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Open Access
Article
Publication date: 21 August 2024

Zelda S. Bisschoff and Liezel Massyn

The paper aims to close a literature gap by proposing a comprehensive conceptual soft skills competency framework for enhancing graduate intern employability through the…

Abstract

Purpose

The paper aims to close a literature gap by proposing a comprehensive conceptual soft skills competency framework for enhancing graduate intern employability through the cultivation of employability capital.

Design/methodology/approach

The study employed a theoretical inquiry and delved into the existing literature on employability, soft skills competencies and employability capital to establish a comprehensive foundation to formulate the conceptual framework. A content analysis of existing empirical studies was conducted to derive a generic list of employers’ required soft skills. A Delphi technique was employed to harness expert consensus and insights into the derived framework.

Findings

Employability capital can be cultivated in the setting of work-integrated learning programmes and synergised through emotional and social intelligence interventions to enhance soft skills competency and graduate employability.

Research limitations/implications

The soft skills identified may overlook other important skills required by employers. Increasing participation in the Delphi study could yield additional valuable insights. Validation of the framework is needed in practical settings to understand its effectiveness and applicability to real-world organisational needs.

Practical implications

This study significantly enhances understanding of the role of employability capital in soft skills competency development and graduate employability through work-integrated learning programs and self-development. In addition, the framework has the potential to positively impact the employer-employee relationship.

Originality/value

The key theoretical contribution is a soft skill development framework that offers employers and graduates a means to identify and address deficiencies through WIL and self-development.

Details

Higher Education, Skills and Work-Based Learning, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2042-3896

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 12 September 2024

Ahmed Ali Otoom, Issa Atoum, Heba Al-Harahsheh, Mahmoud Aljawarneh, Mohammed N. Al Refai and Mahmoud Baklizi

The purpose of this paper is to present the educational computer emergency response team (EduCERT) framework, an integrated response mechanism to bolster national cybersecurity…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to present the educational computer emergency response team (EduCERT) framework, an integrated response mechanism to bolster national cybersecurity through collaborative efforts in the higher education sector. The EduCERT framework addresses this gap by enhancing cyber security and mitigating cybercrime through collaborative incident management, knowledge sharing and university awareness campaigns.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors propose an EduCERT framework following the design science methodology. The framework is developed based on literature and input from focus group experts. Moreover, it is grounded in the principles of the technology-organization-environment framework, organizational learning and diffusion of innovations theory.

Findings

The EduCERT has eight components: infrastructure, governance, knowledge development, awareness, incident management, evaluation and continuous improvement. The framework reinforces national cybersecurity through cooperation between universities and the National Computer Emergency Response Team. The framework has been implemented in Jordan to generate a cybersecurity foundation for higher education. Evaluating the EduCERT framework’s influence on national cybersecurity highlights the importance of adopting comprehensive cyber-security policies and controls. The framework application shows its relevance, effectiveness, adaptability and alignment with best practices.

Research limitations/implications

Despite the impact of applying the framework in the Jordanian context, it is essential to acknowledge that the proposed EduCERT framework’s practical implementation may encounter challenges specific to diverse international educational environment sectors. However, framework customization for global applicability could address varied educational institutions in other countries.

Practical implications

Furthermore, the proposed EduCERT framework is designed with universal applicability that extends beyond the specific country’s context. The principles and components presented in the framework can serve as valuable design advice for establishing collaborative and resilient cybersecurity frameworks in educational settings worldwide. Therefore, the research enhances the proposed framework’s practical utility and positions it as an invaluable contribution to the broader discourse on global cybersecurity in academia.

Originality/value

This paper enhances national cybersecurity in the higher education sector, addressing the need for a more integrated response mechanism. The EduCERT framework demonstrates its effectiveness, adaptability and alignment with best practices, offering valuable guidance for global educational institutions.

Details

Information & Computer Security, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2056-4961

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 4 May 2023

Alexander Kramer, Philipp Veit, Dominik K. Kanbach, Stephan Stubner and Thomas K. Maran

The purpose of this article is to develop an integrative framework of accelerator design to answer the question of what activities accelerators perform and how they function…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this article is to develop an integrative framework of accelerator design to answer the question of what activities accelerators perform and how they function within a structured framework. Research on the functioning of accelerators as a mechanism for startup engagement produced multiple empirical results. However, the comparability of relevant research is strongly limited, currently hindering theoretical developments. Existing accelerator design models often differ and only partially overlap, which leaves extant literature with a fragmented and discordant conceptual understanding.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on a meta-synthesis method using qualitative analysis of 36 accelerator design articles, an integrative framework is developed. After identification of relevant literature, a renowned method for extracting, coding and synthesizing data on individual and cross-study level is applied to identify accelerator design constructs. Eventually, identified accelerator design constructs are integrated into a framework resting on the activity system lens of business model design.

Findings

The article reconciles fragmented knowledge on accelerator design and shows how accelerator design can be holistically conceptualized by 32 key activities clustered in eight design dimensions. The framework is complemented by an initial guideline for measurement. The findings further highlight formerly disregarded aspects of governance and community formation from a processual and structural perspective.

Originality/value

This article is the first to present a comprehensive picture of accelerator design integrating multiple empirical findings of prior research into a single coherent framework. This framework offers a shared foundation for future research exploring the delineations, functioning and impact of accelerators. From a practical perspective, the article provides managers of accelerators a guide to design, review and improve programs according to their value creation goals.

Details

European Journal of Innovation Management, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1460-1060

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 18 June 2024

Areej Aftab Siddiqui, Arij Lahmar, Parul Singh, Kashika Arora, Ashutosh Samadhiya and Anil Kumar

This paper examines the dynamic interplay between Circular Economy (CE) and Supply Chain (SC). Further, this paper develops a framework indicating the transition from conventional…

Abstract

Purpose

This paper examines the dynamic interplay between Circular Economy (CE) and Supply Chain (SC). Further, this paper develops a framework indicating the transition from conventional SC to SC 4.0. As it addresses the separate bodies of literature on CE and SC 4.0, the study attempts to bridge the gap by examining barriers to SC 4.0 adoption in CE.

Design/methodology/approach

The article integrates bibliometric analysis with Total Interpretive Structural Modeling (TISM) and MICMAC analysis, thereby enriching the methodological rigour in investigating the barriers to SC 4.0 adoption within the CE context.

Findings

The paper provides insights into research trends, influential scholars, journals and prominent institutions through bibliometric analysis. Also, the findings identify four broad areas of driving, autonomous, linkage and dependent barriers to facilitate a comprehensive understanding of their impact and interdependencies.

Research limitations/implications

The findings imply that effective policy interventions, enhanced management practices, and the adoption of technological innovations are essential for overcoming barriers to SC 4.0. The research recommends that stakeholders focus on fostering collaborative networks, building competencies in line with CE requirements, and leveraging big data for strategic supply chain decision-making.

Originality/value

This work contributes to the advancement of the circular digital supply field by consolidating research streams, uncovering innovation prospects, and shaping a well-informed research agenda. The distinct contribution lies in its categorization of these barriers into driving, autonomous, linkage, and dependent barriers, offering a novel perspective on the structural dynamics impeding the integration of SC 4.0 in CE.

Details

Benchmarking: An International Journal, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1463-5771

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 30 May 2024

Nadja Fugleberg Damtoft, Dennis van Liempd and Rainer Lueg

Researchers and practitioners have recently been interested in corporate sustainability performance (CSP). However, knowledge on measuring CSP is limited. Many CSP-measurements…

Abstract

Purpose

Researchers and practitioners have recently been interested in corporate sustainability performance (CSP). However, knowledge on measuring CSP is limited. Many CSP-measurements are eclectic, without guidance for contextual applications. This paper aims to develop a conceptual framework that categorizes, explains and evaluates measurements based on their accuracy and precision and provides a guideline for their context-specific application.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors conducted a systematic literature review of an initial sample of 1,415 papers.

Findings

The final sample of 74 papers suggested four measurement categories: isolated indicators, indicator frameworks, Sustainability Balanced Scorecards (SBSC) and Sustainability Performance Measurement Systems (SPMS). The analysis reveals that isolated indicators are inaccurate and imprecise, limiting their application to organizations with delimited, specific measurements of parts of CSP due to the risk of a GIGO-effect (i.e. low-quality input will always produce low-quality output). CSP-indicator frameworks are imprecise but accurate, making them applicable to organizations that handle a more significant amount of CSP data. They have a risk of greensplashing, i.e. many indicators not connected to the industry, organization or strategy. In contrast, SBSCs are precise but inaccurate and valuable for organizations desiring a comprehensive strategic management tool with limited capacity to handle sustainability issues. They pose a risk of the streetlight effect, where organisations do not measure relevant indicators but what is easy to measure.

Originality/value

The ideal CSP-measurement was identified as SPMSs, which are both precise and accurate. SPMSs are useful for organizations with complex, comprehensive, connected and tailored indicators but are methodologically challenging.

Details

Journal of Global Responsibility, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2041-2568

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 18 September 2023

Xiao-Yu Xu, Syed Muhammad Usman Tayyab, Qingdan Jia and Albert H. Huang

Video game streaming (VGS) is emerging as an extremely popular, highly interactive, inordinately subscribed and very dynamic form of digital media. Incorporated environmental…

Abstract

Purpose

Video game streaming (VGS) is emerging as an extremely popular, highly interactive, inordinately subscribed and very dynamic form of digital media. Incorporated environmental elements, gratifications and user pre-existing attitudes in VGS, this paper presents the development of an extended model of uses and gratification theory (EUGT) for predicting users' behavior in novel technological context.

Design/methodology/approach

The proposed model was empirically tested in VGS context due to its popularity, interactivity and relevance. Data collected from 308 VGS users and structural equation modeling (SEM) was employed to assess the hypotheses. Multi-model comparison technique was used to assess the explanatory power of EUGT.

Findings

The findings confirmed three significant types elements in determining VGS viewers' engagement, including gratifications (e.g. involvement), environmental cues (e.g. medium appeal) and user predispositions (e.g. pre-existing attitudes). The results revealed that emerging technologies provide potential opportunities for new motives and gratifications, and highlighted the significant of pre-existing attitudes as a mediator in the gratification-uses link.

Originality/value

This study is one of its kind in tackling the criticism on UGT of considering media users too rational or active. The study achieved this objective by considering environmental impacts on user behavior which is largely ignored in recent UGT studies. Also, by incorporating users pre-existing attitudes into UGT framework, this study conceptualized and empirically verified the higher explanatory power of EUGT through a novel multi-modal approach in VGS. Compared to other rival models, EUGS provides a more robust explanation of users' behavior. The findings contribute to the literature of UGT, VGS and users' engagement.

Details

Information Technology & People, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0959-3845

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 10 July 2024

Nermeen Bahnasy

This study aims to propose a comprehensive conceptual framework for the characterization of agricultural heritage in desert-prone areas, with a focus on Siwa Oasis in Egypt.

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to propose a comprehensive conceptual framework for the characterization of agricultural heritage in desert-prone areas, with a focus on Siwa Oasis in Egypt.

Design/methodology/approach

The research utilizes a multidimensional approach, integrating perspectives from sustainability principles, stakeholders and the agricultural heritage frameworks of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO). It involves thematic analysis of qualitative data collected through focus group discussions and interviews with a diverse range of participants, including community members, government officials, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) and researchers.

Findings

The study identifies five key elements of agricultural heritage in Siwa Oasis: cultural, ecological, economic, social and scientific. Cultural elements include traditional farming practices, irrigation systems and architectural features, while ecological elements encompass crop biodiversity, wildlife habitats and traditional landraces. Economically, date palm cultivation, olive production and agritourism activities play crucial roles in livelihood security and local economies. Socially, community cohesion, gender roles and cultural practices shape the social fabric of the oasis, with festivals and rituals fostering a sense of belonging. From a scientific perspective, the integration of traditional knowledge with modern agricultural practices enhances sustainability and resilience.

Research limitations/implications

The study focused solely on Siwa Oasis as a case study, limiting generalizability to other desert-prone areas. Further research could explore additional regions to enhance the understanding of agricultural heritage in diverse contexts. Additionally, the qualitative nature of the study may limit statistical analysis. Future studies could employ mixed-methods approaches for a more comprehensive understanding of agricultural heritage dynamics.

Practical implications

Understanding the multifaceted aspects of agricultural heritage in Siwa Oasis can inform sustainable development initiatives, tourism planning and cultural preservation efforts. Local policymakers and stakeholders can utilize these insights to develop policies that support traditional farming practices, ecotourism and community development. Furthermore, the promotion of agricultural heritage can enhance economic opportunities, food security and environmental sustainability in desert-prone regions.

Social implications

Recognition of the social elements embedded within Siwa Oasis’s agricultural heritage highlights the importance of community cohesion, gender roles and cultural practices. By acknowledging and preserving these aspects, initiatives can be developed to empower local communities, promote gender equality and preserve cultural identity. Such efforts can enhance social cohesion, strengthen cultural bonds and promote inclusivity in the development agenda of desert-prone areas.

Originality/value

This study contributes a novel conceptual framework that bridges multifunctionality concepts, sustainability principles and stakeholder perspectives to characterize agricultural heritage in desert-prone areas. It offers insights into the complex interplay of cultural, ecological, economic, social and scientific dimensions of agricultural heritage systems.

Details

Journal of Humanities and Applied Social Sciences, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2632-279X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 11 August 2023

Rohit Bhardwaj, Sunali Bindra, Tejasvita Singh and Arunaditya Sahay

The extant literature emphasizes that the perspective of bricolage is significantly augmenting the core of entrepreneurship research, and, per se, it has made considerable…

374

Abstract

Purpose

The extant literature emphasizes that the perspective of bricolage is significantly augmenting the core of entrepreneurship research, and, per se, it has made considerable contributions to understanding resource mobilization and organizational processes in entrepreneurial ventures. Entrepreneurial bricolage literature lacks a unified and holistic conceptual framework that could represent a coherence of diverse bricolage forms and their related capabilities in entrepreneurship. To address this issue, this study aims to develop a comprehensive typology framework of entrepreneurial bricolage based on the theoretical synthesis of the prior research.

Design/methodology/approach

By comparing and synthesizing the existing bricolage forms into a holistic and persistent typology, the authors present an integrated framework of 13 bricolage capabilities that contributes to resource acquisition and resource mobilization as well as facilitate the entrepreneurial processes of opportunity recognition and opportunity exploitation in firms.

Findings

The study synthesizes a wide array of research on entrepreneurial bricolage for shaping the resource acquisition and resource mobilization processes in entrepreneurial ventures and presents a typology-based framework for further discussion and research. By mapping the existing research and relevant dimensions into a typology-based entrepreneurial bricolage framework, the study extends and contributes to the current theorizing and conceptual building.

Research limitations/implications

The study would help practitioners and researchers to recognize bricolage capabilities and the common ties among them, leading to further advances in entrepreneurship theory and practice.

Originality/value

As the body of knowledge regarding entrepreneurial bricolage has grown, so has the number of its different forms, concepts and constructs. The authors recognize that there is distinctiveness as well as overlaps among diverse forms, concepts and constructs of entrepreneurial bricolage. Further, the authors identify a new bricolage capability that has not until now been positioned in the extant frameworks.

Details

Journal of Entrepreneurship in Emerging Economies, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2053-4604

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 14 June 2024

Meagan S. Richard

The purpose of this study is to identify key school leadership practices that center social justice and are evidenced across multiple school and district contexts.

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to identify key school leadership practices that center social justice and are evidenced across multiple school and district contexts.

Design/methodology/approach

A qualitative, multidistrict research design is used within this study. Sampled across seven US school districts, 24 school leaders were interviewed about their justice-centered school leadership practices within and outside of their school buildings.

Findings

Participants engaged in five key domains of justice-centered practice, which included 13 practice areas and 28 sub-practices. These domains include (1) creating an inclusive and caring environment, (2) promoting equitable opportunity to learn, (3) strengthening staff capacity for justice, (4) positioning families as partners in education and (5) building and extending community capacity and resources.

Originality/value

This study incorporates empirical data across diverse contexts and investigates actions relevant to diverse students and multiple justice-centered leadership approaches. By doing so, this study unearths a spectrum of justice-centered school leadership practices, presenting these in one of the few empirically grounded frameworks available in the literature. This framework provides an accessible, comprehensive and actionable starting place for practitioners hoping to lead in socially just ways and for preparation programs who will support these leaders.

Details

Journal of Educational Administration, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0957-8234

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 13 December 2023

Long Li, Shuqi Wang, Saixing Zeng, Hanyang Ma and Ruiyan Zheng

Social responsibility (SR) has become critical in facilitating the sustainability of new infrastructure construction (NIC) and is also a nonnegligible aspect in its management…

Abstract

Purpose

Social responsibility (SR) has become critical in facilitating the sustainability of new infrastructure construction (NIC) and is also a nonnegligible aspect in its management. Although studies attempting to explore this issue from various and disparate perspectives have become increasingly popular, no consensus has yet been reached regarding what SR factors affect NIC management. This paper aims to establish an inventory of SR factors for NIC and reveal a comprehensive framework for SR of NIC (NIC-SR) management through an in-depth analysis of the relationships among factors.

Design/methodology/approach

This article proposes a mixed-review method that combines the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses and content analysis methods as a solution.

Findings

From 62 chosen publications on NIC-SR published in peer-reviewed journals between 2010 and 2022, a total of 44 SR factors were found. These 44 SR factors were divided into 4 interconnected categories: political, ethics-environmental, legal and economic. Based on the interactions among SR factors and incorporating the impact of the four categories of SR factors on NIC management, an integrated framework from micro to macro was developed.

Originality/value

This paper educates researchers and practitioners about the SR factors that must be considered to improve the sustainability of NIC management and provides practical implications for architectural, engineering and construction (AEC) practices. Furthermore, it serves as an impetus for governments to improve their programs and policies and fulfill social responsibilities.

Details

Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0969-9988

Keywords

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