Alfonso Marino and Paolo Pariso
Studying bus local public transport in 20 Italian provincial capitals, the present paper aims to identify organizational factors to assess different modes of service managerial…
Abstract
Purpose
Studying bus local public transport in 20 Italian provincial capitals, the present paper aims to identify organizational factors to assess different modes of service managerial steering.
Design/methodology/approach
Starting from bureaucratic theory, the paper analyzes four different modes of managerial steering in a regression model that accounts for several variables to assess the quality of Italian bus local public service transport.
Findings
The research shows that a network managerial structure performs significantly better than any other type. The 20 provincial capitals are homogeneous in relation to the variables considered. Italian bus local public transport is managed by bureaucratic public organizations. Adhocracy, as opposed to machine bureaucracy, seems to be the more effective mode of managerial steering for sector specific aspects in different capitals, despite that, network managerial structure – associated adhocracy – is used only in five capitals (main cities).
Originality/value
The paper highlights that the dichotomy between machine bureaucracy versus adhocracy shows interesting considerations related to different mode to management of Italian bus local public service transport.
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Alfonso J. Gil and Mara Mataveli
The purpose of this paper is to analyse the relationship between learning processes (LP) – group learning (GL) and training processes – and job satisfaction (JS), by taking into…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to analyse the relationship between learning processes (LP) – group learning (GL) and training processes – and job satisfaction (JS), by taking into consideration the mediating role of organizational size (OZ) and employees’ educational level (EEL).
Design/methodology/approach
Data were collected from the Spanish wine sector. The survey was addressed to the workers, and 230 valid questionnaires were obtained. The authors have proven their model of research through a model of structural equations, that is, by means of the partial least squares technique.
Findings
This paper proposes that LP play a significant role in determining the effects on JS, and OZ and EEL mediate the relationship between GL and JS.
Research limitations/implications
Owing to certain features of the sample and the use of measurement scales, the final results should be considered with caution. Further research in other contexts using qualitative methods is needed to validate these findings.
Practical implications
When seeking to improve employee JS, practitioners should take into account the link between LP and JS. It is especially necessary to consider the diversity in learning groups.
Originality/value
This paper provides an empirical analysis of the relationship between LP and JS and checks the mediation of OZ and worker education of workers between group learning and JS.
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Giulio Maggiore, Letizia Lo Presti, Marissa Orlowski and Alfonso Morvillo
Even if the relationship between travel bloggers and followers has implications for tourists’ decision-making process, the literature does not individuate the main determinants of…
Abstract
Purpose
Even if the relationship between travel bloggers and followers has implications for tourists’ decision-making process, the literature does not individuate the main determinants of this relationship. This paper aims to study the drivers and motivations to follow travel bloggers and the main consequences. Moreover, the paper seeks to highlight the metamorphosis of travel bloggers and their role in the tourism industry.
Design/methodology/approach
A systematic literature review was used, and 76 papers were selected. A thematic map of the literature and a summary of key findings are proposed.
Findings
Although authenticity is the main trigger for following travel bloggers, other factors (e.g. transparency and credibility), if lacking, can erode the relationship with followers. Results demonstrate that hygiene factors are important but that the relationship with followers can be compromised if motivational factors are lacking. Loyalty and the continued use of travel blogs are the main consequences of a relationship based on trust, credibility and engagement.
Practical implications
Tourism and hospitality managers must define sophisticated segmentation procedures to select the right travel blogger with which to engage for destination promotions. Travel bloggers must clearly define the role that they want to have in the market if they are to instill loyalty in their followers.
Originality/value
To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first paper that attempts to identify the pillars of the follower–travel blogger relationship in the tourism and hospitality literature.
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Antonella Fiorillo, Alfonso Sorrentino, Arianna Scala, Vincenzo Abbate and Giovanni Dell'aversana Orabona
The goal was to improve the quality of the hospitalization process and the management of patients, allowing the reduction of costs and the minimization of the preoperative Length…
Abstract
Purpose
The goal was to improve the quality of the hospitalization process and the management of patients, allowing the reduction of costs and the minimization of the preoperative Length of Hospital Stay (LOS).
Design/methodology/approach
The methodology used to improve the quality of the hospitalization process and patient management was Lean Thinking. Therefore, the Lean tools (Value stream map and Ishikawa diagram) were used to identify waste and inefficiencies, improving the process with the implementation of corrective actions. The data was collected through personal observations, patient interviews, brainstorming and from printed medical records of 151 patients undergoing oral cancer surgery in the period from 2006 to 2018.
Findings
The authors identified, through Value Stream Map, waste and inefficiencies during preoperative activities, consequently influencing preoperative LOS, considered the best performance indicator. The main causes were identified through the Ishikawa diagram, allowing reflection on possible solutions. The main corrective action was the introduction of the pre-hospitalization service. A comparative statistical analysis showed the significance of the solutions implemented. The average preoperative LOS decreased from 4.90 to 3.80 days (−22.40%) with a p-value of 0.001.
Originality/value
The methodology allowed to highlight the improvement of the patient hospitalization process with the introduction of the pre-hospitalization service. Therefore, by adopting the culture of continuous improvement, the flow of hospitalization was redrawn. The benefits of the solutions implemented are addressed to the patient in terms of lower LOS and greater service satisfaction and to the hospital for lower patient management costs and improved process quality. This article will be useful for those who need examples on how to apply Lean tools in healthcare.
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Alfonso Expósito, José Fernández-Serrano and Francisco Liñán
The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of open innovation (OI) cooperation strategies on innovation outcomes of small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), considering…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of open innovation (OI) cooperation strategies on innovation outcomes of small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), considering the mediating effect of firm age. The data come from six Spanish regions in the period 2009–2011. The authors analyse the impacts of two different types of innovation cooperation (with market and institutional agents) on four types of innovation outcomes: product, process, organisational and marketing.
Design/methodology/approach
The analytical method is based on logit regressions in order to assess the impact of OI variables on SMEs’ innovation outcomes. The regressions include a number of control variables related to the characteristics of the business, the entrepreneur and the environment.
Findings
The empirical results show that OI plays a significant role in explaining the innovation outcome of SMEs. Firm age is found to moderate this relationship. R&D cooperation with market agents exhibits the highest relationship to innovation, while the impact of institutional cooperation is comparatively lower.
Originality/value
There are few studies on OI addressing OI practices in SMEs. This research contributes to shedding light on the role of OI in innovation processes in SMEs. It also shows how this relationship changes depending on the partner, the type of innovation and the age of the firm.
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Christian Democracy as an ideology and as a political movement has been ascendant in Western European states for half a century, forming the governing party or a major part of the…
Abstract
Christian Democracy as an ideology and as a political movement has been ascendant in Western European states for half a century, forming the governing party or a major part of the governing coalition of parties in many of them over numerous decades up to the present. Yet the study of Christian Democracy, its general ideology and general programmatic elements across Western Europe, has been singularly lacking. Centrist establishment parties and economic programmes seem not to have the same appeal to academic investigators as the more exciting and ideologically demarcated ones. Also the future seems bleak for some Christian Democratic parties in Western Europe. The focuses are on the general ideology of the movement and the shared programmatic commonalities among the parties. Advances a consideration of the future for CD parties in the short term and the problems confronting Christian Democracy in the future. Also assesses the role and prospects for Christian Democracy in the European Union, particularly as they relate to the European People’s Party (EPP) in the European Parliament.
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Cong Doanh Duong and Thi Loan Le
This study aims to develop a conceptual framework that integrated insights from Shapero and Sokol (1982)’s model of entrepreneurial event, Bandura (1977)’s social learning theory…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to develop a conceptual framework that integrated insights from Shapero and Sokol (1982)’s model of entrepreneurial event, Bandura (1977)’s social learning theory and clinical psychology to empirically test and discover the underlying mechanism of how attention deficit hyperactive disorder (ADHD) symptoms can influence student entrepreneurial intention.
Design/methodology/approach
The study uses structural equation modeling with a sample of 2,218 students from 14 universities in Vietnam.
Findings
The research reveals that although ADHD symptoms are not found to have the direct role in shaping student perceived feasibility entrepreneurial intention, these psychiatric symptoms have more influences and significances in the growth of entrepreneurial self-efficacy and perceived desirability. Also, entrepreneurial self-efficacy and perceived desirability are found to be full mediators in ADHD symptoms and entrepreneurial intention linkage. Besides, both perceived desirability and perceived feasibility partially mediate the entrepreneurial self-efficacy effect on entrepreneurial intention.
Practical implications
The findings provide policymakers and universities with important insights into how to nurture intention to become entrepreneurs among college students, especially those individuals.
Originality/value
The present study offers a new insight about the linkage between ADHD symptoms and entrepreneurial intention. Also, the model of entrepreneurial event and the social learning theory are shown to be unifying theoretical construct of the relationship between psychiatric symptoms and entrepreneurial intention among Vietnamese students.
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Preeti Khanna and Sayantan Khanra
Citizens often perceive surveillance by government authorities as oppressive and, hence, demonstrate reluctance in value co-creation from such services. This study aims to…
Abstract
Purpose
Citizens often perceive surveillance by government authorities as oppressive and, hence, demonstrate reluctance in value co-creation from such services. This study aims to investigate the challenges and benefits of citizen empowerment through technology-driven surveillance or “smart surveillance.”
Design/methodology/approach
Guided by Dynamic Capability theory, the authors conduct in-depth interviews with officers in-charge of surveillance in smart cities. Given the contemporary advancements, this approach allows a retrospective and real-time understanding of interviewees’ experiences with smart surveillance.
Findings
The authors develop five propositions for citizen empowerment through smart surveillance to summarize the findings of this study.
Research limitations/implications
This study advances the relevance of Dynamic Capability in public administration.
Practical implications
Smart city authorities and policymakers may leverage the insights provided in this study to design appropriate policies for smart surveillance.
Originality/value
The authors find that factors such as digital technology and infrastructure, information management, skill divide and perceived return on investment may influence citizen empowerment through smart surveillance.