bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The changing fortunes of UK retired households, 1977–2017
Authors: Gilleard Chris 
Published: June 2020

PurposeThis study aims to explore whether trends in the pattern of income inequality over the past 40 years apply equally to working and retirement age households in the UK, and if so, why this might be so.Design/methodology/approachDrawing on data from the Office of National Statistics, various indices of income inequality have been calculated among retired and working-age households for the period 1977–2017.FindingsDespite a broadly similar trend towards increasing inequality during the 1980s and into the 1990s among both types of household, income inequality among UK retired households has always remained below than that of working-age households. For retired and working-age households alike, the fortunes of those in the upper half of the income distribution have seen themselves do better. Despite the temporal contiguity, different explanations for both sets of inequalities seem to be required, and likely different strategies needed to ameliorate their more negative effects.Originality/valueFew studies have conducted comparisons of inequality between retirement and working-age households over four decades in any country. The present study's long view suggests that factors creating inequality in the upper half of the income distribution may differ in both their cause and impact, compared with inequalities in the lower half. Arguably, the greatest need is to improve access to benefits for those retired householders at the bottom of the income distribution.
Fostering valuable learning experiences by transforming current teaching practices: practical pedagogical approaches from online practitioners
Authors: Itow Rebecca Chiyoko 
Published: June 2020

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to share lessons learned and tools developed that teachers can use to build pedagogically sound online courses. Transitioning to online instruction is not learning to teach all over again, and it does not have to feel that way either. Through the lens of three common questions new online teachers ask, the principal of a university-run online high school offers practical advice for transforming current pedagogical practices into effective online teaching. This transformation is structured with an innovative “multi-level” approach to assessment. This structure helps organize the transformation, letting teachers focus on building and/or maintaining crucial relationships and meaningful learning experiences with their students.Design/methodology/approachAn innovative assessment lens structures the transformation of practices from brick-and-mortar to online settings, clearing the opacity of the online teaching context so that teachers can return their focus building relationships and meaningful learning experiences with their students.FindingsThe paper offers immediately-implementable strategies for designing online courses that facilitate relationship building, meet curricular goals, and are pedagogically sound.Practical implicationsTeachers can adapt the tools, resources, and advice included in this paper to fit their unique teaching needs as they move to online teaching contexts.Originality/valueThis paper uses the pedagogical model and assessment lens developed by the university-run high school and its principal to offer unique, practically implementable strategies for transitioning from brick-and-mortar to online teaching in this tumultuous time.
Earnings management and the informational and disciplining role of debt: evidence from Iran
Authors: Ghorbani Arash , Salehi Mahdi 
Published: June 2020

Purpose
The agency theory predicts that there are conflict of interests between managers and shareholders over free cash flow and major operating decisions. Earnings management can help managers hide and retain their private benefits of control. Given that, the purpose of this study is to investigate whether financial leverage reduces agency and information problems caused by earnings management.

Design/methodology/approach
The research uses a sample of annual data of 200 firms listed on the Tehran Stock Exchange during 2002-2016. The data required is obtained from the Rahavard Novin database. The research uses multivariate regression models that regress financial leverage on earnings management proxies and other determinants of capital structure.

Findings
The research documents that firms with higher income smoothing and the absolute value of discretionary accruals, as the proxies for earnings management, have higher financial leverage. The results suggest that a higher level of financial leverage can discipline managers and generate useful information about firm quality.

Originality/value
The study highlights the informational and disciplining role of debt in the presence of severe uncertainty about firm quality in a developing country.
Microfinance services and the productivity of cocoa family farms in Cameroon
Authors: Belek Alim , Jean-Marie Abega Ngono 
Published: June 2020

PurposeThis study aims to assess the effects of microfinance institution (MFI) services on the productivity of family farms in Cameroon, in the region of Mbam and Kim. It will be a question, therefore, of determining the level and determiners of the outputs of family farms, in particular those concerned by the cultures of cocoa, beneficiaries of the agricultural services of MFIs.Design/methodology/approachThe authors use the Blinder (1973) and Oaxaca (1973) model of decomposition of the productivity differential between beneficiaries and non-beneficiaries of agricultural credits on a sample of 130 cocoa farming households and four MFIs of the same area between 2008 and 2011.FindingsThe yield gap between beneficiaries and non-beneficiaries of agricultural credits is estimated at 0.19 tons per hectare. This gap is explained positively by the financial aid variable, the farm size variable, which is significant in the explanation of the beneficiaries' level of returns and the constant term. On the other hand, all the socio-economic variables of the farmers contribute to reduce this gap of productivity.Research limitations/implicationsThis financial assistance from CVECA is essential to increase agricultural yields because it helps to cancel out some structural barriers. However, as this improvement in yields is only possible for large farms, the services of the MFIs would rather favor extensification policies. Nevertheless, the study results are limited by the negative effects of the socio-economic characteristics of the farmers on these yields, the study having been revealed without any selectivity bias.Originality/valueThis study seeks to reverse the trend that in rural areas, MFIs are financing agriculture to increase extensification rather than enhancing intensification in sub-Saharan Africa by challenging the role of MFI services in intensification.
Expert review and pretesting of behavioral supervision in higher education
Authors: Muda Habsah , Baba Zaharah Salwati , Awang Zainudin , Badrul Natasha Shazleen , Loganathan Nanthakumar , Ali Mass Hareeza 
Published: June 2020

PurposeThe rationale for the postgraduate supervision measures for higher education by the call for universities to adopt a systematic practice in postgraduate supervision through new supervisors' exposure to creative ways of monitoring. This paper aims at understanding, improving and validating the content of behavioral supervision measures using the expert review and pretesting analysis.Design/methodology/approachThe authors developed, modified and operationalized the items based on the developmental supervision theoretical concept by Glickman (1980) to measure the behavioral supervision of postgraduate in higher education. The authors obtain comments and verification from experts for content validity and criterion validity. Later, the authors do pretesting of face validity.FindingsThe result of the expert review and pretesting, analysis, provides measures (items) for the following seven stages (components) of postgraduate behavioral supervision: listening/clarifying; encouraging; presenting/demonstrating; negotiating/problem-solving; directing; standardizing and reinforcing.Practical implicationsThe findings contribute to the rational development of supervision measures and functional transformation in the postgraduate supervision process in higher education at national and international contexts.Social implicationsThese supervision measures, if practiced by the supervisors and postgraduates' students, will accelerate and achieve the aspiration initiative of the Ministry of Higher Education. In general, based on the needs identified, the positive impact of this study can improve national and international postgraduate program educational outcomes.Originality/valueThere is limited number of empirical research which resulted in postgraduate behavioral supervision measures in the context of higher education.
Cognitive and emotional factors contributing to green customer citizenship behaviours: a moderated mediation model
Authors: van Tonder Estelle , Fullerton Sam , de Beer Leon T. 
Published: June 2020

Purpose
This study aims to provide novel insight into cognitive and emotional factors contributing to green customer citizenship behaviours, as mediated by green attitudes in general and moderated by culture.

Design/methodology/approach
The investigation was guided by the “value attitude behaviour hierarchy” and green customer emotions, which served as a framework for understanding the mediating effect of attitude on the relationships between cognitive and emotional factors (green consumption values and emotional affinity towards nature) and customer citizenship advocacy and feedback behaviours. Data was obtained from respondents in the USA and South Korea. Multi-group confirmatory factor analysis, structural equation modelling, bootstrapping and Wald tests were performed to conclude on the model and verify the moderating effect of culture on the indirect effects established.

Findings
In both countries, green consumption values and emotional affinity towards nature positively influence green attitudes and stimulate feedback behaviour. Green attitudes only predict advocacy in the USA. Culture moderates the majority of the indirect effects examined.

Research limitations/implications
The model presents a novel approach to stimulate green advocacy and feedback behaviours and may aid firms in closing the “green gap” and co-create value with customers. Firms could profit from customers advocating the benefits of green purchasing to other customers and providing feedback on interventions required that will convince reluctant customers to make a purchase.

Originality/value
This study offers a multicultural perspective on the connection between a novel set of cognitive and emotional factors and green customer citizenship advocacy and feedback behaviours that may directly and indirectly influence green purchasing, value co-creation and closing of the “green gap”.
Grey corruption issues in the public sector
Authors: Prenzler Tim 
Published: June 2020

Purpose
This paper aims to identify key learnings around the concept of “grey corruption” by systematically reviewing the extant literature. The concept is addressed in terms of areas of alleged misconduct often considered “minor” or “borderline” in relation to “black corruption”. Common examples include favourable treatment of friends and relatives by public officials, receipt of gifts, excessive expenditures and pork barrelling, influence peddling through donations and lies and false promises. The focus of this study is on definitions, extent, public perspectives, explanations and evidence of promising prevention strategies.

Design/methodology/approach
Relevant sources were sought using systematic keyword searches of major criminological and political databases, a media database and relevant government and non-government websites, up to the end of December 2019.

Findings
The main findings were that there is no single accepted definition of grey corruption but that the concept remains useful, practice is often extensive, it is generally at odds with public opinion, opportunity is a key factor in its incidence and prevention requires the enactment and enforcement of clear principles.

Research limitations/implications
Media-reported cases were too numerous to analyse in detail for the present study.

Practical implications
Efforts to improve integrity in government need to take account of the concept. Rules require clarification and communication. Enforcement needs improvement. More experiments are needed in prevention.

Social implications
This paper captures a range of integrity issues of importance to the public but often downgraded or dismissed by politicians.

Originality/value
This paper is unique in reporting the results of a systematic search of the international literature on the topic.
The emerging roles of academic librarians in Kenya: apomediaries or infomediaries?
Authors: Nakitare Joel , Sawe Emily , Nyambala Joyce , Kwanya Tom 
Published: June 2020

PurposeThe main purpose of this study was to investigate the emerging roles of academic librarians in Kenya, with a view to determining whether they perform better as apomediaries or infomediaries. The specific objectives were to: examine the characteristics of the changing information universe in which academic librarians in Kenya currently operate; analyse the information-seeking behaviour of academic library users in the new information universe and examine the emerging roles of academic librarians in Kenya.Design/methodology/approachThis study adopted a descriptive research design and used an online survey research technique to collect data from practising academic librarians. This study targeted senior librarians from all the 67 private and public universities in Kenya. One senior librarian per university was purposefully selected to fill the questionnaire owing to their experience and expertise. 33 out of the 67 senior librarians responded to the survey. The collected data were descriptively analysed using SPSS, and as per the study objectives.FindingsThis study established that most library users are digital independent and access library resources remotely. Nonetheless, many users still borrow and utilize print books despite the ubiquity of digital platforms. The findings revealed that academic librarians to a great extent now play the role of apomediaries, going beyond information giving to empowering their users.Practical implicationsThere is need for academic librarians in Kenya to not only be aware of the characteristics of their current users but also to continuously develop professionally so as to be able to adequately cater for the needs of their clients.Originality/valueThis paper contributes to the scholarship on librarians' roles in Kenya by demonstrating that most of them are transitioning to the apomediary roles.
Experiential value influences authentic happiness and behavioural intention: lessons from Taiwan’s tourism accommodation sector
Authors: Fu Yan-Kai , Wang Ya-Ju 
Published: June 2020

Purpose
The main purpose of this study was to investigate how the experiential value of lodging tourists affected the relationship between authentic happiness and behavioural intention.

Design/methodology/approach
A purposive sampling technique was adopted for Taiwanese tourists with lodging experience during the 2017 Taipei International Travel Fair; and utilises confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), and structural equation modelling (SEM) to validate the suitability of questionnaire items, model fit, and the proposed hypotheses.

Findings
The results demonstrated that experiential value significantly and positively influenced authentic happiness. The mediating effect of authentic happiness through which experiential value enhances behavioural intention of lodging tourists was also found to exist.

Originality/value
This study provides a novel approach which presents experiential value as the antecedent variable, authentic happiness as the mediator, and behavioural intention as the dependent variable, in order to better understand tourists’ lodging decision-making processes and behaviours and this approach is considered an advancement within the literature.
Mountain tourism and second home tourism as post COVID-19 lockdown placebo?
Authors: Seraphin Hugues , Dosquet Frederic 
Published: June 2020

PurposeThe purpose of this study adopts a news media narrative approach to Yield insights on aspects of the COVID-19 impact.Design/methodology/approachThis study adopts a news media narrative approach as this method can yield insights on aspects of the COVID-19 impact.FindingsIn the post-COVID-19 lockdown context, second-home tourism and mountain tourism could play the role of placebo. The dual dimension of second-home tourism and mountain tourism reflect the Janus-faced character of the tourism industry. Beyond the fact that this study has highlighted the placebo role that both forms of tourism are probably going to play, it makes the connection between mountain tourism and second-home tourism; highlights the Janus-faced character of both forms of tourism; and highlights the mutation impacts of COVID-19 on tourism trends.Originality/valueCOVID-19 is the current concern, and this paper offers a timely perspective on a topic of significant interest.
Traits link drought resistance with herbivore defence and plant economics in semi‐arid grasslands: The central roles of phenology and leaf dry matter content
Authors: Blumenthal Dana M. , Mueller Kevin E. , Kray Julie A. , Ocheltree Troy W. , Augustine David J. , Wilcox Kevin R. 
Published: June 2020

Abstract

Despite progress in trait‐based ecology, there is limited understanding of the plant traits that structure semi‐arid grasslands. In particular, it remains unclear how traits that enable plants to cope with water limitation are related to traits that influence other key functions such as herbivore defence and growth. The hypothesis that drought and herbivory exert convergent selection pressures is supported for morphological traits, but largely untested for structural, physiological and phenological traits. Drought and economic traits can also covary, but where and to what degree remains uncertain.

Here we address these uncertainties in semi‐arid shortgrass steppe and mixedgrass prairie, the largest remaining grasslands in North America. Using a broad selection of traits for 37 of the most common plant species in each ecosystem, we ask whether traits that confer drought tolerance, avoidance and escape covary with herbivore resistance traits and economic traits.

Results reveal that both drought tolerance and escape are coordinated with other functions, but in opposite fashion. Drought‐tolerant species (low leaf osmotic potential and high leaf dry matter content, LDMC) were also herbivore resistant (high leaf toughness and cellulose) and at the ‘slow’ end of the economic spectrum (low leaf nitrogen, leaf phosphorus and high stem density). Conversely, drought escape via early senescence was associated with lower drought tolerance, lower herbivore resistance and ‘fast’ economic traits. Drought avoidance, as indicated by thick leaves, may also be associated with lower drought tolerance (LDMC). Senescence date and LDMC appear to be key traits in these semi‐arid grasslands, differentiating species along multiple axes of function.

Synthesis. Covariation between drought, herbivory and economic traits means that, of the many potential trait combinations, few actually exist within these grasslands. Consequently, changes in land management and climate should have predictable effects on drought resistance, forage quality and productivity in the western Great Plains.
Does microcredit reduce the gender gap in employment? Evidence from Egypt
Authors: Arouri Mohamed , Cuong Nguyen Viet 
Published: June 2020

AbstractIn Egypt, there is a remarkable gap between men's and women's participation in the labour market. In this study, we examine the impact of microcredit on the labour supply of men and women and subsequently investigate whether microcredit can reduce the employment gap between men and women in Egypt. We find a negative effect of microcredit on men's employment, but a positive effect on the employment of women. Borrowing from a microcredit source increases the probability of women working by 8.5 percentage points and mainly affects self‐employed work. We also find a positive effect of microcredit on work in small businesses. This finding suggests that women can use microcredit to open small shops or household businesses. Finally, using decomposition analysis, we find that microcredit reduces the overall employment gap between men and women by 0.743%.
Testing the nexus between renewable energy consumption and environmental quality in Nigeria: The role of broad‐based financial development
Authors: Iorember Paul Terhemba , Goshit Gideon G. , Dabwor Dalis T. 
Published: June 2020

AbstractThis study investigates the nexus between renewable energy consumption and environmental quality in Nigeria, accounting for the role of financial development, and re‐examines the validity of the environmental Kuznet curve (EKC) hypothesis for Nigeria covering the period 1990 to 2016. To cover financial development more adequately, the current study uses the broad‐based financial development index constructed by the International Monetary Fund. The study employs second generation econometric approaches of Lee and Strazicich, and Bayer and Hanck combined cointegration tests to check for stationarity and cointegration among the variables, and then applies autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) and vector error correction model (VECM) Granger causality tests to explore the effect and causal relationship respectively. The results divulge that renewable energy consumption improves environmental quality, while financial development hurts the environment. Further, the results validate an inverted U‐shaped association between economic growth and environmental degradation in Nigeria. The VECM Granger causality results indicate a long‐run effect of the independent variables on CO2 emission, while the short‐run causality reveals a mixture of unidirectional and bidirectional causality among the variables. This study therefore recommends that policy makers consider the important roles of renewable energy and financial development in reforming energy policies to achieve environmental sustainability.