bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Impact of the banking sector reform in the construction sector
Authors: Saka Najimu , Olanipekun Ayokunle Olubunmi
Published: February 2021

Purpose

Banking sector reforms can impact the development of the real sector. However, there is very little known about this impact on the construction sector in a developing country context. This study aims to evaluate the impact of the banking sector reform on the construction output (CNS) using the banking sector reform in Nigeria in 2005 (2005 Banking Sector Reform Programme [BSRP]) as a case.

Design/methodology/approach

This study used econometric methodology comprising unit root test for stationarity, Johansen test for cointegration, analysis of variance (ANOVA) and the analysis of covariance. Time series data covering a period from 1981 to 2017 (37 years) about the banking and construction sector performances are analyzed using ten-time series equations.

Findings

The ANOVA estimates reveal that the 2005 BSRP positively impacted the CNS and construction sector growth rate. However, the ANOVA estimates reveal that the gross domestic product (GDP) and bank total loan had a positive impact on CNS in the period (1981–2017) before and after the 2005 BSRP, and consequently removing the effect of the 2005 BSRP on CNS.

Practical implications

This paper concludes that the banking sector reform has a positive impact on CNS in the Nigerian construction industry. The impact is greater and lasting when the reform is directly targeted at improving CNS.

Originality/value

This study provides empirical evidence of the dependence between banking sector reform and construction sector performance in a developing country context. Also, this study demonstrates the relationship between GDP, banking sector reform and construction sector performance in a developing country context.
The impact of mandatory adoption of XBRL on firm’s stock liquidity: a cross-country study
Authors: Sassi Wafa , Ben Othman Hakim , Hussainey Khaled
Published: February 2021

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of the mandatory adoption of eXtensible Business Reporting Language (XBRL) on firm’s stock liquidity.

Design/methodology/approach

Using a random-effects model, this study examines the impact of the mandatory adoption of XBRL (ADOPXBRL) on firm’s stock liquidity of 980 companies pertaining to 13 countries for a period from 2000 to 2016.

Findings

This paper finds that the mandatory ADOPXBRL affects negatively and significatively Amihud’s (2002) illiquidity ratio. Therefore, mandatory XBRL adoption enhances the firm’s stock liquidity. In addition, this paper finds that the impact of the mandatory ADOPXBRL on firm’s stock liquidity is more pronounced in civil law countries than in common law countries.

Originality/value

This paper contributes to the literature on the advantage of XBRL especially for the civil law countries by examining the impact of the mandatory ADOPXBRL on firm’s stock liquidity.
Climate change policies and carbon-related CEO compensation systems: an exploratory study of European companies
Authors: Winschel Julija
Published: February 2021

Purpose

In view of current climate change policies, this study aims to provide researchers, regulators, and business practice with the current picture of practices regarding carbon-related compensation granted to chief executive officers (CEO). To this end, it examines whether and to what extent European companies translate their carbon reduction strategies into carbon targets underlying their CEOs’ short-term and long-term compensation, what characteristics the carbon targets used commonly have in terms of their quality and time frame, and whether the carbon targets used differ among carbon-intensive, and less carbon-intensive companies.

Design/methodology/approach

Drawing on the stakeholder-agency theoretical perspective, this study explores the patterns of use and characteristics of carbon-related targets in CEO compensation. In this vein, a content analysis of corporate disclosure for the business years 2018 and 2019 is conducted for a European sample of 65 large listed companies from 16 countries and 11 industries.

Findings

The findings of this study show that albeit the trend toward new adoption, carbon-related CEO compensation systems are still uncommon. The results also reveal that carbon targets are mainly used to determine short-term compensation. Further, the findings highlight that carbon-related CEO compensation is almost equally widespread among carbon-intensive and less carbon-intensive companies. However, in terms of target quality, the study shows that carbon-intensive companies display greater heterogeneity and opacity.

Originality/value

By analyzing the characteristics of carbon targets and the prevalence of carbon-related CEO compensation for the first time, this study contributes to the stakeholder-agency theoretical perspective on corporate governance. In view of the European Green Deal and climate-related stakeholder demands, regulators and business practice are encouraged to recognize that carbon-related CEO compensation should gain momentum and the disclosure on this matter should become more transparent and comparable among companies and across industries.
Impact of the corona virus disease 2019 pandemic on physiotherapy services in Nigeria
Authors: Muhammad Daha Garba , Musa Jamila Suleiman
Published: February 2021

Purpose

This study aimed to explain the impact of the corona virus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on physiotherapy services in Nigeria.

Design/methodology/approach

This is a commentary piece.

Findings

The pandemic has potential of reducing efficacy of physiotherapy services. It also showed that the mental health of local physiotherapists was badly affected. On the other hand, the pandemic allowed physiotherapists to support infectious disease prevention and control and as well as providing awareness of the role of physiotherapy in the management of respiratory diseases.

Originality/value

It shows the effect of COVID-19 on physiotherapy care.
Harnessing social interaction and intellectual capital in intergovernmental networks
Authors: Barrutia Jose M. , Echebarria Carmen
Published: February 2021

Purpose

Intellectual capital creation (ICC) in networks has been considered as central to the processes for responding to wicked problems. However, knowledge on the factors that explain ICC in networks is limited. We take a step toward filling this research gap by drawing on an extended view of social capital to identify specific network features that should explain ICC heterogeneity in engineered intergovernmental networks.

Design/methodology/approach

A sample of 655 local authorities participating in 8 networks was used to test the framework proposed. Data analysis followed a three-step approach. Firstly, confirmatory factor analysis was applied to assess the convergent and discriminant validity of the measures. Secondly, a non-parametric median test was conducted to determine whether the variables under study were statistically different for the eight networks. Lastly, the structural model underlying the conceptual framework was tested.

Findings

The authors found that the eight intergovernmental networks studied differed significantly in their levels of social interaction and ICC. At a structural level, three variables usually considered representative of social capital (social interaction, trust and shared vision) and two supplementary variables (shared resources and shared decisions) were proven to have significant direct and/or indirect effects on ICC.

Originality/value

No previous cross-sectional research has studied the link between the creation of social capital and intellectual capital in engineered intergovernmental networks. As this research focuses on networks and climate change, it contributes to the fourth and fifth stages of intellectual capital research.
The impact of structural changes to community nursing services on the rate of emergency hospital use of older people: a longitudinal ecological study of based on 140 primary care trusts in England
Authors: Wyatt Steven , Miller Robin , Spilsbury Peter , Mohammed Mohammed Amin
Published: February 2021

Purpose

In 2011, community nursing services were reorganised in England in response to a national policy initiative, but little is known about the impact of these changes. A total of three dominant approaches emerged: (1) integration of community nursing services with an acute hospital provider, (2) integration with a mental health provider and (3) the establishment of a stand-alone organisation, i.e. without structural integration. The authors explored how these approaches influenced the trends in emergency hospital admissions and bed day use for older people.

Design/methodology/approach

The methodology was a longitudinal ecological study using panel data over a ten-year period from April 2006 to March 2016. This study’s outcome measures were (1) emergency hospital admissions and (2) emergency hospital bed use, for people aged 65+ years in 140 primary care trusts (PCTs) in England.

Findings

The authors found no statistically significant difference in the post-intervention trend in emergency hospital admissions between those PCTS that integrated community nursing services with an acute care provider and those integrated with a mental health provider (IRR 0.999, 95% CI 0.986–1.013) or those that did not structurally integrate services (IRR 0.996, 95% CI 0.982–1.010). The authors similarly found no difference in the trends for emergency hospital bed use.

Research limitations/implications

PCTs were abolished in 2011 and replaced by clinical commissioning groups in 2013, but the functions remain.

Practical implications

The authors found no evidence that any one structural approach to the integration of community nursing services was superior in terms of reducing emergency hospital use in older people.

Originality/value

As far as the authors are aware, previous studies have not examined the impact of alternative approaches to integrating community nursing services on healthcare use.
A prospective retrospective: conceptual mapping of the intellectual structure and research trends of knowledge management over the last 25 years
Authors: Carayannis Elias G. , Ferreira João J.M. , Fernandes Cristina
Published: February 2021

Purpose

Knowledge and its management and, more recently, strategic knowledge management (SKM) represent major challenges for the organisations of the 21st century. Despite the importance of this knowledge field, and the significant quantity of research that has focussed on this theme, there is a dearth of studies in the literature undertaking a systematic SKM review. This study aims to provide a currently complete and systematic SKM review to stimulate and contribute to furthering this academic field and correspondingly set out an agenda for future research.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper sourced the data from the science citation index expanded (SCI-expanded), the social sciences citation index (SSCI) and the arts and humanities citation index (A&H CI) databases. This research spanned references published in journals belonging to the categories of management, business and economics without any chronological filter. The search returned a total of 99 references with their dates of publication between 1995 (1 reference) and 2018 (7 references).

Findings

The results included the identification of three core approaches to this study field: SKM models and competitive advantage, SKM implementation and the Systematic SKM approach.

Practical implications

This current study seeks to undertake the mapping of the scientific publications, the intellectual structure and research trends in the SKM field to: identify the fundamental contributions to the SKM research field; determine the research pathways establishing its intellectual structure and the scientific journals with the greatest impact on the field and identify the SKM research field geographical distribution and its collaborative structure.

Originality/value

This study defines a roadmap for an informed research agenda that proposes multiple directions: the usage and development of an innovative theory that may open new paths for future research and theoretical construction; a more sophisticated understanding of the concept and its applicability; approaching the shortcomings interrelated with the content across different levels of analysis; and the application of relevant and appropriate methodologies for operationalizing SKM.
A structured literature review of scientometric research of the knowledge management discipline: a 2021 update
Authors: Serenko Alexander
Published: February 2021

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to conduct a structured literature review of scientometric research of the knowledge management (KM) discipline for the 2012–2019 time period.

Design/methodology/approach

A total of 175 scientometric studies of the KM discipline were identified and analyzed.

Findings

Scientometric KM research has entered the maturity stage: its volume has been growing, reaching six publications per month in 2019. Scientometric KM research has become highly specialized, which explains many inconsistent findings, and the interests of scientometric KM researchers and their preferred inquiry methods have changed over time. There is a dangerous trend toward a monopoly of the scholarly publishing market which affects researchers’ behavior. To create a list of keywords for database searches, scientometric KM scholars should rely on the formal KM keyword classification schemes, and KM-centric peer-reviewed journals should continue welcoming manuscripts on scientometric topics.

Practical implications

Stakeholders should realize that the KM discipline may successfully exist as a cluster of divergent schools of thought under an overarching KM umbrella and that the notion of intradisciplinary cohesion and consistency should be abandoned.Journal of Knowledge Managementis unanimously recognized as a leading KM journal, but KM researchers should not limit their focus to the body of knowledge documented in the KM-centric publication forums. The top six most productive countries are the USA, the UK, Taiwan, Canada, Australia and China. There is a need for knowledge brokers that may deliver the KM academic body of knowledge to practitioners.

Originality/value

This is the most comprehensive, up-to-date analysis of the KM discipline.
Measuring preconceived beliefs on the results of overall equipment effectiveness – A case study in the automotive manufacturing industry
Authors: Bengtsson Marcus , Andersson Lars-Gunnar , Ekström Pontus
Published: February 2021

Purpose

The purpose of the study is to test if it, by the use of a survey methodology, is possible to measure managers' awareness on, and specifically if there exist preconceived beliefs on, overall equipment effectiveness (OEE) results. The paper presents the design of the survey methodology as well as a test of the survey in one case company.

Design/methodology/approach

Actual OEE logs from a case company are collected and a survey on the data is designed and managers at the same case company are asked to answer the survey. The survey results are followed-up by an interview study in order to get deeper insights to both the results of the survey as well as the OEE strategy at the case company.

Findings

The findings show that the managers at this particular case company, on a general level, does not suffer too much from preconceived beliefs. However, it is clear that the managers have a preconceived belief that lack of material is logged as a loss much more often than what it actually is.

Research limitations/implications

The test has only been performed with data from one case company within the automotive manufacturing industry and only the managers at that case company has been active in the test.

Practical implications

The survey methodology can be replicated and used by other companies to find out how aware their employees are on their OEE results and if possible preconceived beliefs exists.

Originality/value

To the authors' knowledge, this is the first attempt at measuring if preconceived beliefs on OEE results exist.
Learners' experience and needs in online environments: adopting agility in teaching
Authors: Chen Cindy , Landa Sabrina , Padilla Aivanna , Yur-Austin Jasmine
Published: February 2021

Purpose

In response to coronavirus disease 2019, California State University Long Beach (CSULB) announced mandatory online course conversions on March 12, 2020. The College of Business designed a Student Online Learning Experience Survey to explore learners' experience, needs, expectations and challenges in the online learning environment.

Design/methodology/approach

The time-sensitive survey questions were administered using Qualtrics with Institutional Review Board approval. The authors used 5-point Likert scales to rate students' experience and satisfaction and performed statistical analysis. They assessed students' written comments to further corroborate statistical findings.

Findings

The results identify students' satisfaction are highly correlated to content coverage and interaction of online learning technologies. A combination of BeachBoard, Zoom, e-mails and publisher's website is valued most by the learners. Project-based experiential design is ranked #1 by graduate students. Noticeably, the upward trend of satisfaction with online modality from sophomore to senior is probably attributable to learners' maturity and number of years studied at CSU system. Overall, students generally dislike proctoring devices due to concerns of privacy, inequalities, mental stress, etc.

Practical implications

The evidence-based results offer innovative pedagogical recommendations for business education in higher education.

Originality/value

While prior studies examine student perceptions and satisfaction within the online education system, the study aims to deeply investigate the students' experience after a large-scale two-week institutional emergency course conversion mandate. This study systematically reviews students' experience with four aspects of online learning: (1) the adequacy of instructional designs; (2) the effectiveness of technology; (3) the appropriateness of the online learning material and (4) the integrity of online assessment and testing tools.
A review on utilization of different concretes as in-filled steel hollow column subjected to fire loading
Authors: Zuhan Nurizaty , Ab Kadir Mariyana Aida , Mohamad Ali Mastor Muhammad Najmi , Ngian Shek Poi , Mohd. Sam Abdul Rahman
Published: February 2021

Purpose

Concrete-filled steel hollow (CFHS) column is an innovation to improve the performance of concrete or steel column. It is believed to have high compressive strength, good plasticity and is excellent for seismic and fire performance as compared to hollow steel column without a filler.

Design/methodology/approach

Experimental and numerical investigation has been carried out to study the performance of CFHS having different concrete in-fill and shape of steel tube.

Findings

In this paper, an extensive review of experiment performed on CFHS columns at elevated temperature is presented in different types of concrete as filling material. There are three different types of concrete filling used by the researchers, such as normal concrete (NC), reinforced concrete and pozzolanic-fly ash concrete (FC). A number of studies have conducted experimental investigation on the performance of NC casted using recycled aggregate at elevated temperature. The research gap and the recommendations are also proposed. This review will provide basic information on an innovation on steel column by application of in-filled materials.

Research limitations/implications

Design guideline is not considered in this paper.

Practical implications

Fire resistance is an important issue in the structural fire design. This can be a guideline to define the performance of the CFHS with different type of concrete filler at various exposures.

Social implications

Utilization of waste fly ash reduces usage of conventional cement (ordinary Portland cement) in concrete production and enhances its performance at elevated temperature. The new innovation in CFHS columns with FC can reduce the cost of concrete production and at the same time mitigate the environmental issue caused by waste material by minimizing the disposal area.

Originality/value

Review on the different types of concrete filler in the CFHS column. The research gap and the recommendations are also proposed.
Self-managed and work-based learning: problematising the workplace–classroom skills gap
Authors: Konstantinou Iro , Miller Elizabeth
Published: February 2021

Purpose

The authors explore the ways work-based learning (WBL) can help degree apprentices cross the gaps between the workplace and the classroom, arguing that problem-based learning allows them to become aware of the overlaps in skills required to succeed between the two sites of learning.

Design/methodology/approach

This case study of a self-managed learning module uses a workshop methodology to understand the ways 61 undergraduate business management apprentices in the UK navigate the boundaries between work and learning and develop skills across both domains.

Findings

The authors' findings suggest that degree apprentices do not always perceive the two sites as overlapping in terms of what skills are required and how learning takes place. However, WBL modules have the potential to make them aware of how one informs and reinforces the other. Students identified teamwork, communication and reflection as necessary at the workplace and in their studies. They also viewed learning agility at critical, especially in the time of coronavirus disease 2019.

Originality/value

The paper adds to the existing literature exploring how WBL learning can help minimise the gap between the classroom and the workplace by adding the analysis of the case study. Those interested in developing modules which embed theory and practice can benefit from the discussion on how such modules enable students to reflect on the crossover between the two sites, not only on degree apprenticeships but higher education degrees broadly.
Culture wars, libraries and the BBC
Authors: Usherwood Bob , Usherwood Margaret
Published: February 2021

Purpose

Public libraries and public service broadcasters are threatened by political developments in the UK and USA. They are targets in a divisive culture war waged by ideological organisations that disseminate misleading and false information about social and political matters on line, on screen and in print. The purpose of this paper is to alert information professionals to this issue and suggests that, although they should not engage in this war, they must be prepared to use their professional expertise to identify and correct unreliable material. Further, they should cooperate with other true information organisations to expose the fallacious sources that endanger democracy.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors analysed material from academic texts and papers, professional journals, serious contemporary journalism, political manifestoes, Internet blogs and items from the BBC sound archive to illustrate the history, size and nature of the problem and to suggest how it might be dealt with. This documentary analysis was based on the belief that information professionals are not the only people examining and concerned about this issue. It therefore included material from a wide range of other disciplines, including psychology, medicine and politics.

Findings

There is evidence that populist movements from the political right dislike information organisations and have historically, through misinformation and misrepresentation, persuaded working class citizens that they are being exploited by an elite. Public libraries and the BBC are highly trusted organisations, but much of the British public goes to sources it trusts least, such as tabloid newspapers, for information on politics and society. Librarians and BBC broadcasters demonstrated their value during the COVID-19 pandemic, but they need to engage with other professional groups to fully understand what is happening and counteract the threats it presents to our democracy.

Originality/value

The paper deals with a significant current issue that needs to be considered urgently by practitioners, academics and policy makers. It includes practical examples and suggestions demonstrating how information workers have and can help their users identify and use trusted and accurate information sources and perhaps be made aware of editorial bias.
Stretch goals and unethical behavior: role of ambivalent identification and competitive psychological climate
Authors: Chen Chang , Zhang Zhe , Jia Ming
Published: February 2021

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to examine the effect of stretch goals on unethical behavior and explore the mediating role of ambivalent identification and moderating role of competitive psychological climate.

Design/methodology/approach

A total of 350 MBA students from Northwestern China completed the two-phase survey. The bootstrapping analysis outlined by Hayes was used to assess a moderated mediation model.

Findings

This study found that stretch goals could trigger employees' unethical behavior via ambivalent identification. Competitive psychological climate intensified the relationship between stretch goals and ambivalent identification. Moreover, such a climate aggravated the indirect effect of stretch goals on unethical behavior via ambivalent identification.

Practical implications

Organizations and managers should use stretch goals prudently and implement measures to reduce the ethical cost.

Originality/value

This study provides unique contributions by identifying ambivalent identification as an important mediator and competitive psychological climate as a boundary condition of stretch goals' disruptive effect on unethical behavior.
A multi-level programming model for green supplier selection
Authors: Gupta Srikant , Chatterjee Prasenjit , Yazdani Morteza , Santibanez Gonzalez Ernesto D.R.
Published: February 2021

Purpose

Industrial organizations often face difficulties in finding out the methods to meet ever increasing customer expectations and to remain competitive in the global market while maintaining controllable expenses. An effective and efficient green supply chain management (GSCM) can provide a competitive edge to the business. This paper focusses on the selection of green suppliers while simultaneously balancing economic, environmental and social issues.

Design/methodology/approach

In this study, it is assumed that two types of decision-makers (DMs), namely, the first level and second-level DMs operate at two separate groups in GSC. The first-level DMs always empathise to optimize carbon emissions, per unit energy consumption per product and per unit waste production, while the second-level DMs seek to optimize ordering costs, number of rejected units and number of late delivered units in the entire GSCM. In this paper, fuzzy goal programming (FGP) approach has been adopted to obtain compromise solution of the formulated problem by attaining the uppermost degree of each membership goal while reducing their deviational variables. Furthermore, demand has also been forecasted using exponential smoothing analysis. The model is verified on a real-time industrial case study.

Findings

This research enables DMs to analyse uncertainty scenarios in GSCM when information about different parameters are not known precisely.

Research limitations/implications

The proposed model is restricted to vagueness only, however, DMs may need to consider probabilistic multi-choice scenarios also.

Practical implications

The proposed model is generic and can be applied for large-scale GSC environments with little modifications.

Originality/value

No prior attempt is made till date to present interval type-2 fuzzy sets in a multi-objective GSC environment where the DMs are at hierarchical levels. Interval type-2 fuzzy sets are considered as better ways to represent inconsistencies of human judgements, its incompleteness and imprecision more accurately and objectively. Also, crisp or deterministic forms of uncertain parameters have been obtained by taking expected value of the fuzzy parameters.
Experience of transition between a child and adolescent service and adult service for the treatment of eating disorders
Authors: Wales Jackie , Brewin Nicola , Susi Karima , Eivors Alison , Whight Debbie , Leatherland Rheanne
Published: February 2021

Purpose

There is a dearth of research on what constitutes effective transfer of care from children’s and young people services to adult services for patients with eating disorders (EDs) in the UK. Transition has implications for continuity of care and particularly for early intervention which has the best prognosis. The purpose of this paper is to understand the experience of transition and identify facilitators and barriers to this.

Design/methodology/approach

Qualitative methodology was used. Focus groups (n = 4) were held with clinicians (n = 22) working in Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services or adult ED services. Individual interviews were conducted with patients (n = 5) who had commenced/completed transition to adult services and with parents/carers (n = 6) of patients invited for interview.

Findings

A number of factors may facilitate or impede transition and can be grouped into the broad themes of communication, managing the differences between services and timing of transition. Improvements in communication, clear explanation of service differences and flexibility around the timing of transitions may enhance the experience for patients and parents/carers.

Research limitations/implications

The service evaluation was limited to transition between two specialist ED services in one geographical location. The findings provide the basis for a wider research study to examine which factors are most important when planning transition from the perspectives of patients, parents/carers and clinicians.

Originality/value

This is the first study examining ED transitions in the UK. It provides valuable insight of the experience of service users and carers and highlights potential improvements when planning transitions for this patient group.
Towards learning dialogues as data: researching children's lifeworlds in global cities
Authors: Yelland Nicola , Bartholomaeus Clare
Published: February 2021

Purpose

The purpose of this article is to contribute to the research methodology literature that arose out of the (new) sociology of childhood and the UN Convention of the Rights of the Child (1989) with regard to conducting ethical researchwithchildren rather thanonchildren. In particular, this article reflects on the development of a method (learning dialogues).

Design/methodology/approach

Learning dialogues were designed to enable children to share their responses to prompts about specific aspects of their lifeworlds. This was one method used to produce the data corpus which also included a large-scale survey, classroom ethnographies and (video) re-enactments of children's lives after school.

Findings

The piloting of the learning dialogues took place in several iterations and a particular form was used for the main study. The original idea and development of the learning dialogues highlights they were both a rich source of data that complemented the other data sources in the study and an activity that children indicated that they enjoyed. The authors discuss the practicalities involved with adapting a qualitative method to different settings and to projects with large numbers of children.

Originality/value

The conceptualisation of the learning dialogues as sources of personal documentation about aspects of children's lifeworlds was unique to this research. In thinking about the learning dialogues as one source of data within a broader project, the research aimed to be more inclusive of all participants in contributing to the findings produced in the project.
Fictionalizing dialogue: interpretative phenomenological analysis in organizational research
Authors: Agarwal Ankit , Sandiford Peter John
Published: February 2021

Purpose

This paper proposes a dialogical approach for analyzing and presenting Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) data in organizational research.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper explores the story behind a story, showing how qualitative research can be fictionalized and reflexively framed in contemporary organizational settings, illustrated by IPA research conducted by the authors, into selection interviewing in Australia. Drawing from researchers' narrative notes that reflexively interpret interview data in narrative form, the data were re-interpreted in fictionalized dialogical form, enabling findings to be analyzed and presented more interactively.

Findings

The application of new interpretative techniques, like fictionalized dialogue, contributes to a richer interpretation of phenomena in qualitative organizational and management research, not limited to IPA studies.

Originality/value

Fictionalized dialogue brings to the surface an additional level of analysis that contributes to thematic analysis in a novel manner, also serving as a communicative tool.
The ebbs and flows of green waves: environmental sustainability in Grand Slam tennis
Authors: Trendafilova Sylvia , Pelcher Jamee , Graham Jeffrey , Ziakas Vassilios
Published: February 2021

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to examine the structure and scope of environmental sustainability efforts of the four Grand Slam tennis tournaments as communicated via their websites.

Design/methodology/approach

A qualitative content analysis methodology guided the study. To accomplish the goal of the study, the researchers analyzed each tournament's website and each venue's website to document the environmental initiatives outlined on these pages.

Findings

Results indicated Grand Slam events focus primarily on energy and water conservation initiatives, increasing sustainable food choices and improving spectators' knowledge about environmental sustainability. Most sustainability programs fell into the first wave of sustainability efforts indicating that formalized strategic planning is largely missing.

Practical implications

By examining how Grand Slam events utilize their webpages to promote environmental sustainability, implications are drawn for not only website content but also actual event initiatives and activities. Pertinent efforts should move from a mere focus on communication to finding actionable solutions built upon the interconnectivity of events with allied sectors and the subsequent forging of cross-industry partnerships.

Originality/value

The findings suggest that Grand Slam tennis events pursue different trajectories in engaging with sustainability. This makes it important to understand in tandem their organizational conduct, strategies and communication practices. To move forward, there is a need to approach sustainability in a more holistic manner. A holistic view of how sport events engage with the environment can reveal causal patterns and points of leverage to use for initiating a change of practice toward adopting environmentally friendly behaviors.
An examination of the effect of supply chain disruption risk drivers on organizational performance: evidence from Chinese supply chains
Authors: Parast Mahour Mellat , Subramanian Nachiappan
Published: February 2021

Purpose

This paper aims to examine the relationship of supply chain disruption risk drivers to supply chain performance and firm performance outcomes.

Design/methodology/approach

Four disruption risk drivers for a supply chain are identified, namely, demand disruption risk, supply disruption risk, process disruption risk and environment disruption risk. A cross-sectional survey was developed and data was collected from 315 Chinese firms to determine the relationship of supply chain disruption risks to supply chain performance and firm performance.

Findings

The empirical findings show that supply disruption risks and process disruption risks have a significant impact on supply chain performance. In addition, this paper shows that supply disruptions, demand disruptions and process disruptions are significantly related to firm performance. This paper shows that supply chain disruption risks have different effects on supply chain performance and firm performance. Managers should be aware that disruption risk drivers can have an impact on firm performance that is different from their impact on supply chain performance. An important finding of the study is that the magnitude of the impact of disruption risks on supply chain performance is greater on the upstream side of the supply chain than on the downstream side of the supply chain.

Originality/value

This is one of the early studies to examine the effect of supply chain disruption risk drivers on both firm performance and supply chain performance. An important finding of the study is that the magnitude of the impact of disruption risks on supply chain performance is greater on the upstream side of the supply chain than on the downstream side of the supply chain.
The Researcher Toolkit: a preventative, peer-support approach to postgraduate research student mental health
Authors: Homer Sophie R. , Solbrig Linda , Djama Despina , Bentley Anne , Kearns Sarah , May Jon
Published: February 2021

Purpose

Rates of mental ill-health among postgraduate research students (PGRs) are alarmingly high. PGRs face unique challenges and stigma around accessing support. The purpose of this paper is to introduce The Researcher Toolkit: a novel, open-source, preventative approach to PGR mental health. The Toolkit empowers PGRs and promotes positive research culture. This paper describes and evaluates the Toolkit to encourage adoption across the sector.

Design/methodology/approach

Four workshops were designed by integrating researcher development, critical pedagogy and psychological knowledge of well-being. A diverse group of PGRs co-designed workshops and delivered them to their peers. Workshops engaged 26% of the PGR population (total 116 attendees). PGR Workshop Leaders and attendees submitted anonymous, online feedback after workshops (74 total responses). A mixed-method approach combined quantitative analysis of ratings and qualitative analysis of open-ended comments.

Findings

Feedback was overwhelmingly positive. Workshops were universally appealing, enjoyable and beneficial and the peer-support approach was highly valued, strongly supporting adoption of the programme in other universities. Findings are discussed alongside wider systemic factors and recommendations for policy.

Practical implications

The Toolkit translates readily to other UK institutions and can be adapted for use elsewhere. Recommendations for practice are provided.

Originality/value

The Researcher Toolkit is a novel PGR well-being initiative. Its originality is threefold: its approach is prevention rather than intervention; its content is new and bespoke, created through interdisciplinary collaboration between psychologists, researcher development professionals and PGR stakeholders; and support is peer-led and decentralised from student support services. Its evaluation adds to the limited literature on PGR well-being and peer-support.
Commitment and entrenchment in solidarity economy organizations
Authors: Santos Rita de Cássia Trindade dos , Flores Costa Vânia Medianeira , Bianchim Bruna de Vargas
Published: February 2021

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to analyze the relation between the values of solidarity economy and the organizational commitment and entrenchment ties.

Design/methodology/approach

A quantitative, descriptive and exploratory research was carried out through survey, using the Solidarity Economy Values Scale, Organizational Commitment Questionnaire and Organizational Entrenchment Questionnaire, with statistical data analysis.

Findings

The results showed that the self-management, quality of life and identification values positively influenced the workers’ behavior, mainly concerning personal fulfillment with performance and autonomy at work. On the other hand, the citizenship and solidarity values revealed an inverse association with the alternatives limitation dimension of entrenchment: the permanence in solidarity economy organizations motivated solely by the lack of employment can impact negatively on social and political involvement.

Research limitations/implications

Theoretically, organizational commitment and entrenchment ties are not limited to individual behaviors but also have a collective dimension to be investigated.

Practical implications

The workers’ organizational commitment implies in a commitment from the organization with human development through work.

Originality/value

In solidarity economy organizations, the bond based on lack of alternatives on the job market does not affect self-management or fulfillment with the work but the participation on the community politics.
Understanding the priorities of designers for an ecodesign support during environmentally sustainable product development
Authors: Singh Prashant Kumar , Sarkar Prabir
Published: February 2021

Purpose

The main purpose of this research is to understand the priorities of designers for an ecodesign support, while developing environmentally sustainable products. Also, this study identifies the requirements of the designers for managing the environmental quality of products.

Design/methodology/approach

This research is conducted in two phases of survey. In the first phase, various requirements of designers are collected, refined and segregated under certain well defined characteristics of the ecodesign support. In second phase, the designers are asked to rank each characteristic of the ecodesign support in a questionnaire. The responses obtained from the designers are analyzed separately for engineering designers and design researchers by using Henry Garrett ranking technique to identify the priorities of designers for an ecodesign support.

Findings

Results show that there is a contrast between the perspective of engineering designers and design researchers, and their priorities for an ecodesign support are opposite to each other. Thus it can be understood that the features which are added by design researchers in ecodesign support may not be adequate for engineering designers to manage the environmental quality of products.

Originality/value

The designers play a key role in the development of environmentally benign products through the use of different ecodesign supports (i.e. tools or methods). Therefore, it is important to understand the desired characteristics of the ecodesign support from designer's perspective. Also, the priorities of designers from academia (design researchers) and industry (engineering designers) must be understood because they are the two stakeholders indulged in the development and usage of various ecodesign supports for environmentally conscious product development (ECPD).
Maternal allocation in relation to weather, predation and social factors in a colonial cooperative bird
Authors: Fortuna Rita , Paquet Matthieu , Ferreira André C. , Silva Liliana R. , Theron Franck , Doutrelant Claire , Covas Rita
Published: February 2021

Females may adjust prenatal allocation in relation to ecological conditions that affect reproductive success, such as weather conditions or predation risk. In cooperative breeders, helpers might also influence reproductive success, and previous studies suggest that females can lay smaller eggs or larger clutches when breeding with more helpers. Although recent work suggests that helper effects can vary according to climatic variables, how social and ecological factors interact to shape prenatal allocation is poorly understood.

Here, we examine how ecological and social components of the breeding environment covary with egg mass and clutch size, using as a model the sociable weaverPhiletairus socius, a colonial, cooperatively breeding passerine. The study spanned 9 years and included over 1,900 eggs from over 550 clutches. Our analyses combined natural variation in weather conditions (rainfall before each reproductive event) with a nest predator‐exclusion experiment and continuous monitoring of the mother's social environment, allowing us to estimate how individual females adjust allocation to reproduction as their number of helpers varies.

We found that egg mass varied consistently within females and did not clearly differ in relation to rainfall or predation risk. Contrary to previous studies, there was no evidence for plastic adjustments as females gained and lost helpers, and egg mass was instead better predicted by mother size and identity.

Females laid larger clutches when breeding in environments where predation risk was experimentally reduced and after higher rainfall levels. Yet, there was no evidence for increasing clutch size as the number of helpers increased, nor for an interaction between helper effects and ecological factors.

We conclude that while sociable weaver females can vary their clutch size, they show high individual consistency in egg mass. In addition, we found no evidence that females may maximize fitness through plastic prenatal allocation in relation to the number of helpers, or that the presence/absence of helper effects is modulated by rainfall levels or predation risk. These results challenge our current knowledge on some of the possible benefits of breeding with helpers and call for more long‐term analyses on reproductive allocation adjustments in other cooperative systems.
Plant translocations in Europe and the Mediterranean: Geographical and climatic directions and distances from source to host sites
Authors: Diallo Mohamed , Ollier Sébastien , Mayeur Anaël , Fernández-Manjarrés Juan , García‐Fernández Alfredo , Iriondo José María , Vaissière Anne‐Charlotte , Colas Bruno
Published: February 2021

Although the number of plant translocations has been rapidly increasing for two decades, no study is available to date that examines the directions and distances of plant displacements, which is essential (though not sufficient) information for considering translocations as a management tool to enable species to cope with the consequences of climate change.

In this paper, we study the geographical and climatic directions and distances from source to host sites in 638 source‐and‐host site pairs of plant translocations that aimed to achieve viable populations in the last decades in the Western Palearctic (Europe and the Mediterranean). Translocation distances ranged from 0 to 661 km, but were generally short, most (82%) being <25 km, due to both ecological considerations and legal and administrative constraints. The host sites were not preferentially located in any geographical direction or in any altitude relative to the source sites. In contrast, on a climate compass constructed from a principal component analysis of seven bioclimatic variables, the host sites were slightly, but significantly, under colder climatic conditions than the source sites.

This observation appears more to be the consequence of an effort to counteract already felt effects of climate change than to anticipate future changes. The climatic distance between source sites and actual host sites was generally smaller than between source sites and randomly selected host sites at a given distance or within a given geographical area, which may be the result of a desire to minimise climatic differences or differences in other ecological factors correlated with climatic differences.

Synthesis. This study is the first to compare, geographically and climatically, the source sites of biological material and the host sites in translocations of wild plant species to obtain viable populations. Past translocations in the Western Palearctic are in line with mitigating the consequences of global warming on plant species because the host sites were in slightly cooler conditions than the source sites. Despite this, climate considerations seem to have little been taken into account in plant translocation projects and will certainly have to be much more so in a future with rapid anthropogenic climate change.