Peter Waring, Christopher Vas and Azad Singh Bali
The purpose of this paper is to assess the efficacy of the policy measures to encourage young Singaporeans to pursue employment in the manufacturing sector while at the same time…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to assess the efficacy of the policy measures to encourage young Singaporeans to pursue employment in the manufacturing sector while at the same time discouraging the sector’s traditional dependence on low-cost foreign labour. In doing so, the paper sheds light on the challenges faced by small and medium enterprises (SME) as well as the less than optimum impact the policy rhetoric has had on redirecting the aspirations of young people away from tertiary qualifications attainment and towards vocational skills development.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper draws on primary survey data of 222 manufacturing firms and in-depth interviews with 20 SME leaders in Singapore.
Findings
The paper argues that despite the government’s policy efforts to encourage the employment of young Singaporeans in the manufacturing sector, the impact has been negligible. Even with moves to increase the transaction costs of employing foreign workers, the findings indicate that SMEs have not changed their staffing policies. Indeed, the results lay bare the low cost-low skill/low productivity trap that most SMEs now find themselves in. The government’s efforts to discourage the pursuit of tertiary qualifications in favour of vocational qualifications are unlikely to succeed.
Originality/value
The value of this research is fourfold. First, it exposes the difficulty of policy overcoming path dependency. Second, it sheds light on the need for government to rethink its policy approach in how best to re-tool human capital for traditional industry sectors like manufacturing. Third, the results show that there is limited efficacy in simply increasing transaction costs and altering rhetoric to discourage attainment of tertiary qualifications unless vocational employment is adequately remunerated. And finally, the results indicate that firms in the manufacturing sector need to embrace new business models, practices and technologies that are reflective of the digital era to be able to attract youth.
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Sudipta Ghosh, Madhab Chandra Mandal and Amitava Ray
Supplier selection (SS) is one of the prime competencies in a sourcing decision. Taking into account the key role played by suppliers in facilitating the implementation of green…
Abstract
Purpose
Supplier selection (SS) is one of the prime competencies in a sourcing decision. Taking into account the key role played by suppliers in facilitating the implementation of green supply chain management (GSCM), it is somewhat surprising that very little research attention has been imparted to the development of a strategic sourcing model for GSCM. This research aims to develop a strategic sourcing framework in which supplier organizations are prioritized and ranked based on their GSCM performance. Accordingly, the benchmark organization is identified and its strategy is explored for GSCM performance improvement.
Design/methodology/approach
The research develops an innovative GSCM performance evaluation framework using six parameters, namely, investment in corporate social responsibility, investment in research and development, utilization of renewable energy, total energy consumption, total carbon-di-oxide emissions and total waste generation. An integrated multicriteria decision-making (MCDM) approach is proposed in which the entropy method calculates criteria weights. The Complex Proportional Assessment (COPRAS) and the Grey relational analysis (GRA) methods are used to rank supplier organizations based on their performance scores. A real-world case of green supplier selection (GSS) is considered in which five leading India-based automobile manufacturing organizations (Supplier 1, Supplier 2, Supplier 3, Supplier 4 and Supplier 5) are selected. Surveys with industry experts at the strategic, tactical, and operational levels are carried out to collect relevant data.
Findings
The results reveal that total carbon dioxide emission is the most influential parameter, as it gains the highest weight. On the contrary, investment in research and development, and total waste generation have no significant impact on GSCM performance. Results show that Supplier 5 secures the top rank. Hence, it is the benchmark organization.
Research limitations/implications
The proposed methodology offers an easy and comprehensive approach to sourcing decisions in the field of GSCM. The entropy weight-based COPRAS and GRA methods offer an error-free channel of decision-making and can be proficiently used to outrank various industrial sectors based on their GSCM performances. This research is specific to the automobile manufacturing supply chain. Therefore, research outcomes may vary across supply chains with distinct characteristics.
Practical implications
The basic propositions of this research are based on a real-world case. Hence, the research findings are practically feasible. The less significant parameters identified in this study would enable managers to impart more attention to vulnerable areas for improvement. This research may help policymakers identify the influential parameters for effective GSCM implementation. As this research considers all aspects of sustainability, the strategies of the benchmark supplier have a direct impact on organizations' overall sustainability. The study would enable practitioners to make various strategies for GSCM performance improvement and to develop a cleaner production system.
Originality/value
The originality of this research lies in the consideration of both economic, social, environmental and operational aspects of sustainability for assessing the GSCM performance of supplier organizations. Quantitative criteria are considered so that vagueness can be removed from the decision. The use of an integrated grey-based approach for developing a strategic sourcing model is another unique feature of this study.
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The introduction of the 22 member countries of the 4+10+2+6 model of the Asian economy is the immediate task. Japan, Korea, China, India, Indonesia, the Philippines, Brunei…
Abstract
The introduction of the 22 member countries of the 4+10+2+6 model of the Asian economy is the immediate task. Japan, Korea, China, India, Indonesia, the Philippines, Brunei Darussalam, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, and Myanmar constitute the now-famous 4+10 model. Following the principle of inclusion, Mongolia, Chinese Taipei, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, Pakistan, the Maldives, and Sri Lanka, as they belong to the regional map of the continent of Asia, are the eight remaining member countries (see Chapter 1). An overview of Asia's 22 member continental economy the AE-22, with its 3.6 billion people (2006) who have made the region of Asia their home in a land area of 20.5 million km2 should be welcome. To put these figures in perspective, the AE-22 comprises only 13.7 percent of the world's land area, but is home to over half the world's population. Tables 2.1–2.4, presented below, illustrate the various figures relating to population, land area, GDP, and GDP per capita of the member nations of the AE-22.
Kunwar Saraf, Karthik Bajar, Aaditya Jain and Akhilesh Barve
This study aims to determine the barriers hindering the incorporation of blockchain technology (BCT) in two key service industries – hotel and health care – as well as to assess…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to determine the barriers hindering the incorporation of blockchain technology (BCT) in two key service industries – hotel and health care – as well as to assess their readiness for implementing BCT after overcoming the barriers.
Design/methodology/approach
The barriers of this study are determined through two phases: a review of prior literature and obtaining expert opinions, which are then analyzed to identify specific barriers that are impeding the incorporation of BCT. Moreover, to generate a blockchain implementation reluctance index (BIRI), this study presents an interval-valued intuitionistic fuzzy set (IVIFS) that uses graph theory and matrix approach (GTMA). The permanent function in the GTMA approach is computed using the PERMAN algorithm. Finally, to compare the readiness of the hotel and health-care industries to adopt BCT, the BIRI values are plotted and evaluated.
Findings
The barriers identified by this study are listed under five major headings, namely, financial, operational, behavioral, technical and legal. This study revealed that the operational and technical barriers of BCT are critically hindering its widespread integration in hotel and health-care industries. Furthermore, on comparing the BIRI values of both industries, the result suggested that the hotel industry needs to work more on these barriers to effectively incorporate BCT. Besides the comparison, the BIRI values clearly indicate that both industries have to put a lot of effort into the mitigation of the barriers found by this study to successfully integrate BCT.
Research limitations/implications
The experts’ opinions are used to evaluate the identified barriers, which raises the chance that the opinions are prejudiced based on the experts’ perspectives and ideologies. The sensitivity of decision-maker loads toward preference outcomes is not analyzed in this manuscript. Therefore, any recent sensitivity analysis may be considered a prospective field for future research. This study applies a multicriteria decision-making (MCDM) approach, IVIFS–GTMA, which limits the evaluation of the influence caused by individual barriers on the integration of BCT in the hotel and health-care industries. Henceforth, in future investigations, alternative MCDM methods may be used to analyze individual barriers.
Practical implications
According to the findings, if the hotel or health-care industry aims to incorporate BCT in its supply chain operations, it is recommended to emphasize more on the operational barriers along with the technical and behavioral barriers. The barriers mentioned in this manuscript can be used as guidance for developers in their development activities, such as scalability concerns, establishment costs, the 51% attack and the inefficient nature of BCT. Furthermore, they may address the potential users’ negative perceptions about security, privacy, trust and risk avoidance through creatively developed blockchain solutions to promote BCT implementation.
Originality/value
To the best of the author’s knowledge, this is the first study that identifies barriers toward BCT incorporation in the major service industries, i.e. hotel and health care. Moreover, this is the first study that compares the preparedness of the hotel and health-care industries to determine the industry that requires more work to implement BCT.
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Bojan Obrenovic, Jianguo Du, Danijela Godinić and Diana Tsoy
This study aims to examine psychological mechanisms underlying tacit knowledge-sharing behaviours. The personality trait of conscientiousness is tested in relation to knowledge…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to examine psychological mechanisms underlying tacit knowledge-sharing behaviours. The personality trait of conscientiousness is tested in relation to knowledge sharing, and the effect of eagerness and subjective norm on the intention to share is measured in the context of local and multinational knowledge-intensive enterprises in Croatia.
Design/methodology/approach
The quantitative study was conducted on a sample of 288 employees of small and medium-sized companies working on knowledge-intensive tasks. The purposive sampling technique and a survey strategy were used in the study. Organizational affiliation, as it was presumed that these individuals possess a higher degree of tacit knowledge. The data collection was conducted in October 2019. Respondents worked in science and technology companies in Croatia on assignments involving information technology, electronics, petrochemicals, medicine and biochemistry. Statistical product and service solutions analysis of a moment structures software was used to perform confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modelling.
Findings
The findings suggest that the personality trait of conscientiousness has a positive impact on tacit knowledge sharing behaviour. An attitude of eagerness and subjective norm were also confirmed as predictors of tacit knowledge sharing behaviour. Furthermore, conscientiousness influences the eagerness to share knowledge. A significant association between subjective norm and conscientiousness was also established. Finally, the mediating effects were identified, indicating that subjective norm and eagerness mediate the relationship between conscientiousness and tacit knowledge sharing.
Practical implications
Explaining the relationship between personality and attitude in the context of knowledge sharing will result in a better understanding of factors that should be nurtured within individuals. Accordingly, distinct management initiatives are to be developed to suit these factors. Furthermore, to intensify the knowledge exchange when working on knowledge-intensive tasks of significant economic value, organizations tailor a more particularistic application to suit the individual in the domain of leadership, staffing decisions, work organization and incentive systems.
Originality/value
This study provides an in-depth analysis and theoretical understanding of factors salient for knowledge-sharing behaviour. The authors provide an overview of how knowledge sharing evolves during social interaction through intensive problem-solving sessions and teamwork. The authors render the explanation on how the personality trait of conscientiousness, conjoint with the attitude of eagerness to share know-how in the expert surrounding, is conducive to the generation of tacit knowledge sharing. Underpinning this study are employees’ psychological motives and internal drives to communicate individual cognitive capital outweighing the potential negative consequences, such as losing the competitive advantage over the colleagues.
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Surya Prakash, Anubhav Agrawal, Ranbir Singh, Rajesh Kumar Singh and Divya Zindani
Grey Systems: Theory and Application (GSTA) journal started publication in 2011 and completed a decade in 2021. The purpose of this study is to provide a detailed bibliometric…
Abstract
Purpose
Grey Systems: Theory and Application (GSTA) journal started publication in 2011 and completed a decade in 2021. The purpose of this study is to provide a detailed bibliometric analysis of the articles published in GSTA and their content primary trends and themes.
Design/methodology/approach
This study uses the Web of Science (WoS) database to analyze the content of published articles. A range of bibliometric analyses and indicators are applied to analyze the GSTA article content using science mapping tools of the Bibliometrix package in the R environment.
Findings
The GSTA publishes around 28 articles each year with citations of this work steadily growing over time. The impact of these publications is measured as total mean citations which increased from 0 to 11. The journal has attracted contributors from around the globe, most often affiliated with China, India and Europe. Thematic evolution of the journal's themes reveals that it has expanded its scope to include topics such as relational analysis, decision making, incidence analysis, and forecasting, hybrid grey-fuzzy or grey-rough modeling, etc.
Research limitations/implications
The study is majorly based on GSTA data available on the WoS database.
Originality/value
This study provides the first overview of GSTA's publication and citation trends as well as the evolution of its thematic structure. It also suggests future directions that the journal might take to strengthen its position.
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Abdullah Maitlo, Nisreen Ameen, Hamid Reza Peikari and Mahmood Shah
Knowledge-sharing (KS) for preventing identity theft has become a major challenge for organisations. The purpose of this paper is to fill a gap in the literature by investigating…
Abstract
Purpose
Knowledge-sharing (KS) for preventing identity theft has become a major challenge for organisations. The purpose of this paper is to fill a gap in the literature by investigating barriers to effective KS in preventing identity theft in online retail organisations.
Design/methodology/approach
A framework was proposed based on a reconceptualisation and extension of the KS enablers framework (Chong et al., 2011). A qualitative case study research method was used for the data collection. In total, 34 semi-structured interviews were conducted in three online retail organisations in the UK.
Findings
The findings suggest that the major barriers to effective KS for preventing identify theft in online retail organisations are: lack of leadership support; lack of employee willingness to share knowledge; lack of employee awareness of KS; inadequate learning opportunities; lack of trust in colleagues; insufficient information-sourcing opportunities and information and communications technology infrastructure; a weak KS culture; lack of feedback on performance; and lack of job rotation.
Practical implications
The research provides solutions for removing existing barriers to KS in preventing identity theft. This is important to reduce the number of cases of identity theft in the UK.
Originality/value
This research extends knowledge of KS in a new context: preventing identity theft in online retail organisations. The proposed framework extends the KS enablers framework by identifying major barriers to KS in the context of preventing identity theft.
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This study aims to address the issue of overtourism, its causes and impacts and propose a strategy based on a theoretical overtourism matrix to be applied to the Nainital city.
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to address the issue of overtourism, its causes and impacts and propose a strategy based on a theoretical overtourism matrix to be applied to the Nainital city.
Design/methodology/approach
Reports on rules and regulations from government authorities, court orders and newspaper reports were studied to understand the severity of overtourism. Focus interviews were undertaken, and monthly tourist arrival data for 13 years is analysed to gauge the levels of overtourism.
Findings
The study identifies the factors such as communication gaps, lack of stakeholders’ participation and non-availability of the tourism development plan as the primary reasons for the absence of sustainable overtourism solution. The study finds the extent of overtourism and its adverse effects on Nainital and underlines the need for policy interventions and optimal management of resources. The findings of this study highlight the need for sustainable long-term strategies.
Research limitations/implications
Overtourism can be understood and analysed in a better way with more granular data level.
Practical implications
The strategies presented can be applied at the policy level in the small- and mid-sized cities that are on hills or near the waterbody-side and experience mostly day and budget travellers. The understanding of resident–tourist interaction and impacts will help in preparing a better sustainable tourism development plan. The practical strategies of overtourism issues may be implemented for tourism experience and development.
Originality/value
This study investigates, for the first time, the impact of overtourism and offers strategies for an Indian city. This study will help tourism managers in developing policies for sustainable tourism development of hill cities or waterbody-side in India.
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Muhammad Arif, Kanwal Ameen and Muhammad Rafiq
Universities across the globe are spending an increasing amount of their budgets to offer web-based services to cater information need especially off-campus students. However, the…
Abstract
Purpose
Universities across the globe are spending an increasing amount of their budgets to offer web-based services to cater information need especially off-campus students. However, the success of web-based services depends on how well the target users are satisfied with the use of the web services. The purpose of this paper is to assess students’ satisfaction with the use of the Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU) web-based services.
Design/methodology/approach
Pilot tested questionnaire-based survey was administered to collect data from a sample of 388; selected through systematic sampling technique from the study’s population consisted of master level students belonged to 11 different academic departments of the Faculty of Social Science and Humanities at the AIOU from all over Pakistan.
Findings
Based on 318 useful questionnaires, response rate 82 percent, the results show that majority of the students were satisfied with the use of at the AIOU web-based services except for online mailing books tracking system, library web OPAC and web radio service. However, t-test analysis shows that no difference was found in the opinion of male and female respondents in terms of their satisfaction with the use of the web services. ANOVA results indicate that there was no significant difference depicted in satisfaction with the use of the web services among the respondents enrolled in different disciplines of the faculty. Similarly, no significant difference was found among different age groups. Moreover, the respondents belonging to all five provinces; Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Sindh, Baluchistan, Gilgit Baltistan, and Federal Capital territory showed the same level of satisfaction with the use of the services. The results of regression analysis (R2=0.226) denote that both perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use significantly predicted, 22.6 percent, in students’ satisfaction with the use the web services.
Practical implications
The study provides valuable recommendations which may be helpful for web administration of the university to improve AIOU web-based services.
Originality/value
To the best knowledge, this is the first study conducted to investigate the satisfaction with the use of the university web-based services in distance education’s perspective of Pakistan.
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Biswajit Behera, Rajeev Kumar Panda, Binita Tiwari and Akriti Chaubey
The study aims to develop a hierarchical model for innovative work behaviour (IWB) that can capture the complex associations among the factors contributing to IWB within the…
Abstract
Purpose
The study aims to develop a hierarchical model for innovative work behaviour (IWB) that can capture the complex associations among the factors contributing to IWB within the information technology (IT) sector. To accomplish this, the authors rely on an abductive approach using a graph theoretic model, often called interpretive structural modelling (ISM).
Design/methodology/approach
After conducting an in-depth literature review and using the Delphi method, the authors identified 12 factors (11 enablers and IWB as an outcome). The authors collected data through the Delphi approach by sending the questionnaire to 11 experts from academia and the IT sector who have extensive experience and knowledge relevant to the study. The authors then used the ISM method to analyse the relationships among these factors and understand their driving forces.
Findings
Based on the ISM model and the Matrice d'Impacts Croisés Multiplication Appliquée à un Classement analysis, the authors have identified that inclusive leadership, proactive personality and knowledge creation ability are the variables with strong driving power but weak dependence. Conversely, IWB has strong dependence but weak driving power. These findings suggest that to foster IWB, the organisation should prioritise inclusive leadership, proactive personality and knowledge-creation ability to succeed in challenging times. The study’s findings contribute to the social exchange theory, which explains IWB in a dynamic setting. Additionally, the study helps address the significant concerns that most IT companies face during times of crisis.
Practical implications
The study provides valuable guidance for managers and policymakers who are grappling with the challenges of improving IWB in the IT sector. This study is particularly relevant as the industry is currently navigating an economic recession and facing intense competition from other tech companies launching new products and services.
Originality/value
This research holds great significance for top executives, line managers and policymakers in the IT industry. It sheds light on the relevance and importance of various factors facilitating millennials' IWB.