Search results

11 – 20 of 112
Article
Publication date: 8 January 2024

Tirivavi Moyo, Mazen Omer and Benviolent Chigara

Sustainable construction deficits are common in developing economies, and resolutions are constrained by the failure to prioritise the plethora of available indicators. This study…

Abstract

Purpose

Sustainable construction deficits are common in developing economies, and resolutions are constrained by the failure to prioritise the plethora of available indicators. This study aims to report on overlapping indicators for benchmarking sustainable construction for construction organisations.

Design/methodology/approach

Online survey data were collected from construction professionals, academics and senior managers in government bodies. Pearson chi-squared tests and overlapping analysis were used to determine significant indicators. Kruskal–Wallis tests were used to determine statistically significant differences among the dimensions.

Findings

Overlapping analysis determined indicators significant for economic, environmental and social performance. Environmental protection and reporting (pollution and emissions) were significant for all three performance dimensions. The most significant indicators are economic performance (adequate competence of key project staff), environmental performance (environmental protection and reporting – pollution and emissions) and social performance (adequate sustainability expenditure by construction organisations). Significant differences due to dimensions existed for adequate competence of key project staff, sustainable construction and eco-design, adequate governance and organisational excellence of construction projects and satisfactory workers’ morale.

Research limitations/implications

Determining overlapping indicators enables prioritised implementation that ensures sustainable construction. Excluding construction workers was a significant limitation for a holistic interrogation.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study to determine overlapping indicators for sustainable construction performance in Zimbabwe.

Details

Journal of Engineering, Design and Technology , vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1726-0531

Keywords

Book part
Publication date: 27 August 2016

Adrian Robles and Marcos Robles

This paper argues that the assumption of a homogeneous workforce, which is implicitly invoked in the decomposition analysis of changes in welfare indicators, hides the role that…

Abstract

This paper argues that the assumption of a homogeneous workforce, which is implicitly invoked in the decomposition analysis of changes in welfare indicators, hides the role that schooling and its returns may have on the understanding of these changes. Using Peruvian cross-sectional data for a period of 10 years (2004–2013) and counterfactual simulations, this paper finds that the main factor contributing to poverty reduction has been individuals’ changes in labor earnings, and the role of these changes has been less important in reducing income inequality. The main driving force of reduced income inequality has been the fall in returns to education, which at the same time has been one of the important factors to constraining the period’s remarkable progress in poverty reduction and expansion of the middle class.

Details

Income Inequality Around the World
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-78560-943-5

Keywords

Book part
Publication date: 1 March 2022

Hamdi Hoti, Mërgim H. Hoti, Armend Salihu and Edisona Kurhasku

IntroductionBologna’s summit guidelines regarding the Bachelor/Master structure, which is currently used in most Colleges and Universities, were mostly aimed at standardising

Abstract

IntroductionBologna’s summit guidelines regarding the Bachelor/Master structure, which is currently used in most Colleges and Universities, were mostly aimed at standardising the educational system in European higher education. Educational institutions use these guidelines as a basis for setting up their educational model.

AimThis chapter aims to review models of learning management systems (LMSs), the stage of activity of every method applied at Universities, as well as the strengths and weaknesses of these prototypes. The literature review in question identifies and classifies strategic methods of LMS, differentiates method type and categorises common activities.

ResultsThe results show that higher education institutions are in the preparatory phase regarding the application of e-learning, whereas private institutions have applied this system since their foundation and use it on a daily basis across all services.

ConclusionHowever, different educational institutions in our country are at different stages in implementing new learning models. A strategic plan for developing knowledge management systems can be determined by using some of the information system strategic methods.

Originality/ValueThis chapter contributes to the literature by providing additional evidence for existing studies in LMS in the Universities of the Republic of Kosovo. Studies suggest the implementation of different models and highlight the impact of technology especially during this pandemic whereby we should mainly focus and implement curricula using these kinds of technology. Also, this study identifies a major weakness in existing Kosovar studies, which have identified concepts but they are not implemented at all.

Details

Managing Risk and Decision Making in Times of Economic Distress, Part A
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-80117-427-5

Keywords

Book part
Publication date: 11 May 2017

Lorenzo Cappellari, Paolo Castelnovo, Daniele Checchi and Marco Leonardi

We use OECD-PIAAC data to estimate the earnings effects of both years of education and of numerical skills. Our identification strategy exploits differential exposure to…

Abstract

We use OECD-PIAAC data to estimate the earnings effects of both years of education and of numerical skills. Our identification strategy exploits differential exposure to educational reforms across birth cohorts and countries. We find that education has the strongest earnings effect. A one standard deviation increase in years of education raises earnings by almost 22 percentage points (corresponding to a return to education above 7 percentage points), which compares with a lower percentage points return to an equivalent increase in numerical skills. Our results suggest that the same set of unobservables drives the accumulation of both formal years of education and numeracy skills. OLS estimates underestimate returns to human capital, consistently with the idea that educational reforms favor the human capital acquisition of abler children from disadvantaged parental backgrounds. When we consider numerical skills alone education reforms cannot identify any significant effect of skills on wages, however, when we jointly consider schooling and skills as endogenous factors in a recursive structure we find a significant role for skills in determining wages.

Details

Skill Mismatch in Labor Markets
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-78714-377-7

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 24 April 2023

Oudom Hean and Nattanicha Chairassamee

The authors aim to analyze the inequality in accessing distance learning during COVID-19 school closures.

Abstract

Purpose

The authors aim to analyze the inequality in accessing distance learning during COVID-19 school closures.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors use the Household Pulse Survey, which is an effort by the United States (US) government to measure the well-being of American families during the COVID-19 pandemic. The authors employ a regression analysis to estimate the inequality in accessing distance learning by race and household income.

Findings

Disadvantaged children from nonwhite and low-income families have much less access to distance learning, including less access to online classes, digital devices and the Internet. Schools are critical providers of the Internet and digital devices to children from disadvantaged households. Schools and parents devote more attention to these nonwhite children by spending extra time on their learning activities.

Originality/value

This paper estimates the inequality in accessing distance learning during the COVID-19 crisis. Also, the authors analyze the responses of schools and parents toward this inequality.

Details

International Journal of Social Economics, vol. 50 no. 10
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0306-8293

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 18 October 2022

Nicholas Apergis

This study explores the role of rising US student loan debt in explaining income inequality.

1457

Abstract

Purpose

This study explores the role of rising US student loan debt in explaining income inequality.

Design/methodology/approach

The study uses the autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) modeling approach to explore the short- and long-run impact of college debt on income inequality in the US through quarterly data over the period 2000–2019.

Findings

The results demonstrate the detrimental impact of student debt on national and regional income inequality. Moreover, the regional analysis highlights a more pronounced impact of student debt on income distribution in South and West regions. The findings document that these regions, with the lower student debt proportions, have the lowest average cost of attending college. Finally, the analysis explores two potential channels – i.e. race and homeownership – that could explain the link between college student debt and income inequality.

Practical implications

The results can be helpful for policymakers and researchers to formulate practical approaches for assessing and addressing the rising national student debt and income inequality.

Originality/value

This is the first, to the best of the author's knowledge, study that explores the impact of US college debt on income inequality.

Article
Publication date: 29 November 2022

Corrado Andini

The aim is to assess how a policy of tertiary education for all affects the shape of the unconditional earnings distribution.

Abstract

Purpose

The aim is to assess how a policy of tertiary education for all affects the shape of the unconditional earnings distribution.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper discusses the quantile-regression literature looking at the link between education and wage inequality, also proving new evidence based on unconditional quantile regressions.

Findings

The findings support the idea that a policy of tertiary education for all increases the overall level of wage inequality.

Research limitations/implications

The research has implications for public policy and administration. Among the limitations, the paper does not deal with distributional aspects related to other outcomes (e.g. health outcomes) of the policy of interest.

Practical implications

The analysis highlights a series of potential government interventions aimed at reducing the wage-inequality externalities of the policy of interest.

Social implications

A policy of tertiary education for all, by itself, is not useful to fight wage inequality.

Originality/value

This paper belongs to the small group of studies using unconditional quantile regressions to study the link between education and wage inequality. It is the first study specifically looking at the distributional effects of a policy of tertiary education for all.

Details

Journal of Economic Studies, vol. 50 no. 6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0144-3585

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 21 March 2023

Shree Priya Singh, Pushpendra Singh and Jadi Bala Komaraiah

The purpose of this study is twofold. Firstly, the study has investigated the changing scenario of gender bias in households' education expenditure and the socioeconomic factors…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study is twofold. Firstly, the study has investigated the changing scenario of gender bias in households' education expenditure and the socioeconomic factors responsible for it. Secondly, the study has estimated the inequality in education expenditure for the male and female students and determined the significance of socioeconomic variables in gender discrimination.

Design/methodology/approach

To address the above-mentioned issues, this paper has used the unit-level data of NSSO 52nd, 64th, 71st and 75th rounds from 1995–1996 to 2017–2018. The log linear regression model is applied to estimate factor impending average education expenditure dynamics. The Oaxaca–Blinder Decomposition method has been employed to measure gender discrimination, and the Lorenz curve and Gini coefficient are used to assess inequality among girls experiencing prejudice.

Findings

The study has discovered an gender bias in education expenditure against females during the study period in India. Further, it has been found that gender discrimination against girl students is decreasing. Moreover, the factors such as age, religion, castes, MPCE (income quantile), type of institution, present enrolment and type of education are responsible for this gender differences.

Originality/value

This paper uses 20 years of household-level data for study and suggests that discriminatory behaviour of households and credit constraints of the underdeveloped countries prevent investment in girl's education. Therefore, the state must pay for education of girls by offering scholarships and free or heavily subsidized education. In addition to this, awareness programs for gender equality should also be implemented by the government, especially in rural areas.

Peer review

The peer-review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/IJSE-08-2022-0537.

Details

International Journal of Social Economics, vol. 50 no. 9
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0306-8293

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 22 March 2013

Almudena Cañibano

Although innovative HRM practices have been found to improve performance, the management literature has overlooked their effect on individual level outcomes, such as employee…

6310

Abstract

Purpose

Although innovative HRM practices have been found to improve performance, the management literature has overlooked their effect on individual level outcomes, such as employee health and well‐being. The purpose of this paper is to explore whether the implementation of these innovative practices has an impact on the three dimensions of well‐being (physical, psychological and social) and whether well‐being should be considered as a mediator of the innovative HRM‐performance relationship.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper uses qualitative data collected from an in‐depth case study via document analysis and semi‐structured interviews with HR practitioners and employees. The data were coded using N‐Vivo software.

Findings

The paper shows that innovative HRM practices can lead to both positive and negative well‐being outcomes. Furthermore, they create trade‐offs between the three dimensions of well‐being. While they increase employee well‐being on one dimension, they are detrimental to another.

Research limitations/implications

Due to the scope of the research, the paper bounded itself to analyzing three innovative HRM practices. Different trade‐offs may exist for other practices.

Practical implications

Many organizations are introducing innovative HRM practices assuming that they will improve performance. However, the existence of well‐being trade‐offs needs to be acknowledged and managed.

Originality/value

This paper shows that for a comprehensive understanding of the effects of innovative HRM practices further studies need to contemplate the different dimensions of well‐being separately, as trade‐offs may occur between them. It further suggests that well‐being may be an unexplored mediator of the innovative HRM‐performance relationship.

Details

Management Decision, vol. 51 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0025-1747

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 10 December 2020

Lina Frennesson, Joakim Kembro, Harwin de Vries, Luk Van Wassenhove and Marianne Jahre

To meet the rising global needs, the humanitarian community has signed off on making a strategic change toward more localisation, which commonly refers to the empowerment of…

5326

Abstract

Purpose

To meet the rising global needs, the humanitarian community has signed off on making a strategic change toward more localisation, which commonly refers to the empowerment of national and local actors in humanitarian assistance. However, to this date, actual initiatives for localisation are rare. To enhance understanding of the phenomenon, the authors explore localisation of logistics preparedness capacities and obstacles to its implementation. The authors particularly take the perspective of the international humanitarian organisation (IHO) community as they are expected to implement the localisation strategy.

Design/methodology/approach

A phenomenon-driven, exploratory and qualitative study was conducted. Data collection included in-depth interviews with 28 experienced humanitarian professionals.

Findings

The findings showed the ambiguity inherent in the localisation strategy with largely different views on four important dimensions. Particularly, the interviewees differ about strengthening external actors or internal national/local offices. The resulting framework visualises the gap between strategy formulation and implementation, which forms major obstacles to the localisation aims.

Research limitations/implications

Further research is required to support the advancement of localisation of logistics preparedness capacities. Important aspects for future research include triangulation of results, other stakeholder perspectives and the influence of context.

Practical implications

The authors add to the important debate surrounding localisation by offering remedies to overcoming obstacles to strategy implementation. Further, the authors’ proposed framework offers a language to precisely describe the ways in which IHOs (should) view localisation of logistics preparedness capacities and its operationalisation.

Originality/value

To the best of authors’ knowledge, this paper is the first academic article on localisation within the humanitarian logistics context.

Details

Journal of Humanitarian Logistics and Supply Chain Management, vol. 11 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2042-6747

Keywords

11 – 20 of 112