Richard G. Taylor, Jeff Brice, Jr. and Sammie L. Robinson
The purpose of the paper is to determine whether management’s optimistic perceptions of their organization’s level of information security preparedness can ultimately result in…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of the paper is to determine whether management’s optimistic perceptions of their organization’s level of information security preparedness can ultimately result in increased information security risks.
Design/methodology/approach
A case study was conducted in a financial institution. In all, 24 employees were interviewed. These employees came from all functional areas and various positions, from tellers to executives. Interviews were conducted, internal policies and examiners’ reports were made available and access was given to observe the employees during working hours and to observe the facilities after hours.
Findings
Executives were overly optimistic about the level of information security at their organization. These optimistic perceptions guided security priorities; however, the findings show that their perceptions were misguided leaving their organization open to increased security threats. More specifically, the results show that optimist perceptions by management can put an organization’s information at risk.
Originality/value
The paper uses existing theory and evaluates it in a “real-world” setting. For security research, it can be difficult to get honest responses from questionnaires; however, the hands-on approach provided a deeper insight to the problem of optimistic perceptions in an organizational setting. For practitioners, the case can raise managements’ awareness of perceptional inaccuracies, resulting in more informed information security decisions and ultimately improved security for their organization.
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This article examines the early post-World War II civil rights organizing of black women radicals affiliated with the organized left. It details the work of these women in such…
Abstract
This article examines the early post-World War II civil rights organizing of black women radicals affiliated with the organized left. It details the work of these women in such organizations as the Civil Rights Congress and Freedom newspaper as they fought to challenge the unjust conviction and sentencing of black defendants caught in the racial machinations of U.S. local and state criminal justice systems. These campaigns against what was provocatively called “legal lynching” formed a cornerstone of African American civil rights activism in the early postwar years. In centering the civil rights politics and organizing of these black women radicals, a more detailed picture emerges of the Communist Party-supported anti-legal lynching campaigns. Such a perspective moves beyond a view of civil rights legal activism as solely the work of lawyers, to examining the ways committed activists within the U.S. left, helped to build this legal activism and sustain an important left base in the U.S. during the Cold War.
Written by a librarian and history professor, the purpose of this paper is to describe a collaborative, primary source literacy project and report its effectiveness in teaching…
Abstract
Purpose
Written by a librarian and history professor, the purpose of this paper is to describe a collaborative, primary source literacy project and report its effectiveness in teaching undergraduates to critically analyze information and develop primary source literacy.
Design/methodology/approach
The methodology used included a research project with 24 undergraduates and a pre- and post-survey. The research project and student survey incorporated principles from the “Guidelines for Primary Source Literacy”, published in 2017 by the ACRL’s Rare Books and Manuscripts Section and the Society of American Archivists. The paper offers research and practical implications for librarians and instructors interested in strategies to teach information literacy. For instance, the paper includes a review of literature on “archival intelligence” or “primary source literacy” and describes the 2017 Guidelines for Primary Source Literacy.
Findings
Socially, the paper includes implications for how to create an inclusive learning experience for students with mechanisms such as a scaffolded assignment, hands-on instruction, imposter syndrome awareness and a no-Google policy.
Originality/value
Given that this is one of the first articles to document how practitioners are incorporating the new 2017 Guidelines, this is sure to be an original and valuable essay.
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Laili Zulkepeli, Muhammad Ashraf Fauzi, Norazah Mohd Suki, Mohd Hanafiah Ahmad, Walton Wider and Syed Radzi Rahamaddulla
This science mapping analysis aims to discern current, emerging and future trends of pro-environmental behavior and the theory of planned behavior (TPB).
Abstract
Purpose
This science mapping analysis aims to discern current, emerging and future trends of pro-environmental behavior and the theory of planned behavior (TPB).
Design/methodology/approach
Bibliometric analysis through bibliographic coupling and co-word analysis were used to reveal the progress of this phenomenon. Of the 1,120 documents search in Web of Science (WoS) database, 1,031 were used in this analysis after restricting to journal publications and studies after the year 2000.
Findings
The results show that four themes emerged, namely the fundamentals of TPB for pro-environmental behavior, antecedents of pro-environmental behavior, integration of TPB with the norm activation model and value belief theory and studies of pro-environmental behavior in developing countries. Environmental concern, environmental awareness, environmental knowledge and environmental education were the most commonly integrated variables.
Research limitations/implications
This research is unique in the sense that the integration between TPB and other prominent theories of pro-environmental behavior is vital to predict individual pro-environmental behavior and understand the fundamental scientific importance of the domain. The norm activation model has been integrated with TPB in many pro-environmental behaviors. Mainstream media stakeholders should design and implement a plan for strategic communication and awareness campaigns in the community to encourage consumers to engage in many behaviors that lead to environmental sustainability.
Originality/value
This study presents a science mapping approach to uncover crucial knowledge structure related to pro-environmental behavior and the theory of planned behavior.
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The purpose of this paper is to develop an outsourcing matrix and explains how outsourcing can be used to facilitate strategic innovation.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to develop an outsourcing matrix and explains how outsourcing can be used to facilitate strategic innovation.
Design/methodology/approach
The methodology used in this study is of an explanatory case study. This paper uses secondary data as well as primary data from several interviews with executives, entrepreneurs and industry experts. The combination of the two sources of data ensures a certain level of convergence and completeness in the analysis presented.
Findings
The approach suggested in this paper offers small and medium‐sized firms an opportunity to innovate strategically (i.e. creation of newer services and products) and potentially level the playing field with larger rivals.
Originality/value
This paper offers practicing managers a framework for using outsourcing as a means to compete effectively. Importantly, compared to the outsourcing literature's traditional focus on large firms, this paper is one of the few which takes the perspective of the small or medium sized firm. Additionally, this paper serves as a foundation for theory building and future research on the usage of outsourcing by such firms to enhance strategic competitiveness.
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A.M.A. El Saadany, M.Y. Jaber and M. Bonney
The paper seeks to develop an analytical decision model that is used to investigate the performance of a supply chain when product, process, and environmental quality…
Abstract
Purpose
The paper seeks to develop an analytical decision model that is used to investigate the performance of a supply chain when product, process, and environmental quality characteristics are considered.
Design/methodology/approach
Environmental performance measures and methods to quantify quality are reviewed and then used to develop a method to measure environmental quality and its associated costs. This was translated into a two‐level supply chain coordination model that captures most aspects of green supply chains. Numerical examples are provided and solved using Excel Solver enhanced with VBA codes.
Findings
The results confirmed some findings in the literature that investing to reduce environmental costs improves environmental performance and increases total profits.
Research limitations/implications
The environmental quality cost function that was used was of a form that guarantees a global optimal solution. A limitation is that the function may take more complex forms where different analytical and solution methods would be needed.
Originality/value
The model fills a gap in the literature where there is a lack of models to help managers implement environmentally acceptable coordinated two‐level supply chains.
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Francisco J. Mas, Juan L. Nicolau and Felipe Ruiz
The purpose of this study is to examine the impact on firm performance of foreign concentration vs diversification strategies, as well as the moderating role played by market…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to examine the impact on firm performance of foreign concentration vs diversification strategies, as well as the moderating role played by market, product and firm characteristics.
Design/methodology/approach
Moderated regression analysis is used.
Findings
Distribution and cultural distance (CU) moderate the relationship between foreign concentration‐diversification and stock market performance; while the non‐repetitive character of product purchase moderates the relationship at an accounting performance level.
Research limitations/implications
First, the lack of information prevented us from examining other groups of determining factors. Second, the possible existence of bias in the results due to the selection of stock market quoted firms.
Practical implications
Managers must realise that CU, distribution channel, and the product factor of non‐repeat purchase, play an important role in the choice of a concentration vs diversification strategy when explaining business results. Government authorities should develop training programmes for firms located in middle‐income countries in order to detect the CU with target markets, as well as the development of effective distribution channels and of product strategy in these markets.
Originality/value
The findings of this study and the implications proposed show the relevance of this topic. The paper focuses on a middle‐income country (Spain) and uses two measurements of firm performance: an accounting rate and a market measure based on the event‐study (excess returns on the stock market generated by the announcement of a foreign expansion).