bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The micromechanism of “co-beneficial” cooperation between government and business in the context of Chinese transition economy: the case of “Daqing–Geely mode”
Authors: Qi Baoxin , Tian Mu , Wu Yajun
Published: March 2022

Purpose

This study aims to answer few questions, such as which factors influence the local government’s choice of private firm investments; what factors influence private firms’ choice of specific local government to make a local investment; and why do some private firms gain a competitive edge by choosing a stakeholder management model of “running the government” in the context of the Chinese transition economy.

Design/methodology/approach

Using a case study approach, this paper provides an in-depth analysis of the Daqing–Geely Case, 2010, and explains why Geely chose Daqing considering the firm perspective and why the Daqing city Government chose Geely considering the local governments’ perspective.

Findings

This study highlights the concept of “co-beneficial” cooperation between government–business by virtue of the institutional innovation of the quasi-property system. In addition, it reveals that the private firms and local governments in the “Daqing–Geely mode” work together for mutual benefits by putting fair negotiation and contract mechanisms in place. Resultantly, private firms secure the commercial interests, and the local governments bring in improved efficiency.

Originality/value

This study consolidates the theory of stakeholders, thereby strengthening the current understanding of “special offer” and “universal offer.”
Regulation as a pathway to individual adoption of cryptocurrency
Authors: Schaupp Ludwig Christian , Festa Mackenzie , Knotts Kevin G. , Vitullo Elizabeth A.
Published: March 2022

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the antecedents of individuals’ behavioral intention to transact in blockchain cryptocurrency through the theoretical lens of the expanded theory of planned behavior (TPB).

Design/methodology/approach

This study investigated the antecedents of a blockchain cryptocurrency adoption framework by adapting well-established items from the information systems (IS) and psychology literature to produce a survey instrument to measure individuals’ intention to engage in blockchain cryptocurrency transactions. The survey was administered to 492 individuals through Amazon Mechanical Turk.

Findings

This study resulted in a research model of an individual’s intention to transact with a blockchain cryptocurrency. Results indicated that the expanded TPB model explains 63.5% of the variance in intention to adopt cryptocurrency for transactional usage. In this study, all paths leading to behavioral intention were found to be significant in the hypothesized directions. In addition, all paths leading to attitude, subjective norms and perceived behavioral control were found to be significant in the hypothesized directions.

Originality/value

This study furthers prior literature by empirically validating the expanded TPB in the context of individuals’ intention to use cryptocurrency for transactional purposes. This study can better inform practitioners on individual attitudes and behaviors toward transactional cryptocurrency use. The findings provide regulators meaningful insights toward the development of a regulatory framework which encourages innovation while safeguarding the interests of individual citizens.
Employment inequality in India during the pandemic
Authors: Goswami Diti , Kujur Sandeep Kumar
Published: March 2022

Purpose

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)-induced response policies initiated by the Indian states disproportionately impact the employment of different groups in terms of gender, caste and religion. This study analyses the impact of the COVID-19-induced labor policies on employment inequality across different groups in India.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors identify different exogenous COVID-19-induced labor policies initiated by the Indian states, and synthesize them into direct and indirect labor policies. The authors employ a panel model to examine the impact of COVID-19-induced labor policies on employment inequality.

Findings

The authors find that the direct and indirect labor policies induce a decline in the employment rate, and create employment inequality among gendered and religious sub-groups. Females and Muslims have not significantly benefited from the COVID-19-induced labor policies. However, disadvantaged caste groups have benefited from direct and indirect labor policies.

Research limitations/implications

The time period during which this research was conducted was quite brief, and the qualitative impact of labor policies on employment inequality has not been accounted for.

Practical implications

This study unravels the distributive impact of the COVID-19-induced direct and indirect labor policies on the well-being of vulnerable laborers.

Social implications

The study provides novel empirical evidence of the beneficial role of a proactive government. This study’s findings suggest the need for specific distributive labor policies to address employment inequality among gender and religious groups in India.

Originality/value

The study employs new data sources and synthesizes the COVID-19-induced labor policies into direct and indirect labor policies. In addition, the study contributes to understanding the impact of COVID-19 induced direct and indirect labor policies on employment inequality across gender, caste and religious sub-groups in India.
Hackathons: what do engineering educators think about it?
Authors: Mehta Neha , Bist Siddarth Singh , Shah Priya
Published: March 2022

Purpose

With past studies indicating a lack of skill development in engineering education, there is a need for new pedagogical tools that are application and skill-oriented. Hackathons are widely accepted in the corporate world, in the engineering domain for skill development and recruitment but have not gained acceptance in mainstream engineering education. Very few studies have discussed engineering educator views regarding hackathons and their benefits. This paper intends to study engineering educators' perception of the hackathon and its benefits after participating in it. The findings could support hackathons as a pedagogical tool to develop an industry-oriented and skill-based engineering education.

Design/methodology/approach

A mixed methods design was employed where initially qualitative study was conducted. Its findings were used to conduct survey of 162 engineering educators who had participated in a hackathon. A five point Likert scale was employed for data collection.

Findings

The findings reveal that engineering educators who participated in the hackathon perceived hackathons to support industry-focused learning, problem-solving and new skill development. They also acknowledged its role in their professional development. The further discussion suggests that engineering educators and institutes may collaborate with industry to design and use hackathons as a teaching tool to develop industry-ready graduates.

Research limitations/implications

The study was not designed to study how different aspects of hackathon lead to different benefits derived from participating in it. There is a need to study hackathons as a tool of pedagogy and assessment, focusing on how variables linked to it facilitate, moderate and hinder the learning and assessment process in participants. More in-depth studies need to be conducted to adopt the hackathon as a pedagogy and assessment tool in higher education.

Practical implications

The discussion suggests that designing hackathons effectively as a tool for learning and skill development will result in skilled graduates. Engineering educators should adopt hackathons as a pedagogy for their students. Management and policymakers of engineering institutes should consider hackathons as a part of pedagogy for students besides conducting hackathons for educators for their professional development that will be investment in skills helpful at workplace.

Originality/value

The notable contribution of this paper is to document perceptions of engineering educators regarding hackathons and their benefits after participating in a hackathon. The paper proposes that hackathons can be introduced in the engineering curriculum as they would offer educators a novel method of teaching and assessment and support engineering graduates in recruitment and making them industry-ready.
Investigation of phase change dynamics in a T-shaped multiple vented cylindrical cavity during nanofluid convection for PCM-embedded system
Authors: Kolsi Lioua , Selimefendigil Fatih , Omri Mohamed
Published: March 2022

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to explore the phase change (PC) dynamics in a T-shaped ventilated cavity having multiple inlet and outlet ports during nanofluid convection with phase change material (PCM) packed bed-installed system.

Design/Methodology/Approach

Finite element method was used to analyze the PC dynamics and phase completion time for encapsulated PCM within a vented cavity during the convection of nanoparticle loaded fluid. The study is performed for different Reynolds number of flow streams (Re1 and Re2 between 300 and 900), temperature difference (ΔT1 and ΔT2 between −5 and 10), aspect ratio of the cavity (between 0.5 and 1.5) and nanoparticle loading (between 0.02% and 0.1%).

Findings

It is observed that phase transition can be controlled by assigning different velocities and temperatures at the inlet ports of the T-shaped cavity. The PC becomes fast especially when the Re number and temperature of fluid in the port vary closer to the wall (second port). When the configurations with the lowest and highest Re number of the second port are considered up to 54.7% in reduction of complete phase transition time is obtained, while this amount is 78% when considering the lowest and highest inlet temperatures. The geometric factor which is the aspect ratio has also affected the flow field and PC dynamics. Up to 78% reduction in the phase transition time is obtained at the highest aspect ratio. Further improvements in the performance are achieved by using nanoparticles in the base fluid. The amounts in the phase transition time reduction are 8% and 10.5% at aspect ratio of 0.5 and 1.5 at the highest nanoparticle concentration.

Originality/Value

The thermofluid system and offered control mechanism for PC dynamics control can be considered for the design, optimization, further modeling and performance improvements of applications with PCM installed systems.
India’s COVID-19 vaccination policy-an analysis of problem, politics and policy
Authors: Mathur Devasheesh
Published: March 2022

Purpose

The article aims to critically examine India's COVID-19 vaccination policy by analyzing the problem, politics and policy developed during the pandemic. The article would help the policy-makers and healthcare administrators to understand the situation in a holistic manner.

Design/methodology/approach

The article employs Kingdon's multiple streams framework, which separately analyzes the problem at hand, the politics that are at work and the policy which is being developed when the problem and politics streams are activated. Directed approach to content analysis is adopted in this article.

Findings

The article provides a holistic overview of vaccine development and the vaccination policy during the COVID-19 pandemic in India.

Practical implications

The analysis would help policy-makers and healthcare administrators to have a bird's-eye view of the COVID-19 vaccine development and the vaccination drive.

Originality/value

The article is a macro-level analysis of an extremely important situation of COVID-19 vaccine development and the subsequent vaccination drive for the world's largest democracy, which is also one of the largest drugs and vaccine manufacturing countries. The article captures the bird's-eye-view of the problem of vaccine development, the policy of funding as well as procurement, and the politics of vaccine distribution in the country.
Job satisfaction in telecommunications industry: empirical study in Uzbekistan
Authors: Inoyatova Sitora , Isakov Olmas Kuchkarovich
Published: March 2022

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to investigate the level of job satisfaction among employees in the telecommunications company in Uzbekistan and assess the effects of demographic and work-related variables on job satisfaction.

Design/methodology/approach

A survey questionnaire method was used to obtain the data from 403 employees working in the telecommunications company in Uzbekistan. The data were collected using the Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire short-form.

Findings

The results of the study indicated a significant effect of age and tenure on the job satisfaction. Age was found to be positively associated with the job satisfaction and intention to stay. The older employees are more likely to be satisfied and stay with the current company for the next 5 years. The tenure was also found to be positively correlated with the overall job satisfaction and intrinsic job satisfaction. It also has been revealed that male employees are less likely than female employees to stay in the company for the next 5 years ceteris paribus. According to the survey results, there was no significant impact of education level, gender, marital status or job field on the job satisfaction of the employees.

Originality/value

The results of the study demonstrate interesting job satisfaction findings of employees working in the telecommunications company in Uzbekistan, which can draw attention of the senior management and human resource departments to increase the level of job satisfaction levels among employees and start implementing the job satisfaction measures within the companies in Uzbekistan in order to create effective human resource management systems and retain qualified employees.
“You are a disgrace and traitor to our country”: incivility against “The Squad” on Twitter
Authors: Borah Porismita , Keib Kate , Trude Bryan , Binford Matthew , Irom Bimbisar , Himelboim Itai
Published: March 2022

Purpose

For many, the sole source for news content is social media, where passionate opinions are posted at an alarming speed. These opinions can cross the line from differing opinions shared in a public forum onto uncivil dialogue and even hate speech. Such online discourse threatens democratic values and creates a hostile environment. The purpose of this paper is to examine such incivility using the case of four congresswomen known as “The Squad”.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors conducted a content analysis examining 20,563 replies to tweets sent by the four congresswomen. The social media data analysis and library, Brandwatch, was used to aggregate tweets posted by the four representatives, as well as all the replies posted to these tweets. The replies were coded to understand the types of incivility against each of the four congresswomen, whether the topics of a tweet can predict the types of incivility received in response, and the impact of Trump's tweet against the congresswomen.

Findings

The study findings show that the majority of replies contained uncivil language. The most common types of incivility are related to name-calling, stereotypes, threats to individual rights and vulgarity. Tweets about immigration and the Muslim ban, as well as tweets with negative tones received more replies. Following Donald Trump's Twitter attack on the representatives, replies to the congresswomen's tweets almost doubled. Mainly two types of incivility were observed to have increased significantly – the use of stereotypes and threats to individual rights.

Originality/value

The study examines incivility on Twitter against four black, indigenous and people of color (BIPOC) congresswomen as an exploratory case to observe and understand the growing phenomenon of uncivil language which feeds a polarized society and threatens democratic values. “The Squad” is more than an isosteric case study. It captures key changes in American politics. In the context of democratic discourse, the attack by the former president on these congresswomen and the response on social media address key issues of gender, religion and race in the United States.
Multimode fusion perception for transparent glass recognition
Authors: Zhang Shixin , Shan Jianhua , Sun Fuchun , Fang Bin , Yang Yiyong
Published: March 2022

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to present a novel tactile sensor and a visual-tactile recognition framework to reduce the uncertainty of the visual recognition of transparent objects.

Design/methodology/approach

A multitask learning model is used to recognize intuitive appearance attributes except texture in the visual mode. Tactile mode adopts a novel vision-based tactile sensor via the level-regional feature extraction network (LRFE-Net) recognition framework to acquire high-resolution texture information and temperature information. Finally, the attribute results of the two modes are integrated based on integration rules.

Findings

The recognition accuracy of attributes, such as style, handle, transparency and temperature, is near 100%, and the texture recognition accuracy is 98.75%. The experimental results demonstrate that the proposed framework with a vision-based tactile sensor can improve attribute recognition.

Originality/value

Transparency and visual differences make the texture of transparent glass hard to recognize. Vision-based tactile sensors can improve the texture recognition effect and acquire additional attributes. Integrating visual and tactile information is beneficial to acquiring complete attribute features.
Changes in students' learning skills through the first-year experience course: a case study over three years at a Japanese university
Authors: Sakurai Ryo
Published: March 2022

Purpose

This study was conducted to understand students' achievements in learning and to improve the overall curriculum of the first-year experience course.

Design/methodology/approach

In this study, a series of questionnaire-based surveys were conducted on students enrolled in the Introductory Seminar for Policy Science, a mandatory first-year experience course offered in the first semester (from April to July) at a university in Japan. The studies were conducted in 2015 (n = 29), 2016 (n = 29) and 2017 (n = 31).

Findings

Results revealed that, regardless of the year, students deepened their understanding of policy science and gained increased confidence to explain what group works and reports are throughout the semester. In addition, students' level of worry about life at the university decreased throughout the course in all three years. A stepwise multiple regression analysis (n = 84) revealed that those students who knew what policy science was (B = 0.271) and had the confidence to write their opinions in reports (B = 0.264) more likely answered that they knew what they wanted to study over four years at the university.

Originality/value

This study revealed that the mandatory first-year experience course taught by the same instructor generated similar educational effects for different students in different years. The results elucidated the progressive effects of different components of the course, eliminating possibilities of any bias or specific characteristics of a single group of students.
The interplay between product innovation and servitization: the mediating role of digitalization
Authors: Vilkas Mantas , Bikfalvi Andrea , Rauleckas Rimantas , Marcinkevicius Gediminas
Published: March 2022

Purpose

The article aims to focus on the debate around the interplay between product innovation and servitization. Two conflicting approaches characterize the debate, disagreeing as to whether product innovation and servitization are complementary or not.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors examine two competing models proposing a direct effect of product innovation on servitization and an indirect effect through digitalization, using the sample of 500 manufacturing firms of a country participating in the European Manufacturing Survey, 2018 edition.

Findings

The results reveal that product innovation has no direct effect on servitization. However, the authors found that digitalization capabilities mediate the effect of product innovation and servitization. The present findings reveal that product innovation has a substantial indirect effect on servitization through digitalization capabilities, supporting the approach proposing the complementarity between product innovation and servitization.

Research limitations/implications

The data used in this paper correspond to a single country. The limited geographical sampling frame may likewise limit the generalizability of the findings. Researchers are encouraged to replicate the analysis with data from other countries, and to further enrich the analysis with complementary path options and resulting performance measures.

Practical implications

When applying a capabilities perspective, the authors find that product innovation capability is not directly related to servitization as capability. The present findings point toward the fact that if companies only have product innovation capability, this does not facilitate servitization. If companies have both product innovation capability and digitalization capability, such a situation facilitates servitization, a decision which often falls within managers’ responsibilities.

Originality/value

Existing studies focus on antecedents and/or outcomes of single issues, either product innovation, servitization or digitalization. Only some offer dual associations (product innovation and servitization, digitalization and servitization), and even less position simultaneously at the intersection of the three pillars. Herein lies the novelty of the present approach and analysis, which explains the extent to which product innovation, digitalization and servitization are related.
Determinants of CoCo issuance: liquidity and risk incentives
Authors: Abdallah Bashar , Rodríguez Fernandez Francisco
Published: March 2022

Purpose

This paper aims to study the impact of (regulatory and nonregulatory) liquidity on contingent convertible (CoCo) issuance and the relationship between CoCos and asset quality.

Design/methodology/approach

The analysis of this study comprises two stages. In the first stage, the authors used a logit model to test whether banks with riskier assets as well as lower solvency and (regulatory and nonregulatory) liquidity are more likely to issue CoCos. In the second stage, the authors used univariate analysis and fixed effects regression to measure the impact of Additional Tier 1 (AT1) CoCos on the quality of the issuer’s assets.

Findings

The study shows that regulatory liquidity ratios are negatively related to CoCo issuance. This study also finds that the likelihood to issue CoCo is higher when banks have lower regulatory capital or are less risky. Asset quality is found to not change significantly after the issuance. All in all, these results suggest that while solvency regulation is primarily regarded as the main motivation for CoCo issuance, liquidity regulation also matters.

Research limitations/implications

Despite the fact that CoCos have been emerging as an alternative way to help banks meet regulatory capital requirements, the paper argues that the relation between liquidity regulation and CoCos should be taken into account.

Originality/value

This study presents an empirical analysis on the CoCos instrument, focusing on the relationship between AT1 CoCos and liquidity regulation. Therefore, it serves to fill a gap in the literature on the underlying forces behind CoCo issuance. Moreover, this study measures the impact of AT1 CoCos issuance on bank risk, particularly on the quality of the issuer’s assets.
How do business group affiliated firm in emerging markets outperform standalone firms? A knowledge-based view
Authors: Purkayastha Anish , Kumar Vikas , Lovallo Dan
Published: March 2022

Purpose

This study seeks to understand how business group-affiliated firms perform in emerging markets. Previous studies identify that in spite of changes in the competitive landscape, seemingly counter-intuitively, business group affiliates outperform their standalone counterparts in emerging markets. This study adopts a knowledge-based view to resolve this apparent paradox.

Design/methodology/approach

This study uses a problematization methodology to qualitatively analyze the strategic decisions of Indian business group-affiliated firms. This study cross-validates their analysis with the empirical results available in published academic and practitioner articles.

Findings

Previous studies explain this outperformance paradox based on assumptions that include filling institutional voids, access to strategic resources and leveraging political connections. By questioning these assumptions, this study identifies an alternative explanation that is based on affiliates’ ability to adopt a strategic approach that balances knowledge capital acquired through international expansion and innovation.

Practical implications

The findings have important implications for managers of business group-affiliated firms in emerging markets, as well as for those in developed markets seeking to compete or collaborate in emerging markets.

Originality/value

This study provides a framework for managers of business group affiliates to identify suitable pathways to higher levels of competitive advantage.
Reorienting the organisational strategy of SMEs during the COVID-19 crisis: can entrepreneurial orientation help?
Authors: Lukito-Budi Andy Susilo , Manik Hardo Firmana Given Grace , Indarti Nurul
Published: March 2022

Purpose

This paper offers innovative strategies on how small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) can respond to the COVID-19 crisis by incorporating an entrepreneurial orientation concept corresponding to the nature of the environmental shock.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper conceptualises a solution by elaborating three critical items, namely entrepreneurial orientation, adaptive process and strategy types as key factors to develop the framework solution. This paper outlines a strategy proposal for SMEs to respond to the crisis.

Findings

The environmental factor represents the crisis, which leads to a degree of innovation, i.e., radical and incremental, and can be approached using an adjusted adaptive consolidation process from Child. This paper identifies four strategy options from Miles and Snow to respond to the crisis; i.e. (1) defender–exploitative innovation; (2) analyser–organisational ambidexterity; (3) prospector–exploratory innovation and (4) reactor–abandon or shut down the business.

Originality/value

While most of the suggestions from previous COVID-19-related works are acknowledged, this paper brings more insight from an academic perspective, specifically organisational theory, to cope with the pandemic crisis. The steps and strategy to be chosen can guide policymakers to decide what is their best move to respond to this crisis. In addition, the proposed strategies call for future research to provide empirical evidence by exploring and examining various scenarios in different kinds of businesses.
Intention and behavior toward bringing your own shopping bags in Vietnam: integrating theory of planned behavior and norm activation model
Authors: Nguyen Thi Phuong Linh
Published: March 2022

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate factors affecting Vietnamese consumers’ intention and behavior toward “bringing your own shopping bags” (BYOB) instead of using plastic bags based on integrating theories: theory of planned behavior (TPB) and norm activation model (NAM).

Design/methodology/approach

The study used a combination of in-depth interviews and large-scale surveys. Data were collected from 536 Vietnamese consumers to explore the relationship among eight factors in the research model, including behavior, intention, attitude (AT), subjective norms (SN), perceived behavioral control, the ascription of responsibility, awareness of consequences and personal norm (PN). The data collected went through quantitative analysis steps, including Cronbach’s alpha reliability test, exploratory factor analysis, confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling for scales and hypotheses testing by using SPSS and AMOS data analysis tools.

Findings

The results show that in a developing country like Vietnam, attitude and PNs have a stronger impact on intention toward BYOB than other factors, and the study also reveals the moderate relationship between intention with actual behavior toward BYOB. The proposed hypotheses are all accepted except the hypothesis about the relationship between SN and PNs.

Research limitations/implications

The main limitation of this paper is that the integrative model of TPB and NAM only explains 57% of the variance of the intention toward BYOB.

Practical implications

Based on the results of the study, the author makes some suggestions for Vietnamese state management agencies to promote BYOB.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study represents for the first time the application of an integrated model of TPB and NAM to learn about the intention and behavior toward BYOB.
Designing energy solutions: a comparison of two participatory design approaches for service innovation
Authors: Willmott Taylor Jade , Hurley Erin , Rundle-Thiele Sharyn
Published: March 2022

Purpose

Participatory design involves users and other key stakeholders in processes that aim to ensure solutions generated meet their needs. This paper compares the processes and outcomes of two participatory design approaches (design thinking and co-design) to examine their utility in co-creating innovative service solutions for reducing household energy demand.

Design/methodology/approach

Design thinking and co-design were implemented in two independent convenience samples of household energy users in Queensland, Australia. Workshops were conducted online using Zoom and Padlet technology. Informed by the capability-practice-ability (CPA) portfolio, a critical analysis based on the research team's experiences with implementing the two participatory design approaches is presented.

Findings

The key distinguishing features that set design thinking apart from co-design is extent of user involvement, solution diversity and resource requirements. With a shorter duration and less intensive user involvement, co-design offers a more resource efficient means of solution generation. In contrast, design thinking expands the solution space by allowing for human-centred problem framing and in so doing gives rise to greater diversity in solutions generated.

Research limitations/implications

Mapping the six constellations of service design outlined in the CPA portfolio to the research team's experiences implementing two different participatory design approaches within the same context reconciles theoretical understanding of how capabilities, practices and abilities may differ or converge in an applied setting.

Practical implications

Understanding the benefits and expected outcomes across the two participatory design approaches will guide practitioners and funding agencies in the selection of an appropriate method to achieve desired outcomes.

Originality/value

This paper compares two forms of participatory design (design thinking and co-design) for service innovation in the context of household energy demand offering theoretical and practical insights into the utility of each as categorised within the CPA portfolio.
Auditee’s payout policies: does audit quality matter?
Authors: Hendijani Zadeh Mohammad
Published: March 2022

Purpose

This study aims to explore whether an auditee’s audit quality influences its payout policies (i.e. each form of dividend payouts and stock repurchase payouts).

Design/methodology/approach

Based on a panel data of US public firms, from 2004 to 2018, and Tobit estimators, this study aims to examine whether auditees’ audit quality is related to their payouts and under which circumstances (from the standpoints of auditees’ information asymmetry, refinancing risk, corporate governance and financial constraints) the aforesaid associations are more pronounced.

Findings

The findings of this study imply that auditees’ audit quality is positively related to auditees’ payouts. Further examination suggests that this positive relationship is stronger for auditees with higher information asymmetry, lower financial constraints and refinancing risk and for those with weaker governance. Finally, this study documents that dividend payouts are more stable for auditees with high-quality audits than those with low-quality audits. The results support the view that auditees’ transparency (reflected in high-quality audits) could be a crucial driver and rationale for their payout policies and, ultimately, overall policies.

Originality/value

By combining two different research lines of audit quality and corporate payout policies, this paper adds to both literature, as it is a novel one to document the contributing function and impact of audit quality on auditee’s payout policies (tangible financial decisions and policies). The findings are significant considering that it documents high-quality audits affecting the auditees besides their financial reporting quality. This study also shows the moderating roles of the auditee’s information asymmetry, rollover risk, financial constraints and corporate governance in the relation between audit quality and an auditee’s payout decisions. Furthermore, the findings can help shareholders (aiding them in determining companies with high payout policies), regulators and policymakers who emphasize audit quality. The results indicate that policymakers’ and standard setters’ efforts fostering high-quality audits should be in conjunction with firm payout standards.
Inhibitors to women's right to the occupation of land: a closer look at Ajebamidele Community in Ile-Ife, Nigeria
Authors: Olawuni Deborah Monisola , Adegoke Ayodele Samuel , Ogunba Olusegun Adebayo , Gbadegesin Job Taiwo , Balogun Deborah Odunayo , Omogbehinwa Ibukunola Victoria
Published: March 2022

Purpose

The Land Use Act of 1978 is a promoter of land occupation regardless of gender. However, the marginalisation of women in the occupation of land remains a serious concern. Hence, this study explored the inhibitors to women's right to occupy land in the Ajebamidele Community in Ile-Ife with a view to supporting the need for the proper implementation of land regulations.

Design/methodology/approach

The data for the study were elicited from 13 women who were purposively selected. With the aid of Atlas.ti software, the study took a phenomenological approach to the analysis of the data obtained during structured interviews with the respondents.

Findings

The results revealed the factors inhibiting women's right to occupy land were unavailability of finance, education status/awareness, intrapersonal factor, custom and tradition, mode of acquisition and socio-economic characteristics.

Practical implications

Like their male counterparts, the role that women play in national development are significant. As such, the findings of this study will assist the government in the formulation of policy for the proper implementation of the current land policies and regulations.

Originality/value

Only a few attempts have been made to study the inhibitors to women's right to occupy land using the qualitative approach in emerging economies.
A balanced perspective on the affordance of a gamified HRM system for employees' creative performance
Authors: Ikhide Juliet Eyore , Timur Ahmet Tarik , Ogunmokun Oluwatobi A.
Published: March 2022

Purpose

Rather than overstating the favorable effects of gamification on work outcomes, the purpose of this paper is to present a more balanced perspective into the effects a gamified human resource management (HRM) system may have on creativity at work. This conceptual paper explores and delineates how employees' interaction with gamification features within a gamified HRM system enables and particularly undermines employees' motivation for workplace creative performance.

Design/methodology/approach

The cross-disciplinary nature of this paper necessitates the reliance on theoretical principles, the explanatory and predictive capacities of theories central to human-computer interaction, employee motivation and creativity fields. Thus, the tenets of affordance, self-determination and dynamic componential theory were utilized to analyze the affordance of a gamified HRM system for employees' creative outcomes.

Findings

It is discovered that augmenting the HRM system with gamification affordance is crucial amid global market change and increasing digitization. However, incorporating game design elements into work systems does not necessarily guarantee an increase in creative outcomes. On the contrary, the system may equally undermine employees' motivation, which in turn hampers their creative outcomes.

Originality/value

Many gamification papers have more often than not touted the positive effects of such a system on the targeted outcome. Based on the affordance theory which shows that a user's interaction with gamification properties could produce different outcomes (not only favorable ones) and considering the intricacies of employees' motivation and behavioral outcomes at work, this paper takes a more balanced perspective to examine how gamification could generate intended as well as unintended consequences for employees' creativity, which is crucial to overall job performance.
Perceived managerial intimidation: harmful implications and potential buffers
Authors: Meisler Galit
Published: March 2022

Purpose

Does perceived managerial intimidation result in harmful emotional and behavioral implications that impair employees' performance? If so, are there buffers against these implications? To answer these questions, the current study relies on the social exchange theory and presents a moderated mediation model in which (1) perceived managerial intimidation evokes hostility that results in both organizational counterproductive work behavior (O-CWB) and interpersonal counterproductive work behavior (I-CWB) and (2) negative affectivity, political skill, tenure with the manager and sectorial affiliation moderate these relationships.

Design/methodology/approach

The moderated mediation model was tested using a sample of 367 subordinates. The data were collected in three waves.

Findings

Perceived managerial intimidation was positively related to hostility and both forms of CWB. Moreover, hostility mediated the relationships between perceived managerial intimidation and these two outcomes and sectorial affiliation moderated these mediations.

Practical implications

Public organizations should implement training programs to develop the awareness of the organizations' managers about the harmful implications of perceived managerial intimidation and teach the managers acceptable methods for improving employees' performance.

Originality/value

This study investigates whether perceived managerial intimidation results in CWB. The study's findings demonstrate positive relationships between these variables, shedding light on the emotional mediating mechanism that links the variables. Moreover, the study validates sectorial affiliation as a buffer against the negative emotional and behavioral implications of perceived managerial intimidation, providing ideas for practical implications.
The quest for attractiveness of publicly owned libraries: a service quality perspective
Authors: Palumbo Rocco
Published: March 2022

Purpose

Publicly owned libraries deliver a fundamental public service, fostering the citizens' access to knowledge. However, little is known about the factors underpinning the public libraries' organizational attractiveness. The article aims to shed light on this issue, investigating how the public libraries' service offering contributes to increasing their attractiveness.

Design/methodology/approach

Secondary data were collected from the national census study of libraries carried out in 2019 by the Italian Institute of Statistics (ISTAT). More than 4,500 publicly owned libraries established in Italy were involved in the analysis. A linear regression model was designed to examine the implications of public libraries' service offering on the number of people who visited them in 2019. The units of analysis were grouped in three clusters based on their organizational size.

Findings

Small-sized libraries' attractiveness relied on loan services (LS) and catalogs' integration, as well as on the availability of spaces for promoting social exchanges (SE) and interactions. The same was true for medium-sized libraries, whose attractiveness was also fostered by digitization. Large-sized libraries' ability to attract users was primarily affected by LS and by the provision of people-centered cultural services (CS).

Practical implications

Publicly owned libraries should arrange tailored strategies to increase their attractiveness. Small-sized and medium-sized libraries should exploit community-oriented initiatives to establish a co-creating dialog with users. Conversely, large-sized entities should advance the users' access to conventional services and implement people-centered cultural activities, recontextualizing their exchange with users in the digital domain to enhance service quality.

Originality/value

The article originally investigates the factors affecting the attractiveness of publicly owned libraries, providing intriguing insights to managers and practitioners.
Loneliness and psychological well-being among community-dwelling elderly people: the mediating role of death anxiety
Authors: Sreelekha N. , Sia Surendra Kumar
Published: March 2022

Purpose

The present study aims to investigate the relationship between loneliness and psychological well-being and examine whether death anxiety mediates the association between loneliness and psychological well-being among community-dwelling elderly people in the Kerala state of India.

Design/methodology/approach

A total of 209 participants (125 males and 84 females) were selected for this study through the convenience sampling method. SPSS (version 22) was used to estimate descriptive and correlational indices. Mediation analysis was conducted using Hayes Process macro-Version 3.5 and 5,000 bootstrapped sample-based analysis.

Findings

Results indicate the significant indirect effect of loneliness on psychological well-being through the influence of death anxiety. It was thus concluded that lonely feelings among elderly people lower psychological well-being and death anxiety partially mediates the relationship of loneliness and psychological well-being.

Research limitations/implications

The cross-sectional study with the use of questionnaires might not be adequate to establish causal links. All the participants were from community-dwelling. So it reduces the possibility of generalizing the findings to institutional settings. The study recommends the need and importance of mental health support for elderly people through community intervention programs to reduce their feeling of loneliness.

Originality/value

The present study contributes to the existing body of knowledge by substantiating the mediating role of death anxiety in the relationship between loneliness and the psychological well-being of elderly people staying at home.
Does commitment to environment and society pays? Evidence from COVID-19 impact on stock volatility
Authors: Sharma Nishi , Kaur Arshdeep , Rawat Shailika
Published: March 2022

Purpose

This study aims to analyse whether investment in green and sustainable stocks provide some cushion during current precarious time. To compare the impact of COVID-19 on the volatility of sustainable and market-capitalisation-based stocks, daily returns from Greenex, Carbonex, Large-Cap, Mid-Cap and Small-Cap index have been analysed over a period of six years from 2015 to 2021.

Design/methodology/approach

At the outset, logarithmic return of all selected indices has been tested for possible unit root and heteroscedastic. On confirmation of stationarity and heteroscedasticity of data, auto-regressive conditional heteroscedastic models have been applied. Thereafter, volatility is modelled through best suitable model as suggested by Akaike and Schwarz information criterions.

Findings

The findings indicate the positive impact of COVID-19 on the volatility of the indices. Asymmetric power ARCH model indicates highest significant impact of COVID-19 over the volatility of Large-Cap index, whereas exponential GARCH model detected highest significant impact of COVID-19 over the volatility of Mid-Cap Index.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, the present study is original in the sense that it aimed at comparing the possible impact of COVID-19 over sustainable and market-capitalisation-based indices.
Solamargine induces autophagy‐mediated apoptosis and enhances bortezomib activity in multiple myeloma
Authors: Han Qiaoyan , Bai Hua , Xu Yong , Zhou Min , Zhou He , Dong Xiaoqing , Chen Bing
Published: March 2022

Multiple myeloma (MM) is an incurable plasma cell malignancy with a poor survival rate. Conventional chemotherapeutic agent‐induced adverse events, including toxicity, neuropathy or drug resistance, significantly decrease the patients' quality of life and can even lead to interruption of treatment. Therefore, novel therapeutic drugs and strategies are urgently needed to improve MM therapy and patient outcomes. Here, we show that solamargine (SM), a steroidal alkaloid glycoside isolated from a Chinese herb Solanum nigrum L., exhibits promising anti‐MM activity. In particular, SM suppressed the viability of MM cell lines (ARP‐1 and NCI‐H929) in a concentration‐ and time‐dependent manner, inducing apoptosis in these cells. RNA‐seq analysis showed that treatment with SM led to the upregulation of genes associated with cell death and autophagy in H929 cells. Further, we found that treatment with SM activated autophagy in the MM cells, as incubation with 3‐Methyladenine, an inhibitor of autophagy, significantly alleviated SM‐triggered apoptosis and inhibition of viability in MM cells. Interestingly, we also observed a synergistic effect between SM and bortezomib (BTZ), a common chemotherapeutic agent for MM, in both MM cells and human bone marrow CD138+ primary myeloma cells. We also confirmed the single‐agent efficacy of SM and the synergistic effects between SM and BTZ in an MM xenograft mouse model. Collectively, these findings indicate that SM exerts an anti‐MM effect, at least in part, by activating cell autophagy and reveal that SM alone or in combination with BTZ is a potential therapeutic strategy for treating MM.