bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Host genomic influence on bacterial composition in the switchgrass rhizosphere
Authors: Sutherland Jeremy , Bell Terrence , Trexler Ryan V. , Carlson John E. , Lasky Jesse R.
Published: September 2021

Host genetic variation can shape the diversity and composition of associated microbiomes, which may reciprocally influence host traits and performance. While the genetic basis of phenotypic diversity of plant populations in nature has been studied, comparatively little research has investigated the genetics of host effects on their associated microbiomes. Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) is a highly outcrossing, perennial, grass species with substantial locally adaptive diversity across its native North American range. Here, we compared 383 switchgrass accessions in a common garden to determine the host genotypic influence on rhizosphere bacterial composition. We hypothesized that the composition and diversity of rhizosphere bacterial assemblages would differentiate due to genotypic differences between hosts (potentially due to root phenotypes and associated life history variation). We observed higher alpha diversity of bacteria associated with upland ecotypes and tetraploids, compared to lowland ecotypes and octoploids, respectively. Alpha diversity correlated negatively with flowering time and plant height, indicating that bacterial composition varies along switchgrass life history axes. Narrow-sense heritability (h2) of the relative abundance of twenty-one core bacterial families was observed. Overall compositional differences among tetraploids, due to genetic variation, supports wide-spread genotypic influence on the rhizosphere microbiome. Lastly, a genome-wide association study identified 1,861 single-nucleotide polymorphisms associated with 110 families and genes containing them related to potential regulatory functions. Our findings suggest that switchgrass genomic and life-history variation influences bacterial composition in the rhizosphere, potentially due to host adaptation to local environments.
Generating heterokaryotic cells via bacterial cell-cell fusion
Authors: Shitut Shraddha , Shen Meng-Jie , Claushuis Bart , Derks Rico J. E. , Giera Martin , Rozen Daniel , Claessen Dennis , Kros Alexander
Published: September 2021

Cell-cell fusion is fundamentally important for tissue repair, virus transmission, and genetic recombination, among other functions. Fusion has been mainly studied in eukaryotic cells and lipid vesicles, while cell-cell fusion in bacteria is less well characterized, due to the cell wall acting as a fusion-limiting barrier. Here we use cell wall-deficient bacteria to investigate the dynamics of cell fusion in bacteria that replicate without their cell wall. Stable, replicating cells containing differently labeled chromosomes were successfully obtained from fusion. We find that the rate of cell-cell fusion depends on the fluidity of cell membranes. Furthermore, we show that not only the efficiency but also the specificity of cell-cell fusion can be controlled via a pair of synthetic membrane-associated lipopeptides. Our results provide a molecular handle to understand and control cell-cell fusion to generate heterokaryotic cells, which was an important step in the evolution of protocells and of increasing importance for the design of synthetic cells.
Methodological guidelines for isolation and purification of plant extracellular vesicles
Authors: Huang Yifan , Wang Shumei , Cai Qiang , Jin Hailing
Published: September 2021

Plant extracellular vesicles (EVs) have become the focus of rising interest due to their important roles in the cross-kingdom trafficking of molecules from hosts to interacting microbes to modulate pathogen virulence. However, the isolation of pure intact EVs from plants still represents a considerable challenge. Currently, plant EVs have been isolated from apoplastic washing fluid (AWF) using a variety of methods. Here, we compare two published methods used for isolating plant EVs, and provide a detailed recommended method for AWF collection from Arabidopsis thaliana, followed by EV isolation via differential ultracentrifugation. To further separate and purify specific subclasses of EV from heterogeneous vesicles, sucrose or iodixanol density-based separation and immunoaffinity capture are then utilized. We found that immunoaffinity capture provides a significant advantage for specific EV isolation when suitable specific EV biomarkers and their corresponding antibodies are available. Overall, this study guides the selection and optimization of EV isolation methods for desired downstream applications.
Too much is not always good: the inverted U-shaped link between green customer integration and opportunistic behavior
Authors: Shi Haiqing , Feng Taiwen , Li Zhiyi
Published: September 2021

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to explore the inverted U-shaped relationship between green customer integration (GCI) and opportunistic behavior, as well as the moderating effects of contractual control and relational norms.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors conducted hierarchical regression analysis using two-waved data from 206 Chinese manufacturing firms to test hypotheses.

Findings

The authors found that GCI has an inverted U-shaped effect on opportunistic behavior. Furthermore, both contractual control and relational norms negatively moderate the inverted U-shaped relationship between GCI and opportunistic behavior.

Originality/value

This study uncovers an inverted U-shaped link between GCI and opportunistic behavior by combining transaction cost economics and social exchange theory. Furthermore, this study reveals contractual control and relational norms can be deemed as two boundary conditions affecting the inverted U-shaped GCI–opportunistic behavior relationship. This study also offers managerial implications for firms curbing opportunistic behavior that may result from GCI.
Exploring the interrelationship and roles of employee–organization relationship outcomes between symmetrical internal communication and employee job engagement
Authors: Lee Ejae , Kang Minjeong , Kim Young , Yang Sung-Un
Published: September 2021

Purpose

This paper aims to investigate how employee–organization relationship (EOR) outcomes – types and qualities – are interrelated and how employees' perceptions of types (exchange and communal EORs) and qualities (trust, satisfaction, commitment, and control mutuality) play a role in their evaluations of symmetrical internal communication (SIC) and employee job engagement (EJE).

Design/methodology/approach

This study conducted an online survey of full-time employees (N = 804) from major US industries. This study performed a confirmatory factor analysis to check the validity and reliability of the measurement model using latent variables and then conducted structural equation modeling.

Findings

The findings demonstrate that employees' perceptions of both exchange and communal EORs are associated with each of the four EOR qualities. The results also show that only communal EORs have a significant relationship with perceived SIC and that employees' perceptions about one of the EOR quality indicator, satisfaction with an organization, has a significant association with their perceived EJE.

Originality/value

This study contributes to relationship management theory within the internal context by examining the interrelationship between each of the EOR types and qualities that are perceived by employees. This paper also suggests the practical importance of developing not only communal but also exchange EORs to enhance EOR quality. Additionally, the results imply that SIC programs could help to enhance employees' perceptions of communal EORs and employees could be engaged in their workplace when they are satisfied with their organizations.
Study of isolation effectiveness of nuclear reactor building with three-dimensional seismic base isolation
Authors: Zhu Xiuyun , Pan Rong , Li Jianbo , Lin Gao
Published: September 2021

Purpose

In recent years, three-dimensional (3D) seismic base isolation system has been studied extensively. This paper aims to propose a new 3D combined isolation bearing (3D-CIB) to mitigate the seismic response in both the horizontal and vertical directions.

Design/methodology/approach

The new 3D-CIB composed of laminated rubber bearing coupled with combined disk spring bearing (CDSB) was proposed. Comprehensive analysis of constitution and theoretical derivation for 3D-CIB were presented. The advantage of CDSB is that the constitution can be flexibly adjusted according to the requirements of the bearing capacity and vertical stiffness. Hence, four different combinations of CDSB were designed for the 3D-CIB and employed to isolate nuclear reactor building. A comparative study of the seismic response in terms of seismic action, acceleration floor response spectra (FRS), peak acceleration and relative displacement response was carried out.

Findings

3D-CIB can effectively reduce seismic action, FRS and peak acceleration response of the superstructure in both the horizontal and vertical directions. Overall, the horizontal isolation effectiveness of 3D-CIB was slightly influenced by vertical stiffness. The decrease in the vertical stiffness of the 3D-CIB can reduce the vertical FRS and shift the peak values to a lower frequency. The vertical peak acceleration decreased with a decrease in the vertical stiffness. The superstructure exhibited a rocking effect during the earthquake, and the decrease in the vertical stiffness may increase the rocking of the superstructure.

Originality/value

Although the advantage of 3D-CIB is that the vertical stiffness can be flexibly adjusted by different constitutions, the vertical stiffness should be designed by properly accounting for the balance between the isolation effectiveness and displacement response. This study of isolation effectiveness can provide the technical basis for the application of 3D-CIB into real engineering of nuclear power plants.
Integrating lean production strategies, virtual reality technique and building information modeling method for mass customization in cabinet manufacturing
Authors: Zhang Yuxuan , Wang Jingwen , Ahmad Rafiq , Li Xinming
Published: September 2021

Purpose

In response to increasing demand for a fully customized and individualized home environment, mass customization (MC) has been suggested as an effective strategy to fulfill the customer’s customization needs while keeping production cost-effectiveness. However, in current practice, the implementation of the MC in the industrialized housing industry has not achieved an ideal level. Little effort was devoted to customer value generation and achieving lean production in a multi-disciplinary MC environment. In this concern, a highly efficient and flexible production information system is expected to capture accurately the customer’s demand and efficiently perform work planning for encouraging customer involvement and mass efficiency production.

Design/methodology/approach

To gain an insight into the development of the MC production information system for the housing industry and to depict the interaction among system modules, this study used a design science research methodology for a case study of customized cabinet production information system development.

Findings

A prototype of the production information system was proposed in this paper, supported by three information technologies to facilitate the MC implementation in the millwork manufacturer. A focus group discussion method was carried out for evaluating the system feasibility and the subsequent survey analysis on the virtual reality (VR) interface experiment. The evaluation process results showed that the VR interface is an effective medium for design information communication and encourages customer involvement. Most participants believed that the proposed production information system could generally benefit the MC implementation and improve production efficiency.

Originality/value

This study integrated lean production principles along with building information modelling, VR and discrete-event simulation in the production information system to assist the manufacturer in effectively handling variant product information and enabling quicker reactions in response to diverse customer requirements in housing industries. The coordination among system modules and the managed information flow could be a valuable reference for future MC production system development in housing industries.
The positive experiences associated with coming out at work
Authors: Salter Nicholas P. , Sasso Thomas
Published: September 2021

Purpose

Much research has focused on the negative aspects of disclosing sexual orientation and/or gender identity in the workplace but less has explicitly examined the positive aspects. This lack of research is problematic as this can oversimplify the work lives of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or queer (LGBTQ) people. The current study examines positive intrapersonal, interpersonal and work opportunity experiences associated with coming out in the workplace as LGBTQ.

Design/methodology/approach

The current study surveyed 135 working adults who identified as LGBTQ and used a mixed qualitative and quantitative design to examine the relationship between disclosure and various positive workplace experiences.

Findings

Results suggest that sexual orientation disclosure at work was related to participants perceiving multiple positive interpersonal as well as work opportunity experiences. Furthermore, results suggest gender identity disclosure was similar to, but not the same as, sexual orientation disclosure in terms of perception of positive experiences.

Originality/value

Previous research on disclosure at work has taken a somewhat narrow and typically quantitative approach. The current study provides more nuance to the phenomenon by broadly examining multiple positive experiences associated with disclosure and studying them qualitatively in order to best understand participants' experiences in their own voices.
Emerging partnerships between non-profit organizations and companies in reverse supply chains: enabling valorization of post-use textile
Authors: Zhuravleva Anna , Aminoff Anna
Published: September 2021

Purpose

The European Union (EU) member states are obligated to implement the separate collection of textile waste by the year 2025. Nowadays, non-profit organizations (NPOs) are the largest collectors of post-use textiles. In support of upcoming changes, this study develops an understanding of barriers and drivers for establishing partnerships between NPOs and companies in reverse textile supply chains.

Design/methodology/approach

This study adopts the embedded single-case design. The main data source is semi-structured interviews with NPOs, companies and research institutes in Finland, identified through intensity case sampling. The drivers and barriers are categorized into seven categories: environmental, economic, social, institutional, technological and informational, supply chain and organizational categories.

Findings

This study elaborates on the barriers and drivers in a new context of textile valorization and prioritizes them. The study identifies the alignment of interests and goals, increased transparency and clarity of terminology and other main factors in establishing the partnership.

Research limitations/implications

Expanding the geographical boundaries of current research will capture the experiences of NPOs and companies in other contextual settings.

Practical implications

This study contributes to the existing knowledge with a broad picture of different barriers and drivers. The findings intend to support the integration of NPOs in reverse textile supply chains.

Social implications

The partnership can potentially minimize the export of post-use textiles to developing countries, thus reducing the negative environmental footprint and social impact of the textile industry.

Originality/value

The study looks at an emerging form of partnership between NPOs and companies in reverse supply chains for enabling valorization of post-use textiles.
Application of blockchain information technology in Ṣukūk trade
Authors: Busari Saheed Abdullahi , Aminu Sikiru Olanrewaju
Published: September 2021

Purpose

This study aims to explore the opportunities and challenges in activating a Smart Contract to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of Ṣukūk offerings in the Islamic capital market.

Design/methodology/approach

The study adopts a mono-method qualitative approach. Data were obtained from survey interviews of two issuances on the fusion of smart contracts in Ṣukūk structures that were Sharīʿah-compliant. A thematic approach was further used to analyze the interview data based on the onion research method while opportunities and challenges of activating the Smart Ṣukūk (SṢ) relied on doctrinal evidence.

Findings

The results from the issuances across two jurisdictions showed that deployment of SṢ can resolve contractual ambiguities arising from Sharīʿah interpretations, jurisdictional policies and legal regime issues, which affect Ṣukūk origination and issuances especially on the right of investors in the event of Ṣukūk defaults. Although SṢ is automated, the third party’s presence is not eliminated as the blockchain platform still relies on the validators who are usually blockchain developers functioning as a third party in the Ṣukūk chain.

Research limitations/implications

The study relies on doctrinal literature to explain the features and requirements of SṢ. The empirical approach is limited to interview data based on local SṢ issuances. Future studies need to explore regulators’ role and global standards in cross-border issuance of SṢ with multiple jurisdictions/laws.

Practical implications

The paper concludes that the offering of SṢ using local currency has been successful in the two issuances because of the facilitative regulatory environment. However, addressing Ṣukūk’s challenges in cross-border offerings would require guidance from international standard-setters such as the Accounting and Auditing Organization for Islamic Financial Institutions and the Islamic Financial Services Board.

Originality/value

This study is an advanced application of smart contracts to alleviate the related Ṣukūk challenges in the Islamic capital market.
Consumer ethnocentrism and purchasing behavior: moderating effect of demographics
Authors: Akbarov Shahin
Published: September 2021

Purpose

This study aims to investigate consumer ethnocentrism and determine its impact on actual purchasing behavior in relation to six product categories. It also examines the role of demographic variables as moderators in the relationship between ethnocentric tendencies and purchasing behavior.

Design/methodology/approach

A total of 467 completed questionnaires were obtained through convenience and snowball sampling. Data were analyzed using SPSS-24 and AMOS-23 software: SPSS to conduct the exploratory factor analysis and AMOS for the confirmatory factor analysis. Regression analysis was performed to determine the effect of ethnocentrism on purchasing behaviors; the SPSS process was used to test the moderating effects.

Findings

The consumer ethnocentric tendencies scale was collected in two dimensions: hard ethnocentrism, which influences actual purchasing behavior in five product categories; and soft ethnocentrism, which influences actual purchasing behavior in only two product categories. The results show that the effect of consumer ethnocentrism on purchasing behavior differs across product categories. Further, gender, marital status and personal income moderate this relationship.

Originality/value

Few studies investigate purchasing behavior across several product categories and the literature on consumer ethnocentrism does not address the impact of demographic variables as moderators in consumer behavior. This study contributes to the existing literature in four ways. First, it was conducted in Azerbaijan, a country with specific characteristics. Second, it examines the impact of ethnocentric tendencies on actual purchasing behavior. Third, it examines purchasing behavior in relation to six different product categories. Fourth, the moderating effect of demographic variables was tested.
The requirements for maintenance management systems (MMS) at Malaysian polytechnic: a case study
Authors: Ismail Zul-Atfi
Published: September 2021

Purpose

The conventional methods practiced by Development and Facilities Management Unit (UPPF) faced issues due to management deficiencies and negligent staffs to handle operation and maintenance processes of Chemical Facility (CFs) management at Malaysian Polytechnic. The prime objective of this paper is to improve the conventional methods which tend to be both cumbersome and ineffective in the Maintenance Management Systems (MMS) for UPPF at Malaysian Polytechnic.

Design/methodology/approach

Primary data was gathered through the interview to develop the proposed system. The major conclusion drawn from the interview results was that there is a lack of comprehensive MMS that integrate operation and maintenance processes of CF management and software programming that provide the guides for decision-making processes. The interview results also revealed irregularities within the Malaysian Polytechnic's maintenance management database.

Findings

The conventional methods had significantly little emphasis on defect diagnosis tools. It had also increased the inadequate strategic decision making to analyse information in improving the maintenance project outcomes for Malaysian Polytechnic's building. New MMS tools is suggested from findings and lessons learned as a good practice to reduce the frequent overhauling and repairs on the durability's performance and design of building control instrument.

Originality/value

The new MMS potentially transform operation and maintenance processes of CF management into one of the most sophisticated technologies by providing access to all information published by all Malaysian Polytechnics institutions. This is in order to foster financial cooperation, the idea that being that Polytechnics who compete with one another become financially independent towards successful achievements of CF management for laboratory building and equipment.
Behavioral strategy: mapping the trends, sources and intellectual evolution
Authors: Anwar Jamil , Bibi Aqsa , Ahmad Nisar
Published: September 2021

Purpose

This paper presents a comprehensive review of academic research dedicated to the field of Behavioral Strategy. Based on a series of Bibliometric and network analyses, the paper identifies the prominent trend and growth patterns pertaining to the evolution of this important strategic management subfield; it documents which particular journals, articles and authors have most influenced its development, and it maps the intellectual structure and network of authors, publications and countries. Finally, the paper considers the substantive research themes emerging from the analyses reported, in terms of their implications for future work.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors undertook a series of Bibliometric and network analyses of 217 relevant articles, published between 1975 and 2020, in journals listed in the Scopus database, using R-studio and VOSviewer. Articles incorporated in the study were selected based on relevant key terms searched from the title, abstract and list of keywords associated with each publication.

Findings

The results demonstrate that behavioral strategy has enjoyed robust and sustained growth, with widespread impact across many areas of the heterogeneous business and management field as a whole. Three distinct periods are identified: an infancy stage (prior to 1999); a steady growth stage (1999–2010); and a take-off stage (2011 onwards). The top three journals in terms of content coverage, based on the number of relevant articles published in relation to behavioral strategy, are Strategic Management Journal, Advances in Strategic Management (AiSM) and the Journal of Management, while the top three most influential journals, in terms of citations pertaining to Behavioral Strategy, based on an analysis of citations in the Scopus database, are Strategic Management Journal, Academy of Management Perspectives and Journal of Management Studies. Gerard P. Hodgkinson and Thomas C. Powell are the most prolific authors. The emerging themes based on intellectual structures have been identified as Behavioral Strategy, Behavioral Theory of Firm; Strategic Leadership and Dynamic Capabilities; and Strategic Cognition and Decision Making.

Practical implications

The study contributes to knowledge advancement concerning Behavioral Strategy by opening new possibilities to discover important research areas.

Originality/value

The study is the first of its kind on Behavioral Strategy providing a comprehensive systematic literature review.
Narratives of environmental munificence of 3PL firms on the relationship between dynamic capabilities, strategic management and organizational performance
Authors: Arun Korhan , Yildirim Ozmutlu Saniye
Published: September 2021

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine how the mediating effect of strategic management impacts the relationship between dynamic capabilities and firm performance concerning environmental munificence in 3rd party logistics (3PL) firms operating in Turkey.

Design/methodology/approach

Variance-based structural equation modeling algorithm and correlation analysis were applied to survey data obtained from (n = 482) a top manager from 3PL companies.

Findings

Results revealed that dynamic capabilities were a strong predictor for organizational performance, environmental munificence also emerges as a key predictor for dynamic capabilities and strategic management, and strategic management fully mediates the link between dynamic capabilities and organizational performance, suggesting that they function as substitutes in affecting performance outcomes.

Research limitations/implications

This paper provides empirical evidence of the relationship between the dynamic capability adaptation, strategic management, environment and performance of 3PL firms. As a limitation, the results are based on survey research with a limited sample size.

Practical implications

Organizations should manage not only dynamism but also the scarcity of environmental resources found to be significant on both dynamic capabilities and strategic management. Additionally, in the logistics sector, managers should focus on the big picture while they empower and lead capable followers to transform this strategic view into operational-level changes.

Originality/value

Depending on the relationships between constructs, studying environmental munificence is a different topic than the dynamic environment concept in the effectiveness of dynamic capabilities of 3PL firms. As well as dynamic capabilities at the level of individual and strategic management relationship on organization performance are confirmed.
A novel approach to assess sustainability of supply chains
Authors: Kalantary Majid , Farzipoor Saen Reza
Published: September 2021

Purpose

This paper discusses how learning-by-doing (LBD) criterion can be used to evaluate the sustainability of supply chains. This paper assesses the impacts of teamwork on the LBD criterion. Besides, the effect of the internship of new labors on the LBD criterion is discussed.

Design/methodology/approach

The repeat of a task leads to a gradual improvement in the efficiency of production systems. LBD occurs by accumulating knowledge and skills in multiple periods. LBD can be used to study changes in the efficiency. Efficiency can be improved by accumulating knowledge and skills. In this paper, the LBD criterion is projected on learning curve (LC) models. Furthermore, the LC models are fitted to the supply chains. Each supply chain may have a unique LC model. A minimum difference is set between the current performance of decision making unit (DMU) and the estimated performance of DMU based on DMU's LC. Hence, a point in which the LBD occurs is determined.

Findings

This paper develops an inverse network dynamic data envelopment analysis (DEA) model to assess the sustainability of supply chains DMUs. Findings imply that the LBD criterion plays an important role in assessing the sustainability of supply chains. Furthermore, managers should increase the internships and teamwork to get more benefit from the LBD criterion.

Originality/value

For the first time, this paper uses the LBD criterion to assess the sustainability of supply chains given the LC equations.
Arab women feelings while seeking information during COVID-19 pandemic: applying PMT constructs
Authors: Alwreikat Asma , Shehata Ahmed , Edakar Metwaly Ali Mohamed
Published: September 2021

Purpose

This study investigates the effect of protection motivation theory (PMT) constructs on Arab women's feelings while seeking information during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Design/methodology/approach

The study has adopted a mixed-method approach using semi-structured interviews and a questionnaire to explore PMT constructs' impact on women's feelings while seeking information on COVID-19. Several tests, such as standard deviation, mean, skewness, kurtosis and persons, were used to check the reliability of data and inter-relationships between constructs.

Findings

The study results show a significant positive correlation between PMT constructs (perceived vulnerability, perceived severity, response efficacy, self-efficacy and response cost) with the feelings of Arab women during information seeking on COVID-19. However, the relationship between threat appraisal and feelings during information seeking was more substantial than coping appraisal and feelings during information seeking. The researchers hope that this study creates a baseline of cross-cultural studies on PMT constructs' effect on women's feelings while seeking health information.

Research limitations/implications

The current study was conducted on female participants only. While the study intended to examine Arab women's feelings during information seeking with PMT's application, the results may be affected by other factors that were not considered in the current study. Furthermore, the questionnaire was distributed in three Arab countries, which means that the results cannot be generalized in other geographical contexts. Therefore, similar studies need to be conducted in larger geographical areas as cultural factors may produce different results.

Originality/value

This study explores women's feelings while seeking COVID-19 information using the PMT constructs. As far as we know, this study is the first study to investigate Arab women's feelings while seeking health information during pandemics. PMT utilization is considered a new approach to discover and measure informational needs and feelings associated with it during pandemics.
The university-to-work transition: responses of universities and organizations to the COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Donald William E. , Ashleigh Melanie J. , Baruch Yehuda
Published: September 2021

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to understand how universities and organizations have responded to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in terms of preparing university students and recent graduates to enter the global labor market, using the accounting, banking and finance sector as a case study. The two research questions are (1) How can university career services and organizations work individually and collaboratively to best develop early career talent following the COVID-19 pandemic? (2) What are the challenges that university career services and organizations face when working individually or collaboratively to develop early career talent following the COVID-19 pandemic?

Design/methodology/approach

The data for thematic analysis comes from 36 semi-structured interviews with career advisors (CAs) (n = 19) and graduate recruiters (GRs) (n = 17).

Findings

This study offers some of the first findings on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, helping to ensure that organizational behavior and career theory literature reflect the dramatically changing landscape in the university-to-work transition.

Originality/value

Theoretically, our contribution comes from applying a framework of the career construction theory (CTT) within the context of a career ecosystem to understand the views of the intermediary, meso-level actors, which, to date, have lacked representation within career literature. Practically, we provide an insightful bridge between universities and organizations, offering opportunities for greater collaboration, and enhanced outcomes for all stakeholders.
Work connectivity behavior after-hours and job satisfaction: examining the moderating effects of psychological entitlement and perceived organizational support
Authors: Cheng Ken , Cao Xing , Guo Limin , Xia Qing
Published: September 2021

Purpose

This study aims to examine the moderating effects of psychological entitlement and perceived organizational support (POS) on the relationship between work connectivity behavior after-hours (WCBA) and job satisfaction.

Design/methodology/approach

Data were collected from 217 full-time employees of an Internet company in China at two points in time separated by about one month. Hierarchical regression and simple slope analyses were conducted to test hypotheses.

Findings

The results showed that WCBA was negatively related to job satisfaction and that this relationship could be mitigated by POS. Moreover, psychological entitlement aggravated this relationship, and this aggravating effect was stronger when POS was at low levels.

Practical implications

Managers should avoid intervening employees' nonwork domains too much. If this is unavoidable, managers should provide adequate organizational support to help employees cope with the challenges brought by WCBA. Besides, managers need to pay close attention to highly entitled employees and take measures to modify their expectations.

Originality/value

First, this study enriches the understanding of what WCBA is and how WCBA works by investigating the influencing mechanism of WCBA from the perspectives of effort–reward imbalance and job demands–resources. Second, by verifying the moderating effects of psychological entitlement and POS, this study provides insights into the boundaries of the WCBA–job satisfaction relationship. Third, this study contributes to the literature on psychological entitlement by identifying its one applicable condition.
Organizational goal ambiguity and public service motivation: evidence from Iran
Authors: Danaeefard Hassan , Ahmadzahi Torshab Abdolali , Mostafazadeh Masoumeh , Delkhah Jalil , Imanikhah Fahimeh
Published: September 2021

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of organizational goal ambiguity (OGA) on public service motivation (PSM) considering the mediating role of job satisfaction (JS), performance appraisal (PA) and perceived organizational fairness (POF) in the Iranian public sector. This research also seeks to answer this question: to what extent PSM confirmed in Western countries is generalizable to the Iranian public sector?

Design/methodology/approach

A survey of 779 employees working in 16 ministries of Iran was administered. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and hierarchical regression were applied to test the model and the mediators.

Findings

The results indicate that OGA negatively affects PSM, and this relationship is mediated by JS, PA and POF. Furthermore, the research findings have varied across ministries, contract type, positions and gender. Most importantly, the generalizability of the PSM construct is limited in the public sector of Iran since two of four dimensions of PSM were confirmed, that is, an attraction to public service and self-sacrifice (compassion).

Practical implications

This paper provides managers and decision makers with a clear understanding of the effects of context (including goal ambiguity, the importance of employee's attitudes and HR systems in shaping unique intrinsic motivation for public organizations) on employee's PSM. Also, these findings show how they can manage and motivate employees to engage in PSM. By clarifying organizational goals or making an association between job tasks and higher-level goals, practitioners can stimulate PSM at work.

Originality/value

This paper advances a new and further understanding of antecedent and mediators of PSM in Iran. Also, it provides an explanation of its generalizability and the role of organizational climate in fostering it.
Interpreting banks’ sustainability initiatives as reputational risk management and mechanisms for coping, re-embedding and rebuilding societal trust
Authors: Saeudy Mohamed , Atkins Jill , Barone Elisabetta A.V.
Published: September 2021

Purpose

This paper aims to contribute to a growing literature in sustainable and green banking by exploring the views of senior banking representatives towards the implementation of sustainability initiatives through extensive interview research. The authors explore the extent to which such initiatives are embedded within the banking industry, whether they represent risk management mechanisms and whether they are imbued with reputational risk management rather than a genuine response to ethical societal concerns.

Design/methodology/approach

Qualitative semi-structured interviews were conducted with UK bank managers. The interviewees’ utterances are interpreted through a sociological theoretical lens derived from the study of Giddens and Beck, allowing us to conclude that external initiatives such as the Equator Principles seem to be adopted as re-embedding mechanisms that can rebuild societal trust, as well as representing mechanisms of reputational risk management.

Findings

The analysis suggested that internal sustainability initiatives were interpreted as coping mechanisms whereby bank employees can recreate their protective cocoon, reinstating their ontological security in response to the high consequence risks of climate change and other related systemic factors that create overwhelming feelings of engulfment.

Originality/value

Using Beck’s risk society theory as a theoretical lens through which to interpret the interview data allows a number of concluding comments and suggestions to be made. The findings resonate with earlier research into institutional investors’ attitudes towards climate change that found their engagement and dialogue with companies around climate change issues to be imbued with a risk discourse: their initiatives and actions were dominated by risk management motivations.
Are the saving decision patterns of bank customers also clouded by psychological biases? Evidence from Ghana
Authors: Tetteh Joseph Emmanuel , Boachie Christopher
Published: September 2021

Purpose

This paper attempts to investigate the influence of psychological biases on saving decision-making of bank customers in Ghana.

Design/methodology/approach

It employs weighted least squares regression to test the effect of psychological biases on savings decisions of bank customers.

Findings

The findings show that all the nine psychological biases, namely mental accounting, availability, loss aversion, representativeness, anchoring, overconfidence, status quo, framing effect and disposition effect employed for the study have a significant influence on saving decision of bank customers. The results depict that psychological biases are entrenched in the saving pattern of bank customers in Ghana.

Practical implications

For policy purposes, the study recommends that bank customers need to enhance their knowledge of psychological biases in order to improve their gains from savings, and not to fall prey to these prejudices. The satisfied customer is a dependable source of bank viability and survival.

Originality/value

To the best of the knowledge of the author, this study provides the first empirical evidence of the influence of psychological biases on saving decisions of bank customers in Ghana. The findings of this study will enhance knowledge on the influence of psychological biases on individual decision-making and will accentuate the fact that the individual is not an entirely rational being.
TISM-based analysis of important factors for additive manufacturing in healthcare:a case study
Authors: Logesh S. , Vinodh S.
Published: September 2021

Purpose

This paper aims to focus on developing a theoretical framework for the analysis of factors influencing additive manufacturing (AM) in the health-care domain.

Design/methodology/approach

A total of 18 factors are considered through extensive literature review and the relationship between each factor is studied using total interpretive structural modeling (TISM) and the model is logically developed. TISM model is developed using appropriate expert inputs. In addition, cross-impact matrix multiplication applied to classification (MICMAC) analysis is conducted to group the factors.

Findings

It was found that “ease of design” and “research and development” are the two most important factors with the highest driving power and dependencies. Through MICMAC analysis, the significance of factors is studied.

Practical implications

The study has been done based on inputs from academic experts and industry practitioners. The inferences from the study have practical relevance.

Originality/value

The development of a structural model for the analysis of factors influencing AM in the health-care domain is the original contribution of the authors.
Adalimumab for interleukin‐1β‐mediated chronic non‐scarring scalp folliculitis: Case report and literature review
Authors: Soglia Simone , Maione Vincenzo , Bugatti Mattia , Vermi William , Calzavara‐Pinton Piergiacomo , Venturini Marina
Published: September 2021

Chronic non‐scarring scalp folliculitis is a little‐known entity included within the spectrum of scalp folliculitis, a group of diseases sharing clinical features but with heterogeneity in terms of residual scarring (always absent in chronic non‐scarring scalp folliculitis), microbiology, and response to antibiotics. Chronic non‐scarring scalp folliculitis is most likely an inflammatory disease within the group of neutrophilic dermatoses. The recognition of the inflammatory nature of this disease may pave the way for the use of new therapies, directly targeting pathogenic molecules. Herein, we report the first case of chronic non‐scarring scalp folliculitis treated by adalimumab.
Campylobacterota dominate the microbial communities in a tropical karst subterranean estuary, with implications for cycling and export of nitrogen to coastal waters
Authors: Huang Laibin , Bae Hee‐Sung , Young Caitlin , Pain Andrea J. , Martin Jonathan B. , Ogram Andrew
Published: September 2021

Subterranean estuaries (STEs), the zones in which seawater and subsurface groundwater mix, are recognized as hotspots for biogeochemical reactions; however, little is known of the microbial communities that control many of those reactions. This study investigated the potential functions of microbes inhabiting a cenote and an offshore submarine spring (Pargos) in the near‐coastal waters of the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico. The inland cenote (Cenote Siete Bocas; C7B) is characterized by a chemocline that is host to an array of physicochemical gradients associated with microbial activities. The chemocline includes an increasing gradient in sulfide concentrations with depth and a decreasing gradient in nitrate concentrations. The microbial community within the chemocline was dominated by Sulfurimonas and Sulfurovum of the Campylobacteria, which are likely responsible for sulfide oxidation coupled with nitrate reduction. Although C7B has not been directly connected with Pargos Spring, water discharging from the spring has physicochemical characteristics and microbial community structures similar to C7B, strongly suggesting biogeochemical processing in the STE impacts groundwater composition prior to discharge. This work yields insight into the microbial communities and biogeochemical reactions in STEs in karstic aquifers and provides evidence for the importance of Campylobacteria in controlling nitrate concentrations exported to marine springs.
Eyes Wide Shut? Understanding and Managing Consumers’ Visual Processing of Country‐of‐Origin Cues
Authors: Halkias Georgios , Florack Arnd , Diamantopoulos Adamantios , Palcu Johanna
Published: September 2021

In the context of the on‐going debate regarding the relevance of the country of origin (COO) phenomenon and drawing from cue utilization theory as well as research on visual attention, we conduct three eye‐tracking experiments that investigate (a) whether consumers naturally detect COO labels, (b) whether such detection influences subsequent behavioural intentions and (c) whether visual attention to COO labels can be externally motivated. Results consistently show that the majority of COO labels on product packages are indeed noticed by consumers. While the effects of COO on behavioural intentions are conditional on the duration of visual attention, dwell times on COO labels, on average, exceed the tipping point necessary to allow such effects. Importantly, whether and for how long COO labels are attended to can be motivated by differentially priming consumers’ competence (vs. warmth)‐based judgment goals. Implications of these findings for levering COO cues in marketing strategies are considered.
How common are complications following polypropylene mesh, biological xenograft and native tissue surgery for pelvic organ prolapse? A secondary analysis from the PROSPECT trial
Authors: Reid FM , Elders A , Breeman S , Freeman RM ,   the PROSPECT study group
Published: September 2021

Objective

To report complication rates following prolapse surgery using polypropylene mesh inlay, polypropylene mesh kit, biological collagen xenografts and native tissue repairs.

Design

Secondary analysis of the PROSPECT randomised controlled trial and cohort study.

Setting

Thirty‐five UK hospitals.

Population

A total of 2632 women undergoing anterior and/or posterior vaginal prolapse repair.

Methods

Event rates were calculated for all complications. Analysis was by treatment received.

Main outcome measures

IUGA/ICS classification of complications and validated patient reported outcome measures.

Results

At baseline, 8.4% of women had ‘generic’ pain/discomfort; at 2 years following surgery, there was an improvement in all four groups; however, 3.0% of women developed de novo extreme generic pain. At 24 months de novo vaginal tightness occurred in 1.6% of native tissue, 1.2% of biological xenograft, 0.3% of mesh inlay and 3.6% of mesh kit. Severe dyspareunia occurred in 4.8% of native tissue, 4.2% of biological xenograft, 3.4% of mesh inlay repairs and 13.0% of mesh kits. De novo severe dyspareunia occurred in 3.5% of native tissue, 3.5% of biological xenograft, 1.4% of mesh inlays and 4.8% of mesh kits. Complications requiring re‐admission to hospital, unrelated to mesh, affected 1 in 24 women; the most common reasons for re‐admission were vaginal adhesions, urinary retention, infection and constipation.

Conclusions

This is the first study to address the complications of vaginal mesh used for prolapse surgery alongside data from both native tissue and biological xenograft. It demonstrates the complexity of assessing pain and that all types of prolapse surgery have low surgical morbidity and a low rate of severe complications.

Tweetable abstract

A prospective study of 2362 women undergoing vaginal mesh, xenograft or native tissue repair found low surgical morbidity and low rates of severe complications.