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1 – 10 of 173
Article
Publication date: 5 September 2016

Alexander John Heeren, Ajay S. Singh, Adam Zwickle, Tomas M. Koontz, Kristina M. Slagle and Anna C. McCreery

The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship of sustainability knowledge to pro-environmental behaviour. A common misperception is that unsustainable behaviours are…

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship of sustainability knowledge to pro-environmental behaviour. A common misperception is that unsustainable behaviours are largely driven by a lack of knowledge of the underlying societal costs and the contributing factors leading to environmental degradation. Such a perception assumes if individuals “only knew better” they would engage in more sustainable behaviours. The “knowledge deficit model” has been critiqued for not including social psychological research about how knowledge is incorporated into decision-making and its subsequent effect on human behaviour. The theory of planned behaviour (TPB) model has been used extensively to examine intention to engage in a variety of behaviours, therefore this model is applied to examine the effect knowledge has in predicting behaviour.

Design/methodology/approach

To better understand these relationships, the authors examined the relationships between sustainability behaviours through an online survey of over 500 students at a large university in the USA.

Findings

Results indicate that knowledge had a significant, albeit weak, bivariate correlation with behaviour (r = 0.113, p < 0.001). However, when controlling for TPB variables (attitudes, norms and perceived behavioural control), knowledge was not a significant predictor of behaviour.

Research limitations/implications

The authors conclude with several implications to guide university sustainability programmes.

Originality/value

This study places sustainable knowledge in the context of other social psychological factors which also influence behaviour. The results show that as the students are educated about sustainability, fostering behaviour change will require education not only about how actions affect sustainability but also about social norms, attitudes towards sustainable behaviours and the level of self-efficacy in doing those behaviours.

Details

International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, vol. 17 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1467-6370

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 29 November 2018

Sanjay Kumar Singh and Ajai Pratap Singh

The purpose of this paper is twofold: first, to examine relevant organizational “human” aspects that support circular economy (CE); and second, to investigate the influence of…

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is twofold: first, to examine relevant organizational “human” aspects that support circular economy (CE); and second, to investigate the influence of perception of organizational justice (OJ), psychological empowerment on job satisfaction (JS) through mediating role of organizational citizenship behavior (OCB).

Design/methodology/approach

The study used survey questionnaire. The data were statistically analyzed using structural equation modeling (SEM) to test hypotheses of the study.

Findings

OJ positively and significantly influences psychological empowerment. Also, it was found that OCB and psychological empowerment to positively and significantly influence JS. Furthermore, OCB positively and significantly mediates the influence of OJ and psychological empowerment on JS.

Practical implications

Employees should be provided with fair and empowering environment to derive positive outcomes in terms of organizational citizenship behavior and JS. The study also suggests recognizing the importance of OCB in an organization to enhance JS and support CE.

Originality/value

The study presents empirical evidence in Indian context on how to encourage employees to display voluntary job behaviors and keep them job satisfied.

Details

Management Decision, vol. 57 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0025-1747

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 12 September 2023

Ravindra Singh, Vimal Kumar, Sumanjeet Singh, Ajay Dwivedi and Sanjeev Kumar

The present study investigates the impact of digital entrepreneurial education and training and its impact on the digital entrepreneurial intention (EI) through the mediating…

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Abstract

Purpose

The present study investigates the impact of digital entrepreneurial education and training and its impact on the digital entrepreneurial intention (EI) through the mediating character of entrepreneurial competence.

Design/methodology/approach

A total of 391 survey responses were collected from employees using convenient and snowball sampling methods.

Findings

Digital entrepreneurial education and training showed a positive influence on entrepreneurial competence and EI, with entrepreneurial competence mediating the relationship between digital entrepreneurial education and training practices and EI.

Research limitations/implications

This study is intended to assist the development of digital entrepreneurs. The implications of this study are also useful for governments, entrepreneurs, venture capitalists, angel investors and various international development institutions.

Originality/value

The novelty of this study relates to exploring the relationship between digital entrepreneurial education and training, entrepreneurial competence and digital EI.

Details

Journal of Work-Applied Management, vol. 16 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2205-149X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 30 December 2022

Mahipal Singh, Rajeev Rathi, Ajay Jaiswal, Shah Dhyey Manishbhai, Shaptarshi Sen Gupta and Abhishek Dewangan

The present study aims to explore the barriers to Lean Six Sigma (LSS) implementation in the healthcare sector and develop the ranking of finalized barriers using the…

Abstract

Purpose

The present study aims to explore the barriers to Lean Six Sigma (LSS) implementation in the healthcare sector and develop the ranking of finalized barriers using the Decision-Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory (DEMATEL) approach under a fuzzy environment.

Design/methodology/approach

The LSS barriers are identified through the literature review and validated by the expert's opinion and statistical analysis. A total of 124 experts were identified through the purposive sampling method for conducting this study. A questionnaire survey method is used to collect the data related to identified LSS barriers in the healthcare sector. The screened barriers are ranked through the Fuzzy DEMATEL approach.

Findings

In this study, a total of 21 barriers were identified with the help of a systematic literature review and screened 13 significant barriers by the expert opinions of healthcare personnel. The result reveals that “Lack of top management commitment and support, lack of awareness about LSS”, “resistance to culture change and inadequate resources emerges as the most critical barriers”. The prioritization of barriers facilitates the managers to make effective policies and guidelines for LSS implementation in healthcare organizations.

Practical implications

To avoid LSS implementation failure, the practitioners and researchers need to focus on LSS barriers as per suggested ranking more conventionally and make plans and adoption policies accordingly.

Originality/value

This study is unique in terms of investigation and empirical analysis of LSS implementation barriers in the healthcare sector in the Indian context. The outcomes of the present study will help the managers of healthcare organizations to make the strategies and policies for LSS implementation as per the recommended LSS barriers.

Details

The TQM Journal, vol. 35 no. 8
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1754-2731

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 9 September 2021

Deepti Verma, Vaibhav Tripathi and Ajai Pratap Singh

This study aims to identify factors affecting generation Z as the early adopters of mobile commerce (m-commerce). The research seeks to explore their behavioral intention to adopt…

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to identify factors affecting generation Z as the early adopters of mobile commerce (m-commerce). The research seeks to explore their behavioral intention to adopt m-commerce in India with consideration of gender differences while providing empirical validation for the theory of planned behavior (TPB).

Design/methodology/approach

In this study, a modified TPB model has been used to explain generation Z’s intention to adopt m-commerce. The proposed model was tested using a survey method with a sample of 245 students from a private university in Northern India. Subgroup analysis was performed to find gender differences in the process of adopting m-commerce.

Findings

All three independent constructs have a positive influence on the behavioral intention of generation Z to adopt m-commerce. Further, the male subgroup has a lower beta value for attitude and higher beta value for subjective norm in comparison to the female subgroup. For perceived behavioral control, no significant difference in beta value across gender could be established.

Practical implications

A better understanding of generation Z behavioral intentions will be of great use to telecom companies, marketers and electronic commerce companies to formulate strategies to expedite the use of m-commerce. As gender plays an important role in attitude and subjective norms, companies are advised to target their communication tactics in accordance to gender.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is one of the first to test TPB and generation Z association in the context of m-commerce adoption in India. Data regarding the difference between the two genders has also shed light on the uniqueness of the context.

Details

Journal of Asia Business Studies, vol. 15 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1558-7894

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 5 March 2018

Ajay Kumar and Anil Kumar Kashyap

Shopping motivation has been extensively explored in traditional marketing context but less in online shopping. Utilitarian attribute of online shopping is one of the success…

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Abstract

Purpose

Shopping motivation has been extensively explored in traditional marketing context but less in online shopping. Utilitarian attribute of online shopping is one of the success factors of e-retailing. The purpose of this paper is to explore the utilitarian shopping motivation in online shopping and validate these factors through confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) in the Indian context.

Design/methodology/approach

The data were collected from the 183 regular online shoppers. The collected data were analysed through exploratory factor analysis and CFA using Amos 22 version.

Findings

This paper explored the utilitarian shopping motivation of online shopping into five factors, i.e. information availability, accessibility, searchability, product availability and convenience.

Research limitations/implications

The research is conducted on online shoppers to measure their utilitarian motives of shopping online. Further research may be conducted to investigate other motives of online shopping. The sample is taken from Central India which is not enough to generalise the findings. Research may be conducted in other regions and on different segment of respondents to know the impact of geographical variance on utilitarian perspectives of online shoppers.

Originality/value

This paper addresses a significant input in online retailing platform, and it will contribute to the theory of shopping motivations in online shopping context and provide valuable inputs for developing online marketing strategies. The findings of the study also aid to retail practitioners in analysing retailing’s current transformation due to digitalization.

Details

International Journal of Retail & Distribution Management, vol. 46 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0959-0552

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 19 August 2009

Peter Hwang and Ajai S. Gaur

We argue that multinational enterprises (MNEs) not only strive to minimize transaction costs but also attempt to maximize transaction values when interacting with local firms in…

Abstract

We argue that multinational enterprises (MNEs) not only strive to minimize transaction costs but also attempt to maximize transaction values when interacting with local firms in foreign markets. We put forth our thesis regarding MNE governance structure, that it is contingent on the institutional environment of the host country and the characteristics of the transaction. Specifically, we suggest that MNEs’ choice of market, hierarchy or hybrid (joint ventures) form of governance, depends on the interplay between the costs and benefits of a transaction relationship. For high knowledge content products/services, MNEs choose hierarchy when the institutional environment is not well developed. As the institutional environment develops, hybrid replaces hierarchy. However, in a very strong institutional environment, hierarchy again turns out to be optimal for MNEs. For low or no knowledge content products/services, the presence of market is possible in a very advanced institutional environment.

Details

Multinational Business Review, vol. 17 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1525-383X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 29 April 2020

Hyun Gon Kim, Ajai S. Gaur and Debmalya Mukherjee

As multinational companies enter different countries, the extent of cultural unfamiliarity they face depends on their most recent entry. We examine this pattern of added cultural…

Abstract

Purpose

As multinational companies enter different countries, the extent of cultural unfamiliarity they face depends on their most recent entry. We examine this pattern of added cultural distance between a newly entered target country and the closest previous one and its effect on ownership decisions in each cross-border acquisition (CBA). We also examine the combined effect of added cultural distance and time between successive acquisitions on such decisions.

Design/methodology/approach

The sample came from the Thomson Financial Securities Data Corporation (SDC) Platinum database, which spans different source and target countries for a 25-year period (1980–2014). We collected firm- (acquirer and target), industry-, country-, and transaction-level variables from SDC. After merging information from the different sources, the final sample comprised 10,423 CBA observations from 138 target countries.

Findings

Our findings reveal that the ownership share decision is affected negatively by added cultural distance but positively by the time between two successive acquisitions. In addition, prior ownership and geographic distance moderate the relationship between added cultural distance and ownership in CBAs.

Practical implications

Our findings suggest that MNCs' managers who consider CBAs need to carefully examine closest previous target information and CBA experience, rather than focusing on direct cultural distance between the focal firm and target firm. Additionally, they should also consider the relevance of key contingency factors.

Originality/value

We disentangle the effects of added cultural distance on CBA ownership decisions and explore the boundary conditions of this relationship.

Details

Cross Cultural & Strategic Management, vol. 27 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2059-5794

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 14 August 2017

Surya Prakash, Gunjan Soni and Ajay Pal Singh Rathore

The purpose of this paper is to assist a manufacturing firm in designing the closed-loop supply chain network under risks that are affecting its supply quality and logistics…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to assist a manufacturing firm in designing the closed-loop supply chain network under risks that are affecting its supply quality and logistics operations. The modeling approach adopted aims at the embedding supply chain risks in a closed-loop supply chain (CLSC) network design process and suggests optimal supply chain configuration and risk mitigation strategies.

Design/methodology/approach

The method proposes a closed-loop supply chain network and identifies the network parameter and variables required for closing the loop. Mixed-integer-linear-programming-based mathematical modeling approach is used to formulate the research problem. The solutions and test results are obtained from CPLEX solver.

Findings

The outcomes of the proposed model were demonstrated through a case study conducted in an Indian hospital furniture manufacturing firm. The modern supply chain is mapped to make it closed loop, and potential risks in its supply chain are identified. The supply chain network of the firm is redesigned through embedding risk in the modeling process. It was found that companies can be in great profit if they follow closed-loop practices and simultaneously keep a check on risks as well. The cost of making the supply chain risk averse was found to be insignificant.

Practical implications

Although the study was conducted in a practical case situation, the obtained results are not indiscriminate to the other circumstances. However, the approach followed and proposed methodology can be applied to many industries once a firm decides to redesign its supply chain for closing its loop or model under risks.

Originality/value

By using the identified CLSC parameters and applying the proposed network design methodology, a firm can design/redesign their supply chain network to counter the risk and accordingly come up with planned mitigation strategies to achieve a certain degree of robustness.

Article
Publication date: 21 July 2021

Vibhash Kumar, Sonal Jain and Ajay Kumar Singh

This study investigates the various factors which lead to the higher employer brand and studies the relationship of employer branding (EBR) with essential aspects of corporate…

Abstract

Purpose

This study investigates the various factors which lead to the higher employer brand and studies the relationship of employer branding (EBR) with essential aspects of corporate life, namely, corporate social responsibility (CSR), levels of motivation experienced by employees and the intention to stay (ITS).

Design/methodology/approach

The study solicited a research sample from employees working in five sectors, information technology, hospitality, banking and consulting sector (n = 296). The study employed structural equation modeling (SEM) to test the nomological network of EBR.

Findings

The study underpins the sub-constructs of EBR. A direct positive and significant relationship was found between EBR and CSR and motivation fully mediated between EBR and ITS.

Originality/value

This study uniquely contributes to the literature by exploring the mediating role of motivation on EBR and ITS's relationship. The study validates the nomological network of EBR by considering its various organizational aspects and the corresponding intertwined relationships.

Details

Asia-Pacific Journal of Business Administration, vol. 13 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1757-4323

Keywords

1 – 10 of 173