bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Overcoming barriers to adoption of environmentally-friendly innovations through design and strategy
Authors: Naor Michael , Bernardes Ednilson S. , Druehl Cheryl T , Shiftan Yoram 
Published: January 2015

Purpose– The purpose of this paper is to explore how a company which developed an environmentally friendly innovation attempted to address diffusion issues. Specifically, the purpose is to describe the ways in which an electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure company, in partnership with a major car manufacturer, tried to address barriers to diffusion of an environmentally friendly innovation during the development stage to improve the likelihood of success and lessons learned from its failure.Design/methodology/approach– The authors explore a single instrumental case of an Israeli company that developed infrastructure for EVs in partnership with a major automaker. The authors collected data using a series of semi-structured interviews at the companies’ headquarters, through direct observation in the company, and through the examination of archival and secondary data sources.Findings– The authors find that the company tried to incorporate design features in both the product and organization to address key diffusion barriers identified through survey and consumer focus research. The study maps product/service design innovations for infrastructure that combined with multi-stage organizational diffusion strategies for EVs, were used to address both functional (usage, value, and risk) and psychological (tradition and image) barriers for mass-market adoption.Practical implications– The study provides insights on how to incorporate information about barriers to adoption into product/service design and on the development of organizational-level diffusion strategy to address changes of customer’s behavior required by certain innovative sustainable solutions. In addition, the authors speculate potential causes for more recent developments with the technology that can serve as a lesson for future projects.Originality/value– Past studies have advanced the knowledge about issues surrounding the adoption and diffusion of EVs. The study expands this stream of research by focussing on product/service and organizational strategy design and by illustrating, through an empirical exploratory case study, how a company attempted to overcome these obstacles. The authors advance various propositions and point out potential exciting avenues for future research on the dissemination of environmentally friendly innovations.
Empowerment through government subsidized microfinance program
Authors: Mukherjee Arghya Kusum 
Published: January 2015

Purpose
– The purpose of this paper is to see whether the government subsidized microfinance program has been able to expand physical, economic, political and socio-cultural spaces across castes, creeds and religious beliefs.

Design/methodology/approach
– The District of Murshidabad, West Bengal, India has been chosen as field of investigation. Initial survey was conducted in 2006. Same households were resurveyed in 2008. Therefore, the data are two period panel data. During survey a stratification was done according to socio-cultural status. To remove unobserved heterogenity, difference in difference method has been applied.

Findings
– The program has been found to succeed in impacting upon physical, economic and political components of empowerment, but has failed to expand socio-cultural spaces of four socio-religious communities (SRCs) namely, upper castes, other backward castes, schedule castes (SCs) and Muslims (Ms). This study also examines the impact of the program on different measures of empowerment across SRCs, and shows that program participation has significant impact on the likelihood of empowerment for members of UC community.

Research limitations/implications
– Participation in SGSY program enable women to negotiate gender barriers, increase their control over their own lives, and improve their relative position in their households, though to some extent. But we do not mean to suggest that participation in SHGs is the only panacea to gender subordination. The authors acknowledge the need for consciousness raising, organizing and struggling for women’s right for women empowerment.

Originality/value
– There is hardly any study measuring the empowerment potential of microfinance program across SRCs.
Effect of foreign aid on corruption: evidence from Sub-Saharan African countries
Authors: Mohamed Masoud Rashid , Kaliappan Shivee Ranjanee , Ismail Normaz Wana , Azman-Saini W.N.W 
Published: January 2015

Purpose
– The purpose of this paper is to examine the effect of foreign aid on corruption in Sub-Saharan African (SSA) countries. Foreign aid is aimed to promote economic growth by complementing the recipient country’s shortfall of financial resource. However, if the recipient country’s quality of governance and institutions is poor, the process of growth will be undermined. Since foreign aid to SSA countries has been increasing substantially in recent years, it is imperative to explore its impact on the level of corruption in the SSA countries.

Design/methodology/approach
– The paper opted to use a Quantile regression (QR) approach to examine the impact of foreign aid on corruption. The data cover from the year 2000 to 2010 for 42 Sub-Saharan countries. QR is appropriate to achieve the stated objective because the method enables to examine the effect of aid on at different level of corruption.

Findings
– The paper provides empirical insights on the impact of foreign aid on corruption level in SSA countries. The finding indicates that foreign aid has reduction effect on the corruption level of SSA countries. The effect is likely to be greater in nations that experience a higher level of corruption. The findings further reveal that aid from different bilateral sources has different effect on corruption. As a whole, the findings are statistically significant and robust to alternative measure of corruption.

Research limitations/implications
– Since the study just focus on Sub-Saharan African countries, the research findings may lack generalization to the entire African countries or poor developing countries that are receiving substantial amount of foreign aid. Therefore, future research should incorporate all the African countries or all poor developing countries.

Practical implications
– Since the empirical findings reveals that aid reduces the corruption level and aid from different bilateral source have different effect on corruption, it is important to establish more cooperation between donor countries in allocating aid. The conditions attached to aid should be, among other things, be related with improvement of governance and institutional environment. Allocation of aid should be selective such that countries in institutional quality should be among the important criteria for a country to qualify for aid.

Originality/value
– This paper fulfills the need to study the relationship between foreign aid and corruption in the case of SSA countries. The aid-corruption nexus is relatively under explored issue especially in the case African countries.
The impact of economic downturn on mental health in Canada
Authors: Latif Ehsan 
Published: January 2015

Purpose
– The purpose of this paper is to use longitudinal Canadian data from the National Population Health Survey (1994-2006) to examine the impact of provincial unemployment rate on mental health as measured by the short form depression scale.

Design/methodology/approach
– To control for the unobserved individual specific factors, the study utilized individual-specific fixed-effects model.

Findings
– The study found that, for the overall model, provincial unemployment rate has a significant positive impact on depression. The study further examined the impact of unemployment rate on depression for a number of sub-groups based on gender, age, marital status, and education. The results suggest that the impacts of unemployment rate on depression are heterogeneous across different sub-groups.

Practical implications
– The results of this study have important policy implications. Previous studies suggest that mental stress may lead to risky health behaviours such excessive drinking, substance use, and smoking. These risky health behaviours may have long term health consequences in terms of chronic conditions such as heart disease, cancer, etc. Thus policy makers may consider taking appropriate steps to provide mental health support during the period of recession. Such support may also be helpful for the unemployed individuals who are too depressed to search for job.

Originality/value
– Previous studies on this issue may suffer from potential bias since they omitted unobserved individual specific factors from the estimating equations. This paper has taken the opportunity of utilizing longitudinal Canadian Population Health Survey and adopts an individual specific fixed effects method to estimate the effects of macroeconomic conditions on mental health. All of the studies reviewed here used data from the USA. So far no study has examined the impact of unemployment rate on mental health using Canadian data. It is interesting to conduct a study using Canadian data since there are important differences between Canada and the USA with respect to labour market policies and health care systems.
Segregation dimensions and development differentials of ethnic enclave
Authors: Chan Steve Kwok-leung 
Published: January 2015

Purpose
– The purpose of this paper is to employ enclave economy in the perspective of economic sociology to explain the existence and process of the Thai enclave in Hong Kong.

Design/methodology/approach
– In-depth interviews and case studies are employed in relation to Thai restaurant and grocery shop owners and employees in Hong Kong.

Findings
– This study is an attempt to explain the clustering of Thai ethnic small businesses in Kowloon City through a discourse on the ethnic enclave economy. The Thai migrant enclave in Hong Kong is explored with dimensions of segregation, namely evenness, exposure, clustering, concentration and centralization (Massey and Denton’s, 1988). This study suggests that these Thai enclave businesses have two differentials compared to the findings of Zhou (1992) in Chinatown restaurants in New York.

Social implications
– The findings provide evidences for social workers, migrant associations and policy makers in developing ideas of ethnic business enabling. There should be wide range of supporting and welfare policies for the empowerment of migrants and minority ethnic groups. An immigrant enclave should no longer be regarded as a ghetto for many business chances can be found there.

Originality/value
– Two ethnic economy development differentials are developed. First, ethnicity similarity between the minority group and the majority ethnic enables ethnic business accessing earlier to an interethnic clientele from wider society. Second, internal factors of the ethnic enclave and external factors of the wider society have constrained the diversification of ethnic business.
Explaining the role of trust in cloud computing services
Authors: Adjei Joseph Kwame 
Published: January 2015

Purpose
– The purpose of this paper is to explain the role of trust in cloud computing services based on empirical evidence from interviewing executives of financial institutions in Ghana. The paper answers the questions: what is the role of trust in cloud computing service acquisition, and what policies promote trusted cloud computing services?

Design/methodology/approach
– This is an explanatory paper that is based on literature review and empirical data on exploring reasons for cloud computing service acquisitions. A combination of interviews and focus group discussions was used as methods for data collection. Information technology and electronic banking executives of five major commercial banks in Accra, Ghana, between January and July 2013 were interviewed. A total of ten respondents were interviewed, two in each of the selected banks. A purposive sampling technique was used in the selection of informants. This approach allows the selection of qualified informants to ensure extensiveness and diversity of opinion.

Findings
– Although previous literature proffers various factors as key to cloud computing adoption, uses or provisioning, this study brings trust to the fore as an imperative for cloud computing service acquisition by financial institutions. It also shows that trust increases if users perceive that cloud computing service providers act in honesty and in users’ interest, making trust a fundamental factor that informs financial institutions’ decision to acquire cloud computing services.

Research limitations/implications
– The research introduces a new dimension about the widely held perceptions of the factors that influence adoption of cloud computing services.

Practical implications
– Developers of cloud computing solutions that are targeted at corporate users must focus on systems that enhances their trustworthiness, as it is a primary criteria for user buy-in. Similarly, any trust-building effort by cloud computing service providers minimizes users’ concerns and pushes the services providers closer to the trust threshold.

Originality/value
– The paper outlines the trust factors that are imperative for cloud computing uses by financial institutions. This is one of the pioneering papers that address trust issues in cloud computing from the perspective of financial institutions.
The case for repealing the EU’s telecommunications legislation
Authors: Hampton Simon 
Published: January 2015

Purpose
– This purpose of this article is to argue for repealing the bulk of the EU’s telecoms regulatory structure because the package’s work is done.

Design/methodology/approach
– The views expressed in this paper are based on the author’s extensive experience in the telecoms, media and Internet sectors.

Findings
– The paper finds that competition is strong and sustainable; that many of the key dynamics in the sector are driven by the broader digital economy and thus beyond the scrutiny of sector regulators; and that regulation is being capitalised into the political economy, distorting incentives to the detriment of European consumers.

Originality/value
– The paper contributes to the debate over the future direction of regulation in European telecommunications.
Determinants of loan losses of Indian Banks: a panel study
Authors: Dhar Satyajit , Bakshi Avijit 
Published: January 2015

Purpose– The purpose of this paper is to examine the factors that influence the variability of loan losses (termed as non-performing advances or NPA in India) of Indian banks in the public sector during the period of five years from 2001 to 2005.Design/methodology/approach– The analysis is based on a panel approach, which considers both spatial and time dimensions of observations. Panel regression was used to explore the impact of different bank-specific factors on NPAs of 27 public sector banks (PSBs). Standard tests were used to find out suitability of different models of panel data analysis. Eight bank-specific factors were identified for analysis on the basis of review of extant literature.Findings– Certain bank-specific factors, in particular, net interest margin and capital adequacy ratio exhibit negative and significant impact on gross non-performing advances (GNPA) ratio of Indian PSBs. The results also suggest that relative quantum of sensitive sector (SEN) (comprised of commercial real estate, commodity and capital market) advances has a positive relationship with NPA ratio, and such a relationship is statistically significant.Research limitations/implications– The sample is restricted to India and may not be reflective of other countries. The study considers bank-level factors, and there are some macro factors (e.g. gross domestic product, interest rate and inflation rate) which could have explained the variability of GNPA ratio.Practical implications– Provisioning against loan losses is a major issue for stability of the banking system. Identification of appropriate causes of variability of such loan losses is important for managing credit portfolio of a bank. A positive and significant relationship between SEN advances and NPA calls for a more cautionary approach toward lending to those sectors.Originality/value– This paper is believed to be the first attempt to empirically examine the role of bank-specific factors. This study attempts to enrich empirical research in the field and provides an insight into the role of various bank-specific factors on loan losses in the context of Indian PSBs. The study provides contrary evidence regarding the role of priority sector advances on a GNPA ratio.
Organizational climate, trust and knowledge sharing: insights from Malaysia
Authors: Jain Kamal Kishore , Sandhu Manjit Singh , Goh See Kwong 
Published: January 2015

Purpose– The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of organizational climate and trust (TR) on knowledge-sharing (KS) behaviour in selected multinational firms in an emerging market – Malaysia. Two dimensions of KS – knowledge collecting (KC) and knowledge donating (KD) – were separately studied for this research.Design/methodology/approach– Survey data were collected from 231 participants from 25 multinational firms. Multivariate analysis was used to assess the research model.Findings– The research findings indicate that organizational climate dimension, affiliation, is positively related to both KD and KC, while fairness dimensions of organizational climate are not positively related to KD and KC. Among the two dimensions of TR (cognitive and affective), it was found that cognitive TR is positively related to KD, while affective TR is positively related to KC.Research limitations/implications– The sampling was confined to the Klang Valley area of Malaysia.Practical implications– The study is useful because it makes an attempt to study the relationship between organizational climate and the two dimensions of KS, KC and KD, separately. The study examines the similar relationship with TR.Originality/value– This research has provided both theoretical and managerial implications to further advance the literature on the impact of organization factors such as organizational climate (OC) and individual factors such as TR on KS behaviour. This research examines the relationship of OC with specific KS dimensions such as KD and KC. Limited research has addressed this. This research has also contributed further to business literature by applying social capital theory in explaining the impact of multidimensional categories of TR: affective TR and cognitive-based TR on KD and KC.
Risk factors in adolescents’ involvement in violent behaviours
Authors: Baxendale Sarah , Lester Leanne , Johnston Robyn , Cross Donna 
Published: January 2015

Purpose
– The purpose of this paper is to examine risk factors associated with Western Australian secondary school students’ involvement in violence-related behaviours.

Design/methodology/approach
– This cross-sectional study examined data collected using an anonymous self-completion questionnaire from 542 school students aged 13-17 years. The questionnaire measured risk factors associated with being a perpetrator and/or victim of violence-related behaviours.

Findings
– Gender was significantly associated with being a victim and perpetrator of violence-related behaviours. Males were significantly more likely than females to be a victim of threatening and physical violence at school, and to be a perpetrator of physical violence at school and in the community. Males were significantly more likely than females to watch violent media, with exposure to violent media associated with physically hurting someone at school. Students involved in greater acts of animal cruelty had increased odds of being involved in all forms of the violence measured.

Research limitations/implications
– Limitations such as the cross-sectional nature of the study and the small sample size are noted, along with suggestions for future research.

Practical implications
– Implications of the research for practitioners working with adolescents, with a particular focus on the school setting, are discussed.

Originality/value
– Most previously published research on adolescent involvement in violence has been conducted outside Australia, and as such, may not be directly applicable to the experiences of young people in Western Australia.
Lift-off for Mexico? Crime and finance in money laundering governance structures
Authors: Behrens Timo 
Published: January 2015

Purpose
– The purpose of this article is to analyse Mexico’s money laundering governance with a focus on its 2007-2013 reform process. It provides a view of money laundering governance as a politically contested policy area and a reflection on the reach and purpose of the international regime promoted by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF).

Design/methodology/approach
– The analysis uses an actor-centred approach on governance structures relating groups of public and private actors with competing policy preferences.

Findings
– Three ideal-typical groups of actors are identified. Of these, the Financial Integrity and Criminal Enforcement Groups were central proponents of prevention- and prosecution-based policies, respectively. While criminal enforcement was initially sidelined, its role was strengthened in Mexico since 2007. Despite early signs of success, diverging policy preferences between these groups continue to complicate money laundering governance in Mexico through a complex distribution of tasks between them.

Practical implications
– To address wider crime fighting concerns, more emphasis should be put on the role of prosecutorial actors in money laundering governance. Beyond the domestic level, the results raise concerns about the increasing focus of the FATF on money laundering as a threat to financial integrity.

Originality/value
– The article adds to a better understanding of money laundering governance in Mexico. Further, the presented systematisation of actors can inform the analyses of money laundering governance and underlying political tensions in other country cases. By focusing on organised crime and prosecution, the case deviates from the international trend to concentrate on issues of market integrity and prevention-orientated policies.