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1 – 10 of over 7000Saheed O. Ajayi, Lukumon O. Oyedele and Jamiu A. Dauda
Buildings and their construction activities consume a significant proportion of mineral resources excavated from nature and contribute a large percentage of CO2 in the atmosphere…
Abstract
Purpose
Buildings and their construction activities consume a significant proportion of mineral resources excavated from nature and contribute a large percentage of CO2 in the atmosphere. As a way of improving the sustainability of building construction and operation, various sustainable design appraisal standards have been developed across nations. Albeit criticism of the appraisal standards, evidence shows that increasing sustainability of the built environment has been engendered by such appraisal tools as Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM), Code for Sustainable Homes (CfSH), Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design and Comprehensive Assessment System for Built Environment Efficacy, among others. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the effectiveness of the appraisal standards in engendering whole lifecycle environmental sustainability of the built environment.
Design/methodology/approach
In order to evaluate the adequacy of sustainability scores assigned to various lifecycle stages of buildings in the appraisal standards, four case studies of a block of classroom were modelled. Using Revit as a modelling platform, stage by stage lifecycle environmental impacts of the building were simulated through Green Building Studio and ATHENA Impact estimator. The resulting environmental impacts were then compared against the assessment score associated with each stage of building lifecycle in BREAAM and CfSH.
Findings
Results show that albeit the consensus that the appraisal standards engender sustainability practices in the AEC industry, total scores assigned to impacts at each stage of building lifecycle is disproportionate to the simulated whole-life environmental impacts associated with the stages in some instances.
Originality/value
As the study reveals both strengths and weaknesses in the existing sustainability appraisal standards, measures through which they can be tailored to resource efficiency and lifecycle environmental sustainability of the built environment are suggested.
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Bridget McNally and Thomas O’Connor
This paper aims to examine the impact of the corporate lifecycle on the corporate governance practices of firms in the Republic of Korea.
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to examine the impact of the corporate lifecycle on the corporate governance practices of firms in the Republic of Korea.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors use five corporate lifecycle measures and corporate governance scores from Black et al. (2012) to estimate governance-prediction models inclusive of corporate lifecycles measures for a sample of 497 Republic of Korea firms over the 1998–2004 period.
Findings
The authors find little evidence which points to a corporate governance lifecycle for firms in the Republic of Korea. The findings suggest that factors other than firm lifecycle best explain the corporate governance practices of firms in Korea.
Originality/value
Using a battery of lifecycle measures and corporate governance indexes and subindexes, the authors believe this paper represents the most rigorous study yet to study the corporate governance lifecycle in an emerging market economy, namely, the Republic of Korea.
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Shivalik Singh and Bala Subrahmanya Mungila Hillemane
The purpose of this paper is to ascertain the factors determining the choice of sources of finance for a tech startup over its lifecycle.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to ascertain the factors determining the choice of sources of finance for a tech startup over its lifecycle.
Design/methodology/approach
This study adopts simple random sampling technique to choose 93 sample tech startups in Bangalore. Further, this study employs the primary data collection from the sampled startups under study through a semi-structured questionnaire and in-depth interviews with the founders/CEOs of these startups. Furthermore, it carries out binary logistic regression analysis to primarily examine the likelihood of a tech startup to approach and access a particular source of finance over its lifecycle.
Findings
Our results indicate that a tech startup's choice for a financial source varies with its lifecycle stage and financial requirements. We find that while in its early stage, a tech startup's choice of a financial source is limited to business angels (BA), in the growth stage, it approaches the institutional sources, viz. Venture Capital (VC), Corporate Venture Capital (CVC), Banks and Private Equity (PE) firms alternatively. Out of the three major categories of financial requirements: Human Capital (HC), Research Capital (RC) and Social Capital (SC), the requirement for HC and SC is predominantly funded by VCs, while the acquisition of RC is facilitated by early stage investors (BAs) as well as growth stage investors (CVC and PEs).
Research limitations/implications
The research implication of the study lies in bringing out the need to understand both the nature and the quantum of financial requirements of tech startups would influence the sources of finance it would approach and obtain finance for its operations and growth.
Practical implications
The major policy implication of the study refers to the need to promote the diverse sources of finance to meet the diverse needs of finance in different stages of a tech startup's lifecycle. Particularly in an emerging economy, where we do not see the emergence and growth of highly innovative tech startups, the need to promote adequate availability of RC is especially important.
Originality/value
This study makes a key contribution to the entrepreneurial finance literature by empirically investigating the factors determining a tech startup's propensity to approach and access a particular source of finance over its lifecycle.
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Ignacio Danvila-del-Valle, Francisco J. Lara, Edmundo Marroquín-Tovar and Pablo E. Zegarra Saldaña
Organizations that offer services based on knowledge and innovation consider their recruitment process as strategic. The purpose of this paper is to consider that organizational…
Abstract
Purpose
Organizations that offer services based on knowledge and innovation consider their recruitment process as strategic. The purpose of this paper is to consider that organizational lifecycle is related with the management styles through innovation climate and human dimension of recruitment.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors utilized two methods proposed by Adizes (1976, 1979, 2004). The first one is an inductive, exploratory method with a quantitative approach. The second one utilizes a qualitative approach through semi-structured interviews. The quantitative approach was performed with a questionnaire via internet. The target was executive managers from organizations with more than ten employees, which are offering professional, scientific and technical services. The authors obtained 170 responses.
Findings
Results show that the majority of organizations balance open innovation and control, trending to the first one. During the first stages of the organizational lifecycle, decision-making principally relays on the founder’s open innovation strategies, whereas in the last stages administrative-based control is predominant.
Research limitations/implications
The authors must highlight that this study has been performed for the case of services companies placed only in Mexico. Then, the extrapolation and generalization of results should be dealt carefully.
Practical implications
The authors consider the questionnaire very useful for the introduction of open innovation strategies for human resources managers, since it takes into account organizational lifecycle in their human dimension of recruitment processes, it helps to design training and retention programs for employees, and avoids premature aging of the company.
Social implications
Given that today, knowledge management and innovation have become strategic assets of companies, it is necessary a change of mentality in many organizations that facilitates a new perception on the development of innovation. This will only be possible with the firm support of the management of the company and the involvement of all employees in this new task.
Originality/value
Several studies analyze management styles in each stage of organization lifecycle, although they do not link the obtained information to open innovation and human dimension of the recruitment process. The authors work applies the questionnaire of Adizes (1976, 1979, 2004), which relates the organizational life cycle and the management style and discloses the proper management styles with recruiting, training and retention programs to keep flexibility above control to nurture open innovation.
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Development and implementation of new process equipment within the process industries frequently necessitate strong collaboration between process firms and their equipment…
Abstract
Purpose
Development and implementation of new process equipment within the process industries frequently necessitate strong collaboration between process firms and their equipment suppliers in joint process development projects. However, collaboration in this setting entails significant challenges over the lifecycle of these projects. Accordingly, the purpose of this article is to explore the problems and opportunities faced by equipment suppliers during collaboration with process firms, throughout the various lifecycle stages of process development projects.
Design/methodology/approach
The article synthesizes results from 22 interviews in a multiple case study of eight equipment suppliers in the process industries and a comprehensive review of relevant literature to identify critical problems of opportunities during the lifecycle. In total, data were gathered from firms in six different countries.
Findings
A deficient pre‐study may create problems due to miscommunication during development when close interaction is required. Purchasing discussions can be done simultaneously to development when a supplier has been selected, although uncertainty is a problem. It is important to get end‐user feedback and commitment during development and later stages. During assembly and installation and start‐up, a variety of actors are working simultaneously which requires coordination and planning from an early stage. Close interaction and education with end‐user is critical for the technology transfer in the start‐up stage. Sharing of experiences enhances operational performance during production.
Research limitations/implications
This study contributes by employing information rich case study data to describe the problem and opportunities faced over the full lifecycle in joint process development projects in the process industry. In particular, key issues over the lifecycle have been identified and described (e.g. purchasing, start‐up, education). Moreover, the adoption of a lifecycle perspective has indicated how activities, issues, and managerial challenges in specific stages are interconnected and affect the joint work in the following stages.
Practical implications
The findings of this article serves as guidelines to managers in equipment supplier firms and their customers by highlighting the problems and opportunities for improvement that occur during the interconnected stages of process development projects.
Originality/value
By focusing on the collaborative activities in different stages, this study higlights the critical problems and opportunities in the lifecycle of process equipment. In addition this article outlines how joint process development activities can facilitate enhanced operational performance, by means of collaborative design, installation and operation of new process equipment – i.e. “open operation”.
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Laura Cristina Cordero Páez, José Carlos Pinho and Christiane Prange
Dynamic capabilities (DCs) upgrade operational capabilities. However, DC dimensions of sensing, seizing and reconfiguring may combine in different configurations that result in…
Abstract
Purpose
Dynamic capabilities (DCs) upgrade operational capabilities. However, DC dimensions of sensing, seizing and reconfiguring may combine in different configurations that result in alternative outcomes, depending on the firm's lifecycle stage. The purpose of this research is to explore configurations of DC dimensions during different stages of firms' lifecycles that result in operational marketing and technological capabilities.
Design/methodology/approach
Given the limited understanding of how DC dimensions and operational capabilities interact across a firm's lifecycle, the authors employed a multi-method approach to understand whether different configurations of DC dimensions may lead to operational marketing and technological capabilities and how the firm's lifecycle may condition these configurations. The authors first apply PLS path modelling to assess the validity and reliability of the measures. Then, the authors use fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) to analyse micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in different growth stages operating in the creative industry within highly competitive and fast-changing environments.
Findings
Results show that several configurations of DC dimensions and competitive intensity influence marketing and technological capabilities. Although several configurations include sensing, seizing and reconfiguring, the findings also point to configurations where not all DC dimensions are present.
Practical implications
Improving operational capabilities does not necessarily imply a simultaneous presence of all three DC dimensions. Especially in the growth stage, managers that face resources shortage may only focus on sensing and seizing dimensions when developing marketing capabilities.
Originality/value
This research focuses on configurations of DC dimensions (instead of configurations of different types of DCs) that generate diverse marketing and technological capabilities development paths. The authors provide several equifinal configurations of DC dimensions that lead to operational marketing and technological capabilities. This study contributes to disentangling DCs and their dimensions across different lifecycle stages.
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Capabilities are a widely researched subject, but capability development techniques have received considerably less attention. Capability development is a long-term activity…
Abstract
Purpose
Capabilities are a widely researched subject, but capability development techniques have received considerably less attention. Capability development is a long-term activity, where both how to choose “the right capabilities” and how to develop “the capabilities right” are important. The purpose of this paper is to approach to pick up the most widespread capabilities and development techniques in project-companies, and observes their shift of focus when moving from one lifecycle stage to another.
Design/methodology/approach
A long-scale survey was chosen and carried out in EU member state Estonia in 2011, resulting with close to a couple of 100 responses.
Findings
The quality of most business capabilities decreases in reaching the decline stage of the lifecycle, but project-related capabilities are improving. The same cannot be concluded for project-led capability development techniques, as they decline, and the quality of traditional and business-led capability techniques are improving. The use of development techniques changes less throughout lifecycle stages than capabilities do – it is not so important how companies develop capabilities, capabilities themselves matter.
Research limitations/implications
Survey was performed in a small country which limits the generalizability to larger countries.
Practical implications
Capabilities and their development techniques are very much practice-oriented, especially development techniques. However, research indicates that it is more important to choose the right capabilities and worry less about their development-specific issues.
Originality/value
Results provide lifecycle-specific information which capabilities and their development techniques prevail at what stage of companies’ lifecycle. Thus far, learning, as the most important technique, has received the most attention, other techniques less – this research gives further information about a wider array of the techniques. Furthermore, the prior research was concentrated on a few specific capabilities or capabilities at an abstract level, this research focuses on a comprehensive set of capabilities.
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Mahdokht Ebrahimi, Hamzah Abdul Rahman, Faizul Azli Mohd-Rahim and Wang Chen
In Malaysia, there are a few numbers of frameworks and checklists in order to evaluate the sustainable performance of buildings. In addition, most of these assessment frameworks…
Abstract
In Malaysia, there are a few numbers of frameworks and checklists in order to evaluate the sustainable performance of buildings. In addition, most of these assessment frameworks or checklists focus on environmental sustainability disregarding social and economic pillars. The research in social and economic sustainability in the construction industry is pushing forward, albeit at a slow pace. In addition, the growing number of sustainable criteria in the literature highlights the importance of a systematic framework for construction initiatives. This research aims to propose a comprehensive framework based on three pillars of sustainability, and, additionally, to categorize them in a manner that is applicable for all relevant stakeholders based on their level of involvement and needs. Finally, it identifies the relation between each criterion and stage of the construction lifecycle with the assistance of an expert panel. This research produces a framework that is useful for Malaysian construction stakeholders to reinforce their approach towards sustainability through social and economic aspects that are currently underestimated in the construction industry.
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In the business level there are many empirical studies suggesting various market/product strategic options. There are also four stages of product lifecycle (introduction, growth…
Abstract
In the business level there are many empirical studies suggesting various market/product strategic options. There are also four stages of product lifecycle (introduction, growth, maturity and decline). The pattern of the product lifecycle can be utilised as a framework for examining the changing environment of a destination in relation to the expansion of tourism. Stages of destination development include: exploration, involvement, development, maturity and decline or rejuvenation. The specific features of each stage of a destination's lifecycle call for different strategies. Bearing this in mind, it is the aim of this pa‐per to examine the usefulness of strategies risen in the business field for resort areas and their lifecycle stages.
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This paper aims to examine whether firms in the decline stage of lifecycle manipulate core or operating income through misclassification of operating expenses as income-decreasing…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to examine whether firms in the decline stage of lifecycle manipulate core or operating income through misclassification of operating expenses as income-decreasing special items.
Design/methodology/approach
The sample comprises of firms from an emerging market, India with data from 1996 to 2011. The paper uses the methodology given in McVay’s (2006) work and multiple regressions.
Findings
Managers of Indian firms also engage in classification shifting, primary incentive being the desire to avoid reporting of operating losses. Furthermore, the use of classification shifting is dependent upon the stage of lifecycle in which firm is in. Specifically, firms in the decline stage of lifecycle are more likely to use classification shifting to avoid reporting of operating losses.
Practical implications
The paper sheds light on a critical phase of the firm lifecycle, decline, which increases the possibility of the use of classification shifting, an earnings management technique which is tough to detect. Firms in decline, thus, may be trying to fool the investors who are infusing capital to save the company from going bankrupt; regulators, who are likely to focus less on troubled firms; and auditors, who may not be expecting core income manipulation in such firms.
Originality/value
The paper extends the literature on classification shifting and presents first evidence that such shifting is more likely to take place during the decline phase of firm lifecycle.
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