Tisha Meriam Cherian and C. Joe Arun
The strict lockdown during COVID-19 has suspended construction, procurement and logistics in construction industry and affected the entire Supply Chain Management (SCM). The…
Abstract
Purpose
The strict lockdown during COVID-19 has suspended construction, procurement and logistics in construction industry and affected the entire Supply Chain Management (SCM). The COVID-19 has been universally observed in all sectors, but a limited study has been done in construction industry and also the ways to mitigate it. Hence, the current study aims to identify the impact of COVID-19 in Construction Supply Chain (CSC) and to analyse the influence of factors on Supply Chain (SC) performance during uncertainty in the construction industry.
Design/methodology/approach
From previous studies, the factors enhancing the SCM performance are taken. The research follows a qualitative in-depth interview to identify the factors and quantitative study to collect data using a questionnaire. Samples for the study were chosen using purposing sampling techniques. The collected data were analysed using “Statistical Package for Social Science” (SPSS V 20).
Findings
Effect of COVID-19 is more on medium sized builders and developers. A positive impact is found between SC agility, SC resilience and information technology (IT) capabilities on SC performance.
Research limitations/implications
Firstly, the study adopted cross-sectional data to test the hypothesis. The study results on the combined effect of the factors SC agility, SC resilience and IT capability during uncertainty were found to have a positive influence. The longitudinal study would enrich the understanding of the research. Secondly, the study was focussed on the perspective of the dynamic capability view. Further studies can adopt a multi-method approach to develop a theoretical framework using in-depth study and empirical validation. It will help in a better understanding of the current situation and young discipline in SC. Thirdly, the study has considered only Kerala construction companies; hence, the data were less. More data with better results will be obtained if the study has included construction companies from other states. Fourthly, the study can be extended to understand the interdependent effects of SC agility, SC resilience and information technology capability on performance. Presently, the interdependent effect in the study is limited.
Practical implications
The study helps the construction professionals to understand the preventive measures needed for the industry during any uncertainty. Also, the study is expected to help the construction managers and leaders with better performance in SCM and other business activities by adopting IT connectivity and being agile in all situations. Moreover, the study also helps policymakers take active solutions by providing awareness and incentives to the construction industry professionals. The literature and the factors will also help the academicians in further research progress.
Originality/value
The research is important for construction professionals to comprehend the impact of COVID-19 and to analyse the influence of factors such as SC agility, SC resilience and IT capabilities on improving the SC performance. This research can assist private and public construction firms to enhance SC performance during times of uncertainty. The result is likely to help construction companies with better SC performance and helps academicians' further progress in research.
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Akanksha Jaiswal and C. Joe Arun
Psychology studies have gradually evolved in the past decades from examining negative to positive states of mind. This has led to an increasing interest in understanding the…
Abstract
Purpose
Psychology studies have gradually evolved in the past decades from examining negative to positive states of mind. This has led to an increasing interest in understanding the well-being of individuals. Further, organizational research has demonstrated a positive impact of employee well-being on key business indicators. Drawing from positive psychology, this study examines the impact of happiness-enhancing activities and positive practices (HAPP) on employee well-being.
Design/methodology/approach
This study was conducted in an emerging information technology firm in India. Using validated measures, this study designed an online survey that was completed by 54 employees of the firm.
Findings
Employees largely perceived the HAPP as important but reported low levels of engagement in most activities or practices. Using hierarchical linear regression, this study found that self-concordant work significantly impacted employee’s job satisfaction and job-related affective well-being.
Practical implications
Leaders must harness the synergy between individual and organizational growth by providing self-concordant work contexts in which employee’s key skills, competencies and strengths are leveraged.
Originality/value
This study contributes to the existing scant literature on HAPP. Further, in a first, this study uses these psychological interventions in the context of workplace and assesses their impact on employee well-being which itself is an area of growing interest among academicians and practitioners.
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Tisha Meriam Cherian, Deepak Mathivathanan, C. Joe Arun SJ, M. Ramasubramaniam and Sreejith Alathur
The impact of COVID-19 pandemic has been severely felt by India's construction industry, which contributes heavily to economic growth and employment. An analysis of the impact of…
Abstract
Purpose
The impact of COVID-19 pandemic has been severely felt by India's construction industry, which contributes heavily to economic growth and employment. An analysis of the impact of supply chain agility, supply chain resilience and information technology capability on the construction supply chain cost and delivery performance is presented in this study in an Indian scenario post-COVID-19.
Design/methodology/approach
An analysis of moment structures-confirmatory factor analysis-based structural equation modeling is applied to a structured questionnaire received from 220 construction companies located in Southern India.
Findings
According to the results, supply chain agility, supply chain resilience and information technology capability are essential capabilities for post-COVID-19 supply chain performance. Furthermore, these factors are observed to have a positive impact on improving cost and delivery performance in construction supply chains focused on building sustainability.
Research limitations/implications
The results of this study can be used by other industries to ensure robustness and sustainability of business operations during post-COVID periods. Improving supply chain agility and information technology capabilities along with building resilience results in improving cost and delivery performance against disruptive scenarios.
Originality/value
Despite previous studies addressing the effects of COVID-19 on supply chain performance, information technology capability, agility and resilience are not addressed in construction industry research. The current study examines the simultaneous effects of resilience, agility, and information technology capability on the cost and delivery performance of Indian construction projects.
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Renu Isidore R., P. Christie and C. Joe Arun
Decision-making in the equity market has been a challenging task for investors belonging to all age groups. This study aims to find linkages between the decision-making techniques…
Abstract
Purpose
Decision-making in the equity market has been a challenging task for investors belonging to all age groups. This study aims to find linkages between the decision-making techniques in the equity market and the biological age of the investor.
Design/methodology/approach
This is an exploratory study and by surveying a sample of 436 secondary equity investors residing in the Chennai region of India, the study measured the decision-making techniques. Using the ANOVA test, the decision-making technique mostly used by investors belonging to an age category was determined. Further, the linkages were investigated in isolation for the male and female investors. By using regression analysis, a model was developed to predict the actual equity return. The financial characteristics of the various age groups were also analyzed using cross-tabulation.
Findings
The results of the study show that the age of the investor plays an important role in the choice of decision-making technique used. The younger investors, who earn the lowest returns were less likely to use industry analysis but more likely to use technical analysis and advocate’s recommendation. Specifically, the younger male investors were less likely to use industry analysis and more likely to use the advocate’s recommendation. The younger female investors were also less likely to use industry analysis. The middle-aged respondents, who earn the highest return were less likely to use technical analysis and advocate’s recommendation owing to lower means. Specifically, the middle-aged male investors were less likely to use the advocate’s recommendation and technical analysis. Then, middle-aged female investors were more likely to use industry analysis.
Originality/value
The findings would be beneficial for financial advisors and wealth managers to suggest age-appropriate strategies for the various investor groups. This age-based profiling of investors would make investors aware of their decision-making techniques and encourage them to make more rational decisions.
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Teerapong Teangsompong, Pichaporn Yamapewan and Weerachon Sawangproh
This study aims to investigate the impact of service quality (SQ), perceived value (PV) and consumer satisfaction on Thai street food, with customer satisfaction (CS) as a…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to investigate the impact of service quality (SQ), perceived value (PV) and consumer satisfaction on Thai street food, with customer satisfaction (CS) as a mediator for customer loyalty and repurchase intention (RI). It also explores how consumer trust (CT) in Thai street food safety moderates these relationships.
Design/methodology/approach
Structural equation modelling (SEM) was utilised to analyse the complex interrelationships between various constructs. Multi-group analyses were conducted to investigate the moderating effects of CT on the structural model, considering two distinct groups based on trust levels: low and high.
Findings
The findings revealed that SQ and PV significantly influenced CS and behavioural intention, while the perceived quality of Thai street food had no significant impact on post-COVID-19 consumer satisfaction. The study highlighted the critical role of CT in moderating the relationships between SQ, PV and CS, with distinct effects observed in groups with varying trust levels.
Social implications
The research emphasises the importance of enhancing SQ and delivering value to customers in the context of Thai street food, which can contribute to increased CS, RI and positive word-of-mouth. Furthermore, the study underscores the critical role of building CT in fostering enduring customer relationships and promoting consumer satisfaction and loyalty.
Originality/value
This research offers valuable insights into consumer behaviour and decision-making processes, particularly within the realm of Thai street food. It underscores the significance of understanding and nurturing CT, especially in the post-COVID-19 landscape, emphasising the need for effective business strategies and consumer engagement.
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Manpreet Kailay, Kamalpreet Kaur Paposa and Priyanka Chhibber
The present study was designed to explore the major challenges being faced by the Indian nurses' pre-post pandemic period affecting their well-being (WB) and identify factors that…
Abstract
Purpose
The present study was designed to explore the major challenges being faced by the Indian nurses' pre-post pandemic period affecting their well-being (WB) and identify factors that motivated them to perform their service wholeheartedly during the pandemic. The study also tries to bridge the gap in the study area by providing various ways that can help maintain the WB of health care professionals.
Design/methodology/approach
A descriptive exploratory qualitative design involving semi-structured interviews was conducted during December–January 2021 with 30 nurses from hospitals in Punjab Qualitative and thematic data analysis technique were adopted. In addition, a literature review was also conducted to study the various factors that affect the WB of health care professionals.
Findings
There are various themes and subthemes that were identified by the health care professionals, such as (1) psychological WB, (2) social WB and (3) workplace WB and (4) key motivators. This research work has identified various managerial implications that can play a huge rolein strengthening the healthcare sector of the entire world economy, paving the way toward the better WB of healthcare professionals (HCPs).
Originality/value
Firstly, it is probably the only study that is performed on nursing staff to evaluate their personal experiences during crucial times. It has successfully compared the factors affecting WB pre- and post-pandemic, leading to the emergence of many new factors that have originated due to the pandemic and are the cause of the poor WB of HCPs (Figures 2, 4). Secondly, it is the only study that targeted only those nurses who have provided their services in both scenarios. Finally, the study has been a pioneer in identifying the importance of maintaining the WB of HCPs at hospitals.
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Ishani Sharma, Weng Marc Lim and Arun Aggarwal
With a growing preference for active, authentic, and cultural experiences over traditional ones, creative tourism has garnered significant academic interest. This study offers a…
Abstract
Purpose
With a growing preference for active, authentic, and cultural experiences over traditional ones, creative tourism has garnered significant academic interest. This study offers a comprehensive review of creative tourism research, delineating its evolution, prominent contributors, pivotal areas, and prospective trajectories through a bibliometric analysis.
Design/methodology/approach
Employing a bibliometric analysis using the biblioshiny and VOSviewer software, this study systematically reviews 198 articles on creative tourism identified and retrieved from the Scopus database.
Findings
A notable increase in creative tourism research is witnessed in recent times, with Portugal and the Netherlands leading in publications and citations, respectively. This review also pinpoints key authors, countries, institutions, and journals shaping the field, and presents emerging themes such as authenticity and creative experience, culture and heritage, urban and rural contexts, and co-creation in creative tourism.
Practical implications
Identifying core research contributors (authors, countries, institutions, journals) and contributions (themes, topics) assists academics in seeking collaborations and shaping future research. Practitioners are advised to adapt these trends (authenticity, co-creation, sustainability) into their strategic planning to meet market demands.
Originality/value
This study offers a seminal review of creative tourism through a bibliometric analysis, a technique that leverages the power of technology (data, software) to engage in retrospection and projection—the hallmark of benchmarking studies across fields, including tourism. Noteworthily, this study provides a detailed summary of the field’s trajectory and significant trends, positioning itself as an essential reference for academic scholars, industry professionals, and policymakers with a keen interest in creative tourism.
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The attention of scholars and policy makers towards the topic of innovation has consistently increased, especially in recent years. This is justified by the fact that innovation…
Abstract
The attention of scholars and policy makers towards the topic of innovation has consistently increased, especially in recent years. This is justified by the fact that innovation undoubtedly plays, today, a crucial role in driving a country’s economic growth, improving productivity and, more generally, enhancing overall societal well-being.
When the discourse around innovation focuses on its economic dimension, the strong intertwinement with entrepreneurship emerges. In line with this, focusing on research on innovation in organisations and, especially, innovation in relation to the figure of the entrepreneur is considered, plenty of studies have been carried on, over time, in many disciplines, analysing the role of the entrepreneur in relation to innovation from various different angles. However, especially when management studies are considered, we can notice a poor consideration of the role played by the gender of the entrepreneur. In line with this consideration, by means of a systematic literature review, this chapter aims to fill this literature gap focusing on the intertwinement that can be envisaged, in management studies, among the issues of entrepreneurship and innovation in the case of women-owned firms.
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The purpose of this paper is to report a research in which creative design concepts have been applied for braking system synchronization in two wheeler bikes.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to report a research in which creative design concepts have been applied for braking system synchronization in two wheeler bikes.
Design/methodology/approach
Literature review on creative design concepts and braking system scenario has been carried out. By studying the existing braking system and applying creative design concepts, modified braking system has been developed.
Findings
The research experience indicated that the effectiveness of braking system has been improved by the adoption of proposed system.
Research limitations/implications
The research has been carried out for an automobile two wheeler. The findings of this research work could be extended to similar models of two wheelers.
Practical implications
The usage of the proposed system reduces the number of accidents and it adds significantly to the life of the brakes.
Originality/value
A case study has been reported to indicate the application of creative design concepts for enhancing the synchronization of automotive braking system in two wheeler bikes.