RSS 1.0Business and management
Recent Submissions
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Losing my job and family?: how power shapes the boundaries between work and family lifeJob insecurity is often understood as the perceived powerlessness to maintain desired continuity in one’s job, and experiences of it can have significant implications for both work and family life. Despite the crucial role of power in conceptualising the effects of job insecurity, little is known regarding the role of power dependence in the relationship between job insecurity and work-family enrichment. To address this gap, we analysed three-wave data from 267 UK white-collar employees to test a model linking job insecurity to work-family enrichment. Our findings reveal that (1) job insecurity negatively impacts work-family enrichment, (2) approach and avoidance power-balancing operations mediate this relationship, and (3) the negative effect is weaker when psychological contract breach is low. This study advances theoretical understanding by demonstrating that asymmetric power dependence is a critical factor in determining when and why job insecurity diminishes work-family enrichment.
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Organizational culture, digital transformation, and product innovationThis research fills a knowledge gap by introducing a new conceptualization of digital transformation through a multidimensional digital transforming capability. It further examines the influence of four cultural types on this capability and its subsequent impact on product innovation. Empirical findings reveal that adhocracy, followed in descending order of influence by clan, market, and hierarchy cultures, is positively related to digital transforming capability, which in turn is positively related to product innovation in terms of new product newness, meaningfulness, and performance. Additionally, new product newness and meaningfulness each positively mediate the effect of digital transforming capability on new product performance.
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Employee organisational commitment and corporate environmental sustainability practices: mediating role of organisation innovation cultureThe growing concerns about climate change have seen global leaders and the international community launch diverse initiatives, deals and reforms in an attempt to combat its negative impact. In response to these initiatives, corporates are increasingly prioritising environmental sustainability practices, such as reducing resource use, recycling and redesigning products and services to transition to sustainable operations, as a means of promoting trust and credibility, increasing their reputation and protecting the planet. However, the extant literature does not provide a clear understanding of the determinants of promoting corporate environmental sustainability practices (CESPs). Thus, drawing upon both resource-based views (RBVs) of the firm and the economic views of neo-institutional theory (NIT), this study examined the role of employee organisational commitment (EOC) and organisation innovation culture (IC) in promoting CESP. This quantitative study collected the required data through a questionnaire survey of senior to mid-level managers of a total of 201 Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE)-listed and non-listed firms. A two-step structural equation modelling (SEM) technique, employing SmartPLS, was followed to test the study's hypothesised associations. The findings provide evidence of a direct association between EOC and CESP and an indirect association through IC. Our findings are robust as alternative models were developed and tested based on different control and instrumental variables relating to organisational characteristics. The findings of the study contribute to the environmental sustainability literature by providing empirical evidence of the importance of EOC and IC in promoting CESP. Further, the findings inform managers, governments, foreign investors and other stakeholders on the importance of building EOC and developing suitable cultural practices within an organisation that promote CESP.
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Perceived intensity of extreme events and employees’ safety performance: an affective events perspectiveThe study of extreme work contexts has grown significantly in recent years, with a focus on understanding various adaptation strategies to unusual or atypical work events. While much attention has been paid to organizational responses in these contexts, research into individuals’ psychological and behavioral reactions has been more limited. This has led to insufficient evidence on the micro-foundations of extreme events, such as differences in the perceived intensity or severity of such events and their psychological consequences. Using affective events theory, we conducted two quasi-experiments to understand how three distinct levels of exposure to extreme events influence safety performance. In Study 1, using data from 292 firefighters, we report a significant reduction in safety performance among employees experiencing high, rather than medium and low, exposure to extreme events. This reduction is mediated by negative emotions and a decrease in work engagement. In Study 2, we replicate these findings using data from 315 seafarers. We further examine the role of self-emotion appraisal as a boundary condition, such that individuals with this psychological ability demonstrate greater resilience when experiencing high exposure to extreme events. We discuss the theoretical and practical implications of our findings.
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The mediating impact of organizational innovation on the relationship between fintech innovations and sustainability performanceThe paper explores the impact of digital payment systems, blockchain technology, and AI/machine learning on innovation and sustainability in financial organizations. As part of the analysis, the study has adopted an explanatory research design and has used SmartPLS in order to analyze the data collected from 230 professionals of different fields through a structured questionnaire. The results show positive effects of digital payment systems and blockchain technology on organizations’ innovations with the impact of digital payments being the most pronounced. Empirical results suggest that these technologies are important to improve sustainability performance, depending on measures of internal consistency and discriminant validity among the proposed constructs. Al, also machine learning, has the highest relevance with environmental sustainability, thereby underlining the importance and work of such measures. Based on the Resource-Based View (RBV) theory, the study also explains the need for the organization to assimilate these innovations to enhance the organizational operations, customer satisfaction, and compliance with the laws. The study highlights fintech’s potential to address environmental issues and enhance societal goals, but geographical limitations may obstruct its transportability.
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Machine learning-based optimal temperature management model for safety and quality control of perishable food supply chainThe management of a food supply chain is difficult and complex because of the product's short shelf-life, time-sensitivity, and perishable nature which must be carefully considered to minimize food waste. Temperature-controlled perishable food supply chain provides the highly crucial facilities necessary to maintain the quality and safety of the product. The storage temperature is the most vital factor in maintaining both the quality and shelf-life of a perishable food. Adequate storage temperature control ensures that perishable foods are transported to the end-users in good quality and safe to consume. This paper presents perishable food storage temperature control through mathematical optimal control model where the storage temperature is regarded as the control variable and the deterioration of the perishable food's quality follows the first-order reaction. The optimal storage temperature for a single perishable food is determined by applying the Pontryagin's maximum principle to solve the optimal control
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A study of employee attitudes towards AI, its effect on sustainable development goals and non-financial performance in independent hotelsThis study explores the effect of hotel employees' readiness for and acceptance of Artificial Intelligence (AI), on hotels’ adoption of AI, and its subsequent impact on achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), as well as impact on non-financial performance (NFP), within the U.S. independent hotel sector. A novel survey instrument was devised, validated and administered to 1600 employees in independent hotels across the United States. Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) was employed to test the hypotheses derived from a conceptual framework. The results confirmed that employee readiness and acceptance of AI significantly affects AI and SDG adoption, and also positively impacted NFP metrics such as employee optimism, satisfaction and engagement. The study finds evidence of a pathway from employee engagement with AI to greater SDG adoption, and in turn, enhanced NFP. This highlights the significance of leveraging employee attitudes toward AI for more sustainable and effective performance in the hospitalit
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Educating the autonomous learner in a Confucian school: subjectivity, memorisation and dilemmaThe current literature on Chinese governmentality and subjectivity lacks rigorous discussion of the involvement of Confucian education. This article applies Foucauldian conceptual tools to explore this scholarship gap empirically. Based on ethnographic fieldwork at a Confucian school, we explore how Confucian pedagogical techniques are used to create a type of subject. This article first presents pedagogical reform in a Confucian school. The resultant pedagogy of individualised memorisation combines two paradoxical knowledge sources: the individualised teaching principle and the method of repetitive memorisation. We then demonstrate how the Confucian teaching techniques used in the classroom result in contradictory processes of subject-making. Students are governed by the technologies of power in the disciplined classroom but are also encouraged to be the "master" of their own study according to the technologies of the self, so as to become autonomous learners. The revived Confucian education is encountering
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Conspicuous morality and hidden religiosity of the Confucian education revival in contemporary ChinaThe contemporary revival of Confucian education offers a chance to rethink moral and religious education diversity in China. Moral dynamics are presented as the conspicuous and dominant force driving the expansion of Confucian education. Confucian activists’ moral anxiety about state education and society and desire for the moral upliftment of their offspring motivate them to embrace the Confucian pedagogy of memorization and act to engage their children in the extensive recitation of the classics. However, Confucianism has always held a religious nature, and religious organizations (especially Buddhism and Yiguandao) have played a hidden role in promoting Confucian education. This chapter concludes with the argument that Confucian education manifests itself as an intertwining of conspicuous morality and hidden religiosity in its contemporary revival.
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Exploring the impact of business analytics on strategic decision-making in uncertain environmentsBusiness analytics presents significant opportunities for enhancing strategic decision-making (SDM), yet a significant knowledge gap exists in our understanding of the interplay among environmental dynamism, business analytics use, environmental scanning, and rational and intuitive SDM. This paper aims to address this gap by leveraging the information processing view. Analyzing 218 survey responses using partial least squares (PLS) path modeling, the study underscores the influence of environmental dynamism on both business analytics use and environmental scanning. Furthermore, it reveals that while business analytics positively influences rational SDM, it exerts a negative effect on intuitive SDM. Additionally, environmental scanning partially mediates the link between business analytics use and rational SDM. Moreover, rational SDM exhibits a negative correlation with intuitive SDM. This study contributes to the literature by introducing a novel theoretical framework, enriching the information processing vie
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The mediocrity of AIPurpose: This paper aims to challenge the fashion of ubiquitous artificial intelligence (AI) and the effects which it will have upon society. In doing so it argues that the effects of AI will be minimal but important. Design/methodology/approach: This argument is based upon the Socratic method and explores the Utilitarian background in which AI is based while drawing upon classical literature and other examples to illustrate the argument. Findings: The findings are encompassed in the argument and show that we need to be more open and careful when considering AI and its effects. We also need to be more realistic when considering potential benefits. Practical implications: This argument has significant implications for the adoption of AI. Social implications: The social implications are equally profound and will impact upon our application of AI solutions to current problems and upon humanity more generally. Originality/value: This is the first paper which relates AI to human successes.
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Decoding organisational attractiveness: a fuzzy multi-criteria decision-making approachPurpose- High-skilled employees are crucial for sustained competitive advantage of organisations. In the "war for talent", organisations must position themselves as attractive employers. This study introduces a unified framework to systematically identify and prioritise Organisational Attractiveness (OA) components, focusing on the extreme context of the airline industry. Design/methodology/approach- Treating OA as a Multi-Criteria Decision Making (MCDM) situation, the study employs the Fuzzy Delphi Method (FDM) to validate key OA factors and the Fuzzy Analytical Hierarchy Process (FAHP) to prioritise them based on experts’ judgements. Findings- The study identifies five criteria and 22 sub-criteria for OA, with job characteristics and person-job fit as most critical. These elements signal employment quality and skill-job alignment, reducing information asymmetry and attracting talent. Practical implications- This research provides a practical framework for airline managers to identify and prioritise key aspects of OA to enhance their value proposition and attract and retain qualified employees. For policymakers, applying the OA framework supports informed policy decisions on employment standards and workforce development. Originality- This research introduces a fuzzy OA index and a framework that enhances OA. By incorporating signalling theory into a fuzzy MCDM approach, it systematically addresses key OA components, offering a strategic method to boost OA.
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A bibliometric review of customer engagement in the international domain: reviewing the past and the presentThis study addresses/examines how the conceptual structure of customer engagement in the international context has changed since its emergence. These layers of analysis will assist researchers to uncover the historical basis, and identify the changes in the knowledge structure of customer engagement research in the international business domain. Our bibliometric analysis included 151 customer engagement articles. We employed cluster visualization (VOS) along with text mining to classify the most important and informative research in customer engagement in the international context.
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Modelling enablers for building agri-food supply chain resilience: insights from a comparative analysis of Argentina and FranceSmooth, efficient agri-food supply chain (AFSC) operations are becoming ever more difficult due to more intense and frequent natural disasters and man-made disruptions. Helping AFSCs to survive disturbances requires re-consideration of how to build their resilience. This study addresses this issue through a cross-country comparative analysis involving interviews with AFSC practitioners, thematic analysis to generate agri-food supply chain resilience (AFSCRes) capability factors, total interpretive structural modelling (TISM) to establish interrelationships among the factors, cross-impact matrix multiplication applied to classification (MICMAC) analysis to categorise the factors, and comparative analysis. The results reveal that contractual restraints regulating farmers’ opportunistic behaviour and regular interactions are key factors for building AFSCRes in France and Argentina, respectively. This study also confirms the critical role of farmers’ associations and coordinated activities amongst all AFSC stakeholders to build AFSCRes. For triggering AFSCRes, farmers’ resilience must be particularly prioritised, as they are the least resilient point in AFSCs.
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Airline business models as complex systems: assessing component interdependencies through interpretive structural modellingPurpose: This paper explores the intricate interdependencies among core components of airline business models (BMs). In the airline industry, where BMs are complex systems, a successful BM requires an orchestrated configuration of various components. However, there is a paucity of research in BM literature pertaining to the interrelationships among key components of airline BMs. Design/methodology/approach: Employing interpretive structural modelling, we gathered input from experts in Iran to assess the driving power and dependency of elements within airline BMs. Findings: Our findings highlight the significance of operating environment conditions and competitive market dynamics as pivotal external components shaping the foundational structure. Value proposition, customer relationship management, and process monitoring are crucial linkage components that drive power and dependency. Notably, capturing value is positioned with the highest dependency. Practical implications: We utilised the ISM technique to visualize interdependencies within airline business models, aiding strategic decision-making. Our findings suggest aligning business and operational strategies with market needs ensures effective value creation and capture, maintaining competitive advantage in the airline industry. In addition, our research reveals critical factors affecting value creation and capture, emphasizing monitoring the operating environment and competitive market, and strategically managing value propositions and customer relationship initiatives in the airline industry. We advise adapting business models to external changes for sustained growth and recommend regular monitoring of industry trends and customer expectations. Originality: Framed within complexity theory, these insights offer valuable perspectives on identifying and situating critical BM components in the airline industry. The practical implications derived from this study serve as strategic tools for airline managers and potential investors to optimise the design of their airline BMs.
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Push-pull determinants of livelihood diversification among rural dwellers in oil-polluted communities in Niger Delta, NigeriaLivelihood diversification enables households to participate in multiple activities to widen income sources. This research examined the determinants (push and pull) of livelihood diversification among the rural poor in oil-polluted communities of the Niger Delta. Primary data were used for the study using a well-structured questionnaire from 320 household heads who had a direct impact by the oil spill in Ogoni land. The data collected were analyzed using standard deviation, mean and paired sample tests. The study revealed that the push factors were strong motivation for diversification as the oil spillage in the area was enough distress and necessitated the diversification. However, some households were motivated by pull factors based on available skills to explore off-farm and non-farm activities. It is recommended that training initiatives aimed at equipping rural residents of oil-polluted areas with skills applicable to non-farm occupations should be consistently carried out.
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Liminal space-making in Palestinian refugee campsIn this chapter, we use the concept of affective practice (Wetherell, 2012) to show how kitchens and gardens – usually thought of as humble domestic spaces – can become liminal spaces that enable women to take up public identities as chefs and businesswomen alongside their private identities as wives, mothers and daughters. The contexts of our study are women’s social enterprises in two Palestinian refugee camps (established in 1948-49 following the displacement of Palestinians from what is now the state of Israel and the Occupied Territories). The social and spatial boundaries between the camps and their environs are strong and impermeable, leading to a situation where women are doubly confined, both within the camp and within domestic space and roles. We find that the kitchen and gardens allow the simultaneous enactment of traditional and novel affective practices, providing distinctive forms of reassurance to family members and external stakeholders. The mutability of the spaces makes it possible for women to transgress both domestic and camp boundaries, and simultaneously redefine their gendered identities.
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An investigation of antecedents and consequences of green value internalisation among sampled UK enterprisesDespite the growing popularity of the concept of green value internalisation, research on how this concept is being accomplished at the enterprise level is still limited. The purpose of this study is to address this knowledge gap by drawing from previously known concepts of green value and value internalisation. It examines the antecedents and consequences of green value internalisation and evaluates how these environment-leaning approaches impact competitive advantage. This study uses the resource-based view and the stakeholder theory as theoretical lenses in linking green value internalisation to its antecedents and how these impact competitive advantage. A two-step approach involving a measurement model and a structural model was used to analyse survey data from 213 UK enterprises to validate the research hypotheses. Hypotheses testing shows that green value internalisation has a positive and significant impact on green criteria development. The results also show that external pressure positively and significantly affects green value internalisation. These findings extend prior knowledge by establishing the level of significance in the relationship among the antecedents and consequences in the research model. The research design for this study draws from a systematic literature review. The study offers rigorous empirical insights for implementing green value internalisation as a value-creating strategy. However, the antecedents and consequences examined in this study may not capture in detail all underlying constructs. Hence future studies should proffer valid and reliable instruments for these constructs. The findings provide managers from enterprises across a broad industry size range seeking to implement green value internalisation with resources for embedding an enterprise-level pro-environmental strategy.
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Ethical implementation of artificial intelligence in the service industriesThis study employs a systematic literature review (SLR) combined with bibliometric analysis to investigate the ethical implementation of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the service industries. This research uncovers key challenges such as privacy, bias, transparency, and accountability, emphasizing the critical need for ethical AI practices in service sectors handling sensitive customer data. Findings reveal that AI’s ethical implementation is crucial in areas like decision support, customer engagement, automation, and new service development. The analysis provides actionable insights into enablers, including ethical guidelines, human oversight, comprehensive training, and adaptive organizational culture, which are essential for unlocking AI’s potential and mitigating risks. The study offers a roadmap for future research, advocating interdisciplinary collaboration, customer co-creation in ethical frameworks, and sector-specific policy adaptation, ultimately aiming to build responsible and trustworthy AI in the service industries.
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Entrepreneurship education research in Nigeria: current foci and future research agendasEntrepreneurship education plays a crucial role in the development of entrepreneurs and the enhancement of entrepreneurial activities in every economy. This paper presents the findings of a review of Nigerian entrepreneurship education literature published in 20 journals over a 16-year period. The purpose of this paper is to examine research contributions in the field of entrepreneurship education within the Nigerian context, with the aim of understanding the focus and the different research areas covered by researchers in this area, and to make suggestions that can guide scholars in their future research contributions. Design/methodology/approach Systematic literature reviews are recognized methods for conducting evidence-based research. The study adopted a systematic literature review approach, drawing from a computerized search of five selected databases, using predetermined key words by the researchers. Findings The main finding of this paper is that related concepts like skills, intention, drive and attitude have been used in expounding discussions on the outcome of entrepreneurship education, but very little has been written on entrepreneurial mindset, which other studies have suggested is a crucial point in the journey of an entrepreneur (Reed and Stoltz, 2011; Neneh, 2012). Furthermore, learning and teaching of entrepreneurship in the Nigerian higher education institutions seem to be more focused on creating awareness about entrepreneurship, as against the experiential approach that scholars have argued to be a prerequisite for developing the next generation of entrepreneurs (Bell, 2015). The study also found that over 80 percent of the reviewed articles are published in journals not ranked or indexed in the ABS journal rankings or the Scopus database. Research limitations/implications The paper is limited since it is based on a review of literature from a selected range of databases, covering a specific time span. This potentially excludes other studies outside this time span. Scholarship in this area and context will benefit greatly when researchers target, choose and engage the higher ranked and more impactful journals as the outlet for their research outputs. Practical implications At a time when efforts are being made to address socioeconomic issues like poverty and unemployment through mainstream training in entrepreneurship education, this paper provides a better understanding of the state of research in this context, by highlighting the potential gaps as to where research investigation is needed for better policy formulation and guiding future research. Originality/value There are limited studies that focus on the issue of entrepreneurial mindset in entrepreneurship education in Nigeria. Overall, this paper identifies an important gap in the literature that warrants future research.
