Noni Keys, Dana C. Thomsen and Timothy F. Smith
The purpose of this paper is to identify mechanisms and strategies involved in individual and local responses to complex global sustainability issues such as climate change.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to identify mechanisms and strategies involved in individual and local responses to complex global sustainability issues such as climate change.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper describes an innovative approach to understanding the role of informal leadership and its utility in influencing societal attitudes and practice. The approach builds on theories of diffusion in which learning about new ideas, practices or technologies occurs through interpersonal communication with informal opinion leaders. It draws on findings from studies in other fields of social research, such as community health, development aid, and agriculture, in which the engagement of opinion leaders has been found to speed up the spread of responsive behaviours. The approach also analyses linkages between the concepts of response capacity to climate change and social capital with the strategies of opinion leaders for influencing societal change through informal social networks.
Findings
Research related to social change in response to climate change has focused predominantly on the need for reform at the public policy and institutional level, and at the other extreme, on individual behaviour change. The role of leaders has been cited as an important component of social change in case studies of adaptive management of natural resources, sustainability studies, and in research on social capital.
Originality/value
Development of the approach will contribute to the understanding of social mechanisms and processes involved in community engagement with complex problems and more specifically, response capacity for climate change at the regional level.
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Young Hoon An, Stefan Zagelmeyer and Asmund Rygh
The dialectics of liabilities of foreignness (LOF) and assets of foreignness (AOF) have led to further explorations of what it means for an organisation to be foreign. This paper…
Abstract
Purpose
The dialectics of liabilities of foreignness (LOF) and assets of foreignness (AOF) have led to further explorations of what it means for an organisation to be foreign. This paper reviews, synthesises and contextualises recent research on both the challenges and benefits of foreignness, to develop a balanced and integrated view of this international business concept.
Design/methodology/approach
This review aims at mapping the key concepts, theories, methods and contexts in the literature and organising the key findings in an antecedent-outcomes-strategy framework, explicitly comparing LOF and AOF to explore their interrelationships. Drawing on a sample of 126 journal articles, NVivo was used to code and identify key thematic areas.
Findings
The review confirms a shift in the literature towards acknowledging the notion of AOF. Using different theoretical lenses, it identifies, reviews and discusses antecedents, consequences and strategy implications of LOF and AOF. It argues that foreignness will continue to be a fundamental concept in international business research and suggests that AOF and LOF deserve an equally central place in an integrated analytical framework of foreignness in international business strategy.
Originality/value
The paper is the first systematic attempt to integrate the literature on LOF and AOF. The systematic comparison across drivers, outcomes and strategies allows for a better understanding of the advantages and disadvantages of foreignness and the underlying phenomenon of foreignness. The authors also explore the paradox perspective on foreignness.
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Founders have significant influence over many domains within family businesses, and their impact on companies may be felt even after leadership succession. Founders have therefore…
Abstract
Founders have significant influence over many domains within family businesses, and their impact on companies may be felt even after leadership succession. Founders have therefore received much attention from scholars, policymakers, and entrepreneurship educators. This chapter characterizes the current literature on family business founders by identifying the topics explored and the range of methods and methodologies used in recent years to outline a research agenda for future study of founders of family businesses.
A scoping review was conducted to examine the extent and essence of contemporaneous research activity related to family business founders. Scoping reviews describe current research activity without evaluating individual studies and are effective in summarizing significant concerns and themes, identifying areas of deficiency, and establishing recommendations for future directions in research. This scoping review used elements of a rapid review due to resource restrictions and this chapter discusses efforts to mitigate the limitations introduced as a result.
After summarizing the current academic conversation about family business founders, opportunities for future research topics and methodological approaches to the study of founders of family businesses are introduced.
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Kacy Kim, Yuhosua Ryoo, Srdan Zdravkovic and Sukki Yoon
In the digital era, price transparency—the practice of disclosing cost breakdowns in product manufacturing—has become present on digital platforms. Although its benefits are…
Abstract
Purpose
In the digital era, price transparency—the practice of disclosing cost breakdowns in product manufacturing—has become present on digital platforms. Although its benefits are well-documented and consumers should theoretically desire costless and relevant information for informed decision-making, this paper proposes that consumers may resist overly transparent pricing, particularly when it pertains to premium-priced (vs regular-priced) products from countries with high equity.
Design/methodology/approach
Our research comprises three experimental studies utilizing both student and representative online Prolific samples, covering various products and countries with different equity levels. Initially, a pilot study identifies an interpersonal should-want conflict induced by price transparency when purchasing premium-priced products, leading to information avoidance. Subsequent studies further explore this phenomenon by examining the moderating role of country equity and the mediating role of price unfairness perceptions.
Findings
Price transparency can backfire when purchasing premium-priced products due to the want-should conflict among consumers—the desire to receive disclosure of cost breakdowns versus the inclination not to view it. This conflict results in increased resistance to receiving transparent price information and decreased brand attitudes and purchase intentions, especially for products originating from high-equity countries. Heightened perceptions of price unfairness explain these dynamics.
Research limitations/implications
The study primarily relies on experimental designs with limited sample sizes. To enhance the generalizability of the findings, incorporating large-scale real market data across diverse domains and countries would be beneficial.
Originality/value
Grounded in the should-want conflict and information avoidance theories, this paper uniquely explores the adverse effects of price transparency on digital platforms. We extend this by demonstrating that this conflict is influenced by country equity, where the perceived value added by the association of a product with a given country name affects whether consumers experience the conflict. Our investigation of perceived price unfairness further deepens our understanding of the nuanced effects of price transparency.
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This study aims to find the key drivers of green innovation in family firms by examining firm characteristics and geographical factors. It seeks to develop a conceptual framework…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to find the key drivers of green innovation in family firms by examining firm characteristics and geographical factors. It seeks to develop a conceptual framework that explains how internal resources and external environments influence environmental innovation practices in these businesses.
Design/methodology/approach
Using machine learning (ML) methods, this study develops a predictive model for green innovation in family firms, drawing on data from 3,289 family businesses across 27 EU Member States and 12 additional countries. The study integrates the Resource-Based View (RBV) and Location Theory to analyze the impact of firm-level resources and geographical contexts on green innovation outcomes.
Findings
The results show that both firm-specific resources, such as size, digital capabilities, years of operation and geographical factors, like country location, significantly influence the likelihood of family firms engaging in environmental innovation. Larger, technologically advanced firms are more likely to adopt sustainable practices, and geographic location is crucial due to different regulatory environments and market conditions.
Research limitations/implications
The findings reinforce the RBV by showing the importance of firm-specific resources in driving green innovation and extend Location Theory by emphasizing the role of geographic factors. The study enriches the theoretical understanding of family businesses by showing how noneconomic goals, such as socioemotional wealth and legacy preservation, influence environmental innovation strategies.
Practical implications
Family firms can leverage these findings to enhance their green innovation efforts by investing in technology, fostering sustainability and recognizing the impact of geographic factors. Aligning innovation strategies with both economic and noneconomic goals can help family businesses improve market positioning, comply with regulations and maintain a strong family legacy.
Originality/value
This research contributes a new perspective by integrating the RBV and Location Theory to explore green innovation in family firms, highlighting the interplay between internal resources and external environments. It also shows the effectiveness of machine learning methods in predicting environmental innovation, providing deeper insights than traditional statistical techniques.
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Manogna R.L. and Aswini Kumar Mishra
Internationalization is an important strategy for the long-term survivability of the firms and is often influenced by the ownership groups along with the family involvement in the…
Abstract
Purpose
Internationalization is an important strategy for the long-term survivability of the firms and is often influenced by the ownership groups along with the family involvement in the management decisions. The purpose of this study is to investigate empirically the outward propensities of various ownership groups such as foreign institutional investors, domestic mutual funds and lending institutions.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper analyzes the moderating effects of the family’s influence on the relationship between various ownership categories and internationalization, which is measured in terms of foreign investments and export intensity. An analysis of listed non-financial Indian firms recorded during the years 2005–2019, constituting a panel of 43,928 firm-year observations was conducted by using the tobit and probit panel regression models.
Findings
The results demonstrate that internationalization of the firm is positively impacted by the foreign institutional investors and lending institutions. However, when the family ownership is moderated across the ownership categories, it can be seen that it negatively impacts the lending institutions and positively impacts the foreign institutional investors. In the case of mutual funds, no impact of family ownership in the firm’s foreign investment decisions can be seen.
Originality/value
As there are limited studies about family ownership influence on the firm’s internationalization decision in the context of India, this paper takes an inclusive approach to the changing nature of the influence of ownership on the international expansion process.
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Samet Gunay, Selma Kurtishi-Kastrati and Kristina Krsteska
This study aims to explore the impact of regional green economies and communities on global sustainability. This study attempts to show if the empirical results align with the…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to explore the impact of regional green economies and communities on global sustainability. This study attempts to show if the empirical results align with the regional sustainable development policy and practices.
Design/methodology/approach
Empirical analyses are conducted through time-varying correlations, structural break tests and volatility modeling. As a public health indicator, the community variable is proxied by the daily COVID-19 cases.
Findings
According to the results, the US green economy and global sustainability relationship exhibit a greater variety than that of Europe and Asia regions. Volatility modeling reveals that green economies are significant variables for each region in accounting for the changes in global sustainability. Europe and Asia have the highest and lowest effects in this interaction, respectively. The results are consistent with the carbon emission statistics of the regions studied and the government’s efforts to promote sustainable development. Furthermore, this study supports the efforts of the European Union to tackle climate and environmental issues, as well as create a resource-efficient economy and truly prosperous society.
Originality/value
This study presents empirical findings concerning global sustainability by providing evidence from three regions. The outcomes on the extent of regional contribution to global sustainability may lead the policymakers to develop new strategies in the management of turmoil periods such as a pandemic.
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Thomas Richter, Stephan Rudlof, B. Adjibadji, Heiko Bernlöhr, Christoph Grüninger, Claus‐Dieter Munz, Andreas Stock, Christian Rohde and Rainer Helmig
In the process of the implementation of the eBologna program and the recent change of the university system, curricula at German universities have been redesigned; courses have…
Abstract
Purpose
In the process of the implementation of the eBologna program and the recent change of the university system, curricula at German universities have been redesigned; courses have been condensed and learning content has been re‐structured into modules, each of which requires an evaluation. Simultaneously, skills required for working in research and development changed; knowledge of mathematical or numerical algorithms and programming skills play an increasingly important role in the daily job routine of the working engineer. The purpose of this paper is to describe, implement and test a new course on numerical simulations along with a new software infrastructure, addressing this predicament.
Design/methodology/approach
To support learning by practical exercises, engineering faculties, the faculties of mathematics and physics, and the Computing Center of the University of Stuttgart setup a project for implementing an online programming lab for teaching the required skills. The focus of this project is to provide easy access to the necessary software tools, to avoid the overhead of installation and maintenance, and to seamlessly integrate these tools into the e‐learning infrastructure of the university.
Findings
Student evaluations showed a high acceptance of the project and the developed software is now well‐accepted and taken as a self‐evident part of the homework routine.
Originality/value
An online programming lab that integrates seamlessly into the e‐learning infrastructure of the university and is platform and system independent by following the established SCORM standard.
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Dieu Hack-Polay, Mahfuzur Rahman, Md Morsaline Billah and Hesham Z. Al-Sabbahy
The purpose of this article is to discuss issues associated with the application big data analytics for decision-making about the introduction of new technologies in the textile…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this article is to discuss issues associated with the application big data analytics for decision-making about the introduction of new technologies in the textile industry in the developing world.
Design/methodology/approach
The leader–member exchange theoretical framework to consider the nature of the relationships between owners and followers to identify the potential issues that affect decision-making was used. However, decisions to adopt such environmentally friendly biotechnologies are hampered by the lack of awareness amongst owners, intergenerational conflict and cultural impediments.
Findings
The article found that the limited use of this valuable technological resource is linked to several factors, mainly cultural, generational and educational factors. The article exposes two key new technologies that could help the industry reduce its carbon footprint.
Originality/value
The study suggests more awareness raising amongst plant owners and greater empowerment of new generations in decision-making in the industry. This study, therefore, bears significant implications for environmental sustainability in the developing world where the textile industry is one of the major polluting industries affecting water quality and human health.