Stefania Veltri, Pina Puntillo and Francesca Pierri
The aim of this paper is to provide evidence of the relationship between the governance structure of universities and the universities' knowledge transfer (KT) performance…
Abstract
Purpose
The aim of this paper is to provide evidence of the relationship between the governance structure of universities and the universities' knowledge transfer (KT) performance outcomes measured in terms of university spin-off firms university spin-offs (USOs).
Design/methodology/approach
The universities' board of directors has been analyzed under three profiles: the incidence of internal directors belonging to the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) faculties, the incidence of women directors and the incidence of external directors.
Findings
The findings provide evidence of a significant and positive association, for southern Italian state universities, of the presence of university STEM directors and the establishment of university spin-offs (USOs).
Originality/value
The article is original as, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, no study, except for the paper by Meoli et al. (2019), examined the governance of universities in relation to the establishment of academic spin-offs.
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John Dumay, James Guthrie and Pina Puntillo
The purpose of this paper is to present a structured literature review of the public sector intellectual capital (IC) literature. It is, in part, motivated by a recent review of…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to present a structured literature review of the public sector intellectual capital (IC) literature. It is, in part, motivated by a recent review of the IC literature by Guthrie et al. (2012, p. 74), who found that the public sector is one of the least addressed areas of IC research.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper presents a structured literature review of public sector IC articles that is as up to date as possible. The authors use and update the dataset from Guthrie et al. (2012) to include another five plus years of data, including seven articles appearing in this special issue.
Findings
The public sector IC has a primary research focus on central government and central government agencies, education (especially universities), Europe (especially Italy and Spain) and empirical research using case studies mainly investigating management control and strategy. It appears public sector IC researchers are firmly entrenched in performative third-stage research, investigating “how” IC works in organisations rather than offering normative solutions.
Research limitations/implications
Three areas offered as a way of forwarding public sector IC research. First, there is a need to expand public sector IC research from beyond the confines of education (university) research. There is also an opportunity for a study to synthesise the findings. Second, there is also a need for more longitudinal research in public sector IC because IC is not an event, but a journey. Third, there is an opportunity for researchers to undertake empirical research with organisations to develop and test IC frameworks and models in specific public sector contexts.
Practical implications
The authors call for researchers to consider helping public sector practitioners implement IC frameworks and models through interventionist research. In keeping with the performative third-stage IC research agenda, interventionist research makes it possible for academic researchers to act as a catalyst for implementing IC frameworks and models in practice.
Originality/value
This paper is a must read for IC researchers wanting to embark on public sector research. The paper outlines how public sector IC research has developed, offers critique and outlines future opportunities for research that has potential impact, rather than concentrating on already well-researched contexts.
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John Dumay and Jim Rooney
While intellectual capital (IC) accounting research has concentrated on private enterprise, it is also germane to the public sector given pressures to create government business…
Abstract
Purpose
While intellectual capital (IC) accounting research has concentrated on private enterprise, it is also germane to the public sector given pressures to create government business enterprises. However, despite the impetus for change, IC accounting is not a widespread practice in any sector. To understand the paradox, the purpose of this paper is to present a longitudinal narrative of IC accounting practice at an Australian public sector organisation.
Design/methodology/approach
Bourdieu’s theory of practice is adopted in a single longitudinal case study to examine orthodox and heterodox accounting processes along with the resultant “field of opinion” created by IC discourse.
Findings
For an innovation such as IC accounting to be utilised, the social capital associated with it must be able to overcome the symbolic violence of orthodox financial accounting practices. In essence, IC exists alongside accounting and does not replace it. However, not all actors learn about and adopt IC in the same way. Therefore, organisations cannot learn if the actors themselves cannot see how IC should not replace accounting but exists alongside it.
Practical implications
On reflection, the study supports a conclusion that IC should not be viewed as a heretical accounting practice. Rather, it serves discrete purposes that can be utilised by academics and practitioners to achieve particular ends rather than viewed as an alternative form of accounting.
Originality/value
With increasing awareness of accounting of the importance of intangible resources in the “new economy”, this study emphasises the teleological aims of IC as a complementary accounting technology.
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Considering the increased financial responsibility of local government (LG), the impact of global crises and the growing adoption of accrual accounting and common standards such…
Abstract
Purpose
Considering the increased financial responsibility of local government (LG), the impact of global crises and the growing adoption of accrual accounting and common standards such as IPSAS, this work focuses on financial indicators for LGs. It explores whether the literature on financial indicators has grown, investigates whether there is any consensus on which indicators to use for assessing LG's financial condition, develops a critical reading of the literature and offers suggestions for future research and policy agendas.
Design/methodology/approach
A structured literature review was carried out for publications in English about LG financial indicators.
Findings
Results reveal that the number of publications dealing with financial indicators has increased over the past ten years. However, rather than focusing on a set of common indicators, the literature reports a plethora of different ones used for four main purposes: transparency and accountability compliance, performance monitoring and benchmarking, assessing LG's financial health and helping deal with exogenous crises. There is no evidence of convergence towards a common set of indicators, even though liquidity and solvency are the most popular dimensions explored by scholars.
Research limitations/implications
Findings highlight the challenges in converging on financial indicators, yet no claim can be made beyond the reviewed material.
Practical implications
Results provide legislators, public managers, investors and rating agencies with insights about trends in financial indicators, their benefits and limitations.
Originality/value
The article focuses on a less popular aspect of recent financial management reforms for local administration, that is the growing fragmentation in LG indicators, accentuated by the need for common assessment tools during unprecedented widespread crises across countries and sectors.