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1 – 10 of 108Yueming Cao, Dongjie Zhou and Yunli Bai
This paper aims to examine the impacts of unstable off-farm employment on the probability and stability of farmland rent-out and explore its mechanisms.
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to examine the impacts of unstable off-farm employment on the probability and stability of farmland rent-out and explore its mechanisms.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper adopts Ordinary Least Squares (OLS), Probit, Tobit, Order probit models with two-way fixed effects to conduct empirical analysis based on the balanced panel data collected in 2016 and 2023 with a national representativeness sample of 1,206 rural households in 100 villages across 5 provinces in China.
Findings
The empirical results showed that unstable off-farm employment had negative effects on the probability of farmland rent-out, but it had no effects on the stability of farmland rent-out. The mechanism analysis showed that unstable off-farm employment affected the probability of farmland rent-out by decreasing the probability of purchasing houses in city and endowment insurance with high pension. Heterogeneity analysis indicated that the negative effect of unstable off-farm employment was much larger for the households with higher share of labor engaging in off-farm employment outside home county, elder members in the households and those located in the villages of mountain areas.
Originality/value
This paper is the first to define the unstable off-farm employment from the perspective of incontiguous off-farm employment for several years, which could capture the normality rather than particular case in a certain year of off-farm employment among rural labors. Using these new measurements of unstable off-farmland, this paper examined the impacts and mechanisms of share of unstable off-farm employment on the probability and stability of farmland rent-out.
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The sustainable development of contractor organizations depends highly on bidding decision-making of projects. This current study, leveraging the risk decision-making theory…
Abstract
Purpose
The sustainable development of contractor organizations depends highly on bidding decision-making of projects. This current study, leveraging the risk decision-making theory, attempts to elucidate the process of contractors’ bid/no-bid decision-making and reveal how the process is influenced by their perception of risk. In particular, this study aims to explore the multiple mediating effects of contractors’ trust in owners and risk perception in explaining the relationship between contractual governance outlined in owners’ bidding documents and the bid/no-bid decisions.
Design/methodology/approach
A questionnaire survey was used to obtain data from the Chinese construction industry. The PLS-SEM technique was employed to analyze a dataset of 557 available questionnaires.
Findings
The findings indicate that (1) the contractual governance provided by owners’ bidding documents positively impacts contractors’ bid/no-bid decisions; (2) both risk perception and trust serve as multiple mediators in this relationship and (3) trust mediates the relationship between contractual governance and contractors’ risk perception.
Originality/value
Drawing upon the risk decision-making theory, this study proposes a multiple mediation model for understanding contractors’ bid/no-bid decision-making processes. It contributes to a better understanding of contractors’ bidding decision-making mechanisms, thereby offering theoretical guidance for contractors to make reasonable and informed risk decisions.
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Anna Roberta Gagliardi, Luca Carrubbo, Shai Rozenes, Adi Fux and Daniela Siano
This study aims to examine the effects of Internet of Things (IoT) technology on efficiency and patient care in Italian and Israeli intensive care units (ICUs). The goal is to…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to examine the effects of Internet of Things (IoT) technology on efficiency and patient care in Italian and Israeli intensive care units (ICUs). The goal is to study how IoT might improve care settings by controlling health dynamics and responding to life-threatening circumstances.
Design/methodology/approach
This survey-based research explores IoT use, challenges and adaptability in ICUs in both countries. Interviews and surveys of ICU health-care workers are used to get both quantitative and qualitative data on integrating experiences and perspectives.
Findings
The research found significant variations between Italy and Israel due to technology infrastructures and health-care practices. Israel shows a more concentrated deployment in a major medical centre with advanced but limited uptake, whereas Italy shows application throughout ICUs highlighting regional health-care system disparities. Interoperability, data security and IoT training are common difficulties.
Research limitations/implications
This research has limitations. One drawback is the geographical dispersion of study sites, with a bigger sample size in Italy than in Israel. This discrepancy may affect findings applicability. However, these preliminary findings provide a foundation for further research into the complexities of deploying IoT in various health-care settings.
Originality/value
This study compares IoT integration in two national health-care systems, adding to health-care technology literature. Regional variations affect technology adoption, but IoT may enhance ICU operations and patient care, according to one research. This study helps health-care practitioners, academics and policymakers understand the pros and cons of IoT in health care.
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Rommel Stiward Prieto, Diego Alberto Bravo Montenegro and Carlos Rengifo
The purpose of this paper is to approach predictive maintenance (PdM) of brushless direct current (BLDC) motors using audio signal processing and extracting statistical and…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to approach predictive maintenance (PdM) of brushless direct current (BLDC) motors using audio signal processing and extracting statistical and spectral features to train classical machine learning (ML) models.
Design/methodology/approach
The proposed methodology relies on classification predictive model that shows the motors prone to failure. To verify this, the model was implemented and tested with audio data. The trained models are then deployed to an Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) application built using Django.
Findings
The implementation of the methodology allows for achieving performance as high as 92% accuracy, proving that spectral features should be considered when training ML models for PdM.
Originality/value
The proposed model is an effective decision-making tool that provides an ideal solution for preventive maintenance scheduling problems for BLDC motors.
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This paper examines how firms respond to local government’s environment initiatives through textual analysis of government work reports (GWRs). This study aims to provide insights…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper examines how firms respond to local government’s environment initiatives through textual analysis of government work reports (GWRs). This study aims to provide insights into how firms strategically respond to government’s environmental initiatives through their disclosure and investment practices.
Design/methodology/approach
This study uses a textual analysis of GWRs from China’s provinces. The frequency and change rate of environmental keywords in these reports are used as a measure of the government’s environmental initiatives.
Findings
This study finds that environmental disclosure scores in environmental, social and governance (ESG) reports increase with the frequency or change rate of environmental keywords in provincial GWRs. This effect is more pronounced for non-state-owned enterprises, firms in highly marketized provinces or those listed in a single capital market. However, there is no significant relationship between firms’ environmental investments and government initiatives, except for cross-listed firms in provinces with consistently high frequency of environmental keywords in their GWRs.
Practical implications
The findings indicate that government environmental initiatives can shape firms’ disclosure behaviors, yet have limited influence on investment decisions, suggesting that environmental disclosure could potentially be opportunistic. This underscores the need for more effective strategies to stimulate firms’ environmental investments.
Originality/value
This study provides valuable insights into the differential impacts of government environmental initiatives on firms’ disclosure and investment behaviors, contributing to the understanding of corporate environmental responsibility in the context of government initiatives.
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Samera Nazir, Saqib Mehmood, Zarish Nazir and Li Zhaolei
The purpose of this study is to examine the vital link between manufacturing firms and the environment, delving into the intricate connections among factors affecting these firms…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to examine the vital link between manufacturing firms and the environment, delving into the intricate connections among factors affecting these firms. Specifically, it investigates how the environmental performance of manufacturing firms is shaped by their adoption of environmental management practices and the regulatory environment in which they operate.
Design/methodology/approach
Data are currently being collected through a structured questionnaire from employees working in manufacturing firms in Pakistan. Random sampling was used to select the participants. The hypotheses were tested using PLS-SEM analysis.
Findings
The study reveals a positive correlation between green manufacturing practices and superior environmental performance. Effective environmental management systems further help firms reduce their environmental footprint. External environmental regulations play a significant role as moderators, influencing the strength and direction of the relationship between green manufacturing, environmental management and environmental performance.
Practical implications
The practical implications offer valuable insights and guidance for manufacturing companies seeking to improve their environmental responsibility and performance. Additionally, policymakers gain insights into how regulatory frameworks can be designed or modified to better support sustainability efforts within the manufacturing sector.
Originality/value
This study offers timely insights for sustainable business practices, aligning with corporate responsibility efforts. It contributes to both academic knowledge and provides actionable guidance for fostering environmentally responsible practices in the manufacturing sector.
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Wenhao Luo and Maona Mu
The purpose of the research is to examine the impact of leader humor on employee job crafting. Using the insights from self-determination theory (SDT), we investigate the…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of the research is to examine the impact of leader humor on employee job crafting. Using the insights from self-determination theory (SDT), we investigate the underlying mechanism of employees’ flow at work and the moderating role of employees’ playfulness trait.
Design/methodology/approach
We adopted a three-wave field survey of 306 employees recruited from various industries. The moderated mediation model was examined using latent structural equation model analysis.
Findings
Results revealed that leader humor positively affected employees’ flow at work and subsequent job crafting. Moreover, both the direct effect of leader humor on employees’ flow at work and the indirect effect of leader humor on employees’ job crafting via flow at work were amplified by employees’ playfulness trait.
Practical implications
Leaders are encouraged to use jokes and humorous language to facilitate job crafting among playful subordinates. Organizations can create a work environment conducive to flow at work through job redesign, regardless of employees’ levels of playfulness trait.
Originality/value
The paper uncovers the critical role of flow in the relationship between leader humor and employee job crafting and identifies employees’ playfulness trait as a boundary condition in which leader humor works.
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Hung-Tai Tsou, Yu-Hsun Lin and Pui Yan Loo
Social live streaming services (SLSS) have infused gamification into interface design and feature applications. Firms adopt gamification mechanisms to win customer loyalty in the…
Abstract
Purpose
Social live streaming services (SLSS) have infused gamification into interface design and feature applications. Firms adopt gamification mechanisms to win customer loyalty in the live streaming and SLSS markets. Based on the mechanics-dynamics-aesthetics (MDA) framework and uses and gratifications 2.0 theory (UGT 2.0), this study aims to investigate the effects of game mechanics (mechanics) on enjoyment and user retention (aesthetics) through rewards and social interaction (dynamics) in the context of SLSS.
Design/methodology/approach
This study used an online survey via Google Forms, SurveyCake and social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram and Line to collect data from 232 SLSS users in Taiwan. Partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) was adopted to analyze the data.
Findings
The results validated the relationships between game mechanics and dynamic elements (rewards and social interaction) that triggered aesthetic elements (enjoyment feelings) among users. In addition, users experienced a sense of enjoyment that led to usage retention when using the gamified SLSS. Further, this study found enjoyment crucial for users to stay interactive with gamified services.
Originality/value
Driven by UGT 2.0, this study closed the gaps by integrating the MDA framework into the SLSS context and better understanding how game mechanics are connected to rewards and social interaction, leading to enjoyment and user retention when using SLSS. This study provides fresh insights into gamification-oriented SLSS practices. It offers significant theoretical and managerial implications and provides guidelines for SLSS platform operators on fostering user retention.
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Nguyen Huu Thien, Jawad Asif, Qian Long Kweh and Irene Wei Kiong Ting
This study analyses the effects of firm efficiency on firm performance and how controlling shareholders moderate the link between the two variables.
Abstract
Purpose
This study analyses the effects of firm efficiency on firm performance and how controlling shareholders moderate the link between the two variables.
Design/methodology/approach
This study employs data envelopment analysis to estimate firm efficiency and the panel regression method to assess the hypothesised relationships among 1,295 firm-year observations of publicly listed firms in Malaysia from 2015 to 2019.
Findings
The results indicate that firm efficiency (technical efficiency, pure technical efficiency and scale efficiency) has mixed relationships with firm performance (return on assets, market-to-book ratio and operating cash flows), all of which are being moderated by controlling shareholdings.
Practical implications
This study highlights the importance of assessing firm efficiency as the key success factor for improving firm performance. Industrial managers should manage efficiently their resources or operating costs in achieving their corporate financial goals. Moreover, this study notes the presence of controlling shareholders, who can be either self-interested or company goal aligned.
Originality/value
This study suggests becoming efficient in transforming inputs into outputs is a prerequisite before investigating accrual-based and cash-based firm performance measures, and the presence of controlling shareholders matters in these regards.
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Muhammed Temitayo Bolomope, Amarachukwu Nnadozie Nwadike and Itohan Esther Aigwi
This study aimed to explore the institutional theory as a lens for investigating how construction firms adapt to supply chain disruptions. Specifically, the paper evaluates the…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aimed to explore the institutional theory as a lens for investigating how construction firms adapt to supply chain disruptions. Specifically, the paper evaluates the interactions and interdependencies amongst various organizations, participants and institutions in the construction industry as a basis for a holistic, adaptive response strategy for managing supply chain disruptions.
Design/methodology/approach
Following the tenets of relativist philosophy and qualitative research methodology, this study explores the lived experiences of senior-level managers across major construction firms in New Zealand through in-depth semi-structured interviews, as a basis for understanding how their respective organizations adapt to supply chain disruptions.
Findings
The research findings suggest that aside from the formal rules that guide the conduct of construction firms as they adapt to supply chain disruptions, informal interactions that exist amongst various organizations and players in the construction industry could also enhance the development of innovative and practical response strategies to supply chain disruptions.
Originality/value
This study makes original empirical contributions to the supply chain management literature by providing insights into how construction firms demonstrate normative, coercive and mimetic isomorphic tendencies amidst the complexity of supply chain disruptions. Insights from this study could enhance the adaptive response of construction firms to supply chain disruptions while also improving the overall resilience of the built environment.
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