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Article
Publication date: 2 February 2024

Pushkar Pushp and Faisal Ahmed

The discourse on global value chains (GVC) is undergoing a transformation in terms of its conceptualisation, theorisation and pragmatic applications. Today, the production systems…

Abstract

Purpose

The discourse on global value chains (GVC) is undergoing a transformation in terms of its conceptualisation, theorisation and pragmatic applications. Today, the production systems have become more complex as global economic order continues to witness marked geo-economic manoeuvring. Thus, the direction of discourse on GVC ought to move from mere theoretical propositions toward becoming more evidence based. There have been recent studies that have used the governance and upgrading propositions by Gary Gereffi and others to seek quantitative evidence. This study aims to decipher the quantitative discourse on GVC and to set the emerging and future research agenda.

Design/methodology/approach

Through a systematic literature review, the authors first analyse the quantitative studies on GVC carried out during the last two decades. The authors then outline a future research agenda and examine a few relevant modelling techniques that could potentially be used to solicit newer evidence in GVC research.

Findings

The authors categorise the quantitative discourse on GVC into three crucial themes, namely, GVC framework, GVC participation and position, environmental aspects and regionalisation in GVC. The most commonly used quantitative techniques are gravity model, panel data estimation, structural decomposition analysis and computable general equilibrium modelling.

Originality/value

This paper contributes to the GVC discourse in two ways. Firstly, the authors argue that the theoretical frameworks within the GVC discourse should be complemented by evidence-based quantitative studies. Secondly, the authors suggest potential modelling techniques that can be used on the emerging and future research agenda.

Details

Critical Perspectives on International Business, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1742-2043

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 9 January 2024

John Mendy and Nawaf AlGhanem

This paper's purpose centres on advancing the current financialisation strategies within digital transformation (DT) through a rebalanced synthesis of both financialisation and…

Abstract

Purpose

This paper's purpose centres on advancing the current financialisation strategies within digital transformation (DT) through a rebalanced synthesis of both financialisation and people/centric, non-financialisation strategies of the DT field. Based on empirical data from Bahrain's energy sector, a new framework on People-centric, Sustaining Network Leadership is developed, capturing DT's human values deficit and proposing a new model on financialisation and non-financialisation strategies showing ‘how’ and ‘why’ DT is implemented in contemporary organisations.

Design/methodology/approach

This study conducted a mixed methodology of narrative interviews, case studies and reviewed significant contributions from the DT, leadership and change management debates. A total of 26 operational and high-level leaders from Bahrain, 8 top energy companies and Braun and Clarke's 6-phase analysis were combined to form four empirical thematic bundles on ‘how’ and ‘why’ leaders adopted financialisation and non-financialisation strategies to resolve organisational sustainability issues in an Arabic context.

Findings

Four sets of findings (bundles 1–4) highlight participants' financial and structural understanding when implementing DT initiatives, the different leadership styles ranging from authoritarian to network leadership, the socio-economic, political and cultural ramifications of their practices and the urgency of staff reskilling for organisational resilience and strategic sustainability. Based on the eight energy cases and interviews, a new values-driven, People-centric Sustaining Network Leadership Model is developed to show a more effective and efficient use of financial and non-financial resources when organisations implement DT initiatives in efforts to resolve global energy sustainability problems.

Research limitations/implications

Leadership, change management, DT, energy and environmental sustainability is a huge area of scholarship. While new studies emerge and contribute to this growing body of knowledge, this investigation has focused on those that significantly highlight how to make effective use of financialisation and non-financialisation resources. Therefore, all the literature on the topic has not been included. Although this study has filled the non-financialisation gap in current DT studies, a further rebalancing of the financialisation versus non-financialisation debates will be needed for theoreticians, practitioners and policy makers to continue addressing emerging and more complex socio-economic, political and cultural issues within and beyond organisations. Limitations are the study's focus on the Bahrain energy sector and the limited sample of 26 leaders.

Practical implications

The study provides practitioners and policy makers with an approach for the successful implementation of DT initiatives in the oil and gas sector. For academics, this study provides empirically unique and interesting thematic bundles, insightful analyses into leadership, organisational change, digital transformation and network leadership theories to develop an innovative and creative People-centric, Sustaining Network Leadership Approach/Model on the practical barriers, implications/impacts of various leadership styles and potential solutions via a socio-cultural values-based alternative to the current financialisation discourse of DT.

Originality/value

While there is a growing body of literature on DT, Leadership and Organisational Transformation and Change, there is a dearth of scholarship on the human-orientated strategies of DT implementation outside of western contexts. A contemporary and comprehensive, empirically evidenced analysis of the field has led to the development of this study's People-centric, Sustaining Network Leadership model which frames, captures, synthesises and extends the dominant cost-minimisation rhetoric of DT discourse to include a shared set of leadership practices, behaviours, intentions, perceptions and values. This helped to reveal the previously missing ‘how’ and ‘why’ of DT’s operational and strategic implementation.

Details

Journal of Strategy and Management, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1755-425X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 19 February 2024

Sarah McManus, Donna Pendergast and Harry Kanasa

Food literacy is a multidimensional concept that prioritises the aspects individuals require to navigate the contemporary foodscape successfully. The study aims to map the…

Abstract

Purpose

Food literacy is a multidimensional concept that prioritises the aspects individuals require to navigate the contemporary foodscape successfully. The study aims to map the knowledge base and intellectual structure of the concept of food literacy to assess if the most cited definitions reflect these constructs.

Design/methodology/approach

The inclusion criteria of full-text, peer-reviewed articles or conference papers, in English, using “food literacy” within the title, abstract, keywords or linked to the research focus produced 538 articles from the Scopus database from its inception until January 31, 2023. Articles were analysed according to exponential growth, geolocations, authors, articles, research areas and keywords using VOSviewer, CiteSpace and Excel.

Findings

Food literacy research grew exponentially between 2012 and 2022 at a rate of 50% and spanned 62 research areas, with nutrition and dietetics being the most common. Vidgen and Gallegos were the most cited authors of the most cited article, and Australia was the most influential food literacy research geolocation. Research originating from developing countries within Asia, the Middle East, Africa and South America was underrepresented, and COVID-19 impacted research trends between 2020 and 2023.

Practical implications

It is recommended to link “food literacy” to appropriate publications to increase its visibility and that food literacy be redefined and conceptualised to better reflect its intellectual structure. To complete this task, further research guided by keyword clustering can enhance conceptual understanding.

Originality/value

This study provides new insight into the knowledge base and intellectual structure of food literacy and provides scope for future research to develop the concept further.

Details

British Food Journal, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0007-070X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 28 November 2023

Awni Rawashdeh

The advent of artificial intelligence (AI) in the accounting landscape marks a significant shift, promising gains in efficiency and accuracy but also eliciting concerns about job…

1252

Abstract

Purpose

The advent of artificial intelligence (AI) in the accounting landscape marks a significant shift, promising gains in efficiency and accuracy but also eliciting concerns about job displacement (JD) and broader socio-economic implications. This study aims to provide an in-depth understanding of how AI’s integration in accounting contributes to JD, reshapes decision-making processes and reverberates across economic and social dimensions. It also offers evidence-based policy recommendations to mitigate adverse outcomes.

Design/methodology/approach

Leveraging a cross-sectional survey disseminated through Facebook, this research used snowball sampling to target a diverse cohort of accounting professionals. The collected data were subjected to meticulous analysis through descriptive and regression models, facilitated by SmartPLS 4 software.

Findings

The analysis revealed a significant correlation between AI’s increasing role in accounting and a heightened rate of JD. This study found that this displacement is not isolated; it has tangible repercussions on decision-making paradigms, economic well-being, professional work dynamics and social structures. These insights corroborate existing frameworks, including, but not limited to, theories of technological unemployment and behavioural adjustments.

Research limitations/implications

Although providing valuable insights, this study acknowledges limitations such as the restricted sample size, the cross-sectional nature of the survey and the inherent biases of self-reported data. Future research could aim to extend these initial findings by adopting a longitudinal approach and potentially integrating external data sources.

Practical implications

As AI technology becomes increasingly ingrained in accounting practices, there is an urgent need for coordinated action among stakeholders. Policy recommendations include focused efforts on talent retention, investment in upskilling programs and the establishment of support mechanisms for those adversely affected by AI adoption.

Originality/value

By synthesising a range of theoretical perspectives, this study offers a comprehensive exploration of AI’s multi-dimensional impacts on the accounting profession. It stands out for its nuanced examination of JD and its economic and social implications, thereby contributing to both academic discourse and policy formulation. This work serves as an urgent call to action, highlighting the need for strategies that both exploit AI’s potential benefits and protect the workforce from its disruptive impact.

Details

Journal of Science and Technology Policy Management, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2053-4620

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 31 August 2023

Weijie Zhu

The research in this paper aims to investigate the development of Library and Information Science in Chinese universities. Specifically, it focuses on understanding the spatial…

162

Abstract

Purpose

The research in this paper aims to investigate the development of Library and Information Science in Chinese universities. Specifically, it focuses on understanding the spatial and temporal aspects of subject knowledge output and providing a more comprehensive explanation of the imbalance in subject research.

Design/methodology/approach

This study applies the bibliometric method to analyze 131,112 papers published by 51 universities in mainland China from 1977 to 2021, as recorded in the Chinese Social Sciences Citation Index (CSSCI). The study classifies the evolution trends of the discipline and quantifies the published article data of the universities using the index of published articles. Additionally, it examines the development status, structural situation, influencing factors and prospects of universities in different categories and regions.

Findings

The field of Library and Information Science is gaining momentum in Chinese universities, but there are significant differences in its development. While the relative gap among universities in a regional context is diminishing, the absolute gap in the category perspective is increasing. The development of Library and Information Science is influenced by various factors, including the academic environment, geographical position, scientific research projects and academic traditions. The uneven development of the discipline is maintained in the short term.

Originality/value

This paper proposes a new quantitative index of discipline development, the university publication index. This index allows for an examination of the temporal and spatial trends of discipline development using domestic universities as the subject of research. The paper presents an overview of discipline development through four aspects: academic participation practice, discipline governance mechanisms, education and teaching systems and discourse construction within the discipline. The theoretical support provided by this study can help facilitate innovative development in the discipline.

Details

Library Hi Tech, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0737-8831

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 3 November 2023

Bilal Afsar and Basheer M. AlGhazali

Social innovation is a nascent field. Within research on social innovation, the context of higher education has largely been ignored. To better understand social innovation, it is…

Abstract

Purpose

Social innovation is a nascent field. Within research on social innovation, the context of higher education has largely been ignored. To better understand social innovation, it is important to explore factors that facilitate social innovation in universities’ context. There is little research on enablers of social innovation in universities and the impacts of social innovation. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to understand the enablers of social innovation in the Saudi Arabian context. Moreover, the impacts of social innovation projects are also explored.

Design/methodology/approach

A qualitative approach was used to carry out this study. Data were collected through semistructured interviews, and content analysis was performed.

Findings

Data revealed that institutional commitment, mission, active collaborations, curriculum, support, training, community university engagement offices, university social impact offices and reward and evaluation were among critical enablers. The impact of social innovation in terms of social, institutional, economic and community specific was also reported.

Originality/value

Research on the enablers and outcomes of social innovation in the higher education context is limited. This study adds to the innovation literature by investigating what processes and factors (enablers) can help universities to engage in social innovation initiatives and what are the outcomes (impact) of engaging in social innovation. Findings of the study have important policy implications.

Details

Global Knowledge, Memory and Communication, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2514-9342

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 18 March 2024

Rajat Roy, Fazlul K. Rabbanee, Diana Awad and Vishal Mehrotra

This study aims to investigate the fit of a promotion (prevention) focus with malicious (benign) envy and how this fit influences positive and negative behaviours, depending on…

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to investigate the fit of a promotion (prevention) focus with malicious (benign) envy and how this fit influences positive and negative behaviours, depending on the context.

Design/methodology/approach

Four empirical studies (two laboratory and two online experiments) were used to test key hypotheses. Study 1 manipulated regulatory focus and envy in a job application setting with university students. Study 2 engaged similar manipulations in a social media setting. Studies 3 and 4 extended the regulatory focus and envy manipulations to the general population in pay-what-you-want (PWYW) and pay-it-forward (PIF) restaurant contexts.

Findings

The findings showed that a promotion (prevention) focus fits with the emotion of malicious (benign) envy. In the social media context, promotion and prevention foci demonstrated negative behaviour, including unfollowing the envied person, when combined with malicious and benign envy. In the PWYW and PIF contexts, combining envy with a specific type of regulatory focus encouraged both positive and negative behaviours through influencing payments.

Research limitations/implications

Future research could validate and extend this study’s findings with different product/service categories, cross-cultural samples and research methods such as field experiments.

Practical implications

The four studies’ findings will assist managers in formulating marketing strategies to enhance their positioning of target products/services, possibly leading to higher prices for PWYW and PIF businesses.

Originality/value

The conceptual model is novel as, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, no prior research has proposed and tested the fit between envy type and regulatory foci.

Details

European Journal of Marketing, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0309-0566

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 9 February 2024

Dijana Šobota

The paper seeks to introduce the “critical open access literacy” construct as a holistic approach to confront the challenges in open access (OA) as a dimension of scholarly…

Abstract

Purpose

The paper seeks to introduce the “critical open access literacy” construct as a holistic approach to confront the challenges in open access (OA) as a dimension of scholarly communication.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper first introduces the concepts of information literacy (IL) and OA in the context of transformations in the scholarly information environment. Via a theoretical-analytical exercise on the basis of a literature review of the intersections between the two concepts and of the criticisms of OA, the paper discusses the role of critical IL in addressing the challenges in OA and lays the theoretical-conceptual groundwork for the critical OA literacy construct.

Findings

The structural nature of the challenges and transformations in the scholarly information environment require new foci and pedagogical practices in library and information studies. A more holistic, critical and integrative approach to OA is warranted, which could effectively be achieved through the re-conceptualization of IL.

Practical implications

The paper specifies the avenues for putting the theoretical conceptualizations of critical OA literacy into practice by identifying possible foci for IL instruction alongside a transformed role for librarians.

Originality/value

The paper extends deliberations on the role of critical IL for scholarly communication and attempts to advance the research fields of the two domains by proposing a new construct situated at the junction of OA and IL.

Details

Journal of Documentation, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0022-0418

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 25 March 2024

Lama Abu Alieh, M. Reza Hosseini, Igor Martek, Wei Wu and Mehrdad Arashpour

A lack of suitably qualified Building Information Modelling (BIM) professionals is understood to be a major barrier towards higher uptakes of BIM in the Australian construction…

Abstract

Purpose

A lack of suitably qualified Building Information Modelling (BIM) professionals is understood to be a major barrier towards higher uptakes of BIM in the Australian construction industry. In response, Australian universities have tried to integrate the teaching of BIM into construction-related curricula, but with limited success. The acknowledged impediment is the lingering mismatch between what universities offer and what industry actually needs. However, the exact nature of that mismatch has yet to be identified. This study addresses that knowledge gap. It assesses both the current status of BIM competencies among university graduates and explores how BIM education at Australian universities may be improved to deliver BIM work readiness, as required by the industry.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper employed a qualitative research approach, utilizing 17 semi-structured interviews with experts in the Australian BIM industry. The Person-Organization (PO) fit theory, which emphasizes the congruence between individual and organizational characteristics, was utilized as a theoretical framework to examine the compatibility between “demand” and “ability” perspectives. The resulting data were analysed using this theoretical framework to gain insights into the PO fit perspectives in relation to BIM industry practices.

Findings

Findings reveal that graduates are generally competent regarding the use of BIM software. However, employers require much more than software skills, and expect recruits to have the capability to implement BIM as a process according to information management standards. Specifically, graduates are significantly deficient in matters of BIM protocols, collaboration and coordination, information workflows as well as completion and handover procedures.

Originality/value

This study is the first of its kind that bridges the gap between industry expectations and university education, in the Australian context, moving beyond the common discourse in education literature, which is exclusively focused on assessing students’ perceptions about BIM.

Details

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

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 15 August 2023

Aditi Gupta, Ranjan Chaudhuri, Apoorva Apoorva, Swati Chaudhary, Alkis Thrassou, Georgia Sakka and Balakrishna Grandhi

The purpose of this paper is twofold: first is to map and analyse prominent contributions, current dynamics, patterns, gaps and research prospects in the field of workplace…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is twofold: first is to map and analyse prominent contributions, current dynamics, patterns, gaps and research prospects in the field of workplace incivility (WI); second is to provide a coherent theoretical research framework for future research.

Design/methodology/approach

This study adopts a two-step analysis approach by combining bibliometric analysis and systematic literature review to explore the research topic of WI, besides, using multiple methodologies including bibliometric, network and content analyses.

Findings

This study found that L. M. Cortina and M. S. Hershcovis are the top two most influential authors among all authors in the sample publications. Journal of Occupational Health Psychology is one of the top-ranking journal that often publishes this topic of articles. USA and The Bowling Green State University are the most influential country and institutions, respectively. Besides, burnout and retention are also common keywords were identified based on keywords co-occurrence map, showing that WI has a major impact on burnout and employee retention. Based on the above analysis, this paper constructed a theoretical research framework of WI.

Research limitations/implications

This paper only draw data from one database—Scopus—which cannot provide broad coverage of the research topic. WI research trends and trajectories may be assessed to enable academics and practitioners better understand the current and future trends and research directions. Future studies in this field might use the findings as a starting point to highlight the nature of the topic.

Originality/value

This study is the first to use an systematic literature review (SLR) to evaluate the association between WI and other organizational behaviour. The study contributions are fourfold, extending the work and overcoming the methodologies of prior research that only focussed on characteristics of incivility in nursing. In addition, this paper presents an in-depth analysis of this topic and provides a comprehensive theoretical research framework for future study.

Details

EuroMed Journal of Business, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1450-2194

Keywords

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