bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Conserved intramolecular networks in GDAP1 are closely connected to CMT-linked mutations and protein stability
Authors: Sutinen Aleksi , Paffenholz Dirk , Nguyen Giang Thi Tuyet , Ruskamo Salla , Torda Andrew E. , Kursula Petri
Published: September 2022

Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMT) is the most common inherited peripheral polyneuropathy in humans, and its subtypes are linked to mutations in dozens of different genes, including the gene coding for ganglioside-induced differentiation-associated protein 1 (GDAP1). The main GDAP1-linked CMT subtypes are the demyelinating CMT4A and the axonal CMT2K. Over a hundred different missense CMT mutations in the GDAP1 gene have been reported. However, despite implications for mitochondrial fission and fusion, cytoskeletal interactions, and response to reactive oxygen species, the etiology of GDAP1-linked CMT is poorly understood at the protein level. Based on earlier structural data, CMT-linked mutations could affect intramolecular interaction networks within the GDAP1 protein. We carried out structural and biophysical analyses on several CMT-linked GDAP1 protein variants and describe new crystal structures of the autosomal recessive R120Q and the autosomal dominant A247V and R282H GDAP1 variants. These mutations reside in the structurally central helices α3, α7, and α8. In addition, solution properties of the CMT mutants R161H, H256R, R310Q, and R310W were analysed. All disease variant proteins retain close to normal structure and solution behaviour. All mutations, apart from those affecting Arg310 outside the folded GDAP1 core domain, decreased thermal stability. In addition, a bioinformatics analysis was carried out to shed light on the conservation and evolution of GDAP1, which is an outlier member of the GST superfamily. Many CMT mutation sites are highlighted in the bioinformatics analyses focusing on sequence conservation and entropy, and the analyses support the outlier nature of GDAP1 in the GST superfamily. A central role for the α6-α7 loop, within a conserved interaction network, is identified for GDAP1 protein stability. To conclude, we have expanded the structural analysis on GDAP1, strengthening the hypothesis that alterations in conserved intramolecular interactions may alter GDAP1 stability and function, eventually leading to mitochondrial dysfunction, impaired protein-protein interactions, and neuronal degeneration.
Changes in global repression underlie the evolution of Drosophila abdominal pigmentation
Authors: Méndez-González Iván D. , Williams Thomas M. , Rebeiz Mark
Published: September 2022

Changes in gene regulation represent an important path to generate developmental differences affecting anatomical traits. Interspecific divergence in gene expression often results from changes in transcription-stimulating enhancer elements. While gene repression is crucial for precise spatiotemporal expression patterns, the relative contribution of repressive transcriptional silencer to regulatory evolution remains to be addressed. Here, we show that the Drosophila pigmentation gene ebony has mainly evolved through changes in the spatial domains of silencers patterning its abdominal expression. By precisely editing the endogenous ebony locus of D. melanogaster, we demonstrate the requirement of two redundant abdominal enhancers and three silencers that repress the redundant enhancers in a patterned manner. We observe a role for changes in these silencers in every case of ebony evolution observed to date. Our findings suggest that negative regulation by silencers likely has an under-appreciated role in gene regulatory evolution.
CP204L Is a Multifunctional Protein of African Swine Fever Virus That Interacts with The VPS39 Subunit of HOPS Complex and Promotes Lysosome Clustering
Authors: Dolata Katarzyna Magdalena , Fuchs Walter , Caignard Grégory , Dupré Juliette , Pannhorst Katrin , Blome Sandra , Mettenleiter Thomas C. , Karger Axel
Published: September 2022

Virus replication depends on a complex interplay between viral and host proteins. In the case of African swine fever virus (ASFV), a large DNA virus, only few virus-host protein-protein interactions have been identified to date. In this study, we demonstrate that the ASFV protein CP204L directly interacts with the cellular homotypic fusion and protein sorting (HOPS) protein VPS39, blocking its association with the lysosomal HOPS complex, that modulates endolysosomal trafficking and promotes lysosome clustering. Instead, VPS39 is targeted to the sites of virus replication termed virus factories. Furthermore, we show that loss of VPS39 reduces the levels of virus proteins synthesized in the early phase of infection and delays ASFV replication but does not completely inhibit it. Collectively, these results identify a novel virus-host protein interaction that modulates host membrane rearrangement during infection and provide evidence that CP204L is a multifunctional protein engaged in distinct steps of the ASFV life cycle.

Importance

African swine fever virus (ASFV) was first identified over a hundred years ago. Since then, much effort has been made to understand the pathogenesis of ASFV. Yet, the specific roles of many individual ASFV proteins during the infection remain enigmatic. This study provides evidence that CP204L, one of the most abundant ASFV proteins, modulates endosomal trafficking during virus infection. Through direct protein-protein interaction, CP204L prevents the recruitment of VPS39 to the endosomal and lysosomal membranes, resulting in their accumulation. Consequently, CP204L and VPS39 become sequestered to the ASFV replication site. These results uncover a novel function of viral protein CP204L and extend our understanding of complex interaction between virus and host.
Gibson Assembly-based direct cloning of plasmid DNA in Lactiplantibacillus plantarum WCSF1
Authors: Blanch Asensio Marc , Dey Sourik , Sankaran Shrikrishnan
Published: September 2022

Lactobacilli are gram-positive bacteria that are growing in importance for the healthcare industry and genetically engineering them as living therapeutics is highly sought after. However, progress in this field is hindered since most strains are difficult to genetically manipulate, partly due since their complex and thick cell walls limit our capability to transform them with exogenous DNA. To overcome this, large amounts of DNA (>1 μg) are normally required to successfully transform these bacteria. An intermediate host, like E. coli, is often used to amplify recombinant DNA to such amounts although this approach poses unwanted drawbacks such as increase in plasmid size, different methylation patterns and limitation of introducing only genes compatible with the intermediate host. In this work, we have developed a direct cloning method based on Gibson assembly and PCR to amplify the DNA to sufficient quantities for successful transformation in L. plantarum WCFS1. This advantage of this method is demonstrated in terms of shorter experimental duration and the possibility to introduce a gene incompatible with E. coli into L. plantarum WCFS1.
Comparative analysis of CRISPR off-target activity discovery tools followingex vivoediting of CD34+hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells
Authors: Cromer M. Kyle , Majeti Kiran R. , Rettig Garrett R. , Murugan Karthik , Kurgan Gavin L. , Hampton Jessica P. , Vakulskas Christopher A. , Behlke Mark A. , Porteus Matthew H.
Published: September 2022

While CRISPR-based editing most often occurs at DNA sequences with perfect homology to the guide RNA (gRNA), unintended editing can occur at highly homologous regions (i.e., off-target (OT) sites). Due to the pace at which genome editing therapies are approaching clinical applications, there is an emerging need to define effective workflows for investigating OT editing effects. A number of homology-dependent,in silico-basedprediction methods and wet lab-based empirical methods exist to investigate OT editing, but few have been subjected to analytical assessment or head-to-head comparison in human primary cells using anex vivoediting process optimized for high-fidelity gene editing. Therefore, we sought to compare publicly availablein silicotools (COSMID, CCTop, and Cas-OFFinder) as well as empirical methods (CHANGE-Seq, CIRCLE-Seq, DISCOVER-Seq, GUIDE-Seq, and SITE-Seq) in the context ofex vivohematopoietic stem and progenitor cell (HSPC) editing. To do so, we edited CD34+HSPCs using 11 different guide RNAs (gRNAs) complexed with HiFi Cas9, then performed targeted next-generation sequencing of ~200-site panels containing a range of nominated OT sites identified byin silicoand empirical methods. We identified an average of 0.45 OT sites per gRNA at an indel detection limit of 0.5%. This study confirmed the marked improvement in specificity with HiFi Cas9 compared to wild-type Cas9 without compromising on-target activity when delivered as an RNP. Additionally, all HiFi Cas9 OT sites using a standard 20nt gRNA were identified by all OT detection methods with one exception (SITE-seq did not identify an OT generated by an AAVS1 gRNA). This resulted in high sensitivity for the majority of OT nomination tools, however due to the large number of false positives called by most methods,in silico-based COSMID and empirical methods DISCOVER-Seq and GUIDE-Seq attained the highest positive predictive value. We did not find the empirical methods identified off-target sites that were not also identified by bioinformatic methods when delivered as an RNP complex. Finally, this study supports that refined bioinformatic algorithms could be developed that maintain both high sensitivity as well as positive predictive value which would enable more efficient identification of potential off-target sites without compromising a thorough examination for any given gRNA.
Fitness of a clonal population can be inferred from lineage trees without knowledge of the biological details
Authors: Escabi Javier , Hormoz Sahand
Published: September 2022

Inferring the rate at which a clonal population grows, or its fitness, is important for many biomedical applications. For example, measuring the fitness of mutated cells in a patient with cancer may provide important information about prognosis and treatment. Similarly, measuring the fitness of new viral strains that emerge during a pandemic can inform how to plan an effective response. In previous work, the lineage trees constructed from individuals randomly sampled from the population at the final time-point have been used to infer the fitness and the times at which the mutation providing the fitness advantage arose in a diverse set of systems, such as blood cancers [1], [2] and the influenza virus [3]. However, it is not clear to what extent the inferred values depend on the exact biological details assumed in the models used for the inference. In this paper we show that coalescent statistics of lineage trees are invariant to changes in key parameters underlying the expansion, such as the distribution of the number of progenies produced by each individual and heterogeneity in the expansion rate. In addition, we show that competition between drift and selection imply that the fitness of the mutated population and when the mutation occurred can be inferred without knowledge of the mutation rate per generation even though the population size itself cannot be inferred. Lastly, we show that our results also generalize to cases where multiple competing mutations result in multiple distinct subclones with different values of fitness. Taken together, our results show that inferring fitness from lineage trees is robust to most model assumptions.
Parallel genomic basis of age at maturity across spatial scales in Atlantic Salmon
Authors: Kess Tony , Lehnert Sarah J. , Bentzen Paul , Duffy Steven , Messmer Amber , Dempson J. Brian , Newport Jason , Whidden Christopher , Robertson Martha J. , Chaput Gerald , Breau Cindy , April Julien , Gillis Carole-Anne , Kent Matthew , Nugent Cameron M. , Bradbury Ian R.
Published: September 2022

Complex traits often exhibit complex underlying genetic architectures resulting from a combination of evolution from standing variation, hard and soft sweeps, and alleles of varying effect size. Increasingly, studies implicate both large-effect loci and polygenic patterns underpinning adaptation, but the extent that common genetic architectures are utilized during repeated adaptation is not well understood. Sea age or age at maturation represents a significant life history trait in Atlantic Salmon (Salmo salar), the genetic basis of which has been studied extensively in European Atlantic populations, with repeated identification of large-effect loci. However, the genetic basis of sea age within North American Atlantic Salmon populations remains unclear, as does the potential for a parallel trans-Atlantic genomic basis to sea age. Here, we used a large SNP array and low coverage whole genome re-sequencing to explore the genomic basis of sea age variation in North American Atlantic Salmon. We found significant associations at the gene and SNP level with large-effect loci (vgll3, six6) previously identified in European populations, indicating genetic parallelism, but found that this pattern varied based on both sex and geographic region. We also identified largely non-repeated sweep signatures and sets of highly predictive loci associated with sea age among populations and sexes within North America, indicating polygenicity and low rates of repeated genomic parallelism. Despite low genome-wide parallelism, we uncovered a set of conserved molecular pathways associated with sea age that were consistently enriched among comparisons. Together, our results indicate parallelism of the molecular basis of sea age in North American Atlantic Salmon across large-effect genes and molecular pathways despite population-specific patterns of polygenicity. These findings reveal roles for both contingency and repeated adaptation at the molecular level in the evolution of life history variation.
2,2′-{(1E,1′E)-[Ethane-1,2-diylbis(azanylylidene)]bis(methanylylidene)}bis(4-iodophenol)
Authors: Blackwelder Lauren A. , Kelley Andrea R. , Balaich Gary J. , Jefferies Latisha R.
Published: September 2022

The title compound, C20H14I2N2O2, a diiodo-Schiff base, crystallizes in space group Pbca with one molecule per asymmetric unit. The molecular structure reveals two intramolecular O—H...N hydrogen bonds that give the molecule a twisted structure with non-coplanar rings. In the crystal structure, the molecular packing is stabilized by π–π stacking, hydrogen- and halogen-bonding (C—H...I; O...I) interactions.
Detecting the research structure and topic trends of social media using static and dynamic probabilistic topic models
Authors: Inaam ul haq Muhammad , Li Qianmu , Hou Jun , Iftekhar Adnan
Published: September 2022

Purpose

A huge volume of published research articles is available on social media which evolves because of the rapid scientific advances and this paper aims to investigate the research structure of social media.

Design/methodology/approach

This study employs an integrated topic modeling and text mining-based approach on 30381 Scopus index titles, abstracts, and keywords published between 2006 and 2021. It combines analytical analysis of top-cited reviews with topic modeling as means of semantic validation. The output sequences of the dynamic model are further analyzed using the statistical techniques that facilitate the extraction of topic clusters, communities, and potential inter-topic research directions.

Findings

This paper brings into vision the research structure of social media in terms of topics, temporal topic evolutions, topic trends, emerging, fading, and consistent topics of this domain. It also traces various shifts in topic themes. The hot research topics are the application of the machine or deep learning towards social media in general, alcohol consumption in different regions and its impact, Social engagement and media platforms. Moreover, the consistent topics in both models include food management in disaster, health study of diverse age groups, and emerging topics include drug violence, analysis of social media news for misinformation, and problems of Internet addiction.

Originality/value

This study extends the existing topic modeling-based studies that analyze the social media literature from a specific disciplinary viewpoint. It focuses on semantic validations of topic-modeling output and correlations among the topics and also provides a two-stage cluster analysis of the topics.
Demystifying the link between knowledge management capability and innovation ambidexterity: organizational structure as a moderator
Authors: Shafique Imran , Kalyar Masood Nawaz , Shafique Muhammad , Kianto Aino , Beh Loo-See
Published: September 2022

Purpose

This study examines the relationship between knowledge management (KM) capability and innovation ambidexterity, and their subsequent influence on firm performance. It also investigates whether organizational structure – in terms of connectedness and centralization – helps to develop a suitable context that either hinders or catalyzes the effectiveness of KM capability in predicting innovation ambidexterity.

Design/methodology/approach

Data were collected from 336 manufacturing organizations in Pakistan using a random sampling technique. Partial least square-based structural equation modelling (PLS–SEM) was employed to analyze the data.

Findings

Results reveal that KM capability is positively linked with innovation ambidexterity and firm performance. Innovation ambidexterity positively mediates the link between KM capability and firm performance. Connectedness positively moderates the association between KM capability and innovation ambidexterity. However, centralization negatively moderates the link between KM capability and innovation ambidexterity.

Research limitations/implications

This research offers theoretical insights into when and how KM capability is effective in prompting performance through innovation ambidexterity by creating a suitable context.

Practical implications

The study indicates that innovation may develop in an ambidextrous manner in an organization as long as the organization is proficient in creating a suitable context, i.e. structure to support it. Organizations should strive to develop sustained KM capabilities because these are seminal for enabling the challenging task of exploiting existing resources for innovation while also tapping on new opportunities for explorative breakthroughs.

Originality/value

This research contributes to a novel understanding regarding the importance of KM capability in fostering manufacturing organizations to engage in ambidexterity by creating a suitable context where optimal amount of each form of innovation activities is calibrated using KM capability.

Highlights

Knowledge management capability is crucial for simultaneous exploitation and exploration of innovation

Innovation ambidexterity (i.e. simultaneous exploitation and exploration of innovation) fosters firm performance

Innovation ambidexterity mediates the positive effect of knowledge management capability on firm performance

Connectedness strengthens the relationship between knowledge management capability and innovation ambidexterity

Centralization weakens the effect of knowledge management capability on innovation ambidexterity

Innovation can be developed in an ambidextrous way in organizations as long as organizations have knowledge-based competencies and proficient in creating suitable context
Exploring the nexus between microlevel and contextual influencers on women leaders’ paradox mindset
Authors: Amaro Lydia , Scheepers Caren Brenda
Published: September 2022

Purpose

Women leaders struggle with the persistent paradoxical expectations. Literature suggests that a paradox mindset helps to leverage these tensions. This study aims to understand the nexus between the microfoundations of individual women leaders’ experiences, their responses and the organisational context, which enables or hinders their paradox mindset.

Design/methodology/approach

This study adopted a qualitative approach by conducting semistructured interviews with 14 women, all senior leaders in corporate South Africa.

Findings

The results reveal the interaction in the nexus between, firstly, women leaders’ authenticity and awareness as key anchors that enable them to adopt a paradox mindset and, secondly, the organisation’s role in creating hindrances or opportunities to leverage tensions. Women leaders in our sample applied one of two strategies: they either adapted to the environment or curated a subenvironment. This study shows that, if done authentically, through her own agency, a woman can influence interactions that make it easier to manage tensions within her environment, especially those created by negative performance evaluation because of unconscious institutional gender bias.

Research limitations/implications

The extent to which the findings of this research can be generalised is constrained by the selected research context.

Originality/value

This research contributes to the literature on paradox theory by revealing organisational contextual influencers, such as institutional bias in negative performance evaluation, which hinders a woman leader’s opportunity to be hired or promoted. These organisational influences also interact with women leaders’ ability to embrace paradox and internally leverage agentic and communal tensions.
Transient and passage to steady state in fluid flow and heat transfer within fractional models
Authors: Turkyilmazoglu Mustafa
Published: September 2022

Purpose

The classical integer derivative diffusionmodels for fluid flow within a channel of parallel walls, for heat transfer within a rectangular fin and for impulsive acceleration of a quiescent Newtonian fluid within a circular pipe are initially generalized by introducing fractional derivatives. The purpose of this paper is to represent solutions as steady and transient parts. Afterward, making use of separation of variables, a fractional Sturm–Liouville eigenvalue task is posed whose eigenvalues and eigenfunctions enable us to write down the transient solution in the Fourier series involving also Mittag–Leffler function. An alternative solution based on the Laplace transform method is also provided.

Design/methodology/approach

In this work, an analytical formulation is presented concerning the transient and passage to steady state in fluid flow and heat transfer within the diffusion fractional models.

Findings

From the closed-form solutions, it is clear to visualize the start-up process of physical diffusion phenomena in fractional order models. In particular, impacts of fractional derivative in different time regimes are clarified, namely, the early time zone of acceleration, the transition zone and the late time regime of deceleration.

Originality/value

With the newly developing field of fractional calculus, the classical heat and mass transfer analysis has been modified to account for the fractional order derivative concept.
Effects of supply chain quality event announcements on stock market reaction: an empirical study from China
Authors: Liu Weihua , Liu Xinyun , Choi Tsan-Ming
Published: September 2022

Purpose

This study aims to explore the impact of supply chain quality event (SCQE) announcements on enterprises’ stock market value.

Design/methodology/approach

This study adopts the event study approach and analyzes the changes in shareholder value of companies listed in China based on data from 118 SCQE announcements. In the event study, the market, market-adjusted and Carhart four-factor models are used to estimate abnormal stock market returns, and a cross-sectional regression model is performed to examine the effects of SCQE announcements on enterprises’ stock market value.

Findings

SCQE announcements have a negative impact on shareholder value. From the perspective of the supply chain network structure, the market reacts more negatively to SCQE announcements issued by the enterprises with higher supply chain concentration. From the perspective of companies’ characteristics, announcements that do not reflect the establishment of supply chain quality cooperation have a more negative effect on stock market value, which indicates that the supply chain network structure and firm-level characteristic can moderate the market reaction.

Practical implications

The findings demonstrate a quantitative evaluation of how SCQE announcements affect the stock market value of listed companies and provide guidance for managers to enhance the value of SCQE announcements.

Originality/value

This study fills the research gap on the impact of SCQE announcements on stock market value by using secondary data and first explores the relationship between SCQE announcements and stock market value from the perspective of supply chain network. Furthermore, this study contributes to the literature on SCQE using an empirical study in China.
Life cycle assessment teaching innovation: experiences from a Brazilian higher education institution
Authors: Silva Diogo Aparecido Lopes , Giusti Gabriela , Rampasso Izabela Simon , Farrapo Junior Antonio Carlos , Anholon Rosley
Published: September 2022

Purpose

The inclusion of sustainability in higher education courses has been debated in recent decades and has gained particular emphasis throughout the COVID-19. This paper aims to show how the context of the pandemic, which demanded the transition from in-person classes to virtual classes, was used to illustrate better the concepts of life cycle assessment (LCA) for Production Engineering students in a Brazilian University.

Design/methodology/approach

The research strategy used was action research. Throughout the discipline offering, the environmental impacts resulting from in-person and remote classes were comparatively assessed through a practical activity using LCA. Students’ behaviour and perception of the activities were recorded by the professor and discussed with the other researchers on the team. At the end of the course, students answered a questionnaire to assess their satisfaction with different aspects of the discipline, and these data were analysed via Fuzzy Delphi.

Findings

The results focus on discussing the pedagogical aspects of this experience and not the environmental impacts resulting from each class modality. It was possible to notice a greater engagement of students when using a project that directly involved their daily activities (food, transportation, use of electronics, etc.) compared to the traditional approach of teaching LCA concepts. In this traditional approach, the examples focussed on the industrial sector, a more distant context from the reality of most students. Student feedback demonstrated great acceptance by them regarding the approach adopted.

Originality/value

This study contributes to expanding debates about sustainability insertion in higher education and the training of professionals more aligned with the sustainable development agenda.
The serpent under it: cognitive bias in ethics and compliance training
Authors: Hirsch Peter Buell
Published: September 2022

Purpose

This study aims to demonstrate the importance of behavioral science in the design of ethics and compliance training.

Design/methodology/approach

A review of current practices in ethics and compliance training and a demonstration of the areas in which the use of behavioral science and an understanding of cognitive bias can improve these universal corporate training modules.

Findings

There are numerous areas in which the application of behavioral science could improve ethics and compliance training.

Originality/value

To the best of the author’s knowledge, this is the first comprehensive review of the potential application of behavioral science to ethics and compliance training.
Relevance of CSR for building affective commitment of employees: a multilevel approach
Authors: Jha Aruna
Published: September 2022

Purpose

Drawing on both social identity theory and signalling theory, this paper aims to theorize and empirically examine a moderated mediation model that investigates the underlying mechanism through which perception of Corporate social responsibility (CSR) influence employee affective commitment (AC) (micro-CSR) in case of companies that are among the highest spenders on CSR initiatives targeted at external stakeholders (macro-CSR).

Design/methodology/approach

The hypotheses were tested on 444 employees of top five banking and four information technology Indian companies. Partial least squares structural equation modelling was used to test the measurement model, whereas moderated mediation analysis was done through Hayes PROCESS Macro (v.4).

Findings

Findings suggest that employees develop a positive attitudinal disposition towards organisations CSR activities even when targeted only at external stakeholders. The research findings support advancement of CSR literature by suggesting that expenditure on CSR initiatives of business sends strong signals to employees of the care and empathy it has for stakeholders and due to prestige, that comes along with it, their self-concept gets accentuated. Lack of influence of employee volunteering (EV) on CSR outcomes highlights the need of integration of CSR initiatives with CSR strategy and human resource policies.

Originality/value

Results indicate that perception about CSR is directly related to AC, but its influence improves if it is routed through perceived organisational support and organisational trust in that order. Furthermore, the serial mediation of the model is not moderated by EV.
The Evolution of Management Thought: reflections on narrative structure
Authors: Weatherbee Terrance , Durepos Gabrielle
Published: September 2022

Purpose

This paper aims to problematize the dominant narrative forms of disciplinary histories of management thought. Specifically, the authors explore the narrative mode of emplotment used in Wren’s (and later Wren and Bedeian’s) 50-year encyclical on the history of management thought, namely, The Evolution of Management Thought (EMT).

Design/methodology/approach

The authors propose that management histories operate as powerful narratives that shape our understanding of management thought and, consequently, our disciplinary futures. This paper explores the textual narrative of EMT. Additional data are drawn from other scholars’ observations of this text. This paper is positioned in the debates of management history.

Findings

While acknowledging the wealth of historical facts in EMT, the authors argue that the umbrella narrative orders events of the past in such a manner that the historical knowledge follows a form of Darwinian evolutionism. Thus, the narrative leads to problematic representations suffering from progressivism, presentism and universalism.

Research limitations/implications

Disciplinary scholars in management and organization studies need to carefully reflect on how we construct our representations of the past and histories. This will allow us to better craft transparent and reflexive histories.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this paper is the first to propose a remedy, albeit a partial remedy, which we believe is needed to avoid adverse epistemological consequences associated with the use of problematic narratives in management and organizational histories.
Frontline employee expectations on working with physical robots in retailing
Authors: Willems Kim , Verhulst Nanouk , De Gauquier Laurens , Brengman Malaika
Published: September 2022

Purpose

Service robots have increasingly been utilized in retail settings, yet empirical research on how frontline employees (FLEs) might deal with this new reality remains scarce. This mixed-methods study aims to examine how FLEs expect physical service robots to impact job characteristics and affect their job engagement and well-being.

Design/methodology/approach

First, explorative interviews (Study 1; N = 32) were conducted to investigate how FLEs currently experience job characteristics and how they believe robots might impact these job characteristics and job outcomes. Next, a survey (Study 2; N = 165) examined the relationship between job characteristics that retail FLEs expect to be impacted by robots and their own well-being and job engagement.

Findings

While the overall expectations for working with robots are mixed, retail FLEs expect that working with robots can alleviate certain job demands, but robots cannot help to replenish their job resources. On the contrary, most retail FLEs expect the pains and gains associated with robots in the workspace to cancel each other out, leaving their job engagement and well-being unaffected. However, of the FLEs that do anticipate that robots might have some impact on their well-being and job engagement, the majority expect negative effects.

Originality/value

This study is unique in addressing the trade-off between expected benefits and costs inherent to job demands-resources (JD-R) theory while incorporating a transformative service research (TSR) lens. By integrating different streams of research to study retail FLEs' expectations about working with robots and focusing on robots' impact on job engagement and well-being, this study offers new insights for theory and practice.
Robotic technologies and well-being for older adults living at home
Authors: Ge Gloria L. , Schleimer Stephanie C.
Published: September 2022

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to investigate the benefits for aged care providers of adding affordable robotic technology to their services packages to enhance the well-being of older adults from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds who choose to live at home.

Design/methodology/approach

This study, adopting a transformative service research lens, was performed with a group of older Australian adults from CALD backgrounds aged approximately 70 years. This study conducted four rounds of home trials with three different, commercially available robotic technologies from January to November 2020. Each trial lasted seven days.

Findings

The findings reveal that older adults from CALD backgrounds are open to learning about new technologies and can successfully interact independently with multiple robotic technologies in their own homes. The results indicate that robot technology has the potential to increase the well-being of older people by enhancing a sense of belonging, independence and quality of life while living at home.

Research limitations/implications

This study shows a promising future involving the use of available technology to assist older people from CALD backgrounds to live better lives at home. Ageing at home can be central to a person’s sense of identity and independence, and this study is a big step towards a new aged care system desperately needed in a society with a rapidly ageing population.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is among the first to introduce three different commercially available robots, each designed to satisfy companionship, cleaning and/or communication needs in the homes of older adults from CALD backgrounds to increase their overall well-being.
Determinant factors of lean start-up-based incubation metrics on post-incubation start-up viability: case-based study
Authors: Tritoasmoro Iwan Iwut , Ciptomulyono Udisubakti , Dhewanto Wawan , Taufik Tatang Akhmad
Published: September 2022

Purpose

This paper aims to investigate the effect of business incubation metrics based on an adaptation of the lean start-up (LS) framework on start-up survival after incubation. This study also analyzes the obstacles in implementing the LS framework as incubation metrics.

Design/methodology/approach

This study uses mixed methods. Quantitative research using multiple linear regression was applied to the data of 30 start-ups incubated at Bandung Techno Park for the 2014–2017 period and survival tracking data after the incubation. A qualitative approach to complete the explanatory work was conducted through in-depth interviews with 12 respondents, including start-up graduates from the incubation program, program managers and mentors.

Findings

This study confirms that several LS incubation metrics significantly affect start-up sustainability after incubation. In addition, this study also explains several problems in applying the LS discipline that needs attention to increase incubation success.

Research limitations/implications

Research was conducted only at one technology business incubator (TBI) model that focuses on digital start-ups in the emerging ecosystem. Research results can be biased in different situations and ecosystems.

Practical implications

The explanation of the relationship of LS-based incubation metrics to the survival of start-ups, as well as the challenges of their implementation, can be a reference for TBI management to consider and prioritize intervention strategies, thereby improving TBI’s business processes and increasing the success rate of incubated start-ups.

Social implications

The creation of university start-ups and spin-offs has become a key performance indicator mandatory for technology universities in Indonesia. The existence of TBI institutions in universities as channels of technology commercialization is essential. The incubator’s success in creating a new technology-based company will have a significant social impact on the surrounding environment.

Originality/value

Although the LS method is popular in start-up communities and among practitioners, it is rarely used in the incubation process at universities. These results can be considered for university TBIs to explore LS as an incubation management tool to increase the success rate of incubated start-ups.
Proposal of a service delivery model for supported living community forensic services
Authors: Wark Anna , Gredecki Neil
Published: September 2022

Purpose

Following serious case review, the Transforming Care agenda (DH, 2015) highlights the need for adults with learning disabilities, autism, mental health issues or behaviors that challenge to be supported within communities rather than hospitals. Poor or absent leadership has been identified as contributing to serious cases of abuse in health-care settings [Department of Health (DH), 2012]. This paper aims to focus on identifying the elements required for good leadership and service delivery in community forensic services (CFS).

Design/methodology/approach

The perspectives of 12 support workers working in CFS were obtained through semi-structured interviews.

Findings

Thematic analysis identified two predominant themes, namely, authentic leadership and effective team practice. A culture of trust and learning occurs when teams are well led. This culture leads to consistent practice which benefits services users and reduces risk of poor practice. Analysis suggests a framework for service delivery which is complimented by aspects of the Total Attachment model.

Research limitations/implications

The data set was collected from the same organisation and views may have been aligned to existing organisational policy. However, the sample was taken across different teams and geographical locations to collate more generalised experiences of team dynamics. The lead researcher works for the organisation and this dual role may have affected the candour with which individuals shared information during interviews.

Practical implications

Using a model to understand the functional dynamics of teams within CFS may support leaders and practitioners to improve service delivery.

Social implications

Improving service delivery within CFS may increase opportunity to meet the Transforming Care Agenda.

Originality/value

This paper examines staff perspectives and the application of theoretical frameworks to propose a unique service delivery model for supported living within CFS.
Do board secretaries influence annual report readability?
Authors: Sun Wenzhang , Zhu Jiawei , Wang Xuhui
Published: September 2022

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to investigate the impact of board secretaries’ characteristics on annual report readability using an original method that evaluates the readability of Chinese characters.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors manually collect board secretaries’ characteristics from the China Securities Market and Accounting Research database and obtain annual reports from the China Information website. Ordinary least square regression is applied to evaluate the impact, and then robustness tests and additional regression analyses are conducted.

Findings

Board secretaries’ legal-professional expertise, international expertise and role duality improve annual report readability. However, their political connections are negatively associated with it. The effect of expertise (role duality) is more pronounced for firms with lower ex ante litigation risk (board secretaries with equity holdings). Furthermore, higher readability increases the compensation of board secretaries, whereas lower readability increases their turnover. Finally, annual report readability is positively related to firm performance.

Research limitations/implications

The authors only investigate listed firms in China from 2007 to 2017 because of the difficulties of obtaining data and text mining.

Practical implications

The authors provide managerial insights for regulators aiming to establish an effective governance mechanism with Chinese characteristics. First, certain requirements for board secretaries’ expertise can improve annual report readability. Further, firms can consider appointing board members or senior executives as board secretaries to enhance disclosure quality.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first to verify the effect of board secretaries’ characteristics on disclosure quality, especially annual report readability. Moreover, this study proposes a novel measure of annual report readability for Chinese texts.
Human trafficking awareness and reporting: insights from Tennessee police websites and Twitter
Authors: Stickle Ben , Kulig Teresa C. , Creel Sadie , Meyer Kayla N. , Maynard Bethany , Jeanes Garrett C.
Published: September 2022

Purpose

Human trafficking is challenging to address; one facet of response has been to engage with the public to increase awareness of trafficking and create connections that facilitate identification. Police officials are uniquely situated to engage with the community on human trafficking through their online presence. However, little is known about how police officials use these virtual platforms to discuss trafficking.

Design/methodology/approach

The current study examines how Tennessee police use agency websites and Twitter to connect with their community on the issue of human trafficking.

Findings

Out of 241 police agencies studied in Tennessee, 80% (n = 192) had websites, while 35% (n = 84) had Twitter accounts. Findings suggest that Tennessee agencies are not currently using websites (1%) or Twitter (4.7%) to engage with the public about human trafficking. Further, when it did occur, the communication to the public was limited in depth and resources.

Research limitations/implications

Future research should include other police agencies and additional social media sites.

Practical implications

Police agencies could be more proactive at engaging the community, with the caveat that any future initiatives should have clear goals and monitor their effectiveness at achieving their intended outcomes.

Originality/value

This research provides a fundamental analysis of how police agencies communicate to the public on issues related to human trafficking.
Moving up the talent curve: historic US brand quickly shifts people culture
Authors: Melnkovic Barry , Wilding Matt
Published: September 2022

Purpose

This case study is intended to demonstrate how U. S. Steel sharply increased its investment in talent, seeing that such a shift would become an important business differentiator. That active “people culture” stance paid off and can now be used as an example for other organizations across multiple industries, particularly those struggling to reinvent themselves in the wake of the COVID pandemic and the Great Resignation. Emphasizing diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), action and metrics, the authors demonstrate that U. S. Steel’s human capital investment were key drivers in significant earnings growth (2017–2021); their wish is to share these lessons learned with other organizations.

Design/methodology/approach

Seeing that job change and attrition had reached historic levels during the Great Resignation, many companies speculated that increasing the investment in the talent of their organization would be a business differentiator. U. S. Steel was an early adopter of this mindset and in this paper shares how it implemented significant reinvestment in human capital, from hiring to employee resource groups, involvement with outside professional and diversity organizations and more. Ultimately they leveraged HR metrics, looking to retention, employee engagement and net earnings to gauge results.

Findings

Based on its robust reinvestment in human resources transformation built on inclusive practices and HR analytics, U. S. Steel achieved a quit rate of just 4% versus the overall US market quit rate of greater than 30% (Bureau of Labor Statistics). It also saw significant gains in employee engagement and other factors. Ultimately, while earnings have fluctuated throughout the transition to this strategy, leadership at the company believes that these investments have been key drivers in net earnings from $387m in 2017 to over $4.1bn in 2021.

Originality/value

U. S. Steel might not seem a likely organization to double down on reinvestment in talent, given that the company is 120+ years old, heavily unionized and in heavy industry. Still, that’s just what it did, realizing “moving up the talent curve” could be a key differentiator. Emphasizing DEI, action and metrics, U. S. Steel’s human capital investment paid off, ultimately being a significant part of earnings growth in four short years. Lessons learned here are certainly applicable to unionized and nonunionized heavy industry, but also are broadly applicable to nearly any industry and size organization interested in talent investment.
Better work-life balance through digital parenting
Authors: Basile Kelly , Beauregard T. Alexandra , Canonico-Martin Esther , Gause Kylee
Published: September 2022

Purpose

This study aims to explore how working parents use personal technology to manage parenting responsibilities and to identify how technology use might help to support work–family balance.

Design/methodology/approach

In-depth telephone interviews with US and UK working parents with children under the age of 18 were conducted.

Findings

Findings suggest that personal technology can facilitate work and family activities and reduce work–family conflict by enabling parents to perform certain parenting duties remotely. However, parental attitudes toward technology and children’s rights to privacy influence both technology use and work and family outcomes.

Practical implications

By better understanding employee personal technology use, and how this use facilitates reduced conflict between work and family roles, organizations might look to creatively expand their benefits offerings to include access/discounts to personal technology platforms that support parenting activities (e.g. Uber One, Amazon Prime and DoorDash).

Originality/value

While substantial research has been conducted on employee use of work-enabled technology to facilitate work–life balance, less attention has been paid to how working parents are using personal forms of technology to achieve this same outcome. This exploratory study establishes certain parenting functions that are facilitated by personal technology use and identifies some parental attitudes that influence technology adoption.