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1 – 10 of 22Wenque Liu, Albert P.C. Chan, Man Wai Chan, Amos Darko and Goodenough D. Oppong
The successful implementation of hospital projects (HPs) tends to confront sundry challenges in the planning and construction (P&C) phases due to their complexity and…
Abstract
Purpose
The successful implementation of hospital projects (HPs) tends to confront sundry challenges in the planning and construction (P&C) phases due to their complexity and particularity. Employing key performance indicators (KPIs) facilitates the monitoring of HPs to advance their successful delivery. This study aims to comprehensively investigate the KPIs for hospital planning and construction (HPC).
Design/methodology/approach
The KPIs for HPC were identified through a systematic review. Then a comprehensive assessment of these KPIs was performed utilizing a meta-analysis method. In this process, basic statistical analysis, subgroup analysis, sensitive analysis and publication bias analysis were performed.
Findings
Results indicate that all 27 KPIs identified from the literature are significant for executing HPs in P&C phases. Also, some unconventional performance indicators are crucial for implementing HPs, such as “Project monitoring effectiveness” and “Industry innovation and synergy,” as their high significance is reflected in this study. Despite the fact that the findings of meta-analysis are more trustworthy than those of individual studies, a high heterogeneity still exists in the findings. It highlights the inherent uncertainty in the construction industry. Hence, this study applied subgroup analysis to explore the underlying factors causing the high level of heterogeneity and used sensitive analysis to assess the robustness of the findings.
Originality/value
There is no consensus among the prior studies on KPIs for HPC specifically and their degree of significance. Additionally, few reviews in this field have focused on the reliability of the results. This study comprehensively assesses the KPIs for HPC and explores the variability and robustness of the results, which provides a multi-dimensional perspective for practitioners and the research community to investigate the performance of HPs during the P&C stages.
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Jitpisut Bubphapant and Amélia Brandão
Given the importance of the growing segmentation of ageing consumers and their increasing interaction with the Internet, digital marketing scholars are becoming more interested in…
Abstract
Purpose
Given the importance of the growing segmentation of ageing consumers and their increasing interaction with the Internet, digital marketing scholars are becoming more interested in this market. Prior research needs to pay more attention to this market in many contexts of digital marketing. This study aims to provide insights into ageing consumers’ content usage, content typology choices, and online brand advocacy (OBA).
Design/methodology/approach
Semi-structured interviews were applied, and 16 consumers from Southern Europe aged 55+ were included. The interviews were transcribed and examined following the principles of content analysis.
Findings
According to the research, older consumers display their usage and concerns regarding online content. They have different decision-making processes depending on whether they are purchasing products or services. Likewise, their choices of content typology vary based on the utilitarian or hedonic product category.
Originality/value
This study contributes to the literature by providing insights into this growing segmentation and proposing an OBA framework for older consumers related to content marketing. Finally, the study suggests that older consumers are passive online and active offline brand advocates.
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Ayesh Udayanga Nelumdeniya, B.A.K.S. Perera and K.D.M. Gimhani
The purpose of this study is to investigate the usage of digital technologies (DTs) in improving the mental health of workers on construction sites.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to investigate the usage of digital technologies (DTs) in improving the mental health of workers on construction sites.
Design/methodology/approach
A mixed research approach was used in the study, which comprised a questionnaire survey and two phases of semi-structured interviews. Purposive sampling was used to determine the interviewees and respondents of the questionnaire survey. Weighted mean rating (WMR) and manual content analysis were used to rank and evaluate the collected data.
Findings
The findings of this study revealed bipolar disorder, anxiety disorders, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, work-related stress and depression as the six most significant mental disorders (MDs) among the construction workforce and 30 causes for them. Moreover, 27 symptoms were related to the six most significant MDs, and sweating was the most significant symptom among them. Despite that, 16 DTs were found to be suitable in mitigating the causes for the most significant MDs.
Originality/value
There are numerous studies conducted on the application of DTs to construction operations. However, insufficient studies have been conducted focusing on the application of DTs in improving the mental health of workers at construction sites. This study can thus influence the use of DTs for tackling the common causes for MDs by bringing a new paradigm to the construction industry.
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Carol K.H. Hon, Chenjunyan Sun, Kïrsten A. Way, Nerina L. Jimmieson, Bo Xia and Herbert C. Biggs
Mental health problems are a grave concern in construction. Although the distinction between high job demands and low job resources, as reflected in the Job Demands-Resources…
Abstract
Purpose
Mental health problems are a grave concern in construction. Although the distinction between high job demands and low job resources, as reflected in the Job Demands-Resources (JD–R) model, has been used to examine the extent to which psychosocial hazards influence mental health for construction practitioners, limited research has reflected on the nature of these psychosocial hazards by exploring experiences of site-based construction practitioners.
Design/methodology/approach
This study adopted a phenomenological approach to examine people’ experiences and thoughts of the complex phenomena of psychosocial hazards and mental health in construction. In total, 33 semi-structured interviews were undertaken with site-based construction practitioners in Australia to unveil construction-focused psychosocial hazards and their effects on mental health. The data were analysed via content analysis, employing an interpretation-focused coding strategy to code text and an individual-based sorting strategy to cluster codes.
Findings
Eighteen psychosocial hazards were identified based on the JD–R model. Six of these represented a new contribution, describing salient characteristics inherent to the construction context (i.e. safety concerns, exposure to traumatic events, job insecurity, task interdependency, client demand and contract pressure). Of particular importance, a number of interrelationships among psychosocial hazards emerged.
Originality/value
The significance of this qualitative research lies in elucidating psychosocial hazards and their complex interrelatedness in the context of the mental health of construction practitioners, enriching the understanding of this central health and safety issue in the high-risk setting of construction work. The findings contribute to addressing mental health issues in the Australian construction industry by identifying higher order control measures, thereby creating a mentally healthy workplace.
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Paulo Henrique Bertucci Ramos and Marcelo Caldeira Pedroso
This study aims to propose and assess a model with the main elements influencing Brazilian agtech scalability with the aim of supporting the scalability process of startups that…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to propose and assess a model with the main elements influencing Brazilian agtech scalability with the aim of supporting the scalability process of startups that find themselves in the stage of initial conception of the business model.
Design/methodology/approach
The research was conducted using the design science research (DSR) method. The data for assessing the proposed model were collected through in-depth interviews. The answers were analyzed quantitatively, using descending hierarchical classification (DHC), correspondence factor analysis (CFA), and level of agreement; and qualitatively, using content analysis.
Findings
Considering the Brazilian context, the objective, environmental, structural, and evaluative dimensions presented positive characteristics for the main criteria analyzed (operational viability, generality, clarity, adaptation to the reality studied, completeness, consistency, comprehensibility, and structural simplicity). Specific improvements were proposed in all the criteria analyzed.
Originality/value
The artifact can be considered a strategic guide for agtechs that have yet to overcome the barrier of initial conception of the business model. The model enables the identification of the main problems that agtechs can encounter in their life cycle, as well as seeking solutions in advance.
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Ambreen Sarwar, Atif Khan Jadoon, Mumtaz Anwar Chaudhry, Ayesha Latif and Maria Faiq Javaid
Child malnutrition is a grave concern for Pakistan, as the country has one of the highest incidences of child stunting in the developing world. The present study examines the…
Abstract
Purpose
Child malnutrition is a grave concern for Pakistan, as the country has one of the highest incidences of child stunting in the developing world. The present study examines the relative significance of parents' education on a child's nutritional status in Pakistan.
Design/methodology/approach
For analysis, the study has used data from Phase 7 of the Pakistan Demographic and Health Survey (PDHS) (2017–2018). Since the dependent variable ranges from 0 to 1 (1 indicates not a stunted child, while 0 represents a stunted child), binary logistic regressions are used for the analysis.
Findings
The results show that mothers' and fathers' education positively contributes to a child's nutrition. However, mothers' education is considered more significant, especially in the long run. The mother's education categories are positive and significant in the long run, while only their higher education is positive and significant for the father's. Moreover, the magnitude of the effect also shows that the probability of stunting is less if the mothers are educated. The long-run coefficient for mothers' higher education is 0.752, while that of fathers' higher education is only 0.232.
Originality/value
The present study compares the importance of mothers' and fathers' education in child nutrition and concludes that the role of the mother is more crucial for child upbringing. There are rarely any studies that focus on the role of fathers' education in child nutrition and compare whose role, mothers' or fathers,' is more important for child well-being.
Peer review
The peer review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/IJSE-06-2023-0483
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Aşkin Özdağoğlu, Eda Acar, Mücella Güner and Ayşegül Çetmeli Bakadur
The textile industry harms the environment at every stage of production, from the acquisition of raw materials to the disposal of finished products. It is very important for the…
Abstract
Purpose
The textile industry harms the environment at every stage of production, from the acquisition of raw materials to the disposal of finished products. It is very important for the textile industry to adapt to the basic policies on environmental sensitivity and sustainability to keep up with the transformation in production processes and the rapid changes occurring around the world in order to exist in global competition. Within the scope of sustainable development goals, it is of great importance to measure and evaluate indicators of all processes of the sector. This paper aims to present application of multi-criteria decision making (MCDM) methods for the assessment of sustainable development in textile industry.
Design/methodology/approach
The data of a multinational clothing company’s four-year sustainability performance between 2018 and 2021 were evaluated under 22 sustainability parameters determined using two new MCDM techniques, namely the combined consensus solution method and multi-attribute ideal real comparative analysis. In determining the criteria, priority key indicators were determined by taking into account the sector’s relationship with the environment, raw material consumption and social adequacy.
Findings
According to the application results of both methods, the year 2021 shows the best performance. It has been seen that the sustainability performance of the Inditex group has increased over the years and the results of the applied models support each other. It can be suggested that the proposed approach be applied to evaluate the progress in the textile sector with the relevant data on a particular company or on a macro scale.
Originality/value
This study makes an important contribution to the field in terms of the fact that the methods used are recent and have no application in the field of textiles. It allows the evaluation of different sustainability criteria together using a single method. It is very important to share data on sustainability indicators with customers, employees, suppliers, investors, partner organizations and society and evaluate performance. Analyzing sustainability performance on the basis of annual reports is important in terms of identifying good practices, sharing them with the community and setting an example. In addition, using scientific methods in the evaluation of the sustainability report data published by companies regularly provides significant feedback for policymakers and academics.
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Iqbal Reza Nugraha, Gumilang Aryo Sahadewo and Sekar Utami Setiastuti
This paper aims to examine the impact of COVID-19 on inflation in Indonesia. There are two questions in this study: (1) Is there an impact of COVID-19 on inflation in Indonesia…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to examine the impact of COVID-19 on inflation in Indonesia. There are two questions in this study: (1) Is there an impact of COVID-19 on inflation in Indonesia? and (2) whether there are differences in the impact of COVID-19 on regional inflation in Indonesia, considering the different intensities associated with COVID-19.
Design/methodology/approach
The estimation technique showing the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on inflation uses the difference-in-differences (DID) method described by Pischke (2008). The core idea of the estimation above is continuous DID using panel data. No province was affected by COVID-19 before 2020:Q1. Once COVID-19 hits the economy, the effects vary from one district to the other.
Findings
The authors find that the severity of the COVID-19 pandemic negatively affects inflation – the more severe the pandemic, the lower the inflation. This finding conforms with several studies suggesting higher demand pressures than supply during the pandemic. Compared with supply-side indicators such as production index, demand-side indicators – such as consumer confidence index and real sales index – fell more sharply.
Research limitations/implications
In the Introduction section, the authors have added a discussion that indeed the COVID-19 pandemic affects inflation through both the demand- and supply-side shocks. While factors driving regional differences in inflation rate are important research and policy questions, the analysis of these factors is outside the scope of this study. The study focuses on the COVID-19 impact on inflation and whether the pandemic disproportionately affects some regions than the others.
Practical implications
This research is important to provide an understanding of the nature of the pandemic on inflation in the context of the Indonesian economy, which is essential to policy formulation, especially for the Central Bank in carrying out the mandate to maintain rupiah stability. This issue is due to the implications of different policy responses between demand- and supply-side shocks.
Originality/value
As a novelty in this study and research gap, the authors use a continuous DID method to account for the varying intensity of COVID-19 across the provinces. In particular, the authors use the number of positive cases of COVID-19 per 1,000 population as opposed to just a binary indicator of before-and-during COVID-19 across provinces.
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Christian Friedrich and Reiner Quick
Whistleblowers are individuals who detect and report misconduct in an organization. They help to mitigate organizational misbehavior and resulting damages effectively and…
Abstract
Purpose
Whistleblowers are individuals who detect and report misconduct in an organization. They help to mitigate organizational misbehavior and resulting damages effectively and relatively quickly. Whistleblower protection has not been systematically required in the European Union (EU), leaving many large organizations unregulated. This study aims to get in-depth insights into how unregulated organizations design, handle and view whistleblowing with the advent of a novel EU Whistleblowing Directive.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors conducted 17 semistructured interviews with a diverse group of organizations headquartered in Germany and inductively analyzed them following Grounded Theory. Linking the Grounded Theory to the legal endogeneity model, they developed seven perspectives that help to explain how organizations view whistleblowing.
Findings
In trying to make sense of the role of whistleblowing in the organization’s governance, organizations and their managers assume different perspectives. These perspectives guide their approach to whistleblower protection in the context of evolving regulation with little regulatory guidance. Perspectives vary in the degree of supporting whistleblowing regulation, from viewing whistleblowing as a natural, everyday governance tool to denying it and fearing denunciation. Most organizations exhibit several perspectives.
Originality/value
Little is known about day-to-day whistleblowing practices from the perspective of organizations. The authors fill this research gap by providing initial evidence on how organizations approach whistleblowing and the EU Whistleblowing Directive. Identifying organizations’ perspectives may help us understand how ineffective or noncompliant whistleblowing systems emerge and how organizations can improve.
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Ahmet Selcuk Yalcin, Huseyin Selcuk Kilic and Emre Cevikcan
The purpose of this article is to develop a new model called strategy segmentation methodology (SSM) by combining the Kraljic portfolio matrix (KPM) and the supplier relationship…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this article is to develop a new model called strategy segmentation methodology (SSM) by combining the Kraljic portfolio matrix (KPM) and the supplier relationship model (SRM) so that the buyer company can effectively conduct its relations with its suppliers.
Design/methodology/approach
The importance weights of the criteria defining the dimensions of each model are calculated with the single-valued neutrosophic analytical hierarchy process (SVN-AHP) method. Subsequently, the derived importance weights are employed in the single-valued neutrosophic technique for order preference by similarity to ideal solution (SVN-TOPSIS) method to obtain the scores of the suppliers and their supplied items. In order to illustrate the feasibility of the proposed methodology, a case study in the machinery industry is performed with the related comparative analysis.
Findings
The implementation of SSM enables to formulate various strategies to manage suppliers taking into account the items they procure, their capabilities and performance and the supplier–buyer relationship strength. Based on the proposed strategies, it is concluded that the firm in the case study should terminate its relationship with six of its suppliers.
Originality/value
Although KPM has become the basis of purchasing strategies for various businesses, it neglects the characteristics of suppliers and the buyer–supplier relationship. In this study, KPM is integrated with the SRM approach presented by Olsen and Ellram (1997) to overcome these disadvantages of KPM. The novel integration of the two approaches enables the realization of a robust and reliable supplier classification model.
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