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Article
Publication date: 20 March 2009

Akhilesh Chandra and Thomas G. Calderon

This paper leverages the concept of business information intensity (BII) with the aim of developing a model to assess control deficiency risk (CDR) in organizations. BII measures…

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Abstract

Purpose

This paper leverages the concept of business information intensity (BII) with the aim of developing a model to assess control deficiency risk (CDR) in organizations. BII measures the extent of use of IT by an organization in its products and value chain.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper develops a conceptual model that uses BII and CDR to examine alternative approaches to risk management. This model contains four quadrants that provide insight into varying risk management strategies for business processes. CFOs and internal auditors from Fortune 100 companies are surveyed to illustrate how the model may be used to guide management in assessing IT security expenditure.

Findings

The model suggests that spending on IT and information security is higher for companies with high BII‐CDR than those with low BII‐CDR.

Research limitations/implications

Analysis focused on only two quadrants in a four‐quadrant model. Future research may seek to refine the measurement of BII and CDR, and offer greater insight into the types of business processes that fall into each of the four quadrants as well as those that do not fit neatly into those quadrants.

Practical implications

Organizations may use the BII‐CDR model to assess risk and to evaluate investments in IT security and other control activities. The model also highlights the need to redefine the concept of materiality and to consider its link to BII and CDR. Auditors should consider the interaction of BII and CDR in planning the audit, conducting field work, and managing overall audit risk.

Originality/value

The paper provides original insights into the relationship between BII and CDR and its implications for treatment of materiality. It was observed that activities which support critical business processes are themselves critical. This is an important departure from traditional approaches to evaluating materiality.

Details

Managerial Auditing Journal, vol. 24 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0268-6902

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 20 July 2012

Thomas G. Calderon, Li Wang and Thomas Klenotic

The authors posit that audit fees are driven by historical risk factors and risk encountered in the current period. The purpose of this paper is to focus on historical risk by…

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Abstract

Purpose

The authors posit that audit fees are driven by historical risk factors and risk encountered in the current period. The purpose of this paper is to focus on historical risk by examining the incremental effect of material weakness in internal control (MW) identified in prior periods on current audit fees, after current risk factors are controlled for.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper uses multiple regression as the main research method, where the authors regress current audit fees on MW in prior periods, current MW, and a vector of other contemporaneous variables as proxies for current risk factors.

Findings

The authors find that past MW incrementally affects current audit fees beyond MW and other risk factors identified in the current period. The effect of past MW on audit fees generally last at least for three years. In addition, companies with persistent past MW incurred substantially higher audit fees. The paper also finds that past MW continues to be positively and significantly associated with current audit fees even after the MW is remediated and there are no subsequent reports of MW. Moreover, the number of MW dominates existence of MW in explaining audit fees in the current and the previous year.

Research limitations/implications

This study does not attempt to distinguish between fee adjustments that are attributable to audit effort and adjustments that are attributable to risk premiums. Nonetheless, it is clear that organizations can expect to incur significant incremental costs over multiple years whenever they fail to maintain effective internal control systems.

Originality/value

The findings of this study contribute to the audit fees literature by explicitly incorporating risks from multiple prior periods into the audit fee model. The results suggest that it is important to consider historical risk factors in examining current period audit fees.

Details

Managerial Auditing Journal, vol. 27 no. 7
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0268-6902

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 January 2008

Thomas G. Calderon and Emeka Ofobike

Prior studies include auditor‐initiated (AI) and client‐initiated (CI) auditor changes together and conduct research as though they were the same. This paper aims to hypothesize…

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Abstract

Purpose

Prior studies include auditor‐initiated (AI) and client‐initiated (CI) auditor changes together and conduct research as though they were the same. This paper aims to hypothesize that AI and CI changes are driven by different interests and to examine factors that could explain and predict them.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on the prior literature, the authors classified factors into AI and CI categories a priori, and then developed hypotheses that aligned with the classification. The data source is AuditAnalytics.

Findings

The univariate and multivariate analyses support the hypothesis that CI and AI separations are driven by different interests. The empirically determined prediction model (a classification and regression trees (CART)‐generated six‐step process), which performed better than other multivariate models, classifies AI and CI auditor separations with an accuracy rate of 68 percent.

Research limitations/implications

The findings suggest that future research should incorporate the differences between AI and CI separations into their studies. One intriguing issue is the lack of importance of the variable audit fees to total fees in the CART model. Though statistically significant in some of the multivariate analyses, the variable is not important in the CART model. This issue merits further investigation as it could provide important insight into dependency issues that are presumed by current audit regulation.

Practical implications

The paper has important implications for practice. It offers insight into factors that drive CI and AI auditor separations. The CART model may serve as a decision aid for both auditors and regulators as they contemplate and evaluate auditor change decisions.

Originality/value

The paper provides original insight into AI and CI auditor changes when considered as distinct issues that are driven by different interests.

Details

Managerial Auditing Journal, vol. 23 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0268-6902

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 4 January 2021

Faisal Faqih, Tarek Zayed and Ghasan Alfalah

A building deteriorates over time due to aging, wear and tear, and inadequate maintenance. Building diagnosis requires a sound knowledge of engineering, building defects, and…

Abstract

Purpose

A building deteriorates over time due to aging, wear and tear, and inadequate maintenance. Building diagnosis requires a sound knowledge of engineering, building defects, and detection tools to assess the condition of a building. The physical deterioration of a building reduces its ability to perform its intended function, while environmental deterioration influences the comfort and health of building occupants. This study presents a multi-tiered framework for the inspection of building elements and the environmental conditions of a building.

Design/methodology/approach

A three-tiered building inspection framework is proposed in this study, which consists of the following: Tier-I—a preliminary inspection, Tier-II—a detailed inspection, and Tier-III—an expert investigation. Each tier of inspection assesses the severity of building defects using different technologies for different levels of inspection.

Findings

Proposed multi-tier inspection framework is tested and implemented on a case study. Results were promising, with organized data management on a common platform for both physical and environmental condition inspection having the potential to save time.

Originality/value

The application program developed for the implementation of structured multi-tiered building inspection provides better documentation and data management for building inspection data that can save time involved in manual data operations in traditional paper-based processes.

Details

International Journal of Building Pathology and Adaptation, vol. 40 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2398-4708

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 25 January 2021

Sheryl Staub-French, Angelique Pilon, Erik Poirier, Azadeh Fallahi, Mohamed Kasbar, Francisco Calderon, Zahra Teshnizi and Thomas Froese

The purpose of this paper is to present the construction process innovations that enabled the successful delivery of the hybrid mass timber high-rise building in Canada, the Brock…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to present the construction process innovations that enabled the successful delivery of the hybrid mass timber high-rise building in Canada, the Brock Commons Tallwood House at the University of British Columbia. It is one of a set of papers examining the project, including companion papers that describe innovations in the mass timber design process and the impact of these innovations on construction performance. The focus of this paper is on innovation in the construction phase and its relationship to innovations implemented in previous project phases.

Design/methodology/approach

A mixed-method, longitudinal case study approach was used in this research project to investigate and document the Tallwood House project over a three-year period. Both quantitative and qualitative data collection and analysis techniques were used. Members of the research team observed prefabrication and construction, conducted periodic interviews and reviewed project artefacts.

Findings

The research identified three innovation “clusters,” including the use of innovative tools, techniques and strategies in the design and construction processes and the role they played in delivering the project. The “clusters” were further characterized according to the type of “connectivity” they afforded, either facilitation, operationalization or materialization. These two perspectives support a compounding view on innovation and help to understand how it can flow throughout a project’s life cycle and across its supply chain. Three process-based innovations were initiated during the design phase, integrated design process, building information modeling and virtual design and construction and flowed through to the construction phase. These were seen to enable the creation of connections that were crucial to the overall success of the project. These innovations were operationalized and enacted through the construction phase as design for manufacturing and assembly and prefabrication, staged construction and just-in-time delivery, integration of safety and risk management and a rigorous quality control and quality assurance process. Finally, a full-scale mock-up was produced for practice and constructability assessment, materializing the radical product innovation that was the mass timber structure. These strategies are used together for a synergistic and integrated approach to increase productivity, expedite the construction schedule and develop an innovative building product.

Originality/value

This paper details an in-depth investigation into the diffusion dynamics of multiple systemic innovations for the construction process of a unique building project, the tools and techniques used by the construction manager and team, and the challenges, solutions and lessons learned.

Article
Publication date: 3 August 2021

Erik Poirier, Sheryl Staub-French, Angelique Pilon, Azadeh Fallahi, Zahra Teshnizi, Thomas Tannert and Thomas Froese

The purpose of this paper is to study the design process innovations that enabled the successful delivery of a hybrid, mass-timber high-rise building in Canada, the Brock Commons…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to study the design process innovations that enabled the successful delivery of a hybrid, mass-timber high-rise building in Canada, the Brock Commons Tallwood House at the University of British Columbia. It is one of a set of papers examining the project, including companion papers that describe innovations used during the mass timber construction process and the impact of these innovations on construction performance.

Design/methodology/approach

A mixed-method, longitudinal case study approach was used in this research project to investigate and document the Tallwood House project over a three-year period. Both quantitative and qualitative data collection and analysis techniques were used. Graduate student researchers were embedded within the project team to observe meetings and decision-making and to conduct periodic interviews.

Findings

The research highlights a case of a balanced triple-helix system that provided a context for the successful “clustering” of product and process innovation, which were developed and implemented to flow throughout the project’s lifecycle and across its supply chain to provide benefits at each stage. Four significant process-based innovations were implemented at the design phase of the building project to support radical product innovation: an integrated design process, virtual design and construction, designing for manufacturing and assembling and a rigorous quality control and quality assurance process. The product innovations developed through these process innovations were the structural system and the prefabricated envelope system. The context of innovation was seen to allow this “clustering,” which is believed to be a key condition of success and enabled the efficient and successful delivery of the project. Generally, the approach was successful; however, some factors including the number of stakeholders and good-faith collaboration may limit the replicability of these strategies.

Originality/value

This paper presents an in-depth investigation into the instantiation of an innovation system, identified as a balanced triple-helix system, which enabled and facilitated the design and decision-making process for a radical product innovation. Moreover, this paper describes the deployment of a “cluster” of process innovations that flowed throughout the project’s lifecycle and across the project supply chain. This was seen as a key factor in ensuring the successful delivery of the project.

Article
Publication date: 27 May 2020

Óscar Gallo, Diego René Gonzales–Miranda, Juan Pablo Roman-Calderon and Gustavo A. García

The purpose of this article is to show how a group of Colombian millennials perceive different aspects of working life and how their ideas about job satisfaction, professional…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this article is to show how a group of Colombian millennials perceive different aspects of working life and how their ideas about job satisfaction, professional expectations and levels of autonomy are related to contemporary demands about inclusion, diversity, equity, autonomy and control.

Design/methodology/approach

With this objective, 167 semi-structured interviews were conducted with millennials who work at 10 Colombian companies from the manufacturing and service sectors, located in the five main cities of the country. With a qualitative approach, in the interviews, the research team used a strategy inspired by the technique of generating visual structures associated with grounded theory.

Findings

It is concluded that new generations of Colombian workers know of the importance of rewards and autonomy in work and are more critical and less passive in the face of unhealthy working conditions. At the same time, their conduct and speeches are the consequence of the characteristics of the Colombian labour market. The document responds to the need to deepen the debates on welfare and happiness in organizations and to include the demands of millennials in the reflective and political horizon of the ideas of healthy employment and decent work. In practice, this article seeks to demystify ideas about millennials in Colombia and critically contribute to reflection on intergenerational relations in organizations and salary and welfare models. As a Latin American case, it is an original contribution that avoids the common places and the frivolity with which the insertion of the new generations into the working world has been analysed.

Practical implications

In practice, this paper seeks to demystify ideas about millennials in Colombia and critically contribute to reflection on intergenerational relations in organizations and salary and welfare models.

Originality/value

As a Latin American case, it is an original contribution that avoids the common places and the frivolity with which the insertion of the new generations into the working world has been analysed.

Details

International Journal of Workplace Health Management, vol. 13 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1753-8351

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 6 November 2017

Levan Efremidze, Sungsoo Kim, Ozan Sula and Thomas D. Willett

This paper aims to investigate the relationship between capital flow surges, reversals and sudden stops.

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to investigate the relationship between capital flow surges, reversals and sudden stops.

Design/methodology/approach

Emphasizing the importance of looking at the behavior of domestic as well as foreign capital flows, the authors distinguish sudden stops from capital flow reversals by attributing the former to foreign capital flows only.

Findings

It is found that, despite the large differences in the number of surges identified by several different measures in the literature, a majority of surges do end in reversals of some type. The percentages tend to be slightly over half for surges in net capital flows, but on average, 70 per cent of gross surges end in sudden stops. Furthermore, contrary to popular belief, approximately half of sudden stops and net capital flow reversals are not preceded by surges. It is also found that surges that persist longer are more likely to turn into sudden stops and reversals.

Research limitations/implications

The authors find substantial empirical differences in the characteristics of sudden stops (based on gross foreign flows) and reversals (based on net flows).

Practical implications

Large inflows of financial capital are not always a strong indicator that a country’s economic policies will continue to provide stability in the future. They may signal an increase rather than reduction in the risk of future instability.

Originality/value

This study focuses on an issue that has been less explored to date, the relationship between capital flow surges, reversals and sudden stops. The authors distinguish, redefine and document differences among capital flow reversals and sudden stops. Duration of surges is related to the likelihood of having reversals and sudden stops.

Article
Publication date: 6 March 2017

Arleen Hernández-Díaz, Theany Calderon-Abreu, Maria Amador-Dumois and Mario Córdova-Claudio

Higher education institutions, particularly in the case of public universities, face the challenge of creating more value in an environment of increasing requirements and…

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Abstract

Purpose

Higher education institutions, particularly in the case of public universities, face the challenge of creating more value in an environment of increasing requirements and limitations. The purpose of this paper is to explore the relation of internal marketing (IM) with employees’ attitudinal outcomes, which aim to stimulate and retain motivated and customer-conscious contact employees.

Design/methodology/approach

Survey data of 94 customer-contact employees in a public higher education institution were analysed using partial least squares path modelling to explore and predict key target constructs.

Findings

The results demonstrate the relationship between customer-contact employees’ service empathy (SE), institutional IM initiatives and employees’ attitudinal outcomes in the public sector, specifically higher education institutions.

Research limitations/implications

The current study relies on self-reported data and a small sample of customer-contact employees working only on enrolment-related areas. Further studies should be designed for theory confirmation and generalizability of the results.

Practical implications

Top managers in public higher education institutions must encourage organizational identification through IM initiatives, such as well-established internal communication procedures. Academic management should continuously train and retain customer-contact employees that have developed SE and a sense of belonging to the organization. SE must be incorporated in the job descriptions and training of customer-contact employees.

Originality/value

The study contributes to the limited literature on the use of IM and SE in the public sector, specifically higher education institutions.

Propósito

Las instituciones de educación superior, en particular en el caso de las universidades públicas, se enfrentan al reto de crear más valor en un entorno de necesidades y limitaciones en aumento. El propósito de este estudio es explorar la relación entre el marketing interno y las resultantes actitudes laborales de los empleados. El objetivo del marketing interno es estimular y retener empleados de contacto que estén motivados y sean conscientes de la importancia de los clientes.

Diseño/metodología/enfoque

Se analizaron datos de 94 empleados de contacto de una institución pública de educación superior utilizando modelos de regresión de cuadrados mínimos parciales para explorar y predecir constructos claves.

Resultados

Los resultados demuestran la relación entre los siguientes constructos: niveles de empatía de los empleados de contacto, iniciativas institucionales de marketing interno, y las resultantes actitudes de los empleados del sector público, en particular organizaciones en el sector de la educación superior.

Limitaciones/implicaciones de la investigación

El presente estudio se basa en los datos auto informados de una pequeña muestra de empleados de contacto que trabajan sólo en áreas relacionadas con matrícula. Nuevos estudios deberían ser diseñados para la confirmación de la teoría y la generalización de los resultados.

Implicaciones prácticas

Los altos directivos de las instituciones públicas de educación superior deben fomentar la identificación con la organización a través de iniciativas de marketing interno, tales como procedimientos establecidos de comunicación interna. Los directivos académicos deben continuamente adiestrar y retener a los empleados de contacto que han desarrollado la capacidad de proveer servicios de manera empática y que tienen sentido de pertenencia a la organización. Proveer servicio de manera empática debe ser incorporado en las descripciones de empleo y formación de los empleados de contacto.

Originalidad/valor

El estudio contribuye a la literatura limitada sobre el uso de marketing interno y empatía en los servicios en el sector público, específicamente en las instituciones de educación superior.

Article
Publication date: 2 March 2015

Luis Antonio Orozco and José Luis Villaveces

The purpose of this paper is to empirically evaluate the effect of heterogeneity in inter‐organizational collaboration networks on international high‐quality scientific…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to empirically evaluate the effect of heterogeneity in inter‐organizational collaboration networks on international high‐quality scientific performance of the most reputed business management schools in Latin America according to AméricaEconomía ranking.

Design/methodology/approach

Starting from the debate between advantages and disadvantages of heterogeneity in scientific performance framed in the debate between organizational population ecology and organizational institutionalism theories, this research explores the relationship between heterogeneity, reputation and the most important features for doing research. Using a binomial negative regression, the paper evaluates the partial effect of those variables in the count of scientific production.

Findings

There is an isomorphical tendency from the most reputed schools to establish heterogeneous networks, showing empirical evidence to normative proposals from Latin America, specially formulated in the light of Sabato triangle. Also there are differentiations between schools in aspects like human capital, double‐degree agreements, and schools’ trajectories.

Research limitations/implications

It is necessary to choose a wider sample of schools and to include Latin American journals. The study of diversity (between researchers) and its relationship with heterogeneity (between organizations) is also needed.

Practical implications

The research shows that elite business management schools in Latin America that present better performance also present high levels of heterogeneity in their inter‐organizational collaboration. Therefore, the promotion of heterogeneity could enhance scientific performance and improve techno‐economical networks.

Social implications

This research hopes to aim the research policy design to be able to steer and promote heterogeneity that could improve the relationship between producers and users of knowledge.

Originality/value

The relationships between reputation, heterogeneity, and scientific performance in administration in Latin America had not been addressed empirically. The worth of this research is the empirical confirmation to the advantages of heterogeneity, rather than intellectual capital features of schools, in research collaboration that contribute to the debate about heterogeneity and performance.

Propósito

Evaluar empíricamente el efecto de la heterogeneidad de las redes de colaboración interorganizacionales en el desempeño científico de alta calidad internacional en las escuelas de administración y negocios más reputadas en América Latina de acuerdo con el escalafón de AméricaEconomía.

Metodología

Con base en el debate que concierne a las ventajas y desventajas de la heterogeneidad en el desempeño científico enmarcado dentro del debate entre las teorías de la ecología de poblaciones y el institucionalismo organizacional, esta investigación explora la relación entre la heterogeneidad, la reputación y las características más importantes que pertenecen a la investigación. Usando la regresión binomial negativa, el artículo evalúa los efectos parciales de las variables en el conteo de la producción científica.

Resultados

Hay una tendencia isomórfica de las escuelas más reputadas por establecer redes heterogéneas, mostrando evidencia empírica para las propuestas normativas de América Latina, especialmente formuladas a la luz del triángulo de Sabato. También hay diferencias entre las escuelas en términos del capital humano, los convenios de doble titulación, y la trayectoria de las escuelas.

Limitaciones de la investigación

Es necesario escoger una muestra más amplia de escuela e incluir a las revistas de América Latina. El estudio de la diversidad (entre investigadores) y su relación con la heterogeneidad (entre organizaciones) también es requerida.

Implicaciones

La investigación muestra que las escuelas de administración en América Latina que presentan mejor desempeño también presentan altos niveles de heterogeneidad en su colaboración interorganizacional. Por lo tanto, la promoción de la heterogeneidad podría añadir al desempeño científico y mejorar las redes tecno‐económicas.

Implicaciones sociales

Esta investigación espera impulsar el diseño de políticas de investigación y a su vez promover la heterogeneidad que pueda mejorar la relación entre los productores y usuarios de conocimiento.

Originalidad/valor

La relación entre reputación, heterogeneidad y desempeño científico en administración en América Latina no ha sido abordada empíricamente. El valor de esta investigación es la confirmación empírica de las ventajas de la heterogeneidad, en vez de otras características de las escuelas, en la colaboración científica que contribuye al debate sobre heterogeneidad y desempeño.

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