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The role and impact of businesses in transition processes depend on the strategic positioning of firms regarding long‐term sustainability goals. Even though businesses are key actors for transition processes, the literature still lacks an extensive exploration of operational guidelines to support organisations in navigating the complexities of wider sustainability transitions. In this study, contributions from sustainability transitions research to the study of strategic planning processes in a business context were explored to address this gap. A procedure was developed to guide organisations towards development of sustainability transition strategies, which was further tested in a case study from the Portuguese tourism sector. The proposed approach builds on the transition management framework and a set of transversal sustainability elements: a holistic view of sustainability, long‐term thinking, stakeholder involvement and innovation. The testing of the proposed procedure resulted on the co‐creation of a sustainability transition strategy in a hotel which highlighted the need for participatory and long‐term oriented approaches to support businesses in their transformation processes. Improvement opportunities were identified regarding external stakeholder involvement and the integration of innovation elements while co‐creating organisational sustainability transition strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is always a discord between the academia and the industry on what is need‐to‐have and nice‐to‐have in terms of novel chemical processes and technologies. The International Process Intensification Conference (IPIC) was organized to hear both sides and to help bridge the knowledge gaps on either side in order to bring about a well‐informed cohesive understanding into where the field of process intensification (PI) should be headed. This perspective is written to publicize the findings and conclusions of the Industrial Day workshop during IPIC 2019 to give an insight into what drives the current business context of the chemical process industry, the role of PI to realize these driving factors and the challenges involved in implementing these intensified solutions. Four of the promising PI fields ‐ continuous manufacturing, alternative energy sources, 3D printing and multifunctional processes ‐ were also discussed among a group of experts from the respective fields to identify essential knowledge gaps, their role in the current business context and the challenges involved in commercializing these technologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Effective communication between seismic specialists should be facilitated by a shared process model that can be used at different levels of abstraction. In this shared model the seismic work-flow is presented as a value chain, showing the complex interrelationships between the broad range of specialized activities that are needed in today's practice. One of these activities is velocity estimation, providing the relationship between seismic time and geological depth. Excellence in the seismic value chain will depend on the quality of the specialized tools and skills (abilities) involved, as well as on the capability of the organization to combine these abilities in an integrated work-flow to realize maximum value at the end of the chain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many companies have developed a green marketing strategy, aimed at promoting and selling green environmental products. While the majority of articles on this topic report on studies in a business‐to‐consumer setting, this research focusses on the impact of green marketing strategies on the satisfaction and loyalty of professional buyers in a business‐to‐business setting. Hypotheses were tested with survey data from 148 Dutch professional purchasers in the cleaning industry. The results emphasize the impact and importance of product quality, product price and corporate image. The most notable and strong impact on satisfaction and loyalty was found for the salesperson expertise. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Research has typically focused on how certain types of business establishments are associated with the location of crime on street blocks. Studies in this genre, however, often have not accounted for the general business context of the block on which a business is located. This study uses a large sample of blocks in Southern California to test whether the context of businesses matters. We assess whether a nonlinear relationship exists between the total businesses on a block and crime, whether differences exist based on broad categories of businesses—consumer‐facing businesses, blue‐collar businesses, and white‐collar businesses—and whether the mixing of businesses on a block impacts crime. The study finds strong evidence that blocks with more business mixing have higher levels of crime. A 1 standard deviation increase in business mixing is associated with 35%–95% more crime. The relationship between business mixing and crime is moderated by the size of the population on the block. Evidence also shows differences in relationships with crime between consumer‐facing and white‐ or blue‐collar businesses. Only modest evidence shows that specific business types are related to crime levels after accounting for this general business context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the role of civil disobedience in the business context. It examines if a businessperson may choose among business regulations or must fulfill all legal obligations equally, without reference to the particular regulatory law in question. Further, it discusses four cases including one on addressesing the ethics of hiring undocumented workers and two examining the social duty to obey two misconceived workplace-safety laws.

This paper examines the discursively constructed meanings for reputation in the small business context – an area of reputation research that has so far attracted little attention. We argue that viewing reputation as a social construction makes it possible to uncover and understand the variety of meanings attached to the concept in small businesses. On the basis of 25 thematic interviews with owner-managers we (re)constructed four meanings for reputation: reputation as an economic resource, as social recognition, as a restrictive control mechanism and as a risk for personal status. We also investigate the variety of discursive events in which these meanings are created. The study further emphasizes reputation as a phenomenon in which a small business becomes identified with its owner-manager, adding to the complex and conflicting nature of reputation, including both positive and negative aspects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study considers environmental managers' views on environmental work. The paper initiates a general and critical discussion of the role and situation of the environmental manager who, as can be argued, has to consider demands from three directions i.e. internal demands, external demands and nature's demands. This triangular focus constitutes the frame of reference of this qualitative, descriptive study. It is suggested that environmental managers must be understood as managers in a business context. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A packaged-goods company joins forces with the ITT Institute of Design to explore how design methods can be used to help the operations side of its business. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article focuses on how Japanese firms achieve high growth in consecutive time periods in industries in the United States. How a firm evolves over time has been an important issue in the fields of strategic management and industrial organization economics. Dynamic adjustment costs occur when adjustments of productive resources (such as hiring new employees and new managers) disrupt current operations. Due to dynamic adjustment costs, there are limits to the growth rate at which a firm can increase its resource base at any point in time. The primary goal in this article is to make clear that dynamic adjustment costs need to be in the foreground for both empirical testing and theorizing about the rate of the growth of the firm and the development of firm-specific resources and dynamic capabilities. A firm's expansion requires services from managers who have experience internal to the firm. Since such managers must be developed within the firm over time and cannot be hired from outside, a firm that needs to maintain effectiveness in its current operations could only increase its managerial resources in a controlled and incremental fashion.

Entrepreneurial ventures are often established, controlled and led through the commitment of individuals. This article problematizes the nature of the form of leadership relevant for the small business as it matures. In this way, it explores the temporal dimension to the appropriateness of distributed leadership in the context of the entrepreneurial business. The authors critique the opportunity that distributed leadership can bring to the maturing business. They illuminate a dilemma for entrepreneurs as to whether they should give up control for a broader distributed process of leading or continue a practice of leading that resonates with their essence of being entrepreneurial - independent, controlling responsive and opportunity driven. This dilemma is addressed by suggesting the contextualization of distributed leadership may offer the maturing business. The article concludes by reviewing development approaches that contextualize intervention and suggests a research agenda to contribute to a greater understanding of how leadership can become distributed in the maturing business. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The primary purpose of this research is to adapt the Dimensions of the Learning Organization Questionnaire developed by Watkins and Marsick, and examine its validity and reliability in a Korean context. Although the concept of the learning organization is well established, there has not been rigorous validation of the application of the questionnaire in the Korean context. The present research sheds light on the reliability and validity of applying the learning organization concept to the Korean workforce. The results of confirmatory factor analysis and internal consistency tests indicate that the Korean version of the questionnaire produces valid and reliable psychometric properties of learning organization characteristics in a Korean cultural context. Several demographic variables were used to identify the differences in learning organization cultural perspectives. Conclusions and implications are set out and the limitations of the research stated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article examines the British Army's implementation methodology of mission commands and reviews the usage of its approach for the private sector. The adaptability, flexibility and versatility of the British Army in dealing with crisis situations such as Gulf War and firemen's strike is discussed. The article suggests that the concept of mission command can be implemented by the commercial world and calls for greater research into its adaptation.

Sustainable and resilient cold chains (CC) are the backbone of several industries, ensuring the seamless transport and storage of temperature‐sensitive products ranging from fresh produce and pharmaceuticals to life‐saving vaccines. Particularly in times of disruptions, such as natural disasters or global health crises, the sustainability and resilience of CCs become even more crucial, highlighting the urgent need for research, innovation, and strategic planning in this domain. This study conducted a systematic review of the sustainable and resilient CC research literature. A total of 143 high‐quality articles were shortlisted from the Web‐of‐Science (WoS) database for in‐depth content analysis. This review clarifies the existing results and highlights the trending themes and persistent gaps in research pertaining to CC in a business context and at a strategic level. It covers notably disruptions and related impacts, the relationship between sustainability and resilience in CC, decision tools for sustainable and resilient CC, CC sustainability and resilience performance areas and measurement metrics, data‐driven digital transformation for sustainable and resilient CC, and strategies for developing sustainable and resilient CC strategies. The results reveal that research on sustainable and resilient CC is growing; however, the field remains dominated by research methods that need to establish causality formally. Furthermore, the research area is fragmented into several subareas, and more conceptual and theoretical work is needed to advance the theoretical foundation of the domain. Finally, a proposed research agenda suggests 17 future avenues for improving the contribution to sustainable and resilient CC research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

COVID‐19 pandemic brought novel challenges for society and businesses. Along with psychological impact on humans, COVID‐19 led to significant changes in business processes. Managerial competencies, which positively impact performance of both the employees and businesses, are influenced by changing social and business context. In this milieu, there is a call for research to understand the impact of recent changes on managerial competencies to make them future‐ready. Further, in light of prior studies that present opposing findings, a related question worth exploring is—does the importance of managerial competencies differ across countries? By answering these questions, key competencies, that can boost both employee performance and business profitability, can be assessed and nurtured for a positive global impact. This paper presents theoretical background, methodology, findings and implications from a two‐part study that was conducted to answer above questions. Phase 1, which included literature review, analysis of US Government's O*NET database and expert validation, yielded a unique 9 × 51 Managerial Competencies Framework. Using quantitative methodology, that involved primary survey of Indian experts and hypothesis testing on matching data‐sets, Phase 2 of this cross‐country study reports a broad agreement amongst US and Indian experts on the importance of key managerial competencies. Study offers many theoretical and practical implications, along with directions for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study analyses the problem of multi‐tier supply chains, including suppliers, producers, wholesalers, and retailers. Decision‐makers should analyse the social, environmental, and economic constraints in a multi‐dimensional business context. We analyse these issues by considering the corporate social responsibility (CSR) concerns. A scorecard‐based mathematical model, consisting of mixed‐integer linear programming, is developed to assist fast‐fashion decision‐makers in supply chain policy formulation. The model is validated through a practical case study using IBM CPLEX Optimizer. The results indicate that involving the social aspect can increase the profit compared to considering only the economic impact, under high environmental costs with low return on investment. Furthermore, the mathematical model is able for the case study to optimise the distribution network of the entire multi‐tier supply chain, considering CSR concerns, in less than 5 s. This research has implications for the advancement of multi‐tier supply chain optimisation and provides a basis for future distribution decisions for firm stakeholders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Eyeing superior operational performance, transportation, and warehousing management, researchers have turned their much‐needed attention to autonomous and IoT‐driven intralogistics systems. Despite its potential, a systematic evaluation of its overall business needs and the criteria for its success at each stage of adoption is missing in the literature. Using the business analysis framework, augmented by the technology adoption model, this study seeks to provide the business context for adopting autonomous and IoT‐driven intralogistics by identifying business requirements and critical success factors for such systems. We thematically analyze 85 recent research articles on autonomous and IoT‐driven intralogistics systems to identify business requirements that are linked to the mission of maximizing operational profit for the warehousing and storage industry. Then, using the identified business requirements as a base, we thematically analyze those 85 research articles again to identify critical success factors at different stages of technology adoption, namely information, analysis, acquisition, and utilization. We use the findings to develop propositions for future researchers. These findings provide a foundation for developing empirical, descriptive, and normative research on adopting and managing these systems for the warehousing and storage industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We explored the perceptions of individuals in teams (both leaders and members) regarding shared leadership in the South Korean business context, seeking a nuanced and unique understanding of shared leadership. We examined how shared leadership in team‐based structures develops and functions. Informed by the driving and restraining forces framework, we elucidate factors that facilitate and that impede shared leadership practice and implementation. The analysis uses semi‐structured interviews with seven teams that each consist of one team leader and two team members. Findings include the four essential elements of shared leadership and the identification of the driving and restraining forces for why employees and managers welcome or refuse to accept shared leadership. We present strategies for human resource development (HRD) professionals seeking to cultivate shared leadership in the South Korean context. We also discuss the study's limitations and potential directions of inquiry for future researchers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Faced with severe social, political, and economic challenges, Lebanon is described as a weak state. Argued to be a key factor weakening the formal institutions there, is the prevalent practice of wasta. This article seeks to answer two questions: (1) Why is wasta prevalent in a business environment characterised by weak formal institutions, such as Lebanon? (2) How can managers navigate the use of wasta in the Lebanese business context where it prevails, avoiding its negative outcomes while utilizing its positive outcomes? Fourteen semi‐structured interviews were conducted of managers from the Lebanese industrial sector. The findings highlight that wasta is used due to the networked nature of Lebanese society, economic hardship, widespread corruption and to maintain power. It was found that wasta could be beneficial in securing jobs, removing red tape, and gaining employment for humanitarian reasons. Finally, the negative outcomes of using wasta were found to include the employment of unqualified individuals, a reduction of organizations' productivity and a further weakening of formal institutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study offers a proposal about which competencies should be fostered in organizations to promote a culture in favor of sustainability in line with Pope Francis' encyclical letter Laudato Si. As a result, seven main competencies are proposed, with their interpretation in the light of the encyclical letter, and some suggestions on how to implement them in organizations are presented. The competencies are systemic vision, critical thinking, capacity for dialog, inclusion, proper use of goods, creativity, and spirituality. In addition, the study offers a discussion of the relevance of these competencies in today's business context. This study offers a novelty with respect to other theoretical proposals on competencies for sustainability since it includes competencies that require an authentic concern for other people and for a vision of the human being open to transcendence, thus breaking with instrumentalism and technocratic paradigm that underlies other proposals. In this way, it also offers a new key to interpreting the integral ecology proposed by Pope Francis, which goes beyond other approaches to sustainability in that it includes not only the person–nature relationship but also the person–person and person–transcendence or person–God relationships. The conclusions of this theoretical research can be especially useful for those who intend to promote a culture of sustainability inspired by the Catholic Social Teaching, also making use of the knowledge and good practices of competency‐based management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Scholars have paid increasing attention to consumer happiness and sustainable consumption, but their findings have not been subject to a systematic review in a business context. We used the SPAR‐4‐SLR framework to fill this gap. Our content analysis of 36 articles allowed us to identify three principal themes—well‐being beyond consumption, the dilemma of ethical consumption, and consumers' willingness to pay for sustainability—and pinpoint the relationship between consumer happiness and sustainable consumption. The results show that sustainable consumption leads to consumer happiness, that, consumers are happy to consume less, and that they are willing to pay more for sustainability. The findings, which complement those of previous studies, could be used by marketers to devise strategies that encourage sustainable consumption and satisfy consumers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This meta‐analysis examines the state of research on the relationship between entrepreneurial orientation (EO) and performance in nonprofit organizations (NPOs). The evidence on this relationship in the business context is already well consolidated. Nonprofit research also elaborated review publications on EO. However, existing knowledge lacks an examination of the EO–performance relationship in NPOs. This study includes 25 publications in the correlation‐based meta‐analysis and finds that various performance goals are positively affected. Nonetheless, the results reveal several inconsistencies regarding conceptual and methodological approaches. A critical reflection on the complexity and differentiation of both constructs, problems of bias, and the causal character of the relationship addresses these issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The application of metaverse technology in the field of civil engineering has the potential to improve project efficiency and accuracy. Nevertheless, the pervasive adoption and effective integration of metaverses are contingent on a number of crucial factors. This study investigates the critical factors underlying the successful implementation of metaverse technology within a business context. This research employs a comprehensive mixed-method approach comprised of exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and structural equation modelling (SEM) to examine survey responses gathered from seasoned professionals in the architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) sectors in Bangladesh. In areas such as communication and collaboration, design visualization, and monitoring and maintenance, the construction industry has made extraordinary strides. As imperatives for managerial consideration strategic investment in resources, targeted training initiatives, heightened awareness campaigns, and prudent deployment of cost-effective and efficient metaverse-based solutions emerge, future investigations should include a larger sample size and an evaluation of the lasting effects over extended time periods. The key to unleashing the full potential of the metaverse within the architecture, engineering, and construction industries lies in addressing these identified success determinants, thereby ushering in enhanced project outcomes and enhanced efficiency within the constructed environment. The combination of these initiatives is expected to pave the way for a new era in the AEC landscape. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Digital business model innovation (DBMI) has been acknowledged as a new business norm which allows for increased competitiveness. By adopting the dynamic capabilities theory, this research aims to investigate the adoption of DBMI among small and medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs) in a developing country. The qualitative data were collected using semi‐structured virtual interviews with SMEs. The findings revealed that the SMEs have redesigned their DBMI through value creation innovation, which refers to the use of new digital technology, new capability, and strong collaboration with new partners to streamline the business processes. SMEs innovate their value proposition by focusing on new product and service offerings and creating profitable customer relationships. Interestingly, SMEs also implement value delivery innovation, utilizing new delivery channels to target new market segments. In terms of value capture innovation, SMEs are concerned with obtaining new sources of revenues at a lower cost structure. Research studies on DBMI in Malaysia are scarce. The originality of this research lies in the exploration of DBMI in the real‐life business context, and the insights it will provide to SMEs and practitioners in the midst of adopting DBMI. The findings offer valuable insights for SMEs, practitioners, and policymakers in emerging economies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the firm's service decisions under financial distress is of central importance to service quality regulators and operation management scholars. This study aims to add new evidence to the relationship between financial distress and airline services and reconcile the discrepancies between theory, practical implications, and empirical results. We examine if and how airlines in financial distress may change their service provisions to turn around, with a particular focus on the moderating role of operating unit costs and market share. In the study, four measures of service failure (the inverse of service quality) are constructed and evaluated: airline arrival delay minutes attributable to the carrier, cancelations attributable to the carrier, mishandled baggage, and involuntary denied boardings. In the US domestic airline business context, we estimate the mixed‐effects model using panel data from the Department of Transportation and Wharton Research Data Services. We find robust evidence that financial distress plays a vital role in airline service provisions, and the distress–service relationship is contingent upon the operating unit costs of airlines. The findings provide evidence to help explain the different and sometimes contradictory empirical findings. We depend on the aggressive strategy framework to understand the service effect of airline financial distress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Technology roadmapping is an important yet challenging strategic process involving inter‐disciplinary knowledge and requiring key decision‐makers participation. To improve and facilitate this activity, a concept of model‐based technology roadmapping has been proposed in the literature as an application of model‐based systems engineering practices to the strategic planning domain. At the same time, many modern complex technical systems are required to be not only functional, efficient, and reliable, but also useful, usable, and desirable, which shifts the focus of planning to the user experience (UX). In this paper, we developed a Domain‐specific language that uniformly represents key concepts related to the four levels essential for strategic planning in the user‐oriented business context: market, UX design, engineering design, and technology. A collaborative interactive software was developed to support the proposed methodology. As a case study, a sustainable transformation of the automotive sector was tested and implemented in the software. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research Summary: We argue that the positive relationship between pro‐market institutions and entrepreneurial growth aspirations is dampened for individuals with general human capital (higher education), but augmented for those with specific human capital (experience in the marketplace). However, during a crisis, the differential effect of pro‐market institutions on growth aspirations manifests only for entrepreneurs with specific human capital, with stronger effects than in good economic times. We run our empirical analysis on a dataset of individual‐ and country‐level characteristics during 2005–2020, thus exploiting variation from the Global Financial Crisis and the COVID‐19 pandemic. We confirm our predictions and show stronger results for early stage (compared to nascent) entrepreneurs, and potential complementarities between human capital types. Altogether, our work paves the way to institutional adaptive policymaking. Managerial Summary: Pro‐market institutions facilitate business activity. We analyze a continuum of institutional arrangements and show asymmetric joint effects of the business context and human capital on entrepreneurial growth aspirations. General, education‐based human capital can collide with pro‐market contexts, weakening their positive effect on growth aspirations. In contrast, the interaction between pro‐market contexts and specific, market‐based human capital acts as a catalyst of growth aspirations. The (mis)alignment between pro‐market institutions and specific human capital from start‐up or investment experience gains an increased importance during the Global Financial Crisis and the COVID‐19 pandemic. Our findings are stronger for early stage business owners beyond the nascent phase, and complementarities can appear between education and market experience. We discuss policy implications for entrepreneurship education and regional development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a result of global economies' protectionist policies, followed by economic nationalism and a downturn, there is a shortage of talent with the requisite skills, knowledge, and abilities to meet the contingencies amid COVID‐19. The recent developments have necessitated multinational businesses to manage their talent in a new international business context. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to explore the implications of the "New Normal" for global talent which is manifested by economic nationalism and slowdown. This study used an inductive method to qualitative research, conducted in‐depth interviews with 28 top executives from multinational corporations. The implications for the global talent emerged from the current study as skill enhancement based on the emerged business model; training and development pertinent to new responsibilities and activities; adaptability to changes in the macroenvironment; emphasis on employee proactivity, experimentation, and risk‐taking; emphasis on hyperspecialization to take on contract positions; global talent needs to participate in remote learning; global talent must emphasize on mental health issues; and registering in talent exchange programs to fill talent skill shortages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Innovation represents one of the most important drivers in the business context. Drawing upon the research on corporate social responsibility (CSR), shared value, and innovation, this paper aims to analyze the relationship between Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG, a form of CSR) sustainability policies and corporate financial performance (CFP) by investigating the mediating role of Innovation (i.e., investment in research and development, R&D). Our sample comprises 148 European companies belonging to the Euro Stoxx index in the period 2009–2014. For high‐innovation companies (HICs), we find positive relationships between some Social (S) issues and CFP and weaker linkages between Environmental (E) indicators and CFP. In contrast, Governance (G) issues (i.e., issues related to board structure and board function) negatively influence CFP. In contrast, for medium‐innovation companies (MICs), these relationships are absent and low‐innovation companies (LICs) show negative relationships. Adopting reporting frameworks or guidelines affects CFP only in HIC. We introduce an original interpretative model, which identifies innovation (R&D) as the main driver in corporate sustainability, particularly in light of Social issues related to the production of a good or service. In terms of managerial implications, we identify three key factors for effectively embedding ESG in organizations' policies: investment in product innovation, compliance with environmental regulations, and corporate choices on brands and channels of external communication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents a project that uses a business context to introduce students to a multiphase approach to analytics while relying primarily on an introductory Excel course for prerequisite knowledge. A range of analytics techniques—including Excel Pivot tables and charts, regression trend lines, and linear programming—are combined into an integrative project. Using a customer orders database, student groups took on the role of category management teams assigned to analyze product sales, pricing, and costs to create an optimized purchase plan to replenish inventory. The instructor‐guided project was employed in a sophomore‐level introductory business intelligence course positioned within an undergraduate business core curriculum. Based on the context and level, such a project could be used in a business core course such as fundamentals of business, marketing, operations/supply chain management, information systems, or business analytics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Competent employees are a rare commodity for great companies. The problem of maintaining good employees with experience threatens the owners of companies. The issue of employee attrition can cost employers a lot as it takes a lot to compensate for their expertise and efficiency. For this reason, in this research, we present an automated model that can predict employee attrition based on different predictive analytical techniques. These techniques have been applied with different pipeline architectures to select the best champion model. Also, an autotuning approach has been implemented to calculate the best combination of hyper parameters to build the champion model. Finally, we propose an ensemble model for selecting the most efficient model subject to different assessments measures. The results of the proposed model show that no model up until now could be considered ideal and perfect for each case of business context. Yet, our chosen model was pretty much optimal as per our requirements and adequately satisfied the intended goal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gendered research is plagued by an array of challenges within a South African business context and the unique political landscape. Even with well‐established equity legislation and corporate governance compliance, the number of women in leadership remains bleak. The King IV reporting requirement of women at the board level places significant pressure on the existing employment equity goals for organizations in South Africa. Black women who attain leadership positions are criticized for being token affirmative action placements, and the lack of support is driving them out of the C‐suite. The current paper explores the concept of the queen bee syndrome contrasting it to the American phenomenon of black girl magic. The literature explores concepts of the queen bee syndrome, black girl magic, and the power of social capital with the boys' network in response to gendered leadership in South Africa. The contradictions that each of these concepts represents provide the context for the structural inequalities experienced by black women. The study is underpinned primarily by the social construction theory of reality and intersectionality. Black women leaders' roles and imminent success are mangled by the negative aspects of the queen bee syndrome in an effort to keep women out of the C‐suite. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The textile industry is production-intensive and incorporates diverse transactions made by multiple suppliers, corporate buyers, and supply chain members. In the business-to-business context, the cost for attracting a new customer is notably much higher than that needed to retain a present one. Customer loyalty in terms of customer repurchase intention has, therefore, been considered as a key determinant for textile companies to improve their efficiency and competitive advantage. This study aims to investigate the business-to-business repurchase intentions of Pakistan textile and clothing industry customers. The study framework specifically consolidates the mutual dynamics of appealing (service quality), facilitating (product returns), and averting (switching costs) factors altogether and the effect of these variables on customer satisfaction and thus on customer retention (repurchase intent) in the textile's transactional scenario. A sample survey method is used for this study. The data collected through self-administered questionnaires (n = 325) from All Pakistan Textile Mills Association enlisted the employees of the companies. The structural equational modeling technique was applied to examine the study hypotheses. The findings contended that service quality and switching costs are essential determinants that shape the repurchase intentions. Therefore, product returns do not contribute toward customer satisfaction and also do not shape the intentions of business-to-business customers to repurchase from the same supplier after having even a good product return experience in past. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT: This article investigates the role of wisdom in management decision‐making. In one of the first empirical studies investigating wisdom and management, 37 CEOs, top managers, and senior executives were interviewed about their perspectives on the concept of wisdom in the business context and its role in management decision‐making; the data were analyzed using grounded theory methodology. The findings introduce a grounded construct of Wise Management Decision‐making, in which wise decision‐making is understood as an integrated cogni‐emotional, reflective process that accounts for internal and external conditions related to the decision, which is made with the well‐being of the greatest number of stakeholders in mind. The findings both confirm and challenge previous conceptual studies of wisdom and provide a practical approach to wise management decision‐making. The implications of this study are significant as they broaden the view of the practicability of wisdom in management and add greater understanding of the complex nature of decision‐making in the business context. For managers, developing wise decision‐making abilities in situ should be considered an integrated and multidimensional practice, one that can be learned. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Business process management (BPM) examines how work is performed in organizations. As environmental sustainability and context awareness are important to organizations, this study addresses two BPM calls. First, it focuses on the ecological impact of business processes. Second, this research recognizes the effect of an organization's business context when applying BPM. We have developed hypotheses to statistically analyze the effect of organization location, sector, size, and competitiveness (i.e., as contextual factors) on Green BPM adoption (RQ1). Additionally, the study reveals which BPM capabilities contribute more to an organization's society‐related performance (RQ2). The research questions were examined by means of a correlation analysis, hypothesis testing, and a regression analysis. The data set contained 100 BPM‐related responses from 403 high‐level managers, working in the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, and India. For RQ1, we found a strong dependency between Green BPM adoption and organization size and competitiveness. For RQ2, although all BPM capabilities are positively linked to society‐related performance, four of them are of the highest importance, namely: (1) process‐based external relationships; (2) process‐oriented values, attitudes, and behaviors; (3) process‐oriented organization chart; and (4) process‐oriented governance bodies. We conclude with a discussion of these results, and we offer Green BPM decision‐making advice to practitioners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, the concept of resilience has gained new momentum in organization studies. It is held to be a very promising concept to explain how organizations can survive and thrive amidst adversity or turbulence. However, findings from an earlier review about resilience in the organizational and business context show that, although empirical research on the concept has increased, there is still a need for more clarity in terms of its measurement. The aim of this paper is to present a systematic review of the organizational resilience construct that covers both conceptual and operational issues. We discuss why researchers criticize resilience for being fuzzy and move on to identify and analyse existing literature under the lens of construct development and taxonomies. With this study, we aim to point out conceptual problems for future researchers to address conceptual clarity and to develop a clearer, more parsimonious concept. We conclude with a suggestion about future measurement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research explores the interrelationships between internal and external factors, business process management (BPM) capability of garment‐based SMEs, and the IT that matches this capability. Multiple case studies are conducted in three SMEs in East Java, Indonesia. The data is collected using in‐depth interviews with the owners and employees of SMEs. A grounded theory approach is used to analyze the findings. Analysis of the three cases found two main factors that affect the BPM in the garment SMEs. The first is the owner's business aptitude and expertise, and the second is the connection between external factors, business context and business strategy. Business strategy is closely related to the way SMEs define their business process, organize their employees, and develop culture. The BPM capabilities needed by SMEs in Indonesia include business process documentation and business process improvement. The business process and business process capability determine the IT needs of garment SMEs. IT is used to support sales, marketing, and payment processes in the three case companies. SMEs are very careful about their IT investment decisions due to resource constraints. SMEs will choose IT systems requiring minimal investment which are less risky to implement, such as social media and the e‐marketplace. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Systems Thinking can be applied to anything. This paper explores an important application of Systems Thinking ‐ to identify the capability needed by an organization to engineer products and services and so produce value for its customers and for the enterprise. The work draws upon work in the authors' company to develop and deliver the engineering capability necessary for the business context. It draws upon the ideas of capability, but adapts them to the idea of the effect of the capability being used to produce systems. The issue is the understanding of the capability needed to engineer capability as a system, and how that understanding can be used to both ensure capability is complete and can be prioritized. Recent experience in identification and prioritization of capability needs to engineer a product (which includes but is not limited to Systems Engineering) in the authors' organization is explored in this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The United Kingdom's widespread use of low‐skill, low‐paid employment has been well documented. It has been argued internal labour markets (ILMs) benefit such workers, affording them with opportunities for progression. Relatively little is known, however, about the impact of ILMs on entry level workers undertaking routinised service sector work. Drawing on qualitative data, this article explores the prospects on offer in a market leading, fast food multinational company. Potential enabling features include on‐the‐job training, a transparent and integrated pay structure and a professed culture of progression. Occupational movements to positions above the low‐pay threshold are, however, relatively rare. We conjecture this contradiction is the result of the business context in which the firm operates. The findings suggest that in sectors where price leadership strategies dominate, escape from low pay is likely to be exceptional, even within large organisations featuring some of the classic characteristics of 'pure' or strong ILMs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using a sample of US firms from 2003–2014, this study examines how the executive pay gap affects audit fees for firms with different levels of R&D investment and institutional ownership. Consistent with managerial power theory, we find that the executive pay gap is positively associated with audit fees, and that the positive association is attenuated by intense R&D investment and higher institutional ownership. We also find that the executive pay gap more strongly affects audit fees after the passage of the 2010 Dodd–Frank Act and the PCAOB's 2012 call to identify the audit risk related to executive incentive compensation. Additional analyses show that the moderating effects of R&D investment and institutional ownership on the pay gap–audit fees association are not conditional on auditor tenure, but the moderating effect of institutional ownership is stronger for firms hiring specialist auditors. Collectively, our findings suggest that auditors consider the business context, such as innovation initiative and external monitoring, when assessing audit risk related to the executive pay gap. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]