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1 – 10 of over 1000Lina Dagilienė and Lina Klovienė
This paper aims to explore organisational intentions to use Big Data and Big Data Analytics (BDA) in external auditing. This study conceptualises different contingent motivating…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to explore organisational intentions to use Big Data and Big Data Analytics (BDA) in external auditing. This study conceptualises different contingent motivating factors based on prior literature and the views of auditors, business clients and regulators regarding the external auditing practices and BDA.
Design/methodology/approach
Using the contingency theory approach, a literature review and 21 in-depth interviews with three different types of respondents, the authors explore factors motivating the use of BDA in external auditing.
Findings
The study presents a few key findings regarding the use of BD and BDA in external auditing. By disclosing a comprehensive view of current practices, the authors identify two groups of motivating factors (company-related and institutional) and the circumstances in which to use BDA, which will lead to the desired outcomes of audit companies. In addition, the authors emphasise the relationship of audit companies, business clients and regulators. The research indicates a trend whereby external auditors are likely to focus on the procedures not only to satisfy regulatory requirements but also to provide more value for business clients; hence, BDA may be one of the solutions.
Research limitations/implications
The conclusions of this study are based on interview data collected from 21 participants. There is a limited number of large companies in Lithuania that are open to co-operation. Future studies may investigate the issues addressed in this study further by using different research sites and a broader range of data.
Practical implications
Current practices and outcomes of using BD and BDA by different types of respondents differ significantly. The authors wish to emphasise the need for audit companies to implement a BD-driven approach and to customise their audit strategy to gain long-term efficiency. Furthermore, the most challenging factors for using BDA emerged, namely, long-term audit agreements and the business clients’ sizes, structures and information systems.
Originality/value
The original contribution of this study lies in the empirical investigation of the comprehensive state-of-the-art of BDA usage and motivating factors in external auditing. Moreover, the study examines the phenomenon of BD as one of the most recent and praised developments in the external auditing context. Finally, a contingency-based theoretical framework has been proposed. In addition, the research also makes a methodological contribution by using the approach of constructivist grounded theory for the analysis of qualitative data.
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The purpose of the present study is to empirically investigate the impact of the newly established entrepreneurial activity on economic development of the Czech NUTS 3 regions…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of the present study is to empirically investigate the impact of the newly established entrepreneurial activity on economic development of the Czech NUTS 3 regions during the period of years 2003-2015.
Design/methodology/approach
An econometric approach was used to validate the stated hypotheses assuming a positive relationship between the new entrepreneurial activity and regional economic growth and a negative relationship between the new entrepreneurial activity and unemployment rate. For the methods, regression models with fixed effects were estimated on the panel that included 13 Czech regions, covering the period of years 2003-2015. The new entrepreneurial activity was classified into two forms – rate of newly established self-employed set-ups per capita and rate of newly established business companies and partnership set-ups per capita.
Findings
Different impacts of newly established business companies and the self-employed were found on real gross domestic product (GDP) per capita. Only the higher rates of newly established business companies and partnership were associated with higher levels of GDP per capita in the Czech regions, and no impact was found for the rate of new self-employed set-ups. Nevertheless, both forms of newly established entrepreneurial activity were associated with lower unemployment rates in the Czech regions; however, the impact of newly established business companies was significantly higher. The obtained results have several policy implications, which are discussed in the present paper.
Practical implications
Support of entrepreneurship in the Czech regions may improve the situation on the local labour markets and may deliver new job opportunities through the newly established enterprises. The Czech entrepreneurship policies focused on the growth of GDP and economic boom should be oriented more on the support of high-growth enterprises (unicorns).
Originality/value
The empirical analysis was conducted on the basis of the research gap in the studies related to the impact of the newly established entrepreneurial activity on the economic development of the Czech regions. Obtained results have several policy implications, which are discussed in the present paper.
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Yingqi Zhao and Beverley R. Lord
This exploratory research aims to investigate the barriers to career advancement for women accountants in China.
Abstract
Purpose
This exploratory research aims to investigate the barriers to career advancement for women accountants in China.
Design/methodology/approach
Semi-structured interviews were conducted with eight accountants working for business companies and occupying different-level positions.
Findings
Women accountants in China encounter barriers throughout their career paths. The main barrier is a negative perception of women’s work performance after having a child. Although the modern communist state claims that women have a role equal to that of men in their work contributions, centuries-old Confucian attitudes constrain women in their choices of balance between work and home life.
Originality/value
The findings of this research call for enforcement of employment laws in China to give women equal opportunities in both recruitment and promotion. This research contributes to both Western and Chinese existing literature, confirming some prior findings that are contrary to modern China’s rhetoric that “Women hold up half the sky”. It also adds the perspective of accountants working in business companies rather than public practice accounting firms.
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Kristin B. Munksgaard and David Ford
IMP literature has developed the conceptualisation of a business landscape comprised of varying combinations of more or less interdependent activities, resources and actors, the…
Abstract
Purpose
IMP literature has developed the conceptualisation of a business landscape comprised of varying combinations of more or less interdependent activities, resources and actors, the form of which are defined by the interactive processes in which they are involved. However, the conceptualisation of the interactively defined business actor presents challenges to the understanding of the nature of business and the process of management. The purpose of this paper is to discuss what it is to be a manager in the complex interactive business landscape and the capabilities needed by business managers.
Design/methodology/approach
Few, if any, IMP studies have systematically addressed the concept of the business actor directly and the authors do not have a well-developed framework for analysing actors from the perspectives of interaction and networks. This paper analyses the evolving semantics of the concepts of the interactive business actor within some of the literature associated with the IMP research tradition, using the software Leximancer.
Findings
The paper integrates the analysis into a preliminary framework for describing the characteristics of the interactive business actor. The paper concludes by using this framework to suggest some of the capabilities that are required by the interactive business actor.
Originality/value
The analysis points to the ways that ideas of the business actor and business acting have developed in the literature. The analysis highlights some of the ways in which the development of these concepts is incomplete and points to potentially fruitful ways in which conceptual and empirical research could proceed.
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Fabio Cassia and Francesca Magno
The purpose of this paper is to comprehensively explore marketing issues for foreign industrial companies of large, small and medium size entering emerging markets (EMs)…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to comprehensively explore marketing issues for foreign industrial companies of large, small and medium size entering emerging markets (EMs), particularly transition economies in Eastern Europe. The vast majority of current studies about EMs focus only on defining suitable strategies related to large consumer goods corporations.
Design/methodology/approach
The research adopted a multiple case study approach. Five Italian companies belonging to different business-to-business industries that have entered emerging countries in Eastern Europe were selected for investigation.
Findings
Empirical analysis uncovered recurring issues related to: institutional factors causing market uncertainty and instability; difficulties in building a sales network; a need for product adaptation to guarantee satisfactory performance; choices related to communication, branding and trade fairs; and considerations about competition and first mover advantage. Results can be interpreted as an extension of the analysis of institutional voids by Khanna and Palepu (1997).
Research limitations/implications
The study is based on the analysis of five case studies of companies operating in specific EMs, namely in Eastern Europe Countries (EEc) Further research based on different samples and different emerging countries is needed before generalizing results.
Practical implications
The study shows that the main institutional void affecting business-to-business companies entering EMs is the lack of locally developed sales and after-sales networks. This institutional void slows the entry process of business-to-business companies in EMs. Given these constraints, from the perspective of business-to-business SMEs, it may be fruitful to pursue niche positioning in EMs.
Originality/value
The study analyzes EMs opportunities and entry strategies from the business-to-business marketing perspective, uncovering the most critical issues.
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Matthias Kruehler, Ulrich Pidun and Harald Rubner
The major purpose of this paper is the development of a theoretical framework that can be used by corporate practitioners to understand the implicit parenting strategy of their…
Abstract
Purpose
The major purpose of this paper is the development of a theoretical framework that can be used by corporate practitioners to understand the implicit parenting strategy of their company, assess its performance, and adjust it for improving the net corporate value creation.
Design/methodology/approach
In this paper, a three‐dimensional framework is developed that accounts for corporate‐to‐business and business‐to‐business interactions, value‐adding and value‐destroying activities, and strategic and operational levers. The framework is operationalized by assigning a broad set of individual activities to these levers.
Findings
The paper delivers a robust, systematic, and operational framework to assess the net benefits to a given business of being part of a corporate portfolio, and to identify and evaluate implicit parenting strategies in corporate practice. While previous studies mainly focused on broad parenting approaches with low granularity this framework now allows earlier observations to be substantiated, finer distinctions between the applied strategies to be drawn, and the core of superior value added approaches to be investigated.
Practical implications
The introduced framework can be used to analyze the origin and underlying drivers of conglomerate discounts and premia and thus enhance understanding of capital market valuation of multi‐business companies. The developed framework can also be the basis for the derivation of a typology of corporate parenting strategies. In this way, it can support practitioners in portfolio management – which was also the explicit motivation for the development of the original parenting advantage concept.
Originality/value
The outlined framework will facilitate the investigation of structural, strategic, and organizational roots of superior parenting strategies in corporate practice. It may be used to analyze performance differences of multi‐business companies that go beyond the degree of diversification and may finally contribute to solving the puzzle of the conglomerate discount.
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The purpose of this paper is to design and test a model for the internal anchorage of a business‐to‐business brand via corporate brand orientation.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to design and test a model for the internal anchorage of a business‐to‐business brand via corporate brand orientation.
Design/methodology/approach
Data from 261 usable responses to a questionnaire distributed in the German business‐to‐business sector, were applied to model estimation by the “soft modelling” partial‐least‐squares regression technique.
Findings
The structure of the brand orientation model is supported by the results. The findings demonstrate the positive influence of brand orientation on market and economic performance. Smaller business‐to‐business companies exhibit lower levels of brand orientation than larger counterparts, to their strategic disadvantage. Line of business and management type had no influence on brand orientation in this survey.
Practical implications
Business‐to‐business brand managers now have empirically‐based evidence for the benefits of intensive implementation of brand orientation. The associated four‐level conceptual model of the phenomenon offers them an enhanced understanding of the process, procedures and probable outcomes. It can be used for management control as well as strategic planning and implementation.
Originality/value
The paper is the first empirical study to examine the internal aspects of branding in the business‐to‐business sector, and one of the first large‐scale surveys that is not industry‐specific to analyse the link between brand management and company performance.
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The purpose of this paper is to highlight the principles that businesses should (and should not!) follow in their foresight activities and to show how foresight serves the…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to highlight the principles that businesses should (and should not!) follow in their foresight activities and to show how foresight serves the development of knowledge capital in business companies.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper singles out seven key principles: look to the future; anticipate future needs; make use of incomplete knowledge; expect the unexpected; think long‐term and short‐term; dream productively; and respect knowledge.
Findings
This paper highlights the principles that businesses should (and should not!) follow in their foresight activities and to show how foresight serves the development of knowledge capital in business companies.
Originality/value
The paper highlights a recent survey in the USA on how employees understand their job tasks and their organization's goals.
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Magnus Jansson, Magnus Roos and Tommy Gärling
This paper aims to investigate whether loan officers' risk taking in credit decisions are associated with their personal financial risk preference and personality traits or solely…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to investigate whether loan officers' risk taking in credit decisions are associated with their personal financial risk preference and personality traits or solely with bank-contextual and loan-relevant factors.
Design/methodology/approach
An online survey administered in six large Swedish banks to 163 loan officers responsible for assessing credit risk and approval of loan applications. The loan officers rated their likelihood of approving fictitious loan applications from business companies.
Findings
The loan officers' credit risk taking is associated with bank-contextual factors, directly with perceived organizational credit risk norms and indirectly with self-confidence in assessing credit risks through attitude to credit risk taking. A direct association is also found with personal financial risk preference but not with personality traits.
Research limitations/implications
Increased awareness of that loan officers' personal financial risk preference is associated with their credit risk taking in loan decisions but that the banks' risk policy has a stronger association. Banks' managements and boards should therefore assure that their credit risk policy is implemented, followed and being aligned with their performance incentives.
Practical implications
Increased awareness of that loan officers' credit risk taking is associated with personal financial risk preference but more strongly with the banks' risk policy that motivate banks' managements and boards to assure that their credit risk policy is implemented, followed and being aligned with their performance incentives.
Originality/value
The first study which directly compare the associations of loan officers' risk taking in credit approvals with personal risk preference and personality traits versus bank-contextual factors and loan-relevant information.
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