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1 – 10 of 213Catherine Sandoval and Patrick Lanthier
This chapter analyzes the link between the digital divide, infrastructure regulation, and disaster planning and relief through a case study of the flood in San Jose, California…
Abstract
This chapter analyzes the link between the digital divide, infrastructure regulation, and disaster planning and relief through a case study of the flood in San Jose, California triggered by the Anderson dam’s overtopping in February 2017 and an examination of communication failures during the 2018 wildfire in Paradise, California. This chapter theorizes that regulatory decisions construct social and disaster vulnerability. Rooted in the Whole Community approach to disaster planning and relief espoused by the United Nations and the Federal Emergency Management Agency, this chapter calls for leadership to end the digital divide. It highlights the imperative of understanding community information needs and argues for linking strategies to close the digital divide with infrastructure and emergency planning. As the Internet’s integration into society increases, the digital divide diminishes access to societal resources including disaster aid, and exacerbates wildfire, flood, pandemic, and other risks. To mitigate climate change, climate-induced disaster, protect access to social services and the economy, and safeguard democracy, it argues for digital inclusion strategies as a centerpiece of community-centered infrastructure regulation and disaster relief.
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Ingrid Hemmer, Christoph Koch and Anna Peitz
This paper aims to analyze the extent to which education for sustainable development (ESD) training enhances university teachers’ professional competence and whether it has the…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to analyze the extent to which education for sustainable development (ESD) training enhances university teachers’ professional competence and whether it has the same effect in the digital as in the face-to-face format.
Design/methodology/approach
A training concept was developed based on the professional action competence model. Between 2018 and 2021, 19 training sessions were conducted with 183 university teachers: ten in face-to-face sessions and nine in the digital format. Questionnaires were administered before and after the training to determine its impact.
Findings
Overall, the training proved to be effective. There was a significant increase in professional knowledge and self-efficacy after the training, but there was no change in motivation. The face-to-face and digital formats proved to be equally effective.
Research limitations/implications
The long-term effect of the training could not be determined.
Practical implications
There should be regular ESD training and coaching for university teachers.
Originality/value
There has been little research on the effectiveness of ESD teacher training, and no comparison between the face-to-face and digital approaches exists. It has been possible to train a relatively large number of university teachers from a wide range of subject areas, about two-thirds of whom have had no previous ESD experience.
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This chapter focusses on analysing the origins and evolution of the SWOT analysis. It explains the drivers and limitations of the conventional SWOT analysis, laying the groundwork…
Abstract
This chapter focusses on analysing the origins and evolution of the SWOT analysis. It explains the drivers and limitations of the conventional SWOT analysis, laying the groundwork for new decision-making models that can aid researchers and practitioners in comprehending both the external landscape and the internal characteristics of a company. This chapter demonstrates how the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of the SWOT analysis can be approached dynamically. Conventional SWOT analysis offers only a limited perspective on the environment and employs terminology that can confuse users, hindering their clear understanding of the factors that influence an organisation’s situation. This chapter provides a concise literature review of tools for evaluating quality management, its resources, and the surrounding environment, which serves as a valuable means to grasp the economic and social context within which a firm operates.
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Dormauli Justina and I Wayan Nuka Lantara
This study aims to examine the effect of sustainability report quality (SRQ) on information risk. This research also aims to examine the effect of SRQ on stock market…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to examine the effect of sustainability report quality (SRQ) on information risk. This research also aims to examine the effect of SRQ on stock market participation through information risk.
Design/methodology/approach
The research sample includes 120 firm-years listed on the Sri Kehati Index period of 2017–2021. The hypothesis test uses firm and industry effect regression analysis. SRQ is measured by the existence of a sustainability committee and external assurance. The information risk is measured by bid-ask spread. Stock market participation is measured by volume of stock trading.
Findings
Based on the data analysis, this investigation finds that SRQ reduces information risk. This research also finds that SRQ improves stock market participation by reducing information risk.
Originality/value
First, this examination gives new evidence of SRQ to promote information environment improvement. Second, this examination contributes to providing the role of SRQ in an emerging market, such as Indonesia. Third, this examination contributes to providing the evaluation standard for sustainability reporting quality in Indonesia, since Indonesia has no specific standard for the sustainability report. Fourth, this examination contributes to filling the previous gap.
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Vibeke Thøis Madsen and Helle Tougaard Andersen
Journalists moving into corporate communication have for many years been regarded as a move to the “dark side”. This paper turns the lens to explore how trained journalists…
Abstract
Purpose
Journalists moving into corporate communication have for many years been regarded as a move to the “dark side”. This paper turns the lens to explore how trained journalists working as internal communication practitioners due to their journalistic self-concept and skills can contribute to internal communication.
Design/methodology/approach
An interview study was conducted with twelve trained journalists working with internal communication in different types of organizations. Three indicators of professionalism, namely autonomy, altruism and expert knowledge, were used as categories to structure the interviews and analysis.
Findings
The respondents perceived that their journalistic self-concept and skills helped them identify the employee perspective, write relevant stories and deliver them quickly. Furthermore, their courage and lack of fear of authorities enabled them to challenge decisions made by their senior managers, especially regarding how, what and when to communicate.
Research limitations/implications
The three indicators of the journalist profession, – autonomy, altruism and journalistic knowledge and skills – may help establish internal communication that is relevant, transparent and trustworthy.
Practical implications
Organizations may benefit from building their internal communication around the three indicators of the journalist profession. They could, for example, host independent internal media that present the employees’ perspective and maintain a critical attitude to the organization in a relevant and compelling manner.
Originality/value
Few studies have explored the role of journalists working as internal communication practitioners and their contributions to internal communication.
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Sanaz Tabatabaee, Mojtaba Ashour, Haleh Sadeghi, Seyed Amirali Hoseini, Saeed Reza Mohandes, Amir Mahdiyar, Syuhaida Ismail and M. Reza Hosseini
To come up with a prudent decision on the installation of an appropriate green wall (GW) on buildings, this study presents a novel decision-making algorithm. The proposed…
Abstract
Purpose
To come up with a prudent decision on the installation of an appropriate green wall (GW) on buildings, this study presents a novel decision-making algorithm. The proposed algorithm considers the importance of barriers hampering GW adoption, as well as their relationships with regard to different types of GWs existing in a contextual setting.
Design/methodology/approach
The proposed methodological approach is based on the integration of qualitative and quantitative techniques by employing focus group discussion, fuzzy-based best-worst method and fuzzy TOPSIS.
Findings
Based on the experiences of qualified experts involved in related projects in Hong Kong, the following conclusions are drawn: (1) cost, installation and maintenance-related barriers are perceived to have the highest importance, (2) modular living wall system is the most suitable GW system for the context of Hong Kong and (3) existing barriers are found to have a pivotal role in the ranking of the most suitable GW systems.
Practical implications
The findings provide valuable insight not only for policymakers and stakeholders, but also for establishing a methodological approach that can assist decision-makers in identifying the most beneficial GW system rather than the most applicable one. This could have significant implications and introduce potential changes to the common way of practice within the industry and lay the foundation for wider adoption of GW.
Originality/value
While previous studies have investigated the sustainability-related issues of GW façade applications, the current body of knowledge is deprived of a comprehensive methodological approach for the selection of the most suitable GW systems.
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Shiquan Wang, Xuantong Wang and Qianlin Li
Face is the most intuitive and representative feature at the individual level. Many studies show that beautiful faces help individuals and enterprises obtain economic benefits and…
Abstract
Purpose
Face is the most intuitive and representative feature at the individual level. Many studies show that beautiful faces help individuals and enterprises obtain economic benefits and form a high economic premium, but the discussion of their potential social value is insufficient. This study aims to focus on the impact of the personal characteristics of executives. It mainly analyzes the impact mechanism of CEO facial attractiveness on corporate social responsibility (CSR) decision-making, clarifying the social value of beauty from the perspective of CSR.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors use the regression model to analyze the panel data set, which was conducted by a sample of Chinese publicly listed firms from 2016 to 2018.
Findings
The study found that CEOs with high facial attractiveness are more active in fulfilling CSR, which can usually bring higher social benefits. CEOs with beautiful faces are prone to overconfidence, are optimistic about their ability and the future development of the enterprise and are more willing to increase their investment in CSR. CEO duality can positively regulate the positive correlation between a CEO’s facial attractiveness and CSR.
Originality/value
Based on the perspective of upper echelons theory, this paper explores the mechanism of CEO facial attractiveness on CSR. This study enriches the perspective of the upper echelon’s theoretical research and has essential enlightenment for CEO selection and training practice.
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Investors who can transfer their savings to investments in a well-regulated market benefit not only themselves but also economic development. Hence, it is crucial for fund owners…
Abstract
Purpose
Investors who can transfer their savings to investments in a well-regulated market benefit not only themselves but also economic development. Hence, it is crucial for fund owners to evaluate their stock market investment decisions. The goal of the study is to understand which model determines the asset returns most efficiently. In this regard, the validity of single and multi-index asset pricing models (capital asset pricing model-CAPM and Fama–French models) has been examined in the Turkish Stock Exchange for 2009–2020, with the quantile regression (QR) approach.
Design/methodology/approach
On 18 portfolios comprised of quoted stocks in the Istanbul Stock Exchange 100 (ISE-100/BIST-100), we test the CAPM, the Fama and French three factor model (FF3) and the Fama and French five factor model (FF5). Empirical analyses have been carried out via QR approach regressing the portfolios' average weekly excess returns on risk premium/market factor (Rm-Rf), firm size, book value/market value (B/M), profitability and investments factors. QR estimation has been employed since QR is more effective and provides a better definition of the distribution’s tails.
Findings
Our empirical findings have revealed that the average excess weekly returns can be explained more strongly via CAPM. Moreover, Fama and French models are expected to give more reliable result with more data, whereas the market premium would give robust results for the Turkish Capital Market.
Practical implications
Individuals investing in financial assets must find the price model that best fits the market. The return can be approximated in the most appropriate manner using the right variables.
Originality/value
The study differs from other research by comparing the asset pricing models via examining the assets' weekly returns with QR in the Istanbul Stock Exchange 100 (ISE-100).
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Khalid Mehmood, Katrien Verleye, Arne De Keyser and Bart Lariviere
The widespread integration of artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled personalization has sparked a need for a deeper understanding of its transformative potential. To address this…
Abstract
Purpose
The widespread integration of artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled personalization has sparked a need for a deeper understanding of its transformative potential. To address this, this study aims to investigate the mental models held by consumers from diverse cultures regarding the impact and role of AI-enabled personalization in their lives (i.e. individual well-being) and in society (i.e. societal well-being).
Design/methodology/approach
This paper uses the theories-in-use approach, collecting qualitative data via the critical incident technique. This data encompasses 487 narratives from 176 consumers in two culturally distinct countries, Belgium and Pakistan. Additionally, it includes insights from a focus group of six experts in the field.
Findings
This research reveals that consumers view AI-enabled personalization as a dual-edged sword: it may both extend and restrict the self and also contribute to an affluent society as well as an ailing society. The particular aspects of the extended/restricted self and the affluent/ailing society that emerge differ across respondents from different cultural contexts.
Originality/value
This cross-cultural research contributes to the personalization and well-being literature by providing detailed insight into the transformative potential of AI-enabled personalization while also having important managerial and policy implications.
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