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1 – 10 of 68Carla Maria Freitas Da Costa Freire and Lídia Costa Alves
The experience of working from home, which people had to deal with in the aftermath of the global pandemic crisis, was a test of resilience and does not necessarily have to be…
Abstract
Purpose
The experience of working from home, which people had to deal with in the aftermath of the global pandemic crisis, was a test of resilience and does not necessarily have to be analysed in a negative light. In this sense, this study aims to analyse the impact of the perceived schedule flexibility, in the context of telework, on stress and satisfaction with family life among academic staff. To this end, a model was implemented to analyse the mediation role of family–work conflict.
Design/methodology/approach
Data was collected from 248 questionnaires presented to educators and office staff at universities when teleworking was initiated due to the pandemic confinement. Structural equation analysis was designed to test the study hypotheses.
Findings
By applying a model which uses the effect of mediation of the family–work conflict, the results revealed that the perception of flexibility resulting from telework influences stress at work, as well as satisfaction with family life among academic staff.
Originality/value
There is a need to study the conditions required in the implementation of telework. This study is specifically intended to deepen some of the findings of previous studies in this area and to provide a greater understanding of how perceived flexibility can contribute to a decrease in stress and higher levels of satisfaction by reducing family interference with work.
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A growing number of organizational scandals, including Apple slowing old devices to increase the sales of new ones, and research on unethical pro-organization behaviors (UPBs…
Abstract
Purpose
A growing number of organizational scandals, including Apple slowing old devices to increase the sales of new ones, and research on unethical pro-organization behaviors (UPBs) have heightened the need to explore the phenomenon. Extending the current understanding, the study's major purpose is to investigate individual-level factors that may shape their willingness to engage in UPBs. It also inquires whether moral disengagement processes influence this association.
Design/methodology/approach
After testing the reliability and validity of the latent constructs and ensuring common method bias did not contaminate the data, the study used the PLS-SEM approach to analyze the primary data collected from 408 full-time Pakistani employees.
Findings
Results add to the current understanding by revealing that individual-level dark factor Machiavellianism (MACH) significantly influences employees' willingness to engage in UPBs. Accordingly, affective commitment is another individual-level factor that encourages employees to be a part of UPBs. Lastly, results unveil that employees with a higher moral disengagement are more prone to engage in UPBs.
Research limitations/implications
The study measured employees' willingness or intentions to engage in UPBs, not their actual involvement.
Practical implications
Results clarify to the top management that individuals high on MACH, affective commitment and moral disengagement are more prone to be involved in UPBs.
Originality/value
This study is among the preliminary ones that assess the direct associations between MACH, affective commitment, and UPBs, especially in the Pakistani context. Moreover, exploring the moderating role of moral disengagement between the above associations is also an under-researched phenomenon.
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Adewale Allen Sokan-Adeaga, Godson R.E.E. Ana, Abel Olajide Olorunnisola, Micheal Ayodeji Sokan-Adeaga, Hridoy Roy, Md Sumon Reza and Md. Shahinoor Islam
This study aims to assess the effect of water variation on bioethanol production from cassava peels (CP) using Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast as the ethanologenic agent.
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to assess the effect of water variation on bioethanol production from cassava peels (CP) using Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast as the ethanologenic agent.
Design/methodology/approach
The milled CP was divided into three treatment groups in a small-scale flask experiment where each 20 g CP was subjected to two-stage hydrolysis. Different amount of water was added to the fermentation process of CP. The fermented samples were collected every 24 h for various analyses.
Findings
The results of the fermentation revealed that the highest ethanol productivity and fermentation efficiency was obtained at 17.38 ± 0.30% and 0.139 ± 0.003 gL−1 h−1. The study affirmed that ethanol production was increased for the addition of water up to 35% for the CP hydrolysate process.
Practical implications
The finding of this study demonstrates that S. cerevisiae is the key player in industrial ethanol production among a variety of yeasts that produce ethanol through sugar fermentation. In order to design truly sustainable processes, it should be expanded to include a thorough analysis and the gradual scaling-up of this process to an industrial level.
Originality/value
This paper is an original research work dealing with bioethanol production from CP using S. cerevisiae microbe.
Highlights
Hydrolysis of cassava peels using 13.1 M H2SO4 at 100 oC for 110 min gave high Glucose productivity
Highest ethanol production was obtained at 72 h of fermentation using Saccharomyces cerevisiae
Optimal bioethanol concentration and yield were obtained at a hydration level of 35% agitation
Highest ethanol productivity and fermentation efficiency were 17.3%, 0.139 g.L−1.h−1
Hydrolysis of cassava peels using 13.1 M H2SO4 at 100 oC for 110 min gave high Glucose productivity
Highest ethanol production was obtained at 72 h of fermentation using Saccharomyces cerevisiae
Optimal bioethanol concentration and yield were obtained at a hydration level of 35% agitation
Highest ethanol productivity and fermentation efficiency were 17.3%, 0.139 g.L−1.h−1
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Dalal Yousef Albudaiwi, Mike Allen, Ayman Alhabshi and Ahmad Alsaber
This study investigated the factors contributing to the reduction of plagiarism. It focuses on elucidating the concept of plagiarism, its legal and ethical implications, the…
Abstract
Purpose
This study investigated the factors contributing to the reduction of plagiarism. It focuses on elucidating the concept of plagiarism, its legal and ethical implications, the punitive measures implemented to address plagiarism and the level of awareness of plagiarism policies.
Design/methodology/approach
An online survey was administered to 649 students (160 male, 489 female) of the College of Social Sciences at Kuwait University (KU) to investigate the relationships between a number of factors linked to plagiarism, including its definition, legal and ethical implications, understanding of plagiarism regulations and the consequences associated with plagiarism.
Findings
The aforementioned factors and underlying causes that contribute to engaging in plagiarism were substantially correlated. Regression analysis revealed that variables such as legal and ethical considerations, familiarity with plagiarism regulations and the existence of sanctions were statistically significant predictors of the factors contributing to the occurrence of plagiarism.
Practical implications
The findings can help the Kuwait University administration and similar universities in the region focus on increasing students’ awareness of plagiarism and can aid in developing better policies that include the definition of plagiarism and penalties for undertaking this academic misconduct.
Originality/value
This study shows universities the importance of increasing students’ awareness of academic misconduct and can help create appropriate and robust policies.
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The development of online brand communities employed by marketers to maintain consumer relationships and brand building is increasing. This study aims to explore how value…
Abstract
Purpose
The development of online brand communities employed by marketers to maintain consumer relationships and brand building is increasing. This study aims to explore how value co-creation practices can cultivate consumers' brand loyalty.
Design/methodology/approach
Using partial least squares modeling, the hypotheses testing involves the utilization of and data collection from 599 Chinese consumers who actively engage in brand communities in China.
Findings
Value co-creation practices in brand communities cultivate consumers' affective commitment and psychological brand ownership, which in turn can further contribute to consumers' brand loyalty.
Originality/value
By offering a more comprehensive insight into how affective commitment and psychological brand ownership act as intermediaries between value co-creation practices and consumers' brand loyalty, this research enhances the existing knowledge on value co-creation and brand management.
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Organizational justice plays a crucial role in shaping employee work attitudes. This study examines how and when procedural, distributive, interpersonal, and informational justice…
Abstract
Purpose
Organizational justice plays a crucial role in shaping employee work attitudes. This study examines how and when procedural, distributive, interpersonal, and informational justice affects employees’ affective commitment and work engagement. The research is grounded in an extended job demands-resources model, incorporating the social identity theory. The integrated model hypothesizes that all four dimensions of organizational justice positively influence employees’ commitment and engagement by fostering organizational identification. Furthermore, it is posited that this cognitive-affective process is particularly significant when employees face high job demands, as opposed to low job demands.
Design/methodology/approach
A three-wave prospective study was conducted with a sample of 400 employees in the social and personal services industry in Hong Kong, China. Data were collected at baseline, three months, and one year.
Findings
The findings support the hypothesized conditional indirect associations between organizational justice (procedural, distributive, and informational justice) and both measures of work attitudes.
Practical implications
This study highlights the importance of fair, ethical, and just procedures, resource distribution, and communication in organizations, particularly in stressful industries. Employers and supervisors are encouraged to adopt employee-oriented management practices, foster positive leader-member exchange relationships, and acknowledge and reward valuable contributions.
Originality/value
This study contributes to the existing literature on organizational justice by elucidating its underlying cognitive-affective mechanism and identifying the boundary conditions under which it operates.
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Kimberly E. O'Brien, Rachel T. Pohlman and Krystal N. Roach
Organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) was initially described as discretionary behavior not formally rewarded by the organization. However, empirical evidence has indicated…
Abstract
Purpose
Organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) was initially described as discretionary behavior not formally rewarded by the organization. However, empirical evidence has indicated that many non-task behaviors are compulsory and contribute to performance evaluation, leading to research on nondiscretionary OCB (e.g. compulsory citizenship, citizenship pressure). It is unclear whether these behaviors are best described as OCB, in-role behavior or a separate construct. The goal of the current study is to determine the conceptual and measurement overlap between OCB and nondiscretionary OCB.
Design/methodology/approach
In a quantitative survey design, we collected multiphasic data from 315 employees to provide evidence for the convergent/divergent validity of compulsory citizenship behavior within the OCB nomological network and separate from in-role behavior.
Findings
The results support a unique contribution of compulsory citizenship behavior to the operationalization of OCB by emphasizing the employees’ perceptions of whether they perform OCB autonomously.
Originality/value
This research shows a distinction that should be recognized in future research, as existing OCB theories may only apply to discretionary OCB, such that compelled citizenship is not OCB. This would explain why compulsory OCB incurs less benefits than other forms of externally-motivated (i.e. impression management) OCB.
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Christopher Humphrey, Perla Mardini and Brendan O'Dwyer
The paper studies how the International Federation of Accountants (IFAC) positioned itself in the process through which capacity building in developing countries was interpreted…
Abstract
Purpose
The paper studies how the International Federation of Accountants (IFAC) positioned itself in the process through which capacity building in developing countries was interpreted and enacted within the global development aid agenda from 1999 to 2016.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper is an in-depth case study drawing on a comprehensive analysis of publications, reports and archival materials.
Findings
The paper unveils how IFAC shaped the interpretation of capacity building and its associated practices in a manner aligned with its expansionary aims thereby transforming itself into a prominent actor within, what we term, the capacity building issue-based field. It unpacks the strategies pursued by IFAC as it mobilised economic, social and cultural resources in support of its global capacity building ambitions for the accountancy profession. It reveals how key interactions between actors in the international development exchange field and the professional exchange field of accounting underpinned IFAC’s infiltration of, and impact on the evolution of, the capacity building issue-based field. We show how IFAC increased its influence in this field despite initially operating on the periphery of the global development aid agenda.
Practical implications
The paper reveals how the global accountancy profession’s engagement with the capacity building activities of international development agencies became central to its commitment to serving the public interest. Our analysis suggests that deeper explorations of capacity building by the global accountancy profession in specific developing countries are required in order to determine whether these efforts have effectively catered to the needs of the citizens of those countries.
Originality/value
The work of professional accountancy organizations (PAOs) operating at the global level in the area of capacity building has been addressed in a fragmented fashion in prior research. This paper presents a unique analysis of developing alliances between the global accountancy profession and international aid agencies aimed at supporting the globalising efforts of IFAC within the realm of capacity building in international development aid. Theoretically, the paper advances prior work exploring the evolution of issue-based fields, in particular the role of inter-field relations in interstitial spaces within these processes.
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Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to investigate the impact of environmental risk on corporate governance through market reaction to bank loan announcements.
Design/methodology/approach
Using the establishment of environment court in China as a quasi-natural experiment, this paper adopt the difference-in-differences approach based on listed firms during 2003–2013 to explore the impact of environment court on corporate governance.
Findings
This paper find that the environment court would weaken the cumulative abnormal return of loan announcements. Then, this paper confirm that the potential reason is that environment court worsens the interest conflict between majority and minority shareholders. Further, cross-sectional analysis suggests that bank’s supervision, market competition and analyst coverage can alleviate the impact of environment court on corporate governance.
Practical implications
Environment courts intensify firms’ internal interest disputes, thus causing the decrease of corporate governance, which can be observed through the effect of bank loan announcements.
Social implications
This paper provide reference for environmental policy formulation and implementation, firms’ decision-makings and improving the banking regulatory system.
Originality/value
This paper makes a contribution to the studies about the impact of environment court on firms’ decision-making and investors’ reaction, the impact of external factors on corporate governance and bank loan announcements effect.
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This paper aims to provide strategies for individuals with limited work capacity (LWC) to build workplace friendships and foster inclusion, which can benefit their mental health.
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to provide strategies for individuals with limited work capacity (LWC) to build workplace friendships and foster inclusion, which can benefit their mental health.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper integrates key theories such as social exchange theory and the similarity-attraction paradigm to analyze the dynamics of relationships. Practical tips grounded in the existing literature are outlined.
Findings
Effective communication, building trust, showing mutual respect and discovering common interests can facilitate friendship development for employees with LWC. Supportive organizational policies and culture are also critical.
Social implications
By building workplace bonds and inclusion, individuals with LWC may experience greater social support, more engagement and better mental well-being. This also helps to diminish stigma and marginalization.
Originality/value
This viewpoint provides practical guidance specifically designed for individuals with Limited Work Capacity (LWC) to overcome workplace obstacles and build social relationships. It addresses an existing gap in the interpersonal facets of disability inclusion.
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