Jianhong Zhang, Suzana B. Rodrigues, Jiangang Jiang and Chaohong Zhou
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the impact of political instability at the local level on foreign firms in China. Building on the literature on political embeddedness…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the impact of political instability at the local level on foreign firms in China. Building on the literature on political embeddedness and business power, the authors propose a theoretical framework to explain how political turnover can affect foreign firms’ performance and how they respond to such challenges by leveraging their power bases.
Design/methodology/approach
To test the hypotheses, the authors apply fixed effects regression to an unbalanced panel data set comprising 13,360 foreign firms from 1998 to 2013 and the political replacement that involved changes in provincial governors.
Findings
The findings confirm that political turnover incidents have a negative impact on the performance of foreign firms in China. However, the authors also found that this negative relationship is weaker for firms that can choose various types of power sources. Specifically, the study reveals that foreign firms with large firm size, government ownership and a strong foreign direct investment community are better qualified to mitigate the negative effects of political instability.
Originality/value
This study contributes to the literature by developing the understanding of how political uncertainties and risks affect the performance of foreign firms in China and the importance of firms’ power in counterbalancing these effects. The research provides valuable insights into how multinational corporations can exploit their power to manage the effects of local political turnover, which has practical implications for the strategy and management of foreign firms operating in China.
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Hailiang Zou, Guoyou Qi and Xuemei Xie
Open innovation enables firms to incorporate external expertise and resources into their innovations. However, it is far from easy to obtain sufficient support from external…
Abstract
Purpose
Open innovation enables firms to incorporate external expertise and resources into their innovations. However, it is far from easy to obtain sufficient support from external contributors due to potential concerns about the risks of opportunism and appropriation. This paper aims to investigate whether firms’ engagement in corporate social responsibility (CSR) contributes to their open innovation, considering the contingency factors of technological capability, environmental dynamism and state ownership based on capability and motivation perspectives.
Design/methodology/approach
Using a sample of Chinese listed firms covering the period from 2009 to 2018, instrumental variable and propensity score matching approaches were used to address the endogenous problems.
Findings
This paper obtains empirical results showing that firms engaged in higher levels of CSR produce more joint outputs (co-owned patents) and that this effect is strengthened by technological capability and environmental dynamism. Among state-owned enterprises, CSR engagement is less impactful with regard to open innovation. It is further shown that open innovation is a primary channel through which CSR engagement enhances innovative efficiency.
Originality/value
This study enriches the knowledge of the antecedents of open innovation and contributes to the debate regarding the relationship between CSR and innovation by establishing a relationship between CSR and open innovation, whereas most prior studies focus on how the input and output of innovation are affected by CSR initiatives.
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Weilong Liu, Zhongguo Wang and Xv Zhang
This paper aims to integrate the latent semantic features of annual report text with accounting indicators to construct a financial fraud identification model, and quantitatively…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to integrate the latent semantic features of annual report text with accounting indicators to construct a financial fraud identification model, and quantitatively analyze the impact of different corporate risks on financial fraud behavior in different industries, providing a reference for identifying financial fraud.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper obtains 3,860 corporate annual report samples and accounting indicators from 2001 to 2020 through crawlers and the CSMAR database as our experimental subjects. By integrating latent semantic features with accounting indicators and textual language features, a new indicator system group is constructed. Based on this indicator system group, multiple model identification effects are compared and a stacking-based enterprise financial fraud identification model is constructed. In addition, an econometric model is established to verify the impact of latent semantic features related to enterprises on corporate financial fraud.
Findings
The experimental results show that the constructed stacking-based enterprise financial fraud identification model performs better than other machine learning models and can effectively identify financial fraud. The econometric model established for the latent semantic information of annual reports explains the impact of different corporate trends on fraud behavior in different industries.
Originality/value
This paper combines the textual latent semantic features of annual reports with accounting indicators, expands the scope of data analysis, introduces the idea of ensemble learning, updates the financial fraud identification algorithm and constructs an econometric model for further analysis, providing a reference for financial fraud identification.
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Shengbin Ma, Zhongfu Li and Jingqi Zhang
The waste-to-energy (WtE) project plays a significant role in the sustainable development of urban environments. However, the inherent “Not in my backyard” (NIMBY) effect presents…
Abstract
Purpose
The waste-to-energy (WtE) project plays a significant role in the sustainable development of urban environments. However, the inherent “Not in my backyard” (NIMBY) effect presents substantial challenges to site selection decisions. While effective public participation is recognized as a potential solution, research on incorporating it into site selection decision-making frameworks remains limited. This paper aims to establish a multi-attribute group decision-making framework for WtE project site selection that considers public participation to enhance public satisfaction and ensure project success.
Design/methodology/approach
Firstly, based on consideration of public demand, a WtE project site selection decision indicator system was constructed from five dimensions: natural, economic, social, environmental and other supporting conditions. Next, the Combination Ordered Weighted Averaging (C-OWA) operator and game theory were applied to integrate the indicator weight preferences of experts and the public. Additionally, an interactive, dynamic decision-making mechanism was established to address the heterogeneity among decision-making groups and determine decision-maker weights. Finally, in an intuitive fuzzy environment, an “acronym in Portuguese of interactive and multi-criteria decision-making” (TODIM) method was used to aggregate decision information and evaluate the pros and cons of different options.
Findings
This study develops a four-stage multi-attribute group decision-making framework that incorporates public participation and has been successfully applied in a case study. The results demonstrate that the framework effectively handles complex decision-making scenarios involving public participation and ranks potential WtE project sites. It can promote the integration of expert and public decision-making preferences in the site selection of WtE projects to improve the effectiveness of decision-making. In addition, sensitivity and comparative analyses confirm the framework’s feasibility and scientificity.
Originality/value
This paper provides a new research perspective for the WtE project site selection decision-making, which is beneficial for public participation to play a positive role in decision-making. It also offers a valuable reference for managers seeking to effectively implement public participation mechanisms.
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Wei Qian, Carol Tilt and Ping Zhu
This paper aims to examine the role of local/provincial government in influencing corporate social and environmental reporting (CSER) in China, and more specifically, how the…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to examine the role of local/provincial government in influencing corporate social and environmental reporting (CSER) in China, and more specifically, how the underlying economic and political factors associated with local government have influenced the quality of CSER.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors used 234 environmentally sensitive companies listed on the Shanghai and Shenzhen Stock Exchanges during 2013 and 2015 as the research sample to test the relationship between CSER and local government’s political connection and economic prioritisation and the potential mediating effect of local economic prioritisation.
Findings
The analysis provides evidence that local/provincial government’s political geographical connectedness with the central government has directly and positively influenced the level of CSER, while local prioritisation of economic development has a direct but negative effect on CSER in China. In addition, local/provincial prioritisation of economic development has mediated the relationship between local–central political geographical connectedness and CSER.
Practical implications
While local/provincial governments are heavily influenced by the coercive pressure from the central government, they also act in their own political and economic interests in overseeing CSER at the local level. This study raises the question about the effectiveness of the top-down approach to improving CSER in China and suggests that the central government may need to focus more on coordinating and harmonising different local/provincial governments’ interests to enable achieving a common sustainability goal.
Originality/value
The authors provide evidence revealing how the economic and political contexts of local government have played a significant role in shaping CSER in China. More specifically, this paper addresses a gap in the literature by highlighting the importance of local government oversight power for CSER development and how such oversight is determined by local prioritisation of economic development and political geographical connectedness of local and central governments.
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Courtney Hamby and Carissa R. Smock
Healthcare workforce shortages, particularly in rural areas, present a global challenge. The purpose of this study is to explore the leadership dynamics within federally qualified…
Abstract
Purpose
Healthcare workforce shortages, particularly in rural areas, present a global challenge. The purpose of this study is to explore the leadership dynamics within federally qualified health centers (FQHC) in rural Oklahoma, focusing on recruitment, retention, job satisfaction and development practices.
Design/methodology/approach
Eighteen managers with five or more years of tenure from Oklahoma FQHCs were interviewed. Leadership’s role in influencing job satisfaction, recruitment, retention and development practices was analyzed using a multilevel ecological framework through qualitative content analysis with NVivo.
Findings
The analysis includes ten key themes including the critical role of leadership in addressing recruitment and retention challenges, the importance of aligning organizational culture, rural culture, access challenges, trainings and values with workforce development initiatives, and the impact of leadership practices on job satisfaction.
Originality/value
This study uniquely examines leadership strategies in rural FQHCs, integrating ecological considerations for cultural, logistical and community-specific factors. It emphasizes the pivotal role leadership plays in shaping workforce development. As rural healthcare evolves, refining these approaches is crucial for addressing workforce challenges, improving healthcare access and ensuring that rural FQHCs remain sustainable, driving positive outcomes for healthcare professionals and communities.
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Umar Farooq Sahibzada, Nadia Aslam, Muhammad Muavia, Muhammad Shujahat and Piyya Muhammad Rafi-ul-Shan
The rapid evolution of digital innovation has significantly revolutionized the business landscape for entrepreneurs. Embracing digital innovation is crucial for all stakeholders…
Abstract
Purpose
The rapid evolution of digital innovation has significantly revolutionized the business landscape for entrepreneurs. Embracing digital innovation is crucial for all stakeholders to achieve sustainable development goals (SDGs) and promote sustainability. However, there is little understanding of how entrepreneurial leadership in developing nations has proactively responded to the challenge of digital innovation. Based on Drucker’s productivity theory, this study examines the relationship between entrepreneurial leadership (EL), digital orientation (DO) and digital capability (DC) as predictors of digital innovation (DI). The proposed model aims to establish the causal connections between variables and elucidate the complex interplay between digital innovation and the resulting outcome of sustainable performance (SP).
Design/methodology/approach
Two research studies were carried out in the Chinese IT industry to assess the efficacy of the theoretical framework among IT workers. Study 1 utilized a three-week, two-week time-lagged design (N = 299), while Study 2 used a two-week, four-week survey design (N = 341). The study used Smart-PLS 4.0 for data analysis.
Findings
The results showed that entrepreneurial leadership significantly impacts employee digital orientation and digital capabilities, fostering digital innovation. Moreover, digital innovation has a significant impact on sustainable performance.
Originality/value
The study’s findings allow authors to contribute to the existing scholarship on employee digital orientation, digital capabilities, digital innovation and sustainable performance in an emerging economy.
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Ignat Kulkov, Julia Kulkova, Daniele Leone, René Rohrbeck and Loick Menvielle
The purpose of this study is to examine the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in transforming the healthcare sector, with a focus on how AI contributes to entrepreneurship and…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to examine the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in transforming the healthcare sector, with a focus on how AI contributes to entrepreneurship and value creation. This study also aims to explore the potential of combining AI with other technologies, such as cloud computing, blockchain, IoMT, additive manufacturing and 5G, in the healthcare industry.
Design/methodology/approach
Exploratory qualitative methodology was chosen to analyze 22 case studies from the USA, EU, Asia and South America. The data source was public and specialized podcast platforms.
Findings
The findings show that combining technologies can create a competitive advantage for technology entrepreneurs and bring about transitions from simple consumer devices to actionable healthcare applications. The results of this research identified three main entrepreneurship areas: 1. Analytics, including staff reduction, patient prediction and decision support; 2. Security, including protection against cyberattacks and detection of atypical cases; 3. Performance optimization, which, in addition to reducing the time and costs of medical procedures, includes staff training, reducing capital costs and working with new markets.
Originality/value
This study demonstrates how AI can be used with other technologies to cocreate value in the healthcare industry. This study provides a conceptual framework, “AI facilitators – AI achievers,” based on the findings and offer several theoretical contributions to academic literature in technology entrepreneurship and technology management and industry recommendations for practical implication.
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This paper examines how firms respond to local government’s environment initiatives through textual analysis of government work reports (GWRs). This study aims to provide insights…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper examines how firms respond to local government’s environment initiatives through textual analysis of government work reports (GWRs). This study aims to provide insights into how firms strategically respond to government’s environmental initiatives through their disclosure and investment practices.
Design/methodology/approach
This study uses a textual analysis of GWRs from China’s provinces. The frequency and change rate of environmental keywords in these reports are used as a measure of the government’s environmental initiatives.
Findings
This study finds that environmental disclosure scores in environmental, social and governance (ESG) reports increase with the frequency or change rate of environmental keywords in provincial GWRs. This effect is more pronounced for non-state-owned enterprises, firms in highly marketized provinces or those listed in a single capital market. However, there is no significant relationship between firms’ environmental investments and government initiatives, except for cross-listed firms in provinces with consistently high frequency of environmental keywords in their GWRs.
Practical implications
The findings indicate that government environmental initiatives can shape firms’ disclosure behaviors, yet have limited influence on investment decisions, suggesting that environmental disclosure could potentially be opportunistic. This underscores the need for more effective strategies to stimulate firms’ environmental investments.
Originality/value
This study provides valuable insights into the differential impacts of government environmental initiatives on firms’ disclosure and investment behaviors, contributing to the understanding of corporate environmental responsibility in the context of government initiatives.
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Companies are increasingly appointing a Chief Sustainability Officer (CSO) to anchor the need to highlight climate change at the senior management level. This study aims to…
Abstract
Purpose
Companies are increasingly appointing a Chief Sustainability Officer (CSO) to anchor the need to highlight climate change at the senior management level. This study aims to examine how CSO power and sustainability-based compensation influence climate reporting and carbon performance.
Design/methodology/approach
Using one of the largest data sets to date, consisting of 18,834 company years through the author’s observations, spanning an 11-year period (2011–2021) in 33 countries. This paper used quantitative methods – specifically, ordinal logistic regression estimation. This paper measures the level of climate change disclosure based on the carbon disclosure leadership methodology. Carbon performance is based on the intensity of carbon emissions (Scope 1, Scope 2), which is a quantitative and relatively more objective measure.
Findings
The results suggest that climate change disclosure continued to increase and the carbon emissions intensity of the companies in this study gradually decreased over the sample period. This paper finds that the presence of the CSO within the top management team has a positive and significant influence on the level of information on climate change of the companies in the sample. This finding confirms the idea that the managerial capacity of CSOs motivates the disclosure of climate change. The empirical results confirm that there are differences in the role that the CSO and sustainability-based compensation play in influencing the quality of climate information disclosure in developed and developing countries.
Originality/value
The recourse on a mixed theoretical framework, which highlights upper echelons theory, argues the understanding of the role of CSOs in explaining the relationship between climate change disclosure–carbon performance relationship. The novelty of the study lies in the approaches adopted to describe the quality of climate change disclosure. To control for endogeneity, this paper uses a difference-in-difference analysis by adding a firm to the Morgan Stanley Capital International index as an exogenous shock.