Taofeeq Durojaye Moshood, James O.B. Rotimi and Wajiha Shahzad
This study aims to investigate the crucial role of information quality in the construction industry and its impact on organizational performance. The research objectives are…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to investigate the crucial role of information quality in the construction industry and its impact on organizational performance. The research objectives are threefold: (1) to identify and analyse key factors influencing information quality in construction organizations; (2) to examine how information quality affects strategic decision-making processes in the industry; and (3) to assess the extent to which information quality impacts overall organizational performance.
Design/methodology/approach
The study commences by gathering data from databases such as Scopus, Elsevier, Taylor and Francis, and Emerald Insight. The collected data is then analysed using ATLAS.ti 9 to construct a model linking information quality with strategic decision-making and organization performance.
Findings
The literature review analysis reveals the complex interplay between information quality, strategic decision-making and organizational performance in the construction industry. Key findings include identifying critical factors influencing information quality, such as technological infrastructure, organizational processes and personnel skills. The study highlights the necessity for organizations to recognize potential challenges in information management and formulate strategies to overcome them.
Originality/value
This research makes a significant contribution to the field by providing a comprehensive framework for understanding the role of information quality in strategic decision-making within the construction industry. The study’s originality lies in its systematic approach to synthesizing existing literature and developing visual representations of complex relationships between information quality, decision-making processes and organizational performance.
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Axel van den Berg and Emre Amasyalı
Since its introduction by Anthony Giddens in the early 1980s, the use of the concept of “agency” as a way to accommodate an irreducible element of voluntarism into sociological…
Abstract
Since its introduction by Anthony Giddens in the early 1980s, the use of the concept of “agency” as a way to accommodate an irreducible element of voluntarism into sociological explanations has grown exponentially in the literature. In this chapter, we examine the most prominent theoretical justifications for adopting the notion of “agency” as an integral part of such explanations. We distinguish three broad sets of justifications: the meaningfulness/intentionality of social action, the need for “agency” to explain change in social structures, and the link between agency, social accountability, and human dignity. We find that none of these provides a convincing rationale for the analytical utility of agency. This raises the question of what work it actually does perform in the sociological literature.
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Richard W. Puyt, Finn Birger Lie and Dag Øivind Madsen
The purpose of this study is to revisit the conventional wisdom about a key contribution [i.e. strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats (SWOT) analysis] in the field of…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to revisit the conventional wisdom about a key contribution [i.e. strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats (SWOT) analysis] in the field of strategic management. The societal context and the role of academics, consultants and executives is taken into account in the emergence of SWOT analysis during the 1960–1980 period as a pivotal development within the broader context of the satisfactory, opportunities, faults, threats (SOFT) approach. The authors report on both the content and the approach, so that other scholars seeking to invigorate indigenous theories and/or underreported strategy practices will thrive.
Design/methodology/approach
Applying a historiographic approach, the authors introduce an evidence-based methodology for interpreting historical sources. This methodology incorporates source criticism, triangulation and hermeneutical interpretation, drawing upon insights from robust evidence through three iterative stages.
Findings
The underreporting of the SOFT approach/SWOT analysis can be attributed to several factors, including strategy tools being integrated into planning frameworks rather than being published as standalone materials; restricted circulation of crucial long-range planning service/theory and practice of planning reports due to copyright limitations; restricted access to the Stanford Research Institute Planning Library in California; and the enduring popularity of SOFT and SWOT variations, driven in part by their memorable acronyms.
Originality
In the spirit of a renaissance in strategic planning research, the authors unveil novel theoretical and social connections in the emergence of SWOT analysis by combining evidence from both theory and practice and delving into previously unexplored areas.
Research implications
Caution is advised for scholars who examine the discrete time frame of 1960–1980 through mere bibliometric techniques. This study underscores the risks associated with gathering incomplete and/or inaccurate data, emphasizing the importance of triangulating evidence beyond scholarly databases. The paradigm shift of strategic management research due to the advent of large language models poses new challenges and the risk of conserving and perpetuating academic urban legends, myths and lies if training data is not adequately curated.
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Yingnan Shi and Chao Ma
This study aims to enhance the effectiveness of knowledge markets and overall knowledge management (KM) practices within organisations. By addressing the challenge of internal…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to enhance the effectiveness of knowledge markets and overall knowledge management (KM) practices within organisations. By addressing the challenge of internal knowledge stickiness, it seeks to demonstrate how machine learning and AI approaches, specifically a text-based AI method for personality assessment and regression trees for behavioural analysis, can automate and personalise knowledge market incentivisation mechanisms.
Design/methodology/approach
The research employs a novel approach by integrating machine learning methodologies to overcome the limitations of traditional statistical methods. A natural language processing (NLP)-based AI tool is used to assess employees’ personalities, and regression tree analysis is applied to predict and categorise behavioural patterns in knowledge-sharing contexts. This approach is designed to capture the complex interplay between individual personality traits and environmental factors, which traditional methods often fail to adequately address.
Findings
Cognitive style was confirmed as a key predictor of knowledge-sharing, with extrinsic motivators outweighing intrinsic ones in market-based platforms. These findings underscore the significance of diverse combinations of environmental and individual factors in promoting knowledge sharing, offering key insights that can inform the automatic design of personalised interventions for community managers of such platforms.
Originality/value
This research stands out as it is the first to empirically explore the interaction between the individual and the environment in shaping actual knowledge-sharing behaviours, using advanced methodologies. The increased automation in the process extends the practical contribution of this study, enabling a more efficient, automated assessment process, and thus making critical theoretical and practical advancements in understanding and enhancing knowledge-sharing behaviours.
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Jakob Kost, Leping Mou and Michael O’Shea
This paper explores the profound philosophical and conceptual foundations that underpin comparative international education research, particularly concerning the evolving roles of…
Abstract
This paper explores the profound philosophical and conceptual foundations that underpin comparative international education research, particularly concerning the evolving roles of universities and colleges that transcend mere skills training or human capital development in contemporary times. Universities and colleges have predominantly focused on measuring their success through criteria such as research excellence and their ability to adapt to the ever-evolving demands of the job market. It is imperative to recognize that the diversity of postsecondary institutions is not only providers of human capital with curriculum shaped by labor market needs; rather, they should be recognized as institutions dedicated to human development, community anchors, the promotion of the public good, democratic education, the cultivation of civil society, and global citizenship. Relying on an extensive review of selected literature pertaining to the mission, goals, aims, and roles of the postsecondary sector in three regions (East Asia, Germanic Europe, and North America), this paper considers the question, “How do different approaches and traditions in different social contexts contribute to our understanding of the civic roles of postsecondary education institutions in shaping future global citizens, transcending the confines of national boundaries?” Throughout the paper, the unique contexts and traditions of these regions are meticulously examined alongside thematic discussions, culminating in comprehensive analyses on what factors are considered as the civic roles of institutions and what challenges are there for them to realize their goals.
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This study aims to analyze Samuel Gompers’ use of innovative management practices involving authority and voluntarism at the American Federation of Labor (AFL) as a way of…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to analyze Samuel Gompers’ use of innovative management practices involving authority and voluntarism at the American Federation of Labor (AFL) as a way of suggesting a role for a labor leader as a management guru. It is a case study attempt to insert a labor presence into the canon of management leaders whose accomplishments are taught in academic programs and appear in the field’s textbooks.
Design/methodology/approach
The methodology involved close reading and dialogue with primary sources on Samuel Gompers and the AFL from the late 19th and early 20th centuries, along with more recent reviews and critiques of the union’s foundation period.
Findings
The paper analyzes Gompers’ approach to nonhierarchical decision-making through his doctrine of voluntarism. The paper discusses jurisdictional disputes in the AFL in the early 20th century, exploring internal rebuffs Gompers originally received to his suggestion of voluntary solution building. The narrative recounts his tenacity in pursuing voluntarism and his use of sub-federative departments after 1907 to damp down jurisdictional disputes without fiat from himself or the AFL executive board.
Originality/value
To the best of the author’s knowledge, this paper is one of the first in the management history literature to present a labor leader with blue-collar origins as a management guru, expanding the representativeness of the progenitors of the field.
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James Guthrie, Francesca Manes-Rossi, Rebecca Levy Orelli and Vincenzo Sforza
This paper undertakes a structured literature review to analyse the literature on performance management and measurement (PMM) in universities over the last four decades. Over…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper undertakes a structured literature review to analyse the literature on performance management and measurement (PMM) in universities over the last four decades. Over that time, PMM has emerged as an influential force in universities that impacts their operations and redefines their identity.
Design/methodology/approach
A structured literature review approach was used to analyse a sample of articles on PMM research from a broad range of disciplines over four decades. This was undertaken to understand the impacts of PMM practices on universities, highlight changes over time and point to avenues for future research.
Findings
The analysis highlights the fact that research on PMM in universities has grown significantly over the 40 years studied. We provide an overview of published articles over four decades regarding content, themes, theories, methods and impacts. We provide an empirical basis for discussing past, present and future university PMM research. The future research avenues offer multiple provocations for scholars and policymakers, for instance, PMM implementation strategies and relationships with various government programs and external evaluation and the role of different actors, particularly academics, in shaping PMM systems.
Originality/value
Unlike a traditional literature review, the structured literature review method can develop insights into how the field has changed over time and highlight possible future research. The sample for this literature review differs from previous reviews in covering a broad range of disciplines, including accounting.
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Myungwoo Lee, Dong Hun Lee, Michael Cottingham and Billy Hawkins
This study comprehensively explains how sports consumers evaluate athletes’ post-transgression philanthropic activities. We specifically focus on the congruence effect between the…
Abstract
Purpose
This study comprehensively explains how sports consumers evaluate athletes’ post-transgression philanthropic activities. We specifically focus on the congruence effect between the pre-transgression philanthropic endeavors and the transgression issue, shedding light on the effectiveness of these strategies in reinstating the positive image of athletes and associated entities.
Design/methodology/approach
This study employed a rigorous research design, replicating two studies using sports-related (n = 409) and non-sports-related (n = 404) transgression cases. Data were collected by the Amazon Mechanical Turk platform. A series of experimental studies aimed to investigate the congruence mechanism underlying athletes’ post-transgression philanthropic efforts.
Findings
When the post-transgression philanthropic initiative is related to the transgression, sport consumers are less likely to view it skeptically and are more inclined to positively evaluate the brand attitude and purchase intention, especially when the transgression is unrelated to the pre-transgression philanthropic efforts.
Research limitations/implications
As is the case with most research, this study has a limitation. This study used a fictitious athlete name to prevent any prior biases or preconceived notions about the athletes and to avoid any unforeseen influences of personal attitudes toward the athlete. However, designing this study around a fictitious athlete may pose construct validity issues because it may not reflect real-life interactions with the athletes. To increase the validity of findings, future research should aim to replicate the current findings using the names of actual athletes.
Originality/value
This unique approach provides valuable insights and equips sports marketers and brand managers with effective strategies to restore the positive image of athletes and associated entities after a transgression has been made public, empowering them to make informed decisions in challenging situations.
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Romanian women migrant entrepreneurs (RWMEs) are amongst the largest EU migrant communities in the UK and make significant socioeconomic contributions to both their host and…
Abstract
Purpose
Romanian women migrant entrepreneurs (RWMEs) are amongst the largest EU migrant communities in the UK and make significant socioeconomic contributions to both their host and origin nations, but academic research and policy discussions have ignored them. Intersectionality raises complex contextual issues that require comprehensive examination and inclusive policies and programmes. This study is aimed at exploring how Romanian women migrant entrepreneurs experience their transnational intersectional journeys of belonging, as they create, negotiate and enact their intersectional identities of the country of origin, gender and being entrepreneurs in the UK and Romania.
Design/methodology/approach
This Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) draws on draws upon Crenshaw's (1991) intersectional and Social Identity theories (Tajfel and Turner, 1979) to investigate how nine interviewed RWMEs have experienced their transnational journeys of acculturative belonging in the UK and Romania.
Findings
The study findings show how RWMEs undo and negotiate their intersecting identities to adhere to socio-cultural standards in both their host and native nations. In the UK, they feel empowered as women entrepreneurs, but in patriarchal Romania, their entrepreneurial identity is revoked, contradicting the prescribed socio-cultural roles.
Research limitations/implications
This study responds to the call regarding inequalities in entrepreneurship opportunities (Vershinina et al., 2022). By focussing on the understudied community of RWMEs and exploring new intersectional and transnational contextual insights, it contributes to the literature and practice of migrant entrepreneurship. These empirical findings are essential for the development of evidence-based, disaggregated entrepreneurship programmes and policies.
Originality/value
This study responds to the call regarding inequalities in entrepreneurship opportunities (Vershinina et al., 2022). By focussing on the understudied community of RWMEs and exploring new intersectional and transnational contextual insights, it contributes to the literature and practice of migrant entrepreneurship. These empirical findings are essential for the development of evidence-based, disaggregated entrepreneurship programmes and policies.