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The purpose of this study is to investigate the structural, surface roughness and corrosion properties of the zirconium oxide thin films deposited onto SS304 substrates using the direct current (DC) magnetron sputtering technique.

DC sputtering at different powers – 80, 100 and 120 W – was used to deposit ZrO₂ thin films onto different substrates (Si/SS304) without annealing of the substrate. Atomic force microscope (AFM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), Tafel extrapolation and contact angle techniques were applied to investigate the surface roughness, chemical compositions, corrosion behavior and hydrophobicity of these films.

Results showed that the thickness of the deposited film increased with power increase, while the corrosion current decreased with power increase. AFM images indicated that the surface roughness decreased with an increase in DC power. EDS analysis showed that the thin film has a stoichiometric ZrO₂ (Zr:O 1:2) composition with basic uniformity. Water contact angle measurements indicated that the hydrophobicity of the synthesized films decreased with an increase in surface roughness.

DC magnetron sputtering technique is infrequently used to deposition thin films. The obtained thin films showed good hydrophobic and anticorrosion properties. Finally, results are compared with other deposition techniques.

As companies start using virtual reality (VR) for managing their workforce, it's important to think about the rules and morals involved. This book chapter looks closely at the legal and ethical aspects of using VR in human resource management (HRM). It examines the rapidly developing field of VR technology in HRM, emphasising the complex moral and legal issues it raises. VR is rapidly transforming human resources (HR) practices by providing innovative recruitment tools, remote collaboration platforms and immersive training experiences. However, at the same time, VR presents important concerns about discrimination, privacy and consent. Using case studies, ethical guidelines and regulatory frameworks as resources, this chapter breaks down important factors that businesses using VR in HR scenarios need to take into account. It also governs about the ethical questions, such as fairness, diversity and making sure that the employees feel respected. It explores how VR might create biases or unfairness in hiring or evaluating employees. It deliberates legal issues like keeping personal data safe, respecting intellectual property and following employment laws. Furthermore, it explains how VR can be used to monitor employees or train them and the ethical questions that come with it.

In short, this book chapter stresses the importance of considering both legal rules and ethical principles when using VR for HRM. By doing so, companies can benefit from VR while making sure they treat their employees fairly and respectfully.

This study aims to assess the extent to which acute hospital trust mergers in England are associated with quality improvements.

We apply an event study design using difference-in-difference (DID) and coarsened exact matching to compare the before-and-after performance of eight mergers from 2011 to 2015.

We find little evidence that mergers contribute to quality improvements other than some limited increases in the proportion of patients waiting a maximum of 18 weeks from referral to treatment. We postulate that financial incentives and political influence could have biased management effort towards waiting time measures.

Inherent sample size constraints may limit generalisability. Merger costs and complexity mean they are unlikely to offer an efficient strategy for helping to clear elective care backlogs. We recommend further research into causal mechanisms to help health systems maximise benefits from both mergers and emerging models of hospital provider collaboration.

This paper is the first to study the quality impact of a new wave of acute hospital mergers taking place in the English National Health Service from 2011 onwards, applying a group-time DID estimator to account for multiple treatment timings.

Recently, machine learning (ML) methods gained popularity in finance and accounting research as alternatives to econometric analysis. Their success in high-dimensional settings is promising as a cure for the shortcomings of econometric analysis. The purpose of this study is to prove further the relationship between intellectual capital (IC) efficiency and firm performance using ML methods.

This study used the double selection, partialing-out and cross-fit partialing-out LASSO estimators to analyze the IC efficiency’s linear and nonlinear effects on firm performance using a sample of 2,581 North American firms from 1999 to 2021. The value-added intellectual capital (VAIC) and its components are used as indicators of IC efficiency. Firm performance is measured by return on equity, return on assets and market-to-book ratio.

The findings revealed significant connections between IC measures and firm performance. First, the VAIC, as an aggregate measure, significantly impacts both firm profitability and value. When the VAIC is decomposed into its breakdowns, it is revealed that structural capital efficiency substantially affects firm value, and capital employed efficiency has the same function for firm profitability. In contrast to the prevalent belief in the area, human capital efficiency’s impact is found to be less important than the others. Nonlinearities are also detected in the relationships.

As ML tools are most recently introduced to the IC literature, only a few studies have used them to expand the current knowledge. However, none of these studies investigated the role of IC as a determinant of firm performance. The present study fills this gap in the literature by investigating the effect of IC efficiency on firm performance using supervised ML methods. It also provides a novel approach by comparing the estimation results of three LASSO estimators. To the best of the author’s knowledge, this is the first study that has used LASSO in IC research.

Drawing on institutionalism supplemented by a micro-political perspective, this study explores how a bilateral development agency’s (BDA’s) regional office manages institutional multiplicity, a situation where organisations are embedded into the institutional environments of their headquarters and multiple host countries.

I remotely conducted semi-structured in-depth interviews with 20 staff members of a BDA’s regional office in South-East Europe. Reflexive Thematic Analysis was used to analyse the interview data.

Two themes are developed. One is an institutional decomposition strategy. The subject office decomposes institutional multiplicity into more manageable multiple institutional dualities by deploying local representatives to host countries. The other is the division of duties to demonstrate legitimacy. The division designates who in the office demonstrate legitimacy in which institutional environment. These proactive actions by the office (i.e., the decomposition and the division) question the institutionalist assertion that external institutional conditions determine organisational behaviour.

The findings may not directly apply to other public sector organisations because BDAs’ overseas offices are “donors” for their host countries. In addition, themes developed in the context of South-East Europe may not be generalisable to other regions.

BDA staff members should understand that institutional decomposition through the deployment of local representatives is a rational strategy to deal with complex conditions of institutional multiplicity. They should also understand that experienced local representatives are required to achieve this strategy.

This is the first empirical study to examine how a public sector organisation’s regional office manages complex institutional multiplicity from a micro-macro combined perspective.

The substantial expansion of technology and the efficacy of digital platforms in reaching young audiences have led to enhanced targeting and customization of promotional communications. Notwithstanding the expansion and efficacy of contemporary advertising platforms, scholarly attention has not kept pace with this domain of inquiry. This study aims to assess the antecedents of Google Shopping Ads (GSA) on intention to purchase behavior among the Generation Y and Z cohorts.

The current study used a quantitative approach and snowball sampling technique to gather primary data via a questionnaire and Google Forms, which resulted in the collection of 5,808 questionnaires among the cohort members. A principal component analysis and multigroup confirmatory multigroup structural equation modeling (between Generation Y and Z) were used to assess the research data and model.

The results show positive trust and perceived value associations with intention to purchase, particularly among Generation Y and Z consumers. The findings also show negative irritation, product risk and time risk associations with intention to purchase, especially among the Generation Y cohort, which indicates that young consumers generally do not observe perceived risk due to the usage of GSA.

GSA will continue to grow and become an increasingly important integrated marketing communications tool as the digital landscape develops. It can be concluded that young consumers show a high degree of perceived value and low levels of perceived risk due to the use of GSA. This study, therefore, promotes improved understanding among academics, marketers and businesses of search engine advertising among young cohorts of consumers (Generation Y and Z) in a developing country context.

This chapter explores various innovative financing instruments, including green bonds, climate funds, blended finance, impact investing, public-private partnerships, carbon pricing and results-based financing. Each mechanism offers unique benefits and is vital for mobilising the necessary resources for climate and sustainability projects.

The authors employ a comprehensive review to examine the effectiveness of these innovative financing mechanisms. The study provides insights into aligning organisational strategies with climate and sustainable development goals (SDGs) by evaluating the strategic and operational implications for policymakers and practitioners.

Effective alignment of organisational strategies with climate and SDG goals is essential for accessing these financing mechanisms. Building specialised knowledge and skills within teams, developing robust risk management frameworks and fostering strong stakeholder engagement are crucial for successful project implementation. Establishing rigorous monitoring and evaluation systems ensures accountability and transparency, enhancing project performance and credibility.

The result is strategic prescriptions and a broad agenda to guide future research and practice integrating climate action and SDGs through innovative financing in India. The chapter's final section provides additional avenues for future research, focusing on technological innovation, policy advocacy and the development of sustainable business models.

This chapter highlights the importance of strategic management in leveraging innovative financing for climate action and sustainable development in India. It highlights pathways and solutions to overcome challenges, maximise impact and ensure long-term success. It provides a rigorous review of innovative financing mechanisms for sustainable development.

The development of project managers and leadership has been highlighted as crucial for improving project success and performance, resulting in a rise of interest in project leadership research over the last two decades. While several qualitative reviews have been conducted, there have been limited quantitative and systematic reviews on project leadership. This study fills this gap by portraying the knowledge landscape and tracking the evolution of project leadership research from 1998 to 2022 through bibliometric approaches.

Based on 816 records, including 793 articles extracted and selected from the Web of Science database and specific journals, and 23 articles selected from three non-SCI/SSCI indexed journals, the authors used CiteSpace and bibliometrix R-package to depict visualizations of the trajectory of co-cited references, the landscape of co-occurred keywords and emerging trends in project leadership via reference co-citation analysis, keyword co-occurrence analysis and thematic mapping.

The bibliometric analyses enabled the authors to understand the conceptual aspects of project leadership and its theoretical background. Three stages of the intellectual bases were identified and tracked: the infancy phase (1998–2007), the growth phase (2008–2014) and the new development phase (2015–2022). The results of keyword co-occurrence analysis indicated that the research focus evolved from investigating traits and competences to examining the effects of traditional leadership behaviors, and then considering context-specific leadership. The findings of thematic mapping and theoretical interpretation illustrate the potential directions of the competence comparison, new and appropriate leadership, and the interaction between leadership and context.

This study advanced the field by providing a systematic review of project leadership, developing potential future directions for project leadership research and providing practical implications for career development and training.

The NHS long-term plan outlined that mental health services in the UK will be based on the trauma-informed approach in the next 10 years. Staff in leadership roles in those services will face a responsibility to lead the implementation of TIC; however, little is known about the experiences of these staff attempting to create change. Therefore, this study aims to gain an understanding of mental health staff (MHS)’s experiences in implementing trauma-informed care (TIC) in the NHS.

In total, 14 mental health staff (MHS), comprising ten psychologists and four multidisciplinary clinicians, were recruited through purposive and snowball sampling. Semi-structured individual interviews were conducted via Microsoft Teams to provide qualitative data. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and analysed using Braun and Clarke’s (2006) reflexive thematic analysis.

Five themes were found: 1) having a visionary outlook and high expectations for change, 2) professional growth and personal development, 3) affirmation of the role’s importance and impact, 4) psychological discomfort and 5) ways of coping. Participants strongly believed that TIC should be standard practice for all health-care staff, noting that implementing TIC led to their professional and personal growth. While they found satisfaction in influencing others to value TIC, they experienced negative emotions when their efforts were unsuccessful and used various strategies to overcome barriers and manage psychological discomfort.

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first to explore the experiences of MHS implementing TIC in the NHS. Support recommendations for staff in the role are made and future research is identified.

This study aims to comprehensively evaluate the university food environment at an Australian university by integrating student perspectives with a standardized food environment audit.

This study, at Western Sydney University, Australia, combined focus groups and a survey with students (n = 32) to explore their attitudes, preferences and experiences regarding the campus food environment. Thematic analysis was guided by Braun and Clarke. A standardized university food environment audit (Uni-Food tool) evaluated university policies, food retail outlets and campus facilities.

Five key themes were identified: (1) availability of food options, (2) financial accessibility of food, (3) healthiness of the food environment, (4) diverse dietary needs and inclusivity and (5) sustainability and environmental awareness. Students voiced diverse concerns across various facets of the campus food environment and sustainability practices, underscoring their dissatisfaction with current food options, particularly food affordability. Students emphasized a desire for healthier food choices, sustainable packaging, waste management practices, and inclusive food options for cultural, religious and health-related dietary restrictions. The Uni-Food audit revealed a score of 27 out of 100, with shortcomings in university policies and governance.

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first to combine student perspectives and a standardized audit, which suggests that implementing strategic interventions to increase the availability of affordable, nutritious and culturally diverse food options, improving menu labeling to accommodate diverse dietary needs and incentivizing healthy and sustainable practices would be essential for creating a healthier, more inclusive and sustainable food environment on campus.