bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Islamic banking and real performances in a dual banking system
Authors: Ben Mimoun Mohamed
Published: June 2019

Purpose

There is a rich debate on the nature of Islamic banking (IB)–growth nexus and the direction of causality governing this nexus. This study aims to focus on this issue in the case of Saudi Arabia, the largest country-holder of Islamic Banks (IBs)’ assets worldwide. It assesses empirically the nature of dynamic interactions between IBs’ financing and the real performances in the non-oil private sector (investment and GDP) in the context of a dual banking system where IBs operate alongside their conventional counterparts.

Design/methodology/approach

This study employs the Bounds test in the context of reparametrized autoregression distribution lags (ARDL) models to analyse both long-run and short-run dynamics governing Islamic and conventional banks’ (CBs) financings on one hand and real investment and GDP in the private sector on the other hand over the 2007q1-2016q4 period. It also uses the Toda and Yamamoto (1995) augmented Granger-causality test to assess the direction of causality governing these dynamics.

Findings

The more important results are: there is a stable and significant long-run relationship between IBs’ financing and real performances in the private sector. This nexus is governed by the “feed-back hypothesis”, implying the validity of both the “supply-leading” and the “demand-following” hypotheses. In a dual banking system context, IBs exert two effects on the financing of their conventional counterparts: a negative “crowding-out” effect and a positive and “stimulating” effect which transmits through the “competition” channel. Finally, in the long-run, steady-state, real GDP is dissociated from CBs’ financing.

Originality/value

This paper highlights an issue that has not received the needed attention in the case of Saudi Arabia. It has also found novel results with important policy implications.
Technological innovativeness and information quality as neoteric predictors of users’ acceptance of learning management system
Authors: Zwain Ammar Abdulameer Ali
Published: June 2019

Purpose

This study aims to expand the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT2) by exploring the effect of two new predictors: technological innovativeness and information quality, along with the learning value and the original determinants that influence faculty and students’ acceptance of the Moodle-Learning Management System. The modified model includes nine predictors: performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence, facilitating conditions, learning value, hedonic motivation, habit, technological innovativeness and information quality.

Design/methodology/approach

The study is based on a cross-sectional survey design. The target population was faculty and students of the University of Kufa in Iraq. An online questionnaire was used to collect 228 responses from faculty and 553 from students.

Findings

Results of the Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) Partial Least Squares (PLS) analysis revealed that factors which influence faculty acceptance were social influence, facilitating conditions, hedonic motivation, habit, technological innovativeness and information quality, while factors which influence student acceptance were performance expectancy, facilitating conditions, learning value, hedonic motivation, habit, technological innovativeness and information quality.

Originality/value

The theoretical and practical contribution of the present study lies in the expansion of the UTAUT2 model through adding neoteric predictors, which are technological innovativeness and information quality. This study provides insights and further understanding of the effect of predictors (original and additive) on users’ acceptance of e-learning management system. In addition, the ﬁndings of the current study enable decision-makers and those interested in developing Moodle-LMS to obtain in-depth information on these indicators, especially in the Iraqi higher education environment.
How social media usage influences B2B customer loyalty: roles of trust and purchase risk
Authors: Zhang Chu-Bing , Li Yi-Na
Published: June 2019

Purpose

In the digital era, business-to-business (B2B) salespersons are encouraged to communicate with buyers on social media platforms and shape customer loyalty. However, the effect of social media usage and its mechanism remain unexplored. The purpose of this paper is to investigate how salespersons’ social media usage influences B2B buyers’ trust beliefs and purchase risk, and therefore, customer loyalty.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors conduct an online-survey, use partial least squares structural equation modeling to analyze the data, and adopt SPSS PROCESS macro 2.13 to test mediation effects.

Findings

Salespersons’ social media usage can enhance buyers’ trust beliefs on salespersons’ ability, integrity and benevolence, but only the latter two can improve customer loyalty. Social media usage does not directly affect purchase risk, and only benevolence can reduce purchase risk. Serial mediation models reveal that the effect of social media usage on customer loyalty is mediated by buyers’ trust beliefs on salespersons’ integrity/benevolence and purchase risk.

Originality/value

First, the authors confirm the effect of social media usage on customer loyalty in B2B context and refute the fallacy of social media uselessness in B2B practices. Second, the research shows that buyers’ trusting beliefs on salesperson’s ability and integrity do not significantly influence perceived risk. The finding is different from the stereotypical judgment in B2C scenarios. Third, the authors distinguish differently weighted influences of buyers’ trusting beliefs on salesperson’s ability, integrity and benevolence, and highlight the role of salespersons’ altruism attributes in shaping customer loyalty.
Service fairness and customer satisfaction
Authors: Han Xiaoyun , Fang Shujie , Xie Lishan , Yang Junfeng
Published: June 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationship between service fairness and customer satisfaction, and test the mediation role of customer psychological empowerment in this relationship.

Design/methodology/approach

A cross-sectional empirical study is designed to test the research model. Customers of retail bank in South China are surveyed. Regression analysis and structural equation model analysis are done with SPSS 21.0 and LISREL 8.72 separately.

Findings

The results indicate that: first, service fairness increases customer satisfaction. Specifically, distributive fairness, procedural fairness and interactional fairness affect customer satisfaction positively and directly, while informational fairness affects customer satisfaction indirectly. Second, customer psychological empowerment fully mediates the relationship between informational fairness and customer satisfaction, while plays a partial mediating role between distributive fairness, procedural fairness, interactional fairness and customer satisfaction. Third, four kinds of service fairness have different influences on three dimensions of customer psychological empowerment.

Practical implications

The findings provide suggestions for managers to improve customer psychological empowerment by treating customer fairly, and to increase customer satisfaction through empowering customer in services, especially for state-owned banks.

Originality/value

It is recognized that service fairness leads to customer satisfaction in marketing literature; however, the empirical research studies about this are rare. This research not only contributes to service fairness theory, but also enriches our understanding of customer empowerment in service process.
Intelligent agent technology: what affects its adoption in hotel food supply chain management?
Authors: Alsetoohy Omar , Ayoun Baker , Arous Saleh , Megahed Farida , Nabil Gihan
Published: June 2019

Purpose

The study adopted a conceptualized technological, organizational and environmental (TOE) model to empirically investigate the factors affecting hotel managers’ attitudes toward intelligent agent technology (IAT) adoption in the hotel food supply chain management (HFSCM) and their intentions for future adoption.

Design/methodology/approach

In-person survey was carried out in luxury hotels in Florida.

Findings

The findings indicated that merely 5.7 per cent of hotels are fully implementing IAT. Perceived benefits, reliability, quality of human resources, information intensity and market capabilities had a statistically significant positive impact on hotel managers’ attitudes. However, complexity and cost had a negative influence on hotel managers’ attitudes toward IAT adoption in the HFSCM. Managers’ attitude further positively influences their intention to adopt.

Practical implications

The validated model helps guide hotel decision makers who are considering IAT adoption in the HFSCM. Hotels that are seeking sources for competitive advantages would better consider the TOE factors in IAT adoption prior to making a decision.

Originality/value

This is the first study that examined IAT adoption in the hotel industry from a theoretical and empirical perspective. The validated model proposed for the adoption of IAT in HFSCM enriched the TOE model and the diffusion of innovations theory.
Hotels at fingertips: informational cues in consumer conversion from search, click-through, to book
Authors: Xie Karen L. , Lee Young Jin
Published: June 2019

Purpose

When shopping for hotels online, consumers usually follow a sequential process of search, click-through and book. How to maximize consumer conversion on the path to purchase and prevent potential customers from giving up the online search remains an important topic to hotel marketers and online travel agents (OTAs). The purpose of this study is to understand how informational cues displayed in an online hotel search process, including quality indicators, brand affiliation, incentives (discounted price and promotion) and position in the search results, influence consumer conversion from one stage to another.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors collected clickstream data of hotel search from Expedia. The data include information on individual consumers’ click-through and booking, as well as events leading up to the conversions (or failure to convert) from search, click-through to book. It contains 940,164 hotels searched and displayed in 39,574 online search queries made by users in a regional US market between November 1, 2012 and June 20, 2013. The modeling strategy comprised the Heckman model and random effects model, which integrated sequential consumer behavior in different problem-solving stages while accounting for heterogeneity across different hotels online.

Findings

The authors find that consumers rely on informational cues displayed online to make decisions about hotel booking. Specifically, consumers tend to click through hotels with higher consumer-generated ratings and industry-endorsed ratings. However, they tend to rely on consumer-generated ratings rather than industry-endorsed ratings when committing to a booking. Moreover, consumers are strongly responsive to incentives (discounted price and promotion) when clicking-through and booking a hotel. Finally, the likelihood of consumer conversions from search to click-through and booking is higher for hotels with brand affiliation and higher positions in the search results.

Originality/value

This research provides critical managerial implications of online search for hotel marketers and OTAs. The results inform hotel marketers and OTAs on how consumers respond to informational cues displayed in their search process and how these informational cues influence consumer conversion from one stage to another. The sequential problem-solving process of search, click-through and booking disclosed in this study also helps hotel marketers to identify customer conversion opportunities using effective informational cues.
Progress on Airbnb: a literature review
Authors: Guttentag Daniel
Published: June 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to review the extant literature on Airbnb – one of the most significant recent innovations in the tourism sector – to assess the research progress that has been accomplished to date.

Design/methodology/approach

Numerous journal databases were searched, and 132 peer-reviewed journal articles from various disciplines were reviewed. Key attributes of each paper were recorded, and a content analysis was undertaken.

Findings

A survey of the literature found that the majority of Airbnb research has been published quite recently, often in hospitality/tourism journals, and the research has been conducted primarily by researchers in the USA/Canada and Europe. Based on the content analysis, the papers were divided into six thematic categories – Airbnb guests, Airbnb hosts, Airbnb supply and its impacts on destinations, Airbnb regulation, Airbnb’s impacts on the tourism sector and the Airbnb company. Consistent findings have begun to emerge on several important topics, including guests’ motivations and the geographical dispersion of listings. However, many research gaps remain, so numerous suggestions for future research are provided.

Practical implications

By reviewing a large body of literature on a fairly novel and timely topic, this research provides a concise summary of Airbnb knowledge that will assist industry practitioners as they adapt to the recent rapid emergence of Airbnb.

Originality/value

This is the first paper to review the extant literature specifically about Airbnb.
A new dimension in publishing ethics: social media-based ethics-related accusations
Authors: Teixeira da Silva Jaime A. , Dobránszki Judit
Published: June 2019

Purpose

Whistle-blowing, which has become an integral part of the post-publication peer-review movement, is being fortified by social media. Anonymous commenting on blogs as well as Tweets about suspicions of academic misconduct can spread quickly on social media sites like Twitter. The purpose of this paper is to examine two cases to expand the discussion about how complex post-publication peer review is and to contextualize the use of social media within this movement.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper examines a Twitter-based exchange between an established pseudonymous blogger and science critic, Neuroskeptic, and Elizabeth Wager, the former COPE Chair, within a wider discussion of the use of social media in post-publication peer review. The paper also discusses false claims made on Twitter by another science watchdog, Leonid Schneider. The policies of 15 publishers related to anonymous or pseudonymous whistle-blowing are examined.

Findings

Four issues in the Neuroskeptic–Wager case were debated: the solicitation by Wager to publish in RIPR; the use of commercial software by Neuroskeptic to make anonymous reports to journals; the links between “publication ethics” leaders and whistle-blowers or pseudonymous identities; the issues of transparency and possible hidden conflicts of interest. Only one publisher (Wiley) out of 15 scientific publishers examined claimed in its official ethical guidelines that anonymous reports should be investigated in the same way as named reports, while three publishers (Inderscience, PLOS and Springer Nature) referred to the COPE guidelines.

Originality/value

No such Twitter-based case has yet been examined in detail in the publishing ethics literature.
Lorenzo v. SEC: the supreme court rules on scheme liability under the federal securities laws
Authors: Hurd Susan , Gworek Mel , Glustrom Evan
Published: June 2019

Purpose

To analyze the impact of the Supreme Court’s decision in Lorenzo v. SEC.

Design/methodology/approach

Discusses the lead up to the decision, the arguments made by both sides, and the opinion of the Court, and makes predictions about the likely impact of the decision.

Findings

The holding is unlikely to have a significant impact on private securities litigation as shareholders, unlike the SEC, are required to prove reliance and, under the Lorenzo fact pattern, reliance cannot be shown.

Originality/value

Expert analysis and guidance from experienced securities litigation counsel.
City branding and museum souvenirs: towards improving the St. Petersburg city brand
Authors: Trabskaia Iuliia , Shuliateva Iuliia , Abushena Rebecca , Gordin Valery , Dedova Mariya
Published: June 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to identify ways to develop museum shop product, which will possess competitive advantage, and to recommend what should be done to develop such product so that it has a positive impact on the city brand of St. Petersburg.

Design/methodology/approach

In total, 76 museums have been studied through the observation method to describe their shops’ inventory in terms of percentages of each product. Mostly St. Petersburg museums were included in the analysis. The observation method enabled the researchers to analyse the inventory of the museum souvenir shops. The findings of the analysis enabled the researchers to reach conclusions about museums’ strategies of product development.

Findings

The research allowed to make the conclusion that although the museum shops in St.Petersburg demonstrate positive tendencies in the development of competitive stores’ products a lot of work is still to be done. Not all museums are characterised by availability of clear strategy for product development. They offer souvenirs (if any) which do not differ from those existing on the market according to topics and functions which are characteristic for them. Recommendations on how to make the product of museum shops more competitive were proposed.

Practical implications

Cities need new and fresh ways to create and promote their brands. Museums can contribute to this significantly with the help of souvenirs production. This research will provide insight into the process of how museums can do this by developing their shops’ inventory strategies. Recommendations to improve strategies for creation of competitive product were offered in the paper.

Originality/value

In today’s competitive conditions, museums are creating augmented products and create museum shops. Nevertheless, the role of museum shops in brand creation is underexplored. Museum shops have a high potential for creating high-quality products that may influence the museum and city brand in a positive way, as souvenirs and visual images of museum artifacts play an essential role in making an impression on tourists.
Whether sharing economy creates social value?
Authors: Cui Miao , Aziz Sitara
Published: June 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to look at the insights of the value of the society influenced by sharing economy (SE). The study focused on both the benefits and flaws of SE by using the case of renowned SE platform “Uber” to come up with a holistic perspective of these effects from both the facets.

Design/methodology/approach

This study collects data from demand and supply side using interview and questionnaire. Then the grounded theory is adopted to analyze interview data and come up with six major research constructs. Further, quantitative analyses methods are applied on questionnaires to test “whether sharing economy creates social value” and to approximately estimate the extent to which sharing is economy influencing social value.

Findings

Findings suggested that, when only drivers were inquired about positive and negative effects of SE, positive effects were dominant. Also, when passengers were asked their opinion was also in favor of positive effects. From quantitative data analysis, the major factor significantly influencing the sustainability of the SE was “efficiency.” “Security issues and regulatory issues” were the prime negative factors, though again there was not enough statistical evidence to validate their significance. The authors hereby conclude that the positive contribution of SE is more, and it is increasing the values of the society. And the positive effects were twice significant than the negative effects.

Originality/value

Theoretically, the study contributes to finding both the helpful and harmful effects of SE on the values of the society. Practically, it suggests that governments should allow growth of SE under proper regulations. And car-sharing companies should focus on solving the security issues and regulatory issues.
Transformational change by a post-conventional leader
Authors: Brandt Eva Norrman , Kjellström Sofia , Andersson Ann-Christine
Published: June 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine people’s experience of a change process and if and how post-conventional leadership principles are expressed in the change process.

Design/methodology/approach

The study used a retrospective exploratory qualitative design. In total, 19 semi-structured interviews and 4 workshops were conducted and analyzed in accordance with a thematic qualitative analysis.

Findings

The post-conventional leadership appears to have facilitated an organizational transformation where explorative work methods aimed at innovation and improvement as well as holistic understanding was used. Dispersed power and mandate to employees, within set frames and with clear goals, created new ways of organizing and working. The leader showed personal consideration, acknowledged the importance of the emotionally demanding aspects of change and admitted the leader’s own vulnerability. Balance between challenge and support created courage to take on new roles and responsibilities. Most employees thrived and grew with the possibilities given, but some felt lack of support and clear directions.

Practical implications

Inspiration from this case on work methods and involvement of employees can be used on other change efforts.

Social implications

This study provides knowledge on leadership capabilities needed for facilitation of transformational change.

Originality/value

Few transformational change processes by post-conventional leaders are thoroughly described, and this study provides in-depth descriptions of post-conventional leadership in transformational change.
Impact of servant leadership on intrinsic and extrinsic job satisfaction
Authors: Al-Asadi Rami , Muhammed Shahnawaz , Abidi Oualid , Dzenopoljac Vladimir
Published: June 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the extent to which perceived servant leadership of the supervisors impacts the intrinsic and extrinsic job satisfaction of the followers.

Design/methodology/approach

Servant leadership factor structure was evaluated by applying Lidenet al.’s (2008) measure, and used the second-order model to test its relationship with the intrinsic and extrinsic job satisfaction. Confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling were used to test data from 205 individuals working in service-sector organizations in Kuwait.

Findings

The seven-factor structure proposed by Lidenet al.(2008) holds valid in this sample, thus providing greater validity for this measure to be used in similar contexts. The results also indicate that second-order factor of servant leadership positively affects both intrinsic and extrinsic job satisfaction.

Research limitations/implications

Servant leadership was measured using follower perception of their leader attributes. Next, the cross-sectional data limit the ability to demonstrate causality between servant leadership and employee satisfaction. Further, data were collected only from service-sector organizations in Kuwait, which limits the generalizability of results.

Practical implications

This research helps in highlighting the significance of embracing more altruistic leadership approach in enhancing job satisfaction. Leaders in the analyzed region must be aware of the positive outcomes of this approach on job satisfaction, which can eventually contribute to engaged employees and their performance.

Originality/value

This research tries to add to the growing body of knowledge in terms of assessing relationship between servant leadership and job satisfaction in the service sector in the Middle East.
Perceived forgiveness climate and punishment of ethical misconduct
Authors: Salvador Rommel
Published: June 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate whether, and under what conditions, an individual’s punitive intent in response to ethical misconduct is shaped by their perceived forgiveness climate, which is their perception of how forgiving their organization is.

Design/methodology/approach

This study used the survey method embedded within a vignette-based experiment involving working adults.

Findings

Results show that higher perceived forgiveness climate is associated with lower punitive intent when an experience of being forgiven is salient to the disciplinary decision maker and when there are mitigating circumstances surrounding the ethical misconduct. When an experience of being unforgiven is salient to the disciplinary decision maker, higher perceived forgiveness climate is associated with higher punitive intent.

Research limitations/implications

This study presents a more nuanced perspective on the conditions that shape punishment decision making in response to workplace ethical misconduct. As the findings may be specific to the measures and vignette used, future research should explore the replicability of these results using other measures and types of ethical misconduct.

Practical implications

The paper alerts disciplinary decision makers to the potential influence of their perceptions of the organizational context and of their personal experiences on their punishment decision making, helping avoid inappropriately punishing subordinates, which can generate employee resentment and inflated turnover.

Originality/value

This is the first study that examined the relationship between forgiveness and punishment in response to ethical misconduct in a workplace setting.
Does leader humility matter? Effects on altruism and innovation
Authors: Mallén Fermín , Domínguez-Escrig Emilio , Lapiedra Rafael , Chiva Ricardo
Published: June 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to analyze the effect of leader humility in firm innovativeness. The study highlights the importance of promoting altruism within organizations as a mechanism that may explain why leader humility fosters innovation.

Design/methodology/approach

The study was conducted in a sample frame of 11,594 Spanish companies. In total, 568 valid questionnaires were obtained and 284 different companies participated in the study. Structural equations were used to validate the proposed hypotheses.

Findings

All the hypotheses proposed in the conceptual model were confirmed. Results provide empirical evidence of the positive relationship between leader humility and firm innovativeness, as well as the mediating role played by altruism. In other words, leader humility promotes altruism and, in turn, firm innovativeness.

Research limitations/implications

The sample of companies is heterogeneous in terms of firm turnover, size, export ratio and age. The study is focused on firm innovativeness and only studies altruism as a mediating variable in the relationship between leader humility and firm innovativeness.

Practical implications

The present study provides some guidelines which may help companies to improve their competitiveness, enhancing workplace conditions.

Originality/value

There are few empirical studies that analyze the effect of humble leaders or leader humility on innovation. The main value of the present research is to further the current knowledge of this relationship by disentangling the mediating effect of altruism within organizations.
A conceptual framework of tax knowledge
Authors: Bornman Marina , Ramutumbu Pusheletso
Published: June 2019

Purpose

This paper aims to develop a conceptual framework of tax knowledge that can be used to analyse and discuss tax knowledge as a factor influencing tax compliance.

Design/methodology/approach

Relevant literature was sourced using keywords pertaining to tax knowledge to identify the constructs of the framework. Thereafter, secondary interview data on small business owners’ tax challenges were thematically analysed to test the proposed framework.

Findings

Three elements of tax knowledge were identified, namely, general, procedural and legal tax knowledge. General tax knowledge relates to a need to have a fiscal awareness; procedural tax knowledge refers to understanding tax compliance procedures; and legal tax knowledge pertains to a need to understand regulations.

Practical implications

The proposed framework may assist future research in providing a structured approach for assessing tax knowledge as a factor influencing tax compliance. The framework may also assist tax authorities in designing targeted tax education outreach programmes for taxpayers and improve their understanding of taxpayer behaviour to influence the compliance behaviour of its taxpayer population.

Originality/value

An acceptable and specific measurement of tax knowledge as a factor of tax-compliance behaviour has been proposed and tested as a tool for analysing and discussing taxpayers’ knowledge variables.
The effect of food additives and cooking on the antioxidant properties of purslane
Authors: Naser Aldeen Mohammad Ghiath , Mansour Rita , AlJoubbeh Malak
Published: June 2019

Purpose

This paper aims to study the effect of cooking and food additives, such as lemon juice and vinegar, on phenols and flavonoids contents and antioxidant activity of purslane.

Design/methodology/approach

The Folin–Ciocalteu method was used to determine total phenols content (TP), while total flavonoid content (TF) was determined by the aluminum chloride method. Two methods were used for determination of antioxidant activity: DPPH (1, 1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl) assay to determine radical scavenging activity, and ferric-reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) to measure the reducing power.

Findings

According to the results, leafs had higher values of TP, TF and antioxidant activity than aerial parts. Both lemon juice and vinegar retracted antioxidant properties of leafs. TP and TF of leaves showed deterioration after treatment with lemon by 58% and 21.8%, respectively, and FRAP and radical scavenging activity decreased by 75.8% and 74.5%, respectively (p < 0.001). Also, TP, TF, FRAP and DPPH radical scavenging activity decreased in leaves by 82.2%, 30.5%, 87.8% and 90.9%, respectively, after treatment of leaves with vinegar. TF increased after cooking in studied parts, where no significant statistical difference was observed in TP and antioxidant activity (DPPH assay and FRAP) of cooked aerial parts. Adding lemon juice after cooking increased antioxidant properties of purslane (p < 0.001).

Originality/value

Purslane has antioxidant activity because it is rich in polyphenols and flavonoids. Effects of food additives and cooking were studied using different measurements. According to the authors’ knowledge, this is the first work that studied the effect of food additives on antioxidant properties of purslane.
A scale for measuring perceived bureaucratic readiness for smart cities in Indonesia
Authors: Pratama Arif Budy , Imawan Satria Aji
Published: June 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to develop and validate a scale for measuring perceived bureaucratic readiness for smart city initiatives.

Design/methodology/approach

The present study employs a mixed method approach to achieve its research objectives. An exploratory study, consisting of literature review and qualitative interviews with key informants, was conducted to develop an initial instrument for measuring bureaucratic readiness. An online survey of 40 civil servants involved in smart city programmes in the Yogyakarta City government was then administered to test the instrument’s validity and reliability.

Findings

Perceived bureaucratic readiness can be measured through four dimensions: commitment of the upper echelons, legal support, information technology resources and governance.

Research limitations/implications

The proposed scale provides an alternative instrument for measuring perceived bureaucratic readiness for smart city initiatives. However, as data were only derived from one city government, they are relatively small in scope. Future research can be conducted for generalisation by replicating this study in other cities, thereby measuring its effectiveness in other contexts and settings.

Practical implications

This study not only provides a better understanding of bureaucratic readiness for smart city initiatives, but also proposes an assessment tool as a practical means of assessing bureaucratic readiness. The quantification of readiness is beneficial to putting smart city programmes into practice, as it allows smart city managers to assess the internal bureaucracy’s level of readiness. It also allows managers to mitigate and further policy agendas and thereby improve the bureaucracy’s support for smart city programmes.

Originality/value

Literature sometimes underestimates the role of bureaucracy in smart city implementation while overly stressing stakeholders, vendors and technology. This paper attempts to contribute to smart city research by reaching beyond the technological perspective and focusing on local government bureaucracy. None of the extant literature provides a scale for measuring bureaucratic readiness. The study thus proposes a systematic way to develop a means of measuring perceived bureaucratic readiness for smart city programmes.
A proposed methodology for evaluating the quality of performance management systems
Authors: Sales Xavier
Published: June 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to develop a methodology for evaluating the quality of an organization’s performance management system.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper presents a theoretical development based in extant literature, using a field study to illustrate the application of the methodology in assessing the quality of the performance management system of the case company.

Findings

The study presents performance management systems as a network of interconnected elements instead of elements that follow a lineal sequence. The more consistently aligned the elements of this network, the more likely it is to be able to influence behaviours and decisions in desirable ways.

Research limitations/implications

The development requires its use by practitioners and researchers assessing the performance management systems of organizations to assess further implications. It stresses the need to differentiate the purpose of performance management systems from the objectives of the organization.

Practical implications

The tentative application of the methodology suggests that it provides a helpful tool for practitioners and researchers to assess the functionality of systems in place and to identify opportunities for improvement.

Originality/value

The methodology overcomes the two limitations of previous studies. First, it uses a holistic approach and does not focus on specific tools; second, it assesses the quality of the system, not from future company results that might be influenced by other variables, but from the consistency and alignment of the elements of the system.
Hedging performance and the heterogeneity among market participants
Authors: Lai Yihao , Chung Wei-Shih , Chen Jiaming
Published: June 2019

Purpose

This paper aims to apply the heterogeneous autoregressive model of realized volatility (HAR-RV) model to minimum-variance hedge ratio estimation and compares the hedging performance of presenting a model with that of a conventional rolling ordinary-least-square (OLS) hedging model. Moreover, this paper empirically analyzes the relationship between hedging performance and the heterogeneity of investors with different trading frequency in forming the expectation for the spot volatility, futures volatility and the covariance in the market.

Design/methodology/approach

Use HAR-RV to form expectations of participants of spots and futures market for the next period volatility based on two parts. One is the current observable realized volatility at the same time scale. The other is the expectation for the next longer time scale horizon volatility. Compare hedging performance with rolling OLS model and HAR-RV model. Present a three-times-scale-length (daily, weekly and monthly) HAR-RV model for the spot and futures returns and volatility to analyze the relationship between the hedging performance and the heterogeneity among participants in each market.

Findings

The empirical results show that HAR-RV model outperforms the rolling OLS in terms of variance reduction and expected utility in the out-of-sample period. The results also indicate that the greater variance reduction occurs when investors with different trading frequency have a less heterogeneous expectation for spot volatility and more heterogeneous expectation for futures volatility and the covariance. In addition, the expected utility increases along with lower heterogeneity in spot volatility and higher in futures volatility and the covariance. Hedging performance improves along with decreasing heterogeneity of investors in spot volatility and increasing heterogeneity in futures volatility and the covariance.

Originality/value

This paper considers the heterogeneity of participants in spot and futures market, the authors apply HAR-RV model to MVHR estimation and compare the hedging performance of presenting a model with that of conventional rolling OLS hedging model, providing more evidence in hedging literature. This paper analyzes in depth the relationship between hedging performance and the heterogeneity in the market.
Further insights into the oil and equity market relationship
Authors: Belhassine Olfa , Ben Bouzid Amira
Published: June 2019

Purpose

This paper aims to assess the asymmetric effects of oil price shocks and the impact of oil price volatility on the Eurozone’s supersector returns, with a particular emphasis on the impact of the subprime crisis and the euro debt crisis (EDC) on this relationship.

Design/methodology/approach

Empirical data consist of daily observations of the 19 EURO STOXX supersector indices and the Brent crude oil price index for the period January 2001 to August 2015. This paper uses a non-linear multifactor market model. This model accounts for heteroscedasticity and breakpoints that are identified by the Bai and Perron (1998, 2003) tests.

Findings

The results show that supersector returns are sensitive to oil price shocks. However, in most cases, their responsiveness to oil price volatility is not significant. The relationship between oil price shocks and supersector returns changes through time and depends on the sector. Financial turbulence affects the oil-stock market nexus. In most cases, the subprime crisis has had a positive impact on the oil-stock market relationship, whereas the EDC has had an overall negative effect. Before the subprime crisis, there is an evidence of asymmetric effects for some supersectors. Meanwhile, for most sectors, the asymmetric effects disappear after 2008.

Originality/value

The study improves understanding of the interaction between oil price risk and the Eurozone sector indices returns. Furthermore, it enables global investors to manage the risk inherent to the portfolio managers’ positions.
A fast ELM-based machine compression scheme for underwater image transmission on a low-bandwidth acoustic channel
Authors: Zhang Shujing , Zhang Manyu , Cui Yujie , Liu Xingyue , He Bo , Chen Jiaxing
Published: June 2019

Purpose

This paper aims to propose a fast machine compression scheme, which can solve the problem of low-bandwidth transmission for underwater images.

Design/methodology/approach

This fast machine compression scheme mainly consists of three stages. Firstly, raw images are fed into the image pre-processing module, which is specially designed for underwater color images. Secondly, a divide-and-conquer (D&C) image compression framework is developed to divide the problem of image compression into a manageable size. And extreme learning machine (ELM) is introduced to substitute for principal component analysis (PCA), which is a traditional transform-based lossy compression algorithm. The execution time of ELM is very short, thus the authors can compress the images at a much faster speed. Finally, underwater color images can be recovered from the compressed images.

Findings

Experiment results show that the proposed scheme can not only compress the images at a much faster speed but also maintain the acceptable perceptual quality of reconstructed images.

Originality/value

This paper proposes a fast machine compression scheme, which combines the traditional PCA compression algorithm with the ELM algorithm. Moreover, a pre-processing module and a D&C image compression framework are specially designed for underwater images.
UV-induced photosensing characteristics of SiC and GaN nanowires
Authors: Teker Kasif , Ali Yassir A. , Uzun Ali
Published: June 2019

Purpose

This study aims to investigate photosensing characteristics of SiC and GaN nanowire-based devices through exposure to UV light. The photocurrent transients have been modeled to determine rise and decay process time constants. The 1D-semiconductor nanowires can exhibit higher light sensitivity compared to bulk materials because of their large surface area to volume ratio and the quantum size effects.

Design/methodology/approach

Nanowire devices have been fabricated through dielectrophoresis for integrating nanowires onto pre-patterned electrodes (10 nm Ti/ 90 nm Au) with a spacing about 3 µm onto SiO2/Si (doped) substrate. The photocurrent measurements were carried out under room temperature conditions with UV light of 254 nm wavelength.

Findings

SiCNWs yield very short rise and decay time constants of 1.3 and 2.35 s, respectively. This fast response indicates an enhanced surface recombination of photoexcited electron-hole pairs. Conversely, GaNNWs yield longer rise and decay time constants of 10.3 and 15.4 s, respectively. This persistent photocurrent suggests a reduced surface recombination process for the GaNNWs.

Originality/value

High selective UV light sensitivity, small size, very short response time, low power consumption and high efficiency are the most important features of nanowire-based devices for new and superior applications in photodetectors, photovoltaics, optical switches, image sensors and biological and chemical sensing.
Use, cost, and digital divide in online public health care: lessons from Denmark
Authors: Andersen Kim Normann , Nielsen Jeppe Agger , Kim Soonhee
Published: June 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to enhance the knowledge about the use of online communication between patients and health-care professionals in public health care. The study explores digital divide gaps and the impacts of online communication on the overall costs of health care.

Design/methodology/approach

This study focuses on online health care in Denmark. The authors rely on population data from 3,500 e-visits (e-mail consultations) between patients and general practitioners (GPs) from 2009 to 2015. Additionally, they include survey data on the use of the internet to search for health-related information.

Findings

The analysis of the Danish data reveals a rapid uptake in the use of the internet to search for health-related information and a three-fold increase in e-visits from 2009 to 2015. The results show that the digital divide gaps exist also in the online health-care communication. Further, the study findings suggest that enforced supply of online communication between GPs and patients does not alleviate the costs. Rather, the number of visits to GPs has not been decreased significantly and health-care costs showing a marginal increase.

Research limitations/implications

Further data should be collected and analyzed to explore the impacts of other institutional factors and population cohort on the digital divide and healthcare costs. Also, it is difficult to estimate whether the increased use of online health care in the long run lead to lowering overall health-care costs. While the internal validity of the study is high due to the use of population data, the external validity is lower as the study results are based on the data collected in Denmark only.

Practical implications

The study offers important input for practice. First, leaders in government might reconsider how they can control the health-care costs when opening online channels for communication between patients and doctors. Second, concerns about digital divide issues remains, but the study suggests that the uptake of e-visits does not widen the socio-economic, gender or age gaps. For health policy concern, this is encouraging news to lead to an increasing push of online communication.

Social implications

The dynamics of online health-care communication may lead to mixed results and unexpected impacts on overall health-care costs.

Originality/value

The paper offers new insights in the impacts of mandatory supply of digital services. The Danish push-strategy has led to an enforced supply of e-visits and a rapid growing use of the online health care without widening digital divide but at the risk of potential increasing the overall costs.
Transformative potential of events – the case of gay ski week in Queenstown, New Zealand
Authors: Coetzee Willem J.L. , Liu Xiang Neo , Filep Crystal V.
Published: June 2019

Purpose

Previous research has explored a relatively narrow representation of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transsexual and queer (LGBTQ) community. Yet modern event attendees are part of a diverse niche group within the broader LGBTQ community. This group comprises a wide range of event attendees in search of more than sex, clubs and feather boas. This paper aims to report on empirical research conducted in Queenstown, New Zealand, during the 2016 Gay Ski Week (GSW) and explores the transformative, inclusive potential of event places, social atmospheres and experiences.

Design/methodology/approach

Ethnographic and autoethnographic research methods were used in this study for the exploration of transformative tourism experiences. Qualitative data were collected via in-depth interviews, observations and one of the author’s immersive experiences of the event. This author was able to bridge the divide between research and participant, contributing to a contextualised understanding of various participants’ subjective realities.

Findings

The paper reports on and discusses empirical findings, which are organised under the meta-themes of place and social atmosphere, attendee experiences, acceptance and inclusivity.

Research limitations/implications

From these themes emerge a broader understanding of how LGBTQ tourism events can contribute to transformative, inclusive experiences.

Originality/value

This paper explores the need for event managers to revisit and adapt to the demographic, motivational and behavioural characteristics of the modern gay event attendee. In particular, this paper discovers the motivations of Asian gay attendees as a marginalised community within a traditional LGBTQ event in a traditional heterosexual destination.