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1 – 10 of 37This study aims to define a “technological statecraft” concept to distinguish tech-based measures/sanctions from an array of economic measures ranging from restrictions of rare…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to define a “technological statecraft” concept to distinguish tech-based measures/sanctions from an array of economic measures ranging from restrictions of rare earth elements and natural gas supplies to asset freezes under the wider portfolio of economic statecraft. This concept is practically intended to reveal the USA’s “logic of choice” in its employment of technology as an efficient instrument to deal with China in the context of the great power rivalry.
Design/methodology/approach
This study follows David A. Baldwin’s statecraft definition and conceptualization methodology, which relies on “means” rather than “ends.” In addition to Baldwin and as an incremental contribution to his economic statecraft analysis, this study also combines national political economy with statecraft analysis with a particular focus on the utilization of technological measures against China during the Trump administration.
Findings
The US rationale for choosing technology, namely, emerging and foundational technologies, in its rivalry against China is caused at least by two factors: the nature of the external challenge and the characteristics of the US innovation model based largely on radical innovations. To deal with China, the USA practically distinguished the role of advanced technology and followed a grammer of technological statecraft as depicted in the promulgated legal texts during the Trump administration.
Originality/value
Despite a growing volume of literature on economic statecraft and technological competition, studies focusing on countries’ “logic of choice” with regard to why and under what conditions they choose financial, technological or commodity-based sanctions/measures/controls are lacking. Inspired from Baldwin’s account on the “logic of choice” from among alternative statecrafts (i.e. diplomacy, military, economic statecraft, and propaganda). This study will contribute to the literature with a clear lens to demonstrate the “logic of choice” from among a variety of economic statecraft measures in the case of the US technological statecraft toward China.
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Ying Kit Cherry Kwan, Mei Wa Chan and Dickson K.W. Chiu
In the 21st century, libraries are experiencing a significant decline in users due to shifting reading habits and the impact of technology, necessitating library transformation…
Abstract
Purpose
In the 21st century, libraries are experiencing a significant decline in users due to shifting reading habits and the impact of technology, necessitating library transformation and a heightened emphasis on library marketing. Special libraries, in particular, rely heavily on patrons for survival, often due to their private ownership and limited resources. This paper aims to discuss the aforementioned objectives.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper examines the Taste Library, a special library in Hong Kong, and analyzes its current practices based on an interview with its founder, website content, and social media presence. The 7Ps Marketing Mix model is employed to assess the strengths and weaknesses of the library's current market position.
Findings
The Taste Library's existing practices exhibit limitations in attracting young patrons. To address this issue, we propose marketing strategies focused on enhancing social network presence, offering digitized content, and engaging in school outreach.
Practical implications
By concentrating on youth marketing, this study offers valuable insights for special libraries in developing strategic plans for transitioning and maintaining sustainability.
Originality/value
Few studies concentrate on marketing small special libraries, particularly in the East, within today's digitized economy.
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Heesup Han, Seongseop (Sam) Kim, Nancy Grace Baah, Lanji Quan, Amr Al-Ansi and Xiaoting Chi
The investigation on the complexity of customer retention towards green products/services requires more solid analytical approaches. This study evaluated the net effects of…
Abstract
Purpose
The investigation on the complexity of customer retention towards green products/services requires more solid analytical approaches. This study evaluated the net effects of antecedents of customer retention and the validity of configurational causal recipes that lead to customer retention in the green hotel context.
Design/methodology/approach
This study combined structural equation modeling (SEM), a fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) and a necessary condition analysis (NCA). An online survey was conducted in China to evaluate the green hotel consumption.
Findings
Research findings showed that cognitive factors (perceived health benefits, green product performance, responsible employee performance and green physical environment performance) and affective factors (emotional well-being, feeling of happiness, attractiveness of green product and feeling of pride), played a distinctive role in generating customer retention toward green hotel products. The NCA found no factor was essential in order to achieve customer retention, which indicates that green hotel performance and brand management should pay more attention to emotional factors alongside cognitive factors.
Practical implications
Research findings provide significant managerial implications for improving green hotel services and business operations and enhancing consumers’ approach intention toward green hotel products.
Originality/value
This study adopted mixed approaches to investigate both the linear and nonlinear impacts of cognitive and affective factors that potentially lead to customer retention for green hotel products.
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Muhammad Waqas, Qingfeng Meng, Syed Abdul Rehman Khan and Kramat Hussain
Organizations' technological management capabilities (TMC) have emerged as a powerful tool to enable manufacturing firms to deal with environmental issues. This empirical…
Abstract
Purpose
Organizations' technological management capabilities (TMC) have emerged as a powerful tool to enable manufacturing firms to deal with environmental issues. This empirical investigation aims to introduce and validate a novel conceptual framework that seeks to uncover the latent relationships among the selected constructs of this study. Organizational TMC could enhance green production (GP) and reinforce the green competitive advantage (GCA) among manufacturing firms. Therefore, this research investigates the role of TMC of firms such as artificial intelligence capability (AIC), big data analytics capability (BDAC) and Internet of things capability (IOTC) in reshaping green innovation (RGI), employee development (ED), GP and GCA.
Design/methodology/approach
The Partial Least Squares-Structural Equation Modeling was proposed to test and validate this research’s conceptual model using 463 valid responses from manufacturing under the China–Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) umbrella.
Findings
Our statistical findings confirmed that TMCs such as AIC, BDAC and IOTC supported the GP and CGA. ED and RGI positively correlated to GP. The hypotheses testing results also confirmed the mediating role of ED, RGI and GP and the moderating role of green firm innovativeness capability (GFIC) in the underdeveloped context of the manufacturing industry under the CPEC.
Originality/value
Moreover, the statistical findings of this study extend the existing literature by validating the possible direct, indirect/mediation and indirect/moderation relationship between TMC and GCA.
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Tan Tan, Grant Mills, Xiaolin Ma and Eleni Papadonikolaki
Off-Site Construction (OSC) has received much government and public attention during and after COVID. Building Information Modelling (BIM) is an initiative discussed widely to…
Abstract
Purpose
Off-Site Construction (OSC) has received much government and public attention during and after COVID. Building Information Modelling (BIM) is an initiative discussed widely to promote OSC implementation. Although many policy promotions have been published, there are many challenges to implementing BIM and OSC in real life and questions of whether they really offer value to healthcare design professionals. This research aims to investigate BIM and OSC to understand their commonalities and differences of challenges by collecting empirical evidence from China’s healthcare construction.
Design/methodology/approach
This exploratory research adopted a mixed method with a questionnaire survey and interviews. A total of 261 questionnaires were received (with 183 valid), followed by 31 semi-structured interviews.
Findings
This research reveals that although both OSC and BIM face similar adoption challenges and suspicious attitudes in real-life projects, their challenges’ connotations and reasons are different. OSC faces scepticism for its customisation costs and technical constraints, while BIM is seen as limited in utility and complex to integrate. Highlighting these as socio-technical challenges, the research advocates for an integrated framework to effectively implement OSC and BIM, addressing both technical and collaborative needs in healthcare construction.
Originality/value
This research examines OSC and BIM within the context of healthcare construction, a focus that is relatively underexplored. The research provides a juxtaposition of the perceived and practical challenges of adopting these technologies, revealing a gap between the industry’s expectations and the current capabilities of OSC and BIM, thereby contributing to the development of modern methods of design in healthcare.
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Chiara Valentini and Krishnamurthy Sriramesh
Personal influence is one of the most powerful strategies to influence publics’ behaviours. Yet, there is scant attention on how personal influence is leveraged for different…
Abstract
Purpose
Personal influence is one of the most powerful strategies to influence publics’ behaviours. Yet, there is scant attention on how personal influence is leveraged for different public relations purposes in different cultural contexts. This study empirically investigates the presence and use of personal influence among Italian public relations professionals.
Design/methodology/approach
A survey was conducted through a self-administrated, web-based questionnaire and was developed from earlier studies investigating personal influence in public relations literature. Survey participants included public relations professionals across public, non-profit and private sectors.
Findings
The findings empirically show the presence and regular use of personal influence by professionals from all sectors to cultivate interpersonal relationships. Personal influence is considered a personal resource and used to leverage own influencing power. The findings also document four major manifestations of personal influence, which were named: relational closeness strategy, engagement strategy, expertise strategy and added value strategy.
Practical implications
This study enhances our understanding of personal influence in a specific cultural context and offers strategic insights for international professionals seeking to leverage influence in the socio-political environment of Italy. It also offers elements to improve public relations education and training.
Originality/value
The study offers some preliminary understandings of how Italian professionals leverage their personal influence in their daily public relations activities contributing with empirical evidence to the body of knowledge in public relations.
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Innocent Chigozie Osuizugbo, Mazen M. Omer, Rahimi A. Rahman and Olalekan Shamsideen Oshodi
This study aims to review the current trends in early contractor involvement (ECI) in construction project development. The review consist of the following objectives: (1…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to review the current trends in early contractor involvement (ECI) in construction project development. The review consist of the following objectives: (1) identifying the benefits of ECI on construction project development; (2) identifying the challenges of ECI in construction project development; and (3) identifying the strategies of ECI in construction project development.
Design/methodology/approach
This study systematically reviews the literature on the application of ECI in construction project development. A total of 133 related articles were identified and analyzed using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) method.
Findings
This review identified “improved team work/collaboration working relationship” as the top benefits of ECI in construction project development. “Cultural barrier” was identified as the top challenge of ECI in construction project development, while “contributing value engineering” and “buildability evaluation input”, were the top two strategies of ECI in construction project development.
Originality/value
To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first to systematically review prior literature on ECI. As a result, the study provides a comprehensive understanding of the current state of the art and fills the literature gap. Researchers and industry professionals can use the study findings to increase the rate and benefits of implementing ECI in construction projects.
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Bing Zhang, Cui Wang and Xuan Ze Ren
The construction industry has been investigating “where Henry Ford is in the industry system.” Given that listed construction enterprises are the backbone of the promotion of the…
Abstract
Purpose
The construction industry has been investigating “where Henry Ford is in the industry system.” Given that listed construction enterprises are the backbone of the promotion of the high-quality development of the industry, their research and innovation are of considerable importance. This study aims to comprehensively assess the research and development (R&D) status quo and trends within various types of construction enterprises in order to identify effective strategies to enhance R&D efficiency in the construction industry.
Design/methodology/approach
Based on the data won from annual reports and the CSMAR database for the period 2016–2020, this study examines 104 listed construction enterprises in China. By applying both the data envelopment analysis (DEA) method and the Malmquist productivity index, this research compares and analyzes the static and dynamic differences in R&D efficiency across different types of construction enterprises.
Findings
Results suggest that the magnitude of change in the Malmquist decomposition index of 104 listed construction enterprises gradually narrowed, but the comprehensive technological level remained relatively low. Although state-owned enterprises had an advantage in scale efficiency, meaning they could maximize output with given inputs, their technological progress efficiency, also known as the degree of technological innovation, was significantly lower than that of private enterprises. As one finding, state-owned enterprises in comparison with private enterprises experience significant R&D inefficiency. It represents the main cause of their low degree of technological innovation and efficiency.
Originality/value
This study assesses the R&D efficiency of listed construction enterprises in China from the perspective of different market segments, state-owned and private enterprises and suggests approaches to improve strategies for various corporate types. Thus, the study’s new findings contribute to addressing the challenge of low R&D levels in the construction industry in the fields of engineering, construction and architectural management.
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Augustine Senanu Komla Kukah, De-Graft Owusu-Manu, Edward Badu and David John Edwards
This study aims to identify the critical success factors of public private partnership (PPP) power projects in Ghana and further evaluates the most significant critical success…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to identify the critical success factors of public private partnership (PPP) power projects in Ghana and further evaluates the most significant critical success factors (CSFs) influencing both the public and private sector participation in PPP power projects.
Design/methodology/approach
Ranking-type Delphi survey in two rounds was conducted to establish a comprehensive list of critical success factors of PPP power projects. Using purposive and snowball sampling techniques, experts were targeted for the Delphi survey. Mean score ranking, Cronbach’s alpha coefficient and Kendall’s concordance were used for analysis.
Findings
From the list of 37 critical success factors, 9 CSFs were deemed to be extremely significant. The five topmost CSFs were as follows: shared authority, trust and communication between public and private sectors; necessity of power project; debt guarantee to enable private partner to raise funds from the local or international financial markets; appropriate risk allocation and risk sharing; and thorough and realistic assessment of cost, projections and benefits.
Originality/value
The CSFs identified and prioritized in this study have the propensity to trigger policy development towards the PPP power sector in Ghana and developing countries that shares similar context. This is because the study has wide implications for financing, politics, procurement, regulations, legal and capacity building.
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Aleksandar Radic, Wei Quan, Antonio Ariza-Montes and Heesup Han
This study aims to evaluate the behavioral predictors that affect tourists’ intentions to visit silver screen destinations.
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to evaluate the behavioral predictors that affect tourists’ intentions to visit silver screen destinations.
Design/methodology/approach
The survey questionnaire was composed of multi-item measures, and a total of 432 questionnaires were collected by purposive sampling technique. Participants were asked about sensory stimuli, social stimuli, naturalistic stimuli, cultural stimuli, hospitality culture stimuli, cognitive responses, affective responses and behavior approach, which were evaluated using a seven-point Likert scale.
Findings
The authors discovered that cognitive and affective responses positively influence the tourists’ intention toward destinations with film-induced tourism, because tourists highly value unique and refreshing symbolic connotations of silver screen destinations, which are commonly predisposed to nostalgia and poetic on the scene.
Originality/value
The originality of this study and the theoretical value of the present research lies with revealing specific relations within the film-induced experienscape constructs that are based on the multistakeholder and multidisciplinary approach. Moreover, this study puts forward constructive suggestions for destination stakeholders in regard to how to market film-induced tourism that uses a multidisciplinary approach that is encompassed by experienscape constructs, which thereby reinforces the film-induced tourists’ experience and their behavior approach.
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