Search results

1 – 10 of 19
Per page
102050
Citations:
Loading...
Available. Content available
Article
Publication date: 18 October 2011

Lutgart Van den Berghe, Abigail Levrau, Naomi Chambers and Joris-Johann Lenssen

621

Abstract

Details

Corporate Governance: The international journal of business in society, vol. 11 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1472-0701

Available. Open Access. Open Access
Article
Publication date: 28 October 2019

Rita Goyal, Nada Kakabadse and Andrew Kakabadse

Boards presently are considered the most critical component in improving corporate governance (CG). Board diversity is increasingly being recommended as a tool for enhancing firm…

13727

Abstract

Purpose

Boards presently are considered the most critical component in improving corporate governance (CG). Board diversity is increasingly being recommended as a tool for enhancing firm performance. Academic research and regulatory action regarding board diversity are focussed mainly on gender and ethnic composition of boards. However, the perspective of board members on board diversity and its impact is mostly missing. Moreover, while strategic leadership perspective suggests that a broader set of upper echelon’s characteristics may shape their actions, empirical evidence investigating the impact of less-explored attributes of diversity is almost non-existent. While the research on the input–output relationship between board diversity and firm performance remains equivocal, an intervening relationship between board diversity and board effectiveness needs to be understood. The purpose of this paper is to address all three limitations and explore the subject from board members’ perspective.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper presents the findings of qualitative, exploratory research conducted by interviewing 42 board members of FTSE 350 companies. The data are analysed thematically.

Findings

The findings of the research suggest that board members of FTSE 350 companies consider the diversity of functional experience to be a critical requirement for boards’ role-effectiveness. Functionally diverse boards manage external dependencies more effectively and challenge assumptions of the executive more efficiently, thus improving CG. The findings significantly contribute to the literature on board diversity, as well as to strategic leadership theory and other applicable theories. The research is conducted with a relatively small but elite and difficult to approach set of 42 board members of FTSE 350 companies.

Practical implications

The paper makes a unique and significant contribution to praxis by presenting the perspective of practitioners of CG – board members. The findings may encourage board nomination committees to seek board diversity beyond the gender and ethnic characteristics of directors. The findings may also be relevant for policy formulation, as they indicate that functionally diverse boards have improved effectiveness in a range of board roles.

Social implications

Board diversity is about building a board that accurately reflects the make-up of the population and stakeholders of the society where the company operates. The aim of board diversity is to cultivate a broad range of attributes and perspectives that reflects real-world demographics as boards need to continue to earn their “licence to operate in society” as organisations have a responsibility to multiple constituents and stakeholders, including the community and the wider society within which they exist. Building social capital through diversity has value in the wider context of modern society and achieving social justice.

Originality/value

The paper makes an original and unique contribution to strategic leadership theory by strengthening the argument of the theory. The paper explores beyond widely researched attributes of gender and ethnicity on boards and explores the impact of a less-researched characteristic of directors – their functional experience. Moreover, the paper opens the “black box” of CG – boards, and presents the perspectives of board members. The findings indicate that board members in FTSE 350 boards define diversity more broadly than academics and regulatory agencies often do.

Details

Journal of Capital Markets Studies, vol. 3 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2514-4774

Keywords

Available. Open Access. Open Access
Article
Publication date: 25 December 2023

Patrik Ström and Brita Hermelin

The circular economy (CE) has been endorsed as representing a model that is able to achieve environmental protection through decreased use of raw materials, together with changing…

881

Abstract

Purpose

The circular economy (CE) has been endorsed as representing a model that is able to achieve environmental protection through decreased use of raw materials, together with changing economic values and social inclusion thanks to its demand for a wide variety of skill profiles. This has motivated many policy initiatives to support the implementation of the CE. The purpose of this study is to follow such policy initiatives in three geographically anchored industry-specific networks.

Design/methodology/approach

The study contributes to the research debate on the CE through a spatial approach with a focus on how the implementation of the CE is conditioned by spatial and regional contexts. The authors investigate three different networks in Sweden for CE with different locations and industrial profiles.

Findings

The findings reveal the difficulty that exist in relation to the implementation of the CE. The network and support functions in combination with private industry are vital. The risk of sustaining an uneven regional economic development is evident.

Originality/value

Although research on the development of the CE has proliferated, geographical approaches to this development are comparably rare to date. The authors seek to contextualise the strategy development and policy implementation of a CE policy.

Details

Journal of Science and Technology Policy Management, vol. 16 no. 10
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2053-4620

Keywords

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

Eman Alhusaiyan

This study aims to examine the trends and advancements in AI-supported language learning over the past decade. By analyzing 15 empirical research articles, the study seeks to fill…

615

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to examine the trends and advancements in AI-supported language learning over the past decade. By analyzing 15 empirical research articles, the study seeks to fill the gap in understanding the effectiveness and challenges of AI-assisted language learning for both first- and second-language learners.

Design/methodology/approach

The research utilizes activity theory, which includes seven components: tool, subject, object, rules, community, division of labor and outcome. This theoretical framework helps to reveal the dynamic interactions and contradictions among these elements. The selection and screening process for relevant articles followed the PRISMA method, ensuring a systematic and comprehensive review.

Findings

The study found that AI-supported technology shows promise in enhancing language learning, particularly in areas such as writing quality, scoring accuracy and learner engagement. However, challenges remain in terms of dialogic competence and the necessity of teacher intervention in pedagogical design. While AI-supported systems can effectively aid in language acquisition, improvements are needed to foster language use for communication and collaborative design.

Research limitations/implications

The review highlights the need for more empirical studies on the pedagogical impacts of AI-supported language learning and the engagement levels of both learners and teachers. It also underscores the importance of investigating the application of AI-assisted language learning in actual classroom environments.

Practical implications

The implications of this study offer significant insights for both educational practice and future research in AI-supported language learning. As AI technologies continue to evolve, their potential to enhance learning outcomes and support teachers’ efforts becomes increasingly apparent. However, effective implementation requires not only the availability of technological tools but also proper pedagogical integration and teacher intervention. Furthermore, AI presents unique opportunities to personalize learning and foster collaboration among learners, aligning with the growing trend of hybrid learning environments.

Originality/value

This paper addresses the need for a comprehensive review of AI’s role in language education, providing insights into emerging trends and identifying areas for future research. It emphasizes the importance of integrating AI tools with educational theories and the necessity of teacher configuration in enhancing AI-supported language learning.

Details

Saudi Journal of Language Studies, vol. 5 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2634-243X

Keywords

Available. Open Access. Open Access
Article
Publication date: 22 November 2024

F. Javier Martin-Campo, M. Teresa Ortuño Sánchez and Berta Ruiz-Gonzalez

The deployment of a field hospital can play an important role in the response to an emergency. This paper is concerned with the management of emergency staff to a field hospital…

168

Abstract

Purpose

The deployment of a field hospital can play an important role in the response to an emergency. This paper is concerned with the management of emergency staff to a field hospital from a roster of volunteers with different characteristics. This paper aims to propose a mathematical optimisation model that selects the necessary profiles of the roster according to several criteria and provides travel planning taking into account the total cost of the operation.

Design/methodology/approach

This study uses a multi-criteria optimisation model to take into account the preferences of the three main stakeholders involved in the deployment of the field hospital: the cooperation organisation, the staff and the end users. The model considers the possibility of using commercial or chartered flights, allows staff to indicate their preferred availability, considers the grading of volunteers according to their skills and training and provides a final flight schedule for all the medical personnel needed to operate the field hospital. Compromise programming is used to provide a Pareto optimal solution, which is compared with solutions provided by Goal programming.

Findings

The model has been validated using data from the operation in a case study of the deployment of the Spanish START hospital in Turkey 2023, demonstrating the practical utility of the model in similar operations.

Originality/value

The study innovates by considering a multi-criteria model that takes into account the main actors involved in the response – cooperation organisation, staff and end users – in an integrated way and proposes new measures of efficiency.

Details

Journal of Humanitarian Logistics and Supply Chain Management, vol. 15 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2042-6747

Keywords

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

Alana Vandebeek, Wim Voordeckers, Jolien Huybrechts and Frank Lambrechts

The purpose of this study is to examine how informational faultlines on a board affect the management of knowledge owned by directors and the consequences on organizational…

1615

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to examine how informational faultlines on a board affect the management of knowledge owned by directors and the consequences on organizational performance. In this study, informational faultlines are defined as hypothetical lines that divide a group into relatively homogeneous subgroups based on the alignment of several informational attributes among board members.

Design/methodology/approach

The study uses unique hand-collected panel data covering 7,247 board members at 106 publicly traded firms to provide strong support for the hypothesized U-shaped relationship. The authors use a fixed effects approach and a system generalized method of moments approach to test the hypothesis.

Findings

The study finds that the relationship between informational faultlines on a board and organizational performance is U shaped, with the least optimal organizational performance experienced when boards have moderate informational faultlines. More specifically, informational faultlines within boards are negatively related to organizational performance across the weak-to-moderate range of informational faultlines and positively related to organizational performance across the moderate-to-strong range.

Research limitations/implications

By explaining the mechanisms through which informational faultlines are related to organizational performance, the authors contribute to the literature in a number of ways. By conceptualizing how the management of knowledge plays an important role in the particular setting of corporate boards, the authors add not only to literature on knowledge management but also to the faultline and corporate governance literature.

Originality/value

This study offers a rationale for prior mixed findings by providing an alternative theoretical basis to explain the effect of informational faultlines within boards on organizational performance. To advance the field, the authors build on the concept of knowledge demonstrability to illuminate how informational faultlines affect the management of knowledge within boards, which will translate to organizational performance.

Details

Journal of Knowledge Management, vol. 28 no. 11
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1367-3270

Keywords

Available. Open Access. Open Access
Article
Publication date: 4 January 2024

Sumaya Hashim, Maura McAdam and Mattias Nordqvist

Drawing on indigenous theory of Ibn Khaldun, the rise and fall of States, this paper explores the agency of women entrepreneurs in family business in Bahrain and the underlying…

1548

Abstract

Purpose

Drawing on indigenous theory of Ibn Khaldun, the rise and fall of States, this paper explores the agency of women entrepreneurs in family business in Bahrain and the underlying enablers in supporting and facilitating the exercise of this agency. This study attempts to move beyond the Western-centric studies to reflect and bring to light the unique institutional settings of the Gulf States.

Design/methodology/approach

The research builds on a rich qualitative single case of a family business based in Bahrain. The single case study methodology was motivated by the potential for generating rich contextual insights. Such an approach is particularly valuable to gain a more holistic and deeper understanding of the contextualized phenomenon and its complexity.

Findings

In this study the authors show how women entrepreneurs take two different paths to enter and become involved in the family business, the barriers they are subjected to and the active role they play in dismantling the challenges to the extent that they become the main mediators between the family business and central institutions in society.

Originality/value

By incorporating indigenous theory with Western family business concepts, the study extends existing understanding of women entrepreneurs in family business by underscoring the agency that women entrepreneurs have in “doing context” and the role that women play in strengthening common cause and destiny within the family and the business by building and drawing on different forms of loyalty.

Details

International Journal of Gender and Entrepreneurship, vol. 16 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1756-6266

Keywords

Available. Content available
Book part
Publication date: 4 December 2023

Stuart Cartland

Abstract

Details

Constructing Realities
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-83797-546-4

Available. Content available
Article
Publication date: 1 February 2001

Dilys Wells

1967

Abstract

Details

Nutrition & Food Science, vol. 31 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0034-6659

Available. Open Access. Open Access
Article
Publication date: 21 March 2023

Viola Deutscher and Anke Braunstein

This study aims to support researchers and practitioners in finding suitable instruments for future research studies and organizational quality assessments.

3788

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to support researchers and practitioners in finding suitable instruments for future research studies and organizational quality assessments.

Design/methodology/approach

Employees’ success of learning at work is strongly influenced by the quality of the workplace learning environment. In the recent decades growing effort has been given to the development of surveys to measure the quality of workplace learning, resulting in a large number of available survey instruments. This study conceptually draws on a 3-P model and uses a qualitative metasynthesis to collect and categorize n = 94 surveys that intend to measure the quality of workplace learning (WPL).

Findings

The results underline that research on WPL environments is a highly interdisciplinary endeavor, where every discipline enriches the field by a new perspective and own foci. Overall, this study finds a focus on learning culture and working conditions, on social and functional inclusion of the learner and on support and feedback during training. Products of WPL such as professional competences or career aspirations play a minor role.

Originality/value

With the integration of quality measurement instruments from various research studies, this study produces an interactive online instrument map that gives a broad, yet organized overview of available quality measures in the WPL field.

Details

Journal of Workplace Learning, vol. 35 no. 9
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1366-5626

Keywords

1 – 10 of 19
Per page
102050