Rabia Najaf, Alice Chin, Agnes Chin, Khakan Najaf and Jeyanthi Thuraisingham
This study aims to examine the association between women on board and business performance. It also aims to investigate the impact of corporate social responsibility (CSR) and…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to examine the association between women on board and business performance. It also aims to investigate the impact of corporate social responsibility (CSR) and female directors on stock prices, including the function of female directors in moderating the CSR–market performance link that ultimately provides valuable insights into the impact of gender diversity on corporate boards.
Design/methodology/approach
Data from US publicly listed firms between 2000 and 2018 were collected and analysed using OLS regression, median regression, M-estimator regression and MM-estimator regression at 70% and 95% efficiency. In this study, firm market value was measured through Tobin’s Q, board diversity with ISS database and CSR strength and concern with the KLD database.
Findings
The results indicated that CSR positively impacts market performance by 3.1%, female board representation positively influences market performance by 4.8% and female board members strengthen the CSR–market performance relationship by 1.0% while playing a moderating role. Overall, these studies demonstrated the significance of female boards of directors for enhancing market performance.
Research limitations/implications
This study used the data of US-listed firms from 2000 to 2018. The results have contributed to the ongoing discussion about the importance of gender diversity in boards and its influence on firm success. Further research works are suggested to expand the analysis by including other countries or considering additional factors that may influence the association between CSR, board representation of women and market share.
Practical implications
This study is essential for investors, legislators and CSR institutions in developed countries. The favourable impact of female board presence on market performance and the enhancement of the CSR–market performance relationship highlight the necessity of encouraging gender diversity on boards of directors and CSR activities.
Social implications
This study emphasises the significance of gender balance on corporate boards in solving important social challenges including climate change, resource scarcity and gender equality. Companies can actively assist in addressing global issues and improving the well-being of stakeholders by promoting gender-diverse boards and encouraging CSR efforts.
Originality/value
To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first study demonstrating that gender diversity on corporate boards moderates the significant association between CSR performance and profitability in the USA. It has contributed to the expanding body of information regarding the moderating influence of female directors on firm value and stronger evidence for female directors in the governance of businesses.
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Alice Chin, Ooi Chin Lye and Khakan Najaf
One of the significant components of a firm's overall sustainability is establishing and nurturing governance. This study attempts to understand how politically connected firms…
Abstract
Purpose
One of the significant components of a firm's overall sustainability is establishing and nurturing governance. This study attempts to understand how politically connected firms maintain sustainability measures in terms of risk-taking strategies. This paper has two purposes. The first purpose is to provide empirical evidence on the politically connected (PC) firms' corporate risk-taking and performance. The second purpose is to investigate the moderating impact of PC firms' risk on corporate performance.
Design/methodology/approach
To conduct the analysis to test our hypothesis efficiently, data has been collected from Bloomberg and annual reports of all Malaysian PC and non-PC companies. The final sample comprises 561 firms over the investigation period 2010–2019. The methodology entails Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) regressions of the impact of the PC firms on corporate risk-taking and performance. The authors also conduct t-tests of the equality of means of corporate risk-taking and performance between PC and non-PC companies.
Findings
The authors’ results show that politically connected firms undertake significant less corporate risk and relish higher financial performance than their counterparts. It implicatively insinuates that the presence of a politician on the board enables the management to mitigate the risk-taking, which makes the firms more profitable. The authors’ results corroborate network theory, suggesting that political ties alleviate the agency issue and safeguard the shareholders' interest.
Research limitations/implications
The study's results were important as they highlighted the sustainable development of PC and non-PC companies, offering insights to researchers, policymakers, regulators, financial report users, investors, environmental unions, employees, clients and society.
Originality/value
This paper is novel since it is unique in evaluating sustainable practice in PC and non-PC firms.
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Philip Tin Yun Lee, Alice Jing Lee, Michael Chau and Bingjie Deng
With the increasing agility of IT enterprises, it is crucial to identify suitable managerial strategies for controlling information system development (ISD) projects in the new…
Abstract
Purpose
With the increasing agility of IT enterprises, it is crucial to identify suitable managerial strategies for controlling information system development (ISD) projects in the new agile working environments. These environments are characterized by the collaborative nature of work and the recurring nature of communication. This study aims to explore how perceived transparency in ISD processes, controlled by transparency strategies, impacts project quality.
Design/methodology/approach
In collaboration with a firm that implemented a customized Scaled Agile Framework, questionnaires were distributed to employees involved in ISD projects. The goal was to understand the influence of perceived transparency in ISD processes on project quality.
Findings
Our research demonstrates that perceived transparency in ISD processes enhances project quality through knowledge exchange by strengthening goodwill trust among team members. Additionally, transparency improves project quality through client feedback by strengthening competence trust of clients toward the team. Goodwill trust of clients toward the team and competence trust among team members have less impact on project quality enhancement.
Originality/value
This study reveals the nomological network among the perceived transparency, different types of trust among stakeholders, social interactions among stakeholders, and project outcomes in agile ISD environments. This nomological network has been overlooked by previous studies that biased toward top-down, interorganizational communication. It highlights that not all types of trust among stakeholders are involved in the processes through which perceived transparency influences ISD project quality in agile working environments. Additionally, it exposes the limitations of transparency strategies for controlling projects in agile IT enterprises.
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Alice Audrezet, Svein Ottar Olsen and Ana Alina Tudoran
The purpose of this study is to evaluate a bidimensional tool to measure overall service satisfaction: the evaluative space grid (GRID scale). The GRID scale provides a common…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to evaluate a bidimensional tool to measure overall service satisfaction: the evaluative space grid (GRID scale). The GRID scale provides a common measure for both positivity and negativity through 25 grid cells. The authors propose to use the GRID scale as an integrated measure of both satisfaction and dissatisfaction to capture mixed reactions or ambivalence.
Design/methodology/approach
Within a cross-sectional between-subjects survey design, this study compares overall satisfaction with bank services as measured on the GRID scale versus a traditional semantic differential (SD) scale.
Findings
The results show that the GRID scale performs as well as the SD scale with respect to different criteria, such as reliability and discriminant, convergent, nomological and predictive validity. However, it allows to measure separately indifference and ambivalence.
Practical implications
Such a distinction assists decision-makers with recommendations on different strategies not only to create customer loyalty based on satisfaction but also to encourage them to think how to decrease the levels of dissatisfaction and ambivalence.
Originality/value
The GRID scale would address survey needs of every business suffering from average performances. This tool provides them better in-depth overall satisfaction information, especially regarding the “middle-ground” customers.
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Valeria Andreoni and Alice Richard
The purpose of this paper is to present the 2030 SDGs Game as a pedagogical tool for the promotion of interdisciplinary education. Based on the simulation of possible world…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to present the 2030 SDGs Game as a pedagogical tool for the promotion of interdisciplinary education. Based on the simulation of possible world outcomes for the year 2030, the game induces participants to reflect on the socioeconomic and environmental consequences of actions and facilitate the exploration of the interconnected nature of the Sustainable Development Goals.
Design/methodology/approach
Starting with a review of the main benefits and constraints of interdisciplinary learning approaches, this paper discusses how pedagogical attitudes have change over time and suggests the use of the 2030 SDGs Game as a powerful tool for sustainability education. Composed by a set of cards with different projects and goals, the game connects participants to the principles of the Agenda 2030 and is suitable for a wide range of educational settings. In the case study presented in this paper, the game was played by 20 students from five different faculties of the University of Liverpool (UK).
Findings
The participatory nature of the game, where players learn through the experience of play, is functional to support the co-creation of knowledge of the “active-learner-centred” approach, and facilitate the development of problem-solving attitudes, soft skills and team-working abilities.
Originality/value
To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this paper presents, for the first time, the 2030 SDGs Game as a pedagogical tool for interdisciplinary sustainability education. The game is relatively easy to play and is suitable to be used in a wide range of educational settings.
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Alice Arinaitwe, Fiona Apofia Aikiriza, John Bosco Kakooza and Vincent Bagire
This study investigates the nexus of top management commitment and institutional pressures towards enhancing sustainable energy consumption in African Higher Institutions of…
Abstract
Purpose
This study investigates the nexus of top management commitment and institutional pressures towards enhancing sustainable energy consumption in African Higher Institutions of Learning.
Design/methodology/approach
Using a structured questionnaire survey, cross-sectional data collected from 64 higher institutions of learning registered with the Uganda National Council for Higher Education were analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS).
Findings
The findings revealed that top management commitment and institutional pressures individually associate with sustainable energy consumption. Top management commitment does not cause variations in sustainable energy consumption. However, when top management commitment coalesces with institutional pressures, they significantly predict sustainable energy consumption.
Research limitations/implications
The current study focuses on Higher Institutions of Learning in Uganda. Hence caution should be taken before generalization of findings. This study therefore sets ground for future studies to investigate sustainable energy consumption in other institutions.
Originality/value
This study tests the efficacy of top management commitment and institutional pressures on sustainable energy consumption using evidence from African Higher Institutions of Learning. It provides new directions for study in such a nascent area of critical national dimension as sustainability and climate change issues top the global agenda.
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In an unpredictable and volatile world, more than ever before we need transformational leadership based on a paradigm of social justice, peace, and reconciliation. Instead, what…
Abstract
In an unpredictable and volatile world, more than ever before we need transformational leadership based on a paradigm of social justice, peace, and reconciliation. Instead, what we are increasingly witnessing is toxicity in the actions and behaviors of leaders and followers. Political leaders in Britain are stirring up division instead of unity and causing serious damage to the fabric of society. Immigrants are a convenient cover for politicians rather than facing up to the real causes of anger in society many of which are due to the corrosive impact of austerity imposed after the global economic crisis of 2008. The toxic political environment is inciting a war on civility.
This chapter uses Brexit, the British referendum on remaining or leaving the EU as a focal point from which to observe the failures of Britain’s political leaders in the lead up to and the execution of “the will of the people” to leave the EU. At this critical moment in the history of Britain, essential leadership characteristics including honesty, integrity, authenticity, and courage are not in evidence.
The final section of the chapter is a call to arms to everyone involved in leadership studies, conflict resolution, leadership education, scholarship, and research to address the question: How do we make an active contribution to improving the enactment of leadership and followership in fractured societies? What are our responsibilities as a multilayered community of practice? Are we really practicing what we preach in supporting diverse, inclusive leadership and followership?