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1 – 10 of over 7000This paper reviews the current literature on theoretical and methodological issues in discrete choice experiments, which have been widely used in non-market value analysis, such…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper reviews the current literature on theoretical and methodological issues in discrete choice experiments, which have been widely used in non-market value analysis, such as elicitation of residents' attitudes toward recreation or biodiversity conservation of forests.
Design/methodology/approach
We review the literature, and attribute the possible biases in choice experiments to theoretical and empirical aspects. Particularly, we introduce regret minimization as an alternative to random utility theory and sheds light on incentive compatibility, status quo, attributes non-attendance, cognitive load, experimental design, survey methods, estimation strategies and other issues.
Findings
The practitioners should pay attention to many issues when carrying out choice experiments in order to avoid possible biases. Many alternatives in theoretical foundations, experimental designs, estimation strategies and even explanations should be taken into account in practice in order to obtain robust results.
Originality/value
The paper summarizes the recent developments in methodological and empirical issues of choice experiments and points out the pitfalls and future directions both theoretically and empirically.
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Sasadhar Bera and Subhajit Bhattacharya
This exploratory study examines and comprehends the relative importance of mobile app attributes from a consumer perspective. Both quantitative and qualitative analysis approaches…
Abstract
Purpose
This exploratory study examines and comprehends the relative importance of mobile app attributes from a consumer perspective. Both quantitative and qualitative analysis approaches explore users' behavior and attitudes toward the priorities of mobile app attributes and preferences, identifying correlations between attributes and aggregating individual attributes into groups.
Design/methodology/approach
Online convenience sampling and snowball sampling resulted in 417 valid responses. The numerical data are analyzed using the relative to an identified distribution (RIDIT) scoring system and gray relational analysis (GRA), and qualitative responses are investigated using text-mining techniques.
Findings
This study finds enhanced nuances of user preferences and provides data-driven insights that might help app developers and marketers create a distinct app that will add value to consumers. The latent semantic analysis indicates relationship structure among the attributes, and text-based cluster analysis determines the subsets of attributes that represent the unique functions of the mobile app.
Practical implications
This study reveals the essential components of mobile apps, paying particular attention to the consumer value component, which boosts user approval and encourages prolonged use. Overall, the results demonstrate that developers must concentrate on its functional, technical and esthetic features to make an app more exciting and practical for potential users.
Originality/value
Most scholarly research on apps has focused on their technological merits, aesthetics and usability from the user's perspective. A post-adoption multi-attribute app analysis using both structured and unstructured data is conducted in this study.
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Mingxiao Zhao and Indra Abeysekera
Chinese-listed firms with Belt and Road Initiatives (BRI) play a crucial role in advancing the outward investment policy of China. Board diversity can be vital, and intellectual…
Abstract
Purpose
Chinese-listed firms with Belt and Road Initiatives (BRI) play a crucial role in advancing the outward investment policy of China. Board diversity can be vital, and intellectual capital disclosure (ICD) showing future earnings can build investor confidence in these firms. This study examines these two relationships in Chinese-listed firms with BRI projects during a predictable business outlook period (2019, pre-Covid period) and unpredictable business outlook period (2020, Covid period).
Design/methodology/approach
The study used least squares regression that analysed the target population comprising 79 listed Chinese firms with BRI projects in 2019 and 2020. The China Stock Market and Accounting Research (CSMAR) database provided board diversity data. Analysing annual reports using content analysis provided the ICD data, collected by following an established intellectual capital (IC) coding framework in the literature. After collecting board-related data, the study calculated the diversity between boards in firms (diversity of boards – DOB) using cluster analysis. The study estimated the diversity within each board (diversity in boards – DIB) using Blau's Index.
Findings
The findings indicate that in the predictable business outlook environment, DOB positively associates with ICD, and DIB negatively associates with ICD. In the unpredictable business outlook environment, the DIB and DOB interaction negatively associates with ICD, and DOB positively associates with ICD.
Research limitations/implications
The findings apply to Chinese-listed firms with BRI projects and further research is required to generalise findings beyond them. This study used annual reports to collect ICD, but a future study could examine BRI firms' social media and website disclosures. The attributes selected for board diversity dimensions can contribute to bounded findings, and future studies could expand the board diversity attributes included.
Practical implications
The findings provide insights into firms' board composition and structure associated with ICD.
Originality/value
This is one of the first studies providing empirical evidence about board diversity and ICD of Chinese-listed firms with BRI projects.
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Barbara Rebecca Mutonyi, Terje Slåtten and Gudbrand Lien
The aim of this study is to examine the role of organizational climate in employees’ creative performance using the public sector as an empirical context. The employees’ creative…
Abstract
Purpose
The aim of this study is to examine the role of organizational climate in employees’ creative performance using the public sector as an empirical context. The employees’ creative performance is divided into two entities and studied as two separate effect variables: individual creativity and individual innovative behavior.
Design/methodology/approach
A conceptual model is developed and tested in a survey in which employees of a public sector organization participated.
Findings
The findings indicate that organizational climate has an important role in employees’ creative performance. The organizational climate showed a positive and significant link to the two creative performance variables included in this study. Moreover, the study revealed that individual creativity mediates the relationship between organizational climate and individual innovative behavior.
Research limitations/implications
This paper is limited to examining the role of organizational climate on two creative performance variables related to individual employees in the public sector. To trigger individual creativity and individual innovative behavior in the public sector, there is a need for managers to build, develop and maintain an organizational climate that supports both employees’ creativity and enthusiasm in implementing those novel and useful ideas.
Originality/value
To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is among the first in the public sector to demonstrate the importance of organizational climate for employees’ individual creative performance. The findings of this study adds to our current knowledge and understanding of the value of organizational climate, and its influence on individual creative performance in the public sector.
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Significant resources of time, money and expertise are invested in leadership development programs, and networking is often cited as a benefit of participation in these programs…
Abstract
Significant resources of time, money and expertise are invested in leadership development programs, and networking is often cited as a benefit of participation in these programs. Previous research has traditionally focused on leadership as an individual attribute, but researchers and practitioners are increasingly recognizing leadership as a social process. Social capital has emerged as an important theme in leadership research, and networking and relationship-building are important steps in enhancing social capital. Based on this review of recent literature, I conclude that the relationship between social capital and leadership is well documented, but we have an incomplete understanding of the dynamic nature of this relationship, and lack sufficient evidence to support a causal assertion that one leads to the other. Researchers and practitioners should develop new leadership development program evaluation methods and designs, in the context of social capital, to answer these questions.
Alessandro Carollo, Seraphina Fong, Giulio Gabrieli, Claudio Mulatti and Gianluca Esposito
Among the growing interest towards market segmentation and targeted marketing, the current study adopted a scientometric approach to examine the literature on wine selection and…
Abstract
Purpose
Among the growing interest towards market segmentation and targeted marketing, the current study adopted a scientometric approach to examine the literature on wine selection and preferences. The current review specifically attempts to shed light on the research that explores the determinants of wine preferences at multiple levels of analysis.
Design/methodology/approach
CiteSpace was used to compute a Document Co-Citation Analysis (DCA) on a sample of 114,048 eligible references obtained from 2,846 publications downloaded from Scopus on 24 May 2021.
Findings
An optimized network of 1,505 nodes and 4,616 links was generated. Within the network, impactful publications on the topic and thematic domains of research were identified. Specifically, two thematic macro-areas were identified through a qualitative analysis of papers included in the 7 major clusters. The first one - “Methods of Wine Making” - included clusters #0, #3, #5, #6 and #18. The second one - “Consumers' Attitudes and Preferences Towards Wine” - included clusters #1 and #2. The first thematic macro-area included more technical aspects referring to the process of wine making, while the second thematic macro-area focused more on the factors influencing individuals' preferences and attitudes towards wine. To reflect the aims of the current paper, publications giving light to the “Consumers' Attitudes and Preferences Towards Wine” macro-area were analyzed in detail.
Originality/value
The resulting insights may help wine makers and wine sellers optimize their work in relation to market segments and to the factors influencing individuals' purchasing behaviors.
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Arun Bhattacharyya and Narottam Kumar
Research in the context of an individual’s choice of an entrepreneurial career has looked at effect of perceived self-efficacy (PSE), personality characteristics (PC) and…
Abstract
Purpose
Research in the context of an individual’s choice of an entrepreneurial career has looked at effect of perceived self-efficacy (PSE), personality characteristics (PC) and subjective norms on entrepreneurial intentions (EIs). In contrast, the purpose of this paper is to compare these constructs across a vocational student (VC) group and an academic group (AC), in a supportive entrepreneurial ecosystem. It also includes PC of the individuals as a variable.
Design/methodology/approach
The analysis is based on a quantitative method followed by a qualitative approach to gain more insights in the study domain. It includes administration of a survey questionnaire and a round of unstructured interviews with select students.
Findings
Theorizing that there would be significant differences in PSE, PC and EIs between the two groups, the study demonstrates that for all the three variables, individuals opting for a vocational course exhibit significant difference as compared to an academic group. The results are significant when controlled for family business background and gender.
Originality/value
This paper has contributed to the academic literature in the entrepreneurship domain by differentiating the choice of an academic course prior to taking up a career in entrepreneurship and how it impacts entrepreneurial orientations. These interrelationships can further be extended into the domain of social media and networks, to draw interesting insights pertaining to how students get influenced by the social media in their choice of entrepreneurial career.
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Sasha Boucher, Margaret Cullen and André Paul Calitz
Contemporary entrepreneurial ecosystem models and frameworks advocate that culture is a criterion for entrepreneurial intention and central to entrepreneurship discourse. However…
Abstract
Purpose
Contemporary entrepreneurial ecosystem models and frameworks advocate that culture is a criterion for entrepreneurial intention and central to entrepreneurship discourse. However, there is limited research from resource-constrained economies, such as sub-Saharan Africa and at a sub-national level. Responding to calls for bottom-up perspectives hinged on local context and heterogeneous nature, this paper aims to provide an in-depth understanding from multiple perspectives about the effect that culture and entrepreneurial intention have on the entrepreneurship process and performance in Nelson Mandela Bay, South Africa.
Design/methodology/approach
A mixed-method research design followed a sequential independent process consisting of two phases. Phase 1 included the dissemination of questionnaires to economically active participants, and 300 responses were statistically analysed. In Phase 2, 15 semi-structured interviews with influential economic development agents were conducted.
Findings
The results indicated that social legitimacy towards entrepreneurship existed and self-employment was viewed positively. However, self-employment endeavours were mainly necessity driven, and the systemic low levels of innovation, poor business competitiveness and the inability to scale were highlighted. The findings indicated that individuals venturing into business had a culture of being dependant on the government, lacking a risk appetite, fearing failure, with disparate groups suffering from a poor legacy of entrepreneurship.
Originality/value
Despite research done on the role of culture and entrepreneurial intention on entrepreneurial ecosystems, there are few case studies showing their influence at a sub-national level. This study responds to calls for studies on a sub-national level by exploring the influence that culture and entrepreneurial intention have on entrepreneurship in a resource-constrained metropole.
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Andrew Thomas, Casey Piquette and David McMaster
Whilst English remains the language of global commerce, the role and outcomes of English language provision in English-medium higher education institutions in the Arab Gulf…
Abstract
Whilst English remains the language of global commerce, the role and outcomes of English language provision in English-medium higher education institutions in the Arab Gulf countries remains central to any discussion on graduate profile and the employability of graduates in the global marketplace. This paper describes the findings of research into English workplace communication skills amongst a sample of Bahrain employers and students at Bahrain Polytechnic. Using a mixed methods approach, data was gathered through telephone interviews, student workplace simulations and employer focus groups. Findings show that generic employability skills, channelled through English as a second or additional language, are highly valued by Bahrain’s employers. In particular, students need to market themselves as confident, knowledgeable individuals during the recruitment process and after recruitment, continuing to operate successfully in the sociolinguistic culture of their company. Consequently, it is concluded that English language training in higher education programmes needs to move from purely linguistic and degree-related content areas to a broader remit of English for communication purposes that covers both specialised discourse fields and broader generic employability skills and competencies.
This study investigates whether higher catch rates near a marine protected area (MPA), and/or in other fishing areas within a choice set, attract more fishers. A survey conducted…
Abstract
Purpose
This study investigates whether higher catch rates near a marine protected area (MPA), and/or in other fishing areas within a choice set, attract more fishers. A survey conducted in the fishing grounds near an MPA located in south east of Mauritius in the Indian Ocean shows concentration of fishers in regions with lower catch rates. This contrasts with the predictions of the “fishing the line” hypothesis and the ideal free distribution (IFD) that fishers are likely to be attracted near the MPA with higher resource abundance.
Design/methodology/approach
Using the random utility model as the framework and the random parameter logit (RPL) model, the study attempts to explain spatial behaviour of fishers. Expected catch and catch variability are modelled using the Just and Pope (JP) production function. The study also estimates effort elasticities with respect to expected catch and catch variability and simulates the relocation of effort from area closure.
Findings
The paper concludes that higher catch does attract fishers but is a partial and very restrictive explanation of fishers' behaviour. The “fishing the line” hypothesis does hold to some extent, but it should not be taken for granted that rising catch rates in adjacent waters will increase fishing pressure. The paper concludes that factors such as catch variability, distance from homeport to fishing ground, potential physical risk and attitudes towards risk of fishers affect spatial behaviour of fishers and should be considered for the placement and size of MPAs. The study also finds that the responsiveness of effort to catch rates is lowest in areas which are already heavily fished and easily accessible.
Practical implications
The identification of fishing areas as complements (when fishing in one area increases fishing effort in another) and substitutes is valuable information for determining the placement and size of an MPA. A larger reserve is likely to have more displacement effect in this case than a smaller one. Therefore, a small or a network of a small reserve may be appropriate. The premise to select the site and size of the reserve is to avoid overconcentration of fishers in alternative fishing areas, which can be vulnerable to excessive fishing and unintended effects from fishers.
Originality/value
The paper contributes to an understanding of fishing behaviour and its impact on the configuration of marine reserves. It discusses the importance of effort elasticities to determine the placement and size of an MPA. Studies on this topic are very scanty in the Indian Ocean region. It also shows the application of location choice model, the RPL model and the JP production function in the fisheries sector for a small island.
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