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Available. Open Access. Open Access
Article
Publication date: 31 May 2023

Elin Helgesson

This article addresses recent calls in the literature for advancing our understanding of public affairs consultants and their role conceptions. By testing and further exploring…

1001

Abstract

Purpose

This article addresses recent calls in the literature for advancing our understanding of public affairs consultants and their role conceptions. By testing and further exploring self-perceptions of public affairs consultants the study aims to offer new insight into how consultants define and view their occupational role.

Design/methodology/approach

The study draws on a nationwide survey with public affairs consultants in Sweden.

Findings

Four main role conceptions were identified (advocate, do-gooder, expert and intermediary). Further, the study tests how personal and professional characteristics correlate with different role conceptions, by viewing professional experience and consultants' selection of clients. Data also suggest that consultants' background in politics does not promote any specific role perception. Finally, the findings also show that how consultants choose clients is a divider in the industry, where some act as passive intermediaries while other take a more active role in their choice of clients.

Originality/value

The findings enhance our understanding of public affairs as a field, and specifically about the modelling of professional roles amongst consultants. The empirical results in this study show how contemporary role typologies needs to be extended to better capture the specificities of consultants' roles in public affairs. By addressing the issue of how consultants choose clients the study engages with the complex debate of whether consultants ought to act as objective or subjective agents and hence join the conversation on ethics in public affairs.

Details

Journal of Communication Management, vol. 27 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1363-254X

Keywords

Available. Open Access. Open Access
Article
Publication date: 23 August 2021

Stefan Dreisiebner, Sophie März and Thomas Mandl

The purpose of this study is to explore the impact of the Covid-19 crisis at the level of individual information behavior among citizens from the German-speaking countries…

2906

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to explore the impact of the Covid-19 crisis at the level of individual information behavior among citizens from the German-speaking countries, Austria, Germany and Switzerland.

Design/methodology/approach

An online survey was conducted among 308 participants gathered through convenience sampling in April and May 2020, focusing on how citizens changed their mix and usage intensity of information sources and according to which criteria they chose them during the Covid-19 crisis. A Wilcoxon signed-rank test was used for testing central tendencies. Effect sizes were considered to support the interpretation.

Findings

The results show first that the Covid-19 crisis has led to an increased demand for reliable information. This goes alongside a significant increased use of public broadcasting, newspapers and information provided by public organizations. Second, the majority (84%) of the participants reported being satisfied with the information supply during the Covid-19 crisis. Participants who were less satisfied with the information supply used reliable sources significantly less frequently, specifically public television, national newspapers and information provided by public organizations. Third, the amount of Covid-19-related information led some participants to a feeling of information overload, which resulted in a reduction of information seeking and media use.

Originality/value

This paper is one of the first to analyze changes of information behavior patterns of individuals during crises in the current information environment, considering the diversity of resources used by individuals.

Details

Journal of Documentation, vol. 78 no. 7
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0022-0418

Keywords

Available. Open Access. Open Access
Book part
Publication date: 29 March 2022

Madeleine Rauch and Shahzad (Shaz) Ansari

We illustrate the potential of diaries for advancing scholarship on organization studies and grand challenges. Writing personal diaries is a time-honored and culturally sanctioned

Abstract

We illustrate the potential of diaries for advancing scholarship on organization studies and grand challenges. Writing personal diaries is a time-honored and culturally sanctioned way of animating innermost thoughts and feelings, and embodying experiences through self-talk with famous examples, such as the diaries written by Anne Frank, Andy Warhol, or Thomas Mann. However, the use of diaries has long been neglected in organization studies, despite their historical and societal importance. We illustrate how different forms of analyzing diaries enable a “deep analysis of individuals’ internal processes and practices” (Radcliffe, 2018) which cannot be gleaned from other sources of data such as interviews and observations. Diaries exist in different forms, such as “unsolicited diaries” and “solicited diaries” and have different purposes. We evaluate how analyzing diaries can be a valuable source to illuminate the innermost thoughts and feelings of people at the forefront of grand challenges. To exemplify our arguments, we draw on diaries written by medical professionals working for Doctors Without Borders as part of our empirical research project conducted in extreme contexts. We show the value of unsolicited diaries in revealing people’s thought world that is not apprehensible from other modes of communication, and offer a set of practical guidelines on working with data from diaries. Diaries serve to enrich our methodological toolkit by capturing what people think and feel behind the scenes but may not express nor display in public.

Details

Organizing for Societal Grand Challenges
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-83909-829-1

Keywords

Available. Open Access. Open Access
Book part
Publication date: 29 March 2022

Sascha Friesike, Leonhard Dobusch and Maximilian Heimstädt

Many early-career researchers (ECR) are motivated by the prospect of creating knowledge that is useful, not just within but also beyond the academic community. Although research

Abstract

Many early-career researchers (ECR) are motivated by the prospect of creating knowledge that is useful, not just within but also beyond the academic community. Although research facilities, funders and academic journals praise this eagerness for societal impact, the path toward such contributions is by no means straightforward. In this essay, we address five common concerns faced by ECRs when they strive for societal impact. We discuss the opportunity costs associated with impact work, the fuzziness of current impact measurement, the challenge of incremental results, the actionability of research findings, and the risk of saying something wrong in public. We reflect on these concerns in light of our own experience with impact work and conclude by suggesting a “post-heroic” perspective on impact, whereby seemingly mundane activities are linked in a meaningful way.

Details

Organizing for Societal Grand Challenges
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-83909-829-1

Keywords

Available. Open Access. Open Access
Article
Publication date: 11 July 2023

Miroslav Despotovic, David Koch, Eric Stumpe, Wolfgang A. Brunauer and Matthias Zeppelzauer

In this study the authors aim to outline new ways of information extraction for automated valuation models, which in turn would help to increase transparency in valuation…

714

Abstract

Purpose

In this study the authors aim to outline new ways of information extraction for automated valuation models, which in turn would help to increase transparency in valuation procedures and thus contribute to more reliable statements about the value of real estate.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors hypothesize that empirical error in the interpretation and qualitative assessment of visual content can be minimized by collating the assessments of multiple individuals and through use of repeated trials. Motivated by this problem, the authors developed an experimental approach for semi-automatic extraction of qualitative real estate metadata based on Comparative Judgments and Deep Learning. The authors evaluate the feasibility of our approach with the help of Hedonic Models.

Findings

The results show that the collated assessments of qualitative features of interior images show a notable effect on the price models and thus over potential for further research within this paradigm.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first approach that combines and collates the subjective ratings of visual features and deep learning for real estate use cases.

Details

Journal of European Real Estate Research, vol. 16 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1753-9269

Keywords

Available. Open Access. Open Access
Article
Publication date: 26 July 2024

Asha Thomas, Puja Khatri, Vidushi Dabas and Ilda Maria Coniglio

Competition in the modern, knowledge-based economy is utterly pendant on innovation, rendering it indispensable in virtually every organisation. Knowledge workers, therefore, must…

626

Abstract

Purpose

Competition in the modern, knowledge-based economy is utterly pendant on innovation, rendering it indispensable in virtually every organisation. Knowledge workers, therefore, must remain vigilant, spanning novel ways to innovate. Given the relevance of innovation orientation (IO) in knowledge work, it is imperative to possess an extensive understanding of the concept. Therefore, this study aims to develop and validate a measurement scale to gauge employees’ IO.

Design/methodology/approach

Considering that the instruments now in existence exhibit insufficiency for measuring knowledge workers’ IO in its entirety, the mixed-method approach used in this study draws on both qualitative and quantitative findings across various studies, to address this problem. This study has been organised into five stages: item generation, scale purification, scale refinement, nomological validation and generalizability.

Findings

This study establishes and verifies a second-order, reflective–reflective IO measure founded on multiple samples, encompassing the dimensions of creative orientation, learning orientation, first-mover orientation, trust orientation and agility orientation. The resultant IO scale serves as a robust and reliable tool that is capable of being leveraged to explain, assess and enhance IO for knowledge workers.

Research limitations/implications

The rigorous methodology used in this scale development procedure serves as a benchmark for prospective scale development methodologists. From a managerial stance, this study serves managers/leaders concerning how to foster an innovation-oriented work environment to uncover employees’ hidden innovators. Organisations can leverage this study to discover, cultivate and capitalise on knowledge workers’ IO.

Originality/value

Although there exists an abundance of research on IO viewed from an institutional standpoint, research centred on the IO of knowledge workers is scarce. To bridge this gap, this study has developed and validated a scale for measuring knowledge workers’ IO.

Details

Journal of Knowledge Management, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1367-3270

Keywords

Available. Open Access. Open Access
Article
Publication date: 24 July 2024

Franz Rumstadt, Dominik K. Kanbach, Josef Arweck, Thomas K. Maran and Stephan Stubner

When CEOs are publicly weighing in on sociopolitical debates, this is known as CEO activism. The steadily growing number of such statements made in recent years has been subject…

1080

Abstract

Purpose

When CEOs are publicly weighing in on sociopolitical debates, this is known as CEO activism. The steadily growing number of such statements made in recent years has been subject to a flourishing academic debate. This field offers first profound findings from observational studies. However, the discussion of CEO activism lacks a thorough theoretical grounding, such as a shared concept accounting for the heterogeneity of sociopolitical incidents. Thus, the aim of this paper is to provide an archetypal framework for CEO activism.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors used a multiple case study approach on 145 activism cases stated by CEOs and found seven distinct statement archetypes.

Findings

The study identifies four main structural design elements accounting for the heterogeneity of activism, i.e. the addressed meta-category of the statement, the targeted outcome, the used tonality and the orientation of the CEOs’ positions. Further, the authors found seven distinguishable archetypes of CEO activism statements: “Climate Alerts”, “Economy Visions”, “Political Comments”, “Self-reflections and Social Concerns”, “Tech Designs”, “Unclouded Evaluations” and “Descriptive Explanations”.

Research limitations/implications

This typology classifies the heterogeneity of CEO activism. It will enable the analysis of interrelationships, mechanisms and motivations on a differentiated level and raise the comprehensibility of research-results.

Practical implications

The framework supports executives in understanding the heterogeneity of CEO activism and to analyse personality-fits.

Originality/value

To the authors’ knowledge, this marks the first conceptualisation of activism developed cross-thematically. The work supports further theory-building on CEO activism.

Details

Management Decision, vol. 62 no. 13
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0025-1747

Keywords

Available. Open Access. Open Access
Article
Publication date: 23 July 2021

Tapio Jukka

This study examines the relationship between business strategy, management control system (MCS) type and performance. Does the alignment of organisation business strategy and MCS…

11070

Abstract

Purpose

This study examines the relationship between business strategy, management control system (MCS) type and performance. Does the alignment of organisation business strategy and MCS fresult in better performance?

Design/methodology/approach

This study draws on the business strategy and MCS type literature to identify business strategies and MCS types. A scoring method was used to identify business strategy types and cluster analysis to identify MCS types from a sample of 80 firms and 621 firm-years of data. Analysis of variance was used analyse the differences.

Findings

Four types of MCS were identified and were labelled clan, adhocracy, market and hierarchy. The sample was split into defender, analyser, prospector and reactor strategies. The results showed defender strategies performed better with hierarchy or market type MCSs while prospector strategies performed better with clan or adhocracy MCS types. Analysers performed acceptably with all MCS types.

Practical implications

The results of this study suggest that organisations should align their business strategy with a certain MCS type to achieve good performance. Also, alignment of top management and business strategy is supported as the top management properties differ between the MCS types.

Originality/value

This research contributes to the management control and strategy literature by demonstrating how the alignment between organisation business strategy and organisation-level MCS type determines organisational performance. The results suggest that differing business strategies yield better performance when aligned with the appropriate management controls represented by an MCS type.

Details

International Journal of Productivity and Performance Management, vol. 72 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1741-0401

Keywords

Available. Open Access. Open Access
Article
Publication date: 9 January 2025

Olli Vigren and Kent Eriksson

This article proposes a Multilayer Network (MLN) model for studying business ecosystems. The model focuses on the flows of products, services and money between buyers and sellers…

80

Abstract

Purpose

This article proposes a Multilayer Network (MLN) model for studying business ecosystems. The model focuses on the flows of products, services and money between buyers and sellers, emphasizing that these flows form both actor-level and emergent system-level ecosystem structures.

Design/methodology/approach

The article examines two case studies of real estate owners and their suppliers, using financial transaction data to provide a detailed, data-driven view of business ecosystems.

Findings

The study advances real estate theory by deepening research on the digitalization of real estate owners, especially on their enterprise architectures and supplier networks. Despite size differences, both case firms have similar, complex supplier-network structures. The findings may inform enterprise architecture management and procurement practices in the real estate sector.

Originality/value

The MLN model defines terminology for ecosystem layers and provides methods for establishing ecosystem boundaries. This aligns with the micro-level critique in management and ecosystems research. We conclude by highlighting that event data, when available, can enhance future business ecosystem analysis by enabling the study of broader ecosystem structures with the MLN model.

Details

Journal of European Real Estate Research, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1753-9269

Keywords

Available. Open Access. Open Access
Article
Publication date: 1 January 2019

Siraj K. K. and Azzah Al Maskari

The main purpose of this study was to evaluate students’ perception of blended learning instructional design in a Higher Education Institution (HEI) in the Sultanate of Oman. A…

4742

Abstract

The main purpose of this study was to evaluate students’ perception of blended learning instructional design in a Higher Education Institution (HEI) in the Sultanate of Oman. A course in a bachelor degree was offered using blended learning instructional mode, and students’ feedback was obtained on the impact of blended learning. The study was conducted in Ibra College of Technology, one of the seven colleges under the Ministry of Manpower in the Sultanate of Oman. A course in Business Strategy and HR Management was offered during Summer 2016 using a combination of traditional and online instructional design. A structured questionnaire was administered at the end of the semester to solicit feedback from students. The results of the study highlighted a positive attitude among students towards blended learning courses. The research stressed the requirements for proper infrastructure, training and development initiatives for staff and students, shift to a more focused practical assessment methods to measure the graduate attributes. Student engagement, learner autonomy, connection of learning to real life environments and flexibility all appeared to benefit from the blended learning course.

Details

Learning and Teaching in Higher Education: Gulf Perspectives, vol. 15 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2077-5504

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