Search results

1 – 10 of 12
Article
Publication date: 29 July 2014

Maria Teresa Nardo and Stefania Veltri

The article aims to investigate whether the integration between corporate social responsibility (CSR) and intellectual capital (IC) reports could be a plausible issue. To address…

Abstract

Purpose

The article aims to investigate whether the integration between corporate social responsibility (CSR) and intellectual capital (IC) reports could be a plausible issue. To address this aim, the paper posits three main research questions: whether there is a theory able to explain the relationship between IC and CSR (RQ1); whether empirical surveys provide evidence of the links between CSR activities (CSRA) and IC (RQ2); and whether organizations have started to disclose social and intangible issues in a single document within the Italian context (RQ3).

Design/methodology/approach

To answer the RQs, we decided to arrange three different literature reviews. In detail, to address RQ1, we searched for theoretical studies focussing on an resource-based view (RBV) perspective of IC or CSR or both. To address RQ2, we searched for empirical studies addressed to test the links between CSRA and the creation and development of organizational IC. To address RQ3, we searched for empirical studies focussing on companies’ experiences of integration of CSR and IC reports or on surveys on this theme in the Italian context.

Findings

All the three literature reviews provide evidence that the trend to move towards an integration of social and IC issues in a single report is a plausible issue, from a theoretical, management and disclosure point of view.

Research limitations/implications

The main limit of the research lies in its theoretical nature; however, the study can provide an impulse for further research on the existing trend in the real-life context, and can also provide the theoretical basis on which to build a model that, starting from the relationships among the different kinds of voluntary reports, provides the criteria and methods to integrate the firm’s corporate voluntary reports in a single report. For researchers, this result also has an implication to control for intangibles, for example, assessing the relationship between CSR and corporate performance may explain some of the mixed findings that have occurred in the past.

Practical implications

The article inserts CSR and IC within the RBV theory. Such recognition provides managers the theoretical framework to treat them conjointly, being aware that these two dimensions are intertwined. The article also provides evidence that CSRA impact on IC creation and development. The main implication for company managers is that, when developing a strategy aimed at strengthening IC, they should consider not only all components of intellectual capital but, above all, also include CSR actions and attributes in strategy formulation. Finally, the article provides evidence of a trend towards an integration of CSR and IC reports within the Italian territory. An integrated CSR–IC approach could have relevant implications on the development of the Italian territory characterized by a large number of SMEs and networks of firms that are an integral part of the local community, whose success is often related to their capability to acquire consensus from local stakeholders such as employees, public authorities, financial organizations, banks, suppliers and citizens.

Originality/value

The article provides three main contributions: first, the paper suggests that the integration of the two different perspectives IC and CSR finds its theoretical justification in the RBV theory, which is scarcely applied to explain the link between these two perspectives; second, the article provides evidence of the real effects that investments in CSR have on the maintenance and developing of organizational IC; third, it provides evidence that there is a trend moving towards an integration of social and IC issues in a single report in the Italian context.

Details

Social Responsibility Journal, vol. 10 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1747-1117

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 5 March 2018

Louise Ackers, Hannah Webster, Richard Mugahi and Rachel Namiiro

The purpose of this paper is to present the findings of research on mothers and midwives’ understanding of the concept of respectful care in the Ugandan public health settings. It…

1864

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to present the findings of research on mothers and midwives’ understanding of the concept of respectful care in the Ugandan public health settings. It focusses on one aspect of respect; namely communication that is perhaps least resource-dependent. The research found endemic levels of disrespect and tries to understand the reasons behind these organisational cultures and the role that governance could play in improving respect.

Design/methodology/approach

The study involved a combination of in-depth qualitative interviews with mothers and midwives together with focus groups with a cohort of midwives registered for a degree.

Findings

The findings highlight an alarming level of verbal abuse and poor communication that both deter women from attending public health facilities and, when they have to attend, reduces their willingness to disclose information about their health status. Respect is a major factor reducing the engagement of those women unable to afford private care, with health facilities in Uganda.

Research limitations/implications

Access to quality care provided by skilled birth attendants (midwives) is known to be the major factor preventing improvements in maternal mortality and morbidity in low income settings. Although communication lies at the agency end of the structure-agency continuum, important aspects of governance contribute to high levels of disrespect.

Originality/value

Whilst there is a lot of research on the concept of respectful care in high income settings applying this to the care environment in low resource settings is highly problematic. The findings presented here generate a more contextualised analysis generating important new insights which we hope will improve the quality of care in Uganda health facilities.

Details

International Journal of Health Governance, vol. 23 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2059-4631

Keywords

Abstract

Details

The Emerald Guide to C. Wright Mills
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-80071-544-8

Article
Publication date: 6 April 2022

Shyam Singh and Neha Christie

Extant literature indicates that people use existing social networks for various collective activities as there is a cost involved to create and maintain separate networks for…

Abstract

Purpose

Extant literature indicates that people use existing social networks for various collective activities as there is a cost involved to create and maintain separate networks for different activities. The authors build on the relational sociology framework and test this assertion in by examining a dairy cooperative society, which is a community organization. We hypothesize that the cooperative members are likely to use existing social networks to operationalize their cooperative (dairy-related matters) and other social and personal relations. This study tests the hypothesis by studying information sharing relations among the dairy cooperative members in two different social networks: the dairy information network and social information network.

Design/methodology/approach

This study uses social network analysis to analyze relational data.

Findings

The study finds that the members of the dairy cooperative maintain both information sharing networks separately and that each network has different control and efficiency mechanisms.

Originality/value

The findings contradict the assertions of existing literature and establish that people ensure their business relations remain separated from their social relations to avoid the possibility of social conflicts affecting their business activities.

Details

International Journal of Sociology and Social Policy, vol. 43 no. 1/2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0144-333X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 2 January 2023

Le-Vinh-Lam Doan and Alasdair Rae

With access to the large-scale search data from Rightmove plc, the paper firstly indicated the possibility of using user-generated data from online property portals to predict…

Abstract

Purpose

With access to the large-scale search data from Rightmove plc, the paper firstly indicated the possibility of using user-generated data from online property portals to predict housing market activities and secondly embraced a GIS approach to explore what people search for housing and what they chose and investigated the issue of mismatch between search patterns and revealed patterns. Based on the analysis, the paper contributes a visual GIS-based approach which may help planners and designers to make more informed decisions related to new housing supply, particularly where to build, what to build and how many to build.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper used the 2013 housing search data from Rightmove and the 2013 price data from Land Registry with transactions made after the search period and embraced a GIS approach to explore the potential housing demand patterns and the mismatch between searches and sales. In the analysis, the paper employed the K-means approach to group prices into five levels and used GIS software to draw maps based on these price levels. The paper also employed a simple analysis of linear regression based on the coefficient of determination to investigate the relationship between online property views and values of house sales.

Findings

The result indicated the strong relationship between online property views and the values of house sales, implying the possibility of using search data from online property portals to predict housing market activities. It then explore the spatial housing demand patterns based on searches and showed a mismatch between the spatial patterns of housing search and actual moves across submarkets. The findings may not be very surprising but the main objective of the paper is to open up a potentially useful methodological approach which could be extended in future research.

Research limitations/implications

It is important to identify search patterns from people who search with the intention to buy houses and from people who search with no intention to purchase properties. Rightmove data do not adequately represent housing search activity, and therefore more attention should be paid to this issue. The analysis of housing search helps us have a better understanding of households' preferences to better estimate housing demand and develop search-based prediction models. It also helps us identify spatial and structural submarkets and examine the mismatches between current housing stock and housing demand in submarkets.

Social implications

The GIS approach in this paper may help planners and designers better allocate land resources for new housing supply based on households' spatial and structural preferences by identifying high and low demand areas with high searches relative to low housing stocks. Furthermore, the analysis of housing search patterns helps identify areas with latent demand, and when combined with the analysis of transaction patterns, it is possible to realise the areas with a lack of housing supply relative to excess demand or a lack of latent demand relative to the housing stock.

Originality/value

The paper proves the usefulness of a GIS approach to investigate households' preferences and aspirations through search data from online property portals. The contribution of the paper is the visual GIS-based approach, and based on this approach the paper fills the international knowledge gap in exploring effective approaches to analysing user-generated search data and market outcome data in combination.

Details

Open House International, vol. 48 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0168-2601

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 6 December 2023

Lisa Maria Beethoven Steene, Lisa Gaylor and Jane L. Ireland

The current review aims to focus on how risk and protective factors for self-harm in secure mental health hospitals are captured in the literature.

Abstract

Purpose

The current review aims to focus on how risk and protective factors for self-harm in secure mental health hospitals are captured in the literature.

Design/methodology/approach

Fifty-seven articles were included in a systematic review, drawn from an initial 1,119 articles, post duplicate removal. Databases included Psycinfo, Psycarticles, Psycnet, Web of Science and EBSCO host. A thematic analysis was used, which included a meta-ethnographic approach for considering qualitative papers.

Findings

There was a clear focus on risk factors, with eight identified (in order of occurrence): raised emotional reactivity and poor emotion regulation; poor mental health; traumatic experiences; personality disorder diagnosis and associated traits; increased use of outward aggression – dual harm; constraints of a secure environment and lack of control; previous self-harm and suicide attempts; and hopelessness. Protective factors featured less, resulting in only three themes emerging (in order of occurrence): positive social support and communication; positive coping skills; and hope/positive outlook.

Research limitations/implications

This includes a proposal to move focus away from “risk” factors, to incorporate “needs”, in terms of individual and environmental factors. There is also a need for more attention to focus on developing high quality research in this area.

Originality/value

The research captures an area where a synthesis of research has not been comprehensively undertaken, particularly with regards to capturing protective as well as risk factors.

Details

Journal of Aggression, Conflict and Peace Research, vol. 16 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1759-6599

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 16 August 2021

Le-Vinh-Lam Doan and Adipandang Yudono

This paper aims to bring together research on housing market area, submarket and household migration into a systems approach that helps us gain a better understanding of the…

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to bring together research on housing market area, submarket and household migration into a systems approach that helps us gain a better understanding of the structure and dynamics of a housing market and identify housing problems for a large metropolitan area.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper uses a geographic information system (GIS)-based method with simple quantitative techniques, including spatial analysis, location analysis, house price clustering and cross-tabulation. The analysis is based on migration data from the 2011 Census, house price data from the Land Registry in 2011 for Greater Manchester at the ward level and the output areas level.

Findings

The results show that different submarkets and housing market areas had different patterns of spatial migration and connections with other areas. Through a systematic analysis of migration and house price in combination, it also found a close connection between destination submarkets and the ages of migrants and identified specific problematic patterns for a large metropolitan area.

Research limitations/implications

The interactions between the owner-occupied sector and the social and private rented sectors are arguably an important omission from the analysis. Also, it is acknowledged that clustering ward units based on price differentials is subject to distortions in terms of specification, size and shape. Moreover, the use of the large samples may result in very small p-values, leading to the problem of the rejection of the predefined hypothesis.

Practical implications

A systematic analysis of migration and house price in combination may be used to gain a better understanding of the housing market dynamics and identify housing problems systematically for a large metropolitan. It may help to identify low-demand areas, high-demand areas and assist planners with decisions in allocating suitable land for new housing constructions.

Social implications

The GIS-based method introduced in the paper could be considered as an effective approach to provide a better basis for determining policy interventions and public investment designed to allocate land resources effectively and improve transport systems to change existing problematic migration patterns.

Originality/value

This paper fills a gap in the international literature in relation to adopting a systems approach that analyses migration and house price data sets in combination to systematically explore migration patterns and linkages and identify housing problems for a large metropolitan area. This systems approach can be applied in any metropolitan area where migration and house price data are available.

Details

International Journal of Housing Markets and Analysis, vol. 15 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1753-8270

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 25 May 2018

Sudeshna Roy, Pranab K. Dan and Nipu Modak

The purpose of this paper is to study the cascading effect of management actions on new product development (NPD) for achieving success in Indian manufacturing industries. The…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to study the cascading effect of management actions on new product development (NPD) for achieving success in Indian manufacturing industries. The critical linkage of managerial support for establishing management actions has been explored to realize the NPD success in terms of financial and economic measures.

Design/methodology/approach

The structural equation modeling approach is used to investigate the relationship depicting the managerial control on management practices for NPD success. Primary data from 263 experts of Indian manufacturing industries have been collected for the purpose of this analysis.

Findings

Senior management motivation, risk-taking attitude, problem-solving capacity, awareness in novel development cascade the management actions such as information technology management, conflict management, project management, human resource management, strategic management, organizational factors, planning, long-term vision, and entrepreneurial culture to escalate the NPD success, which in turn be articulated by financial and economic terms.

Practical implications

The findings suggest that managerial support influences the adoption of management actions leading toward NPD success. The developed framework realizes the necessity of implementation of these management actions cascaded from the top management support (TMS) for influencing the financial and economic measures of NPD success.

Originality/value

The cascaded framework depicting the TMS for implementing management actions for NPD success in Indian manufacturing sectors adds novelty to the available literature. Moreover, this study uses a semi-structured questionnaire which incorporates the practical experiences of the experts for quantifying the constructs in a more detailed manner than available in the previous literature. Besides, the realization of comprehensive management actions along with the support from senior management escalates the implementation of the developed framework for NPD success in near future.

Details

Journal of Manufacturing Technology Management, vol. 29 no. 7
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1741-038X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 5 June 2017

Bojana Dimic Surla, Dusan Ilija Surla and Dragan Ivanovic

The purpose of this article is to describe a proposition for the evaluation of citations of scientific papers, which could serve as a supplement to the existing Rule Book of the…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this article is to describe a proposition for the evaluation of citations of scientific papers, which could serve as a supplement to the existing Rule Book of the Ministry of the Republic of Serbia, which is used in the procedure of electing candidates for particular academic and research titles. The evaluation and quantitative presentation of the results and evaluation of citations were carried out on data taken from the database of the Current Research Information System of the University of Novi Sad (CRIS UNS), which is harmonized with the Rule Book of the Ministry with respect to the evaluation of published scientific results of researchers.

Design/methodology/approach

There are different criteria to evaluate the quality of scientific papers based on their citations. The pertinent parameters can be the total number of citations, the number of citations in a defined time period and by assigning the appropriate weighting values to the citations. This work proposes a procedure of assigning the citation weighting values based on the evaluation of the scientific results in which the citation appeared according to the Rule Book in the Republic of Serbia. Based on this, the authors introduced the impact factor of researchers as the ratio of the number of points of the evaluated citations and the number of points of the evaluated papers of the researcher.

Findings

Results showed that the research information system CRIS UNS can be extended to the evaluation of citations for a single researcher, groups of researchers and institutions.

Practical implications

The proposed solution enables the evaluation of citations in the process of election and promotion of academic staff. In this way, there is a means for measuring the scientific influence of a researcher in the relevant scientific area.

Social implications

The evaluation of citations may be included in the national strategies of scientific development, funding and evaluation of research projects; for promotions of academic staff at the universities and other academic institutions; and ranking of researchers and research organizations.

Originality/value

The main idea presented in the paper is the definition of a rule book (or several rule books) for the evaluation of citations. Based on the evaluation of citations, the authors proposed the term “the impact factor of researcher”.

Details

The Electronic Library, vol. 35 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0264-0473

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 16 August 2018

Manamgoda Gamage Nimantha Manamgoda, B.A.K.S. Perera and Colombapatabendige Savindi Ranthika Perera

Infrastructure systems play a dominant role in the economic growth of countries. Projects involved with the construction of roads, which is vital for the development of a country…

Abstract

Purpose

Infrastructure systems play a dominant role in the economic growth of countries. Projects involved with the construction of roads, which is vital for the development of a country, are financed mainly using borrowed funds because of the reliability of debt financing. The cost of borrowing is the interest that has to be paid. In Sri Lanka, there is a high tendency for interest rates of bank loans to fluctuate, and this makes the road projects in the country that are funded with borrowed money to be highly risky. Thus, this paper aims to identify the impact of bank loan interest rates on road construction in Sri Lanka.

Design/methodology/approach

The study consisted of two questionnaire surveys conducted among financial specialists and road construction experts, followed by a documentary review. The collected data were analysed using Relative Importance Index. The relationship between the interest rates of bank loans and the prices of the resources used in road projects were determined using regression and correlation analyses.

Findings

The research revealed a strong, linear relationship between interest rate fluctuations and bitumen, aggregate base course, metal and earth price fluctuations. It also identified the pattern of interest rate fluctuations to help practitioners to predict the pattern of input price variations.

Originality/value

When developing the capital structure of road projects, it is necessary to consider the prices of materials used in the projects when determining the financial risks of debt financing.

Details

Journal of Engineering, Design and Technology, vol. 16 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1726-0531

Keywords

1 – 10 of 12