Search results
1 – 10 of over 75000
This register of current research in social economics has been compiled by the International Institute of Social Economics. The register does not claim to be comprehensive but is…
Abstract
This register of current research in social economics has been compiled by the International Institute of Social Economics. The register does not claim to be comprehensive but is merely an aid for research workers and institutions interested in social economics. The register will be updated and made more comprehensive in the future but this is largely dependent on the inflow of information from researchers in social economics. In order to facilitate this process a standardised form is to be found on the last page of this register. Completed forms, with attached sheets as necessary, should be returned to the compiler: Dr Barrie O. Pettman, Director, International Institute of Social Economics, Enholmes Hall, Patrington, Hull, N. Humberside, England, HU12 OPR. Any other comments on the register will also be welcome.
This paper discusses briefly some of the outstanding theoretical and operational issues relating to the application of environmental economics to the appraisal of projects…
Abstract
This paper discusses briefly some of the outstanding theoretical and operational issues relating to the application of environmental economics to the appraisal of projects. Section 1 considers whether it is necessary to take a global as opposed to a national focus in project work and considers some of the implications of this perspective. Section 2 addresses the difficulty of valuing diverse environmental effects in monetary terms. Section 3 introduces the problem of time and notes the recent debates on the link between discounting and the environment. Finally section 4 discusses recent attempts to deal with problems of human health in project work.
Details
Keywords
Prashan Shayanka Mendis Karunaratne, Yvonne A Breyer and Leigh N Wood
Economics is catering to a diverse student cohort. This cohort needs to be equipped with transformative concepts that students can integrate beyond university. When a curriculum…
Abstract
Purpose
Economics is catering to a diverse student cohort. This cohort needs to be equipped with transformative concepts that students can integrate beyond university. When a curriculum is content-driven, threshold concepts are a useful tool in guiding curriculum re-design. The paper aims to discuss these issues.
Design/methodology/approach
The evidence for this pedagogic need can be seen in the UK’s higher education economics curriculum framework which is formulated around the threshold concepts of economics. Through a literature review of the application of threshold concepts in economics, the researcher has systematically re-designed an entry-level economics course. This research has been applied to the course structure, the learning and teaching activities, as well as the assessments. At the end of the semester, students students were surveyed on the student experience of the curriculum design and the course activities. The course grades noted the achievement of the students’ learning outcomes.
Findings
When comparing the survey responses and the student course results to the previous semesters, there is a significant improvement in student experience as well as student learning outcomes of the course curriculum.
Practical implications
This research provides curriculum developers with a benchmark and the tools required to transform economics curricula.
Social implications
An engaging, transformative and integrative entry-level economics course is often the only exposure most business graduates have to the economics way of thinking and practice.
Originality/value
This is the first comprehensive study that applies a curriculum re-design based on threshold concepts across an entry-level economics course.
Details
Keywords
Revisiting Carroll’s classic corporate social responsibility (CSR) pyramid framework, this paper aims to evolve a novel synthesis of ethics and economics. This yielded an…
Abstract
Purpose
Revisiting Carroll’s classic corporate social responsibility (CSR) pyramid framework, this paper aims to evolve a novel synthesis of ethics and economics. This yielded an “integrative CSR economics”.
Design/methodology/approach
This theory paper examined how to conceptually set up CSR theory, argue its ethical nature and establish its practical, social and empirical relevance. Economic analysis reached out from contemporary institutional economics to Smith’s classic studies.
Findings
The paper reconstructed all of Carroll’s four dimensions of CSR – economic, legal, ethical and philanthropic responsibilities – through economics. The paper discounted a core assumption of much CSR research that economic approach to CSR, including the instrumental, strategic “business case” approach to CSR, were unethical and lacked any foundations in ethics theory. Integrative CSR economics reframes research on viability and capability requirements for CSR practice; redirecting empirical research on links between CSP (corporate social performance) and CFP (corporate financial performance).
Research limitations/implications
The paper focused on Carroll as the leading champion of CSR research. Future research needs to align other writers with integrative CSR economics. Friedman or Freeman, or the historic contributions of Dodd, Mayo, Bowen or Drucker, are especially interesting.
Practical implications
The paper set out how integrative CSR economics satisfies the “business case” approach to CSR and develops practical implications along: a systemic dimension of the market economy; a legal-constitutional dimension; and the dimension of market exchanges.
Social implications
Integrative CSR economics creates ethical benefits for society along: a systemic dimension of the market (mutual gains); a legal-constitutional dimension (law-following); and the dimension of market exchange (ethical capital creation). Social benefits are not only aspired to but also are achievable as a business case approach to CSR is followed.
Originality/value
The paper’s main contribution is a new synthesis of economics and ethics that yields an “integrative CSR economics”.
Details
Keywords
Ashish Kumar, Vikas Srivastava and Mosab I. Tabash
The objective of this systematic literature review (SLR) is to outline the existing research in the field of infrastructure project finance (IPF). This paper aims to summarise the…
Abstract
Purpose
The objective of this systematic literature review (SLR) is to outline the existing research in the field of infrastructure project finance (IPF). This paper aims to summarise the academic and practitioner research to highlight the benefits of adopting IPF structures in uncertain environments. By highlighting all conceptual and applied implications of IPF, the study identifies future research directions to develop a holistic understanding of IPF.
Design/methodology/approach
The SLR is based on 125 articles published in peer-reviewed journals during 1975–2019. After providing a brief overview of IPF, research methodology and citation, publication and author analysis, the SLR presents the various domains around which existing research in IPF is focussed and provides future research propositions in each domain.
Findings
The study found that despite the increased usage of IPF, academic and practitioner research in the field is lagging. Also, with increased usage of IPF in emerging and under-developed economies, IPF structure presents a perfect setting to understand how investment and financing are interlinked and how to overcome the institutional voids, socio-economic risks and inter-partner differences by IPF structures.
Originality/value
This literature review paper is based on the research in IPF between 1975 and 2019. To the best of the authors’ understanding, the SLR is the first focussed study detailing a methodical and thorough compendium of existing studies in the IPF domain. By focussing on various domains of IPF research, this paper presents future research avenues in the field.
Details
Keywords
Jérôme Boutang and Michel De Lara
In a modern world increasingly perceived as uncertain, the mere purchase of a household cleaning product, or a seemingly harmless bottle of milk, conveys interrogations about…
Abstract
Purpose
In a modern world increasingly perceived as uncertain, the mere purchase of a household cleaning product, or a seemingly harmless bottle of milk, conveys interrogations about potential hazards, from environmental to health impacts. The main purpose of this paper is to suggest that risk could be considered as one of the major dimensions of choice for a wide range of concerns and markets, alongside aspiration/satisfaction, and tackled efficiently by mobilizing the recent findings of cognitive sciences, neurosciences and evolutionary psychology. It is felt that consumer research could benefit more widely from psychological and evolutionary-grounded risk theories.
Design/methodology/approach
In this study, some 50 years of marketing management literature, as well as risk-specialized literature, was examined in an attempt to get a grasp of how risk is handled by consumer sciences and of whether they make some use of the most recent academic works on mental biases, non-mainstream decision-making processes or evolutionary roots of behavior. We then tested and formulated several hypotheses regarding risk profiles and preferences in the sector of insurance, by participating in an Axa Research Fund–Paris School of Economics research project.
Findings
It is suggested that consumer profiles could be enriched by risk-taking attitudes, that risk could be part of the “reason why” of brand positioning, and that brand, as well as public policy communication, could benefit from a targeted use of risk perception biases.
Originality/value
This paper proposes to apply evolutionary-based psychological concepts to build perceptual maps describing people and consumers on both aspiration and risk attitude axis, and to design communication tools according to psychological research on message framing and biases. Such an approach mobilizes not only the recent findings of cognitive sciences and neurosciences but also the understanding of the roots of risk attitudes and perception. Those maps and framing could probably be applied to many sectors, markets and public issues, from commodities to personal products and services (food, luxury goods, electronics, financial products, tourism, design or insurance).
Details
Keywords
Oluwole Alfred Olatunji and Willy Sher
The purpose of this paper is to elicit the activities in geometric 3D computer-aided design (CAD) estimating. Construction estimators usually target the structural integrity of…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to elicit the activities in geometric 3D computer-aided design (CAD) estimating. Construction estimators usually target the structural integrity of data underlying project designs while measuring quantities and developing estimates. However, there are different ways to this. There is considerable evidence to suggest substantial distinction between data structuring in geometric and parametric CAD (building information modelling). Each of these platforms also appeals to estimators in the various practice domains differently. Regardless, the developments in the use of geometric and parametric CAD for design and management purposes have been rapid.
Design/methodology/approach
The study focuses on the various perspectives within the different construction business domains. Interviews, focus group discussions and direct observation methods were used to explore data on estimating activities in 3D CAD from two public organizations, two large contracting firms, two quantity surveying consulting practices, two specialist-project companies and four software development and vending firms. These involved 17 middle-top management estimators who have had extensive experience in the industry. As the activities were elicited, participants were able to ascribe relative importance to each of the activities, and these were logically compared across the different practice domains.
Findings
Thirty-one activities were identified as the components of estimators’ procedures leading to reliable outcomes in estimating 3D CAD designs. Logical correlations were discussed through extant literature towards forming a centroid model which could be used for numerous industry applications, including software development, knowledge transfer between organizations, employees’ hands-on training, curriculum design for academic institutions and as a policy framework for professional institutions on estimating practice. Further areas of research were also highlighted.
Originality/value
This work is an original piece. It is neither published nor under consideration elsewhere.
Details
Keywords
The purpose of this paper is to argue that the school of thought known as Critical Realism and the thinkers involved in the current revival of interest in British Idealism would…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to argue that the school of thought known as Critical Realism and the thinkers involved in the current revival of interest in British Idealism would benefit from interacting with each other.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper proceeds by critically examining central tenets in the thought of each school, and exhibit their affinities and differences.
Findings
It is found that there are central themes and concerns shared by each school of thought, and that the recognition of such commonalities might prove mutually beneficial to the relevant parties in their goal of positively transforming social reality. Furthermore, the Critical Realist worry about Idealisms “irreality” is shown to be unfounded.
Originality/value
The close relationship of the ideas of these two “lines of thought” has not, to our knowledge, previously been highlighted. Having done so in the paper, a useful dialogue may ensue.
Details
Keywords
Oluwole Alfred Olatunji, Jane Jia Suen Lee, Heap-Yih Chong and Abiola Abosede Akanmu
This study investigates building information modelling (BIM) penetration in quantity surveying (QS) practice by examining the significance attached to the benefits and barriers of…
Abstract
Purpose
This study investigates building information modelling (BIM) penetration in quantity surveying (QS) practice by examining the significance attached to the benefits and barriers of BIM adoption, BIM capabilities and future directions of BIM in QS processes. A popular opinion amongst construction researchers is that BIM has the capacity to revolutionize the industry. The study draws-out information in the literature regarding discipline-specific penetration of BIM.
Design/methodology/approach
Snowball sampling method was used to obtain information through a survey questionnaire. A total of 73 participants, largely quantity surveyors in Western Australia, took part in the study. Reductionist methodology was used to identify key variables of QS-BIM competencies that are most significant statistically.
Findings
BIM does not impose additional difficulties to traditional QS processes. Adherence to standard method of measurement and limited market demand do not hinder BIM deployment significantly. Quantity surveyors are able to use BIM to support their professional services once definitive design models are involved. In addition, the study identifies BIM penetration barriers to include constraints caused by centralised database management and interoperability issues, limitations imposed by market drivers, lack of in-house expertise to manage modelling needs and limited capability in software management.
Practical implications
Future opportunities for skill development are in the areas noted in the findings. Whilst many studies have reported resistance and widespread scepticism amongst some construction disciplines regarding BIM adoption, this study finds BIM penetration in QS practice is considerable, a direction that could trigger further novel innovations.
Originality/value
The methodology reported in the study is novel. In addition, findings from the study inspires other discipline-specific studies to articulate their BIM-penetration trends so that t broad areas of construction can develop a balanced strategy around BIM and innovation development.
Details
Keywords
Hongjuan Wu, Queena K. Qian, Ad Straub and Henk J. Visscher
The recent promotion of prefabricated housing (PH) in China has resulted in a prosperous period for its implementation. However, transaction costs (TCs) cause low economic…
Abstract
Purpose
The recent promotion of prefabricated housing (PH) in China has resulted in a prosperous period for its implementation. However, transaction costs (TCs) cause low economic efficiency to stakeholders and hinder the further promotion of PH. No relevant study has yet been made to investigate the TCs and their causes in the PH field. This paper identifies critical TCs and explores the influencing factors from the developers' perspective.
Design/methodology/approach
Semi-structured interviews and a questionnaire survey were used to collect data about TCs and influencing factors. The most influential factors are identified with their impacts on particular TCs, yielded from correlation analysis and logistic regression.
Findings
From the developers' perspective in China's PH market, this study identified that the most concerning sources of TCs are: hidden costs arising from disputes, extra workloads from design changes, learning costs, intensive communication and coordination in assembly and unexpected information costs in decision-making. The use of an ordered logistic regression approach indicates that the four most influential factors are: qualification of the general contractor, mandatory local policies, owner type and competitiveness of the developer.
Practical implications
To reduce the TCs, experiencing learning and ensuring the design scheme's complicity are recommended to save information searching and exchanging costs. The implications for the PH developers are for them to: (1) professionalize their own organization and (2) procure high-qualified general contractors. For the policymakers, this means they should improve the clarity of the mandatory local policies for PH step-by-step.
Originality/value
By applying the TCs economic theory, this study explores factors that influence TCs in the PH industry. It sheds light on the influencing mechanism behind the TCs in the context of prefabricated housing.
Details