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1 – 9 of 9Nkeiruka N. Ndubuka-McCallum, David R. Jones and Peter Rodgers
Business schools are vital in promoting responsible management (RM) – a management grounded in ethics and values beneficial to a wide array of stakeholders and overall society…
Abstract
Purpose
Business schools are vital in promoting responsible management (RM) – a management grounded in ethics and values beneficial to a wide array of stakeholders and overall society. Nevertheless, due to deeply embedded institutional modernistic dynamics and paradigms, RM is, despite its importance, repeatedly marginalised in business school curricula. If students are to engage with RM thinking, then its occlusion represents a pressing issue. Drawing on the United Kingdom (UK) business school context, this paper aims to examine this issue through a framework of institutional theory and consider the role played by (modernistic) institutional accreditation and research assessment processes in marginalisation of RM.
Design/methodology/approach
This study used an exploratory qualitative research method. Data were collected from 17 RM expert participants from 15 UK business schools that were signatories to the United Nations Principles for Responsible Management Education through semi-structured in-depth interviews and analysed using the six phases of Braun and Clarke’s thematic analysis.
Findings
The study identifies a potent institutional isomorphic amalgam resulting in conservative impacts for RM. This dynamic is termed multiple institutional isomorphic marginalisation (MIIM) – whereby a given domain is occluded and displaced by hegemonic institutional pressures. In RM’s case, MIIM operates through accreditation-driven modernistic-style curricula. This leads business schools to a predilection towards “mainstream” representations of subject areas and a focus on mechanistic research exercises. Consequently, this privileges certain activities over RM development with a range of potential negative effects, including social impacts.
Originality/value
This study fills an important gap concerning the need for a critical, in-depth exploration of the role that international accreditation frameworks and national institutional academic research assessment processes such as the Research Excellence Framework in the UK play in affecting the possible growth and influence of RM. In addition, it uses heterotopia as a conceptual lens to reveal the institutional “mask” of responsibility predominantly at play in the UK business school context, and offers alternative pathways for RM careers.
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Yasmine Chahed, Robert Charnock, Sabina Du Rietz Dahlström, Niels Joseph Lennon, Tommaso Palermo, Cristiana Parisi, Dane Pflueger, Andreas Sundström, Dorothy Toh and Lichen Yu
The purpose of this essay is to explore the opportunities and challenges that early-career researchers (ECRs) face when they seek to contribute to academic knowledge production…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this essay is to explore the opportunities and challenges that early-career researchers (ECRs) face when they seek to contribute to academic knowledge production through research activities “other than” those directly focused on making progress with their own, to-be-published, research papers in a context associated with the “publish or perish” (PoP) mentality.
Design/methodology/approach
Drawing broadly on the notion of technologies of humility (Jasanoff, 2003), this reflective essay develops upon the experiences of the authors in organizing and participating in a series of nine workshops undertaken between June 2013 and April 2021, as well as the arduous process of writing this paper itself. Retrospective accounts, workshop materials, email exchanges and surveys of workshop participants provide the key data sources for the analysis presented in the paper.
Findings
The paper shows how the organization of the workshops is intertwined with the building of a small community of ECRs and exploration of how to address the perceived limitations of a “gap-spotting” approach to developing research ideas and questions. The analysis foregrounds how the workshops provide a seemingly valuable research experience that is not without contradictions. Workshop participation reveals tensions between engagement in activities “other than” working on papers for publication and institutionalized pressures to produce publication outputs, between the (weak) perceived status of ECRs in the field and the aspiration to make a scholarly contribution, and between the desire to develop a personally satisfying intellectual journey and the pressure to respond to requirements that allow access to a wider community of scholars.
Originality/value
Our analysis contributes to debates about the ways in which seemingly valuable outputs are produced in academia despite a pervasive “publish or perish” mentality. The analysis also shows how reflexive writing can help to better understand the opportunities and challenges of pursuing activities that might be considered “unproductive” because they are not directly related to to-be-published papers.
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Anne Schmitt and Matthew Atencio
Significant research has shown that gender and social class relationships can be problematic within the context of water-based leisure activities such as surfing, windsurfing, and…
Abstract
Significant research has shown that gender and social class relationships can be problematic within the context of water-based leisure activities such as surfing, windsurfing, and sailing (Olive et al., 2016; Wheaton, 2003). More specifically, it has been argued that sailing is traditionally practiced and dominated by upper-class males who can determine social codes that exclude and devalue others (Créac'h & Sébileau, 2004). We develop these critical ideas about broader water sport activity through the lens of family involvement within the context of an international comparative qualitative study of sailing projects based within secondary schooling sites in California and France. A key line of analysis involved investigating how various forms of capital (Bourdieu, 1979) were reproduced through gendered and social class hierarchies. We found that parents played key roles in reinforcing gendered stereotypes and divisions that were operating in youths' daily practices and competitions (middle school and high school). Additionally, our data show that sailing was regularly utilized by families to maintain upper-class values and distinctive social status (Friedman, 2013). Thirty interviews and 113 hours of field observations with stakeholders such as coaches, teachers, youths (14 to 17 years old), and their parents frame these various lines of analysis around sailing activity.
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Abhishek Behl, Nirma Sadamali Jayawardena, Vijay Pereira and Brinda Sampat
This paper aims to assess the readiness of retail workers to use blockchain technology (BCT) to improve supply chain performance. The assessment was made via a quantitative…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to assess the readiness of retail workers to use blockchain technology (BCT) to improve supply chain performance. The assessment was made via a quantitative approach taken using a theoretical framework based on Keller’s motivation model and self-determination theory in the BCT context.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors collected data from 567 retail workers from an emerging country through a structured survey questionnaire. The authors tested the hypotheses of the proposed model using Warp PLS 7.0 and controlled firm age, industry type and technological intensity.
Findings
Our findings may help firms in making the process of digital transformation inclusive. The authors found that supplier-based attention and motivation through BCT lead to supply chain performance, and that supplier-based satisfaction and trust achieved through BCT positively impact supply chain performance. Further, supplier-based relevance on raw material selection with the higher trust and motivation levels achieved through BCT was found to have a positive impact on supply chain performance.
Research limitations/implications
IT supply chain applications are referred to as “lean” rather than “rich” because they still rely mainly on written and numerical means to present data. When the environment is less ambiguous, then less rich media can be used to facilitate communication. IT supply chain applications allow suppliers to spend time building relationships with other suppliers instead of focusing on administrative tasks, thus enhancing such relationships.
Originality/value
This study can be considered the first to assess retailer readiness to use BCT to improve supply chain performance through the theoretical lens of Keller’s motivation model and self-determination theory.
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Udara Sachinthana Perera, Chandana Siriwardana and Ishani Shehara Pitigala Liyana Arachchi
Infrastructures become critical with the emerging threats triggering through disasters. Sri Lanka is a country with a higher risk of disaster impacts, in which the eye-opening has…
Abstract
Purpose
Infrastructures become critical with the emerging threats triggering through disasters. Sri Lanka is a country with a higher risk of disaster impacts, in which the eye-opening has widened towards mitigating the damages towards critical infrastructures. Based on this, the purpose of this paper is to develop an index that identifies the significance of critical infrastructure resilience.
Design/methodology/approach
From the initial literature survey, disaster resilience is defined as capacity of three stages, absorptive, adaptive and restorative along with ten indicators to measure capacities. Selected indicators were then checked for suitability for scope of the research based on opinions of seven experts. Subsequently, the critical infrastructure resilience index (CIRI) was introduced such that the numerical values for each indicator are aggregated using the Z score method. Statistical relations between the actual impact against disasters and CIRI calculated for administrative regions in Sri Lanka were used as the final step to validate the developed index.
Findings
Resilience index development is presented in this paper with a comprehensive methodology of developing and validation. Further, the case study results imply the weakness and strengths in each resilience capacities, which are important in decision-making.
Research limitations/implications
Unavailability of disaster impact data and centralized data repository were main constrains in the validation process of this research. Hence proxy data was used to validate resilience index in this research.
Originality/value
This research identified and validated a novel approach of defining disaster resilience index for regional decision-making.
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Abdullah H. Alnasser, Mohammad A. Hassanain, Mustafa A. Alnasser and Ali H. Alnasser
This study aims to identify and assess the factors challenging the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies in healthcare workplaces.
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to identify and assess the factors challenging the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies in healthcare workplaces.
Design/methodology/approach
The study utilized a mixed approach, that starts with a literature review, then developing and testing a questionnaire survey of the factors challenging the integration of AI technologies in healthcare workplaces. In total, 46 factors were identified and classified under 6 groups. These factors were assessed by four different stakeholder categories: facilities managers, medical staff, operational staff and patients/visitors. The evaluations gathered were examined to determine the relative importance index (RII), importance rating (IR) and ranking of each factor.
Findings
All 46 factors were assessed as “Very Important” through the overall assessment by the four stakeholder categories. The results indicated that the most important factors, across all groups, are “AI ability to learn from patient data”, “insufficient data privacy measures for patients”, “availability of technical support and maintenance services”, “physicians’ acceptance of AI in healthcare”, “reliability and uptime of AI systems” and “ability to reduce medical errors”.
Practical implications
Determining the importance ratings of the factors can lead to better resource allocation and the development of strategies to facilitate the adoption and implementation of these technologies, thus promoting the development of innovative solutions to improve healthcare practices.
Originality/value
This study contributes to the body of knowledge in the domain of technology adoption and implementation in the medical workplace, through improving stakeholders’ comprehension of the factors challenging the integration of AI technologies.
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James Kanyepe and Nyarai Kasambuwa
The purpose of this study is to investigate the influence of institutional dynamics on road accidents and whether this relationship is moderated by information and communication…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to investigate the influence of institutional dynamics on road accidents and whether this relationship is moderated by information and communication technology (ICT).
Design/methodology/approach
The study adopted a quantitative approach with 133 respondents. Research hypotheses were tested in AMOS version 21. In addition, moderated regression analysis was used to test the moderating role of ICT on the relationship between institutional dynamics and road accidents.
Findings
The results show that vehicle maintenance, policy enforcement, safety culture, driver training and driver management positively influence road accidents. Moreover, the study established that ICT moderates the relationship between institutional dynamics and road accidents.
Practical implications
The results of this study serve as a practical guideline for policymakers in the road haulage sector. Managers may gain insights on how to design effective interventions to reduce road accidents.
Originality/value
This research contributes to the existing body of knowledge by exploring previously unexplored moderating paths in the relationship between institutional dynamics and road accidents. By highlighting the moderating role of ICT, the study sheds new light on the institutional dynamics that influence road accidents in the context of road haulage companies.
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