Sara De Masi, Agnieszka Słomka-Gołębiowska and Andrea Paci
This paper examines the relationship between women on boards and board monitoring tasks depending on group categories identified in the Kanter's theory.
Abstract
Purpose
This paper examines the relationship between women on boards and board monitoring tasks depending on group categories identified in the Kanter's theory.
Design/methodology/approach
Using a sample of the largest listed companies in Spain, Italy and France during the period 2007–2017, this study tests the effect of women's presence based on the following board categories: (1) skewed boards with a percentage of women that is less than 20%; (2) tilted boards with a percentage of women that ranges from 20% to 33%; (3) tilted boards with a percentage of women that is more than 33%; and (4) balanced boards with an equal or quasi-equal gender distribution. The authors use the case of the gender board quota regulation in different European Union countries.
Findings
The results suggest that tilted boards engage in stronger firm monitoring and that the effect of women on board monitoring tasks is positive and statistically significant when the percentage of female directors reaches the threshold of 33%.
Practical implications
The outcomes of this study help policymakers identify the minimum threshold that quota regulations should mandate in order for boards to be effective.
Originality/value
This paper moves forward the ongoing debate about the effect of women on corporate boards, shifting the focus from the ratio or presence of female directors to the size of the group they form within the board. To the best of authors’ knowledge, this is the first study to test Kanter's theory by investigating the relationship between women on boards and board monitoring.
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Agnieszka Slomka-Golebiowska, Sara De Masi and Andrea Paci
This study aims to examine the effects of board dynamics produced by reaching a certain proportion of women on board tasks (monitoring, strategy and advisory).
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to examine the effects of board dynamics produced by reaching a certain proportion of women on board tasks (monitoring, strategy and advisory).
Design/methodology/approach
Using a panel of 35 listed companies belonging to FTSE-MIB index, for the years 2008–2015, the hypotheses can be tested by applying random effect regressions. The introduction of gender board quota law in Italy has created a quasi-natural experiment that is applied in the study.
Findings
This research provides evidence that reaching 33% women on boards, which is the threshold mandated by the Italian gender board quota law, makes a difference for strategy tasks but not for monitoring tasks. This proportion of women on boards creates the board dynamics necessary to empower all board members, allowing the varied knowledge, skills, backgrounds and personal qualities to be leveraged and used in strategy tasks. For monitoring tasks, obtaining a proportion of 20% women on boards, as a first threshold enforced by the law, is enough to voice their opinion during board meetings and challenge management.
Originality/value
The results show that each set of board tasks requires different dynamics trigged by a specific proportion between a minority (women) and a dominant subgroup (men). To enhance monitoring tasks performance, it is enough to reach a proportion between men and women which makes the women less isolated and more inclined to speak up during the board meetings. In the case of strategy tasks, the improved performance is achieved when the dominant group enticed to hear women’s opinions and responsive to various perspectives. This paper expands the debates going beyond monitoring tasks, showing the importance of board dynamics for engagement in strategy and advisory tasks.
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Wenjie Fan, Yong Liu, Hongxiu Li, Virpi Kristiina Tuunainen and Yanqing Lin
Drawing on attribution theory, the current paper aims to examine the effects of review content structures on online review helpfulness, focusing on three pertinent variables…
Abstract
Purpose
Drawing on attribution theory, the current paper aims to examine the effects of review content structures on online review helpfulness, focusing on three pertinent variables: review sidedness, information factuality, and emotional intensity at the beginning of a review. Moreover, the moderating roles of reviewer reputation and review sentiment are investigated.
Design/methodology/approach
The review sentiment of 144,982 online hotel reviews was computed at the sentence level by considering the presence of adverbs and negative terms. Then, the authors quantified the impact of variables that were pertinent to review content structures on online review helpfulness in terms of review sidedness, information factuality and emotional intensity at the beginning of a review. Zero-inflated negative binomial regression was employed to test the model.
Findings
The results reveal that review sidedness negatively affects online review helpfulness, and reviewer reputation moderates this effect. Information factuality positively affects online review helpfulness, and positive sentiment moderates this impact. A review that begins with a highly emotional statement is more likely to be perceived as less helpful.
Originality/value
Using attribution theory as a theoretical lens, this study contributes to the online customer review literature by investigating the impact of review content structures on online review helpfulness and by demonstrating the important moderating effects of reviewer reputation and review sentiment. The findings can help practitioners develop effective review appraisal mechanisms and guide consumers in producing helpful reviews.
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Patrick Hennelly, Jagjit Srai, Gary Graham and Samuel Fosso Wamba
Jinou Xu, Margherita Emma Paola Pero, Federica Ciccullo and Andrea Sianesi
This paper aims to examine how the extant publication has related big data analytics (BDA) to supply chain planning (SCP). The paper presents a conceptual model based on the…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to examine how the extant publication has related big data analytics (BDA) to supply chain planning (SCP). The paper presents a conceptual model based on the reviewed articles and the dominant research gaps and outlines the research directions for future advancement.
Design/methodology/approach
Based on a systematic literature review, this study analysed 72 journal articles and reported the descriptive and thematic analysis in assessing the established body of knowledge.
Findings
This study reveals the fact that literature on relating BDA to SCP has an ambiguous use of BDA-related terminologies and a siloed view on SCP processes that primarily focuses on the short-term. Looking at the big data sources, the objective of adopting BDA and changes to SCP, we identified three roles of big data and BDA for SCP: supportive facilitator, source of empowerment and game-changer. It bridges the conversation between BDA technology for SCP and its management issues in organisations and supply chains according to the technology-organisation-environmental framework.
Research limitations/implications
This paper presents a comprehensive examination of existing literature on relating BDA to SCP. The resulted themes and research opportunities will help to advance the understanding of how BDA will reshape the future of SCP and how to manage BDA adoption towards a big data-driven SCP.
Originality/value
This study is unique in its discussion on how BDA will reshape SCP integrating the technical and managerial perspectives, which have not been discussed to date.
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Robert Zimmermann, Daniel Mora, Douglas Cirqueira, Markus Helfert, Marija Bezbradica, Dirk Werth, Wolfgang Jonas Weitzl, René Riedl and Andreas Auinger
The transition to omnichannel retail is the recognized future of retail, which uses digital technologies (e.g. augmented reality shopping assistants) to enhance the customer…
Abstract
Purpose
The transition to omnichannel retail is the recognized future of retail, which uses digital technologies (e.g. augmented reality shopping assistants) to enhance the customer shopping experience. However, retailers struggle with the implementation of such technologies in brick-and-mortar stores. Against this background, the present study investigates the impact of a smartphone-based augmented reality shopping assistant application, which uses personalized recommendations and explainable artificial intelligence features on customer shopping experiences.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors follow a design science research approach to develop a shopping assistant application artifact, evaluated by means of an online experiment (n = 252), providing both qualitative and quantitative data.
Findings
Results indicate a positive impact of the augmented reality shopping assistant application on customers' perception of brick-and-mortar shopping experiences. Based on the empirical insights this study also identifies possible improvements of the artifact.
Research limitations/implications
This study's assessment is limited to an online evaluation approach. Therefore, future studies should test actual usage of the technology in brick-and-mortar stores. Contrary to the suggestions of established theories (i.e. technology acceptance model, uses and gratification theory), this study shows that an increase of shopping experience does not always convert into an increase in the intention to purchase or to visit a brick-and-mortar store. Additionally, this study provides novel design principles and ideas for crafting augmented reality shopping assistant applications that can be used by future researchers to create advanced versions of such applications.
Practical implications
This paper demonstrates that a shopping assistant artifact provides a good opportunity to enhance users' shopping experience on their path-to-purchase, as it can support customers by providing rich information (e.g. explainable recommendations) for decision-making along the customer shopping journey.
Originality/value
This paper shows that smartphone-based augmented reality shopping assistant applications have the potential to increase the competitive power of brick-and-mortar retailers.
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Claudio Piga and Giuseppe Melis
Focusing on two beer festivals held in Nottingham, England, this study aims to evaluate their indirect impact on the performance of city hotels. This study builds on theoretical…
Abstract
Purpose
Focusing on two beer festivals held in Nottingham, England, this study aims to evaluate their indirect impact on the performance of city hotels. This study builds on theoretical insights from the revenue management literature to shed empirical light on the potentially beneficial effects of events on the hotels’ performance. This study investigates the impact of the differential support offered by the destination management organisation (DMO) over two years.
Design/methodology/approach
Using online prices posted in advance of the events on an online travel agent, the authors assess hotel performance for each day of the events relative to the same day of the week in a week with no event. A similar comparison is made to assess the impact across two different years. In both cases, an ordinary least squares methodology was used.
Findings
Both events appear not to have had a strong impact on hotel prices and occupancy in 2016, i.e. when the DMO’s promotional effort was more proactive. Instead, in 2017, one event registered higher hotel prices and occupancy both relative to the year before and to the “business as usual” week.
Practical implications
The study identifies the existence of an indirect positive economic impact of the events on the hospitality sector.
Originality/value
The investigation adopts a more naturalistic experimental design to collect the data, which allows the authors to control for both the impact on prices and occupancy at the level of the single hotel. The evidence is therefore micro-founded. Moreover, results shed light on the role played by the DMO.