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Assessing front end engineering design (FEED) accuracy is significant for project owners because it can support informed decision-making, including confidence in cost and schedule predictions. A framework to measure FEED accuracy does not exist in the literature or in practice, not does systematic data directly linking FEED accuracy to project performance. This paper aims to focus first on gauging and quantifying FEED accuracy, and second on measuring its impact on project performance in terms of cost change, schedule change, change performance, financial performance and customer satisfaction.

A novel measurement scheme was developed for FEED accuracy as a comprehensive assessment of factors related to the project leadership and execution teams, management processes and resources; to assess the environment surrounding FEED. The development of this framework built on a literature review and focus groups, and used the research charrettes methodology, guided by a research team of 20 industry professionals and input from 48 practitioners representing 31 organizations. Data were collected from 33 large industrial projects representing over $8.8 billion of installed cost, allowing for a statistical analysis of the framework's impact on performance.

This paper describes: (1) twenty-seven critical FEED accuracy factors; (2) an objective and scalable method to measure FEED accuracy; and (3) data showing that projects with high FEED accuracy outperformed projects with low FEED accuracy by 20 percent in terms of cost growth in relation to their approved budgets.

FEED accuracy is defined as the degree of confidence in the measured level of maturity of the FEED deliverables to serve as a basis of decision at the end of detailed scope, prior to detailed design. Assessing FEED accuracy is significant for project owners because it can support informed decision-making, including confidence in cost and schedule predictions.

FEED accuracy has not been assessed before, and it turned out to have considerable project performance implications. The new framework presented in this paper is the first of its kind, it has been tested rigorously, and it contributes to both the literature body of knowledge as well as to practice. As one industry leader recently stated, “it not only helped to assess the quality and adequacy of the technical documentation required, but also provided an opportunity to check the organization's readiness before making a capital investment decision.”

Organizational wicked problems are ill-defined phenomena arising in complex environments with intertwined and evolving interests. This paper aims to use a nonlinear epistemological approach to explore how multiple management decision tools work together to form configurational paths to deal with organizational wicked problems and to propose some heuristic toolkits for tackling them.

Based on interviews with 53 senior executives dealing with 62 organizational wicked problems, this paper uses grounded theory to construct an antecedent theoretical framework and then uses qualitative comparative analysis (QCA) to conduct configuration analysis on the strategy portfolios that can tackle organizational wicked problems.

This paper used grounded theory to identify six theoretical dimensions as management decision tools for dealing with organizational wicked problems: change adaptation, goal performing, administration, mechanical integration, organic integration and entrepreneuring. In addition, this paper used QCA to explore and propose three heuristic toolkits – synergy oriented, institution oriented and innovation oriented – as multiple equivalent paths to help deal with organizational wicked problems.

This paper uses configuration analysis instead of the net effect analysis of the traditional econometric method and captures multiple antecedent conditions for decision-makers to deal with organizational wicked problems from a holistic perspective. This paper constructs three heuristic toolkits and matches each of them with the most suitable type of organizational wicked problem, constructing a complete research chain of “identifying–tackling” the organizational wicked problem and providing a reference for organizations facing similar situations in future practice.

Since the idea of “Unethical Pro-organisational Behaviour” (UPB) was introduced in 2010, a substantial corpus of empirical research has contributed to its expanding, contemporary knowledge. This includes research studies on how leadership exerts an influence on UPB. This paper aims to consolidate the current understanding of organisational leadership’s impact on employee UPB and offer future research agendas.

A systematic literature review (SLR) using the “Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses” (PRISMA) guidelines was adopted for the study. Literature that satisfied the search conditions was examined. The factors determining leadership’s influence on UPB were studied, and the findings were thematically synthesised.

Leader behaviour plays a large part in influencing UPB in organisations. Leader-member exchange and organisational belonging create favourable circumstances for UPB in organisations. UPB is moderated by the employee’s personal moral orientation.

UPB is unethical behaviour that benefits the organisation and is likely to be rewarded. However, there is a cost that other stakeholders pay. UPB has been researched since 2010, as well as the role of leaders in perpetuating UPB. However, there has not been an SLR of this study. This paper seeks to capture the essence of the research so far and pave a path for future research on the subject. These insights would prove valuable to management practitioners and academic experts.

The purpose of this study was to examine the global perceptions of social equity in the fine dining business model as a result of the surprise announcement for the 2024 planned closure of the Michelin three-star restaurant, Noma.

This study used critical discourse analysis to inductively analyze 91 source documents retrieved through a lexical database search. The analysis yielded five overarching themes and six subthemes.

Findings from this study serve as a benchmark in retrospect for capturing a rapidly accelerating global conversation from January to March 2023 around the long-term viability and social sustainability of the fine dining business model.

Against the backdrop of labor challenges in the restaurant industry due to the Covid-19 pandemic and its aftermath, the announced closure of Noma precipitated criticism of the stage (unpaid intern) system and the intense pressures of attaining and maintaining Michelin star status.

Results from the discourse analysis suggest certification for fine dining restaurants, perhaps through the Michelin Guide, for demonstrating a commitment to social sustainability as a qualifier to achieve a Michelin star.

Findings from this research reveal a palpable change in societal tolerance for a more socially sustainable fine dining restaurant business model that advances equitable solutions for its workers while assuring the economic sustainability of restaurants.

This study drew upon a foodscape lens to reveal a juxtaposition between well-executed environmentally sustainable initiatives in the fine dining business model and the threats to the social sustainability among its workers.

A growing number of organizational scandals, including Apple slowing old devices to increase the sales of new ones, and research on unethical pro-organization behaviors (UPBs) have heightened the need to explore the phenomenon. Extending the current understanding, the study's major purpose is to investigate individual-level factors that may shape their willingness to engage in UPBs. It also inquires whether moral disengagement processes influence this association.

After testing the reliability and validity of the latent constructs and ensuring common method bias did not contaminate the data, the study used the PLS-SEM approach to analyze the primary data collected from 408 full-time Pakistani employees.

Results add to the current understanding by revealing that individual-level dark factor Machiavellianism (MACH) significantly influences employees' willingness to engage in UPBs. Accordingly, affective commitment is another individual-level factor that encourages employees to be a part of UPBs. Lastly, results unveil that employees with a higher moral disengagement are more prone to engage in UPBs.

The study measured employees' willingness or intentions to engage in UPBs, not their actual involvement.

Results clarify to the top management that individuals high on MACH, affective commitment and moral disengagement are more prone to be involved in UPBs.

This study is among the preliminary ones that assess the direct associations between MACH, affective commitment, and UPBs, especially in the Pakistani context. Moreover, exploring the moderating role of moral disengagement between the above associations is also an under-researched phenomenon.

This paper evaluates the risk-adjusted returns, selectivity, market timing skills and persistence of the performance of Nigerian pension funds.

Annual return data of 23 pension funds that operated in Nigeria between 2018 and 2022 were obtained from the National Pension Commission (PenCom). Risk-adjusted return was appraised using the Treynor ratio, Sharpe ratio and Jensen alpha, while the Treynor–Mazuy and Henriksson–Merton multiple regression models were applied to decompose selective and timing skills. Performance persistence was assessed using the contingency table and rank correlation models.

Evidence shows that pension funds deliver excess risk-adjusted returns and exhibit selective skills. However, the evidence does not support the presence of timing skills, and there is overwhelming evidence that good (bad) performance does not repeat.

An evaluation of the investment performance of pension funds is crucial for ensuring the financial stability of retirees, maintaining economic stability and making informed investment decisions. It serves the interests of pensioners, pension fund managers, regulators and the broader economy. Our evidence that pension funds generate positive excess returns is a departure from most of the literature on managed funds. We recommend that more Nigerians should leverage the pension fund industry to grow their wealth and prepare for retirement.

This study, to our knowledge, is the first to appraise all the key facets of the investment performance of pension funds in the Nigerian context.

This paper aims to understand technology-based accelerators’ legitimation efforts in an emerging entrepreneurship ecosystem.

This research is based on qualitative inductive methodology using ten Turkish technology-based accelerators.

The analysis indicates that accelerators’ legitimation efforts are shaped around crafting a distinctive identity and mobilizing allies around this identity; and establishing new collaborations to enable collective action. Further, the authors observe two types of technology-based accelerators, namely, “deal flow makers” and “welfare stimulators” in Turkey. These variations among accelerators affect how they build their legitimacy. Different types of accelerators make alliances with different actors in the entrepreneurship ecosystem. Accelerators take collective action to build a collective identity and simultaneously imply how they are distinguished from other organizations in the same category and the ones in the old category.

This study presents a framework to understand how accelerators use strategies and actions to legitimize themselves as new organizations and advocate new norms, values and routines in an emerging entrepreneurship ecosystem. The framework also highlights how different accelerators support legitimacy building by managing the judgments of diverse audiences and increasing the variety of resources these audiences provide to the ecosystem.

The main purpose of this paper is to establish the mediating effect of credit counselling in the relationship between access to microcredit and survival of micro small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) in developing countries in sub-Saharan Africa post COVID-19 pandemic with data collected from rural Uganda.

Structural equation modelling (SEM) through SmartPLS 4.0 was used to generate the standardized parameters to test whether credit counselling mediates the relationship between access to microcredit and survival of MSMEs in developing countries in sub-Saharan Africa post COVID-19 pandemic with data collected from rural Uganda.

The SEM bootstrap results revealed that credit counselling enhances access to microcredit by 27% to promote survival of MSMEs in developing countries in sub-Saharan Africa post COVID-19 pandemic with data collected from rural Uganda.

The current study focused only on women MSMEs. Future studies may possibly collect data from all the MSMEs to draw better generalization of the findings within the sector.

The findings can help public finance policy to ensure provision of credit counselling to microentrepreneurs who borrow from different financial institutions to reduce the problem of loan defaults and delinquency rampant in lending. This could be done through conducting routine business education and counselling sessions for microentrepreneurs who often need credit to grow their businesses.

This study is amongst the first few studies to establish the mediating effect of credit counselling in the relationship between access to microcredit and survival of MSMEs in developing countries in sub-Saharan Africa in the aftermath of COVID-19 pandemic with data collected from rural Uganda. There is a dearth in literature and theory on the rehabilitative and preventive role of credit counselling in reducing repayment defaults amongst borrowers within the credit market to spur survival of MSMEs seen as the main enabler of economic growth, especially in developing countries. In fact, credit counselling acts as a safety net by substituting financial literacy and education to solve the rampant problem of overindebtedness amongst borrowers who are debt illiterate within the credit market.