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1 – 10 of 259Abebe Hambe Talema and Wubshet Berhanu Nigusie
The purpose of this study is to analyze the horizontal expansion of Burayu Town between 1990 and 2020. The study typically acts as a baseline for integrated spatial planning in…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to analyze the horizontal expansion of Burayu Town between 1990 and 2020. The study typically acts as a baseline for integrated spatial planning in small- and medium-sized towns, which will help to plan sustainable utilization of land.
Design/methodology/approach
Landsat5-TM, Landsat7 ETM+, Landsat5 TM and Landsat8 OLI were used in the study, along with other auxiliary data. The LULC map classifications were generated using the Random Forest Package from the Comprehensive R Archive Network. Post-classification, spatial metrics, and per capita land consumption rate were used to understand the manner and rate of expansion of Burayu Town. Focus group discussions and key informant interviews were also used to validate land use classes through triangulation.
Findings
The study found that the built-up area was the most dynamic LULC category (85.1%) as it increased by over 4,000 ha between 1990 and 2020. Furthermore, population increase did not result in density increase as per capita land consumption increased from 0.024 to 0.040 during the same period.
Research limitations/implications
As a result of financial limitations, there were no high-resolution satellite images available, making it challenging to pinpoint the truth as it is on the ground. Including senior citizens in the study region allowed this study to overcome these restrictions and detect every type of land use and cover.
Practical implications
Data on urban growth are useful for planning land uses, estimating growth rates and advising the government on how best to use land. This can be achieved by monitoring and reviewing development plans using satellite imaging data and GIS tools.
Originality/value
The use of Random Forest for image classification and the employment of local knowledge to validate the accuracy of land cover classification is a novel approach to properly customize remote sensing applications.
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Jubin Jacob-John, Clare D'Souza, Timothy Marjoribanks and Stephen Singaraju
Food Loss and Waste (FLW), a result of non-sustainable consumption and production, has significant socio-environmental impacts and is addressed in the United Nation's Sustainable…
Abstract
Purpose
Food Loss and Waste (FLW), a result of non-sustainable consumption and production, has significant socio-environmental impacts and is addressed in the United Nation's Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 12.3. To address current research on FLW and SDG 12.3, the authors aim to evidence the current state of knowledge on drivers and barriers to SDG 12.3 through a comprehensive literature review.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors employed a multi-step systematic literature review process and retrieved 171 studies addressing SDGs, with 83 explicitly addressing SDG 12.3. The analysis involved a qualitative content analysis of studies retrieved by analyzing key findings and relationships between drivers and barriers to FLW.
Findings
While academic research focuses on SDG 12.3 by stressing the necessity of FLW reduction, it fails to explain the drivers and barriers to minimizing FLW. The authors developed a conceptual framework to demonstrate how barriers and drivers can inhibit or stimulate the dynamics that will achieve SDG 12.3 through effective planning and management.
Research limitations/implications
This study addressed the theoretical limitations of existing studies and clarified the critical gaps in the current literature, thereby guiding future researchers in the food supply chain (FSC) context.
Originality/value
The research to date focused on high-income countries, and future empirical studies should focus on consumption patterns, the associated drivers and barriers of food waste in low-income countries and its social impact.
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Neeraj Kumar, Mohit Tyagi and Anish Sachdeva
The current study aims to deliver a consolidated view of environmental sustainability in cold supply chain performance systems (CSCPS), incorporating theoretical and empirical…
Abstract
Purpose
The current study aims to deliver a consolidated view of environmental sustainability in cold supply chain performance systems (CSCPS), incorporating theoretical and empirical analysis for improving environmental standards. For this purpose, this study firstly aims to explore and analyze the various crucial challenging factors for environmental sustainability in the cold supply chain (CSC). Secondly, it discovers the most effective sustainable strategies for improving the environmental sustainability of CSCPS.
Design/methodology/approach
The exploration of the crucial challenging factors and the proposed sustainable strategies have been done using a systematic literature review relevant to the sustainable performance of CSC. At the same time, semi-structured brainstorming sessions were conducted with the domain professionals having an industrial and academic background to finalize the strategies. Empirical analysis has been performed using an intuitionistic fuzzy (IF) based hybrid approach of SWARA and COPRAS methods.
Findings
The key findings of the study address that “higher energy consumption during refrigerated transportation and storage” is the most crucial challenge for environmental sustainability in CSC. In addition, “managerial refrain to profit decline due to sustainability implementation” is the second most crucial challenge that hinders the adoption of sustainable practices in CSCs. Meanwhile, the governmental attention to motivating organizations for green adoption and implementation of solar energy-driven refrigeration technologies are the two most important discoveries of the study that might help in improving CSC's environmental performance.
Research limitations/implications
From the implications side, the study enriches and extends the current literature content on CSC sustainability. In addition, it offers sound managerial implications by identifying the challenges that create threats among the management for sustainability adoption and suggesting the most suitable sustainable strategies, which may help the management to raise the environmental performance of their CSC. Besides having various important theoretical and managerial implications for the study, contemplation of only environmental sustainability traits as a broader perspective limits the scope of the study.
Originality/value
The study's main contribution is the exploration of the most crucial challenges imparting obstructions in sustainable development and sustainable strategies, which may get the interest of the CSC players, market leaders, and industrial and academic practitioners working in the domain of CSC sustainability. In addition, this study offers structured theoretical and empirical evidence for CSC's environmental sustainability, thus playing a bridging role between theoretical sustainability concepts and its practical implications in CSC industries.
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Jubin Jacob-John, Clare D’Souza, Timothy Marjoribanks and Stephen Pragasam Singaraju
This paper aims to analyze the influence of institutional pressures on Indian Food Supply Chain (FSC) actors’ intention to adopt strategies for Sustainable Development Goals…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to analyze the influence of institutional pressures on Indian Food Supply Chain (FSC) actors’ intention to adopt strategies for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). By focusing on an agrarian state, this paper explores the prioritizations of SDGs by FSC actors and analyzes the relative impact of institutional pressures in adopting strategies for SDGs.
Design/methodology/approach
Quantitative data was collected using questionnaires from 303 respondents engaged in the food industry in an agrarian state in India.
Findings
The SDG prioritizations of FSC actors are evidenced using SDG models, thereby suggesting the presence of tradeoffs and synergies within SDGs in FSCs. By using institutional theory, this study defines the impact of sustainability drivers on Indian FSCs, and contrary to previous studies, normative institutional pressures are found not significant – this paper explicates the reasons for this.
Originality/value
Differing stakeholder groups and their prioritizations can result in ranking one SDG over another, thereby resulting in SDG tradeoffs. Such tradeoffs imply that the achievement of one SDG could negate the achievement of another SDG, and therefore, this study explicates the need for a holistic managerial approach to adopting SDGs.
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The purpose of this study is to empirically investigate the relationship between executive shareholding, institutional investor shareholding and corporate innovation, and to…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to empirically investigate the relationship between executive shareholding, institutional investor shareholding and corporate innovation, and to further explore in depth the impact of executive shareholding on corporate innovation under different industries.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper uses the panel data of A-share listed companies in Shanghai and Shenzhen from 2012 to 2020 as the research sample to empirically study the relationship between executive shareholding, institutional investor shareholding and corporate innovation based on multiple linear regression models and panel fixed effects.
Findings
The research shows that: on the whole, the impact of executive shareholding on enterprise innovation presents an inverted “U” shape; institutional investors will negatively regulate the impact of executive shareholding on enterprise innovation; the impact of executive shareholding on enterprise innovation will show obvious industry differences in different industries.
Research limitations/implications
The empirical results not only enrich the research on the effects of institutional investors' involvement in corporate governance practice, but also provide targeted experience for promoting enterprise innovation. Due to the limitations of innovation indicators and industry sample selection, it is necessary to be cautious when extending the results to other fields.
Practical implications
Enterprises should fully consider the impact of executive shareholding on innovation and formulate a scientific executive incentive system according to the differences of their industries. The government should be aware of the important role of institutional investors in enterprises, improve the channels and ways for institutional investors to participate in corporate governance, and improve the basic system of capital markets.
Originality/value
On the one hand, this paper empirically tests the regulatory role of institutional investors' shareholding and the relationship between executive shareholding and enterprise innovation, which enriches the research on the effect of institutional investors' involvement in corporate governance practice. On the other hand, the research by industry is more targeted to provide experience for promoting enterprise innovation.
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This study investigates the behaviour of family firms, family management and family ownership regarding their socioemotional wealth (Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)) during…
Abstract
Purpose
This study investigates the behaviour of family firms, family management and family ownership regarding their socioemotional wealth (Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)) during the COVID-19 pandemic and according to their slack resources availability.
Design/methodology/approach
This study employs a multiple regression analysis to analyse 245 firm-year observations from 2020 to 2021.
Findings
Family firms have a negative effect on CSR, as do family management and family ownership. Slack resources (both absorbed and unabsorbed) reduce the negative effect of family firms (and family ownership) on CSR. Unabsorbed slack resources reduce the negative effect of family management on CSR and absorbed slack resources increase the negative effect of family management on CSR. The results are robust with various measurements of slack resources. Extra analyses reveal that family commissioner has no effect on CSR.
Originality/value
To the best of the author’s knowledge, this is the first empirical study to analyse the impact of COVID-19 on the preservation of socioemotional wealth in family firms. This study proves the theoretical argument of prior studies that the preservation of socioemotional wealth in family firms during the COVID-19 pandemic depends on their financial condition. The study also proves that there are different attitudes among family ownership, family management and family firms concerning the use of slack resources for socioemotional wealth preservation that have not been analysed by previous research.
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Irfan Ullah, Mohib Ur Rahman and Aurang Zeb
This study aims to inspect the impact of Chief Executive Officers’ (CEOs) education in a “specific field,” such as CEOs with science and engineering backgrounds on firms’…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to inspect the impact of Chief Executive Officers’ (CEOs) education in a “specific field,” such as CEOs with science and engineering backgrounds on firms’ innovation. Based on agency theory, this study also reports how an endogenous factor, i.e. CEOs’ compensation, and an exogenous factor such as intellectual property rights (IPR), moderate the CEOs with a scientific background (CEOSB)-innovation relationship.
Design/methodology/approach
This study uses a sample of Chinese nonfinancial firms listed on the Shanghai and Shenzhen Stock Exchanges from 2008 to 2018 by applying the ordinary least squares regression method. To deal with the endogeneity issues, this study also performs a series of additional tests.
Findings
The results indicate that the effects of CEOSB on the firm innovation activities are positive and significant. Further, this study finds that CEOs’ compensation and IPR protection positively and significantly moderate the CEOSB-innovation relationship. These outcomes are robust to a series of additional tests.
Research limitations/implications
The results of this study have valuable implications for various stakeholders interested in stimulating innovation. To sum up, the results of this study inculcate these stakeholders that the enhancement of firm innovation is contingent on the appropriate selection of CEOs, effective compensation packages and IPR regulations.
Originality/value
Distinct from the existent studies, the focus of the study is on the perspectives of CEOs’ scientific backgrounds. Further, based on agency theory, this study also reports how CEOs’ compensation and IPR protection moderate the CEOSB-innovation relationship, which has not been tested earlier to our knowledge, especially in the context of an emerging economy like China.
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Elizabeth Dodge, Fatmah Almoayad, Miral Mansour, Amrita Sidhu, Anusha Sajja, Nada Benajiba and Basil H. Aboul-Enein
Burdened by undernutrition, micronutrient deficiencies and overweight and obesity as a consequence of both internal conflict and the global nutrition transition, Iraq is in need…
Abstract
Purpose
Burdened by undernutrition, micronutrient deficiencies and overweight and obesity as a consequence of both internal conflict and the global nutrition transition, Iraq is in need of adequate public health nutrition education to mitigate nutrition-related outcomes and risks. To address nutrition-related health outcomes, trained nutrition professionals are warranted. This paper examines current nutrition-affiliated programs offered across post-secondary institutions in Iraq.
Design/methodology/approach
An electronic review of universities and colleges’ websites, department webpages and academic programs’ homepages and resources of all the private and public universities in Iraq was conducted to find programs related to nutrition, nutrition sciences and dietetics.
Findings
All identified programs belonged to the governmental sector, were administered and financed by the Iraqi Government and were under the purview of the Iraqi Ministry of Higher Education. The review highlighted a predominant focus on food sciences in agricultural departments rather than public health or clinical nutrition. Advanced education in topics such as human metabolism, medical nutrition therapy and public health nutrition are required to adequately address over- and undernutrition in Iraq.
Originality/value
The current state of public health and nutrition-related postsecondary education in Iraq warrants an increased emphasis on clinical and public health nutrition education. Despite a commendable focus on food science studies, the country’s ongoing challenges with obesity, nutrition-related noncommunicable diseases and conflict-associated food insecurity signal an urgent need for balancing this focus with grounding in postsecondary training in public health nutrition.
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Donghui Li, Yingdong Liu, Minxing Sun, Xinjie Wang and Weike Xu
This paper aims to answer three questions: (1) Which countries invest more capital in green firms? (2) What kind of industries do venture capitals (VCs) invest in? (3) Do VCs…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to answer three questions: (1) Which countries invest more capital in green firms? (2) What kind of industries do venture capitals (VCs) invest in? (3) Do VCs invest more capital in green firms?
Design/methodology/approach
First, the authors provide summary statistics of the key variables for green and non-green firms. Then the authors use figures to plot the growth of green firms over time. Next, the authors use descriptive data to study VC-invested firms for the top 10 countries and industries for all firms, green firms and non-green firms. Finally, the authors compare the VC investors' characteristics and investment behavior between green and non-green firms.
Findings
This study documents that venture-backed investments in clean technologies have increased dramatically in the number of deals and in the total amount of dollar volume over time. This paper provides evidence that VC firms invest more in green firms in each deal than in non-green firms. The United States and European countries play an important role in funding clean technologies across countries, and this study’s results suggest that VC investors play a considerable role in shaping the development of green finance.
Originality/value
This paper makes the first attempt to investigate the role of VCs in clean technologies to support carbon neutrality, providing initial evidence on venture capitalists' investment efforts towards carbon neutrality. The paper also has practical implications for start-up firms that raise capital and venture capitalists who finance green start-ups.
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Kai Wang, Chi-Feng Tai and Han-fen Hu
Focusing on the social influence processes in the context of massively multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPGs), this study aims to investigate the nomological network of…
Abstract
Purpose
Focusing on the social influence processes in the context of massively multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPGs), this study aims to investigate the nomological network of social influence factors, a topic seldom explicitly articulated in the literature in this unique context.
Design/methodology/approach
This study adopts a mixed-methods approach to develop and test a context-specific model of social influence processes in MMORPGs. First, the authors conducted qualitative interviews with MMORPG players to identify the drivers shaping players' perceptions of social influences. Second, the authors formulated and tested a research model with quantitative data collected from 450 respondents of an online survey.
Findings
Through the qualitative study, the authors identify leader enthusiasm, social support and social presence as the critical drivers of social influence factors. The result of the quantitative study validates the influences of the critical drivers and demonstrates the impact of social influences on MMORPG players' we-intention to continue playing games.
Originality/value
This research extends the social influence theory by identifying contextualized drivers that shape MMORPG players' perception of social influences determining their we-intention to continue playing games. MMORPG service providers can draw on these drivers to leverage social influences to increase players' we-intention of continuance.
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