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Purpose: This paper aims to focus on corporate social responsibility in relation to economic policy uncertainty in mergers and acquisitions (M&A). The following questions are addressed: How does policy uncertainty impact corporate M&A? Does social responsibility play a mediating role in this process? How does policy uncertainty affect corporate M&A through social responsibility? Design/methodology/approach: This paper selects the major M&A events in China as the research object, and uses the Probit model to analyze the impact of policy uncertainty on M&A behavior and the business performance after the event, and further analyzes the internal mechanisms that cause these phenomena. Findings: This paper shows that the higher the policy uncertainty, the lower the probability of a successful M&A, and the worse the business performance of the business after the event. Originality/value: This paper provides useful reference for the study of M&A and social responsibility in different policy environments. At the same time, it provides direct empirical evidence to enhance the success rate of M&A. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This document is a list of references to academic articles and journals that cover topics such as international entrepreneurship, digital resilience, knowledge management, and sustainable development. The authors of the articles are experts in their fields and provide valuable insights into these subjects. The articles offer practical implications for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), policymakers, and managers navigating the digital era and global markets. This resource is recommended for library patrons conducting research on these topics. [Extracted from the article]

Purpose: Over the past years, high waste and inefficiencies in the construction industry may have contributed to many projects failing to meet clients' expectations. Among the new project delivery mechanisms to tackle this problem is integrated project delivery (IPD). IPD has been proved as a mechanism that increases stakeholders' collaboration at the early stage and delivers the highest value-for-money projects. In Nigeria, research regarding practitioners in the application of IPD in construction delivery is scarce. Thus, this study aims to investigate the level of awareness, issues hindering the implementation of IPD and proffer solutions to promote the use of IPD in project delivery. Design/methodology/approach: Qualitative research was adopted. Twenty virtual interviews via Zoom and Whatsapp Videos were used to collect data from the selected participants and analysed via a thematic method. This is because of the unexplored dimension of the issues. Findings: Results show that practitioners are aware of IPD but lax in the application. The emerged issues hindering the adoption and implementation of IPD were grouped into technological, legal, financial and cultural in Nigeria's context. Research limitations/implications: This study is restricted to the relevance and hindrances facing the usage of IPD in the Nigerian built environment. The study proffers solutions to promote the use of IPD in the built environment via a qualitative approach. Practical implications: This paper will contribute towards stirring Nigeria's stakeholders to create an enabling environment within the industry via IPD friendly policies and promote the use of IPD on construction projects. Originality/value: This paper is one of the few papers that attempted to uncover issues that hinder the use of IPD on construction projects in Nigeria via a qualitative approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Motivated by recent research indicating that the operational performance of an enterprise can be enhanced by building a supporting data-driven environment in which to operate, this paper presents a simulation framework that enables an examination of the effects of applying smart manufacturing principles to conventional production systems, intending to transition to digital platforms. Design/methodology/approach: To investigate the extent to which conventional production systems can be transformed into novel data-driven environments, the well-known constant work-in-process (CONWIP) production systems and considered production sequencing assignments in flowshops were studied. As a result, a novel data-driven priority heuristic, Net-CONWIP was designed and studied, based on the ability to collect real-time information about customer demand and work-in-process inventory, which was applied as part of a distributed and decentralised production sequencing analysis. Application of heuristics like the Net-CONWIP is only possible through the ability to collect and use real-time data offered by a data-driven system. A four-stage application framework to assist practitioners in applying the proposed model was created. Findings: To assess the robustness of the Net-CONWIP heuristic under the simultaneous effects of different levels of demand, its different levels of variability and the presence of bottlenecks, the performance of Net-CONWIP with conventional CONWIP systems that use first come, first served priority rule was compared. The results show that the Net-CONWIP priority rule significantly reduced customer wait time in all cases relative to FCFS. Originality/value: Previous research suggests there is considerable value in creating data-driven environments. This study provides a simulation framework that guides the construction of a digital transformation environment. The suggested framework facilitates the inclusion and analysis of relevant smart manufacturing principles in production systems and enables the design and testing of new heuristics that employ real-time data to improve operational performance. An approach that can guide the structuring of data-driven environments in production systems is currently lacking. This paper bridges this gap by proposing a framework to facilitate the design of digital transformation activities, explore their impact on production systems and improve their operational performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aims to investigate whether the cash flow forecasts (CFF) of analysts can disseminate valuable information to the information environments of companies. Design/methodology/approach: The author uses empirical archival methodology to conduct differences-in-difference analyses. Findings: It is found that information asymmetry decreases in the treatment group following the initiation of CFF during the postperiod, which is consistent with the hypothesis of this paper. Originality/value: To the best of the author's knowledge, this study is the first among the cash flow forecast studies to demonstrate the usefulness of CFF in the mitigation of information asymmetry, a friction that is widespread in capital markets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This paper examines the relationship between the extent and quality of the four dimensions of corporate social responsibility disclosure (CSRD) namely community, environment, workplace and marketplace with the long-run share price performance of Malaysian initial public offering (IPO) companies. Design/methodology/approach: This study utilised secondary data by the content analysis of the annual reports and Datastream of 115 IPOs listed from 2007 to 2015 in Malaysia. The IPO's performance was determined by calculating the return measures under the equally weighted and value-weighted schemes of the mean abnormal returns and buy-and-hold abnormal returns covering the three years post-listing using the event-time approach. Findings: The findings demonstrate that Malaysian IPOs experience substantial overperformance and underperformance when both the IPO performance measures are benchmarked against the matched companies and market. The results indicated that the extent and quality of the community and environment CSRD dimensions are positively and significantly correlated to the IPO's performance. On the other hand, the extent and quality of the workplace and marketplace CSRD dimensions are negatively and significantly correlated to the IPO performance. Practical implications: Malaysian regulators could benefit from these findings in their endeavour to carry out a reform process on CSRD to improve its quality. The results of this study are important to investors, regulators, non-government organisations, communities and policymakers. They also enhance the understanding of companies about the importance of disclosing greater CSR information to improve their performance and profitability. Originality/value: To the researchers' best knowledge, this study provides new insights into the association between CSRD and the performance of Malaysian IPO companies, which is considered important. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Scholars and practitioners increasingly recognize data as an important source of business opportunities, but research on the effect on small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) is limited. This paper empirically examines the complementary impact of SMEs' data capability and supply chain capability (SCC) and further tests the mediation effect of SCC between data capability and operational performance. The mediated effect of data capability is also moderated by competition. Design/methodology/approach: This paper analyzes longitudinal data collected from 122 manufacturing SMEs in Finland. Hypotheses were tested by using structural equation modeling (SEM). Findings: The results show that to benefit from the data capability, SMEs require a certain level of SCC to extract the value from the SMEs' data capability and support operational performance. Additionally, competition affects how SMEs benefit from data capability, as competitor turbulence moderates the complementary effect of data capability and SCC on operational performance. Originality/value: This is one of the first studies examining the longitudinal effect of SMEs' data and SCC on operational performance in the current competitive environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to provide managers with insights to help survive a crisis, create advantage during slow-growth recoveries and thrive when the crisis is over. Given the environment at the time of this paper, this paper focuses on widespread crises, such as a public health crisis like COVID-19. Design/methodology/approach: The authors offer a conceptual framework, grounded in the attribution theory and situation crisis communication theory (SCCT), for managers to use when determining which crisis response strategy is most appropriate to use during a crisis. Propositions based on this framework are provided. This paper focuses on widespread crises, such as a public health crisis, particularly on the COVID-19 pandemic. Based on the framework proposed for organizational crisis response strategy and recovery, several insights for managers across a variety of industries emerge. Consideration of the best strategic approach to a crisis is essential, and time is critical. This framework provides a starting point for creating a proper response strategy when a crisis arises that is not within the organization's crisis management planning. Managerial implications for several industries, such as restaurant, hotel, airline, education, retail, medical and other professional services, and theoretical implications to further the advancement of understanding are provided. Findings: The findings of this paper demonstrate that organizations that apply an accommodative strategy during unintentional crises will survive, while during intentional crises, they will thrive in the marketplace. Similarly, organizations that apply an offensive strategy during unintentional crises will thrive, while during intentional crises, they will survive in the marketplace. Practical implications: This paper provides a framework highlighting strategies that best protect an organization during both internally and externally caused crises. The response strategy and crisis framework are based on the attribution theory and SCCT. Building on this framework, six propositions are postulated. In keeping with this strategy and crisis framework, this study provides several crisis response insights for managers across a variety of industries. These suggestions act as a guide for managers when assessing how to respond in the early days of a crisis and what to do to recover from it. Originality/value: This paper provides a crisis-strategy matrix, grounded in the attribution theory and SCCT, to provide decision-making guidance to help managers survive a crisis, create advantage during slow-growth recoveries and thrive when the crisis is over. The authors provide multiple industry insights related to the "how to" and the "what to" in the recovery from and survival through internally and externally caused crises. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Due to high customization, companies, which used to follow the make-to-stock (MTS) strategy, are now adopting the make-to-order (MTO) strategy along with MTS in order to cope with high variability in customer demand. Although lean is quite popular in general, its advantage in MTO-MTS environment is quite rare. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to show the benefits of lean techniques in this environment. Design/methodology/approach: A popular furniture company in Italy is selected for the longitudinal action research and as a part of the lean project, workload control (WLC) is deployed in the selected company. Data were collected through on-site interviews, potential areas of improvement were identified and then suitable countermeasures were proposed and adopted. Findings: This study reveals that the implementation of lean techniques including WLC in a furniture company reduces the throughput time and improves the inventory turnover. Research limitations/implications: This research is based on a single company. Additional empirical studies can help to refine our proposition. Practical implications: The paper shows the practical implementation of WLC as a part of the lean project in MTO-MTS environment. It provides the practitioners and consultants with the way of implementing lean techniques in companies that are planning to adopt MTO-MTS hybrid strategy. Originality/value: This is the first paper that aims to assess the efficiency of the adaption of WLC based on lean principles in a company using MTO-MTS hybrid strategy. Hence, the results are highly valuable for similar companies, especially when are facing transition situations (e.g. from MTS to MTO-MTS). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: With the proliferation of e-commerce companies, express delivery companies must increasingly maintain the efficient expansion of their networks in accordance with growing demands and lower margins in a highly uncertain environment. This paper provides a framework for leveraging demand data to determine sustainable network expansion to fulfill the increasing needs of startups in the express delivery industry. Design/methodology/approach: While the literature points out several hub assignment methods, the authors propose an alternative spherical-clustering algorithm for densely urbanized population environments to strengthen the accuracy and robustness of current models. The authors complement this approach with straightforward mathematical optimization and simulation models to generate and test designs that effectively align environmentally sustainable solutions. Findings: To examine the effects of different degrees of demand variability, the authors analyzed this approach's performance by solving a real-world case study from an express delivery company's primary market. The authors structured a four-stage implementation framework to facilitate practitioners applying the proposed model. Originality/value: Previous investigations explored driving distances on a spherical surface for facility location. The work considers densely urbanized population and traffic data to simultaneously capture demand patterns and other road dynamics. The inclusion of different population densities and sustainability data in current models is lacking; this paper bridges this gap by posing a novel framework that increases the accuracy of spherical-clustering methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This paper aims to identify the impact of demographical and organizational variables such as age, gender, experiences use of knowledge management system (KMS), education and job level on knowledge sharing (KS) performance of knowledge workers in knowledge activities of a KMS. Specifically, it seeks to explore that is there any relationship between the KS behavior patterns of high KS performance knowledge workers with their performance. Furthermore, this study using its conceptual attitude model aims to show that whether knowledge workers' behavior patterns in sharing information and knowledge throughout a KMS have any specific effect or not. Design/methodology/approach: This paper proposed a framework to mine knowledge workers' raw data using data mining techniques such as clustering and association rules mining. Also, this research uses a case-based approach to a knowledge-intensive company in Iran that works in the field of information technology with 730 numbers of workers. Findings: Findings suggest that demographical and organizational variables such as age, education and experience use of KMS have positive effects on knowledge worker's KS behavior in KMSs. In fact, people who have lower age, higher education degrees and more experience use of KMS, have more participation in KS in KMS. Also, results depict that the experienced use of KMS has the most impact on the intention of KS in this KMS. Findings emphasize on the importance of the influence of the behavioral, organizational environments and psychological factors such as reward system, top management support, openness and trust, on KS performance of knowledge workers in the KMS. In fact, according to data, the KMS reward system caused to increasing participation of the users in KS, also in each knowledge activity that top managers participate in, the scores were higher. Practical implications: This research helps top managers in designing policies and strategies to improve the participation of knowledge workers in KS and helps human resource managers to improve their membership policies. Also, assist Information Technology (IT) managers to enhance KMSs' design to leverage with organization strategies in the field of improving KS and encourage people to participate in KMS. Originality/value: This research has two key values. First, this paper applies a data mining framework to mining and analyzing data and this paper uses actual data of a KMS in a specialist company in Iran, with about 27,740 real data points. Second, this paper investigates the impact of demographical and organizational attributes on KS behavior, which little is empirically known about the impact of demographical variables on KS intention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Boundary spanners link their internal organization with its external environment. In the present research, the authors study supply managers who build a bridge between a large original equipment manufacturer (OEM) and its network of suppliers. The purpose of this paper is to explore how boundary spanners mediate between internal (buyer) and external (supplier) managers in supplier development (SD) initiatives. Design/methodology/approach: This paper adopts a qualitative case method to study an OEM pursuing multiple SD initiatives with multiple suppliers simultaneously. Data consist of interviews and non-participant observations conducted over a period of 14 months. Findings: The findings of this paper highlight the mediation tasks that emerge at the organizational interface in advanced SD undertakings. Based on the analysis, this paper demonstrates how the nature of three core boundary-spanning activities, information mediation, reaching compromises and strategic communication, differ in four general SD conditions. Research limitations/implications: The present paper advances the understanding of individual-level buyer–supplier tensions in SD. It makes a theoretical contribution that sits in the intersection between boundary spanning and SD. Practical implications: This paper increases managers' knowledge of a range of required SD mediation activities and provides an overview of where they unfold. Originality/value: This paper breaks new ground by creating knowledge that extends beyond four dominant trends in SD research: SD as organizational-level behavior, SD as a generic set of activities, SD as a single performance improvement area and SD as a dyadic management task. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This paper aims to examine housing need for older people and people with dementia, with reference to Scotland. This paper also examines policy responses and tensions arising from such need and looks critically at the evidence of care needs and what older people want in relation to later life conditions, including dementia. Design/methodology/approach: Taking the Being Home: Housing and Dementia in Scotland report (2017) as a baseline descriptor, the authors have collated evidence from a range of sources to help them examine what has changed in terms of policy, practice and population ageing. Set against this backdrop, using desk-based analytical methods, the authors interrogate existing planning processes and systems in Scotland. Findings: Scottish Spatial Planning has a policy blindness on the overwhelming evidence of the housing needs derived from an ageing population. Policy focus is geared towards the amount of housing supplied, rather than appropriate types of housing, leaving older people with little choice of suitable accommodation. A key area to improve is in establishing greater co-operation and policy synthesis between health, social, housing and planning functions. Broad policy ambition must be transferred into detailed reality for older people and people with dementia to benefit. Originality/value: The integrated approach and in-depth analysis, linked to planning policy and housing need, is highly original and much needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to propose an improved multi-objective optimization model for the condition-based maintenance (CBM) of single-component systems which considers periodic imperfect maintenance and ecological factors. Design/methodology/approach: Based on the application of non-periodic preventive CBM, two recursion models are built for the system: hazard rate and the environmental degradation factor. This paper also established an optimal multi-objective model with a normalization process. The multiple-attribute value theory is used to obtain the optimal preventive maintenance (PM) interval. The simulation and sensitivity analyses are applied to obtain further rules. Findings: An increase in the number of the occurrences could shorten the duration of a maintenance cycle. The maintenance techniques and maintenance efficiency could be improved by increasing system availability, reducing cost rate and improving degraded condition. Practical implications: In reality, a variety of environmental situations may occur subsequent to the operations of an advanced manufacturing system. This model could be applied in real cases to help the manufacturers better discover the optimal maintenance cycle with minimized cost and degraded condition of the environment, helping the corporations better fulfill their CSR as well. Originality/value: Previous research on single-component condition-based predictive maintenance usually focused on the maintenance costs and availability of a system, while ignoring the possible pollution from system operations. This paper proposed a modified multi-objective optimization model considering environment influence which could more comprehensively analyze the factors affecting PM interval. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aims to propose that, in business-to-business (B2B) industries, number of strategic alliances firms established before a "black swan" event enhances their chances to survive the black swan, and the enhancements take place through moderation effects. Changes in firms' core structures – their stated goals, authority structure, core technologies and marketing strategies – to adapt to business jolts have adverse effects on firm performance. Firms' existing B2B strategic alliances moderate the effects negatively by outsourcing different goals, authority structures, core technologies and marketing strategies to partners who fit the changed environment. Design/methodology/approach: This study collected quantitative data and analyzed the data with the regression method. Findings: Using data from Chinese firms in five technology industries during the 2007–2009 economic crisis, this study finds that firms' internal adaptation is negatively correlated with their performance during economic crises, and B2B strategic alliances negatively moderate this relationship. Research limitations/implications: First, this study focuses on B2B strategic alliances, and it is not clear whether the findings apply to B2C industries, where strategic alliances may not be common. Perhaps firms can use other means of survival in addition to strategic alliances in B2C industries. Second, this study does not differentiate between fast-moving and slow-moving industries, and it is not clear whether strategic alliances play the same role in both industries. Third, this study does not differentiate firm ages and sizes. It remains unclear how large, established and small, young firms differ when facing crises. Finally, this study is based on the Chinese setting, and it is not clear whether the findings apply to other markets as well. These issues should be explored in future studies. Practical implications: Changing firms' core structures harms their performance during black swan crises because such crises are unpredictable, and planned changes may not adapt firms to crises. Managers should not attempt to change their core structures during crises. B2B strategic alliances provide an effective means for firms to survive crises. Originality/value: This paper makes two contributions to the existing literature: First, this paper demonstrates that changes of one of the four core structures of a firm to cope with black swan events have negative impacts on firm performance. Second, this paper identifies the importance of holding a variety of strategic alliances previously to the black swan events to reduce the negative impacts of changing core structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This paper explores the effect the regional technological environment has on technology-driven performance, measured by enterprise resource planning (ERP). Design/methodology/approach: This study specifies a productivity-based production function driven by ERP system adoption. Employing a quasi-experimental research design, the author disentangles two effects – the average effect of ERP adoption and the moderation effect of the regional technological environment. The novelty of this study is that it merges publicly available information retrieved via text-mining tools and official financial reports published by companies. Findings: The total effect of technology adoption on productivity varies from almost 3%–9% in different technological environments. Moreover, this study's results revealed that the regional technological environment could enhance the effect of adopting different ERP systems. Originality/value: While some papers investigate the relationship between ERP adoption and firm performance regarding the environmental context of a firm, the effect of the regional technological environment on the relationship between technology adoption and firm performance is understudied. Thus, this research tries to contribute to a deeper understanding of the regional context's impact on technology-driven performance. The authors used automated content analysis to collect data on technology adoption; by doing so, this study contributes to the growing body of research utilising the text-mining approach to extract data stored in Internet-based information sources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The environment in high-tech industries is highly dynamic, and after COVID-19, it has become even more unpredictable. Hence, it has become critical for firms to develop strategies to cope with a highly dynamic environment. This paper aims to analyze how the impact of the scientific collaboration networks with URIs (universities and research institutes) on firm innovation performance is contingent on technological and market dynamics. Design/methodology/approach: Using a sample of 174 Chinese firms in the new-energy vehicle industry during 2004–2015, the authors applied a random-effects negative binomial modeling approach to model these relationships. Findings: A broad and strong scientific collaboration network promotes firm innovation network effects are contingent on technological and market dynamics. While technological dynamics strengthen the effect market dynamics weaken it due to the different purposes of collaboration for firms and URIs. Practical implications: Firms should adjust the structure of scientific collaboration networks with URIs when facing different environments. The government should encourage firms to jointly research with diverse URIs and play an active role in stabilizing market environments. Originality/value: This study contributes to the academic debate on university-industry scientific collaborations. Applying the temporary competitive advantage (TCA) framework, we provide nuances to the literature that studies the factors that condition the effects of networks. This study also adds to the research on firm scientific collaboration networks by measuring networks based on the coauthorship between firms and URIs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This paper explores the vocational training of construction workers in Guangdong Province of China and identifies its position in the global political-economic spectrum of skill formation. Design/methodology/approach: The paper reviews construction vocational education and training (VET) of major political economies to develop a theoretical framework that guides an in-depth case study of Guangdong. Document analysis, field trip observations, meetings and semi-structured interviews were combined to explore the political-economic environment, political stakeholders and quality assurance mechanisms of industrial training in Guangdong's construction sector. The findings were compared with construction VET of other economies reported in the literature. Findings: Construction training in Guangdong is deeply rooted in the local history and culture, under strong dominance of the state, while continually evolves to respond to the fluid market and therefore can be conceptualised as "market-in-state". The political stakeholders are embedded within the state to ensure that skills policies are implemented in-line with industry policies. The differences between the training of Guangdong and its foreign counterparts are attributed to their divergent political-economic models. Research limitations/implications: As the case study was undertaken only with Guangdong, the generalisability of its findings can be improved through future research within a broader context of multiple provinces of China through both qualitative and quantitative research approaches. Practical implications: Plausible foreign VET approaches are likely adaptable to the Chinese context only when conducive political-economic environment could be enabled. The findings are useful for developing countries to learn from the VET experience of industrialised economies. Construction workers' training in Guangdong can be improved by strengthening labour regulation at lower subcontracting levels and ensuring the presence of industrial associations and unions for collective training supervision. Originality/value: The paper contributes to the field of construction engineering and management with a theoretical framework that guides empirical studies on the influence of the political-economic environment upon the ways political stakeholders develop and participate in construction VET. The exploration based on this framework revealed the position of the vocational training of construction workers in Guangdong in the global political-economic spectrum of skill formation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this paper, positioned in the halal logistics research domain, is to bridge the gap between the theory of halal logistics and halal logistics' empirical implementation through a business process reengineering (BPR) project in the context of a major European airport (i.e. Frankfurt Airport, Fraport AG). Design/methodology/approach: An in-depth case study approach has been adopted in the authors' business processes reengineering proposal. Prior investigations on the topic maintained that "business process analysis and activity elimination" (BP and AE) and "problem analysis" (PA) are the most widespread approaches when the prominent business reengineering dimension under analysis is the specific process/task. Consistently, the authors adopted a six-step BP&AE-based model in order to implement the halal logistics requirements in the context of an air cargo supply chain. Findings: This paper addresses fundamental issues about the analysis and the redesign of air cargo processes when halal shipments are taken into account. Conceptual breakthroughs of new processes are suggested. The paper sheds light on potential issues which may arise when adapting the extant air cargo processes to halal logistics guidelines. In addition, the paper suggests an appropriate resolution scheme articulated in two stages of progressively higher compliance to halal logistics according to the Malaysian standards (MS). Research limitations/implications: The outcome of this work has implications for practitioners, researchers, and transport associations. For practitioners, the study offers an immediately applicable implementation plan which is ready to be discussed with all agents involved in the business reengineering (BR) process. For researchers, the study offers a basis for future halal logistics reengineering projects, both from a theoretical and from an empirical standpoint. Finally, the collaboration of transport associations will become mandatory due to an update of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) code system that includes a dedicated halal code, "HAL", for halal air cargo shipments. Originality/value: The concept of halal logistics is still in the infant stage and there is a complete lack of academic publications, especially empirical implementations of halal logistics principles. The authors' project provides detailed guidelines to help air cargo operators operating in non-Muslim-dominant countries to reengineer their internal processes and, in doing so, to comply with halal logistics and principles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The increasingly complex business-to-business (B2B) sales process necessitates that sales managers strike the right balance between appropriate resource allocation, while also maintaining the profitability of the organization. While previous research has mainly focused on how changes in the business environment pose distinct challenges to salespeople, very little research has focused on how sales managers should react to these complex situations. Drawing upon the extant sales research, this paper aims to point to a gap in the literature of how sales managers deal with the complexity associated with the sales process and deal with the same. Design/methodology/approach: Methods from the grounded theory research approach were used to conduct 18 in-depth interviews with B2B sales managers. Purposive sampling was used to identify the participants. Findings: A taxonomy of sales situations that reflects the changing complexity of the sales function and how sales managers need to orchestrate their resource allocation decisions to ensure appropriate value capture from B2B relationships emerged within the themes. This paper highlights four fundamental tenets of sales situations that account for both the complexity of the sales process and the value appropriation challenge that sales managers face. Practical implications: The taxonomy will help sales managers have a better understanding of the changing complexity in the B2B sales process and help them with decisions making. Sales managers can orchestrate their resource allocation to achieve value appropriation. Originality/value: This paper develops a new taxonomy of the sales situation. It unravels the changing complexity of the B2B sales process and discusses how value appropriation can be achieved by sales managers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The aim of this paper is to evaluate the use of blockchain for identity management (IdM) in the context of the Internet of things (IoT) while focusing on privacy-preserving approaches and its applications to healthcare scenarios. Design/methodology/approach: The paper describes the most relevant IdM systems focusing on privacy preserving with or without blockchain and evaluates them against ten selected features grouped into three categories: privacy, usability and IoT. Then, it is important to analyze whether blockchain should be used in all scenarios, according to the importance of each feature for different use cases. Findings: Based on analysis of existing systems, Sovrin is the IdM system that covers more features and is based on blockchain. For each of the evaluated use cases, Sovrin and UniquID were the chosen systems. Research limitations/implications: This paper opens new lines of research for IdM systems in IoT, including challenges related to device identity definition, privacy preserving and new security mechanisms. Originality/value: This paper contributes to the ongoing research in IdM systems for IoT. The adequacy of blockchain is not only analyzed considering the technology; instead the authors analyze its application to real environments considering the required features for each use case. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Libraries face an uncertain situation in present times of the "digital revolution" while every single sector moved online. The purpose of this paper is to search and propose potential library actions as response to the challenge of the peer-to-peer (p2p) sharing platform revolution in business models, a revolution to gain efficiency and to protect the environment. Design/methodology/approach: This research focused on integrating economics and library concepts based on a selective literature review and real-world interaction. The main concern is to connect library possibilities with the emergence of p2p digital platforms, which has enabled individuals to make use of underused inventory via fee-based sharing, as a way of obtaining, giving or sharing access to goods and services. The authors balance the existing proposals to achieve how librarians can help. Findings: This paper defines key types of potential applications for platform business models in the sharing economy promoted by librarians and describes their characteristics for the renaissance of the "New libraries". First, "educating" society to face critically the disruptive change in networks of culture and information. Second, "growing" as key reference institutions and community service centres integrating "external" skills. Third, "promoting" the disruptive economy by creation or participation in digital platforms. Fourth, "creating" cooperative markets through social-economic currencies. Originality/value: This research was carried out with the objective of determining how librarians contribute to sustainable development. All four proposals to implement represent possibilities that derive from the sharing economy approach at different levels of implementation according to the degree of commitment that librarians require to translate into specific actions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Community engaged research and learning strategies are considered meaningful methods for universities to demonstrate their critical importance to today's societies. At the same time, it is stressed that not all approaches are equally beneficial, highlighting the need for well-considered design and delivery. This paper aims to outline a helpful tool in this regard: the engagement CUBE. Design/methodology/approach: The engagement CUBE was developed by a learning community set-up at a Belgian university to explore the potential of engaged practices for meeting both needs and assets of its urban surroundings. A series of learning circles was organized for discussing recent research findings, experiences and ambitions with engaged campus-community initiatives and support targeted (re)design. Findings: The CUBE is a helpful instrument for navigating the complex fabric of engaged practices. It is to be used as a dialogic tool, facilitating collaborative meaning negotiation and decision-making among participants in engagement strategies. Its purpose is both to help design a supportive environment for establishing partnerships that build on shared ownership and mutual learning, as to stimulate capacity-building for taking responsible change-oriented action. Originality/value: This paper contributes to the existing literature on engaged teaching and research by emphasizing the need of acknowledging conflict as an important condition for fostering insightful learning and genuine transformation. The authors will argue that adopting a conflict perspective also allows for a more critical examination of the emerging concept of university social responsibility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to add to the relatively limited existing literature exploring the experience of individuals with autism spectrum disorder in the prison environment. Prisoners with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) need to be identified in order that they are given the necessary and appropriate support and safeguards. It is increasingly recognised that, for individuals with ASD, prison can be more challenging. This can be due to ASD traits which can make problems occur in everyday life. Some of these ASD traits include: obsessions, compulsions and difficulties in communicating with others. There is increasing recognition that adults with ASD who are in prison are more vulnerable to bullying, social isolation, sexual victimisation and exploitation confrontations with other prisoners. Given this, more research is warranted in this area highlighting the specific needs and challenges of individuals with ASD in the prison. Design/methodology/approach: This paper is a case study of Mr C.T., a British Citizen, who is currently serving a life sentence (discretionary). Mr C.T. has spent more than 10 years in prison. At the time of completing the questionnaire for the present study, Mr C.T. was 51 years of age. He pled guilty to charges of lewd, indecent and libidinous practices and behaviour; making an indecent photograph contrary to s52(1)(a) of the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982; and possession of indecent photographs contrary to s52(A)(1) of the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982. Mr C.T. was convicted of Lewd, Indecent and Libidinous Practices and Behaviour and 2 x Civic Government (Scotland) Act, Section 52 (1) (a) and was sentenced to Life Imprisonment with a punishment part of 6 years. Findings: The case study discussed in this paper clearly raises a number of issues and concerns that urgently need attention in our criminal justice systems. Originality/value: There is relatively little research exploring the experiences and challenges faced by individuals with ASD. This paper will add to the existing body of research in this limited field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to investigate efforts to manage institutional complexity in a state-owned enterprise, the roles of explicated values in these efforts and how these values interact with each other and other influential management controls. Design/methodology/approach: Exploratory case study in StateEnt, a state-owned enterprise that faces institutional complexity. The analysis is based on interviews, observations and documents and concepts from the management control literature and institutional logics are applied. Findings: Findings from this study suggest that a structural differentiation have separated two logics in different departments and two of the explicated values have become symbols of these logics taking on various roles in negotiations. Tension between the departments is heightened because the departments legitimize logic enactment through mobilizing different socio-technical dyads of management control. The division of responsibility between these departments still ensures that they need to collaborate and make compromises. The study also finds that exogenously imposed constraints have a significant influence on organizational activities, which is further strengthened due to internally developed management controls embedded in the same logic. Research limitations/implications: The study contributes with deeper understanding of values as control, and how these interact with other control forms to influence organizational activity. Herein, the importance of regulatory controls in state-owned enterprises is also highlighted. A limitation of this study is the limited size of the organization under investigation. Originality/value: The explicit emphasis on values as a control in studies on management control issues in institutionally complex environments is underemphasized in the literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The present paper aims to examine the concept of "plant blindness" in the context of current sustainability debates. "Plant blindness" was the term introduced in 1999 by the botanists and educators James H Wandersee and Elisabeth E Schussler to describe what they saw as a pervasive insensitivity to the green environment and a general neglect of plants on the part of biology education. Design/methodology/approach: The fundamental importance of plants for life on Earth and the socio-educational challenges of redacted awareness of this importance are considered. Also, the diverse physiological, psychological, philosophical, cultural and geopolitical origins and consequences of indifference to plants in relation to aspects of sustainability agendas are examined with special reference to education. Findings: An examination of the outcomes of a range of research and practical initiatives reveals how multidisciplinary approaches to education and public engagement have the potential to address the challenge of "plant blindness". The need for these opportunities to be reflected in curriculums is not widely appreciated, and the socio-economic forces of resistance to confronting plant neglect continue to be formidable. Originality/value: Plant blindness is a relatively new field of research, and the full breadth of its implications are only gradually becoming apparent. If the present paper contributes to positioning plants as an essential element in sustainability education and practice, it will have met its objective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Managers of multinational enterprises (MNEs) from developed economies are often cautious to understand the cultural environment where they do business. This is predominantly true in developing economies, and even more so in certain Arab countries where MNEs have limited knowledge and experience. The purpose of this study is to report on the development of a research instrument that is applicable to Arab business culture, following the 2011 Arab Spring. The investigation draws on data from three different groups of people, i.e. leaders (business professors and leading politicians), business people and postgraduate business students, all of Palestinian nationality. The article examines the Arabic culturally based business structure called Wasta, a system that relies on social networks and the reciprocal exchange of favors. A research instrument is developed to measure three dimensions of Wasta across these three different groups of people and examines their influence on relationship satisfaction and organizational performance. The findings reveal that the groups are affected differently by these dimensions and see different utility in Wasta. Such insights may be useful for MNE practitioners when entering Arab countries, when seeking to employ younger Arabs and when partnering with Arab businesses or dealing with government officials. Design/methodology/approach: Research paper Findings: This study has focused on the impact of Wasta on relationship satisfaction and on relationship performance for three different groups of individuals: business people, students and leaders. It was hypothesized that higher levels of each component of Wasta would contribute positively to relationship satisfaction, and that the latter would in turn lead to higher relationship performance. Findings generally supported these hypotheses with some variations among groups. Furthermore, it was predicted that the model would be relevant to all three groups, but would be structured differently reflecting their different views of business. The findings of this study help answer our research question about the socio-economic, cultural and political factors that influence the business process involving Arab and non-Arab business managers. Originality/value: Original paper [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to investigate the influence of network relationships and institutional environment on premium winegrowers' internationalization process. Design/methodology/approach: This study uses a case study approach to examine two premium wine producers engaged in internationalization. The data sources consist of semi-structured interviews, observations at three major events and secondary data sourced from industry reports and materials that are available online. Findings: Findings illustrate that both personal and inter-firm networks help wineries to internationalize. Inter-firm networks play a significant role in gaining international legitimacy. Personal networks were found to be more important in establishing brand authenticity that facilitates wineries in their internationalization process. Gaining international legitimacy and establishing brand authenticity are crucial in the successful internationalization of premium wineries. Research limitations/implications: This study provides an explanation of how networks can be put into institutional context. Future studies could map out the formal and informal institutions within the wine industry and investigate the closer dynamics among the different actors in the whole network. A whole network is formally structured and governed, yet still built on the relationships among members, making it a very complex phenomenon. This would allow the evaluation of multilateral ties that link firms and actors within the network and how this affects the internationalization process. Practical implications: This paper provides managers with insights on how they can capitalize on their inter-firm and personal networks to help them deal with domestic and international institutional environments when embarking on internationalization activities. Originality/value: This paper adds to the existing literature on networks relationships and provides an important link between networks, institutions and internationalization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Organizational citizenship behaviors for the environment (OCBEs) represent a crucial element of environmental sustainability for a wide range of organizations. However, the leadership mechanisms underlying OCBEs are as yet unexplored, particularly regarding the delivering megaprojects. The paper aims to investigate how transformational leadership (TFL) and transactional leadership (TSL) styles shape the environmental commitment (EC) of subordinates, motivating OCBEs in megaprojects. Design/methodology/approach: Partial least squares modeling and hierarchical regression were performed on data obtained from 140 experts who have been involved in megaprojects. Findings: Both TFL and TSL styles are effective in motivating OCBEs, although the EC of subordinates partially mediates these relationships. The power distance (PD) orientation significantly moderates the relationship between TFL and OCBEs, with the relationship being more positive when the PD of subordinates is lower. Unexpectedly, a collectivist orientation (CO) was found to elevate the effect of TSL but weaken the effect of TFL. Originality/value: The mixed and contradictory findings regarding TFL and TSL styles are reconciled in the current study by integrating the contextual factors of PD and CO. The findings of the study shed new light on "playing the cards right" when using the leadership practices, i.e. how leadership can be better leveraged to cultivate subordinates' OCBEs. They also provide targeted guidance for shaping contextual factors to increase the environmental sustainability of megaprojects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this paper was to study the relationship between safe storage life and storage mode of hot-rolled sheet (Q235, X70) in humid environment, and a prediction model of safe storage life under different storage modes was established. Design/methodology/approach: The corrosion behavior of hot-rolled sheets under different storage conditions was studied with immersion experiment and morphology observation. Findings: The results show that pitting occurs on the hot-rolled sheets in humid environment, and the corrosion behavior is strongly related with the storage mode. When they are stored separately, the number and depth of pits first increase and then decrease as the Cl− concentration rises, while for the stack storage, pit depth increases with increasing Cl− concentration. The safe storage time of separate storage is longer than that of stack storage. Based on this, a model of chloride ion concentration and storage life was established. Originality/value: A storage safe life model of hot-rolled sheet in humid environment is proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Algorithms, artificial intelligence (AI), machines, and all emerging digital technologies disrupt traditional auditing, raising many questions and debates. One of the central issues of this debate is the human-algorithms complex duality, which focuses on this investigation. This study aims to investigate the algorithms' penetration in auditing activities, with a specific focus of a future scenario on the human-algorithms interaction in performing audits as intelligent teams. Design/methodology/approach: The research uses a qualitative reflexive thematic analysis, taking into consideration the academic literature, as well as professional reports and websites of the "Big Four" audit firms and internationally recognized accounting bodies. Findings: The results debate the complex duality between algorithms and human-based actions in the institutional settings of auditing activities by highlighting the actual stage of algorithms, machines and AI emergence in audit and providing real-life examples of their use in the audit. Furthermore, they emphasize the strengths and weaknesses of algorithms compared to human beings. Based on the results, a discussion on the human-algorithms interaction from the lens of the Human-in-the-Loop (HITL) approach concludes that the Auditor-Governing-the-Loop may be a possible scenario for the future of the auditing profession. Research limitations/implications: This study is exploratory, investigating academia and practitioners' written debates, analyzes and reports, limiting its applicability. Nonetheless, the paper adds to the ongoing discussion on emerging technologies and auditing research. Finally, the authors address some potential biases associated with the extended use of algorithms and discuss future research implications. Future research should empirically test how the human-algorithms tandem is working and how AI and other emerging technologies will affect auditing activities and the auditing profession. Practical implications: The study provides valuable insights for audit firms, auditors, professional organizations and standard-setters, and regulators revealing the implication of algorithms' penetration in auditing activities from the human-algorithms complex duality perspective. Moreover, the academic education and research implications are highlighted, in terms of updating the educational curriculum by including the new technologies issues, as well as the need for further research investigations concerning the human-algorithms interactions issues as, for example, trust, legal restrictions, ethical concerns, security and responsibility. Originality/value: The research uses HITL as a novel paradigm for responsible AI development in auditing. The study points to the strategic value of a HITL pattern for organizational reflexivity that, according to the study, ensures that the algorithm's output meets the audit organization's requirements and changes in the environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This paper focuses on social innovation dynamics in extreme contexts where institutional volatility is deeply rooted and enduring. In other words, the authors focus their discussion on the challenges that social innovators are facing in their endeavor of solving wicked social problems within an extreme institutional environment. This research is guided by the following question: How does an extreme institutional environment influence social innovation processes? Design/methodology/approach: This qualitative research builds on the unique case of the Palestinian non-governmental organization (NGO) sector, a rarely studied context in organizational studies. The authors combine archival sources with 24 semi-structured interviews with Palestinian NGOs. Findings: The authors theorize three barriers that hinder social innovation in such contexts: institutional trap, effectiveness trap and sustainability trap. The authors also theorize five mechanisms through which these barriers influence each other dynamically: mingling, surviving, undermining, binding and reinforcing. Taken together, these barriers and mechanisms shed light on social innovation processes taking place within extreme institutional environments. Research limitations/implications: The main limitation of this study is the methodological design, based on an extreme single case-study which, on a bunch of features, is quite unique in the world. The authors argue that the results are all the same transferable to other relatively similar contexts. Practical implications: By theorizing the institutional barriers to social innovation in an extreme institutional context, the research thus sheds light on how social innovation could be sustained and stimulated in Palestine and other contexts that face similar institutional challenges. Social implications: From an engaged scholarship perspective, studying Palestine cannot be more relevant than today considering the turmoil in which Palestinians are. The research thus provides a deeper understanding of organizational and institutional dynamics with crucial social repercussions. Originality/value: The social innovation literature has overemphasized success stories to the detriment of the struggles that hinder social innovations in extreme institutional environments. By focusing on the barriers that social innovators experience in these contexts, the authors provide novel empirical insight. Furthermore, this study enriches the understanding of the institutional dynamics of social innovations by proposing a process model that elucidates how an extreme institutional context can influence social innovations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The current world of knowledge has a demand for intellectual capital to position or prosper any business. Organizations are constantly looking for developing a pool of talent to gain a competitive advantage. The purpose of this study is to find out the contribution of knowledge sharing that enhances the performance of the employees. This study also exhibits a model for measuring the performance of the employee. Design/methodology/approach: This study is based on the primary and secondary sources of data. This paper has collected 354 samples from the different information technology (IT) firms located in India. The data were analyzed through statistical package for the social sciences-23 and analysis of moment structures. Path analysis has been conducted to examine the independent and mediating effects on the dependent factor. Findings: This study confirms the conceptual model with the data. The key contributors are organizational intelligence (OI), organizational learning and knowledge sharing and organizational culture. The performance of the employee is primarily based on organizational learning. OI, knowledge sharing and organizational culture are the major factors that create an environment for organizational learning. Practical implications: The findings suggest that organizational learning stimulates the effect of knowledge management practices on employee performance. Apart from this OI affirms the learning culture for IT firms. Originality/value: Drawing from the different theories, this is the first study where the role of OI, organizational culture and knowledge sharing simultaneously aligned and shows the effect on employee performance with the mediation role of organizational learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to comprehend the influence of the organisational culture on knowledge management (KM) in an automated construction environment. Design/methodology/approach: An abductive research approach is used, constantly matching theories and observations on KM and organisational culture in testing the influence within a building information modelling (BIM)-enabled environment. A questionnaire survey is used for the primary data collection. Simultaneously, expert interviews are conducted to find the rationale through triangulating data. The primary data analysis is conducted through relative importance index (RII) calculation and content analysis. Findings: The analysis has declared an increment in the level of influence of culture on KM in a BIM-enabled environment when compared to the conventional construction environment. Coordination and integration, strategic direction and intend and organisational learning are the leading cultural factors that have an increased influence on KM with RII values of 0.8730, 0.8540 and 0.8222, respectively. Because BIM is a technology-infused solution in the construction industry, it can be concluded that technical implementations positively shape the organisational culture to improve the KM process. Research limitations/implications: The data collection and findings of this research paper regarding the influence of organisational culture on KM are limited to scenarios in the construction industry. Yet, these findings could be implied to similar industries as well, when the KM process is under question. Originality/value: The study provides the perception of knowledge in terms of the technological implementations such as BIM and organisational culture in the construction industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Organizations are communicating with the public about their thoughts and behaviors relevant to the environment via social networking sites. The purpose of this paper is to explore for-profit and nonprofit organizations' Twitter messages to understand their environment-related messages and their influences on the publics' responses. Design/methodology/approach: This study conducted a content analysis adopting four message classification systems: environmental message orientation, message specificity, message framing, and environmental issue. Guided by attribution theory, this study also explored how the organization's environmental messages influence social media (Twitter) user responses, likes, retweets, and replies. Findings: The analysis showed that for-profits' messages tend to discuss their green products and manufacturing processes with specific numeric evidence, while nonprofits are disposed to describe a severely degraded environment. In addition, the study revealed that tweets yield a high number of likes and replies when the organizations are for-profits and the messages emphasize green products. Research limitations/implications: The findings of this study showed that the green message categorization systems are applicable to the social media context. But, this study focused on Twitter only. Future studies need to examine various social media platforms. Practical implications: The study findings recommend communication practitioners use substantive green messages highlighting actual pro-environmental performances. Also, practitioners might need to make a linkage between the discussed environmental issue and the organization (e.g. a water issue by a wildlife-related nonprofit, an energy issue by a home appliance manufacturer, an air pollution issue by a bicycle company). In addition, regarding the message specificity, infographics can be present specific information that audiences can readily understand because it is described visually. Originality/value: Scholars investigated environmental messages in advertising and cautioned that environmental messages that are not substantive or specific can cause audiences to perceive the messages as greenwashing. However, these previous studies focused on conventional media, and they have not been replicated in the age of social media. Thus, it is important to explore the current status of organizational environmental messages on social media. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to examine and reinterpret information ecology in the context of the changing environment of services, which has been strongly affected by digitalisation and increasing citizen engagement. Here, information ecology refers to the interaction and co-evolution of technologies, human beings and the social environment. Design/methodology/approach: The data consist of 25 thematic interviews conducted in a public Finnish organisation responsible for organising welfare services, and in its collaborating organisations. The interviews were analysed qualitatively. The analytical framework is based on Nardi and O'Day's five components of information ecology: system, diversity, co-evolution, keystone species and locality. Findings: The analysis shows that these basic components still exist in the digitalisation era, but that they should be interpreted and highlighted differently, for example, stressing the openness of the information system instead of closed systems, as well as emphasising the increasing meaning of diversity amongst digitalisation, and the dynamic co-evolution between the elements of the system. New capabilities, such as the ability to combine various kinds of information and knowledge, are needed in this adaptation. Research limitations/implications: The study illustrates a wider, updated information-ecology concept with the help of empirical research. Technology affects care organisations' information ecologies in numerous – often invisible – ways, which this study brings into light. Originality/value: So far, information-ecology research has overlooked social and healthcare, but this study provides findings concerning this societally important sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This paper aims to develop and test a model of buyer–supplier relational investment that links supply chain integration (SCI) to supplier flexibility performance (SFLEX) advantages in different manufacturing environments. Relational stability (RS) and information quality (IQL) are viewed as key indicators of intermediating commitment investments in supplier relationships to help support supplier accommodations for special requests for order flexibility. The model is applied to investigate the relative importance of manufacturer relational investments with suppliers in both make-to-stock (MTS) and make-to-order (MTO) production environments. Design/methodology/approach: A survey of 206 US manufacturing firms was used to test the proposed research model using structural equation modeling and multiple-group analysis techniques. Findings: Social exchange investments in relationship stability and information quality are found to fully mediate the positive performance relationship between supply chain integration and supplier flexibility performance for manufacturers. However, the relative importance of each form of investment in enhancing supplier flexibility performance varies based on the buyer's (manufacturer's) order fulfillment environment (make-to-stock versus make-to-order). Originality/value: The proposed model may assist manufacturers make more informed relational exchange investments and supply chain configuration decisions that most conducive to enhancing supplier flexibility performance for different production environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]