bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Risk aversion and effort under an incentive pay scheme with multiplicative noise
Authors: Zubanov Nikolay 
Published: July 2015

Purpose
– The purpose of this paper is to consider the influence of individual risk preferences on the effectiveness of incentive pay schemes, by examining the link between individual effort and risk aversion in situations where outcome uncertainty multiplies with effort. Such “multiplicative noise” situations are common, occurring whenever payment is awarded per success rather than per attempt.

Design/methodology/approach
– The paper develops a theoretical model which predicts a negative risk aversion-effort link under multiplicative noise without a performance target (PT), and a weaker negative link once the target is introduced. This model is then taken to the data from a lab experiment where participants were randomly assigned to a control group, which received fixed pay, and a treatment group, which received a piece rate awarded with a certain probability, with and without a PT. Risk aversion is measured with a menu of lottery choices offered at the end of the experiment.

Findings
– Compared to their peers in the control group, the more risk-averse participants in the treatment group put in progressively less effort in the absence of a PT. The introduction of a PT substantially weakens this negative risk aversion-effort link, so that there are no more significant differences in performance between the more and the less risk averse.

Research limitations/implications
– The paper’s findings speak to the empirical puzzles of incentive pay schemes backfiring and of the proliferation of PTs. The negative risk aversion-effort link may be one reason behind the failure of incentive schemes to deliver improved performance, whereas the weakening of this link may be one justification for the existence of PTs.

Practical implications
– In the multiplicative noise environments, managers should take their workers’ risk preferences into account when designing incentive pay schemes. A PT may be a useful motivational tool for the risk-averse workers who are more likely to under-perform.

Originality/value
– The multiplicative noise environment has been largely overlooked by the existing literature, yet it is common in practice. An example is the work of a sales agent who receives a bonus per sales which succeeds with a certain probability after each customer contact. This paper is one of the first to model, and test experimentally, worker performance in this environment.
Commitment to a parent company and a local operation
Authors: Nguyen Phuong , Felfe Jörg , Fooken Insa , Ngoc Ho Thuy 
Published: July 2015

Purpose– The purpose of this paper is to investigate the nature of commitments of local employees to a parent company and a local operation in comparison to the nature of commitment of Western expatriates to the two foci.Design/methodology/approach– Data were collected by questionnaire from 532 local employees and 471 Western expatriates currently working for the subsidiaries of multinational companies (MNCs) in Vietnam. Hypotheses were tested using exploratory factor analyses, confirmatory factor analyses, correlation analyses,t-test, generalized linear models and hierarchical regression.Findings– The results confirmed two distinct commitment foci and revealed that the commitment to the local operation was stronger than the commitment to the parent company for local employees. Remarkably, retention and absenteeism are more driven by local operation commitment than by parent company commitment for the local employees. In contrast, these outcomes are more driven by parent company commitment for the Western expatriates. Working conditions (job autonomy, job variety, transformational leadership and remuneration) positively predicted affective commitment to the local operation for both groups; particularly job variety and leadership were better predictors for local employees than for Western expatriates.Practical implications– The comparison shows effective and specific ways to sustain and reinforce the commitments of each employee group with regard to two foci. This information may help to reduce the rate of turnover intention and absenteeism in MNCs.Originality/value– By using a multifaceted approach, this study provided a comparison of dual organizational commitment for different categories of employees working in MNCs. Second, this study shows that the stronger commitment focus has a stronger influence on related outcomes (i.e. retention and absenteeism). If so, MNCs can focus on reinforcing the selected commitment focus in order to reduce the costs of management. Third, the study has initially pointed out that some work factors exert a specific influence on different commitment foci in the two groups. Controlling these work conditions is recommended to sustain and develop commitment levels of the two groups.
Quality management, job-related contentment and performance
Authors: de Menezes Lilian M. , Wood Stephen 
Published: July 2015

Purpose– The purpose of this paper is to investigate whether a quality management (QM) philosophy underlies the joint use of operations and human resource management practices, and the relationships with job-related contentment and performance.Design/methodology/approach– Data from an economy-wide survey are used to test hypotheses via latent variable analyses (latent trait and latent class models) and structural equation models. The sensitivity of each path is then assessed using regression models.Findings– Different elements rather than a unified philosophy are identified. A managerial approach that integrates total QM and just-in-time procedures is rare, but is associated with the quality of the product or service delivered. Labor productivity and quality are independent of the level of job-related contentment in the workplace. Although the average workforce is content, high involvement management and motivational support practices are associated with job anxiety. On the positive side, job enrichment is linked to labor productivity, thus suggesting potential gains through job design.Originality/value– The study adds evidence from a national sample about a comprehensive range of management practices, and suggests distinct outcomes from different elements of QM. Additionally, it shows that performance expectations based on previous studies may not hold in large nationwide heterogeneous samples.
Implementation of high-performance work practices in the Spanish private sector
Authors: Pruneda Gabriel 
Published: July 2015

Purpose– The purpose of this paper is to provide an overall picture of the level of implementation of high-performance work practices (HPWP) in Spain, as well as to identify changes after three years of severe economic and financial crisis. The practices analysed include selective hiring, extensive training, information sharing, contingent remuneration and job security.Design/methodology/approach– By means of logistic regressions, the author estimates the determinants of these practices, during a crisis and pre-crisis period. As a source of information, the author uses a representative sample of the whole Spanish private sector of 9,086 wage workers, drawn from the 2006 and 2010 waves of the Quality of Life at Work Survey.Findings– Job security and skills utilisation are widely spread in Spain, whilst contingent remuneration and extensive training show low levels of usage. Highly skilled individuals holding high-quality jobs display a greater probability of being affected by HPWP. Similar patterns emerge for employees in large companies and for those in the health and education industries.Research limitations/implications– Design limitations are caused by data that are cross-sectional, not longitudinal.Practical implications– The author is able to reach conclusions that can be generalised for the entire Spanish private sector. Thus, they might be used to propose policy recommendations.Originality/value– This is the first in-depth analysis of HPWP in the Spanish private sector. The results encourage the discussion about the suitability of these practices.
How do interviewers respond to applicants’ initiation of salary negotiation? An exploratory study on the role of gender and personality
Authors: Kang Gerui (Grace) , Xiu Lin , Roline Alan C. 
Published: July 2015

Purpose
– The purpose of this paper is to examine whether women encounter more social resistance than men do when they attempt to negotiate for higher compensation, and whether the gender and personality of the interviewer moderates that resistance.

Design/methodology/approach
– The authors conducted an experiment to explore how gender and personality jointly influence interviewers’ decision making in job negotiations.

Findings
– The authors found that: first, female interviewees who initiate negotiations in a job interview are penalized by both male and female interviewers; second, more agreeable interviewers are “nicer” than less agreeable ones to interviewees who ask for more pay, even after controlling for the interviewers’ gender; and third, more extraverted interviewers are “tougher” than less extraverted interviewers toward interviewees who initiate salary negotiation. These phenomena are more pronounced when interviewees are male as opposed to female.

Research limitations/implications
– Some limitations need to be brought to the reader’s attention. First, the participants of this study are undergraduate students. While most of them have job interview experience as an interviewee, few have any experience as an interviewer. In order to minimize this effect, we used human resources management students who previously had a course on hiring and selection in this experiment. Second, the order of the interviewees evaluated by participants, acting as interviewers, could cause an “order effect.”

Practical implications
– This study contributes to the gender, personality, and negotiations literature, and “fills the gap” on the joint effect of gender, personality, and hiring decision making. Gender discrimination during job interviews suggests that business needs to address discrimination and diversity issues earlier. It may be wise for management to consider the potential bias of an interviewer’s gender and personality on their hiring decisions before the organization makes a final decision on which interviewee should be hired and how much salary should be offered.

Originality/value
– To the best of the knowledge of the authors, no prior studies have explored the joint effect of gender and personality on negotiation behavior in a job interview setting from an interviewer’s perspective.
The relationship between energy consumption, CO2emissions and economic growth in Tanzania
Authors: Mohammed Albiman Masoud , Nassor Suleiman Najat , Omar Baka Hamad 
Published: July 2015

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to investigate the dynamic relationship that exists between energy consumption, environmental pollution and per capita economic growth in Tanzania. The energy consumption is represented by electricity usage in kilowatt hours (kWh) per capita, while environmental pollution is represented by carbon emission per metric tons and economic growth by gross domestic product (GDP) per capita.Design/methodology/approachThis investigation is made based on the Environmental Kuznets Curve using time series annual data from 1975 to 2013 by applying the more robust causality technique of Toda and Yamamoto non-Causality test (1995), Impulse response and Variance Decomposition, Augumented and Dickey–Fueller test and Philips and Perron Test of unit root tests.FindingsEconomic growth rate (LGDP) and energy consumption per capita (LENGY), both being unidirectional, cause environmental pollution through carbon emission (LCO2) in Tanzania. Interestingly, after using impulse response, a significant and positive economic growth (GDP per capita) was found due to shocks from electricity per capita (energy consumption) and carbon emission (LCO2) with time. The Variance Decomposition suggested that the percentage of the variations due to shocks or innovations of economic growth (LGDP) and energy consumption (LENGY) to carbon emission is very high and significant, accounting to 46 and 41 per cent, respectively, in 10 years to come.Research limitations/implicationsThe study recommends that, in the future, the relationship be examined using super-exogeneity causality tests that takes into consideration the changes in policy or regime in contrast to Toda and Yamamoto. Furthermore, the addition of other variables such as fixed capital formation and labor force, which were not considered in this study, may result in strong correlation.Practical implicationsThe results imply that the government of Tanzania can adopt environment conservation and energy saving policies without affecting its economic growth. As a matter of fact, to put a stop to persistent environmental pollution in Tanzania, the energy saving policy should be put in place rather quickly. It is imperative that the government implements policies and strategies that ensure continuous economic growth without forsaking the environment.Originality/valueDespite the increase in carbon emissions, energy consumption and economic growth in Tanzania since 2000, to date, no previous work has been done to investigate their multivariate relationship. This is the first study that uses the Toda and Yamamoto non-Causality test, Impulse Response and Variance Decomposition Analysis to investigate a trivariate relationship of the variables mentioned above.
Linkages of the energy sector in the Greek economy: an input-output approach
Authors: Loizou Efstratios , Chatzitheodoridis Fotios , Michailidis Anastasios , Tsakiri Meropi , Theodossiou Giorgos 
Published: July 2015

Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to reveal the dynamics of the Greek energy sector. As energy sectors contribute substantially to a national economy and stimulate national output and employment, it is important to identify their upward and downward linkages and interrelations with the other sectors of the economy.

Design/methodology/approach
To do this and capture such relations in the economy, a general equilibrium model is used. In specific, input–output (I–O) analysis is used and a model is specifically built for the Greek economy to examine in detail the energy sectors. Multiplier and linkage analysis is performed to assess their dynamics in terms of output, household income and employment.

Findings
Results indicate that the three energy sectors’ multipliers and elasticities, though are not ranking in the first places, are enough high indicating their strong linkages in the economy and their potentials to enhance the economy’s total output, employment and household income.

Research limitations/implications
Further disaggregation of the economy’s energy sectors is needed to make clearer the separation among renewable and non-renewable sector, to identify and compare the dynamics and contribution of each category in the economy. Additionally, an environmental I–O model would indicate consequences on the environment and not just pure economic benefits.

Practical implications
Through the analysis, it can be seen that energy sectors and secondary energy products have the ability to drive a country’s economic activity through exports and intersectoral linkages, even if it is not a crude petroleum producing economy. Thus, knowledge of the economic impacts of such sectors is a valuable information.

Originality/value
The current study provides significant information of an economy’s energy sectors regarding their ability to support economic activity and employment. A general equilibrium model is used, examining the whole economy, to assess direct and indirect interrelationships.
A comparative study of contemporary user involvement within healthcare systems across England, Poland and Slovenia
Authors: Lichon Mateusz , Kavcic Matic , Masterson Daniel 
Published: July 2015

Purpose
– The purpose of this paper is to explore how healthcare-users’ engagement is perceived, how it occurs and how these perceptions differ between three European countries: England, Poland and Slovenia, using the concepts of voice, choice and coproduction.

Design/methodology/approach
– This comparative, qualitative study is based on a review of legal documents, academic literature and semi-structured interviews conducted in October and November 2011. A research sample consisted of 21 interviewees representing various stakeholders including healthcare-users, doctors and managers. Primary and secondary data were analysed using theoretical thematic analysis. Emerging themes were identified from the interviews and related to the indicators describing healthcare-users’ involvement in the voice, choice and coproduction model.

Findings
– Results of the comparative qualitative research suggest that the healthcare-users’ influence is strongly grounded in England where the healthcare system and professionals are prepared to include healthcare-users in the decision-making process. In Slovenia, cultural development of healthcare-users’ involvement seems to proceed the institutional development. In Poland, institutions are ready to involve healthcare-users in decision-making process although the cultural desirability of involving users among doctors and patients is lacking.

Originality/value
– The notion of user involvement is increasingly gaining importance and research attention, yet there is still little known about the way cultural, political, historical differences between various European countries influence it. This paper explores this little known area using the original approach of user involvement (Dent et al., 2011) with input from various stakeholders including patients, healthcare representatives and academics.
Patient involvement in Europe – a comparative framework
Authors: Dent Mike , Pahor Majda 
Published: July 2015

Purpose– The purpose of this paper is to provide and explain the model that underlies most of the research reported within this special issue on “Patient involvement in health care across Europe”.Design/methodology/approach– This introduction provides a literature review and a conceptual framework for the understanding of patient involvement and its potential development within health care across Europe.Findings– Patient involvement can be characterised in terms of three ideal types: voice, choice and co-production. Policies for developing user involvement in healthcare can have disempowering as well as empowering consequences. The pattern of dissemination of user involvement across Europe varies in form and content largely due to path dependency.Research limitations/implications– The paper provides a template for future comparative research on user involvement in health care and one that could be extended to social care as well as other varieties of human services. This introduction and the special issue highlights the need for further comparative research in this area.Originality/value– The paper presents a robust model for comparative research. The findings may well be useful not only to researchers but also to policy makers and analysts.
Patient involvement in quality management: rationale and current status
Authors: Groene Oliver , Sunol Rosa 
Published: July 2015

Purpose– The purpose of this paper is to review how patient and public involvement (PPI) can contribute to quality improvement functions and describe the levels of PPI in quality improvement functions at hospital and departmental level in a sample of European hospitals.Design/methodology/approach– Literature review and cross-sectional study.Findings– PPI takes multiple forms in health care and there is not a single strategy or method that can be considered to reflect best practice. The literature reveals that PPI can serve important functions to support quality improvement efforts. In contrast, the assessment of actual PPI in quality improvement shows that PPI is low.Research limitations/implications– Findings are not representative of hospitals in the EU.Practical implications– A diverse set of methods and tools that can be employed to realize PPI. Service providers should consider PPI at all stages, in particular in setting quality standards and criteria and in evaluating the results.Originality/value– Contextualization of empirical findings with case studies from the literature that inform further practice and research on PPI.
Testing a conceptual model of Facebook brand page communities
Authors: Shao Wei , Ross Mitchell 
Published: July 2015

Purpose
– This paper aims to investigate consumer participation in Facebook brand page communities from the perspectives of uses and gratification theory and mass media dependency theory.

Design/methodology/approach
– Data collection via an online survey resulted in 450 valid surveys where consumers indicated to what extent their motivations for Facebook use were socializing, entertainment, status seeking and information seeking. The sample included 358 respondents who had previously liked a brand on Facebook. These respondents were asked to provide the name of a brand they had liked on Facebook and answered questions regarding their experiences with the Facebook brand page for their self-identified brand.

Findings
– Results indicate that motivation dimensions have differential effects at three different stages of consumer interaction with a Facebook brand page community. Socializing and information seeking are the primary reasons for initially joining a Facebook brand page community. After becoming a member of a Facebook brand page community, consumers require entertainment to keep them engaged. However, as consumers become more sophisticated, their involvement with a Facebook brand page and their frequency of posting on that page are dependent on their need for information.

Originality/value
– Insight is gained into the role of social media, specifically Facebook, in brand building. As theoretical frameworks that can guide branding practices using the social media channel are still in their infancy, this research makes an important contribution to the ongoing theoretical discussion. Additionally, the findings add to the online brand community literature by demonstrating the key drivers of consumer willingness to join and participate in a Facebook brand page community.
Keeping the score
Authors: Kostagiolas Petros A. , Lavranos Charilaos , Martzoukou Konstantina , Papadatos Joseph 
Published: July 2015

Purpose– The purpose of this paper is to study the role of academic music libraries in financially straitened times. The academic music library aims to cover the information needs of the academic community; yet the unique nature of music information also allows academic libraries to develop services for a broad spectrum of different user groups.Design/methodology/approach– The theoretical analysis is supported by empirical evidence from a nationwide survey in Greece. The survey was carried out from July to September 2013 and presents results from interviews with the directors of all academic music libraries in Greece.Findings– The results suggest that the period of economic crisis is also a period of challenges and innovation for music libraries which calls them to redefine policies and priorities, and further consider the needs and expectations of wider audiences, i.e. musicians outside the academic community. The financial downturn can be seen as an opportunity for restructuring the academic music libraries and for the development of a wider framework of operation which calls for an outreach strategy and cooperation with external music associations and organizations.Originality/value– It is one of the very few studies providing theoretical and empirical evidence linking academic music libraries to musicians and the significance of collaborative partnerships.