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Article
Publication date: 10 September 2024

Caterina Manfrini and Izabelle Bäckström

The purpose of this study is to scrutinize the connection between creativity and innovation in the context of public healthcare. This is achieved by applying the theoretical…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to scrutinize the connection between creativity and innovation in the context of public healthcare. This is achieved by applying the theoretical concept of employee-driven innovation (EDI) to explore employees’ perceptions of their creative engagement in innovation processes, as well as to capture the managerial implications of setting up such processes in the sector.

Design/methodology/approach

A critical discourse analysis (CDA) is applied as a methodological lens to capture the interaction between the macro-level production and meso-level distribution of innovation discourse (top-down), and the micro-level perception of, and response to, the same (bottom-up). This study is based on a qualitative approach and is set in the public healthcare system of the Autonomous Province of Trento, Northeast Italy. In total, 26 semi-structured interviews were conducted with 22 healthcare professionals. For triangulation purposes, observation and document analysis were also performed.

Findings

The findings of this study reveal that tensions are present between the macro-level discourses and the meso-level strategies around innovation, and the micro-level perceptions of employees’ creative engagement in innovation processes. Healthcare professionals’ creative efforts are not easily recognized and supported by top management, which in turn does not receive a framework of reference in policies acknowledging the importance of human skills and creativity in innovation processes.

Research limitations/implications

That this is a single case study implies a limitation on the generalizability of its results, but the results may nevertheless be transferable to similar empirical contexts. Therefore, a multiple case study design would be preferable in future studies in order to study EDI strategies and policies across various types of organizations in the public sector. Moreover, apart from CDA, other theoretical and methodological lenses can be applied to investigate the interaction between top-down organizing and bottom-up responses to innovation.

Originality/value

This study contributes to the EDI literature by providing a more integrative understanding of EDI in the public sector, demonstrating the importance of scrutinizing the interactions between employees and top-level management.

Details

European Journal of Innovation Management, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1460-1060

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 31 January 2024

Margit Malmmose and Mai Skjøtt Linneberg

The objective of this study is to examine developments in the discursive practice of non-financial reporting in the public healthcare sector. In doing so, the authors investigate…

163

Abstract

Purpose

The objective of this study is to examine developments in the discursive practice of non-financial reporting in the public healthcare sector. In doing so, the authors investigate how the main reform foci of productivity and quality are represented, with a specific focus on the patient.

Design/methodology/approach

Drawing on critical discourse analysis (CDA), the authors conduct a longitudinal study (2007–2018) of healthcare reporting foci across the five administrative regions responsible for public hospitals in Denmark. The study analyses sixty annual reports and draws on contemporary reform documents over this period. CDA enables a micro-textual analysis, combined with macro-insights and discussions on social practice.

Findings

The findings show complex webs of presentation strategies, but in particular two changes occur during the period. First, the patient is centred throughout but the framing changes from productivity and waiting lists to quality and dialogue. Second, in the first years, the regions present themselves as actively highlighting financial and quality concerns, which changes to a passive and indirect form of presentation steered by indicators and patient legislation enforced by central government. This enhances passivity and distance in healthcare regional non-financial reporting where the regions seek to conform to such demands. Simultaneously, however, the authors find a tendency to highlight very different local initiatives, which shows an attempt to go beyond a pure automatic mode of reporting found in earlier studies.

Originality/value

Responding to the literature on both healthcare and financial reporting, this study identifies novel links between micro-level texts and macro-level social practices, enabling insights into the potentially intertwined impacts of public-sector reporting. The authors offer insights into the complexity of the construction of non-financial reporting in the public sector, which has a wider impact and different intentions than private-sector reporting.

Details

Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal, vol. 37 no. 6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0951-3574

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 17 September 2024

Ehsan Tashakori and Yaser Sobhanifard

This study aims to comprehensively analyze the intersection of technology management and innovation management amidst the fourth industrial revolution, uncovering evolving trends…

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to comprehensively analyze the intersection of technology management and innovation management amidst the fourth industrial revolution, uncovering evolving trends and influential contributors.

Design/methodology/approach

Using the Bibliometrix R-package, this pioneering research conducts a bibliometric analysis to delve into innovation and technology management literature, quantifying scholarly output and identifying thematic breakthroughs.

Findings

The study reveals quantitative insights into the progression of innovation and technology management research, offering guidance on evolving trends, thematic breakthroughs and influential contributors.

Practical implications

The findings offer valuable insights for practitioners and managers, guiding them through emerging trends and recommending a dual focus on fundamental principles and emerging areas for strategic decision-making.

Social implications

By fostering active engagement with evolving trends, this research contributes to the ongoing technology and innovation management discourse, potentially leading to societal benefits and advancements.

Originality/value

This study pioneers an in-depth bibliometric analysis at the intersection of innovation and technology management, offering unique insights and quantitative assessments of scholarly output and thematic trends, thus adding significant value to the existing literature.

Details

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

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 14 June 2024

Leanne J. Morrison, Trevor Wilmshurst and Peter Hay

Environmental philosophies have guided cultures throughout history and continue to do so. This paper uses a framework of environmental philosophies drawn from history and the…

Abstract

Purpose

Environmental philosophies have guided cultures throughout history and continue to do so. This paper uses a framework of environmental philosophies drawn from history and the present, to analyse contemporary corporate environmental reporting. The purpose of this paper is to interrogate the philosophical underpinnings of corporate reporting allows for a nuanced understanding of the relationship between corporate activities and nature, and in so doing demonstrates the moral practices of accounting for nature.

Design/methodology/approach

Three themes are extracted from a historical review of western environmental philosophy: dualism, transcendence and interconnectivity. These themes are applied to a sample of corporate environmental reports through discourse analysis, enabling the illustration of otherwise obscured moral characteristics of the corporate relationship with the natural environment.

Findings

This paper uses environmental philosophies to better understand some of the implicit messaging of corporate environmental reporting. Evidence of each of the three themes is found in a sample of environmental reports, predominantly dualism and interconnectivity.

Research limitations/implications

Understanding that accounting is not just a technical, but also a social and moral practice expands the way the authors can interpret the outcomes of accounting. By presenting an exemplar of how accounting practice such as the corporate sustainability report can be analysed through a moral lens, this paper offers new insights intentioned to inform a more meaningful approach to environmental reporting.

Originality/value

A novel framework to explore the corporate sector’s relationship with the natural environment is presented. In light of current and predicted environmental changes, much of which has been attributed to the impact of corporate activities, the importance of a detailed explication of this relationship – such as the one proposed here – becomes imperative.

Details

Meditari Accountancy Research, vol. 32 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2049-372X

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 12 March 2024

Nanna Gillberg

The article aims to investigate how washing practices focused on appeasing sceptics of diversity work in for-profit organizations play out in corporate online communication of…

1226

Abstract

Purpose

The article aims to investigate how washing practices focused on appeasing sceptics of diversity work in for-profit organizations play out in corporate online communication of diversity and inclusion efforts, and how these enable communication to a wide audience that includes social equity advocates.

Design/methodology/approach

Online corporate communication data of diversity and inclusion themes were compiled from the websites of eight Swedish-based multinational corporations. The data included content from the companies’ official websites and annual reports and sustainability reports as well as diversity and inclusion-themed blog posts. A thematic analysis was conducted on the website content.

Findings

The study showcases how tensions between conflicting external demands are navigated by keeping the communication open to several interpretations and thereby achieving multivocality. In the studied corporate texts on diversity and inclusion, this is achieved by alternating between elements catering to a business case audience and those that appeal to a social justice audience, with some procedures managing to appease both audiences at the same time.

Originality/value

The article complements previously described forms of washing by introducing an additional type of washing – business case washing – an articulation of the business case rhetoric that characterizes the diversity management discourse. While much has been written about washing to satisfy advocates of social change and equity, washing to appease shareholders and boardroom members, who are focused on profit and economic growth, has received less attention. The article suggests that online corporate communication on diversity and inclusion, by appeasing diverse audiences, can be seen as aspirational talk.

Details

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion: An International Journal, vol. 43 no. 9
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2040-7149

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 3 September 2024

Xinqi Lin

Against the backdrop of the convergence and divergence debate in comparative management studies, this study aims to explore Chinese-style management and proposes the…

Abstract

Purpose

Against the backdrop of the convergence and divergence debate in comparative management studies, this study aims to explore Chinese-style management and proposes the husband-housewife-patriarchy (HHP) model of management, emphasizing the uniqueness of Chinese management practices that are differentiated from Western- and Japanese-oriented paradigms while advocating a progressive and practical approach to understanding and applying these principles [1].

Design/methodology/approach

This study combines a “bottom-up” and “top-down” logic of analysis to reexamine the general managerial approaches, with particular attention toward human resource management as a stream within the whole management spectrum across China, the USA, Europe and Japan, reaching a typological representation of the above prototypes, which is coined as the HHP model of management. In doing so, this paper proffers a novel lens for revisiting these models and advancing management innovation in China.

Findings

Chinese-style management is characterized by an array of unique approaches diverging from Western and Japanese models. The HHP management model is presented as a new framework for reinterpreting these distinctions and encouraging management innovation within China, highlighting the potential of Chinese management practices in contributing to global management knowledge.

Originality/value

This paper offers novel perspectives on Chinese-style management and introduces the HHP management model, enriching the discourse on comparative management and local innovation in the managerial arena.

Details

Management Research Review, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2040-8269

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 26 August 2024

Catheryn Khoo and Xinhua Guan

The purpose of this paper is to critically examine and address the historical gender biases within heritage tourism, particularly focusing on the marginalisation of women’s…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to critically examine and address the historical gender biases within heritage tourism, particularly focusing on the marginalisation of women’s narratives, and subsequently, to advocate for a more inclusive and gender-neutral approach in both the interpretation and management of cultural and heritage tourism.

Design/methodology/approach

Rather than adhering strictly to one methodological tradition, the pragmatist framework for this study involves a cursory review of extant academic literature pertaining to the historical representation of women in heritage tourism. Since pragmatism acknowledges that theories are context-dependent, the review is coupled with a discerning reflection on our own extensive body of work spanning the last 15 years, particularly focusing on gender dynamics and women’s roles within the broader context of tourism studies.

Findings

Findings advocate for investigating the use of women’s histories to foster diversity in cultural heritage and heritage tourism; highlighting marginalised indigenous and migrant women; examining the impact of inclusivity changes on urban spatial practices; and advancing historical methodologies for non-Anglo women’s histories in heritage tourism.

Originality/value

The paper underscores a positive shift in the tourism academy towards recognising diversity in research and, in line with this, contributes to a prospective research agenda that advocates for the nuanced exploration of women’s histories in the promotion of diversity and inclusivity in cultural heritage and heritage tourism management.

目的

本文旨在批判性地审视和解决遗产旅游中的历史性性别偏见, 尤其关注女性叙事的边缘化, 进而倡导在文化和遗产旅游的解释和管理中采用更具包容性和性别中立的方法。

设计/方法论/方法

本研究没有严格遵循一种方法论传统。本研究的实用主义框架涉及对现有学术文献的简要回顾, 这些文献与女性在遗产旅游中的历史表现有关。由于实用主义承认理论是依赖于具体情境的, 因此该综述结合了对我们过去15年广泛研究成果的敏锐反思, 特别关注旅游研究大背景下的性别动态和女性角色。

研究结果

研究结果倡导利用女性历史来促进文化遗产和遗产旅游中的多样性; 强调被边缘化的土著和移民女性; 研究包容性变化对城市空间实践的影响; 并推进在遗产旅游中对非英裔女性历史的历史研究方法。

原创性/价值

本文强调了旅游学术界在研究中逐渐认可多样性的积极转变, 并据此为未来的研究议程做出贡献, 提倡在文化遗产和遗产旅游管理中通过详细探讨女性历史来促进多样性和包容性。

Propósito

El objetivo de este artículo es examinar y abordar críticamente los sesgos históricos de género en el turismo patrimonial, en particular centrándose en la marginación de las narrativas de las mujeres y, posteriormente, abogando por un enfoque más inclusivo y neutro desde el punto de vista del género, tanto en la interpretación como en la gestión del turismo cultural y patrimonial.

Diseño/metodología/enfoque

En lugar de adherirse estrictamente a una tradición metodológica, el marco pragmatista de este estudio implica una revisión somera de la literatura académica existente sobre la representación histórica de las mujeres en el turismo patrimonial. Dado que el pragmatismo reconoce que las teorías dependen del contexto, la revisión se complementa con una reflexión perspicaz sobre nuestro extenso corpus de trabajo de los últimos 15 años, centrándose particularmente en la dinámica de género y en los roles de las mujeres en el contexto más amplio de los estudios de turismo.

Resultados

Las conclusiones abogan por investigar el uso de las historias de mujeres para fomentar la diversidad en el patrimonio cultural y el turismo patrimonial; poner de relieve a las mujeres indígenas y migrantes marginadas; examinar el impacto de los cambios inclusivos en las prácticas espaciales urbanas; y avanzar en las metodologías históricas para las historias de mujeres no anglosajonas en el turismo patrimonial.

Originalidad/valor

Este artículo subraya un cambio positivo en la academia de turismo hacia el reconocimiento de la diversidad en la investigación y, en consonancia con ello, contribuye a una agenda de investigación prospectiva que aboga por la exploración matizada de las historias de las mujeres en la promoción de la diversidad y la inclusión en la gestión del patrimonio cultural y del turismo patrimonial.

Details

Tourism Review, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1660-5373

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 26 December 2023

Mona Nikidehaghani

This paper aims to explore how accounting is fostering neoliberal citizenship through the participants of Australia’s National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS). More…

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Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to explore how accounting is fostering neoliberal citizenship through the participants of Australia’s National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS). More specifically, this paper aims to understand how accounting discourse and the management accounting technique of budgeting, when intertwined with automated administrative processes of the NDIS, are giving rise to a pastoral form of power that directs people’s behaviour toward certain ends.

Design/methodology/approach

Publicly available data has been crafted into an autoethnographic case study of one fictitious person’s experiences with the NDIS – Mina. Mina is an amalgam created from material submitted to the Joint Parliamentary Standing Committee on the NDIS. Mina’s experiences are then analysed through the lens of Foucault’s concept of pastoral power to explore how accounting has contributed to marketising and digitising public disability services.

Findings

Accounting rhetoric appears to be a central part of rationalising the decision to shift to individualised disability funding. Those receiving payments are treated as self-governable, financially responsible subjects and are therefore expected to have knowledge of management accounting techniques and budgeting. However, NDIS’s strong reliance on the accounting concepts of funds, budgets, cost and price is limiting people’s autonomy and subjecting them to intervention and control.

Originality/value

This paper addresses calls to explore the interplay between accounting and current disability policies. The analysis shows that incorporating accounting into the NDIS’s algorithms serves to conceal the underlying ideology of the programs, subtly driving behaviours towards neoliberal objectives. Further, this research extends the Foucauldian accounting literature by revealing the contribution of accounting to reinforcing the authority of digital pastors in contemporary times.

Details

Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal, vol. 37 no. 9
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0951-3574

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 16 July 2024

Henriett Primecz

This paper aims to investigate the concept of VUCA (volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity) in the field of cross-cultural management.

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to investigate the concept of VUCA (volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity) in the field of cross-cultural management.

Design/methodology/approach

The related literature has been analysed from various paradigmatic lenses.

Findings

As the VUCA world concept originates from business circles, several key articles were published in non-academic journals. Two distinct groups of publications can be identified: consulting literature and academic literature on the VUCA world. While both consulting literature and academic literature about the VUCA world can be associated with functionalism, alternative research paradigms can easily accommodate new studies in connection with the VUCA world: interpretive, critical and postmodern works would fit the features of the VUCA world, along with multi-paradigm studies.

Research limitations/implications

It is advisable to investigate emergent contemporary issues, often labelled VUCA, according to multiple paradigms and to conduct multi-paradigmatic research.

Originality/value

While consulting literature on the VUCA world implicitly assumes functionalist paradigms, academic literature might provide alternative assumptions. Interpretative, critical and postmodern paradigms more accurately address the issues raised by VUCA.

Details

International Journal of Organizational Analysis, vol. 32 no. 11
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1934-8835

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 July 2024

Nimbus Awhina Staniland, Diane Ruwhiu and Kiri Dell

This paper argues for the inclusion of Indigenous research methodologies in diversity scholarship to (1) adequately account for and value the identity, lived experiences and…

Abstract

Purpose

This paper argues for the inclusion of Indigenous research methodologies in diversity scholarship to (1) adequately account for and value the identity, lived experiences and concerns of Indigenous Peoples and (2) to enrich diversity theorising and scholarship by proposing new ways to think about and conduct research on difference, inclusion and belonging. We further highlight the roles non-Indigenous researchers can play in supporting Indigenous methodologies.

Design/methodology/approach

We introduce EDI readers to Indigenous research methodologies through explicating two Indigenous (Maori) methodologies from Aotearoa New Zealand and demonstrating points of convergence and divergence from existing methodologies evident in diversity scholarship.

Findings

The application of Eurocentric methodologies, including postcolonial approaches, can inaccurately theorise Indigenous experience through a Western lens compounding the ongoing impacts of colonialism. Conversely, drawing primarily from cultural knowledge and traditions, Indigenous methodologies place considerable value on people and place, relationships and relational accountabilities, each underpinned by an explicit intent to produce research with positive transformative potential for participant communities. Using Kaupapa Maori and Mana Wahine research as examples, we highlight how elements of “resistance” aligns with critical theories, but the “difference” inherent in Indigenous methodologies enables a more authentic engagement with people and place that is critical to understanding issues of significance to Indigenous Peoples.

Originality/value

This paper addresses the lack of engagement with Indigenous research methodologies and priorities of Indigenous communities within diversity scholarship. We argue that Indigenous priorities make broader contributions to the diversity agenda by attributing deeper meaning to difference and resistance as enacted through the context specificity of the Indigenous world. We contend Indigenous methodologies illuminate unique perspectives and priorities that can make powerful contributions to broader discussions of equity, inclusion and belonging.

Details

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion: An International Journal, vol. 43 no. 6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2040-7149

Keywords

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