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1 – 10 of 55Sohail Kamran and Outi Uusitalo
The present study aimed to provide an understanding of the roles of community-based financial service organizations (i.e. rotating savings and credit associations [ROSCAs] as…
Abstract
Purpose
The present study aimed to provide an understanding of the roles of community-based financial service organizations (i.e. rotating savings and credit associations [ROSCAs] as institutional pillars in facilitating low-income, unbanked consumers’ access to informal financial services).
Design/methodology/approach
Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 39 low-income, unbanked consumers participating in ROSCAs in Pakistan, where only 21% of adults have a bank account and almost four out of five individuals live on a low income. The obtained data were analyzed using the thematic analysis technique.
Findings
ROSCAs’ regulatory, sociocultural and cognitive aspects facilitate low-income, unbanked consumers’ utilization of informal financial services owing to their approachability by, suitability for, and fairness to such consumers. Thus, they promote such consumers’ financial inclusion.
Practical implications
Low-income consumers are mostly unable to access formal financial services due to the existing supply- and demand-side impediments. Understanding ROSCAs’ institutional functioning can help formal financial service providers create more transformative financial services based on the positive institutional aspects of ROSCAs to enhance poor consumers’ financial inclusion and well-being.
Social implications
The inclusion of low-income, unbanked consumers in formal banking services will help them better control their finances.
Originality/value
Many low-income, unbanked consumers in developing countries utilize informal financial services to meet their basic financial needs, but service researchers have rarely investigated how informal financial institutions function. The present study showed that ROSCAs, as informal institutions, meet low-income, unbanked consumers’ personal, social and financial needs in a befitting manner, which encourages such consumers to use the financial services offered by ROSCAs.
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Iskandar Waini, Farah Nadzirah Jamrus, Natalia C. Roșca, Alin V. Roșca and Ioan Pop
This study aims to investigate the dual solutions for axisymmetric flow and heat transfer due to a permeable radially shrinking disk in copper oxide (CuO) and silver (Ag) hybrid…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to investigate the dual solutions for axisymmetric flow and heat transfer due to a permeable radially shrinking disk in copper oxide (CuO) and silver (Ag) hybrid nanofluids with radiation effect.
Design/methodology/approach
The partial differential equations that governed the problem will undergo a transformation into a set of similarity equations. Following this transformation, a numerical solution will be obtained using the boundary value problem solver, bvp4c, built in the MATLAB software. Later, analysis and discussion are conducted to specifically examine how various physical parameters affect both the flow characteristics and the thermal properties of the hybrid nanofluid.
Findings
Dual solutions are discovered to occur for the case of shrinking disk (λ < 0). Stronger suction triggers the critical values’ expansion and delays the boundary layer separation. Through stability analysis, it is determined that one of the solutions is stable, whereas the other solution exhibits instability, over time. Moreover, volume fraction upsurge enhances skin friction and heat transfer in hybrid nanofluid. The hybrid nanofluid’s heat transfer also heightened with the influence of radiation.
Originality/value
Flow over a shrinking disk has received limited research focus, in contrast to the extensively studied axisymmetric flow problem over a diverse set of geometries such as flat surfaces, curved surfaces and cylinder. Hence, this study highlights the axisymmetric flow due to a shrinking disk under radiation influence, using hybrid nanofluids containing CuO and Ag. Upon additional analysis, it is evidently shows that only one of the solutions exhibits stability, making it a physically dependable choice in practical applications. The authors are very confident that the findings of this study are novel, with several practical uses of hybrid nanofluids in modern industry.
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Annachiara Longoni, Davide Luzzini, Madeleine Pullman, Stefan Seuring and Dirk Pieter van Donk
This paper aims to provide a starting point to discuss how social enterprises can drive systemic change in terms of social impact through operations and supply chain management.
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to provide a starting point to discuss how social enterprises can drive systemic change in terms of social impact through operations and supply chain management.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper reviews existing literature and the four papers in this special issue and develops a conceptual framework of how social enterprises and their supply chains create social impact and further enable systematic change.
Findings
Our paper finds that social impact and systemic change can be shaped by social enterprises at three different levels of analysis (organization, supply chain and context) and through three enablers (cognitive shift, stakeholder collaboration and scalability). Such dimensions are used to position current literature and to highlight new research directions.
Originality/value
This paper proposes a novel understanding of operations and supply chain management in social enterprises intended as catalysts for systemic change. Based on this premise we distinguish different practices and stakeholders to be considered when studying social impact at different levels. The conceptual framework introduced in the paper provides a new pathway for future research and debate by scholars engaged at the intersection of social impact, sustainable operations and supply chain management.
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Kelsey M. Taylor and Eugenia Rosca
Previous literature on sustainable supply chain management has largely adopted an instrumental view of stakeholder management and has focused on understanding the effect of…
Abstract
Purpose
Previous literature on sustainable supply chain management has largely adopted an instrumental view of stakeholder management and has focused on understanding the effect of powerful stakeholders who have a more decisive influence on an organization's supply chain decisions. Social enterprises have emerged as organizations that often aim to create impact by integrating marginalized stakeholders into their operations and supply chains. This study examines the trade-offs that social enterprises experience due to their moral stance toward stakeholder engagement, evidenced in their commitment to serving marginalized stakeholders, as well as the responses adopted to these trade-offs.
Design/methodology/approach
The study follows a theory elaboration approach through a multiple case study design. The authors draw on insights from stakeholder theory and use the empirical insights to expand current constructs and relationships in a novel empirical context. Based on an in-depth analysis of primary and secondary qualitative data on ten social enterprises, the authors examine how these organizations integrate marginalized stakeholders into various roles in their operations.
Findings
When integrating marginalized customers, suppliers and employees, social enterprises face affordability, reliability and efficiency trade-offs. Each trade-off represents conflicts between the organization's needs and the needs of marginalized stakeholders. In response to these trade-offs, social enterprises choose to internalize the costs through slack creation or vertical integration or externalize the costs to stakeholders. The ability to externalize is contingent on the growth orientation of the organization and the presence of like-minded B2B (Business-to-Business) customers. These responses reflect whether organizations accept the trade-offs at the expense of one or more stakeholders or if they avoid the trade-offs and find mutually beneficial solutions.
Originality/value
Building on the empirical insights, the authors elaborate on stakeholder theory with a focus on the integration of marginalized stakeholders by emphasizing a moral justification for stakeholder engagement, identifying the nature of the underlying trade-offs which can arise when various stakeholder needs are in conflict and examining the contingencies affecting organizational responses to these trade-offs.
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Alin V. Roşca, Natalia C. Roşca, Ioan Pop and Mikhail A. Sheremet
This paper aims to study numerically the steady natural convective heat transfer of a hybrid nanosuspension (Ag-MgO/H2O) within a partially heated/cooled trapezoidal region with…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to study numerically the steady natural convective heat transfer of a hybrid nanosuspension (Ag-MgO/H2O) within a partially heated/cooled trapezoidal region with linear temperature profiles at inclined walls under an effect of uniform Lorentz force. This investigation is useful for researchers studying in the area of cavity flows to know features of the flow structures and nature of hybrid nanofluid characteristics. In addition, a detailed entropy generation analysis has been performed to highlight possible regimes with minimal entropy generation rates.
Design/methodology/approach
The governing equations formulated using the Oberbeck–Boussinesq approach and single-phase nanoliquid model are transformed to a non-dimensional form by using non-dimensional variables. The obtained equations with appropriate boundary conditions are resolved by the finite difference technique. The developed code has been validated comprehensively. Analysis has been performed for a wide range of governing parameters, including Rayleigh number (Ra = 105), Prandtl number (Pr = 6.82), Hartmann number (Ha = 0–100), magnetic field inclination angle (φ = 0–?/2) and nanoparticles volume fraction (φhnf = 0 and 2%).
Findings
It has been shown that inclined magnetic field can be used to manage the energy transport performance. An inclusion of nanoparticles without Lorentz force influence allows forming more stable convective regime with descending heat plume in the central zone, while such a regime was performed for clear fluid only for moderate and high Hartmann numbers. Moreover, the average overall entropy generation can be decreased with a growth of the Hartmann number, while an addition of hybrid nanoparticles allows reducing this parameter for Ha = 30 and 50. The average Nusselt number can be increased with a growth of the nanoparticles concentration for low values of the magnetic field intensity.
Originality/value
Governing equations written using the conservation laws and dimensionless non-primitive variables have been resolved by the finite difference approach. The created numerical code has been verified by applying the grid independence test and computational outcomes of other researchers. The comprehensive analysis for various key parameters has been performed.
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Paulo C. Dias, Íris M. Oliveira, Anabela Rodrigues and Ricardo Peixoto
Firefighters are daily confronted with adverse, unpredictable and demanding situations. It is a dangerous profession that puts firefighters at risk of developing burnout. Although…
Abstract
Purpose
Firefighters are daily confronted with adverse, unpredictable and demanding situations. It is a dangerous profession that puts firefighters at risk of developing burnout. Although the literature has already identified personal and work-related factors of burnout, the examination of specific factors explaining burnout among volunteer and career firefighters is still needed. The purpose of this study is to investigate the explaining role of personal and work-related factors on volunteer and career firefighters’ burnout.
Design/methodology/approach
A nonrandom convenience sample of 250 firefighters (67% volunteer; Mage = 31.88) completed a sociodemographic questionnaire, the Oldenburg Burnout Inventory, the Proactive Coping Scale and a standard of living subscale item. Hierarchical multiple linear regression models were tested. Fisher’s criterion was considered, with p-values lower than 0.05 interpreted as statistically significant.
Findings
Personal and work-related factors accounted for 18% of volunteer and 31% of career firefighters’ variations in burnout. Personal factors offered a greater contribution explaining volunteer and career firefighters’ burnout. Still, variations in the role played by age, family responsibilities, proactive coping and satisfaction with standard of living on burnout were found among volunteer and career firefighters. Taking the work-related factors into account, working in rotative shifts constituted a risk factor for career firefighters’ burnout.
Research limitations/implications
This study advances the understanding about the role of personal and work-related factors in volunteer and career firefighters’ burnout.
Originality/value
This study adds information about specific factors explaining burnout among voluntary and career firefighters. It deepens existing knowledge on variations in the role played by age, family responsibilities, work conditions, proactive coping and satisfaction with standard of living on the burnout of volunteer and career firefighters.
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Melanie Kessler, Eugenia Rosca and Julia Arlinghaus
This study aims to advance a behavioural approach towards understanding how managerial perception impacts the enactment of responses to risk management during the implementation…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to advance a behavioural approach towards understanding how managerial perception impacts the enactment of responses to risk management during the implementation of digital technologies in industrial operations and supply chains. The purpose is to investigate the influence of (digital) technology and task uncertainty on the risk perception of managers and how this impacts risk responses adopted by managers.
Design/methodology/approach
Following an exploratory theory elaboration approach, the authors collected more than 80 h of interview material from 53 expert interviews. These interviews were conducted with representatives of 46 German companies that have adopted digital technologies for different industrial applications within manufacturing, assembly and logistics processes.
Findings
The findings provide nuanced insights on how individual and combined sources of uncertainty (technology and task uncertainty) impact the perception of decision makers and the resulting managerial responses adopted. The authors uncover the important role played by the interaction between digital technology and human being in the context of industrial operations. The exploratory study shows that the joint collaboration between humans and technologies has negative implications for managerial risk responses regardless of positive or negative perception, and therefore, requires significant attention in future studies.
Research limitations/implications
The empirical base for this study is limited to German companies (mainly small and medium size). Moreover, German culture can be characterised by a high uncertainty avoidance and this may also limit the generalizability of the findings.
Practical implications
Managers should critically revise their perception of different types of digital technologies and be aware of the impact of human-machine interaction. Thereby, they should investigate more systematic approaches of risk identification and assessment.
Originality/value
This paper focuses on the managerial risk responses in the context of digitalisation projects with practical insights of 53 expert interviews.
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Waqar Khan Usafzai, Emad H. Aly and Ioan Pop
This paper aims to study a non-Newtonian micropolar fluid flow over a bidirectional flexible surface for multiple exact solutions of momentum boundary layer and thermal transport…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to study a non-Newtonian micropolar fluid flow over a bidirectional flexible surface for multiple exact solutions of momentum boundary layer and thermal transport phenomenon subject to wall mass flux, second-order slip and thermal jump conditions.
Design/methodology/approach
The coupled equations are transformed into ordinary differential equations using similarity variables. Analytical and numerical techniques are used to solve the coupled equations for single, dual or multiple solutions.
Findings
The results show that the stretching flow, shrinking flow, the wall drag, thermal profile and temperature gradient manifest large changes when treated for special effects of the standard parameters. The role of critical numbers is definitive in locating the domains for the existence of exact solutions. The nondimensional parameters, such as mass transfer parameter, bidirectional moving parameter, plate deformation strength parameter, velocity slips, material parameter, thermal jump and Prandtl number, are considered, and their physical effects are presented graphically. The presence of governing parameters exhibits special effects on the flow, microrotation and temperature distributions, and various exact solutions are obtained for the special parametric cases.
Originality/value
The originality and value of this work lie in its exploration of non-Newtonian micropolar fluid flow over a bidirectional flexible surface, highlighting the multiple exact solutions for momentum boundary layers and thermal transport under various physical conditions. The study provides insights into the effects of key parameters on flow and thermal behavior, contributing to the understanding of complex fluid dynamics.
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Júlia Quintino Sant’Ana, Linda Jessica De Montreuil Carmona and Giancarlo Gomes
This study aims to answer the following research question: What are the opportunities for future research concerning the Frugal Innovation (FI) phenomenon? To address this, the…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to answer the following research question: What are the opportunities for future research concerning the Frugal Innovation (FI) phenomenon? To address this, the authors propose a novel approach to literature review on the topic. They do so in view of synthesising scholars’ recommendations for subsequent studies. They also advocate that it is time to contribute to the establishment of the FI field by mapping the future of this approach.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors conducted a systematic literature review (SLR) to connect past and future research on FI. After the screening process of the documents extracted from multiple databases, they performed a bibliometric analysis to provide an overview of the field. Furthermore, the lexical analysis and descending hierarchical analysis were generated through the IRAMUTEQ software to identify the clusters for future research on FI.
Findings
This research not only demonstrates the current state of the art of FI literature but also identifies a research agenda with six categories of opportunities for further studies on the topic: frugal consumer behaviour; establishment of the field; sustainable impact; approaches to different contexts; implementation processes; and challenges for value creation.
Originality/value
The FI phenomenon is receiving increasing attention from scholars in the management field due to its socioeconomic and managerial implications, especially after the Covid-19 outbreak. Therefore, the findings benefit scholars striving to expand the scope of FI research, as well as entrepreneurs, managers and organisations aiming to enhance their social responsibility to reduce their environmental impact.
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Hsing-Er Lin, Andy Yu, Jeongho Choi, Chiung-Wen Tsao, Jeff Stambaugh and Dina L. Taylor
This study aims to investigate the effects of CEO gender on social enterprise (SE) value creation and the moderating effect of selective attention on SEs’ dual goals (i.e…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to investigate the effects of CEO gender on social enterprise (SE) value creation and the moderating effect of selective attention on SEs’ dual goals (i.e. relative attention to social versus economic goals).
Design/methodology/approach
The authors surveyed 596 active Taiwanese SEs to rate independent and moderating variables and received 191 responses (109 female and 82 male CEOs). The authors used external SE experts to evaluate each SE’s economic and social value creation, lowering the threat of common method bias and enhancing data quality.
Findings
Social value creation is higher with female chief executive officer (CEOs) (than with male CEOs), whereas economic value creation tends to be lower. But, attentional selection (i.e. changes in attention) to economic goals by female CEOs mitigates the negative relationship between female CEOs and economic value creation.
Practical implications
Gender diversity in the top management team is critical for dual-goal attainment. Decision-makers’ attention focus could vary along with the situation to achieve the desired outcomes. Thus, creating an attention structure under a given situation may help guide the decision-making process toward the desired performance for SEs.
Originality/value
Little research brings the attention-based view to investigate the effects of managerial gender roles on the dual-goal performance (i.e. social versus economic value creation) of SEs and test its contingency, and to the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first to do so. This study also adopted a unique research design asking outside SE experts to provide the performance data.
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