Search results
1 – 10 of over 1000Robert Gould, Courtney Mullin, Sarah Parker Harris and Robin Jones
The purpose of this paper is to analyze the unique and the complementary aspects of disability inclusion and diversity strategies and to offer insight for organizations to…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to analyze the unique and the complementary aspects of disability inclusion and diversity strategies and to offer insight for organizations to integrate disability within diversity frameworks.
Design/methodology/approach
The research team conducted semi-structured interviews with diversity and inclusion “champions” from large businesses to learn about policies, practices and processes for fostering disability inclusion. The businesses have all received national recognition for supporting employees with disabilities.
Findings
Interviewees described strategies to build, sustain and grow disability inclusion by framing disability similarly to other diversity categories. The champions suggested practices to improve disability inclusion initiatives within their organizations.
Originality/value
There is limited information on what organizations are doing to support disability inclusion in the workplace. This study builds on the existing literature and responds to calls for case information from business personnel to gather data about common and effective practices.
Details
Keywords
Dennis Codon, Sari K.M. Laitinen, Karin L. Vaccaro and B Todd Jones
Increasingly, allegations of significant corporate wrongdoing and inquiries from governmental agencies result in companies initiating internal investigations as a practical tool…
Abstract
Increasingly, allegations of significant corporate wrongdoing and inquiries from governmental agencies result in companies initiating internal investigations as a practical tool to find out whether there was wrong doing, what happened, and how to prevent it from happening again. This article discusses five essential questions that a company must address when it is faced with a decision on whether to conduct an internal investigation. Do I have to investigate? Who should lead the investigation? How soon can the investigation be completed? What do I need to do to keep the information confidential? And finally, do I have to disclose this to the public.
Details
Keywords
Pi‐Chuan Sun, Hsu‐Ping Chen and Kuang‐cheng Wang
The purpose of this paper is to explore the impacts of product harm, consumers' product knowledge and firms' negative information disclosure on ethical evaluation of a firm…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to explore the impacts of product harm, consumers' product knowledge and firms' negative information disclosure on ethical evaluation of a firm, especially, the moderating effects of product knowledge and negative information disclosure.
Design/methodology/approach
A 3×2×2 between‐subject design with three levels of product harm, two levels of product knowledge, and two treatments of negative information was used in this study. The experimental product is diet food.
Findings
The findings reveal that the level of product harm affects consumers' ethical evaluation. Furthermore, the individual's ethical evaluation will influence his or her purchase intention. The main effect of subjective knowledge is significant while its moderating effect is not significant. It is also found that the negative information disclosure will lower consumer's ethical evaluation of a firm, and the effect of product harm on ethical evaluation will be stronger for harmful products than for harmless products when the negative information is disclosed.
Practical implications
Marketers might need to be especially responsive if their practices result in a diminished reputation for their firms and lost sales. Exploiting the vulnerability of consumers or worsening their situation by marketing harmful products might be evaluated as unethical under principles of justice. It is suggested that marketers include increased disclosures of actual product harm levels relative to industry norms.
Originality/value
Consumers' product knowledge and firms' negative information disclosure are integrated into the model, exploring the effect of product harm on consumer's ethical evaluation of a firm and their moderating effects are discussed.
Details
Keywords
Examines how Activity‐based Management (ABM) counters the root causes of the failure of quality initiatives. Claims the failures could be largely mitigated by the additional…
Abstract
Examines how Activity‐based Management (ABM) counters the root causes of the failure of quality initiatives. Claims the failures could be largely mitigated by the additional visibility of the costs and benefits of doing things in a TQ way, provided by the use of activity‐based management techniques. Contends that great care is required in the design of an activity database. Considers the development of activity‐based techniques. Concludes that total quality and activity‐based management are derived from different origins to meet different needs but that they are highly complementary. Contends that together they can make a major contribution to the removal of barriers to success in the implementation of quality improvement initiatives.
Details
Keywords
Paul Clarke and Robin Bellis‐Jones
Describes the important role of activity‐based management in determining the direction for those managing change. Explores the importance to the implementation of change of the…
Abstract
Describes the important role of activity‐based management in determining the direction for those managing change. Explores the importance to the implementation of change of the understanding of cost in business as opposed to simply the desire to improve the way things are done. Concludes that managers should be clear about their direction for change before committing resources to the task.
Details
Keywords
Reviews the weaknesses in budgetary control, seen often as a costly and burdensome routine, and contends that conventional approaches to cost management emphasise its…
Abstract
Reviews the weaknesses in budgetary control, seen often as a costly and burdensome routine, and contends that conventional approaches to cost management emphasise its disadvantages (that it is too inward‐looking, for example), rather than examining its potential benefits. Highlights areas in which budgeting can contribute to the process of continuous improvement.
Details
Keywords
Courtney Mullin, Robert Gould, Sarah Parker Harris and Robin Jones
In this chapter, we explore the role of disability-based employee resource groups (ERG) in implementing large organizations' disability inclusion strategies and how pandemic…
Abstract
Purpose
In this chapter, we explore the role of disability-based employee resource groups (ERG) in implementing large organizations' disability inclusion strategies and how pandemic responses shaped the workplace treatment and inclusion of disabled employees.
Methods/Approach
We conducted semi-structured interviews with disability-based ERG members and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) professionals in large corporate settings. Then, we analyzed how pandemic-induced changes in the workplace impacted disability inclusion efforts and experiences of disabled employees.
Findings
Results from our study revealed that workplace disability inclusion responsibilities shifted to disability-based ERGs during the onset of the pandemic. Participants detailed how organizational disability inclusion practices and policies expanded through increased awareness among some employee bases and were de-prioritized to the point of erasure in other situations. Within the context of the pandemic, members of disability-based ERGs played an integral part in both enhancing visibility of disability and responding to instances of ableism in their respective organizations.
Implication/Value
Findings provide context as to how shifting organizational contexts, such as pandemic related workplace policies, becomes disabling, and in turn illustrate the fluid nature of disability. By framing disability as an evolving (fluid) identity category and prioritizing the awareness of disabled perspectives, organizations can better support disabled employees in their future, overarching DEI strategies and approaches to workplace inclusion post-pandemic.
Details
Keywords
The advent of robotics and automation technologies was augmenting firm initiatives to attain competitive advantage. From a resource-based view perspective, human-led capabilities…
Abstract
Purpose
The advent of robotics and automation technologies was augmenting firm initiatives to attain competitive advantage. From a resource-based view perspective, human-led capabilities were important to operate with technology resource base of an organisation. This was evident for both manufacturing as well as services firms. However, employees as an individual confronted technology anxiety (TA) when they were working with new technologies like robotics and automation technologies. Thus, the purpose of this paper was to examine the factors causing TA.
Design/methodology/approach
Given the novelty of this research study context a qualitative exploratory method was designed. For this research study, the data collected was through in-depth interviews conducted through open-ended semi-structured questionnaire. The data was collected from 62 frontline employees who were working with robotics and automation-based technologies in manufacturing firms. The authors applied thematic content analysis on collected data for analysis.
Findings
Technology anxieties ranged from fear of complete inability to learn new technologies, failure to learn new technologies properly, incapability to implement the learned skills and job loss to younger technology savvy employees. Finally, there was anxiety over job loss as automation and robotic technologies over the years was expected to erode the employment of human workforce altogether.
Research limitations/implications
The author undertook the research study based upon the TA perspective advocated by Meuter et al. (2003) and Yang and Forney (2013). Furthermore, this research study in the context of robotics and automation-based technologies in the manufacturing sector applied the mental accounting theory (Thaler, 1999) and technology self-efficacy perspective (Huffman et al., 2013).
Practical implications
Managers involved in the implementation of robotics and automation-based technologies were required to address TA of employees. Fear of job loss had to be addressed specially in a country like India. Anxiety regarding the ability to learn to work with robotics and automation technologies also was needed to be addressed by managers through adequate training and time for preparation. The benefits of robotics and automation-based technologies for employees as well as organisations have to be ascertained through open communication between the management and the frontline employees.
Originality/value
To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this was one of the first empirical research studies which deliberated regarding TA in the context of frontline workers working with robotics and automation-based technologies in the manufacturing sector. This research study was based upon a combination of varied perspectives ranging from micro foundations theory, TA, mental accounting theory and technology self-efficacy perspective.
Details