As librarians increasingly concentrate on planned collection development, gift material may distract from specific selection goals. Marginal gifts — donated materials that are…
Abstract
As librarians increasingly concentrate on planned collection development, gift material may distract from specific selection goals. Marginal gifts — donated materials that are outside a library's stated collecting policies — should be evaluated carefully before being added to the collection. Gift books may duplicate material already in the collection or may be entirely outside the subject scope of the library. Gifts are never truly free; they cost the library time and money to process and may also create problems later if they must be discarded. It is the librarian's professional responsibility to evaluate them in terms of collection goals and not simply allow the human side of graceful acceptance to prevail.
As a collection development librarian at a mid‐size academic library, I work with university faculty to build the various collections. Librarians and university teaching faculty…
Abstract
As a collection development librarian at a mid‐size academic library, I work with university faculty to build the various collections. Librarians and university teaching faculty often have different views about collection development, and sometimes an uneasy truce exists between the two groups. In a small to mid‐size academic library without a large staff of subject specialists, collection development is one of the many responsibilities of faculty. One collection development librarian cannot do it all, and no one on campus is more qualified than a faculty members to assist the librarian in collection building. Librarians must not find themselves caught between the bureaucratic rules and regulations of the library on the one hand, and the faculty member's desire for resources that the or she wishes on the other hand. These two parties must work together to form a supportive and productive partnerships in library collection development.
Grégory Jemine and François Pichault
The abundance of technological innovations has dramatically increased the prominence of digital transformation processes in many organizations and sectors. At the present time…
Abstract
The abundance of technological innovations has dramatically increased the prominence of digital transformation processes in many organizations and sectors. At the present time, digital transformation is first and foremost depicted in the literature as a strategy carefully elaborated and deployed by diligent executives. This stands in sharp contrast with contemporary organizational theory, and most especially the strategy-as-practice research stream, which has increasingly underlined the capability of middle managers to weigh upon strategizing processes. An empirical inquiry conducted in a major aeronautics company reveals that digital transformation can be largely driven by middle managers in charge of specific technological projects, who operate in the absence of a well-defined, overarching strategy. Drawing on the sociology of translation, the chapter identifies four tactics used by middle managers to ensure that their projects make it to the strategic agenda of the firm. Ultimately, the findings suggest that digital transformation processes cannot be solely understood as strategic endeavors, and can result from the addition of disjointed technological projects driven by middle managers instead.
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In this chapter, the utilization of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) tools, improved by human expertise, offers a detailed investigation into their…
Abstract
In this chapter, the utilization of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) tools, improved by human expertise, offers a detailed investigation into their transformative effects on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) standards, and sustainability. Initial insights and structural foundations were developed using AI, specifically utilizing ChatGPT-4, with the author significantly enhancing the content through in-depth academic research and analysis. This synergistic approach provides a holistic view of AI and ML’s role in promoting ethical business practices, improving sustainability reporting efficiency, and facilitating informed decision-making within CSR and ESG frameworks. Incorporating extensively verified and expanded real-world examples, the work delves into the practical applications of these technologies and addresses the ethical considerations they raise. This collaboration highlights the evolving role of AI in research and emphasizes the critical importance of integrating AI-generated insights with scholarly research to drive forward sustainable and socially responsible corporate strategies and policies.
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Vinh Sum Chau and Thunjira Nacharoenkul
This article reviews the practice of horenso (a mnemonic for hokoku/reporting, renraku/informing and sodan/consulting) – an under-documented Japanese communication methodology �…
Abstract
Purpose
This article reviews the practice of horenso (a mnemonic for hokoku/reporting, renraku/informing and sodan/consulting) – an under-documented Japanese communication methodology – at a Japanese-owned subsidiary in Thailand. It draws on a number of cultural theories to explore how horenso was influenced by the non-biculturality of individuals at a multinational corporation.
Design/methodology/approach
This article draws on first-hand interviews with staff of varying responsibilities at a multinational electronic components manufacturer, Spin-eTech (a pseudonym) to understand how horenso has been utilized and perceived at this Japanese-owned subsidiary in Thailand differently from its original form and traditional use at its headquarters in Japan. This was a targeted case that captured the real time communication difficulties at the workplace.
Findings
The themes of horenso's rationale, motivation, style of communication, use for problem solving, information reporting, relation to superiority and culture of communication emerged as prominent differences for how horenso was practiced at the Thai subsidiary.
Originality/value
Using the emic perspective of cultural understanding, insights are offered into the impact of non-biculturality within the Asia Pacific region on the practice of horenso to extant knowledge on the under-explored “eastern vs eastern” cultural differences.
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Cedric E. Dawkins and Yoo Na Youm
The role of labor unions in relation to corporate social responsibility (CSR) remains both ambiguous and crucial for union members and business leaders. Given the complex…
Abstract
Purpose
The role of labor unions in relation to corporate social responsibility (CSR) remains both ambiguous and crucial for union members and business leaders. Given the complex relationship between labor unions and corporations, this study aims to address whether labor unions keep corporations honest (by monitoring CSR activities) or potentially render CSR initiatives less necessary.
Design/methodology/approach
Using data from the MSCI Kinder, Lydenberg, Domini Database for firms in the Russell 1000 Index, this study examines the link between labor unions and CSR in U.S. companies over a six year period. Generalized least squares models were used to test the hypotheses for 3,937 firm-year observations.
Findings
The findings show that unionized companies generally pay less attention to CSR compared to nonunionized ones. The presence of labor unions and positive union-management relations both show a significant negative impact on CSR ratings, where positive union-management relations negatively affect CSR ratings more than just the presence of labor unions. Further, when considering the environmental, social and governance aspects of CSR separately, the results are more complex, suggesting that the relationship between labor unions and CSR varies depending on specific ESG dimensions.
Originality/value
CSR, a well-researched area, rarely addresses the companies' relationships with labor unions. Studies in South Korea and the UK have touched on the impact of labor unions on CSR, but in the USA it remains unexplored. This study extends this line of work by examining U.S. companies.
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Patrick Sven Ulrich, Alice Timmermann and Vanessa Frank
The starting point for the considerations the authors make in this paper are the special features of family businesses in the area of management discussed in the literature. It…
Abstract
Purpose
The starting point for the considerations the authors make in this paper are the special features of family businesses in the area of management discussed in the literature. It has been established here that family businesses sometimes choose different organizational setups than nonfamily businesses. This has not yet been investigated for cybersecurity. In the context of cybersecurity, there has been little theoretical or empirical work addressing the question of whether the qualitative characteristics of family businesses have an impact on the understanding of cybersecurity and the organization of cyber risk defense in the companies. Based on theoretically founded hypotheses, a quantitative empirical study was conducted in German companies.
Design/methodology/approach
The article is based on a quantitative-empirical survey of 184 companies, the results of which were analyzed using statistical-empirical methods.
Findings
The article asked – based on the subjective perception of cybersecurity and cyber risks – to what extent family businesses are sensitized to the topic and what conclusions they draw from it. An interesting tension emerges: family businesses see their employees more as a security risk, but do less than nonfamily businesses in terms of both training and organizational establishment. Whether this is due to a lack of technical or managerial expertise, or whether family businesses simply think they can prevent cybersecurity with less formal methods such as trust, is open to conjecture, but cannot be demonstrated with the research approach taken here. Qualitative follow-up studies are needed here.
Originality/value
This paper represents the first quantitative survey on cybersecurity with a specific focus on family businesses. It shows tension between awareness, especially of risks emanating from employees, and organizational routines that have not been implemented or established.
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Stefan Cronholm and Hannes Göbel
Action design research (ADR) has become widely accepted as a prominent research method within information systems when managing design-oriented research projects. One purpose of…
Abstract
Purpose
Action design research (ADR) has become widely accepted as a prominent research method within information systems when managing design-oriented research projects. One purpose of the ADR method is to provide methodological guidance for the building of IT artefacts. However, several scholars have reported a lack of guidance of method support at the micro level. This article aims to complement the macro level of the ADR method by integrating prescriptive method support at the micro level.
Design/methodology/approach
A qualitative approach including direct content analysis. An empirical ADR project was analysed in order to identify method support that could be integrated into the ADR method.
Findings
Method support at the micro level was identified for all the stages of the ADR method. The method support consists of procedural support, guiding concepts, and various techniques for the documentation of project tasks stated in the ADR method.
Research limitations/implications
The contribution to theory consists of aspects concerning the integration of macro and micro levels: relationships between normative and prescriptive support, continuous focus shifts, and method completeness.
Practical implications
The contribution to practice consists of explicit suggestions for method support that could be integrated into the ADR method.
Originality/value
This study extends previously provided knowledge by offering empirical evidence concerning theoretical constructions consisting of explicit relationships between ADR tasks and integrated method support, and elaboration on the integration of macro and micro levels.
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Kaimeng Zhang, Zhongxin Ni and Zhouyan Lu
This research paper aims to investigate the critical factors influencing the live commerce industry and their implications for Key Opinion Leaders (KOLs) and brands.
Abstract
Purpose
This research paper aims to investigate the critical factors influencing the live commerce industry and their implications for Key Opinion Leaders (KOLs) and brands.
Design/methodology/approach
The study comprehensively reviews previous research, develops relevant hypotheses and utilizes personal information from 66 anchors, along with data from 23,000 product links obtained from the backends of live commerce platforms.
Findings
The study emphasizes that KOLs with higher traffic significantly influence Gross Merchandise Volume (GMV). Intriguingly, KOLs with lower traffic levels exhibit a more pronounced effect on Return on Investment (ROI), highlighting their significance in driving profitability. Furthermore, the study explores the correlation between KOL hashtags and GMV/ROI and the intricate relationship between product types and KOL hashtags.
Practical implications
The findings significantly enhance the understanding of live shopping behavior and provide valuable insights for business management strategies. Practitioners can leverage this empirical evidence to make informed decisions, utilizing extensive data samples of KOLs and brands.
Originality/value
This research contributes unique insights into the live-streaming commerce industry using backend data from Live Streaming E-commerce platforms. The findings are more accurate based on market data than previous studies that relied on platform reviews or questionnaires. Additionally, this paper investigates the impact of KOLs on the performance of live e-commerce from three perspectives: GMV, ROI and hot-selling products.
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Axel Jacob, Andreas Faatz, Lars Knüppe and Frank Teuteberg
In this paper, the authors report the findings of an experiment on the effectiveness of gamification on work performance in a real industrial workplace setting with monotonous…
Abstract
Purpose
In this paper, the authors report the findings of an experiment on the effectiveness of gamification on work performance in a real industrial workplace setting with monotonous, repetitive work.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors conducted an experiment with a simple gamification application that the authors added to a given information system and compared the work performance of an experimental group (n = 16) with a control group (n = 15) over a period of one month.
Findings
The results of the authors’ experiment show that gamification of the workplace leads to a measurable improvement of work performance, creates prevailingly positive emotions and increases the motivation of the workers.
Research limitations/implications
The authors’ findings provide reasons for conducting future research on the contiguity of gamification and the Hawthorne effect or similar phenomena. In this regard, it also seems necessary to take a closer look at who is really affected by a gamified environment and what the boundaries of the gamified environment are.
Practical implications
The authors demonstrate that gamification is a useful tool for process improvement. Furthermore, our results are helpful for a more successful implementation of gamification.
Originality/value
Gamification has proven to be effective in a large number of application contexts, such as education, health and crowdsourcing. Despite the generally positive evaluation of its effectiveness, gamification is still thought to work differently in different contexts. Therefore, there is a gap in the literature on this topic with respect to real industrial workplaces. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, the authors are among the first to have conducted a gamification experiment in a real industrial context.