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Open Access
Article
Publication date: 25 January 2024

João M.M. Lopes, Sofia Gomes and Tiago Trancoso

Green consumption is fundamental to sustainable development, as it involves adopting practices and technologies that reduce the environmental impact of human activities. This…

3831

Abstract

Purpose

Green consumption is fundamental to sustainable development, as it involves adopting practices and technologies that reduce the environmental impact of human activities. This study aims to analyze the influence of consumers’ green orientation on their environmental concerns and green purchase decisions. Furthermore, the study investigates the mediating role of consumers’ environmental concerns in the relationship between pro-sustainable orientation and green purchase decisions.

Design/methodology/approach

This study uses a quantitative methodology, applying the partial least squares method to a sample of 927 Portuguese consumers of green products. The sample was collected through an online survey.

Findings

Perceived benefits and perceived quality of products play a positive and significant role in influencing green behavior, especially when consumers are endowed with greater environmental concerns. In addition, consumers’ awareness of the prices of green products and their expectations regarding the future benefits of sustainable consumption positively impact green consumption behavior, further intensifying their environmental concerns.

Practical implications

According to the present findings, companies should adopt a holistic and integrated approach to promote green consumption. This means creating premium eco-friendly products, communicating their benefits, addressing the cost factor, emphasizing the future impact of eco-friendly options and raising consumers’ environmental awareness.

Social implications

It is critical that environmental education is a priority in schools and that there are political incentives for green behaviors. In addition, media campaigns can be an important tool to raise awareness in society.

Originality/value

The results of this study provide important insights for companies on consumer engagement in the circular economy. Deepening knowledge of the antecedents of consumers’ environmental concerns contributes to a deeper understanding of green purchasing decision behavior, allowing companies to support new business strategies.

Details

Sustainability Accounting, Management and Policy Journal, vol. 15 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2040-8021

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 20 June 2024

Eric Agyemang, John Boulard Forkuor, Ronald Kondor and Douglas Attoh Odongo

This study investigates the economic strategies street beggars (SBs) employ in Ghana to gain a competitive advantage within the contested urban spaces they occupy. By…

Abstract

Purpose

This study investigates the economic strategies street beggars (SBs) employ in Ghana to gain a competitive advantage within the contested urban spaces they occupy. By conceptualising SBs as economic actors, the research shifts the focus from perceiving them as passive recipients of charity to recognising their intentional decision-making and strategic behaviour to maximise financial benefits.

Design/methodology/approach

The study adopts a qualitative case study approach, using non-participant observation and semi-structured interviews with 40 SBs in Kumasi, Ghana. Thematic analysis was used to identify the economic strategies used by SBs to gain a competitive advantage.

Findings

The study reveals three main strategies adopted by SBs: child advertisement, body marketing, and narrative marketing. These strategies emerge from the SBs' contextual understanding of the public’s social protection needs and are used to develop strategies that give them an advantage over other SBs within contested urban streets.

Research limitations/implications

Future research could explore the effectiveness of different economic strategies employed by street beggars and compare their financial outcomes. Investigating the public’s perceptions and attitudes towards these strategies could provide valuable insights.

Practical implications

Policymakers and city authorities should acknowledge some street begging as an economic activity and develop regulations, designate begging areas, and establish guidelines for acceptable practices. Creating targeted skill training, entrepreneurship programs, and access to microfinance can facilitate the transition of street beggars from begging to more sustainable forms of livelihood.

Social implications

This study challenges the perception of street beggars as passive victims, highlighting their agency and strategic decision-making. Recognizing their economic strategies can inform policies that regulate begging as an economic activity, create alternative opportunities, and prevent exploitation of vulnerable groups, ultimately promoting more sustainable and dignified livelihoods for street beggars.

Originality/value

This study seeks to enrich the current literature and bridge the research gap by investigating the phenomenon of street begging and the diverse economic strategies street beggars employ to gain a competitive advantage within urban areas. This research moves beyond computing financial income and regulating begging by conceptualizing SBs as economic actors and begging as an economic activity. It explores how SBs use conscious efforts and rational strategies to maximize financial benefits from passers-by and outperform other SBs, providing novel insights into the complex dynamics of street begging.

Details

International Journal of Sociology and Social Policy, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0144-333X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 September 2023

Liridon Kryeziu, Besnik A. Krasniqi, Mehmet Bağış, Vjose Hajrullahu, Genc Zhushi, Donika Bytyçi and Mirsim Ismajli

This study aims to examine the impact of regulatory, normative and cultural cognitive institutions and firm and individual factors on entrepreneurial behavior.

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to examine the impact of regulatory, normative and cultural cognitive institutions and firm and individual factors on entrepreneurial behavior.

Design/methodology/approach

Using the quantitative research method, the authors collected data from 316 micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in Kosovo, a transition economy, through a cross-sectional research design. The authors performed exploratory factor analyses, correlation and regression analyses on the data using SPSS 26 and STATA software.

Findings

The research findings indicate that, within transition economies, normative and cultural-cognitive institutions have a positive impact on entrepreneurial behaviors. The authors could not determine the effect of regulatory institutions on entrepreneurial behavior. The authors also discovered that young firms are more inclined toward entrepreneurial behavior than older firms, and micro firms display a stronger entrepreneurial behavior than small firms. Furthermore, family businesses showed a greater tendency for entrepreneurial behavior than nonfamily firms. Interestingly, when the rational decision-making interacts with regulatory institutions, the effect on entrepreneurial behavior is negative.

Research limitations/implications

This study employed a cross-sectional approach to investigate the influence of macro, meso, and micro-level factors on entrepreneurial behavior within a transitioning community across three industries. Future studies could replicate these findings within comparable institutional contexts, employing longitudinal studies that include additional variables beyond those considered in our present study.

Practical implications

Considering the importance of MSMEs for a country’s economic and sustainable development, the authors provide some policy implications. The authors recommend managers carefully evaluate the information gathered while they decide and also increase their capabilities concerning digitalization, which is crucial for their firm’s survival, growth and sustainable competitive advantage.

Originality/value

This paper contributes to the literature and shows and analyses entrepreneurial behavior at institutional (macro), firm-level factors (meso) and managers' rational decision-making (micro), providing evidence from a transition community.

Details

Journal of Enterprising Communities: People and Places in the Global Economy, vol. 18 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1750-6204

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 22 August 2023

Yiru Zha and Jiawei Jin

This study aims to investigate how environmentalism in photovoltaic (PV) substitution and nationalism in PV rivalry with the USA are associated with the trade-offs made by young…

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to investigate how environmentalism in photovoltaic (PV) substitution and nationalism in PV rivalry with the USA are associated with the trade-offs made by young consumers in Lanzhou when selecting Chinese brand portable solar power banks.

Design/methodology/approach

In this study, the choice-based conjoint survey was conducted to investigate mobile power bank consumers aged 18–28 in Lanzhou urban districts. A total of 2,004 valid questionnaires were collected and 1,813 sample was used in analyses. Logit and ordinary least squares regression models were run for empirical analyses.

Findings

The research results show that consumers tend to sacrifice certain levels of affordability for moderate technological capability, a reputable brand, better portability and advanced charging functions or sacrifice certain levels of technological capabilities for a moderate price. Consumers with stronger environmentalism in PV substitution tend to prioritize median price levels, larger battery capacity and better portability, while being less sensitive to brand and showing less preference for advanced charging functions. Consumers with stronger nationalism in PV rivalry tend to prioritize reasonably higher prices, bigger brands, enhanced portability, more solar panels and advanced charging functions.

Practical implications

This research sheds light on consumer trade-offs between price, brand, portability, technological capability and charging function. It also explores how environmentalism and nationalism sentiments are associated with consumer decision-making. These insights carry valuable policy implications for fostering product innovation, supporting brand-building initiatives for small and medium-size enterprises, promoting market competition and preventing the weaponization of consumer nationalism.

Originality/value

As an emerging solar power product, the portable solar power bank holds significant potential for widespread adoption as a means to drive energy transition. Within the current context, two notable sentiments have surfaced: environmentalism, which pertains to the adoption of PV technology as a substitute for conventional energy sources and nationalism, which manifests in the PV rivalry between China and the USA. This research aims to investigate consumer preference related to this emerging product, specifically focusing on its relationship with these two sentiments.

Details

International Journal of Energy Sector Management, vol. 18 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1750-6220

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 3 August 2023

Ali Sajedikhah, Hossein Rezaei Dolatabadi and Arash Shahin

This study aims to investigate the extent and pattern of the influence of one of the most important decision-making tools in the context of social commerce. This study…

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to investigate the extent and pattern of the influence of one of the most important decision-making tools in the context of social commerce. This study demonstrates how much customer testimonials (including verified purchases and ordinary users) can influence the sales rank of experience and search goods.

Design/methodology/approach

The data were collected by text mining and performing a content analysis on the XML documents of Web pages and processing them. For search goods, 22,311 opinions were recorded regarding 95 mobile phones. Additionally, for experience goods, 67,817 opinions were recorded regarding 162 books in the Amazon online store. The data were analyzed by functional regression method in longitudinal data analysis.

Findings

In terms of importance, the opinions and recommendations of verified purchases had a 60% greater impact on the sales rank of experience goods than the opinions and recommendations of ordinary users. In search goods, the opinions of ordinary users had a greater impact than the opinions of verified purchases. The historical effect of the opinions of ordinary users at the end of the review period on sales rank was evident, while the historical effect of the verified purchase viewpoints during the review period had a nonlinear curve. The results showed that it was necessary to increase the volume of comments to increase their reliability in experience goods.

Practical implications

Measuring the effect of customer testimonials helps the managers of retail websites design algorithms and online suggestion systems, thereby improving the sales of their products by providing information desired by customers.

Social implications

Individuals can be a source of information and influence the buying decision process of others by sharing their experiences. This issue helps reduce the purchase risk and explains the importance of interaction and sharing the customer’s experience.

Originality/value

Analyzing the impact of customer testimonials by separating verified purchases and ordinary users is one of the advantages of this study. The quantitative estimation of the impact of recommendations and the provision of a model of their historical effect is one of the approaches not addressed in similar studies.

Details

Competitiveness Review: An International Business Journal , vol. 34 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1059-5422

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 2 January 2023

Ismail Abdi Changalima, Ismail Juma Ismail and Alban Dismas Mchopa

This study aims to examine the role of supplier selection and supplier monitoring in public procurement efficiency in terms of cost reduction in Tanzania.

3018

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to examine the role of supplier selection and supplier monitoring in public procurement efficiency in terms of cost reduction in Tanzania.

Design/methodology/approach

A structured questionnaire was used to collect cross-sectional survey data from 179 public procuring entities in Tanzania. Structural equation modelling (SEM) was used to analyse the collected data.

Findings

The findings revealed that supplier selection and supplier monitoring are positive and significant predictors of public procurement efficiency in terms of cost reduction.

Research limitations/implications

This study was conducted in Tanzanian public procurement contexts, so generalisations should be made with caution. Also, this study collected cross-sectional data; other studies may consider longitudinal data.

Practical implications

This study provides procurement practitioners with insights into selecting the proper suppliers and embracing supplier monitoring to achieve procurement efficiency in terms of cost reduction.

Originality/value

This study examines the effects of supplier selection and supplier monitoring on procurement cost reduction as a measure of public procurement efficiency in the Tanzanian context. Consequently, it provides empirical evidence of supplier management practices in the public procurement context.

Details

Vilakshan - XIMB Journal of Management, vol. 21 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0973-1954

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 18 August 2023

Florian Philipp Federsel, Rolf Uwe Fülbier and Jan Seitz

A gap between research and practice is commonly perceived throughout accounting academia. However, empirical evidence on the magnitude of this detachment remains scarce. The…

Abstract

Purpose

A gap between research and practice is commonly perceived throughout accounting academia. However, empirical evidence on the magnitude of this detachment remains scarce. The authors provide new evidence to the ongoing debate by introducing a novel topic-based approach to capture the research-practice gap and quantify its extent. They also explore regional differences in the research-practice gap.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors apply the unsupervised machine learning approach Latent Dirichlet allocation (LDA) to compare the topical composition of 2,251 articles from six premier research, practice and bridging journals from the USA and Europe between 2009 and 2019. The authors extend the existing methods of summarizing literature and develop metrics that allow researchers to evaluate the research-practice gap. The authors conduct a plethora of additional analyses to corroborate the findings.

Findings

The results substantiate a pronounced topic-related research-practice gap in accounting literature and document its statistical significance. Moreover, the authors uncover that this gap is more pronounced in the USA than in Europe, highlighting the importance of institutional differences between academic communities.

Practical implications

The authors objectify the debate about the extent of a research-practice gap and stimulate further discussions about explanations and consequences.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors' knowledge, this is the first paper to deploy a rigorous machine learning approach to measure a topic-based research-practice gap in the accounting literature. Additionally, the authors provide theoretical rationales for the extent and regional differences in the research-practice gap.

Details

Journal of Accounting Literature, vol. 46 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0737-4607

Keywords

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to identify perceptions of financial crime among students in six different countries.

Design/methodology/approach

Survey research was conducted among students in India, Iran, Malaysia, Norway, Romania and the USA to compare the ranking of perceptions.

Findings

The following three propositions for financial crime had most agreement among respondents: lack of oversight and guardianship, legitimate access to resources and heroic offender status.

Research limitations/implications

Scholars involved in various countries conducted survey research at different points in time with little knowledge of each other’s survey populations and response rates.

Practical implications

Crime convenience and, thus, attractiveness can be addressed by focusing on propositions finding the strongest agreement in the surveys.

Social implications

Agreement and lack of agreement indicate priorities in fighting financial crime.

Originality/value

The diversity of nations involved in survey research makes this study interesting.

Details

Journal of Financial Crime, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1359-0790

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 29 March 2024

Sharmila Devi R., Swamy Perumandla and Som Sekhar Bhattacharyya

The purpose of this study is to understand the investment decision-making of real estate investors in housing, highlighting the interplay between rational and irrational factors…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to understand the investment decision-making of real estate investors in housing, highlighting the interplay between rational and irrational factors. In this study, investment satisfaction was a mediator, while reinvestment intention was the dependent variable.

Design/methodology/approach

A quantitative, cross-sectional and descriptive research design was used, gathering data from a sample of 550 residential real estate investors using a multi-stage stratified sampling technique. The partial least squares structural equation modelling disjoint two-stage approach was used for data analysis. This methodological approach allowed for an in-depth examination of the relationship between rational factors such as location, profitability, financial viability, environmental considerations and legal aspects alongside irrational factors including various biases like overconfidence, availability, anchoring, representative and information cascade.

Findings

This study strongly supports the adaptive market hypothesis, showing that residential real estate investor behaviour is dynamic, combining rational and irrational elements influenced by evolutionary psychology. This challenges traditional views of investment decision-making. It also establishes that behavioural biases, key to adapting to market changes, are crucial in shaping residential property market efficiency. Essentially, the study uncovers an evolving real estate investment landscape driven by evolutionary behavioural patterns.

Research limitations/implications

This research redefines rationality in behavioural finance by illustrating psychological biases as adaptive tools within the residential property market, urging a holistic integration of these insights into real estate investment theories.

Practical implications

The study reshapes property valuation models by blending economic and psychological perspectives, enhancing investor understanding and market efficiency. These interdisciplinary insights offer a blueprint for improved regulatory policies, investor education and targeted real estate marketing, fundamentally transforming the sector’s dynamics.

Originality/value

Unlike previous studies, the research uniquely integrates human cognitive behaviour theories from psychology and business studies, specifically in the context of residential property investment. This interdisciplinary approach offers a more nuanced understanding of investor behaviour.

Details

International Journal of Housing Markets and Analysis, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1753-8270

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 12 January 2024

Francesco Antonio Perotti, Zoltan Rozsa, Michal Kuděj and Alberto Ferraris

Drawing on the microfoundations theory and rational choice sociology, this study aims to investigate knowledge-sharing microfoundations through knowledge sabotage behaviours in…

Abstract

Purpose

Drawing on the microfoundations theory and rational choice sociology, this study aims to investigate knowledge-sharing microfoundations through knowledge sabotage behaviours in the workplace. As such, it aims to shed light on the adverse impact of knowledge sabotage on a knowledge-sharing climate.

Design/methodology/approach

As a quantitative deductive study, it is based on information collected from 329 employees of European companies by self-administered online surveys. Data validity and reliability has been assessed through a confirmatory factor analysis, and data analysis was carried out by using a covariance-based structural equation modelling technique.

Findings

The findings from the empirical investigation supported the baseline hypotheses of the multilevel conceptual model, which is the positive relationship between organizational trust and environmental knowledge sharing. Then, recurring to a microfoundational exploration, this study supports the mediating indirect effect of job satisfaction and knowledge sabotage in affecting knowledge sharing as a social outcome.

Research limitations/implications

This study concurs to broaden knowledge-sharing awareness among scholars and practitioners, by focusing on knowledge sabotage as its most pernicious counterproductive behaviour. Furthermore, this research provides valuable guidance for the future development of research based on multilevel investigations.

Originality/value

This study builds on the need to explore the numerous factors that affect knowledge sharing in economic organizations, specifically focusing on knowledge sabotage. Adapting Coleman’s bathtub, the authors advance the first multilevel conceptual model used to unveil the knowledge-sharing microfoundations from the perspective of a counterproductive knowledge behaviour.

Details

Journal of Knowledge Management, vol. 28 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1367-3270

Keywords

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