Abrar Faisal, Julia N. Albrecht and Willem J.L. Coetzee
This paper aims to respond to the strong calls for interdisciplinary solutions to address the many and varied challenges that major disasters create in urban (tourism) spaces, and…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to respond to the strong calls for interdisciplinary solutions to address the many and varied challenges that major disasters create in urban (tourism) spaces, and provide a holistic conceptualisation of organisational responses to disruptions in the external business environment. It argues that organisations need to actively (re)formulate a sustainable business proposition to passively adapt to environmental conditions and modify the selective environment.
Design/methodology/approach
This study uses a qualitative approach to introducing and examining the concepts and theoretical constructs underpinning the proposed conceptual schemata. The content-driven inductive approach used here is based on an extensive review of the disaster recovery, crisis management, entrepreneurial strategy and urban tourism literature with a focus on organisational perspectives. It systematically brings together the theories and research findings from these separate strands of literature.
Findings
While the extant literature focuses on the importance of effective adaptability to survive and thrive in environmental uncertainties, some aspects of the relevant evolutionary processes are not addressed in the context of urban tourism. Indeed, a systematic approach that questions how urban tourism and hospitality businesses react to crises has been long overdue. This paper, therefore, introduces niche construction theory (NCT) as an alternative and proposes an integrated framework to understand the environmental conditions of urban tourism and organisational evolution during post-disaster turbulence.
Research limitations/implications
The proposed model emerging from a multidisciplinary literature review acknowledges boundary conditions in the tourism industry-specific interpretation of a crisis situation. The tenets of NCT need to be adopted flexibly rather than as part of a strictly prescriptive process to allow for all aspects of the related business responses to play out and become exposed to the emerging selection pressures.
Practical implications
The argument underpinned by the theoretical constructs of niche construction encourages and offers a framework for practitioners to actively (re)formulate business proposition and (re)construct organisational niche to survive post-disaster turbulence in the business environment and exert influence over their own evolution.
Originality/value
This paper offers different angles, filters and lenses for constructing and interpreting knowledge of organisational evolution in the context of crisis management. The conceptual schema (Figure 2) emerged as a novel contribution itself providing a necessary lens to interpret the empirical data and understand the complexities of the organisational responses to the disruptive post-disaster turbulence in an urban tourism business environment.
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Minoo Salimian Rizi, Amir Eslami Andargoli, Mohsin Malik and Asjad Shahzad
The literature has not yet delved sufficiently deeper into the holistic relationship between organisational culture and agile project management. This paper aims to address this…
Abstract
Purpose
The literature has not yet delved sufficiently deeper into the holistic relationship between organisational culture and agile project management. This paper aims to address this literature gap by delineating the specifics of why and how organisational culture affects agile project management.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper addresses this literature gap by conducting a systematic literature review of empirical research investigating how organisational culture affects agile project management. This paper draws on the competing values framework to explain how various dimensions of organisational culture influence the technical and social streams of agile project management.
Findings
The findings underscored the detrimental effects of hierarchical culture, characterised by rigid organisational structures, formal communication with management and resistance to change acceptance, on both the technical and social aspects of agile projects. In contrast, the positive impact of group culture on the social aspect was evident through employee empowerment and teamwork. Moreover, the rational culture dimension demonstrated favourable effects on both streams, emphasising market knowledge, financial development and business opportunities. Finally, the developmental culture dimension supported customer collaboration, knowledge sharing and innovation.
Originality/value
The focus on the “mutability” of organisational culture has led to four research propositions delineating specific ways of cultivating organisational culture to be more conducive to agile projects, marking a first in the academic literature.
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Ewa Sońta-Drączkowska and Agnieszka Krogulec
This study seeks to illuminate the managerial tensions inherent in implementing scaled agile (on the organizational, top management, middle management and team levels) and to…
Abstract
Purpose
This study seeks to illuminate the managerial tensions inherent in implementing scaled agile (on the organizational, top management, middle management and team levels) and to frame these challenges within the broader context of project management.
Design/methodology/approach
The study adopts a grounded theory approach and delves into a qualitative dataset sourced from 34 interviews with subject matter experts actively engaged in scaling agile initiatives within large organizations spanning various industries. Additionally, the data have been enriched through a comprehensive literature review of the existing body of knowledge on scaling agile.
Findings
As a result of our investigation, we propose a framework of managerial tensions in scaling agile in large corporate settings and a series of research propositions and questions that may contribute significantly to the body of knowledge surrounding the phenomenon of “deprojectification” and propose agenda for the future studies in the field of project management.
Research limitations/implications
The study also carries significant managerial implications. Firstly, based on the insights from the practice of scaling agile in large corporate setting, management can build awareness of the challenges inherent of transitioning to agile practices. This may help to anticipate the possible problems and proactively develop strategies how to address them. Secondly, management can be instructed about contingencies inherent in scaling agile, along with the potential disfunctions and side effects (unintended outcomes) that may emerge during the transition process. Thirdly, project management practitioners can gain insights on how scaling agile may cause shifts in the approach to managing projects, project team management and competencies that need to be developed to cope with environments where various approaches to managing projects coexist.
Practical implications
These insights can aid in the agile transition process, beginning with directing managerial attention toward contextual factors and progressing through potential challenges at the organizational, top management, middle management and team levels. Furthermore, the study highlights possible dysfunctionalities and side effects of scaling agile, shedding light on the “dark side” of agile.
Originality/value
The study contributes to the expansion of the empirical database on the implementation of agile practices in large organizational settings. It plays a role in defining and delineating the phenomenon of scaling agile within the context of project management and outlines a research agenda for future project management studies. Additionally, our study adds to the ongoing discourse surrounding the “deprojectification” effect that can occur during the scaling of agile. Lastly, it establishes connections between project management and software development literature regarding the implementation of agile at scale.
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Amani Khalaf Hamdan Alghamdi, Ali Aldossary and Waisi Elhassan
This classroom-based qualitative study explored the effectiveness of the debate learning strategy in female postgraduate education in Saudi Arabia, which is implementing its…
Abstract
Purpose
This classroom-based qualitative study explored the effectiveness of the debate learning strategy in female postgraduate education in Saudi Arabia, which is implementing its recent national development plan, Vision 2030. Educational reform is key to its transition to a modernized, knowledge-based economy. The debate format was used to elicit views on educational reforms and necessitated forming and articulating well-reasoned arguments and logic.
Design/methodology/approach
At a Saudi Eastern Province university, 13 female postgraduate students (preservice teachers) participated in a student-centered learning environment conducive to debates. Documents prepared for the debate underwent a qualitative content analysis.
Findings
Data were readily classified into five categories: educational reforms should meet 21st century skills, achieve educational outcomes, ensure Saudi Arabia’s knowledge-based economy, prioritize the role of the university and recognize the impact of both teachers and curricula. As key players in the nation’s future, participants affirmed the ongoing need for educational innovation and modernization.
Originality/value
While debates are an authentic part of Arabian heritage, they are less utilized in Saudi higher education settings. Findings affirm that debates are a beneficial learning strategy for bolstering future educators’ participation in Saudi Arabia’s educational reform.
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Kanwal Zahoor, Faisal Qadeer, Muhammad Sheeraz and Imran Hameed
Drawing upon social learning theory (SLT), the study examines the consequences of ethical leadership on followers' voice behavior facets (promotive and prohibitive). The study…
Abstract
Purpose
Drawing upon social learning theory (SLT), the study examines the consequences of ethical leadership on followers' voice behavior facets (promotive and prohibitive). The study tests hypotheses about the processing mechanism (moral identity) and the boundary condition (proactive personality) to understand these relationships.
Design/methodology/approach
The study collected time-lagged survey data through an online structured questionnaire from 182 respondents. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was used to ensure the validity and reliability of the data. Moreover, structural equation modeling was run to test the hypotheses using AMOS.
Findings
Ethical leadership positively affects followers' promotive and prohibitive voice behavior via the psychological mechanism of moral identity. Proactive personality moderates the moral identity – promotive and moral identity – prohibitive voice relationships, such that these relations are stronger when the individuals are high on proactive personality.
Research limitations/implications
Robust evidence of a genuine cause-and-effect relationship may not be yielded owing to cross-sectional and self-reported data at the follower level of analysis. Future researchers can use dyadic, longitudinal and experimental designs to overcome these limitations. Organizations targeting to increase voice behavior can benefit from maintaining ethical leaders and proactive followers at the workplace.
Originality/value
The study significantly contributes to the ethical leadership and voice behavior literature. Ethical leadership enhances followers' promotive/prohibitive voice behaviors through their moral identity enhancement. The paper also confirmed that a proactive personality is a critical boundary condition in these relationships. Empirical evidence from the Eastern context has been added, and research directions have also been provided.
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Muhammad Azeem, Sania Aziz, Jawad Shahid, Aamir Hayat, Munir Ahmed and Muhammad Imran Khan
In a modern business scenario, firms have implemented customer-centric approaches to enable customer relationship management (CRM) to trigger business excellence. Business…
Abstract
Purpose
In a modern business scenario, firms have implemented customer-centric approaches to enable customer relationship management (CRM) to trigger business excellence. Business strategies are modernizing business marketing operations that mainly focused on the retention of profitable customers. The purpose of this study is to empirically investigate the impact of marketing strategies (MS), information technology support (IT-S) and knowledge sharing (KS) in the effect of CRM in the pharmaceutical sector of Punjab, Pakistan.
Design/methodology/approach
Data were collected from the field force of national and international pharmaceuticals companies (N = 263) through a convenience sampling technique. Partial least squares structural equation modeling was used to examine data in SmartPLS 3.2.6.
Findings
The results indicated that IT-S and KS mediate the relationship between MS and CRM. More specifically, MS positively develops CRM through IT-S and KS.
Originality/value
This research contributes to the existing literature of pharmaceuticals by disclosing the field-force (medical representatives) specific role in developing CRM performance between pharmaceuticals firms and health-care physicians that are mainly based on knowledge advancement and influence these firms to adopt customer-centric business approaches to gain a competitive advantage to drive firm profitability.
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Shahzaf Iqbal, Che Azlan Bin Taib and Mohd. Rizal Razalli
This study aims to investigate how the service quality provided by distribution companies (DISCOs) impacts consumer satisfaction, focusing on the mediating role of regulatory…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to investigate how the service quality provided by distribution companies (DISCOs) impacts consumer satisfaction, focusing on the mediating role of regulatory effectiveness as governed by the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) in Pakistan’s power sector.
Design/methodology/approach
A quantitative research design was used, with data collected via online surveys from domestic electricity consumers of five DISCOs in Punjab, Pakistan. Data analysis was performed using SPSS-25 and SmartPLS-4 software.
Findings
The results indicate that service quality significantly affects both consumer satisfaction and regulatory effectiveness, with regulatory effectiveness positively mediating the relationship between service quality and consumer satisfaction.
Research limitations/implications
The limitations of this study include a cross-sectional design and multistage sampling, which may introduce bias and inadequately represent diverse demographics. Future research should involve commercial users, use longitudinal designs and adopt mixed methods for deeper insights. Nevertheless, the findings emphasize the mediating role of regulatory effectiveness in linking service quality to consumer satisfaction, highlighting the importance of governance in the electricity sector.
Practical implications
The findings offer valuable insights for policymakers, DISCO managers and regulatory bodies, underscoring the need to enhance service quality and regulatory practices to improve consumer satisfaction. Collaboration between DISCOs and NEPRA is recommended to address inefficiencies and governance issues, focusing on infrastructure development, transparency and accountability to enhance the consumer experience in Pakistan’s electricity sector.
Originality/value
This study contributes to the literature by introducing regulatory effectiveness as a mediator between service quality and consumer satisfaction within the power sector, guided by institutional theory.
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Bashir Tijjani, Ahmed Ali Algarni, Faisal Abdullah Al Hudithi, Khalid Idris Falgi, Nadeem Siddique and Muhammad Ajmal Khan
This study aims to provide quantitative information on the research trends of international public sector accounting standards (IPSAS).
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to provide quantitative information on the research trends of international public sector accounting standards (IPSAS).
Design/methodology/approach
The study used bibliometric analysis to determine the research trends in IPSAS literature. The method was applied to papers indexed in the Scopus database to analyze the growth and publication trends of the selected papers. The research team rigorously compiled a list of keywords relevant to IPSAS after consultation with the principal researcher. The study did not apply document type, year or language filter. The search query resulted in 475 documents. The study used MS Access, Excel and Biblioshiny software for the data analysis and visualization.
Findings
The acceptance and application of IPSAS by many countries and UN system organizations have led to the rise in IPSAS literature globally. The study finds the USA to be the most productive country, with Italy, Spain and the UK as second, third and fourth, respectively. Similarly, the University of Zaragoza has produced the most publications in the field, followed by the University of Salerno and Ghent University.
Practical implications
This study provides the current state of IPSAS research globally; as a result, it supports the development of policies by the users of this standards. This information can inform the development or revision of public sector accounting policies and standards.
Originality/value
To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study that provides a bibliometric analysis of the growth and publication trends of IPSAS literature. The findings in this study uncover different areas of IPSAS research productivity globally.
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Wael Hassan El-Garaihy, Tamer Farag, Khalid Al Shehri, Piera Centobelli and Roberto Cerchione
Nowadays, a prominent research area is the development of competitive advantages in companies, due to their environmental commitment and orientation. Based on resource-based view…
Abstract
Purpose
Nowadays, a prominent research area is the development of competitive advantages in companies, due to their environmental commitment and orientation. Based on resource-based view (RBV) and institutional theory (InT), this paper aims to investigate the influence of internal and external orientation on businesses' sustainable performance while considering the effect of sustainable supply chain management (SSCM) practices.
Design/methodology/approach
Data from 351 manufacturing companies in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia have been collected and analysed through structural equation modelling (SEM) using the partial least squares (PLS) method.
Findings
The results indicated that both internal and external environmental orientation have important effects on SSCM practices, which in turn have a considerable beneficial effect on environmental, social and economic performance.
Originality/value
Although SSCM is constantly gaining ground in the literature, most SSCM research and models examine its effects, antecedents or motivation, mainly adopting a qualitative approach. Research on the topic adopting a large-scale empirical approach is still limited. In this context, this study contributes to the SSCM management literature by exploring the role of environmental orientation in facilitating the adoption of SSCM practices and improving companies' performance.
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Wael Abdallah, Arezou Harraf, Hasan Ghura and Maryam Abrar
The current study examines the relationship between financial literacy and small and the performance of medium enterprises (SMEs), focusing on the moderating role of financial…
Abstract
Purpose
The current study examines the relationship between financial literacy and small and the performance of medium enterprises (SMEs), focusing on the moderating role of financial access.
Design/methodology/approach
The population of this study consists of present SMEs in Kuwait, from whom a sample of 155 businesses was chosen. This study adopted a cross-sectional time frame and analyzed the collected data using partial least square structural equation modeling, and Smart-pls 4 software was applied for calculation.
Findings
This research reveals that financial literacy significantly influences SME performance, consistent with previous studies, showing that higher financial literacy promotes entrepreneurs' financial management capabilities and enhances business outcomes. Also, the study supports that financial access significantly moderates this relationship, pointing out that adequate access to financial services boosts the benefits of financial literacy.
Research limitations/implications
Major implications of this study compromise the urgent need for customized financial literacy programs and policies promoting financial thoroughness, particularly in enhancing economies. The study recognizes limitations such as its cross-sectional design, small sample size and reliance on self-reported measures, suggesting further research use longitudinal approaches, a larger sample and objective measures.
Practical implications
The authors’ recommendations contain comprehensive financial literacy training, development of targeted financial education initiatives, promotion of sound financial management practices and policies to enhance financial access and inclusion, all aimed at boosting SME performance and contributing to economic growth.
Originality/value
To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is Kuwait’s first of its sort. Thus, the research is even more critical in Kuwait, where social and corporate values differ significantly. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the relationship between financial literacy and the performance of Kuwait’s SMEs moderated by financial access.