Eugenia Perez Vico and Olof Hallonsten
The purpose of this paper is to develop new conceptual tools for analyzing how contemporary collaborative academic work is organized on micro-level, and its social and economic…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to develop new conceptual tools for analyzing how contemporary collaborative academic work is organized on micro-level, and its social and economic impact, in broad terms. Thus it makes a contribution towards a better view on how contemporary academics organize their professional activities in light of profound changes to the framework conditions of academic work, and a better view on the productivity and potentially very wide societal impact of academia.
Design/methodology/approach
Based on previous research, the arguments are developed conceptually. The paper builds both on previous empirical findings and strong traditions in organization theory (resource dependence theory) and innovation studies.
Findings
The paper achieves a synthesized conceptual view on impact of academia, strongly related to how individual academics organize their professional activities today, given the recent profound structural changes to the academic system. The paper launches resource dependence as a key concept for understanding contemporary academic work in a collaborative context, and sequences of impact as a key tool for conceptualizing the very varied role of academia in society.
Research limitations/implications
While building strongly on previous research, the paper is conceptual in nature and thus its value lies chiefly in assisting future studies.
Practical implications
The contribution can assist in policymaking by promoting the achievement of more accurate and better balanced models and appraisal schemes.
Originality/value
The paper has theoretical originality and its synthesized argument about organizing and impact is of high value for current scholarly debate on these topics.
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Basim Al‐Najjar and Martin Jacobsson
To develop and test a model and software‐based support system for better understanding of the interactions between man‐machine‐maintenance‐economy (MMME), and enable…
Abstract
Purpose
To develop and test a model and software‐based support system for better understanding of the interactions between man‐machine‐maintenance‐economy (MMME), and enable cost‐effective decisions.
Design/methodology/approach
The study is based on published knowledge and experience within maintenance, maintenance organization and production, and a case study.
Findings
Development of a model describing interactions between man‐machine‐maintenance‐economy interactions and MMME software module. MMME test shows its ability to identify, quantify, assess and follow up losses in production time which is necessary when planning effective maintenance actions.
Research limitations/implications
In the paper the focus is to quantify production time losses in order to identify the root causes of the problem. The case study is performed at a manufacturing plant for truck engines.
Practical implications
A systematic approach of how to quantify and evaluate losses in production time in order to identify problems and problem areas within the production. This approach is discussed and motivated with the aim of achieving more cost‐effective decisions in maintenance.
Originality/value
The model and software application developed enables a structured way of analyzing production time losses in order to find cost‐effective solutions to the problems. The model is very flexible enabling it to be customized for a wide spectrum of branches.
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Hart O. Awa, Ojiabo Ukoha Ojiabo and Longlife E. Orokor
The T-O-E framework enjoys robust scholarly accolade but it rarely espouses clearly task and individual factors. Although task and individual contexts had been separately…
Abstract
Purpose
The T-O-E framework enjoys robust scholarly accolade but it rarely espouses clearly task and individual factors. Although task and individual contexts had been separately addressed by task-technology-fit (TTF) and unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT), respectively, the purpose of this paper is to complement and/or extend the T-O-E’s insights by integrating TTF and UTAUT frameworks, and developing and empirically testing a 12-factor framework that spans five contexts.
Design/methodology/approach
Survey data were proportionally collected from six groups of small service enterprises with strong operations in Port Harcourt, Nigeria and the mode of sampling was purposive and snow-ball while analysis involved logistic likelihood regression.
Findings
The relationship between adoption and the factors within the contexts of technology, organization, environment and task were statistically supported though some had negative coefficients. For individual context, social factor had a statistically significant negative coefficient but hedonistic drive was not statistically supported.
Research limitations/implications
The study is limited by its scope of coverage; therefore, extended data are needed to apply the findings to other sectors/industries and to factor in the implementation and post-adoption phases and business-to-business adoption in order to forge a more integrated and holistic adoption framework.
Practical implications
The findings encourage vendors and policy makers to place more premiums on organizational and task factors than on technological, environmental and individual factors and to craft informed marketing programs that would appeal to actual and potential adopters and cause them to progress in the loyalty ladder.
Originality/value
This paper contributes to the growing research on technology adoption; it uses factors within the T-O-E, TTF and UTAUT frameworks to explain adoption of technologies and to establish the underlying relationships amongst T-O-E factors through integrating other useful frameworks.
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Elaine Beaumont, Gillian Rayner, Mark Durkin and Gosia Bowling
The purpose of this paper is to examine pre and post outcome measures following a course of Compassionate Mind Training (CMT). Participants were students enrolled on a Post…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine pre and post outcome measures following a course of Compassionate Mind Training (CMT). Participants were students enrolled on a Post Graduate Diploma in Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapy (CBP). The aim of the research was to explore whether CMT would increase self-compassion, compassion for others, dispositional empathy and reduce self-critical judgement.
Design/methodology/approach
In total, 21 participants who had enrolled on the CBP programme took part in the study. Data were collected using the self-compassion scale, interpersonal reactivity index, and the compassion for others scale.
Findings
Results reveal an overall statistically significant increase in self-compassion scores and statistically significant reduction in self-critical judgement scores post training. There was no statistically significant difference post training on the interpersonal reactivity index or the compassion for others scale.
Research limitations/implications
CMT training may help students develop healthy coping strategies, which they can use to balance their affect regulation systems when faced with organisational, placement, client, academic, personal and supervision demands. Further research and longitudinal studies, using larger sample sizes are needed to explore if cultivating compassion whilst on psychotherapy training helps students build resilience and provide a barrier against empathic distress fatigue, compassion fatigue, secondary traumatic stress, and burnout.
Practical implications
Incorporating CMT into a CBP programme may bring changes in student levels of self-compassion and self-critical judgement.
Originality/value
This inaugural study examines whether incorporating CMT into a CBP programme impacts on students levels of compassion, dispositional empathy and self-critical judgement. The findings from this preliminary study suggest the potential benefits of training students in compassion focused practices.
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Jason Martin, Per-Erik Ellström, Andreas Wallo and Mattias Elg
This paper aims to further our understanding of policy–practice gaps in organizations from an organizational learning perspective. The authors conceptualize and analyze…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to further our understanding of policy–practice gaps in organizations from an organizational learning perspective. The authors conceptualize and analyze policy–practice gaps in terms of what they label the dual challenge of organizational learning, i.e. the organizational tasks of both adapting ongoing practices to prescribed policy demands and adapting the policy itself to the needs of practice. Specifically, the authors address how this dual challenge can be understood in terms of organizational learning and how an organization can be managed to successfully resolve the dual learning challenge and, thereby, bridge policy–practice gaps in organizations.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper draws on existing literature to explore the gap between policy and practice. Through a synthesis of theories and an illustrative practical example, this paper highlights key conceptual underpinnings.
Findings
In the analysis of the dual challenge of organizational learning, this study provides a conceptual framework that emphasizes the important role of tensions and contradictions between policy and practice and their role as drivers of organizational learning. To bridge policy–practice gaps in organizations, this paper proposes five key principles that aim to resolve the dual challenge and accommodate both deployment and discovery in organizations.
Research limitations/implications
Because this is a conceptual study, empirical research is called for to explore further and test the findings and conclusions of the study. Several avenues of possible future research are proposed.
Originality/value
This paper primarily contributes by introducing and elaborating on a conceptual framework that offers novel perspectives on the dual challenges of facilitating both discovery and deployment processes within organizations.
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Yang Gao, Ekaterina Turkina and Ari Van Assche
Cultural and creative industries (CCIs) have been argued to play an important role in achieving the sustainable development goals (SDGs). However, the mechanisms through which…
Abstract
Cultural and creative industries (CCIs) have been argued to play an important role in achieving the sustainable development goals (SDGs). However, the mechanisms through which CCIs contribute to the attainment of SDGs remain underexplored. In this study, the authors adopt a network perspective to examine how the structure of a local CCI network relates to its local sustainability performance. By examining a database of 210,182 networked firms out of 1.34 million CCI firms across 294 cities in China, the authors conclude that both the scale and the density of a local CCI network improve the city’s performance in terms of attaining SDGs 8–12. The authors discuss the implications of these findings and propose future research avenues in international business.
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Katharina Poetz, Rainer Haas and Michaela Balzarova
The rise of CSR followed a demand for CSR standards and guidelines. In a sector already characterized by a large number of standards, the authors seek to ask what CSR schemes…
Abstract
Purpose
The rise of CSR followed a demand for CSR standards and guidelines. In a sector already characterized by a large number of standards, the authors seek to ask what CSR schemes apply to agribusiness, and how they can be systematically compared and analysed.
Design/methodology/approach
Following a deductive‐inductive approach the authors develop a model to compare and analyse CSR schemes based on existing studies and on coding qualitative data on 216 CSR schemes.
Findings
The authors confirm that CSR standards and guidelines have entered agribusiness and identify a complex landscape of schemes that can be categorized on focus areas, scales, mechanisms, origins, types and commitment levels.
Research limitations/implications
The findings contribute to conceptual and empirical research on existing models to compare and analyse CSR standards. Sampling technique and depth of analysis limit this research, but the authors offer insights into patterns of CSR standard development in agribusiness and point to important research avenues.
Practical implications
These findings can help agribusiness managers to select and analyse CSR standards and other forms of CSR guidance.
Social implications
Standard and guidance setting activities can be expected to have real‐life effects on CSR outcomes. These effects need to be better understood by policy makers and stakeholders. The authors' meta‐analysis contributes to further research on who or what influences standard development.
Originality/value
Models to compare CSR schemes are rare and often focus on a small number of cases. The authors provide decision makers and researchers with insights into structural conditions through a meta‐analysis of a larger number of CSR schemes.
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Jakob Edler, Daniela Frischer, Michaela Glanz and Michael Stampfer
University governance is constantly challenged by changing expectations and contexts. New, prestigious and well-endowed funding schemes are one possible source of pressure for…
Abstract
University governance is constantly challenged by changing expectations and contexts. New, prestigious and well-endowed funding schemes are one possible source of pressure for change of university governance. This article analyses the impact of one such scheme, the grants of the European Research Council (ERC), on the governance of European universities. After outlining a model of how this impact on universities can be expected to occur, we present the results of an exploratory study at a very early stage of the ERC’s existence (2010–2011). The empirical analysis is based on an investigation of 11 universities in eight countries, which shows that different kinds of universities are affected in varied and often unexpected ways, with particular differences arising at different levels within the universities.
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Hart O. Awa, Ojiabo Ukoha and Sunny R. Igwe
This paper aims to propose and test a ten-factor framework of four contexts from technology-organization-environment (T-O-E) theory and unified theory of acceptance and use of…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to propose and test a ten-factor framework of four contexts from technology-organization-environment (T-O-E) theory and unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT) to provide insight(s) that complements and extends extant inquiries on technology adoption.
Design/methodology/approach
Survey data were collected from small service enterprises with strong operations in Port Harcourt, Nigeria, and the mode of sampling was purposive and snow ball, whereas analysis involved structural equation modeling.
Findings
The results show that factors in the technological, organizational and environmental contexts have direct statistically significant relationship with adoption; thus, adoption is more driven by T-O-E factors than by individual factors. For individual context, social factor equally was statistically supported, whereas hedonistic drive was not.
Research limitations/implications
The study is limited by its scope of data collection and phases; therefore, extended data are needed to apply the findings to other sectors/industries/countries and to factor in the implementation and post-adoption phases and business to business (B2B) adoption to forge a more holistic framework.
Practical/implications
Implicit is that the findings encourage vendors and policy makers to recognize the strength of interpersonal and group relationships in addition to T-O-E contexts in developing investment decisions.
Originality/value
The paper contributes to the growing research on innovation adoption by using factors within the T-O-E and UTAUT frameworks to explain SMEs’ adoption of technologies.
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Tamara Besednjak Valič, Janez Kolar, Urša Lamut and Alenka Pandiloska Jurak
This paper aims to explore the key anchors of the National Innovation System shaping the nature of collaboration between academic high-performance computing centres (academic HPC…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to explore the key anchors of the National Innovation System shaping the nature of collaboration between academic high-performance computing centres (academic HPC centres) and small- to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) working in the automotive and electronics sectors of the Danube region. With two main research questions, it discusses the importance of knowledge transfer and technology transfer for collaboration between University and Industry (U-I collaboration) in three groups of developmentally distinct countries: competitively advanced, competitively intermediate and competitively lagging. As main anchors of the innovation system, stable legal environment, exciting innovation policies and strong R&D funding are recognised.
Design/methodology/approach
A qualitative empirical study in 14 Danube region countries included 92 focus group participants, expert representatives of academic HPC centres and SMEs. The data were audio recorded, transcribed and analysed.
Findings
The findings show the main prerequisites of the framework conditions for efficient U-I collaboration evolve through a goal-oriented National Innovation Policy and developed and functioning legal environment supporting labour market and intellectual property (IP) protection and enforcement. Additionally, skilled people are needed to be able to operate with HPC, where it seems all the countries lack such skilled workforce. In competitively lagging countries, the high levels of brain drain exhibit strong impact to U-I collaboration.
Research limitations/implications
Research into relationships between academic HPC centres and SMEs conducted was qualitative; therefore, limitations in terms of generalisation arise from it. On the other hand, the research is promising in terms of offering the guidance for policy makers who can use the findings when delivering innovation policy mix, adjusted to developmental level of own innovation ecosystem.
Originality/value
The study is among the pioneering work in U-I collaboration between academic HPC centres and SMEs from automotive and electronics industries in the Danube region. The research addresses the dynamics of collaboration and offers policy implications to strengthen the particular U-I collaboration.
研究目的
本文旨在探究國家創新系統的主要支柱; 這些支柱決定了學術性的高速網路與計算中心 (註: 此為直譯) (以下簡稱學術高網算中心) 與於多瑙河地區的汽車製造業和電子產品行業內營運的中小型企業之間的合作性質。本文透過兩條主要的研究問題、去探討知識轉移和技術轉讓對大學與產業界之間的合作的重要性而這些產業是屬於在發展階段上三個明顯不同的國家組別裏的這三個組別是 競爭先進的、競爭性中級的和競爭落後的。穩定的法律環境、令人興奮的創新政策和強大的研究與開發資金被認為是創新系統的三個主要支柱。
研究設計
研究人員在14個位於多瑙河地區的國家裏進行一個質性觀察研究研究涵蓋92個焦點小組參與者、來自學術高網算中心和中小型企業的專家代表。有關的數據被錄音繼而被轉寫下來最後被分析。
研究結果
研究結果顯示效率高的大學產業界合作的框架條件的主要先決條件是透過一個以目標為導向的國家創新政策而逐漸形成繼而發展起來; 另外所需的條件是一個支援勞工市場、保障知識產權、並執行有關的法律的正常運作的法律環境。其次若想與學術高網算中心一起工作技術人才是必須的因學術高網算中心內的所有國家似乎欠缺技術勞動力。在落後於競爭對手的國家裏高度的人才外流對大學與產業界之間的合作會產生重大的影響。
研究的局限/啟示
由於研究採用的研究方法為質性研究法故研究結果、就普遍化的歸納而言是有其局限的。唯研究結果在實務方面有其作用因政策制定者在推行與科技進步與對策有關的策略時他們可把研究結果作為指引就其自身創新生態系統的發展水準而作出適當的調整。
研究的原創性/價值
本研究探討涉及學術高網算中心與於多瑙河地區的汽車製造業和電子產品行業內營運的中小型企業之間合作的大學產業界合作就此而言可說是開創性研究之一。本研究探究有關的大學產業界合作的變革動力並為政策制定者提供啟示以能強化有關的合作。