bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Predicting career advancement with structural equation modelling
Authors: Heimler Ronald , Rosenberg Stuart , Morote Elsa‐Sofia 
Published: April 2012

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to use the authors’ prior findings concerning basic employability skills in order to determine which skills best predict career advancement potential.Design/methodology/approachUtilizing survey responses of human resource managers, the employability skills showing the largest relationships to career advancement were used in a regression analysis. The regression results generated structural equation models.FindingsAccording to human resource managers, leadership skills and information technology skills needed for job performance were shown to be significant contributors to recent graduates’ career advancement potential. Work ethic and critical thinking skills were found to be closely linked with leadership skills. Additionally, management skills, leadership skills, and basic literacy and numeracy skills received from recent graduates by their employers were found to be the strongest predictors of graduates’ career advancement potential.Research limitations/implicationsThe research study was limited to graduates, faculty, and recruiters at a business school in southern California. Further studies can determine whether differences in attitudes from those found in this study might exist.Practical implicationsIt is important that students develop basic employability skills prior to entering the workforce, since remedial training on the job could impede career advancement.Social implicationsThose graduates who show deficiencies in the skills that are viewed by employers to be predictors of advancement are likely to experience difficulties with career growth.Originality/valueThe first part of this study utilized a triangular approach to survey three distinct groups of respondents – graduates, the faculty who taught them, and the human resource managers who recruited them – concerning their attitudes toward basic employability skills. In this second part of the study, the novelty utilized was structural equation modelling, which highlighted those skills that are most critical to career advancement.
Undergraduate management students’ perceptions of what makes a successful virtual group
Authors: Gapp Rod , Fisher Ron 
Published: April 2012

PurposeThere are a number of factors that are essential to understanding the pedagogy, learning and knowledge requirements of developing virtual platforms for delivering effective course interaction using the World Wide Web (the web). The purpose of this paper is to focus on web‐based group work amongst undergraduate management students, during a two‐year study investigating the development of virtual groups as an important problem‐solving and learning‐enhancement process.Design/methodology/approachThis study is based on the identification of successful groups undertaking undergraduate management courses, where group work is a compulsory component of the course assessment. Focus groups are used to collect a broad qualitative understanding of perceptions of students in relation to success factors. Lexical analysis is then used to analyse data.FindingsLexical analysis provides four clear clusters that the subjects consider are essential to group learning and performance. The outcomes of the findings link directly back to the design of learning activities and the future direction of the research.Originality/valueValue is created as it advances use of the web from one of information dissemination to one of engagement and learning enhancement.
Improving user satisfaction via a case‐enhanced e‐learning environment
Authors: Jeong Kim Hye , Pederson Susan , Baldwin Moira 
Published: April 2012

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine students’ experiences with a case‐enhanced e‐learning environment in a higher‐education institute.Design/methodology/approachIn total, 67 graduate students volunteered to take part in this experiment. The participants were assigned to treatment groups using tutorial with case‐based learning (CBL) module or comparison groups using tutorial only. They completed a background survey, a technological proficiency survey, a pre‐ and post‐knowledge test, and a learner perception survey of the e‐learning environment.FindingsThe present study found a significant increase in the level of domain knowledge in both a tutorial‐only group and a tutorial with CBL module group. The tutorial with CBL group scored significantly higher on learners’ perceptions of the e‐learning environment in terms of ease of use, satisfaction, and usefulness. In addition, the results of the use of a CBL module based on individual differences such as gender, degree level, and information technology self‐efficacy are discussed.Practical implicationsDesigning an e‐learning environment for adult learners needs to consider their needs and motives. Adult learners who have specific learning goals tend to be more satisfied with an interactive and supportive e‐learning environment using real cases, rather than sequential and less flexible e‐learning only.Originality/valueThis paper describes an e‐learning system including the case module to enhance learner's satisfaction and knowledge. The paper contributes to the literature on CBL in adult learning and higher education context and in the design of a practical learning environment for user satisfaction.
An update of gender diversity in editorial boards: a longitudinal study of management journals
Authors: Metz Isabel , Harzing Anne‐Wil 
Published: April 2012

PurposeThis study aims to update knowledge of women's representation on the boards of scholarly management journals with a longitudinal analysis of the same over two decades.Design/methodology/approachThis study extends the work of Metz and Harzing on women's representation in the editorial boards of 57 management journals from 1989 to 2004 by focusing on the development of gender diversity in editorial board membership over time. The authors first add another time period (2005‐2009) to Metz and Harzing's data. They then add empirical richness by conducting a more fine‐grained analysis of women's representation at the various editorial board levels over time. In addition, this study analyses the development of female editorial board memberships over time for five management fields, journals of four different ranks, and two geographic regions. As a result, this study examines women's representation in the editorial boards of 57 management journals over a period of 20 years (from 1989 to 2009).FindingsThe results showed an overall increase in women's representation in the editorial boards of these 57 management journals (at Board Member, Associate Editor and Editor in Chief levels) in the last five years (2004‐2009) to 22.4 per cent. Despite several positive trends identified in this follow‐up study, women's representation as editorial board members continues to be inconsistent across five management fields, across four journal rankings and across two geographic regions.Practical implicationsThis study's findings clearly indicate that there is still much that can be done to narrow the gender imbalance in most editorial boards of management journals. Monitoring women's representation in editorial boards of management journals is only one of the steps needed for successful change to occur.Social implicationsThis study's findings matter for our society because editorial board membership is a sign of one's scholarly recognition and valued in academic promotion processes. It is important, therefore, that this promotion criterion be evaluated in the context of up‐to‐date knowledge of the representation of women in editorial boards of management journals, otherwise its impact on women's promotion could exacerbate an already discriminatory system of academic scholarship.Originality/valueIt is important to monitor women's (under)representation on the boards of scholarly management journals regularly to raise awareness that might lead to or sustain positive change. This follow‐up study serves that purpose in the field of management, a largely neglected field until recently.
The role of learning agility and career variety in the identification and development of high potential employees
Authors: Dries Nicky , Vantilborgh Tim , Pepermans Roland 
Published: April 2012

PurposeA survey study was conducted in seven best practice organizations in the field of talent management. By cross‐checking their existing high potential lists, the authors aimed to examine to which extent assessments of learning agility were able to predict being identified as a high potential or not above and beyond a baseline prediction by job performance. Furthermore, they aimed to investigate whether learning agility increased with career variety.Design/methodology/approachThe study had a case‐control design, comparing supervisor ratings of employees recently identified as high potentials (n=32) with supervisor ratings of a carefully matched control group of non‐high potentials (n=31).FindingsLearning agility (mediated by job content on‐the‐job learning) was found to be a better predictor of being identified as a high potential than job performance. Career variety was found to be positively associated to learning agility.Research limitations/implicationsThis study's design did not allow for the demonstration of causal effects. Longitudinal studies are needed to further clarify the causality of these findings and their implications for organizational performance.Practical implicationsOrganizations should do well to incorporate measures of learning agility into their high potential identification and development processes. Furthermore, they need to reflect on how HRM practices might enhance their high potentials' career variety and commitment.Originality/valueThe current study responds to urgent calls in the literature for more empirical research on the identification and development of high potentials, as well as on career variety.
Property specific criteria for office occupation by tenants of purpose built office buildings in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Authors: Adnan Yasmin Mohd. , Nasir Daud Mohd. , Najib Razali Muhammad 
Published: April 2012

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to identify the important property specific criteria for office occupation decision making by tenants of purpose built office buildings in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. It attempts to provide more definitive information on office space occupation to prospective property marketers, managers, owners and investors.Design/methodology/approachA questionnaire survey was conducted to identify the important criteria which were earlier selected by expert panels. The outcome was then analysed through the principal component analysis and importance factor index adopted from an earlier study. The findings from the survey can then be used to examine the relative importance of the identified criteria through the use of a multi criteria decision making (MCDM) technique.FindingsFour main criteria could be identified under the property specific criteria. Six of the “building features, services and management” attributes have higher rankings than the attributes under the “financial” considerations, mainly rent. the high rank attributes under the main criteria of “location” relate to the prestige and accessibility of the building while the high rank criteria under the main “lease” criteria relate to the monetary considerations of the lease arrangement. The high rank criteria under the main criteria of “building features, services and management” relate to the management and building services rather than the design/space provision.Research limitations/implicationsThe study area is confined to Kuala Lumpur city centre commercial area and covers prime office buildings.Originality/valueOffice occupation studies have been established in developed countries but are very limited in Malaysia. This study attempts to relate to the current office market developments and to seek the preferences of the various categories of tenants at a later stage.
How do appraisers absorb market information in property valuation?
Authors: Lin Tzu‐Chin , Chang Hsiao‐Yen 
Published: April 2012

PurposeDespite its popularity in practice, sales comparison is constantly criticized as subjective and even relegated to the least recommended method by some scholars. This paper aims to examine the validity of the above statement.Design/methodology/approachA number of statistical techniques have been proposed to improve the objectivity of the sales comparison approach. In contrast, property valuation can also be seen as an exercise of human problem solving with respect to market information. As a result, the approach of a controlled experiment is employed.FindingsFirst, experienced appraisers tend to adopt an appraisal process that significantly differs from that specified in legal standards. Second, appraisers have developed a specific‐to‐general information inquiry path. Third, appraisers are likely to stop examining additional sales evidence early when the appraised subject is a typical product. Fourth, appraisers have a tendency to weigh the comparables that come to their attention earlier more heavily than those that come later. Finally, despite the different strategies of information absorption, value variations among appraisers are consistent between different residential properties. The evidence, taken together, strongly suggests that professional appraisers have developed some heuristics or short‐cuts in digesting information relevant to appraisal.Originality/valueThis study is one of the very few that examine appraisers' decision making in Taiwan.
Governance characteristics and role effectiveness of audit committees
Authors: Lary Akeel M. , Taylor Dennis W. 
Published: April 2012

PurposeThis paper examines the association between audit committee (AC) governance characteristics and their role effectiveness. Its objective is to contribute a more comprehensive model and new evidence from Australia that complements and extends recent studies from different country settings on characteristics, roles and effectiveness of ACs.Design/methodology/approachThe sampling frame is Australian listed companies, over the years 2004 to 2009, consisting of 180 observations. The study applies multiple regressions to validate the hypotheses and models.FindingsResults reveal that stronger AC independence and competence, but not diligence, is significantly related to a lower incidence and severity of financial restatements (i.e. to a higher integrity of financial statements). However, greater AC diligence, but not independence or competence, is significantly related to lower non‐audit fee ratio (i.e. to higher external auditor independence).Practical implicationsThe paper highlights salient links between an AC's governance characteristics and its effectiveness in fulfilling certain governance roles. Also it expands current literature by presenting a comprehensive empirical model along with statistical measures for AC governance characteristics.Originality/valuePrevious studies have not drawn AC governance characteristics together in a comprehensive model or provided evidence beyond the North American and European setting. A further original feature is the measurement of AC competence in terms of collective members' combined financial sophistication and industry knowledge.
Audit committee characteristics and loss reserve error
Authors: Sun Fang , Wei Xiangjing , Xu Yang 
Published: April 2012

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to investigate two audit committee characteristics – independence and expertise of the audit committee – and the property‐liability insurers' financial reporting quality, which is proxied by loss reserve error.Design/methodology/approachThe authors' hypotheses are tested using multivariate analysis where the loss reserve error is the dependent variable, and audit committee independence, and four types of audit committee financial expertise (accounting, finance, supervisory, and insurance expertise) are the testing variables.FindingsIt is found that accounting, finance, and insurance financial expertise are associated with more accurate loss reserve estimate. In contrast, a supervisory financial expertise and an independence audit committee are not found to be associated with better loss reserve quality.Research limitations/implicationsThe sample includes publicly‐held property‐liability insurers. Although the results from publicly‐held insurers could provide a good laboratory for such investigation in all insurers, they might be limited due to different organization structures of public vs private insurers.Practical implicationsThe implications of the study are important for the SEC and NAIC. The results suggest that the requirements on the audit committee financial expertise would be necessary, even in highly regulated industry, such as property‐casualty insurance.Originality/valueThe paper contributes to the extant literature by studying audit committee characteristics in the insurance industry. It also contributes to the extant literature on audit committee effectiveness by decomposing the financial expertise into four types of financial expertise (accounting, finance, supervisory, or insurance expertise) and investigates which (if any) of these four types of expertise really drives the improvement of loss reserve quality.
Audit committee effectiveness and timeliness of reporting: Indonesian evidence
Authors: Rochmah Ika Siti , Mohd Ghazali Nazli A. 
Published: April 2012

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine the association between audit committee effectiveness and timeliness of reporting. Specifically, the paper investigates whether there is any relationship between effectiveness of an audit committee and submission of audited financial statements to the Indonesian Stock Exchange (IDX).Design/methodology/approachAudit committee effectiveness is measured by an index based on the framework developed by DeZoort et al. Timeliness of reporting is defined as the number of days that elapses between a company's financial year‐end and the day on which its audited financial statement is received by the IDX. The sample comprises 211 non‐financial Indonesian listed companies. Multivariate regression analysis was performed to analyse the relationship between audit committee effectiveness and timeliness of reporting.FindingsThe findings show that timeliness of reporting is associated with audit committee effectiveness. This result suggests that audit committee effectiveness is likely to reduce the financial reporting lead time, i.e. the time taken by companies to publicly release audited financial statements to the stock exchange.Research limitations/implicationsThe audit committee effectiveness index employed in this study was based on DeZoort et al.'s framework. There could be other aspects of audit committee effectiveness such as the organizational context or multiple‐directorship which had not been addressed in the present study. Thus, future research may consider and examine these other aspects in developing a more comprehensive index.Practical implicationsThe findings suggest that audit committee effectiveness is a significant factor ensuring timely submission of audited financial statements. Thus, companies perhaps can re‐look into how to further improve audit committee effectiveness in order to enhance timeliness of financial reporting.Originality/valueUnlike the majority of prior studies which investigated the association between the presence/absence of audit committee and timeliness of reporting, this study is one of few which examined the relationship between effectiveness of audit committee and timeliness of reporting in an emerging country.
The moderating effect of environmental uncertainty on the relationship between network structures and the innovative performance of a new venture
Authors: Wang Ming‐Chao , Fang Shih‐Chieh 
Published: April 2012

PurposeNetwork structures are critical in the acquisition of resources; however, their impact on innovative performance remains unclear, especially in an uncertain environment. This study aims to advance research on network research by investigating how the configuration of the industrial environment shapes the relationship between network structures of a new venture and its innovative performance.Design/methodology/approachEmpirical support was derived from entrepreneurial survey data. Data were collected through a survey of 1,510 new ventures in Taiwan for this research study.FindingsThe authors find that innovative performance is impacted by different aspects of the network structure, and that environmental uncertainty contributes to this impact. Overall, the authors find that network structure, innovative performance and environmental uncertainty together contribute to a contingent view of the conditions under which network boundary conditions impact innovative performance.Practical implicationsGiven the contradictory role of network centrality and the cooperative network on innovativeness, managers need to focus on acquiring a critical position in the industrial network rather than expecting to obtain resources and information from strong relationships with cooperators, especially in an uncertain environment.Originality/valueThis research contributes to network theory in two ways. First, it provides descriptive data on different aspects of the network structure and how these aspects impact innovative performance. Second, it sheds light on the configuration of resources and allocations for new ventures, which must compete with rivals in an uncertain environment.
The occupational well‐being of school staff and maintenance of their ability to work in Finland and Estonia – focus on the school community and professional competence
Authors: Saaranen Terhi , Sormunen Marjorita , Pertel Tiia , Streimann Karin , Hansen Siivi , Varava Liana , Lepp Kädi , Turunen Hannele , Tossavainen Kerttu 
Published: April 2012

PurposeThis paper aims to present the baseline results of a research and development project targeted to improve the occupational well‐being of school staff and maintain their ability to work, in Finland and Estonia. It reveals the most problematic factors in the various aspects of the school community and professional competence and outlines development needs in the school communities.Design/methodology/approachThe overall project design is action research, conducted during 2009‐2013 in the SHE (Schools for Health in Europe) network in Finland and Estonia. The baseline survey data were collected in 2009‐2010 with a web‐based Well‐being at your work index questionnaire and analysed statistically using descriptive statistics, sum variables of factors and Mann‐Whitney tests.FindingsThe general opinions of the Finnish school staffs were more affirmative than those of Estonian school staffs regarding their own personal occupational well‐being in comparison with the best in the profession (p=0.000). However, the Finns were more critical than the Estonians when estimating the general well‐being of the staff in their working community, maintenance of their ability to work, the aspects of the school community and professional competence and development needs in the school communities.Research limitations/implicationsThe results cannot be widely generalised due to the geographically defined samples, but they can be suggestive in comparable situations in Finland and Estonia.Originality/valueThere is a need to develop the occupational well‐being of school staff and maintenance of their ability to work in the school communities: specific interventions will be developed on the basis of the results obtained from the project schools.