Search

This study investigates how exposure to a field of study influences students’ major choices. If students have incomplete information, exposure potentially helps them to learn about the scope of a field as well as how well the field matches their interest and abilities. We exploit a natural experiment where university students have to write a research paper in business, economics, or law during their first year before they choose a major. Due to oversubscription of business papers, the field of the paper is assigned quasi-randomly. We find that writing in economics raises the probability of majoring in economics by 2.7 percentage points. We show further that this effect varies across subfields: the effect is driven by assignment to topics less typical of the public's perception of the field of economics, suggesting students learn through exposure that the field is broader than they thought. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although the metaverse is still in the early stages of development and implementation, it has the potential to revolutionize the way how businesses can interact with customers through both the virtual and real world. In particular, service industries are already exploring the opportunity to utilize the metaverse to provide more immersive, interactive and engaging customer experiences. However, the holistic overview of the future applications, opportunities, and challenges of a metaverse in the context of service industries from academic and expert perspectives is limited. By employing a multi-perspective approach, this study looks into these unexplored aspects of the metaverse in the context of service industries through informed and multifaceted narratives by leading academics and experts from cross-disciplinary backgrounds from media and communication, education, hospitality, financial services, retail, tourism and healthcare. The main opportunities identified include the development of new experiences, the introduction of novel inter-world interactions, and new business-consumer relations within the metaverse. The key challenges covered include current technological boundaries, limitations of the experiences in the metaverse, health issues, and data privacy, security, and legal issues. The paper concludes with formulating future research agendas and presenting contributions to literature and implications for practice. • It explores future applications, opportunities, challenges, and research agenda of the metaverse in service industries. • Opportunities include new experiences development, novel inter-world interactions, and new business-consumer relations. • Key Challenges are technological boundaries, limited experiences, health, data privacy, security, and legal issues. • The paper concludes with formulating future research agendas and presenting contributions to literature and practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to provide an alternative perspective on the constructs of family enterprise model. The conceptual model shows the nexus of family and enterprises in four quadrants: Kin, Business; Kin, Not-business; Not-kin, Business; and, Not-kin, Not-business. This construct synthesis aims to cover family enterprises from ancient to contemporary times to contribute to a theoretically founded conceptual framework. The two constructs to form a definition of family enterprise are enterprise, and attachment. The enterprise construct consists of two dimensions, Business and Not-Business. The attachment construct comprises two dimensions, Kin and Not-Kin, which are then offered with conceptual definitions. The paper proposes several ways to appropriately measure the constructs to address research questions. To the best of my knowledge, it is the first academic paper that includes not businesses such as not-for-profit as part of family enterprise business model. It examines the concept of family as member attachment to the enterprise rather than member ancestry. Practitioners and policymakers seeking solutions to family enterprises can use the four quadrants to investigate the issues, as each quadrant contains unique characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

New business opportunities based on grassland and green fodder present a promising avenue to realize the transition towards a circular and sustainable bio-based economy. Yet, such potential remains largely untapped and grass-based products and businesses remain a small niche in the global economy. To understand this phenomenon, this paper introduces and operationalizes a model to assess innovation readiness built around seven focus areas: technology, manufacturing, business, IPR, customer, team, and funding readiness with their own detailed "progress scales." We employ necessary condition analysis (NCA) to identify limiting factors and bottlenecks in actual business situations. Our results reveal that lack of consumer awareness, infant conversion technologies and paucity of long-term investments that support emerging bio-based businesses are the most limiting conditions for the growth of emerging grass-based markets. The present study advances our understanding of the factors that limit complex innovations in grassland systems. Focusing on necessary conditions in a coordinated way between practitioners and policy makers by giving priority to fostering positive awareness of bioeconomy businesses, developing conversion technologies, and improving access to capital is a recommended approach to foster emerging grass-based innovations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The core of our sustainability opportunity depends on the decisions we make, and each decision is guided by core values. It is critical that we as a society shift towards a more sustainable way of living if we value our survival, and in order to do so, tools have been developed to help facilitate this transition. This paper explores whether values are considered in current Circular Economy (CE) tools, and goes on to corroborate theoretical findings with companies. Values can help address both rational and emotional fears, and a tool must also for it to be practical and useful. To do so, the paper looks at value and values, explores benefits of value management, and analyzes CE tools. Research is corroborated using discussions with companies. The resulting conclusion is that these tools do not includes values, and that it may prove beneficial to include values management when designing CE and sustainability tools. This is work was carried out as part of the EU project on Circular Economy called CIRC€UIT, for one of 15 PhD positions examining the practical sides of this sustainability strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Capabilities are required for managing the impact of disasters on the built environment. These capabilities need to be continually improved and there should be a way of assessing them. This paper focuses on the development of a built environment flood resilience capability maturity model for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs). The study utilised the concept of capability maturity modelling to achieve its aim. The model developed identifies the built environment flood resilience capabilities of MSMEs. This was achieved by identifying relevant capabilities from the literature and mapping accordingly with maturity level characteristics prior to verification and refinement. This paper is limited to the development of the conceptual version of the model. The flood resilience capability maturity model is aimed at providing an assessment, improvement and benchmarking methodology for built environment flood resilience capabilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Blockchain is one of the most powerful and promising technologies nowadays in the IT industry, One of Blockchain's main features is the presence of a Consensus Algorithm, which is responsible for maintaining the security and integrity of the entire blockchain network where all the nodes participating in the network reach a certain agreement. However, some algorithms like the Proof-of-Work require very high energy consumption to reach a single agreement by solving a puzzle and provides a low throughput (3-7 transactions/second), thus, it may not be very reliable in blockchain solutions. In this paper, we aim to provide a reliable choice for different business use-cases by proposing a modification in the Istanbul Byzantine Fault Tolerance voting-based algorithm that provides a higher throughput (up to 1140 tx/s), which will be very important to be used in the use case called a letter of credit which is a part of trade finance (relation between exporter, importer and the bank institutions). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article draws on three mutually independent ethnographic studies to explore the private sector market for image and performance enhancing drug (IPED) harm reduction in the UK, specifically examining (1) steroid accessory supplements; (2) blood testing services; and (3) bloodletting services. After contextualising the work with a discussion of IPED use and harm reduction and the substantial growth of the global health and fitness industry, each private sector provision is critically interrogated with the following questions in mind: what is the role and utility of these services compared to public sector provision? Why has the private sector begun to deliver IPED harm reduction products and services in the UK? And how does this provision relate to the health and fitness industry more broadly? The paper concludes with some reflections about the future direction of IPED harm reduction, the importance of community-led services, and the need to think innovatively if we are to best protect users' health and wellbeing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• We provide new empirical evidence on the way in which the import of inputs impacts on firm-level productivity. • We find a positive association between imports into a sector and firm productivity and a productivity premium for firms using imported inputs. • There are also productivity gains downstream for firms using domestically-produced inputs from more import-intensive sectors. • We find suggestive evidence that import competition leads to product differentiation and better quality domestically-produced inputs. • Ignoring gains from trade through the supply chain may underestimate the impact of trade on the productivity of domestic firms. This paper explores how competition-induced productivity gains from imports in intermediate producing sectors transmit through the supply chain. Based on firm-level panel data from Vietnam, we show that in addition to the productivity premium associated with importing intermediate inputs, firms that use domestically-produced inputs from more import-intensive sectors also have higher productivity. We find evidence that import competition leads to product differentiation, in particular higher quality output in sectors where there is greater scope for quality variation, leading to better quality domestically-produced inputs. We also find evidence that non-importing firms that experience productivity gains due to greater import intensity in upstream sectors change their input mix and become more capital intensive. We conclude that ignoring the gains from trade through this mechanism may significantly underestimate the impact of trade on productivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Understanding the challenges of transition in the education of fiji. • Performance of first-year students and their entry-level challenges in a university. • The results mostly disseminate transitional educational challenges using the most critical drivers. • Transitional experience and an ability to make transitions. • Overcoming transitional challenges, language barriers, and cultural lacunas. Transition challenges (or Trans-C) are perceived as a combination of academic, institutional, socio-cultural and psychological factors which influence a student's ability to transition successfully in their first year at higher education institutions. This paper presents an exploratory study of first-year College of Business students enroled at the Fiji National University (FNU). Using a mixed method approach, the study is aimed at understanding the accounts of first-year students in transition, and that of FNU being a local academic institution mandated to support students facing difficulties. Quantitative data from an online questionnaire collected independent variables related to students' ability to transition successfully. Results showed that despite the establishment of transition hubs and other academic support services, about 30% of the total 183 respondents indicated transition difficulties in their first year. Qualitative data were collected using ' Talanoa ' method to account for students' transition experience. Talanoa or story telling is a culturally appropriate method of data collection in indigenous Pacific Island countries such as Fiji. This approach allows a rich and more open information exchange provided the researcher is embedded in local pedagogy. Several themes emerged from the analysis of the 'talanoa' transcripts such as academic support, family income, online learning, University environment, and peer influence. Although these themes were consistent with international experience, it would be asymmetrical to address student transition challenges without capturing their needs and expectations. In the final analysis, this paper supports the implementation of a student-centric model if higher education institutions (HEI) were to be successful in integrating first-year students into academic life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The siting of an Industrial park with environmental criteria is an attempt to organize and develop the productive capacity of a region while seeking to reduce the burden of environmental conditions. The companies involved aim at reducing production costs by increasing the efficiency of materials and energy and recycling byproducts / waste. The establishment of an EnvironmentalIndustrial Park promotes the use of new environmentally friendly technologies, structures and infrastructure and reduces the sources of pollution and waste. The application of industrial ecology and eco-industry networks remains in an early stage in Greece. The Greek legislation does not incorporate or define Environmental Industrial Parks and the standard of “industrial symbiosis” has not yet been implemented. The paper examines the “industrial symbiosis” standard, through international practices and existing implemented examples. Also, the paper examines the principles, conditions and design criteria in locating a manufacturing / industrial park in accordance with environmental standards and legislation. A case study is being presented involving the proposal for siting and design of a BusinessPark in the municipality of Pili, Greece,with implementation of environmental criteria.A methodology of establishing the B.P. is being applied with emphasis on location criteria, since issues such as geographic proximity and spatial principles are considered to be of high importance. The methodology comprises certain steps, which examine the elements of the natural and human environment. An evaluation of alternative locationsis carried out, which results in the final evaluation of the selected location. Finally, the compatibility of the location selectedin relation to the elements of the natural and human environmentis being assessed. The principles of industrial symbiosis are also applied through certain proposals for saving and reuse of energy, water, materials / by-products / waste and reducing the environmental burden. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Innovation is a key aspect for the sustainability and competitiveness of organisations, and of the economy in general. In recent years, Open Innovation (OI) has burst onto the scene as a more open approach, in which the sources and exchange of knowledge are extended beyond organisational borders. One of the main actors and providers of knowledge is the University. The literature related to OI and the University is very prolific, but at the same time dispersed. This paper aims to expand on the trend in research on OI and University. To do this, bibliometric techniques have been used to analyse a sample of 349 articles from journals indexed in the Web of Science (WoS) between 2005 and 2020. The results suggest that there is a high level of interest in research on this subject and that it is in full swing. The focus of the research is on topics such as collaboration, business-industry, R&D, networks, performance or knowledge-transfer. Emerging themes such as knowledge-spillover or absorptive-capacity appear, which are related to the research sensitivity on the true use of the knowledge generated. In recent years, there has been a trend towards research into entrepreneurship, key aspects of R&D such as strategy and cooperation, or education management. With regard to research related to University-Enterprise cooperation, the focus has been on SMEs, Helix models, entrepreneurship, or commercialisation. Finally, there are areas of research that require greater development related to family businesses and SMEs. This work sheds light on the state of the literature related to OI and University and is very useful for the orientation of future work in the field of research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Access to medicines has become a major concern for countries worldwide during the COVID-19 pandemic, as pharmaceutical production and trade have been disrupted in the course of the crisis. Antibiotics are one group of medicines where worries about access have been raised. Access to the right antibiotic at the right time is important not only for curing infections of individual patients, but also for curbing antibiotic resistance globally. Reliable pharmaceutical supply is key to ensuring access to medicines. The global supply of generic medicines has over the last decades been transformed by the rise of India's pharmaceutical industry. In this paper, I trace the changing role of this industry for the global export of antibiotics, by mapping and describing changes in Indian antibiotic exports and discussing these in light of historical processes and events. The paper offers a novel approach to analyse global antibiotic trajectories by using international trade data from publicly available resources combined with a secondary literature review. I show that India's pharmaceutical industry today holds a key role as one of the world's biggest exporters of antibiotic medicines, but with an increasing dependency on China as a supplier of antibiotic ingredients. This produces both opportunities and concerns for access to antibiotics globally. • Offers a novel approach to trace antibiotic and pharmaceutical geographies. • Uses international trade data to map India's role for global antibiotics supply. • Describes that India has become one of the world's biggest exporters of antibiotics. • Shows that India is highly dependent on China for import of antibiotic ingredients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As one of the most disruptive technological innovations, blockchain technology has received extensive attention from academia and industry. Although many scholars have reviewed the existing blockchain research, most of the previous review articles focused on the application of technology or blockchain in specific industries or scenarios, and lacked a comprehensive review of the application of blockchain technology in the business field. Based on a systematic literature review approach and cluster analysis, this study quantitatively analyzed 2830 papers obtained from the Web of Science to fill this gap. By constructing a three-layer research framework, this research enumerates the infrastructure and protocols of blockchain technology in detail, and on this basis develops a three-subjects value creation model. The model highlights that business value can be created from transactions, crypto-economic models, and analytical and automated processes in the interaction of organizations, individuals, and technologies. Different blockchain-based applications solve different kinds of economic problems, including information storage/sharing, consensus generation and governance. This study expands the blockchain literature and deepens our understanding of how blockchain technology affects organizations and individuals in the business world. The newly proposed research framework can inspire practitioners and managers to discover opportunities for business model innovation. This work provides a solid research foundation and practical guidance for academics and practitioners who are interested in blockchain-based business. • This paper systematicly reviews blockchain application in business area. • This paper proposes a framework to deepen our understanding of how blockchain technology affects organizations and individuals. • Blockchain applications are classified into three economic layers with each corresponding to one economic problems. • This paper provides practical guidance for scholars and practitioners who are interested in blockchain-based business. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In 2014, Colorado implemented the world's first seed-to-sale recreational cannabis market under a commercial model. This paper aims to provide a thick descriptive account that gives insight into the issues and complexities of Colorado's pioneering and evolving attempt to regulate the use of pesticides on commercial cannabis plantations.Methods: The paper examines multiple data sets including: (i) Colorado State Government documents; (ii) recreational cannabis regulations; (iii) mass and niche media publications (n=175); (iv) face-to-face interviews with key stakeholders, including seniors, regulators and industry executives (n=8); and (v) field notes from relevant conferences and cultivation facility tours in Denver in October, 2016.Results: Two key issues are identified. First, a public safety threat has arisen relating to application of pesticides on cannabis with intensified toxicity in concentrated products of particular concern. Second, as a pioneering jurisdiction, Colorado faces a considerable knowledge gap. To expand collective learning on this issue, for which no regulatory template and little research exists, state regulators tapped industry and other stakeholder expertise while attempting to ensure public safety goals were achieved and regulatory capture by industry was limited.Conclusion: Four years since the recreational cannabis market in Colorado was legalised, the State continues to grapple with the pesticide issue as testing regulations and cultivation standards are yet to be finalised. While more work is needed, Colorado has made significant progress in developing regulations relating to this complex matter. As governments of countries such as Canada and US states, including California, contemplate changes to recreational cannabis laws, Colorado's experience can assist regulators in other jurisdictions considering policy change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A time- and resource-sensitive simple business process (TR-SBP) consists of a finite set of finite series of activities that have timing and resource constraints. A TR-SBP seems simple, but its analysis needs to consider what are not explicitly mentioned as activities and may introduce a non-negligible number of intermediate states. In this sense, the analysis has similarities with security protocol analysis that needs to consider intruders. We formalize TR-SBPs as a round-based model called Formal TR-SBPs in this paper. We describe how to specify Formal TR-SBPs in Maude, a specification language based on rewriting logic and Alloy, a specification language based on first-order relational logic, and how to analyze Formal TR-SBPs based on those specifications with Maude and Alloy. A nursing problem is used as an example of TR-SBPs in this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The recent proliferation of cryptomarkets and the associated emergence of a sub-field of research on the anonymous web have outpaced the development of an ethical consensus regarding research methods and dissemination amongst scholars working in this unique online space. The peculiar characteristics of cryptomarket research, which often involves encryption, illegal activity, large-scale data collection, and geographical separation from research participants, challenge conventional ethical frameworks. A further complicating factor for reaching ethical consensus is the confluence of scholars drawn from a variety of academic disciplines, each with their own particular norms, practices and perspectives. This paper is intended to stimulate awareness and debate, and to prompt further reflection amongst scholars studying these fascinating online phenomena. The paper explores tensions and addresses some of the more prominent and pressing ethical questions, including public vs. private online spaces, anonymity, data sharing and ownership, risks and threats to research subjects and researchers. Also discussed is how best to balance the potential harms of cryptomarket research against benefits to the public. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper takes a different approach to estimating demand for medical care that uses the negotiated prices between insurers and providers as an instrument. The instrument is viewed as a textbook "cost shifting" instrument that impacts plan offerings, but is unobserved by consumers. The paper finds a price elasticity of demand of around -0.20, matching the elasticity found in the RAND Health Insurance Experiment. The paper also studies within-market variation in demand for prescription drugs and other medical care services and obtains comparable price elasticity estimates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper adresses the social economy and its importance for the local development and social cohesion. Note should be taken that the social economy arises at confluence between the business field and the social field, insofar the social economy's primary aim is not the profit making but the stakeholders’ welfare and socio-economic inclusion. This paper shall tackel primarily the added value of social economy , which shall be considered in terms of social and economic benefits for local development and benefits related to sistemic and institutional modification. Documentary research shall be used as a method in order to assess the added value of social economy for local development and social cohesion. The social economy contributes to developing a social cohesion-generating economy forming new mentalities for the local social-economical environment . Main definitions proposed for social economy and main financind sources relevand for the Romanian social economy development shall be reviewed. The three main categories of social economy stakeholders shall be analised: public authorities, third sector, and businesses. Conclusions shall be drawn related to social economy's implications for society and general economy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• I study whether trade is affected by laws against foreign bribery, passed under the OECD Anti-Bribery Convention (ABC). • ABC is poorly implemented at first, yielding no real effect on trade. • Shifting trade patterns in the early years of ABC are better explained by trends in international political cooperation. • When ABC enforcement intensifies under its Phase 3 initiative, it does start to affect trade patterns. • Effects are greatest in corruption-prone destination countries and sectors. This paper studies the relationship between anti-corruption enforcement and trade, offering a novel empirical perspective on the OECD Anti-Bribery Convention (ABC), in which signatory countries agreed to prosecute bribery of foreign officials. Existing literature on ABC focuses on its early years, claiming that it led OECD firms to avoid exporting to corrupt destinations, with the effect of diverting business away from developing countries. Yet these early years involved little actual enforcement, and I argue that the redirection of trade in this period owed not to the anti-bribery laws themselves, but to an underlying trend of increased political cooperation among OECD countries, as indicated by several factors including patterns in UN voting affinity. Only when enforcement of the laws intensifies, during the OECD's Phase 3 initiative, do the laws begin having real effects, diverting OECD countries' trade away from corrupt destinations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper we address business excellence, the significant elements of this term, and the criteria by which companies are analysed to obtain the status of “Excellence in Business”. Concerns for approaching the business excellence in both academic and practical manner began to be developed in the 60s. Business excellence for a company were presented and analysed in close connection with: decisions and strategic management, customer care, quality, ethics in management and organizational culture, social responsibility and environmental actions. In theoretical and practical terms, business excellence is treated in several ways, and to achieve this level it requires a plurality of values achieved and maintained on long term. Business excellence does not mean a maximum profit or lower priced products, excellence in business is a complex approach from an economically, technically and socially point of view. Thus, in this paper will be presented the most important contributions in defining and studying business excellence by a number of experts and organizations in the field, such as Thomas Peters and Robert Waterman, Robert Heller, Jim Collins, European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM), The Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award (MBNQA). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our aim in this paper is to provide an exhaustive explanation of what economic inequality is and the extent of its influence among the social, economic, demographic, politic and cultural fields. While there are many scientific papers and research initiatives analysing the social costs of economic inequalities, our research focuses on the mechanisms through which economic inequality affects business activities, particularly the European business environment and to formulate recommendations for managers in order to deal with the challenges and tackle down disparities. By creating a comparative analysis at the EU level with the statistical data available, we tried to illustrate that the countries with high wealth discrepancies, report flaws also in their business performance indicators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

COVID-19 is the most devastating pandemic that affected humanity and the world economy. This paper aimed to study the time-varying connectedness between the COVID-19 vaccination, infection rate (INFR), and the case fatality ratio (CFR) in the United States and the stock market returns. We used COVID-19 daily confirmed number of infections, deaths, and vaccinations and the daily US stock market index return. A wavelet coherence approach was used to assess the co-movement of the US stock market with the COVID-19 vaccination, INFR, and the CFR. The COVID-19 vaccination, INFR, and CFR have a positive and significant influence on S&P 500 returns at the majority of business cycle frequencies with an in-phase relation. The wavelet coherence analysis uncovers strong and significant connectedness between COVID-19 vaccination rate and S&P 500 return. From an economic perspective, the US government should continue its intervention with their vaccination strategy, as it is beneficial for fighting the pandemic. This may lead to the recovery of the stock market as well as to the whole economy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite being largely preventable, dental caries is one of the most common diseases both in the UK and worldwide. Unmanaged dental caries may adversely impact a child and their quality of life. All healthcare professionals who have contact with children have an important role to play in improving the oral health of their patients. This can be achieved by delivering consistent, structured and supportive preventive messages and signposting to dental professionals when required. This paper outlines evidence-based guidance that should be followed to prevent dental caries, both on an individual and population basis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Corporate voluntary pledges to improve the health of Americans have not been held to either explicit measurable outcomes or a framework for independent evaluation. The Healthy Weight Commitment Foundation (HWCF), whose members include 16 of the nation's leading consumer packaged goods (CPG) food and beverage manufacturers, voluntarily pledged to collectively sell 1 trillion fewer calories in the U.S. marketplace by 2012 (against a 2007 baseline), and sell 1.5 trillion fewer calories by 2015. This paper presents the findings of an independent evaluation of the 2012 HWCF marketplace pledge, conducted in 2013. The 16 HWCF companies collectively sold approximately 6.4 trillion fewer calories (-10.6%) in 2012 than in the baseline year of 2007. Taking into account population changes over the 5-year period of 2007-2012, CPG caloric sales from brands included in the HWCF pledge declined by an average of 78 kcal/capita/day. CPG caloric sales from non-HWCF national brands during the same period declined by 11 kcal/capita/day, and there were similar declines in calories from private label products. Thus, the total reduction in CPG caloric sales between 2007 and 2012 was 99 kcal/capita/day. This independent evaluation is the first to evaluate food industry compliance with its calorie reduction pledges and to assess how sales from the CPG food and beverage sector are changing. An accompanying paper investigates the extent to which the HWCF pledge affected household-level changes in CPG calories purchased, controlling for important economic and sociodemographic factors affecting household food purchases over this period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The concept of global strategy has become prominent in the international business and management literature in the 1980s. The aims of our paper are to render in brief the concept of global strategy and to highlight some of the main features of Nissan's strategy. Our paper contributes to a better understanding of the global strategy concept, and its designing and implementation in the business corporate world. Further studies can be carried on in emphasizing the role played by global strategies in achieving high performance in a changing environment. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Evaluation on urban commercial centers' attractiveness not only benefits business strategy making and location choice, but also helps traffic management and urban planning. Traditionally, it is studied using questionnaires and field research, which are labor-intensive and time-consuming. To overcome these problems when evaluating the urban commercial centers' attractiveness, massive data analytics with datasets from taxi traffic, population, area, and road networks are adopted in this paper. Taking fifteen commercial centers at Shenzhen as a case study, a Cyber-Physical-Social System is built up to deal with these massive data for statistical analysis. An "Attractiveness Degree Model" is proposed to describe the degree to which customers desire to visit a commercial center. Then attractiveness thematic maps are drawn. Results show that YiTianJiaRiGuangChang has the highest attractiveness degree even though it has a small size and low commercial value. The attractiveness degree rankings are corroborated by annual customer satisfaction survey from Shenzhen Retail Business Association. Attractiveness thematic maps show that about 50–65% visits by taxis are within 5 km range. These results can be applied to support market analysis, urban planning, traffic management, and related areas. • Commercial center is precisely defined geographically and sociologically. • Attractiveness degree is the proposed metric to evaluate the attractiveness. • A Cyber-Physical-Social System is implemented for massive data processing. • Statistical analysis and thematic maps shed new insights into attractiveness. • Commercial centers are classified into four representative types in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Organizational sustainability is a multi-facet paradigm widely used to address perennial business challenges such as climate change, industrial waste, the economies of scale and social well-being, etc. In the last three decades, extensive research has been performed on ecological or economic sustainability, ignoring the third pillar of sustainability. Given the importance of humans and society-a center-stage of inclusive development-this paper aims to conduct a bibliometric analysis to examine the growth of organizational social sustainability (OSS) from 2000 to 2021 during MDG & SDG periods. A total of 1566 publications are analyzed using Scopus and the Web of Science (WoS) database. Citation networks, bibliographic coupling, and thematic mapping have explored influential work, intellectual structure, and research gaps. The study findings demonstrated that most publications are during the SDG period, with Sustainability as the most productive journal and the USA as the most contributing country. The top 10 active institutions are from Australia, France, and Spain. The top contributing authors are from France, but the USA is at the top in citations. Contributions are lacking from large portions of Africa. Keyword analysis showed that "social sustainability," "sustainable development," "environmental sustainability," "sustainable supply change management," "circular economy," and "social life cycle assessment" are the main topics. Keyword analysis and thematic mapping show that despite increased publications in the field of organizational social sustainability, OSS research is still far from focusing on the stakeholders' benefits, satisfaction, and subjective well-being. Moreover, quantitative assessment of OSS based on sustainability standards such as Global Reporting Initiatives (GRI) and Value Reporting Foundation (VRF) standards was found scant in the given field. The present research concluded with scope and opportunity for future research in the area of OSS. • Bibliometric analysis to examine organizational social sustainability during MDG & SDG periods. • Scopus & WoS data used in R Studio & Vosviewer. • Citation networks, bibliographic coupling, and thematic mapping have explored influential work, intellectual structure. • Global Reporting Initiatives and Value Reporting Foundation standards was found scant in the given field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Such large-scale disruptions as the pandemic increase the uncertainty and risk related to business. Therefore, the business continuity management (BCM) has become an essential technical solution for enterprise emergency response. Since the beginning of 2020, the COVID-19 has spread worldwide at an alarming rate causing many threats to sustainable development of the business sector. The decline in consumer demand has hugely impacted service industries, such as wholesale and retail sales, tourism. Enterprise production and operations have faced severe challenges. In this study, we develop a risk factor analysis of BCM under the presence of COVID-19 in China. Based on a statistical survey of 940 enterprises in Hangzhou City, China, this study employs ordinal logistic regression to explore the hindering effect of risk factors introduced by the epidemic on business performance. Then, the interpretive structure model (ISM) is applied to analyze the hierarchical structure of the factors under examination. The key factors influencing the enterprise production and operation during COVID-19 outbreak significantly differ across the sub-sectors of the service industry. Therefore, this paper assesses the resilience of the productive technologies and business models of different industries amid the pandemic. This paper proposes epidemic prevention and control strategy focusing on investment and government regulation to ensure sustainable business development. • The effects of the COVID-19 outbreak are analyzed. • The micro-data for Chinese enterprises are applied. • The interpretive structure model is used to identify the factors of business performance. • The strategy for recovery is proposed based on the empirical analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This paper reports the findings of an in-depth case study of implementing Enterprise Resource Planning Systems (ERP) in a long-established multinational company within the telecommunication sector. The company streamlined its operations through an ambitious business process redesign initiative and introduced an ERP system. The study examines the emergence of the ERP system and the enactment of simultaneous changes to the system and to the company context, along with the intentions and actions of the individuals involved. The study seeks to understand the ERP implementation process, in particular, the link between the ERP implementation process and the underlying and often subtle influences within the context. By drawing on the case study the paper offers a theoretical conceptualization of triggers and consequences of the cycles of control and drift of ERP implementation. We argue that by taking account of managers'' intentions, the affordance of technology and the power and cultural context, we can provide richer insights into the ERP implementation process and the dynamics of the underlying, subtle influences within the context. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This paper explores the interpretative flexibility of ERP systems through the study of a project to implement a hosted system for the Central Accounting Department of a large multinational. The paper presents intensive case study data around the decision to implement the system and analyses it in terms of the interpretative flexibility of the system. The paper questions the extent to which technological features of the new system influence the perceived flexibility of the system. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The roles and responsibilities of business in society, in particular global business, are being defined more broadly by an expanding range of stakeholders. This paper aims to review these changes and their implications in order to understand better the likely future expectations of business in society and the way in which leading companies are setting new standards of responsible business practice. It begins by tracing trends within corporate social responsibility debates, and then draws on empirical research and observed stakeholder demands of business, to argue that the boundaries of corporate responsibility are advancing both internally and externally. Internally, these boundaries are changing in terms of the increased responsibility of corporations towards their direct and indirect internal stakeholders. This is shown through innovations in business practice to achieve enhanced social justice in the workplace, improved governance, and more accurate disclosure of non-financial risk. This paper provides a context for this discussion by examining emerging international law, guidelines and voluntary initiatives, regulatory frameworks, and risk review procedures that increasingly seek to redefine corporate responsibility by establishing new norms of best practice and behaviour. These boundaries are also expanding externally, as society increasingly expects global business to work with others to provide solutions to humanitarian crises and endemic problems facing the world. This paper explores how some companies are doing this by applying core competencies in ways that integrate social development and business goals. It suggests, in turn, that the challenges of these expanding boundaries of responsibilities are best addressed through strategic partnerships. This paper concludes that there are new multi-stakeholder convened global governance frameworks evolving that are encouraging businesses of the future to re-invent themselves as a ‘force for positive good’ in society. This involves going beyond the paradigm of simply ‘doing no harm’, and way beyond previous expectations of business as being only about shareholder value. This prediction is supported by examples drawn from the practice of global companies that are already innovating to fulfil this wider role. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The starting point of this paper is the fact that the one thing that is certain about the future is its uncertainty. While uncertainty has always been a constant of human life, the paper argues that due to technological and social developments, risk and uncertainty are going to be defining features that companies of the future will have to deal with. Given that almost all managerial and organisational decisions have moral consequences, the question is how companies can and should act. The paper suggests that one possible way in which moral challenges under risk and uncertainty can be addressed is the concept of responsibility. It demonstrates that there is a close affinity between responsibility and uncertainty on the one hand and between responsibility and business on the other. However, the traditional concept of responsibility has severe limitations that preclude it from being applied successfully. In order to overcome the weaknesses of traditional responsibility a reflective notion of responsibility is developed. Reflective responsibility is the attempt to apply its defining features, which are openness, teleology, and consequentialism, onto itself. The theory of reflective responsibility is then developed and, by using an example, it is demonstrated that it corresponds well with participative management strategies. The paper concludes that reflective responsibility overcomes the weaknesses of traditional concepts of responsibility and at the same time retains their strength of being able to deal with uncertainty. The theory of reflective responsibility therefore offers a plausible course of action for companies that want to be the ethical companies of the future. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This paper takes the recent degrowth business framework as a starting point and looks deeper into one particular part of it, the change in values. It has been claimed that the agential level (i.e., that of individuals) and associated with it change in values is what underpins the remaining elements of the degrowth business framework, i.e., that change in values gives rise to degrowth compatible practices, principles, and operations. This is because, according to critical realism, individual humans are where agency resides. Considering that an immense hope is placed into the agents, the change in values needs to receive substantially more attention. As it stands, currently this category is underexplored and remains obscure on its own and in relation to degrowth business specifically. This paper attempts to address this obscurity and shed light on change in values of agents, while adopting the same philosophy of critical realism which underlaboured the construction of the degrowth business framework itself and supplementing it with the insights from the philosophy of existentialism which allows us to structure human existence and change in values specifically around three defined aspects of our being in the world. • Change in values in relation to degrowth business needs to receive more attention. • Change in values is disambiguated via utilising critical realism and existentialism. • Further disambiguation requires adventurous interdisciplinarity. • Important areas for further disambiguation are human agency and human nature. • One possible way to view human nature is proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many practitioners point out that the speculative profits of institutional traders are eroded by the difficulty in gauging the price impact of their trades. In this paper, we develop a model of strategic trading where speculators face such a dilemma because of incomplete information about time-varying market liquidity. Unlike the competitive market makers that they trade against, informed traders do not know the distribution of liquidity (“noise”) trades. Instead, they have to learn about liquidity from past prices and trading volume. This learning implies that strategic trades and market statistics such as informational efficiency are path-dependent on past market outcomes. Our paper also has normative implications for practitioners. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This paper examines the socio-economic role of pawnshops in Singapore. It suggests that pawnshops are a barometer of socio-economic changes in Singapore. The changing style and operation of pawnshops es explored, as is the changing varieties of the items pledged. The research shows that pawnshops have adopted a new image and continue to have a significant role in modern Singapore. This paper also suggests that pawnshops serve cash strapped individuals, who ironically are not necessarily poor. Through data collected on redemptions and pledges, it is found that a high redemption rate both in number and amount reflects a period of economic growth; the reverse in true when the redemption rate falls. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Use detailed data from 2004 to 2016 on interprovincial railway freight in China. • The impact of interprovincial trade on the emissions of sulfur dioxide is estimated. • Study the interrelation between trade and economic growth, and impact on environment. • Investigate the interrelation between interprovincial trade and industrial structure. Abstract Air pollution is becoming a serious problem for China and it has attracted great attention in recent years. This paper examines the relationship between interprovincial trade patterns, economic development and impacts on air quality. Using detailed data from 2004 to 2016 on interprovincial railway freight in China, the inverted u-shaped environmental Kuznets curve and the pollution haven hypothesis are assessed. The impact of interprovincial trade on the emissions of sulfur dioxide are estimated on the basis of controlling the industrial structure, regional foreign direct investment and motor vehicles retained. Evidence of pollution transfers is found, and such effects appear to be stronger between adjacent regions rather than nonadjacent regions, regardless of the roles of other explanatory variables. Our conclusions and policy implications will assist government decision-making regarding resource reallocation and sustainable development of green cities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This paper investigates the extent to which ‘advanced’ knowledge and technology played a role in the SO2 compliance process in electric power plants under the US SO2 cap and trade program. It investigates the hypothesis that advanced knowledge and technology dedicated to pollution abatement played a minor role in that process while relatively unadvanced forms of knowledge and technology played the main role. New qualitative evidence in this somewhat well-known case is considered: interviews with electric power plant R&D managers, plant-level compliance data, and the changes undergone by boiler manufacturer, coal mining and railroad companies in the supply chain. Advanced knowledge dedicated to pollution abatement like the type now being emphasised for carbon capture and storage (CCS) played a minor role, while unadvanced knowledge and technology played the main role. While there are clearly limits to how far this unadvanced knowledge and technology finding can be generalised to GHG emission control, the specific aspects of the SO2 case that might be broadly informative of the response to GHG emissions are elaborated. In any case, the paper shows how ‘innovation’ in pollution control can be inexpensive and effective without involving very much advanced knowledge and technology for pollution control. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract Engagement with social networking sites is influenced by the cognitive and learning processes which in turn is influenced by culture. This paper aims at unbundling the effect of culture on the use of social network sites and thus contributes to our understanding on the way cognitive and learning processes influence the engagement with social networks. The study of over 600 social networking users addresses how professional and leisure use of social networks differs across cultures, gender and other demographics. Firstly, by utilising ANOVA techniques we associate users' behaviour with nationality and furthermore through the use of an ordered logistics regression we delineate clusters of users by the purpose of social networking adoption and their cultural characteristics. Our study helps bridge the gap in literature on identifying how cultural traits, nationality and gender affect both business and leisure use of social networking. The implications of differences in user behaviour driven by nationality and gender warrant further need for applying learning analytics in social platforms to enhance user experience. Future directions of research on social networking in relation to cognition and culture are offered for discussion. Highlights • We unbundle the cognitive and learning processes that influence engagement with SNS. • We investigate how cultural traits, nationality and gender affect the use of SNS. • Utilising ANOVA techniques we associate individual behaviour based on a study of over 600 users. • Application of learning analytics in social platforms is needed to enhance experience. • Future directions of research in relation to cognition and culture are offered for discussion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The problem of injection drug use in public bathrooms has been documented from the perspectives of people who inject drugs and service industry employees (SIEs). Previous studies suggest that SIEs are unaware of how to respond to opioid overdoses, yet there are no behavioral interventions designed for SIEs to address their specific needs. In response to this gap in the field, we constructed, implemented, and evaluated a three-module behavioral intervention for SIEs grounded in the Information-Motivation-Behavioral skills model. This paper focuses on the evaluation of one module, namely, the intervention component addressing overdose response and naloxone administration (ORNA).Methods: Participants were SIEs (N = 18 from two separate business establishments) recruited using convenience sampling. The study utilized a pre-/post-test concurrent nested mixed method design and collected quantitative and qualitative data including an evaluation of the intervention module. The primary outcomes were opioid overdose-related knowledge and attitudes. Acceptability was also assessed.Results: SIEs demonstrated significant improvements (p <  0.01, Cohen's d = 1.45) in opioid overdose-related knowledge as well as more positive opioid overdose-related attitudes (p< 0.01, Cohen's d = 2.45) following the intervention. Participants also reported high levels of acceptability of the module and suggestions for improvement (i.e., more role-playing).Conclusions: This study highlights the acceptability and evidence of efficacy of the ORNA module, as well as the utility of training SIEs in ORNA. The expansion of this training to other SIEs and public employees (librarians, etc.) who manage public bathrooms warrants further investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Organizations are increasingly flooded with large amounts of data on which they base their business decisions. It is thus crucial to visualize relevant data efficiently so that employees are able to extract relevant information most accurately and quickly. However, at present, information visualization research lacks a coherent and evidence based theoretical framework providing clear guidelines on how to design efficient visualizations. When it comes to the use of redundant elements in charts like commonly used data labels, cognitive fit theory and cognitive load theory make different predictions. Whereas the latter assumes that redundant labels generally reduce visualizations’ efficiency due to increased cognitive load, cognitive fit theory predicts increased efficiency for some task types that shall be solved by means of the visualization. In the online experiment presented in this paper, we investigated the effect of data labels in line and bar charts on users’ accuracy and speed in solving chart-related business tasks dependent on different task types. Our results reveal that users perceive charts with redundant labels as significantly more efficient and answer related questions significantly more accurate and faster, which we explain by the help of cognitive fit theory. We provide valuable insights into cognitive processing of charts and encourage graph designers to consider redundant elements as a possible means to increase efficiency under particular circumstances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cryptomarkets, or illegal anonymizing online platforms that facilitate drug trade, have been analyzed in a rapidly growing body of research. Previous research has found that, despite increased risks, cryptomarket sellers are often willing to ship illegal drugs internationally. There is little to no information, however, about the extent to which uncertainty and risk related to geographic constraints shapes buyers' behavior and, in turn, the structure of the global online drug trade network. In this paper, we analyze the structure of a complete cryptomarket trade network with a focus on the role of geographic clustering of buyers and sellers.Methods: We use publicly available crawls of the cryptomarket Abraxas, encompassing market transactions between 463 sellers and 3542 buyers of drugs in 2015. We use descriptive social network analysis and Exponential Random Graph Models (ERGM) to analyze the structure of the trade network.Results: The structure of the online drug trade network is primarily shaped by geographical boundaries. Buyers are more likely to buy from multiple sellers within a single country, and avoid buying from sellers in different countries, which leads to strong geographic clustering. The effect is especially strong between continents and weaker for countries within Europe. A small fraction of buyers (10%) account for more than a half of all drug purchases, while most buyers only buy once.Conclusion: Online drug trade networks might still be heavily shaped by offline (geographic) constraints, despite their ability to provide access for end-users to large international supply. Cryptomarkets might be more "localized" and less international than thought before. We discuss potential explanations for such geographical clustering and implications of the findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Growing water scarcity and increasing demands for agricultural products generate much debate about improving the agricultural sector''s water use efficiency and productivity. Agricultural engineering traditions feed this debate with notions such as agricultural yield gaps and low water use efficiencies that draw attention to potential improvements. However, when perspectives are shifted from an irrigated field to a river basin, someone''s (water) loss may be another''s (water) gain. Such shifts in perspectives complicate the applications of our concepts of irrigation efficiency (IE), water use efficiency (WUE) and water productivity (WP). This paper studies the use and abuse of definitions and applications of concepts of IE, WUE and WP and examines their appropriate application for different scales and domains of water use. In this paper we argue that water management decisions are best informed by using IE and WP at the irrigation scheme and catchment level, respectively. This use can identify context specific opportunities and potentials for increased water use efficiency and productivity as well as the potential trade-offs in water re-allocations between diverse water users and uses. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This paper focuses on the critical actors (herein called Driving Actors) and their activities to promote sustainable energy policies and businesses in cases where renewable energy facilities are gradually installed in a local area by changes in lifestyle from one based on fossil fuels to a sustainable one. This paper aims to 1) evaluate activity to promote renewable energy in local community using analytical approaches as an iterative approach and stakeholder analysis, and 2) to propose an analytical framework for the RE implementation process and to describe the important roles of the Driving Actors. We investigated the case of Bizen city in Japan by participant observations. Consequently, Driving Actors are responsible for encouraging RE implementation in the local area. They coordinate and run the RE (Renewable Energy) program to gain experience and know-how as well as create a business scheme, which has business risk due to the absence of effective policies by the national government during the middle phase to promote local success of RE. If the national government implements effective policies to disseminate RE facilities during the middle phase, then the Takeoff phase is ascertained and existing big companies and financial organizations would begin to participate RE businesses. On the other hand, if the national government does not change its policy, Driving Actors must initiate a creative RE project using their expertise in the middle phase. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Regardless their high potential, renewable energy resources are insufficiently exploited in Europe. This paper examines the potential of social marketing for renewable energy sources. It uses acceptability and willingness to pay results from existing surveys on renewable energy sources and generates a marketing mix for the state, organizations, businesses and consumers. These surveys typically claim to produce results that will be useful for policy making or marketing purposes. However, after they distinguish the parameters that affect acceptability or choice and willingness to pay, they do not go deeper to demonstrate the ways for the exploitation of the results. Therefore, this paper gauges the gap between the results from consumer stated preference studies and the insights generated for social marketing. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

An efficient and affordable healthcare service delivery to everyone is a prerogative of the national governments. Such delivery is quite exacting, and gaps remain. In this regard, startups are trying to disrupt the market with innovative solutions and reach the underserved market. Though anecdotal evidence remains, a rigorous literature review is missing. This paper attempts to understand the status of health-tech startups in healthcare service delivery. We scanned a total of 110 journals - Financial Times top 50, top ten information systems journals listed by the Australian Business Dean Council, and the top 50 Scopus indexed journals in health informatics and health information management. We followed a systematic process for this scoping review - reading of titles, abstracts, and then full papers for final analysis based on inclusion and exclusion criteria. A total of 76 articles met the inclusion criteria. Only five studies portrayed the status of health-tech startups in healthcare service delivery. To capture the overall startup ecosystem, we continued with a scoping review of all the 76 articles. The identified five themes are Technology adoption, Electronic health services, Business planning and framework, Psychographics, and Regulations. There is evidence of technology adoption in service delivery and its nature in the businesses undertaken by startups. Very few studies represented the patterns of the existing business model. The acceptance of the services is dependent on service effectiveness and affordability. The challenges are licensing, policies, data privacy and security, and inadequate technology access among healthcare seekers. Albeit the feasibility potential, research concerning the impact of health tech startups in healthcare service delivery is emerging but incipient. The review indicates that research on startups is inadequate, especially related to entrepreneurship, business frameworks, and regulations. Future research should explore the same. • Study examined health-tech startups' landscape in healthcare service delivery. • Findings revealed health-tech venture's challenges and a notion to address them. • Theoretically underpin entrepreneurial aspects for health-tech startups. • Further research is needed to perceive startup's business model in service delivery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In this paper I use two case studies to show how corpus linguistics can be used to help in the teaching of business English. Senior managers in global companies often find themselves having to do their job in a foreign language. Given that language is one of the key tools of management, the senior managers are normally very keen to develop a sophisticated command of what they perceive to be key lexis. Consequently, the business English teacher may be required to answer searching and demanding questions in a very precise and accurate way. In this paper I show how a corpus-based investigation of the collocational behaviour of key lexis can be used to answer many of these questions. For example, a study of this kind can reveal the different senses of a word and show how it may be associated with a particular semantic prosody. By studying the collocations associated with a group of so-called synonyms it is often possible to identify slight but significant differences in the meaning of the words in the group. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]