William I. MacKenzie, Jorge A. Colazo and Robert F. Scherer
Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) accreditation encourages business schools to exhibit alignment within their mission, strategies and outcomes to…
Abstract
Purpose
Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) accreditation encourages business schools to exhibit alignment within their mission, strategies and outcomes to achieve success. The present study aims to explore the idea of mission alignment and how it may serve as an important moderator to the relationship between organizational resources and school performance as measured through business school rank.
Design/methodology/approach
Our study utilizes the AACSB International business school survey (BSQ) data to analyze the mission statements of accredited business schools and capture data on organizational resources. We also created an index of mission alignment to gauge congruency between the stated mission and strategic focus. Our performance measure was the U.S. News and World Report undergraduate business school programs ranking value.
Findings
Our results show mission alignment on its own has little direct impact on organizational performance. However, when mission statement alignment and resource allocations are combined, they interact to influence organizational performance.
Originality/value
Our research demonstrates that resource allocation decisions and mission alignment are two important attributes of an organization and that mission alignment has the potential to leverage an organization’s resources and capabilities to improve performance.
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Anuja Shukla and Poornima Jirli
This study examines the ethical and social consequences of the accelerated adoption of new technologies. An empirical approach is employed to explore the impacts of rapid…
Abstract
This study examines the ethical and social consequences of the accelerated adoption of new technologies. An empirical approach is employed to explore the impacts of rapid technological integration on societal norms, ethical considerations, and individual behaviours. Responses from 305 participants are analysed using partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM), focusing on perceived usefulness, ease of use, relative advantage, personal innovativeness, and fear of missing out (FOMO). The findings unveil intricate interactions between technological advancements and ethical–social dynamics, underscoring challenges and opportunities. This study offers critical insights for policymakers, technology developers, and society at large, aiming to encourage a more ethically informed and socially conscious approach to technology adoption.
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Jasneet Kaur Kohli, Rahul Raj, Navneet Rawat and Ashulekha Gupta
Due to the growing complexity involved in leveraging the endless possibilities of ICT on all levels, the technical competence of faculties of higher education institutions (HEI…
Abstract
Purpose
Due to the growing complexity involved in leveraging the endless possibilities of ICT on all levels, the technical competence of faculties of higher education institutions (HEI) and effective methods for fostering e-readiness has become questionable.
Design/methodology/approach
This research has developed and validated an empirically supported e-readiness scale, which can be used by HEIs to assess faculty members’ preparedness toward online teaching. The measurement model and the structural model were developed as the results of exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis (n = 245). The previously identified components and their indicators were validated using the structural models and the final scale was developed with five dimensions (“online technological readiness, pedagogical readiness, institutional readiness, learning and delivery readiness and content readiness”).
Findings
The faculties’ e-readiness assessment tool, as a useful tool, could aid institutions in identifying problems that affect the implementation of e-learning or digitalization in the institutions and developing strategies in response.
Research limitations/implications
Like any research this research also has some limitations and can be considered as future research probability like the responses for this research were collected from HEI in India; however, a cross-cultural study can be conducted to understand the parameters across the globe. Although the psychometric qualities of the e-readiness scale are acceptable, additional research in various higher educational environments, both nationally and internationally, is required to further establish the scale’s relevance, validation and generalizability.
Originality/value
Although many scales have been developed to assess the readiness level in the education sector, a scale, that holistically measures, the readiness level of faculties from an overall perspective was required. This scale can be used to recognize the e-readiness level of teachers in HEIs. This scale can also help the institutions assess the readiness level of their faculty members and address any improvements required in their teaching and learning pedagogy, further acknowledging training needs.
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Morgan Brigg, Daniel Druckman, Serge Loode and Hannibal A. Thai
This article reports on the development and evaluation of an online conflict coaching system. The authors develop and test a broadly applicable yet tailored Conflict Coach that…
Abstract
Purpose
This article reports on the development and evaluation of an online conflict coaching system. The authors develop and test a broadly applicable yet tailored Conflict Coach that extends the current practice of coaching. It provides diagnostics and advice across several emotions and dimensions of conflict drawn from research and conflict management practice.
Design/methodology/approach
The coach engages coachees through five emotions, divided into three levels of conflict intensity and ten dimensions of conflict to deliver analysis and advice “packets” derived from both research findings and practice. A Prolific survey used as a proxy for the coaching system was administered to 341 respondents. A variety of closed and open-ended questions were asked about the respondents’ chosen conflict, the packets of advice and about their overall experience.
Findings
The coach was judged as somewhat helpful, quite understandable, quite implementable and providing sufficient advice. A sampling of the findings signals the importance of dealing with anger and dislike and finding ways to communicate more effectively. Longer-term assessments indicated that the advice continued to be helpful and worth recommending to others. There are opportunities to further develop the prototype including through field testing and use of artificial intelligence.
Originality/value
To the best of the authors’ knowledge, the Conflict Coach is a first attempt to provide a widely available yet tailored online system for responding to conflict. It promises positive social and practice implications that extend upon and complement existing conflict management through increased accessibility to information and advice based on published research findings and practice. Research opportunities accompany its possible further development.
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Agency is a concept whose status as a social-theoretical tool in and for the 21st century is a challenging question. Sociological theorists endeavor to identify agency's…
Abstract
Agency is a concept whose status as a social-theoretical tool in and for the 21st century is a challenging question. Sociological theorists endeavor to identify agency's analytical and systematic usefulness for social research. Social theorists and critical theorists are less concerned with agency as concept and tool but may be more dedicated to assessing and tracking the fate and future of agency as a historically and socially variable phenomenon. While social theorists recognize the importance of socio-historical variations, critical theorists also are concerned with how modern societies are inherently contradictory and problematic, especially when accounts try to balance a society's “official” validity claims with the realities they obscure. Many sociologists study the societal conditions that have a bearing on whether, how, and to what extent individuals are able to engage in self-determined actions and practices. Correlating a person's location in the social structure with the status of agency in human and social life, within the matrix of race, class, gender, sexual orientation, geographic location, education, and similar indicators, is essential to delineating individuals' ability to pursue opportunities for success and to take advantage of life chances. In societies that are reproducing, fraught with, and burdened by myriad contradictions and proliferating corollary dangers and threats, individuals' locations within the social structure effect their chances for and modes of survival. In the end, agency as a function of socio-historical specificity visualizes how individuals are making decisions and choices (agency ∼ autonomy) within contexts that are beyond their control or understanding (determinism ∼ heteronomy).
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Jirarat Pipatnarapong, Annika Beelitz and Aziz Jaafar
Using listed firms domiciled in the founding BRICS countries, i.e. Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, this study empirically examines the impact of corporate social…
Abstract
Purpose
Using listed firms domiciled in the founding BRICS countries, i.e. Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, this study empirically examines the impact of corporate social responsibility (CSR) engagement on the degree of tax avoidance.
Design/methodology/approach
Data used in this study is sourced from the EIKON database, where CSR variables, i.e. the scores of social and environmental pillars, are extracted from ASSET4, and accounting variables are sourced from Worldscope. The authors use a series of fixed effects regression models as the baseline approach to test the hypotheses. In addition, the 2SLS regression model is used to address endogeneity issues.
Findings
Their results show that firms domiciled in BRICS countries do not use CSR strategically as “a tool” to legitimate themselves, manage their risks or minimize public scrutiny from their tax avoidance behavior, but that they develop a culture of tax compliance and CSR engagement as a complementary strategy, promising ethical conduct to external audiences and committing to serving the interests of all stakeholders.
Originality/value
This study incrementally contributes to the extant literature on the link between tax avoidance and CSR engagement by offering evidence from dominant emerging markets, where the institutional factors differ considerably from those of developed countries. Furthermore, they provide essential insights for policymakers that including responsible tax payment as part of the global CSR agenda may motivate firms to align their behaviors to tax payment.
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Anand Kumar, Tatiana King and Mikko Ranta
This study aims to conduct a comprehensive literature review to examine the relationship between corporate governance characteristics and firms’ engagement in environmental…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to conduct a comprehensive literature review to examine the relationship between corporate governance characteristics and firms’ engagement in environmental, social and governance (ESG) activities. The review focuses specifically on academic papers published in ranked accounting and finance journals.
Design/methodology/approach
The analysis combines a structured literature review with citation analysis, topic modeling using a machine learning (ML) approach and a manual review of selected articles published between 2000 and 2021.
Findings
This paper contributes to corporate governance and ESG literature by conducting an in-depth review, offering a comprehensive analysis of the existing findings and identifying future research directions. From the reviewed literature, this paper proposes the following thematic areas: board characteristics, ownership structure and their impact on a company’s engagement in ESG activities; CEO characteristics and their influence on a company’s involvement in ESG activities; corporate governance and ESG as sources for transparency and legitimacy; internal and external assurance of a company’s involvement in ESG activities; and gender diversity and a company’s involvement in ESG activities.
Originality/value
The study provides a comprehensive understanding of corporate governance and ESG literature. The innovative combination of methods, including ML and manual techniques, enhances the ability to identify key research topics and uncover research directions in the field. Moving forward, this paper suggests several promising directions for future research, including examining the influence of emerging technologies on ESG reporting and assessing the impact of regulatory changes and context on the link between corporate governance and firms’ involvement in ESG practices.
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M. Lyn Exum, Joseph B. Kuhns, Shelley L. Johnson and Samuel E. DeWitt
Citizens’ attitudes toward police (ATP) have declined dramatically in recent years, prompting many agencies to implement police–community relations programs designed to build…
Abstract
Purpose
Citizens’ attitudes toward police (ATP) have declined dramatically in recent years, prompting many agencies to implement police–community relations programs designed to build back the community’s trust. Such programs are often time-intensive, requiring many hours to complete. The current study examined the impact of a brief (approximately 15 minutes) community relations intervention on citizens’ ATP and police use of force (UoF).
Design/methodology/approach
A sample of 104 citizens completed three UoF training exercises (i.e., the intervention) inside a video simulator at a municipal police department. Immediately before and after the intervention, citizens’ ATP and police UoF were recorded.
Findings
Despite having relatively favorable impressions of police at baseline, many attitudes grew to be more favorable following the intervention, including perceptions of job difficulty and the belief that police are treated too harshly by the media. While global impressions of the police did not change, citizens came to believe that greater UoF levels were warranted in specific types of encounters, such as when a suspect tries to strike an officer.
Originality/value
These findings suggest that providing citizens with an opportunity to experience UoF decision-making first-hand can positively impact certain ATP and police work. Law enforcement agencies may find that such brief, immersive interventions are useful tools for improving police–community relations.