bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The specialty coffee trading company (TSCT): future and option contracts
Authors: Jenkins Mauricio , Barbosa Francisco
Published: June 2020

Learning outcomes

The main pedagogical objectives of the case are: illustrate how Latin American companies dedicated to the production and harvesting of commodities can be vertically integrated to gain a larger share of the value created throughout the production chain. Understand how futures and options contracts in commodities can be used to hedge price risk on long and short positions in the underlying products. Understand how option contracts add value by hedging risk in those contexts where the counterparty has optionality. Discuss the implications of Fair Trade for commodity traders and producers.

Case overview/synopsis

In the case, Hernan Arosamena, CFO of The Specialty Coffee Trading Co. (TSCT), faces the challenge of designing an effective strategy to hedge the price risk caused by the increasing demand of the so-called Fair Trade coffee. Hernan Arosamena decides to review how the company has typically managed the price risk in its business transactions using future contracts to then incorporate the additional elements that trading Fair Trade coffee may entail. The typical price risk hedging strategy involves the use of coffee future contracts in long and short positions to ensure that the company obtains the desired margin in its coffee trading negotiations. To hedge the exposure to the risk of fluctuations in the price of coffee when the company sells Fair Trade coffee requires the additional use of put options.

Complexity academic level

The case is appropriate for students enrolled in courses or specialization programs at both the undergraduate and graduate levels.

Supplementary materials

Teaching notes are available for educators only.

Subject code

CSS 5: International Business.
Empowering the next generation of leaders
Authors: Appie Linda , Ndletyana Dorothy , Wilson-Prangley Anthony
Published: June 2020

Learning outcomes

The main teaching objective for the case is for students to build a better understanding of how to advance women (and other minorities) in the workplace through mentorship. This is achieved through recognizing the wide variety of issues that enable and constrains women’s advancement in the workplace; defining mentoring, sponsorship, coaching and networking; and highlighting how mentoring, sponsorship, coaching and networking can overcome the challenges of facing women’s advancement in the workplace?

Case overview/synopsis

The case study explores the role of senior women leaders in the career advancement of other women in the workplace. It helps us understand how mentoring can address the low prevalence of women at senior levels despite companies’ efforts to advance women. The case profiles the career and leadership journey of a senior female executive, Maserame Mouyeme. It documents her rise from the dusty streets of Soweto, South Africa to become one of the first black female executives in several corporate contexts across Africa and especially at Coca-Cola. The case illustrates her practice of mentoring and its impact on her and others’ careers. Also illustrated is Mouyeme’s leadership style, mentoring approach and workplace experiences. Students deliberate Mouyeme’s dilemma: whether to continue to advance a new generation of women leaders or whether to focus on her core role of building the business she is responsible for. The selected research method is a teaching case study, grounded in an exploratory approach. Primary data was collected via semi-structured interviews with the protagonist and four of her mentees. Secondary data was collected via studies about the protagonist and the companies she has worked for in her career. The case provides empirical insights about the role of leaders and especially women, in advancing women. The case shows the approaches in which organizations can advance women. It also shows how emerging leaders can better manage their own careers. The case deepens knowledge of women advancement and career development.

Complexity academic level

The case is appropriate for post-graduate level study, including MBA-level. It is also appropriate for use on executive development programs.

Supplementary materials

Teaching Notes are available for educators only.

Subject code

CSS 6: Human Resource Management.
Affordable housing in Saudi Arabia’s vision 2030: new developments and new challenges
Authors: Alqahtany Ali
Published: June 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to discuss the housing delivery within the Saudi Vision 2030 through an in-depth reading of the Saudi Vision 2030 from the researcher’s point of view and to identify the most significant aspects that may affect housing delivery in the country.

Design/methodology/approach

In this study, the desktop study technique was followed to review the key related literature, collect the data and analyze secondary data. The content analysis technique was used for data analysis of gathered documents and secondary data.

Findings

The findings reveal that there are several commitments in the Saudi Vision 2030 from the Saudi Government to be an exemplary leading nation in all aspects, including the delivery of affordable housing. Housing shortage, housing cost, demographic changes and land scarcity are identified as significant reasons for the lack of providing affordable housing.

Research limitations/implications

The opinions of policymakers is very important, but due to time limitation, it has not been addressed. Future research can assess the Saudi Vision 2030 based on the study of the policymakers, professionals and academics to have better insights.

Originality/value

The paper contributes to discussing the housing delivery within the Saudi Vision 2030 and identifying the most significant aspects that may affect the housing delivery from the researcher’s point of view. Only a few studies have discussed the housing issues within the Saudi Vision 2030.
Product returns: a growing problem for business, society and environment
Authors: Frei Regina , Jack Lisa , Brown Steve
Published: June 2020

Purpose

This article sheds light onto the increasing problem of product returns, which is exacerbated by growing e-commerce. Many retailers and academics are oblivious to the nature and scale of this challenge. Interdisciplinary research is needed to develop supporting theory, and cross-functional teams are required to implement measures addressing economic, ecological and social sustainability issues.

Design/methodology/approach

The initial project adopted a multi-case study approach, whereby returns processes were mapped, vulnerabilities identified and a returns cost calculator was developed.

Findings

Product returns processes are usually complicated, prone to internal and external fraud, inefficient and lack sustainability. They can generate considerable losses to the business, especially as returns data are often not systematically collected, monitored or reported to senior management. There are important implications for strategic and operational management, namely the need to develop a concept for Lean returns systems.

Originality/value

Product returns are a unique and understudied but growing field in academic research, with only few publications over the last two decades. Yet the phenomenon is causing increasing problems in business and society. Robust solutions could achieve great financial and non-financial impacts.
Social network analysis in operations and supply chain management: a review and revised research agenda
Authors: Han Yujia , Caldwell Nigel David , Ghadge Abhijeet
Published: June 2020

Purpose

Social network analysis (SNA) seeks to manage the connections between entities through investigating and understanding behaviours and relationships. This study demonstrates the increasing relevance of social network approaches to solving contemporary and looming operations management (OM) and supply chain management (SCM) problems; including the coordination operations challenges raised by increased connectivity.

Design/methodology/approach

The systematic literature review approach adopted here examines 63 papers in OM and SCM published between 2000 and 2019. To-date OM reviews on SNA have focussed on discussing archetypal supply chains, what differentiates this study is the focus on how value was created in other forms of chains and operations.

Findings

This study reveals that current SNA adoption in OM is dominated by a manufacturing style focus on linear, sequential value creation, with a resulting focus only on sequential interdependence. SNA studies on reciprocally co-ordinated value creation (e.g. many service and network operations) are shown to have been neglected and are linked to a new agenda on contemporary management issues.

Research limitations/implications

Beyond encouraging the use of SNA, this study seeks to re-orient SNA approaches towards how contemporary services and networks create value.

Originality/value

Through adopting a unique combination of approaches and frameworks, this study challenges extant work to offer a substantially revised agenda for SNA use in Operations and Supply Chain Management.
When do 3PLs initiate low-carbon supply chain integration?
Authors: Liu Xiaohong , Qian Cheng , Wang Shenghui
Published: June 2020

Purpose

This paper draws on the perspective of social networks to examine when 3PLs initiate low-carbon supply chain integration (LCSCI) in decarbonising supply chains.

Design/methodology/approach

A questionnaire survey was conducted on a sample of 348 Chinese 3PLs. Stepwise regression was adopted to analyse the data.

Findings

It is found that LCSCI has a positive effect on firm performance. From the social network perspective, a larger scope of outsourcing increases 3PLs' embeddedness, which increases their chance of success in initiating LCSCI, especially for 3PLs with higher decarbonisation capabilities. Interestingly, although the pressure from government regulation can also motivate LCSCI, it is less effective for 3PLs with higher decarbonisation capabilities because they can be too embedded in the network to freely adapt to regulations.

Research limitations/implications

This study has investigated 3PL-initiated LCSCI only from the view of 3PLs. A dyadic approach which includes the perception of customers would be desirable.

Practical implications

The results highlight the critical role of 3PLs as supply chain orchestrators in decarbonising supply chains, and the effectiveness of LCSCI as a competitive strategy of 3PLs. Coercive pressures from government regulations are not constraints but resources for 3PLs in initiating LCSCI, especially in markets where the 3PLs have insufficient decarbonisation capabilities.

Originality/value

This study contributes to theories on 3PLs' interorganizational low-carbon initiatives, LCSCI, and the paradox of social networks in supply chains.
The difference and similarity of the organizational commitment–rewards relationship among ethnic groups within Japanese manufacturing companies in Malaysia
Authors: Kokubun Keisuke , Yasui Misako
Published: June 2020

Purpose

Growing number of research to identify antecedents of organizational commitment (OC) has been done not only in the West but also in the East including Malaysia because OC is found to be associated with various work-related outcomes. However, to date, the influence of ethnic identity on the OC–rewards relationship was not explored although the leader has to recognize the different cultural underpinnings of each community in a plural society like Malaysia. Therefore, this study investigates the differences in the relationship between rewards and OC between three ethnic groups, Malays, Chinese and Indians, in Malaysia.

Design/methodology/approach

Hierarchical regression analysis was used to analyze survey data gathered from 12,076 employees who work for 32 Japanese manufacturing companies located in Malaysia.

Findings

The results of the analysis show that satisfaction with the personal evaluation was more associated with OC and role clarity was less associated with OC in Chinese than in other ethnic groups. However, differences were not found in the relationships of other rewards with OC at the 1% significance level. These results indicate that the ethnic difference in the OC–rewards relationship is rather small.

Research limitations/implications

The major limitation concerns generalizability. The validity of the current research should be tested by the data of various foreign affiliates located in Malaysia and other multiethnic societies.

Practical implications

The results of this study could support the revision of human resource management practices, enabling workers to contribute to their companies on a long-term basis in multi-ethnic countries.

Originality/value

Although previous research has elucidated OC–rewards relation in particular countries, it has not met the potential requirements of the managers who face the difference in OC–rewards relation among the employees of different ethnic groups. In this sense, this research was the first attempt to tackle this theme contributing to the literature.
On the relevance of higher-moments for portfolio-management within Islamic finance
Authors: Shaikh Omar
Published: June 2020

Purpose

Using a convenient tail-risk measure of performance, this paper aims to explore the extent to which incorporating higher statistical moments such as an assets skewness and kurtosis, provides further insight into the potential benefits of asset-class diversification within the realm of Islamic finance.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors use Engle’s (2002) DCC-GARCH model to study the dynamic conditional correlations between asset classes. Furthermore, the authors use the modified value-at-risk (Favre and Galeano, 2002), which incorporates higher statistical moments, to measure the performance of portfolios during both crisis and bullish regimes.

Findings

The most important finding relates to the estimation of portfolio tail-risk. In particular, the authors find that using a standard two-moment value-at-risk (VaR) measure, which assumes normally distributed returns, rather than a four-moment VaR, which incorporates an asset skewness and kurtosis, can lead to a substantial underestimation of portfolio risk during the most extreme market conditions.

Originality/value

This paper contributes to the extremely limited research considering higher-moments within the realm of Islamic portfolio-management. The results suggest that Islamic portfolio managers should remain cognisant of the skewness and kurtosis parameters of their assets. Ignoring higher-moments could induce misleading inferences and would, therefore, constitute imprudent risk-management.
Career development and affective commitment: a comparative study of family and nonfamily businesses
Authors: Knezović Emil , Greda Nedžla
Published: June 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate whether there is a difference in career development programs between family and nonfamily companies. Moreover, the paper explores the relationships between career development dimensions and affective commitment in a family business setting.

Design/methodology/approach

A cross-sectional questionnaire-based survey was used to collect data from 506 employees in Bosnia and Herzegovina across the different industries. Independentt-test and hierarchical regression were used to test the hypotheses developed in the study.

Findings

The findings supported our assumptions that there is a significant difference in career development opportunities between family and nonfamily companies. Moreover, career development has a higher influence on affective commitment in the family business setting.

Research limitations/implications

The data for this study was collected by using convenience sampling, as well as a cross-sectional survey method, which limits the generalization of results. Due to the unavailability of a public database, we relied on employees’ perceptions when it comes to the ownership of a company.

Practical implications

To keep key employees, family business owners and managers have to invest in career development programs. The study shows that by aligning employee and organizational goals, offering professional development and remunerating the positive performance helps in keeping the most valuable assets within the company.

Originality/value

So far, the research about career development in family businesses was insensible. This study provides an important contribution to the understanding of career development and its outcomes in family businesses.
Organisational contexts and practice developments in mental health peer provision in Western Australia
Authors: Zeng Grace , Chung Donna , McNamara Beverley
Published: June 2020

Purpose

Over the past decade, the push for recovery-oriented services has birthed a growth in the recruitment of peer providers in mental health services: Persons who live with and manage their mental health challenges and are employed to support persons currently using mental health services. The aim of this paper is to compare the responses of government and non-government organisations to the implementation of peer provision.

Design/methodology/approach

Employing a qualitative study design, 15 people who supervised peer providers or who were strategically involved in peer provision were recruited using snowball sampling. Participants completed an in-depth interview that explored how peer provision services operated at their organisation and factors that shaped the way peer provision operates. The interviews were transcribed and analysed using Moore's Strategic Triangle. Synthesised member checking and researcher triangulation ensued to establish trustworthiness.

Findings

The way in which peer provision operated sat along a continuum ranging from adoption (where practices are shaped by the recovery ethos) to co-option (where recovery work may be undertaken, but not shaped by the recovery ethos). Political and legal mandates that affected the operational capacities of each organisation shaped the way peer provision services operated.

Research limitations/implications

The findings of the study highlight the need to reconsider where peer provision services fit in the mental health system. Research investigating the value of peer provision services may attract the support of funders, service users and policy makers alike.

Originality/value

In employing Moore's strategic triangle to evaluate the alignment of policy (theauthorising environment) with theoperational capacityand practice of peer provision services (thetask environment), this study found that organisational response to peer provision is largely influenced by political and legal mandates externally. The successful implementation of peer provision is mediated by effective supervision of peer providers.
Emotional labour and cord blood collection: frontline perspectives
Authors: Haw Jennie , Polzer Jessica , Devine Dana V.
Published: June 2020

Purpose

This paper aims to examine emotional labour in the work of frontline staff (FLS) of the Canadian Blood Services' Cord Blood Bank (CBB), contributes to understandings of emotional labour by allied healthcare workers and suggests implications for healthcare managers.

Design/methodology/approach

Qualitative interviews with 15 FLS were conducted and analyzed as part of a process evaluation of donor recruitment and cord blood collection in Canada.

Findings

Emotional labour with donors and hospital staff emerged as a vital component of FLS' donor recruitment and cord blood collection work. Emotional labour was performed with donors to contribute to a positive birthing experience, facilitate communication and provide support. Emotional labour was performed with hospital staff to gain acceptance and build relationships, enlist support and navigate hierarchies of authority.

Research limitations/implications

The results indicate that FLS perform emotional labour with women to provide donor care and with hospital staff to facilitate organizational conditions. The findings are based on FLS' accounts of their work and would be enhanced by research that examines the perspectives of donors and hospital staff.

Practical implications

Attention should be paid to organizational conditions that induce the performance of emotional labour and may add to FLS workload. Formal reciprocal arrangements between FLS and hospital staff may reduce the responsibility on FLS and enable them to focus on recruitment and collections.

Originality/value

This paper addresses a gap in the healthcare management literature by identifying the emotional labour of allied healthcare workers. It also contributes to the cord blood banking literature by providing empirically grounded analysis of frontline collection staff.
Modelling the enablers of sustainable consumer behaviour towards electronic products
Authors: Sheoran Monika , Kumar Divesh
Published: June 2020

Purpose

The consumption patterns of humanity are putting an enormous burden on the resources, which are beyond the fulfiling capacity of the earth. These consumption patterns need to be made sustainable. Therefore, this study aims to focus on identifying the key enablers driving the sustainable consumer behaviour.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on the literature review of 107 studies (1995 to 2018), which were published over a period of 23 years, fourteen key enablers of sustainable consumer behaviour were identified. These 14 enablers were validated with the help of empirical research done by surveying 200 consumers of electronic products. This was followed by the application of interpretive structural modelling (ISM) technique, to get an insight into how these enablers are influencing sustainable consumer behaviour.

Findings

ISM technique and empirical research aided in classifying the enablers based on their driving and dependence power. A further analysis was done to know about the contextual relationship between all 14 enablers and how these enablers are influencing each other and sustainable consumer behaviour. Attitude, subjective norm and perceived controlled behaviour were found dependent variables while education, government policy and advertisement emerged as an autonomous variable.

Research limitations/implications

This study will be helpful for future research in the field of sustainable consumer behaviour. Through understanding of the enablers of sustainable consumer behaviour, a scale can be developed having significant theoretical and managerial implications. This study may help in improving the sustainability initiatives by various stakeholders involved in the process of purchase, usage and dispose of electronic products.

Originality/value

This study is the first temporal and spatial study, which includes a holistic view of the enablers of sustainable consumer behaviour.
Considerations for school leaders serving US immigrant communities in the global pandemic
Authors: Lowenhaupt Rebecca , Hopkins Megan
Published: June 2020

Purpose

In this commentary, the authors consider how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted immigrant education and professional communities in schools, discussing the implications of these shifts for school leaders in the United States.

Design/methodology/approach

After providing an overview of relevant issues, the authors explore four specific areas for leaders to reflect on in their work.

Findings

The pandemic presents so many challenges to immigrant communities and educators. The reshaping of professional community in schools can help ameliorate these issues.

Originality/value

Our commentary contributes some initial insights to the evolving equity issues emerging in the midst of pandemic.
Open and affordable textbooks: approaches to OER pedagogy
Authors: Bridgeman Matthew
Published: June 2020

Purpose

Following is an overview of the open and affordable textbooks (OAT) program, strategies for outreach, as well as discuss approaches that faculty awardees have taken to designing their courses. This paper aims to address a couple issues such as the effectiveness of open educational resources (OER) resources, the process of creating OER resources and how faculty and instructors have updated their courses and adjusted their pedagogy.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper describes five cases where the faculty adopted open pedagogy. They include a general chemistry course, psychiatry clerkship, microbiology lab, a medical Spanish course and a radiology elective in a medical school.

Findings

The use of open pedagogy promotes two things: up-to-date resources and practical experience. Since the creation of the Rutgers OAT program, faculty and instructors have been rethinking how they teach their courses. Students enjoy the content more and faculty loves the increase in engagement. As the program continues to grow, the creativity fostered by open pedagogy improves education for everyone involved.

Originality/value

The paper offers a general overview of an effective open and affordable program at a public research university. It demonstrated the effectiveness of the program while also offering examples of novel course materials for interested librarians and faculty. It opens the possibility from just finding resources to creating them and how they improve education.
Reducing system toil in a university library
Authors: Boss Emily E. , Gerth Nathan
Published: June 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to expand the information technology concept of toil by applying it to system analysis for academic libraries. System mapping and toil definitions are used to measure costs and benefits of maintaining library information systems. The concept of toil provides a vehicle to shape the decisions made by managers when refining or building new library system infrastructure.

Design/methodology/approach

Using a system map of all library systems, the definition of toil was used to identify highly manual or high toil systems. This mapping was used to illuminate the need to migrate or eliminate certain library systems to managers in order to reduce the amount of toil undertaken by library employees.

Findings

Two library systems were identified for migration to more automated systems and two library systems were recommended for elimination in order to reduce the overall amount of toil present in the library systems ecosystem.

Practical implications

Using system mapping and toil definitions are helpful in identifying and relaying the cost of outdated systems to library managers.

Originality/value

This paper provides library managers an easy way to assess the ecosystem and efficiency of library systems without the need for technical expertise. It also expands the use of information technology concepts into the field of academic libraries.
Examining the pull, the push, and their simultaneous effects on managerial turnover
Authors: Choi Yoonhee , Park Namgyoo K.
Published: June 2020

Purpose

This paper aims to examine the economic and psychological mechanisms in turnover at the managerial level. The paper investigates how (1) the ease of moving posed by alternative jobs (i.e. the economic mechanism) and (2) the desire to move due to low job satisfaction (i.e. the psychological mechanism) simultaneously influence top management team (TMT) turnover and these managers' subsequent job position and pay.

Design/methodology/approach

Using 25 years of panel data on more than 2,000 top managers in the United States, the paper utilizes fixed-effects logistic regressions and the ordinary least squares model to test the hypotheses.

Findings

The authors find that CEO awards (an economic mechanism) and low compensation (a psychological mechanism) independently have positive effects on turnover. Turnover due to the economic mechanism leads to a higher position and pay, whereas turnover due to the psychological mechanism does not guarantee the same outcome. Further, when examining how pay dissatisfaction influences turnover simultaneously with CEO awards, the authors find that managers with the highest pay leave their firm, and not those with the lowest pay.

Originality/value

The paper employs the pull-and-push theory in the employee turnover literature and applies it to the top management team literature. By doing so, this paper contributes original insights to how economic and psychological mechanisms simultaneously affect managerial turnover and its subsequent outcomes.
Gender matters: market perception of future performance
Authors: Braegelmann Kylie A. , Ujah Nacasius U.
Published: June 2020

Purpose

This paper aims to revisit the extant evidence on gender bias in the market. Specifically, it revisits reaction to CEO announcements. Also, it explores whether the development of the bias over time and by firm size aligns with existing theory.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper examines cumulative abnormal returns around CEO announcements from 1992 through 2016 using a modified event study methodology. This evidence shown examines market reactions over time and by firm size.

Findings

Financial markets react more favorably to male CEO announcements, with a cumulative abnormal return of 49 basis points above the reaction to their female counterparts. Moreover, the paper finds that market reaction varies over time, which may be because of the increasing proportion of female CEOs, and by firm size, which may be due to the differences in new information available to investors.

Research limitations/implications

Limitations include sample size due to the paucity of female CEO announcements. This paper does not examine the effect of industry, detailed CEO characteristics or announcement content on market reaction. In addition, using an extended event window may increase the likelihood of capturing confounding events, such as mergers or earnings announcements, which limits the interpretability of the results.

Practical implications

Gender bias in financial markets creates another institutional barrier for the advancement of female professionals, as well as implies inefficient capital allocation in markets.

Originality/value

The literature in this field is still inconclusive. Furthermore, bias development over time and the effect of information on bias remain unexplored. This study aims to fill that gap; furthermore, it introduces an extended event-window approach.
Polyphonic narratives for built environment research
Authors: Salama Ashraf M. , Hurol Yonca
Published: June 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to construct a series of narratives by assessing a selection of the key literature generated by Open House International (OHI) over a period of 15 years. The paper also presents a brief review of the latest developments of the journal while introducing concise observations on the articles published in this edition – Volume 45, Issues 1 and 2.

Design/methodology/approach

Through a classification procedure of selected special issues published by OHI since 2006, 10 issues were identified based on the currency of the issues they generated. Following the review of the editorials, the key content of more than 100 articles within these special issues, the content of this edition and relevant seminal literature, the analysis engages, through critical reflection, with various themes that echo the polyphonic nature of built environment research.

Findings

The analysis conveys the plurality and diversity in built environment research where generic types of narratives are established to include three categories, namely, leitmotif, contextual/conceptual and open-ended narratives. Each of which includes sub-narrative classifications. The leitmotif narrative includes design studio pedagogy, sustainable environments for tourism, responsive learning environments, affordable housing environments, diversity in urban environments and urbanism in globalised environments. The contextual/conceptual narrative encompasses architecture and urbanism in the global south and the tripartite urban performance and transformation. The open-ended narrative embraces thematic reflections on the contributions of this edition of OHI.

Originality/value

Constructing polyphonic narratives in built environment research based on contemporary knowledge is original in the sense of capturing the crux of the themes within these narratives and articulating this in a pithy form. The elocution of the narratives stimulates a sustained quest for re-thinking concepts, notions and issues of concerns while invigorating research prospects and setting the future direction of OHI.
Politics lost in translation: the African concept of time as a method to understand African conflicts
Authors: Magdy Ramy
Published: June 2020

Purpose

This paper aims to explore John Mbiti’s concept of African time in line with the studies on the crisis of the post-independence African state. Then, how this concept offers new analytical spaces for understanding the modern nation-states inconveniences in African contexts.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper analyses the Mbitian African concept of time in light of the works on post-independence African state and communalism.

Findings

By using the Mbitian concept of time politically after explaining African communalism and African concepts of personhood and destiny, the paper reached a conclusion. This conclusion claims that due to the highly existential nature of the African concept of destiny and the past-oriented feature of the African concept of time, Africans cannot be restrained by any supernatural claim or any futuristic promises that are irrelevant to their context and cut from the communal values of ancestral past. Africans do not think supernaturally or bet for the future. However, those futuristic and supernatural claims that cannot restrain the African subjectivity – ironically – characterize the modern nation state with its “progress orientation” and “social-contract” metaphysics. Unfortunately, this radical difference in perceptions between the past-oriented African temporality and the future-oriented modern state temporality rendered the post-independence. African state dysfunctional and unable to operate as a medium for authority. This, consequently, opened the door for informal conflict and strife.

Originality/value

The paper is novel with regard to offering a new theory on the conceptual problems of the nation state in African contexts.
An appreciation of Arie de Geus’ contribution to the learning organization
Authors: Robinson Graham
Published: June 2020

Purpose

This paper aims to locate its appreciation of the life and work of Arie de Geus within the context of developments in approaches to management practice, education and learning since the Second World War. It emphasizes the important influence of top management-led applications of social science (Beckhard) and the impact of crises upon planning and the generation of memories of the future for effective organizational learning. The paper also describes the roles of learning from experience and of reflective practice in shaping de Geus’ contribution.

Design/methodology/approach

The approach traces the development of de Geus' career and thinking from Shell cost accountant, to top line manager in three continents, to Head of Shell Group Planning, to prize winning author, to global adviser to the World bank, etc., and as an inspirational speaker as champion of the learning organization.

Findings

The paper acknowledges Arie de Geus as coining the phrase “The Learning Organization” together with his role in the foundation and development of the Society for Organizational Learning (SOL) and as an international champion of young people's learning through the processes of the Finnish Team Academy model.

Social implications

Arie de Geus was an exemplar of reflective practice and applied learning. As such, his contribution might be considered as that of a sage rather than as a guru.

Originality/value

The paper endeavours to emphasize the importance of the role of both the internal and external contexts for effective organizational learning, suggesting that the contribution of Arie de Geus to the field exemplifies this importance.
Tax Loss Carryovers in a Competitive Environment*
Authors: De Waegenaere Anja , Sansing Richard , Wielhouwer Jacco L.
Published: June 2020

The fact that incumbent firms can immediately deduct research and development (R&D) investments from taxable income is generally believed to give them a strategic advantage over new firms that cannot deduct the investment cost, but instead generate a net operating tax loss carryover. Using an analytical model, we show that this conventional wisdom need not hold in a competitive environment. We examine operating and investment decisions in a duopolistic industry in which an initial investment in R&D yields an immediate tax benefit for one firm, but creates a net operating loss carryover for the other firm. If both firms invest in R&D, the firm with the net operating loss carryover makes more aggressive capital investment decisions following successful R&D. This may deter the incumbent firm from investing in R&D despite the lower aftertax costs of this investment. Changing the tax loss carryover rules would thus not only affects start‐up or loss firms, but would also affect the investment decisions of profitable firms in the same industry.
Numerical modeling and simulations of type B aortic dissection treated by stent‐grafts with different oversizing ratios
Authors: Meng Zhuangyuan , Ma Tao , Cai Yunhan , Liu Xudong , Wang Shengzhang , Dong Zhihui , Fu Weiguo
Published: June 2020

Retrograde type A dissection after thoracic endovascular aortic repair has been a major drawback of endovascular treatment. This study investigated the biomechanical mechanism of stent‐graft‐induced new lesions after implantation and analyzed the relationship between radial force and spring‐back force of the stent‐graft when it was implanted virtually under different oversizing ratios. Based on the computed tomography angiography images, a three‐dimensional geometric model of a patient‐specific aortic dissection was established. The stent was designed in CAD software and the stent‐graft implantation procedure under different oversizing ratios was simulated in the finite element analysis software. Implantation simulations were performed six times for each stent‐graft model under 0%, 3%, 6%, 9%, 12%, and 15% oversizing ratios and the peak stress of the aorta was compared among groups. It was observed that the peak stress of the aorta was located where the proximal bare stent interacted with aortic wall and its value was increased by 62.2% from 0% to 15% oversizing ratio. The conclusions are reached that the long‐term higher stress in the aortic wall may lead to the emergence of new lesions in these areas, and the radial force plays a key role in the formation of a new entry in the real aorta model.
The pharmacotherapy team: A novel strategy to improve appropriate in‐hospital prescribing using a participatory intervention action method
Authors: Mahomedradja Rashudy F. , Sigaloff Kim C.E. , Bekema Jessica K. , Dekker Marieke J.H.J. , Brinkman David J. , Kuijvenhoven Marianne A. , van Beneden Marlou L.H. , Lissenberg‐Witte Birgit I. , Tichelaar Jelle , van Agtmael Michiel A.
Published: June 2020

Aims

Prescribing medication is a complex process that, when done inappropriately, can lead to adverse drug events, resulting in patient harm and hospital admissions. Worldwide cost is estimated at 42 billion USD each year. Despite several efforts in the past years, medication‐related harm has not declined. The aim was to determine whether a prescriber‐focussed participatory action intervention, initiated by a multidisciplinary pharmacotherapy team, is able to reduce the number of in‐hospital prescriptions containing ≥1 prescribing error (PE), by identifying and reducing challenges in appropriate prescribing.

Methods

A prospective single‐centre before‐ and after study was conducted in an academic hospital in the Netherlands. Twelve clinical wards (medical, surgical, mixed and paediatric) were recruited.

Results

Overall, 321 patients with a total of 2978 prescriptions at baseline were compared with 201 patients with 2438 prescriptions postintervention. Of these, m456 prescriptions contained ≥1 PE (15.3%) at baseline and 357 prescriptions contained ≥1 PEs (14.6%) postintervention. PEs were determined in multidisciplinary consensus. On some study wards, a trend toward a decreasing number of PEs was observed. The intervention was associated with a nonsignificant difference in PEs (incidence rate ratio 0.96, 95% confidence interval 0.83–1.10), which was unaltered after correction. The most important identified challenges were insufficient knowledge beyond own expertise, unawareness of guidelines and a heavy workload.

Conclusion

The tailored interventions developed with and implemented by stakeholders led to a statistically nonsignificant reduction in inappropriate in‐hospital prescribing after a 6‐month intervention period. Our prescriber‐focussed participatory action intervention identified challenges in appropriate in‐hospital prescribing on prescriber‐ and organizational level.
Not all prostate cancer is the same – patient perceptions: an Asia‐Pacific region study
Authors: Akakura Koichiro , Bolton Damien , Grillo Vince , Mermod Naomi
Published: June 2020

Objective

To explore the perceptions of patients living with different stages of prostate cancer across the Asia‐Pacific (APAC) region, as while extensive quantitative research has been undertaken into outcomes of treatments for prostate cancer, little in the way of qualitative research has been performed looking at subjective perceptions of patients in regard to their perceived deficits in the treatment of this condition and such research is particularly lacking in reference to the APAC region.

Patients and methods

Initial 45‐min qualitative research interrogatory interviews were conducted with 12 patients from Australia, China and Japan to identify themes that were significant to patients in the management of prostate cancer. Thereafter, 150 patients with different stages of prostate cancer underwent 30‐min online (Australia) or computer‐assisted/personal interviews categorised on the five key themes identified, in order to more fully clarify the nature of patient perceptions of how their prostate cancer had been treated and the issues they felt could be more fully addressed in order to improve the management of this condition.

Results

Interviews indicated common challenges and unmet needs among patients, including: (i) patients’ feelings and emotional state change during their disease journey, (ii) patients lack of knowledge about prostate cancer and disease progression prior to diagnosis, (iii) patients felt shared decision‐making was uncommon, (iv) patients have misperceptions about surgery, and (v) patients have unmet needs for greater information and support to manage their condition.

Conclusions

These patient perceptions of unmet needs in prostate cancer management stand in contrast to patient awareness of other common diseases such as heart failure and diabetes. Such unmet needs vary across disease stages and between different nationalities. Patients with prostate cancer in the APAC region appear to have gaps in knowledge about their disease and wish for greater information, support and public awareness about prostate cancer.
Systematic profiling of alternative splicing signature reveals prognostic predictor for prostate cancer
Authors: Zhao Jiyu , Chang Luchen , Gu Xianen , Liu Jia , Sun Bei , Wei Xi
Published: June 2020

Alternative splicing (AS) provides the primary mechanism for producing protein diversity. There is growing evidence that AS is involved in the development and progression of cancers. The rapid accumulation of high‐throughput sequencing technologies and clinical data sets offers an opportunity to systematically profile the relationship between mRNA variants and clinical outcomes. However, there is a lack of systematic analysis of AS in prostate cancer: Download RNA‐seq data and clinical information from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) data portal. Evaluate RNA splicing patterns by SpliceSeq and calculate splicing percentage (PSI) values. Different expressions were identified as differently expressed AS events (DEAs) based on PSI values. Bioinformatics methods were used for further analysis of DEAs and their splicing networks. Kaplan‐Meier, Cox proportional regression, and unsupervised cluster analysis were used to assess the correlation between DEAs and clinical characteristics. In total, 43 834 AS events were identified, of which 1628 AS events were differentially expressed. The parental genes of these DEAs played a significant role in the regulation of prostate cancer‐related processes. In total, 226 DEAs events were found to be associated with disease‐free survival. Four clusters of molecules with different survival modes were revealed by unsupervised cluster analysis of DEAs. AS events may be important determinants of prognosis and bio‐modulation in prostate cancer. In this study, we established strong prognostic predictors, discovered a splicing network that may be a potential mechanism, and provided further validated therapeutic targets.
Identifying a Typology of Emerging Adult Romantic Relationships: Implications for Relationship Education
Authors: Beckmeyer Jonathon J. , Jamison Tyler B.
Published: June 2020

Objective

Our objective was to use multiple romantic relationship dimensions to identify a typology of emerging adult romantic relationships.

Background

Emerging adult romantic relationships vary in terms of their relational dynamics, emotional and physical intimacy, and commitment. Understanding the diversity in emerging adult romantic relationships is crucial for developing effective relationship education for emerging adults as they make decisions about their romantic partnerships.

Method

Using data from 396 romantically involved but unmarried emerging adults, we used cluster analysis to identify a typology of romantic relationships based on relational dynamics (i.e., warmth and support and negative interactions), relationship duration, consolidation (i.e., number of nights and percentage of free time spent together), and commitment (i.e., likelihood of marrying partner).

Results

The results indicated five types of relationships: (a) happily consolidated (30.8%), (b) happily independent (18.9%), (c) exploratory (17.9%), (d) stuck (23.0%), and (e) high intensity (9.3%). Demographic characteristics, depressive symptoms, life satisfaction, current cohabitation, and cycling within the current relationship varied between the relationship types.

Conclusions

There appear to be meaningful and important variations among the types of romantic relationships that emerging adults pursue. The associations between relationship type and well‐being depends on the interplay between relational dynamics, consolidation, and commitment.

Implications

Individuals in different types of relationships may require targeted interventions to help them move out of problematic relationships or to help them build skills for developing and maintaining relationship quality. Suggestions for each type of relationship are provided.