Detrin Qerimi, Krisztina Demeter and Dávid Losonci
Business process innovation (BPI) is an emerging field that has captured the interest of both academics and policymakers. However, the term is often fraught with ambiguity and…
Abstract
Purpose
Business process innovation (BPI) is an emerging field that has captured the interest of both academics and policymakers. However, the term is often fraught with ambiguity and inconsistencies in the literature, lacking a comprehensive understanding. The purpose of this paper is to explore what lies behind and determine the definition of BPI as well as to provide a deeper understanding of its key components and antecedents.
Design/methodology/approach
The study reviews the literature by applying Tranfield, Denyer and Smart (2003) method. A systematic approach was adopted to gather pertinent scholarly articles from the Scopus database, resulting in 516 potential articles, of which 32 relevant articles were included for analysis.
Findings
BPI encompasses innovations in processes, organizational structures and marketing. These components of innovation, along with crucial antecedents such as business process re-engineering, improvement and redesign, provide a comprehensive, end-to-end framework for defining BPI. These results demonstrate BPI as an internal change, modification or improvement of business processes and functions that should consolidate at least a type of innovation that is used in the organization and creates an output that is a value to the organization, customers and/or stakeholders.
Research limitations/implications
An important limitation of this study pertains to the inclusion criteria, which restricted to the “definitions”. Consequently, there is a possibility of overlooking some relevant literature. Furthermore, the framework is purely conceptual. Although grounded in the existing literature, the authors focused on examining the definitions and conceptual frameworks. The authors did not engage in empirical analysis or evaluate the methodologies of the selected papers. Furthermore, this study exclusively includes research articles published in academic journals, intentionally excluding books, conference proceedings and other forms of literature that could have been relevant. Another limitation of the study is the exclusive use of the Scopus database for article selection. This approach potentially overlooks relevant papers available in other databases, such as Web of Science, which offers a distinct collection of high-impact journals that are curated differently.
Practical implications
The research contributions of this study remain relevant, as it consolidates existing literature on a relatively underexplored concept and offers a comprehensive overview of BPI, which can serve as a valuable reference for future scholarly work. This paper is also crucial for practitioners, as it provides a clear understanding of BPI, empowering them to make more informed decisions. By defining BPI more precisely, it can improve communication with stakeholders, promoting collaboration and innovation. With a shared understanding of the concept, teams are better positioned to drive projects forward successfully. Moreover, the study emphasizes that company leadership should view both incremental progress and breakthrough innovations as essential components of a successful BPI strategy. BPI facilitates small, incremental changes that offer quick wins with limited disruption to existing processes. Simultaneously, it promotes a flexible approach, allowing innovations to be scaled and adapted across different areas of the organization. In this way, BPI not only streamlines operations but also aligns processes with customer needs, ensuring that improvements are both operationally efficient and value-driven.
Originality/value
By synthesizing a comprehensive selection of literature spanning the years 1990–2022, this paper represents a unique contribution to the conceptualization of BPI through its components and antecedents.
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Emmanuel Doe Dzramado, Richard Ohene Asiedu, De-Graft Owusu-Manu, David J. Edwards, Michael Adesi and Alex Acheampong
This paper explored the socioeconomic factors affecting green cities development. Extant literature have highlighted green cities as a major path towards sustainability in the…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper explored the socioeconomic factors affecting green cities development. Extant literature have highlighted green cities as a major path towards sustainability in the construction industry but very little is known on the socioeconomic aspect of green cities and its bid in promoting sustainability in the construction industry; hence, the premise of this study which highlights the socioeconomic factors affecting green cities development in Ghana.
Design/methodology/approach
A comprehensive literature review was conducted to identify the socioeconomic factors affecting green cities. A quantitative research strategy was adopted to collect primary data from respondents who have the requisite understanding and knowledge in green cities using questionnaires. The data gathered was then analysed using descriptive statistics and exploratory factor analysis viz principal component analysis.
Findings
The socioeconomic factors affecting green city development comprised: Green support mechanisms (i.e. innovation and technology, green city planning (urban planning), stakeholder engagement, awareness, city planning (transportation) and environmental regulations); green inhibitors (i.e. population, culture, housing and policy implementation); green market and finance (i.e. digital finance, green market mechanism, green investment finance, risks and uncertainties, income levels of clients). It was evident that socioeconomic factors are significant to the development of green cities in Ghana and hence policy makers and various stakeholders should prioritize socioeconomic factors in the bid to achieve sustainability through green cities in the construction industry.
Originality/value
This paper presents a foremost and comprehensive study on the socioeconomic factors affecting green cities in Ghana. The study results showed that even though the path to sustainability in green cities has pivoted mainly on environmental factors, socioeconomic factors are also significant to green city development, hence, policy makers and the construction industry should keenly consider the socioeconomic factors affecting green city development in the bid towards sustainability for cities.
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Mathew Baker and Michael Lee Joseph
Examine how social studies preservice teachers conceptualize and enact critical historical inquiry.
Abstract
Purpose
Examine how social studies preservice teachers conceptualize and enact critical historical inquiry.
Design/methodology/approach
Critical qualitative case study.
Findings
Differing conceptual understandings and had trouble infusing their practice with the critical theory learned in the university.
Originality/value
Examine how a core practice is bolstering the practice-theory connection in teacher education.
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Cassandre Dion Larivière, Quintan Crough, Funmilola Ogunseye, Paul Mitton and Joseph Eastwood
Suspect interviewing in North America has evolved from coercive tactics to guilt-presumptive methods and, more recently, to information seeking dialogue-based (ISDB) approaches…
Abstract
Purpose
Suspect interviewing in North America has evolved from coercive tactics to guilt-presumptive methods and, more recently, to information seeking dialogue-based (ISDB) approaches such as the PEACE model. Such approaches prioritize open dialogue and comprehensive suspect accounts over confession-driven strategies. These methods have been shown to reduce the risk of false confessions and enhance the quality of investigative information, though they are sometimes criticized for being “too soft” or insufficiently tested in real-world settings. This paper aims to explore the real-world application of an ISDB approach in the high-stakes interview of Adam Strong, who was ultimately convicted of first-degree murder and manslaughter.
Design/methodology/approach
Using PEACE as a framework, the authors detail how Detective Paul Mitton skillfully used rapport-building, strategic evidence presentation and open dialogue to elicit admissions without coercion or confrontation.
Findings
Although Strong did not confess to the homicides or discuss how the victims died, the admissions he provided during the 12-h interview were central to the court’s guilty rulings.
Research limitations/implications
Though a single-case analysis, this paper underscores the necessity for further empirical research on ISDB approaches across diverse real-world scenarios.
Practical implications
This case highlights how an ISDB approach can generate critical evidence while meeting both investigative and legal standards. The authors believe it underscores that the future of suspect interviewing lies in the continued adoption and refinement of approaches that prioritize rapport-building and open, free-flowing dialogue while incorporating safeguards to ensure the admissibility of the interview.
Originality/value
This paper presents a unique and practical application of an ISDB approach, contributing valuable insights for practitioners and researchers into advancing ethical and effective suspect interviewing practices.
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Tim Kastrup, Michael Grant and Fredrik Nilsson
The purpose of this paper is to contribute to a better, empirically grounded and theoretically informed understanding of data analytics (DA) use and nonuse in accounting for…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to contribute to a better, empirically grounded and theoretically informed understanding of data analytics (DA) use and nonuse in accounting for decision-making. To that end, it explores the links between accounting logic, commercial logic and DA use in financial due diligence (FDD).
Design/methodology/approach
The paper reports the findings of a case study of DA use in the FDD practice of a Big Four accounting firm in Sweden (Pseudonym: DealCo). The primary data comprises semistructured interviews, observations and additional meetings. Institutional logics is mobilized as method theory.
Findings
First, accounting logic and commercial logic both drove and hindered DA use in DealCo’s FDD practice in different ways. Second, conflicting prescriptions for DA use existed mostly within commercial logic rather than between accounting logic and commercial logic. Third, accounting logic and commercial logic, as perceptual and conceptual filters, seemed to shape DealCo’s advisors’ understanding of DA and give rise to an efficiency-centric DA logic. This logic, in turn, as a high-level model of how to use DA in the context of FDD, governed DA use broadly.
Originality/value
The paper draws attention to direct and indirect links between accounting logic and commercial logic, on the one hand, and DA conceptions and use, on the other hand. It, thereby, advances prior theorization of DA use in accounting for decision-making.
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Yewei Ouyang, Guoqing Huang and Shiyi He
There are many safety hazards in construction workplaces, and inattention to the hazards is the main reason why construction workers failed to identify the hazards. Reasonably…
Abstract
Purpose
There are many safety hazards in construction workplaces, and inattention to the hazards is the main reason why construction workers failed to identify the hazards. Reasonably allocating attention during hazard identification is critical for construction workers’ safety. However, adverse working environments in job sites may undermine workers’ attention. Previous studies failed to investigate the impacts of environmental factors on attention allocation, which hinders taking appropriate measures to eliminate safety incidents when encountering adverse working environments. This study aims to examine the effects of workplace noise and heat exposure on workers’ attention allocation during construction hazard identification to fill the research gap.
Design/methodology/approach
This study applied an experimental study where a within-subject experiment was designed. Fifteen construction workers were invited to perform hazard identification tasks in panoramic virtual reality. They were exposed to three noise levels (60, 85 and 100 dBA) in four thermal conditions (26°C, 50% RH; 33°C, 50% RH; 30°C, 70% RH; 33°C, 70% RH). Their eye movements were recorded to indicate their attention allocation under each condition.
Findings
The results show that noise exposure reduced workers’ attention to hazardous areas and the impacts increased with the noise level. Heat exposure also reduced the attention, but it did not increase with the heat stress but with subjects’ thermal discomfort. The attention was impacted more by noise than heat exposure. Noise exposure in the hot climate should be more noteworthy because lower levels of noise would lead to significant changes. These visual characteristics led to poorer identification accuracy.
Originality/value
This study could extend the understanding of the relationship between adverse environmental factors and construction safety. Understanding the intrinsic reasons for workers' failed identification may also provide insights for the industry to enhance construction safety under adverse environments.
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Gargy M. Sudhakaran, Abhinesh Prabhakaran, Abdul-Majeed Mahamadu, Colin A. Booth and Grazyna Wiejak-Roy
The surging cost of living and shortage of affordable and sustainable homes fuel the global housing crisis. Earthship buildings are marketed as the epitome of affordable and…
Abstract
Purpose
The surging cost of living and shortage of affordable and sustainable homes fuel the global housing crisis. Earthship buildings are marketed as the epitome of affordable and sustainable alternative housing. This paper aimed to elicit the perception of Earthship buildings among youngsters in the United Kingdom using immersive virtual reality technology. Additionally, the impact of virtual reality on perception compared with two-dimensional drawings was investigated in the study.
Design/methodology/approach
A three-phase, experiment-based survey was adopted: Phase 1: literature review, Earthship house model conception and the virtual environment creation; Phase 2: two-dimensional drawing-based pre-visualisation survey; Phase 3: virtual reality–based post-visualisation survey.
Findings
The findings indicated that youngsters had a remarkable, positive change in attitude towards the uptake of the Earthship houses after virtual reality visualisation. In contrast, sustainability experts shared more concerns regarding the concept's viability in the United Kingdom, even after the virtual reality visualisation. However, both youngsters and experts agreed with the pre-eminence of virtual reality over two-dimensional drawings.
Originality/value
The lack of awareness about Earthship buildings for posterity was noted in previous studies, which could be attributed to there being very few Earthship buildings in the United Kingdom. The importance of this awareness among youngsters cannot be over-emphasised since youngsters are affected most by the shortage of affordable and sustainable homes. This gap was addressed by enlightening the youth about Earthship houses and imparting awareness through near-real-life virtual reality visualisation.
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This paper investigates the evolving landscape of architectural criticism in the digital era, leveraging the enduring interplay between architecture and media. It specifically…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper investigates the evolving landscape of architectural criticism in the digital era, leveraging the enduring interplay between architecture and media. It specifically examines the role of social media and public awards in improving user engagement with architectural discourse.
Design/methodology/approach
A mixed-method approach, incorporating both qualitative and quantitative analyses, is used to discuss three architecture awards. These are chosen for their different evaluation processes and their capacity to offer diverse opportunities for public interaction and engagement.
Findings
The study emphasises the potential of social media to democratise architectural criticism, while also addressing challenges such as the prominence of non-critical visual material and the presence of algorithmic biases. The findings underline the importance of providing adequate materials for public evaluation and integrating expert juries to support the assessment process. These elements are essential to fostering informed public participation, bridging the gap between professional expertise and popular engagement, and enabling meaningful architectural discourse on social media.
Originality/value
This paper fills a gap in the academic literature by connecting public architectural awards – a relatively unexplored aspect of architectural culture – with the potential of social media as a platform for architectural criticism.
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Monique Penturij-Kloks, Carolina J.P.W. Keijsers, Manon Enting, Simon T. De Gans, Steven Kilroy, Fedde Scheele and Margot Joosen
While prevalence and value of nonclinical hospital workers, like quality or education professionals, increase, their work engagement is understudied. Work engagement of…
Abstract
Purpose
While prevalence and value of nonclinical hospital workers, like quality or education professionals, increase, their work engagement is understudied. Work engagement of nonclinical and clinical hospital workers is critical considering the pressure of major challenges in healthcare. The pandemic was a natural experiment for this.
Design/methodology/approach
We conducted an observational survey study among all nonclinical and clinical hospital workers of the Jeroen Bosch Hospital, the Netherlands. In an employee satisfaction survey, we measured work engagement under acute pressure (just after the first COVID-19 wave in July 2020) and chronic pressure (within the second COVID-19 wave in November 2020) and to what extent psychological demands and co-worker support were related to work engagement.
Findings
For all hospital staff, “average” levels of work engagement were found under acute (response rate 53.9%, mean 3.94(0.81)) and chronic pressure (response rate 34.0%, mean 3.88(0.95)). Under acute pressure, nonclinical hospital workers scored lower on the subcategory dedication than clinical workers (mean 4.28(1.05) vs mean 4.45(0.99), p < 0.001). Under chronic pressure, no differences were found. For both nonclinical and clinical hospital workers, co-worker support was positively related to overall work engagement (beta 0.309 and 0.372). Psychological demands were positively related to work engagement for nonclinical hospital workers (beta 0.130), whereas in clinical hospital workers, psychological demands were negatively related to vigor (beta −0.082).
Practical implications
Hospitals face times of pressure. Fostering co-worker support under pressure may be vital for hospital management.
Originality/value
Work engagement of nonclinical hospital workers is understudied.
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Transformative generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools, such as ChatGPT, have revolutionized various sectors, including higher education. Since its release in November 2022…
Abstract
Purpose
Transformative generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools, such as ChatGPT, have revolutionized various sectors, including higher education. Since its release in November 2022, it has gathered attention from academia, scholars, students, regulators and education policymakers. Opinions diverge on whether ChatGPT’s use in academia should be circumscribed or regulated. To offer insights into some of these, this study synthesizes 139 contributions (articles and blogs) authored by instructors, publishers, professors, editors and education journalists in the education domain.
Design/methodology/approach
The study uses sentiment analysis and topic modelling to examine the 139 articles and blogs. Drawing on their insights, it firstly explores emotional dimensions of the content. Subsequently, using critical discourse analysis, it integrates them with emerging concerns (what and why), and explicates key processes (how) to inform academia, research, practice and policy.
Findings
Drawing on the results obtained from sentiment analysis, the study identifies that the overall sentiments surrounding generative AI tools such as ChatGPT in higher education are more positive (33%) than negative (11%). Using topic modelling, the study further highlights four thematic areas to explore benefits and challenges: perceptions and biases, pedagogical impact, ethical considerations and implementation and adoption.
Research limitations/implications
Limitations include the absence of student perspectives, which may offer deeper insights into perception, pedagogical impacts, and integrity-related issues. Additionally, while findings are applicable across various domains, specialized areas may present differing insights that could refine the conclusions.
Originality/value
Overall, contributors acknowledge the capabilities of generative AI tools like ChatGPT in enhancing students’ productivity. The findings suggest that it is likely to offer significant gains in the education domain, providing several benefits to both teachers and students. Nevertheless, they also consider its limitations, discrimination and bias, copyright infringement, plagiarism, fabricated unauthentic textual content and assessment bias.