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The purpose of this study is to explore the relationship between digital transformation and excess employees. This research investigates the questions of when human−machine synergy can be achieved after a firm goes through digital transformation and whether there will be excess employees in the interim.

This paper takes A-share listed companies as research object in the period of 2011−2020 and a total of 24,718 samples are obtained. Hypothesis testing and regression analysis are performed in STATA.

This paper finds a human−machine mismatch in the short term, as evidenced by an increase in the rate of excess employees; however, with the progress of digital transformation, it can drive the achievement of human−machine synergy in the long term, and management efficiency plays a mediating role in this process. Further research showed that the effects of digital transformation on the number of employees, revenue generation per capita and profit generation per capita varied in both the short and long term. In addition, the characteristics of the company affect the relationship between digital transformation and excess employees.

This paper contributes to the understanding of the impacts of digital transformation on the human capital structure of companies at a micro level. It also provides insights into how to improve human capital demand structure through digitalization, thus providing insights into labor market changes.

Does the history of the bureaucratic system, along with the establishment of the Great Wall during the Ming and Qing dynasties (1368–1911), affect firm behavior across the borderlands of the Great Wall?

The Ming and Qing dynasties built a centralized administrative system in the borderlands on the south side of the Great Wall, in contrast to the “feudal lordship” system on the north side. Employing a regression discontinuity analysis framework with the Great Wall as a geographical discontinuity, we examine the long-run effects of the Great Wall on firms’ earnings management.

Using a large sample of nonlisted firms in the central core frontier region, we show that the earnings management of firms in the region south of the Great Wall is significantly curtailed compared with firms in the north of it, and this effect is more pronounced for non-SOEs. Our findings are robust to a battery of tests to account for alternative explanations.

Overall, by emphasizing the role of institutions, like legal system, shaped in history on firms’ earnings management, this study sheds new light on institutional determinants of firms’ behaviors in earnings information disclosure.

First, we enrich our understanding of the institutional determinants of firms’ financial reporting outcomes. Second, our findings shed new light on the long-term effects of historical ruling styles on modern corporate behavior.

This study examines the influence of the ownership structure of banks on investors' behavior by dissecting the investors' response to news regarding performance indicators in private and government-owned banks.

The event study methodology is used for the analysis. The data for 35 banks (out of 38), listed on the National Stock Exchange (NSE) for a duration of 230 months (January 2001 to February 2020) is collected. A set of cross-sectional regression analyses is done to identify variables influencing the returns under differential circumstances.

Private banks seem to display a sharper response to negative changes in earnings, while government-owned banks show a more robust reaction to a positive change. The contrast is seen in the variables, having a bearing on the abnormal returns After controlling for a set of factors, the regression analysis shows the ownership structure may not matter on abnormal returns (on event day), the factors such as a change in quarterly earnings, firm-size and three-year average-sales growth influence the positive and negative changes in abnormal returns of government banks, and predictability for private banks is found to be poor regarding selected indicators.

The study evaluates the role of ownership structure on the heterogeneity in investors' responses to the financial performance of banks, thereby assisting in designing strategies to ensure the optimal outcome around the quarterly earnings announcements.

This study investigates how income from non-farm activities affects households' consumption in two land holders' groups: households with insecure land holding and households with secure land holding.

Following an instrumental variable approach, this study analyzes data collected on a nationwide sample of 1,800 households in rural Burkina Faso.

For insecure land holders' group, this study finds that income from non-farm activities has a positive effect on household consumption per capita. Moreover, the share of household food consumption is negatively associated with non-farm income in this group. For secure land holders' group, the results show that non-farm income has only a negative effect on the share of their food consumption.

The study highlights the livelihood sustaining role of non-farm activities for rural households. Unlike previous studies, the results show that non-farm income is particularly important for land tenure insecure households facing risk of losing agricultural income.

The peer review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/IJSE-05-2023-0423

Drawing on the tenets of institutional theory, the purpose of this study is to examine the impact of Confucianism on technology for social good, while also considering the moderating influence of extrinsic informal institutions (foreign culture) and intrinsic formal institutions (property rights).

This study constructs a comprehensive database comprising 9,759 firm-year observations in China by using a sample of Chinese A-share listed firms from 2016 to 2020. Subsequently, the hypotheses are examined and confirmed, with the validity of the results being upheld even after conducting endogenous and robustness tests.

The findings of this study offer robust and consistent evidence supporting the notion that Confucianism positively affects technology for social good through both incentive effect and normative effect. Moreover, this positive influence is particularly prominent in organizations with limited exposure to foreign culture and in nonstate-owned enterprises.

The findings contribute to the literature by fostering a deep understanding of technology for social good and Confucianism research, and further provide a nuanced picture of the role of foreign culture and property rights in the process of technology for social good in China.

The interplay between individual and collective creativity and its translation into innovation is a critical yet complex challenge in the ever-evolving innovation landscape. This study delves into the intricate relationship between managerial ability, intellectual property rights (IPRs) and research and development (R&D) investments contextualized within the dynamics of leverage, firm life stages and tangibility for pharmaceutical firms in the Asia-Pacific region. By exploring how micro-level factors influence macro-level innovation processes, this study aims to contribute to the broader understanding of creativity and innovation, a theme at the heart of addressing contemporary global challenges.

Econometric methodologies were used to analyse a data set comprising 2,660 firm-year observations spanning the decade from 2011 to 2020.

A key finding was that companies with lower managerial prowess strategically leverage R&D intensity to signal their value to the market and accrue reputational currency. The research unearths a significant positive relationship between managerial ability, IPRs and R&D investment. In environments characterized by strong managerial acumen and robust IPR safeguards, firms exhibit a heightened propensity to allocate resources to R&D endeavours. This underscores the role of intellectual leadership and legal protections in shaping R&D strategies within the pharmaceutical domain. Incorporating firm life stages as a moderating factor reveals that firm maturity fundamentally influences the interplay between managerial ability, IPRs and R&D expenditure.

These findings’ implications resonate profoundly within policy-making circles and pharmaceutical firms’ day-to-day operational strategies, underscoring the pivotal role of intellectual capital and legal safeguards in shaping the future of innovation in the Asia-Pacific pharmaceutical sector.

The purpose of this study is to address the limitations of traditional methods for managing intellectual property rights (IPRs) by proposing a blockchain-based solution. By leveraging blockchain technology and smart contracts, the aim is to create a comprehensive ecosystem that offers advantages such as reduced transaction costs, improved transparency, enhanced security and increased liquidity levels for IP assets.

This paper proposes using blockchain technology to manage intellectual property rights (IPRs) through a smart contract-based ecosystem. It outlines the use of non-fungible tokens (NFTs) on the blockchain to represent IPRs, with smart contracts automating interactions and encoding rules for various processes such as applications, licensing, transfers and royalty distribution. Governance mechanisms, such as decentralized autonomous organizations (DAOs), are employed to allow stakeholders to propose and vote on contract changes, ensuring adaptability. This approach aims to streamline IPR workflows, reduce transaction costs, improve transparency and enhance security.

The findings of this study suggest that implementing a blockchain-based ecosystem for managing intellectual property rights (IPRs) can lead to various benefits. These include reduced transaction costs, improved transparency, enhanced security, increased liquidity levels for IP assets and streamlined automated processes. The use of non-fungible tokens (NFTs) on the blockchain allows for detailed management, valuation and trading of IPRs. Furthermore, simulation results demonstrate the robustness and efficiency of our proposed ecosystem, outperforming traditional IP management systems in terms of transaction speed and cost-effectiveness. These simulations highlight the practical viability of integrating blockchain technology into IP management workflows.

The practical implications of adopting this blockchain-based ecosystem for managing intellectual property rights (IPRs) are significant. By streamlining processes, reducing transaction costs and improving transparency and security, organizations can expedite the protection and commercialization of their IP assets. Additionally, the increased liquidity levels and accessibility of IP assets to investors and financiers can spur innovation and economic growth.

This paper contributes to the field by proposing a novel approach to managing intellectual property rights (IPRs) using blockchain technology and smart contracts. By leveraging non-fungible tokens (NFTs) on the blockchain, the proposed ecosystem offers a more efficient and transparent way of managing IPRs, reducing reliance on costly and opaque traditional methods. The potential benefits include improved efficiency, transparency, security and collaboration in the management and commercialization of IPRs.

This research explores how firms manage the complex technologies standardization in action groups. It considers the strategic issues that technology producers face when involving lead users in architecture design. Drawing on the multi-mode standardization literature, this study addresses two dilemmas regarding value creation and appropriation by technology producers within coalitions. The first dilemma is how to create value by developing solutions in compliance with industry standards. The second one is how to appropriate value while ensuring the technology sharing with action groups. The answers to these two dilemmas contribute to filling the research gap on value creation and appropriation in multi-mode standardization.

The research focuses on technology producers participating in action groups where lead users play a crucial role. We conducted a qualitative analysis based on the standardization experience of a Japanese company specializing in smart robotics. Data are collected through semi-structured interviews with key actors. Action groups are defined operationally as a set of stakeholders including competitors of the technology producers, component suppliers, end users, services providers, research centers and academia. The case study is suitable for highlighting specific aspects of the standardization process during its manifestation. It reveals how firms create and appropriate value, providing details about its standardization strategy.

Our findings show that smart robotics standardization is drivn by collaborative models, where the two dilemmas of value creation and appropriation are evident. Firstly, the case revealed that standardization is lead users oriented. Secondly, lead users’ involvement is crucial to customize technologies. Thirdly, the firm’s position is to share a part of the value with the members. The IPR policy is a matter of interest within action groups, since the collaboration is based on open innovation models to share patents and licenses related knowledge.

This research has some limitations attributable to the limited generalizability of the results due to the qualitative analysis. In addition, this study considers the perspective of technology producers, but should also take into account the perspective of both collective actions itself and the lead users. Findings have some implications in the strategy negotiation. Participating in action groups is not enough to ensure a competitive advantage. Involving lead users is of strategic importance to acquire a competitive advantage. Lead users contribute to the producers’ technology design, helping firms to differentiate solutions from the industry standard and create value from customized technologies.

This study helps practitioners understand the competitive side of collective actions, clarifying the value capture and appropriability in standardization. The research provides insights to policymakers and standard development organizations committees when they are called to harmonize standards considering the fallouts on the sector’s competitiveness. Findings suggest appropriate property rights policies to manage the issues related to the value appropriability and technology sharing, recognizing action groups members for their contribution in value creation.

This study shows how firms deal within action groups with the two dilemmas of variety versus technology conformity and property rights versus technology sharing. It fills the research gap in collective actions, emphasizing the perspective of the individual firm in the group rather than the coalition strategy itself. This topic highlights the crucial role of lead users within action groups in managing the two dilemmas, offering a new perspective for understanding critical issues of multi-mode standardization. Reflecting on mechanisms and tools to manage the two dilemmas allows firms to protect their competitive advantage in coalitions.

This paper aims to examine the effects of intellectual property rights (IPRs) on firm performance, considering the mediating effect of process innovation and the moderating effect of organizational innovation. Additionally, this study investigates both the direct and indirect effects of IPRs on firm performance.

We employed partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) to examine proposed hypotheses. Our analysis attempted to analyze 3,750 Korean firms sourced from the Science and Technology Policy Research Institute (STEPI).

Process innovation mediates the relationship between IPRs and firm performance, and organizational innovation moderates the relationship between IPRs and process innovation. As a result, process and organizational innovation positively and indirectly affect firms’ financial performance. Also, IPRs can be regarded as a crucial resource for service firms, contributing to enhancing their performance.

The results of this study imply that IPRs can act as valuable intellectual resources for firms, improving financial performance. The mediating role of process innovation in the relationship between IPRs and firm performance highlights the significance of process innovation as a principal resource applicable to both the service and the manufacturing industries. Additionally, this study reveals that organizational innovation plays a vital role in determining firm performance by moderating the relationship between IPRs and process innovation. For the limitation of this study, it is important to acknowledge that the research primarily focuses on examining firms’ internal resources, while innovation activities can be significantly influenced by external knowledge resources as well. To address this limitation, future research should consider integrating the influence of external knowledge resources to provide a more well-rounded perspective on the relationship between IPRs, innovation, and firm performance.

This study holds two significant practical implications. First, from a corporate management perspective, service firms can improve their financial performance by developing or improving process innovations. This underscores the importance of investing in and fostering process innovation within an organization to achieve better financial outcomes. Second, from the corporate managers’ perspective, organizational innovation is crucial in improving firm performance, particularly when combined with IPRs and process innovation. This suggests that a holistic approach to innovation, encompassing both organizational and process-oriented initiatives, can lead to more substantial positive effects on firm performance. Finally, managers should proactively manage and regulate IPRs at various organizational levels, especially in the rapidly evolving digital landscape. By safeguarding and strategically leveraging their IPRs, companies can position themselves advantageously and capitalize on the opportunities presented in the digital realm.

This study shows that firm innovations can dynamically shape the relationship between IPRs and firms’ performance. This highlights the significant potential for firms to leverage their intellectual resources strategically to create novel and competitive products or services. Adopting a resource-based view, this study suggests that firms can enhance their competitive advantage and overall performance by effectively utilizing and collaborating with IPRs and innovations.

This study explores the relationship between economic freedom and gender ideologies on the allocation of women’s opportunity-to-necessity entrepreneurship across countries. Opportunity entrepreneurship is typically understood as one’s best option for work, whereas necessity entrepreneurship describes the choice as driven by no better option for work. Specifically, we examine how economic freedom (i.e. each country’s policies that facilitate voluntary exchange) and gender ideologies (i.e. each country’s propensity for gendered separate spheres) affect the distribution of women’s opportunity-to-necessity entrepreneurship across countries.

We construct our sample by matching data from the following country-level sources: the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor’s Adult Population Survey (APS), the Fraser Institute’s Economic Freedom Index (EFI), the European/World Value Survey’s Integrated Values Survey (IVS) gender equality index, and other covariates from the IVS, Varieties of Democracy (V-dem) World Bank (WB) databases. Our final sample consists of 729 observations from 109 countries between 2006 and 2018. Entrepreneurial activity motivations are measured by the ratio of the percentage of women’s opportunity-driven total nascent and early-stage entrepreneurship to the percentage of female necessity-driven total nascent and early-stage entrepreneurship at the country level. Due to a first-order autoregressive process and heteroskedastic cross-sectional dependence in our panel, we estimate a fixed-effect regression with robust standard errors clustered by country.

After controlling for multiple macro-level factors, we find two interesting findings. First, economic freedom positively affects the ratio of women’s opportunity-to-necessity entrepreneurship. We find that the size of government, sound money, and business and credit regulations play the most important role in shaping the distribution of contextual motivations over time and between countries. However, this effect appears to benefit efficiency and innovation economies more than factor economies in our sub-sample analysis. Second, gender ideologies of political equality positively affect the ratio of women’s opportunity-to-necessity entrepreneurship, and this effect is most pronounced for efficiency economies.

This study offers one critical contribution to the entrepreneurship literature by demonstrating how economic freedom and gender ideologies shape the distribution of contextual motivation for women’s entrepreneurship cross-culturally. We answer calls to better understand the variation within women’s entrepreneurship instead of comparing women’s and men’s entrepreneurial activity. As a result, our study sheds light on how structural aspects of societies shape the allocation of women’s entrepreneurial motivations through their institutional arrangements.