bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Sustainability in bioscience fieldwork
Authors: Wright Hazel A. , Ironside Joseph E. , Gwynn‐Jones Dylan 
Published: January 2009

PurposeOwing to the specialist nature of biological experimentation, scientific research staff have been largely neglected from the pro‐environmental initiatives which have inundated other areas of higher education. This dearth of studies is surprising given that scientific research is recognised as a substantial contributor to the environmental impact of tertiary institutes. The present study seeks to utilise the current sustainability literature to identify barriers to sustainability in scientific fieldwork and determines which methods or procedures might increase pro‐environmental behaviours in this technical environment. The resultant information serves to provide a comparison with previously identified barriers to sustainability in the laboratory environment and identifies which environmental initiatives might be successful in both the field and laboratory.Design/methodology/approachThis study gathers qualitative data from a sample of scientific researchers presently conducting field experimentation in the agricultural sciences. A “sustainability in science” questionnaire was developed and distributed to all staff undertaking research at the Institute of Grassland and Environmental Research.FindingsDespite favourable sustainability beliefs and perceptions, almost three‐quarters (71 per cent) of researchers at this institute agreed that they were not conducting their current research activities in the most sustainable way possible. Barriers to sustainability included lack of support, lack of information, lack of training and lack of time. The provision of awards for pro‐environmental behaviours and the application of costs for unsustainable behaviours were the initiatives most likely to encourage research staff to be sustainable in the work environment.Research limitations/implicationsMany agricultural field based research projects manipulate the environment in order to cultivate and develop commercial foodstuffs. Identifying the potential to reduce such waste was an inherent part of the present study. However, identifying the ways in which such environmental manipulation modifies the landscape – whether sustainably or unsustainably – was outwith the scope of the present study and presents an interesting area for future sustainability research.Practical implicationsThe information presented in this paper has immediate practical implication for tertiary bodies and agricultural institutes wishing to adopt more sustainable fieldwork practises.Originality/valueThis is the first study to design a sustainability questionnaire specifically targeting field active research scientists in a tertiary institute.
Pathways towards sustainability through higher education
Authors: Sibbel Anne 
Published: January 2009

PurposeThe aim of this paper is to contribute to aligning higher education towards meeting the challenge of global sustainability.Design/methodology/approachThe barriers to sustainability are juxtaposed against the resources, responsibilities and potential of higher education. Ideas from several models and from within several disciplines are integrated to construct a framework through the challenges can be examined and then translated into learning outcomes, expressed as graduate attributes.FindingsThe focus of education for global sustainability has been on encouraging consumers to modify patterns of resource consumption and waste management. However, there are some significant limitations to relying on consumer action. Future professionals, involved in managing resources or designing options from which consumers make choices, are in a much better position for influencing how social, cultural and environmental resources are used. To actualise this potential requires that higher education curricula offer experiences which develop graduate attributes of self‐efficacy, capacity for effective advocacy and interdisciplinary collaboration, as well as raise awareness of social and moral responsibilities associated with professional practice.Research limitations/implicationsFor higher education to contribute towards achieving sustainability requires support of the whole institution, and considerable professional development of staff to help them appreciate how they can lead the next generation to global sustainability. The next stage of the research into the role of higher education in building a sustainable society should focus on how these objectives can be achieved.Originality/valueConsiderable research has been dedicated to describing the urgent and intractable nature of the problems facing the global community and, to some extent, the need for higher education to engage with these problems. This paper takes the next step by presenting some guidelines for designing curricula to develop graduate attributes required for this work.
A scientometric analysis of the Proceedings of the McMaster World Congress on the Management of Intellectual Capital and Innovation for the 1996‐2008 period
Authors: Serenko Alexander , Bontis Nick , Grant Joshua 
Published: January 2009

PurposeThis paper seeks to present a scientometric analysis of the Proceedings of the McMaster World Congress on the Management of Intellectual Capital and Innovation for the 1996‐2008 period in order to better understand the evolution and identity of the discipline.Design/methodology/approachQualitative and quantitative data analysis techniques were applied to determine author distribution, country, individual and institutional‐level productivity rankings, and employed methodologies.FindingsIt was found that an average manuscript was written by 1.73 authors. The USA, Canada and the UK were the three most productive countries, which is consistent with prior KM/IC productivity research. Most productive institutions were the University of Calgary (Canada), Polytechnic University of Catalonia (Spain) and Universidad de Oviedo (Spain). The most productive individuals were James Falconer, Jose Maria Viedma Marti and Scott Erickson. Lotka's α, which represents the degree of conference delegate retention rate, was established as 2.7. Case studies were the most frequent method of inquiry, followed by framework development and literature reviews. Surveys and usage of secondary data were the leading empirical methodologies. Interviews, laboratory experiments, and field studies were under‐represented.Research limitations/implicationsThe findings offer valuable insights into the state and development of the KM/IC discipline and shed some light on its identity.Practical implicationsScientometric analyses are of primary interest for academic researchers and therefore the practical implications of this study are limited.Originality/valueThe research reported is among the first to investigate the issue of the KM/IC discipline identity from a descriptive perspective.
Knowledge sharing and innovation performance
Authors: Sáenz Josune , Aramburu Nekane , Rivera Olga 
Published: January 2009

PurposeThe aim of this paper is to test empirically the degree of influence of different knowledge‐sharing mechanisms on the innovation capability of firms, as well as to analyse the degree of relevance of each innovation capability dimension to value creation. Additionally, the role of technology intensity as a moderator variable of the aforementioned relationships is examined.Design/methodology/approachAnad hocquestionnaire was designed and addressed to the CEOs of the companies making up the target population of the research (Spanish manufacturing firms with more than 50 employees and R&D activities). Structural equation modeling (SEM) based on partial least squares (PLS) was then applied in order to test the main hypotheses of the research.FindingsThe results obtained show that knowledge sharing is a key issue in order to enhance the innovation capability of firms. Nevertheless, depending on the innovation capability dimension being considered and on the technology intensity of the firm, the type of knowledge sharing which appears to be more fruitful varies. On the other hand, technology intensity also moderates the degree of relevance of each innovation capability in value creation.Originality/valueThe main contribution of the paper is to provide empirical evidence about the impact of knowledge sharing on innovation. Moreover, it reveals what the most effective knowledge‐sharing mechanisms are for this purpose, and provides companies with a basic framework in order to shape their knowledge management strategies.
Exploring the relationship between management accounting and structural capital in a knowledge‐intensive sector
Authors: Cleary Peter 
Published: January 2009

PurposeIn the context of intellectual capital (IC) research, it has been proposed that management accounting is most appropriately situated as an element of a firm's structural capital. This paper sets out to explore this contention within the confines of the indigenous Irish information and communications technology (ICT) sector.Design/methodology/approachA survey instrument was used to collect the necessary data and responses from 88 firms were generated. A form of structural equation modelling (SEM) called partial least squares (PLS) was used to test the data.FindingsThe findings suggest that management accounting systems within the indigenous Irish ICT sector have a positive influence on the generation of management accounting information. No statistical support was found, however, for the suggestion that management accounting systems positively influence firms' structural capital, whereas the results did indicate a positive relationship between management accounting information and structural capital. The findings strongly support previous research on the relationships between the human, structural and relational dimensions of IC and business performance.Research limitations/implicationsThe research was conducted solely within the confines of the Irish ICT sector. Further research is needed to explore the relevant relationships.Practical implicationsIt is argued strongly that firms adapt/develop management accounting systems to furnish themselves with the appropriate information required for the management and measurement of their increasingly valuable stock of IC.Originality/valueThe paper explicitly explores the relationship between management accounting and structural capital.
A causal model of human capital antecedents and consequents in the financial services industry
Authors: Bontis Nick , Serenko Alexander 
Published: January 2009

PurposeCausal models have been used in recent intellectual capital research studies to better understand the various outcomes of antecedent configurations of intangible asset components. These studies have been conducted in various industry sectors including insurance, healthcare, banks, and others. The purpose of this study is to replicate and extend prior research results within a new financial services sub‐sector.Design/methodology/approachA survey instrument based on prior research was administered to 396 employees from ten credit unions across Canada.FindingsThe results show that the pattern and value of causal paths change slightly from one context to another.Research limitations/implicationsSix research implications are offered which summarize the key academic findings of the study related to how the interdependencies of the constructs alter from one context to another.Practical implicationsThe empirical results presented here should lead analysts to recognize that measuring and strategically managing intellectual capital may in fact become the most important managerial activity for driving organizational performance.Originality/valueThe study provides a unique opportunity to test the generalizability and contextual implications of administering a similar survey instrument across various contexts.
Intellectual capital practices: a four‐region comparative study
Authors: Tovstiga George , Tulugurova Ekaterina 
Published: January 2009

PurposeThis paper aims to present the findings of an empirical study that examines and compares the competitive impact of intellectual capital on enterprise performance in small innovative enterprises (SIEs) situated in four geographical regions: St Petersburg in the Russian Federation, the Black Forest region of Germany, the “Medicon Valley”, situated between Copenhagen in Denmark and Malmo in Sweden, and Silicon Valley in the USA.Design/methodology/approachThe research seeks to investigate potential differences in intellectual capital practices across the four regions while comparing the impact of these relative to the firm's external factors (socio‐political, technological, and economic) for enterprise performance. To that end, the research reported builds on and extends earlier research focused on Russian SIEs.FindingsThe research findings suggest that intellectual capital practices and their impact on enterprise performance are more similar than different across the regions studied, and that the firms' intellectual capital constitutes the more important determinant of enterprise performance relative to external factors. This does not preclude differences in intellectual capital practices between the regions studied. These differences are marginal, however, and reflect socio‐economic and national cultural factors unique to those regions investigated.Research limitations/implicationsThe key questions of the research address the relative impact of intellectual capital practices (internal factors) and prevailing socio‐political, economic, and technological factors on the performance of small innovative enterprises. The work presents an extended sample size of Russian companies (also from St Petersburg) and an extension of the earlier study to include the three additional geographic regions. The notion of the knowledge‐based theory of the firm forms the conceptual basis of the framework that is developed to relate intellectual capital (human capital and structural capital) and key external factors (socio‐political, economic and technological) to enterprise performance in SIEs.Practical implicationsThe study compares the perceived importance of intellectual capital and external environmental factors for enterprise competitiveness of companies in the four regions – Russia, Germany, Denmark, and the USA. The research provides evidence that intellectual capital is perceived to be the most important factor driving competitive performance in all the regions.Originality/valueSimilar to the research reported in an earlier paper by the same authors, the paper represents work in progress. As such, the outcomes and conclusions reported should be viewed as preliminary findings.
Intellectual capital management: pathways to wealth creation
Authors: Isaac Robert G. , Herremans Irene M. , Kline Theresa J.B. 
Published: January 2009

PurposeThe management of intellectual capital (IC) within organizations depends on appropriate organizational structures and characteristics. This paper seeks to argue that certain structural, cultural, and climate characteristics will lead to more effective IC management.Design/methodology/approachThe paper reviews the theoretical and empirical IC literature, as well as the literatures regarding organic environments, trust, participative decision making, and creative renewal processes, to develop a model relating to the antecedent conditions necessary for the management of IC.FindingsThe model developed will assist researchers in the identification and exploration of variables linked to the effective management of IC within organizations.Practical implicationsIt is concluded that managers of organizations need to create organic structures, build trust with employees, encourage creative renewal, and develop participative decision‐making processes.Originality/valueBy integrating several fields of the literature that relate to IC management, the paper suggests propositions that deserve future research consideration.
A method for comprehensive intellectual capital management and reporting
Authors: Karagiannis Dimitris , Nemetz Martin , Bayer Franz 
Published: January 2009

PurposeThis paper aims to present the ICRB method, a comprehensive framework for intellectual capital management that has been applied at a knowledge company, BOC IS GmbH (BOC). As nowadays a great variety of diverse conceptions of intellectual capital management and reporting approaches are discussed in both practitioner and academic journals and at conferences, one of the next steps in intellectual capital research could be the comprehensive management of an organisation's intangible assets; opting for a special intellectual capital reporting method will no longer be a first‐choice decision. Together with BOC, this paper seeks to illustrate both a management method and a tool that allows easy and intuitive management and reporting of an organisation's intellectual capital.Design/methodology/approachBy relying on method engineering as well as on the modelling approach, comparable and expressive means for managing and reporting an organisation's intellectual capital will be presented.FindingsThe paper depicts the outcome of the application of the ICRB method in the knowledge company BOC for managing and reporting intellectual capital.Research limitations/implicationsThe range of the presented application of the ICRB method is limited to BOC's pre‐sale activities and processes.Practical implicationsWhen applying the ICRB method, managers, employees, external stakeholders, experts and academics can proceed on the question of how to achieve comparable and expressive intellectual capital reports.Originality/valueThe paper aims to go one step further in the research of intellectual capital management and offers a way to unify and compare diverse intellectual capital reporting conceptions.
Strategic environment and intellectual capital of Indian banks
Authors: Singh Deol Harjinder 
Published: January 2009

PurposeThis paper aims to propose that the development and use of intellectual capital (IC) elements by firms is contingent on the effect of the strategic environment on them.Design/methodology/approachThe paper is a case study of the Indian banking industry, and considers how different banks responded to deregulation and industry reforms in terms of developing and exploiting their IC.FindingsGovernment‐, private‐ and foreign‐owned banks used and developed different elements of IC (structural, human and relational capital) in response to the change in their strategic environment due to the reforms. These responses appear to be contingent on firm history and the initial endowments of IC.Research limitations/implicationsA reliance on print archival sources and context specificity limits the generalizability of the findings.Practical implicationsThe paper complements Kamath's cross‐sectional estimation of VAIC™ in the Indian banking industry, and seeks to introduce consideration of the strategic environment of firms.Originality/valueThe paper is one of the first systematic studies on the post‐liberalization strategies of banks in India, an important emerging economy.
Leveraging human capital through an employee volunteer program
Authors: Bart Chris , Baetz Mark C. , Pancer S. Mark 
Published: January 2009

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explore how an employee volunteer program (EVP) as one aspect of responsible corporate citizenship (typically expressed in a mission statement) can influence the relationships among a firm, its employees and its community.Design/methodology/approachA pedagogical approach used in the educational sector known as “community service‐learning” or “service‐learning” was used as the basis for analyzing the experiences of 12 first‐time volunteering employees who described in a personal interview the motivations and outcomes associated with their participation in their EVP.FindingsIt was found that all three elements of service‐learning – that is, reciprocity, reflection, and development of responsible citizenship skills – were useful in understanding how an EVP can leverage human capital to benefit the firm, its employees and the community and make a firm's mission of responsible citizenship a reality.Research limitations/implicationsDespite the small sample size of 12 respondents, there were significant data in the comments from these respondents about the possible impact of an EVP experience in terms of various elements involved in service‐learning.Practical implicationsThere are several corporate implications from the research which are related to various elements of service‐learning. For example, companies are encouraged to include in the creation and rollout of their EVP a reflection process which could also be connected to employee recognition programs, training programs and employee career development.Originality/valueThe paper presents a novel approach to assessing the motivations and possible outcomes associated with an EVP. It should be of interest to both academics and practitioners.
Organizational characteristics fostering intellectual capital in Canada and the Middle East
Authors: Nazari Jamal A. , Herremans Irene M. , Isaac Robert G. , Manassian Armond , Kline Theresa J. 
Published: January 2009

PurposeThis study sets out to examine how organizational characteristics are related to intellectual capital and how these variables are different between Canadian and Middle East contexts.Design/methodology/approachA questionnaire was developed to measure the four major study constructs, i.e. intellectual capital, culture, climate, and organizational traits. Each of these constructs was represented by a number of subscales that were subjected to ANOVA and correlations to test the hypotheses.FindingsThe analysis showed that all three categories of characteristics (culture, climate, and other traits) are significantly correlated with IC management. The results also indicated significant differences in all organizational characteristics and IC management between Canada and the Middle East.Research limitations/implicationsCulture, climate, and other traits are important enablers for the effective management of IC. Although the research tested three culture variables, four climate variables, and two other traits, future research should investigate these variables and the interactions among them more thoroughly.Practical implicationsThe results have implications for organizations operating in different international contexts. Managers can use the results for more effective and efficient management of organizational characteristics that would foster IC management.Originality/valueThe research provides a comprehensive study of enablers of effective IC management, an area of study that has not received much attention in the past. It also provides insight as to why effective IC management may be more successful in certain countries.