Search results

This study examines the relationship between strategic entrepreneurial behaviors (SEBs) and the performance of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in an emerging market context. The authors expand upon prior work in this area by building and testing a model that assesses the moderating effect of CEOs’ narcissism and Machiavellianism on the relationship between SEBs and SME performance.

To test the authors’ theoretical model, the authors use the results of a larger data collection project in Russia to create a national random sample of 372 Russian SMEs that were approached between August and November 2019.

The authors found support for the positive relationship between SEBs and SME performance. Additionally, the authors found that CEO narcissism and Machiavellianism strengthen the relationship between SEBs and firm performance.

This study is an important step toward enriching the understanding of the role of CEO personality traits in shaping the efficiency of entrepreneurial behavior at the firm level. Extending previous research, the authors show that SEBs have a positive effect on firm performance in an emerging market context. Additionally, the authors contribute insight about how personality characteristics of CEOs, specifically narcissism and Machiavellianism, influence the relationship between entrepreneurial behavior and firm performance. Finally, the authors’ research contributes to the development of strategic leadership theory: the results offer insight to scholars regarding the potentially beneficial attributes of otherwise “dark” leaders.

This paper aims to focus on the development of the three-dimensional (3D) printing filaments based on acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) copolymer and styrene-ethylene/butylene-styrene (SEBS) block copolymer, with tailored viscoelastic properties and controlled flow during the 3D printing process.

In this investigation, ABS was blended with various amounts of SEBS via a melt mixing process. Then the ABS/SEBS filaments were prepared by a single-screw extruder and printed by the FDM method. The rheological properties were determined using an MCR 501 from Anton-Paar. The melt flow behavior of ABS/SEBS filaments was determined. The morphology of the filaments was studied by scanning electron microscope and the mechanical (tensile and impact) properties, surface roughness and void content of printed samples were investigated.

The rheological results can accurately interpret what drives the morphology and mechanical properties’ changes in the blends. The impact strength, toughness, elongation-at-break and anisotropy in mechanical properties of ABS samples were improved concurrently by adding 40 Wt.% of SEBS. The optimal tensile properties of blend containing 40 Wt.% SEBS samples were obtained at −45°/+45° raster angle, 0.05 mm layer thickness and XYZ build orientation. Optimized samples showed an 890% increase in elongation compared to neat ABS. Also, the impact strength of ABS samples showed a 60% improvement by adding 40 Wt.% SEBS.

The paper simultaneously evaluates the effects of material composition and 3D printing parameters (layer thickness, raster angle and build orientation) on the rheology, morphology, mechanical properties and surface roughness. Also, a mechanical properties comparison between printed samples and their compression-molded counterpart was conducted.

Keeping both employees and customers highly engaged has become a critical issue for service firms, especially for high-contact and highly customized services. Therefore, it is essential to engage employees and customers during service interactions for better service outcomes. However, past research on employee and customer engagement has primarily focused on brands and organizations. Little research has concentrated on service interactions as the objects of engagement. To fill this research gap, this study aims to clarify and define service engagement behaviors (SEBs), identify various employee and customer SEBs and develop a model to investigate the relationships between these behaviors.

A theoretical framework was developed based on social contagion theory and service-dominant (S-D) logic to explore the effects of employee SEBs on customer SEBs through customer perceptions of relational energy and interaction cohesion. Dyadic survey data collected from 293 customer-employee pairs in various high-contact and highly customized service industries were examined through structural equation modeling.

Results show that employee SEBs (service role involvement, customer orientation behavior and customer empowerment behavior) positively influence relational energy and interaction cohesion, which in turn affect customer SEBs (service exploration behavior and service coordination behavior).

This study represents pioneering research to conceptualize SEBs. Different from the extant literature on engagement, SEBs capture the proactive and collaborative engagement behaviors of employees and customers in service interactions. Various employee and customer SEBs were identified and an empirical model was proposed and tested to investigate the effect of employee SEBs on customer SEBs through relational energy and interaction cohesion.

This paper aims to discuss the successful 3D printing of styrene–ethylene–butylene–styrene (SEBS) block copolymers using solvent-cast 3D printing (SC-3DP) technique.

Three different Kraton grade SEBS block copolymers were used to prepare viscous polymer solutions (ink) in three different solvents, namely, toluene, cyclopentane and tetrahydrofuran. Hansen solubility parameters (HSPs) were taken into account to understand the solvent–polymer interactions. Ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy was used to analyze transmittance behavior of different inks. Printability of ink samples was compared in terms of shape retention capability, solvent evaporation and shear viscosity. Dimensional deviations in 3D-printed parts were evaluated in terms of percentage shrinkage. Surface morphology of 3D-printed parts was investigated by scanning electron microscope. In addition, mechanical properties and rheology of the SC-3D-printed SEBS samples were also investigated.

HSP analysis revealed toluene to be the most suitable solvent for SC-3DP. Cyclopentane showed a strong preferential solubility toward the ethylene–butylene block. Microscopic surface cracks were present on tetrahydrofuran ink-based 3D-printed samples. SC-3D-printed samples exhibited high elongation at break (up to 2,200%) and low tension set (up to 9%).

SC-3DP proves to be an effective fabrication route for complex SEBS parts overcoming the challenges associated with fused deposition modeling.

To the best of authors’ knowledge, this is the first report investigating the effect of different solvents on physicomechanical properties of SC-3D-printed SEBS block copolymer samples.

This study investigates the barriers and drivers of using green methods and technologies (GMTs) in supportive educational buildings (SEBs) in South Africa, and assesses their impact on the circular economy (CE) in achieving net-zero carbon goals. While there has been extensive literature on green building technologies, there is limited research on the barriers and drivers of using GMT in SEBs, as well as their impact on the circular economy (CE) in achieving net-zero carbon goals.

This study adopts an interpretivist approach with an ontological basis, using an overarching case study of a SEB at the University of Cape Town (UCT). Semistructured interviews were conducted with executive UCT management, and a field survey of a UCT supportive education building was performed.

At UCT, multiple GMTs have been installed across various buildings to enhance monitoring and management of water and energy consumption. Moreover, initiatives to positively influence student behavior, such as water and energy-saving campaigns around UCT premises, have been introduced. The findings further indicate that UCT has recently emphasized the implementation of GMTs, resulting in improved resource efficiency, CE practices and progress toward achieving net-zero carbon targets for supportive education buildings and the university as a whole.

This research highlights the positive impact of GMTs on a SEB’s CE and net-zero carbon operations. As a result, facility managers should consider incorporating GMTs when planning the development or refurbishment of SEBs.

To develop and apply the social enterprise balanced scorecard (SEBS) as an amended balanced scorecard technique for use evaluating UK social enterprises.

The study involved exploring the potential mainstream application of the balanced scorecard in UK social enterprises to learn how this process show the ways in which social enterprises can develop, and implement and track the performance of their socially driven strategies. Describes the development of an SEBS and its testing by 12 social enterprises in a pilot training programme (August 2004‐December 2004).

The results indicated that the SEBS had changed participant views about their organizations in terms of: increased employee understanding about their organization as a business; the usefulness as a business planning tool for social enterprises; the natural fit of the SEBS alongside the existing UK quality accreditation scheme of Investors In People; the power of the SEBS to be an effective means to engage staff and team members as an early‐warning system for potential problems; helping to redress the balance between purely financial gains and social purpose; and providing focus, clarity, and the ability to remove non‐essential detail from strategic planning. Concludes that: Kaplan and Norton’s balanced scorecard is capable of being adapted to suit social enterprises; positive outcomes include creating a common language through which social entrepreneurs can share and compare experience, even if they operate in different industries; and the application of the SEBS can enable organizations to become better businesses, while demonstrating social value added to stakeholders.

Reveals the benefits of extending the balanced scorecard approach to the evaluation of social enterprises.

This paper aims to analyze the superior economic sector by looking at its contribution to the gross regional domestic product (GRDP) of East Kalimantan Province, the economic base, the multiplier effect and the strength of inter-sectoral linkages.

This study was designed through two research approaches, namely, quantitative and qualitative method. This is intended to complement the results of the phenomenon under study and to strengthen the analysis. Secondary data were analyzed by the level of contribution of the economic sectors to the GRDP, and the base sector was determined through the location quotient approach. The two methods of calculation helped to reveal the dominant economic sectors in East Kalimantan Province. The Input Output (IO) Table in 2016 was made up dated from the 2009 IO Table to be used as a basis for building Social Accounting Matrix data or known as the East Kalimantan Regional Socio-Economic Balance System (SEBS) (a matrix of 49 × 49 sectors) in 2017 by using the RAS method. To be consistent, these SEBS data are then aggregated so all commodities are combined into economic sectors used to determine the leading sector on the East Kalimantan Province SEBS in 2016 (a matrix of 41 × 41 sectors).

Based on the assessment by scoring of the criteria for determining the leading economic sectors in East Kalimantan, i.e. the contribution of the economic sector to GRDP, the economic base, the multiplier effect (income, production factor, and output) and the linkages between sectors, both backward and forward linkage, shows the ten leading sectors as follows: the trade; paper and printed goods; financial institutions and other financial services; fertilizer; chemical and other rubber products; hotel and restaurant; general government; fisheries; excavation; and mining without oil and gas.

Similar research has never been done before in East Kalimantan; this is one of the originalities of this present study. No previous study has comprehensively studied the mediating effects of tourist value perception on the determination of economic sector, especially in Kalimantan, Indonesia.

The Indian electricity sector was opened to the private sector under the IPP policy. The NTPC, India's largest and perhaps most efficient generator had to respond to the changing scenario. It set out to set up the Simhadri project in Andhra Pradesh, going beyond to original mandate. The IPP policy, its perversities, the background of the power sector, the problems there in and the response of NTPC are discussed. Case (B) discusses the issues related to Project Planning and Implementation.

Nowadays primary and secondary school teachers search for increasing amounts of educational support when it comes to educating pupils with social, emotional and behavioural difficulties (SEBD). The social and emotional aspects of learning (SEAL) framework that was recently launched within the English educational setting provides a wide variety of guidelines and advice on how to promote and enhance the needs of pupils, including those with SEBD. These needs can be met by enhancing pupils’ self-awareness, managing their skills, enhancing their motivation and enabling them to become more empathetic as well as developing their social skills. These five components, according to many authors, are considered to come under the umbrella of social, emotional and behavioural skills (SEBS).

In the literature, there is evidence to support the view that primary and secondary school teachers are not psychologically prepared to adequately support pupils with SEBD within the classroom setting. The research I have undertaken has enabled me to come to the conclusion that, before entering the classroom, teachers first need to develop their own SEBS before attempting to enhance those of SEBD pupils. This goal can be achieved by enabling teachers to become more emotionally literate. Through the development of emotional literacy, teachers will gain the ability to understand their own emotions, listen to others and learn to empathise with them, as well as to express their emotions productively (Barrow, Bradshaw, & Newton, 2001). Once this goal has been achieved, teachers will be in a better position to support pupils with SEBD within their classrooms. Therefore, this chapter aims to explore the elements that emotional literacy has to offer primary and secondary school teachers, and how these elements enable them to enhance their personal skills when it comes to supporting pupils with SEBD.