Search results
1 – 10 of 56As the novel coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) impacts the world, software practitioners are collaboratively working remotely from home. The pandemic has disrupted software…
Abstract
Purpose
As the novel coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) impacts the world, software practitioners are collaboratively working remotely from home. The pandemic has disrupted software practitioners’ productivity forcing changes to agile methodology adopted by software practitioners in software organizations. Therefore, this study aims to provide implication on the issues and recommendations for improving software practitioners’ productivity and also examine the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on agile software development.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper adopts a narrative literature review to provide early assessment based on secondary data from the literature and available document reports from studies published from 2019 to 2022 to explore software practitioners’ productivity and agile software development during the working from home directive amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. A total of 60 sources which met the inclusion criteria were used to provide preliminary evidence grounded on secondary data from the literature. Descriptive analysis was used to provide qualitative findings from the literature.
Findings
Findings from this study present the significance of working from home directive on agile software development and software practitioners’ productivity. More importantly, findings from the secondary data shed light on software practitioners’ productivity adopting agile software development amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, the findings present virtual collaborative platforms used by software practitioners, technical and social barriers of agile software development during the pandemic and recommendations for remote agile software development.
Originality/value
This study explores the significance of working from home directive on software practitioners’ productivity during COVID-19 pandemic and further investigates how are software practitioners’ productivity adopting agile software development practices amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. Besides, this study discusses the challenges software practitioners currently face and offers some strategies to bridge the gaps in agile software development to help software practitioners, system developers, software managers and software organizations adapt to the changes caused by the pandemic.
Details
Keywords
Razib Chandra Chanda, Ali Vafaei-Zadeh, Haniruzila Hanifah and T. Ramayah
The main objective of this study is to investigate the factors that influence the adoption intention of cloud computing services among individual users using the extended theory…
Abstract
Purpose
The main objective of this study is to investigate the factors that influence the adoption intention of cloud computing services among individual users using the extended theory of planned behavior.
Design/methodology/approach
A purposive sampling technique was used to collect a total of 339 data points, which were analyzed using SmartPLS to derive variance-based structural equation modeling and fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA).
Findings
The results obtained from PLS-SEM indicate that attitude towards cloud computing, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control, perceived security, cost-effectiveness, and performance expectancy all have a positive and significant impact on the adoption intention of cloud computing services among individual users. On the other hand, the findings from fsQCA provide a clear interpretation and deeper insights into the adoption intention of individual users of cloud computing services by revealing the complex relationships between multiple combinations of antecedents. This helps to understand the reasons for individual users' adoption intention in emerging countries.
Practical implications
This study offers valuable insights to cloud service providers and cyber entrepreneurs on how to promote cloud computing services to individual users in developing countries. It helps these organizations understand their priorities for encouraging cloud computing adoption among individual users from emerging countries. Additionally, policymakers can also understand their role in creating a comfortable and flexible cloud computing access environment for individual users.
Originality/value
This study has contributed to the increasingly growing empirical literature on cloud computing adoption and demonstrates the effectiveness of the proposed theoretical framework in identifying the potential reasons for the slow growth of cloud computing services adoption in the developing world.
Details
Keywords
Md Kamrul Hasan and Derrick D'Souza
Taking an organizational perspective, this paper aims to understand how organizations respond to such strong and concurrent societal effects, and to answer the question, “How…
Abstract
Purpose
Taking an organizational perspective, this paper aims to understand how organizations respond to such strong and concurrent societal effects, and to answer the question, “How should researchers conceptualize the symbiotic relationship between society and business during a catastrophic societal event?”
Design/methodology/approach
The authors highlight through numerous examples, the impact of COVID-19 on society is well-evidenced in the research. They also draw on such evidence of the effects of catastrophic societal events like COVID-19 to support the appropriateness of this conceptualization.
Findings
The authors found that organizations that use both short- and long-term activities concurrently are better able to tackle the concurrent short- and long-term effects of catastrophic events like COVID-19.
Originality/value
The authors use ambidexterity theory, supported by evidence derived from organizational responses to COVID-19, to offer a new and more comprehensive conceptualization that frames the concurrent and interrelated short-term and long-term organizational response to a catastrophic societal event. Further, they highlight the importance of studying such organizational responses in the context of the organization’s referent groups.
Details
Keywords
Huda Khan, Felix Mavondo and Nadia Zahoor
The resource-based view (RBV) emphasises the importance of resources for firm performance. However, recent research argues that the focus on firm performance should also be based…
Abstract
Purpose
The resource-based view (RBV) emphasises the importance of resources for firm performance. However, recent research argues that the focus on firm performance should also be based on inside-out (IO) and outside-in (OI) capabilities. Specifically, we study the importance of resources on product development (an IO) and market driving (an OI) entrepreneurial marketing capabilities on entrepreneurial firm performance in an emerging market. The study further investigates the moderating effects of marketing agility on the relationship between resources and capabilities.
Design/methodology/approach
The study is based on survey data of a multi-industry sample of 102 entrepreneurial firms in Pakistan.
Findings
The results show that marketing agility moderates the relationship between resource-mix flexibility on product development and market driving capabilities, but it only positively moderates the relationship between resource-mix inimitability and product development capability. Marketing driving and product development capabilities play a role as parallel mediators between resources and firm performance.
Originality/value
The study lies at the intersection of marketing and entrepreneurship literature by (1) providing a nuanced understanding of marketing agility as a boundary spanning factor for IO and OI entrepreneurial marketing capabilities; (2) integrating the resource types and product development from IO and market-driving from OI capabilities perspectives; (3) identifying the effects of IO and OI on firm performance providing guidance for entrepreneurs seeking improved firm performance.
Details
Keywords
Anjala S. Krishen, Jesse L. Barnes, Maria Petrescu and Shaheena Janjuha-Jivraj
This interdisciplinary study aims to analyze how service organizations communicate sustainable beliefs in their social media narratives and use them to generate brand awareness…
Abstract
Purpose
This interdisciplinary study aims to analyze how service organizations communicate sustainable beliefs in their social media narratives and use them to generate brand awareness, customer recognition and ongoing demand for sustainable service.
Design/methodology/approach
A two-phase exploratory analysis of 10,342 tweets from 2019–2020 was conducted by sustainable global corporations to identify best practices for their social media teams operating within a service-based business model. First, the significant themes were identified using an unguided machine learning approach of three types of firms: services, goods and mixed. Next, the full set of tweets with linguistic sentiment analysis was analyzed followed by a deeper view of the services-based organizations based on their strategic focus (business-to-business [B2B] versus mixed).
Findings
The findings indicate that tweets that appear to create the highest customer engagement are characterized as having high levels of analytical language, high clout (i.e. are socially relevant), a positive tone, a high number of words and a high number of words per sentence. On the other hand, having complex language in terms of six-letter words does not seem to associate with customer engagement. The last level of analysis shows that B2B services-based corporations with positive tone and higher word count exhibit higher levels of retweets. Implications include providing rational and informational tweets to increase engagement and highlight societal relevance.
Originality/value
Climate change has negative consequences on human and physical capital, and ecosystems across the globe. This study provides specific recommendations for how services corporations can increase their sustainable communications and actions.
Practical implications
The key implication of our research is that corporations must strategically design social media narratives about climate change as part of their online branding and communications process.
Details
Keywords
Andreea Maria Gabriela Militaru, Atil Kurt and Mehmet Gumus
Nowadays, nations are rapidly changing and evolving, both because of global competitiveness and technological development. The fast change of the economies and the interconnected…
Abstract
Purpose
Nowadays, nations are rapidly changing and evolving, both because of global competitiveness and technological development. The fast change of the economies and the interconnected world has brought a more globalized world than ever. The purpose of this paper is to assess Romania (RO) and Türkiye (TR) by using a customized version of Porter’s diamond model (PDM), with an emphasis on identifying the key components of their innovation systems.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper uses a recognized model to unfold its structure. Based on the PDM, this paper tackles the topic of innovation systems both of RO and TR. Applying the model, a mapping of indicators representing components of the national innovation system is made possible. Besides the traditional four determinants (dimensions) of the model, the authors adapted it and added the technology conditions. Using the five dimensions, a comparison of strategical objectives is made between RO and TR.
Findings
The results show the potential for both countries to develop and embrace the innovation capacity, while there is still room for improvement in this regard. Another point is the map of innovation system components that were used for the comparison. The implications of innovation are analyzed at a strategical level, comparing the mapping with the national strategical objectives.
Originality/value
There are many studies using this model, however a few bring into the light the impact of innovation systems at national level. Hence, a new framework is provided to evaluate innovative systems using a selection of modern indicators. This study uses an existing model in literature, Porter’s model mapping indicators, which highlight the innovation capacity.
Details
Keywords
Lisa Gring-Pemble, Gregory Unruh and Efrat Shaked
Stakeholder capitalism has gained attention among business practitioners and academia, often discussed within the context of corporate social responsibility, ethical practices and…
Abstract
Purpose
Stakeholder capitalism has gained attention among business practitioners and academia, often discussed within the context of corporate social responsibility, ethical practices and values-based leadership. Many societal institutions, including businesses and higher education institutions, have a role to play in the transition toward stakeholder capitalism. This study aims to discuss insights gained from a multiyear research and pedagogical project coordinated among a group of academics and an Israel-based holding company to study the implementation of a values-based leadership process focused on establishing a stakeholder-oriented model in a variety of organizations.
Design/methodology/approach
Conducted over a decadal period, this project relied on a qualitative case study methodology. The project was conceived as an exploratory and inductive study examining organizations that implemented a values-based leadership model and a university that used this model for curriculum and pedagogy. Semi-structured interviews, observations of leadership practices and operations, and substantive reviews of organizational documents informed the study’s iterative methodology.
Findings
The case studies presented explore the benefits of a stakeholder capitalism and values-based leadership transformation in organizations and highlight the importance of senior leadership engagement at the outset to set the tone and direction of implementation while also role modeling values-based behaviors for the organization. The utility of aligning the new values-based approach with existing elements of the organizational culture and priorities was also identified in addition to the benefit of individuals linking the new values initiative to their personal values and life. These practices, and a broader stakeholder dialogue on values, helped establish a transition that was inclusive within the organizational hierarchy and in its connections to the larger society. The cases also explored how stakeholder principles and values-based leadership models can be integrated into management education based on the outcomes of the organizational investigations.
Originality/value
These case studies offer insight into the implementation of a values-based leadership framework, which draws on stakeholder theory, in diverse organizations across a for-profit to non-profit spectrum. These studies also provide a unique opportunity to evaluate the implementation of a common values framework in different sectors. The cases further highlight the potential role of business-education sectoral partnerships in educating a workforce that is dedicated to business for good.
Details
Keywords
Alisha Tuladhar, Michael Rogerson, Juliette Engelhart, Glenn C. Parry and Birgit Altrichter
Firms are increasingly pressured to comply with mandatory supply chain transparency (SCT) regulations. Drawing on information processing theory (IPT), this study aims to show how…
Abstract
Purpose
Firms are increasingly pressured to comply with mandatory supply chain transparency (SCT) regulations. Drawing on information processing theory (IPT), this study aims to show how blockchain technology can address information uncertainty and equivocality in assuring regulatory compliance in an interorganizational network (ION).
Design/methodology/approach
IPT is applied in a single case study of an ION in the mining industry that aimed to implement blockchain to address mandatory SCT regulations. The authors build on a rich proprietary data set consisting of interviews and substantial secondary material from actors along the supply chain.
Findings
The case shows that blockchain creates equality between actors, enables compliance and enhances efficiency in an ION, reducing information uncertainty and equivocality arising from conflict minerals regulation. The system promotes engagement and data sharing between parties while protecting commercial sensitive information. The lack of central authority prevents larger partners from taking control. The system provides mineral provenance and a regulation-compliant record. System cost analysis shows that the system is efficient as it is inexpensive relative to volumes and values of metals transacted. Issues were identified related to collecting richer human rights data for assurance and compliance with due diligence regulations.
Originality/value
The authors provide some of the first evidence in the operations and supply chain management literature of the specific architecture, costs and limitations of using blockchain for SCT. Using an IPT lens in an ION setting, the authors demonstrate how blockchain-based systems can address two key IPT challenges: environmental uncertainty and equivocality.
Details
Keywords
Betul Gokkaya, Erisa Karafili, Leonardo Aniello and Basel Halak
The purpose of this study is to increase awareness of current supply chain (SC) security-related issues by providing an extensive analysis of existing SC security solutions and…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to increase awareness of current supply chain (SC) security-related issues by providing an extensive analysis of existing SC security solutions and their limitations. The security of SCs has received increasing attention from researchers, due to the emerging risks associated with their distributed nature. The increase in risk in SCs comes from threats that are inherently similar regardless of the type of SC, thus, requiring similar defence mechanisms. Being able to identify the types of threats will help developers to build effective defences.
Design/methodology/approach
In this work, we provide an analysis of the threats, possible attacks and traceability solutions for SCs, and highlight outstanding problems. Through a comprehensive literature review (2015–2021), we analysed various SC security solutions, focussing on tracking solutions. In particular, we focus on three types of SCs: digital, food and pharmaceutical that are considered prime targets for cyberattacks. We introduce a systematic categorization of threats and discuss emerging solutions for prevention and mitigation.
Findings
Our study shows that the current traceability solutions for SC systems do not offer a broadened security analysis and fail to provide extensive protection against cyberattacks. Furthermore, global SCs face common challenges, as there are still unresolved issues, especially those related to the increasing SC complexity and interconnectivity, where cyberattacks are spread across suppliers.
Originality/value
This is the first time that a systematic categorization of general threats for SC is made based on an existing threat model for hardware SC.
Details
Keywords
Sobah Abbas Petersen, Tor Åsmund Evjen and John Krogstie
The main aim of this paper is to describe the potential benefits of enterprise building information models (EBIMs) for health-care institutions. The main research question…
Abstract
Purpose
The main aim of this paper is to describe the potential benefits of enterprise building information models (EBIMs) for health-care institutions. The main research question addressed is how data from EBIM could be leveraged to create value for hospitals beyond design, construction and traditional facility management.
Design/methodology/approach
Three different prototypes, which use different technologies in combination with EBIM, are described to illustrate different uses of EBIM within the context of a hospital and health-care operations. The case study approach has been used to present the prototypes.
Findings
EBIM data, in combination with other data sources, increases the potential benefits of the data with respect to many health-care-related processes, during the operation of a health-care institution. The benefits of EBIM span beyond the design and construction life cycle phases of a hospital and provide value to a variety of stakeholders in multiple health-care-related processes.
Research limitations/implications
The main limitation of this work is the limited sources of data and information such as the specific methods that were used in the design and development of each of the prototypes and a deeper insight into the design rationale and decisions. Another limitation of this paper is that the findings have not been validated.
Practical implications
This study demonstrates the value of convergence of a number of technologies such as EBIM, data and different types of technologies, throughout the life cycle of a building. This study also highlights the value of building information models (BIMs) data for supporting the design of novel educational and other types of application areas. The practical implications include the value for multiple stakeholders, such as resources planning, fleet and equipment management and contract negotiation. Benefits identified for resource planning can have strategic and financial implications at the management level. For patients, visitors and health-care personnel, there may be reduced infections, cleaner and pleasant facilities as well as a reduction of time to find relevant resources.
Social implications
Social implications" could be replaced by "For patients, visitors and health-care personnel, there may be cleaner and pleasant facilities and easy navigation support through the hospital. Furthermore, enhanced access to knowledge and information about the artefact and assets in the hospital can enhance learning and knowledge sharing.
Originality/value
This study identifies the lack of research in using BIM with other data for value-added services for multiple stakeholders in the operations phase of a hospital and addresses that research gap.
Details