bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Resistance to change in BPM implementation
Authors: Pereira Veridiana Rotondaro , Maximiano Antonio Cesar Amaru , Bido Diógenes de Souza 
Published: March 2019

Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to investigate individuals’ attitudes toward organizational change, considering each phase of a business process management (BPM) implementation and some antecedents of resistance as hierarchical position, sector and trust in management.

Design/methodology/approach
The study examines employees’ attitudes toward BPM change in the Brazilian market. To measure resistance to organizational change, the research adopted the change attitude scale developed by Oreg (2006). As potential antecedents for resistance, hierarchical position, sector and trust in management were considered. Five control variables were included: gender, company size, educational background, educational level and age range. The application of the survey considered three main parties: BPM implementers, BPM end-users and developers of BPM systems. The survey data, drawn from 113 useable questionnaires, were analyzed by structural equation modeling with partial least squares estimation.

Findings
The results of this research showed some interesting insights. First, hierarchical position has no significant effect on the reduction of resistance to process improvement changes. Contrary to what was expected, results showed that being in the manufacturing sector has no significant effect on the reduction of resistance. Finally, only trust in management has a significant effect on employees’ attitudes toward BPM implementation, and as phases go by this effect increases.

Practical implications
The paper could support BPM decision makers by providing a better understanding of employees’ attitudes toward BPM change. In this sense, the study could also provide real-life application, by facilitating the task of allocating priorities and supporting process-related decisions.

Originality/value
The research could incentivize a closer relationship between BPM implementers and BPM end-users, promoting opportunities, respect and mutual trust.
The board of directors and firm performance: empirical evidence from listed companies
Authors: Merendino Alessandro , Melville Rob 
Published: March 2019

PurposeThis study aims to reconcile some of the conflicting results in prior studies of the board structure–firm performance relationship and to evaluate the effectiveness and applicability of agency theory in the specific context of Italian corporate governance practice.Design/methodology/approachThis research applies a dynamic generalised method of moments on a sample of Italian listed companies over the period 2003-2015. Proxies for corporate governance mechanisms are the board size, the level of board independence, ownership structure, shareholder agreements and CEO–chairman leadership.FindingsWhile directors elected by minority shareholders are not able to impact performance, independent directors do have a non-linear effect on performance. Board size has a positive effect on firm performance for lower levels of board size. Ownership structure per se and shareholder agreements do not affect firm performance.Research limitations/implicationsThis paper contributes to the literature on agency theory by reconciling some of the conflicting results inherent in the board structure–performance relationship. Firm performance is not necessarily improved by having a high number of independent directors on the board. Ownership structure and composition do not affect firm performance; therefore, greater monitoring provided by concentrated ownership does not necessarily lead to stronger firm performance.Practical implicationsThis paper suggests that Italian corporate governance law should improve the rules and effectiveness of minority directors by analysing whether they are able to impede the main shareholders to expropriate private benefits on the expenses of the minority. The legislator should not impose any restrictive regulations with regard to CEO duality, as the influence of CEO duality on performance may vary with respect to the unique characteristics of each company.Originality/valueThe results enrich the understanding of the applicability of agency theory in listed companies, especially in Italy. Additionally, this paper provides a comprehensive synthesis of research evidence of agency theory studies.
Through the pyramid: implications of interconnectedness in Africa
Authors: Chipp Kerry , Carter Marcus , Chiba Manoj 
Published: March 2019

Purpose
Many markets are conceptualized as a stratified low- and middle-income “pyramid” of consumers. Emerging markets are sites of rapid consumer mobility, and thus the middle class there is connected to, and often supports, low-income relatives and employees. Therefore, this paper aims to establish that African income groups are not insular, but rather interrelated and have strong social ties reinforced with longstanding communal values, such as ubuntu.

Design/methodology/approach
Using a between-subjects experimental vignette design, the propensity of the middle class to cover low-income individuals on an insurance product was assessed.

Findings
Income strata are interrelated and can inform value propositions, which is demonstrated in this paper with insurance, where the middle class are willing to include others, depending on their social proximity, on their insurance cover.

Research limitations/implications
The context for this study was personal home insurance; hence, the generalisability of the results is circumscribed. Other more tangible forms of cover, such as medical, funeral or educational insurance, may engender far stronger effects.

Practical implications
Marketers tend to view low- and middle-income consumers as independent. A view of their interrelation will change the design of many products and services, such as a service catered to the poor but targeted at their support networks. An example of such a service is insurance, which is traditionally hard to sell to the poor. A less atomistic approach to income strata could have implications for vicarious consumption, as well as a reconsideration of the disposable income of both groups.

Originality/value
The pyramid is an interconnected network of social and economic ties.
Turning on the township: financial inclusion in South Africa
Authors: Whittaker Louise , Kruger Graunt 
Published: March 2019

Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to explore practitioner and academic conceptualisations about what drives individuals (who are the target of financial inclusion efforts) to adopt and use financial services. It compares this with individual’s personal subjectivities to understand how the similarities and differences might contribute to problems in financial inclusion efforts.

Design/methodology/approach
To uncover such conceptualisations, a Foucauldian discourse analysis of three texts is conducted.

Findings
The analysis uncovers the ways in which financial subjects are produced. Important points of discontinuity are evident between texts, pointing to potential failures within financial inclusion constructs. Distilling aspects of continuity between texts shows up three kinds of subjects produced predicated on the site of economic engagement as owners of bodies, tangible property and intangible property. These subjects are shown to all share concerns with income and expense management. The analysis shows that subject positions and strategic actions (including the use of financial service providers) are mutually reinforcing, and that therefore financial subjects will engage only to the extent that the product or service enacts their subject position. With the financial subject as the starting point, it is possible to understand the use or rejection of particular financial products and services.

Research limitations/implications
Asset building is proposed as a field of activity not currently considered part of mainstream financial inclusion, questioning the terms on which individuals are to be financially “included”.

Originality/value
Approximately 2 billion people globally, and 66 per cent of adults in sub-Saharan Africa, are excluded from the formal financial system. While financial inclusion is considered beneficial, many projects face significant challenges. This suggests insufficient understanding of what drives individuals to adopt and use financial services. This paper makes a contribution by exploring the gap between academics, practitioners and individuals using a method that has not previously been applied in this field, and uncovering differences in understanding that have not previously been explored. The insights into financial inclusion in provided in this paper are original in the literature.
Examining the business education curricula in South Africa
Authors: Waghid Zayd 
Published: March 2019

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine the business education curricula in South Africa in relation to social entrepreneurship and to ascertain pre-service teachers’ perspectives of the reasons for social entrepreneurship not being included in these curricula as observed in classroom teaching practices.Design/methodology/approachThrough interpretivist inquiry, third-year pre-service teachers’ (n=92) comments on online group blogs were analysed to clarify a range of meanings and understandings of their responses.FindingsSocial entrepreneurship as a concept and as an ideal as well as certain fundamental concept is not adequately integrated in the business education curricula in secondary schools in South Africa. Furthermore, the schools where the pre-service teachers conducted their teaching practice were failing to integrate activities associated with social entrepreneurship in their business education curricula.Research limitations/implicationsThe study was limited to a single tertiary institution. Similar studies in both developing and developed contexts in schools could be initiated as a means of teaching social entrepreneurship for social justice as a subject efficaciously.Practical implicationsThe study recommends that social entrepreneurship should be implemented earlier in the secondary education system as a means of enhancing the social entrepreneurial capacities of school learners.Originality/valueThis is the first study examining the secondary education curricula in a developing economy, such as South Africa, in relation to the absence of the emerging concept of social entrepreneurship.
Transnational migrant entrepreneur characteristics and the transnational business nexus
Authors: Santamaria-Alvarez Sandra Milena , Sarmiento-González Maria Angélica , Arango-Vieira Luis Carlos 
Published: March 2019

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to analyze the characteristics of Colombian migrants’ transnational businesses (TBs) and their operations. To this end, the characteristics of the entrepreneurs, their businesses and the patterns of their international operations are discussed and compared.Design/methodology/approachThe paper analyses 14 cases developed from data from in-depth interviews with the same number of Colombian entrepreneurs who migrated to the USA. Similarly, the analysis includes secondary data sources.FindingsTBs created by Colombian transnational entrepreneurs (TEs) aim to be successful through the best use of the resources of each market, allowing them to produce with lower costs and better quality in their country of origin while selling in more developed countries, such as the USA (their country of destination). The operations of those businesses are limited by their financial resources, small and fragmented networks, and their organic growth. The personal characteristics of the TE and their business comprise a nexus that helps to overcome business shortcomings.Originality/valueThe paper contributes to entrepreneurship, migration and international business literature by illuminating the nexus between the personal characteristics of the TE and the unique characteristics of their business, including the analysis of their international operations. Likewise, considering the characteristics of the context under study, the paper presents findings that are interesting for countries with similar social and economic difficulties.
The effectiveness of management accounting systems: evidence from financial organizations in Iran
Authors: Ghasemi Reza , Habibi Hamid Reza , Ghasemlo Masomeh , Karami Meisam 
Published: March 2019

Purpose
The purpose of this paper, as an empirical investigation of a contingency theory, is to examine the relationship between technology (as a contingent variable) and management accounting system (MAS) characteristics on managerial performance. The main focus of this study is on the four information characteristics of MAS – scope, integration, aggregation and timeliness.

Design/methodology/approach
Based on the MAS characteristics defined by Chenhall and Morris, a contingency-based “intervening” model is proposed in which MAS plays a significant intervening role between technology (TECH) and managerial performance. Using survey data from managers in Iranian financial organizations and PLS–structural equation model analysis, the MAS characteristics are collectively analyzed in relation to technology and managerial performance.

Findings
The study uncovered the existence of direct relationships between technology and MAS, and between MAS and managerial performance. The study also confirmed that the relationship between technology and managerial performance is mediated by MAS. The findings provide valuable insight to guide managers in financial organizations to improve their performance through suitable MAS by applying new technologies and considering internal and environmental factors. Recommendations on how to improve MAS and managerial performance are provided accordingly.

Originality/value
Previous research studies show that there is no unique and universal MAS for all organizations, since this depends on internal firm characteristics and environmental features. However, there has been a lack of empirical evidence on MAS research studies in the service organizations.
Friend and foe? Self-deception in organisations
Authors: Kuntz Joana , Dehlin Erlend 
Published: March 2019

Purpose
Self-deception is generally deemed an adaptive psychological mechanism that ensures well-being, a sense of identity and social advancement. However, self-deception becomes maladaptive in organised environments that undermine the critical thinking essential to development and change. The purpose of this paper is to advance a theoretical model of self-deception, specifying and contextualising its intrapersonal and relational components in organisations. Further, it provides guidelines for practitioners to identify self-deception tactics, and minimise maladaptive self-deception.

Design/methodology/approach
Drawing on affective coping, system justification and self-categorisation theories, the paper illustrates how the interplay of intrapersonal and relational factors with organisational practices explain self-deception.

Findings
Maladaptive self-deception is pervasive in organisations that deter critical reflection, and intensify motivated biases to self-enhance and self-protect.

Originality/value
This paper proposes a socially and organisationally embedded model of self-deception, specifies how self-deception develops and manifests in organisations, and suggests ways of identifying and managing self-deception towards positive organisational development and change.
Inclusive/exclusive talent management, responsible leadership and organizational downsizing
Authors: Mousa Mohamed , Ayoubi Rami M. 
Published: March 2019

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to focus on three Egyptian public business schools in an attempt to explore the effect of inclusive/exclusive talent management on the organizational downsizing of academics and the mediating role of responsible leadership.Design/methodology/approachA total of 330 academics were contacted and given a set of questionnaires. After three follow-ups, a total of 240 responses were collected with a response rate of 72.73 percent. Multiple regressions were employed to show how much variation in organizational downsizing can be explained by inclusive/exclusive talent management and responsible leadership.FindingsThe findings highlighted a very weak statistical association between academics’ inclusive talent management and organizational downsizing, whereas a strong statistical association has been discovered between exclusive talent management and organizational downsizing. Statistical analysis showed that responsible leadership has no role in mediating the relationship between inclusive/exclusive talent management of academics and their downsizing.Research limitations/implicationsThe authors have focused on only three Egyptian public business schools, the matter that may limit opportunities to generalize the results of this study to private business schools and other faculties in Egypt. Future research could use a double source method.Practical implicationsBy preparing a set of academic competences, business schools will be able to classify their academic staff into talented and non-talented, and accordingly they can initiate their tailored downsizing strategies. Furthermore, undertaking a responsible strategy of downsizing, which includes and is not limited to justifying the need to decrease academic staff numbers to guarantee post-redundancy care practices for laid-off academics may alleviate many of the negative psychological, societal and economic consequences of downsizing.Originality/valueThis paper contributes by filling a gap in HR management and higher education literature, in which empirical studies on the relationship between talent management and academics’ organizational downsizing have been limited until now. This may create better research opportunities for cross-disciplinary papers that should be done by HR, higher education and leadership scholars.
The growing anisotropy of the multinational corporation in the “new normal”
Authors: Gurkov Igor 
Published: March 2019

Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to introduce a new research construct to depict more accurately organisational structure and the direction of organisational changes in large multinational corporations (MNCs).

Design/methodology/approach
The paper presents an overview of the existing literature on the phenomenon of anisotropy in natural sciences and the organisation of large corporations, and transforms an identified phenomenon into a research construct of organisational theory.

Findings
This paper demonstrates that anisotropy, that is, the differences in the speed and conductivity of the movement of capital (money), products (goods and services), ideas (knowledge) and talent (people) in different directions within the corporation (from the centre to the subsidiaries, from the subsidiaries to the corporate centre and between subsidiaries) is the normal state of the internal space of the MNC. Anisotropy is increasing with the on-going restructuring of the global economic order. This leads to the divergence of business units in MNCs into the core and the periphery.

Research limitations/implications
The paper outlines a series of promising research avenues in organisational studies.

Originality/value
The paper provides a novel treatment of the composition of MNCs.
On the determinability of all of the self‐ and mutual resistances in a grounded electrode array
Authors: Butler S.L. 
Published: March 2019

ABSTRACTIn the geophysical electrical resistivity method, arrays of electrodes are commonly deployed on the Earth's surface. In electrical power engineering applications, arrays of electrodes are often connected in parallel in order to reduce the total resistance to ground. The electrical characteristics of an array of N electrodes can be fully described by N self‐resistances and mutual resistances for a total of independent parameters which represent the coefficients of an N by N symmetric matrix. Typically, certain linear combinations of the mutual resistances are measured during a geophysical electrical resistivity survey while protocols of specific measurements are used to determine self‐resistances. In this contribution, I investigate whether it is possible to determine all of the self‐ and mutual resistances for an array and hence capture all possible information. I assume that measurements of potential and current can be made at each electrode and that any combination of series and parallel current injections between the electrodes can be made. I show that all resistances can only be determined uniquely if current and voltage reference electrodes that are external to the array are used. If only an external current electrode or only an external voltage reference is used then only independent measurements can be made and the system is underdetermined. If only electrodes within the array itself are available only, independent measurements can be made and the system is strongly underdetermined. The procedure outlined here also gives a general prescription for calculating the completeness and redundancy of any given array.
In pursuit of happiness: Life satisfaction drives political support
Authors: ESAIASSON PETER , DAHLBERG STEFAN , KOKKONEN ANDREJ 
Published: March 2019

AbstractIt is argued in this article that citizens in democracies use their subjective well‐being (SWB) as an evaluative criterion when deciding how willing they are to support and comply with government dictates (political system support). When life is satisfactory, government authorities are rewarded with support, when it is not, citizens punish authorities by withholding their support. To make sense of the relationship, it is suggested that citizens act as if they have signed a happiness contract with ‘those in power’. In support of this argument, comparative survey data shows that SWB predicts attitudes on political system support across country contexts and under strong control conditions. Establishing that the relationship is causal, panel data documents that attitudes on political system support can be undermined following the termination of a close personal relationship, and that the causal effect is mediated via changes in SWB. Finally, as predicted, the happiness‐support relationship is weaker among individuals who are high on spirituality/religiousness and attribute blame for external events to both worldly and non‐worldly powers.