Search results

In light of a largely negative discourse, this study aims to identify the various ways in which PhD mums have been supported in a range of contexts to develop a comprehensive typology of positive support, as well as to identify patterns that transcend institutional, national and disciplinary borders.

The study is guided by ecological systems theory which allows for the investigation of the various interrelated systems that influence (in this case) doctoral researchers. A mixed-methods survey elicited the first-hand experiences from recent and current PhD mums across the world.

The authors have identified a range of potential supports for PhD mums, but note a careful balance is needed to ensure that PhD mums are supported in their roles as both mother and doctoral researcher, where support in one domain does not contradict nor ignore support for the other.

This study complements the existing knowledge body, which consists mainly of localised studies, by providing a birds-eye view of issues that transcend national, geographic and disciplinary borders. A topography provides a visual map of the various sources of potential support and the complicated relationships between them.

Utilizing a multi-theoretical framework, this study aims to investigate the impact of board gender and nationality diversity on the extent of intellectual capital disclosure. Additionally, it seeks to explore the moderating role of financial literacy among audit committee members on the aforementioned relationship.

To empirically test the study’s framework, a panel dataset of listed firms on the Palestine Stock Exchange (PEX) spanning 12 years (2010–2022) was utilized. To address potential endogeneity issues and ensure robust findings, a battery of econometric estimators was employed, including ordinary least squares (OLS), one-step system generalized method of moments (GMM), lagged independent variables and a sub-index model.

The study findings make a significant contribution to existing intellectual capital literature. Specifically, the results reveal that the positive influence of board gender and nationality diversity on the extent of corporate intellectual capital disclosure is stronger when there is a high proportion of audit committee financial literacy. Additionally, the study distinguishes between overall index and sub-index analyses. Interestingly, the findings from the sub-index analysis, focusing on structural capital, relational capital and human capital, are somewhat similar to the results of the full index analysis.

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study represents the first empirical attempt to uncover the impact of financial literacy among audit committee members on the relationship between board diversity and intellectual capital disclosure.

This study investigates the relationship between board gender diversity (BGD) and the time to Initial Public Offering (IPO), which stands as an entrepreneurially risky choice, particularly challenging in family firms. We also investigate the moderating role of family ownership dispersion (FOD).

We draw on an integrated theoretical framework bringing together the upper echelons theory and the socio-emotional wealth (SEW) perspective and on hand-collected data on a sample of Italian family IPOs that occurred in the period 2000–2020. We employ ordinary least squares (OLS) regression and alternative model estimations to test our hypotheses.

BGD positively affects the time to IPO, thus, it increases the time required to go public. FOD negatively moderates this relationship. Our findings remain robust with different measures for BGD, FOD, and family business definition as well as with different econometric models.

The article develops literature on family firms and IPO and it enriches the academic debate about gender and IPOs in family firms. It adds to studies addressing the determinants of the time to IPO by incorporating gender diversity and the FOD into the discussion. Finally, it contributes to research on women and outcomes in family firms.

Despite the acknowledged significance of the relationship between audit fees and corporate philanthropic initiatives, the existing literature has not yet reached the desired level of providing explicit evidence on how this relationship can be moderated by board gender diversity. This paper aims to contribute to the ongoing debate by using a panel data set comprising 905 Chinese listed firms over a five-year period from 2015 to 2019.

To generate solid findings and overcome the potential endogeneity bias, various econometric estimators, namely, ordinary least squares, two-step generalized method of moments, robust two-stage least squares and subsample analysis, have been carefully used. More interestingly, the study’s results remain consistent across different estimation methods.

The results reveal a statistically significant positive link between audit fees and corporate charitable giving. More interestingly, this connection strengthens with a higher representation of women directors on the board, particularly when there are three or more female directors. Furthermore, the results suggest that nonstate-owned firms exhibit greater motivation to participate in charitable giving initiatives compared to state-owned counterparts.

Stakeholders from various groups should attentively recognize the importance of gender-diverse boards as a dynamic factor impacting the association between audit fees and corporate charitable giving.

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, the crushing majority of the preceding research has not delved deeply into the critical role of board gender diversity in the relationship between audit fees and corporate charitable donations. Hence, this study provides a profound understanding of how audit fees predict corporate philanthropic initiatives.

Faster internet and online streaming have changed the way young consumers enjoy their favorite movies, series and shows, and business models must adapt to these changes. This study aims to examine the streaming behaviors, beliefs and piracy intentions of Generation Z, the youngest and largest generation of online entertainment consumers. Research in the area of young consumer behavior and streaming piracy is limited, and for a good reason: current laws and regulations focus on punishing the distributors of pirated content rather than consumers.

This study used a self-reported questionnaire administered to 750 Generation Z college students aged 17–25 years. The authors used the scenario-based method to examine the factors explaining the intentions to commit movies, series and shows streaming (MS) piracy. This method has been extensively applied when analyzing digital piracy because sharing streaming account passwords and using illegal streaming websites among consumers is still not unlawful in the U.S. Therefore, an adequate approach to evaluate young consumers’ intentions is through a scenario-based model. All information was coded, and a statistical and econometric analysis was completed.

From the statistical analysis, the authors found that only 14% of the young participants indicated their intention to stop sharing account information and using illegal websites to watch their favorite movies and shows if streaming piracy were punishable by law. The key motivations are related to the denial of injury to others and the belief that governments would have a difficult time enforcing the law in online environments. Approximately 80% of the participants who indicated their intention to continue MS piracy expressed a low perception of any type of risk associated with MS piracy.

The results were obtained using a scenario-based model. A scenario provides the opportunity for the participants to reflect on a specific conflict, but they can recognize that there is little at “stake” when addressing the conflict, potentially producing the bias of “over positive responses.” Nonetheless, the analysis is still reliable, as the number of observations is large (750 responses), and the conflict is expressed as a degree of conformity rather than a yes/no answer.

The authors believe that future generations’ attitudes and beliefs about streaming entertainment will pose significant economic hardships to the entertainment industry. Similar to other forms of entertainment, streamed movies, series and shows are highly susceptible to digital piracy and it is the most common risky behavior among adolescents. The economic impact of streaming piracy could extend to revenue losses, job losses and national domestic production.

Peer influence, personal or through social media, is a strong predictor of streaming piracy. In fact, social media influencers play an important role in teenagers’ behavior, including the usage of illegal streaming apps or websites and other deviant behavior in the digital world. It is expected that social media influencers will continue to be a relevant explanatory factor of streaming piracy among young Gen Zers.

This study contributes to the literature on digital piracy in several ways. First, it adds to the understanding of streaming piracy and the views and perceptions of young consumers about entertainment streaming. Second, the authors extend the analysis of digital piracy to streamed movies, shows and series. Third, the authors complete a statistical analysis on the relationships between Gen Zers’ consumption behavior, beliefs and intentions of streaming entertainment piracy. Understanding Gen Zers’ behavior and attitudes toward paid versus unpaid consumption of streaming content will allow the entertainment industry to respond effectively to future changes in copyright laws and technology usage.

This study aims to pilot-test the acceptability, feasibility, preliminary efficacy and user experience of an animated virtual reality (VR) game (“Goliath: Playing with Reality”) aimed at reducing stigma related to psychosis and schizophrenia among health-care students and trainees.

A mixed-methods design was used. Sixteen trainee clinical psychologists with experience working with service users with psychosis/schizophrenia engaged with the VR game using a headset and controllers, and completed measures before and after. Quantitative measures assessing intervention acceptability, appropriateness and feasibility were collected and analysed descriptively. These were complemented by qualitative feedback on user experience, analysed through content analysis. Pre- and post-intervention mental health stigma-related measures were also collected and analysed inferentially.

Most participants found the VR game acceptable, appropriate and feasible for reducing mental health stigma. Although there were no significant changes in stigma-related measures, participants were impressed by the immersive storytelling and the symbolic portrayal of psychosis. Participants also valued the educational aspect, empathised with people living with psychosis/schizophrenia and experienced a range of emotional reactions. However, participants noted usability concerns, and suggestions for improvement were made.

This is one of the first studies to show the potential of “Goliath: Playing with Reality” as a mental health educational intervention for health-care students and trainees. Drawing on narrative theory and immersive-interactive storytelling techniques, the VR game provides experiences that can foster narrative engagement and emotional connection, potentially enhancing its effectiveness in mental health stigma reduction efforts.

This study explores practitioners’ perspectives on the perceived gap between university and practice beyond the hard and soft skill paradigm. Utilising Tomlinson’s graduate capital model of employability (2017), we explored human, social, cultural, and psychological capitals to enrich the understanding of this issue and employability. It provided a new perspective, useful for implementing curriculum renewal.

This study utilised a two-stage mixed methods design. Using Tomlinson’s (2017) Graduate capital model as a framework, the first stage involved distributing an online survey to qualified architects in hiring positions practising in Australia. This served as the foundation for generating qualitative and quantitative data. The second stage involved a two-hour practitioner workshop where the survey results were discussed and expanded upon.

Our results found that the practitioner’s perspective on the perceived skills gap is more complex than the hard/soft skill paradigm commonly discussed. Practitioners expressed a need for students/graduates to possess identity and cultural capital to contextualise industry norms and expectations. This knowledge lets students know where and how hard/soft skills are used. Our results also suggest practitioners are concerned with the prevailing individualistic approach to the higher education system and traditional architectural teaching methods, instead suggesting a more industry-aligned collaborative disposition.

By expanding the employability discourse beyond hard/soft skills, the results of this research provide an opportunity for architectural curriculum renewal in line with industry expectations.

This study examines innovation configurations (i.e. sets of product/service, social and business model innovations) and configuration linkages (i.e. factors that help to combine innovations) across six organizations as contingent upon organizational structure.

Using semi-structured interviews and available public information, qualitative data were collected and examined using content analysis to characterize innovation configurations and linkages in three local/private organizations and three foreign-led/public-private partnerships in Repiblik Ayiti (Haiti).

Organizations tend to combine product/service, social, and business model innovations simultaneously in locally founded private organizations and sequentially in foreign-based public-private partnerships. Linkages for simultaneous combination include limited external support, determined autonomy and shifting from a “beneficiary mindset,” and financial need identification. Sequential combination linkages include social need identification, community connections and flexibility.

The generalizability of our findings for this qualitative study is subject to additional quantitative studies to empirically test the suggested factors and to examine other health care organizations and countries.

Locally led private organizations in low- and middle-income settings may benefit from considering how their innovations are in service to one another as they may have limited resources. Foreign based public-private partnerships may benefit from pacing their efforts alongside a broader set of stakeholders and ecosystem partners.

This study is the first, to our knowledge, to examine how organizations combine sets of innovations, i.e. innovation configurations, in a healthcare setting and the first of any setting to examine innovation configuration linkages.

Inferior quality reprocessed products hinder the successful adoption of reverse logistics supply chains (RLSCs) of demolition waste (DW) in the construction industry. Therefore, an information-centric quality assurance system (QAS), including process, people, policy and technology aspects, plays an important role in RLSCs, yet none of the previous studies empirically delved into this. Therefore, this study aims to establish how aspects of the process, people, policy and technology contribute to creating an information-centric QAS for RLSCs.

Initially, an extensive literature review was undertaken. Then, following a qualitative approach, 20 semi-structured interviews were conducted with internal stakeholders of the RLSCs in the South Australian construction industry. The collected data were analysed using directed content analysis.

This study empirically established how the aspects of process, people, policy and technology contribute to quality assurance (QA) in RLSCs. The process involves practices and approaches for QA. Experienced and knowledgeable people should undertake this process, complying with the policies and using new or available technologies. Each aspect provides useful information that should be shared and communicated with the other aspects to create an integrated QAS for the RLSCs.

The current study made a significant contribution by empirically establishing that an information-centric system of process, people, policy and technology was needed for QA in RLSCs to produce quality outputs. This QAS provides useful insights for industry practitioners, government and policymakers about the aspects they should embrace in enforcing QA in RLSCs.

The use of e-health applications has remained popular during pandemic for medical treatments. Nevertheless, adoption of e-health applications among individuals is considerably low in post-COVID-19 world. To address this issue, the current research integrates three renowned theories, namely unified theory of acceptance and use of technology model, diffusion of innovation and DeLone and McLean model and investigates individual intention to adopt e-health application.

Research design is grounded in quantitative and cross-sectional methods and uses a survey questionnaire. Survey questionnaire is administered toward smartphone users. Overall, 238 valid responses were analyzed with structural equation modeling approach.

Results indicate that altogether performance expectancy, effort expectancy, information quality, system quality, service quality, facilitating condition and social influence explained substantial variance (R² = 76.5%) in user intention to adopt e-health applications. Similarly, effect size analysis has revealed substantial impact of social influence on user intention to adopt e-health applications. Geiser and Stone’s Q² analysis discloses that research model has substantial power to predict user intention to adopt e-health applications.

This study integrates three known information system models to investigate individual behavior toward adoption of e-health applications. In practice, it suggests that managers should pay attention in improving performance expectancy, social influence, facilitating condition, system quality, service quality and information quality which develop positive behavior and encourage smartphone users to adopt e-health applications.

This study is original as it integrates three models and investigates individual intention to adopt e-health applications. To the best of the author’s knowledge, this is the first study to test the moderating impact of patient health value between user intention to adopt and actual use of e-health applications. It has established that compatibility and innovativeness are essential antecedents of performance and effort expectancy and hence make this research more unique and valuable.