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1 – 10 of 59Miguel Afonso Sellitto, Maria Soares de Lima, Leandro Tomasin da Silva, Nelson Kadel Jr and Maria Angela Butturi
The purpose of the article is to identify relevant criteria for decision support in the implementation of waste-to-energy (WtE)-based systems.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of the article is to identify relevant criteria for decision support in the implementation of waste-to-energy (WtE)-based systems.
Design/methodology/approach
The methodology is a simple case study with a qualitative approach. Five experts involved in the project of a thermoelectric power plant qualitatively evaluated, on a Likert scale, a decision model with 15 indicators derived from recent studies. The research object was the first stage of a project to implement a thermoelectric plant employing municipal solid waste (MSW) in southern Brazil.
Findings
The study identified 15 criteria supporting the decision-making process regarding WtE implementation for MSW in a mid-sized city in southern Brazil. The study identified that compliance with MSW legislation, compliance with energy legislation, initial investment and public health impact are the most influential criteria. The study offered two models for decision processes: a simplified one and a complete one, with ten and fifteen indicators, respectively.
Research limitations/implications
The study concerns mid-sized municipalities in southern Brazil.
Practical implications
Municipal public managers have now a methodology based on qualitative evaluation that admits multiple perspectives, such as technical, economic, environmental and social, to support decision-making processes on WtE technologies for MSW.
Social implications
MSW management initiatives can yield jobs and revenues for vulnerable populations and provide a correct destination for MSW, mainly in developing countries.
Originality/value
The main originality is that now municipal public decision-makers have a structured model based on four constructs (technical, economic, environmental and social) deployed in 15 indicators to support decision-making processes involving WtE and MSW management.
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Jitender Kumar, Archit Vinod Tapar and Somraj Bhattacharjee
The study aims to present a systematic literature review (SLR) to understand the current status of research on social media usage among the bottom of the pyramid (BOP). The…
Abstract
Purpose
The study aims to present a systematic literature review (SLR) to understand the current status of research on social media usage among the bottom of the pyramid (BOP). The purpose of this study is to identify the research gaps in this domain and review future research agendas by using theory, context, characteristics and methods [TCCM] framework.
Design/methodology/approach
An SLR, keywords co-occurrence and TCCM analysis were used to analyse and synthesize insights from 44 studies gained from Web of Science and Scopus databases.
Findings
The findings suggest that the USA and India are popular contexts for studying BOP. The BOP population uses social media to gain utilitarian, hedonic and social values. Further, social media can help BOP explore “entrepreneurship” opportunities, value co-creation and bring innovations.
Originality/value
This study expands the intellectual boundaries of social media at BOP and suggests multidisciplinary research. Additionally, adopting novel theoretical lenses helped determine social media's impact on BOP.
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Rambabu Lavuri and Rajendra Kumar Gopi
This study aims to evaluate the impact of product complexity, product involvement and product diagnosticity on shaping webrooming behavior in emerging fashion retailing, with…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to evaluate the impact of product complexity, product involvement and product diagnosticity on shaping webrooming behavior in emerging fashion retailing, with product knowledge acting as a moderator and information processing, and uncertainty reduction theory contributing as the theoretical foundation.
Design/methodology/approach
In total, 371 responses were collected from fashionable consumers who had recently purchased fashion products via a purposive sampling approach, and the data were analyzed using structural equation modeling and PROCESS macro.
Findings
The results illustrated that product complexity had a significant impact on product involvement and product diagnosticity, and consumer attitude. Attitude, in turn, had a favorable impact on webrooming behavior. Likewise, product diagnosticity and product involvement had a positive mediating association between product complexity and consumer attitude. Product knowledge significantly moderated the relationship between product complexity, product involvement, and consumer attitude, but it exhibited a negative moderation association between product complexity, product diagnosticity, and attitude.
Originality/value
This study represents a novel research endeavor, shedding light on webrooming from the perspective of product attributes in fashion retailing. It contributes to the growing body of literature on fashion marketing by analyzing the rapidly evolving phenomena of webrooming behavior within the multichannel context of the fashion industry.
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Amina Buallay, Jasim Yusuf AlAjmi, Sayed Fadhul and Aikaterini Papoutsi
This study investigates the association between corporate sustainability disclosures and firm performance and value.
Abstract
Purpose
This study investigates the association between corporate sustainability disclosures and firm performance and value.
Design/methodology/approach
This study collected data from 694 manufacturing companies operating in 34 countries between 2007 and 2019, yielding 6,181 firm-year observations. This study employs a dual-model framework to analyze the influence of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) performance on return on assets (ROA), return on equity (ROE), and Tobin's Q ratio. Two sets of control variables, firm- and country-specific, were incorporated to account for potential confounding factors. To validate the robustness of the findings, we utilized a battery of econometric techniques, including traditional ordinary least squares (OLS), firm-fixed effects, quantile regression, and instrumental variables-generalized method of moments (IV-GMM), applied to both the pooled and firm-fixed effects models.
Findings
The findings are contradictory: there is a negative relationship between sustainability disclosure and operating performance and return on equity, but a positive relationship between sustainability disclosure and firm value. The negative correlation is consistent with agency theory and the positive correlation is consistent with the legitimacy and shareholder theories. These results are robust to performance measures and estimation methods.
Research limitations/implications
Short-term profit shouldn't deter sustainability. It boosts legitimacy, reputation, efficiency, and long-term market value. Investors must look beyond profitability ratios, embracing ESG metrics. Firms should see sustainability as strategic investment, not cost. Patience pays off: long-term gains await. Regulation can guide balanced growth, prioritizing both shareholders and societal well-being.
Originality/value
This study is the first to adopt a firm’s fixed-effect quantile regression, which provides deep insights into the role of sustainability disclosure in meeting stakeholders’ expectations.
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Alex Olivier Alves Rodrigues, Carla Susana Marques and Veland Ramadani
The aim of this study is, from the perspective of artisan entrepreneurship, to trace and analyse the artisan's profile in the sustainable development of low population density…
Abstract
Purpose
The aim of this study is, from the perspective of artisan entrepreneurship, to trace and analyse the artisan's profile in the sustainable development of low population density cross-border territories, using the quintuple helix innovation model.
Design/methodology/approach
Ten semi-structured interviews were conducted with cultural and traditional artisans to achieve the proposed objective using a qualitative approach. The artisans are from Northeast Portugal (Bragança, Miranda do Douro, Mogadouro, Vimioso and Vinhais) and Northern Spain (Province of Zamora). The interviews were conducted face-to-face between May and June 2022. The interviews were manually transcribed and subjected to content and lexical analyses using IRaMuTeQ software.
Findings
An artisan was identified as an enterprising individual whose marketed handicraft pieces transmit the values and teachings of his community. Innovation, technology, sustainability and circular economy in a family environment, where dedication, resilience, happiness and hard work transmit an identity that places the artisan and his artisan practice as the driving force for the enhancement and promotion of his territory, cultural heritage and identity.
Originality/value
This work is the first study to address and treat the issue of artisan entrepreneurship by analysing and defining the cultural-based and traditional artisan profile in a cross-border and low population density territorial context.
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Rajendra Kumar Gopi, Rambabu Lavuri and K Francis Sudhakar
The purpose of the study is to explore the role of affective commitment (AC) consumer empowerment on webrooming behaviour (WB) in a multichannel context of the fashion industry…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of the study is to explore the role of affective commitment (AC) consumer empowerment on webrooming behaviour (WB) in a multichannel context of the fashion industry, with mediating (attitude [ATT]) and moderating (product involvement [PT]) effect. We used the stimulus– organism–responses theory as a theoretical underpinning.
Design/methodology/approach
We collected 307 responses from fashionable consumer who was purposed fashion products recently through convenience sampling approach and analysed the data with structural equation modelling and PROCESS macro.
Findings
The results illustrated that AC and consumer empowerment had a significant impact on consumer attitude and their WB. Likewise, consumer attitude had a positive mediating association between AC, consumer empowerment and WB. PI significantly moderated the relationship between ACs, consumer empowerment with attitude and attitude with WB.
Originality/value
This study is one of the new research works of its kind, which examines the role of AC and consumer empowerment on WB in the fashion industry. This study contributes to the growing amount of literature on fashion marketing by analysing the rapidly growing phenomena of WB in a multichannel context of the fashion industry.
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Weng Marc Lim, Maria Vincenza Ciasullo, Octavio Escobar and Satish Kumar
The goal of this article is to provide an overview of healthcare entrepreneurship, both in terms of its current trends and future directions.
Abstract
Purpose
The goal of this article is to provide an overview of healthcare entrepreneurship, both in terms of its current trends and future directions.
Design/methodology/approach
The article engages in a systematic review of extant research on healthcare entrepreneurship using the scientific procedures and rationales for systematic literature reviews (SPAR-4-SLR) as the review protocol and bibliometrics or scientometrics analysis as the review method.
Findings
Healthcare entrepreneurship research has fared reasonably well in terms of publication productivity and impact, with diverse contributions coming from authors, institutions and countries, as well as a range of monetary and non-monetary support from funders and journals. The (eight) major themes of healthcare entrepreneurship research revolve around innovation and leadership, disruption and technology, entrepreneurship models, education and empowerment, systems and services, orientations and opportunities, choices and freedom and policy and impact.
Research limitations/implications
The article establishes healthcare entrepreneurship as a promising field of academic research and professional practice that leverages the power of entrepreneurship to advance the state of healthcare.
Originality/value
The article offers a seminal state of the art of healthcare entrepreneurship research.
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Puneett Bhatnagr, Anupama Rajesh and Richa Misra
This study aims to develop a customer-centric model based on an online customer experience (OCE) construct relating to e-loyalty, e-trust and e-satisfaction, resulting in improved…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to develop a customer-centric model based on an online customer experience (OCE) construct relating to e-loyalty, e-trust and e-satisfaction, resulting in improved Net Promoter Score for Indian digital banks.
Design/methodology/approach
This study used an online survey method to gather data from a sample of 485 digital banking users, from which usable questionnaires were obtained. The obtained data were subjected to thorough analysis using partial least squares structural equation modelling to further investigate the research hypotheses.
Findings
The main factors determining digital banks’ OCE were perceived customer centrality, perceived value and perceived usability. Additionally, relevant constructs were evaluated using importance-performance map analysis.
Research limitations/implications
This study used convenience sampling for the urban population using digital banking services; therefore, the outcome may be generalized to a limited extent. To further strengthen digital banking, it would be valuable to imitate studies in other countries.
Originality/value
There is a lack of research on digital banking and OCE in India; thus, this study will help rectify this issue while providing valuable insights. This study differs from others in that it examines the connections between online customer satisfaction, loyalty, trust and the bottom line of financial institutions using these factors as dependent variables instead of traditional measures.
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Anna Visvizi, Radosław Malik, Gianluca Maria Guazzo and Vilma Çekani
Against the background of the I50 paradigm, this paper queries in what ways blockchain and blockchain-based applications deployed in the smart city context facilitate the…
Abstract
Purpose
Against the background of the I50 paradigm, this paper queries in what ways blockchain and blockchain-based applications deployed in the smart city context facilitate the integration of the I50 paradigm in smart urban contexts.
Design/methodology/approach
A mixed methods approach is applied. First, by means of desk research and thematic literature review, a conceptual model integrating the I50 paradigm, smart city and blockchain-based solutions is built. Second, science mapping bibliometric analysis (SciMat) based on keywords’ co-occurrence is applied to a sample of 491 research articles to identify key domains of blockchain-based applications’ use in smart city. Third, a semi-systematic literature review complements insights gained through SciMat. Fourth, the findings are interpreted through the precepts of the conceptual model devised earlier.
Findings
The key blockchain-based applications in smart cities pertain to two domains, i.e. the foundational, service facilitation-oriented domain, including security (and safety), networks, computing, resource management and the service delivery-oriented domain, including mobility, energy and healthcare. Blockchain serves as the key building block for applications developed to deliver functions specific to each of the thus identified domains. A substantial layering of blockchain-based tools and applications is necessary to advance from the less to the more complex functional domains of the smart city.
Originality/value
At the conceptual level, the intricacies of the (making of the) I50 paradigm are discussed and a case for I50 – smart city – blockchain nexus is made. Easton’s input–output model as well as constructivism is referenced. At the empirical level, the key major domains of blockchain-based applications are discussed; those that bear the prospect of integrating the I50 paradigm in the smart city are highlighted. At the methodological level, a strategic move is made aimed at restoring the literature review’s role as subservient to the key line of exploration, to justify and ultimately support it, rather than to showcase the literature review as the ultimate purpose for itself.
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Samille Souza Marinho, Armando Gomes Rego Neto, Reimison Moreira Fernandes, André Cristiano Silva Melo, Leonardo dos Santos Lourenço Bastos and Vitor William Batista Martins
This study aims to identify sustainability indicators in the energy sector through a literature review and validate them from the perspective and context of professionals working…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to identify sustainability indicators in the energy sector through a literature review and validate them from the perspective and context of professionals working in the sector in an emerging economy country, Brazil, considering the relationship of these indicators with the achievement of the targets set by the United Nations sustainable development goals (UN SDGs).
Design/methodology/approach
To accomplish this, a literature review on sustainability indicators specific to the energy sector was conducted. Subsequently, a research instrument (questionnaire) based on the identified indicators was developed and a survey was administered to professionals in the field. The collected data were analyzed using the Lawshe method.
Findings
The results revealed 20 indicators, distributed across environmental, economic and social dimensions. Among these, nine indicators were validated, including global impacts, local impacts, renewable energy production as a percentage of total production, greenhouse gas emissions, access to electricity, investment in the energy sector, installed capacity in the electricity sector, energy prices in the end-use sector and energy distribution and conversion efficiency.
Originality/value
Consequently, it was possible to determine which SDGs are directly impacted and provide a foundation for future actions that can contribute to the sustainable advancement of the energy sector in emerging countries.
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