Tsz Yan Cheung, Lincoln Fok, Chi-Chiu Cheang, Chi Ho Yeung, Wing-Mui Winnie So and Cheuk-Fai Chow
The problem of plastic wastes is serious nowadays worldwide, although plastic wastes recycling is already in practice. To promote sustainability in plastic waste recycling, the…
Abstract
Purpose
The problem of plastic wastes is serious nowadays worldwide, although plastic wastes recycling is already in practice. To promote sustainability in plastic waste recycling, the quality of wastes collected should be maintained well, resulted from a good recycling practice. This paper aims to study a new plastic recycling bin (PRB) and poster interventions on the enhancement of university hall residential students’ proenvironmental knowledge, attitudes and intended behaviours (KAB) and actual recycling behaviours; informative and feedback posters were used as interventions.
Design/methodology/approach
This study adopted a quasi-experimental setting to examine the effects of the new PRB on students’ KAB and actual behaviours in recycling, whereas the quality of the recycled plastic was measured according to the extent of cleanliness (CLE), separation (SEP), compression (COM) and sortedness (SOR).
Findings
Results showed that significant positive enhancements in KAB only happened with the use of blended interventions, which included promotion through the PRB and posters, suggesting that the use of the PRB and posters was useful in achieving better recycling behaviour.
Originality/value
Blended intervention study by using new design plastic recycling bin and poster on the effect of students’ proenvironmental and recycling KAB.
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Georgina Capone, Thomas Schroder, Simon Clarke and Louise Braham
The purpose of this paper is to review quantitative research since 1999 evaluating the effectiveness of democratic therapeutic community (DTC) treatment for individuals with…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to review quantitative research since 1999 evaluating the effectiveness of democratic therapeutic community (DTC) treatment for individuals with personality disorders (PD) with reference to interpersonal and offending risk outcomes.
Design/methodology/approach
A systematic search resulted in the review of ten studies. All of the studies investigated DTCs treating PD in community, inpatient residential and forensic settings. Only peer-reviewed, English-language articles employing a quantitative design were included.
Findings
The majority of studies were conducted poorly and of low methodological quality, with limitations located in the representativeness of participants, limited use of control and comparison groups, follow up periods and controls for confounders. Heterogeneity remained in use of measures and limited consideration was given to the validity of interpersonal measures used. While improved interpersonal outcomes post DTC treatment were noted in forensic and residential settings, results were mixed in day and mini TC settings. Inconsistent findings in offending risk outcomes were also indicated. A study with increased methodological rigour indicated residential treatment had limited effects on interpersonal outcomes, when compared to combination treatment (residential TC and step-down treatment).
Originality/value
The study provided an evaluation of the limitations of DTC research across a range of settings and highlighted a combination of residential TC and step-down treatment may achieve superior outcomes to residential TC treatment alone in a community inpatient population. Recommendations are made for future research to contribute to the treatment of PD.
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Aarhus Kommunes Biblioteker (Teknisk Bibliotek), Ingerslevs Plads 7, Aarhus, Denmark. Representative: V. NEDERGAARD PEDERSEN (Librarian).
Sanjeewa Perera and Carol T. Kulik
Emotion work benefits service organizations, but high emotion-workloads lead to negative consequences for employees. We examined differences between employees highly competent in…
Abstract
Emotion work benefits service organizations, but high emotion-workloads lead to negative consequences for employees. We examined differences between employees highly competent in emotion work (Experts) and those who are less competent (Novices). We found that Novices conformed to organizational level display rules, used simple strategies and felt overwhelmed by their emotion-workload. In contrast, Experts followed interaction level display rules, used proactive strategies, and found emotion work to be effortless. This suggests that emotion work competence can act as a firewall buffering employees from negative consequences. Hospitality organizations can benefit from encouraging employees to increase their emotion work competence.
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This qualitative multiple-case study research attempts to examine controversies associated with national education and national identity by exploring the perceptions of national…
Abstract
Purpose
This qualitative multiple-case study research attempts to examine controversies associated with national education and national identity by exploring the perceptions of national identity of Hong Kong secondary school teachers. Since the resumption of Hong Kong's sovereignty by China in 1997, national identification with Chinese has been a policy priority. Hong Kong has seen an increase of national education, which aims at cultivating a Chinese national identity.
Design/methodology/approach
The study was conducted with case study method with a convenient sampling method on ten purposively chosen sample of Hong Kong secondary school teachers, who are responsible for citizenship education in their schools. It is a qualitative research design with each teacher interviewed twice to obtain in-depth interview data.
Findings
The findings reveal that teachers perceive their national identity with different emphases, which include both elements of civic and ethnic nationalism. Also, Hong Kong teachers showed a diversified perception of their national identity both before and after 1997, and it was found that political, social and personal events exerted influences upon their national identification. These have implication for understanding identity issue and teaching citizenship education in Hong Kong.
Originality/value
This paper attempts to make a contribution towards understanding teachers’ perceptions of national identity by revealing that Hong Kong teachers perceive their national identity with both elements of civic and ethnic nationalism, and their perceptions are mediated by political, social and personal events. Furthermore, multiple levels of identities, namely, local, national, and global levels, should be observed.
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To show differences in organizational performance, management style and systems, resulting from cultural differences in three organizational types: foreign‐owned, joint ventures…
Abstract
Purpose
To show differences in organizational performance, management style and systems, resulting from cultural differences in three organizational types: foreign‐owned, joint ventures, and Chinese‐owned and operated.
Design/methodology/approach
A survey method was used to assess the management systems, leadership and styles within the cultural contexts of the three types of organizations using Hofstede's four cultural dimensions. Organizational performance was measured using balanced scorecard method and factors suggested by other authors. Performance measures were compared across the three types of organizations.
Findings
Foreign‐owned and operated companies performed significantly better than their joint venture (JV) and Chinese‐owned and operated organizations as measured by financial perspective, customer perspective, internal business perspective, innovation and learning perspective and technological assessment. There was clear evidence of benchmarking among Chinese‐owned and operated organizations, learning from JVs and FOOs.
Research limitations/implications
This study used only managers who had a minimum of five years' experience. The study also did not entertain cross‐breeding management styles.
Practical implications
Provides useful information about benchmarking patterns being used by Chinese owned and operated organizations. As the blending of cultures in global organizations continues, learning organizations benchmark not only process technologies but also management systems, leadership and styles.
Originality/value
The paper clearly provides a direct comparison among the three types of organizations operating in the Chinese cultural context. The methodology used is a blend of different approaches to ensure comprehensive assessment of organizational culture and performance.
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Shipeng Yan and Fabrizio Ferraro
Socially responsible investing (SRI) funds depart from mainstream finance by incorporating environmental, social, and governance considerations, but their success varies across…
Abstract
Socially responsible investing (SRI) funds depart from mainstream finance by incorporating environmental, social, and governance considerations, but their success varies across regions. By using a historical comparative case design, we identify an empirically puzzling phenomenon in China: despite an initially favorable resource environment and the presence of socially skilled institutional entrepreneurs, SRI wanes over time in Hong Kong but survives in Mainland China where initial resource endowments and actors’ social skills were inferior. By comparing four periods of SRI development, we reveal how state sustainable development policies, a change in the institutional context, led unintentionally to a shared orientation and a public pool of resources, which sustained the SRI niche. Our paper contributes to research on market emergence, institutional change, and cultural entrepreneurship.
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Chee Yoong Liew and S. Susela Devi
This paper examines the relationship between the number of domestic banks that the firm engages with and firm value and how this relationship is moderated by ownership…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper examines the relationship between the number of domestic banks that the firm engages with and firm value and how this relationship is moderated by ownership concentration at low and very high level on a sample of Malaysian family and non-family firms.
Design/methodology/approach
For hypotheses testing, panel data analysis using the fixed effects model (FEM) is used because the FEM can address any endogeneity problems effectively (Chi, 2005). The panel data regression is conducted on both family firms and non-family firms.
Findings
We find that there is a significant negative relationship between the number of domestic banks engaged by family firms, operating in industries where these firms do not have absolute monopoly, and firm value. However, there is no evidence that this significant negative firm value effect is stronger in family firms compared to non-family firms. Furthermore, the significant positive moderating effect of ownership concentration on this relationship within family firms in such industries is evident only at low level of ownership concentration. Interestingly, at very high level of ownership concentration, this significant positive moderating effect becomes negative. There is no evidence that these significant moderating effects are stronger in family firms compared to non-family firms.
Research limitations/implications
This research has focused only on family and non-family firms.
Practical implications
An implication of this research is that there is a need for the capital market regulators to introduce appropriate policies to deter family firms from having a close relationship with domestic banks as well as monitor the number of domestic banks engaged by such firms. There may be policy implications for consideration by the Central Bank of Malaysia as well.
Originality/value
This research provides some insights to both academia and industry regarding the consequences of domestic banking relationship and different levels of concentrated ownership in family firms in an emerging market. These insights can help improve the corporate governance as well as ownership structure of Malaysian public-listed family firms which dominate the capital market. Our findings refute the argument by Peng and Jiang (2010) by demonstrating that corporate reputational effects may be a substitute for institutional deficiencies.
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Stephanie Slater, Stanley Paliwoda and Jim Slater
The purpose of this paper is to revisit the winning cycle's model proposed by Abegglen and Stalk to investigate the competitive strategies being deployed by Japanese firms.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to revisit the winning cycle's model proposed by Abegglen and Stalk to investigate the competitive strategies being deployed by Japanese firms.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper discusses the literature on the international strategies of Japanese corporations and explains why simplification of work; elimination of waste; discipline; and continuous improvement and radical innovation strategies are presently contributing to a re‐enactment of the “winner's competitive cycle”.
Findings
As international competition intensifies, the winner's competitive cycle has been re‐engineered as Japanese corporations change course in search of alternative routes for sustaining and maintaining a source of competitive advantage.
Originality/value
This paper explains why increased competition and global success has required Japanese firms to reposition their competitive strategy.