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Open Access
Article
Publication date: 2 December 2024

Charles S. Mullis and Mary Finley-Brook

This study aims to analyze the involvement of US colleges and universities in methane capture projects in the waste sector and their related educational initiatives aiming to…

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to analyze the involvement of US colleges and universities in methane capture projects in the waste sector and their related educational initiatives aiming to build circular economies and reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors compiled a subset of 22 “early adopting” institutions – those that received media attention for solid or liquid waste methane capture projects from 1999 to the present. The authors included all cases found within a reasonable number of queries. The institutions fell into two groups: (1) schools directly involved in gas capture projects, and (2) schools that purchased third-party offsets tied to landfill gas (LFG) projects. The authors assessed transparency and accountability, which the authors determined as fundamental to GHG mitigation and climate education. The authors expanded on five innovative cases from our subset to illustrate pathways to improve equity and circularity in waste flows.

Findings

US higher education institutions (HEIs) can measure and educate more transparently about waste streams. While institutions using LFG offsets range in size, curriculum and geography, there were few methane capture projects supplying energy directly to campuses. Although HEIs generally rely on third-party providers for waste management, cases demonstrate how universities can play a role in methane use, and be incubators for climate action and related employment.

Practical implications

Illustrative cases demonstrate the educational and institutional benefits from methane use.

Social implications

HEIs can generate pathways of a “just” transition to a fossil-free circular economy.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is one of the first comparative studies examining waste sector methane capture and the potential for high-impact educational practices and sustainability training in US HEIs.

Details

International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, vol. 25 no. 9
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1467-6370

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 3 November 2023

Nadia A. Abdelmegeed Abdelwahed, Mohammed A. Al Doghan, Ummi Naiemah Saraih and Bahadur Ali Soomro

Turnover intention (TOI) has become a severe issue in Saudi Arabia’s health-care system as health professionals leave their organizations. Saudi Arabia’s health-care…

Abstract

Purpose

Turnover intention (TOI) has become a severe issue in Saudi Arabia’s health-care system as health professionals leave their organizations. Saudi Arabia’s health-care professionals’ TOI affects the organizations and the patients’ human rights. Therefore, this study aims to assess the factors that affected Saudi Arabia’s health-care professionals’ TOI.

Design/methodology/approach

This study based its findings on quantitative cross-sectional data. This study’s respondents were health-care professionals working in Saudi Arabia’s public and private health-care institutions.

Findings

By using path analysis, this study’s findings reveal that, on the one hand, job stress (JS), psychological distress (PD) and perceived work exhaustion (PWE) have positive and significant effects on TOI. On the other hand, perceived organizational support (POS) is a positive and significant predictor of TOI.

Practical implications

This study’s findings will help the Saudi Arabian Ministry and policymakers develop policies to encourage health professionals’ perseverance through reducing their JS, PD and PWE and by enhancing POS for health-care staff. Moreover, by controlling the increasing turnover ratio among Saudi Arabia’s health-care professionals, this study’s findings assist in overcoming the violations of human rights.

Originality/value

This study’s findings empirically confirm the development of TOI through JS, PD and PWE among Saudi Arabia’s health-care professionals.

Details

International Journal of Human Rights in Healthcare, vol. 17 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2056-4902

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 25 April 2024

Ilse Valenzuela Matus, Jorge Lino Alves, Joaquim Góis, Paulo Vaz-Pires and Augusto Barata da Rocha

The purpose of this paper is to review cases of artificial reefs built through additive manufacturing (AM) technologies and analyse their ecological goals, fabrication process…

2004

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to review cases of artificial reefs built through additive manufacturing (AM) technologies and analyse their ecological goals, fabrication process, materials, structural design features and implementation location to determine predominant parameters, environmental impacts, advantages, and limitations.

Design/methodology/approach

The review analysed 16 cases of artificial reefs from both temperate and tropical regions. These were categorised based on the AM process used, the mortar material used (crucial for biological applications), the structural design features and the location of implementation. These parameters are assessed to determine how effectively the designs meet the stipulated ecological goals, how AM technologies demonstrate their potential in comparison to conventional methods and the preference locations of these implementations.

Findings

The overview revealed that the dominant artificial reef implementation occurs in the Mediterranean and Atlantic Seas, both accounting for 24%. The remaining cases were in the Australian Sea (20%), the South Asia Sea (12%), the Persian Gulf and the Pacific Ocean, both with 8%, and the Indian Sea with 4% of all the cases studied. It was concluded that fused filament fabrication, binder jetting and material extrusion represent the main AM processes used to build artificial reefs. Cementitious materials, ceramics, polymers and geopolymer formulations were used, incorporating aggregates from mineral residues, biological wastes and pozzolan materials, to reduce environmental impacts, promote the circular economy and be more beneficial for marine ecosystems. The evaluation ranking assessed how well their design and materials align with their ecological goals, demonstrating that five cases were ranked with high effectiveness, ten projects with moderate effectiveness and one case with low effectiveness.

Originality/value

AM represents an innovative method for marine restoration and management. It offers a rapid prototyping technique for design validation and enables the creation of highly complex shapes for habitat diversification while incorporating a diverse range of materials to benefit environmental and marine species’ habitats.

Details

Rapid Prototyping Journal, vol. 30 no. 11
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1355-2546

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 22 August 2024

Delane Deborah Naidu, Kerry McCullough and Faeezah Peerbhai

The purpose of this study is to construct a robust index and subindices to measure the quality of corporate governance for 266 firms listed in South Africa from 2004 to 2021.

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to construct a robust index and subindices to measure the quality of corporate governance for 266 firms listed in South Africa from 2004 to 2021.

Design/methodology/approach

Public information on the compliance of King Code of Good Corporate Governance is used to construct a main index predicated on provisions relating to board characteristics, accounting and auditing and risk management. These categories are transformed into three subindices. All constructs are scored with binary coding and equally weighted.

Findings

Cronbach’s alpha test reveals that the index and subindices are highly reliable measures of corporate governance. The principal component analysis supports the construct validity of all measures.

Research limitations/implications

The index is limited to only three corporate governance subcategories and only focuses on South Africa.

Practical implications

These corporate governance indices provide governing authorities, policymakers, investors and other market participants direct information on the quality of corporate governance in South African firms.

Originality/value

As South Africa lacks a formal corporate governance indicator, the development of an appropriate corporate governance index and subindices contributes towards understanding the quality of corporate governance in South African firms. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first paper to conduct robustness tests on corporate governance indices designed for South African companies.

Details

Corporate Governance: The International Journal of Business in Society, vol. 24 no. 8
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1472-0701

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 26 April 2024

Ming (Lily) Li, Jinglin Jiang and Meng Qi

Drawing on experiential learning theory, this study seeks to understand how the perceived cultural difference in a foreign country and learning flexibility, which enables more…

Abstract

Purpose

Drawing on experiential learning theory, this study seeks to understand how the perceived cultural difference in a foreign country and learning flexibility, which enables more integrated experiential learning from international experience, influence expatriates’ cultural intelligence (CQ) and consequently their adjustment and job performance.

Design/methodology/approach

Survey data were collected from 169 expatriates in China. Polynomial regression analyses were employed to test curvilinear relationships between cultural difference and CQ and between learning flexibility and CQ. Mediation hypotheses were tested either by the MEDCURVE procedure if a curvilinear relationship was confirmed or by the Haye’s Process procedure if a curvilinear relationship was not confirmed and instead a linear relationship was confirmed.

Findings

The results demonstrated a positive relationship between cultural difference and CQ and an inverted U-shape relationship between learning flexibility and CQ. CQ mediated the relationship between cultural difference and expatriate adjustment and partially mediated the relationship between learning flexibility and expatriate adjustment. CQ positively influenced expatriates’ job performance via expatriate adjustment.

Practical implications

Our findings suggest that companies should not hesitate to send expatriates on assignments to culturally very different countries and focus more attention on the selection of expatriates. The findings of this study suggest firms should choose candidates who are moderate or high in learning flexibility and could engage in integrated learning and specialized learning in a more balanced manner.

Originality/value

This research is the first study that examines the influence of learning flexibility on CQ and expatriate effectiveness. It examines cultural difference through the lens of experiential learning theory and argues that cultural difference constitutes “stimuli” in the experiential learning environment for individual learning in an international context. The results advance our knowledge of the role of experiential learning in developing capable global managers.

Details

Journal of Global Mobility: The Home of Expatriate Management Research, vol. 12 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2049-8799

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 9 December 2024

Mouad Sadallah, Saeed Awadh Bin-Nashwan and Abderrahim Benlahcene

The escalating integration of AI tools like ChatGPT within academia poses a critical challenge regarding their impact on faculty members’ and researchers’ academic performance…

Abstract

Purpose

The escalating integration of AI tools like ChatGPT within academia poses a critical challenge regarding their impact on faculty members’ and researchers’ academic performance levels. This paper aims to delve into academic performance within the context of the ChatGPT era by exploring the influence of several pivotal predictors, such as academic integrity, academic competence, personal best goals and perceived stress, as well as the moderating effect of ChatGPT adoption on academic performance.

Design/methodology/approach

This study uses a quantitative method to investigate the impact of essential variables on academic integrity, academic competence, perceived stress and personal best goals by analysing 402 responses gathered from ResearchGate and Academia.edu sites.

Findings

While affirming the established direct positive relationship between academic integrity and performance since adopting AI tools, this research revealed a significant moderating role of ChatGPT adoption on this relationship. Additionally, the authors shed light on the positive relationship between academic competence and performance in the ChatGPT era and the ChatGPT adoption-moderated interaction of competence and performance. Surprisingly, a negative association emerges between personal best goals and academic performance within ChatGPT-assisted environments. Notably, the study underscores a significant relationship between heightened performance through ChatGPT and increased perceived stress among academicians.

Practical implications

The research advocates formulating clear ethical guidelines, robust support mechanisms and stress-management interventions to maintain academic integrity, enhance competence and prioritise academic professionals’ well-being in navigating the integration of AI tools in modern academia.

Originality/value

This research stands out for its timeliness and the apparent gaps in current literature. There is notably little research on the use of ChatGPT in academic settings, making this investigation among the first to delve into how faculty and researchers in education use OpenAI.

Details

Journal of Information, Communication and Ethics in Society, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1477-996X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 7 November 2024

Thomas Richardson, Monica Sood, Jack Large and Tayla McCloud

Financial difficulties are associated with poor student mental health, although the 2012 tuition fees increase for British students had little impact on student mental health in…

Abstract

Purpose

Financial difficulties are associated with poor student mental health, although the 2012 tuition fees increase for British students had little impact on student mental health in the first two years at university. This study aims to examine the mental health of British graduates before and after this fees increase to determine the impact on mental health several years after graduation.

Design/methodology/approach

This study conducted an online cohort study with 327 British students who started university before and after the 2012 fees increase. Participants completed measures of current economic hardship and symptoms of depression, anxiety, stress, general mental health and suicidality. Multiple regression was used to examine the impact of cohort (pre- and post-2012 fees increase), tuition fees amount and economic hardship on mental health.

Findings

Greater economic hardship was positively correlated with all mental health variables. Starting university after the fees increased and/or paying greater fees was associated with increased depression, anxiety, stress and suicidality, with little impact on general mental health. When economic hardship was covaried, the strength of cohort effects reduced but remained significant.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study to show that the 2012 tuition fees increase for British students increased depression, anxiety, stress and suicidality in graduates many years after graduation, owing to additional financial strain.

Details

Journal of Public Mental Health, vol. 23 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1746-5729

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 14 August 2024

Mahsa Fekrisari and Jussi Kantola

This paper aims to identify potential barriers to Industry 4.0 adoption for manufacturers and examine the changes that must be made to production processes to implement Industry…

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to identify potential barriers to Industry 4.0 adoption for manufacturers and examine the changes that must be made to production processes to implement Industry 4.0 successfully. It aims to develop technology by assisting with the successful implementation of Industry 4.0 in the manufacturing process by using smart system techniques.

Design/methodology/approach

Multiple case studies are used in this paper by using the smart system and Matlab, and semi-structured interviews are used to collect qualitative data.

Findings

Standardization, management support, skills, and costs have been cited as challenges for most businesses. Most businesses struggle with data interoperability. Complexity, information security, scalability, and network externalities provide challenges for some businesses. Environmental concerns are less likely to affect businesses with higher degrees of maturity. Additionally, it enables the Technical Director’s expertise to participate in the measurement using ambiguous input and output using language phrases. The outcomes of the numerous tests conducted on the approaches are extensively studied in the provided method.

Originality/value

In this research, a multiple-case study aims to carry out a thorough investigation of the issue in its actual setting.

Details

The TQM Journal, vol. 36 no. 9
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1754-2731

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 28 August 2023

Sukri Paluttri

This research paper aimed to study the legal structure of top-performing health governance systems and compare them with the Indonesian health social security system to identify…

Abstract

Purpose

This research paper aimed to study the legal structure of top-performing health governance systems and compare them with the Indonesian health social security system to identify the main differences and provide recommendations for Indonesian and other developing countries’ health policymakers and administrators.

Design/methodology/approach

Using formative research with a conceptual approach and statute approach as method in this study. Data was gathered using the document study technique, which studies various documents, especially legal documents related to health law, linked to legal purpose theories. Moreover, the World Health Organization ranking was considered to choose the two countries (France and Singapore) with a high social health security system for comparative analysis. All data collected has been analyzed using a qualitative and theoretical basis. Content analysis was performed by analyzing the legal documents, and the regulatory framework of all three countries was deeply analyzed to draw conclusions and recommendations.

Findings

Indonesia has specific laws to implement a social security system in the health sector. However, the lack of the best medical facilities and infrastructure and weak implementation of existing laws were identified as major reasons behind the poor health security system compared to comparative countries. Also, as a developing nation Indonesian Government face budgetary pressures and huge population challenges to meet required standards. Thus, the financing approaches used by Singapore and France may help developing countries meet these challenges effectively. Therefore, there is a dire need to strengthen the social health security system all over the country with amendments to laws and ensure the implementation of prevailing laws and regulations.

Practical implications

Providing understanding related to the social security health system in Indonesia along with a detailed description of the sound social health security system in France and Singapore will further provide an avenue for the researchers to critically analyze this line of study to devise some valuable suggestions further and to draw loopholes in the system.

Originality/value

A comparative approach for legal studies in the health sector is rare. So, this research advanced the social security health system-related literature and legal studies on the health sector by using this comparative approach to develop policy insights and future research directions, which will further help the field to grow.

Details

International Journal of Human Rights in Healthcare, vol. 17 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2056-4902

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 28 May 2024

Dennis Schlegel, Bernhard Rosenberg, Oliver Fundanovic and Patrick Kraus

In recent years, the robotic process automation (RPA) technology, a software-based method to automate routine tasks in business processes, has gained significant interest and…

1543

Abstract

Purpose

In recent years, the robotic process automation (RPA) technology, a software-based method to automate routine tasks in business processes, has gained significant interest and adoption. However, many implementation projects fail and current literature lacks a synthesis and comprehensive overview of factors that challenge the implementation of RPA, have an impact on success or failure of projects, or, play an enabling role in an RPA project. Hence, the purpose of this research is to identify key factors that should be considered by organizations when conducting an RPA project.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper adopts a qualitative methodology based on data collected in a systematic literature review (SLR) and interviews with 10 RPA experts. Using inductive coding, an integrated framework of key factors is developed.

Findings

The results suggest that the key factors for a successful RPA introduction can be divided into human, organizational and technical factors. Important aspects include for example project management techniques, capabilities and skills of employees, as well as data security considerations.

Originality/value

The paper contributes to knowledge by synthesizing previously dispersed knowledge into an integrated framework, as well as by complementing previous results with new qualitative, empirical data. Additionally, the RPA-specific factors are put into the perspective of persistent problems in information systems development.

Details

Business Process Management Journal, vol. 30 no. 8
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1463-7154

Keywords

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