bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Testing a graduateness and employability skills model through the use of social media: findings from South Africa
Authors: Murire Obrain Tinashe , Cilliers Liezel , Chinyamurindi Willie 
Published: May 2024

PurposeThis study examined the influence of social media use on graduateness and the employability of exit students in South Africa.Design/methodology/approachThe study used quantitative and descriptive research designs to test the proposed hypotheses. An online survey was used to collect the data from a study sample. A sample of 411 respondents was received, with structural equation modelling (SEM) being used to assess the model fit.FindingsThe study found that the direct effect of social media use on graduateness skills is significant. Secondly, the direct effect of graduateness skills on perceived employability is also significant. The results also showed existence of support for the mediation of graduateness skills on the relationship between social media use and perceived employability.Research limitations/implicationsThe study provides empirical evidence to the proposed model and infers the potential role of social media in addressing issues related to graduateness and the employability of exit students.Practical implicationsIn addressing the challenge of unemployment, the use of social media can potentially aid in matters of skills acquisition.Originality/valueThe results demonstrate how technology through the use of social media potentially fits within enhancing graduateness and employability skills.
Determining the range of negotiable prices for public–private partnership infrastructure projects: a simulation approach
Authors: Zakeri Afshar Arsalan , Abbasianjahromi Hamidreza , Mirhosseini S. Mohammad , Ehsanifar Mohammad 
Published: May 2024

PurposeThis research aims to measure the public sector comparator (PSC) to reach public–private partnership (PPP) projects' negotiable price range for water and sewage companies in Iran. PSC measurement drives the public sector to make valid decisions about costs.Design/methodology/approachAround 170 risks were primarily determined through studying numerous articles. Then, risk effects were specified by distributing questionnaires in two steps. The questionnaires are distributed among experts on PPP-related projects and the Monte Carlo simulation method is used for confidence factors of 70, 80 and 90%. PSC is measured based on these results to study cases of Sirjan’s sewerage and sewage purification systems.Findings11 risks were identified as the main risks that are effective on PSC, and project implementation costs were specified based on the modeling. The corruption of the private and public sectors was identified as the most effective risk in this research. It can affect a project’s cost up to 158% in the construction period and up to 134% in the operation period. Based on the obtained results, 63% of this risk’s cost goes to the public sector.Originality/valueThe originality of this research is the PSC measurement method and appointing the risk share of each private and public sector. The results of this research can be applied to all the infrastructure and PPP projects in Iran and other developing countries as a way for employers to estimate accurate negotiable price ranges.
Sustainable strategies, employee competencies and social outcomes: are they aligned?
Authors: Diaz-Fernandez Mirta , Lopez-Cabrales Alvaro , Valle-Cabrera Ramón 
Published: May 2024

PurposeThe present paper contributes to the development of sustainable strategies by focusing on the social perspective and the role played by HRM. Specifically, we identified and compared the employee competencies that supported the compliance strategy as well as the innovative/proactive sustainability strategies – and their impacts on social outcomes.Design/methodology/approachAfter formulating hypotheses, we tested them on a sample of 179 companies from the chemical and metallurgical industries using the bootstrap method.FindingsThe results revealed that both sustainability strategies were present in the sample. The compliance sustainable strategy showed to be negatively associated with employee competencies, whilst proactive sustainable strategy firms presented a positive relationship with employee competencies. We also found that compliance strategies failed to have any impact on social outcomes, but proactive strategies had a positive effect on social outcomes. Indeed, normative and foresighted thinking competencies acted as mediating variables in such a relationship.Originality/valueThe originality of this paper lies in three aspects hitherto unaddressed in the literature: first, the conceptualisation and assessment of sustainable strategies focused on a social dimension; second, the identification of individual competencies required developing sustainable strategies; and third, the demonstration that it is only the firms that adopt proactive sustainable strategies that obtain positive social outcomes.
Are intensified job demands positive challenges for employees? Associations with work engagement in different occupational samples
Authors: Mauno Saija , Feldt Taru , Herttalampi Mari , Minkkinen Jaana 
Published: May 2024

PurposeIntensified job demands (IJDs; work intensification, intensified job- and career-related planning and decision-making demands, and intensified learning demands) illustrate the intensification of working life. This study examined relationships between IJDs and work engagement.Design/methodology/approachNine diverse samples (n = 7,786) were analyzed separately via regression analysis by estimating linear and curvilinear relationships between IJDs and engagement.FindingsThe results showed that certain subdimensions of IJDs, i.e. intensified learning demands, related positively to engagement across several subsamples. Moreover, learning demands showed a curvilinear relationship with engagement in several subsamples; engagement was highest in a moderate level of learning demands whereas low and high levels of learning demands were associated with lower engagement. We also found that other subdimensions of IJDs did not show consistent positive relationships with engagement, and some of them were negatively associated with engagement.Research limitations/implicationsCross-sectional design.Practical implicationsOrganizations should consider what would be the optimal level of learning demands as excessive learning demands can be detrimental to employees’ engagement.Originality/valueThis is a first study focusing on different manifestations of the intensification of working life, operationalized via IJDs, and their curvilinear relationships with engagement by applying a multi-sample design.
New public management evolving agenda: risk management in Italian municipalities
Authors: Castellini Monia , Ferrario Caterina , Riso Vincenzo 
Published: May 2024

PurposeSince the 1980s, New public management has fostered the introduction of managerial approaches similar to those of the private sector in public administrations. Recently, the advantages of performing risk management in the public sector have been recognized; however, to the best of our knowledge, research on risk management in public administrations is underdeveloped, and there is a need to understand how risk management is performed. This paper addresses these issues and investigates whether and how risk management is performed in Italian public administration.Design/methodology/approachThis study focused on a sample of 503 Italian municipalities and used a mixed research method. Through a qualitative content analysis of documents published on municipalities’ websites, data and information were collected and elaborated using quantitative indicators.FindingsThe main results are that a high percentage of large Italian municipalities perform risk management and comply with theoretical provisions on risk management, sometimes displaying isomorphic behavior in risk management practices.Originality/valueThis study provides a new perspective on risk management in Italian municipalities, contributes to filling a gap in the literature and suggests a theoretical perspective on municipalities’ approaches when introducing new managerial practices.
What induces corporations to engage in controversial marketing and environmental practices? A linguistic perspective
Authors: Rahman Mahabubur 
Published: May 2024

PurposeLinguists classify the world’s languages into two types: futured and futureless. Futured languages (e.g. French) require speakers to grammatically mark future events, a construction that is optional in futureless languages such as German. This treatise examines whether the grammatical structure of the predominant language in a given country explains firms’ propensity to engage in controversial marketing and environmental management practices. This is expected to happen because a speaker’s future time perspective and temporal discounting vary depending on the type of language used.Design/methodology/approachThe sample period for this research was from 2001 to 2020. The sample of the study consists of 5,275 firms representing 47 countries. The sample is comprised of firms from 29 countries where the predominant language is a strong future time reference (FTR) language and 18 countries with a weak-FTR language. The maximum number of firm-country-year observations of the study was 39,956. This study employed multi-level mixed effects modelling as well as other relevant estimation techniques such as random effect panel regression, ordinary least square regression and two-stage least square regression.FindingsThis research empirically demonstrates that firms based in countries where the predominant language requires speakers to grammatically differentiate between the present and the future – known as strong-FTR or futured languages – engage more often in controversial marketing- and environment-related practices than those located in countries where the predominant language does not necessarily require grammatical differentiation between the present and the future (known as weak-FTR or futureless languages).Practical implicationsThe findings are important for managers of firms with foreign subsidiary operations: top management teams of such firms need to be aware that their foreign subsidiaries’ propensity to engage in controversial marketing and environmental management practices varies depending on the predominant language those subsidiaries use. Also, firms located in countries with weak-FTR languages need to be more rigorous in their selection process when considering forming a joint venture or acquiring a firm in countries with strong-FTR languages.Originality/valueThe current research enriches the burgeoning body of literature on the effect of language on corporate decision-making. It extends the body of knowledge on the impact of language structure on firms’ inclination to engage in controversial marketing and environmental management practices.
Not all IT addictions are handled equally: guilt-vs shame-driven coping with IT addiction
Authors: Qahri-Saremi Hamed , Vaghefi Isaac , Turel Ofir 
Published: May 2024

PurposeWe build on the transactional model of stress and coping and the appraisal theory of emotions to theorize how users cognitively and emotionally cope with IT addiction-induced stress, distinguish between the roles of guilt and shame in shaping the coping responses and their effects on one’s psychological well-being.Design/methodology/approachWe test our theory via two complementary empirical studies in the context of social networking sites (SNS). Study 1 (n = 462) adopts a variable-centered approach using structural equation modeling to validate the research model. Study 2 (n = 409) uses Latent Profile Analysis to identify a typology of SNS users based on Study 1’s findings.FindingsThis paper provides a model of guilt-vs shame-driven cognitive-emotional coping with IT addiction and its effects on users’ psychological well-being. It also offers a typology of SNS users on this basis.Originality/valueThis paper sheds light on guilt-vs shame-driven coping with IT addiction and its consequences on users’ psychological well-being and identifies distinct classes of users based on their coping choices and their consequences.
The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the financial performance and stability of Islamic banks
Authors: Ben Abdallah Mariem , Bahloul Slah 
Published: May 2024

Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the financial performance and stability of Islamic banks (IBs) in the Middle East, North Africa and Southeast Asia (MENASA) region.

Design/methodology/approach
The sample consists of 50 IBs across 13 MENASA countries. The data covers 11 quarters, starting in Q1 2019 and ending in Q3 2021, and are collected from banks’ quarterly reports. The authors proxy financial performance by three measures, namely, return on assets (ROA), return on equity (ROE) and cost-to-income (Cost/Income). For financial stability, the authors use two indicators: insolvency risk (log Z-score) and asset risk (ROA/SDROA). The methodology is based on the generalized least squares method estimation.

Findings
The results showed a significant and negative impact of COVID-19 on two performance measures of IBs (ROA and ROE) suggesting that IBs were significantly affected during the earlier pandemic. As well, the authors found strong evidence of the impact of COVID-19 on the insolvency risk and asset risk of the studied banks.

Practical implications
The study of COVID-19’s impact on the performance and stability of IBs in MENASA countries permits the banks’ regulators and policymakers to ameliorate the banks’ financial performance and reinforce their supervisory actions. Also, it gives them assistance to guarantee the financial stability of these banks in times of crisis.

Originality/value
This study provides significant financial information and policy implications for stakeholders involved in the banking sector in MENASA countries. Consequently, IBs must guarantee their profits and stability to ensure their competitiveness versus conventional banks during the period of crisis.
Organizational ethical climate: influence on employee meaning and well-being
Authors: Pandey Jayesh , Kumar Manish , Singh Shailendra 
Published: May 2024

PurposeThe organizational environment can influence how employees experience meaningfulness. This study examines the mediating role of meaningful work between organizational ethical climates and the affective well-being of employees. We also test for the moderating role of self-regulatory traits in this relationship.Design/methodology/approachPartial least squares – structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) was employed to test the hypothesized model using responses from 430 working professionals. Recommended robustness checks were conducted before model assessment and hypotheses testing.FindingsThe findings suggest that a caring ethical climate is positively related to affective well-being. Meaningful work dimensions, i.e. unity with others, inspiration and balancing tensions partially mediate the relationship between the caring climate and affective well-being. Integrity with self and balancing tensions fully mediate the negative effect of an instrumental climate on affective well-being. Positive mediation of unity with others and negative mediation of reality were observed between a law and code climate and affective well-being. Moderating effects of self- and other-orientation and self-monitoring were also observed.Research limitations/implicationsThe study presents significant insights, however, a few limitations must be discussed. The study has relied on cross-sectional data which may be addressed in future studies.Practical implicationsIn times when organizations are spending in large amounts in ensuring meaningful work and employee well-being, this study suggests internal mechanisms that can bring positive impact in employees' work life. Leaders should assess how employees perceive the ethical climate of the organization in order to provide better meaningful work opportunities to the workforce.Social implicationsHaving meaningful work and experiencing affective well-being are significant for a collective betterment of society. Meaningful work encourages individuals in identifying how their work if affecting the society. A affectively happy workforce is essential in building a mentally healthy society.Originality/valueThis study contributes to the investigation of organizational factors that help employees find meaning in their work. Based on ethical climate theory, this study highlights how organizations can redesign and modify their ethical climates to provide opportunities for employees to experience meaningful work and improve their affective well-being.
Factors influencing the purchase intention toward electric vehicles; a nonuser perspective
Authors: Samarasinghe Dinesh , Kuruppu Gayithri Niluka , Dissanayake Tharanga 
Published: May 2024

PurposeThe demand for electric vehicles (EVs) has significantly increased in recent years, though some countries like Sri Lanka have reported the opposite direction compared to the global trend. Hence, this study focused on identifying factors affecting EV purchase intention and barriers to the widespread adoption of EVs in a developing country context. Also, this study presents an overview of the theoretical perspectives utilized for understanding consumer intentions and adoption behavior toward alternative fuel vehicles (AFVs).Design/methodology/approachThe questionnaire method was employed, and 394 individuals who lived in Colombo City, Sri Lanka, with valid driving licenses and a hybrid or conventional vehicle were the study sample. The partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) was used to test the research hypothesis.FindingsThe findings confirmed that the three relationships between the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT) variables and EV purchase intention are significant, and there is no significant moderator effect from the consumer’s perceived risk.Originality/valueThese results offer useful information for governments and EV companies to better understand consumer behavior toward purchasing EVs.
Enabling older employees' well‐being through HR attributions: The moderating role of management context
Authors: Aksoy Eda , Marcus Justin 
Published: May 2024

AbstractFusing the extant literature on successful aging at work (SAW) and HR attributions, we examined the confluence of employee‐oriented internal HR attributions and unit‐level employee management context on burnout for employees across the age spectrum. Time‐lagged, multi‐level survey data were collected from a sample of 1762 blue‐collar employees from 178 work units at the manufacturing plants of a large firm operating in the Turkish energy industry, which is characterized as a high‐risk safety environment. A cross‐level moderated mediation model was tested using multi‐level structural equation modeling (MSEM). Results supported study hypotheses such that the negative association between age and burnout was mediated by employee‐oriented positive HR attributions, and this indirect association was moderated by unit‐level perceptions of the employee management context. Development‐oriented contexts that emphasized personal development/growth—indicated by the degree of emphasis on innovation strategy, safety training, and active unit safety leadership—weakened the negative indirect (i.e., buffering) effect of age on burnout via less positive HR attributions. Conversely, a maintenance‐oriented context that emphasized maintaining the status quo—indicated by passive unit safety leadership—strengthened said effect through more positive HR attributions. The theoretical and practical implications of these findings for fostering employee well‐being across the age spectrum are discussed.
Potential of polyphenols from Ligustrum robustum (Rxob.) Blume on enhancing the quality of starchy food during frying
Authors: Gao Hao‐Xiang , Chen Nan , He Qiang , Shi Bi , Zeng Wei‐Cai 
Published: May 2024

AbstractThe increasing concerns about health have led to a growing demand for high‐quality fried foods. The potential uses of Ligustrum robustum (Rxob.) Blume, a traditional tea in China, as natural additives to enhance the quality of starchy food during frying was studied. Results indicated that L. robustum polyphenols extract (LREs) could improve the quality of fried starchy food, according to the tests of color, moisture content, oil content, texture property, and volatile flavor. The in vitro digestion results demonstrated that LRE reduced the final glucose content from 11.35 ± 0.17 to 10.80 ± 0.70 mmol/L and increased the phenolic content of fried starch foods from 1.23 ± 0.04 to 3.76 ± 0.14 mg/g. The appearance and polarizing microscopy results showed that LRE promoted large starch bulges on the surface of fried starchy foods. Meanwhile, X‐ray diffraction results showed that LRE increased the intensity of characteristic diffraction peak of fried starch with a range of 21.8%–28%, and Fourier transform infrared results showed that LRE reduced the damage to short‐range order structure of starch caused by the frying process. In addition, LRE increased the aggregation of starch granules according to the SEM observation and decreased the enthalpy of starch gelatinization based on the differential scanning calorimetry results. The present results suggest that LREs have the potential to be utilized as a natural additive for regulating the quality of fried starchy food in food industries.Practical ApplicationThe enhancement of L. robustum polyphenols on the quality of starchy food during frying was found, and its mechanisms were also explored. This work indicated that L. robustum might be used as a novel economic natural additive for producing high‐quality fried foods.
Plasmid‐mediated horizontal gene mobilisation: Insights from two lactococcal conjugative plasmids
Authors: Ortiz Charneco Guillermo , McDonnell Brian , Kelleher Philip , Buivydas Andrius , Dashko Sofia , de Waal Paul P. , van Rijswijck Irma , van Peij Noël N. M. E. , Mahony Jennifer , Van Sinderen Douwe 
Published: May 2024

AbstractThe distinct conjugation machineries encoded by plasmids pNP40 and pUC11B represent the most prevalent plasmid transfer systems among lactococcal strains. In the current study, we identified genetic determinants that underpin pNP40‐ and pUC11B‐mediated, high‐frequency mobilisation of other, non‐conjugative plasmids. The mobilisation frequencies of the smaller, non‐conjugative plasmids and the minimal sequences required for their mobilisation were determined, owing to the determination of the oriT sequences of both pNP40 and pUC11B, which allowed the identification of similar sequences in some of the non‐conjugative plasmids that were shown to promote their mobilisation. Furthermore, the auxiliary gene mobC, two distinct functional homologues of which are present in several plasmids harboured by the pNP40‐ and pUC11B‐carrying host strains, was observed to confer a high‐frequency mobilisation phenotype. These findings provide mechanistic insights into how lactococcal conjugative plasmids achieve conjugation and promote mobilisation of non‐conjugative plasmids. Ultimately, these insights would be harnessed to optimise conjugation and mobilisation strategies for the rapid and predictable development of robust and technologically improved strains.