Klas Eric Soderquist, Alexandros Papalexandris, George Ioannou and Gregory Prastacos
Organizational effectiveness today depends largely on the ability to activate, share and transform the intellectual capital of the company into sustainable and…
Abstract
Purpose
Organizational effectiveness today depends largely on the ability to activate, share and transform the intellectual capital of the company into sustainable and difficult‐to‐imitate competitive advantage. This paper seeks to develop a competency typology that integrates previous definitions and frameworks from the literature and to propose a methodology for identifying competencies to aid the transition from a task‐based to a competency‐based logic for human resource management.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper is based on a longitudinal research project. The paper outlines a methodology and presents the findings from the implementation of a competency model in two case companies. It illustrates how the systematic use of the identified competency categories can support the identification and coding of competencies, which will facilitate the critical organizational transformation from a task‐based to a competency‐based approach.
Findings
The experience from the deployment offers potential challenges of implementing this framework in a specific cultural context. It identifies critical enablers that will contribute to successful implementation, whilst also providing insights concerning predicaments that have to be met.
Originality/value
The particular competency typology integrates previous definitions and frameworks from the literature, thus providing a holistic solution for supporting the implementation of a competency‐based approach. Furthermore, through the analysis of the implementation of the competency framework in two case companies it serves as the basis for illustrating the main steps, as well as the critical success factors that characterize such projects. Finally, it demonstrates the advantages of integrating the proposed competency framework and offers managerial insights and guidelines for similar implementations.
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Maria Mavri and George Ioannou
This paper aims to examine customer switching behaviour in Greek banking services. More specifically it aims to investigate predictors of churn behaviour as part of customer…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to examine customer switching behaviour in Greek banking services. More specifically it aims to investigate predictors of churn behaviour as part of customer relationship management (CRM).
Design/methodology/approach
The enhancement of existing relationships is of pivotal importance to banks, since attracting new customers is known to be more expensive. The paper discusses survival analysis based on data collected from customers of a leading financial services company. It examines a number of variables, which represent characteristics of the customers and of the offered services and products. By using life tables, it estimates the contribution of each separate factor in customers' switching behaviour in different periods of time.
Findings
A hazard proportional model is built to determine the risk of churn behaviour, which is the end‐result of all the examined factors.
Practical implications
Bank's management team could use the findings of our study, in order to determine specific attributes in designing financial services and products, which would add in customers' satisfaction.
Originality/value
The approach and results have significant implications for enlarging the duration of the relationship among customer and bank.
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Sara H. Goodman, Matthew Zahn, Tim-Allen Bruckner, Bernadette Boden-Albala, Janet R. Hankin and Cynthia M. Lakon
The study examines health care inequities in viral load testing among hepatitis C (HCV) antibody-positive patients. The analysis predicts whether individual and census tract…
Abstract
Purpose
The study examines health care inequities in viral load testing among hepatitis C (HCV) antibody-positive patients. The analysis predicts whether individual and census tract sociodemographic characteristics impact the likelihood of viral load testing.
Methodology/Approach
This a study of 26,218 HCV antibody-positive patients in Orange County, California, from 2010 to 2020. The case data were matched with the 2017 American Community Survey to help understand the role of neighborhood socioeconomic characteristics in testing for viral load. Multivariable logistic regression was used to predict the probability of ever testing for HCV viral load.
Findings
Thirty-six percent of antibody-positive persons were never viral load tested. The results show inequalities in viral load testing by sociodemographic factors. The following groups were less likely to ever test for viral load than their counterparts: (1) individuals under 65 years old, (2) females, (3) residents of census tracts with lower levels of health insurance enrollment, (4) residents of census tracts with lower levels of government health insurance, and (5) residents of census tracts with a higher proportion of non-white residents.
Research Limitations/Implications
This is a secondary database from public health department reports. Using census tract data raises the issue of the ecological fallacy. Detailed medical records were not available. The results of this study emphasize the social inequality in viral load testing for HCV. These groups are less likely to be treated and cured, and may spread the disease to others.
Originality/Value
This chapter is unique as it combines routinely collected public health department data with census tract level data to examine social inequities associated with lower rates of HCV viral load testing.
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Upon completion of this case study, students will be able to understand Recaudo's contribution to sustainability; analyze circular economy principles in Recaudo's operations;…
Abstract
Learning outcomes
Upon completion of this case study, students will be able to understand Recaudo's contribution to sustainability; analyze circular economy principles in Recaudo's operations; understand Recaudo's contributions to Sustainable Development Goals; exploring Recaudo's role in social innovation.
Case overview/synopsis
The purpose of this case study is to understand sustainability practices in a Mexican microenterprise that employs fair trade, circular economy and local cuisine. Despite implementing these practices, the founder aims to expand impact and further professionalize them. The study poses questions to enhance her proposals in social innovation and aims to reach business schools and entrepreneurs initiating enterprises.
Complexity academic level
This case study can be useful for undergraduate students majoring in fields such as business administration, entrepreneurship, sustainability studies and hospitality management; for postgraduate students pursuing advanced degrees in areas like sustainable business management, social entrepreneurship and development studies; and for professionals and practitioners in the restaurant industry, sustainability consulting firms and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) focusing on sustainable development.
Supplementary material
Teaching notes are available for educators only.
Subject code
CSS 3: Entrepreneurship.
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Rodolphe Durand and Paul Gouvard
Extant research presents firms’ purpose as a consensual and positive attribute. This paper introduces an alternative perspective, which sees firms’ purposefulness as defined in…
Abstract
Extant research presents firms’ purpose as a consensual and positive attribute. This paper introduces an alternative perspective, which sees firms’ purposefulness as defined in relation to specific audiences. A firm’s purposefulness to a focal audience can be either positive or negative. Audiences find firms with which they share a common prioritization of issues more purposeful in absolute terms. Audiences find firms with which they share a common understanding of issues positively purposeful. Conversely, audiences find firms with an opposite understanding of issues negatively purposeful. Audiences harness specific resources to support firms they find positively purposeful and to oppose firms they find negatively purposeful. This paper introduces topic modeling and word embeddings as two techniques to operationalize this audience-based approach to purposefulness.
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The Equal Pay Act 1970 (which came into operation on 29 December 1975) provides for an “equality clause” to be written into all contracts of employment. S.1(2) (a) of the 1970 Act…
Abstract
The Equal Pay Act 1970 (which came into operation on 29 December 1975) provides for an “equality clause” to be written into all contracts of employment. S.1(2) (a) of the 1970 Act (which has been amended by the Sex Discrimination Act 1975) provides:
Alexandre Clément, Élisabeth Robinot and Léo Trespeuch
Environmental, social and governance (ESG) scores are becoming increasingly relevant in academic literature and the corporate world. This is partly because the themes covered by…
Abstract
Purpose
Environmental, social and governance (ESG) scores are becoming increasingly relevant in academic literature and the corporate world. This is partly because the themes covered by ESG scores are intended to resolve multiple major social and environmental issues. However, there is little consensus among academics about the definition of ESG scores and their measures. Many scholars have used ESG scores to represent various issues. The purpose of this study is to gather all definitions that were used by scholar when using ESG scores in their research.
Design/methodology/approach
This systematic literature review aims to identify how ESG scores are presented in the academic literature. A total of 4,145 articles were identified, of which 342 articles from influential peer-reviewed journals were retained.
Findings
In the articles, five different thematic definitions emerged in terms of how scholars have used ESG scores in their research: sustainability, corporate social responsibility, disclosure, finance and the analysis of ESG scores. Although some definitions are consistent with the methodologies of the agencies that produce ESG scores, others raise further questions. Caution is required when using ESG scores as a metric. They represent financial adjusted risk-return for some and are used to express business sustainability for others.
Research limitations/implications
Only top-ranked journals were analyzed. In addition, only the key terms “ESG Score” and “ESG Scores” were used to gather all research papers.
Practical implications
Researchers could improve the accuracy of their results by developing specific methodologies that are closely related to the issues intended to be measured. The underlying variables composing the ESG scores could be used instead of the final score for more accurate environmental or social issues measurements.
Originality/value
This research shows that scholars use ESG scores to represent multiple issues that are not always captured by ESG scores’ official methodologies. ESG scores can express the overall performance of environmental and social issues, but they cannot be used to track specific underlying issues.
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Ella Guangxin Xu, Joey W. Yang, Yuan George Shan and Chris Graves
This study investigates effects of corporate governance on the financial performance of family-controlled firms and how these effects differ between common law and civil law…
Abstract
Purpose
This study investigates effects of corporate governance on the financial performance of family-controlled firms and how these effects differ between common law and civil law jurisdictions.
Design/methodology/approach
This study applies a number of corporate governance measures to the largest 243 publicly listed family-controlled businesses worldwide from 2009 to 2018. The corporate governance measures include board independence, board gender diversity, corporate governance index (CGI) and the percentage of family ownership.
Findings
The empirical evidence indicates that board independence improves financial performance; this positive effect is more pronounced in common law than civil law jurisdictions. Board gender diversity has a negative impact on financial performance under common law but a positive impact in civil law jurisdictions. Moreover, the CGI and family ownership structure are positively associated with financial performance, and no difference is found between the two jurisdiction types. In addition, family ownership negatively moderates CGI in civil law countries only.
Originality/value
This study provides new insight on the relevance of considering jurisdictional differences when examining the effect of corporate governance on performance. The study also addresses important concerns in family business research relating to unobserved heterogeneity and endogeneity. Implications of these for research and practice are discussed in the paper.
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Soula Ioannou, Christiana Kouta and Angeliki Andreou
Health promotion can fall into a victim blaming approach and put social pressure on particular students who could be marginalized due to their personal, economical, cultural…
Abstract
Purpose
Health promotion can fall into a victim blaming approach and put social pressure on particular students who could be marginalized due to their personal, economical, cultural, social or ethnic characteristics, for example, students who are obese, drug users or HIV carriers. The purpose of this paper is to present and discuss ways in which the design of the newly reformed Cyprus Health Education Curriculum (CHEC) attempted to protect learners from victim blaming.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper describes and reflects on the learning objectives, teaching methods and teaching activities of the CHEC.
Findings
The paper gives specific examples of how the design of the CHEC attempts to ensure that the curriculum does not promote victim blaming. It describes learning objectives, content, suggested teaching methods and activities from three thematic areas of the curriculum which are particularly susceptible to victim blaming: “food and health”, “emotional health” and “family planning, sexual and reproductive health”. It discusses how the design of the CHEC attempts to encourage educators to address the underlying social and environmental determinants of health and thus avoid stigmatization.
Practical implications
The paper can be useful for curriculum designers and school educators. It describes how the design of a health education curriculum and health education lessons can refrain from burdening the individual with total personal responsibility for health behaviour and lifestyle.
Social implications
Understanding and implementing the basic learning themes and objectives of the CHEC has social and community implications. It promotes collective responsibility, emphasizing a non-blaming and community approach. The design of the CHEC challenges the idea of free choice, acknowledges the social determinants of health and promotes students’ empowerment as active members of society.
Originality/value
The originality of this paper lies in the description and reflection of the design of the first health education curriculum in Cyprus, which attempts to secure learners from victim blaming in its implementation. The aspects of the design of the CHEC described in this paper may be applicable to other European countries.