Jiajia Liu, Yahan Wang, Meilin Chen, Zhe Yang and Ye Zhang
According to reputation theory, enterprises that adopt a proactive approach to corporate social responsibility (CSR) are known to actively invest in corporate innovation. However…
Abstract
Purpose
According to reputation theory, enterprises that adopt a proactive approach to corporate social responsibility (CSR) are known to actively invest in corporate innovation. However, this theory does not fully explain the mechanisms through which CSR influences corporate innovation, nor does it address how to effectively amplify CSR’s positive impact on innovation. To overcome these limitations, this research aims to incorporate the theories of innovation investment and dynamic capabilities. Innovation investment theory elucidates how CSR can attract additional financing, which can be directed toward innovation activities. Meanwhile, dynamic capabilities theory highlights how digital transformation in enterprises can enhance the positive effects of CSR on innovation, providing insights from both theoretical and empirical perspectives.
Design/methodology/approach
To demonstrate the mediating role of debt financing costs and the moderating role of enterprise digital transformation in the mechanism of CSR on corporate innovation, this research conducts fixes effects models by collecting 27,912 data points from 3,775A-share China-listed enterprises, ranging in period from 2010 to 2020. Empirical research once again proves that the theories of innovation investment and dynamic capabilities effectively compensates for the shortcomings of reputation theory. These three theories effectively explain that what is the effect of CSR on enterprise innovation? How does CSR influence corporate innovation? And through what mechanisms can CSR better enhance corporate innovation?
Findings
According to innovation investment theory, the cost of debt financing mediates the positive relationship between CSR and corporate innovation. This occurs because enterprises with robust CSR practices are more likely to secure external funding, thereby reducing their costs associated with external debt financing. Lower debt financing costs provide a stable source of funds for corporate innovation. Additionally, dynamic capability theory suggests that enterprise digital transformation moderates the positive relationship between CSR and corporate innovation. Building on these insights, it is recommended that enterprises, especially state-owned ones, should prioritize technological innovation to enhance their competitiveness.
Research limitations/implications
This research aims to address and narrow the knowledge gap regarding the relation between CSR and corporate innovation through theoretical and empirical analyses. With respect to the influence mechanism, this research solely based on innovation investment theory and dynamic capabilities theory, focuses on the influence mechanism of CSR on corporate innovation, with the debt financing costs as the mediating variable and digital transformation as the moderating variable. However, the influence mechanism turns out to be complicated and there is room for further exploring numerous mechanisms. For example, future research can focus on identifying additional channels through which CSR exerts an influence on corporate innovation based on TOE theoretical framework.
Practical implications
This research presents several strategies to enhance corporate innovation based on its conclusions: First, enterprises should promptly publish social responsibility reports to build a positive industry reputation. Moreover, by actively participating in CSR activities, they can strengthen their networks and enhance their industry standing. Second, the significant mediating role of debt financing costs should not be ignored. Enterprises are encouraged to seek diverse financing channels to reduce financial pressures, address financing challenges and facilitate the coordinated development of CSR and innovation. Third, enterprise digital transformation significantly affects the impact of CSR on innovation. Therefore, enterprises should advance digital transformation initiatives that incorporate technological innovation, organizational improvements and integration with supply chain partners. Finally, it has been noted that state-owned enterprises are often less responsive to technological innovation than their non-state counterparts. SOEs could redefine the scope and priorities of their social responsibilities to prevent excessive resource consumption that could hinder innovation. For instance, integrating some of their social responsibilities with innovation projects could promote both social and technological innovation objectives. Additionally, the government could ensure fair resource distribution among different types of enterprises and provide an equitable financing platform to mitigate financial challenges for both state-owned and non-state-owned enterprises.
Originality/value
Reputation theory does not fully elucidate the mechanisms by which CSR influences corporate innovation or how to effectively enhance CSR’s positive impact on innovation. This research integrates the theories of innovation investment and dynamic capabilities to address these gaps. According to innovation investment theory, debt financing costs mediate the positive relationship between CSR and corporate innovation. Meanwhile, dynamic capabilities theory posits that enterprise digital transformation moderates this positive relationship, further strengthening the impact of CSR on innovation.
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Yunan Chen, Ivan Sun, Yuning Wu, Zhe Chao and Yuping Liu
The main purpose of this study is to examine the direct relationship between police officers' perceived technology utilization and their perception of external procedural…
Abstract
Purpose
The main purpose of this study is to examine the direct relationship between police officers' perceived technology utilization and their perception of external procedural injustice, as well as the indirect relationship through perceived self-legitimacy.
Design/methodology/approach
This study used survey data collected from 1,944 police officers in a northern Chinese province. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was performed to assess the direct and indirect associations between technology utilization and external procedural injustice.
Findings
Technology efficacy was negatively associated with external procedural injustice and positively associated with both self-legitimacy and public-defined legitimacy. Furthermore, officers’ self-perceived legitimacy is negatively associated with their support for procedurally unjust behaviors, while officers’ perception of public-defined legitimacy, unexpectedly, is positively related to their endorsement of procedural injustice. Conversely, technology difficulty was positively related to external procedural injustice and negatively associated with public-defined legitimacy.
Originality/value
The present study represents a first attempt to link technology utilization to external procedural injustice in the policing literature. This study provides needed evidence to support the importance role of technology utilization in shaping police officers’ occupational attitudes toward themselves and the public in an authoritarian country.
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Yisong Chen, Zhe Bian and Yuyao Bian
This study aims to explore the thermal reflectance of fabrics under sunlight or other thermal radiation sources at various color temperatures.
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to explore the thermal reflectance of fabrics under sunlight or other thermal radiation sources at various color temperatures.
Design/methodology/approach
This study analyzed the spectral distribution of sunlight at different solar altitude angles as well as the spectral distribution characteristics of other light and thermal radiation sources, pointing out that their color temperatures can be used to identify their spectral distribution domains. Reflectance, transmittance, absorptance and color temperature domain reflectance of 35 different fibers and color fabrics were tested in a wide spectral range. The different behavior of these optical parameters in the segmented spectrum is discussed. The temperature rise tests demonstrate that the reflectance corresponding to the color temperature of the radiation sources is highly correlated with the temperature rise results.
Findings
The reflectance in the color temperature domain shows a strong correlation with the radiation source at same color temperature. The correlation coefficients for the 6,000 K xenon lamp test are −0.96 and −0.90 in two groups, and for the 3,200 K tungsten iodine lamp test are −0.87 and −0.90 as well.
Originality/value
The concept of fabric thermal reflectance in the color temperature domain was first introduced to match different thermal radiation sources. Validation of temperature rise is conducted through a self-constructed tester with unidirectional adiabatic heating. This new discovery could serve as a basis for developing functional fabric or clothing, such as sun-proof clothing, fire protection clothing, etc.
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Shuai Yang, Bin Wang, Junyuan Tao, Zhe Ruan and Hong Liu
The 6D pose estimation is a crucial branch of robot vision. However, the authors find that due to the failure to make full use of the complementarity of the appearance and…
Abstract
Purpose
The 6D pose estimation is a crucial branch of robot vision. However, the authors find that due to the failure to make full use of the complementarity of the appearance and geometry information of the object, the failure to deeply explore the contributions of the features from different regions to the pose estimation, and the failure to take advantage of the invariance of the geometric structure of keypoints, the performances of the most existing methods are not satisfactory. This paper aims to design a high-precision 6D pose estimation method based on above insights.
Design/methodology/approach
First, a multi-scale cross-attention-based feature fusion module (MCFF) is designed to aggregate the appearance and geometry information by exploring the correlations between appearance features and geometry features in the various regions. Second, the authors build a multi-query regional-attention-based feature differentiation module (MRFD) to learn the contribution of each region to each keypoint. Finally, a geometric enhancement mechanism (GEM) is designed to use structure information to predict keypoints and optimize both pose and keypoints in the inference phase.
Findings
Experiments on several benchmarks and real robot show that the proposed method performs better than existing methods. Ablation studies illustrate the effectiveness of each module of the authors’ method.
Originality/value
A high-precision 6D pose estimation method is proposed by studying the relationship between the appearance and geometry from different object parts and the geometric invariance of the keypoints, which is of great significance for various robot applications.
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Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to provide supplements to the research on digital human avatar (DHA) and suggestions for brands to use DHA appropriately to build brand fans effect.
Design/methodology/approach
On the basis of integrating Avatar theory and Stimulus-organism-response theory, this study obtains data from 733 Chinese respondents aged 18–25 and uses regression analysis and bootstrap analysis to verify the relationships among the variables: DHA characteristics (form realism, behavioral realism and brand alignment) as the independent variables, brand fans effect as the dependent variable, consumer positive emotion as the mediating variable and product type (experience vs search) as the moderating variable.
Findings
The results show that DHA characteristics positively influence brand fans effect and consumer positive emotion, consumer positive emotion positively influences brand fans effect and consumer positive emotion plays a mediating role. Meanwhile, for experience products, the impact of DHA’s form realism and behavioral realism on consumer positive emotion is higher than that of brand alignment; for search products, the impact of DHA’s brand alignment on consumer positive emotion is higher than that of form realism and behavioral realism.
Originality/value
This study enriches and expands the empirical research perspectives and conclusions in the DHA field, improves its research framework and provides suggestions for brands to appropriately use DHA to build brand fans effect.
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While extensive research exists on how positive life circumstances and positive personality traits promote entrepreneurship, there is little research focusing on how negative…
Abstract
Purpose
While extensive research exists on how positive life circumstances and positive personality traits promote entrepreneurship, there is little research focusing on how negative personal circumstances may potentially breed entrepreneurship. This study aims to build upon the theory of underdog entrepreneurship to examine the effect of challenging life circumstances such as poverty on the development of entrepreneurial traits in underdog entrepreneurs. This research analyzed the effect of risk-taking (RT) on the entrepreneurial success (ES) of underdog entrepreneurs and the role of optimism (OPM) and persistence (P) as mediating variables and poverty as a moderator variable.
Design/methodology/approach
A cross-sectional survey was conducted to collect data from 400 micro-finance borrowers of Akhuwat Foundation Pakistan. Akhuwat provides interest-free small loans to the poor segment of society. Preliminary testing of the survey questionnaire with a sample of 35 borrowers of Akhuwat Foundation in Lahore city was conducted before data collection. Data was collected from four randomly selected branches in Lahore city.
Findings
The authors found that OPM and P significantly mediate the relationship between RT and ES. In addition, the authors analyzed the moderating effect of poverty on the relationship between OPM and ES and found a negative moderating effect. A strong positive moderating effect of poverty was found on the relationship between P and ES. The results of multi-group analysis show that successful and unsuccessful underdog entrepreneurs differ in their RT propensity, which is significantly mediated by OPM and P.
Originality/value
This study provides empirical evidence on entrepreneurial traits and success of poor entrepreneur in an emerging economy. This work is original and has not been submitted elsewhere.
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Mahshid Pourhosein and Mehdi Sabokro
The purpose of this study is to identify and analyze the characteristics and visual patterns of successful knowledge workers using quantitative methods, particularly eye-tracking…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to identify and analyze the characteristics and visual patterns of successful knowledge workers using quantitative methods, particularly eye-tracking technology. By conducting a systematic review and matching identified factors with theoretical literature, the research aims to uncover key attributes that contribute to the effectiveness of knowledge workers. These insights are intended to improve employee selection processes, ensuring the right candidates are chosen based on their cognitive, behavioral and visual traits.
Design/methodology/approach
A mixed-methods approach is employed in this study, consisting of three phases: (1) a systematic literature review identifies key characteristics of successful knowledge workers, (2) these factors are aligned with theoretical frameworks and expert insights to assess their applicability and (3) empirical data is collected through questionnaires and eye-tracking assessments involving ten high-performing site design employees and ten students from Shahid Beheshti University. SPSS software and Tobii Pro Lab tools are used for data analysis to establish correlations between eye movement patterns and attributes of effective knowledge workers.
Findings
The findings reveal that students whose eye movement patterns resemble those of high-performing knowledge workers also share similar cognitive and behavioral characteristics. Identified key attributes include enhanced problem-solving skills, adaptability and effective communication. The study further highlights the potential of eye-tracking technology as a valuable tool in employee selection, offering insights into visual behaviors that correlate with high performance in knowledge work. These findings provide a deeper understanding of the critical traits that optimize organizational performance.
Originality/value
This study presents a novel approach by integrating eye-tracking technology into the knowledge worker selection process. It provides empirical evidence of the visual and cognitive patterns associated with high performance, thereby enhancing the theoretical understanding of knowledge worker selection. The study contributes valuable insights for organizations aiming to refine their hiring practices, emphasizing the importance of both cognitive skills and visual behaviors in candidate assessment. This research lays the groundwork for future studies exploring the intersection of technology and human resource management to optimize workforce effectiveness.