Search results

1 – 10 of 16
Article
Publication date: 6 December 2023

Karen McBride, Jill Frances Atkins and Barry Colin Atkins

This paper explores the way in which industrial pollution has been expressed in the narrative accounts of nature, landscape and industry by William Gilpin in his 18th-century…

Abstract

Purpose

This paper explores the way in which industrial pollution has been expressed in the narrative accounts of nature, landscape and industry by William Gilpin in his 18th-century picturesque travel writings. A positive description of pollution is generally outdated and unacceptable in the current society. The authors contrast his “picturesque” view with the contemporary perception of industrial pollution, reflect on these early accounts of industrial impacts as representing the roots of impression management and use the analysis to inform current accounting.

Design/methodology/approach

The research uses an interpretive content analysis of the text to draw out themes and features of impression management. Goffman's impression management is the theoretical lens through which Gilpin's travel accounts are interpreted, considering this microhistory through a thematic research approach. The picturesque accounts are explored with reference to the context of impression management.

Findings

Gilpin's travel writings and the “Picturesque” aesthetic movement, it appears, constructed a social reality around negative industrial externalities such as air pollution and indeed around humans' impact on nature, through a lens which described pollution as adding aesthetically to the natural landscape. The lens through which the picturesque tourist viewed and expressed negative externalities involved quite literally the tourists' tricks of the trade, Claude glass, called also Gray's glass, a tinted lens to frame the view.

Originality/value

The paper adds to the wealth of literature in accounting and business pertaining to the ways in which companies socially construct reality through their accounts and links closely to the impression management literature in accounting. There is also a body of literature relating to the use of images and photographs in published corporate reports, which again is linked to impression management as well as to a growing literature exploring the potential for the aesthetic influence in accounting and corporate communication. Further, this paper contributes to the growing body of research into the historical roots of environmental reporting.

Details

Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0951-3574

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 29 March 2024

Jiming Hu, Zexian Yang, Jiamin Wang, Wei Qian, Cunwan Feng and Wei Lu

This study proposes a novel method utilising a speech-word pair bipartite network to examine the correlation structure between members of parliament (MPs) in the context of the…

Abstract

Purpose

This study proposes a novel method utilising a speech-word pair bipartite network to examine the correlation structure between members of parliament (MPs) in the context of the UK- China relationship.

Design/methodology/approach

We construct MP-word pair bipartite networks based on the co-occurrence relationship between MPs and words in their speech content. These networks are then mapped into monopartite MPs correlation networks. Additionally, the study calculates correlation network indicators and identifies MP communities and factions to determine the characteristics of MPs and their interrelation in the UK-China relationship. This includes insights into the distribution of key MPs, their correlation structure and the evolution and development trends of MP factions.

Findings

Analysis of the parliamentary speeches on China-related affairs in the British Parliament from 2011 to 2020 reveals that the distribution and interrelationship of MPs engaged in UK-China affairs are centralised and discrete, with a few core MPs playing an integral role in the UK-China relationship. Among them, MPs such as Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon, David Cameron, Lord Hunt of Chesterton and Lord Howell of Guildford formed factions with significant differences; however, the continuity of their evolution exhibits unstableness. The core MP factions, such as those led by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon and David Cameron, have achieved a level of maturity and exert significant influence.

Research limitations/implications

The research has several limitations that warrant acknowledgement. First, we mapped the MP-word pair bipartite network into the MP correlation network for analysis without directly analysing the structure of MPs based on the bipartite network. In future studies, we aim to explore various types of analysis based on the proposed bipartite networks to provide more comprehensive and accurate references for studying UK-China relations. In addition, we seek to incorporate semantic-level analyses, such as sentiment analysis of MPs, into the MP-word -pair bipartite networks for in-depth analysis. Second, the interpretations of MP structures in the UK-China relationship in this study are limited. Consequently, expertise in UK-China relations should be incorporated to enhance the study and provide more practical recommendations.

Practical implications

Firstly, the findings can contribute to an objective understanding of the characteristics and connotations of UK-China relations, thereby informing adjustments of focus accordingly. The identification of the main factions in the UK-China relationship emphasises the imperative for governments to pay greater attention to these MPs’ speeches and social relationships. Secondly, examining the evolution and development of MP factions aids in identifying a country’s diplomatic focus during different periods. This can assist governments in responding promptly to relevant issues and contribute to the formulation of effective foreign policies.

Social implications

First, this study expands the research methodology of parliamentary debates analysis in previous studies. To the best of our knowledge, we are the first to study the UK-China relationship through the MP-word-pair bipartite network. This outcome inspires future researchers to apply various knowledge networks in the LIS field to elucidate deeper characteristics and connotations of UK-China relations. Second, this study provides a novel perspective for UK-China relationship analysis, which deepens the research object from keywords to MPs. This finding may offer important implications for researchers to further study the role of MPs in the UK-China relationship.

Originality/value

This study proposes a novel scheme for analysing the correlation structure between MPs based on bipartite networks. This approach offers insights into the development and evolving dynamics of MPs.

Details

Aslib Journal of Information Management, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2050-3806

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 13 March 2024

Keanu Telles

The paper provides a detailed historical account of Douglass C. North's early intellectual contributions and analytical developments in pursuing a Grand Theory for why some…

Abstract

Purpose

The paper provides a detailed historical account of Douglass C. North's early intellectual contributions and analytical developments in pursuing a Grand Theory for why some countries are rich and others poor.

Design/methodology/approach

The author approaches the discussion using a theoretical and historical reconstruction based on published and unpublished materials.

Findings

The systematic, continuous and profound attempt to answer the Smithian social coordination problem shaped North's journey from being a young serious Marxist to becoming one of the founders of New Institutional Economics. In the process, he was converted in the early 1950s into a rigid neoclassical economist, being one of the leaders in promoting New Economic History. The success of the cliometric revolution exposed the frailties of the movement itself, namely, the limitations of neoclassical economic theory to explain economic growth and social change. Incorporating transaction costs, the institutional framework in which property rights and contracts are measured, defined and enforced assumes a prominent role in explaining economic performance.

Originality/value

In the early 1970s, North adopted a naive theory of institutions and property rights still grounded in neoclassical assumptions. Institutional and organizational analysis is modeled as a social maximizing efficient equilibrium outcome. However, the increasing tension between the neoclassical theoretical apparatus and its failure to account for contrasting political and institutional structures, diverging economic paths and social change propelled the modification of its assumptions and progressive conceptual innovation. In the later 1970s and early 1980s, North abandoned the efficiency view and gradually became more critical of the objective rationality postulate. In this intellectual movement, North's avant-garde research program contributed significantly to the creation of New Institutional Economics.

Details

EconomiA, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1517-7580

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 29 January 2024

Hillary Shiverenje Songole

CPTED’s premise to the improvement of quality of life (QOL) is crime prevention and safety, and yet there is little concern for the impact of CPTED implementation to QOL when the…

Abstract

Purpose

CPTED’s premise to the improvement of quality of life (QOL) is crime prevention and safety, and yet there is little concern for the impact of CPTED implementation to QOL when the crime increases after the interventions.

Design/methodology/approach

This study systematically analyzed articles both quantitatively and qualitatively.

Findings

This study found that the CPTED–QOL relationship discussion was highly inadequate in research. Improvement of QOL has been elevated to an unquestionable and certain truth of CPTED and yet the evidence on this is highly inconclusive.

Originality/value

This study is a contribution to the CPTED–QOL discussion that has been lacking.

Details

Safer Communities, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1757-8043

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 11 July 2023

Toby Gledhill, William Swan and Richard Fitton

This paper aims to focus on the assessment of a domestic property's energy performance status by a domestic energy assessor (DEA), to ascertain the possible underlying reasons for…

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to focus on the assessment of a domestic property's energy performance status by a domestic energy assessor (DEA), to ascertain the possible underlying reasons for variability in the results of Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs). By variability, the authors mean discrepancies in assessment between different DEAs on similar properties. This is important because the uses for the EPC have been extended beyond their original function as an asset rating system, to include themes encompassing building policy decisions, building performance and the distribution of incentives and grants. Consequently, inaccuracies in EPC reporting will have a greater impact than may have been the case at the outset.

Design/methodology/approach

A case study approach involving the conducting of semi-structured interviews with 20 practicing DEAs was carried out, with transcribed recordings of the interview material subjected to thematic analysis. This formed part of a wider mixed methods study.

Findings

The results identify a wide range of underlying reasons for variability driven by issues in both practice and process, including conflicts of interests, the EPC auditing process, the default inputting of missing data by RdSAP where information may not be available/discoverable by the DEA, the quality and perception of EPCs and DEA training and experience.

Research limitations/implications

The sample size of 20 is by definition limiting, and it is possible that different results would have been obtained from a different sample. Although thematic saturation from the analysis of the responses on the key question of whether EPCs are considered variable does mitigate this. The respondents were all in possession of five years or more experience and of carrying out EPCs for different purposes. Less experienced DEAs may inevitably have responded to questions differently. The thematic analysis gives the researcher control over the presentation of the results, and it is noted that this creates a potential for bias. The researcher is immersed in the world of construction and property, with regular contact with DEAs and EPCs, which may influence the perspective of the results.

Practical implications

The research identifies risks to the accuracy of EPCs. To this end, and with the specific research findings in mind, this research may be of interest to construction professionals with respect to EPC practice and procurement, to the Accrediting Bodies who audit EPCs, to the creators of RdSAP with respect to automated EPC inputs, to academics either at face value or for use in further research and to policy makers who may wish to consider RdSAP data in future with qualifiers or margins of error, or may even look to review the EPC as the instrument of choice for some applications.

Originality/value

There is much literature analysing the shortcomings and nuances of RdSAP results, and the software model that generates the EPC, but only very limited literature extending the discussion about RdSAP to its operator: the DEA. At the time of writing, there is no literature focusing directly on the DEA and its role within the EPC production process. Their role is more important now, given the expanding use of EPCs, and increased reliance on EPC data.

Details

International Journal of Building Pathology and Adaptation, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2398-4708

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 13 February 2024

Ionut Nica

This bibliometric mapping study aimed to provide comprehensive insights into the global research landscape of cybernetics. Utilizing the biblioshiny function in R Studio, we…

Abstract

Purpose

This bibliometric mapping study aimed to provide comprehensive insights into the global research landscape of cybernetics. Utilizing the biblioshiny function in R Studio, we conducted an analysis spanning 1958 to 2023, sourcing data from Scopus. This research focuses on key terms such as cybernetics, cybernetics systems, complex adaptive systems, viable system models (VSM), agent-based modeling, feedback loops and complexity systems.

Design/methodology/approach

The analysis leveraged R Studio’s biblioshiny function to perform bibliometric mapping. Keyword searches were conducted within titles, abstracts and keywords, targeting terms central to cybernetics. The timespan, 1958–2023, provides a comprehensive overview of the evolution of cybernetics-related literature. The data were extracted from Scopus to ensure a robust and widely recognized source.

Findings

The results revealed a rich and interconnected global research network in cybernetics. The word cloud analysis highlights prominent terms such as “agent-based modeling,” “complex adaptive systems,” “feedback loop,” “viable system model” and “cybernetics.” Notably, the journal Kybernetes has emerged as a focal point, with significant citations, solidifying its position as a key source within the cybernetics research domain. The bibliometric map provides visual clarity regarding the relationships between various concepts and their evolution over time.

Originality/value

This study contributes original insights by employing advanced bibliometric techniques in R Studio to map the cybernetics research landscape. The comprehensive analysis sheds light on the evolution of key concepts and the global collaborative networks shaping cybernetics research. The identification of influential sources, such as Kybernetes, adds value to researchers seeking to navigate and contribute to the dynamic field of cybernetics. Furthermore, this study highlights that cybernetics not only provides a useful framework for understanding and managing major economic shocks but also offers perspectives for understanding phenomena in various fields such as economics, medicine, environmental sciences and climate change.

Details

Kybernetes, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0368-492X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 19 March 2024

Brandon Mastromartino

The purpose of this study was to gather insights from sport marketing professionals and identify key opportunities, challenges and knowledge that sport marketing educators and…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to gather insights from sport marketing professionals and identify key opportunities, challenges and knowledge that sport marketing educators and researchers could utilize in developing curriculum and research agendas.

Design/methodology/approach

A qualitative approach was used, and data were collected through in-depth interviews with 15 sport marketing professionals. Participants were asked questions related to the knowledge, skills and experiences that they believe are important for students to have to be successful in the industry, as well as the types of research that would be most useful in their day-to-day work.

Findings

Industry professionals noted collaboration, transformation in digital marketing, data and analytics and experiential marketing as key trends facing the industry today. The findings suggest that sport marketing curriculum should focus on soft skill development such as communication, relationship building and empathy alongside hard skill development such as data analysis and storytelling. As well, findings show research areas where scholars can aid practitioners with a focus on consumer insights, technology, measuring ROI and experiential marketing.

Originality/value

With these findings, educators and scholars can better prepare students for successful careers in industry and contribute to the ongoing advancement of the scholarly field. This study serves as a starting point for further research in this area, and it is hoped that it will spark continued collaboration between academia and industry.

Details

International Journal of Sports Marketing and Sponsorship, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1464-6668

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 February 2024

Hakeem A. Owolabi, Azeez A. Oyedele, Lukumon Oyedele, Hafiz Alaka, Oladimeji Olawale, Oluseyi Aju, Lukman Akanbi and Sikiru Ganiyu

Despite an enormous body of literature on conflict management, intra-group conflicts vis-à-vis team performance, there is currently no study investigating the conflict prevention…

Abstract

Purpose

Despite an enormous body of literature on conflict management, intra-group conflicts vis-à-vis team performance, there is currently no study investigating the conflict prevention approach to handling innovation-induced conflicts that may hinder smooth implementation of big data technology in project teams.

Design/methodology/approach

This study uses constructs from conflict theory, and team power relations to develop an explanatory framework. The study proceeded to formulate theoretical hypotheses from task-conflict, process-conflict, relationship and team power conflict. The hypotheses were tested using Partial Least Square Structural Equation Model (PLS-SEM) to understand key preventive measures that can encourage conflict prevention in project teams when implementing big data technology.

Findings

Results from the structural model validated six out of seven theoretical hypotheses and identified Relationship Conflict Prevention as the most important factor for promoting smooth implementation of Big Data Analytics technology in project teams. This is followed by power-conflict prevention, prevention of task disputes and prevention of Process conflicts respectively. Results also show that relationship and power conflicts interact on the one hand, while task and relationship conflict prevention also interact on the other hand, thus, suggesting the prevention of one of the conflicts could minimise the outbreak of the other.

Research limitations/implications

The study has been conducted within the context of big data adoption in a project-based work environment and the need to prevent innovation-induced conflicts in teams. Similarly, the research participants examined are stakeholders within UK projected-based organisations.

Practical implications

The study urges organisations wishing to embrace big data innovation to evolve a multipronged approach for facilitating smooth implementation through prevention of conflicts among project frontlines. This study urges organisations to anticipate both subtle and overt frictions that can undermine relationships and team dynamics, effective task performance, derail processes and create unhealthy rivalry that undermines cooperation and collaboration in the team.

Social implications

The study also addresses the uncertainty and disruption that big data technology presents to employees in teams and explore conflict prevention measure which can be used to mitigate such in project teams.

Originality/value

The study proposes a Structural Model for establishing conflict prevention strategies in project teams through a multidimensional framework that combines constructs like team power conflict, process, relationship and task conflicts; to encourage Big Data implementation.

Details

Information Technology & People, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0959-3845

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 7 February 2024

Kaye Kye Sung Chon and Fei Hao

This study aims to chart the impact of technological advancements on tourism from the post–Second World War era to the present and forecast their influence until 2050. It assesses…

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to chart the impact of technological advancements on tourism from the post–Second World War era to the present and forecast their influence until 2050. It assesses how technologies have reshaped travel experiences and operations, with a focus on upcoming innovations such as the metaverse, Web 3.0 and AI, and their implications for sustainable and ethical tourism.

Design/methodology/approach

This study uses a hybrid approach, combining historical analysis and future projections. It analyzes archival data, industry reports and academic literature.

Findings

This study identifies crucial technological milestones that have significantly impacted tourism, including the rise of commercial aviation, the internet and AI. Future trends suggest emerging technologies will further transform the sector. Challenges in sustainability, ethics and inclusivity are highlighted as critical considerations for future development.

Originality/value

This paper offers a unique longitudinal perspective on technology’s influence on tourism, bridging past trends with future projections.

设计/方法论

本研究采取混合方法, 融合历史分析与未来趋势预测。研究分析了丰富的档案数据、行业报告以及学术文献。

研究目的

旨在勾勒从二战后至今技术进步对旅游业的影响, 并展望至2050年的潜在影响。本研究着重评估技术如何重塑旅游体验和运作, 特别是对元宇宙、网络3.0和人工智能等即将到来的创新技术及其对可持续和伦理旅游的意义。

研究发现

识别了旅游业中关键的技术里程碑, 包括商业航空、互联网和人工智能的崛起。研究指出, 未来趋势显示新兴技术将继续深刻改变旅游业。同时强调, 可持续性、伦理和包容性是未来发展中不可忽视的关键要素。

原创性/价值

本文从独特的纵向视角出发, 深入探讨了技术对旅游业的历史与未来影响, 将过去发展趋势与未来展望紧密结合。

Diseño/metodología/enfoque

Este estudio emplea un enfoque híbrido que combina el análisis histórico y las proyecciones de futuro. Analiza datos de archivo, informes del sector y bibliografía académica.

Objetivo

La investigación pretende trazar el impacto de los avances tecnológicos en el turismo desde la era posterior a la Segunda Guerra Mundial hasta la actualidad y prever su influencia hasta 2050. Evalúa cómo las tecnologías han reconfigurado las experiencias y las operaciones de viaje, centrándose en las próximas innovaciones como el Metaverso, la Web 3.0 y la IA, y sus implicaciones para un turismo sostenible y ético.

Resultados

El estudio identifica hitos tecnológicos cruciales que han tenido un impacto significativo en el turismo, como el auge de la aviación comercial, Internet y la IA. Las tendencias futuras sugieren que las tecnologías emergentes transformarán aún más el sector. Los retos en sostenibilidad, ética e inclusividad se destacan como consideraciones críticas para el desarrollo futuro.

Originalidad/valor

Este artículo ofrece una perspectiva longitudinal única sobre la influencia de la tecnología en el turismo, tendiendo un puente entre las tendencias pasadas y las proyecciones futuras.

Article
Publication date: 21 February 2024

Chern Li Liew and Victoria Passau

Online/Digital cultural heritage platforms have the potential to serve as empowering sites and tools for democratic participation, and for promoting social cohesion, acting as…

Abstract

Purpose

Online/Digital cultural heritage platforms have the potential to serve as empowering sites and tools for democratic participation, and for promoting social cohesion, acting as convergence points for diverse societal groups. They enable the gathering of multiple voices, including those of minorities and groups often marginalised in mainstream cultural heritage documentation. This research paper examines the ways in which these aspirations of cultural heritage platforms as meeting, learning and dialogic spaces for connecting and empowering online communities have been realised.

Design/methodology/approach

Using a qualitative design, interviews were conducted with users of New Zealand’s Auckland War Memorial Museum’s Online Cenotaph. Participants shared their experiences with the platform, perceptions of it as a collective social history resource and views on its role as a participatory space for online communities. They also discussed their expectations for its development as an online space for collective memorialisation.

Findings

Interviews revealed that users value Online Cenotaph for placing personal, publicly contributed memories and narratives alongside primary military sources. Participants expressed feelings of civic responsibility, social awareness and a sense of identity and connection through their use and contribution to this online commemorative space. The shift from a one-way flow of information from the Museum towards embracing public contribution embodying a high-trust approach, was a notable finding.

Originality/value

This research underscores the evolving role of museums and other GLAM institutions in recognising the importance of inclusivity, diversity and community participation. It provides insights into how digital cultural heritage social platforms can contribute towards these goals and promote social cohesion. This research is also a starting point for further studies on crowdsourcing and social Web activities on digital cultural heritage platforms as sites of community building through public participation and engagement in historical/cultural heritage narratives.

Details

Global Knowledge, Memory and Communication, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2514-9342

Keywords

1 – 10 of 16