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Open Access
Article
Publication date: 31 March 2023

Beatriz Forés and José María Fernández-Yáñez

The purpose of this study is to identify how firms' sustainability performance is affected by external knowledge sources and absorptive capacity, accounting for the influence of…

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to identify how firms' sustainability performance is affected by external knowledge sources and absorptive capacity, accounting for the influence of being located in a science and technology park (STP).

Design/methodology/approach

Drawing on data from the Spanish Technological Innovation Panel, the authors estimate the determinants of sustainability performance using fixed effects multiple linear regression models with robust standard errors. The analysis covers the period 2009–2016, with a total panel of 8,874 companies and a total sample of 47,870 observations.

Findings

This study highlights the heterogeneity in on-park firms’ sustainability performance, which can be explained by the different capacities of these firms when it comes to embedding themselves in STP networks and processes and effectively absorbing the knowledge from the many knowledge sources that may be on offer in the park.

Originality/value

This paper contributes to the literature by examining the influence of external sources of knowledge and absorptive capacity, and the relationship between them, on sustainability performance. This study approaches sustainability performance as an aggregate measure of firms’ competitiveness and potential for long-term survival from the triple bottom line perspective. In addition, this study examines the effect that location in an STP can have on business sustainability performance and, more specifically, the mediating effect that knowledge sources and absorptive capacity can exert on this relationship.

Details

Journal of Knowledge Management, vol. 27 no. 11
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1367-3270

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 10 April 2024

Beatriz Forés and José María Fernández-Yáñez

Achieving good sustainability performance requires balancing higher economic profits with better environmental and social performance. Knowledge plays a key role in improving…

Abstract

Purpose

Achieving good sustainability performance requires balancing higher economic profits with better environmental and social performance. Knowledge plays a key role in improving corporate sustainability performance, but this knowledge is becoming increasingly complex, specific and dispersed among many scientific, technological and business actors. Science and technology parks (STPs) are infrastructures designed to host varying types of organizations that can bring together new, disruptive knowledge. Our purpose is to unveil how these spaces can be drivers of sustainability performance for companies.

Design/methodology/approach

We test our hypotheses on a longitudinal database of Spanish companies over the period 2009–2016 using structural equation models (SEMs).

Findings

This research confirms that a firm’s location in an STP helps improve its sustainability performance, provided that conditions are optimal in the STP. These optimal conditions are based on an abundance of knowledge spillovers available to the firm and the firm’s ability to harness them, especially those of a more disruptive nature, through absorptive capacity.

Originality/value

Results of this study yield implications for academia in the form of future lines of research and practical implications for policymakers and managers of both STPs and the organizations that host them.

研究目的

若要取得良好的可持續發展績效,我們必須以更佳的環境和社會績效來平衡更高的經濟利潤。知識在改善企業的可持續發展績效上發揮關鍵作用; 但知識對很多科學的、技術性的和商業的參與者來說,變得越來越複雜、特殊和分散。科技園是為集合嶄新而帶有顛覆性知識的各種不同組織提供軟硬體支援而設計的基礎設施。本研究擬顯露這些設施和場地如何能為企業推動其永續發展績效。

研究設計/方法/理念

我們以結構方程模式、去測試有關涵蓋2009年至2016年期間西班牙企業的縱向數據庫的研究假設。

研究結果

研究結果確認了只要在科技園內有最優良的環境和條件,企業在園內的位置是有助改善其永續發展績效的。這些最優良環境和條件是基於企業可得到的豐富的知識外溢,以及它們可透過其吸收能力去控制知識外溢的能力,特別是那些具更強顛覆性本質的知識外溢。

研究的原創性

研究結果為學術界就未來的研究領域提供了啟示; 研究結果亦為科技園和主辦機構的政策制定者和經理、提供了實務方面的啟示。

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 1 May 2023

Luis de Enrique Arnau and María José Pinillos-Costa

This paper aims to analyze the thematic content of research addressing the relation between board of directors (BoD) and business transformation (BT) to obtain better…

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to analyze the thematic content of research addressing the relation between board of directors (BoD) and business transformation (BT) to obtain better understanding of status and to derive future areas of study.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper reviews literature through a bibliometric analysis based on co-occurrence of articles published in Web of Science Core Collection ™ (WoS) between 1990 and 2022, identifying key concepts, setting network of relations and identifying the strategic importance of clusters of concepts. Findings and implications are discussed, future lines of research are presented and limitations are noted.

Findings

Thematic research on boards addressing transformation shifted from the analysis of individuals' traits to an organizational approach with majority of research centered on the role of boards under different theories and the consequences of strategic changes on firm's performance. Further research is around gender diversity, sustainability and the moderating role of ownership structure and business culture.

Research limitations/implications

Some limitations are also noted. This analysis considered articles indexed by WoS for Q1+Q2 publications as source of literature, while including others such as Scopus would increase knowledge base. Also, to identify main streams of research, the authors considered keywords with cumulative occurrence spanning from 30% to 40% while increasing this percentage would add terms that might improve precision to the connections among keywords. Other techniques could have been used such as co-citation or bibliographic coupling, although the authors find these as better suited to investigate the basic structure behind the foundational knowledge of the topic while the authors’ intention was to understand the positioning of study fields regarding the degree of research progress.

Practical implications

This paper presents some practical implications for future researchers. Those who wish to leverage previous evidence to address new research questions might look into principal themes covering BoD dynamics and composition to exert CG, and the relation between strategic decisions and performance measured by different variables. Those who wish to position their research as new findings to shed light on dilemmas, might find opportunities in the fields of climate change-sustainability, R&D for growth and innovation under the perspective of intangible assets.

Originality/value

This paper, is the first to the best of the authors’ knowledge, to identify research clusters for the intersection of boards and transformation and to determine their stage of development.

研究目的

本文旨在分析探討董事會與業務轉型之間的關係的學術研究的專題內容,以能對有關課題的研究狀況有更深入的了解,並擬從分析中取得未來可供研究的範疇。

研究設計/方法/理念

本文透過科學計量分析法來進行文獻探討。方法乃基於在1990年至2022年期間在Web of Science Core Collection 刊載的學術論文的共現分析而進行; 透過這個研究方法,研究人員建立了聯繫的網絡,並確認了各個概念群組的策略重要性。在本文中,研究結果和研究結果帶來的啟示會被討論,未來的研究領域和方針也會得到說明,研究的局限也會被認定和記錄下來。

研究結果

探討董事會而又涉及業務轉型的專題研究,由當初集中探討董事個人的特質、轉移到現在研究整體的組織理念和處事取向,而就後者來說,大部份的研究都集中於在不同的理論框架裡董事會所扮演的角色,以及因策略上的改變而為公司的業績帶來的影響。進一步的學術研究都是圍繞著性別多元化、可持續性、所有權結構所扮演的緩和角色和商業文化的研究。

研究的原創性/價值

盡我們所知,本文乃為首篇學術論文,去鑑定關於董事會與業務轉型之間的關聯的研究集群,也是首篇學術論文,去確定這些研究集群的發展階段。

Details

European Journal of Management and Business Economics, vol. 33 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2444-8451

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 22 August 2023

Anasuya Kulshekar Lingappa, Lewlyn Lester Raj Rodrigues and Dasharathraj K. Shetty

Women entrepreneurs are often categorized and assessed for various outcomes based on their start-up motivations. It is generally assumed that entrepreneurs with opportunity…

Abstract

Purpose

Women entrepreneurs are often categorized and assessed for various outcomes based on their start-up motivations. It is generally assumed that entrepreneurs with opportunity motivation have better performance when compared to necessity entrepreneurs. This study aims to test these suppositions through the lens of the entrepreneur’s motivation to learn (MTL) and level of female entrepreneurial competencies (FECs), namely, business and management, entrepreneurial, human relations (HR) and personal.

Design/methodology/approach

Data collected from 344 respondents through a survey questionnaire was analyzed using the structural equation modelling – partial least squares method using SmartPLS 4.

Findings

The findings highlight the need of recognizing the differentials between necessity and opportunity entrepreneurs as they were found to influence performance and learning outcomes. Opportunity entrepreneurship was found to significantly impact both MTL and the FECs. The authors also observed that business and management skills along with HR competencies played a greater role in the firm performance.

Practical implications

The findings demonstrate a case for specialized, tailor-made policy approaches rather than the “one size fits all” approach as evident in many government programs. As necessity entrepreneurs form a vital part of the Indian entrepreneurial ecosystem, apart from mentoring, need-based competency development programs may be looked at. Opportunity entrepreneurs may need support and encouragement through advanced skilling and uncomplicated funding options.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, empirical studies related to women-owned micro, small and medium enterprises in India establishing the relationship between start-up motivation and business performance are scarce. Even in the global context, this is one of the initial studies to examine the relationship through the lens of MTL and competencies.

Details

Journal of Entrepreneurship in Emerging Economies, vol. 16 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2053-4604

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 7 April 2023

Gauri Joshi, Dipasha Sharma, Monica Kunte and Shirin Shikalgar

This study aims to explore the patterns of corporate social responsibility (CSR) practices and investments across different ownership groups and relevance of CSR practices in the…

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to explore the patterns of corporate social responsibility (CSR) practices and investments across different ownership groups and relevance of CSR practices in the vision and mission (V&M) statements of firms.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper uses the neo-institutional theory approach, which explains similarities and differences in the CSR practices of organisations embedded within (and between) similar sectoral contexts. The study accounts the CSR activities of the top 100 companies listed on the Bombay Stock exchange (BSE) based on their ownership and checks the overlap of the CSR activities conducted by the companies with the ongoing social development schemes launched in India during the same of time. The time period between 2017 and 2020 is chosen to analyse the CSR studies. The study uses content analysis technique to derive conclusions. A textual analysis of top 100 listed firms across all ownership groups aimed at understanding patterns of CSR practices opted by the different groups and coherence of CSR patterns in the V&M statements. CSR related keywords were analysed in the V&M statements to understand what influence reporting of CSR practices in the strategic communication of firms.

Findings

Overall analysis indicated that top 100 firms prefer to invest in the areas of “Education”, “Sustainability” “Skill” where public-owned firms preferred towards “Sanitation” and “Environment/Sustainability” showing concurrence with local development goals. Private and foreign groups preferred to park their CSR funds in “Education” and “Skill” development showing coherence with the global agendas. Public-owned firms tend to report more CSR related specifically “Environment’ and “Sustainability” in the strategic documents. However, private and foreign firms do not pay any significance to CSR related keywords in their V&M statements.

Research limitations/implications

Findings suggest that despite of huge CSR investments, private and foreign-owned firms lack CSR focus and communication in their V&M statements, which may create disintegration in the CSR investment and strategic alignment of near-term and future goals. The paper suggests that private and foreign firms should also communicate their CSR practices through their V&M to stakeholders so that CSR practices may not remain mere 2% mandated expenditure by the Government of India.

Originality/value

The study contributes in confirming the success of the CSR policy mandate in supplementing government’s social development programmes along with indications on the role of family firms in accelerating the process of community development as compared to foreign firms. The study also favours integration of CSR disclosures in the V&M statements to gain long-term benefit out of these investments.

Details

Social Responsibility Journal, vol. 19 no. 9
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1747-1117

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 17 January 2023

Ashutosh Samadhiya, Rajat Agrawal and Jose Arturo Garza-Reyes

Key success factors (KSFs) of total productive maintenance (TPM) have historically played a vital role in attaining economic and ecological sustainability but have overlooked…

Abstract

Purpose

Key success factors (KSFs) of total productive maintenance (TPM) have historically played a vital role in attaining economic and ecological sustainability but have overlooked social sustainability. Hence, this study analyses and ranks the most significant TPM KSFs for attaining social sustainability in manufacturing small and medium enterprises (SMEs).

Design/methodology/approach

The research employs a deductive methodology to identify the relevant TPM KSFs and social sustainability indicators and then uses Fuzzy Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) to rank the TPM KSFs in order to achieve social sustainability, followed by a sensitivity analysis to assess the methodological robustness.

Findings

The findings indicate that the top five TPM KSFs influencing social sustainability are employee health and safety, organizational culture, top management commitment, employee engagement and effective communication and effective workplace management. In addition, the results indicate that effective equipment utilization is the least significant TPM key factor affecting social sustainability.

Research limitations/implications

SME manufacturing managers do not need to worry about all of the TPM KSFs if they only concentrate on the ones that will have the most impact. If managers use the top 5 TPM KSFs as a starting point, they may create customized TPM training programs for their companies. As a result, this will facilitate the efforts of their personnel toward social sustainability.

Originality/value

In the existing literature, little emphasis has been paid to social sustainability and how SMEs may implement these practices. This research adds to the current theory of TPM and social sustainability and sheds light on how SMEs might use TPM to advance toward more socially sustainable operations.

Details

Benchmarking: An International Journal, vol. 30 no. 10
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1463-5771

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 18 July 2023

Juan Lafont-Torio, Esther Calderon-Monge and Domingo Ribeiro-Soriano

Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is a global initiative that is becoming increasingly important in the industrial and service sectors. This paper analyses how…

Abstract

Purpose

Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is a global initiative that is becoming increasingly important in the industrial and service sectors. This paper analyses how the SDGs are being implemented in the agrifood supply chain by social economy enterprises.

Design/methodology/approach

Case study methodology was used to understand how companies implement the SDGs. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with managers from two cooperatives in the agrifood sector.

Findings

There are no differences in the way that the SDGs are implemented by social economy enterprises involved in the food sector supply chain. Therefore, the SDG approach is an alternative that can be applied by food sector supply chain companies to achieve the sustainability favoured by the cooperative model.

Originality/value

The value of the present study lies in its analysis of the sustainability of the agrifood supply chain from an SDG-based approach that is more comprehensive than other commonly cited approaches in the academic literature.

Details

British Food Journal, vol. 125 no. 11
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0007-070X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 18 April 2024

Tiago Savi Mondo, Sandro Medeiros, Erose Sthapit, Lara Brunelle Almeida Freitas Almeida Freitas and Peter Björk

This study aims to focus on assessing the psychometric properties necessary to validate the internal structure of the TOURQUAL scale.

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to focus on assessing the psychometric properties necessary to validate the internal structure of the TOURQUAL scale.

Design/methodology/approach

A quantitative research study was conducted in collaboration with the Brazilian Network of Tourism Observatories, comprising 927 respondents surveyed between October 2021 and May 2022. The data analysis involved the application of descriptive statistics and exploratory factor analysis, in alignment with the principles outlined in the Standards for Educational and Psychological Testing 2014 to validate the scale.

Findings

The findings of this study validate the TOURQUAL scale as a robust tool for assessing the perceived quality of tourist services, with results demonstrating one-dimensionality and replicability.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first to assess the psychometric properties for validating the internal structure of the TOURQUAL scale.

Details

International Journal of Tourism Cities, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2056-5607

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 21 February 2024

Juliet Owusu-Boadi, Ernest Kissi, Ivy Maame Abu, Cecilia Dapaah Owusu, Bernard Baiden and Caleb Debrah

The construction business is widely recognised for its inherent complexity and dynamic nature, which stems from the nature of the job involved. The industry is often regarded as…

Abstract

Purpose

The construction business is widely recognised for its inherent complexity and dynamic nature, which stems from the nature of the job involved. The industry is often regarded as one of the most challenging industries globally in terms of implementing environmental, health and safety (EHS) practices. However, in the absence of EHS, the construction industry cannot be considered sustainable. Therefore, this study aims to identify the trends, knowledge gaps and implications of EHS research to enhance construction activities and knowledge.

Design/methodology/approach

The study adopted a science mapping approach involving bibliometric and scientometric analysis of 407 construction EHS publications from the Scopus database with the VOSviewer software. The study is based on journal articles from the Scopus database without restriction to any time range.

Findings

The main focus of construction EHS research identified in the study includes sustainability-related studies, risk-related, environmental issues, EHS management, integrated management systems studies, health and safety related and EHS in the construction process. Some emerging areas also identified include productivity, design, culture, social sustainability and machine learning. The most influential and productive publication sources, countries/regions and EHS publications with the highest impact were also determined.

Research limitations/implications

Documents published in the Scopus database were considered for analysis because of the wider coverage of the database. Journal articles written in English language represent the inclusion criteria, whereas other documents were excluded from the analysis. The study also limited the search to articles with the engineering subject area.

Practical implications

The research findings will enlighten stakeholders and practitioners on the focal knowledge areas in the EHS research domain, which are vital for enhancing EHS in the industry.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this review-based study is the first attempt to internationally conduct a science mapping on extant literature in the EHS research domain through bibliometric and scientometric assessments.

Details

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

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 1 April 2024

Ehsan Ahmad

This paper explores the convergence of Education 4.0 and Industry 4.0 and presents a Twin Peaks model for their seamless integration.

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Abstract

Purpose

This paper explores the convergence of Education 4.0 and Industry 4.0 and presents a Twin Peaks model for their seamless integration.

Design/methodology/approach

A high-level literature review is conducted to identify and discuss the important challenges and opportunities offered by both Education 4.0 and Industry 4.0. A novel Twin Peaks model is devised for the convergence of these domains and to cope with the challenges effectively.

Findings

The proposed Twin Peak model for the convergence of Education 4.0 and Industry 4.0 suggests that the development of these two domains is interdependent. It emphasizes ethical considerations, inclusivity and understanding the concerns of stakeholders from both education and industry. We have also explained how continuous incremental adaptation within the proposed Twin Peaks model might assist in addressing concerns of one sector with the opportunities of the other.

Originality/value

First, Education 4.0 and Industry 4.0 are reviewed in terms of opportunities and challenges they present. Second, a novel Twin Peaks model for the convergence of Education 4.0 and Industry 4.0 is presented. The proposed discovers that the convergence is adaptive, iterative and must be ethically sound while considering the broader societal implications of the digital transformation. Third, this study also acts as a torch-bearer for the necessity for more research of this kind to guarantee that our educational ecosystem is adaptable and capable of producing the skills required for success in the era of IR4.0.

Details

Journal of Innovative Digital Transformation, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2976-9051

Keywords

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