bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Inferring the timing and strength of natural selection and gene migration in the evolution of chicken from ancient DNA data
Authors: Lyu Wenyang , Dai Xiaoyang , Beaumont Mark , Yu Feng , He Zhangyi
Published: May 2021

With the rapid growth of the number of sequenced ancient genomes, there has been increasing interest in using this new information to study past and present adaptation. Such an additional temporal component has the promise of providing improved power for the estimation of natural selection. Over the last decade, statistical approaches for detection and quantification of natural selection from ancient DNA (aDNA) data have been developed. However, most of the existing methods do not allow us to estimate the timing of natural selection along with its strength, which is key to understanding the evolution and persistence of organismal diversity. Additionally, most methods ignore the fact that natural populations are almost always structured, which can result in overestimation of the effect of natural selection. To address these issues, we introduce a novel Bayesian framework for the inference of natural selection and gene migration from aDNA data with Markov chain Monte Carlo techniques, co-estimating both timing and strength of natural selection and gene migration. Such an advance enables us to infer drivers of natural selection and gene migration by correlating genetic evolution with potential causes such as the changes in the ecological context in which an organism has evolved. The performance of our procedure is evaluated through extensive simulations, with its utility shown with an application to ancient chicken samples.
Same but different: New insights on the correspondence between subjective affective experience and physiological responses from representational similarity analyses
Authors: Ventura-Bort C. , Wendt J. , Weymar M.
Published: May 2021

Classical views suggest that experienced affect is related to a specific bodily response (Fingerprint hypothesis), whereas recent perspectives challenge this view postulating that similar affective experiences rather evoke different physiological responses. To further advance this debate in the field, we used representational similarity analysis (N= 64) to investigate the correspondence between subjective affect (arousal and valence ratings) and physiological reactions (skin conductance response [SCR], startle blink response, heart rate and corrugator activity) across various emotion induction contexts (picture viewing task, sound listening task and imagery task). Significant similarities were exclusively observed between SCR and arousal in the picture viewing task. However, none of the other physiological measures showed a significant relation with valence and arousal ratings in any of the tasks. These findings tend to support thepopulations hypothesis, suggesting that there is no clear match between the evoked physiological responses and the experienced subjective affect between individuals.

Statement of relevance

The subjective affective experience evoked by an event is accompanied by physiological responses. The correspondence between physiological response patterns and the experienced affect, however, is still under debate. Classical views (Fingerprint hypothesis) suggest that affect is related to a specific physiological response, whereas recent perspectives (Populations hypothesis) challenge this view, postulating rather different physiological responses. In the current study, we used representational similarity analysis (RSA) to examine the relation between affective experience, assessed using valence and arousal ratings, and the evoked physiological reactivity across three affect-inducing contexts. Results showed significant similarities exclusively between SCR and arousal in the passive picture viewing task. However, none of the other physiological measures showed a significant relation with valence and arousal ratings in any of the tasks, supporting the populations hypothesis. These findings invite to reframe the relation between physiology and affect from invariant and homogeneous to variant and context-dependent.
Size conservation emerges spontaneously in biomolecular condensates formed by scaffolds and surfactant clients
Authors: Sanchez-Burgos Ignacio , Joseph Jerelle A. , Collepardo-Guevara Rosana , Espinosa Jorge R.
Published: May 2021

Biomolecular condensates are liquid-like membraneless compartments that contribute to the spatiotemporal organization of proteins, RNA, and other biomolecules inside cells. Some membraneless compartments, such as nucleoli, are dispersed as different condensates that do not grow beyond a certain size, or do not present coalescence over time. In this work, using a minimal protein model, we show that phase separation of binary mixtures of scaffolds and low-valency clients that can act as surfactants—i.e., that significantly reduce the droplet surface tension—can yield either a single drop or multiple droplets that conserve their sizes on long timescales (herein ‘multidroplet size-conserved’), depending on the scaffold to client ratio. Our simulations demonstrate that protein connectivity and condensate surface tension regulate the balance between these two scenarios. Multidroplet size-conserved behavior spontaneously arises at increasing surfactant-to-scaffold concentrations, when the interfacial penalty for creating small liquid droplets is sufficiently reduced by the surfactant proteins that are preferentially located at the interface. In contrast, low surfactant-to-scaffold concentrations enable continuous growth and fusion of droplets without restrictions. Overall, our work proposes one potential thermodynamic mechanism to help rationalize how size-conserved coexisting condensates can persist inside cells—shedding light on the roles of general biomolecular features such as protein connectivity, binding affinity, and droplet composition in this process.
Beta2-adrenoceptor agonist salbutamol increases leg glucose uptake and metabolic rate but not muscle glycogen resynthesis in recovery from resistance exercise of the quadriceps in lean young men
Authors: Onslev Johan , Thomasson Martin , Wojtaszewski Jørgen , Bangsbo Jens , Hostrup Morten
Published: May 2021

Content

Beta2-agonists evoke potent acute increases in peripheral glucose uptake and energy expenditure at rest. Exercise has been shown to blunt these effects. Whether this attenuation is extended into recovery from exercise is unknown.

Objective

To examine the effect of beta2-agonists on leg glucose uptake and leg metabolic rate in recovery from exercise.

Design

In a randomized, placebo-controlled, cross-over study using arteriovenous balance technique and analysis of thigh muscle biopsies we investigated the effect of 24mg oral salbutamol (a selective beta2-agonist) on leg glucose, oxygen, and lactate at rest, during exercise, and in recovery, as well as on muscle glycogen resynthesis.

Participants

Healthy, lean, young men (n=12).

Results

Leg glucose uptake tended to be two-fold higher at rest (0.22±0.12mmol/min, P=0.06). Accumulated leg glucose uptake was higher in recovery (21.1±6mmol, P=0.018) with salbutamol, but not during exercise. Leg oxygen uptake was 80% greater at rest (11±2.1mmol/min, P<0.01). Accumulated leg oxygen uptake was higher in recovery (1755±348mL, P<0.01) with salbutamol, but not during exercise. Muscle glycogen was lower with salbutamol 0.5h (109±25mmol/mg dry-weight, P<0.01) and 5h (101±19mmol/mg dry-weight, P<0.01) into recovery, suggestive of augmented glycogen utilization during exercise. There was no difference in glycogen resynthesis or glycogen synthase activity in the 5-hour recovery period with salbutamol.

Conclusions

These findings suggest that while resistance exercise confounds the augmentation of leg glucose uptake and metabolic rate induced by beta2-agonist at rest, this suppression is not conserved into recovery from exercise.
Sequential sampling from memory underlies action selection during abstract decision making
Authors: Shushruth S. , Zylberberg Ariel , Shadlen Michael N
Published: May 2021

The study of perceptual decision making in monkeys has provided insights into the process by which sensory evidence is integrated towards a decision. When monkeys make decisions with the knowledge of the motor actions the decisions bear upon, the process of evidence integration is instantiated by neurons involved in the selection of said actions. It is less clear how monkeys make decisions when unaware of the actions required to communicate their choice—what we refer to as ‘abstract’ decisions. We investigated this by training monkeys to associate the direction of motion of a noisy random-dot display with the color of two targets. Crucially, the targets were displayed at unpredictable locations after the motion stimulus was extinguished. We found that monkeys postponed decision formation until the targets were revealed. Neurons in the parietal association area LIP represented the integration of evidence leading to a choice, but as the stimulus was no longer visible, the samples of evidence must have been retrieved from short-term memory. Our results imply that when decisions are temporally unyoked from the motor actions they bear upon, decision formation is protracted until they can be framed in terms of motor actions.
End users' resistance behaviour paradigm in pre-deployment stage of ERP systems: evidence from Bangladeshi manufacturing industry
Authors: Alzahrani Ahmed , Mahmud Imran , Thurasamy Ramayah , Alfarraj Osama , Alwadain Ayed
Published: May 2021

Purpose

This study proposes a research model to identify the relevant constructs of employee resistance and symbolic adoption in pre-implementation stage of enterprise resource planning systems in manufacturing industries, drawing suitable support from the existing body of literature. The proposed model is a combination of the status quo bias theory and absorptive capacity theory to measure employee resistance that negatively lead to symbolic adoption of a user.

Design/methodology/approach

This research used a self-administered questionnaire to survey 221 participants from five organizations in the manufacturing industry, all working towards deploying enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems.

Findings

The results show that factors contributing to status quo bias and absorptive capacity impact end-user grumbling. Furthermore, end-user grumbling affects symbolic adoption substantially.

Practical implications

This study provides researchers, practitioners and ERP vendors a broader overview of employees' resistance and motivation for using newly deployed systems.

Originality/value

In the past two decades, both practitioners and academicians are investigating the technical and non-technical features that assist end-users to adopt the system. Information system theories center on the post-deployment stage, with rare attempts to identify users' resistance and mental willingness to accept technology in the pre-adoption phase, which is very crucial for the success of ERP.
Now protected or still stigmatized? A 25-year outlook on the impact of the Americans with Disabilities Act
Authors: Wu Felix Y. , Nittrouer Christine , Nguyen Vinh , Hebl Mikki , Oswald Frederick L. , Frieden Lex
Published: May 2021

Purpose

In 1990, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was signed into law by President George H.W. Bush. This law was intended to prevent discrimination against people with disabilities (PWD) in employment, public accommodations, transportation and other areas of life. However, the degree of impact in these sectors has not been studied in tandem. Addressing these sectors together is the primary objective of this paper.

Design/methodology/approach

Results are analyzed and presented regarding ADA impacts as well as which organizations provide advocacy services in support to PWD from survey data collected from 1,582 US participants in 2010 (N = 866) and 2015 (N = 716).

Findings

Results suggest that the ADA has had a positive impact on PWD, yet this law favorably affects people of certain demographics more than others. Moreover, people with and without disabilities have differing opinions on the impact of the ADA, suggesting that what is conveyed to the public and the impact of the ADA on real-life outcomes of PWD are sometimes misaligned.

Originality/value

The present study helps add to the current body of knowledge on the impact of the ADA by providing perspectives on advocacy services and impacts from a diverse set of PWD and their counterparts without disabilities.
Collaborative engagement experience-based learning: a teaching framework for business education
Authors: Freyn Shelly L. , Sedaghatjou Mina , Rodney Sheree
Published: May 2021

Purpose

An academic–practitioner divide exists suggesting the need for business education curriculum to more appropriately suit private-sector demands. This calls for pedagogical approaches that offer experiences and build skill sets to better prepare graduates for the workforce. The authors propose a framework, collaborative engagement experience-based learning (CEEBL), as a new pedagogical method for teaching and learning in business education. This research provides a viable solution to bridge the gap between academia and industry. The authors suggest CEEBL also offers business students new methods of engagement in the world of work.

Design/methodology/approach

This exploratory study investigates the CEEBL framework applied to a business education course in competitive intelligence (CI) and a crisis simulation exercise that offer “real world” experiences to students. Data were collected in two semesters and included feedback from over 70 undergraduate students.

Findings

Results suggest that the CEEBL framework provides students with the learning experiences to build much-needed skill sets. Additionally, Hallinger and Lu's (2011) assessment of overall instructional effectiveness showed positive statistical results for its dimensions.

Originality/value

The CEEBL framework is coined from two existing pedagogical underpinnings; collaborative engagement (CE) and experience-based Learning (EBL). These concepts offer insights into the ways in which CE promotes a rich learning experience. The new framework takes into consideration the relationship(s) among the dimensions of CE and EBL and how they intertwine with each other to create a pedagogical method that can better prepare students for a dynamic workplace. CEEBL can be easily adapted for online, hybrid or in-session teaching environments. Additionally, the framework offers flexibility in application to other disciplines while addressing current topics and issues through the capstone exercise.
Design science research with focus groups – a pragmatic meta-model
Authors: Henriques Telmo Antonio , O’Neill Henrique
Published: May 2021

Purpose

The purpose of this research paper is to present a pragmatic and systematic approach to conduct and document Design Science Research (DSR) activities with Focus Groups (FGs), exploring its continuous usage and providing traceability between problem, requirements, solutions and artefacts.

Design/methodology/approach

The approach is to conduct the research and produce the meta-model for DSR with FG, a DSR approach was adopted using a conceptual model for Action Design Research already available. The artefact is the result from a specific literature review to define requirements, a careful design and a refinement stage where it was widely used and tested in real IS implementation projects.

Findings

Rigorous and committed stakeholder engagement is a critical success factor in complex projects. The main outcome of this research is a specific meta-model for DSR with FG that delivers new insights and practical guidelines for academics and professionals conducting and documenting real-world research and development initiatives deep-rooted in stakeholders' participation.

Research limitations/implications

The meta-model has been endorsed as a practical and useful artefact by the stakeholders participating in the IS projects where it was adopted. However, to fully demonstrate its capabilities and to become more robust, the model has to be further used and tested in other application situations and environments.

Originality/value

The usage of FGs in DSR has already been proposed as an effective way, either to study artefacts, to propose improvements in its design or to acknowledge the utility of those artefacts in field use. The paper provides a sound contribution to this line of research by presenting a meta-model that integrates process and data, as well as a set of practical templates and forms that may be used by researchers and practitioners to conduct their projects.
Preparing project managers for the human aspects of project work: fostering sensemaking abilities
Authors: van der Hoorn Bronte , Killen Catherine P.
Published: May 2021

Purpose

To prepare project managers for the human aspects of project work using a new classroom-based approach to foster abilities in collective sensemaking.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors developed an approach for fostering collective sensemaking abilities through three class sessions inspired by Merrill's First Principles of Instruction. The authors implemented the sessions in two cohorts of students, with a total of 57 participants, and evaluated its impact through a series of surveys.

Findings

Findings demonstrated how each component of the educational approach contributed to an increase in students' sensemaking understanding and ability. Through explanation, demonstration and application components, students reported increasing levels of confidence in their ability to facilitate collective sensemaking in practice.

Research limitations/implications

The authors’ findings are based on a sample of 57 students in one university setting. Further studies are required to evaluate the educational approach; such studies could use larger numbers of students or other education settings. Triangulating students' reported understanding and abilities would increase confidence in the effectiveness of this approach.

Practical implications

By explaining the authors’ approach to sensemaking education and providing initial evidence of its success, they provide educators with an example of how to foster collective sensemaking through classroom-based project management education. The approach has potential for teaching other interpersonal skills.

Originality/value

This research provides a novel classroom-based approach to foster sensemaking awareness and skills, and for dispersing contemporary project management thinking and tools to practitioners.
COVID-19 and the social organization of knowledge in Wikipedia: a study of social representations
Authors: Roszkowski Marcin , Włodarczyk Bartłomiej
Published: May 2021

Purpose

The paper aims to present the development of conceptualization of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) based on associations with other articles on English edition of Wikipedia. The main goal of the paper is to study the social organization of knowledge about COVID-19 within the Wikipedia community of practice.

Design/methodology/approach

The methodological approach taken in this study was based on the application of Moscovici's theory of social representations to Wikipedia's knowledge organization system (KOS). Internal links in the Wikipedia article about COVID-19 were considered anchors in its social representations. Each link in the introductory part of the article was considered an indicator of the semantic relationship between COVID-19 and other concepts from Wikipedia's knowledge base. The subject of this study was links extracted from all revisions of the COVID-19 article between February and September 2020. Qualitative and quantitative analyses were performed on these conceptual structures using both synchronic and diachronic approaches.

Findings

It was found that the evolution of anchors in the Wikipedia article on COVID-19 was in line with the mechanism of symbolic coping related to infectious disease. It went through stages of divergence, convergence and normalization. It shows that this mechanism governs the social organization of knowledge related to COVID-19 on Wikipedia.

Originality/value

No studies have been devoted to the image of COVID-19 as presented by the evolution of links in Wikipedia and its implications for knowledge organization (KO).
A systematic literature review on image information needs and behaviors
Authors: Cho Hyerim , Pham Minh T.N. , Leonard Katherine N. , Urban Alex C.
Published: May 2021

Purpose

With ready access to search engines and social media platforms, the way people find image information has evolved and diversified in the past two decades. The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of the literature on image information needs and behaviors.

Design/methodology/approach

Following an eight-step procedure for conducting systematic literature reviews, the paper presents an analysis of peer-reviewed work on image information needs and behaviors, with publications ranging from the years 1997 to 2019.

Findings

Application of the inclusion criteria led to 69 peer-reviewed works. These works were synthesized according to the following categories: research methods, users targeted, image types, identified needs, search behaviors and search obstacles. The reviewed studies show that people seek and use images for multiple reasons, including entertainment, illustration, aesthetic appreciation, knowledge construction, engagement, inspiration and social interactions. The reviewed studies also report that common strategies for image searches include keyword searches with short queries, browsing, specialization and reformulation. Observed trends suggest common deployment of query analysis, survey questionnaires and undergraduate participant pools to research image information needs and behavior.

Originality/value

At this point, after more than two decades of image information needs research, a holistic systematic review of the literature was long overdue. The way users find image information has evolved and diversified due to technological developments in image retrieval. By synthesizing this burgeoning field into specific foci, this systematic literature review provides a foundation for future empirical investigation. With this foundation set, the paper then pinpoints key research gaps to investigate, particularly the influence of user expertise, a need for more diverse population samples, a dearth of qualitative data, new search features and information and visual literacies instruction.
On the asymmetries created by the Great Recession in the US real estate market
Authors: Fofack Achille Dargaud , Temkeng Serge Djoudji , Oppong Clement
Published: May 2021

Purpose

This paper aims at analyzing the asymmetries created by the Great Recession in the US real estate sector.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper uses a Markov-switching dynamic regression model in which parameters change when the housing market moves from one regime to the other.

Findings

The results show that the effect of real estate loans, interest rate, quantitative easing and working age population are asymmetric across bull and bear regimes. It is also found that the estimated parameters are larger in bull regime than bear regime, indicating a tendency to create house price bubbles in bull market.

Practical implications

Since three of those asymmetric variables (real estate loans, interest rate and quantitative easing) are related to monetary policy, the Fed can mitigate their impact on an interest-sensitive sector such as housing by engaging in a countercyclical monetary policy.

Originality/value

The estimated intercept and the variance parameter both vary from one regime to the other, thus justifying the use of a regime-dependent model.
Can we trust AI? An empirical investigation of trust requirements and guide to successful AI adoption
Authors: Bedué Patrick , Fritzsche Albrecht
Published: May 2021

Purpose

Artificial intelligence (AI) fosters economic growth and opens up new directions for innovation. However, the diffusion of AI proceeds very slowly and falls behind, especially in comparison to other technologies. An important path leading to better adoption rates identified is trust-building. Particular requirements for trust and their relevance for AI adoption are currently insufficiently addressed.

Design/methodology/approach

To close this gap, the authors follow a qualitative approach, drawing on the extended valence framework by assessing semi-structured interviews with experts from various companies.

Findings

The authors contribute to research by finding several subcategories for the three main trust dimensions ability, integrity and benevolence, thereby revealing fundamental differences for building trust in AI compared to more traditional technologies. In particular, the authors find access to knowledge, transparency, explainability, certification, as well as self-imposed standards and guidelines to be important factors that increase overall trust in AI.

Originality/value

The results show how the valence framework needs to be elaborated to become applicable to the AI context and provide further structural orientation to better understand AI adoption intentions. This may help decision-makers to identify further requirements or strategies to increase overall trust in their AI products, creating competitive and operational advantage.
The role of dispositional mindfulness in employee readiness for change during the COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Roemer Anja , Sutton Anna , Medvedev Oleg N.
Published: May 2021

Purpose

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has forced organisations to change the way they work to maintain viability, even though change is not always successfully implemented. Multiple scholars have identified employees' readiness for change as an important factor of successful organisational change, but research focussed on psychological factors that facilitate change readiness is scarce. The purpose of the present study was to investigate whether employee dispositional mindfulness contributes to readiness for change.

Design/methodology/approach

Employees (n = 301) from various industries in New Zealand participated in an online survey shortly after the local COVID-19 lockdown ended. The employees' levels of mindfulness, readiness for change, well-being and distress were assessed using well-validated psychometric scales. Multiple regression analyses tested the effect of mindfulness on readiness for change, with well-being and distress as moderating variables.

Findings

The results show that the effect of mindfulness on readiness for change is moderated by both well-being and distress. Mindfulness has a positive, significant effect on readiness for change when levels of well-being are high and levels of distress are low.

Practical implications

These findings have important implications for organisations who aim to promote readiness for change in their employees. Even though mindfulness has been shown to be beneficial, organisations also have to consider the mental states of their employees when managing change.

Originality/value

This study provides empirical evidence that dispositional mindfulness may facilitate the employees' readiness for change, but only when levels of well-being are high and distress are low.
Food assistance in Portugal: organizational challenges in three different contexts
Authors: Augusto Fábio Rafael
Published: May 2021

Purpose

Drawing on an ethnographic research study, developed in three different food assistance initiatives (FAIs) operating in Portugal, this article seeks to explore the elements that characterize them and the main organizational challenges they face.

Design/methodology/approach

Participant observation was carried out in a surplus food redistribution charity, a soup kitchen and a social supermarket, and semi-structured interviews were conducted with supervisors of these FAIs. The study followed an inductive coding strategy, and a thematic analysis was developed.

Findings

The main results point to an appreciation of the initiatives and the role they play, but they also highlight the existence of several challenges, mainly related to: 1) difficulties in accessing sources of funding, 2) the absence of an intervening state and 3) a scarcity of resources that allow a thorough assessment of their activities and services provided, which weakens the public image of these responses.

Originality/value

The development of food assistance in Europe has a long history. Over the past few years, this sector has grown significantly. Nowadays, it is possible to identify several realities around emergency food provision. However, this heterogeneity has not been sufficiently explored in the literature. In addition, there are few studies that report on the variety of initiatives that coexist in Portugal and establish a comparison between them. The current paper intends to overcome this gap by seeking to understand the main models of food assistance operating in the country.
Information as a key dimension to develop industrial asset management in manufacturing
Authors: Polenghi Adalberto , Roda Irene , Macchi Marco , Pozzetti Alessandro
Published: May 2021

Purpose

The purpose of this work is to investigate industrial asset management (AM) in manufacturing. After depicting gaps for AM in this sector, the role of information as a key dimension is considered to realise a summary of challenges and advices for future development.

Design/methodology/approach

The work is grounded on an extensive systematic literature review. Considering the eligible documents, descriptive statistics are provided and a content analysis is performed, both based on a sector-independent normative-based framework of analysis.

Findings

AM principles, organisation and information are the dimensions defined to group ten areas of interest for AM in manufacturing. Information is the major concern for an effective AM implementation. Moreover, Internet of Things and big data management and analytics, as well as data modelling and ontology engineering, are the major technologies envisioned to advance the implementation of AM in manufacturing.

Research limitations/implications

The identified challenges and advices for future development may serve to stimulate further research on AM in manufacturing, with special focus on information and data management. The sector-independent normative-based framework may also enable to analyse AM in different contexts of application, thus favouring cross-sectorial comparisons.

Originality/value

Industries with higher operational risk, like Oil&Gas and infrastructure, are advanced in AM, while others, like some in manufacturing, are laggard in this respect. This literature review is the first of a kind addressing AM in manufacturing and depicts the state-of-the-art to pave the way for future research and development.
Growth aspirations in SMEs: managerial determinants and organizational outcomes
Authors: Eide Ann Elida , Moen Øystein , Madsen Tage Koed , Azari Mohammad Javadinia
Published: May 2021

Purpose

The main purpose of this study is to increase the scholarly understanding of managerial growth aspirations in small firms. Research has shown that managers' aspirations are important to ensure firms' growth, but researchers know less of where their aspirations come from and how variation in these aspirations shapes organizational outcomes. By focusing on two growth strategies of particular importance for small firms – innovation and internationalization – the authors map out how managers' ambitious aspirations may create negative organizational effects and also how they may counteract such effects.

Design/methodology/approach

The study employs structural equation modeling (SEM) on a sample of 249 Norwegian small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

Findings

The findings of this study suggest that managerial experience is associated with high aspirations as well as high change effectiveness on the managerial team. The authors find that ambitious growth aspirations are associated with exploration in the form of radical innovation but also lead to reduced employee well-being. Managers' level of perceived change effectiveness, on the other hand, is positively associated with radical innovation and also raises employee well-being.

Research limitations/implications

This study highlights the positive and negative effects of managerial aspirations on different organizational outcomes. Further, it shows that managerial teams working effectively together in the face of change is important for the well-being of employees. Results confirm the positive relationship between aspirations for growth and applied growth strategies in organizations. The data sample is, however, extracted from one country only, and the authors cannot exclude the possibility that findings will be different elsewhere.

Practical implications

To ensure successful growth, managers should combine ambitious aspirations with attention to the top management team's (TMT) experience levels and change effectiveness. Assessment of possible needs for development and adjustments could ensure growth processes with limited negative effects for employee well-being.

Originality/value

By distinguishing between growth through international sales (exploitation) and growth through a more change-intensive strategy of radical innovation (exploration), the authors investigate how variations in managerial aspirations and perceptions influence organizational growth processes. This paper paints a unique picture of how managers can be both the cause and cure of employee well-being in change-demanding situations.
Interdependent HRM practices as active responses to paradox in Finnish growth enterprises
Authors: Lindström Sara , Janhonen Minna
Published: May 2021

Purpose

By adopting a paradox lens, the purpose of this study is to explore paradoxes in relation to work organization, recruitment and competence development in growth-oriented companies.

Design/methodology/approach

The study is a qualitative content analysis based on research interviews of managers responsible for human resource management (HRM) in Finnish small and medium-sized growth enterprises (SMEs).

Findings

The results show four themes, namely, (1) individualized work, (2) cultural cohesiveness, (3) experimental organization and (4) personal closeness. These identified themes are interpreted as mutually enabling, active responses to the underlying paradoxes of individualism – community and stability – change.

Originality/value

The results contribute to research on tension and paradox in HRM by taking the still unexplored opportunity to apply paradox theory to HRM in SMEs.
Service co-creation on social media: varieties and measures among nonprofit organizations
Authors: Namisango Fatuma , Kang Kyeong , Rehman Junaid
Published: May 2021

Purpose

Little is known about the variations in service co-creation on social media, despite the resource integrating capabilities and co-creator roles afforded by these platforms. The gap is even more troubling in the nonprofit sector, where leveraging public interaction on social media is prevalent and vital to charitable and philanthropic endeavors. Arguably, such interaction is embedded in resource integrating activities leading to nonprofit service co-creation. This paper reports the forms, dimensions or service co-creation measures enabled by social media use in the nonprofits' sector.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors conducted a sequential exploratory mixed methods design. First, the authors interviewed 19 social media managers in education, health and social service nonprofit organizations to identify the varieties in service co-creation realized. Second, the authors surveyed 73 nonprofit organizations on social media and gathered 267 useable responses, which were used to analyze and validate the identified forms of service co-creation.

Findings

The authors found that nonprofit organizations realize up to seven forms of service co-creation using social media. These include co-ideating to tweak service ideas, co-diagnosing social needs and problems, co-assessing service events, co-transforming services to targeted communities, co-advocating for community and service reach, co-resourcing in service delivery, and co-experiencing through a pool of diverse service experiences.

Originality/value

This study develops a reliable and valid multidimensional measure for nonprofit service co-creation enabled by social media platforms. Theoretically, this study offers a nonprofit service co-creation model to drive nuanced explanatory research and service co-creation perspectives in other contexts and engagement platforms. Managerially, this research illustrates the variations in service co-creation, which inform the strategic value of social media to nonprofits and will assist nonprofit practitioners in planning and evaluating their service co-creation outcomes.
Transforming a university library into a learning organisation
Authors: Thorpe Clare
Published: May 2021

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to discuss the strategies to promote a culture of professional learning within an Australian academic library. As the COVID-19 experience has shown new and evolving roles require skills, knowledge and abilities that current library employees may not have trained for. One framework which supports continuous professional development and employee motivation is the concept of a learning organisation, where staff across all levels of the library acknowledge the value of continuous learning and autonomously engage in activities to keep their skills up to date and relevant.

Design/methodology/approach

The article is a case study of a three-year period of interventions and outcomes in an Australian academic library.

Findings

The strategies discussed provide insights for library managers and leaders about how organisational change can be incrementally embedded through clarity of purpose, aligned leadership, transparent processes, self-determination and social learning.

Research limitations/implications

The case study examines a single institution.

Originality/value

The paper provides practical strategies and examples from the case study of one university library which has successful embedded workplace learning as a regular and accepted part of staff routines.
Exploring knowledge visualization in the digital age: an analysis of benefits and risks
Authors: Troise Ciro
Published: May 2021

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore the main benefits and risks of knowledge visualization in the current digital age.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper is based on a qualitative and explorative research to frame the benefits and risks of knowledge visualization. The emerging views of 57 small and medium-sized entrepreneurs (SMEs) managers are examined.

Findings

The findings reveal both benefits and risks related to knowledge visualization. The two aggregate dimensions (i.e. benefits and risks) are supported by six second-order and five second-order categories, respectively. On one side, the main benefits highlighted in the study are related to: stakeholder engagement, flexibility, knowledge transfer, signaling role, agility and interactivity; on the other side, the risks identified are related to: complexity, absorptive capacity, divergences, capabilities and ineffectiveness.

Originality/value

The research highlights novel insights in the emerging field of knowledge visualization and extends current literature. It provides useful implication from both a theoretical and practical point of view.
The enablers in the relationship between entrepreneurial ecosystems and the circular economy: the case of circularity.com
Authors: Pizzi Simone , Leopizzi Rossella , Caputo Andrea
Published: May 2021

Purpose

This study aims to investigate the evolutionary pathways adopted by a digital platform to favor the development of an entrepreneurial ecosystem inspired by circular economy behaviors, becoming an enabler in the development of a coevolutionary relationship between entrepreneurial ecosystems and circular economy.

Design/methodology/approach

An in-depth single-case study method has been applied, investigating the case of circularity.com, the first and only circular economy industrial symbiosis platform in Italy.

Findings

The paper shows how digital platforms can transition towards circular business models, particularly for small and medium enterprises (SMEs). Moreover, the findings show how sustainable platforms' need to revise their business models to effectively engage with stakeholders. The analysis also shows the central role covered by entrepreneurial ecosystems in the transition towards a more circular and sustainable business models.

Originality/value

This paper contributes to theoretical development by offering new and insightful explanations of firms' behavior and coevolution, moving beyond the classic interpretation of industry dynamics and analyzing a unique case study. This study has implications for both practice and research, as it offers a better and more holistic understanding of the enabling role of digital platforms for a circular economy.
Improving the sustainability of food supply chains through circular economy practices – a qualitative mapping approach
Authors: Batista Luciano , Dora Manoj , Garza-Reyes Jose Arturo , Kumar Vikas
Published: May 2021

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to present a methodological approach to support qualitative analysis of waste flows in food supply chains. The methodological framework introduced allows the identification of circular food waste flows that can maximise the sustainability of food supply chains.

Design/methodology/approach

Following a qualitative approach, circular economy perspectives are combined with core industrial ecology concepts in the specification of a standardised analytical method to map food waste flows and industrial synergies across a supply chain.

Findings

The mapped waste flows and industrial linkages depict two time-related scenarios: (1) current scenarios showing the status quo of existing food waste flows, and (2) future scenarios pointing out circular flows along the supply chain. The future scenarios inform potential alternatives to take waste flows up the food waste hierarchy.

Research limitations/implications

The qualitative approach does not allow generalisations of findings out of the scope of the study. The framework is intended for providing focussed analysis, case by case. Future research involving mixed methods where quantitative approaches complement the qualitative perspectives of the framework would expand the analytical perspective.

Originality/value

The framework provides a relatively low-cost and pragmatic method to identify alternatives to minimise landfill disposals and improve the sustainability of food supply chains. Its phased methodology and standardised outcomes serve as a referential basis to inform not only comparative analysis, but also policymaking and strategic decisions aimed at transforming linear food supply chains into circular economy ecosystems.
Do green legitimacy and regulatory stakeholder demands stimulate corporate social and environmental responsibilities, environmental and financial performance? Evidence from an emerging economy
Authors: Baah Charles , Agyabeng-Mensah Yaw , Afum Ebenezer , Mncwango Minenhle Siphesihle
Published: May 2021

Purpose

Organizations desire to achieve green legitimacy and regulatory stakeholder demands and have been potent in influencing the adoption and implementation of social and environmental responsibilities in current business settings. Perceiving that social and environmental responsibilities that promote social growth and environmental sustainability have shifted from being optional to mandatory for organizations, this study from the perspectives of institutional and stakeholder theories elucidates the efficacy of green legitimacy and regulatory stakeholder demands on the adoption of social and environmental responsibilities at the organizational level and how these variables relate with environmental and financial performance in the context of an emerging economy.

Design/methodology/approach

The study adopted a positivist methodological paradigm, survey research design, a quantitative approach and partial least square structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) in making data analysis and interpretations due to its appropriateness for predictive research models.

Findings

The results highlighted that desire for green legitimacy and regulatory stakeholder demands influenced the adoption of environmental responsibility, social responsibility, environmental and financial performance. While environmental responsibility positively and robustly influenced environmental performance, social responsibility positively and significantly influenced financial performance. The findings particularly exposed that while environmental responsibility had negative and insignificant effect on financial performance, social responsibility negatively and significantly influenced environmental performance. Moreover, environmental performance was also found to be negatively and insignificantly correlated with financial performance. Based on the results, theoretical and practical implications are explained for policymakers, managers, government authorities and business owners.

Originality/value

The study is among the few to investigate how firms desire to achieve green legitimacy and regulatory stakeholder demands motivate the adoption and implementation of environmental and social responsibilities and its implications on environmental and financial performance in the context of an emerging economy. Although environmental responsibility has received significant attention in past studies, it is mostly considered a subset of corporate social responsibility. Thus, this study is among the first to explore the dimensional effects of corporate social responsibility namely environmental responsibility and social responsibility on performance in the context of an emerging economy and as individual constructs.
Orchestrating entrepreneurial ecosystems in circular economy: the new paradigm of sustainable competitiveness
Authors: Castro Oliveira José , Lopes João M. , Farinha Luís , Silva Sónia , Luízio Mónica
Published: May 2021

Purpose

The Paris agreement for climate changes brought new attention to the themes of reduce carbon emissions, green ecosystems, the circular economy and the need to ensure the emergence of sustainable entrepreneurial ecosystems. This study aims to investigate entrepreneurship from the perspective of circular economy and waste collection in the Portuguese context.

Design/methodology/approach

Following a quantitative approach, the sample comprises 2,690 firm-year observations related to 354 firms from different industries within the waste from electric and electronic equipment (WEEE) scope.

Findings

The results show that a large part of SMEs started to comply with waste management regulations as of 2006 and are still not prone to innovation. Regulatory compliance is expected to have a positive impact on innovation, with a significant and positive change in the number of patents and the value of intangibles after companies comply with the waste management regulation.

Originality/value

This paper is original because it addresses equally to entrepreneurial ecosystems and circular economy (studies that address these two aspects are rare), with the Portuguese context in an embryonic stage with an extensive path to follow in the applicability of circular economy to business.