An important component of managers’ behaviour is their perceptions of power. Suggests that an examination of managerial resistance might be one way in which questions relating to…
Abstract
An important component of managers’ behaviour is their perceptions of power. Suggests that an examination of managerial resistance might be one way in which questions relating to managers’ behaviour can be answered, particularly during periods of imposed organizational change. By applying the concept of ideology to both organizational and psychological structures, a comprehensive theory of managerial resistance is proposed that provides an integrated explanation of what, how and why managers resist. Tests this theory empirically by using individualism to examine the content of a number of interviews with middle managers. From the results, it appears that the development of such a framework is possible but it will need to be tested against the other ideologies of importance to the managers, managerialism, professionalism and gender. The complex interrelationships, both synergies and conflicts, between these will need to be explored in developing this theory further.
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An examination of managerial rule breaking is potentially significant in times of rapid change where advantages have to be gained through flexibility and the effective use of…
Abstract
An examination of managerial rule breaking is potentially significant in times of rapid change where advantages have to be gained through flexibility and the effective use of power. This paper is based on a study of middle managers with professional backgrounds in public and private UK health care organizations. It analyses managers’ responses to rules and identifies to what extent they accept, subvert or reinterpret rules, ignore or hide rules, create new rules or manage without rules at all. The conclusion is reached that, within certain organizational, professional, gender and personal parameters, managers demonstrate great versatility. It is suggested that it is not the decision to avoid rules, nor the selection of particular ways to manipulate rules that is significant, but it is the ability of managers to move freely across different modes of behaviour as they deem appropriate that marks out successful opportunistic action.
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Because teacher training is an important component of high-quality early care and education (ECE), states are employing various efforts to increase the credentials of teachers in…
Abstract
Because teacher training is an important component of high-quality early care and education (ECE), states are employing various efforts to increase the credentials of teachers in private ECE centers. In New Jersey, teachers who serve disadvantaged students in the state’s community-based Abbott preschools are under a court mandate to obtain a Bachelor’s degree and Preschool – Grade 3 certification by September 2004 or lose their jobs. This chapter describes a phenomenological study of five teachers’ experiences in attempting to meet that mandate, and offers implications for policymakers to consider when evaluating the overall success of this reform effort.
Xin Qi, Xinlei Lv, Zhigang Li, Chunbaixue Yang, Haoran Li and Angelika Ploeger
Understanding young adults’ organic food purchasing behavior in the fresh food e-commerce platforms (FFEP) is crucial for expanding the global environmental product market. The…
Abstract
Purpose
Understanding young adults’ organic food purchasing behavior in the fresh food e-commerce platforms (FFEP) is crucial for expanding the global environmental product market. The study aims to investigate how specific characteristics of platforms and organic food information impact young adults’ perceived value, leading to their subsequent purchase intention.
Design/methodology/approach
Around 535 valid responses were collected through an online survey and then analyzed applying a two-stage structural equation model (SEM) and artificial neural network (ANN) approach.
Findings
Results of this research show that platform characteristics (including system quality and evaluation system) and product information characteristics (including organic label, ingredient information and traceability information) significantly affect young adults’ perceived utilitarian and hedonic value. The platform’s service quality has a strong effect on their perceptions of hedonic value, while the delivery system strongly influences their utilitarian value. Moreover, the perceived value, as a crucial mediator, plays a significant role in moderating the influence of platform and product information characteristics on the purchase intentions of young consumers regarding organic food.
Originality/value
Previous research has overlooked the credence attributes of organic food and particularities of online purchasing, focusing instead on general platform and product characteristics. This study addresses this gap by proposing a more appropriate model that integrates the characteristics of both the platform and product information. This offers theoretical and managerial implications for effectively stimulating organic food consumption among young adults in online environments.
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Communications regarding this column should be addressed to Mrs. Cheney, Peabody Library School, Nashville, Term. 37203. Mrs. Cheney does not sell the books listed here. They are…
Abstract
Communications regarding this column should be addressed to Mrs. Cheney, Peabody Library School, Nashville, Term. 37203. Mrs. Cheney does not sell the books listed here. They are available through normal trade sources. Mrs. Cheney, being a member of the editorial board of Pierian Press, will not review Pierian Press reference books in this column. Descriptions of Pierian Press reference books will be included elsewhere in this publication.
This study documents the role of relational trust in an afterschool organization and its influences on young people’s experiences.
Abstract
Purpose
This study documents the role of relational trust in an afterschool organization and its influences on young people’s experiences.
Design/methodology/approach
Through a 10-month ethnographic study of one afterschool program that teaches teens how to make documentaries, I demonstrate that the confluence of blurred organizational goals; weak relational trust among staff; and funding pressures may have the unintended consequence of exploiting students for their work products and life stories.
Findings
The study finds that, while not all organizations function with student work at its center, many afterschool organizations are under increasing pressures to document student gains through tangible measures.
Practical implications
Implications from these findings reveal the need for developing strong relationships among staff members as well as establishing transparency in funding afterschool programs from within the organization and from foundations in order to provide quality programming for young people.
Originality/value
This study informs organizational theory, specifically in terms of measures of variation in relational trust within an organization and its influence on young people. This chapter includes student accounts of experiences with staff to enhance the significance of relational trust.
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Eleonora Bottani, Piera Centobelli, Mosé Gallo, Mohamad Amin Kaviani, Vipul Jain and Teresa Murino
The purpose of this paper is to propose an artificial intelligence-based framework to support decision making in wholesale distribution, with the aim to limit wholesaler…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to propose an artificial intelligence-based framework to support decision making in wholesale distribution, with the aim to limit wholesaler out-of-stocks (OOSs) by jointly formulating price policies and forecasting retailer’s demand.
Design/methodology/approach
The framework is based on the cascade implementation of two artificial neural networks (ANNs) connected in series. The first ANN is used to derive the selling price of the products offered by the wholesaler. This represents one of the inputs of the second ANN that is used to anticipate the retailer’s demand. Both the ANNs make use of several other input parameters and are trained and tested on a real wholesale supply chain.
Findings
The application of the ANN framework to a real wholesale supply chain shows that the proposed methodology has the potential to decrease economic loss due to OOS occurrence by more than 56 percent.
Originality/value
The combined use of ANNs is a novelty in supply chain operation management. Moreover, this approach provides wholesalers with an effective tool to issue purchase orders according to more dependable demand forecasts.
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This paper gives a review of the finite element techniques (FE) applied in the area of material processing. The latest trends in metal forming, non‐metal forming, powder…
Abstract
This paper gives a review of the finite element techniques (FE) applied in the area of material processing. The latest trends in metal forming, non‐metal forming, powder metallurgy and composite material processing are briefly discussed. The range of applications of finite elements on these subjects is extremely wide and cannot be presented in a single paper; therefore the aim of the paper is to give FE researchers/users only an encyclopaedic view of the different possibilities that exist today in the various fields mentioned above. An appendix included at the end of the paper presents a bibliography on finite element applications in material processing for 1994‐1996, where 1,370 references are listed. This bibliography is an updating of the paper written by Brannberg and Mackerle which has been published in Engineering Computations, Vol. 11 No. 5, 1994, pp. 413‐55.
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Niraj Mishra, Praveen Srivastava, Satyajit Mahato and Shradha Shivani
This paper aims to create and evaluate a model for cryptocurrency adoption by investigating how age, education, and gender impact Behavioural Intention. A hybrid approach that…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to create and evaluate a model for cryptocurrency adoption by investigating how age, education, and gender impact Behavioural Intention. A hybrid approach that combined partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) and artificial neural network (ANN) was used for the purpose.
Design/methodology/approach
This study uses a multi-analytical hybrid approach, combining PLS-SEM and ANN to illustrate the impact of various identified variables on behavioral intention toward using cryptocurrency. Multi-group analysis (MGA) is applied to determine whether different data groups of age, gender and education have significant differences in the parameter estimates that are specific to each group.
Findings
The findings indicate that Social Influence (SI) has the greatest impact on Behavioral Intention (BI), which suggests that the viewpoints and recommendations of influential and well-known individuals can serve as a motivating factor to invest in cryptocurrencies. Furthermore, education was found to be a moderating factor in the relationship found between behavioral intention and design.
Research limitations/implications
Prior studies on technology adoption have utilized superficial SEM and ANN methods, whereas a more effective outcome has been suggested by implementing a dual-stage PLS-SEM and ANN approach utilizing a deep neural network architecture. This methodology can enhance the accuracy of nonlinear connections in the model and augment the deep learning capacity.
Practical implications
The research is based on the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT2) and expands upon this model by integrating elements of design and trust. This is an important addition, as design can influence individuals' willingness to try new technologies, while trust is a critical factor in determining whether individuals will adopt and use new technology.
Social implications
Cryptocurrencies are a relatively new phenomenon in India, and their use and adoption have grown significantly in recent years. However, this development has not been without controversy, as the implications of cryptocurrencies for society, the economy and governance remain uncertain. The results reveal that social influence is an important predictor for the adoption of cryptocurrency in India, and this can help financial institutions and regulators in making policy decisions accordingly.
Originality/value
Given the emerging nature of cryptocurrency adoption in India, there is certainly a need for further empirical research in this area. The current study aims to address this research gap and achieve the following objectives: (a) to determine if a dual-stage PLS-SEM and ANN analysis utilizing deep learning techniques can yield more comprehensive research findings than a PLS-SEM approach and (b) to identify variables that can forecast the intention to adopt cryptocurrency.