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1 – 10 of 41Imoh Antai and Roland Hellberg
The total defence (TD) concept constitutes a joint endeavour between the military forces and civil defence structures within a TD state. Logistics is essential for such joint…
Abstract
Purpose
The total defence (TD) concept constitutes a joint endeavour between the military forces and civil defence structures within a TD state. Logistics is essential for such joint collaboration to work; however, the mismatch between military and civil defence logistics structures poses challenges for such joint collaboration. The purpose of this paper is to identify logistics concept areas within the TD framework that allow for military and civil defence collaborations from a logistics operations perspective.
Design/methodology/approach
Pattern-matching analysis is used to compare patterns found in the investigated case with those prescribed from the literature and predicted to occur. The study seeks to identify logistics concepts within TD from the literature and from the events describing the Swedish response to the Covid-19 pandemic. Pattern matching thus allows for the reconciliation of logistics concepts from the literature to descriptions of how the response was handled, albeit under a TD framework.
Findings
Findings show quite distinct foci between the theoretical and observational realms in terms of logistics applications. While the theoretical realm identifies four main logistics concepts, the observational realm identifies five logistics conceptual themes. This goes on to show an incongruence between the military and civil parts of the TD.
Research limitations/implications
This study provides basis for further research into the applications and management of logistics activity within TD and emergency response.
Originality/value
Logistics applications within TD have not, until now, received much attention in the literature. Given this knowledge gap, this study is of original value.
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The president's proposal to send troops to Ukraine has triggered debate on France's military readiness. Within Europe, it is a leading military power but chronic resource…
Details
DOI: 10.1108/OXAN-DB286579
ISSN: 2633-304X
Keywords
Geographic
Topical
Chen Zhong, Hong Liu and Hwee-Joo Kam
Cybersecurity competitions can effectively develop skills, but engaging a wide learner spectrum is challenging. This study aims to investigate the perceptions of cybersecurity…
Abstract
Purpose
Cybersecurity competitions can effectively develop skills, but engaging a wide learner spectrum is challenging. This study aims to investigate the perceptions of cybersecurity competitions among Reddit users. These users constitute a substantial demographic of young individuals, often participating in communities oriented towards college students or cybersecurity enthusiasts. The authors specifically focus on novice learners who showed an interest in cybersecurity but have not participated in competitions. By understanding their views and concerns, the authors aim to devise strategies to encourage their continuous involvement in cybersecurity learning. The Reddit platform provides unique access to this significant demographic, contributing to enhancing and diversifying the cybersecurity workforce.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors propose to mine Reddit posts for information about learners’ attitudes, interests and experiences with cybersecurity competitions. To mine Reddit posts, the authors developed a text mining approach that integrates computational text mining and qualitative content analysis techniques, and the authors discussed the advantages of the integrated approach.
Findings
The authors' text mining approach was successful in extracting the major themes from the collected posts. The authors found that motivated learners would want to form a strategic way to facilitate their learning. In addition, hope and fear collide, which exposes the learners’ interests and challenges.
Originality/value
The authors discussed the findings to provide education and training experts with a thorough understanding of novice learners, allowing them to engage them in the cybersecurity industry.
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This study aims to highlight that security and flexibilities remain the main points of contention in the cordiality business. This research points to planning a framework that…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to highlight that security and flexibilities remain the main points of contention in the cordiality business. This research points to planning a framework that empowers hotel users to get to the room using a mobile access key. Advancing secured facilities, mobile phone “Near Field Communication” (NFC) innovation as the entrance device by carrying out an application containing an imitated mobile key for explicit verification access is used.
Design/methodology/approach
The proposed system is evaluated by triangulation of experimental, numerical and rational evaluation using partial least square structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) with Malaysian hotel guests and employees.
Findings
The discoveries with the hypothesis supported validated that the suggested solution can eliminate physical cards, boost protection and encourage a contactless ecosystem. Theoretical, management and societal contributions are discussed here.
Research limitations/implications
This experiment comes with the constraints that it was conducted in only two hotels and does not fully reflect the choices of a wider range of travellers. Secondly, the cost of existing NFC smart locks is still relatively high, and along with the development of technology, the price will decrease when supply exceeds demand.
Practical implications
To promote high-security attributes, NFC technology as the access system by implementing an application containing an emulated smart key for specific authentication access is used. The host-card emulation enables cost-effectiveness profit and initiating a defence system in the pandemic era.
Social implications
To promote high-security attributes, NFC technology is used as the access system by implementing an application containing an emulated smart key for specific authentication access. The host-card emulation enables cost-effectiveness profit and initiating a defence system in the pandemic era.
Originality/value
The novelty of this study comes from the use of commonly available smartphone NFC features that are yet to be applied in the tourism ecosystem. The research provokes the applied concept of mobile smartkeys.
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This study aims to explore the moderating effects of strategy on the relationship between working capital management (WCM) and profitability.
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to explore the moderating effects of strategy on the relationship between working capital management (WCM) and profitability.
Design/methodology/approach
A data sample of 72,444 firm-year observations of US-listed firms during 2000–2020 was used. The research hypotheses were tested using a panel regression analysis and an appropriate research instrument that signifies a firm’s strategic positioning.
Findings
The prospecting (defending) strategy has a decreasing (increasing) moderating effect on the relationship between WCM and profitability. The empirical findings are not affected by the level of earnings management, the presence of motives to meet earnings targets or the intensity of unreported intangible assets. Additionally, the reported empirical results remain robust within the context of propensity score matching regression analysis, in the presence of nonlinear effects of WCM on profitability, when alternative measures of WCM are used, and between firms with an increase or decrease in future profitability or different levels of efficiency on net WCM investments.
Research limitations/implications
This study may stimulate future research exploring the moderating effects of various variables on the relationship between WCM and operating performance.
Practical implications
The findings highlight the importance of strategy for improving the performance evaluation of WCM policies and the prediction accuracy of the consequences of a strategy on short-term operating performance.
Originality/value
Prior empirical research has documented either a negative or positive relationship between WCM and profitability, which implies the presence of moderating effects of various factors. This study provides empirical evidence of the moderating effects of strategy on the relationship between WCM and profitability.
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Herbert Mattord, Kathleen Kotwica, Michael Whitman and Evan Battaglia
The purpose of this paper is to explore the current practices in security convergence among and between corporate security and cybersecurity processes in commercial enterprises.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to explore the current practices in security convergence among and between corporate security and cybersecurity processes in commercial enterprises.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper is the first phase in a planned multiphase project to better understand current practices in security optimization efforts being implemented by commercial organizations exploring means and methods to operate securely while reducing operating costs. The research questions being examined are: What are the general levels of interest in cybersecurity and corporate security convergence? How well do the perspectives on convergence align between organizations? To what extent are organizations pursuing convergence? and How are organizations achieving the anticipated outcomes from convergence?
Findings
In organizations, the evolution to a more optimized security structure, either merged or partnered, was traditionally due to unplanned or unforeseen events; e.g. a spin-off/acquisition, new security leadership or a negative security incident was the initiator. This is in contrast to a proactive management decision or formal plan to change or enhance the security structure for reasons that include reducing costs of operations and/or improving outcomes to reduce operational risks. The dominant exception was in response to regulatory requirements. Preliminary findings suggest that outcomes from converged organizations are not necessarily more optimized in situations that are organizationally merged under a single leader. Optimization may ultimately depend on the strength of relationships and openness to collaboration between management, cybersecurity and corporate security personnel.
Research limitations/implications
This report and the number of respondents to its survey do not support generalizable findings. There are too few in each category to make reliable predictions and in analysis, there was an insufficient quantity of responses in most categories to allow supportable conclusions to be drawn.
Practical implications
Practitioners may find useful contextual clues to their needs for convergence or in response to directives for convergence from this report on what is found in some other organizations.
Social implications
Improved effectiveness and/or reduced costs for organizational cybersecurity would be a useful social outcome as organizations become more efficient in the face of increasing levels of cyber security threats.
Originality/value
Convergence as a concept has been around for some time now in both the practice and research communities. It was initially promoted formally by ASIS International and ISACA in 2005. Yet there is no universally agreed-upon definition for the term or the practices undertaken to achieve it. In addition, the business drivers and practices undertaken to achieve it are still not fully understood. If convergence or optimization of converged operations offers a superior operational construct compared to other structures, it is incumbent to discover if there are measurable benefits. This research hopes to define the concept of security collaboration optimization more fully. The eventual goal is to develop and promote a tool useful for organizations to measure where they are on such a continuum.
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AI promises to drive economic efficiencies across sectors, improve the delivery of critical services such as healthcare, democratise access to knowledge and skills, and tighten…
Tyler Wasson and Michael Quinn
The US Federal Government awards contracts worth hundreds of billions of dollars each year. Many firms that rely on these contracts have appointed former government officials to…
Abstract
Purpose
The US Federal Government awards contracts worth hundreds of billions of dollars each year. Many firms that rely on these contracts have appointed former government officials to their corporate boards in the hopes of securing government contracts. The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between these government experienced directors (GEDs) on boards and firms being awarded government contracts.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper compiles a panel data set from 2017 to 2020 for S&P 500 firms. This includes hand-collected data for government-experienced directors on boards. This is tested using both regression and analysis of variance methodologies.
Findings
Results find that former government officials on corporate boards increase the amount of government contracts secured by the firm, both in absolute terms and as a percentage of firms’ revenue. There are significant industry level effects for the health care and financials sectors. Government-experienced directors on boards are also positively related to firms receiving COVID contracts. Lobbying was not found to be related to the securing of regular government contracts but was positively related to firms obtaining COVID contracts.
Originality/value
This paper contributes to the literature by using panel data, an expanded definition of GEDs and data on COVID contracts. The “revolving door” between government and firms is paying off for companies.
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Ziqin Yu and Xiang Xiao
In recent years, environmental issues and resource depletion have posed significant challenges to firms and society. To address these environmental challenges, firms seek to build…
Abstract
Purpose
In recent years, environmental issues and resource depletion have posed significant challenges to firms and society. To address these environmental challenges, firms seek to build strategic alliances of green supply chain management (GSCM) with their supply chain partner. As the largest developing country in the Asia–Pacific region, China needs to take more responsibility for environmental protection, which requires more Chinese firms to participate in GSCM. Therefore, focusing on the issue of GSCM and innovation persistence in the context of an increasingly harsh ecological environment is essential.
Design/methodology/approach
To test the hypothesis, the authors perform an empirical analysis on a sample of 124 listed firms in China from 2014 to 2019. The results are robust to a battery of robustness analyses the authors performed to take care of endogeneity.
Findings
Empirical results indicate that GSCM can promote innovation persistence and both market environment turbulence and technology environment turbulence have a positive moderating effect on the relationship between the two. Mechanism tests show that GSCM can improve innovation efficiency, ensure innovation quality and alleviate financing constraints, thus promoting the innovation persistence of firms.
Originality/value
This study can provide a theoretical basis for the country to promote GSCM orientation, raise firms' awareness of the value of GSCM, convey the significance of GSCM to investors, influence firms' investment decisions and give experience to other developing countries.
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Marek Tiits, Erkki Karo and Tarmo Kalvet
Although the significance of technological progress in economic development is well-established in theory and policy, it has remained challenging to agree upon shared priorities…
Abstract
Purpose
Although the significance of technological progress in economic development is well-established in theory and policy, it has remained challenging to agree upon shared priorities for strategies and policies. This paper aims to develop a model of how policymakers can develop effective and easy to communicate strategies for science, technology and economic development.
Design/methodology/approach
By integrating insights from economic complexity, competitiveness and foresight literature, a replicable research framework for analysing the opportunities and challenges of technological revolutions for small catching-up countries is developed. The authors highlight key lessons from piloting this framework for informing the strategy and policies for bioeconomy in Estonia towards 2030–2050.
Findings
The integration of economic complexity research with traditional foresight methods establishes a solid analytical basis for a data-driven analysis of the opportunities for industrial upgrading. The increase in the importance of regional alliances in the global economy calls for further advancement of the analytical toolbox. Integration of complexity, global value chains and export potential assessment approaches offers valuable direction for further research, as it enables discussion of the opportunities of moving towards more knowledge-intensive economic activities along with the opportunities for winning international market share.
Originality/value
The research merges insights from the economic complexity, competitiveness and foresight literature in a novel way and illustrates the applicability and priority-setting in a real-life setting.
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