Using the earth’s limited resources is essential as an urgent element in dealing with the existential crisis confronting humanity as a consequence of climate change. Circularity…
Abstract
Using the earth’s limited resources is essential as an urgent element in dealing with the existential crisis confronting humanity as a consequence of climate change. Circularity is based on production and society adopting a radically different approach to the way raw materials are used to produce goods developed societies consume. Primarily, the use of the earth’s resources (raw materials) must be more carefully – and considerately –achieved in recognition of the impact that profligate exploitation has had in terms of pollution and disregard for the environment. Production systems should be designed to ensure that waste is vastly reduced and, eventually, eliminated. Crucially, goods should be designed to be used by consumers for as long as possible. Goods should incorporate the ability to repair them and, critically, that at the end of their effective life components can be recycled.
Moving from the traditional ‘linear’ model – ‘take, make, throw away’ – to one that is circular is essential as part of the quest to reduce carbon emissions. In explaining the historical development of the basis of why circularity is not only essential to protecting the planet from climate change, but also economically logical, this chapter explained that its theoretical foundations were first proposed in economist Kenneth Boulding who, in his 1966 essay, ‘The Economics of the Coming Spaceship Earth’. Boulding’s provocative arguments have been developed into the extensive advice and guidance presented by the Ellen Macarthur Foundation and summarised in this chapter. The circular economy will potentially achieve very significant social, economic and environmental benefits.
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Chinwe Regina Okoyeuzu, Angela Ifeanyi Ujunwa, Augustine Ujunwa, Nelson N. Nkwor, Ebere Ume Kalu and Mamdouh Abdulaziz Saleh Al-Faryan
Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) is regarded as a region with one of the worst cases of armed conflict and climate risk. This paper examines the interactive effect of armed conflict and…
Abstract
Purpose
Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) is regarded as a region with one of the worst cases of armed conflict and climate risk. This paper examines the interactive effect of armed conflict and climate risk on gender vulnerability in SSA.
Design/methodology/approach
The difference and system generalised method of movement (GMM) were used to examine the relationship between the variables using annualised data of 35 SSA countries from 1998 to 2019.
Findings
The paper found strong evidence that armed conflict and climate change are positive predictors of gender vulnerability. The impact of climate change on gender vulnerability is found to be more direct than indirect.
Practical implications
The direct and indirect positive effect of armed conflict and climate change on gender vulnerability implies that climate change drives gender vulnerability through multiple channels. This underscores the need for a multi-disciplinary policy approach to addressing gender vulnerability problem in SSA.
Originality/value
The study contributes to the climate action debate by highlighting the need for climate action to incorporate gender inclusive policies such as massive investment in infrastructure and safety nets that offer protection to the most vulnerable girls and women affected by armed conflict and climate change. Societies should as a matter of urgency strive to structural barriers that predispose girls and women to biodiversity loss.
Peer review
The peer review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/IJSE-09-2022-0595
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Sampa Chisumbe, Clinton Ohis Aigbavboa, Erastus Mwanaumo and Wellington Didibhuku Thwala
Pattaramon Worawichayawongsa, Stephen Ollis and Alex Kyriakopoulos
The NHS long-term plan outlined that mental health services in the UK will be based on the trauma-informed approach in the next 10 years. Staff in leadership roles in those…
Abstract
Purpose
The NHS long-term plan outlined that mental health services in the UK will be based on the trauma-informed approach in the next 10 years. Staff in leadership roles in those services will face a responsibility to lead the implementation of TIC; however, little is known about the experiences of these staff attempting to create change. Therefore, this study aims to gain an understanding of mental health staff (MHS)’s experiences in implementing trauma-informed care (TIC) in the NHS.
Design/methodology/approach
In total, 14 mental health staff (MHS), comprising ten psychologists and four multidisciplinary clinicians, were recruited through purposive and snowball sampling. Semi-structured individual interviews were conducted via Microsoft Teams to provide qualitative data. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and analysed using Braun and Clarke’s (2006) reflexive thematic analysis.
Findings
Five themes were found: 1) having a visionary outlook and high expectations for change, 2) professional growth and personal development, 3) affirmation of the role’s importance and impact, 4) psychological discomfort and 5) ways of coping. Participants strongly believed that TIC should be standard practice for all health-care staff, noting that implementing TIC led to their professional and personal growth. While they found satisfaction in influencing others to value TIC, they experienced negative emotions when their efforts were unsuccessful and used various strategies to overcome barriers and manage psychological discomfort.
Originality/value
To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first to explore the experiences of MHS implementing TIC in the NHS. Support recommendations for staff in the role are made and future research is identified.
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Amon Simba, Mahdi Tajeddin, Paul Jones and Patient Rambe
This study analyzes technostress in African entrepreneurship. It advances contextualized theoretical explanations of technostress depicting its impact on entrepreneurs who…
Abstract
Purpose
This study analyzes technostress in African entrepreneurship. It advances contextualized theoretical explanations of technostress depicting its impact on entrepreneurs who excessively consume digital technology in Africa. The study also describes how research linking transactional benefits to digital technology has created an imbalanced literature that ignores technostress and well-being in African entrepreneurship.
Design/methodology/approach
Considering the study’s theoretical explanations derived at the technostress–entrepreneurship–well-being nexus, structural equation modeling (SEM) was deemed appropriate. Unlike qualitative–based methods, SEM experiments on 643 observations of early–stage African entrepreneurs in South Africa enabled robust statistical interpretations of their social settings. Thus, strengthening our analysis and focus on the interplay between the variables of technostress, including overload, invasion, complexity and uncertainty, and their impact on entrepreneurship intentions defined through perceived behavior control, entrepreneurship passion and digital self-efficacy.
Findings
SEM experiments on these African entrepreneurs revealed technostress dimensions of overload, invasion, complexity and uncertainty as moderators of their entrepreneurial actions encompassing perceived behaviour control and entrepreneurship passion in connection with their entrepreneurial intentions. The results also suggested that perceived behaviour control, entrepreneurship passion, and the digital self-efficacy of these entrepreneurs influenced their entrepreneurial intentions.
Research limitations/implications
Besides inspiring more studies on technostress and well-being in varied entrepreneurial contexts, this research also initiates debate on policy and social reforms geared toward entrepreneurs considered vulnerable to excessive digital technology consumption.
Originality/value
The novelty of this study lies in its theoretical explanations derived at the technostress–entrepreneurship–well-being nexus. This conceptual overlay elevates the interpretations of the findings of this study beyond the averages in entrepreneurship and information technology (IT) research. Specifically, it increases their inferential value by revealing subtle and hard to dictate social interactions inherent in how African entrepreneurs consume and are impacted by technology as they pursue their entrepreneurial endeavors.
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Wendel Alex Castro Silva, Lucas Jose Ferreira, Vera L. Cançado and Cristiana Fernandes De Muylder
This study aims to examine the impact of investment in innovation, market structure and competitive position on the supermarket value chain in the USA.
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to examine the impact of investment in innovation, market structure and competitive position on the supermarket value chain in the USA.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper used secondary data from Economatica® for the period 2010–2020, encompassing 83 firms within the US supermarket value chain, resulting in 913 observations for each model covariate. The data were analyzed through structural equation modeling, using the partial least squares (PLS) approach, using SMARTPLS® software.
Findings
The results indicate that both market structure and investment in innovation have a significant impact on a firm’s competitive position. Specifically, a more concentrated market structure is associated with a weaker competitive position, whereas higher levels of investment in innovation correspond to a stronger competitive position. However, no significant relationship was found between investment in innovation and market structure.
Research limitations/implications
This study is limited to the Economatica® database, from which this paper selected a sample of firms within the US supermarket value chain. This paper recommend future research to compare data from other countries or sectors. For the three-dimensional model, this paper used constructs with indicators of investment, performance and market concentration; however, this paper suggests incorporating additional variables to enhance the model’s robustness.
Practical implications
An analysis of market structure and its impact on competitive positioning offers valuable insights for managers regarding the strategic dimensions of the supermarket industry. Integrating the effects of investment in innovation into business strategies can enhance long-term economic benefits. Adopting a value chain perspective further facilitates the examination of market equilibrium and competitive positioning within the supermarket industry.
Social implications
The findings of this study can help prevent the adoption of misguided strategies that fail to foster business growth. By highlighting the significant impact of innovation on performance, while considering the competitive dynamics within the supermarket industry, the study provides a deeper understanding of the risks faced by various firms across the value chain and the dual nature of competition within the sector. Moreover, it reinforces the relevance of research on economic sustainability and supports the development of effective growth strategies for firms.
Originality/value
While most studies focus on hypotheses examining the relationships between innovation and competitive positioning or between innovation and market structure, this study introduces a three-dimensional model that uses structural equation modeling to test these interconnections simultaneously. Furthermore, it extends the analysis by incorporating the value chain as a central component, using a diverse sample of firms directly linked to the core operations of the supermarket industry.
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Teik Aun Wong, Kevin Tee Liang Tan, Sheila Rose Darmaraj, Joshua Teck Khun Loo and Alex Hou Hong Ng
The first objective is to investigate and determine the social capital development of students in online education. The second objective is to analyze the influence of social…
Abstract
Purpose
The first objective is to investigate and determine the social capital development of students in online education. The second objective is to analyze the influence of social capital on students’ academic success and educational satisfaction. The third objective is to generate recommendations to foster social capital development.
Design/methodology/approach
A quantitative research approach is employed, with 264 respondents comprising students from colleges and universities in Malaysia. The data gathering instrument is an online questionnaire administered with the informed consent of participants. Data analysis is performed using structural equation modeling (SEM).
Findings
The results show that the faculty capital and peer capital components of social capital have not been compromised in online education, but the family capital component has declined. As such, it is concluded that there is a general decline in overall social capital in online education. These findings form the basis for recommendations on promoting social capital development among students in colleges and universities internationally.
Research limitations/implications
This study focused on study periods during the COVID-19 pandemic where online learning and communication were strictly enforced, providing a unique opportunity to explore how students adapted their social capital development. However, this is not meant to be a representation of scenarios where students are given the option of either physical or online education or a combination of both.
Practical implications
Academic and institutional management implications are evident, and recommendations are made based on the findings.
Social implications
The findings and subsequent recommendations have considerable social implications in terms of social sustainability of education practices and policies.
Originality/value
The COVID-19 pandemic that started in March 2020 and subsequent prolonged periods of physical lockdowns in many countries have forced colleges and universities that customarily practice classroom education to shift to online education temporarily. This situation created a novel “natural experiment” when classes or programs from the same college or university that are customarily conducted in classrooms (in person) were conducted online during the pandemic, thus contributing to the originality of the findings.
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This study examined the role of artificial intelligence (AI) tools in facilitating the accessibility and usability of electronic resources (e-resources) in academic libraries.
Abstract
Purpose
This study examined the role of artificial intelligence (AI) tools in facilitating the accessibility and usability of electronic resources (e-resources) in academic libraries.
Design/methodology/approach
This study employed a quantitative descriptive survey to collect data from library users. The population targeted was sampled using a purposive sampling technique. A total of 427 (58%) participated in this study.
Findings
Most respondents preferred electronic journals (e-journals) among the e-resources stored in academic libraries. Chatbots were identified as preferred AI tools for accessing and enhancing the usability of these resources. Strategies mentioned included the potential for integrating AI tools across various e-resources. However, among the challenges reported was the inability to integrate AI tools with the existing library management systems. Improving e-resource discovery and access can significantly enhance the effectiveness of AI tools in academic libraries.
Originality/value
Originality in the context of AI applications in academic libraries refers to the unique approaches, innovative tools and creative solutions that enhance the accessibility and usability of electronic resources. By focusing on unique solutions that enhance the accessibility and usability of e-resources, these libraries can better serve their diverse user populations and adapt to the evolving landscape of information needs.
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Sylwiusz Retowski, Dorota Godlewska-Werner and Rolf van Dick
The study aimed to test the validity and reliability of the Polish version of the identity leadership inventory (ILI) proposed by Steffens, Haslam, Reicher et al. (2014) and to…
Abstract
Purpose
The study aimed to test the validity and reliability of the Polish version of the identity leadership inventory (ILI) proposed by Steffens, Haslam, Reicher et al. (2014) and to confirm the relationship between identity leadership and various job-related outcomes (i.e., trust in leaders, job satisfaction, work engagement and turnover intentions) among employees from Poland-based organizations. Identity leadership appears to be a universal construct (van Dick, Ciampa, & Liang, 2018) but no one has studied it in Poland so far.
Design/methodology/approach
The sample consisted of 1078 employees collected in two independent subsamples from different organizations located in Northern and Central Poland. We evaluated the ILI’s factorial structure using confirmatory factor analysis.
Findings
The results confirm that the 15-item Polish version of the ILI has a four-dimensional structure with factors representing prototypicality, advancement, entrepreneurship and impresarioship. It showed satisfactory reliability. The identity leadership inventory-short form (four items) also showed a good fit with the data. As expected, the relationships between identity leadership and important work-related outcomes (general level of job satisfaction, work engagement, trust toward the leader and turnover intentions) were also significant.
Originality/value
Despite the cultural specifics of Polish organizations, the research results were generally very similar to those in other countries, confirming the universality of the ILI as shown in the Global Identity Leadership Development project (GILD, see van Dick, Ciampa, & Liang, 2018; van Dick et al., 2021).