bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Steps towards XAFS beamline automation and remote access
Authors: Figueroa Santiago José Alejandro , Beniz Douglas Bezerra , Mauricio Junior Cintra , Piton James Rezende , Parry Stephen A. , Cibin Giannantonio
Published: June 2018

Although remote access to beamline synchrotron facilities is now a common operation mode at macromolecular crystallography beamlines thanks to substantial efforts in automated processes for sample preparation and handling, experiment planning and analysis, this is still not the case for XAFS beamlines. Here the experience and developments undertaken at LNLS and Diamond in automation are described, in an attempt to tackle the specific challenges posed by the high variability in experimental conditions and configurations that XAFS measurements require.
Control of crystal structure using temperature and time
Authors: Zacharias Savannah C. , Ramon Gaëlle , Bourne Susan A.
Published: June 2018

Three novel crystal structures were obtained from iron(III) acetylacetonate and 2,6-pyridinedicarboxylic acid. The structures elucidated were found to be dependent on the temperature and length of time allowed for the reaction. The product of the reaction between iron(III) acetylacetonate and 2,6-pyridinedicarboxylic acid in acetonitrile at room temperature is [FeC12H12NO7]·CH3CN, (I). When the reaction temperature was increased to 60°C, FeC12H10NO6, (II), was isolated after 2 h and [FeC12H10NO6]4, (III), was isolated after 24 h. (I) is a discrete complex, whereas (II) and (III) form tetramers.
Structural polymorphism of the Escherichia coli poly-α-L-glutamate synthetase RimK
Authors: Arimura Yasuhiro , Kono Tomonori , Kino Kuniki , Kurumizaka Hitoshi
Published: June 2018

Bacterial RimK is an enzyme that catalyzes the polyglutamylation of the C-terminus of ribosomal protein S6 and the synthesis of poly-α-L-glutamate peptides using L-glutamic acid. In the present study, the crystal structure of the Escherichia coli RimK protein complexed with the ATP analogue AMP-PNP was determined at 2.05 Å resolution. Two different conformations of RimK, closed and open forms, were observed in the crystals. The structural polymorphism revealed in this study provided important information to understand the mechanism by which RimK catalyzes the synthesis of poly-α-L-glutamate peptides and the polyglutamylation of ribosomal protein S6.
Cinder: keeping crystallographers app-y
Authors: Rosa Nicholas , Ristic Marko , Marshall Bevan , Newman Janet
Published: June 2018

The process of producing suitable crystals for X-ray diffraction analysis most often involves the setting up of hundreds (or thousands) of individual crystallization trials, each of which must be repeatedly examined for crystals or hints of crystallinity. Currently, the only real way to address this bottleneck is to use an automated imager to capture images of the trials. However, the images still need to be assessed for crystals or other outcomes. Ideally, there would exist some rapid and reliable machine-analysis tool to translate the images into a quantitative result. However, as yet no such tool exists in wide usage, despite this being a well recognized problem. One of the issues in creating robust automatic image-analysis software is the lack of reliable data for training machine-learning algorithms. Here, a mobile application, Cinder, has been developed which allows crystallization images to be scored quickly on a smartphone or tablet. The Cinder scores are inserted into the appropriate table in a crystallization database and are immediately available to the user through a more sophisticated web interface, allowing more detailed analyses. A sharp increase in the number of scored images was observed after Cinder was released, which in turn provides more data for training machine-learning tools.
Crystal structure ofEscherichia colipurine nucleoside phosphorylase complexed with acyclovir
Authors: Timofeev Vladimir I. , Zhukhlistova Nadezhda E. , Abramchik Yuliya A. , Muravieva Tatiana I. , Esipov Roman S. , Kuranova Inna P.
Published: June 2018

Escherichia colipurine nucleoside phosphorylase (PNP), which catalyzes the reversible phosphorolysis of purine ribonucleosides, belongs to the family I hexameric PNPs. Owing to their key role in the purine salvage pathway, PNPs are attractive targets for drug design against some pathogens. Acyclovir (ACV) is an acyclic derivative of the PNP substrate guanosine and is used as an antiviral drug for the treatment of some human viral infections. The crystalline complex ofE. coliPNP with acyclovir was prepared by co-crystallization in microgravity using counter-diffusion through a gel layer in a capillary. The structure of theE. coliPNP–ACV complex was solved at 2.32 Å resolution using the molecular-replacement method. The ACV molecule is observed in two conformations and sulfate ions were located in both the nucleoside-binding and phosphate-binding pockets of the enzyme. A comparison with the complexes of other hexameric and trimeric PNPs with ACV shows the similarity in acyclovir binding by these enzymes.
Crystal structure of the tetramethyl(phenethyl)cyclopentadienylmolybdenumtricarbonyl dimer
Authors: Brown Loren , Marron Danny , Smith Casey , Merola Joseph
Published: June 2018

The structure of the dimer bis{tricarbonyl[η5-tetramethyl(phenethyl)cyclopentadienyl]molybdenum}(Mo—Mo), [Mo2(C17H21)2(CO)6], at 102 K has triclinic (P-1) symmetry. The reaction between tetramethyl(phenethyl)cyclopentadiene and molybdenum hexacarbonyl in refluxing xylenes for 18 h led to a 56% yield of the dimer as a red solid. The asymmetric unit of the structure is the tetramethyl(phenethyl)cyclopentadienylmolybdenumtricarbonyl moiety and the entire dimeric molecule is generated by inversion symmetry. The Mo—Mo bond length is 3.2773 (3) Å, a value slightly above the mean value for all [CpMo(CO)3]2 compounds listed in the CSD and slightly below the mean for [Cp*Mo(CO)3]2 complexes.
Ge0.57Ti0.43O2: a new high-pressure material with rutile-type crystal structure
Authors: Stoyanov Emil , Leinenweber Kurt , Groy Thomas L. , Malik Abds-Sami
Published: June 2018

Single crystals of a GeO2–TiO2 solid solution with the corresponding composition Ge0.57Ti0.43O2 (germanium titanium tetraoxide) were obtained by devitrification of germania-titania glass at high pressure and temperature. The new compound crystallizes in the rutile structure type (space group P42/mnm), where Ge and Ti share the same position M (site symmetry m.mm), with occupancy values of 0.57 (3) and 0.43 (3), respectively, and one O-atom position (m.2m). The M site is in a sixfold O-atom coordination and, as in the original TiO2 rutile structure, an elongation of the O—M—O bonds along the c-axis direction of the coordination polyhedron and deviation of the angles from 90° lead to a decrease in the coordination symmetry from octahedral to tetragonal. The Ge and Ti atoms are fully disordered in the structure, which indicates that the rutile structure is surprisingly pliant given the differing sizes of the two cations.
1-Methyl-4-phenyl-3-[4-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl]-1H-pyrazolo[3,4-d]pyrimidine
Authors: El Hafi Mohamed , Boulhaoua Mohammed , Lahmidi Sanae , Ramli Youssef , Essassi El Mokhtar , Mague Joel T.
Published: June 2018

In the title molecule, C19H13F3N4, the pyrazolopyrimidine unit is slightly non-planar [dihedral angle between the five- and six-membered rings = 3.03 (15)°]. In the crystal, offset head-to-tail π-stacking interactions between pyrazolopyrimidine units [centroid–centroid separation = 3.665 (2) Å] together with weak C—H...N hydrogen bonds form stepped chains propagating along the c-axis direction. The structure was refined as a two-component twin.
A “green” accountant is difficult to find
Authors: Egan Matthew , Tweedie Dale
Published: June 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to empirically explore how accountants can contribute to organisational sustainability initiatives.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper adopts a critical case study methodology, focused on a large Australian company in which senior management sought to engage accounting staff in an internal sustainability reporting initiative focused on eco-efficiency. Bourdieu’s concepts of habitus, capitals and field enable a relational analysis of the findings.

Findings

While accountants adapted well to early changes aligned to cost efficiency, they struggled to engage with more creative sustainability improvements. The paper explains both adaptions and constraints as interactions between accountants’ professional habitus, capitals and their broader organisational field. Prior strategies to engage accountants (e.g. training) only partially address these factors.

Practical implications

The accounting profession has persistently urged members to contribute to organisational sustainability initiatives. This paper provides insight into how organisations might combine professional acculturation and appropriate capitals to advance this agenda.

Social implications

Although eco-efficiency is only one potential element of comprehensive organisational sustainability management, the paper’s insights into engaging accountants contributes to understanding how broader social sustainability agendas might be advanced.

Originality/value

The study addresses calls for empirical insights into how accountants can contribute to corporate sustainability practices. Prior studies have polarised between interpreting accountants as either enablers or barriers to sustainability change. This paper explores how shifting configurations of habitus, capital and organisational field can enable either outcome.
Innovation and tradition-based firms: a multiple case study in the agro-food sector
Authors: Della Corte Valentina , Del Gaudio Giovanna , Sepe Fabiana
Published: June 2018

Purpose

Over the past few years, several scholars have focused on innovation strategies with specific regard to family food firms. In line with this research stream, the purpose of this paper is to understand how family food firms with long-standing traditions can implement innovative productions while remaining anchored to the past.

Design/methodology/approach

By adopting a qualitative research methodology, mainly based on a multiple case study, this paper seeks to cover some unexplored areas regarding the opportunity of combining tradition and innovation to achieve success in the highly competitive international arena in which family food firms operate. The authors analyze the cases of “La Torrente,” “Cioccolatitaliani” and “La Fabbrica della Pasta di Gragnano.”

Findings

Successful family food firms leverage their deep-rooted knowledge of both family and local traditions to innovate. At same time, they establish continuous info exchange flows with all of the firm’s stakeholders by adopting an open innovation approach.

Research limitations/implications

From a theoretical perspective, there is a need for an in-depth study of how an effective blend of tradition and innovation is formalized, above all, in family firms. As for the practical implications, all the three case studies represent a best practice, especially for family firms with a long-standing history and strong local connections.

Practical implications

The paper shows how important it is to keep traditional factors in food industry and offers hints and suggestions to decision makers of family firms on how to valorize, in terms of competitiveness, their traditional resources – almost bound to their territory with innovation tools and processes.

Social implications

The paper is interesting because it offers an analysis of a specific group of firms – family firms – that characterize many industries in Italy and in Europe. Although often small, these firms can show dynamism and creativity. The paper offers hints on how to approach innovation in the sector while keeping the value of tradition.

Originality/value

The originality of the proposed conceptual model stems from the need to overcome the previous theoretical models, which deal separately with sources of past knowledge and sources of new and/or external knowledge.
Enhancing supply chain performance through collaborative planning, forecasting, and replenishment
Authors: Singhry Hassan Barau , Abd Rahman Azmawani
Published: June 2018

Purpose

Despite the importance of collaborative planning, forecasting, and replenishment (CPFR), its influence on supply chain innovation capability (SCIC) and supply chain performance (SCP) has not been sufficiently examined. The purpose of this paper is to examine the antecedence of SCP through CPFR and SCIC.

Design/methodology/approach

Through cluster and stratified random sampling, 286 responses from top managers of 1,574 Nigerian manufacturing companies were analyzed. Data analysis was performed using structural equation modeling with AMOS graphics.

Findings

The results show that SCIC has a full mediating effect on the relationship between CPFR and SCP. Specifically, CPFR has a significant relationship with both SCP and SCIC, and SCIC also relates significantly to SCP.

Practical implications

This study offers implications for manufacturers in developing countries in general, and in Nigeria in particular, by providing a guideline on how to improve SCP through CPFR.

Originality/value

The paper contributes to the limited studies on CPFR and SCP by extending this line of study into the realm of innovation capability and innovation. It integrates the social exchange theory and the dynamic capabilities theory to examine the collaborative processes of CPFR in the supply chain context. This study stressed the importance of boundary theoretical spanning by extending CPFR and SCP into the domain of innovation capability.
Knowledge transfer and managers turnover: impact on team performance
Authors: Trequattrini Raffaele , Massaro Maurizio , Lardo Alessandra , Cuozzo Benedetta
Published: June 2018

Purpose

The paper aims to investigate the emerging issue of knowledge transfer and organisational performance. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the importance of knowledge transfer in obtaining high and positive results in organisations, in particular, studying the role of managers’ skills transfer and which conditions help to achieve positive performance.

Design/methodology/approach

The research analyses 41 cases of coaches that managed clubs competing in the major international leagues in the 2014–2015 season and that moved to a new club over the past five seasons. The authors employ a qualitative comparative analysis (QCA) methodology. According to the research question, the outcome variable used is the team sport performance improvement. As explanatory variables, the authors focus on five main variables: the history of coach transfers; the staff transferred; the players transferred; investments in new players and the competitiveness.

Findings

The overall results show that when specific conditions are realised simultaneously, they allow team performance improvement, even if the literature states that the coach transfers show a negative impact on outcomes. Interestingly, this work reaches contrasting results because it shows the need for the coexistence of combinations of variables to achieve the transferability of managers’ capabilities and performance.

Originality/value

The paper is novel because it presents a QCA that tries to understand which conditions, factors and contexts help knowledge to be transferred and to contribute to the successful run of organisations.
Ambidextrous IT capabilities and business process performance: an empirical analysis
Authors: Ferraris Alberto , Monge Filippo , Mueller Jens
Published: June 2018

Purpose

In several studies, it has been found that organizational performance is affected by ambidextrous IT capabilities. Nevertheless, business processes are essential to the value generation conversion of IT investment into performance. In the literature, this focus on the impact of IT capabilities at the business process level is still under investigated. So, the purpose of this paper is to test the effects of explorative and exploitative business process IT capabilities on business process performances (BPP) and the positive moderator role of business process management (BPM) capabilities.

Design/methodology/approach

This analysis has been done through a quantitative study in the Italian hotel industry. An OLS regression analysis has been carried out on a sample of 404 firms.

Findings

The study identifies distinct effects related to exploration and exploitation and finds a moderating effect of BPM capabilities, explaining their positive impact on BPP.

Originality/value

The main purpose of the paper is to contribute to the area of business process management by demonstrating the importance of both explorative and exploitative IT capabilities for a business process as well as the managerial capabilities at the process level. Furthermore, this focus at the process level allows us to add original insights into research on ambidexterity by expanding existing works.
Quality dominant logic in big data analytics and firm performance
Authors: Fosso Wamba Samuel , Akter Shahriar , de Bourmont Marc
Published: June 2018

Purpose

Big data analytics (BDA) gets all the attention these days, but as important—and perhaps even more important—is big data analytics quality (BDAQ). Although many companies realize a full return from BDA, others clearly struggle. It appears that quality dynamics and their holistic impact on firm performance are unresolved in data economy. The purpose of this paper is to draw on the resource-based view and information systems quality to develop a BDAQ model and measure its impact on firm performance.

Design/methodology/approach

The study uses an online survey to collect data from 150 panel members in France from a leading market research firm. The participants in the study were business analysts and IT managers with analytics experience.

Findings

The study confirms that perceived technology, talent and information quality are significant determinants of BDAQ. It also identifies that alignment between analytics quality and firm strategy moderates the relationship between BDAQ and firm performance.

Practical implications

The findings inform practitioners that BDAQ is a hierarchical, multi-dimensional and context-specific model.

Originality/value

The study advances theoretical understanding of the relationship between BDAQ and firm performance under the influence of firm strategy alignment.
African Bank Investment Ltd (ABIL): a South African corporate governance failure
Authors: Giamporcaro Stephanie , Marrian Matthew
Published: June 2018

Subject area

The case on ABIL deals with the important issue of corporate governance, and particularly the crucial role that the board of directors plays. It highlights the complex issue institutional investors face when trying to assess the strength of a board and the quality of information and disclosure. The case is set in South Africa which is an emerging market.

Study level/applicability

The case targets MBA students and can be taught as part of a corporate governance or sustainable and responsible investment module or course. The case is aimed at both local and international students as the case deals with corporate governance principles that are applicable to both audiences. Where necessary, the case provides information to guide international audiences.

Case overview

The teaching case is set on 6 August 2014 when Ian Matthews, the Head of Equities at a South African Asset Manager, BG Wealth, gets a call while on leave. The call is from his boss, chief investment officer, Deryck Medley, informing him of the negative trading update and asking him to come back to prepare for an emergency investment committee that afternoon. The case traces Matthews’ day as he reviews the research reports BG Wealth had put together on ABIL over the previous 15 months. Matthews also recalls the process the investment team went through internally before finally deciding to invest in the company. The case highlights not only the corporate governance failures of ABIL but also the lack of consideration given to ESG factors by BG Wealth.

Expected learning outcomes

The case’s primary teaching objective is to highlight the importance of corporate governance. The case provides detailed insights into the area of corporate governance through the analysis of a corporate failure. Through this teaching case, the students will follow the real-life events that led to the collapse of ABIL. It is intended that the students will be forced to deal with a complex situation and will be required to develop specific solutions to the issues raised.

Supplementary materials

Teaching notes are available for educators only. Please contact your library to gain login details or email support@emeraldinsight.com to request teaching notes.

Subject code

CSS 1: Accounting and Finance.
Study on parameters characteristics of DDGM(1,1) prediction model with multiplication transformation
Authors: Cui Jie , Ma Hongyan
Published: June 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to reveal the changing role of the parameters of the DDGM(1,1) model after multiple transformations in the modeling sequence.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper considers DDGM(1,1) model as the research object, adopts the parameter packet technique to analyze the influence of multiple transformations on the modeling accuracy of this model and discusses the quantitative relation of model parameters as multiple transformations in system’s characteristic sequences.

Findings

The results of numerical calculation show that the modeling accuracy of DDGM(1,1) model is not affected by multiple transformations in the characteristics sequence of systems.

Originality/value

The paper succeeds in realizing the properties of DDGM(1,1) model by using the method of multiple transformations, which is helpful to understand the modeling mechanism and expand the application range of DDGM(1,1) model.
Knowledge sources and innovation in the hotel industry
Authors: Nieves Julia , Diaz-Meneses Gonzalo
Published: June 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to identify the role played by external knowledge sources and intra-organizational collaboration as determinants of innovation in hotel firms. It proposes that local knowledge sources and intra-organizational collaboration determine the probability of producing incremental innovations, and that non-local knowledge sources determine the introduction of radical innovations.

Design/methodology/approach

Descriptive statistics made it possible to evaluate the importance of each of the external sources as the origin of ideas for innovation. Principal component analysis was used to find homogeneous groups based on the different knowledge sources contemplated. Multiple regression analysis was used to determine which variables predict a hotel’s capacity to introduce innovations.

Findings

The findings suggest a dissociation between innovations adopted by directly incorporating the specific knowledge provided by external agents and innovations that require the mediation of intra-organizational collaboration for their development.

Research limitations/implications

Future qualitative studies can provide data that would considerably improve the understanding of how innovation processes are produced in hotel companies based on the use of external knowledge and how hotel firms develop spaces to exchange and combine internal knowledge.

Practical implications

Hotel firms can adopt innovations by incorporating specific knowledge from external companies or by developing their own innovations based on information gathered from external agents or events (e.g. customers, attending trade fairs and professional conferences). The transformation of this information into innovations requires the establishment of internal communication channels that foment employees’ collaboration and exchange of information.

Originality/value

The study provides empirical evidence for the relevant role played by both external agents and intra-organizational relationships as sources of knowledge to foster innovation in hotel firms. External agents are classified as local and non-local sources, and their effect on innovation is analyzed, distinguishing between incremental and radical innovations.
Empirical analysis of existing lean service frameworks in a developing economy
Authors: Gupta Shradha , Sharma Monica
Published: June 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to do the reliability and validity analysis of existing frameworks in lean services through questionnaire survey. Furthermore, it explores the applicability of these frameworks in Indian service sector.

Design/methodology/approach

A questionnaire survey was floated to 423 lean/quality practitioners in four service sectors in India. The questionnaire has two parts where first part was for collecting the demographic information of respondents and the second part assesses the importance of initiatives identified by various scholars/consultants under different frameworks of lean services. The assessment was done on five-point Likert scale.

Findings

The results indicate that majority of services have adopted lean/process improvement methodology for enhancing operational excellence/performance and customer satisfaction. The study finds that all frameworks display a high level of reliability. Only nine out of eighteen lean service frameworks have displayed unidimensionality with respect to the construct, Lean. No generalised framework for lean services is available. Some essential elements such as servicescapes and change management are not present in any framework. Most of the frameworks are sector specific; thus, there is requirement for a suitable lean service framework.

Research limitations/implications

The data were collected only from four sectors in Indian service industry. Future researchers may test these frameworks for other service sectors and country.

Originality/value

This is the first paper empirically validating the lean service frameworks. The findings of the paper will be of value to lean service practitioners. It helps the quality professionals to recognise a suitable lean service framework to implement in their respective organisation.
Lean implementation and implications: experiences from Macedonia
Authors: Minovski Robert , Jovanoski Bojan , Galevski Petar
Published: June 2018

Purpose

This paper aims to explore the level of implementation of Lean tools in companies of metalworking and automotive industry in R. Macedonia compared with the global experiences and to explore the relationship between certain dimensions that determine the leanness and the company’s success.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on the analysis and synthesis of the literature, the theoretical research model was developed. Structured interview was used to collect data. The analysis of the first goal was performed using benchmarking with some prior global research and the analysis of the second goal was undertaken with multiple linear regression.

Findings

The distribution of the lean tools through ISO 9001 requirements in this sample generally follows the global experiences. However, most used tools in the companies with solely domestic capital are the basic Lean tools which show certain lack of understanding of the importance of Lean management and strategic commitment to Lean management, in such companies. Dimensions like customer satisfaction, teamwork and motivation, condition and maintenance of equipment and tools, supply chain integration and commitment to quality have significant positive correlation with the company’s success.

Practical/implications

The foreign investments can foster implementation of contemporary management approaches in developing countries. These countries have to find mechanisms to foster acceptance and implementation of Lean management.

Originality/value

This paper is one of the rare attempts to explore the implementation of Lean tools through ISO 9001 requirements and relationship of particular Lean dimensions and the company’s success, in metalworking companies in small developing countries, additionally exploring the differences in the Lean management acceptance considering the ownership of the companies.
State of art perspectives of lean and sustainable manufacturing
Authors: R. Ben Ruben , Vinodh S. , P. Asokan
Published: June 2018

Purpose

The contemporary manufacturing organizations recognize the importance of lean manufacturing as a tool to eliminate wastes, streamline processes and improve value addition. On the other hand, such organizations also focus on the development of ecofriendly products and processes. In this context, lean manufacturing concepts provide a pathway for attaining sustainable benefits. This paper aims to present the state of art review on lean and sustainable manufacturing.

Design/methodology/approach

A total of 80 research papers on lean and sustainable manufacturing from various perspectives have been reviewed and their contributions are being presented. The perspectives include origin, definition, decision-making, performance measurement, product development and application for both lean and sustainable manufacturing.

Findings

Findings from the literature prove that both lean and sustainable manufacturing systems aim at improving the organizational performance and provide both operational and sustainable benefits. Also based on the studies, it has been found that integrated lean sustainable manufacturing system can be defined as a system that creates value for the customers by eliminating wastes consistently and adopting processes that are ecofriendly, economically viable and safe for the employees to produce green products that enhance the social performance.

Research limitations/implications

The present review considers the papers on lean and sustainable manufacturing based on certain perspectives. Peer-reviewed journal articles, and books are only being considered and reviewed. Articles and information from dissertation thesis, unpublished working papers and conference proceedings were excluded. In future, the study can be enhanced by considering more such perspectives that reflect the ideology and applicability of the selected themes. The practical perspectives of lean and sustainable manufacturing and their integration are also being presented.

Originality/value

This paper presents a review of lean and sustainable manufacturing and provides insights from different perspectives. The scope for their integration is also discussed. The contributions are original.
Exploring the sources and role of knowledge sharing to overcome the challenges of organizational change implementation
Authors: Aslam Usman , Muqadas Farwa , Imran Muhammad Kashif , Ubaid-Ur-Rahman Ubaid-Ur-Rahman
Published: June 2018

Purpose

In recent times, organizations and leaders are focusing on new strategies to increase the success rate of organizational change (OC) implementation. Therefore, this study aims to uncover the sources and role of knowledge sharing (KS) to overcome the challenges of OC implementation.

Design/methodology/approach

For this research, data have been gathered from respondents based on their key designations by using unstructured interview method. Thematic analysis was then performed using the NVivo 11-Plus software.

Findings

It has found that employees in public sector organizations are opposing OC because of ineffective communication, and a lower level of employee participation in decision-making and barriers of, for example, a cultural, social, structural and political nature. Therefore, this study suggests how KS can be used to overcome the challenges of OC implementation.

Research limitations/implications

KS has become necessary to ensure incremental and radical changes in the survival of dynamic businesses. The results are useful to enhance understanding regarding the role of KS in the context of OC among change leaders, researchers, academicians and policymakers.

Originality/value

The study provides meaningful and novel knowledge regarding role of KS to overcome the challenges of OC implementation. No prior research that contributes practical and theoretical knowledge in the perspective of KS and OC has been found, especially in the context of developing countries and Asian culture. Therefore, this investigation attempts to explore the role of KS and presented overarching conceptual framework in the real context of OC implementation.
Model for calculating the intellectual capital of research centres
Authors: Loyarte Edurne , Garcia-Olaizola Igor , Marcos Gorka , Moral María , Gurrutxaga Nora , Florez-Esnal Julian , Azua Iñaki
Published: June 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to develop a model to help RTC managers in the technological and R&D decisions and bets so as to change the perceived value of the R&D projects of the centres. To achieve this aim, the paper investigates the different models for the valuation of intangible assets.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper presents a single case study and focusses on creating a useful IC valuation model for the centre, using existing methods and frameworks in IP and IC fields.

Findings

The paper presents a new method for the calculation of IC applied to a RTC in ICT sector, in which the valuation of the IP is included (software libraries) and the KM and the peculiarities of these kinds of organisations are explained. The model is based on Edvinsson and Malone (1997) and Leitner (2005).

Research limitations/implications

Although the use of a single case provides rich data, it is also limits the generalisability to other RTCs. Another limitation is that not all existing methods were explained. This new method constitutes a first proposal for the IP and IC valuation in RTCs and further discussion and development would be carried out in the future.

Practical implications

The results suggest an IP and IC measurement model to improve the strategic and technological decisions making.

Social implications

This paper may favour the competitiveness of companies engaged in intangible assets (knowledge, R&D) and the negotiation of the contracts since it arrives to determine a value for the intellectual property (software libraries) and intellectual capital.

Originality/value

This paper proposes an IC Model orientated towards an RTC context and to provide a value perspective for them. The authors are practitioners and the model is in use.
Intellectual capital disclosure: evidence from UK accounting firms
Authors: Duff Angus
Published: June 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the extent and quality of voluntary intellectual capital disclosures (ICD) by professional accounting firms (PAFs) in the UK.

Design/methodology/approach

The research method adopted for this study is content analysis considering the ICD in firms’ annual reports, corporate social responsibility reports, websites and recruitment materials. The sample for this research is based on 20 PAFs ranked by fee income. The paper employs institutional theory as its theoretical lens.

Findings

The findings of this paper show that ICDs vary across different forms of reports. The most frequently reported disclosure category is human capital, while the least reported category is internal capital. Monetary disclosures are most likely to relate to internal capital, while pictorial disclosures are most likely to relate to human capital.

Research limitations/implications

The sample size of the study is relatively small reflecting the extreme market concentration of accounting services in the UK and internationally. Future research can conduct a longitudinal study to capture the trend of reporting practices and consider narrative and discursive approaches to ICD.

Originality/value

No previous studies of intellectual capital (IC) disclosure have considered ICDs in professional service firms that are in themselves rich sources of human capital. Furthermore, the investigation uses a wide range of communications and assesses monetary, non-monetary, narrative and pictorial disclosures. This research extends both the IC disclosure and PAFs’ literatures.
Aid for trade, labor market flexibility with implication for Korea
Authors: Lee Hongshik , Park Minseok
Published: June 2018

Purpose

The existing literature on aid for trade (AfT) tends to support the effectiveness of AfT in improving trade capacities and enhancing the export performance of recipient countries. While aid directed at trade-related infrastructure (e.g. ports and roads) is reported to drive the overall effect of AfT, the increasing importance of labor market flexibility and informal labor in export environment has been largely overlooked. The purpose of this paper is to test two hypotheses regarding the relationship between labor market flexibility, exports and AfT. First, flexible labor regulation promotes exports by reducing adjustment costs related to the export process. Second, for informal labor-intensive export sectors, AfT effectiveness may be compromised by the contraction of the informal sector due to labor deregulation as it deteriorates comparative advantage that supports recipients’ export competitiveness.

Design/methodology/approach

Since first introduced by Tinbergen (1962), the gravity model has been widely used to analyze bilateral trade, and its usefulness has been verified in several prominent empirical studies (e.g. Anderson and van Wincoop, 2003; Helpman et al., 2008). However, despite the empirically successful framework of the gravity model, the standard gravity equation may not be appropriate for estimating the effect of AfT in the paper. The main interest lies in whether aggregate AfT flows enhance the export “performance” of individual recipients, that is, whether they improve the recipients’ total exports rather than their bilateral exports. For this purpose, the authors took aggregated approach to the gravity model from Anderson and van Wincoop (2003).

Findings

The findings suggest that while both AfT and labor market flexibility are positively associated with higher export levels, the export-promoting effect of AfT is marginally reduced by the contraction of informal workforce. These findings, however, only hold for export sectors that heavily rely on informal labor force, that is, primary commodities and resource/labor-intensive goods. The authors also find that these effects are stronger in low-income countries, indicating that the AfT initiative has been effective where it is needed the most.

Originality/value

This paper is the first attempt to analyze the relationship between AfT and exports with consideration of labor market flexibility. Using the data for 85 recipient countries, the authors test the following hypotheses. First, labor market flexibility promotes exports by reducing adjustment costs related to the exporting process. Second, the contraction of the informal sector due to labor deregulation deteriorates developing countries’ comparative advantage in certain export sectors. Hence, while both AfT and labor market flexibility are expected to enhance the export volume of developing countries, the loss from weaker comparative advantage in a form of smaller informal labor force can exceed the gains from AfT in certain sectors.
Psychological mechanisms linking ethical climate to employee whistle-blowing intention
Authors: Zhou Lulu , Liu Yan , Chen Zhihong , Zhao Shuming
Published: June 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore how a perceived ethical climate influences employees’ intention to whistle-blow through internal organizational channels and incorporates the mediating role of organizational identification and moral identity as well as the moderating role of individual risk aversion.

Design/methodology/approach

The five proposed hypotheses were tested using hierarchical regression analysis with two waves of data collected in 2016 from 667 employees in Chinese organizations.

Findings

The findings indicate that perceived ethical climate had a positive effect on employees’ internal whistle-blowing intention, which was mediated by organizational identification and moral identity. Furthermore, employees’ risk aversion weakened the effect of organizational identification, while the moderating role by moral identity on internal whistle-blowing intention was not validated.

Originality/value

This study explains the psychological mechanism of whistle-blowing intention from the perspective of social identity, which contributes to opening the “black box” of the transmitting processes from the perceived ethical climate to whistle-blowing intention. This study also extends the literature by defining a boundary condition of risk aversion that hinders organizational identification influence on employee whistle-blowing intention.
Outsourcing and firm performance: a meta-analysis
Authors: Awe Olajumoke A. , Kulangara Nisha , Henderson Demetria F.
Published: June 2018

Purpose

In the extant literature, the effect of outsourcing activities on the firm performance has been an area of interest for several decades; yet, the body of knowledge lacks a holistic view of this phenomenon. The potential outcomes of outsourcing and its impact on firm performance have not been aggregated in the literature. The purpose of this paper is to conduct a meta-analysis of 51 empirical results using 24 articles to examine the relationship between these variables and firm performance. The authors discuss the extant literature and examine which type of outsourcing has the greatest influence on firm performance. The authors also present the limitations and future opportunities. Theoretical and managerial implications are discussed to highlight which outsourcing functions would be fiscally beneficial for firms.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper takes a granular approach by looking at different outsourced functions in the both the manufacturing and service industry. Using meta- analysis, this paper combined the quantitative study data from several selected studies in an effort to increase power, improve the effect size and resolve the uncertainty about the effects of outsourcing activities on firm performance measures.

Findings

The authors found that outsourcing enhances the firm performance. When outsourcing functions were studied individually, only IT outsourcing had significant effects on firm performance in comparison to other forms of outsourcing. This might be attributed to the fact that IT outsourcing is less costly to implement in the organization compared with other forms of outsourcing.

Originality/value

This paper is the first paper that uses a meta-analytic approach to investigate the relationship between outsourcing and performance measures based on past empirical studies that have used both primary and secondary data.
Sustain and legitimize reputation
Authors: Mapa Nubia Cristina , Oliveira Luiz Claudio Vieira de , Reis Neto Mario Teixeira
Published: June 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to analyze the discursive resources used to sustain and legitimize the reputation of the mining company Samarco Mineração regarding sustainability, before the environmental accident occurred in 2015.

Design/methodology/approach

The sustainability reports from 2005 to 2014 were accessed for the analysis of the presentation texts, and the discourse analysis method was applied to access the discursive resources employed.

Findings

From the classical concepts of rhetoric, ethos, pathos and logos, it was found that they reinforced the reputation and legitimacy of the company. The ethos is responsible for the company’s image, while pathos triggers the emotional reception of that image, provoking positive expectations. The logos relate the built image and its emotional reception to a rational discourse that values the company’s expertise. The analysis, in the light of the new rhetoric, exposes the strategies to lead the public to accept the image of solidity and confidence given by a reputation respected nationally and internationally.

Research limitations/implications

As a limitation, the quantitative data of the report were not analyzed, since the objective was to analyze the discourse construction, understanding that the research was adequate for the established purposes. For the future, it is suggested to analyze the discourse of the company after the environmental accident in order to verify the strategies used in the same theme; analyze the discourses in other reports published in the Global Reporting Initiative model; investigate how the logic of sustainability report construction based on a standard model can interfere in the formation of reputation and legitimacy of the companies; and analyze the impact of CSR on the strategy of the companies.

Practical implications

The knowledge about the functioning of the language and discourse as an indicative of subjectivity provides a more critical reading and reveals elements implicit in the discourse of the organization. It was verified that the sustainability reports in encapsulated formats allow some stability in the discourse, since companies tend to follow the same line of previous years, even with changes in the organizational structure.

Originality/value

Discourses built by the companies do not always reflect the true operational and engineering situation practiced by them, and that successful and reputed companies can surprise their stakeholders with events of great magnitude that cause significant losses, be they monetary or human lives.
From ornament to armament or loss of function? Breeding plumage acquisition in a genetically monogamous bird
Authors: Fan Marie , Teunissen Niki , Hall Michelle L. , Hidalgo Aranzamendi Nataly , Kingma Sjouke A. , Roast Michael , Delhey Kaspar , Peters Anne
Published: June 2018

The evolution of conspicuous male traits is thought to be driven by female mate choice or male–male competition. These two mechanisms are often viewed as distinct processes, with most studies focusing on female choice.

However, both mechanisms of sexual selection can act simultaneously on the same trait (i.e., dual function) and/or interact in a synergistic or conflicting way. Dual‐function traits are commonly assumed to originate through male–male competition before being used in female choice; yet, most studies focusing on such traits could not determine the direction of change, lacking phylogenetic information.

We investigated the role of conspicuous male seasonal plumage in male–male competitive interactions in the purple‐crowned fairy‐wren Malurus coronatus, a cooperatively breeding bird. Male breeding plumage in most Malurus species is selected by female choice through extra‐pair mate choice, but unlike its congeners, M. coronatus is genetically monogamous, and females do not seem to choose males based on breeding plumage acquisition.

Our study shows that, within groups, subordinate males that were older, and therefore higher‐ranked in the queue for breeder position inheritance, produced a more complete breeding plumage. In line with this, subordinate males that were older and/or displayed a more complete breeding plumage were more successful in competitively acquiring a breeder position.

A role as a signal of competitive ability was experimentally confirmed by presenting models of males: in breeding colours, these received more aggression from resident breeder males than in nonbreeding colours, but elicited limited response from females, consistent with competitors in breeding plumage being perceived as a bigger threat to the breeder male.

The role of the conspicuous breeding plumage in mediating male–male interactions might account for its presence in this genetically monogamous species. As phylogenetic reconstructions suggest a past female choice function in M. coronatus, this could represent a sexual trait that shifted functions, or a dual‐function trait that lost one function. These evolutionary scenarios imply that intra‐ and intersexual functions of ornaments may be gained or lost independently and offer new perspectives in understanding the complex dynamics of sexual selection.