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1 – 9 of 9Jiming Hu, Zexian Yang, Jiamin Wang, Wei Qian, Cunwan Feng and Wei Lu
This study proposes a novel method utilising a speech-word pair bipartite network to examine the correlation structure between members of parliament (MPs) in the context of the…
Abstract
Purpose
This study proposes a novel method utilising a speech-word pair bipartite network to examine the correlation structure between members of parliament (MPs) in the context of the UK- China relationship.
Design/methodology/approach
We construct MP-word pair bipartite networks based on the co-occurrence relationship between MPs and words in their speech content. These networks are then mapped into monopartite MPs correlation networks. Additionally, the study calculates correlation network indicators and identifies MP communities and factions to determine the characteristics of MPs and their interrelation in the UK-China relationship. This includes insights into the distribution of key MPs, their correlation structure and the evolution and development trends of MP factions.
Findings
Analysis of the parliamentary speeches on China-related affairs in the British Parliament from 2011 to 2020 reveals that the distribution and interrelationship of MPs engaged in UK-China affairs are centralised and discrete, with a few core MPs playing an integral role in the UK-China relationship. Among them, MPs such as Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon, David Cameron, Lord Hunt of Chesterton and Lord Howell of Guildford formed factions with significant differences; however, the continuity of their evolution exhibits unstableness. The core MP factions, such as those led by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon and David Cameron, have achieved a level of maturity and exert significant influence.
Research limitations/implications
The research has several limitations that warrant acknowledgement. First, we mapped the MP-word pair bipartite network into the MP correlation network for analysis without directly analysing the structure of MPs based on the bipartite network. In future studies, we aim to explore various types of analysis based on the proposed bipartite networks to provide more comprehensive and accurate references for studying UK-China relations. In addition, we seek to incorporate semantic-level analyses, such as sentiment analysis of MPs, into the MP-word -pair bipartite networks for in-depth analysis. Second, the interpretations of MP structures in the UK-China relationship in this study are limited. Consequently, expertise in UK-China relations should be incorporated to enhance the study and provide more practical recommendations.
Practical implications
Firstly, the findings can contribute to an objective understanding of the characteristics and connotations of UK-China relations, thereby informing adjustments of focus accordingly. The identification of the main factions in the UK-China relationship emphasises the imperative for governments to pay greater attention to these MPs’ speeches and social relationships. Secondly, examining the evolution and development of MP factions aids in identifying a country’s diplomatic focus during different periods. This can assist governments in responding promptly to relevant issues and contribute to the formulation of effective foreign policies.
Social implications
First, this study expands the research methodology of parliamentary debates analysis in previous studies. To the best of our knowledge, we are the first to study the UK-China relationship through the MP-word-pair bipartite network. This outcome inspires future researchers to apply various knowledge networks in the LIS field to elucidate deeper characteristics and connotations of UK-China relations. Second, this study provides a novel perspective for UK-China relationship analysis, which deepens the research object from keywords to MPs. This finding may offer important implications for researchers to further study the role of MPs in the UK-China relationship.
Originality/value
This study proposes a novel scheme for analysing the correlation structure between MPs based on bipartite networks. This approach offers insights into the development and evolving dynamics of MPs.
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Md. Ikramul Hoque and Muzamir Hasan
Quality is a sensitive and high-priority issue in the global construction including in Bangladesh. This research is intended to provide necessary information to stakeholders and…
Abstract
Purpose
Quality is a sensitive and high-priority issue in the global construction including in Bangladesh. This research is intended to provide necessary information to stakeholders and authorities for better management of the construction quality in Bangladesh. Therefore, this study seeks to find and prioritize the factors affecting the construction quality in Bangladesh.
Design/methodology/approach
In total 65 factors were extracted and categorized from the literature and expert panel discussion. Subsequently, these factors were designed in a questionnaire under 13 major groups for a survey where 176 construction professionals participated and returned their completed survey form. Collected data were tested by the Cronbach Alpha to check the reliability before proceeding to the Relative Importance Index (RII) analysis for determining the relative ranks of identified factors.
Findings
Statistical analysis of survey data represents that the most significant factors are: lack of management commitment, lack of technical skill and experience of the consultant, delays in progress investigation, political interference and contractor's desire for unrealistic profit. The most crucial major groups of factors influencing the construction quality are management, material, consultant, cost and time and contract-related major groups.
Originality/value
It will contribute to the body of knowledge, as it points out the impact of factors affecting quality in Bangladeshi construction. Authorities and stakeholders can be helped by the overview of the high and low ranks factors, understanding the diverse characteristics of factors and making more aware the industry about the quality issues which need to be a top concern to solve. Other developing countries that share the same socio-economic context as Bangladesh can be benefit from the results of this study to control quality issues in construction.
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Yi Wu, Jiahui Wu and Yuanyuan Cai
This study aims to investigate whether brand positioning strategies influence individuals’ conformity in product choices and identifies the mediator and boundary condition of this…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to investigate whether brand positioning strategies influence individuals’ conformity in product choices and identifies the mediator and boundary condition of this relationship.
Design/methodology/approach
To test the hypotheses, three experiments were conducted, with data collected using an online platform.
Findings
The results indicate that local (vs global) brand positioning promotes consumers’ tendencies to conform in their product choice. Furthermore, this effect is sequentially driven by their perceived similarity with such positioning and the feeling of social connectedness. The influence of local (vs global) brand positioning on consumer conformity diminishes among consumers with a focus on similarity.
Originality/value
This study expands the consumer conformity literature by identifying a new antecedent of consumer conformity. It also introduces a novel downstream consequence of local (vs global) brand positioning on consumer behavior and provides a broader theoretical basis for understanding the psychological connotations underlying local (vs global) brands.
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Remigijus Civinskas and Jaroslav Dvorak
This study aims to investigate the role of the public health advocacy coalition (PHC) in the context of policy change. Using the “advocacy coalition framework” theory, this study…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to investigate the role of the public health advocacy coalition (PHC) in the context of policy change. Using the “advocacy coalition framework” theory, this study examines how new ideas and the transformation of the policy subsystem influenced the adaptation of strategy, framing and messaging used by PHC actors.
Design/methodology/approach
A detailed policy case study was conducted based on a range of primary documents and individual semi-structured interviews (n = 34) with key decision-makers, civil servants, NGO leaders, public health experts and AI representatives.
Findings
In 2020, the Lithuanian PHC coalition became involved in policy-making with a slightly re-framed strategy, which was based on public health priorities and scientific research evidence. The priorities and relevant activities were aimed at maintaining a wide range of regulative measures. The PHC advocates focused on and prioritised arguments pertaining to the social and economic harms of alcohol. This framework created some ground for policy-influencing action and was important for debates with AI actors. The PHC put a great deal of pressure on Members of Parliament to continue the implementation of evidence-based policies.
Originality/value
Over two decades, Lithuanian alcohol policy has shifted in waves, from liberalisation to stricter control interventions. The previous wave of strict alcohol policy was effective from the perspective of the measures implemented, and it also reduced alcohol-related harm. In 2020, two liberal and conservative parties focused on a laissez-faire approach to the elimination of some unfavourable restrictions for the alcohol industry (AI).
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Truong Quang Do, Nguyen Dinh Tho and Nguyen-Hau Le
This study aims to investigate a mediation model in which generative learning positively affects marketing innovation and both organizational control and relationship openness…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to investigate a mediation model in which generative learning positively affects marketing innovation and both organizational control and relationship openness mediate the relationship between learning intent and generative learning of international joint ventures (IJVs) in emerging markets. We also decipher the degree of necessity of these factors for generative learning and of generative learning for marketing innovation.
Design/methodology/approach
A sample of 181 marketing managers of IJVs in Vietnam, an emerging market, was surveyed to collect data. Partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) was employed to test the net effect, and necessary condition analysis (NCA) was used to decipher the degree of necessity.
Findings
The PLS-SEM results demonstrate that the effect of learning intent on generative learning is fully mediated by organizational control and relationship openness, which in turn leads to marketing innovation. The NCA findings reveal that all three factors, namely learning intent, organizational control and relationship openness, serve as necessary conditions for generative learning. However, generative learning does not play the role of a necessary condition for marketing innovation.
Practical implications
The study findings suggest that IJVs in emerging markets should pay attention not only to the net effects of those factors but also to their degrees of necessity for generative learning in order to achieve marketing innovation.
Originality/value
The study contributes to the literature by confirming the mediating roles of organizational control and relationship openness in the relationship between learning intent and generative learning. Furthermore, it is among the first to decipher the degrees of necessity of these factors for generative learning and of generative learning for the marketing innovation of IJVs in emerging markets.
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The aim of this study is to explore the drivers behind the willingness of Indonesian youth to buy local products as an alternative to Israeli-affiliated products amid geopolitical…
Abstract
Purpose
The aim of this study is to explore the drivers behind the willingness of Indonesian youth to buy local products as an alternative to Israeli-affiliated products amid geopolitical tensions between Palestine and Israel, using the framework of identity-based motivation theory.
Design/methodology/approach
This study uses SmartPLS 4 to examine the proposed hypotheses using survey data collected from 307 Indonesian youth, within the context of an ongoing Israel boycott. This dynamic setting allows us to capture real-time and authentic responses of Indonesian youth to socio-political pressures and religious endorsements in their purchasing decisions.
Findings
The findings challenge the belief that religious altruism alone drives Indonesian youth to buy local products during the Israel boycott. Instead, those with strong religious and ethnocentric values are more likely to support local industries when they believe in the effectiveness of boycotting Israeli-affiliated products.
Practical implications
The findings offer valuable insights for domestic marketers, policymakers, educators and communities seeking to strengthen local industries in the face of geopolitical tensions.
Originality/value
This study contributes to the underexplored area of local product consumption by integrating religious, geopolitical and national identity factors through the lens of identity-based motivation theory, offering a novel perspective on the motivational drivers behind Indonesian youth’s willingness to buy local products during a boycott.
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The author aims to walk beside the singular privileged class of White women’s suffrage feminist origin story to (re)construct plausible feminist fragmented threads as…
Abstract
Purpose
The author aims to walk beside the singular privileged class of White women’s suffrage feminist origin story to (re)construct plausible feminist fragmented threads as antenarratives in the context of business management education. To accomplish this (re)assembling of threads, the author examined two North American business trade publications created and used within two business schools, Harvard University’s Harvard Business Review (HBR), established in 1922, and Western University’s The Quarterly Review of Commerce (The Quarterly), established in 1933.
Design/methodology/approach
The author carefully reviewed almost 4,000 articles from HBR and The Quarterly, focusing on 308 articles that addressed the experiences of complex women. With this subset of collected articles, the author highlighted overlooked details, accidents and errors, generating interest and curiosity about the emergence of these fragmented and paradoxical origins that align with Foucault's histories of errors. By grouping these narrative fragments into themes and conducting a critical discourse analysis that incorporated influences from the external environment, the author reconstructed plural feminist origins antenarratives.
Findings
The themes discovered, including women as consumers, explicit working women concerns, women as authors/coauthors, diversity and social justice initiatives, and women in higher education/training, are not merely descriptive observations. They are the building blocks for identifying and analyzing the power relations circulating among feminist origins antenarratives within management education circles. These antenarratives include shedding light on women working in capitalist contexts, the educational needs of business women, and men and naming (but not breaking) the “mythologies” of women at work. These findings are transformative to the understanding of plural feminist origins.
Originality/value
The uniqueness of this work lies in its threefold contributions: moving away from the notion of a singular feminist origin story and instead embracing the complexity of multiple, paradoxical and incomplete origins; shedding light on the spectrum of power relations – ranging from productive to oppressive – that shaped the experiences of women in two management educational circles during the first half of the 20th century; and introducing the concept of inflection points, which underscores the fluidity of knowledge.
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Many authors have recognised multiple research gaps at empirical and theoretical levels regarding the interplay between the management of intellectual capital (IC) and the…
Abstract
Purpose
Many authors have recognised multiple research gaps at empirical and theoretical levels regarding the interplay between the management of intellectual capital (IC) and the development of innovation capabilities from a strategic approach to technological opportunities, especially in knowledge-intensive business services (KIBS). This paper endeavours to provide answers to some of these research questions by relying on empirical observations in the context of an emergent economy.
Design/methodology/approach
After reviewing the literature through the lenses of the IC and knowledge-based view, the paper operationalises IC as a formative construct and explores its relationships with Technological Orientation, Innovativeness and Innovative Performance. This investigation employs structural equation modelling to analyse data collected through a questionnaire from a sample of KIBS members in a cross-sectional study.
Findings
The research confirms the positive influence of human capital on a company’s Technological Orientation, which in turn impacts Innovative Performance in KIBS. Structural and relational capital positively affect Innovativeness and the latter directly impact performance. All other IC components were found to determine the dependent variables through a mediated effect.
Research limitations/implications
This research has several limitations. Firstly, it has to be stressed that the significance of the statistical findings is dependent on the sample size, and the results’ explanatory power and effect size cannot be extrapolated to other demographics in different regions or sectors. Secondly, it should be observed that the results of the empirical research can be affected by the respondents’ subjectivity in assessing the items and their perception of reality when providing the answers. Thirdly, this is a cross-sectional study, and results concerning, e.g. the Innovative Performance may be subject to change over a longer period of time, though items in this construct have inquired about results obtained over time. Finally, given the purpose of the research, the outcome may be limited to the research model design. Future research could attempt to replicate the results by investigating other demographics and other regions and by employing a longitudinal study.
Practical implications
The study highlights the value added by adequate management of all IC elements, as they affect the output of organisational business strategies and processes in an integrated manner. An organisational technological strategy that is based on up-to-date technologies, the embeddedness of technology in the organisational processes and the staff’s continuous technical/digital upskilling are conducive to competitive advantage and business success in KIBS. High competencies and skills that are continuously renewed through training as well as the acquisition of digital competencies, play an influential role in generating innovative capabilities that lead to business performance. Flexible and efficient business processes, the company’s support for informal knowledge sharing between employees and its ability to exploit new knowledge to sustain growth are prerequisites for KIBS’ success. Promoting an organisational culture of trust and collaboration, making the staff feel valued and satisfied and effectively using digital technologies for communication are all significant factors in supporting the development of innovation capabilities.
Social implications
This research proves that IC management, viewed as an integrated construct comprising human, structural and relational capital management, significantly affects Innovativeness through the development of technology-based innovative capabilities. Furthermore, in a context where KIBS (and other companies) nowadays compete in a digital environment, technology and technical knowledge are paramount for a company’s success. The study validates in an aggregated model the role played in innovation by the management of knowledge and technical knowledge embodied in the employees’ competencies and know-how, the management of tacit and explicit knowledge developed by the structural capital and the management of stakeholder knowledge accumulated by the relational capital.
Originality/value
This research takes a fresh and comprehensive perspective to investigate how IC management can impact Innovativeness and Innovative Performance in KIBS by focusing on the nexus with the organisations’ Technological Orientation. The paper makes an original contribution to research concerning IC, KIBS, technology and innovation based on empirical evidence and a new approach to assessing IC as an aggregate rather than by looking at individual components.
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Zhenkuo Ding, Xiaoying Yang, Sheng Huang and Xiaohua Ouyang
The aim of this paper is to investigate (1) whether the different dimensions of internationalization experience have different effects on internationalization speed? (2) And how…
Abstract
Purpose
The aim of this paper is to investigate (1) whether the different dimensions of internationalization experience have different effects on internationalization speed? (2) And how the degree of digitalization plays a moderating role in these relationships?
Design/methodology/approach
The authors test the hypotheses on a sample of 431 Chinese listed companies export data from 2007 to 2016, using multiple regression analysis.
Findings
The international expansion experience to developed economies will accelerate the internationalization speed of MNCs, while international expansion experience to emerging economies has an inverted U-shaped relationship with internationalization speed. The digitalization degree weakens the relationship between international experience and internationalization speed, whether it is international expansion experience to developed or emerging economies.
Originality/value
By decomposing the dimensions of international experience and considering the degree of digitalization as a new moderating variable, the paper helps to clarify the debate on the relationship between international experience and speed of internationalization, thus contributing to the internationalization speed literature and the digital technology perspective. Revealing the process of international experience affecting internationalization speed has implications for MNCs to achieve high-quality and rapid internationalization.
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