bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Impact of work–life balance on organizational commitment of women health-care workers
Authors: Shabir Sana , Gani Abdul
Published: January 2020

Purpose

This study aims to examine the linkage between work–life balance (WLB) and organizational commitment (OC) among women employees in the healthcare sector.

Design/methodology/approach

Using a quantitative methodology, this paper drew upon samples of 580 health-care sector employees working in the health-care sector of Jammu and Kashmir in India. A structured questionnaire was administered to gather the required information. Data were analyzed using SMART PLS and Statistical Package for the Social Sciences, in which descriptive statistics, t-test, analysis of variance and structural equation modeling were conducted to achieve the objectives of the study.

Findings

Findings indicated a significant positive relationship between WLB and OC. Further component-wise analysis revealed a positive relationship between the WLB and affective and normative commitment. However, WLB demonstrated a negative association with continuance commitment.

Originality/value

The study also brought forth the causes and potential consequences of the work–life imbalance and stressed upon the role of organizational policies in managing the relationship between work and non-work domains and subsequently the development of OC among employees.
It’s not inter-religiosity but intra-religiosity that really matters in attitude towards business ethics
Authors: Goel Puneeta , Misra Rupali
Published: January 2020

Purpose

Given the strong religious background of India, it is quite surprising that the country is ranked as the most corrupt nation in the Asia Pacific region in 2017. This prompts the authors to investigate the role of religiosity in shaping an individual’s preference for ethical behavior. The purpose of this paper is to explore the conceptual linkage between religiosity and attitude towards business ethics (ATBE) and also assess the role of gender and profession in shaping it.

Design/methodology/approach

Using a cross-sectional survey on two divergent professional groups, management students and working professionals, this study explores the causal role of religiosity on ATBE using pre-validated religious commitment inventory (RCI-10) and ATBE through multiple regression. The difference between ATBE owing to the difference in gender and profession is investigated using independent sample t-test and Levene’s F-test. Multiple analysis of variance and multiple analysis of covariance are used to test the difference in ethical business philosophies.

Findings

The findings of the study indicate that gender and profession do not influence ATBE, though religious individuals have an ethical approach towards business issues. The significant causal relationship between composite religiosity and ATBE is documented. Further, assessing the predictor role of intra- and inter-personal religiosity on ATBE, the authors see that only intra-personal religiosity, which measures individual’s meta-physical belief is found as a significant predictor of ATBE.

Practical implications

Individuals with higher intrapersonal religiosity would exhibit superior ethical conduct. For a developing country like India, such conduct at both private and public organizations would lead to reduced scams or frauds, stimulating economic growth.

Originality/value

Religion plays a significant role in the life of Indian people but its meaning and understanding differ from person to person. Evidence supports that people with strong religious beliefs whether management students or working professionals, tend to have a strong ethical attitude towards different situations in decision-making.
Leave policies and social inequality in Brazil
Authors: Sorj Bila , Fraga Alexandre
Published: January 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between leave policies and social inequalities. It seeks to analyze the historical course of maternity and paternity leave legislation in Brazil, and also provides quantitative evidence that access to leave is impacted by social stratification, revealing different inequalities.

Design/methodology/approach

To investigate access to leave policies, this study uses data from the Pesquisa Nacional por Amostra de Domicílios Contínua Anual de 2017 (Annual National Continuous Household Sampling Survey of 2017), conducted by IBGE/Brazil.

Findings

The results point out the existence of inequalities in the conceptions of leave policies in Brazil, and lead to quantitative confirmation that access to leave is stratified and permeated by inequalities of gender, class, race and age.

Social implications

By pointing out the social inequalities resulting from the contributory scheme of maternity and paternity leave, the results of this paper may generate debate on the transformation of leave into a universal right of citizens and impact public policy agenda in the future.

Originality/value

This is the first Brazilian study to analyze the relationship between leave policy and social inequality through quantitative data, showing the existence of social stratification of gender, class, race and age concerning the employed population’s access to maternity and paternity leave.
The influence of religion on the determinants of capital structure: the case of Saudi Arabia
Authors: Alalmai Somaiyah , Al-Awadhi Abdullah M. , Hassan M. Kabir , Turunen-Red Arja
Published: January 2020

Purpose

This study aims to investigate whether a religious environment affects a firm capital structure.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors use data from Saudi Arabia with a highly Islamic religious environment. The authors use an extreme bounds analysis (EBA), which provides a reliable analysis of the determinants of capital structure and aids the process of selecting explanatory variables when there is model uncertainty.

Findings

The authors find that firms in such an Islamic environment are relatively less leveraged compared to firms in a non-Islamic environment. The authors also find that firms located in an Islamic environment have different determinants of capital structure than firms located in a non-Islamic environment. Specifically, the Islamic society creates decision makers who are more risk averse, thus leading to a preference for corporate financing using internal funds.

Practical implications

The results imply a potential challenge for growth-seeking firms located in religious Islamic societies.

Originality/value

This study is one of the first to examine the determinants of corporate capital structure in Saudi Arabia using EBA.
Shari’a corporate governance disclosure of Malaysian IFIS
Authors: Shahar Nurul Ain , Nawawi Anuar , Salin Ahmad Saiful Azlin Puteh
Published: January 2020

Purpose

This paper aims to examine the extent of the Shari’a corporate governance disclosure in the annual report of Islamic financial institutions (IFIs) in Malaysia to determine the significant differences in this disclosure between the local and foreign-owned IFIs, small and large size IFIs and IFIs belong to Islamic and conventional holding companies.

Design/methodology/approach

All 16 IFIs in Malaysia were selected to analyse the extent of disclosure in their annual reports on issues related to Shari’a corporate governance. For this purpose, an index of Shari’a corporate governance disclosure for IFIs was created based on adapting Sulaiman et al. (2015). The index consists of 127 items classified into 14 dimensions. The scoring of the disclosed items is binary, where a score of “1” if disclosed and “0” if it was not disclosed in the annual report.

Findings

The result shows no significant differences in the Shari’a corporate governance disclosure between the local and foreign-owned IFIs, small and large size IFIs and IFIs belonging to Islamic and conventional holding companies. However, further examination shows that there was a significant difference in the disclosure of the risk management committee dimension between the large and small IFIs and investment account holders dimension between the conventional and Islamic holding companies.

Research limitations/implications

The results provide new emerging evidence that deviates from many prior empirical research studies, which document the domination of Islamic-based IFIs in the corporate governance practices, as compared with their conventional financial institutions that venture into Islamic finance. This study, however, was conducted on only 16 IFIs in a one-year period, i.e. 2013. Future research should consider data from a larger number of IFIs that involve a number of countries with more than one year of data to have a better understanding of the extent of Shari’a corporate governance disclosure.

Practical implications

This study provides an indicator to the stakeholders of Islamic finance that the Islamic-based IFIs and conventional IFIs are equal and cannot be differentiated based on the Shari’a corporate governance disclosure. For Islamic-based IFIs, as a pioneer in Islamic banking and finance industry, they need to take more efforts in adopting the Shari’a governance framework issued by the Central Bank of Malaysia (BNM), namely, the Shari’a review, audit and risk management.

Originality/value

This study is original, as it includes the latest requirements by the Shari’a governance framework issued by the BNM, namely, the Shari’a review, audit, risk management and research functions in its research instrument. In addition, this research also scrutinised the disclosure in detail of all the dimensions constructed in the governance index.
Barriers to financial product innovation in Islamic banks in Pakistan
Authors: Chaudhry Naveed Iqbal , Roomi Muhammad Azam , Dar Sidra
Published: January 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to identify barriers to financial product innovation in the Islamic banks (IBs) of Pakistan. This paper also aims to establish the relationship among the barriers and present them in a hierarchical model after classification.

Design/methodology/approach

This study is exploratory and qualitative in nature. A total of ten experts from the IBs and from academia have been interviewed to collect data. Literature has also been reviewed to identify the barriers. Interpretive structural modeling (ISM) analysis has been used to establish relationship among the barriers, to rank and to come up with a hierarchical model of barriers.

Findings

This research paper makes out, ranks and classifies the nine most important barriers to product innovation in the IBs in Pakistan, including high innovation cost; lack of customer awareness; difference of school of thoughts between members of Shari’ah board; non-compatibility between product design department and members of Shari’ah board; lack of research and development; non-acceptability of concept of Islamic banking; lack of training regarding a new product; imitation of a new product by competitors; and the limited use of new product development tools.

Originality/value

This study offers originality in its nature of being qualitative and the use of ISM technique. It is also the first research project regarding identification of barriers in the IBs in Pakistan.
Adoption of Islamic banking in a non-Islamic country: evidence from Uganda
Authors: Bananuka Juma , Katamba David , Nalukenge Irene , Kabuye Frank , Sendawula Kasimu
Published: January 2020

Purpose

This paper aims to examine the concept and practice of Islamic banking in the context of a non-Islamic country such as Uganda.

Design/methodology/approach

Semi-structured interviews were used to elicit the strategies banks may use to ensure that the Islamic banking system is successful and to ascertain those factors that may hinder its success. Chief executive officers of business associations, heads of committees on Islamic banking and religious leaders were interviewed.

Findings

The strategies used by financial institutions in ensuring the adoption of Islamic banking are now known such as “creating awareness of Islamic banking’s mode of operation among existing and potential clients.” The findings also show that factors such as “lack of trust among clients” may hinder the success of Islamic banking.

Research limitations/implications

The research findings are useful for informing the deliberations of regulators, the business community and financial institutions. The results are applicable only to those countries in the preparation stages of adopting Islamic banking services for the first time, but they could be generalized to any new product launch in any country.

Originality/value

This paper may help Ugandan financial institutions to design strategies that will accelerate the adoption and, ultimately, the diffusion of Islamic banking in Uganda.
Understanding self-efficacy and performance of salespersons in Islamic banking
Authors: Kaakeh AbdulKader , Hassan M. Kabir , Van-Hemmen Stefan , Hossain Ishrat
Published: January 2020

Purpose

This study aims to investigate the relationship between organization image, awareness effort, customer demandingness, self-efficacy and self-rated performance among salespersons of Islamic banking products in the UAE. It also explores the mediating role of awareness effort and self-efficacy, using a theoretical framework derived from social cognitive theory.

Design/methodology/approach

Data are collected by surveying salespersons in a mixed bank (a conventional bank with an Islamic banking department) in the UAE. The researcher uses structural equation modeling to analyze the data.

Findings

The research concludes that customer demandingness positively affects awareness effort, awareness effort positively affects self-efficacy, self-efficacy positively affects performance and image positively affects salespersons’ self-efficacy and performance. Furthermore, the study highlights the mediating role of awareness effort and self-efficacy in the model.

Research limitations/implications

The sample consists of 217 salespersons working in the same bank, covering three cities in the UAE. Hence, the rest of the country is not included.

Practical implications

The study shows the importance of awareness efforts in achieving better performance. It also demonstrates the importance of addressing customer requirements in the banking environment. Furthermore, it illuminates the role of organization image in enforcing salespersons’ self-efficacy and performance.

Social implications

The paper sheds a light on salespersons’ personalities and the factors that reinforce their performance and self-efficacy.

Originality/value

The research is an empirical study that addresses the relationship between performance, self-efficacy, image, awareness effort and customer demandingness in Islamic banking in the UAE.
Paradigmatic foundation and moral axioms of ihsan ethics in Islamic economics and business
Authors: Aydin Necati
Published: January 2020

Purpose

This paper aims to explore the root cause of growing gap in Islamic moral ideals and practices by examining paradigmatic foundation and moral axioms of Islamic business ethics. It compares and contrasts Tawhidi and secular paradigms in terms of their moral axioms and ethical mandates.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper first presents the paradigmatic foundation of Islamic ethics, namely, ihsan ethics. Second, it compares Tawhidi paradigm of Islam with secular paradigm in respect to their ontological, axiological, anthropological and teleological differences. Third, it links to Islamic moral axioms to the relevant paradigmatic pillars. Fourth, it defines “ihsan ethics” based on Tawhidi paradigm and moral axioms. Finally, it sheds some light on the gap between moral ideals and realities through the theory of ihsan ethics.

Findings

The paper attempts to provide strong conceptual and theoretical tools to understand ethical problems in the Muslim societies. The paper makes a strong case that Muslim minds shall be de-secularized to perceive the reality, truth and telos within Tawhidi worldview. As Muslims reach the level of ihsan by perceiving transcendental reality, they are likely to practice what they preach.

Originality/value

The paper proposes “ihsan ethics” based on Tawhidi worldview and Islamic moral axioms.
Employees’ attitudes toward change with Lean Higher Education in Moroccan public universities
Authors: Allaoui Ali , Benmoussa Rachid
Published: January 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to study the attitudes of higher education employees to the change with Lean at public universities in Morocco in order to determinate the factors of resistance to change and to look for the motivating factors that encourage these employees to participate in change project with Lean.

Design/methodology/approach

A questionnaire sent to all administrative and technical staff of higher education at five public universities in Morocco during year 2019. This study has analyzed both a person-oriented approach and a variable-oriented approach and characterized by using Lewin’s change model to manage change with Lean.

Findings

The results show that individual, organizational and group factors have a positive impact on employees’ attitudes toward change with Lean but individual factors are more important than other factors.

Research limitations/implications

The research is limited to universities in Morocco and mainly public universities. It is only interested in the first stage in the change process with Lean (unfreezing). Understanding employee attitudes, determining motivation factors and the causes behind resistance to change before embarking in change journey with Lean Higher Education (LHE) enables the public universities in Morocco (management) to better prepare for change by reducing resistance to change to create a favorable climate to implement LHE.

Originality/value

The majority of research works to date focus on implementation of LHE without giving interest to the preparation of the organizational change, this last is very much requested to determine the driving and restraining forces in order to reduce the resistance to change that is the main reason of failure of many change programs. This paper attempts to determinate the factors of resistance to change which allows to the public universities in Morocco to overcome them before moving to the changing stage.
Transformative service research, service design, and social entrepreneurship
Authors: Alkire (née Nasr) Linda , Mooney Christine , Gur Furkan A. , Kabadayi Sertan , Renko Maija , Vink Josina
Published: January 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to provide an interdisciplinary framework bridging service design and social entrepreneurship with transformative service research (TSR) to create greater synergetic effects to advance wellbeing and drive social impact.

Design/methodology/approach

This research provides an interdisciplinary review and synthesis of literature to establish a basis for a conceptual framework advancing human wellbeing and driving social impact.

Findings

The overarching framework created incorporates various concepts, methods and tools across the three research domains. At the core of the framework is the ultimate goal of multilevel wellbeing and social impact. The core is subsequently supported by established social entrepreneurship concepts and strategies: prosocial motivation, hybrid identity, social bricolage, entrepreneurial thinking, community engagement, business model design and innovative delivery. The implementation of these concepts could benefit from the methods and tools used in service design, such as: design probes, service blueprints, appreciative inquiry, contextual interviews, actor maps, sustainable business model canvas and service prototyping.

Practical implications

The paper uses the refugee crisis as an illustrative example of how the proposed framework can be put into action by service organizations.

Originality/value

By bridging literature in TSR, service design and social entrepreneurship, this paper provides service managers with a framework to guide scalable systemic solutions for service organizations interested in advancing human wellbeing and driving social impact.
Development of palm oil sector and future challenge in Riau Province, Indonesia
Authors: Syahza Almasdi , Asmit Brilliant
Published: January 2020

Purpose

This paper aims to present the development of palm oil sector and future challenge in Riau Province Indonesia, which includes sustainable plantation development.

Design/methodology/approach

This research was conducted through a survey with developmental research method. The research location is in the Province of Riau, which is the potential development of oil palm plantation. The land areas of Riau are Kampar, Rokan Hulu and Kuantan Singingi, while the coastal areas are Pelalawan, Siak, Bengkalis, Indragiri Hilir, Indragiri Hulu and Rokan Hilir. The socio-economic and environmental aspects of sustainability level of palm oil plantations were analyzed using a multi-dimensional scaling approach that was modified into a Rap-Insus-Pom.

Findings

Development of palmoil plantations results in land conversion, posing potential erosio. In anticipating environmental damage, the Government of Indonesia imposes the Indonesian Sustainable Palm Oil (ISPO) policy. The results of ISPO policy show that Indonesian crude palm oil products are environmentally friendly.

Originality/value

This research is one of few studies that investigate the development of palm oil sector and future challenge in Riau Province, Indonesia. Riau Province still needs 13 units of palm oil mills with capacity of 60 tons per hour. Find strategies to regulate palm oil farming institutions and derivative products to enhance growth and economic development in the region and find production centers and development areas for palm oil local industries in potential regions.
Longitudinal impact of Welsh clinical leadership fellowship
Authors: Phillips Suzanne , Bullock Alison
Published: January 2020

Purpose

This paper aims to evaluate the longer-term impact of the 12-month Welsh clinical leadership fellowship.

Design/methodology/approach

Semi-structured interviews with 10 out of 14 trainee doctors who were fellows between 2013-2016, exploring how leadership knowledge and skills were used in clinical practice, impact on patient care and influence on careers. Data, gathered in 2017 when participants had completed the fellowship between 1-3 years, were analysed thematically.

Findings

All found the fellowship rewarding. The experience was felt to advantage them in consultant interviews. They gained insight into the wider influence on organisations and the complexity of issues facing senior clinicians. Although subtle, the impact was significant, equipping fellows with negotiation skills, enabling them to better influence change. Indirect impact on clinical practice was evidenced by enhanced confidence, teamworking skills and progression of improvement projects. However, the use of skills was limited by lack of seniority within teams, demands of medical training and examinations. The negativity of others towards management and leadership was also noted by some.

Research limitations/implications

Small participant numbers limit generalisability.

Practical implications

The fellowship is designed to equip participants with skills to lead improvements in healthcare delivery. Those more advanced in their medical training had greater opportunity and seniority to lead change and were better placed to apply the learning. This has implications for whom the training should be targeted.

Originality/value

A rare study exploring the longer-term impact of a leadership programme on later clinical practice, which adds to the body of knowledge of impact and efficacy of leadership training programmes in healthcare environments.
Nurses’ voice: the role of hierarchy and leadership
Authors: Krenz Hanna , Burtscher Michael Josef , Grande Bastian , Kolbe Michaela
Published: January 2020

Purpose

Voicing concerns and suggestions is crucial for preventing medical errors and improving patient safety. Research suggests that hierarchy in health-care teams impair open communication. Hierarchy, however, can vary with changing team composition, particularly during acute care situations where more senior persons join the team later on. The purpose of this study is to investigate how changes in hierarchy and leadership were associated with nurses’ voice frequency and nurses’ time to voice during simulated acute care situations.

Design/methodology/approach

This study’s sample consisted of 78 health-care providers (i.e. nurses, residents and consultants) who worked in 39 teams performing complex clinical scenarios in the context of interprofessional, simulation-based team training. Scenarios were videotaped and communication behaviour was coded using a systematic coding scheme. To test the hypotheses, multilevel regression analyses were conducted.

Findings

Hierarchy and leadership had no significant effect on nurses’ voice frequency. However, there were significant relationships between nurses’ time to voice and both hierarchy (γ = 30.00, p = 0.002; 95 per cent confidence interval [CI] = 12.43; 47.92) as well as leadership (γ = 0.30, p = 0.001; 95 per cent CI = 0.12; 0.47). These findings indicate that when more physicians are present and leadership is more centralised, more time passes until the first nurses’ voice occurred.

Originality/value

This study specifies previous findings on the relationships between hierarchy, leadership and nurses’ voice. Our findings suggest that stronger hierarchy and more centralised leadership delay nurses’ voice but do not affect the overall frequency of voice.
How concentrated owners improve the performance of Asian firms
Authors: van Essen Marc , Heugens Pursey P.M.A.R. , Duran Patricio , Saleh Sabrina F. , Sauerwald Steve , van Oosterhout Hans , Xie En
Published: January 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to investigate how concentrated owners add value to Asian firms. While prior research suggests that relational owners (i.e., business groups, top management team, board, government, banks, families, and corporation) may help firms fill institutional voids, this study proposes that it is transactional owners (i.e., foreign and institutional investors) lacking this ability who contribute most to firm performance. As these owners frequently hail from contexts with well-developed corporate governance traditions, they tend to have experience with the design and implementation of such governance practices.

Design/methodology/approach

This study involves a meta-analysis covering 276 studies from 17 Asian countries.

Findings

This study shows that transactional owners impose effective governance practices such as separating the chief executive officer (CEO) and Chair roles and assuring board independence. These practices promote decisions benefiting all shareholders, such as preventing diversification and financial over-leveraging.

Originality/value

This study contributes to the comparative corporate governance literature by showing that implementing internal governance practices helps improve firm performance in Asia. It also contributes to the owner identity literature by opening the black box of how transactional and relational owners differentially affect firms’ strategic behavior. Overall, this study yields a more nuanced understanding of what transactional owners contribute to Asian firms.
Green procurement process model based on blockchain–IoT integrated architecture for a sustainable business
Authors: Rane Santosh B. , Thakker Shivangi Viral
Published: January 2020

Purpose

Blockchain and IoT are recently developed technologies for the database creation and smooth functioning of supply chain activities. The purpose of this paper is to analyse the use of blockchain and IoT for green procurement activities. The integration of blockchain and IoT interface can solve many challenges faced by industries having green procurement.

Design/methodology/approach

Through a literature survey and interviews with procurement managers from different industries, challenges in green procurement were identified. Elements of blockchain and IoT were analysed to overcome the green procurement challenges. Architecture for blockchain and IoT is developed to be implemented in the green supply chain for a sustainable business.

Findings

The challenges of green procurement are categorised and ranked as per the industry survey results. The architecture shows the tasks of blockchain and IoT in green procurement activities.

Research limitations/implications

Green procurement is still at developing stages in India as compared to Europe and many other countries. There is a requirement for more government involvement and participation from industry and customers to implement such methods. Environment issues and challenges faced by industries are addressed.

Practical implications

Blockchain–IoT integration can transform a green supply chain. This research helps industries planning to incorporate blockchain and IoT in identifying the areas to focus and better planning of resources for the successful implementation of smart technologies in their supply chains. Green initiatives ensure global competitiveness as well as recognition at the global level. Green procurement ensures the minimal usage of energy and efficient waste disposal.

Originality/value

The implementation of green procurement and challenges associated with it are addressed in this research. This will work as a framework for industries looking forward to implementing blockchain and IoT in their supply chains for solving green procurement challenges.
Social capital and public willingness to cooperate with the police in China
Authors: Hu Kang , Hu Rong , Sun Ivan , Wu Yuning
Published: January 2020

Purpose

Public cooperation with the police is of great significance in the maintenance of social security and social harmony, but studies investigating the mechanisms of public cooperation with the police in China are scarce. Using survey data obtained from Xiamen, China, the purpose of this paper is to examine the effects of social capital on willingness to cooperate with the police and their mediating mechanisms.

Design/methodology/approach

Data with 938 respondents were used in this study. Ordinary least squares regression models were used to test the influence of social capital on the willingness of the Chinese public to cooperate with the police and its mediating mechanisms.

Findings

The results show that associational life participation, social trust and neighborhood cohesion can all enhance public willingness to cooperate with the police by cultivating public spirit or trust in government, whereas participation in community collective resistance is negatively correlated with willingness to cooperate with the police. Theoretical explanations are offered to understand different effects of social capital elements on public cooperation with the police, and possible ways to foster such cooperation are discussed.

Originality/value

This paper takes the lead in examining the effects of social capital on willingness to cooperate with the police and their mediating mechanisms in China.
Race/ethnicity composition of police officers in officer-involved shootings
Authors: Jetelina Katelyn K. , Bishopp Stephen A. , Wiegand Jared G. , Reingle Gonzalez Jennifer M.
Published: January 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to evaluate officer and civilian race/ethnicity disparities during ten years of officer-involved shootings (OIS).

Design/methodology/approach

Internal affairs, personnel and geospatial data were triangulated for 253 OIS at the Dallas Police Department from 2005 to 2015. Multinomial regression models were used to evaluate the relationship between civilian and officer race/ethnicity in OIS, controlling for officer, situational and neighborhood factors.

Findings

In total, 48 percent of unique OIS involved a non-Hispanic black civilian and most OIS occurred in Hispanic majority neighborhoods (48 percent). Officer age and number of shooters on scene were the only variables significantly associated with officer race/ethnicity. Most notably, officer race/ethnicity was not associated with the race/ethnicity of the civilian during OIS incidents.

Originality/value

There is limited scientific evidence on whether officers of certain races/ethnicities are disproportionately likely to engage in OIS with civilians of a particular race/ethnicity due to the relative rarity of such events.
Taking the learning organization mainstream and beyond the organizational level
Authors: Reese Simon
Published: January 2020

Purpose

This paper aims to provide an overview of the development of learning organization concepts from the perspective of Dr Peter Senge and presents an interesting evolution of his systems oriented view of the learning organization field over three decades.

Design/methodology/approach

Through a conversation with a thought leading scholar, Dr Peter Senge, this paper discusses several topics pertaining to the evolution of the learning organization through a systems approach and provides his perspectives on the development of his theories.

Findings

Dr Senge explains his origination of the learning organization from three distinctly different theoretical tracks. However, more important than the theory, he illuminates how the theories embedded within The Fifth Discipline actually originated from action research and have continued to evolve. Of particular interest, his sites personal mastery as the most often cited of the five disciplines and offers readers explanations as to why the personal change dimensions are so important, and so often neglected. He clearly describes what it takes to make genuine progress in becoming a learning organization.

Originality/value

The discussion with Dr Senge reveals his perspective on the evolution of the learning organization debate from his personal perspective. He provides insights that lead the reader to understand “what is a learning organization” and “what does it mean”.
Brexit anticipated economic shock on Ireland’s planning for hospitality and tourism: resilience, volatility and exposure
Authors: Burnett Mark , Johnston Tony
Published: January 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore tourism scenario planning for an anticipated shock as viewed through the lens of Irish hospitality managers preparing for Brexit. The research appropriates a climate science framework to structure the study, situating preparations, or lack thereof, against the themes of volatility, exposure and resilience.

Design/methodology/approach

The research uses a qualitative, pragmatic approach to determine how senior Irish hospitality managers were preparing for Britain’s exit from the European Union. Semi-structured interviews were used to gather data conducted with hotel management, industry federations and tourism policymakers.

Findings

Buoyancy of the industry, from an industry perspective, little foreseeable threat to the sector, has caused management to develop complacent tendencies, a myopic viewpoint and a head-in-the-sand mindset. Their “wait and see” and “ad hoc” approaches to planning for an anticipated shock suggest an industry that believes itself to be resistant to threats.

Practical implications

The findings suggest that although tourism has been resilient to economic shocks in the past, historical lessons learned have not been implemented in anticipation of the next shock. More proactive engagement and better strategic preparedness is necessary to mitigate the impacts of future shocks. Industry needs to acknowledge its role in developing resilience and reducing volatility and exposure. The government additionally needs to coordinate initiatives with industry to develop robustness.

Originality/value

The paper demonstrates areas of practice in the hospitality industry that could be improved to reduce volatility and exposure, enhance resilience and encourage rapid adaptability post crisis.
Transport and tourism: a perspective article
Authors: Duval David Timothy
Published: January 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to review the salient intersections of transport and tourism and offer prognostications about future directions.

Design/methodology/approach

A review of academic and secondary sources is provided.

Findings

It is vital that close consideration of how transport and tourism work together to provide value to destinations is maintained.

Originality/value

This study is an incremental stock take of current understandings of transport and tourism.
Human immune responses elicited by an intranasal inactivated H5 influenza vaccine
Authors: Ainai Akira , van Riet Elly , Ito Ryo , Ikeda Kazuyuki , Senchi Kyosuke , Suzuki Tadaki , Tamura Shin‐ichi , Asanuma Hideki , Odagiri Takato , Tashiro Masato , Kurata Takeshi , Multihartina Pretty , Setiawaty Vivi , Pangesti Krisna Nur Andriana , Hasegawa Hideki
Published: January 2020

Intranasally administered influenza vaccines could be more effective than injected vaccines, because intranasal vaccination can induce virus‐specific immunoglobulin A (IgA) antibodies in the upper respiratory tract, which is the initial site of infection. In this study, immune responses elicited by an intranasal inactivated vaccine of influenza A(H5N1) virus were evaluated in healthy individuals naive for influenza A(H5N1) virus. Three doses of intranasal inactivated whole‐virion H5 influenza vaccine induced strong neutralizing nasal IgA and serum IgG antibodies. In addition, a mucoadhesive excipient, carboxy vinyl polymer, had a notable impact on the induction of nasal IgA antibody responses but not on serum IgG antibody responses. The nasal hemagglutinin (HA)‐specific IgA antibody responses clearly correlated with mucosal neutralizing antibody responses, indicating that measurement of nasal HA‐specific IgA titers could be used as a surrogate for the mucosal antibody response. Furthermore, increased numbers of plasma cells and vaccine antigen‐specific Th cells in the peripheral blood were observed after vaccination, suggesting that peripheral blood biomarkers may also be used to evaluate the intranasal vaccine‐induced immune response. However, peripheral blood immune cell responses correlated with neutralizing antibody titers in serum samples but not in nasal wash samples. Thus, analysis of the peripheral blood immune response could be a surrogate for the systemic immune response to intranasal vaccination but not for the mucosal immune response. The current study suggests the clinical potential of intranasal inactivated vaccines against influenza A(H5N1) viruses and highlights the need to develop novel means to evaluate intranasal vaccine‐induced mucosal immune responses.
A non‐vector herbivore indirectly increases the transmission of a vector‐borne virus by reducing plant chemical defences
Authors: Su Qi , Yang Fengbo , Yao Qixi , Peng Zhengke , Tong Hong , Wang Shaoli , Xie Wen , Wu Qingjun , Zhang Youjun
Published: January 2020

Vectors and viruses exist in communities consisting of many interacting species. Although the cascading effects of predators or parasitoids on disease spread via direct effects on vectors have been investigated, little is known about the effects of other free‐living species in communities on the transmission of vector‐borne viruses via indirect (host‐plant mediated) effects on vectors.

In the present study, we used a food web consisting of tomato plants Solanum lycopersicum, two tomato herbivores (the vector whitefly, Bemisia tabaci, and the non‐vector two‐spotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae) and a whitefly‐vectored plant virus (Tomato yellow leaf curl virus, TYLCV) to study how T. urticae may affect TYLCV transmission by B. tabaci via host‐plant mediated effects on B. tabaci.

We found that T. urticae infestation promoted B. tabaci feeding, thereby increasing TYLCV transmission to tomato plants. These increases were associated with T. urticae‐induced reductions in two flavonoids (rutin and quercetin trisaccharide) of tomato plants. Elevation of rutin and quercetin trisaccharide levels in T. urticae‐infested plants via exogenous stem applications reduced B. tabaci feeding and TYLCV transmission. Therefore, suppression of these flavonoids by T. urticae infestation was the most likely explanation for the observed changes in B. tabaci feeding behaviour and TYLCV transmission.

Our results show that by reducing flavonoids in tomato plants, a non‐vector herbivore can indirectly increase the transmission of a vector‐borne plant virus. These findings indicate that species that are far removed from the direct vector–virus interactions can indirectly affect vector‐borne virus transmission by altering the chemical defences of the shared host plant.

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Energy Firms’ Responses to Institutional Ambiguity and Complexity in Long Energy Transitions: The Case of the UK and China
Authors: Tarim Emre , Finke Tobias , Liu Lingxuan
Published: January 2020

We compare and contrast the UK and China as maximum variation cases for understanding long energy transitions from the state and the firm perspectives. We present case histories and corpus‐based computer‐assisted textual analyses on the long energy transitions in both countries. With these, we explore and explain how and why energy supply firms respond the way they do to the institutional ambiguities and complexities that characterize the long energy transitions in each case. Our findings demonstrate that a centrally coordinated and imposed approach by the state can generate institutional clarity in long energy transitions, which is quickly seized on by firms striving to preserve and increase their resources and influence. Such clarity and transition processes lose momentum owing to the perennial trilemma of energy affordability, security and sustainability. Market‐based mechanisms to trigger and sustain long energy transitions, complemented with focused and continuous state interventions (e.g. incentives, taxation), provide a more effective and accountable institutional framework for the state and energy firms to deal with the energy trilemma. Irrespective of the logic of the type of economy that manifests the backdrop for any long energy transition process, institutional ambiguity and complexity never disappear completely, owing to both the energy trilemma and the institutional multiplicities.
Impact of gentrification on adult mental health
Authors: Tran Linda Diem , Rice Thomas H. , Ong Paul M. , Banerjee Sudipto , Liou Julia , Ponce Ninez A.
Published: January 2020

Objective

To estimate the net effect of living in a gentrified neighborhood on probability of having serious psychological distress.

Data Sources

We pooled 5 years of secondary data from the California Health Interview Survey (2011‐2015) and focused on southern California residents.

Study Design

We compared adults (n = 43 815) living in low‐income and gentrified, low‐income and not gentrified, middle‐ to high‐income and upscaled, and middle‐ to high‐income and not upscaled neighborhoods. We performed a probit regression to test whether living in a gentrified neighborhood increased residents' probabilities of having serious psychological distress in the past year and stratified analyses by neighborhood tenure, homeownership status, and low‐income status. Instrumental variables estimation and propensity scores were applied to reduce bias arising from residential selection and simultaneity. An endogenous treatment effects model was also applied in sensitivity analyses.

Data Collection/Extraction Methods

Adults who completed the survey on their own and lived in urban neighborhoods with 500 or more residents were selected for analyses. Survey respondents who scored 13 and above on the Kessler 6 were categorized as having serious psychological distress in the past year. We used eight neighborhood change measures to classify respondents' neighborhoods.

Principal Findings

Living in a gentrified and upscaled neighborhood was associated with increased likelihood of serious psychological distress relative to living in a low‐income and not gentrified neighborhood. The average treatment effect was 0.0141 (standard error = 0.007), which indicates that the prevalence of serious psychological distress would have been 1.4 percentage points less if none of the respondents lived in gentrified neighborhoods. Gentrification appears to have a negative impact on the mental health of renters, low‐income residents, and long‐term residents. This effect was not observed among homeowners, higher‐income residents, and recent residents.

Conclusions

Gentrification levies mental health costs on financially vulnerable community members and can worsen mental health inequities.
Reducing the glycemic impact of carbohydrates on foods and meals: Strategies for the food industry and consumers with special focus on Asia
Authors: Wee May S. M. , Henry Christiani Jeyakumar
Published: January 2020

Type 2 diabetes is increasingly prevalent in Asia, which can be attributed to a carbohydrate‐rich diet, consisting of foods in the form of grains, for example, rice, or a food product made from flours or isolated starch, for example, noodles. Carbohydrates become a health issue when they are digested and absorbed rapidly (high glycemic index), and more so when they are consumed in large quantities (high glycemic load). The principal strategies of glycemic control should thus aim to reduce the amount of carbohydrate available for digestion, reduce the rate of digestion of the food, reduce the rate of glucose absorption, and increase the rate of glucose removal from blood. From a food perspective, the composition and structure of the food can be modified to reduce the amount of carbohydrates or alter starch digestibility and glucose absorption rates via using different food ingredients and processing methods. From a human perspective, eating behavior and food choices surrounding a meal can also affect glycemic response. This review therefore identifies actionable strategies and opportunities across foods and meals that can be considered by food manufacturers or consumers. They are (a) using alternative ingredients, (b) adding functional ingredients, and (c) changing processing methods and parameters for foods, and optimizing (a) eating behavior, (b) preloading or co‐ingestion of other macronutrients, and (c) meal sequence and history. The effectiveness of a strategy would depend on consumer acceptance, compatibility of the strategy with an existing food product, and whether it is economically or technologically feasible. A combination of two or more strategies is recommended for greater effectiveness and flexibility.
Understanding spoilage microbial community and spoilage mechanisms in foods of animal origin
Authors: Odeyemi Olumide Adedokun , Alegbeleye Oluwadara Oluwaseun , Strateva Mariyana , Stratev Deyan
Published: January 2020

The increasing global population has resulted in increased demand for food. Goods quality and safe food is required for healthy living. However, food spoilage has resulted in food insecurity in different regions of the world. Spoilage of food occurs when the quality of food deteriorates from its original organoleptic properties observed at the time of processing. Food spoilage results in huge economic losses to both producers (farmers) and consumers. Factors such as storage temperature, pH, water availability, presence of spoilage microorganisms including bacteria and fungi, initial microbial load (total viable count—TVC), and processing influence the rate of food spoilage. This article reviews the spoilage microbiota and spoilage mechanisms in meat and dairy products and seafood. Understanding food spoilage mechanisms will assist in the development of robust technologies for the prevention of food spoilage and waste.