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Open Access
Article
Publication date: 25 April 2024

Johanna Maria Liljeroos-Cork and Kaisu Laitinen

Infrastructure forms a basis for the operations and sustainability of the modern society. This paper aims to recognize value creation from the infrastructure procurement ecosystem…

Abstract

Purpose

Infrastructure forms a basis for the operations and sustainability of the modern society. This paper aims to recognize value creation from the infrastructure procurement ecosystem perspective to achieve those goals. The pursuit of enhancing value creation involves an examination of infrastructure procurement challenges, boundaries as well as boundary spanners that facilitate effective knowledge transfer and interaction.

Design/methodology/approach

The qualitative study is based on content analysis of 25 thematic interviews. Data was transcribed and coded via Atlas.ti software.

Findings

Infrastructure procurement value creation challenges appear complex and related to boundaries that hamper collaboration, coordination and knowledge sharing. Our results show that these boundaries locate within and between different levels of procurement ecosystem. Therefore, value creation in infrastructure procurement requires boundary spanners for leveraging knowledge sharing and interaction. Artifacts, discussion, processes and brokers as identified boundary spanners are strongly nested and interrelated in the industry. Special attention should be given to supporting individuals to act as brokers, since they play the key roles in trust building, culture steering and usage of other boundary spanners.

Social implications

Promoting value creation in infrastructure procurement helps to achieve socio-economic development goals.

Originality/value

This study offers a unique perspective on value creation in the context of infrastructure by adopting an ecosystem lens and examining boundary crossing mechanisms. The results support future development of collaboration and knowledge sharing practices fostering procurement productivity.

Details

Journal of Public Procurement, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1535-0118

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 13 July 2023

Kriti Priya Gupta

This study aims to understand the challenges of 5G deployment in India from the perspectives of telecom operators. These challenges are also mapped to different contexts within…

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to understand the challenges of 5G deployment in India from the perspectives of telecom operators. These challenges are also mapped to different contexts within the technological-organizational-environmental (TOE) framework.

Design/methodology/approach

The study uses a qualitative approach comprising in-depth semi-structured interviews of employees working in telecom companies in India. Thematic analysis is used to analyse the qualitative data.

Findings

The author has identified nine challenges that are categorized under three dimensions of the TOE framework. Specifically, the findings indicate three technological challenges: hardware/device challenges, security concerns and limited use cases; two organization challenges: financial challenges and lack of skilled workforce; and four environmental challenges: inadequate infrastructure, regulatory and administrative challenges, consumers’ attitudes and competitive market conditions.

Practical implications

The results of this study would help understand the key factors that can act as barriers to the 5G rollout in India. Based on the findings of the study, the government and regulatory bodies could design conducive policies and regulatory frameworks to successfully deploy 5G in India.

Originality/value

The study is one of the very few studies to empirically examine the telecom operators’ perspectives on the challenges of 5G deployment in India. The study contributes to the TOE framework as its application in the context of identifying barriers to 5G deployment is probably for the first time.

Details

Digital Policy, Regulation and Governance, vol. 26 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2398-5038

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 13 December 2023

Indrit Troshani and Nick Rowbottom

Information infrastructures can enable or constrain how companies pursue their visions of sustainability reporting and help address the urgent need to understand how corporate…

Abstract

Purpose

Information infrastructures can enable or constrain how companies pursue their visions of sustainability reporting and help address the urgent need to understand how corporate activity affects sustainability outcomes and how socio-ecological challenges affect corporate activity. The paper examines the relationship between sustainability reporting information infrastructures and sustainability reporting practice.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper mobilises a socio-technical perspective and the conception of infrastructure, the socio-technical arrangement of technical artifacts and social routines, to engage with a qualitative dataset comprised of interview and documentary evidence on the development and construction of sustainability reporting information.

Findings

The results detail how sustainability reporting information infrastructures are used by companies and depict the difficulties faced in generating reliable sustainability data. The findings illustrate the challenges and measures undertaken by entities to embed automation and integration, and to enhance sustainability data quality. The findings provide insight into how infrastructures constrain and support sustainability reporting practices.

Originality/value

The paper explains how infrastructures shape sustainability reporting practices, and how infrastructures are shaped by regulatory demands and costs. Companies have developed “uneven” infrastructures supporting legislative requirements, whilst infrastructures supporting non-legislative sustainability reporting remain underdeveloped. Consequently, infrastructures supporting specific legislation have developed along unitary pathways and are often poorly integrated with infrastructures supporting other sustainability reporting areas. Infrastructures developed around legislative requirements are not necessarily constrained by financial reporting norms and do not preclude specific sustainability reporting visions. On the contrary, due to regulation, infrastructure supporting disclosures that offer an “inside out” perspective on sustainability reporting is often comparatively well developed.

Details

Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal, vol. 37 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0951-3574

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 13 April 2023

Edson Mbedzi and Forget Mingiri Kapingura

Infrastructure deficiency and supply disruption challenges are quite common among developing economies. While Sub-Saharan Africa is not unique to these challenges, it is the…

Abstract

Purpose

Infrastructure deficiency and supply disruption challenges are quite common among developing economies. While Sub-Saharan Africa is not unique to these challenges, it is the extent of levels of infrastructure deficiency and disruptions that affect the level of performance of small businesses. Literature on the performance of small businesses suggests both infrastructure availability and disruptions affect the performance of small businesses, but the effects on informal enterprises that operate from locations where the supply of infrastructure is weak are less documented. The paper, therefore, investigates the effects of four types of infrastructure supply in two dimensions of availability and disruption levels on the performance of informal enterprises in 12 Sub-Saharan African countries.

Design/methodology/approach

The study uses data from World Bank informal enterprises surveys based on a sample of 3 735 informal enterprises. The study uses the multiple analysis of variance method based on the World Bank's Informal Enterprise Surveys (IFS) country-level cross-sectional data collected between 2009 and 2019.

Findings

Results show infrastructure supply is quite low irrespective of the form of infrastructure. Infrastructure availability is associated with high supply disruptions. Infrastructure supply deficiency and disruption intensities are negatively associated with informal enterprises' performance. Finally, the effects of both infrastructure availability and supply disruptions are positively associated with informal enterprises' business activity levels.

Research limitations/implications

Due to data limitations, only four types of infrastructure are captured in the analysis. A wider variety of types of infrastructure could improve the analysis.

Originality/value

Given the deficiency level of infrastructure and its implications on informal enterprise development, therefore, policy interventions aiming at addressing informal enterprises' challenges should focus on improving infrastructure supply deficiencies and disruption challenges. This paper provides the link between infrastructure levels, infrastructure supply disruptions and performance of the informal enterprises which is an essential starting point for policy intervention in informal enterprise development.

Details

African Journal of Economic and Management Studies, vol. 14 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2040-0705

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 16 February 2024

Ayodeji Emmanuel Oke, John Aliu, Lydia Uyi Ehiosun, Ahmed Farouk Kineber and Seyi Segun Stephen

The construction industry in Nigeria, like many others worldwide, grapples with increasing demands for enhanced efficiency, transparency and security. While distributed ledger…

Abstract

Purpose

The construction industry in Nigeria, like many others worldwide, grapples with increasing demands for enhanced efficiency, transparency and security. While distributed ledger technology (DLT) offers substantial potential in tackling these issues, its implementation faces numerous obstacles. This study aims to investigate the challenges hindering the adoption of DLT within the Nigerian construction sector, capitalizing on a recognized research gap in this field.

Design/methodology/approach

A comprehensive literature review identified 20 challenges to DLT adoption. A structured questionnaire was developed and distributed to 98 construction professionals selected from a pool of 5,330 members using purposive and snowball sampling. Background information was assessed using frequency and percentage, data normality with the Shapiro–Wilk test and nonparametric data compared using the Kruskal–Wallis H-test. Factor analysis was then used to reduce the challenges into a more coherent set.

Findings

Findings revealed the top five challenges: power supply issues, data privacy and compliance, an uncertain legal framework, insufficient training and education and a lack of skilled workforce. Further analysis revealed four clusters of challenges, namely, technical and infrastructure barriers, organizational and cultural challenges, financial and economic challenges and regulatory and legal challenges.

Practical implications

Through the evaluation of challenges and potential strategies to overcome them, this study aims to lay a foundation that assists construction entities in effectively harnessing the benefits of DLT while navigating the obstacles inherent in its adoption.

Originality/value

This study contributes to the existing body of knowledge by offering insights into the challenges surrounding the adoption of DLT, specifically within the Nigerian construction sector. By juxtaposing the findings from this study with existing research conducted in other countries such as India, South Africa and the USA, a more comprehensive understanding of the challenges unique to the Nigerian context can be gained.

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: 16 January 2024

Ayodeji E. Oke and Seyi S. Stephen

In terms of having the general idea of what the whole book entails, the first chapter gave an insight into all the chapters and what details each chapter holds. This chapter began…

Abstract

In terms of having the general idea of what the whole book entails, the first chapter gave an insight into all the chapters and what details each chapter holds. This chapter began with an introduction of the book title in relation to the construction industry and sustainable practice in a collaborative manner. In addition, sustainable infrastructure management (SIM) was discussed in relation to construction Industry 4.0 and the management qualities of the technologies incorporated into construction activities. The objective of the book gave the need for SIM in construction with the view of achieving sustainable practices beneficial to both the client and the construction professional.

Details

A Digital Path to Sustainable Infrastructure Management
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-83797-703-1

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 1 May 2024

Subhanjan Sengupta, Sonal Choudhary, Raymond Obayi and Rakesh Nayak

This study aims to explore how sustainable business models (SBM) can be developed within agri-innovation systems (AIS) and emphasize an integration of the two with a systemic…

1446

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to explore how sustainable business models (SBM) can be developed within agri-innovation systems (AIS) and emphasize an integration of the two with a systemic understanding for reducing food loss and value loss in postharvest agri-food supply chain.

Design/methodology/approach

This study conducted longitudinal qualitative research in a developing country with food loss challenges in the postharvest supply chain. This study collected data through multiple rounds of fieldwork, interviews and focus groups over four years. Thematic analysis and “sensemaking” were used for inductive data analysis to generate rich contextual knowledge by drawing upon the lived realities of the agri-food supply chain actors.

Findings

First, this study finds that the value losses are varied in the supply chain, encompassing production value, intrinsic value, extrinsic value, market value, institutional value and future food value. This happens through two cumulative effects including multiplier losses, where losses in one model cascade into others, amplifying their impact and stacking losses, where the absence of data stacks or infrastructure pools hampers the realisation of food value. Thereafter, this study proposes four strategies for moving from the loss-incurring current business model to a networked SBM for mitigating losses. This emphasises the need to redefine ownership as stewardship, enable formal and informal beneficiary identification, strengthen value addition and build capacities for empowering communities to benefit from networked SBM with AIS initiatives. Finally, this study puts forth ten propositions for future research in aligning AIS with networked SBM.

Originality/value

This study contributes to understanding the interplay between AIS and SBM; emphasising the integration of the two to effectively address food loss challenges in the early stages of agri-food supply chains. The identified strategies and research propositions provide implications for researchers and practitioners seeking to accelerate sustainable practices for reducing food loss and waste in agri-food supply chains.

Details

Supply Chain Management: An International Journal, vol. 29 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1359-8546

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 22 March 2023

Rami K. Isaac and Sahar Dodeen

This study aims to investigate the tourism stakeholders' opinions about developing smart tourism (ST) in the West Bank, Palestine. This research fulfils intriguing gaps in the…

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to investigate the tourism stakeholders' opinions about developing smart tourism (ST) in the West Bank, Palestine. This research fulfils intriguing gaps in the literature on stakeholders' perceptions and views on developing ST in the West Bank, Palestine.

Design/methodology/approach

The research study employed a qualitative methodology using semi-structured interviews with nineteen respondents. All data collected were in April and May 2022.

Findings

The findings show that the understanding of ST-related stakeholders in the West Bank is mainly linked to information communication and technology, digitalisation, and online use of technology within the tourism industry. Moreover, the results show the high potential of developing the ST industry in the West Bank. However, this study revealed that challenges could affect the West Bank's development at different levels, such as managerial, technological, awareness, public sector restrictions, infrastructural, financial and political challenges.

Research limitations/implications

This research has some shortcomings. The first restriction of this study was the political restrictions and the checkpoints, which limited the reach of some of the participants who reside in Jerusalem or other cities outside of the West Bank, which delayed the time of the interviews or converted it to be done through a digital platform. Secondly, the sample of this study was small in tourism stakeholders in the West Bank.

Originality/value

To the author's knowledge, this paper is the first on ST from the stakeholders' perspectives. Therefore, this study has set the first step in closing the existing gap in the literature.

Details

Management & Sustainability: An Arab Review, vol. 3 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2752-9819

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 18 June 2024

Khurram Shahzad and Shakeel Ahmad Khan

The purpose of this study are to identify the factors influencing the adoption of big data in libraries, determine the challenges causing the hindrance of big data implementation…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study are to identify the factors influencing the adoption of big data in libraries, determine the challenges causing the hindrance of big data implementation and reveal the best practices for the efficient adoption of big data in libraries.

Design/methodology/approach

A systematic literature review was applied to address the objectives of the study. Twenty-two studies published in peer-reviewed journals were selected to conduct the study.

Findings

The findings of the study revealed that decision-making, service enhancement, professional development and preservation factors influenced the adoption of big data technologies in libraries. The study also displayed that challenges of infrastructure, technical skills, data management and legal considerations caused barriers to the adoption of big data in libraries. Results also revealed that training and professional development, guidelines and policies establishment, leadership and strategic planning and resource allocation proved fruitful in the efficient adoption of big data applications in libraries.

Originality/value

The study offers theoretical implications for future investigators through the provision of innovative literature on the factors, challenges and best practices associated with big data in the context of librarianship. The study has also provided practical implications for management bodies by offering guidelines for the successful adoption of big data in libraries.

Details

The Electronic Library , vol. 42 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0264-0473

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 5 August 2024

Augustino Mwogosi

This qualitative case study aims to identify and analyse the factors influencing the implementation and effectiveness of electronic health record systems (EHRS) in primary…

Abstract

Purpose

This qualitative case study aims to identify and analyse the factors influencing the implementation and effectiveness of electronic health record systems (EHRS) in primary health-care (PHC) facilities in Tanzania. This study aims to explore ways to optimize the use of EHRS for better health-care service delivery.

Design/methodology/approach

The study uses a qualitative case study design. Data were collected through interviews and focus groups conducted with health-care workers and information and communication technology officers at the PHC facilities in Tanzania. Purposive sampling and data source triangulation were used to address potential biases and limitations associated with the study’s small sample size.

Findings

This study identifies several key findings related to the implementation and effectiveness of EHRS in Tanzanian PHC facilities. The primary obstacles include inadequate technical infrastructure, poor internet connectivity and insufficient financial resources. The study suggests a comprehensive strategy for improving EHRS, emphasizing patient and health-care professional involvement in system design, investments in technical infrastructure and connectivity, data quality and accuracy and ongoing technical support and training.

Originality/value

This research contributes to the existing body of knowledge by offering a nuanced understanding of the Tanzanian health-care context. It emphasizes the need for tailored solutions and strategies specific to the region’s challenges and opportunities. The study’s originality lies in its focus on EHRS in the Tanzanian context, providing valuable insights for future initiatives. A key policy implication underscores the importance of a supportive regulatory framework, dedicated resources and consistent stakeholder communication for successful EHRS implementation.

Details

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

Keywords

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