bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Ability of known colorectal cancer susceptibility SNPs to predict colorectal cancer risk: A cohort study within the UK Biobank
Authors: Gafni Aviv , Dite Gillian S. , Tuff Erika Spaeth , Allman Richard , Hopper John L.
Published: April 2021

Colorectal cancer risk stratification is crucial to improve screening and risk-reducing recommendations, and consequently do better than a one-size-fits-all screening regimen. Current screening guidelines in the UK, USA and Australia focus solely on family history and age for risk prediction, even though the vast majority of the population do not have any family history. We investigated adding a polygenic risk score based on 45 single-nucleotide polymorphisms to a family history model (combined model) to quantify how it improves the stratification and discriminatory performance of 10-year risk and full lifetime risk using a prospective population-based cohort within the UK Biobank. For both 10-year and full lifetime risk, the combined model had a wider risk distribution compared with family history alone, resulting in improved risk stratification of nearly 2-fold between the top and bottom risk quintiles of the full lifetime risk model. Importantly, the combined model can identify people (n=72,019) who do not have family history of colorectal cancer but have a predicted risk that is equivalent to having at least one affected first-degree relative (n=44,950). We also confirmed previous findings by showing that the combined full lifetime risk model significantly improves discriminatory accuracy compared with a simple family history model 0.673 (95% CI 0.664–0.682 versus 0.666 (95% CI 0.657–0.675), p=0.0065. Therefore, a combined polygenic risk score and first-degree family history model could be used to improve risk stratified population screening programs.
Cross-tissue immune cell analysis reveals tissue-specific adaptations and clonal architecture in humans
Authors: Domínguez Conde C , Xu C , Jarvis LB , Gomes T , Howlett SK , Rainbow DB , Suchanek O , King HW , Mamanova L , Polanski K , Huang N , Fasouli ES , Mahbubani KT , Prete M , Tuck L , Richoz N , Tuong ZK , Campos L , Mousa HS , Needham EJ , Pritchard S , Li T , Elmentaite R , Park J , Menon DK , Bayraktar OA , James LK , Meyer KB , Clatworthy MR , Saeb-Parsy K , Jones JL , Teichmann SA
Published: April 2021

Despite their crucial role in health and disease, our knowledge of immune cells within human tissues remains limited. Here, we surveyed the immune compartment of 15 tissues of six deceased adult donors by single-cell RNA sequencing and paired VDJ sequencing. To systematically resolve immune cell heterogeneity across tissues, we developed CellTypist, a machine learning tool for rapid and precise cell type annotation. Using this approach, combined with detailed curation, we determined the tissue distribution of 45 finely phenotyped immune cell types and states, revealing hitherto unappreciated tissue-specific features and clonal architecture of T and B cells. In summary, our multi-tissue approach lays the foundation for identifying highly resolved immune cell types by leveraging a common reference dataset, tissue-integrated expression analysis and antigen receptor sequencing.

One Sentence Summary

We provide an immune cell atlas, including antigen receptor repertoire profiling, across lymphoid and non-lymphoid human tissues.
A spike-ferritin nanoparticle vaccine induces robust innate immune activity and drives polyfunctional SARS-CoV-2-specific T cells
Authors: Carmen Joshua M. , Shrivastava Shikha , Lu Zhongyan , Anderson Alexander , Morrison Elaine B. , Sankhala Rajeshwer S. , Chen Wei-Hung , Chang William C. , Bolton Jessica S. , Matyas Gary R. , Michael Nelson L. , Joyce M. Gordon , Modjarrad Kayvon , Currier Jeffrey R. , Bergmann-Leitner Elke , Malloy Allison M.W. , Rao Mangala
Published: April 2021

Potent cellular responses to viral infections are pivotal for long -lived protection. Evidence is growing that these responses are critical in SARS -CoV-2 immunity. Assessment of a SARS -CoV-2 spike ferritin nanoparticle (SpFN) immunogen paired with two distinct adjuvants, Alhydrogel® (AH) or Army Liposome Formulation containing QS-21 (ALFQ) demonstrated unique vaccine evoked immune signatures. SpFN+ALFQ enhanced recruitment of highly activated classical and non -classical antigen presenting cells (APCs) to the vaccine-draining lymph nodes of mice. The multifaceted APC response of SpFN+ALFQ vaccinated mice was associated with an increased frequency of polyfunctional spike -specific T cells with a bias towards TH1 responses and more robust SARS-CoV-2 spike-specific recall response. In addition, SpFN+ALFQ induced Kbspike(539-546)-specific memory CD8+T cells with effective cytolytic function and distribution to the lungs. This epitope is also present in SARS-CoV, thus suggesting that generation of cross-reactive T cells may provide protection against other coronavirus strains. Our study reveals that a nanoparticle vaccine, combined with a potent adjuvant, generates effective SARS-CoV-2 specific innate and adaptive immune T cell responses that are key components to inducing long-lived immunity.

One Sentence Summary

SpFN vaccine generates multifactorial cellular immune responses.
In search for the most optimal EEG method: A practical evaluation of a water-based electrode EEG system
Authors: Topor Marta , Opitz Bertram , Dean Philip J. A.
Published: April 2021

The study assessed a mobile electroencephalography (EEG) system with water-based electrodes for its applicability in cognitive and behavioural neuroscience. It was compared to a standard gel-based wired system. EEG was recorded on two occasions (first with gel-based, then water-based system) as participants completed the flanker task. Technical and practical considerations for the application of the water-based system are reported based on participant and experimenter experiences. Empirical comparisons focused on EEG data noise levels, frequency power across four bands (theta, alpha, low beta and high beta) and event-related components (P300 and ERN). The water-based system registered more noise compared to the gel-based system which resulted in increased loss of data during artefact rejection. Signal to noise ratio was significantly lower for the water-based system in the parietal channels which impacted the observed parietal beta power. It also led to a shift in topography of the maximal P300 activity from parietal to frontal regions. It is also evident, that the water-based system may be prone to slow drift noise which may affect the reliability and consistency of low frequency band analyses. Practical considerations for the use of water-based electrode EEG systems are provided.
Evaluation of the virucidal efficacy of Klaran UVC LEDs against surface dried norovirus
Authors: Mariita Richard M. , Wilson Miller Amy C. , Randive Rajul V.
Published: April 2021

Human norovirus (HuNoV) is a highly contagious pathogenic virus that is transmitted through contaminated food, water, high-touch surfaces and aerosols. Globally, there are an estimated 685 million infections annually due to norovirus, among them 200 million children under the age of 5, causing approximately 50,000 child deaths per year and costing an estimated $60 billion annually in healthcare. In the USA, HuNoV is responsible for 19-21 million illnesses, with an average of 570-800 deaths per year. HuNoV is especially pernicious because it requires less than 100 viral particles to cause an infection, and there are few effective disinfectants. It is believed that Ultraviolet Subtype C (UVC) irradiation might prove to be an effective disinfectant. This study seeks to determine the inactivation profile of UVC against norovirus using a Klaran UVC Light-emitting diode (LED) array product number KL265-50V-SM-WD, emitting radiation at 269 nm peak wavelength and a measured fluence of 1.25 mW/cm2at a 7 cm source-surface distance. Since the HuNoV cannot currently be propagated in cell cultures, the study utilized feline calicivirus (FCV), a recommended surrogate as challenge organism. The test followed Modified ASTM E2197. Assessment of virus inactivation was performed using plaque assay method, with Crystal Violet as a staining agent to enhance plaque visualization. Within 18 seconds of exposure time at a UVC irradiance of 1.25mW/cm2and a dose of 22.5 mJ/cm2, the study obtained 99.9 % virus reduction (3 log reduction value). These results demonstrate that Klaran UVC-LED array (KL265-50V-SM-WD) can provide effective inactivation of HuNoV.
Development of a 3D atlas of the embryonic pancreas for topological and quantitative analysis of heterologous cell interactions
Authors: Glorieux Laura , Sapala Aleksandra , Willnow David , Moulis Manon , Edri Shlomit , Darrigrand Jean-Francois , Schonblum Anat , Sakhneny Lina , Schaumann Laura , Gómez Harold F. , Lang Christine , Conrad Lisa , Guillemot Fabien , Levenberg Shulamit , Landsman Limor , Iber Dagmar , Pierreux Christophe , Spagnoli Francesca M.
Published: April 2021

Generating comprehensive image maps, while preserving spatial 3D context, is essential to quantitatively assess and locate specific cellular features and cell-cell interactions during organ development. Despite the recent advances in 3D imaging approaches, our current knowledge of the spatial organization of distinct cell types in the embryonic pancreatic tissue is still largely based on 2D histological sections. Here, we present a light-sheet fluorescence microscopy approach to image the pancreas in 3D and map tissue interactions at key development time points in the mouse embryo. We used transgenic mouse models and antibodies to visualize the three main cellular components within the developing pancreas, including epithelial, mesenchymal and endothelial cell populations. We demonstrated the utility of the approach by providing volumetric data, 3D distribution of distinct progenitor populations and quantification of relative cellular abundance within the tissue. Lastly, our image data were combined in an open source online repository (referred to as Pancreas Embryonic Cell Atlas). This image dataset will serve the scientific community by enabling further investigation on pancreas organogenesis but also for devising strategies for thein vitrogeneration of transplantable pancreatic tissue for regenerative therapies.
Selection of Sites for Field Trials of Genetically Engineered Mosquitoes with Gene Drive
Authors: Lanzaro G.C. , Campos M. , Crepeau M. , Cornel A. , Estrada A. , Gripkey H. , Haddad Z. , Kormos A. , Palomares S. , Sharpee W.
Published: April 2021

Novel malaria control strategies using genetically engineered mosquitoes (GEMs) are on the horizon. Population modification is one approach wherein mosquitoes are engineered with genes rendering them refractory to the malaria parasite coupled with a low-threshold, Cas9-based gene drive. When released into a wild vector population, GEMs preferentially transmit these beneficial genes to their offspring, ultimately modifying a vector population into a non-vector one. Deploying this technology awaits evaluation including ecologically contained field trials. Here, we consider a process for site selection, the first critical step in designing a trial. Our goal is to identify a site that maximizes prospects for success, minimizes risk, and serves as a fair, valid, and convincing test of efficacy and impacts of a GEM product intended for large-scale deployment in Africa. We base site selection on geographical, geological, and biological, rather than social or legal, criteria. We recognize the latter as critically important but not preeminent. We propose physical islands as being the best candidates for a GEM field trial and present an evaluation of 22 African islands. We consider geographic and genetic isolation, biological complexity, island size, topography, and identify two island groups that satisfy key criteria for ideal GEM field trial sites.
We are what we tell: an enquiry into NGOs' organizational identity and accountability
Authors: Pianezzi Daniela
Published: April 2021

Purpose

This study offers a critical inquiry into accountability vis-à-vis organizational identity formation. It investigates how accountability evolves in the transformation of an NGO operating in the field of migration management from an informal grassroots group into a fully-fledged organization.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper is the outcome of a participatory action research project on Welcome Refugees (WR), a UK-based NGO. The project involved documentary analysis, focus group and semi-structured interviews, field notes, and participant observation. The analysis draws from poststructuralist theorization to explain the interplay between organizational identity and different forms of NGO accountability over time.

Findings

The study shows how different forms of accountability became salient over time and were experienced differently by organizational members, thus leading to competing collective identity narratives. Organizational members felt accountable to beneficiaries in different ways, and this was reflected in their identification with the organization. Some advocated a rights-based approach that partially resonated with the accountability demands of external donors, while others aimed at enacting their feelings of accountability by preserving their closeness with beneficiaries and using a need-based approach. These differences led to an identity struggle that was ultimately solved through the silencing of marginalized narratives and the adoption of an adaptive regime of accountability.

Practical implications

The findings of the case are of practical relevance to quasi-organizations that struggle to form and maintain organizational identity in their first years of operation. Their survival depends not only on their ability to accommodate and/or resist a multiplicity of accountability demands but also on their ability to develop a shared and common understanding of identity accountability.

Originality/value

The paper problematizes rather than takes for granted the process through which organizations acquire a viable identity and the role of accountability within them.
How to communicate and use accounting to ensure buy-in from stakeholders: lessons for organizations from governments' COVID-19 strategies
Authors: de Villiers Charl , Molinari Matteo
Published: April 2021

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to understand how communication strategies and the use of numbers can ensure the buy-in and cooperation of stakeholders.

Design/methodology/approach

Drawing on legitimacy theory, this study analysis documents regarding the communication strategies of New Zealand (NZ)'s Prime Minster, Jacinda Ardern, during the COVID-19 pandemic, in order to extract lessons for organizations. The authors contrast Ardern's communications with those of Donald Trump, the President of the United States (US), as evidence that leaders do not necessarily follow these strategies.

Findings

The findings show that clear, consistent and credible communications, backed up by open access to the numerical data that underlie the decisions, ensure that these decisions are seen as legitimate, ensure that citizens/stakeholders feel leaders are accountable and believe in the necessity of measures taken and that they conform to the guidelines and rules. By contrast, the strategy of attempting to withhold information, blaming others, refusing to acknowledge that there are problems and refusing to address problems lead to non-conformance by citizens/stakeholders. Business leaders could apply these lessons to the management of crises in their organizations to ensure buy-in from employees and other stakeholders. Leaders and organizations that follow these communication strategies can emerge in a stronger position than before the crisis.

Research limitations/implications

This paper develops a theoretical framework of strategies aimed at maintaining and disrupting legitimacy among key audiences, which can be used in future research.

Practical implications

This paper highlighting how organizations and organizational leaders can best communicate with stakeholders using accounting, thus coming across as being accountable during crisis times.

Social implications

The legitimacy maintenance strategies outlined in this paper ensures that stakeholders feel leaders and the organizations they represent hold themselves accountable.

Originality/value

This paper outlines the lessons that an organization can learn from communication strategies adopted by governments during the COVID-19 crisis. The paper extends legitimacy theory by explicitly acknowledging the ability to disrupt the legitimacy of others and including this in the authors’ theoretical framework.
On the geometry of the tangent bundle with gradient Sasaki metric
Authors: Belarbi Lakehal , Elhendi Hichem
Published: April 2021

Purpose

Let (M, g) be a n-dimensional smooth Riemannian manifold. In the present paper, the authors introduce a new class of natural metrics denoted by gf and called gradient Sasaki metric on the tangent bundle TM. The authors calculate its Levi-Civita connection and Riemannian curvature tensor. The authors study the geometry of (TM, gf) and several important results are obtained on curvature, scalar and sectional curvatures.

Design/methodology/approach

In this paper the authors introduce a new class of natural metrics called gradient Sasaki metric on tangent bundle.

Findings

The authors calculate its Levi-Civita connection and Riemannian curvature tensor. The authors study the geometry of (TM, gf) and several important results are obtained on curvature scalar and sectional curvatures.

Originality/value

The authors calculate its Levi-Civita connection and Riemannian curvature tensor. The authors study the geometry of (TM, gf) and several important results are obtained on curvature scalar and sectional curvatures.
A nexus between macroeconomic dynamics and trade openness: moderating role of institutional quality
Authors: Zhuang Yu , Yang Shuili , Chupradit Supat , Nawaz Muhammad Atif , Xiong Rong , Koksal Cihat
Published: April 2021

Purpose

First, the current study contributes to the available debate by reinvestigating the impact of economic growth (EG), foreign direct investment (FDI), technological innovation (TI) and inflation (INF) on trade openness (TO). Second, the study tests the moderating role of institutional quality (INS) on the relationship among EG, FDI, TI and TO. Third, the study tests how TO contributes to EG efficiency.

Design/methodology/approach

The study collects the data from the group of twenty (G20) economies for the period of 1998–2020. The study applied the Kao (1999), Pedroni (2001), and Palamuleni (2017) cointegration tests to test the long-run association between variables. The study applied fully modified least square (FMOLS) and dynamic least square (DOLS) models to test the hypotheses.

Findings

Findings of the study showed the positive impact of EG, FDI and TI on TO, which becomes more positive in the presence of institutional quality. Results indicate that INS plays an enhancing role in the relationship between FDI and TO, EG and TO and TI and TO. The study showed a negative relationship between INF and TO, and institutional quality plays a buffering role in the relationship between INF and TO.

Originality/value

First, the study reinvestigates the empirical association among EG, FDI, TI, INF and TO. Second, the study tests the moderating role of INS on the relationship between the proposed variables by developing an index of all the indicators of INS. Third, the study tests the contributions of TO in economic efficiency (ECE). The contributions of the present study will increase the available literature of TO and help the policy makers of G20 nations to suggest important policies to promote TO and ECE.
Can we-media information disclosure drive listed companies' innovation?—From the perspective of financing constraints
Authors: Huang Hongbin , Sun Yani , Chu Qingling
Published: April 2021

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate to what extent the amount, information source and the content of the microblog information disclosure of listed companies could impact on innovation from the perspective of financing constraints.

Design/methodology/approach

The propensity score matching (PSM) and two-stage least square (2SLS) are used in estimations to deal with the endogeneity problem.

Findings

Evidence shows that the amount of we-media information disclosure significantly drives the innovation of enterprises. The mechanism is that we-media information disclosure drives the innovation by easing the financing constraints and bringing funds to the R&D activities. Further research shows that only the original information can drive the innovation. In particular, the R&D information promotes the R&D input and innovation output more significantly.

Practical implications

The conclusion of this paper provides a reference for the listed companies to drive innovation with the help of we-media information disclosure, a new solution for the small and medium-sized listed companies in China which have difficulty in carrying out innovation activities due to financing constrains and also provides useful practical enlightenment for the government and the capital market regulatory authorities to issue relevant policies to regulate we-media information disclosure.

Originality/value

This paper introduces a new information disclosure channel--we-media into the research on influencing factors of innovation and discusses the influence of the amount, different sources and disclosure contents from we-media on enterprise innovation, which enriches the existing research on enterprise innovation influencing factors, providing a new perspective for driving enterprises to innovate.
A novel approach for exploring channel dependence of consumers' latent shopping intent and the related behaviors by visualizing browsing patterns
Authors: Ho Hei-Fong
Published: April 2021

Purpose

This study is to propose a more effective and efficient analytic methodology based on within-site clickstream associated with path visualization to explore the channel dependence of consumers' latent shopping intent and the related behaviors, with which in turn to gain insight concerning the interactivity between webpages.

Design/methodology/approach

The primary intention of the research is to design and develop a more effective and efficient approach for exploring the consumers' latent shopping intent and the related behaviors from the clickstream data. The proposed methodology is to use text-mining package, consisting of the combination of hierarchical recurrent neural networks and Hopfield-like neural network equipped with Laplacian-based graph visualization to visualize the consumers' browsing patterns. Based on the observed interactivity between webpages, consumers' latent shopping intent and the related behaviors can be understood.

Findings

The key finding is to evidence that consumers' latent shopping intent and related behaviors within website depend on channels the consumers click through. The accessing consumers through channels of paid search and display advertising are identified and categorized as goal-directed and exploratory modes, respectively. The results also indicate that the effect of the content of webpage on the consumer's purchase intent varies with channels. This implies that website optimization and attribution of online advertising should also be channel-dependent.

Practical implications

This is important for the managerial and theoretical implications: First, to uncover the channel dependence of consumer's latent shopping intent and browsing behaviors would be helpful to the attribution of the online advertising for the sales promotion. Second, in the past, webmasters did not understand users' preferences and make decisions of reorganization purely on the user's browsing path (sequential page view) without appraising psychological perspective, that is, user's latent shopping intent.

Originality/value

This study is the first to explore the channel dependences of consumer's latent shopping intent and the related browsing behaviors through within-site clickstream associated with path visualization. The findings are helpful to the attribution of the online advertising for the sales promotion and useful for webmasters to optimize the effectiveness and usability of their websites and in turn promote the purchase decision.
How abusive supervision climate affects team creativity: the contingent role of task interdependence
Authors: Men Chenghao , Yue Lei , Weiwei Huo , Liu Bing , Li Guangwei
Published: April 2021

Purpose

Drawing on theories of social information processing and social identity, the authors explore how abusive supervision climate affects team creativity in a Chinese cultural context. The authors propose that this relation will be mediated by collective efficacy and group identification and moderated by task interdependence

Design/methodology/approach

The study conducted a confirmatory factor analysis and hierarchical regression to analyze the paired data from 67 research and development (R&D) teams involving 378 employees and employers in a Chinese cultural context.

Findings

Results demonstrate that abusive supervision climate was negatively related to team creativity, fully mediated by collective efficacy and group identification in a Chinese cultural context. In addition, task interdependence strengthened the positive relation between collective efficacy and team creativity, as well the positive relation between group identification and team creativity.

Originality/value

Although research has explored how abusive supervision climate influences individual creativity, few studies have investigated the relation between abusive supervision climate and team creativity in a Chinese cultural context. This study is one of the first to explore how abusive supervision climate affects team creativity in a Chinese cultural context and examine the moderating role of task interdependence in the relation between abusive supervision climate and team creativity.
Organizational characteristics and COVID-19 safety practices among small and medium construction enterprises (SMEs) in Nigeria
Authors: Alara Samuel Abiodun
Published: April 2021

Purpose

The deadly nature of the coronavirus (COVID-19) has severe consequences on human health and the global economy. There are rising numbers of COVID-19 cases despite containment measures. Organizations differ in their strategic responses to institutional forces. This study investigates the role of organizational characteristics in shaping COVID-19 safety practices among small and medium construction enterprises (SMEs) in Nigeria.

Design/methodology/approach

A quantitative research approach was employed through exploratory and descriptive designs. The study questionnaires were administered to 362 active construction SMEs which were randomly sampled from the list of 6,364 SMEs registered with the corporate affairs commission in Lagos, 296 were used for analysis; corresponding to an 82% response rate. Factor analysis was used to reduce 9 COVID-19 safety practices to 3 core practices used for further analysis. Multiple regression was employed to determine the relationship between organizational characteristics and COVID-19 safety practices.

Findings

Results show that SMEs workforce, annual turnover and total asset have a positive and significant relationship with COVID-19 safety practices, while SMEs’ area of specialization is a poor predictor. It was concluded that organizational characteristics play a significant role in shaping COVID-19 safety practices among SMEs

Research limitations/implications

The study is limited to only five organizational characteristics; new variables could be examined in the future.

Originality/value

This study shows that organizational characteristics can shape COVID-19 safety practices among SMEs. Findings will assist procuring entities in their decision to award construction contracts during the pandemic.
A conceptual model of Lean culture adoption in healthcare
Authors: Dorval Marc , Jobin Marie-Hélène
Published: April 2021

Purpose

This work seeks to offer a greater understanding of Lean healthcare implementation challenges conceptually taking a situated cultural organizational change perspective.

Design/methodology/approach

A descriptive model of healthcare organizations’ Lean adoption trajectories is built using ripple and bridging modelization strategies from elements of three classic organizational change theories and knowledge from Lean, organizational culture, healthcare and operations management literature.

Findings

The “contingent Lean culture adoption” (CLCA) model suggests five theoretical trajectories the healthcare organizations may experience when conducting a Lean transformation. These trajectories evolve from a new concept of Lean cultural friction (LCF) which represents cultural friction that a healthcare organization encounters toward an ultimate Lean culture proficiency state through time. From high to low initial LCF, a healthcare organization may in its Lean proficiency course end up in three states: lower, similar or higher LCF situation.

Research limitations/implications

The CLCA model demonstrates the potential to be developed into a framework and possibly a Lean cultural friction theory pending further qualitative and quantitative validation.

Practical implications

The CLCA model may help healthcare managers to use more appropriate cultural change strategies during their organization’s Lean journey.

Originality/value

This work enriches the concept of Lean cultural change which may apply not only to healthcare organizations but also to other ones. It suggests the existence of a healthcare organization Lean culture proficiency archetype and introduces the notion of Lean cultural friction.
Measurement development for eco-innovation capabilities of Malaysian oil and gas firms
Authors: Munodawafa Russell Tatenda , Johl Satirenjit Kaur
Published: April 2021

Purpose

To combat concerns over the state of the natural environment, energy security and deteriorating air quality, the oil and gas sector needs to implement eco-innovations. Interest in eco-innovation is growing, as its implementation facilitates the transition toward sustainable development and a circular economy, while enabling firms to attain a competitive advantage vis-à-vis capabilities that foster sustainable economic and environmental development. However, literature on eco-innovation capabilities construct development, measurement and validation is scant. This study, therefore, develops an Eco-innovation Capabilities Scale for oil and gas firms.

Design/methodology/approach

Three dimensions of Eco-innovation Capabilities are identified through an extensive literature review and qualitative interviews. Exploratory and Confirmatory Factor Analysis is applied to data collected from managers of Malaysian Oil and Gas Services and Equipment (OGSE) companies.

Findings

Results reveal a parsimonious three-dimensional structure with nine items. The construct of eco-innovation capabilities is manifested by Product Service Stewardship, Environmental Pollution Prevention and Sustainable Development Commitment dimensions. Reliability analysis confirms the reliability and validity of the scale.

Originality/value

The eco-innovation capabilities scale should be useful to researchers in exploring dimensions, factors and outcomes of eco-innovation capabilities. Oil and gas firms play a key role in the global energy mix; hence managers of oil and gas firms may also find this scale useful in measuring their eco-innovation implementation.
Personalizing 3D virtual fashion stores: an action research approach to modularity development
Authors: Wu Juanjuan , Joo Bo Ra , Sina Ahmad Saquib , Song Sanga , Whang Claire Haesung
Published: April 2021

Purpose

The authors conducted an action research study with the aim of understanding current commercial offerings in modular designs in virtual environments and to explore modularity development based on consumer input for the purpose of personalizing three-dimensional (3D) virtual fashion stores.

Design/methodology/approach

Through five phases of diagnosing, action planning, action taking, evaluating and specifying learning, the authors attempted to diagnose the current commercial offerings of modular designs in virtual spaces and to identify the right type and the number of modules and modular options for personalizing 3D virtual stores based on consumers' actual designs and focus group input. The authors then further conceptualized modules to serve as an example for developing modularity in 3D virtual reality (VR) stores.

Findings

In the diagnosing phase, the authors investigated the modularity structure of cocreating a retail store in two popular virtual worlds: Second Life and The Sims 4. In the evaluation phase, the authors identified modules and modular options for personalizing 3D virtual stores based on a content analysis of consumers' post-design focus group discussions. In the last phase (specifying learning), the authors conceptualized a total of nine modules and 38 modular options for personalizing 3D virtual stores, including style, price point, product category, color, presence of avatar, virtual product try-on, music, product recommendation and product customization.

Originality/value

The significance of this study lies in the pioneering methodological work of identifying, creating and visualizing 3D VR modular store options based on consumer input and in improving the authors’ understanding of current commercial offerings. This study also enriches design theories on cocreation systems. The authors’ suggested modules for personalizing 3D virtual stores could inspire future evidence-based designs to be readily used by VR retailers as well extend the application of mass customization theory from the realm of product development to retail environments.
Purchase intention through mobile applications: a customer experience lens
Authors: Hamouda Manel
Published: April 2021

Purpose

The study aims to clarify customer experience as perceived through interactions between the consumer and the mobile application of a retailer. It proposes to model and empirically study the relationship between customer experience, utilitarian and hedonic benefits and purchase intention when interacting with mobile applications of fashion retailers.

Design/methodology/approach

The study opted for a quantitative approach using a web-based questionnaire. The data collected from a final sample of 118 users of fashion retailers' mobile applications was analysed using partial least square structural equation modelling.

Findings

The results point to a positive and a direct impact of utilitarian factors on the two dimensions of customer experience. Moreover, hedonic benefits seem to generate a positive experience with a retailer's mobile application and are likely to generate favourable rational and emotional responses. In addition, the findings confirm that both dimensions of experience (affective and cognitive) affect purchase intention with a stronger effect for the cognitive dimension over the affective one.

Practical implications

The study concludes with implications for retailers to improve customer experience when using their mobile applications. Retailers are encouraged to integrate functional and aesthetic attributes not only to provide a favourable customer experience through rational evaluations and positive emotions but also to gain a competitive advantage in an m-shopping retailing context.

Originality/value

This study identified a need to further explore customer experience in the context of mobile applications by considering the two dimensions of experience: the cognitive and the affective. Indeed, these two facets of customer experience are rarely studied simultaneously in the previous literature.
Read, write, develop: the socio-economic impact of literacy in South Africa
Authors: Khumalo Ziyanda , Alhassan Abdul Latif
Published: April 2021

Purpose

Taking motivation from South Africa's ranking of 50 out of 50 countries who participated in the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study of Grade four learners in 2016, this paper examines the social and economic outcomes of literacy in South Africa.

Design/methodology/approach

Using unemployment, income and crime rates as proxies for social and economic outcomes, the effect of literacy is examined by employing the fixed- and random-effects techniques to estimate a panel data covering nine provinces in South Africa from 2008 to 2017.

Findings

The results show that literacy rate worsens unemployment but improves crime rate and income per capita across South African provinces.

Practical implications

Policymakers need to consider an expanded view of literacy by extending investments to cover financial and technology literacy in addition to functional literacy to fully maximise the benefits of education.

Originality/value

To the authors’ best knowledge, this is the first empirical assessment of literacy outcomes in South Africa.
Shadow pricing utilitarian justice: some tentative estimates
Authors: Torre Andrew , Coulthard Darryl Whitford
Published: April 2021

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to recognise and provide an approach to estimate the value of an institution that produces a public good to the wealth of a nation. Specifically, the authors value utilitarian justice.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper employs the classical economic theories of crime and shadow pricing to estimate the total economic value and shadow prices or social productivity of police and higher court deterrence. These measures are estimated using the definitions provided by Dasgupta and by re-engineering key deterrence elasticity estimates gleaned from Australian econometric studies.

Findings

The empirical findings suggest a relatively high social value for police and higher court deterrence. Notwithstanding, addressing socio-economic disadvantage is likely to prevent more subsequent offences than directing more resources to the operation of the criminal justice system.

Research limitations/implications

The key limitations involve the sensitivity of the estimates to error. Further work is required on all the estimates in the model and in particular the social costs of the serious offences. The next step is to estimate the opportunity cost of supplying police and court deterrence. The cost estimate can then be combined with the estimates of social benefits to estimate a benefit-cost ratio. The model in broad terms demonstrates a way forward to estimating the economic value of and the social productivity of the criminal justice system. The provision of retributive justice is also ignored in this contribution. This requires a separate analysis.

Social implications

The social implications are that there appears a way to both justify and evaluate the criminal justice system and this methodology may be applied to the operation of other public services.

Originality/value

The originality of this paper lies in suggesting a method to solve the valuation problem for the jointly produced public goods of the higher courts and police.
How to build employees' relationship capital through different enterprise social media platform use: the moderating role of innovation culture
Authors: Ma Liang , Zhang Xin , Wang Gaoshan , Zhang Ge
Published: April 2021

Purpose

The purpose of the present study is to build a research model to study how the use of different enterprise social media platforms affects employees' relationship capital, and the moderating role of innovation culture is also examined.

Design/methodology/approach

Structural equation modeling was performed to test the research model and hypotheses. Surveys were conducted in an electronic commerce company in China that uses different social media platforms, generating 301 valid responses for analysis.

Findings

First, private social media used for work-related purposes can contribute to employees' relationship capital, and public social media QQ used for work-related purposes can contribute to employees' communication quality. WeChat used for social-related purposes has a positive effect on employees' information exchange. Second, innovation culture acts as a positive moderator between work-related media use and employees' information exchange, while innovation culture acts as a negative moderator between social-related WeChat use and employees' information exchange. Third, innovation culture acts as a positive moderator between work-related QQ use and employees' trust, while innovation culture acts as a negative moderator between social-related QQ use and employees' trust.

Originality/value

First, this paper contributes to the information system (IS) social media literature by studying the effect of the use of different enterprise social media platforms used for different purposes on employees' relationship capital. Second, the authors contribute to relationship capital theory by clarifying that use of public and private social media platforms for social- and work-related purposes is an important driver of the formation of employees' relational capital. Third, the present study also contributes to enterprise social media literature by confirming that innovation culture acts as a different moderator between use of different enterprise social media platforms and employees' relationship capital.
Services export diversification and services export revenue stability: does trade openness matter?
Authors: Gnangnon Sena Kimm
Published: April 2021

Purpose

The international trade literature has established that export product diversification lowers export product revenue instability. The current analysis investigates whether this finding carries over services exports.

Design/methodology/approach

The empirical analysis covers a sample of 152 countries over the period 1980–2014 and employs the two-step system generalized method of moments (GMM) approach.

Findings

The empirical findings indicate that services export diversification reduces services export revenue instability both over the full sample as well as over sub-samples of high-income countries (HICs), least developed countries (LDCs) as well as developing countries (i.e. non-HICs) that are not LDCs. HICs appear to experience a higher positive effect of services export diversification on services export revenue instability than in developing countries. The analysis also shows that countries that further open-up to international trade enjoy a greater reducing effect of services export diversification on the instability of services export revenue.

Research limitations/implications

This analysis, therefore, adds to the existing studies on the relationship between export product diversification and the instability of revenue derived from goods exports by focusing on the services export side. An important message from the analysis is that countries that diversify their services export basket enjoy lower services export revenue instability when they further integrate into the world trade market.

Practical implications

This study highlights the importance of services export diversification, including for stabilizing services export revenue to services traders. Diversifying services export items, including across traditional and modern services sectors involves the implementation of a wide range of policies and measures, of which the liberalization of the services sectors through reduction and eventually the elimination of services trade barriers; the improvement of the business environment and the development of domestic financial markets (see for example, Hoekman, 2017). It could be interesting that another study consider policies and measures that could promote services export diversification.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first time this topic is being addressed, including empirically.
Macroeconomic evidence on the impact of mandatory IFRS adoption on FDI in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries
Authors: Mameche Youcef , Masood Abdullah
Published: April 2021

Purpose

The present paper seeks to investigate the impact of International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) adoption on the foreign direct investment (FDI) in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region for the period 1980–2017. This study relies on the information asymmetry theory, according to which IFRS adoption, as a positive signal for investors, should attract more FDI. This research is crucial and presents an interesting framework for providing a major motivation for empirical insights since the macroeconomic evidence on the impact of IFRS adoption on FDI is still unclear in the GCC region and no empirical evidence has been provided in the existing related literature.

Design/methodology/approach

The analysis was conducted based on panel data from GCC countries over the period 1980–2017 and using the autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) modeling approach and the pooled mean group (PMG) estimation method.

Findings

The findings indicate that the decision of adopting IFRS in GCC countries has a positive impact of 3% on FDI inflows in the short run. However, the adoption of IFRS in the region leads to a decrease of 10.4 % in FDI inflows in the long run.

Practical implications

These findings should be of a major interest to regulators and policymakers in GCC countries, practitioners and academic researchers, international investors, managers and any other interested groups about the accounting environment in GCC countries and other developing countries having an interest in the economic consequences of IFRS adoption, as a driver of FDI, in developing countries.

Originality/value

This investigation provides original empirical evidence on the effect of IFRS adoption on FDI inflows within the context of the GCC area. In fact, the current international literature is lacking empirical evidence on the effect of IFRS adoption on FDI inflows for the GCC countries as a whole. Furthermore, this study offers an original methodological contribution to the macroeconomic impact of IFRS adoption literature by using the PMG estimator since there has been no research works to date that has used this method of estimation.
Regulatory changes and loan loss provisions management by Chinese banks
Authors: Chen Li , Emanuel David , Li Lina Z. , Yang Mu
Published: April 2021

Purpose

The authors examine whether Chinese banks use loan loss provisions (LLPs) for capital management, income smoothing and signaling purposes, and assess the effect of the recent regulatory changes following the implementation of Chinese Basel III on such behavior.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors use a unique set of hand-collected data on bank capital combined with financial data downloaded from the China Stock Market and Accounting Research (CSMAR) database. Multivariate regression models are used to test our hypotheses.

Findings

The authors find that while there is no evidence to suggest capital management practice before the Chinese Basel III, the implementation of the new regulations induced listed banks to manage tier-1 capital via LLPs. The authors also find strong support that Chinese banks engage in income smoothing via LLPs management, and there is no change in such tendency following the issuance of Chinese Basel III. Lastly, the authors do not find support for the signaling behavior by Chinese banks using LLPs.

Practical implications

The authors’ evidence suggests that elevated tier-1 capital and provisioning requirements may induce capital management by banks, which indicates a potential unintended effect brought forth by the new Basel regulations.

Originality/value

To the best of authors’ knowledge, this study is the first to examine Chinese banks' behavior relating to LLPs in terms of capital management, income smoothing and signaling. In particular, the authors use a sample containing a large number of Chinese commercial banks – previously a major data issue in other studies.