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Article
Publication date: 1 March 2007

Bonita L. Betters-Reed and Lynda L. Moore

When we take the lens of race, ethnicity, gender, and class to the collected academic work on women business owners, what does it reveal? What do we really know? Are there…

2582

Abstract

When we take the lens of race, ethnicity, gender, and class to the collected academic work on women business owners, what does it reveal? What do we really know? Are there differing definitions of success across segments of the women businessowner demographics? Do the challenges faced by African American women entrepreneurs differ from those confronting white female entrepreneurs? Do immigrant female women businessowners face more significant institutional barriers than their counterparts who have been U.S. citizens for at least two generations? Are there similar reasons for starting their businesses?

Details

New England Journal of Entrepreneurship, vol. 10 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2574-8904

Article
Publication date: 19 December 2022

Tianji Jiang and Jiqun Liu

The purpose of this paper is to understand how users behave and evaluate how systems with users are essential for interactive information retrieval (IIR) research. User study…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to understand how users behave and evaluate how systems with users are essential for interactive information retrieval (IIR) research. User study methodology serves as a primary approach to answering IIR research questions. In addition to designing user study procedures, understanding the limitations of varying study designs and discussing solutions to the limitations is also critical for improving the methods and advancing the knowledge in IIR.

Design/methodology/approach

Given this unresolved gap, we apply the faceted framework developed by Liu and Shah (2019) in systematically reviewing 131 IIR user studies recently published (2016–2021) on multiple IR and information science venues.

Findings

Our study achieve three goals: (1) extracting and synthesizing the reported limitations on multiple aspects of user study (e.g. recruitment, tasks, study procedures, system interfaces, data analysis methods) under associated facets; (2) summarizing the reported solutions to the limitations; (3) clarifying the connections between types of limitations and types of solutions.

Practical implications

The bibliography of user studies can be used by students and junior researchers who are new to user-centered IR studies as references for study design. Our results can facilitate the reflection and improvement on IR research methodology and serve as a checklist for evaluating customized IIR user studies in varying problem spaces.

Originality/value

To our knowledge, this work is the first study that systematically reviews the study limitations and solutions reported by IIR researchers in articles and empirically examines their connections to different study components.

Details

Aslib Journal of Information Management, vol. 76 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2050-3806

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 22 May 2023

Badrinarayan Shankar Pawar

This paper reviews 18 workplace spirituality scales developed over a period of 23 years from year 2000 to early 2023. The objective is to provide inputs which can guide future…

Abstract

Purpose

This paper reviews 18 workplace spirituality scales developed over a period of 23 years from year 2000 to early 2023. The objective is to provide inputs which can guide future researchers in choosing an existing appropriate workplace spirituality scale and in adopting sound scale development procedures for the development of new workplace spirituality scales.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper outlines the need for and importance of carrying out a review of workplace spirituality scales. Thereafter, it carries out a review of each of the 18 workplace spirituality scales. It describes 10 overall limitations of the collective set of workplace spirituality scales. Finally, five future research directions are outlined.

Findings

The review indicates that most of the workplace spirituality scales have limitations associated with them. The collective set of workplace spirituality scales also has several overall limitations.

Research limitations/implications

The review suggests that workplace spirituality researchers need to exercise caution in choosing an appropriate existing workplace spirituality scale for their research. The review also provides directions for the future research for developing more adequate workplace spirituality scales.

Practical implications

The inputs from this review will contribute to improve the practice of workplace spirituality research.

Social implications

As workplace spirituality can make organizations more beneficial for employees and the society, this review's contribution to improving workplace spirituality research has an indirect social significance.

Originality/value

This is, to the author's knowledge, the first comprehensive review of 18 workplace spirituality scales developed over a period of 23 years from year 2000 to 2023.

Details

Journal of Organizational Change Management, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0953-4814

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 6 February 2019

Jiju Antony, Michael Sony, Mary Dempsey, Attracta Brennan, Thomas Farrington and Elizabeth A. Cudney

The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the limitations and emerging trends of Six Sigma through an empirical study. Six Sigma is one of the most powerful business process…

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the limitations and emerging trends of Six Sigma through an empirical study. Six Sigma is one of the most powerful business process improvement strategies used by numerous World Class corporations for over three decades. A handful of existing publications address some limitations and potential trends of Six Sigma, yet there are no empirical studies investigating the fundamental limitations and emerging trends of Six Sigma.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors developed an online survey instrument based on the existing literature addressing the above. In this study, 61 Six Sigma Master Black Belts and Black Belts from large manufacturing companies and 25 academics who are familiar with the Six Sigma topic participated and contributed to the research.

Findings

The study reports the top 5 limitations and emerging trends of Six Sigma from the viewpoints of both academics and experts from large manufacturing companies. These are: integration of Six Sigma with Big Data, use of Six Sigma in small medium and micro enterprises, over emphasis of Six Sigma on variability reduction, poor implementation of Six Sigma and its negative impact on employee satisfaction and non-exploitation of integration of Six Sigma with Industry 4.0.

Practical implications

In order to sustain Six Sigma initiatives, it is imperative that limitations and fundamental gaps are understood, and strategies developed to address them. The authors argue that leading academic scholars have a vital role to play in working with industry practitioners to overcome the limitations and emerging trends addressed above.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first empirical study looking into the limitations, research gaps and emerging trends of Six Sigma.

Details

The TQM Journal, vol. 31 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1754-2731

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 29 May 2018

Natalia Saukkonen, Teemu Laine and Petri Suomala

To be utilized effectively in decision-making processes, management accounting (MA) information should fit the business context and at the same time reflect the roles…

2560

Abstract

Purpose

To be utilized effectively in decision-making processes, management accounting (MA) information should fit the business context and at the same time reflect the roles, responsibilities and values of the actors taking part in the decision-making. This study aims to investigate the limitations for MA information utilization in decision-making. In particular, this study explores limitations stemming from the decision-making process structure and the involvement of several managerial actors.

Design/methodology/approach

An exploratory case study of an energy company and its customer company illustrates the current challenges in providing and integrating MA information into decision-making. The analysis is focused on the analytical and actor-based features of the decision-making and thus the limitations for MA information utilization. As a part of the broader research process, the researchers facilitated a meeting in the customer company, where the actors relevant to investment decisions discussed the current limitations in utilizing MA information.

Findings

Analytical and actor-based features may take different forms in the decision-making. Some relevant MA information may not be included in an organization’s decision-making process structure that allows merely conventional, yet analytical, decision alternatives. At the same time, certain actors’ viewpoints (such as sustainability metrics) can be excluded from the process without considering the logic behind the exclusion. This case study identifies the following limitations, largely related to insufficient actor-based features in the decision-making: managers may lack expertise in the use of MA tools, managerial interaction may lack reflection on taken-for-granted assumptions, different managers may appreciate different scope, content and timing of MA information and the process structure can ignore the required managerial viewpoints.

Research limitations/implications

This study demonstrates that both the decision-making process structure and the needs of the several actors involved may lead to limitations for MA information utilization. Although many limitations stemmed from the insufficient actor-based orientation in the case study, introducing new MA analyses and extending the validity of analytical approaches may also help overcome some of the limitations. Further research should address possibilities to integrate different actors’ viewpoints with MA information already in the decision-making process structure, find ways to introduce MA information on unconventional decision alternatives and enable reflection among and about relevant actors with respect to decision-making. These means could lead to more effective utilization of MA information for decision-making and, consequently, economically viable decisions.

Originality/value

This study addresses the limitations in MA information utilization by combining the viewpoints of analytical decision-making processes and reflective actors, and thus unveils possibilities for enhancing MA practice.

Details

Qualitative Research in Accounting & Management, vol. 15 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1176-6093

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 15 May 2023

Catherine Prentice and Adam Pawlicz

This paper aims to examine the primary supply data sources that have been used for research into the sharing economy, and the advantages and limitations of these sources in the…

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to examine the primary supply data sources that have been used for research into the sharing economy, and the advantages and limitations of these sources in the literature.

Design/methodology/approach

To address the research aims, this study conducted a systematic literature review and content analysis of all relevant articles. Following the review, the methodological sections of the selected papers were examined to identify the characteristics and limitations of all data sources used in the papers.

Findings

This study revealed several limitations of the use of three major data sources, namely, web scraping with self-made bots, inside Airbnb and AirDNA, for sharing economy research. The review shows that the majority of the selected papers did not acknowledge any limitations, nor did they discuss the quality of the data sources.

Research limitations/implications

The findings of this paper can serve as guidelines for selecting appropriate data sources for research into the sharing economy and cautions researchers to address the limitations of the data sources used.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study that explores the advantages and limitations of data sources used in short-term rental market research.

Details

International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, vol. 36 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0959-6119

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 8 November 2011

Muneer Abbad, Rami Abbad and Malik Saleh

The purpose of this paper is to clarify the status of e‐commerce in terms of limitations, problems and barriers facing the application and use of e‐commerce in Jordan.

5878

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to clarify the status of e‐commerce in terms of limitations, problems and barriers facing the application and use of e‐commerce in Jordan.

Design/methodology/approach

A questionnaire approach was employed in this research study to obtain the most appropriate information for identifying the main limitations of e‐commerce in the context of the study. A delivery and collection questionnaire was used as a method for obtaining data from e‐commerce customers contacted through a number of universities.

Findings

There are found to be six main limitations of e‐commerce: security and trust; internet experience; enjoyment; language; legal issues; and technology acceptance (ease of use and usefulness). The results of this research showed that the main limitations of e‐commerce in Jordan appeared to be related to non‐technical limitations. The reason behind this result could be related to the lack of students' awareness of technical issues, in that they might not have known about the technical issues that could face e‐commerce.

Research limitations/implications

This research provides the foundation for additional research in developing countries related to e‐commerce, the results of which would be internationally useful. Comparison between countries could also be significant. Finally, investigation of the limitations of e‐commerce from a company point of view could be useful because companies are the providers of these services.

Originality/value

The paper summarizes the main limitations of e‐commerce from the Jordanian customer's point of view. In addition, the results of this study extend the body of knowledge by providing a set of limitations that may explain customers' perceptions of e‐commerce benefits and limitations. One finding – the difference in attitudes related to age, gender, internet experience, and income – may be of use to the development of company marketing strategies, for example, in regard to what enjoyment factors might motivate customers to do their shopping online. Managers and designers may find such information useful for predicting which systems will be acceptable to customers, diagnosing reasons why the system may not be fully acceptable to customers, and which corrective actions to take in increasing the acceptability of their systems.

Details

Education, Business and Society: Contemporary Middle Eastern Issues, vol. 4 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1753-7983

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 25 May 2010

Michael S. Garver, Zachary Williams and Stephen A. LeMay

Traditional methods of capturing and determining logistics attribute importance have serious research limitations. The purpose of this paper is to introduce maximum difference…

2667

Abstract

Purpose

Traditional methods of capturing and determining logistics attribute importance have serious research limitations. The purpose of this paper is to introduce maximum difference (MD) scaling as a new research methodology that will improve validity in measuring logistics attribute importance, overcoming many of the limitations associated with traditional methods. In addition, this new research method will allow logistics researchers to identify meaningful need‐based segments, an important goal of logistics research.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper provides an overview of MD scaling along with important research advantages, limitations, and practical applications. Additionally, a detailed research process is put forth so that this technique can be implemented by logistics researchers. Finally, an application of this technique is presented to illustrate the research method.

Findings

The importance of truck driver satisfaction attributes was analyzed using bivariate correlation analysis as well as MD scaling analysis. The two sets of results are compared and contrasted. The resulting rank order of attributes is very different and MD scaling results are shown to possess important advantages. As a result of this analysis, MD scaling analysis allows for meaningful, need‐based segmentation analysis, resulting in two unique need‐based driver segments.

Practical implications

From a practitioner viewpoint, knowing which attributes are most important will help in investing scarce resources to improve decision making and raise a firm's ROI. Although a number of relevant applications exist, the most important may include examining: the importance of customer service attributes; the importance of logistics service quality attributes; and the importance of customer satisfaction attributes.

Originality/value

MD scaling is a relatively new research technique, a technique that has yet to be utilized or even explored in existing logistics and supply chain literature. Yet, evidence is mounting in other fields that suggest this technique has many important and unique advantages. This paper is the first overview, discussion, and application of this technique for logistics and supply chain management and creates a strong foundation for implementing MD scaling in future logistics and supply chain management research.

Details

The International Journal of Logistics Management, vol. 21 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0957-4093

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 20 March 2024

Preeti Bhaskar and Puneet Kumar Kumar Gupta

This study aims to delve into the perspectives of educators on integrating ChatGPT, an AI language model into management education. In the current research, educators were asked…

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to delve into the perspectives of educators on integrating ChatGPT, an AI language model into management education. In the current research, educators were asked to talk as widely as possible about the perceived benefits, limitations of ChatGPT in management education and strategies to improve ChatGPT for management education. Also, shedding light on what motivates or inhibits them to use ChatGPT in management education in the Indian context.

Design/methodology/approach

Interpretative phenomenological analysis commonly uses purposive sampling. In this research, the purpose is to delve into educators’ perspectives on ChatGPT in management education. The data was collected from the universities offering management education in Uttarakhand, India. The final sample size for the study was constrained to 57 educators, reflecting the point of theoretical saturation in data collection.

Findings

The present study involved educators discussing the various advantages of using ChatGPT in the context of management education. When educators were interviewed, their responses were categorized into nine distinct sub-themes related to the benefits of ChatGPT in management education. Similarly, when educators were asked to provide their insights on the limitations of using ChatGPT in management education, their responses were grouped into six sub-themes that emerged during the interviews. Furthermore, in the process of interviewing educators about potential strategies to enhance ChatGPT for management education, their feedback was organized into seven sub-themes, reflecting the various approaches suggested by the educators.

Research limitations/implications

In the qualitative study, perceptions and experiences of educators at a certain period are captured. It would be necessary to conduct longitudinal research to comprehend how perceptions and experiences might change over time. The study’s exclusive focus on management education may not adequately reflect the experiences and viewpoints of educators in another discipline. The findings may not be generalizable and applicable to other educational disciplines.

Practical implications

The research has helped in identifying the strengths and limitations of ChatGPT as perceived by educators for management education. Understanding educators’ perceptions and experiences with ChatGPT provided valuable insight into how the tool is being used in real-world educational settings. These insights can guide higher education institutions, policymakers and ChatGPT service providers in refining and improving the ChatGPT tool to better align with the specific needs of management educators.

Originality/value

Amid the rising interest in ChatGPT’s educational applications, a research gap exists in exploring educators’ perspectives on AI tools like ChatGPT. While some studies have addressed its role in fields like medical, engineering, legal education and natural sciences, the context of management education remains underexplored. This study focuses on educators’ experiences with ChatGPT in transforming management education, aiming to reveal its benefits, limitations and factors influencing adoption. As research in this area is limited, educators’ insights can guide higher education institutions, ChatGPT providers and policymakers in effectively implementing ChatGPT in Indian management education.

Details

Interactive Technology and Smart Education, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1741-5659

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 28 October 2013

Jennifer Emanuel

Usability studies are a form of library evaluation that are often passed off as research. However, at its core, usability is an evaluation method, not a research method. The goal…

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Abstract

Purpose

Usability studies are a form of library evaluation that are often passed off as research. However, at its core, usability is an evaluation method, not a research method. The goal is to make an argument that usability studies can be a valid form of scholarly research if certain limitations inherent in usability studies are addressed in the research design.

Design/methodology/approach

Through evaluating literature in the social sciences, this paper makes an argument for usability as a research method if certain limitations inherent within usability testing are addressed.

Findings

Usability is not only an evaluation method, but when limitations are addressed; it can be considered an important research tool within libraries.

Originality/value

No other article in the library and information sciences literature talks about methodologies for usability. Most usability articles do not address methodologies utilized in a way that would be considered research in a broader social sciences context. This article bridges the gap from when usability is considered evaluation to when it is considered research within library science.

Details

OCLC Systems & Services: International digital library perspectives, vol. 29 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1065-075X

Keywords

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