\nFindings: We received a wealth of responses from 50 states of the USA. At the beginning of 2014 about 85 percent of the US population were internet users (The World Bank, 2014) which means a great majority of Americans are now online.\nMore findings: So far we have answered all the research questions of our study. Yet, our study has revealed some other interesting insights which we think are worth sharing with other researchers. We have tried to find other possible relationships.\nAge: In order to test this relationship, we first studied mean and standard deviation of the age of the respondents in a descriptive way and then we calculated coefficient of correlation of age and each of the cross-cultural schemata (Table VII).\nEducation: We were interested in seeing how education might have a role in shaping cross-cultural schemata. Our sample, as we saw in the demography section, was relatively educated. Participants in this study were from all groups except the illiterate. Yet, our sample size was skewed toward more educated people.\nState of residence: We were interested in knowing if there is any relationship between state of residence and cross-cultural schemata. We saw in the previous section that all 50 states of USA were represented in this study. We studied states by negative or positive cross-cultural schemata to find any possible relationship. Our analysis of those who were only negative or positive (N=1,023) showed that the percentage of positive comments in the states of Massachusetts (59 percent as opposed to 41 percent), Washington (56 percent as opposed to 43 percent) were higher than negative cross-cultural schemata. In the states of Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, New Hampshire, and West Virginia the number of positive and negative comments were equal. And in the other states the number of negative comments were higher than positive comments. In Wyoming 100 percent and in Kentucky more than 91 percent of the participants were negative on Iranians and they were followed by Iowa (91 percent), North Carolina (87 percent), Arizona (83 percent), Arkansas (82 percent) and New Jersey (80 percent).\nPath analysis: Much of what we are going to present in this section has already been explained. Yet, path analysis will help give a bird's eye view of our study as a whole without losing finer details. Our primary hypothesis was that:\nConclusion: Cross-cultural schemata are \"abstract mental structures that one makes according to his/her past experiences or shared knowledge about the members of other cultures and thus makes them more understandable\" (Shahghasemi and Heisey, 2009, p. 146). They can be shaped by experiences we have in our life and therefore, our contact with the environment, and the apparatuses we have devised in order to know the world better have crucial effects on our cross-cultural schemata. Therefore, in order to study cross-cultural schemata, it is better we include as many factors as possible, since they are all important in our experiences, and these experiences build our cross-cultural schemata of others.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: For about four decades, Iran and the USA have continued to be two most stubborn enemies and this has drawn much research on this subject. Yet, only a very small fraction of this body of research has been allocated to studying the perceptions that the people of the two countries have of each other. Using a mixed method survey, the purpose of this paper is to explore cross-cultural schemata US American people have of Iranians.\nDesign/methodology/approach: By way of an e-mail survey, the authors collected 1,752 responses from American citizens across 50 American states. The open ended responses were codified and categorized. Three out of six categories were further sub-categorized.\nFindings: The outcomes showed that about 40 percent of Americans had negative cross-cultural schemata of Iranians with the media being the main source of negative cross-cultural schemata. Conversely, personal contact and communication with Iranians proved to be the source of positive cross-cultural schemata toward Iranians. Other results showed that US American exceptionalism and negative attitudes toward Iranians had a direct and positive relationship with having negative cross-cultural schemata of Iranians.\nOriginality/value: As the authors have explained in this paper, very few scholars have taken up the issue of cross-cultural schemata Iranian and American people have of each other. By doing this and several other works, the authors have tried to create a new research interest in academic circles.\n",
"role": "assistant"
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] |
Supply chain resilience: the whole is not the sum of the parts
|
[
"Resilience",
"Case study",
"Agri-food supply chain"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n1. Introduction: The increasing frequency and impact of unexpected adverse events have led researchers and practitioners to shift from a traditional risk management approach to the resilience approach (Juttner and Maklan, 2011; Pettit et al., 2013). Resilience enables systems to cope with the unexpected (van der Vegt et al., 2015) and to ensure continuity of operations and delivery to final customers (Christopher and Peck, 2004; Ponomarov and Holcomb, 2009; Stone and Rahimifard, 2018). Although resilience seems to engage all organizations in a system, rarely has it been investigated how each part contributes to the overall process, such as in the context of supply chains.\n2. Literature review: 2.1 Firm and supply chain resilience\n3. Methods: This study applies a multiple-case method to investigate how firms at each node of the AFSC built resilience during a major drought and its overall impact on SCRES. Given the specificity of the phenomenon investigated in the AFSC, the case study is the most suitable method (Eisenhardt, 1989; Barratt et al., 2011). Moreover, the inductive approach is appropriate for building and refining theory regarding specific research questions and settings such as this one (Eisenhardt, 1989).\n4. Findings: This section begins by describing our findings on how the drought impacted each node and the supply chain. It then examines the node findings by providing an overview of how each node managed the unexpected event on three aggregate dimensions: preparedness of the firms, responses of the firms and adaptation for the future. In the supply chain findings section, results were compared to generate an understanding of the three aggregate dimensions - preparedness of the supply chain, response of the supply chain and supply chain context - and the two supply chains are then compared.\n5. Discussion: In this section, we explain the relational dynamic among the aggregate dimensions that emerged from our findings to answer our research question:\n6. Conclusions: This research investigated how resilience, built at different nodes of a supply chain, influences overall SCRES, bringing a new perspective to the literature that normally focuses on the analysis of a focal company (Wieland and Wallenburg, 2013; Brandon-Jones et al., 2014; Tukamuhabwa et al., 2015). In this sense, this research contributes to knowledge about SCRES in two ways.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to investigate how resilience at different nodes in the supply chain influences overall supply chain resilience (SCRES) during an extreme weather event.\nDesign/methodology/approach: Based on 41 in-depth interviews, this qualitative study examines two Brazilian agri-food supply chains (AFSC). The interviews explored the impacts, preparedness, response and adaptation strategies adopted by farmers, processors and manufacturers during Brazil's extreme drought of 2014-2015.\nFindings: SCRES does not depend on all organizations in the supply chain but rather on the company able to reconfigure the resources to control for the disruption. In a supply chain with low interdependence among players, individual firm resilience elements might be preferable to interorganizational ones.\nResearch limitations/implications: This study is based on the context of AFSCs with low interdependence among players and during the experience of a climatic event. The results might not be generalizable to other sectors and phenomena.\nPractical implications: Firms must evaluate their positions in supply chains and their interfirm relationships to determine which resilience strategy to invest in and rely on. Moreover, to leverage resilience at the supply chain level, firms must intensify information sharing and improve proactive resilience strategies upstream as well as downstream in the supply chain.\nOriginality/value: This study presents a broader perspective of resilience by comparing resilience elements at both the node and supply chain levels and by discussing their interactions and trade-offs.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Developing absorptive capacity for recombinant innovation
|
[
"Open innovation",
"Absorptive capacity",
"Recombinant innovation"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: In his pioneering work on innovation management, Rothwell (1992) drew attention to models of innovation which policy agents and practitioners make use of - how they think the innovation process works - and the limitations of these. Such mental models are important because they shape what decision-makers pay attention to, what they commit resources to and how they manage the process. He suggested five generations of thinking about innovation management, moving from simplistic linear \"push\" or \"pull\" models, through increasingly sophisticated \"coupling\" models which recognize the need for intra and inter-organizational links, predicting a fifth generation which would involve extensive use of information and communication technology (ICT), rich and diverse networking and globally distributed activity. Within such a highly networked, multi-actor environment the emergent properties of the innovation system are likely to require different approaches.\nLearning to work with OI: The significant opportunity offered by OI was recognized over a decade ago; since then we have been accumulating experience around the challenges in exploiting it. Rather than a simple \"one size fits all\" prescription there has been a process of experimentation and learning about the key routines required and how to adapt them in particular organizational contexts (Lopez-Vega et al., 2016). Well-documented examples include Procter & Gamble's shift from R&D to \"Connect and Develop,\" Adidas and Lego as examples of shifting boundaries in mass customisation and Apple's shift to a networked community platform (Hargadon, 2003; Reichwald and Piller, 2006; Delbridge et al., 2007; Lafley and Charan, 2008).\nRI: One important mechanism through which innovation takes place by effective use of external knowledge is termed as \"RI\" (Hargadon and Sutton, 1997). This describes the case in which knowledge which has been learned and deployed effectively in one field can be transferred to another; it is less about creating new knowledge than using established knowledge in a different context (Carnabuci and Operti, 2013).\nEnabling RI: As the above discussion suggests, RI is a well-established phenomenon which offers a number of advantages as part of an OI strategy. First, it reduces learning costs since much of the original development of an innovation has been undertaken in a different context. While there is still need for local adaptation, there is a chance to adopt an innovation further up the learning curve and thus with lower risk. Second, it offers an entry point to a different innovation trajectory; by moving the search focus beyond an established trajectory there is a scope for establishing a new underlying architecture for further innovation. For example, the model of safe low-cost healthcare in India has applied the approach to eye care, perinatal care, other elective surgery and even heart bypass operations - all with similarly dramatic results (Bessant et al., 2012).\nConclusion: Whilst the field of OI has undoubtedly moved on since the coining of the original label a decade ago, there is still significant need for configuring suitable organization-specific strategies and practices to deal with it. There is much clearer evidence about the potential routes and the range of productive knowledge-sharing partnerships which can be developed through an active OI approach but organizations are still faced with the core challenge of dynamic capability. Put simply in terms of their innovation management routines:\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: The purpose of this paper is twofold. First, to understand recombinant innovation (RI) as a potentially significant part of an open innovation (OI) strategy and second, to suggest key routines which would underpin a capability for RI, locating these within the context of enhanced absorptive capacity (AC). Finally, the paper considers how such routines could be developed, drawing on some case examples.\nDesign/methodology/approach: The authors start with a literature review on OI and use the lens of AC to explore challenges in finding, assimilating and deploying external knowledge posed by the emerging knowledge-rich context of OI. The authors then explore one OI route - RI - and suggest a model framework for operationalizing it based on routines for search, acquisition, assimilation and deployment.\nFindings: The authors suggest three sets of routines required for RI, around abstract-driven search (ADS), brokerage and cyclic adaptation. As with much of the now widely available toolkit for OI, the challenge is one of moving from potential to realized opportunity and this will require investments in learning and capability building.\nOriginality/value: The authors suggest that for organizations to enhance their AC around RI, three core routines are needed: ADS, brokerage and cyclic adaptation.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Training culture: A new conceptualization to capture values and meanings of training in organizations
|
[
"Training",
"Organizational culture",
"Construct validity",
"Measurement development",
"Training culture"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: The recent literature in organizational studies is mainly oriented toward the analysis of informal learning and learning opportunities in daily work (Marsick and Watkins, 2001; Salas and Cannon-Bowers, 2001), with specific focus on topics such as organizational learning, organizational learning culture and work-related informal learning (Froehlich et al., 2017; Cortini, 2016; Marsick and Watkins, 2003; Noe et al., 2013; Rebelo and Gomes, 2011). Nevertheless, training still represents a process of strategic importance, to foster individual and organizational learning (Antonacopoulou, 1999; Martocchio and Baldwin, 1997), as well as one of the most important leverage to enhance human resource practices (Berk and Kase, 2010) with a significant influence on developing and maintaining individual and organizational capabilities (Valle et al., 2000).\nLiterature review: In the literature, there are several constructs regarding learning and training within organizations, such as learning culture, organizational learning, training climate and transfer climate (Holton et al., 1997; Marsick and Watkins, 2003; Tracey and Tews, 2005; Yang et al., 2004). The most relevant ones for our study are learning culture and training climate. The former is described as a specific type of organizational culture, oriented toward the promotion and facilitation, sharing and dissemination of workers' learning (Marsick and Watkins, 2003), contributing to organizational development and performance (Rebelo and Gomes, 2011; Cortini et al., 2016). This conceptualization refers mostly to the informal learning at workplace and does not represent a specific subset of the organizational culture, but an orientation of the organizational culture itself (Skerlavaj et al., 2010). Training climate, on the other hand, concerns the \"work-related factors that may influence training success and failure. It is instrumental in preparing individuals for formal development activities and achieving desired learning objectives\" (Tracey and Tews, 2005; p. 354). Training climate may also have an impact on formal and informal training activities (Tracey and Tews, 2005). Nevertheless, the lack of conceptualization regarding durable and stable features of training within an organization, reflecting values, norms and assumptions, requires more research, especially oriented toward building new constructs (Song et al., 2009). As a consequence, in this paper, we introduce the concept of training culture. Training culture has its origins in the merging of two salient concepts in the study of organizations: training and organizational culture.\nTraining culture: In light of the previous considerations, we define training culture as a set of meanings and values attributed to training in a specific organization. In this regard, training culture refers mostly to the formal learning that is planned and dispensed in a specific context and focuses on stable and durable features and meanings of training. Such specific and sectorial features constitute a subset of the organizational culture, formed by employees' and management perceptions about meanings and values attributed to the training in the work environment at an individual, team and organizational level. In this definition, following Hofstede's (1998) perspective, we adopted the individual approach, in which culture is considered as an attribute of an organization manifested and measured toward individuals aggregated to the level of the organizational unit. In turn, this construct aims to understand how training is perceived within the organization and how much the perspectives of different members of the organization are similar, to determine the strength of a culture (Schulz, 2001). Moreover, the decision of including management and employees in the training culture definition is because cultural analyses in the managerial literature are usually carried out exclusively from the managerial perspective, while culture is located in the mental programs of all the members of the organization (Hofstede, 1998).\nConstruct validity: Methodology\nDiscussion and implications: Through this study, we tested the factors underpinning the training culture construct, confirming its multidimensionality and validity. Indeed, the three factors structure emerged through the analysis supports the initial hypotheses of the researchers. The results show also internal consistency and construct reliability. Nevertheless, further research could explore and confirm reliability through the test-retest.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: The purpose of this study is to introduce and validate the concept of training culture defined as a subset of the main organizational culture that allows examining meanings and values attributed to the training within an organization by management and employees.\nDesign/methodology/approach: This study, following the deductive scale development process, examines the theoretical foundation and psychometric properties of the training culture scale (TCS), testing the utility and appropriateness of the measure. The TCS has been designed and developed on three specific dimensions: individual, group and organizational. A confirmatory factorial analysis has been performed to assess the internal structure.\nFindings: Results confirm the three dimensions initially hypothesized: individual, group and organizational, with good reliability indexes on the three factors.\nPractical implications: The implementation of the TCS allows training experts to have a broader understanding of training in the organization and to better tailor the training activities according to the training culture profile of the organization.\nOriginality/value: Cultural analyses are usually carried out from the managerial perspective. The TCS considers the individual perception, including both management and employees in the definition of a training culture profile that enables the organization to develop more effective strategies for training and development.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
The quality of equality: thinking differently about gender inclusion in organizations
|
[
"Gender",
"Inclusion",
"Equal opportunities",
"Gender equality strategy",
"HR policy",
"Women in organizations"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: Inclusion of women has long been viewed as a critical priority in contemporary organizations, and most companies offer a variety of policies beyond the legal minimum to retain their female talent. However, consider the following questions:\nFrom numbers to quality: asking different questions: Many organizations strive to hire more women, and, of course, if half your workforce are women, it is a cause for celebration. After all, this means that the organization is already doing something right. However, it is important not to fall into the trap of counting heads, ticking equality boxes and then forgetting about it. To sustain competitiveness and innovation by recruiting and retaining the best talent, organizations need to ask new and critical questions about the quality of gender inclusion.\nThinking creatively and strategically about inclusion: Most companies that embed gender equality in their corporate strategy tend to look beyond numbers and try to ensure deeper change to tackle ingrained gender inequalities. Some recent initiatives include unconscious bias awareness training, mentoring schemes for women, leadership training, and so on. These initiatives are important; however, they deal with only one side of the gender inequality coin - the individual. They may empower individuals within companies and help them to take responsibility and action. Yet, to tackle the quality of inclusion strategically, the other side of the coin must also be addressed - the responsibility and actions of the organization. Organizational responsibilities include monitoring and modifying organizational structures and processes that systematically hinder the quality and effectiveness of inclusion.\nStaying ahead of the curve: Of course, this is not an exhaustive list of issues that require consideration when moving toward improvements in the quality of gender inclusion in organizations. Moreover, we have looked at gender equality as an example, but this also applies to other aspects of diversity in organizations.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: This paper aims to suggest a shift in thinking about how to improve gender inclusion in organizations, as well as offering a number of practical action points.\nDesign/methodology/approach: This paper takes a perspective based on the authors' own ongoing research, as well as synthesis of existing insights into gender inclusion in organizations.\nFindings: To retain top talent and improve organizational climate, the authors need to re-think how the authors measure the success of organizational inclusion policies. Specifically, the paper suggests moving from numbers and targets to looking at the quality of gender inclusion in the workplace. The paper explains why this shift in thinking is important and how to approach it in practice.\nPractical implications: The paper provides strategic insights into and practical thinking about ways in which progressive organizations can continue to improve gender equality.\nOriginality/value: The paper makes a provocative call for a change of perspective on gender inclusion in organizations based on cutting-edge research and puts forward action points in an accessible format.\n",
"role": "assistant"
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] |
European valuation practices: how to compare valuations across borders? Initial findings
|
[
"Cross‐border valuation",
"Europe",
"Real estate",
"Assets valuation",
"Investments"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n1. Introduction: reason for the research: The last decennia more transparency has entered the real estate markets in many countries because of the increase of performance measurement of institutional real estate holdings by the Investment Property Databank (IPD). The performance measurement consists of direct return, mainly based on net rental income and indirect return based on (yearly) valuations of the properties. Quite a number of investors invest not only in their home country, but also in other countries. Especially since the introduction of the Euro investors became even more interested in investing cross border since between euro countries the exchange rate risk disappeared. However, the question is how well can we compare valuations in one country to the other? What are the similarities in the valuations across countries, what are the differences? To investigate that and in cooperation with IPD and RICS we have set up an investigation to find out the differences between the countries, initially eight countries: France, Germany, Italy, The Netherlands, Portugal, Russia, Spain and the UK.The ultimate intention is to expand to all European countries within the European Union (EU) and hopefully also the remaining ones as well.\n2. Previous literature: At the moment of the start of the survey only two books were available: European Valuation Practice (Alistair Adair et al., 1995), and Real Estate Valuation in Global Markets (Appraisal Institute, 1996). As of 2000 onwards overviews by major valuation firms like DTZ, JLL, CBRE, Cushman, Colliers, etc., became available, but unfortunately were not always regularly updated. We came to the conclusion that it was necessary to update the information so we developed a questionnaire for valuation committees or experts in the European countries where the RICS is represented.(NB In the meantime the Appraisal Institute updated their book, which came out in December 2010. The survey will benefit from the updated data.)\n3. The questionnaire: Rather than copying what already exists, we assembled not only facts and processes, but also, when relevant, we also asked the respondents' opinion about the reliability of the information. For instance, one question covered the reliability of the market evidence necessary for the comparable sales method with quite some interesting answers.The questionnaire concentrates on:* valuation basis;* property rights and registration;* regular lease conditions;* operating costs;* transfer costs;* general reporting items;* income approach to market value;* sales comparison to market value;* cost approach; and* comments.The whole document can be found in the Appendix, Figure A1.\n4. Initial findings: A detailed description of all the findings should go too far. We therefore at this stage of the survey concentrate on the most important ones.a. Market value\n5. Conclusions so far: When overlooking the initial results, we conclude that although market values can be compared across countries, valuation methodologies are country specific and difficult to compare across countries. Some harmonization may occur in the future, such as in the case of area and space measurement. However in other areas such as the availability of information from the land registries and accountability of the operating costs differences are visible.We are still in the process of retrieving information and quality control. Some of the answers we received are still under consideration and sometimes we have the feeling \"can that be true or will that be a misunderstanding ?\" Also we are in the process of expanding the survey to the Scandinavian and more Eastern European countries. We hope to have more information and analysis available and welcome reactions from readers of this article.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: - Real estate investors invest more and more cross-border, but the valuation practices in the different countries are not similar. For investors it is good to know the difference in valuations between the countries, therefore this paper aims to investigate the valuation practices in eight different countries (France, Germany, Italy, The Netherlands, Portugal, Russia, Spain and the UK).\nDesign/methodology/approach: - To gather the information a questionnaire was sent out. The questionnaire included questions not only about facts, but also about the respondents' opinion about the reliability of the information.\nFindings: - It was found that in the different countries market value is not always the basis and that a wide variation of surface measurements is currently applied. Regular lease periods and the responsibility for operating cost vary from country to country. Also the sources for market evidence and their reliability differ per country. So it can be seen that, although market values can be compared across countries, valuation methodologies are country-specific.\nResearch limitations/implications: - The authors are still in the process of retrieving information and quality control, and the intention is to expand the research to all European Union countries, and finally all European countries. Therefore this paper only shows initial findings.\nOriginality/value: - The existing research about international valuation practices is not very recent, and, because the authors not only assembled facts and processes, but also collected the respondents' opinions about the reliability of the information, the research is very valuable.\n",
"role": "assistant"
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] |
Faculty trust in the principal: an essential ingredient in high-performing schools
|
[
"Principals",
"Organizational culture",
"Educational administration",
"Trust",
"Administrators",
"Instructional leadership",
"Faculty trust",
"Student achievement",
"School climate",
"Collegial leadership",
"Principal leadership"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n__NO_TITLE__: For more than 30 years, public education in the USA has been in a near constant state of critique and reform. The publication of the federal report A Nation at Risk (National Commission on Excellence in Education (NCEE), 1983) in 1983 is widely viewed as the historical milestone at which time the present accountability era began. Other milestones that further characterize the past three decades have followed in succession, such as the publication of curriculum standards by the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, Commission on Teaching Standards for School Mathematics (1991), the articulation of Goals 2000 as federal policy in 1993 (United States Department of Education (USDOE), 1993), the passage of No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (2002), and, most recently, the adoption of the Common Core State Standards (National Governors' Association Center for Best Practices and Council of Chief State School Officers, 2010). Taken together, these five historical markers signify the advent of and continuing momentum toward national standards for curriculum, assessment, and accountability. But the USA is not alone in this drive for educational accountability. While other countries have long had national curricula or have long histories of using standardized assessments for high-stakes decisions for students, ongoing, and worldwide attention has been given to reports that compare the educational achievement of students, such as TIMSS (National Center for Education Statistics, 2013) and PISA (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), 2010). The sense of competitiveness and of external accountability has reached such intensity that these international comparisons have been described as \"league tables,\" a pointed allusion to the competition of professional sports (Hawker, 2013).\nLiterature review: Teachers and principals share responsibility for creating and providing a context for and experiences that will lead to student learning. Of course, teachers in a school hold particular responsibility for instruction while the principal is responsible for stewardship of the school's vision, engaging all members of the school community, managing the organization, ensuring the effectiveness of the faculty, and doing so with integrity and fairness (Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO), 2008). As such, principals are critically positioned to leverage both instructional and collegial factors in schools.\nMethod: The aim of this study is to explore the relationship between faculty trust in the principal and other important aspects of school climate, including two aspects of principal leadership behavior, as well as teacher professionalism, academic press, and community engagement.\nResults: 1. Descriptives\nDiscussion: The question that motivated this study was the extent to which trustworthy leadership was related to the cultivation of both a strong and vibrant school climate as well as high student achievement. The evidence presented here, from over 3,000 teachers nested within 64 schools in both urban and suburban schools, was that such leadership matters a great deal. The strong correlations we found attest to that. First, we were not surprised that the leadership behaviors of the principal contribute to faculty trust in the principal. We posited two competing conceptualizations of principal leadership from the research literature, and we sought to find which aspects of principal behavior would be most salient. In short, we wondered whether it is more important for a principal to be friendly, approachable, and open to input from teachers or for the principal to be aware of and deeply engaged in the instructional program of the school. The answer turned out to be \"yes\" - both were important in nearly equal measure. Moreover, these two competing conceptualizations were highly correlated, suggesting that the manner in which the principal engages with teachers on matters related to the instructional program is important. Teachers seem to be looking for principals who are approachable and open in their attitudes as they engage with teachers about instruction. These findings are consistent with previous literature that has explored these issues using both qualitative (Cranston, 2011; Handford and Leithwood, 2013) and quantitative methodologies (Bryk and Schneider, 2002; Tasdan and Yalcin, 2010).\nImplications: The findings of this study suggest that without trust, principals cannot be effective leaders. Faculty trust in the principal is related directly to student achievement and it is also related to important elements of school climate that are, in turn, related to student achievement. It is, therefore, unlikely that a school with a principal who is not trusted by the faculty will be successful in fulfilling its core mission of fostering student learning. The implications of these findings are far reaching in terms of the understandings and skills that need to be cultivated in aspiring principals during principal preparation and honed through professional development and coaching once they assume leadership roles.\nDirections for future research: There is a growing interest in the importance of trust in facilitating the constructive interpersonal relationships of well functioning, academically successful schools. While our study provides new insights and implications, a number of new questions and compelling directions for future research also emerge. First, having evidence that faculty trust in the principal is so strongly related to the climate of the school, we need greater understanding of the dynamics that foster faculty trust in the principal. An understanding of the conditions and processes that enable teachers and administrators to learn to trust each other and cooperate together is critical as schools are increasingly faced with the volatility of changing expectations. We need to know more about the mechanisms for building initial trust, regardless of whether a school leader is entering a building where the climate is dysfunctional and in need of revision or one with a strong extant culture of academic press, teacher professionalism, and community engagement. Qualitative or longitudinal studies of the formation of trust in schools would be useful.\nConclusion: School climate is clearly a salient aspect of school life, and trustworthy leadership seems to play an important role in fostering the conditions that make for a productive climate. Schools are likely to benefit from a greater understanding of the dynamics of and consequences of trust in schools. Principals are more likely to be trusted when they are approachable and demonstrate openness to ideas and suggestions made by teachers, staff, parents, and even students. In order to foster trust, principals must also be competent in their duties as instructional leaders. For principals to live up to the aspirations that we have for them, they will need to function as trustworthy leaders. School leaders and those who prepare future school leaders would do well to attend to the growing body of research suggesting the importance and nature of leadership behaviors that foster positive and productive climates. The findings of this study regarding the crucial role that faculty trust in the principal makes to the climate and outcomes of schools clearly indicate that school leaders need to be knowledgeable in matters of trust. They need to know that the time it takes to establish and maintain trusting relationships is time well spent because it helps create the conditions necessary for schools to meet their goals.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to explore the relationships among faculty trust in the principal, principal leadership behaviors, school climate, and student achievement.\nDesign/methodology/approach: Data from 64 elementary, middle, and high schools in two school districts formed the basis of the study (n=3,215 teachers), allowing for correlational and regression analyses of the variables.\nFindings: The authors found that faculty trust in the principal was related to perceptions of both collegial and instructional leadership, as well as to factors of school climate such as teacher professionalism, academic press, and community engagement. Student achievement was also correlated with trust, principal leadership behaviors, and school climate. The authors found that both of the composite variables, principal behaviors and school climate, made significant independent contributions to explaining variance in student achievement and that together they explained 75 percent of the variance in achievement.\nResearch limitations/implications: Limitations of the study include the use of a single form to collect participants' responses that may have elevated the degree of correlations, as well as the exclusion of rural schools from the sample.\nPractical implications: The findings of this study suggest that principals must foster and maintain trust in order to lead schools effectively. Importantly, trust has both interpersonal and task-oriented dimensions. Thus, principals must be prepared to engage collegially with teachers in ways that are consistently honest, open, and benevolent, while also dependably demonstrating sound knowledge and competent decision making associated with administering academic programs.\nOriginality/value: Situated in a conceptual framework of systems theory, this study explored the interplay of faculty trust in the principal, principal behavior, school climate, and student achievement. The findings suggest that it is necessary for principals to evidence both interpersonal and task-oriented behaviors in order to be trusted by teachers. Furthermore, the strength of the relationships suggests that schools will not be successful in fostering student learning without trustworthy school leaders who are skillful in cultivating academic press, teacher professionalism, and community engagement in their schools.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
A learning partnership between L&D and the business: the case of "AXA Academy"
|
[
"Learning",
"Management development"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nBackground: AXA is a world leader in financial protection and wealth management, with major operations in Western Europe, North America and the Asia/Pacific area. The organization services 50 million customers throughout the world and has approximately 110,000 employees and distributors worldwide, working in around fifty countries.This article describes a strategic Learning & Development initiative that has begun in the UK giving the \"story so far\" on how we are radically altering our approach.AXA in the UK has historically focused on centralizing the development of management and leadership capability through a Centre of Excellence model. The development of technical skills has been led by individual business units, through delivery by specialist training teams and internal or external experts, with each business unit operating their own technical training model and development framework.This had led to:* different approaches being used for the same process;* significant re work and spend on the same training needs;* limited in-house expertise in technical training in certain areas;* no central control on training standards, inconsistency in evaluation of competency and alignment to strategy;* inflexible models that could delay our response to changing environments; and* limited sharing of best practice and expertise across business units and AXA.\nAXA Academy: In response to the above issues and to support the 2007-2012 business strategy, we recognized the need to develop greater technical strength and capability. This is needed in addition to our managerial and leadership capability to contribute to AXA becoming the preferred company in our industry. Thus the AXA Academy was created. This model was driven by one of our strategic objectives to enable us to be an employer of choice and develop our staff to a more consistent standard.The Academy is a partnership between the business and HR, providing a robust development framework to meet the needs of today and the future. The aim of the Academy is to provide a single framework through which to develop our people in specific technical skills and knowledge. Also the Academy will include generic role profiles and raise the need and awareness for Performance Management. It will establish consistent approaches and standards and encourage effective sharing of best practice across teams. The overall framework, scope and direction will be managed at a UK level, with each Business Unit being responsible for implementation at a local level. This will ensure that content and delivery responds to local development needs driven by their capability levels and key business strategies. It will provide a flexible and agile model that supports our workforce demographics and will offer a variety of learning interventions such as professional qualifications, coaching, leadership skills, technical and soft skills courses.The business has set clear objectives for the Academy which are outlined below:* to deliver a flexible and sustainable group framework which will enable AXA to lead the industry in the development of its technical capability;* to provide a single robust, flexible and structured approach to technical training and development, ensuring common language and sharing best practice when possible; and* to facilitate our intention to be the employer of choice for insurance professionals, attracting, developing and retaining talent at all levels to support achievement of our goals.\nCurrent status: A project sponsor and steering committee were established as a group of people who can make decisions on behalf of the whole project team, regarding budgets, guidance and influencing of other senior managers. The take up to be involved in the project was fantastic, but keeping the momentum going has been very hard, due to limited resource availability. The use of a Training Needs Analysis toolkit has been vital to understand the development gaps in each area of the business and we are developing an intranet platform to support the overall process. In addition, much work has been done to ensure people understand the true idea behind the Academy concept.So far we have one area which has gone through the first phase of the project in which \"quick wins\" have been identified to particular job families, which has proved very successful. Other areas are in the first phases of identifying quick wins and identifying other pilot areas to address. Other parts of the business are doing feasibility studies to understand if this approach is needed. Figure 1 outlines the overall Academy structure in a simple and user friendly way.An example of the progress made so far by two of our Business Units are summarized in Table I.\nLessons learned so far: We would summarize these as follows:* Team members need to be available, for approximately two or three days a month to ensure that the project gets speedily off the ground. The amount of guidance and resource required from L&D staff should not be underestimated.* The members of the project teams need to be fully motivated and self starters.* The importance of \"buy in\" from the actual departments to take ownership of the framework is paramount.* It is crucial to understand how the \"Academy\" will be represented for example, on the intranet or any company Learning Management System.* Start with a smaller department to test out your ideas first and roll out the process gradually.\nConclusion: Although it is early days, we are pleased with progress and excited by the potential power of working in true partnership with the businesses to deliver learning interventions that make a real difference. In our industry, there is a real need for consistency in approach and outcomes and we believe the Academy will deliver this.We hope to share a second article with you in 18-24 months to outline the business results that have been delivered and reflect on any changes to the overall model and framework during that period.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: - This article describes a strategic Learning & Development (L&D) initiative that has begun in the UK giving the \"story so far\" on how the approach has been radically altered.\nDesign/methodology/approach: - The paper details the setting up of the AXA Academy. This model was driven by one of our strategic objectives to enable us to be an employer of choice and develop our staff to a more consistent standard.\nFindings: - Lessons learned so far include: team members need to be available, for approximately two or three days a month to ensure that the project gets speedily off the ground; and the members of the project teams need to be fully motivated and self starters.\nOriginality/value: - In the financial protection and wealth management industry, there is a real need for consistency in approach and outcomes and the Academy will deliver this.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Attitude segmentation of Indian online buyers
|
[
"ABC model",
"Attitude segmentation",
"Hierarchy of effects",
"Indian online user",
"Logit analysis"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: The internet has reached small metros and towns of India. Youth of India continues to form the major segment of the total online users (Internet and Mobile Association of India Publication, 2014). While the point of access is predominantly cyber cafe in India, the emergence of smart phones and 4G has resulted in use of mobile phones, I-pads and kiosks as emerging points of internet access for online users in India. Despite high growth in internet penetration, Indian consumers have not trusted online medium as a shopping preference.\nLiterature review: This study investigates what will make Indian online users, buy through internet medium. Hence past studies on attitude and its formation were reviewed.\nMethodology: Objectives of the study\nFindings and analysis: Objective 1: to segment online buyers as per their e-usage and understand attitude of these segments.\nConclusions: There have been many studies in past about online consumer behaviour. Most of the studies have been done based on demographics of online buyers and their perceptions and internet usage patterns. There also have segmentation studies in past, and those also were largely done based on demographics. This study concentrated on attitudinal segmentation and used the ABC model of attitude formation.\nImplications of research in theory and practice: This study used ABC model to segment the online users in India and this was fairly successful. Attitudinal segmentation resulted in three types of online users: first, who understands the benefits of online shopping; second, who loves traditional mode of shopping (offline); and third, who is scared of online shopping.\nLimitations of research: This study has some limitations owing to its exploratory stage and presents several challenges with respect to theory building and methodology. Some variables relating to internet shopping like shopping orientations, culture and vendor characteristics, are omitted in the model. A comprehensive model of internet buying behaviour will be required for further research. Validation of the current research findings within other cultures is also worthy of future study. The moderating impacts of different products or service categories, as well as the impact of new channels of internet access (such as mobile phones), are avenues that merit attention as well.\nFuture research: This study emphasized on internet usage, online buying behaviour, buying intention and attitudes. This study has not considered \"internet availability\", \"cost of internet\" and its effect on time spent doing online buying. Future research can consider these factors. Future study on online consumer behaviour must be studied with points of access and devices as a significant antecedent.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: The purpose of this research paper is to apply the ABC model and examine the attitudinal segmentation of online consumer in India in terms of internet usage, perceived risks, website attributes, intent to do online purchase in future and preference of website attributes.\nDesign/methodology/approach: A structured questionnaire was administered to 600 online consumers using field and online survey mediums. The logit analysis was applied to arrive at segmentation of online users.\nFindings: Findings show how attitudes are different of online users when they were segmented based on internet usage. This segmentation showed attitudes that were paradoxical in nature. To explain this paradoxical behaviour of online buyers, this study applied the logit analysis. The online users were further examined applying the ABC model of attitude. Three distinct segments of online users emerged. They are: CAB, CBA and BCA.\nPractical implications: The findings of this paper will be useful for online retailers who want to start e-commerce business in India. The findings are also useful for designing appropriate promotion and marketing strategies to entice online users to become online buyers.\nOriginality/value: The key contributions of this paper are the new insights from using the ABC model. Based on usage of internet in number of hours, online buyers could be segmented into four groups. On further analysis using ABC model, this studied showed that a better segmentation of online buyers is possible and that is called attitudinal segmentation. The BCA attitudinal segment is a finding of this study and is unique to this research. This has not been done using Indian online buyers and this adds to the originality of the study.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Combining school and family alcohol education: a systematic review of the evidence
|
[
"Education",
"Schools",
"Alcohol",
"Family",
"Effectiveness",
"Intervention",
"Behaviour change",
"Substance abuse"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: Globally, drinking behaviours of young people are mixed and data is not available for all regions (Babor et al., 2010, p. 36). Recent trends in Europe towards more hazardous and harmful patterns such as under-age drinking, earlier initiation into alcohol consumption and high rates of heavy episodic drinking have been noted (Hibell et al., 2009). Changes in youth consumption patterns are a matter for concern regarding young people's health and safety. In the UK, for example, a 57 per cent increase in alcohol-related deaths among people aged 15-34 between 1991 and 2007 was reported, with 13 young people a day being admitted to hospital as a result of drinking alcohol (Department for Children, Schools and Families, 2008). Furthermore regular recreational consumption and heavy episodic drinking in adolescence is a strong predictor of alcohol dependency in adulthood (Bonomo et al., 2004; Jefferis et al., 2005). In addition to the considerable health harms caused by harmful drinking among youth, risky alcohol behaviours contribute to multiple social harms. These include poor educational performance, risky sexual behaviour and teenage pregnancy (Newbury-Birch et al., 2009; OECD, 2009), crime and disorder (Home Office, 2004), and a range of physical and psychological harms (Scottish Government, 2010).\nMethodology: Systematic research methods were used to ensure the identification and analysis of evaluation studies was as far as was possible comprehensive, transparent, replicable and unbiased. Our review followed a detailed protocol, including pre-specified research questions, and documented all steps and decisions involved in the process as described by Littell et al. (2008).\nResults: Included studies\nDiscussion: Families\nConclusions: Our review found no evidence that the popularity of educational interventions aimed at reducing risky alcohol behaviours is declining. We found evidence that educational interventions involving a range of elements can result in small positive effects on alcohol behaviours.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to map and identify evidence for effective components of combined school and family alcohol education interventions. The paper describes current practice, evaluative evidence of its effects, and highlights specific elements of school and family linked education associated with effective prevention or reduction of alcohol misuse by young people aged 11-18 years.\nDesign/methodology/approach: This paper takes the form of a systematic review.\nFindings: The review found evidence of small positive effects for interventions delivered over short and longer term duration and low and higher levels of direct contact with students and families. Family-based elements that correlated with positive effects were targeting information and skills development, family communications, and stricter parental attitudes to alcohol misuse. School-based components which involved life skills and social norms approaches were associated with reductions in risky behaviours. Weaker evidence indicated that peer-led programmes, external delivery agents and linkages of school-based components to community-level change may strengthen combined school and family intervention programmes.\nResearch limitations/implications: The heterogeneity of the studies precluded the option to perform meta-analysis.\nPractical implications: There is a need for more focused use of planning and evaluation tools, and especially more explicit articulation of behaviours and/or behavioural determinants targeted; the methods that will be employed and the conceptual basis for the programme design could contribute to deeper understanding amongst the intervention community of how and why impact is or is not achieved.\nSocial implications: Few studies provide information on the concepts, assumptions or change objectives that shape programme design. The potential benefits of combining school and family education interventions warrants further exploration.\nOriginality/value: The authors believe this is the first review to systematically examine objectives, design and impact of combined school and family alcohol education interventions.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Fashion misfit: women's dissatisfaction and its implications
|
[
"Fashion",
"Consumer satisfaction",
"Body image",
"Clothing fit",
"Sizing systems",
"Textiles waste"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: The historical development of UK women's sizing systems\nLiterature review: Current problematic sizing practice\nMethodology: The project involved a multi-disciplinary team of researchers from Manchester Metropolitan University and Health Psychology researchers from Staffordshire University. Qualitative data were collected whilst participants were trying garments on, and in subsequent interviews (see reference blinded for peer review for linked psychology research from the larger study). A variety of dress styles were purchased from four UK retailers (see Table I). Participants were told that they could take one of these dresses home with them. At the end of the data collection period, all the dresses had been selected except one particular style. The data analysis for this study seeks to determine the reasons why this dress remained on the rails, rejected by all 20 participants.\nFindings: Rejection of the pink dress\nDiscussion: The importance of fit\nConclusions: This small-scale study set out to understand why women rejected one particular dress, as a way to investigate broader issues around clothing rejection and clothes waste. Poor fit of the target dress was the predominant theme in interviews with women who rejected the dress, and women were frustrated at inaccurate sizing information. Lack of fit linked with body dissatisfaction as a result of the dress being tighter than expected. Consumers need to be able to read some kinds of coding system in order to identify their size; however, it is clear that the current sizing chaos is no nearer being solved despite many attempts to do so. This study demonstrates how current systems of numerical size coding can contribute to the rejection of garments. Further research to develop and evaluate less emotive and more informed systems of coding are necessary. In addition, manufacturers appear to be unable or unwilling to sacrifice the perceived need to minimise the amount of sizes produced in order to facilitate systems that cater for greater size diversity. Further, qualitative research would help to gain insight into why it is so difficult to create change within the fashion industry. In addition to this, consumer research is needed on sizing communication and coding systems in order for any meaningful improvement to be made.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to draw attention to the link between underdeveloped and ill-informed sizing practices, fit dissatisfaction and the creation of textiles waste. The literature review identifies: issues that limit the effective development and application of sizing systems, the link between the complexities of consumer fit expectations, body image and self-esteem and maps the link between fit dissatisfaction and the creation of textiles waste.\nDesign/methodology/approach: Data analysis draws from a wider study designed to investigate women's experiences of dress fit and body image. In total, 20 women aged 18-45 years were audio recorded while they tried on a number of mass-produced dresses, and were asked to select one dress, which they could keep.\nFindings: All the dresses were selected except one style, which failed to satisfy any of the women's fit requirements. The findings clearly demonstrate why this dress was considered to be unsatisfactory as well as the subsequent link between poor fit and body dissatisfaction.\nSocial implications: Findings support the theory that women identify with their clothes' size and when this link is disrupted it causes discomfort and body dissatisfaction, which, in turn, contributed to rejection of the garment increasing the potential for the creation of waste.\nOriginality/value: This study is the first to link unsatisfactory fashion sizing practice with the production of textiles waste. The process of capturing women's interactions with high street fashion dresses whilst trying them on enabled a detailed analysis that contributes new evidence to the debate around sizing practice, poor fit and its impact on body image and self-esteem.\n",
"role": "assistant"
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Isomorphic factors in the adoption of ERP by Indian medium-sized firms
|
[
"India",
"ERP",
"Institutional theory",
"Isomorphic pressures",
"Medium-sized firms"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n1. Introduction: Previous studies of the adoption of major information systems (IS) by organizations have focused on technical and economic rationales, such as access to real-time information, replacement of legacy systems and improved profitability (Shang and Seddon, 2002; Nah et al., 2003; Ahmad et al., 2014). The rationale for this study is to provide a more complete understanding of enterprise resource planning (ERP) adoption: moving beyond the traditional technical and economic perspectives to include social, cultural and structural influences. These later influences are more implicit, insidious and pervasive and hence require studies such as this to make them explicit. Recognition of such influences allows problems in previous studies to be addressed, for example; lack of difference in adoption between firms in very different settings (Ahmad et al., 2014), explanations of adoption when benefits are not clear or have not been identified (Ward and Daniel, 2012) or the rapid growth in the popularity of practices or systems (Abrahamson, 1991; Daniel et al., 2012).\n2. Literature review: The study draws on two bodies of extant literature. First, literature addressing the adoption of ERP systems, with particular consideration of studies of adoption by Indian firms, is reviewed. Second, literature addressing institutional theory as applied to the IS domain is reviewed. The literature is used to identify gaps in current knowledge and hence justify the research questions.\n3. Research methods: As identified by Weerakkody et al. (2009) extant studies in the IS domain tend to be positivist, quantitative studies. This contributes to a limited consideration of the three isomorphic pressures or a focus on a limited number of detailed factors. Since we did not wish to pre-specify or limit the number and nature of the factors identified, we adopted a qualitative method based on semi-structured interviews that were brought together with other data to form multiple case studies (Eisenhardt, 1989; Hoskisson et al., 1999; Yin, 2003).\n4. Findings: In this section we first evidence that isomorphism is occurring across the firms studied, justifying the topic and sample of our study. In order to address our first research question, we consider the detailed factors that contribute to each of the three high-level isomorphic pressures. In order to address our second research question and hence further understand how these detailed factors operate in the Indian context, we consider if and how certain factors inter-relate. Further data from the case studies to support the findings are presented Table AI.\n5. Discussion: Despite differences in size, sector and challenges, many firms, including those in India, have adopted ERP systems. It could be asserted that this is because they are the \"best\" way of solving such a wide range of challenges. We do not seek to challenge if they are, or are not \"best\" for the firms involved. Rather, our interest is in making explicit the full range of influences on the decision to adopt such systems. Only when all influences are made explicit can adoption rationales and decision making be fully understood.\n6. Contributions to theory: Identification of the detailed factors allows us to make a contribution to management theory by addressing some of the limitations identified in institutional theory. As noted, criticisms of institutional theory include that it positions managers as victims of exogenous pressures (Currie, 2009). Our explication of the antecedent factors contributing to the three high-level pressures addresses this limitation, helping to bring an agency perspective into both institutional theory and practice. In the case of institutional theory, conceptualizing the three high-level pressures at the level of the contributing factors, allows a consideration of which factors could provide an opportunity for agency and how might that agency be deployed.\n7. Implications for practice: As noted by Son and Benbasat (2007), identification of more detailed isomorphic factors is \"more managerially meaningful than merely identifying the [...] main types of organizational motives\" (p. 85). It is at the level of these detailed factors that managers can take action. For those seeking to model their practice on that of other firms, \"Antecedent factors of isomorphism in ERP adoption\" suggests specific mechanisms that they can use. While some of these may be well known, for example, the use of consultants, the richness and diversity of the factors shown in \"Antecedent factors of isomorphism in ERP adoption\" allow the consideration of other mechanisms that can support adoption, such as recruitment practices and adopting standard job titles and role definitions. The factors appear self-reinforcing, and hence addressing more than one of them at a time can be expected to aid the adoption of the selected practices. Conversely, for those practitioners seeking to promote diversity, \"Antecedent factors of isomorphism in ERP adoption\" can act as a checklist of factors to avoid if they wish to ensure that their firms are not unwittingly acting in ways that are likely to promote homogeneity with other firms.\n8. Conclusions: Previous studies of the adoption of major IS by organizations have focused on technical and economic rationales (Shang and Seddon, 2002; Nah et al., 2003; Ahmad et al., 2014). The first contribution of this study is to augment these previous studies by empirically identifying influences that are social, cultural and structural in nature, hence providing a more complete understanding of the influences on adoption.\n9. Limitations and future research: As with all studies, the limitations of this research should be recognized. Our focus on Indian medium-sized firms allowed us to conduct our study in a context in which firms were experiencing a range of pressures. However, while firms in other locations may experience the same three high-level isomorphic pressures, these may be influenced by different detailed factors to those shown in \"Antecedent factors of isomorphism in ERP adoption\", or those factors may interact in different ways than shown in Figure 2. Future studies should explore the multiple and detailed isomorphic factors operant in different contexts, allowing a comparison between contexts.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to adopt an institutional theory perspective to investigate the adoption of enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems by medium-sized firms in India. The rationale for this study is to provide a more complete understanding of ERP adoption, moving beyond the traditional technical and economic perspectives to include social, cultural and structural influences. These later influences are more implicit, insidious and pervasive and hence require elucidatory studies such as this, but offer a greater understanding of the adoption of information systems (IS).\nDesign/methodology/approach: The study is undertaken by means of nine case studies of medium-sized firms in India that have adopted ERP systems. Qualitative interviews were undertaken with a range of staff in each firm and are supplemented by data from other sources such as site visit notes.\nFindings: Institutionally based studies have tended to focus on three high-level isomorphic pressures: coercive, normative and mimetic. The study identifies number of more detailed factors that contribute to each of these three pressures. These more detailed factors are then used to consider how factors can interact and how they can explain aspects of the Indian context of the study.\nOriginality/value: The conceptual contribution of this study is to move beyond the technical and economic rationales frequently identified for the adoption of IS by identifying influences that are social, cultural and structural in nature. The study shows that the three high-level isomorphic pressures, mimetic, coercive and normative are comprised of more detailed factors. The empirical contribution of the paper is to identify these detailed factors, and to explore their influence, in the case of ERP adoption by Indian medium-sized firms. The study is of value to practitioners, since it is at the detailed level of factors that managers can recognize the forces they are subject to and can take action. It is also valuable to researchers since the detailed factors help address two limitations of institutional theory; a lack of agency perspective and a degree of conceptual ambiguity.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Centering Black mothers' stories for critical literacies
|
[
"Critical literacies",
"Black motherhood",
"Black girls",
"Reproductive justice",
"Human rights",
"Culturally relevant education",
"Social justice"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: The present study highlights the critical literacy work that Black mothers do for themselves and their children, to change stereotypic views of them, to illuminate how they negotiate intersectional structures of gender, sexuality, patriarchy, race and class, and how their knowledge should be harnessed for educational and social justice movement. Critical Black education, language and literacy scholars have long pushed for relevant education based on the lives and situatedness of Black people. For example, Woodson's (1933/1990) The Miseducation of the Negro discussed how education was never designed in the interest of Black people's lives. He wrote:\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to mine Black mothers' stories to highlight the critical literacy work they do for themselves and their daughters, to change stereotypic views of them, and to illuminate how they negotiate intersectional structures such as gender, sexuality, race and class practice, to sustain and uplift them.\nDesign/methodology/approach: To generate a mother's narrative, the author asked the following research question: What do you think Black girls need in an afterschool club or in education, or in general?\nFindings: The author found that the mother's narrative could be productively contextualized within a reproductive justice framework which gave insights into the mother's experiences of multiple and simultaneous oppressions which aligned with her social identities with regard to race, class, gender and sexuality. These experiences in turn informed her critical literacies of Black motherhood and girlhood. The author found the system of white heteropatriarchal capitalism, through the privatization of public goods and the lack of adequate social services penalizes Black working mothers and obstructs their ability to mother their children adequately.\nResearch limitations/implications: Critical literacies of Black motherhood and girlhood should be harnessed for holistic approaches to the literacy education of Black girls, with a focus on improving their life outcomes, enhancing potential for them to realize their gifts, and ending the many forms of violence against them.\nOriginality/value: Centering the voices of Black mothers as critical literacy education has the potential to thwart oppressive reproductive politics and practices and promote social justice.\n",
"role": "assistant"
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] |
Broad-minded planning and narrow-minded action
|
[
"Mindset",
"Global processing",
"Local processing",
"Rubicon model",
"Actional phase",
"Shopping momentum"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n__NO_TITLE__: Mari and Lisa rushed to a newly opened shopping center. Within half an hour, Mari bought a small pair of earrings, and then in quick succession, proceeded to buy numerous other items. Lisa, in contrast, ended the shopping trip without making any purchases. Later, Mari and Lisa discussed the day. Despite not making any purchases, Lisa mentioned she enjoyed the outing as she liked the window displays at the shopping center. In contrast, Mari commented only on her purchases, noting that her earrings matched the dress she had purchased a week ago. She had no recollection of the window displays even though she and Lisa had wandered the shopping center together.\nPlanning mindset vs actional mindset: Specifically, we are concerned with cognitive or motor processes and how these influence the planning and actional mindsets. In this study, the term \"planning mindset\" refers to responses triggered by cognitive processes regarding purchase decisions, including decisions regarding product package size, delivery, and payment options. In contrast, the \"actional mindset\" refers to processes induced not only by cognitive behaviors but also by motor behaviors, such as physical purchase behaviors (e.g. opening a wallet)[1].\nDifferences in perceptual scope between the action and planning mindsets: In the example of Mari and Lisa discussed previously, consumers like Mari experiencing the shopping momentum effect do not consider alternatives and focus on the purchase at hand. As consumers move along their decision process, their perceptual scope changes.\nGeneral discussion and conclusion: Theoretical implications\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: Existing studies of shopping momentum effect show that an initial purchase causes the consumer to switch from a deliberative mindset to an implemental mindset, thereby leading to buy subsequent items based on Gollwitzer's Rubicon model. Since purchase activity goes through the actional phase which has not been studied yet, the purpose of this paper is to explore the characteristics of the actional mindset compared with those of the planning and deliberative mindsets.\nDesign/methodology/approach: This study conducts three experiments to examine whether the implemental mindset can be differentiated from the actional mindset via recalls and perceptual processing measures.\nFindings: The findings provide evidences that the actional mindset is different from the implemental mindset, and the planning phase is associated more with broad-mindedness, whereas the actional phase is with narrow-mindedness.\nResearch limitations/implications: Manipulation of the actional mindset can be extended to real purchases in physical shopping spaces, and various choice objects could be tested with a larger number of participants.\nPractical implications: To boost the shopping momentum effect, marketers should put customers into an actional mindset by leading them to show their decisions such as carrying a shopping bag and uploading their purchased items. To avoid overbuying, customers should stay in planning mindsets without verbalizing their decisions. Putting goods into virtual shopping baskets in online shopping could be a good way to avoid overbuying.\nOriginality/value: The paper empirically explores the characteristics of actional mindset in terms of cognitive and perceptual processing and suggest meaningful implication in online shopping situation.\n",
"role": "assistant"
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] |
Co-creation and the development of SME designer fashion enterprises
|
[
"Fashion",
"Small to medium-sized enterprises",
"Co-creation",
"Designer apparel",
"Brand identity",
"Brand development"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: Co-creation recognises the influence and power of consumers in the development of brands (Salzer-Morling and Strannegard, 2004; Atwal and Williams, 2009; Choo et al., 2012). This has shifted the focus of marketing away from a product-focused approach to the identification, mirroring and servicing of consumer needs and desires. Brand value is now understood to be co-created through interaction that acts as a dialogue between the enterprise and its consumer (Tynan et al., 2010; Gronroos, 2011; Gronroos and Voima, 2011). Within marketing research, co-creation is a function of relationship marketing, introduced to facilitate and encourage the active participation of the consumer in the creation of brand value (Payne et al., 2008). The emphasis and focus on the consumer has shifted the understanding of exchange from tangible goods to intangibles and the use of service-dominant logic within marketing activities (Vargo and Lusch, 2004).\nLiterature review: Co-creation of brand value\nMethodology: This study utilised grounded theory to explore the brand and internationalisation strategies of SME womenswear design firms with studios based in London and New York. The use of grounded theory was incorporated to develop theoretical understanding within the substantive area of the marketing and management practices of DFEs (Glaser and Strauss, 1967; Strauss and Corbin, 1998). As a methodological approach, grounded theory offered the framework to examine the contemporary phenomenon of the entrepreneurial development of emerging design firms - an area that is otherwise lacking in previous research. The research design was exploratory in nature and sought to explain the relationship among identified variables which emerged from data gathering and analysis.\nFindings and discussion: The concept of co-creation emerged as a sub-category to the process of DFE brand development during internationalisation. It was observed as an interaction between the design aesthetic of the collections and the DFE's integration into the fashion system via fashion week participation, sales negotiations and editorial placement. Within fashion week showrooms and presentations, buyers, editors and other industry influencers provide feedback on designer's collections. The concept also emerged during interviews as participants continuously discussed the reception of the brand by industry stakeholders and their reactions and incorporation of feedback into product development adaptations and future decision making. For the DFE, co-creation can be categorised as a process of presentation, interpretation and reaction which occurs as a result of product development and interaction within the fashion system (Figure 1).\nConclusions: Co-creation is not a phenomenon in which the DFE gives up all control over the brand. Indeed, the brand identity would not exist if the designer did not initially introduce innovations to the market (Hatch and Schultz, 2010). This research examines the process of co-creation from the perspective of the DFE, exploring their reaction to co-creation in practice. Brand value is co-created not only through producer-consumer interaction, but with stakeholders (Helm and Jones, 2010). Additionally, the innovation and meaning connected to that value (Ind and Coates, 2013; Frow et al., 2015), the defining elements of the brand, begin and end with the firm who introduces them through the development of each collection. Brand identity is discovered through interaction with stakeholders in the fashion industry.\nManagerial implications: For the DFE, a clear point-of-view is path dependent (Urde, 2013) based on the designer's background, identity and design aesthetic. The designer's background creates a launch point for the brand narrative, creating confidence as a result of a clear vision. DFEs should seek interactions that increases learning about buyers, editors and consumers. The incorporation of feedback should be in line with the desired brand identity and goals of the firm. Management of the co-creation process requires a balance between the service of stakeholder needs and the firm's vision, merging short-term market response with long-term brand building (Helm and Jones, 2010). Interactions with stakeholders should be a social negotiation in which the DFE gathers information, support and resources, while educating individuals about its goals, aesthetic and unique point-of-view. Co-creation is a process of reciprocal discovery in which a common shared dialogue of meaning surrounding the brand is created through interaction.\nLimitations and future research: This was an exploratory study that examined a niche segment of the global fashion industry, focusing on the entrepreneurial development of DFEs in the most exclusive price-points within London and New York. Further research is required to generalise the findings to other segments of the industry, and to other geographic locations. Additionally, this paper discusses one component of co-creation (co-meaning creation) in relation to buyers and editors as stakeholders, further research on the typology of co-creation within the fashion industry is required.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to examine the co-creation of small and medium enterprise (SME) designer fashion brands during internationalisation.\nDesign/methodology/approach: As an exploratory study, this research utilises grounded theory methodology and incorporates the use of 38 semi-structured in-depth interviews with designer fashion enterprises (DFEs) and their support network of sales and PR agencies.\nFindings: Co-creation was identified as an important element for the successful integration of the entrepreneurial DFE into the global fashion industry network. Within relationship marketing, the concept of co-creation emphasises consumer experience, influence and power in the development of brand value. However current understanding of co-creation inadequately explains the development of the entrepreneurial designer fashion brand, requiring examination of the concept using grounded theory. The findings of this research highlight how these SMEs react and respond to the interpretation of their brand identity through the co-creation process as they seek to introduce and grow their firms within the global fashion marketplace.\nOriginality/value: This paper identifies the influence of industry stakeholders on the process of fashion brand co-creation. Additionally, by identifying the process by which the entrepreneurial DFE navigates the introduction of their collections to the industry's network, and responds to interpretations of the firm's brand identity, this paper recognises the influence of the firm throughout the co-creation process.\n",
"role": "assistant"
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] |
Personal branding of artists and art-designers: necessity or desire?
|
[
"Creativity",
"Personal branding",
"Artists",
"Art designers",
"Artistic identity",
"Personal brand performance",
"Self-brand distinctiveness",
"Self-brand expression"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n1. Introduction: Artists along with professions such as scientists, engineers, managers and lawyers represent \"the creative class\" (Florida, 2002; Markusen, 2006). The main feature of this group is the ability to \"create meaningful new forms\" and \"thought leadership\" of contemporary knowledge-powered and networked societies. Employment in the arts and creative industries is high and growing. As Lena and Lindemann (2014) claim, scholars have not yet achieved a consensus on who should belong in this professional category. Based on their study, the terms, artist and art designer, when used in this paper, carry the meaning according to definitions presented in Table I.\n2. Conceptual framework: Referring to Lena and Lindemann's (2014) opinion presented in the introduction section that the self-definition of \"an artist\" is vital for creating value in artistic professions, the aim of this study is to empirically prove on the basis of existing theories that the skill of personal branding is crucial for today's young artists and art designers and is connected with their self-identity. The study supports the purpose of the article which is to highlight that the skill of personal branding grounded in self-discovery and self-identification is crucial for today's young artists and art designers.\n3. Methodology: The study was conducted based on the data originally collected among Polish artists (30 per cent), art designers (35 per cent) and architecture professionals and students (35 per cent). The sample comprised 79 per cent of young artists and working students (under 25 years old) and 21 per cent professionals (25 years old and more). In total, 43 per cent of the respondents were male, and 57 per cent were female. The questionnaire's design was based on the constructs measurement scales and their sources presented in Appendix 1. The respondents reacted to statements based on a seven-point Likert scale, which goes from 1 - definitely NOT, through 4 - neither YES nor NOT, until 7 - definitely YES. The questionnaire was preceded by a short introduction explaining the purpose and subject matter of the study. The first qualifying question directly referred to the subject matter of the study and regarded the respondent's affiliation to art-designing or architecture. The subsequent part of the questionnaire led from general to detailed questions which required more precise answers. The proper study was preceded by a pilot study (34 persons), next divided into two focus groups where pilot study results were discussed. Our focus was to explain the idea behind the applied constructs. The pilot study made it possible to optimize the statements. In effect, for the benefit of the reliability of the study, problematic statements were clarified. Data collection was performed with the paper version of the questionnaire, using mainly the \"convenience method\". The research sample was composed of students and staff of The Academy of Fine Arts in Gdansk and the Faculty of Architecture at the Gdansk University of Technology. Respondents were asked to voluntarily complete the questionnaire. The data were collected from February to June 2016. The sample size was 397 respondents, 357 cases were accepted for further analysis, after rejecting faulty and incomplete questionnaires.\n4. Results: The results presented in Figure 3 indicate a statistically significant influence of all variables included in the model. Particular attention needs to be paid to the variable of self-band expression (SBE) which plays a role of a mediator between the variables of self-brand distinction (SBD) and personal branding (PB) in the given relationship between self-brand distinction (SBD), self-band expression (SBE) and personal branding (PB) as an influencer of personal performance. Consequently, the mediated influence of the SBD by SBE variable on PB is significant, which is visible in the analysis of total (direct and indirect) effects presented in Table V. It is also worth looking at the very significant influence of personal branding variable on personal performance. The fact that the model explains the variable of personal performance in 25 per cent, which is indicated by squared multiple correlations presented in Appendix 2, clearly proves that the model does not include many other significant variables which influence personal brand performance, such as talent, diligence and others. The purpose of this model, however, is not as much explaining the variable of personal brand performance, as proving a significant influence of personal branding, originating from self-brand distinction and self-brand expression, on the already mentioned personal brand performance. The presented model proves that personal branding is an essential factor for the creation of personal performance.\n5. Discussion and practical implication: Social recognition is particularly important for the identity development of emerging adults (McAdams, 2008), and this is the reason why our study was conducted based on a group of young art and design students and faculty, who are about to shape their professional and social status. Building one's personal brand based on self-esteem which is reflected in self-brand distinctiveness is much harder in their case than it is in the case of people with already recognized professional achievements, as they have no spectacular results to show. Self-consciousness and being highly sensitive to criticism are typical features of young artists. This is why they need support to define their self-brand distinctiveness linked to their self-esteem. Compared to people with low self-esteem, people with high self-esteem are more likely to expect, accept and believe in success (Blaine and Crocker, 1993) because that success is congruent with their positive self-concept (Shrauger, 1975; Danielsson and Bengtsson, 2016). Miles and Maurer (2012) claim that the more confidence individuals have in their ability to perform a particular task, the more spectacular successes they achieve. Every university wants to shape people of success. Song et al. (2017) even point out that people with relatively lower level of self-esteem are more likely to minimize attention to the self, which means that the sense of self-esteem reflected in self-brand distinctiveness should be enhanced in the case of young art designers to successfully create personal branding, and consequently personal performance, which is reflected in the presented model. Lee and Cavanaugh's (2016) case study on infographic resumes proved that teaching students reflective educational strategies allows them to better understand their personal strengths and weaknesses and becomes the groundwork for their self-analysis and self-branding. The results of our study indicate that classical directional education of young art designers when bolstered with mentoring and structured knowledge of methods and techniques of personal branding can bring about an expected outcome in the shape of professional successes of these universities' graduates. Practical implications of our study suggest that there is a justified need to shape self-brand oriented attitudes among young art designers. It would be interesting to extend the study of how personal branding influences personal performance to other age or occupational groups, or different populations. As it has already been said, another intriguing matter is the construct of brand personality of a commercial brand in the context of personal branding.\n6. Limitations and conclusion: The main limitation of presented study is a relatively small sample group based on one country's population. All scales used in this article were adapted from scales related to commercial brands, and it is possible that there are certain differences in viewing personal and commercial brands. However, the concept of personal branding was invented in the late 1990s, so it is a relatively new research area, and the literature of this subject matter, in comparison to the literature referring to commercial brands, is still quite scarce and lacks scientific support. Indeed, this problem meets criteria for an interesting research topic. Potential doubts whether it is appropriate to apply the analogy between a commercial and a personal brand in this article can be dispelled by the existence of a construct: brand personality in reference to a commercial brand, where brand personality \"refers to the set of human characteristics associated with a commercial brand\" (Aaker, 1997). The presented work sheds new light on the issue of personal branding. On the one hand, it leads to the commercialization of one's own skills, on the other hand, it requires an awareness of own values, advantages and goals. Personal branding is also a form of one's personal affirmation, which supports personal development. This research proved that the skill of personal branding is crucial for young artists and art designers. The results of the research confirm that an approving self-attitude to consider oneself to be a personal brand has a positive influence on the performance of a young artist. This new knowledge and the presented theoretical review lead to a better understanding of the essence of personal branding and justify the point of teaching it at academies of fine arts. Artists' self-definition, referring to Lena and Lindemann (2014), often fails when it's unjustified by others. Thus, presented results prove that it is worth supporting their extended self-concept formulation in the educational process when the identity of a young artist is shaped. Going back to the question posed in the title of this paper: Personal Branding of Artists and Art designers: Necessity or Desire? In light of the presented literature and empirical studies of the subject matter, it can firmly be stated that both. \"Personal Branding - the Desire\" results from the need for recognition, which is typical of artists; whereas \"Personal Branding - the Necessity\" is a response to the surrounding environment. Network economy, according to the idea of prosumerism, is founded on the collaboration of individual creators based on a network of values instead of hierarchical dependencies. Intellectual capital as a source of value in the networked economy is generated outside hierarchies. Thus, the network economy imposes building a relational equity (Sawhney and Zabin, 2002) which is the essence of efficiency in a network. In reference to Hunt's and Madhavaram's (2014) resource-advantage (R-A) theory, the relationship in itself also constitutes a resource. Personal branding of young artists and art designers, whose goal is to build business relationships, becomes a natural consequence of their empowerment in the contemporary economy, especially that artists have very high rates of self-employment (Markusen, 2006). Thus, personal brands of artists and art designers have a strong impact on their performance. Summarizing, developing national, corporate or organizational capital reflected in the \"creative class\" requires strong creative personal brands.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: Personal branding becomes a new in-demand skill for all professionals today. To be well-known helps to achieve success in the networked business environment. Personal relationships and a good reputation in the reality of network economy help young artists and art designers move up the career ladder. This paper aims to discuss a problem of artists who often find it difficult to define their artistic and self-distinction identities. The concept of personal brand and branding seems quite irrelevant, especially in reference to their own selves. People usually associate branding with marketing, which in our minds is usually the same as \"pushy\" and aggressive sales practices. Their find problematic to promote themselves. The purpose of this paper is to highlight that, based on existing theories, artistic identity creation in connection with the skill of personal branding is crucial for personal success in the profession of today's young artists and art designers.\nDesign/methodology/approach: The study was conducted based on the data originally collected among artists, designers, architecture professionals and students. The data have been analyzed with the equal structural equation modeling method.\nFindings: This paper presents empirical evidence that if artists view themselves as personal brands, it affects their personal performance in a positive way.\nPractical implications: Authors claim that a teaching curriculum for young adult artists should include a personal branding program, to help them find and support their artistic identity and express their personal values and self-brand distinction, and leverage them to build their professional career.\nOriginality/value: This is one of the first studies to quantify the self-brand performance of young art designers as a benefit of being self-brand oriented.\n",
"role": "assistant"
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] |
Corporate reputation and retail bank selection: the moderating role of brand image
|
[
"Brand image",
"Ghana",
"Corporate reputation",
"Bank selection"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: Corporate reputation has attracted much research attention because of its acclaimed benefits. Emphasizing the importance of a strong corporate reputation for business organizations, Worcester (2009) argues that corporate reputation is the heart and soul of every organization. Its outcomes have been found to include customer retention, (re)purchase, effective premium pricing and better corporate performance (Anselmsson et al., 2014; Melo and Garrido-Morgado, 2012). Researchers have also linked the concept to service provider selection (Narteh and Owusu-Frimpong, 2011; Dusuki and Abdullah, 2007; Devlin and Gerrard, 2004).\nTheoretical development: Corporate reputation has attracted significant conceptual development and empirical investigation, and a review of the literature indicates a number of different definitions of the concept (Chun, 2005). Walker (2010) for instance, defines it as an aggregate perceptual representation of a company's past actions and future prospects. Abratt and Kleyn (2012) also define it as a stakeholder's overall evaluation of the organization over time, based on their interaction with the firm and its brands, employees and communication materials. Generally, Wepener and Boshoff (2015) opine that most definitions of corporate reputation agree on the fact that it is based on perceptions from the direct and indirect experiences of stakeholders with the brand.\nConceptual model: Emotional appeal and service provider selection\nThe moderating role of brand image: Lee et al. (2009) describe brand image as a consumer's knowledge of, and beliefs about the firm's various product and non-product attributes, at a particular point in time. This affects their quality perceptions of the organization in both functional and emotional aspects (Kennedy, 1977) which are informed by customer experiences with the firm and its services/products, which may affect their behaviour (Nguyen and Leblanc, 2001). This complements a number of studies linking image to the final decision to purchase. For instance, Narteh et al. (2012) found car brand image to be an important factor in purchase of automobiles in Ghana. In addition and according to Bravo et al. (2010), image attributes of banks such as their relationship quality, stability, credibility and customer service have enormous effect on customer patronage. Moreover, Kandampully et al. (2011) found that image significantly influences customer loyalty in the hotel industry, while Narteh and Owusu-Frimpong (2011) similarly found brand image to be a determinant of bank selection among students in Ghana. It, therefore, appears that banks with a good brand image would be more likely to benefit from customer selection than those with a poor image.\nMethodology: Research design\nResults: Demographic profile of the respondents\nDiscussion: The study was conducted to determine the effects of the dimensions of corporate reputation on bank selection, as well as the moderating role of brand image on this relationship. The results indicate that emotional appeal, corporate performance, customer centricism, strong bank performance and service quality directly influence retail bank selection in Ghana. These findings are generally consistent with prior studies which have found a positive relationship between corporate reputation and retail bank selection (Narteh and Owusu-Frimpong, 2011; Walsh and Beatty, 2007; Devlin and Gerrard, 2004). Brand image was also found to moderate the relationship between ethical and social engagement and bank brand selection.\nImplications and contribution of the study: Theoretical implications\nConclusion: The study concludes that most corporate reputation dimensions indeed predict retail bank service provider selection in Ghana. The study has some limitations which must be borne in mind when interpreting the results. In the first place, the variables that were used to represent the dimensions of corporate reputation are illustrative but not exhaustive. Other variables such as service points proposed by Wepener and Boshoff (2015) were not considered. Future studies must incorporate all such variables so that an integrated model of corporate reputation can emerge. Moreover, the study was conducted in only the financial service sector. This limits the generalizability of the results. Future studies must incorporate other sectors such as hotels, telecommunication and insurance sectors. Finally, the current study was cross-sectional, but research indicates that reputation is time based (Cretu and Brodie, 2007). Therefore, a longitudinal study will be able to track the relationships between reputation and bank selection over time.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: Even though scholars have proposed multiple dimensions to measure corporate reputation, the relationship between these dimensions and service provider selection has received a dearth of research. Moreover, the moderating role of brand image on this relationship has hardly been considered. The purpose of this paper is to fill these gaps in the literature.\nDesign/methodology/approach: The study employed a quantitative approach, collecting data from 540 retail bank customers using surveys. Results were analyzed using structural equation modelling in AMOS.\nFindings: The study found out that emotional engagement, corporate performance, customer centricism and service quality directly predicted customer selection of retail banks in Ghana. The results further indicated that brand image moderates the relationship between social and ethical engagement, which was not directly significant and bank selection.\nPractical implications: The findings of the study indicate that some of the dimensions of corporate reputation have a direct impact on bank selection by customers, and that brand image could also be used to improve social and ethical dimension of corporate reputation to ensure bank selection by retail customers. The study thus provides practical guidelines for managing corporate reputation to achieve retail bank selection in Ghana.\nOriginality/value: The paper provides support to some of the prior studies on corporate reputation in the retail banking sector. Thus, the study provides useful insights into how corporate reputation can be managed to ensure service provider selection by retail bank customers.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Intents of green advertisements
|
[
"Consumer engagement",
"Intent",
"Corporate environmental practices",
"Credible environmental claims",
"Green advertisements"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: Green advertising is an important facet of green marketing that communicates greenness in products, services, practices and processes of organisations. It refers to the appeals that include ecological, environmental sustainability, or nature-friendly messages targeting the needs of environmentally friendly consumers (Banerjee et al., 1995; Zinkhan and Carlson, 1995). Messages in green advertisements intend to describe product features, prices and value for money, product availability and accessibility, and availability and accessibility of product-related information (Kumar, 2014; Leonidou et al., 2013; Karna et al., 2003). It aims at developing consumer understanding of green products, improving their product knowledge and offering them green product experience. This has raised several challenges related to understandability and believability of the environmental information. These challenges result in \"greenwash\" and intents of green advertisements are questioned (Belz and Peattie, 2012; Karna et al., 2003). Thus, exploring and delineating intents of green advertisements may have enduring implications for practitioners to develop appropriate solutions to these challenges. Thus, this paper aims to explore intents of green advertisements.\nLiterature review: Advertising intent\nMethodology: This study collected print advertisements on environmentally friendly products and services, and environmentally friendly consumption practices published in English language between August 2010 and July 2015 in leading Indian newspapers and magazines. Using NVivo7, 237 advertisements were analysed using content analysis and the key terms of each advertisement were identified. Some \"key\" themes were initially identified for understanding intents of green advertisements and had NVivo assign cases into these groups. Additionally, the software suggested other potential groupings that did not fit into the initial themes. NVivo was then directed to code each of these key concepts into a specific sub-theme, which was then identified by researchers.\nResults: The distribution of 237 advertisements across industries is presented in Table II.\nDiscussion and implications: It is evident from the findings of the study that the fundamental intent of green advertisements is to offer green product experience to consumers. The intents of green advertisements address many of the aspects associated with products so that a realisation of living with the product can be developed through their content. The aspects vary from communicating information on corporate environmental approaches and product-related value-chain activities to informing consumers about the products, offering them hands-on product familiarity and facilitating consumers' interactions with professionals associated with development of products. Thus, the intents observe theoretical relevance of physical actions, and perceptual and cognitive processes (such as perceiving, exploring, using, remembering, comparing, and understanding) in determining product experience (Desmet and Hekkert, 2007).\nConclusion: This paper made a contribution to the body of knowledge in green marketing by content analysing green advertisements and extracting their intents. Results of the study guide marketers to develop a systematic, well-planned advertising plan that they may choose one or combinations of the intents to delineate objectives of their advertisements and to frame their messages.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to explore intents of green advertisements.\nDesign/methodology/approach: Using NVivo, a convenient sample of 237 green print advertisements published between August 2010 and July 2015 in leading Indian newspapers and magazines were content analysed.\nFindings: Four types of intents of green advertisements were identified: intent to communicate corporate environmental approaches; intent to develop believability towards environmental claims; intent to inform consumers; and intent to engage consumers.\nResearch limitations/implications: This study explored intents of green advertisements and elaborated upon strategic importance of content in green advertising.\nPractical implications: The intent-based exploration of green advertisements indicates marketing managers of green products the importance of: expanding their advertising framework that incorporates sharing environmental vision and mission of their companies with consumers, and relating them with consumers' needs and demands; inculcating functional, emotional and experiential elements in green advertisements that facilitate green product experience to the consumers; and active interactions between marketing managers and consumers for effectively capturing market-related information, and accordingly shaping their short- and long-term marketing and advertising decisions.\nOriginality/value: This study is unique to determine intents of green advertisements.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Impacts of personal trust, communication, and affective commitment on change success
|
[
"Commitment",
"Trust",
"Change",
"Ethics",
"Communication"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: Organizations nowadays must anticipate and adapt to complex and turbulent market environments.\nTheory and hypotheses development: In a meta-analysis of organizational change and the reactions it invokes, Oreg et al. (2011) review quantitative studies published between 1948 and 2007. Their resulting model includes explicit reactions to change, pre-change antecedents, change antecedents, and change consequences, though they also call for research to clarify these factors. In response, we investigate both change antecedents and, change consequences - i.e. change success, as Figure 1 indicates. We operationalize change success in terms of one's improved work performance and more efficient task completion, as well as the achievement of the intended change objectives and overall success of change. We view change success in organizations as comprising both an individual dimension and an organizational dimension. In an organizational change context, individual members typically ask the question pertaining to \"what's in there for me?\" (Vakola, 2014). In this respect, a change initiative would be considered successful by an employee if the outcome of such change positively affects that employee, for example in the form of improved work performance or the tasks becoming easier to perform. But in addition to meeting individual members' needs, \"to be effective, organizational change must be able to genuinely transform the business\" (Paul, 2015) and ultimately meets the overall objectives of the organization. In our study, the organizational dimension of change success is captured through the achievement of the intended objectives of the change and the overall success of the change.\nMethods: Data collection\nTest of hypotheses: In this study, we used SEM in AMOS 20.0. The following indices and standards are used in this study to assess the model fit: GFI and CFI greater than 0.90, RMSEA inferior to 0.08 for a good fit and to 0.05 for an excellent fit, and a ratio of kh2 to degrees of freedom (kh2/df) less than 3 (Hair et al., 2006; McKnight et al., 2002). The CFA results indicated a good model fit (GFI=0.924, CFI=0.967, RMSEA=0.070, kh2/df=2.498). We tested the hypotheses by running two structural equation models.\nDiscussion: Summary\nLimitations and future research directions: With our findings that communication has a direct effect on change success, as well as an indirect effect through affective commitment, and that personal trust exerts an indirect effect, we contribute to a better understanding of the role of some soft factors in organizational change programs. In turn, we recommend that managers develop effective communication, personal trust, and employee affective commitment during organizational change processes.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: Successful change implementation is crucial for organizational prosperity, and even survival. The purpose of this paper is to examine the impacts of personal trust and communication on change success, through affective commitment.\nDesign/methodology/approach: Based on an empirical study conducted among 307 employees of Canadian organizations and using structural equation modeling techniques.\nFindings: The authors find that communication has a direct impact on change success, as well as an indirect impact through affective commitment. Trust only exerts an indirect effect through affective commitment.\nOriginality/value: This research thus extends the literature on the role of \"soft\" organizational factors on organizational change. Since the authors have limited this study to \"soft\" variables, it can be complemented with a study of hard factors contributing to change success, in order to build a comprehensive organizational change success model.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Impact and status of HACCP in the Australian meat industry
|
[
"Hazards",
"Quality standards",
"Food safety",
"Meat industry",
"Australia"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) is a safety and quality management tool, developed by the Pillsbury Corporation in the 1960s (Bennet and Steed, 1999). In conjunction with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the system was used as a means of ensuring food safety for astronauts' food. From the 1980s onwards, HACCP based systems were gradually adopted in the food industry (Guzewich, 1985). In a review of the worldwide approach to the use of HACCP as a food safety control measure, Ropkins and Beck (2000) reported the adoption and implementation of HACCP in Australia as being much more rapid and industry driven than in other countries. The same authors also commented that the Australian food industry approach to food safety was the most practical and readily applicable to HACCP.By 1984, most of the Australian dairy industry had instituted HACCP orientated process control procedures (Peters, 1998). At about the same time, the Australian Quarantine Inspection Service (AQIS) was also involved in implementing HACCP procedures in the production of foods for export. Problems arose due to interpretation difficulties and inconsistencies in the numerous food safety schemes for export and local markets. It was not until 1996 that the Australia and New Zealand Food Authority (ANZFA, 2001) endorsed the Codex Alimentarius Commission guidelines and this allowed HACCP standardisation to take effect.In the meat sector, the legislation for domestic processing does not specifically mention HACCP. However, all meat works are required to have a food safety system that utilises HACCP based principles. The introduction of descriptive regulations, as stated in the Meat Industry Act (1993) and The Food Production (Safety) Regulation (2000, 2002) allowed firms to develop their own food safety programmes. Different approaches can be seen for export (MSQA, 1994) and domestic facilities, for example, in their prerequisite procedures and validation requirements.In 1995, Woolworths, a major and dominant food retail business, instituted the Woolworths Vendor Quality Management Standard (WVQMS). Woolworths thus demonstrated leadership in the food safety area and other majors followed suit in a short space of time. Under WVQMS all vendors intent on using Woolworths as a retail outlet for any product, were expected to comply fully with this Standard. Successful completion of a WVQMS certification audit qualified the firm as a trading partner. The WVQMS required: pre-requisites procedures - cleaning operations, good manufacturing practice (GMP), training (hygiene awareness), recall procedure, pest control procedures, factory inspection prior to commencement of operations; and the development of a HACCP plan following a 12-step process:1. form and describe HACCP team;2. define scope of HACCP study;3. describe product and intended use;4. prepare flow chart;5. conduct hazard analysis;6. determine the critical control points (CCP);7. establish critical limits;8. establish a system to monitor the CCP;9. establish corrective action;10. establish procedures for verification;11. establish documentation; and12. establish procedures for reviewing HACCP plans.Whilst most firms used the above process to fulfil the requirements for the domestic market, only minor additional changes were required for the export market. In addition, the advent of HACCP-9000 (NFSI, 1997) represented the integration of ISO 9000 and HACCP into one management system to assure food safety and quality recognisable world-wide. Cross-references between the ISO 9001 standard and HACCP were possible (NFSI, 1997) allowing closer management of an array of issues. For example, customer complaints could be used as a means of determining the effectiveness of HACCP since the review process allowed the HACCP team to re-assess the risks and severity in problem areas and to make the appropriate changes immediately on line or as required. Auditors would specifically target customer complaints and non-conforming product (ISO 9001:1994 element 4.1) as a feedback mechanism to ensure that these issues were addressed. Endpoint testing was required by a number of firms to ensure compliance to particular specifications. Aruoma (2006) concludes that HACCP is a major contributor to the overall quality assurance system (ISO 9000) and in international food trade. Today, the above WVQMS requirements are an intrinsic part of ISO 22000:2005.Although HACCP based programmes are now in place in the Australian meat industry, little information exists regarding the benefits, constraints, costs or novel verification methods employed. Yapp and Fairman (2006) recently identified the barriers affecting food safety compliance as time and money with underlying issues preventing compliance such as lack of trust in food safety legislation and enforcement officers, a lack of motivation in dealing with food safety legislation and a lack of knowledge and understanding within small and medium-sized enterprises (SME). A literature review by Cao et al. (2004) regarding the economic aspects of HACCP focuses on impact issues associated with HACCP implementation. Most of the economic evaluations of HACCP have emanated from the USA (Jensen and Unnevehr, 2000; Roberts et al., 1996). The regulatory impact assessment report by the US Food Safety and Inspection Services (2001) provides a preliminary indication of industry-wide cost and benefits. A report by the Allen Consulting Group (2002) in Australia shows the annual one-off aggregate development cost in ten industry categories to be in the order of AUS$192.2 million or AUS$1,440 per business; aggregate ongoing costs in the order of AUS$235.5 million or AUS$1,700 per business per annum and additional costs to government in the order of AUS$10 million for ten years.In the Allen Consulting Group (2002) study, the main benefits to the Australian food industry could not be precisely quantified but they centred around two main issues - the extent of any decrease in foodborne illnesses attributable to food safety programmes and the extent of the current incidence of foodborne illness and their associated costs. An approximate assessment of the benefits of HACCP adoption to the food industry (Allen Consulting Group, 2002) is AUS$339 million (confidence interval AUS$206 to 492 million). Other benefits were difficult to quantify. These were identified as improved food quality, reduced waste, better staff morale and awareness and improved routine. Data for individual industries that would allow for quantification of benefits does not exist.This study attempts to qualify and quantify HACCP based improvements in hygiene and food safety in the meat industry from a managerial perspective. Its objectives are:* to determine the motivators and constraints for HACCP implementation;* to ascertain the costs and benefits of HACCP implementation; and* to examine any novel verification methods being employed.\nMethod: Sample size and nature\nResults: Table I shows the number of meat plants by size and species processed. Firm size is an indication only and is used as a guide by the respective sources of the data for administrative purposes only. Interactions among species, type of firm and firm size existed within the matrix. Tables II and Table III identify the abattoirs and meat processing facilities sampled respectively.\nSection 1. Possible motivations to adopt HACCP: 1.1 It was a regulatory requirement\nSection 2. Possible constraints to adopting HACCP: 2.1 Capital costs of HACCP systems\nSection 3. Possible costs and benefits of HACCP implementation: 3.1 Costs\nSection 4. Novel verification methods: 4.1 Challenge testing\nDiscussion: There was a general lack of awareness of the Codex Alimentarius Commission HACCP (CAC, 1969) system amongst most of the firms interviewed. Yapp and Fairman (2006) found that 62 per cent of proprietors in UK based food SMEs demonstrated a lack of knowledge throughout the compliance decision process with regard to food safety legislation and environmental regulation. The specific design and implementation of HACCP as directed in Codex has been shrouded by other quality systems in Australia. Elements within ISO 9001:1994 and the WVQMS have been incorporated and adapted into food safety schemes allowing firms to leverage on the different quality schema. HACCP does not specifically require microbiological testing or traceability, however, verification in this case has been used to justify microbiological quality (pre-release and customer based requirements) while traceability has allowed firms to investigate the nature/source of customer complaints. It is interesting to note that the 12-step process can be cross referenced with clauses within ISO 22000:2005. Thus, firms in Australia have actually been practising elements seven (planning and realization of safe products) and eight (validation, verification and improvement of the food safety management system) in the ISO 22000 standard since 1995 (i.e. for almost ten years).The most effective food safety systems are established, operated and updated within the framework of a structured management system and incorporated into the overall management activities of the organisation. This provides maximum benefit for the organisation and interested parties. ISO 22000:2005 has been aligned with ISO 9001 in order to enhance the compatibility of the two standards. HACCP-9000 and the WVQMS have played an important role in the development and bringing to fruition of ISO 22000:2005.Risk assessment varied amongst firms. The severity and likelihood of occurrence of hazards followed different schema producing variable assessments. Classifications of severity and likelihood of occurrence were sometimes too broad. Auditors often questioning these schemes were found to be strict in certain instances while in others they were reported as skimming through the ratings.At first it appears that HACCP has been confused in a myriad of operational issues but infact it has been incorporated into larger/broader quality management systems. The world class safety performance record of the Australian meat industry is testament to its ability to integrate food safety and quality management practices into everyday operations. The sample of firms in this study account for 80 per cent of meat throughput, thus, their responses must be taken as representative of how the practice of ISO 22000 has created global leadership for the Australian meat industry. Finally, it is important to acknowledge that a limitation of this study was the unwillingness of small firms to participate. Although the 13 firms surveyed account for most of the throughput, and presumably most of the excellent safety record of the industry, further research needs to be carried out to examine food safety issues amongst the large number of small firms that make up the remainder of the industry.\nConclusion: The benefits to the meat industry in Australia from HACCP as incorporated in part to ISO 22000 have been widespread and significant. In particular, Australian firms reported a reduction in rejects/rework/out of specification products, reduction in customer complaints, improved product hygiene, improved morale and an increase in overseas markets. However, this has been at the cost of refurbishment for small businesses, training and the exiting of firms that have not complied/been able to comply with the HACCP requirements. Most of the costs involved with HACCP could not be recouped in the short term. Novel methods will require validation in order to claim equivalence over standard methods.The measurement of public health outcomes from changes in food hygiene regulations remains a daunting task for governments as these benefits can only be measured in the long term. Most of the HACCP systems in Australia have not adapted the principles to incorporate specific risks from viruses. This in itself will be a formidable task in the future for scientists and managers in the food industry.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: - A number of food safety systems have been implemented in Australia but information regarding the motivators, constraints, costs and benefits of Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) as a food safety programme, as well as novel verification methods in the meat industry, has been lacking.\nDesign/methodology/approach: - Semi-structured reviews were used as part of an industry-level study of 50 per cent of businesses.\nFindings: - Results show that the benefits of food safety systems incorporating HACCP within the meat industry in Australia have been widespread and significant. In particular, Australian firms reported a reduction in rejects/rework/out of specification products, reduction in customer complaints, improved product hygiene, improved morale and an increase in overseas markets. However, this has been at the cost of refurbishment for small businesses, training and the exiting of firms that have not complied/been able to comply with the HACCP requirements.\nResearch limitations/implications: - Most of the costs involved with HACCP could not be recouped in the short-term. Also, the unwillingness of small firms to participate in the research had repercussions on the outcome.\nOriginality/value: - This article helps to define the HACCP system and will be of interest to those involved in the implementation of it.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Cost of quality measurement in food manufacturing companies: the Greek case
|
[
"Greece",
"Cost of quality",
"Food manufacturing companies",
"PAF model"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n1. Introduction: In the modern global market, business organizations are confronted with highly competitive and complex circumstances (Wudhikarn et al., 2015), due to the internationalization of transactions, the rapid growth of technology and the changing socio-political and economic environment (Mahmood et al., 2014). Such a dynamic trading environment provides many potential opportunities for companies but also hidden risks (Arvaiova et al., 2009). As far as Greek companies are concerned, a complicated tax system, coupled with limited cash liquidity and a decrease in consumer spending power constitute a hard business environment in which companies have to survive and develop (Chatzipetrou and Moschidis, 2016).\n2. Literature review: 2.1 Cost of Quality (CoQ)\n3. Research methodology: 3.1 Questionnaire development\n4. Results: 4.1 Descriptive statistics\n5. Discussion: The small-medium size of the Greek companies of the sample is justified taking into consideration their small market size, the low GDP per capita and the tendency toward self-employment (Hyz, 2011). The Greek food companies studied by Psomas and Fotopoulos (2010) are also SMEs.\n6. Conclusions and practical implications: The measurement of CoQ and the inter-relations among the CoQ dimensions have been important research subjects for many years now. In order to further investigate the CoQ measurement within food companies, a research study was conducted in Greece. The present study contributes to the existing body of knowledge by offering deeper insights into the evaluation of CoQ in food manufacturing companies.\n7. Limitations and future research recommendations: The study presented in this paper suffers from some limitations that should be taken into consideration when generalizing. First, the number of the sample food companies is not large enough, while the number of measured variables included in the model is limited, compared with all the theoretically identified CoQ elements. Second, since the data include the subjective views of only one representative from each company who is responsible for the CoQ measurement, there is a risk of receiving biased responses regarding the indicators of the CoQ. Lastly, the sample of the responding food companies is limited to companies operating in a specific country (Greece) and does not include companies operating in other European countries.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to focus on the cost of quality (CoQ) of food manufacturing companies. The study aims at empirically validating the conceptual structure of the core dimensions of CoQ (prevention, appraisal, internal and external failure cost) and determining their level and relationships. Determining the reasons for not measuring the CoQ as well as the barriers-difficulties and benefits of the CoQ measurement is also an aim of the present study.\nDesign/methodology/approach: Greek food manufacturing companies were approached through a structured questionnaire and 91 participated in the study. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, descriptive statistics and correlation analysis are applied for data analysis.\nFindings: The structure of the core dimensions of CoQ is empirically validated, while all of them range within medium levels and are inter-related. The reasons for companies not measuring the CoQ as well as the barriers-difficulties of companies measuring the CoQ are not significant. On the contrary, significant benefits are derived from the CoQ measurement.\nResearch limitations/implications: The small sample of the food manufacturing companies operating in one country and the subjective business evidence collected are the main limitations of the present study.\nPractical implications: Food companies can be motivated to establish a robust CoQ measurement system, which would reflect the level of the CoQ dimensions. According to the results of the CoQ measurement, a food company can make decisions to increase the prevention and appraisal costs and decrease the internal- and external-failure costs in order to be more competitive in the market.\nOriginality/value: The paper provides deeper insights into the level and inter-relations of empirically validated CoQ dimensions. Very few studies on the CoQ in food manufacturing companies have been carried out in Greece and the present study makes the picture of the CoQ status in this sector more clear.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Determinants of environmental accounting and reporting practices in Portuguese local entities
|
[
"Local governments",
"Environmental reporting",
"Environmental accounting",
"Environmental management"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: Since the Rio Earth-Summit in 1992, environmental issues have become increasingly important to private and public sector organisations, regulators, environmentalists and society in general. 20 years later, the green economy was one of the themes for the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development held in Rio de Janeiro in 2012 (or Rio+20). The green economy has been seen an important tool for sustainable development, because that is inclusive and can drive green growth (United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, 2012).\nLiterature review: Most research on EARPs has been centred on private corporations (Mathews, 2004; Parker, 2005; Milne and Gray, 2007). As regards public sector organisations, little research has been carried out on them (Ball and Grubnic, 2007; Ball and Bebbington, 2008; Farneti and Guthrie, 2009; Gray et al., 2009; Guthrie et al., 2010).\nHypotheses: Previous literature on determinants of EARPs has identified several variables that could explain the extent to which such practices are implemented by an organisation. In this study, three of those variables have been considered as potential factors that drive the development of EARPs in Portuguese local entities. The following discussion relates to the construction of the hypotheses on the influence of those variables on the degree of development of such practices.\nResearch design: Sample\nResults and discussion: In this section, a descriptive analysis of the level of development of EARPs by Portuguese local entities is presented and a snapshot of the EARPs carried out by those organisations is provided. Additionally, the results regarding the influence of the explanatory variables on the degree of development of the EARPs included in the index are analysed and some general insights are drawn.\nConclusion: Although several authors (CPASR, 2005; Guthrie et al., 2010) have highlighted the need to understand public entities' current sustainability reporting practices, little research has been conducted in this field (Ball and Grubnic, 2007; Guthrie and Farneti, 2008; Farneti and Guthrie, 2009). Moreover, understanding the drivers for public sector organisations to adopt EARPs may help to promote the spread of such practices (CPASR, 2005; Qian et al., 2011). This study responds to recent calls for more research on both subjects.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to develop environmental accounting and reporting practices (EARPs) by Portuguese local entities and their determining factors.\nDesign/methodology/approach: Data were obtained through a postal survey. In order to measure the degree of development of environmental accounting and reporting practices index was developed, which reflects the extent to which a set of eight EARPs have been implemented by the 69 Portuguese local entities included in the sample. Three variables are considered in this study as possible factors that drive the development of environmental management practices (EMPs) by local entities, namely, size of entity, accounting framework, degree of development of EMPs.\nFindings: Results indicate the degree of development of EARPs in Portuguese local entities is low. Additionally, accounting regulation and the degree of development of EMPs are explaining factors of the degree of development of environmental accounting practices in Portuguese local entities.\nOriginality/value: This study adds to the international research on environmental accounting in public sector by providing empirical data from a country, Portugal, where empirical evidence is still relatively limited.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Swedish managers in TWA act as boundary spanners
|
[
"Temporary workers",
"Manpower planning",
"Managers",
"Recruitment agencies",
"Sweden"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: This paper highlights the complexity of manpower management in temporary work agencies (TWA). At an organisational level, these managers work in an interorganisational context in which actors from different organisations need to cooperate. As a result, organisational boundaries become blurred and employment relations to a specific employer become unclear (Grimshaw et al., 2005).The aim of this study is to investigate to which extent the work of manpower managers in a TWA in Sweden reflects the features identified as typical of boundary spanners by Williams (2002). The unit of analysis is the service the managers' offer to the clients and the temps (Cousins, 2002).Manpower managers in TWAs work under complex conditions with demands for flexibility. They are required to satisfy the TWAs demand for profitability, the client companies' needs for an adaptable workforce, and the temporary agency workers' (temps') requirements of employment and association. They are also responsible for temps who are contracted out to client companies. Therefore, they are responsible for people who often are in a position of outsiders, while handling the insecurity of the limited duration of the assignments and the variability of location. To handle such situations, the managers have to support the temps in their alternation between distance and proximity in spatial terms, and detachment and involvement in social terms (Olofsdotter and Augustsson, 2008). Thus, managers are responsible for temps who sometimes need to manoeuvre between power inequalities, stigmatisation, and the exclusion they encounter in working conditions and social interactions in client companies.This paper analysis the complexity that characterises the service that manpower managers in TWAs offer the clients and the temps. The managers act as boundary-spanners within the frameworks of interorganisational contexts.\nTWAs and interorganisational relations: TWAs are becoming more frequent in a variety of labour markets. One main reason for this is the flexibility needed to meet the increasing competition on the global market. In Sweden, TWAs are rapidly increasing but the percentage is still much lower than in the EU (0.8 per cent compared to 1.4 per cent; Storrie, 2003a, b). The market is dominated by a few companies acting on both a national and an international level.TWAs are an example of a trend towards further flexibility in the labour market, and \"a highly complex business\" (Williams, 2002, p. 118). The flexibility is about coping with fluctuations in staffing needs (Boje and Gronlund, 2003). The complexity is about the TWAs' contracting of staff to different kinds of organisations. Hiring companies - client companies - use the TWAs' services at different times, such as during periods of peak production, illness and holidays. They also use the services of TWAs as an alternative to recruiting on their own, and, the temps are also seen as a resource that can quickly move between departments within the company.At the organisational level, TWAs meet the needs of their temps and their client companies by matching labour supply to labour demand, and by spreading risk between the parties in the employment relationship (Bergstrom, 2003). At a managerial level, this splits the duties and responsibilities of management between the TWA and the client companies. Mid-level managers at TWAs are responsible for manpower supply, sickness absence and salaries, while mid-level managers at client companies are responsible for ensuring that the work is done and for its quality and evaluation (Purcell and Purcell, 1998; Ward et al., 2001).Much of previous research on TWAs seems to have been focused on TWA-workers rather than on managers in TWAs (Burgess and Connell, 2006; Hardy and Walker, 2003). This study focuses on thoughts and activities among managers in a TWA. The development of the temporary agency business poses new demands on manpower managers namely that they act as boundary crossing individuals between their TWAs and the client companies. Even the relationship between managers in client companies and TWAs can be complex. This is due to the fact that relationships are not determined solely by contract, but rather negotiated and managed between agency and managers on a daily, weekly and monthly basis (Ward et al., 2001).Figure 1 shows the actors in interorganisational relations between a TWA and a client company. The figure shows that the boundaries between the organisations are \"not spatially, but contractually defined\" (Garsten, 2003, p. 247). This brings to light the managers' difficulties and the complexities involved in creating a sense of one organisational community among temps who are employed in a TWA. These interorganisational relations include both cooperation between employees within the same hierarchical level, and attempts from managers within one organisation to manage and control employees from another organisation. As Grimshaw et al. (2005, p. 17) point out:It is feasible that comparatively high trust contractual relations may be established between the upper tiers of two organisations, but at the cost of new tensions and conflicts between managers and workers, and indeed between workers employed at these different organisations.Thus, although manpower managers in TWA can have a mutual profitable exchange, the consequences are more dubious for their employees. The managers are of particular interest since they might be said to represent a form of avant-garde of management of the future. The development of interorganisational relationships influences the management of human resources and key notions of HRM, such as culture, loyalty and identity. It also raises doubts as to where the locus of control and authority lies, as well as where an employee's duties of loyalty should be directed (Rubery et al., 2005). The problem is accentuated since interorganisational relations are a rather neglected area of research. This is even more surprising since all formal organisations are embedded in an environment of other organisations as well as a complex of norms, values and collectives in the society at large (Evan, 1965).Marchington and Vincent (2004, p. 1030) identify a number of other shortcomings in earlier research. In sum, they point out that organisations have been treated as homogenous and cohesive agents whose actions could be reduced to a single behaviour and strategy. It has not been observed that interorganisational relations vary depending on a variety of circumstances. Finally, there has been a tendency in existing studies to focus on the organisation as the principal (and often sole) level of analysis, thus ignoring influences both beyond and at the managerial level within the organisation.Boundary-spanning among manpower managers in TWAs\nMethod: The results are based upon a case study where manpower managers at one of the biggest TWAs in Sweden (here given the pseudonym Alert AB) were interviewed. The choice of case study was suitable for systematically interviewing managers with unclear boundaries between their work tasks and the organisational context (Yin, 1994). Alert AB is separated into regions which are divided into local offices with a focus on local conditions or a particular sector. The data come from a metropolitan region where two local offices specialising in different sectors were selected in February 2004.The selected offices are called administration and industry in this paper. Administration provides office administration services. At the time of the study, it had 178 employees, of whom 85 per cent were women. About 71 per cent had open-ended contracts. The industry office provides services in logistics and industrial production. It had 216 employees, 83 per cent of whom were men. About 17 per cent had open-ended contracts.Data collection was carried out in the form of qualitative interviews in the autumn of 2004. A total of 23 interviews were carried out with office managers, manpower managers and temps. None TWA managers were included in the data because their day-to-day knowledge about the working conditions for the manpower managers was more comprehensive than detailed. The temps and the managers in the study varied in age and ethnic background, civil status and experience of the TWA sector.The managers were between the ages of 24 and 49. Their education varied among human resource management, business administration and marketing. The results are presented as selected quotes from the interviewed managers. One female office manager and five manpower managers, three women and two men came from the administration office. One male office manager and four manpower managers, one woman and three men, came from the industry office.The interviews were semi-structured and were carried out at the office premises. During the interviews, an interview guide was used that allowed the managers to answer using their own words and narratives (Fielding and Thomas, 2001). The interviews lasted between one-and-a-half and two hours and were recorded on tape and transcribed in verbatim. Printed interviews were analysed using Nudist software. The analysis followed Miles and Huberman (1994, p. 69) by first-level and pattern coding the interviewees' definition of their situation.The analysis was done in three steps. First, the authors, independently of each other, read and summarized the data by sorting and coding the managers' relations to clients, the TWA and the temps as they were presented in the conducted interviews. This was followed by a joint discussion where the patterns in each of the authors' codes were matched with each other.Second, the discussion resulted in a grouping of the summarized and coded data according to Williams' (2002) categories: managing complexity and interdependencies (issues about adaption of own approach); building sustainable relationships (issues about communication, responsiveness, empathy, problem solving, individuality and trust); managing through influencing and negotiation (issues about influence in terms of consensus and win-win solutions) and managing roles, accountabilities and motivations (issues about high degree of awareness of roles and responsibilities between different actors).Third, the grouped data and selected categories were then sorted in a more detailed way, also this time independently done by the authors. The authors' common result from these three steps is represented by the quotations that are shown in the paper.\nResults: The aim of this study was to analyse the concepts of interorganisational relations and boundary-spanning agents, and their applicability to manpower managers in TWAs in Sweden. Williams' (2002) categorisation of boundary-spanning activities was the primary tool used for the analysis.Managing complexity and interdependencies\nDiscussion and conclusions: This paper analyses to which extent Swedish manpower managers act as boundary-spanning agents in an interaorganisational setting. Interorganisational relations concern the contractual cooperational framework between managers and employees from different organisations. Boundary-spanners refer to managers that both formally and informally interact with their own and at least one other organisation's staff in order to fulfil a service relation (Cousins, 2002; Marchington et al., 2005).The findings show that manpower managers working in a TWA have a lot in common with boundary-spanners as Williams (2002) describes their activities. Their work tasks entail the need for a flexible approach toward different interests whereby they confront, and take care of, complex situations and interdependencies. The manager are also forced to build sustainable personal relationships with staff in the client company at the same time as he/she also has to take care of and establish good individual relations to the temps. Further, the managers often find themselves standing in-between the client and the temp which is why he/she needs to influence and negotiate what goes on between them. Finally, the data show the importance of managing roles, accountabilities and motivations by balancing between social and business aspects of management.Managers are seen as boundary-spanning agents when handling trust and risk. Trust concerns the acceptance of a person to put her-/himself in a situation where someone else can take advantage at the same time as he/she feels assured that this will not happen (Marchington et al., 2005). Risk is about the opposite to trust when a person never completely rules out that someone else can exploit her/him (Cousins, 2002; Marchington and Vincent, 2004).The findings in this paper indicate that this is also the case for TWAs' boundary-spanning managers in interorganisational settings. In the long run, they have to be good at mediating between the clients, the TWAs, and the individual opinions of the temps and at balancing between trust and risk, especially in terms of goodwill and competence.These findings implicate the importance for the managers to apply both a \"flexible approach\" and a \"dialectical approach\". The flexible approach is about the influence to simultaneously embrace at least three sets of perspectives: the client's, the TWAs and the temps'. The meaning of the dialectical approach is to make use of the flexible approach by:* not relating the opinions of others to their own personal values;* systematically opposing the pair of trust and risk against each other; and* searching for the most functional option or the optimal synthesis.Limitations\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: - The purpose of this paper is to highlight the complexity of manpower management in temporary work agencies (TWA). The aim is to investigate to which extent the managers reflects the features of boundary spanners.\nDesign/methodology/approach: - The results come from a case study where manpower managers at one of the biggest TWAs in Sweden are interviewed.\nFindings: - TWAs' boundary-spanning managers mediate between the opinions of the clients, the TWAs, and the individual temps as well as balancing between trust and risk. The findings reveal the relevance of the managers' application of a flexible and a dialectical approach when delivering service to clients, the TWA and the temps. This flexible approach means being able to simultaneously embrace these three perspectives of interests. A dialectical approach involves being able to: systematically balance between the opposing pair of trust and risk and search for the most functional option and not relate others' opinions to one's own personal values.\nResearch limitations/implications: - The interview data come from a case study at only one TWA and it is collected in a limited number of interview subjects.\nPractical implications: - The results can provide useful information for recruiters of manpower managers in a TWA when choosing staff members that can enhance strategic management of temps. The results can also be of assistance for managers when interacting with both customers and temps.\nOriginality/value: - The paper contributes to the literature by an analysis of the complex working conditions under which manpower managers in TWAs work.\n",
"role": "assistant"
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] |
The impact of firm reputation and failure severity on customers' responses to service failures
|
[
"Service failures",
"Corporate image",
"Consumer behaviour"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n__NO_TITLE__: An executive summary for managers and executive readers can be found at the end of this article.\nIntroduction: Failures in service delivery represent a significant challenge for every service organization. The labor-intensive nature of services results in greater heterogeneity in delivery, a characteristic not present in the production of most tangible products (Berry, 1980). Research findings have confirmed that product and service failures can lead to many undesirable consequences for organizations, such as customer anger (Folkes, 1984; Folkes et al., 1987), dissatisfaction (Bitner et al., 1990; Bitner, 1990; Hess et al., 2003; Tsiros et al., 2004), complaint intentions (Folkes, 1984; Curren and Folkes, 1987; Folkes et al. 1987), a desire to hurt the firm's business (Folkes, 1984), and exit/switching (Keaveney, 1995).Given the reliance on employees for service delivery, customers can experience some level of variance even from service organizations with the best reputations for service quality. Certainly, customers maintain very different expectations about the level of service provided by firms with excellent versus average reputations for service (Zeithaml et al., 1993). Firm reputation has been shown to influence many customer responses, including product and service choice (Traynor, 1983), overall attitudes (Brown, 1995), purchase intentions (Yoon et al., 1993), and trust (Johnson and Grayson, 2005). The purpose of this study is to examine whether customers' perceptions of firm reputation alters their responses to service failures. To date, very little - if any - research has examined the impact of firm reputation within a failure/complaint handling context.Limited research has examined the factors that influence customers' responses to failures, with past experience receiving the most attention. Several studies have characterized these responses in terms of a Bayesian updating process whereby customers weigh prior experiences (i.e. expectations and/or cumulative satisfaction) more heavily when making evaluations of the current encounter (Anderson and Sullivan, 1993; Boulding et al., 1993; Bolton, 1998). This suggests that current failures will have less negative impact on customers' evaluations over time, an effect that has become known as the \"buffering effect\" (Anderson and Sullivan, 1993; Boulding et al., 1993; Bolton, 1998). These studies, however, fail to consider how this buffering effect may be influenced by the severity of the failure or firm reputation. This study will examine such effects by including failure severity and the moderating role of firm reputation on customer satisfaction.Another pathway for this buffering effect is through customer attributions. Hess et al. (2003) investigated the influence of relationship quality on the attributions that customers make following failures. They found that stronger relationships (influenced by past experience) led to lower stability attributions (i.e. causes perceived to be permanent and likely to recur), but to higher controllability attributions (i.e. causes perceived to be preventable by the organization). Given the relationship between attributions and customer dissatisfaction (Bitner, 1990; Hess et al., 2003), these results reveal that relationship quality can both buffer (i.e. through lower stability attributions) and magnify (i.e. through greater controllability attributions) the effects of failures for organizations. We also include controllability and stability attributions as an additional avenue for the possible buffering (or magnifying) effects of firm reputation.The central issue of this research, therefore, is to investigate whether firm reputation for service quality will buffer (or magnify) customers' negative responses to service failures. First, this study will examine whether firm reputation moderates the relationship between failure severity and satisfaction. Next, we consider whether firm reputation influences attributions of controllability and stability, as well as two important customer outcomes, i.e. repurchase and negative word of mouth intentions. The direct effects of attributions on these customer outcomes will also be tested. We begin by introducing the conceptual model for this study and reviewing the relevant literature.\nConceptual framework: The conceptual model for this study is presented in Figure 1. As the model demonstrates, a firm's reputation for service quality, described as excellent or average[1], is hypothesized to affect this response process in several ways. First, firm reputation is expected to moderate the effect of failure severity on satisfaction with the organization (H1). Next, firm reputation is proposed to influence the attributions of controllability and stability that customers make about the cause of failures (H2 and H3). These attributions, in turn, are hypothesized to directly affect repurchase intentions and negative word of mouth behavior after considering the effects of satisfaction (H5 and H6). The final influence of firm reputation is on both repurchase and negative word of mouth intentions (H4). We begin by defining several concepts that are fundamental to this conceptual model.Firm reputation for service quality\nMethods: A sample of 322 consumers volunteered to complete this questionnaire. Participants were solicited while they were seated at airline gates waiting to board flights at a major airport on the East coast. No compensation was provided for participation. Airline passengers waiting for flights have been used quite frequently as a sampling technique in marketing (Bitner, 1990; Folkes et al., 1987; Folkes and Patrick, 2003; McCollough et al., 2000; Hess et al., 2007; Ambrose et al., 2007).A role-playing experimental methodology (scenarios) was utilized to test the conceptual model for this study, a methodology which has been used frequently to study the effects of failure and recovery (Bitner, 1990; Hess et al., 2003; Smith and Bolton, 1998, Smith et al., 2002; Smith et al., 1999; Blodgett et al., 1997; Mattila and Cranage, 2005). This methodology was chosen for a number of important reasons. First, compared to alternative methods, role-playing experiments provide researchers with some control over extraneous factors that may influence the results of the study. In addition, this methodology allows researchers to study issues that are difficult to examine, such as service failures. Research has shown that many different types of service failures are experienced by customers. We expect that customers are likely to respond somewhat differently to each of these types of events. This methodology allows for standardized descriptions of failures. Finally, the role-playing methodology allows for the compression of time by allowing the researcher to describe events that can transpire over hours, days, or even weeks (Bitner, 1990).Participants were randomly assigned to one of four experimental conditions in a 2x2 between-subjects factorial design. The scenario described a service encounter in which a failure occurs with a restaurant employee. The two manipulated variables included:1. firm's reputation for service quality (average versus excellent[1]); and2. severity of the service failure (mild versus severe).The specific wording for these manipulations is presented in Appendix 1. Descriptions for the manipulations of firm reputation followed manipulations employed by Goldberg and Hartwick (1990) and were adapted for this context. Two different descriptions of the employee's behavior were altered to produce a distinction between mild and severe failures. These descriptions were consistent with previous research manipulating failure severity (Hess et al., 2003).Procedure\nAnalysis and results: The hypotheses were tested using OLS regression procedures[2]. Table III presents the results of the relationships proposed in the conceptual model presented in Figure 1. Most of the proposed relationships are supported by the data. The results indicate that a firm's reputation for service quality has a significant influence on customers' responses to service failures. Specifically, the results show that firm reputation interacts with failure severity to impact satisfaction. In addition, we show that an excellent reputation for service quality leads to lower attributions of controllability and stability. Furthermore, attributions and firm reputation directly affect repurchase intentions after considering for satisfaction. The same relationships, however, were not supported for negative word-of-mouth intentions: controllability, stability, and firm reputation were not significantly related to this customer outcome. In the following section, the specific results for the hypotheses will be discussed.The moderating role of firm reputation\nDiscussion: Implications for research\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: - This study seeks to investigate the impact of firm reputation for service quality on customers' responses to service failures. Firm reputation is defined as customers' perceptions of how well a firm takes care of customers and is genuinely concerned about their welfare.\nDesign/methodology/approach: - An experiment design methodology was utilized to test the conceptual model. The respondents were adult passengers waiting for flights at a major airport.\nFindings: - Overall, the findings revealed that excellent reputations provide firms with a \"buffering effect\", insulating them from some of the negative consequences of failures. Firm reputation moderated the relationship between failure severity and satisfaction, lowered attributions of controllability and stability, and led to higher repurchase intentions following service failures. Attributions of controllability and stability were related only to repurchase intentions; satisfaction did not fully mediate these relationships.\nResearch limitations/implications: - A limitation is the use of an experimental methodology. Other methods would enhance the external validity of the findings.\nPractical implications: - The findings of this study provide compelling evidence that a firm's reputation can be one of its most important assets. Carefully building and maintaining this reputation is paramount for continued success in any industry, but especially important for service firms where failures are inevitable.\nOriginality/value: - Very little research has examined the effects of firm reputation. This study contributes by testing the impact of firm reputation on customers' responses within a service failure context.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Boardroom's independence and corporate performance: the ever-elusive conundrum
|
[
"Organizational performance",
"Corporate governance",
"Financial performance",
"Board of directors",
"Boardroom effectiveness",
"Corporate strategy"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: The importance of an independent boardroom is underscored by the fact that an inside directorship position implies that management is overseeing management. The egregious conflict of interest associated with the inside directorship position would certainly stifle the ability of the directors to maneuver in all objectivity and autonomy and to make value-added decisions for the supreme interest of the shareholders and other stakeholders. For instance, it would be awkward (if not impossible) for inside directors to evaluate the CEO (their boss) with equanimity (Lorsch, 1995). Their judgments are consciously or subconsciously impaired by self-serving career considerations such as compensation and promotion.\nA brief review of corporate governance theories: During the first part of the twentieth century, Berle and Means (1932) wrote their landmark book The Modern Corporation and Private Property. The book set the foundation for research examining the problems of separation of ownership and control, particularly as it relates to probing the trustworthiness of executives in carrying their fiduciary duties to the corporation and the shareholders in all diligence and conscientiousness.\nLiterature review on boardroom independence-corporate performance linkage: Despite the apparent economic primacy of independent boardroom configurations, the aggregate research findings are inconclusive. The majority of the prevailing empirical studies have adopted deductive methodologies using normative statistical analysis with large sets of archival data. The normative research uses hypothesis testing and deductive reasoning using dependent and independent variables. The dependent variable is usually a measure of corporate performance, and the independent variable is a corporate governance attribute such as boardroom independence (Bennedsen et al., 2008; Lefort and Urzua, 2008; Gompers et al., 2003; Denis and Sarin, 1999; Yermack, 1996). The control variables are incorporated in the regression equation to assess the robustness of the observed relationship and to determine whether the results are data-driven or model-dependent. The model is processed in a normative input-output sense ranging from simple to multi-stage regression analyses. The major research findings could be grouped into four hypotheses:\nDiagnosing why research is inconclusive: Ontological complexities\nConclusions: The relationship between boardroom independence and corporate performance is puzzling because it is still unsettled in the academic literature. Empirical investigations on the subject have been dominated by positivists who postulate inferences based on normative hypothesis formulation using, predominantly, archival data. This form of research fails to establish robust and unequivocal evidences because of ontological and methodological complexities. The uncertainties related to what constitutes directorship independent judgment further blur the boardroom independence-corporate performance linkage.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to unravel the root causes as to why the boardroom independence-corporate performance linkage remains an elusive conundrum in the academic literature, and to propose practical recommendations for future research endeavors.\nDesign/methodology/approach: The probing of the underlying issues is made via an extensive review of the existing literature. A thoughtful analysis is conducted from a multi-disciplinary perspective by soliciting feedback from academics with corporate governance expertise in finance, accounting, economy, strategy, management and organizational behavior.\nFindings: The lack of consensus on the economic value of an independent boardroom is attributed to three reasons. The first reason is ontological complexities inherent to the very nature of the corporation. The second reason is methodological complexities intrinsic to normative research with large archival data. The third reason is self-serving behavioral motive that cannot be factored in archival data.\nResearch limitations/implications: The infusion of complementary methodologies to the existing empirical dogmatism would provide the framework for a better understanding of corporate governance challenges and opportunities, particularly as it relates to making causal inferences on boardroom independence and corporate performance.\nPractical implications: New insights on boardroom independence would directly influence corporate practices.\nSocial implications: The determination as to what constitutes optimum boardroom configuration has emerged as an issue of considerable importance to shareholders, policymakers and other stakeholders.\nOriginality/value: Virtually no studies have been conducted in a comprehensive and systematic manner addressing the fundamental question as to why research pertaining to boardroom independence-corporate performance has not yielded unequivocal results in the relevant academic literature, thus the originality and value of this research.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
A reputation-oriented trust model for multi-agent environments
|
[
"Reputation",
"Conflict",
"Multi-agent systems",
"Disrepute",
"Trust models"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n1. Introduction: Intelligent software agents apply information to organize and filter data to meet the users' needs (Khan et al., 2012). The multi-agent systems in an e-commerce environment organize and constrain the actions that the agents can perform at a given time (Tampitsikas et al., 2012). It should be considered that many of the methodologies proposed by the concept of multi-agent systems are mainly based on business applications. It means that the main motivation for these methodologies is to design and develop the business application that is used in the real environment (Mirzaie and Fesharaki, 2012). However, e-commerce has increased the likelihood or negative consequences of some risks that already exist in the offline environment and created some risks that are completely new (Zendehdel and Paim, 2012). As such, the generation of economic activities via electronic transactions which is based on multi-agent systems requires the presence of a system of trust and distrust in order to ensure the fulfilment of a contract (Walter et al., 2008; Zhou, 2009), but in the absence of personal experience, trust often has to be based on referrals from others (Bradai, 2014; Josang et al., 2007). Hence, reputation can be considered as a collective measure of trustworthiness based on the referrals or ratings from members in a community (Josang et al., 2007; Tong, 2015). For instance, the beta reputation system (Commerce et al., 2002; Yu et al., 2014) represents a witness information model that agents employ not only their own experience in evaluating a provider, but also reports made by other agents in multi-agent environments (Kerr and Cohen, 2009).\n2. Background: In this section, the concepts of reputation, disrepute, and conflict are described by presenting several related models according to these components.\n3. R-D-C model: In this section, a computational method for calculating R-D-C of each provider agent is presented based on the related models which were described in Section 2, and then an approach is proposed for selecting the most trustworthy provider agent based on the calculated R-D-C values of the providers. In this case, first, the requester agent sends a query to their neighbourhood agents, as an advisor agent, and asks them if they are familiar with the identified providers, to define the number and also rating of previous satisfying and dissatisfying interactions that they had with those providers. This query contains the following:\n4. Simulation set up: In this section, a simulation of the multi-agent environment was constructed as a controlled experiment by using MATLAB (R2012a). Then the accuracy of R-D-C was examined in two stages; in the first stage, the average accuracy of calculating R-D-C values for the trustworthy and untrustworthy providers was examined. In this case, the R-D-C values of the providers in average times of iteration were calculated. The expectation was that the reputation values of the trustworthy providers should be higher than their disrepute while the reputation values of the untrustworthy providers should be less than their disrepute.\n5. Results and discussion: The results of evaluation R-D-C model in the simulated multi-agent environment are presented in the following subsections. First the results of the average accuracy for R-D-C are determined, and then the results of comparison R-D-C with the existing models are described.\n6. Conclusion: This paper proposed an integrated approach, namely R-D-C to select the most trustworthy provider by computing the R-D-C values of behaviours of each provider. There is a lack of trust models addressing a method for evaluating disrepute of providers based on previous negative outcomes. In fact, most of the existing trust models only consider previous satisfying interactions, without giving attention to the effects of dissatisfying interactions in selecting the most trustworthy provider agent. In contrast, R-D-C considers both previous satisfying and dissatisfying interactions of each provider to find the most trustworthy one. Moreover, there is a need to find a proper selection method in identifying the most trustworthy provider; hence R-D-C proposes to use TOPSIS which is a multi-criteria decision-making method. The experimental results show that R-D-C can compute the R-D-C values of each provider accurately. In addition, the comparison results illustrate that the performance of R-D-C in selecting the most trustworthy provider is significantly better than the other existing trust models, regardless of the number of providers. Therefore, applying R-D-C in multi-agent systems can enhance the safety of electronic transactions by finding the most trustworthy provider agent in multi-agent environments.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to enhance trust in multi-agent systems by presenting a new computational model, named reputation-distribute-conflict (R-D-C), to select the most trustworthy provider agent based on computing reputation, disrepute, and conflict of each provider agent.\nDesign/methodology/approach: R-D-C propose based on three vital components for evaluating trustworthiness of providers as reputation, disrepute, and conflict, where disrepute is a component almost all trust models ignored. The R-D-C model presents a computational method for evaluating to select the most trustworthy provider agent. In order to evaluate the R-D-C model, the experimentation was carried out in two stages, by designing a simulated multi-agent environment. First, the accuracy of the R-D-C model in computing R-D-C was investigated. Second, the performance of the model was compared with other existing trust models. Moreover, comparison of the performance of the R-D-C model with other models demonstrates that the R-D-C model performs significantly better than the other models. Therefore, the R-D-C model is capable of evaluating the trustworthiness of agents more accurately and it can select the most trustworthy provider better than the other models.\nFindings: The results show that the R-D-C model works well in different multi-agent environments, even when the number of untrustworthy providers is higher than that of the trustworthy ones.\nOriginality/value: The R-D-C model is useful for researchers to enhance the safety of online transactions in multi-agent environments, especially if the researchers explore more components; in fact the R-D-C model is capable of adding these new components and selects the most trustworthy provider agent.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
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