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The purpose of this research is to develop empirically grounded propositions for further research into UK manufacturing productivity.

Interviews were conducted with managers from strategic, tactical and operational levels from four manufacturing sectors to produce case studies. A modified strategic alignment theory framework was used to code, compare and contrast narratives on perceived productivity antecedents, definitions, compatibility with the definition from the UK Office for National Statistics, and vertical alignment issues within and across cases.

It was found that different key antecedents can facilitate and/or prevent strategic vertical alignment. Discussion reveals complex nuances in perceptions of manufacturing productivity and using the modified strategic alignment theory/productivity antecedent framework.

In revealing the alignment or otherwise of productivity definitions at different levels within the firm, the paper reveals nine propositions for future research including definitions, skills, metrics, performance measurement systems, people and system-centric perspectives, the value-added perspective of productivity and the role of innovation.

After completion of the case study, students will be able to understand various capital raising instruments and their impact on different stakeholders; analyse the financials of a company to select a fitting instrument; and communicate the company’s decision effectively, paying attention to language and style.

This case study describes the funding choices available to Tata Motors Limited (TML), a major global automobile manufacturer based in India. Owing to a very high debt-to-equity ratio and very low debt service coverage ratio, the company urgently requires a fresh inflow of funds to bring its debt levels down and sustain growth. This financial state does not benefit the company in the short or the long run. TML has various options: Rights Issue, Qualified Institutional Placement, Preferential Allotment, Global Depository Shares and Follow-on Public Offering. Each mode has implications for individual stakeholders like the management, promoters, institutions with significant and minor stakes, and retail investors. The dilemma before TML is to choose the best capital-raising mode that suits the current requirements. This case study requires participants to choose an equity-raising mode that satisfies the stakeholders and communicate their decision tactfully to the general public.

This case study is suitable for participants in a regular or executive MBA programme. It is designed to introduce the concepts of capital raising, the different instruments available for capital raising and the fundamentals of financial communication. This case study can be used in MBA courses like corporate finance, financial markets and business communication.

Teaching notes are available for educators only.

CSS1: Accounting and Finance.

While the impact of digitalization on businesses has been extensively studied, the influence of digitalization on marketing outcomes in private enterprises has not received sufficient attention. The current study aims to examine how and when digitalization affects international marketing decisions in the context of private enterprises.

This study employs data from a survey of Chinese private enterprises conducted in 2020, which constitutes the world's largest dataset of its kind. Nearly 19,000 samples were included in the study. Additionally, we also incorporate supplementary data on digitalization in the Chinese region. Employing various methods, this study empirically and robustly examines the proposed research framework within the context of Chinese private enterprises.

Based on the resource-based view and agency theory, this paper found that digitalization can positively impact private enterprises’ direct and indirect international marketing decisions. Furthermore, we introduce the inclusion of innovation capacity and board governance as moderators in the model and find that board governance attenuates the influence of digitalization on international marketing decisions, while innovation capacity enhances the impact of digitalization on direct international marketing but diminishes its effect on indirect international marketing.

This study advances the understanding of the impact of digitalization on international marketing in private enterprises, thereby addressing the gap in the limited focus on digitalization in private enterprises. It also demonstrates how private enterprises effectively utilize digitalization to gain marketing advantages in the international market.

This study aims to investigate the circumstances where the positive influences of leader’s self-confidence are weakened in situations of conflict management (CM) arising due to innovation implementation. Specifically, this study tests the moderating influence of financial slack, internal opposition posturing and performance feedback on the relationship between self-confidence and conflict management styles (CMS). The findings are not complete.

This experimental study was conducted in two stages: In Stage 1, the authors studied moderating effects of financial slack (sound/unsound) and internal opposition posture (encouraging/ discouraging) on the relationship between leader’s self-confidence and CMS, namely, dominating, integrating and avoiding. In Stage 2, the authors studied the moderating effect of performance feedback (success/failure) on the relationship between leader’s self-confidence and three CMS. Data were collected from 268 senior-level Indian managers in Stage 1, out of which 235 managers also responded in Stage 2. These participants assumed the positions of chief executive officers (CEOs) within major Indian manufacturer specializing in electrical components, enabling us to empirically test the proposed model. Furthermore, a qualitative analysis of 10 semistructured interviews with Indian CEOs were conducted to enrich the discussion of the results.

Leader’s self-confidence determined the three CMS with highly self-confident leaders displaying irrational behavior in persisting with innovation through dominating style. Internal opposition posture and performance feedback exerted main effects on dominating style.

This study supports behavioral decision theory of firm and escalation of commitment theory.

This study underscores the need for personality and self-awareness training amongst senior managers to mitigate irrational behavior due to excessive self-confidence and enhanced effective CM.

This study identifies a crucial boundary condition where high self-confidence in innovation implementation may lead to irrational behavior and ineffective CM.

Social innovation (SI) is seen as a cornerstone for addressing the major social and environmental challenges of today’s world.Given that multinational enterprises (MNEs) play a crucial role in contributing to a more sustainable world, this leads us to wonder about the potential of these innovation initiatives in the context of these firms. This systematic literature review aims to explore SI within these firms and suggest future research avenues, as well as highlight the implications of the subject.

Based on the analysis of 46 articles, this paper employs the PRISMA method to conduct a systematic literature review on SI within MNEs.

Drawing from the analysis of the results, this paper observes that SI within MNEs is generally mobilized within the framework of other responsible conceptualizations such as Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR); however, it remains a crucial lever for value creation in MNEs. Additionally, this review asserts that social innovation within MNEs acts as a catalyst for sustainability, social change, institutional effectiveness and knowledge sharing within these firms. Moreover, it illustrates the conditions for the success of this innovation in MNEs, including addressing the instrumental needs of target users, committing to the long term, the ability to shape the environment, maintaining a strong position among stakeholders and adapting new technologies.

This review offers a nuanced exploration of how SI manifests within MNEs, examining its diverse conceptualizations, functions and the conditions necessary for success. Building on this analysis, it highlights key theoretical, practical and policy implications, along with a series of research questions designed to establish a solid foundation for future research.

To analyze the role of technologies in digital transformation (DT) and innovative business models (IBMs) in the financial industry (FI) from the perspective of strategic stakeholders.

A systematic literature review (SLR) was conducted with articles written between 2008 and 2023, utilizing Scopus, Web of Science, ScienceDirect and Wiley databases.

The adoption of innovative technologies, digital platforms and automation was identified as the key outcome. The connection between stakeholder involvement and technologies in DT is emphasized. A theoretical framework integrating DT into organizational objectives is proposed.

The study presents limitations in the selection of databases and suggests a deeper exploration of stakeholder involvement.

This systematization resulted in the framework presented in figure 6, comprising strategic elements that can be used as a managerial tool by managers seeking to internalize the principles of DT.

This study investigates augmented reality (AR) retailing and attempts to develop a profound understanding of consumer decision-making processes in AR-enabled e-retailing.

The study is grounded in rich informational cues and information processing mechanisms by incorporating the elaboration likelihood model (ELM) and trust transfer theory. This study employs a mixed analytic method that incorporates structural equation modeling (SEM) and fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) to provide a complete picture of individual information process mechanisms in AR retailing under the tenet of ELM.

The SEM analysis results confirm the relationships between the central and peripheral route factors, information processing outcomes and eventual behavioral intentions. Moreover, all configurations revealed by the fsQCA include both central and peripheral factors. Hence, the dual routes proposed in the ELM are verified by using two distinct analytical approaches.

This study is pioneering in validating and contextualizing ELM theory in AR retailing. In addition, this study offers a methodological paradigm by demonstrating the application of multi-analysis in exploring consumers’ information process mechanisms in AR retailing, which offers a holistic and comprehensive view to understand consumers’ decision-making mechanisms.

This study aims to focus on the main materials used in consolidation processes of illuminated paper manuscripts and leather binding.

For each material, chemical structure, chemical composition, molecular formula, solubility, advantages, disadvantages and its role in treatment process are presented.

This study concluded that carboxy methyl cellulose, hydroxy propyl cellulose, methyl cellulose, cellulose acetate, nanocrystalline cellulose, funori, sturgeon glue, poly vinyl alcohol, chitosan, chitosan nanoparticles (NPs), gelatin, aquazol, paraloid B72 and hydroxyapatite NPs were the most common and important materials used for the consolidation of illuminated paper manuscripts. For the leather bindings, hydroxy propyl cellulose, polyethylene glycol, oligomeric melamine-formaldehyde resin, acrylic wax SC6000, pliantex, paraloid B67 and B72, silicone oil and collagen NPs are the most consolidants used.

Illuminated paper manuscripts with leather binding are considered one of the most important objects in libraries, museums and storehouses. The uncontrolled conditions and other deterioration factors inside the libraries and storehouses lead to degradation of these artifacts. The brittleness, fragility and weakness are considered the most common deterioration aspects of illuminated paper manuscripts and leather binding. Therefore, the consolidation process became vital and important to solve this problem. This study presents the main materials used for consolidation process of illuminated paper manuscripts and leather bindings.

This paper aims to explore students’ intention to use and actual use of the artificial intelligence (AI)-based chatbot such as ChatGPT or Google Bird in the field of higher education in an emerging economic context like Bangladesh.

The present study uses convenience sampling techniques to collect data from the respondents. It applies partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) for analyzing a total of 413 responses to examine the study’s measurement and structural model.

The results explore that perceived ease of use (PEOU) negatively affects intention to adopt AI-powered chatbots (IA), whereas university students’ perceived usefulness (PU) influences their IA positively but insignificantly. Furthermore, time-saving feature (TSF), academic self-efficacy (ASE) and electronic word-of-mouth (EWOM) have a positive and direct impact on their IA. The finding also reveals that students' IA positively and significantly affects their actual use of AI-based chatbot (AU). Precisely, out of the five constructs, the TSF has the strongest impact on students’ intentions to use chatbots.

Students who are not aware of the chatbot usage benefits might ignore these AI-powered language models. On the other hand, developers of chatbots may not be conscious of the crucial drawbacks of their product as per the perceptions of their multiple users. However, the findings transmit a clear message about advantages to users and drawbacks to developers. Therefore, the results will enhance the chatbots’ functionality and usage.

The findings of the study alert the teachers, students and policymakers of higher educational institutions to understand the positive outcomes and to accept AI-powered chatbots such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT. Outcomes also notify the AI-product developers to boost the chatbot’s quality in terms of timeliness, user-friendliness, accuracy and trustworthiness.

This review explores the challenges and opportunities of implementing telemedicine in rural Tanzania. The study examines how telemedicine can address healthcare gaps in underserved areas and identifies key barriers that hinder its full adoption. It also provides insights into strategies for improving healthcare delivery through telemedicine in rural settings.

A systematic literature review methodology was employed following the PRISMA guidelines. The study collected and analysed relevant academic and grey literature from PubMed, Google Scholar and Scopus databases. The search focused on telemedicine in rural Tanzania, with a thematic analysis used to categorise the challenges and opportunities identified in the literature.

The review found that the major challenges to telemedicine implementation in rural Tanzania include inadequate telecommunications infrastructure, limited digital literacy among healthcare providers, insufficient financial investment and weak regulatory frameworks. Despite these barriers, telemedicine presents significant opportunities to improve healthcare access, particularly by connecting rural patients with specialists, reducing travel times and integrating telemedicine with national health insurance systems. Innovations such as drone-based medical deliveries and SMS-based health interventions also show promise.

This paper comprehensively overviews telemedicine’s potential to transform healthcare delivery in rural Tanzania. It synthesises existing literature, highlights critical gaps in telemedicine adoption and proposes actionable strategies for overcoming these barriers. The study contributes valuable insights for policymakers, healthcare providers and stakeholders interested in leveraging telemedicine to enhance healthcare outcomes in underserved regions.