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This study explores the influencing factors on organizational efficiency of the smart logistics ecological chain, and designs the corresponding theoretical framework to guide the practice of enterprises

A multi-case study method is adopted in this study. It includes four companies A, B, C and D in China as the case study objects, collects data through enterprise survey and uses the combination of open coding and spindle coding to process the data. By testing the reliability and validity, the theoretical framework is summarized.

First, organizational efficiency in smart logistics ecological chains is directly related to their service and technology innovation capability. Second, symbiotic relationships, information sharing and customer demand affect the efficiency of smart logistics multi-case ecological chains by influencing their service capacity; their technological innovation capability regulates the mechanism of influence. Third, technological innovation in smart logistics ecological chains positively impacts their service capabilities. Improving technological innovation capability can enhance logistics service capabilities.

According to the characteristics of smart logistics, the theoretical framework about organizational efficiency of smart logistics ecological chain is constructed, which fills the research gap and can provide interesting perspectives for the future research related to the smart logistics ecological chain. At the same time, the findings can also help enterprises to better build the smart logistics ecological chain in practice.

The purpose of this paper is to analyze the influencing factors of new logistics service product design (NLSPD) in China to establish a theoretical framework for the future development of the logistics industry.

The paper adopts the multi-case study method based on a sample of four Chinese logistics enterprises, in which the authors consider the logistics service maturity (LSM), a distinct characteristic of logistics enterprises.

NLSPD is directly related to the degree of supply–demand matching (SDM) and LSM. Customer demand, service capability and peer competition influence the performance of NLSPD through the SDM degree, whereas LSM moderates these influencing mechanisms. Moreover, the degree of SDM has a positive impact on LSM.

The findings can help the managers of logistics enterprises and practitioners in the logistics industry understand the complexity of NLSPD. First, they should broaden and deepen their service offering to enhance the degree of LSM. Second, they should pay attention to the factors that affect SDM systematically. Finally, it is vital to balance the relationship between LSM and SDM.

NLSPD has become an important tool affecting the competitiveness and sustainability of logistics service enterprises. This is the first paper to propose a theoretical framework for NLSPD that considers the characteristic of the logistics industry. It clarifies the mechanisms of influencing factors, and contributes to the literature by filling the research gap.

This study explores the influencing factors affecting smart supply chain innovation (SSCI) performance of commodity distribution enterprises, and proposes the corresponding framework from the perspective of the application of technology to improve the SSCI performance and make up the research gap in this field.

A multi-case study method is adopted in this study. Four distribution commodity distribution enterprises A, B, C and D in China are chosen as case enterprises. The interviews with senior management team members are used to collect data. The combination of open coding and axial coding are used to process the data. By testing the reliability and validity, the theoretical framework is summarized.

First, we find that the technology application cost inhibits SSCI and that the level of technology suitable for enterprise development will promote SSCI. Second, SSCI in structure, management and services can improve the performance and innovation ability of enterprises. Third, the quality of multi-channel integration and degree of customization around customer demand can significantly modify the above effects.

Compared with previous studies, this study reveals for the first time the correlation between the SSCI performance and technology application, SSCI in structure, management and service, providing new ideas for relevant researches on SSCI, and providing new theoretical support for managers' decision-making related to SSCI.

The purpose of this paper is to explore the coaching and mentoring supervision of the Lesson Study to enhance preservice mathematics teachers' research competencies.

The researcher employed a multi-case study design to describe the internship experiences of practicing coaching and mentoring supervision while preservice teachers engaged in Lesson Study. A total of six preservice teachers were the samples, and they were teaching six lessons. A classroom observation evaluation form was used to collect data from 60 observers, with a proportion of 10 observers to each sample to assess and provide feedback on the samples' research competencies. This was followed by 12 individual, semi-structured interviews using interview protocol. The participants included 60 Lesson Study group members and six mentors from the three research schools, together with the samples' internship advisors from Suratthani Rajabhat University, totaling to 72 assessors. Data were examined using the thematic analysis method.

The results of 60 observation evaluations revealed that coaching and mentoring supervision of Lesson Study can develop samples' research competencies in four capabilities, namely, instructional planning, classroom management, instructional delivery and professional development. The 12 interview results indicated that the six samples' research competencies were improved in these four aspects, namely, data collection and analysis, collaboration, reflection and pedagogical content knowledge.

Mentoring and coaching supervision of Lesson Study holds great potential for collaborative professional development and continuous improvement of mathematics teachers' research competencies.

This article suggests meaningful professional benefits of participation in mentoring and coaching supervision.

Corporate universities are regarded as the knowledge management institution of enterprises, but how to improve knowledge enhancement function has not been investigated. Constructed upon the knowledge-based view, the purpose of this study is to investigate the influencing factors of knowledge enhancement of corporate universities.

This paper takes 34 Chinese corporate universities as samples. The influencing factors and interrelationships are checked through exploratory case study and multi-case analysis. A “stimulate-action” model of influencing factors is built up based on the multi-case analysis. The fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis is used to examine configurational paths for knowledge enhancement.

The research finding shows that only a single element of knowledge management does not constitute a necessary condition for knowledge enhancement of corporate university and explored the concurrent synergy effect and linkage matching mode of multiple conditions of knowledge management. Most of the knowledge-enhanced corporate universities are of strengthening the knowledge process, which shows that sorting out the knowledge process is the core of the corporate university.

Unlike the existing research, the external teachers and combing of external knowledge processes are the key factors; this paper proposed that the internal teachers and sorting out the knowledge process within the enterprise play a central role in the knowledge enhancement of corporate universities. The path of high-knowledge enhancement and without high-knowledge enhancement is asymmetry. This paper refined and extended the application of the knowledge management framework in explaining multiple conjunctural causations and improves the relevant theories of organizational knowledge management in the Chinese context.

The purpose of this paper is to investigate and identify the activity systems that drive building information modelling (BIM) business value in asset management (AM). The utilisation of BIM has widened in scope, functionality, flexibility and interoperability to support the AM business process. However, research concerning BIM business value in AM has been inadequate despite its considerable potential and significance in the attainment of organisational objectives. The realisation of BIM business value requires a concerted effort by the asset owner to be able to determine and appraise the critical activities that drive business value in AM.

The study adopted a qualitative research approach based on a multi-case study strategy that aimed to identify the key business processes that drive BIM business value in AM. The study involved a three-stage research design using interviews and document analysis to facilitate a cross-case analysis from the perspective of the activity systems and dimensions of BIM governance.

The paper identified six critical activity systems that drive BIM business value for an asset owner: BIM strategy, contract management, lifecycle management, maintenance management, work-order management and value realisation management. The study found that the most developed activity system is the BIM strategy, and the least is value realisation management across all cases. Also, the paper points out that the most proficient BIM governance dimension is process, and the least is people across the three cases. The study noted that the ability of an asset owner to realise BIM business value has maturity undertones and that the asset owner could derive BIM business value, if the six activity systems are effectively executed and continuously improved to an advanced stage of maturity.

An original contribution of the study is the development of the understanding of asset owners in relation to the discovery of key activity systems that drive BIM business value in AM. Another significant contribution of this paper is the demonstration of a novel approach to evaluate organisational maturity of asset owners from the perspectives of the activity systems and BIM governance dimensions of people, process and technology.

The research examines how contextual coaching (Gorrell and Hoover, 2009; Valentine, 2019) can act as a lever to build collaborative professionalism (Hargreaves and O'Connor, 2018) and lead to school improvement.

The multi-case study (Stake, 2013) draws on two bespoke examples of contextual coaching in education and uses the ten tenets of collaborative professionalism as a conceptual framework for its abductive analysis. Data from both cases were collected through interviews, focus groups and documentation.

The findings demonstrate that effective contextual coaching leads to conditions underpinning school improvement. Specifically, there are patterns of alignment with the ten tenets of collaborative professionalism. Whereas contextual coaching is found on four of these tenets (mutual dialogue, joint work, collective responsibility and collaborative inquiry), in more mature coaching programmes, three others (collective autonomy, initiative and efficacy) emerge. There is also evidence that opportunities exist for contextual coaching to be further aligned with the remaining three tenets. The study offers insight into how school improvement can be realized by the development of staff capacity for teacher leadership through contextual coaching.

The impact of coaching in education is enhanced by recognizing the importance of context and the value of iterative design and co-construction.

The principles of contextual coaching are generalizable, but models must be developed to be bespoke and to align with each setting. Collaborative professionalism offers a useful framework to better design and implement contextual coaching programmes.

The research introduces contextual coaching in education, and how coaching can enhance collaborative professionalism in schools.

This paper aims to explore the complete process and underlying mechanism that social enterprises obtain legitimacy during interactions with stakeholders from theoretical integration of institutional theory and organization ecology perspective.

Based on theoretical classification, this paper selects six typical Chinese social enterprises and conducts a multi-case analysis.

The study finds that social enterprises aim at legitimizing single entity or industry and shaping stakeholders’ cognitive boundary simultaneously. Therefore, by adopting constrained cooperation and competition activities, social enterprises use normative isomorphism to achieve personal legitimation and combining ecological niche construction, social enterprises achieve organizational legitimation. By adopting fragmented cooperation-dominant or competition-dominant activities, social enterprises use mimic isomorphism supplemented by competitive isomorphism or population structure creation to obtain industry legitimation. By adopting dynamically integrated coopetition activities, social enterprises use mimic isomorphism and reflexive isomorphism to reach field legitimation.

This paper proposes a mechanism model that the coopetition with stakeholders influences the legitimation process, identifies four stages of social enterprise’s legitimation process and the types of legitimacy obtained in each stage and fills the gap of Chinese indigenous social enterprise research.

This paper aims to extend current information security compliance research by adapting “work-stress model” of the extended Job Demands-Resources model to explore how security compliance demands, organization and personal resources influence end-user security compliance. The paper proposes that security compliance burnout and security engagement as the mediating factors between security compliance demands, organizational and personal resources and individual security compliance.

The authors used a multi-case in-depth interview method to explore the relevance and significance of security demands, organizational resources and personal resources on security compliance at work. Seventeen participants in three organizations including a bank, a university and an oil distribution company in Vietnam were interviewed during a four-month period.

The study identified three security demands, three security resources and two aspects of personal resources that influence security compliance. The study demonstrates that the security environment factors such as security demands and resources affected compliance burden and security engagement. Personal resources could play an integral role in moderating the impact of security environment on security compliance.

The findings presented are not generalizable to the wider population of end-users in Vietnam due to the small sample size used in the interviews. Further quantitative studies need to measure the extent of each predictor on security compliance.

The originality of the research stems from proposing not only stress-based but also motivating factors from the security environment on security compliance. By using qualitative approach, the study provides more insight to understand the impact of the security environments on security compliance.

For professional sustainability work, graduates need to be able to work in teams and collaborate with stakeholders; in other words, they need to have developed interpersonal competence. There is growing evidence that project-based sustainability courses facilitate interpersonal competence development. However, research so far has focused on single case studies and on assessing learning outcomes. The purpose of this study is to deepen the understanding of how graduate students learn interpersonal competence in project-based sustainability courses.

This study adopts a multi-case study approach triangulating observations, semi-structured interviews and focus groups supported by Photovoice method. A comparison of three project-based sustainability courses in graduate programs at universities in the USA, Germany, Switzerland and Spain is conducted to gain generalizable insights on how interpersonal competence can be developed through project-based sustainability courses.

Receiving inputs, experiencing, reflecting and experimenting are four learning processes supportive of interpersonal competence development. Interpersonal attitudes seem to be mostly learned through a combination of experiencing and reflecting, followed by experimenting; not surprisingly, interpersonal knowledge is mostly developed through a combination of receiving inputs, experiencing and (collective) reflection; and interpersonal skills seem to be mostly learned through a combination of receiving inputs and experimenting, or, more directly, experiencing and experimenting.

These findings support the unique learning opportunities offered through project-based sustainability courses and can help instructors to better facilitate students’ development of interpersonal competence.

The value of this study is three-fold: (i) it provides a comprehensive picture of interpersonal competence, including attitudes, knowledge, and skills; (ii) it spells out specific teaching and learning processes; and (iii) it links these to specific interpersonal competence facets and components.