bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Capacity building boost employees performance
Authors: Ahmad Tahir , Farrukh Faiza , Nazir Sana
Published: February 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to conduct to investigate the factors that enhance employee's performance at workplace. To observe intrinsic feature capacity building and extrinsic features such as supervisory support and organizational support for career development (OSCD) role in employee's productivity.

Design/methodology/approach

– Quantitative research approach was used; middle level employees of banking industry were selected for analyzing this concept. Reliability and validly of 45 items were ensured and SPSS version 20 was used for model testing by multiple regression analysis technique.

Findings

– Research outcomes depict that supervisory support and OSCD development does not impact significantly on employees performance of banking sector, whereas capacity building of an individual employee leads to enhance his/her performance.

Research limitations/implications

– Capacity building of employee's leads to enhance performance as justified by this research, however, cannot be achieved without providing support for career development to their employees. Therefore, impact of organizational support on capacity building of employee's may be interest corner for researchers.

Originality/value

– Observed capacity building positive has impact on employee's performance along with the external factors with statistically significant measures.
New insights into dynamic efficiency: the effects of firm factors
Authors: Parte-Esteban Laura , Alberca-Oliver Pilar
Published: February 2015

Purpose

– This paper aims to investigate the determinants of dynamic efficiency in the Spanish hotel industry. The study also aims to introduce a large number of variables potentially related to efficiency and performance measurement. In particular, it seeks to explore the association between efficiency scores and firm-specific factors (variables related to market conditions, business factors, audit variables, organisational forms and subsidiary variables).

Design/methodology/approach

– In this study, the data envelopment analysis (DEA) double-frontier approach is used according to firm size in conjunction with non-parametric tests (Mann–Whitney U and Kruskal–Wallis tests), a dynamic Tobit regression model and a bootstrapping procedure. The tests are performed using 1,805 hotels from the years 2002 to 2011. This allows the authors to overcome several of the major limitations of previous papers, namely, the low number of observations, the static or cross-sectional analysis referring to a single period and the use of conventional DEA models, among others.

Findings

– The results show significant differences in dynamic efficiency among Spanish hotel companies. In addition, the evidence suggests the levels of efficiency are related to the hotel's location, the hotel's size, internationalisation, the first source of the hotel's activity, audit service and management variables.

Research limitations/implications

– One limitation of the study is related to the input and output variables specified in the DEA model. The selection of inputs and outputs was based on data availability and the previous literature on hotel efficiency, but the results might change if the hotel sample and the selected input and output variables were changed. Another limitation is the availability of data on ownership structure and subsidiary variables for very small businesses.

Originality/value

– The paper contributes to the tourism literature by offering new insights into hotel performance: dynamic efficiency evaluation and its main determinants. The paper presents strategic market implications for hoteliers, government decision-makers and destination management organisations.
Differences in service quality perceptions of stakeholders in the hotel industry
Authors: Dedeoğlu Bekir Bora , Demirer Halil
Published: February 2015

Purpose

– Studies in the service quality evaluation literature have generally attempted to determine the service quality perception level of customers by mainly focusing on customers’ quality evaluations. However, the nature and characteristics of differences in service quality perceptions among customers, managers and employees are not sufficiently researched. In this study, the differences in service quality perceptions among the aforementioned stakeholders are examined.

Design/methodology/approach

– Multivariate analysis of variance was used to test the significant differences between stakeholder’s perceptions of service quality, using a sample of 845 hotel stakeholders (customers, employees and managers).

Findings

– The findings showed that employees perceived service performance to be at a high level, while customers perceived it to be at a low level. According to thepost-hoctest, even though managers’ perception of service quality performance was lower than that of employees, no significant difference was found between them. In addition, it was determined by second-order confirmatory factor analysis that the lowest explanation ratio was the tangible dimension in SERVQUAL.

Originality/value

– One major shortcoming in the concept of service quality is that stakeholders perceive service quality differently. In particular, a hotel business that lacks service quality may face issues such as negative customer satisfaction, lack of customer loyalty and lower competitive advantage. However, while most of the studies on the hotel sector in the literature focus mainly on the evaluation of customers for service quality, other stakeholders’ (employees’ and managers’) perceptions have been ignored. Therefore, the current study’s contribution to the literature explores the differences in stakeholders’ perceptions of the hotel industry.
Does the adoption of customer and competitor orientations make small hospitality businesses more entrepreneurial?
Authors: Seilov Galimzhan Aidarkulovich
Published: February 2015

Purpose

– This paper aims to investigate the influence of customer and competitor orientations on the entrepreneurial orientation of small hospitality enterprises in Kazakhstan.

Design/methodology/approach

– The research uses quantitative data collected through a self-administered questionnaire from 318 entrepreneurs who participated in the survey.

Findings

– The findings of the study demonstrated that there is a positive relationship between customer and competitor orientations and the entrepreneurial orientation of small hospitality businesses in Kazakhstan.

Research limitations/implications

– Future studies should also consider additional contingencies such as organizational learning capability and environmental dynamism. In addition, it is recommended that future studies look into the effect of customer and market orientations on small- and medium-sized enterprises (SME) performance.

Practical implications

– The findings of the study showed that hospitality in small businesses needs to embrace a new way of thinking and adopt a more strategic approach to their entrepreneurial activities through proactively responding to constantly changing customer needs and competitors’ moves.

Originality/value

– This study offers insights into the relationship between strategy and entrepreneurship in the context of small hospitality businesses. In particular, it develops an understanding about the factors that stimulate small hospitality businesses’ entrepreneurial orientations in a dynamic and competitive environment marked by the growing pressure of continuously changing consumer habits and direct competition both from SME counterparts and large enterprises.
CBDRM in Nepal: a matter of risk perceptions
Authors: Laursen Maria Risom
Published: February 2015

Purpose

– This paper aims to explore how different risk perceptions of experts, institutions and laymen have to be taken into consideration if non-governmental organizations and donors want to include the community in disaster risk reduction. Otherwise, community-based disaster risk management will not be community-based.

Design/methodology/approach

– This research is based on an intensive literature review, as well as a four-month felt study in Kathmandu (November 2011-February 2012). This study explores, from a social constructive point of view, the relationship among international, national and local actors in the effort to conduct disaster risk reduction in Nepal through a community-based approach.

Findings

– The Kathmandu Valley is at risk of being hit by an earthquake at anytime. If an earthquake hits, it will cause total devastation. Although the Nepalese are aware of the risks of a potential earthquake, very few have begun preparations. The author finds that the lack of preparation is partly caused by different risk perceptions among experts, institutions and laymen.

Originality/value

– Involving the community in disaster risk reduction today is widely accepted as the right way to work with disaster risk reduction. But, rarely the question is made: are we really involving the community by taking their risk perception serious, and not just accepting the risk perceptions from experts and institutions of science as being the right way to perceive disaster risk. The author finds that there is a tendency to ignore the community in community-based earthquake preparedness in Nepal.
Urban transformations and changing patterns of local risk: lessons from the Mekong Region
Authors: Friend Richard M. , Thinphanga Pakamas , MacClune Kenneth , Henceroth Justin , Tran Phong Van Gai , Nghiem Tuyen Phuong
Published: February 2015

Purpose

– This paper aims to fill a conceptual gap in the understanding of rapidly changing characteristics of local risk, addressing how the notion of the local might be reframed, and how opportunities for multi-scale interventions for disaster risk reduction might be identified.

Design/methodology/approach

– The paper illustrates the significance of the systems and services on which urbanization depends – water, food, energy, transport and communications – to consider the cascading impacts at multiple scales often beyond the administrative boundaries of cities, and how vulnerabilities and risks are distributed unevenly across different groups of people.

Findings

– The process of rapid urbanization in the Mekong Region represents a fundamental transformation of ecological landscapes, resource flows, livelihoods and demographics. In addition to the location of urbanization, it is these transformative processes and the critical dependence on inter-linked systems that shape the overall picture of urban disaster and climate vulnerability.

Research limitations/implications

– By drawing on research and practical experience in two of the most rapidly urbanizing countries in the world, Thailand and Vietnam, the approach and findings have implications for understanding global patterns of urbanization.

Practical implications

– The paper contributes to considering practical actions whether in terms of policy or project implementation for both the assessment of disaster and climate risk, and for actions to reduce vulnerability and promote resilience.

Social implications

– The paper draws largely from social science perspectives, highlighting the dynamism of social organization in urbanizing contexts, and the implications for risk and vulnerability.

Originality/value

– The paper draws on original research in Thailand and Vietnam that takes urbanization as the starting point for assessing vulnerability and risk.
Improving the social performance of flash flood early warnings using mobile services
Authors: Cumiskey Lydia , Werner Micha , Meijer Karen , Fakhruddin S.H.M. , Hassan Ahmadul
Published: February 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this study is to provide recommendations for improving the social performance of warnings using mobile services in flash flood prone communities. A warning cannot be considered effective until it is received, understood and responded to by those at risk. This is defined as the social performance of warning communication techniques. Mobile services offer opportunities for improving this, particularly in Bangladesh, but have been underutilised. In this research, characteristics of the warning, mobile services and community are found to influence the social performance.

Design/methodology/approach

– A framework on the factors affecting the social performance was developed and applied using data collected through interviews at the national and regional level along with focus-group discussions (FGDs) and key informant interviews at the local level in the Sunamganj District, Bangladesh.

Findings

– The study demonstrated that mobile services are the preferred means of warning communication. Communities strongly preferred voice short messaging service (SMS) and interactive voice response (IVR) because of easier accessibility and understanding of the message. Text-based services [SMS and cell broadcasting service (CBS)] were still found to be acceptable. These should be simple, use symbols and refer to additional sources of information. Further recommendations include mixing push (e.g. SMS and CBS) and pull-based (e.g. IVR) mobile services, utilising local social networks, decentralising the dissemination process and raising awareness.

Research limitations/implications

– A limited sample of interviews and FGDs were used.

Practical implications

– Concrete recommendations are made for overcoming obstacles related to the effective use of mobiles services.

Social implications

– The suggestions made can contribute to improving the social performance of flood early warning communication.

Originality/value

– The conceptualisation of mobile services’ contribution to social performance of flood warning and field-level application.
The role of individual adaptive practices for sustainable adaptation
Authors: Wamsler Christine , Brink Ebba
Published: February 2015

Purpose

– This paper aims to investigate the strategies used by Swedish citizens to adapt to changing climate variability and extremes. There is an increasing consensus that individual adaptive capacities are critical to successfully adapt to climate change and achieve sustainable development. However, little is known about individual adaptive practices, particularly in developed countries.

Design/methodology/approach

– The study covered a variety of geographical areas and included single-case studies of specific locations, cross-case studies and country-wide studies. Data were collected through literature review, interviews with at-risk people, observation and group discussions with municipal staff.

Findings

– The paper provides an overview of Swedish citizens’ adaptive practices and highlights how institutional development efforts affect individuals and their activities, including the equitable distribution of adaptation needs and resources. The paper concludes that individual adaptive capacities do not necessarily translate into adaptation.

Practical implications

– The results show that planned interventions are required. They emphasise the importance of more people-oriented adaptation planning that fosters the sustainable transformation of cities, together with the role that South-North knowledge transfer can play in this context.

Originality/value

– The paper offers critical insights into the positive and negative effects of citizens’ adaptation strategies (based on criteria such as effectiveness, sustainability and equity), and it discusses their relevance in the formulation of development policies and programmes.
Transportation sustainability on a university campus
Authors: Kaplan David H.
Published: February 2015

Purpose

– This paper aims to show the present level of sustainable transportation, mainly walking and bicycling, on a large campus in the US Midwest and then analyzes some of the opportunities and impediments in increasing the modal share.

Design/methodology/approach

– Three types of analysis are used. First, current level of walking and bicycling around the campus are measured during select mornings and afternoons. Second, a survey questionnaire completed by 668 students is tabulated and reported. Third, the campus and environs are inventoried to note those aspects of infrastructure which either facilitate or block walking or cycling.

Findings

– This paper records generally low existing levels of sustainable transportation among students around a campus. There is a particularly low level of bicycling activity. Reasons have to do with time and convenience (especially among students who work), but also that many students do not enjoy bicycle access. Finally, student attitudes and an inventory of campus indicate that existing infrastructure discourages sustainable transportation activity around campus.

Research limitations/implications

– This may be biased towards specific circumstances in the one institution we studied. However, there are several important implications on the factors spurring or impeding walking and bicycling which may be applied to other campus communities.

Practical implications

– Understanding the campus impediments to walking and bicycling may help universities design more attractive and useful facilities.

Social implications

– Great attention to bicycling and walking can improve the social environment on campus, as well as spur greater health among students and staff.

Originality/value

– Several methods of measuring existing transportation patterns are applied, canvassing student attitudes towards sustainable transportation and then inventorying and mapping those campus features which could affect walking and bicycling activity.
An exploratory study of sustainable development at Italian universities
Authors: Vagnoni Emidia , Cavicchi Caterina
Published: February 2015

Purpose

– This paper aims to outline the current status of the implementation of sustainability practices in the context of Italian public universities, highlighting the strengths and gaps.

Design/methodology/approach

– Based on a qualitative approach, an exploratory study design has been outlined using the model of Glavič and Lukman (2007) focusing on the Deming Cycle. The Plan–Do–Check–Act components of the model were used as a framework for collecting and analyzing data from the official Web sites and other related Web pages of Italian universities.

Findings

– The results of this exploratory study allow one to depict a university system addressing the challenge posed by international agendas in a fragmented way, even if many universities are showing a strong commitment to the sustainability challenge. Sustainability is mainly detected at the “Do” dimension, when referring to training programs and research projects associated to the sustainability issue.

Research limitations/implications

– Limitations of the data collection method are addressed when the timeliness of update of Web sources and the different emphases that universities can put on Internet disclosure are considered. However, the study contributes to the debate on sustainability by providing findings at a national level, which were derived from the official Web sites of Italian public universities. Furthermore, the study could have implications for policy makers and universities’ decision makers.

Practical implications

– The study points out the importance of managing the sustainability process in all its phases (planning, activities, monitoring, further actions), and highlights the elements that are relevant for measuring and monitoring the process of implementation of sustainability in the specific context of higher education.

Social implications

– The paper can contribute to increase the academics’ awareness of the sustainability actions, and stimulate them to fill the gaps.

Originality/value

– This study explores sustainability issue in the Italian university system, and it is based on a Web-based method of data collection, whereas other contributions are based on case studies.
Assessing students’ motivation to engage in sustainable engineering
Authors: McCormick Mary , Bielefeldt Angela R. , Swan Christopher W. , Paterson Kurtis G.
Published: February 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this study was to design an assessment instrument to evaluate students’ attitudes toward sustainable engineering (SE). Factors that impact SE beliefs could then be explored.

Design/methodology/approach

– Using the definition of sustainability from the Brundtland report and expectancy value theory, students’ sentiment toward SE was evaluated using items to assess SE self-efficacy, SE value and SE affect. The survey was distributed at three diverse universities with 515 responses from students ranging from first year through graduate studies in a variety of engineering majors. The survey instrument was validated using principal components analysis, and internal reliability was established via high Cronbach’s alpha for each construct.

Findings

– Participation in more experiential, enriching learning experiences correlated to higher SE self-efficacy, value and affect. Extracurricular club involvement correlated with a lower self-efficacy but high SE value. Students who had participated in undergraduate research had a high SE self-efficacy, particularly in the environmental and social sub-scales. The students who participated in internships had high SE self-efficacy but lower SE affect. A greater number of volunteer hours correlated with increased SE affect. Female students possessed higher SE value and affect than male students, but self-efficacy was not significantly different. SE self-efficacy increased with academic rank.

Originality/value

– This is the first effort to measure engineering students’ attitudes toward SE using the three sub-scales of expectancy value theory and assessing correlations in these attributes with students’ participation in various learning experiences.
Reviewing the incidence and status of sustainability in degree programmes at Plymouth University
Authors: Wyness Lynne , Sterling Stephen
Published: February 2015

Purpose

– This paper aims to present an overview of the design and implementation of a curriculum review undertaken at Plymouth University, UK, to gauge the incidence and status of sustainability in degree programmes across the curriculum. The paper outlines the methodological approach taken, reviews findings and summarises the effects and limitations of the exercise.

Design/methodology/approach

– Rather than creating a criteria-based auditing tool, which might have been interpreted by academics as top-down evaluation of practice, emphasis was placed on self-evaluation of how the degree programmes were implementing sustainability in a number of broad areas, such as curriculum content, pedagogical approaches and student engagement. A review tool was created and distributed to all undergraduate and postgraduate degree programmes in the four campus-based faculties in the university. In particular, the review was designed to contribute the institutional annual submissions to the Learning in Future Environments index.

Findings

– The paper discusses findings in some key areas relating to curriculum content, pedagogical approaches, partnerships and student engagement. Some of the obstacles and limitations identified by programme leaders in implementing education for sustainable development are discussed and areas of future consideration are included.

Originality/value

– The review contributes to the limited national and international examples available of institution-wide curriculum reviews in the arena of education for sustainable development. The discussion of the problems, benefits and implications will be of value to other higher education institutions considering undertaking their own curriculum review.
The role of the document delivery service at an evolving research library in Saudi Arabia
Authors: Vijayakumar J. K. , Al Barayyan Faten
Published: February 2015

Purpose

– This purpose of this study was to assess the effectiveness of the document delivery service according to user perception, and a usage analysis was done to inform collection building and refining. This is especially important in a high-calibre research community, where the usage, interests and research groups and disciplines are still evolving.

Design/methodology/approach

– To collect the responses of document delivery service users, an online questionnaire was used with 12 multiple-choice questions and two open-ended questions. The questionnaires were sent only to the users of this service, and the responses were collected anonymously. Two surveys were conducted, in 2010 and 2013, with the same questions. The responses are displayed graphically prepared to compare the results. There were 71 responses in 2010 and 95 in 2013.

Findings

– In both surveys, the majority of users rated the service, staff behaviour, speed, quality, etc. with a high satisfaction level. Document delivery order statistics are a major decision-making tool, in addition to usage analysis, for developing a better, economical and highly utilized collection in brand new libraries.

Originality/value

– This is the first published study of user perception of document delivery in Saudi Arabia.
Standing strong in the winds of change: an analysis of a Document Delivery Service in South Korea
Authors: Oh Jung Sun , Lee Ji Won
Published: February 2015

Purpose

– This paper aims to review the evolution of a nation-wide Document Delivery Service in Korea over the past decade, focusing on how the service has been reconfigured to sustain and fortify its position as a central channel for accessing information in the era of abundant digital resources.

Design/methodology/approach

– The impacts of policy changes and technical improvements introduced incrementally over the years on the advance of the service are analyzed. The overall statistics over the period of 14 years are first presented to show the changing trends of the service, and the transaction log of the period of nine years is analyzed in detail to examine the impact of policy implementation and technical advancement on the quantity and quality of the service.

Findings

– The transaction log analysis has uncovered the two main themes or directions of changes that have contributed to its robustness. First, changes introduced to streamline the service process both on the request end (unmediated requests) and on the delivery end (electronic delivery) have brought a sizable improvement on the speed of the service. Second, efforts to incorporate various resource-sharing activities into a unified service framework have led to an enhanced efficiency of the service as well as an increase in volume.

Originality/value

– The empirical data demonstrating how managerial and technological changes have contributed to sustain the value of the service can be valuable benchmarking data for other services facing the same challenges.
The user as relational entity
Authors: Hyysalo Sampsa , Johnson Mikael
Published: February 2015

Purpose

– “User” is the lingua franca term used across IT design, often critiqued for giving a reductionist portrayal of the human relationship with technologies. The purpose of this paper is to argue that equating “user” with flesh and blood “people out there” is naïve. Not only that, it closes important options in conducting human-centered design.

Design/methodology/approach

– The authors conceptually elaborate a relational understanding of the user and integrate research findings on user representations found at the intersection of human-centered design and social studies of technology.

Findings

– The user is best understood as a relational term that bridges between people out there and renditions of them relevant for design. A distinction between “user representations” and “engaged use” is a key distinction to clarify this further. Research to date demonstrates that R & D organizations have a wide range of user representations and positioning human-centered design to these would advance its likely yield.

Research limitations/implications

– The strategic positioning of user studies and other human-centered design within R & D organizations is a growing research area that merits further research.

Practical implications

– Descriptions of users would benefit from being more strategic in order to become viable amidst other design concerns. This can be aided by, for instance, visualizing the “users” that different fractions in the company rely on and compare these to the users indicated by human-centered design.

Originality/value

– The paper makes an original reconceptualization of the user and integrates literature on user representations to open new options for conducting human-centered design.
Examining explorative and exploitative uses of smartphones: a user competence perspective
Authors: Koo Chulmo , Chung Namho , Kim Hee-Woong
Published: February 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effects of user competence on two different usage variables related to information systems (IS) infusion: explorative use and exploitative use.

Design/methodology/approach

– Structural equation modeling is used to construct a predictive model of user competence toward IS infusion. Individuals’ responses to questions about attitude and intention to use smartphone were collected and analyzed.

Findings

– The results showed that all first-order factors of user competence were significantly linked to the second-order factor. User competence is then significantly related to IS infusion, both explorative use and exploitative use.

Research limitations/implications

– This study discusses individual usage behavior related to IS infusion usage. The authors conceptualized that exploitative use is different from explorative use. The findings in this study suggest that user competence must be included in IS usage models, especially IS infusion model.

Practical implications

– The results associated with exploitation are more certain and closer in time, while those associated with exploration are more variable. That is, users are likely to innovate through their smart devices related to IS infusion. Smartphone developers and the relevant service providers should decide which factors are more important along the stages of the information technology implementation process. As indicated in this study, knowledge-based user competence together with perceived usefulness influences the usage behavior of smartphone users. Industry players need to consider user competence when they promote their smartphone services.

Originality/value

– The proposed model brings together extant research on IS use and technology acceptance.
Building brand loyalty through user engagement in online brand communities in social networking sites
Authors: Zheng Xiabing , Cheung Christy M. K. , Lee Matthew K.O. , Liang Liang
Published: February 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to explore the concept of user engagement in the context of online brand communities. A research model is proposed to explain how brand loyalty is developed through user engagement.

Design/methodology/approach

– The research model was empirically tested with an online survey study of 185 current Facebook users.

Findings

– Results revealed that user engagement influenced brand loyalty both directly and indirectly through online community commitment. Users tend to focus on the benefits (rather than the costs) derived from the usage when they engage in an online brand community.

Research limitations/implications

– The selection of respondents is bound to the Hong Kong area, while Facebook members are globally distributed. In addition, this study involved a cross-sectional design instead of investigating the development of brand loyalty from a long-term perspective.

Practical implications

– The results inform e-marketers the importance of user engagement behaviors for building brand loyalty through online communities. Strategies that encourage members to engage in online brand communities on social networking sites such as Facebook are also provided.

Originality/value

– The concept of user engagement in online brand communities is still poorly understood, underscoring the need for theoretically based research of user engagement. This paper enriches the knowledge in the area of brand engagement by presenting a research model that introduces the concept of user engagement in social media research and empirically examines its role in building brand loyalty in online brand communities.
Information technology governance practices based on sufficiency economy philosophy in the Thai university sector
Authors: Jairak Kallaya , Praneetpolgrang Prasong , Subsermsri Pilastpongs
Published: February 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to develop a formal set of information technology (IT) governance practices based on sufficiency economy philosophy (SEP) to support the generic context for Thai universities.

Design/methodology/approach

– The research methodology in this study is divided into two main phases that are conceptualization and operationalization. In the phase of conceptualization, the authors reviewed literature related to the implementation of IT governance in universities and the principles of SEP in order to conceptualize an initial idea of IT governance on the basis of SEP. In the phase of operationalization, the authors performed in-depth interviews with the CIOs of 20 universities, five IT experts, and five SEP experts in order to verify the proposed concept.

Findings

– This study provides two key findings: the IT governance practices based on SEP for Thai universities and the mapping of IT governance practices based on SEP with ISO/IEC 38500.

Practical implications

– The total of 65 practices presented in this study can be used as a guideline for handling of IT governance issues in Thai universities.

Originality/value

– This study provides university IT governance practices based on the principles of SEP that is widely accepted and highly appreciated in Thailand.
The impact of knowledge management processes on organisational performance
Authors: Tubigi Mohammed , Alshawi Sarmad
Published: February 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to evaluate knowledge management (KM) processes and to investigate their impact on organisational performance (OP) within the context of the airline industry (AI).

Design/methodology/approach

– An inductive and deductive qualitative approach was used based on a preliminary study. A pilot study was conducted which involved the use of interviews as a primary data collection method. Content analysis was used to extract and analyse themes from the data.

Findings

– The study showed that knowledge usage is the most influential aspect of KM in terms of the impact on OP. Moreover, the study revealed that knowledge transfer is a common KM process employed by organisations.

Research limitations/implications

– This study outlined the findings of a pilot study which aimed to test a proposed conceptual model and to provide an initial understanding of the interrelationships between KM processes and OP. To this end, a number of interviews were conducted in order to consolidate a conceptual model. As such, the nature of this preliminary study imposed some time and context limitations. These limitations will be dealt within later stages of the research journey.

Originality/value

– The value of the study is generated from the extensive review of the literature it provided which enhanced proposing a conceptual model that was initially tested with the aim of defining an appropriate KM processes within a unique and yet untested context as well as describing the impact of these processes on OP. Determination of KM processes is expected to set a guideline for future research in the AI.
Developing attitudes and intentions among potential entrepreneurs
Authors: Soomro Bahadur Ali , Shah Naimatullah
Published: February 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to explore the attitudes and intentions of individuals towards entrepreneurship with the support of theory of planned behaivour (TPB). This research may contribute to the growing body of knowledge that has begun to explore attitudes and intentions of individuals for self-employment in a developing country.

Design/methodology/approach

– This is an initial part of a longitudinal study in which survey instrument has been adapted for data collection. A random sampling was applied to the students of public and private higher educational institutions of a developing country. For data analysis, Statistical Package for Social Science 20 versions for Windows were used to test the hypotheses through descriptive, Pearson’s correlations and multiple regression analysis techniques.

Findings

– Results of the study showed that all variables are reliable and valid. However, internal consistency among the variables has been found. By using Pearson’s correlations, entrepreneurship intention was found to be significantly and positively correlated to attitudes towards entrepreneurship. A high correlation was found between entrepreneurship intentions and attitudes towards behaviour and low correlation was between innovation and attitudes towards behaivour. However, all independent variables were found positively and significantly related to dependent variable except personal control.

Research limitations/implications

– This study possess limitations such as only quantitative data were obtained for educational institutions. Second limitation is collecting data from small number of samples. Third limitation is use of few variables with direct relationship approach. This study may support the management and practitioners of human resources management and organisational behaviour in assessing and evaluating employee attitudes and behaviours in the organisation.

Originality/value

– Based on real facts, this study provides empirical considerable evidence of individuals’ attitudes and intentions towards the entrepreneurship. Results indicate that that TPB theory factors such as attitudes towards the behaviour, subjective norms and perceived behavioural control and personal and social attitudinal characteristic like achievement, self-esteem, and innovation are important for the development of entrepreneurial attitudes and intentions
Multiple exclusion homelessness: is simplicity the answer to this complexity?
Authors: Miller Robin , Appleton Steve
Published: February 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to explore integration and complexity through the evaluation of a case study service which supports multiply excluded homeless people.

Design/methodology/approach

– A mixed methods theory based evaluation. Data gathering included semi-structured interviews with external stakeholders, analysis of referral and outcome data, focus groups with frontline staff members and managers, and interviews with people living in the service.

Findings

– The service was highly rated by its stakeholders due to its ability to meet the immediate needs of many individuals and to facilitate access and engagement with community and specialist resources. However, not every individual responded to the support that was an offer, and a number were unable to access the service due to the nature of their needs or a lack of capacity in the service. Whilst the service was able to engage community and specialist services this often appeared to be within the parameters set by these services rather than flexibly around the needs of the individual.

Research limitations/implications

– The research is based in one case study service and findings may not be transferable to different local contexts and providers. However, the findings are consistent with previous studies.

Practical implications

– It is possible for commissioners to intervene in the complexities that multiply excluded homeless people experiences through the introduction of a new service. However, this is unlikely to address all of the gaps and fragmentation that people in these circumstances face. It is therefore important that partners are sensitive to such limitations and have a shared willingness to respond to continuing gaps and shortfalls.

Social implications

– Despite specific national policies people continue to experience multiple exclusion homelessness which suggest that more still needs to be done to prevent people from this extremely disadvantaged social circumstance. Whilst specialist services can provide excellent support the response is still fragmented for some people meaning that work to better integrate their responses must continue.

Originality/value

– The paper contributes to the evidence base of support models for multiple excluded homeless people and the factors that can enable a housing support service to respond to such needs. It also provides comment on the relevance of the concept of complex adaptive systems to the study of integration.
Exploring grassroots innovation phenomenon through the lived experience of an Indian grassroots innovator
Authors: Joshi Rajul G. , Chelliah John , Ramanathan Veera
Published: February 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to stir the deliberation on understanding grassroots innovation (GI) phenomenon through the lived experience approach and attempt to address the existing void in current literature.

Design/methodology/approach

– This paper outlines a human science research approach for studying the subjective reality embedded in the GI phenomenon. Such an approach provides a better and more bottom-up understanding of the underlying individual and interpersonal dynamics shaping the GI.

Findings

– This study provides a richer understanding of the underlying individual and interpersonal dynamics shaping the GI phenomena. This may serve as an aid for future research on scaling, managing GI and developing entrepreneurial capabilities of the grassroots innovators (GIrs). The study also confirms that no single unilateral theory can fully explain the lived experiences of the GIrs at the ideation, opportunity recognition, prototyping and scaling stage of GI. Rather, it is quintessential to have an integrated holistic perspective for understanding GI. This study also highlights the importance of hermeneutic phenomenology in pro-poor innovation research and practice in the near future.

Research limitations/implications

– This paper’s main limitation is whether the findings can be generalized in a wider context. The authors acknowledge this limitation. However, the purpose of this study is not to generalize the findings but rather provide a contextual understanding of what constitutes the lived experiences of GI. The authors recommend that a future study covering greater number of GIrs across India be undertaken to gain a better appreciation of the bigger picture.

Originality/value

– Systematic approaches for tapping into GI are conspicuously non-existent and hence a contextual understanding through the proposed holistic lens will assist in thriving of the GI phenomena in South Asian countries such as India.
Retail service quality in India: construct exploration and measure development
Authors: Verma Harsh V , Duggal Ekta
Published: February 2015

Purpose

– Service quality is a perceptual construct that is likely to differ across industries, customer segments and markets. The purpose of this paper is to explore the construct of retail service quality in the Indian context, and identifies quality components as a precursor to developing a quality measure.

Design/methodology/approach

– Initially, the construct comprehension was done using exploratory research involving customer depth probes and juxtaposing it with the available literature. After defining the broad contours of retail service quality and surface considerations, the study attempted to discover retail service quality dimensions by factor analyzing the collected data.

Findings

– It was found that retail service quality construct is composed of seven critical dimensions – ambience and layout, salespeople, merchandise, convenience, services, prices and customer care.

Research limitations/implications

– The specific quality component structure found in this study highlights the need for managers to prioritise their retail operation and marketing efforts in sync with the uncovered quality dimensions.

Originality/value

– This paper explored the quality phenomenon in the Indian retail context using a bottom-up approach. This paper provides the much-needed insights to firms that are entering the Indian market on what the quality means and the components it is made up of.
Fiat and Chrysler, negotiating for survival
Authors: Caputo Andrea
Published: February 2015

Purpose

– This paper aims to review the latest management developments across the globe and pinpoint practical implications from cutting-edge research and case studies.

Design/methodology/approach

– This briefing is prepared by an independent writer who adds impartial comments and places the articles in context.

Findings

– This is a story on how a corporate negotiation can be the turning point for survival. This case study is unusual in the business arena, as it is based on the role of external parties for the success of a strategic negotiation between corporations. It shows how an agreement was fundamental from a management/operational perspective, but impossible from a shareholder perspective. Yet, only thanks to the intervention of external parties that a successful agreement lead to the survival of the corporation.

Practical implications

– This paper provides strategic insights and practical thinking that have influenced some of the world’s leading organizations.

Originality/value

– This briefing saves busy executives and researchers hours of reading time by selecting only the very best, most pertinent information and presenting it in a condensed and easy-to-digest format.
Financing later life: why financial capability agendas may be problematic
Authors: Price Debora Janet
Published: February 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to examine the language and cultural assumptions that government uses when proposing policy reforms for the financing of later life, especially in promoting the financial capability of citizens. The author asks what the implications of this political construction are for society.

Design/methodology/approach

– The author examines UK government policy documents from the foundation of the Financial Services Authority in 1997 until 2013. The author analyses these documents to understand the discourses of government for the financing of later life, how powerful these discourses are, and what influence they have on policy and society.

Findings

– The paper shows that the government considers the promotion of the financial capability agenda to be a solution to structural problems in the provision of old age welfare. By controlling the discourse, non-market-based discussions of welfare are closed and any need for examination of the structural causes of inequality in old age is made invisible. The discourse prevents critique of the individualisation of risk and market provided welfare and service delivery, and failures of policy become the failures of individuals as both consumers and regulators.

Originality/value

– The financial capability agenda sounds so sensible and has enrolled so many different organisations in its delivery that it is rare to reflect on the cultural and political assumptions that lie behind these discourses. When these are analysed, the author observes that individualised discourses surrounding money and welfare in later life are so powerful that more collective solutions to issues of financial welfare are closed off from public debate and discussion.