bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Seeking reliable services: a case of natural gas distribution utility
Authors: Asia Narpat , Paliwal Pramod , Shukla Yupal 
Published: August 2021

Learning outcomes
The learning outcome of this paper are as follows: enabling students to learn about business and marketing issues of the natural gas distribution industry. To expose students to organizational processes aimed at finding solutions to customer issues. To make them appreciate the aspects of service quality and SERVQUAL model. To make the students aware of the significance of market research for problem-solving. How to use market research findings to address the customer issues? Enabling the students to learn how cross-functional teams contribute to addressing marketing and customer issues. Students should appreciate how to study towards creating a customer-centric organization with an organization-wide commitment including that from the top leadership.

Case overview/synopsis
Abhay Shankar, Sr. Manager-Customer Service at Reliable Gas Company Limited a state government piped natural gas (PNG) distribution utility whose customer service department is concerned about the provision of best service to its PNG domestic customers. Domestic customers are low volume but largest in numbers and are considered to be a tough, demanding customer segment. A general opinion among the marketing team of the company is that they are trying their best to serve its customers and that their efforts are no less than their private sector counterpart global gas customer service efforts. Abhay is in dilemma on what to do to improve customer services?

Complexity academic level
Masters students.

Supplementary materials
Teaching notes are available for educators only.

Subject code
CSS: 8 Marketing.
Same storm, different boats! The impact of COVID-19 on the wellbeing of school communities
Authors: O’Toole Catriona , Simovska Venka 
Published: August 2021

PurposeThe COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the functioning of education systems in a multitude of ways. In Ireland schools closed on March 12th and remained closed for the remainder of the academic year. During this time educators engaged with students, families and colleagues in new and diverse ways. The purpose of this study was to explore educators' experiences during the closures, particularly regarding the impact of the pandemic on the wellbeing of students, school staff and wider school communities.Design/methodology/approachA series of one-to-one interviews, lasting approximately one hour, were conducted in July 2020 with 15 education professionals online via Zoom or Microsoft Teams. Participants occupied various roles (classroom teacher, school leader, special educational needs coordinator, etc.) and worked in a diverse range of communities in Ireland. Qualitative data from interviews were transcribed and emergent themes identified through an inductive followed by deductive analytic approach.FindingsThe interviews highlighted the central role that schools play in supporting their local communities and the value teachers place on their relationships with students and families. Many teachers and school leaders found themselves grappling with new identities and professional boundaries as they worked to support, care for and connect with the students and families they serve. There was considerable concern expressed regarding the plight of vulnerable or marginalised students for whom the school ordinarily offered a place of safety and security.Originality/valueThe findings reveal how COVID-19 has exacerbated pre-existing inequalities and the central role of schools in promoting the health and wellbeing of all its members.
Charity and debt behaviors comparison: perception of low-income households
Authors: Arsyianti Laily Dwi , Kassim Salina 
Published: August 2021

PurposeThis paper aims to investigate low-income households in Indonesia with regard to their perspective on charity-giving and its comparison with acquiring debt behavior as their tendencies on taking and giving behaviors toward monetary form. The research framework is seen from the Islamic perspective.Design/methodology/approachTheory of social production function and theory of planned behavior are used as a theoretical framework. A total of 98.89% of the distributed questionnaires were collected and analyzed using structural equation modeling. Behavior of giving charity and acquiring debt are compared according to the given determinants.FindingsUnder the given Islamic framework, charity is found to be not confined to the donor’s wealth. It is rather centered on religiosity and faith. Subjective norm does not influence intention toward charity. Hence, it only depends on consideration and awareness of a person toward regular giving of charity. Unlike debt that is confined by a person’s wealth, the intention to take debt consecutively of low-income households are also affected by their attitudes, significant others and experiences.Research limitations/implicationsRespondents are residents of six Indonesian territories that represent West, Middle and East Indonesia.Practical implicationsFindings are useful for social, as well as microfinance practitioners who are interested in the financial education on low-income households and study their perspective and behavior.Social implicationsThis paper indirectly contributes to changing the perspective of society about charity-giving, especially in philanthropy subject. This paper is also highly recommended for regulator’s input on financial education, as well as for practitioners, consultants and educators.Originality/valueCharity basically can assist low-income households experiencing financial hardship, which may be the consequence of consecutive taking debt. Most of the studies on charity-giving focus on high-income households, likewise the debt behavior. Charity-giving in voluntary form is also not widely discussed in view of behavior, specifically in Asian countries like Indonesia.
Customer expectations of unattended grocery delivery services: mapping forms and determinants
Authors: Olsson John , Osman Mary Catherine , Hellström Daniel , Vakulenko Yulia 
Published: August 2021

PurposeIn the rapidly growing e-grocery segment, unattended delivery is an emerging practice with the potential to offer a superior delivery experience. The purpose of this study is to contribute to the body of knowledge for unattended grocery delivery services by empirically identifying and describing the forms and determinants of customer expectations.Design/methodology/approachA multiple case study of potential early adopters was conducted to explore customer expectations of unattended grocery delivery services. Empirical data collected from direct observations and semi-structured interviews with ten Swedish households were coded and put through a single-case as well as a cross-case analysis revealing emerging patterns from which propositions were formed.FindingsThe iteration of theory and data in the case study resulted in a conceptual model of service expectations and determinants, containing six propositions. The study reveals a clear pattern that consumers expect to save time, gain flexibility and benefit from the ease of use of the service, while they predict sufficient security. Moreover, consumers’ desire open access features from retailers and service providers, integrated product returns service and nondescript hardware designs. The findings suggest that these service expectations are determined by personal needs, technology literacy and situational factors. The identified personal needs are stress reduction, limiting social interaction and increasing spare time.Research limitations/implicationsTo support further theory development, this study presents six propositions for the types, forms and determinants of customer expectations of unattended grocery delivery.Practical implicationsThis study provides managers with up-to-date insights into customer expectations and offers guidance in designing and developing unattended grocery delivery services.Originality/valueThis study contains the first in-depth analysis of customer expectations of unattended grocery delivery services, which are increasingly used for last mile e-grocery delivery.
Management Control Systems and Innovation: a levers of control analysis in an innovative company
Authors: Barros Rúben Silva , Ferreira Ana Maria Dias Simões da Costa 
Published: August 2021

Purpose
Building on the growing body of research that has addressed management control systems and innovation, the purpose of this study is to assess the extent and nature of the use of controls in an innovative setting and how they work together unveiling the relationships and tensions amongst the Simons’ levers.

Design/methodology/approach
This study resorts to an in-depth and single case study in a company that has both a strong orientation to innovation and stable control practices in place. Evidence was collected from 32 interviews, visits to the company and internal documentation.

Findings
At the case company, it was possible to find the presence of controls according to all the levers of control. Likewise, joint effects of controls used according to interactive and beliefs approaches and diagnostic and boundary controls showed a consistent reinforcement that push the organization in a single direction. Signs of some countervailing reinforcement between these pairs were also detected, creating tensions. This in general shows that innovation can be weighed against the necessity of goal achievement taking place within fields in which the company can exploit the effort developed.

Originality/value
This study documents the collective use of controls in a context in which innovation is needed and how the combination of the levers of control with their inner workings and tensions allow the company to have a corporate environment of innovation that is friendly.
New technology and tourism industry innovation: evidence from audio-visual patented technologies
Authors: Pantano Eleonora , Stylidis Dimitrios 
Published: August 2021

Purpose
Patenting behaviour in the tourism sector has received little academic attention due to a wider belief that innovation in tourism commonly involves improving the services in ways that are hardly patentable. This paper aims to address this oversight by focusing on patent analysis as means to evaluate the innovation trends in tourism.

Design/methodology/approach
Building on an analysis of historical series of patents worldwide from 1996 to 2016, this paper explores the trends in the tourism sector by focusing on audio-visual technologies. The study used an evaluation of the 8,785 emerging patents, in terms of co-occurrences, applying hierarchical cluster analysis, factor analysis and multidimensional scaling.

Findings
The findings suggest that there is a gradually increasing interest in innovation in tourism, which is growing faster than most of the other sectors explored here such as transportation and pharmaceuticals. The outputs also reveal the inventive effort of tourism industry in new technologies for developing utility models for tourists.

Originality/value
The study contributes to tourism theory and practice by offering an overview of current/future applications of new technologies in tourism along with future trends, and mapping the main areas that these technologies might affect.
Exchanging knowledge in the TMT to realize more innovation opportunities: what can family firms do?
Authors: Rondi Emanuela , Rovelli Paola 
Published: August 2021

PurposeThis paper aims to examine the influence that family firms’ top management team (TMT) behavior and characteristics exert on their innovation opportunity realization.Design/methodology/approachData were collected through a survey addressed to a representative sample of Italian firms. The analyzed sample consists of 237 firms, 120 of which are family firms. A series of ordinary least squares models were used to test the four hypotheses.FindingsFamily firms realize fewer innovation opportunities than non-family firms. This result is fully mediated by the knowledge exchange in the TMT as follows: in family firms, the TMT exchanges less knowledge than in non-family firms, which drives their lower realization of innovation opportunities. In family firms TMT, the increase in the non-family members positively influences the TMT knowledge exchange, but only when the time the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) spends in searching for innovation opportunities outside the firm is low. The more the CEO search increases, the more this positive influence decreases, up to the point it becomes negative.Research limitations/implicationsThe study contributes to the literature on innovation, knowledge management and organizational design in family firms. Nevertheless, data were collected at a single point in time and in a single country.Practical implicationsThe study suggests family firms on how to foster the realization of innovation opportunities. A greater TMT knowledge exchange allows to realize more innovation opportunities and the TMT characteristics emerged as the drivers of this TMT knowledge exchange. As such, family firms should examine the interaction of their TMT composition in terms of non-family and family members with the effort that the CEO deploys to search for innovation opportunities outside the firm.Originality/valueEmpirical investigation of the link between family ownership, absorptive capacity and innovation performance by considering TMT behavior and characteristics.
Modeling the dynamical ethnic processes in multinational society
Authors: Tursyngaliyeva Gulim , Sagindykov Kakim , Konyrkhanova Assem , Niyazova Rozamgul , Sydykova Ainur 
Published: August 2021

Purpose
The problem of ethnic conflicts and unrest is at the forefront in a diverse world today. This paper aims to identify ways of resolving social conflicts and establishing a balanced way of taking into account the diverse interests of a multinational society.

Design/methodology/approach
Modeling of dynamical ethnic processes in the Republic of Kazakhstan was based on the Parson's sociological scheme and the Nash equilibrium theory. The model consists of differential equations describing the development of four ethnic subsystems: political system, economic system, societal community and Institute of the Assembly of the People of Kazakhstan. This model allows investigating how the interests of various ethnic groups change over time and identifying the states of equilibrium in which the interests of all groups are satisfied.

Findings
The results of computer simulation showed that one of the solutions to the problem of social stability is establishing social equilibrium. For this, the Institute of the Assembly of the People of Kazakhstan (APK Institute) must take changes that occur within ethnic groups into account. The proposed model can reveal states of equilibrium with respect to positive and negative dynamic processes that exist between different ethnic groups.

Originality/value
The proposed model can be used to predict changes in social behavior and find balance between ethnic subsystems in the research on ethnic processes in multinational countries to early detect conflicts of interest and crisis situations. Future studies will benefit from expanding the range of subsystems that can affect alterations in the ethnic community.
The concept of money laundering: a quest for legal definition
Authors: Korejo Muhammad Saleem , Rajamanickam Ramalinggam , Md. Said Muhamad Helmi 
Published: August 2021

Purpose
This paper aims to focus on the concept of money laundering and explores the evolution and expansion of criminalization of predicate offences to the money laundering within the international anti-money laundering (AML) regime over the time. It proposes how to limit the size and scope of predicate offences in designing a balanced legal definition.

Design/methodology/approach
This paper opted a content analysis focussed on the criminalization aspect of offences to money laundering in the international AML regime under the United Nations Conventions (Vienna, Palermo and Corruption Convention) and Financial Action Task Force Standards.

Findings
This paper provides how the criminalization of money laundering has evolved and its definition expanded over the time. The international definition is widely drafted with wide range of predicate offences from proceeds of drug money to corruption, including terrorist financing and terrorist acts; however, the two phenomena – money laundering and terrorist financing are quiet distinct apart. This continual expansion of predicate offences quite leads legality issues such as over-criminalization and conflict with principles of criminal law. This paper suggests an approach to limit the size and scope of predicate offences to money laundering.

Practical implications
This paper includes implications for the development of a balanced approach in defining predicate offences through a qualitative limitation approach consistent with the minimalist theory of penalization of criminal law.

Originality/value
This paper attains an identified issue how the legal definition of the money laundering offence can be improved while considering rule of law and principles of criminal law concerns.
Opportunities for academic smart libraries in the Caribbean
Authors: Duncan Adrian St. Patrick 
Published: August 2021

Purpose
The purpose of this paper hinged on the concept of smart libraries and their development for the furtherance of information access, dissemination and information resources and services delivery in Caribbean libraries.

Design/methodology/approach
To conduct this research, the literature of smart libraries and technologically driven and their application in libraries were reviewed by examining existing literature on information and communication technologies and technology in libraries.

Findings
The literature highlighted that this technological advancement is not yet fully on stream in academic libraries of the Caribbean owing to the lack of financial, technological and organizational resources. It further outlined that certain aspects of library automation are fostered through the inclusion of technology.

Research limitations/implications
The limitation of this study is that only academic libraries of the Caribbean region were assessed. Other regions should be explored in future research.

Originality/value
The concept of smart libraries is an emerging issue with limited scope for scrutiny; a systematic and extensive review of recent research on smart in libraries is unavailable. This paper presents an overview of smart libraries or technologically driven libraries, its findings for potential research opportunities and development for academic libraries. In addition, it will build on the body of knowledge that is presently non-existent on smart libraries in the Caribbean.
Omani graduates’ English communication skills: employers’ perspectives
Authors: Al Riyami Thuraya Khalifa 
Published: August 2021

Purpose
The purpose of this study is to explore employers’ views on the current English communication skills of higher education institutions (HEIs) graduates in Oman and to identify the workplace communication challenges encountered by graduates of these institutions.

Design/methodology/approach
The study used a mixed-methods approach. In the first phase of the study, a questionnaire was distributed to 50 employers in different government and private sectors. In the second phase of the study, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 15 employers to get clarification on some of the issues that were raised in the questionnaire and get the employers’ opinions about how to improve the communication skills of Omani graduates and what initiatives HEIs can take to achieve that.

Findings
The study revealed that Omani graduates encounter many challenges in the workplace, including low proficiency in English, lack of research skills and persuasive skills and inappropriate use of language during meetings and events.

Research limitations/implications
HEIs should foster a relationship with the job market through continuous meetings to seek their feedback on English courses so that they can improve them to cater to specific job requirements.

Originality/value
The higher education system in Oman has achieved substantial growth in terms of quantity, including the number of institutions, enrolled students, hired teachers and specialisations. This growth of HEIs highlights the necessity of preparing Omani citizens who are capable of participating in the ongoing development in Oman and to this end, English communication skills are critical.
m-Government experience: a qualitative study in India
Authors: Kumar Rajiv , Mukherjee Arindam , Sachan Amit 
Published: August 2021

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to understand and interpret the fundamental meanings attached to consumer behavior through m-Government (m-Gov) experience and to derive insights. The study explores the extent to which the emergence of m-Gov is able to change citizens established behavior of accessing government services primarily focusing on experience as an important driver.Design/methodology/approachThe study used qualitative methods, and data were collected using semi-structured interviews of m-Gov users. Participants were identified through purposive sampling. Themes are identified from the collected data using thematic analysis.FindingsThe study reveals that m-Gov experience is highly satisfying since it meets citizens' expectations. The findings highlight that in many aspects, m-Gov services provide improved experiences compared to the traditional government and conventional e-Government (e-Gov) services (accessing public services from computers and laptop). The study also reveals a few negative experiences with m-Gov services, like limitations in the use of mobile devices due to their small screen size and high memory consumption, etc.Research limitations/implicationsThe qualitative method used in this study focuses clearly on unearthing depth and richness of understanding rather than the breadth of generalization. The sample size is apt for drawing reasonable conclusions. Scholars and information systems researchers may use some insights for future research.Practical implicationsm-Gov services in a developing economy like India is a new and emerging area for managers. The findings about the elements of m-Gov experience and how the experience influences citizens' acceptance decisions will benefit managers and policymakers in implementing m-Gov services or projects.Originality/valueThis study is one of the early attempts to explore the m-Gov experience. The research is important as experience affects users' attitude, a precursor to behavioral intention, which in turn, influences their behavior.Peer reviewThe peer review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/OIR-10-2020-0482