bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Rethinking the sacred and secular divide
Authors: Bigoni Michele , Deidda Gagliardo Enrico , Funnell Warwick
Published: May 2013

Purpose

Informed by the work of Laughlin and Booth, this paper aims to analyze the role of accounting and accountability practices within the fifteenth century Roman Catholic Church, more specifically within the Diocese of Ferrara (northern Italy), in order to determine the presence of a sacred‐secular dichotomy. Pope Eugenius IV had embarked on a comprehensive reform of the Church to counter the spreading moral corruption within the clergy and the subsequent disaffection with the Church by many believers. The reforms were notable not only for the Pope's determination to restore the moral authority and power of the Church, but also for the essential contributions of “profane” financial and accounting practices to the success of the reforms.

Design/methodology/approach

Original fifteenth century Latin documents and account books of the Diocese of Ferrara are used to highlight the link between the new sacred values imposed by Pope Eugenius IV's reforms and accounting and accountability practices.

Findings

The documents reveal that secular accounting and accountability practices were not regarded as necessarily antithetical to religious values, as would be expected by Laughlin and Booth. Instead, they were seen to assume a role which was complementary to the Church's religious mission. Indeed, they were essential to its sacred mission during a period in which the Pope sought to arrest the moral decay of the clergy and reinstate the Church's authority.

Research limitations/implications

The paper shows that the sacred‐secular dichotomy cannot be considered as a priori valid in space and time. There is also scope for examining other Italian dioceses where there was little evidence of Pope Eugenius' reforms.

Originality/value

The paper presents a critique of the sacred‐secular divide paradigm by considering an under‐researched period and a non‐Anglo Saxon context.
An organisational change approach based on Gestalt psychotherapy theory and practice
Authors: Chidiac Marie‐Anne
Published: May 2013

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to expand understanding of how Gestalt psychotherapy theory and practice can support the facilitation of change management efforts in organisations.

Design/methodology/approach

The methodology is based on action research approach in which the author has applied Gestalt principles to her work as a change management practitioner. Case study material is used to support the development of an emergent model for change management based on Gestalt psychotherapy theory and praxis.

Findings

This paper emphasises the need to attend in change management efforts to three interrelated capabilities: Sensing, Supporting and Sustaining. Together these emphasise the need to track and stay responsive to the organisational environment; to ensure the right amount of support and challenge is present in the change effort and finally, to provide a focus on experimentation and the embedding of learning for sustainable change.

Research limitations/implications

This contribution is limited by looking at only four cases in the private sector and the current paper should be considered as a preliminary/exploratory research.

Practical implications

This study has two key implications for scholars and practitioners. First, it shows the usefulness of continuous sensing into the phenomenological experience of the organisation throughout the lifetime of a change project. Second, this study shows that learning and experimentation with new ways of being is crucial to an organisation that wants to grow and remain fluid and responsive to its environment.

Originality/value

This article offers a conceptualisation of how the theory and practice of relational Gestalt psychotherapy theory can shape the practice of organisational development practitioners. Its uniqueness lies in that it offers to Gestalt practitioners a sense of the applicability of Gestalt theory to large‐scale organisational interventions; and for non‐Gestalt informed OD practitioners it offers new insights into a theory base that promotes a relational, holistic and emergent view of change.
Contradiction as a medium and outcome of organizational change: a Foucauldian reading
Authors: Leclercq‐Vandelannoitte Aurelie
Published: May 2013

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the dynamics that underlie contradictions and paradoxes in organizational change over time. Little research has explored the role of contradictions and paradoxes in the continuous cycle of organizing, which are simultaneously embedded in the process and outcomes of organizational change. An encompassing framework, based on the thinking of Michel Foucault, more fully captures both the paradoxical roots and the effects of organizational change.

Design/methodology/approach

An in‐depth qualitative case study of an IT‐based organizational change in a company offers a clear longitudinal analysis, based on 31 semi‐structured interviews and direct field observation.

Findings

The Foucauldian framework deepens understanding of organizational change and its underlying dynamics by highlighting contradictions and paradoxes as both the medium and the outcome of the organizing process over time. The organizing process evolves through power‐knowledge relations, which are forces that provide the energy to make change possible.

Research limitations/implications

The findings indicate the need for further research to develop insight into Foucauldian concepts, such as by replicating the proposed methodology in other companies or with other types of organizational change.

Practical implications

This paper is of managerial interest for various corporate players (management, human resources, information management) who must understand what underlies employees' acceptance of organizational change.

Originality/value

The proposed conceptual model can help interpret the role of contradictions and paradoxes in the organizing process. The strength of this “political model of organizational change” is that it can be combined with other perspectives, such as change management, to explore how organizations drive change and how managers can integrate contradictions and paradoxes in change management to help the organization further evolve.
Transformational leadership and innovation in an R&D organization experiencing major change
Authors: Paulsen Neil , Callan Victor J. , Ayoko Oluremi , Saunders Diana
Published: May 2013

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to add to the understanding of how transformational leaders influence R&D team outcomes around being more innovative. In particular, the study aims to focus on the role of group identification in mediating innovative outcomes.

Design/methodology/approach

In total, 104 participants in a large Australian R&D organization were surveyed twice during a 12 month period of major restructuring and change. These matched respondents came from 29 different teams.

Findings

Results revealed that group identification and perceived support for creativity exerted equal independent effects in fully mediating the relationship between transformational leadership and team innovation.

Research limitations/implications

The potential for leadership to influence innovation through identification raises interesting alternative possibilities. Future research may generate new insights by investigating alternative samples, leadership styles or using qualitative methods.

Practical implications

Findings point to how a more transformational style of leadership influences team climate and identification, and in turn innovation in the context of scientific R&D teams. Such styles do produce better outcomes, both for the organization around more innovative products and processes, but also for team members who engage in more creative team environments.

Originality/value

These findings add to the conceptual understanding of processes through which transformational styles of leadership promote innovation, and highlight the benefits gained by promoting more transformational styles of leadership to generate more innovative outcomes from teams and employees.
A conjectural variation approach for assessment of competition: a case on Indian commercial banks
Authors: Misra Arun Kumar , Arrawatia Rakesh
Published: May 2013

Purpose

During the last two decades there have been significant policy changes in the banking system, primarily in the emerging market economies. These changes have impacted the competitive structure of banking. In India, since 1991, gradual reform measures have been initiated to improve efficiency, productivity, competition and stability of the banking sector. There is a requirement for a formal approach to examine level of competition in Indian banking sector after the liberalization. This paper aims to address this issue.

Design/methodology/approach

The article applied the conjectural variation method using 2‐stage least square for assessing the degree of competition in the Indian banking system.

Findings

The paper finds that competitive condition in the Indian banking sector has been improving 1996. However, big banks with market share more than 1 per cent have been exercising some degree of price mark‐up over their marginal cost.

Research limitations/implications

Due to the paucity of data competition at the regional level is not analysed which is a limitation of the article.

Practical implications

Analysis of competition allows the policy formulators to design proper liberalization measures to ensure greater competition in the banking sector so as to prevent any cartel formation.

Social implications

Since the Indian banking sector is monopolistically competitive, the article advocates for more liberalization measures to improve competition in the Indian banking sector.

Originality/value

To assess competition the article has covered 53 banks involving more than 90 per cent banking sector assets of the country. Through Lerner Index the article has found that big banks are able to charge a price which is about 30 per cent more than their marginal cost. The conjectural variation method is a monopolistic market structure prevailing in the Indian banking sector.
Latent factors among enablers of growth: a study in the context of construction companies in India
Authors: Bhattacharya Sanjay , Momaya Kirankumar S. , Iyer Chandrasekhar
Published: May 2013

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to discover the latent factors amongst identified enablers of growth which can enhance growth performance in construction companies in India.

Design/methodology/approach

Factor analysis has been used to determine latent factors among the enablers of growth. The data for the analysis were collected through a questionnaire survey administered on 30 leading construction companies in India.

Findings

Factor analysis reveals that company systems and processes, customer orientation or value enhancement, future businesses, visionary leadership and intent, and versatile workforce are required to be optimally synergized for growth. Specific task forces or delegation of activities may be setup to look after each one of the above five factors.

Research limitations/implications

Focus on these factors will help streamline the structure and functioning of a construction company and help strategise to achieve growth performance.

Practical implications

Understanding about priorities in enablers and inhibitors can help firm devise appropriate strategies and action plans.

Originality/value

This paper reduces several identified enablers of growth into few factors to practically design appropriate structure and work processes to deliver performance.
Knowledge management strategies, innovation, and organisational performance
Authors: Al‐Hakim Laith , Hassan Shahizan
Published: May 2013

Purpose

The purpose of the present study is to examine the relationships among knowledge management strategies, innovation, and organisational performance in the Iraqi mobile telecommunication sector.

Design/methodology/approach

Research suggests that knowledge management strategies are essential capabilities for effective innovation and organisational performance. Through analysis of surveys collected from 220 mid‐level managers, the present study empirically tested a proposed theoretical framework by estimating structural equation model.

Findings

The results show that knowledge management strategies had a statistically significant and direct positive effect on innovation and organisational performance. Most outstandingly, the results indicate that knowledge management strategies had a positive and statistically significant effect on organisational performance through the partial mediation effect of innovation.

Originality/value

Conclusions of the present study may help academics and managers in implementing knowledge management strategies in order to enhance innovation and improve organisational performance.
An analytical case study of an advanced manufacturing system for evaluating the impact of human enablers in its performance
Authors: Nagar Bhaskar , Raj Tilak
Published: May 2013

Purpose

This paper aims to focus on identifying various human enablers that could influence the performance of a firm using advanced manufacturing systems (AMSs), and to develop a framework to manage them through an analytical case study.

Design/methodology/approach

In this work, digraph and matrix technique through case study was utilized for finding the single numerical value, i.e. human enabler index (HEI), for quantifying the impact of human enablers of a firm under consideration using AMSs.

Findings

The major finding of this analytical case study is that a firm can identify the weak human‐related issues existing in their organizations. The HEI value for the considered organization is found to be low because it does not understand its corporate social responsibility, therefore the necessary decisions/actions may be taken for the performance enhancement and optimal utilization of the human element. In this way, the effectiveness of an AMS can be enhanced without big investments.

Research limitations/implications

A larger number of human enablers could be considered for the analysis. However, the ranking has been done on the basis of the survey and expert opinion which may have an element of bias.

Practical implications

Analytical case study and the evaluated HEI could be used for quantifying the impact of human enablers in an AMS environment. This index can also be used to rank different organizations according to their capability to extract benefits in manufacturing from human characteristics.

Originality/value

The major and unique contribution of this research is to perform an analytical case study of a company using AMSs. Besides this, evaluating the HEI value for the organization, framework for comparison of two organizations and ways to improve its performance have been the unique contribution in its domain.
SWOT of Central Public Works Department India: a case study
Authors: Bharti Brijendra Kumar , Thakkar Jitesh J.
Published: May 2013

Purpose

The purpose of this paper to report an analysis of project management issues in Central Public Works Department (CPWD), India.

Design/methodology/approach

This research draws on the insights gained through case study development and analysis and interaction with executives of CPWD.

Findings

The paper reports on a case study on project management complexities in a typical government body, CPWD, India. The findings indicate that basic project management principles/skills is lacking in projects performed by government departments in India.

Research limitations/implications

Delivering of all construction and maintenance project on time, within budget and in accordance to the desired quality had been identified as one of the major challenges in present scenario especially when it comes to any government project. The insights reported in the paper are based on a detailed analysis of one case and hence outcomes are contextual.

Originality/value

This research addresses real life complexities in infrastructure project and outlines various risks in such projects.
Cash‐flows, earnings, and time‐varying expected stock returns
Authors: Eugene Simlai Prodosh
Published: May 2013

Purpose

The objective of this paper is to empirically evaluate alternative multifactor explanations of cash‐flows and earnings momentum portfolios. It aims to examine whether the common risk factors, which are related to firm level accounting characteristics, can reflect the behavior of average portfolio returns based on such measures as cash‐flows and earnings momentum in the presence of each other's systematic components and time‐varying measures of volatility.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper uses monthly stock returns for all NYSE firms on CRSP database and constructs average portfolio returns between July 1951 and June 2008. It investigates the interdependence of stock returns for cash‐flows and earnings momentum portfolios using their systematic components. The methodology is implemented by extending various characteristic‐based factor models of returns.

Findings

The main finding of the study suggests that there is strong information transmission – both in the temporal variation and risk sensitivities of the average returns of cash‐flows and earnings momentum portfolios. Also, there is compelling empirical evidence that the associated systematic components well complement the ability of common risk factors to explain the temporal behavior of all NYSE stocks.

Research limitations/implications

While the results are statistically significant, the effect of aggregate risk in factor model is dubious. An integration of other accruals based accounting characteristics would be an interesting issue to explore.

Practical implications

The goal of the paper is to examine how different combinations of empirically determined variables that are instrumental in the creation of style‐specific benchmarks can capture the time‐series variation of average portfolio returns. It will provide added value to scholars and investment professionals in making effective portfolio management decisions.

Originality/value

Compared to the existing literature, in the evaluation of earnings and cash‐flows based measures, the paper focuses on the predictive power of the systematic components. It shows that paying close attention to the systematic components clearly provides additional information about the time‐varying behavior of average stock returns. The findings that the economic characteristics of the firm can complement the comparative role of the systematic components of cash‐flows and earnings add significantly to the literature.
Intellectual capital: company's invisible source of competitive advantage
Authors: Kamukama Nixon
Published: May 2013

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the individual contribution of intellectual capital elements to competitive advantage. It aims to explore the extent to which intellectual capital elements can explain competitive advantage in Uganda's microfinance industry.

Design/methodology/approach

Hierarchical regression was used because of its capacity to indicate precisely what happens to the model as different predictor variables are introduced.

Findings

This study confirms that the three intellectual capital elements are strong predictors of competitive advantage and they account up to 44 percent of variance in competitive advantage. Their order of importance in explaining the variance in competitive advantage (basing on their standardized beta values) is: structural capital, human capital and relational capital.

Research limitations/implications

Only a single research methodological approach was employed and future research through interviews could be undertaken to triangulate. Furthermore, the findings from the present study are cross‐sectional, future research should be undertaken to examine the effects of these variables across time.

Practical implications

The managers of microfinance firms need to appreciate that the rise of intellectual capital in the industry is unavoidable, given the competitive and technological forces that are sweeping the twenty‐first century.

Originality/value

This is the first study that focuses on testing the individual influence of intellectual capital elements on competitive advantage in Uganda microfinance industry.
Global economic challenges: the pressing and visible issues
Authors: Ali Abbas J.
Published: May 2013

Purpose

This paper aims to identify the economic challenges that nations and the international community must grapple with. It also clarifies certain factors that could ease the occurrence of global economic problems.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper briefly discusses problems that currently impede global economic growth and identifies factors that are essential to minimizing the emergence of these problems.

Findings

The reoccurrence of global economic problems is not a passing phenomenon, but it is rooted in sociopolitical and economic environments prevailing in the world. When these problems appear, regional and global responses are needed. Under these circumstances, insightful and creative thinking free of nationalistic passions and rooted in the belief of shared benefits and fate may prove to be effective.

Originality/value

The paper offers a genuine reflection on today's global economic reality. It sets the stage for an effective argument to counter the voices that seize on current global economic difficulties and meltdowns to give the impression that the global community is unable to cope with prevailing global economic problems.
Simulated jury decision making in online focus groups
Authors: Tabak Samantha J. , Klettke Bianca , Knight Tess
Published: May 2013

Purpose

A significant issue in jury research has been the use of individual jurors to analyse jury decision‐making. This paper aimed to examine the applicability of computer‐mediated communication to a mock jury deliberation study.

Design/methodology/approach

Groups of three to five Australian residents anonymously attended a secure chat room and participated in a semi‐structured discussion about a simulated child sexual assault scenario. Deliberation transcripts were analysed thematically using NVivo. A hermeneutic framework was used to analyse the deliberation transcripts.

Findings

Five interrelated themes were revealed, each reflecting the tools online juries used to communicate, create meaning, and arrive at a verdict. Electronic jury deliberation promoted an understanding of how people make sense of child sexual assault cases in Australia today.

Originality/value

This study advanced the understanding of online decision making in a child sexual assault scenario. It demonstrated that knowledge of how juries deliberate and create meaning could improve our understanding of how verdicts are achieved. Electronic mock juries are a valuable adjunct to traditional jury deliberation studies because they are cost effective, time efficient, and offer wider recruitment opportunities.
Using narratives to understand progress in youth alcohol and other drug treatment
Authors: Wilson Mandy , Saggers Sherry , Wildy Helen
Published: May 2013

Purpose

This paper aims to illustrate how narrative research techniques can be employed to promote greater understanding of young people's experiences of progress in residential alcohol and other drug treatment.

Design/methodology/approach

Narrative inquiry is used to explore client understandings of what characterises progress in treatment for young people attending a residential detoxification and a residential rehabilitation service in Perth, Western Australia. This article focuses on stories of progress collected through in‐depth qualitative interviews, observation and participation with clients of the two services, over a five‐month period.

Findings

Analysis of data revealed that young people were able to vividly describe their progress through treatment, and their drug taking trajectories can be conceptualised along five stages. The authors prepared narrative accounts to illustrate the features characteristic of each stage as identified by the young people. These composite narratives, written from the perspectives of young people, are presented in this article.

Practical implications

Clients’ own perceptions of their journeys through drug treatment might enable staff of such services to collaborate with the young person, in shaping and positively reinforcing alternative life‐stories; from those of exclusion and disconnection, to narratives of opportunity, inclusion and possibility.

Originality/value

Harmful adolescent drug and alcohol use is on the rise in Australia and elsewhere. However, our knowledge of how young people experience progress through residential treatment for substance use is limited. This paper highlights how creating narratives from young people's own stories of progress can broaden our knowledge of “what works” in residential youth alcohol and other drug treatment services.
Proposed model of entrepreneurial mindset for the state government higher education institutions in Pakistan
Authors: Nayyar Javed , Sohail H. Naqvi S.
Published: May 2013

Purpose

This study is a theoretical debate on corporate entrepreneurship (CE) in the state government higher education institutions (HEIs) in Pakistan with a generally accepted conceptual model. The objective of the study is to measure the mediation effect of corporate entrepreneurship (CE) on the relationship between the structure, managerial strategy, culture, environment and organizational performance.

Design/methodology/approach

The inferential statistic is used in order to achieve the objective of this study. Pearson correlation and multiple regressions are used to analyze the findings. Pearson correlation is used to see any association between the independent variables which are structural factors, managerial factors, cultural factors, and environmental factors and the dependent variable which are organizational performance. The association enables the reader to identify whether there is any relationship between the variables. It showed the strength and direction of the relationship. Meanwhile, a regression test was done to identify the predictive ability of each variable towards the organizational performance construct and mediation.

Findings

This framework of corporate entrepreneurship in the public sector tertiary education sector may have some uncertain assumptions and statements inconsistent with previous research. Nonetheless, the research framework provides a starting point to develop a more applicable corporate entrepreneurship model to higher education management and enhance the quality of public entrepreneurship research.

Social implications

Focusing the effect of mediation between the relationship of four determinant factors, and corporate entrepreneurship on the organizational performance of the schools/faculties of the state government higher education institutions in Pakistan provides some insights for to the schools/faculties' deans into how the integration of some strategies can help in creating the competitive advantage to enhance the overall performance.

Originality/value

The working paper is original in its kind that the framework is presented here is a contribution to the knowledge that fulfill the gap of enhancing performance in the state government higher education institutions in Pakistan by presenting an innovative entrepreneurial mindset.
Short‐sell moratorium effects on regional bank performance
Authors: Devaney Michael , Weber William L.
Published: May 2013

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effects of the 2008 SEC short‐sell moratorium on regional bank risk and return. The paper also examines the decline in “failures to deliver” securities in the wake of SEC short‐sell moratorium.

Design/methodology/approach

In total, six regional bank portfolios are derived and the beta coefficients from a CAPM model are estimated using the integrated generalized autoregressive conditional heteroskedasticity (IGARCH) method accounting for the short‐sell moratorium. Data on 110 regional banks in six US regions from January 2002 to December 30, 2011 are used to estimate the model.

Findings

The ban on naked short selling and the SEC short‐sell moratorium significantly increased individual bank risk for a majority of banks in six geographic regions, but also increased return in three of three regions. There was also reduced naked short selling as failures to deliver securities declined sharply after the September 2008 moratorium took effect.

Originality/value

Regional banks have generally not achieved the size needed to be deemed “too big to fail” by policy‐makers. Thus, policy changes such as the SEC short‐sell moratorium might be expected to have larger effects on regional banks than on larger banks, which might be shielded from the policy change by having achieved “too big to fail” status. The authors' results are consistent with research that has shown that short‐sell restrictions increase risk by reducing liquidity and trading volume.
Turning good research into good publications
Authors: Ahlstrom David , Bruton Garry D. , Zhao Li
Published: May 2013

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to provide a basic list of items that many standard empirical papers need and to highlight some common and fixable problems, as well as some corresponding suggestions and solutions such that authors can turn good research into good papers that have an improved chance of publication.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper is a conceptual study on publishing, though it draws heavily on two of the authors' experience as editors of major management journals and their past work on paper organization and research design. A number of helpful resources for authors have also been provided from the academic literature – both journals and books – so that this paper can be a helpful resource to authors in organizing and preparing their work to submit to an appropriate journal.

Findings

This paper's findings are listed as follows. First, prospective authors will gain a much clearer understanding of whether a journal is an appropriate outlet for their work by reading the journal's aims and scope. Second, a good Introduction is a crucial element of a paper and must contain key basic information such as the research question (or thesis statement), a mini‐literature review that situates the paper in past work, a quick summary of results, and the paper's contributions. Third, in the Literature Review or Theory section, it is important to review the development of the more relevant literature in the chosen topic, the key empirical or case findings, and why the focal paper seeks to enter the field at this time. Fourth, in the Method section, authors should try to provide as much helpful descriptive data as space permits. Fifth, in the Results section, authors should present the results for each hypotheses one by one, but limit the discussion in that section to the results and some brief explanation. Additionally, the Discussion section should have four parts including the contributions, limitations of the research, future research, and any other unusual findings. Finally, many papers suffer from formatting problems or do not fit the aims and scope of the target journal. Authors should be careful to check on these issues before submission.

Originality/value

This paper is complementary to works on methods and research design in that it helps authors with the important step of organizing their papers to turn good research into good manuscripts with a better chance of publication.
Corporate mergers and financial performance: a new assessment of Indian cases
Authors: Srinivasa Reddy K. , Nangia Vinay Kumar , Agrawal Rajat
Published: May 2013

Purpose

It is worth mentioning that mergers and acquisitions (M&As) have become a popular vehicle for emerging‐markets firms to rapidly access new opportunities and market capabilities. Indeed, privatization and multi‐nationalization have given a greater shore up in raising global and domestic merger deals. Motivated by these factors, the purpose of this paper is to investigate “do mergers produce abnormal returns around the announcement; conversely, do they improve financial performance in the long‐run?”

Design/methodology/approach

The study applies earnings management approach (event study) to compute average abnormal returns (AAR) around the merger announcement for select Indian M&A cases. Further, accounting ratios are considered to assess the long‐run financial performance. Thereafter, t‐stat is applied for testing the proposed hypotheses. In particular, it has performed a later test to the means of financial ratios and variables for both services and manufacturing sectors in accounting ratios and cylinder models, respectively.

Findings

The select Indian M&A cases show superior performance during the post‐merger period for both manufacturing and services sectors, and observe a balance sheet improvement in the long‐run.

Research limitations/implications

Sample is one of the limitations to the study. Due to small sample of merger cases, this paper has limited scope to generalize the results. Hence, academic researchers may employ the suggested assessment (cylinder)‐models on a large sample.

Practical implications

The research work would help financial analysts, stockbrokers, M&A advisory and regulatory bodies while designing takeover and open offer policies.

Originality/value

This is an original contribution, which has developed new assessment (cylinder)‐models to examine the post‐merger long‐run financial performance of acquiring firms, especially sector‐wise evaluation.
Location strategies of multinational banking under risk and asymmetric information
Authors: Zhang Jin , Shan Jun , Wang Susheng
Published: May 2013

Purpose

Inspired by the recent opening up of the Chinese banking market and by the ensuing location strategies adopted by foreign banks, the purpose of this paper is to develop an empirical analysis on location strategies. The paper enriches the existing literature by including many important realistic aspects, some of which have never been analyzed in theory before, especially for firms entering an unfamiliar and risky foreign market.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors carried out an empirical study on foreign banks' entry to the newly opened up Chinese banking market and modelled location strategies of foreign banks in China as a conditional logit problem, in which the dependent variable is the market chosen by an investor. To investigate the determinants of foreign banks' location choices in China, the authors collected data of foreign banks' entries into China during 1980‐2006.

Findings

The main empirical results are: asymmetric information, firm size and entry sequence are significant determinants of foreign banks' location strategies.

Originality/value

The paper presents a new set of results.
How and when does transformational leadership affect organizational creativity and innovation?
Authors: Hu Hong , Gu Qinxuan , Chen Jixiang
Published: May 2013

Purpose

The present research attempts to review literature on the effects of transformational leadership on organizational creativity and innovation. It is well recognized that organizational creativity and innovation are crucial for an organization and even for the whole society. Transformational leadership exerts great impact on organizational creativity and innovation. With the increase of empirical studies, relevant variables and research findings are from all kinds of perspectives. The purpose of this paper is to sort relevant works out, incorporate them into an overarching framework and suggest a few future directions which are both critical and viable, so that future researchers may easily find the “gap” and fit their prospective works properly.

Design/methodology/approach

The research is conducted by first perusing recent and major papers on the subject which have been published on high quality journals. The paper sorts out pivotal mediators and moderators, and sheds light on the their effects.

Findings

Although the conclusions drawn from different studies are somewhat inconsistent, most scholars found a positive relationship between transformational leadership and organizational creativity and innovation. Transformational leadership can influence organizational creativity and innovation both directly and indirectly. The bulk of this paper is about the indirect effects of transformational leadership. The mediators and moderators are from different levels including individual, team and organizational level. In addition, some contextual variables are also included.

Originality/value

The paper is the first to review the literature by focusing on the effects of transformational leadership on organizational creativity and innovation. It incorporates various factors into a whole framework which covers three levels and includes internal and external contexts. It makes the relevant findings clear, points out the strengths and weaknesses of the extant literature. It also brings forward future research directions which can be a valuable reference for other researchers.
The changing trend of China's power project investment value
Authors: Jinshan Han , Tong Tong
Published: May 2013

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to analyze the changing trend of China's power project investment value.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors research the profitability of different power projects in recent years and summarize the reason why investment value varies between different power projects. To achieve this, the empirical study developed a fixed effect model in panel data analysis to investigate the impacts that different power projects made to company value. The data were collected from annual financial reports of 30 Chinese power listed companies from 2007 to 2011.

Findings

This paper indicates three changes in investment value of China's electricity industry: the electricity industry in China is of investment prospects; the investment value of fuel power projects in China is less and less; and projects around electric power load center are more preferable than those built in other areas. It suggests that it is the resource factors, environment factors, investment policies and conditions, not the power unit itself, that determine the investment value of different power projects in China.

Originality/value

This paper analyzes the formation reason of current power investment situation combining China's actual conditions. This study fulfils an identified need to research the changing trend of China's power project investment value and generalize the influencing factors of investment value.
Factors affecting visual artists’ levels of commitment to artwork distributors
Authors: Kottász Rita , Bennett Roger
Published: May 2013

Purpose

The purpose of the study was to develop and test a model explaining visual artists’ levels of commitment to their primary distributors (dealers, agents, gallery owners).

Design/methodology/approach

A questionnaire was completed by 220 British artists covering their relationships with the main external intermediaries they used most frequently. The questionnaire covered the elements of a structural equation model designed to predict commitment levels. The model included as mediating variables the strength of an artist's personal brand and the individual's control over, dependence on, and conflict with a distributor.

Findings

Most of the respondents had good relationships with their distributors. The hypothesised model provided a sound fit with the data, although there was no significant connection between an artist's ability to control a distributor and the person's commitment to the distributor.

Research limitations/implications

The research was undertaken in a single country and only visual artists (rather than, for instance, performing artists) were considered. Space restrictions prevented the detailed examination within the questionnaire of the participants’ relationships with different types of intermediary.

Practical implications

Artists should cultivate powerful personal brands and apply ‘relationalist’ approaches when dealing with distributors.

Originality/value

The study was the first to apply marketing theories of distribution to the arts domain. A new and original measure of the extent of a visual artist's personal branding activities was devised and employed as a part of the investigation.
Careers in academe: the academic labour market as an eco‐system
Authors: Baruch Yehuda
Published: May 2013

Purpose

This paper aims to explore the contrast between stable and dynamic labour markets in academe in light of career theories that were originally developed for business environments.

Design/methodology/approach

A conceptual design, offering the eco‐system as a framework.

Findings

It evaluates their relevance and applicability to dynamic and global academic labour markets using the emerging novel eco‐system theory. Lessons are drawn for individual scholars employed in the higher education sector as well as to institutions.

Practical implications

The paper suggests practical indications for people‐management within academe. It integrates human capital theory, psychological‐contract concepts and career perspectives about people‐management with practical career advice for the sector.

Originality/value

The paper offers a conceptual framework to better understand labour markets, in particular academic labour markets, using eco‐system as a strong explanatory power.
Why they stay: women persisting in US engineering careers
Authors: Buse Kathleen , Bilimoria Diana , Perelli Sheri
Published: May 2013

Purpose

Women remain dramatically underrepresented in the engineering profession and far fewer women than men persist in the field. This study aims to identify individual and contextual factors that distinguish women who persist in engineering careers in the US.

Design/methodology/approach

Qualitative research was conducted based on semi‐structured interviews with 31 women engineers, ten of whom had left an engineering career and 21 persisting for on average 21 years. The interviews were recorded, transcribed, coded and analyzed.

Findings

Women who persisted in engineering careers articulated high levels of self efficacy, described themselves in terms of their identity as an engineer, and were motivated by the challenges and novelty of the profession. Women engineers' ability to adapt enabled them to persist and thrive despite working in a male‐dominated culture characterized by difficulties associated with the workplace, including discrimination. Women who opted out of engineering were less likely to recognize options in navigating the workplace and some felt as if they were pushed into engineering. Persistent engineers were less likely to be married and had fewer children.

Research limitations/implications

Although appropriate for an inductive study using a grounded theory approach the sample was small and the data was self reported.

Practical implications

A model is developed that integrates individual and contextual factors explaining a woman's persistence in an engineering career and has potential to explain persistence in other professions. To retain more women in engineering careers, organizations and managers should provide opportunities to develop identified skills within the professional domain and should provide opportunities for women engineers that provide continuous learning, on‐going challenges and novel work.

Originality/value

Although numerous studies have addressed the retention of women in academic engineering programs and several recent studies have described why women leave engineering careers, the novelty of this study is that it addresses why women stay.
Intersectionality of gender and other forms of identity
Authors: Haq Rana
Published: May 2013

Purpose

This paper aims to present the challenges facing women in India due to the intersectionality of gender and other forms of identities impacting on their personal and professional lives by exploring the intersection of gender, colour, caste, ethnicity, religion, marital status, and class as sources of discrimination against women in Indian society and workplaces.

Design/methodology/approach

The approach is discussing the socio‐cultural traditions leading up to the complexities of multiple intersections of identity for women living and working in India, offering a paradigm shift from Western issues of gender equality towards understanding women's empowerment issues within the Indian context.

Findings

Indian women are marginalized in their access to education and healthcare, and they are also compromised in their personal and professional development by being undervalued, underemployed and under‐rewarded. The social implications are the impact of awareness, changing attitudes and corporate social responsibility interventions towards improving the quality of life of women in India. Multinational corporations as well as Indian organizations may be influenced to implement diversity policies and practices beyond individual identities to incorporate the complex intersectionality that is the reality and dilemma of the challenges faced by Indian women in society, in professional careers and within organizations.

Originality/value

Readers will find originality and value in understanding the complexities of gender equality issues in India as compared to other countries and contexts. It can inform researchers, academics, practitioners and policy makers on how to address the disparities and discrimination against women and guide comparative discourses between India and other countries towards eliminating discrimination against women.
Does the WTO Violate Human Rights (and Do I Help It)? Beyond the Metaphor of Culpability for Systemic Global Poverty
Authors: Meckled-Garcia Saladin
Published: May 2013

I challenge an influential analysis (the ‘participation account’) that attributes human rights violations to the global economic system, and attributes complicity with those violations to citizens of affluent countries. The participation account is shown to rest on a faulty account of wrongful action. An alternative, and superior, account of wrongful action (the ‘agency account’) is proposed, and used to analyse the rules of the global economic order. These include the ‘foreground rules’ of trade agreements and the ‘background rules’ of state privileges. The agency account identifies wrongful action with unreasonably imposing losses/risks. The systemic bad effects of the economic system and its rules are shown not to be due to agents in the system acting unreasonably in this sense. The metaphor that the economic system ‘violates rights’ and that we act in complicity with this are thus shown not to stand up to analysis.
Haves and Have-Nots before the Law Lords
Authors: Hanretty Chris
Published: May 2013

One important characteristic of justice, and thus of our judicial system, is impartiality. One type of judicial impartiality is impartiality between litigants who command status and material resources (‘haves‘) and those who do not (‘have-nots’). I investigate the success of ‘haves’ in appeals to the House of Lords between 1969 and 2003. I investigate two separate paths by which ‘haves’ might succeed more: relative status advantage over other litigants, and being able to hire more experienced and more successful counsel. My innovative operationalisation of relative status advantage shows that while relative status advantage does exist, it is largely a matter of governmental actors having significant advantages over all others; businesses and associations have no advantages over individual litigants. Instructing more experienced counsel also increases the chances of a litigant succeeding. This effect holds when accounting for the relative number of counsel and their relative win rates in previous cases.