bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Reverse educational spillovers at the firm level
Authors: Backes-Gellner Uschi , Rupietta Christian , Tuor Sartore Simone N. 
Published: March 2017

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine spillover effects across differently educated workers. For the first time, the authors consider “reverse” spillover effects, i.e. spillover effects from secondary-educated workers with dual vocational education and training (VET) to tertiary-educated workers with academic education. The authors argue that, due to structural differences in training methodology and content, secondary-educated workers with VET degrees have knowledge that tertiary academically educated workers do not have.Design/methodology/approachThe authors use data from a large employer-employee data set: the Swiss Earnings Structure Survey. The authors estimate ordinary least squares and fixed effects panel-data models to identify such “reverse” spillover effects. Moreover, the authors consider the endogenous workforce composition.FindingsThe authors find that tertiary-educated workers have higher productivity when working together with secondary-educated workers with VET degrees. The instrumental variable estimations support this finding. The functional form of the reverse spillover effect is inverted-U-shaped. This means that at first the reverse spillover effect from an additional secondary-educated worker is positive but diminishing.Research limitations/implicationsThe results imply that firms need to combine different types of workers because their different kinds of knowledge produce spillover effects and thereby lead to overall higher productivity.Originality/valueThe traditional view of spillover effects assumes that tertiary-educated workers create spillover effects toward secondary-educated workers. However, the authors show that workers who differ in their type of education (academic vs vocational) may also create reverse spillover effects.
Can Spanish firms offer dual apprenticeships without making a net investment? Empirical evidence based onex antesimulations of different training scenarios
Authors: Muehlemann Samuel , Wolter Stefan C. 
Published: March 2017

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to simulate the potential costs and benefits for Spanish firms providing dual apprenticeship training.Design/methodology/approachThe paper conducts simulations of ten training occupations in six different industries in Spain. For these simulations, the authors combined Spanish wage data and the existing training curriculum regarding instruction times in vocational school in Spain with data from Swiss firms offering training in similar occupations. These data contain information regarding the amount of workplace training, relative apprentice productivity, and the relative importance of non-wage training costs (such as training equipment).FindingsThe authors found that training occupation, training scenario, and firm size are important determinants of the authors’ simulations for the expected net costs of apprenticeship training in Spanish firms. Consequently, the break-even level of apprentices’ wages differs significantly by training occupation and training scenario, suggesting that one prescribed apprentice wage for all sectors and occupations would be detrimental to the willingness of many firms to provide training places.Practical implicationsDual apprenticeship training may improve the labor market transition for Spanish youth. The paper provides guidelines for regulatory frameworks that allow firms to provide apprenticeship training without having to bear net training costs – an important condition given that apprentices are free to leave the training firm upon graduation.Social implicationsThe authors’ simulations show that Spanish firms would be able to provide high-quality apprenticeship training programs that would also appeal to more talented youth because of the combination of a decent earning opportunity during the apprenticeship and good future career options.Originality/valueThis paper provides novel and direct empirical evidence regarding the framework conditions within the Spanish apprenticeship system, thus incentivizing both firms and individuals to participate in dual apprenticeship training programs.
Pre-training competencies and the productivity of apprentices
Authors: Jansen Anika , Pfeifer Harald Ulrich 
Published: March 2017

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationship between pre-training competencies of apprentices and their productivity at the workplace.Design/methodology/approachFor the analysis, the authors use firm-level data on apprentices’ oral and writing competencies and competencies in basic mathematics, information technology and problem solving. The authors regress the apprentices’ productivity on these school competencies and include a number of firm and apprentice-specific control variables. By reducing the authors’ data set to firms that only have one apprentice the authors transform the firm-level data into quasi individual-level data.FindingsThe main findings are that not all competencies are equally related to productivity. Problem-solving competencies followed by oral and writing competencies show the strongest relation to the productive potential of apprentices. IT competencies are also positively but weakly related to the apprentices’ productivity. In contrast, higher levels of basic mathematical competencies leave productivity levels largely unchanged. Differentiating between occupational groups, the authors find that the positive relation between the competencies and productivity predominantly exists in commercial occupations rather than in industrial and technical occupations.Practical implicationsThe results show that better school competencies are associated with a higher productivity of apprentices, which in turn lowers the firms’ training costs. From a policy perspective, this finding is important because it implies that, by improving the apprentices’ competencies, the firms’ willingness to participate in the apprenticeship system can be increased. Moreover, the results are important for training firms because they show on which competencies firms should focus in their recruitment decision.Originality/valueThe paper studies for the first time the relation between pre-training competencies and productivity of apprentices at the working place. A practical implication from the authors’ analysis is that it could be useful to implement tools measuring the problem solving and oral and writing competencies of apprenticeship applicants in the process of recruitment.
Product and service innovation and discontinuation in manufacturing and service firms in Europe
Authors: Crowley Frank 
Published: March 2017

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explore product/service innovation and discontinuation using the firm as a unit of analysis. A key objective of the paper is to compare the results between manufacturing and service firms.Design/methodology/approachA two-step production function approach is employed to examine first, a firm’s decision to innovate and second, a firm’s decision to discontinue products/services.FindingsThe results indicate that the factors affecting product innovation and discontinuation are similar for manufacturing and service firms, where innovation was significant for product/service discontinuation and process innovation was found to be important for innovations. Similarly, monopoly power was important for innovation in both industry types. However, there were also some underlying differences, particularly in relation to firm age and economic geography effects.Practical implicationsThe conclusion of the paper is that it is not appropriate to assume that the process of product innovation and discontinuation will be identical across industry types.Originality/valueThis study is the first study in the literature that examines product/service discontinuation at the firm level and the relationship between innovation and product/service discontinuation using the firm as a unit of analysis. This study further adds to the under-researched (relative to manufacturing studies) area of service innovation.
Open innovation in SMEs
Authors: Henttonen Kaisa , Lehtimäki Hanna 
Published: March 2017

PurposeThis study examines how technology-intensive small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) engage in open innovation. The purpose of this paper is to add to the literature on open innovation in SMEs, which has received considerably less attention than open innovation in large companies. Also, the study adds on the literature on open innovation in the commercialization phase.Design/methodology/approachA multiple case study of 13 technology-intensive SMEs in forestry sector was conducted. The forestry sector in Finland was chosen as a target context, there were many innovative pioneering SMEs operating in the industry and because the sector was going through significant changes.FindingsThree multi-firm collaboration modes in the commercialization phase were identified: networks with a lead partner, equal partnership, and partnership for external technology commercialization. The study shows that in SMEs, open innovation is used for commercialization rather than research and development. The main conclusion of the study is that the mode of collaboration in commercialization is determined by the core competence of the firm and the strategy for open innovation.Practical implicationsThe study results imply that SMEs benefit from opening up their innovation process in the commercialization phase. The firms in this study employed a blend of strategies that capitalized on their internal strengths. They collaborated actively with external firms and outsourced from specialists. This way they were able to compensate for their internal weaknesses and gain competitive advantage.Originality/valueThe study extends our understanding of open innovation by providing a detailed analysis of how open innovation takes place in the commercialization phase of innovation process. Also, the study extends understanding of the strategic use of open innovation in SMEs by showing how SMEs balance the risk of losing their competitive advantage built on innovation and the benefit of creating a broader competence base with partnerships.
Sales nationality and debt financing impact on firm’s performance and risk
Authors: Khasawneh Ahmad Y. , Dasouqi Qais A. 
Published: March 2017

Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of debt financing on both performance and systematic risk in Amman Stock Exchange listed firms. The authors focus the study to analyze the differences between services and industrial firms in one sense and the differences between international and domestic firms in the other sense, as the study depends on the geographical distribution of sales to classify the nationality of firms.

Design/methodology/approach
The study sample includes all listed Jordanian firms in Amman Stock Exchange from 2005 to 2013 for both industrial and services sectors. Using panel data techniques, fixed effects regression with modified Driscoll-Kraay standard error as a remedy for heteroscedasticity problem is employed.

Findings
The results show that there is a significant negative impact of debt financing on the firm’s performance, where the sector and the sales nationality play an important role. Moreover, the results indicate that there is a significant positive impact of debt financing on the firm’s systematic risk. Taking the sector and sales nationality into consideration, the authors find that the debt financing has no significant impact on the systematic risk of services firms and domestic firms. Additionally, the findings indicate that services firms and international firms are, on average, more riskier than industrial firms and domestic firms, respectively.

Originality/value
The paper provides a visibility on the comparison between international and local firms in Jordan in terms of the impact of debt financing on the financial performance and systematic risk in one research.
The MED scale: regional variation in values and beliefs, evidence from Italy
Authors: Petruzzellis Luca , Samuel Craig C. , Palumbo Ada 
Published: March 2017

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to provide a measurement scale that captures elements of Mediterranean identity.Design/methodology/approachA scale was developed from items drawn from existing scales and from a qualitative study that examined how respondents viewed their national identity as well as the concept of a Mediterranean identity. The literature pertaining to Mediterranean identity, culture and the influence of contextual factors on its development were reviewed. The scale revealed four dimensions of Mediterranean identity: traditions, relationships, ethnocentrism and a bond with the Sea.FindingsThe scale successfully discriminated between those living by the Sea and those living inland. At the same time, it did not differentiate between respondents living in the north from those living in the south. The study suggests that context, specifically proximity to the Sea, helps shape some of the regional variation in values and beliefs.Research limitations/implicationsThe geographic composition of the sample limits the generalizability of the results. A sample across additional countries would provide greater confidence in the results, although much of the theoretical work on Mediterranean thinking has focused on Italy. Further, it was desirable to keep as many factors as possible constant to limit extraneous variation. Inclusion of respondents from countries with different levels of wealth, religious and political ideologies would likely uncover additional facets of Mediterranean identity.Practical implicationsThe results have broader implications for identifying transnational segments that may exist around the Mediterranean. A key implication relates to the extent that similar values and beliefs appear to be associated with proximity to the Mediterranean Sea. It also highlights the importance of considering contextual factors when developing an understanding of consumer behavior.Originality/valueMediterranean identity has been examined conceptually, but a systematic means to measure is lacking. The essence of Mediterranean thinking embodies the importance individuals place on adhering to traditions, the value they attach to personal relationship, a certain degree of ethnocentricism, and of course the bond with the Sea. The results also suggest that differences that have been attributed to a north/south divide, needs to be reexamined.
Impacts of changing weather patterns on smallholder well-being
Authors: Ali Akhter , Rahut Dil Bahadur , Mottaleb Khondoker Abdul , Erenstein Olaf 
Published: March 2017

Purpose
This paper aims to assesses impacts of perceived weather changes (i.e. temperature, wind and rainfall) at the farm household level on income, poverty, wheat yield and use of timber and non-timber forest products in Pakistan’s Himalayan region. Mountains are fragile ecosystems – particularly for farming and in the context of climate change. Yet for many such geographies, there is limited empirical understanding of the potential impacts of climate change.

Design/methodology/approach
It uses a comprehensive field survey of 500 farmers from the Gilgit-Baltistan territory (comprising seven districts Ghizer, Gilgit, Diamer, Astore, Skardu, Ghance and Hunza-Nagar). A multivariate probit model first assesses the factors associated with perceived weather changes by farm households and a propensity score matching (PSM) approach then estimates the impacts of the perceived changes in temperature, wind and rainfall.

Findings
The empirical results show that an overwhelming majority of the farmers experience climate change, which primarily has adverse impacts on household income, poverty levels and wheat yields and increases dependence on both timber and non-timber forest products.

Originality/value
This paper contributes to the scanty literature on the climate change in the Himalayan region of Pakistan.
Building climate change resilience through adaptation in smallholder farming systems in semi-arid Zimbabwe
Authors: Jiri Obert , Mafongoya Paramu L. , Chivenge Pauline 
Published: March 2017

Purpose
This study aimed to determine factors that increase resilience and cause smallholder farmers to adapt better to climate change and vulnerability.

Design/methodology/approach
In this study, the authors used the vulnerability to resilience model and binary logit model to analyse the factors influencing household decisions to adapt.

Findings
Households with increased access to climate information through extension services were likely to have better adaptation abilities. It was also shown that younger farmers were likely to adapt to climate change given their flexibility to adopt new techniques and their access and use of modern information and technology. Larger households were found to have higher probability of adapting as most adaptation strategies are labour intensive. Household’s possession of livestock and access to credit significantly enhanced adaptation. However, households with higher farm income have lesser incentives to adapt to because their current farming practices might already be optimum.

Research limitations/implications
Given that most of the smallholder farmers are vulnerable, such as women-headed households and the elderly, who are labour constrained, there is need for research and development of labour saving technologies to increase resilience to climate change and vulnerability.

Originality/value
These findings underscore the importance of enabling farmer access to information and better technologies which enable them to increase adaptive capacity and resilience.
Determinants of house buyers’ expected holding periods in boom and bust markets in California
Authors: Chernobai Ekaterina , Hossain Tarique 
Published: March 2017

PurposeThis study aims to investigate the determinants of homeowners’ planned holding periods. Real estate market is known for displaying buying and selling behavior that does not conform to traditional economic theories such as rational expectation or expected utility. Mounting evidence of anomalous observations appear to be supported by other theories, such as prospect theory, which in particular helps explain the disposition effect – sellers are too quick to sell when prices are climbing and hold on to properties longer when prices are plummeting. While this evidence is widely documented in housing studies based on data on realized holding periods (i.e.ex post), this study explores factors that may motivate homeowners to alter their expected holding horizons (i.e.ex ante) to form new preferred holding periods that may be shorter or longer than those planned during house search.Design/methodology/approachThe empirical study uses data collected from two cross-section surveys of recent homebuyers in rising and declining housing markets in Southern California in 2004-2005 and 2007-2008, respectively.FindingsThe empirical results demonstrate that in addition to the financial characteristics of the recent homebuyer, the characteristics of the buying experience – non-monetary, such as the realized search duration, and monetary, such as perception of negative or positive premium paid for the house relative to its market value – have a statistically significant effect on the holding horizon revision. The data strongly indicate that the perception of having overpaid increases the likelihood of upward revision of the original holding horizon. This effect is stronger in the declining than in the rising market – a crucial finding that mirrors the disposition effect.Originality/valueThis study sheds new light on what may contribute to the disposition effect in housing markets that has not yet been investigated in past literature. The novel approach here is to look at how different house price environments may affect homeowners’ holding periodsex antewhen they begin, rather thanex postwhen already realized.
Total Interpretive Structural Modeling (TISM): approach and application
Authors: Jena J. , Sidharth Sumati , Thakur Lakshman S. , Kumar Pathak Devendra , Pandey V.C. 
Published: March 2017

Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to elucidate the methodology of total interpretive structural modeling (TISM) in order to provide interpretation for direct as well as significant transitive linkages in a directed graph.

Design/methodology/approach
This study begins by unfolding the concepts and advantages of TISM. The step-by-step methodology of TISM is exemplified by employing it to analyze the mutual dependence among inhibitors of smartphone manufacturing ecosystem development (SMED). Cross-impact matrix multiplication applied to the classification analysis is also performed to graphically represent these inhibitors based on their driving power and dependence.

Findings
This study highlights the significance of TISM over conventional interpretive structural modeling (ISM). The inhibitors of SMED are explored by reviewing existing literature and obtaining experts’ opinions. TISM is employed to classify these inhibitors in order to devise a five-level hierarchical structure based on their driving power and dependence.

Practical implications
This study facilitates decision makers to take required actions to mitigate these inhibitors. Inhibitors (with strong driving power), which occupy the bottom level in the TISM hierarchy, require more attention from top management and effective monitoring of these inhibitors can assist in achieving the organizations’ goals.

Originality/value
By unfolding the benefits of TISM over ISM, this study is an endeavor to develop insights toward utilization of TISM for modeling inhibitors of SMED. This paper elaborates step-by-step procedure to perform TISM and hence makes it simple for researchers to understand its concepts. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study that analyzes the inhibitors of SMED by utilizing TISM approach.
Photovoice: a creative method to engage library user community
Authors: Luo Lili 
Published: March 2017

Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to generate awareness of and interest in the photovoice method, and help librarians to be more creative in examining user needs, perceptions and behavior and be more effective in conducting outreach to user communities.

Design/methodology/approach
Photovice is a qualitative method that combines visuals and narratives in exploring community issues. This paper reviews the photovoice method and discusses its implications in engaging library user communities.

Findings
Photovoice is rarely used in library research and practice and only three published studies reported the use of this method. The three studies were reviewed in this paper to offer ideas regarding the potential application of this method in the library profession.

Originality/value
This paper provides an overview of an innovative method and contributes new ideas to library outreach and user engagement.
A nostalgic look back at library hi tech(nology)
Authors: Matthews Joe 
Published: March 2017

Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to reflect on the history of information technology and computers in libraries over the last 50 years.

Design/methodology/approach
This paper represents a personal perspective and reflects the views and opinions of the author. It is not intended to be an authoritative reporting of this history.

Findings
This paper suggests that libraries were generally too shortsighted in their application of information technology and computing and submits that there are significant challenges facing libraries today.

Research limitations/implications
No research was conducted.

Practical implications
The author identifies several issues that libraries must confront in order that the automated systems being implemented add value for staff members but most importantly for users of library systems and services.

Social implications
The paper suggests that libraries are facing a number of challenges based on a historical review of how libraries have adopted and adapted to information technology over the past 50 years.

Originality/value
This paper, due to its personal perspective, reflects an original viewpoint.