Showing papers on "Empirical research published in 2023"

Analyzing frame analysis: A critical review of framing studies in social movement research

Abstract: This critical review of more than three decades of studies of frames and framing in Social Movement (SM) research first offers a brief history of the notion of ‘frame’ in various disciplines, and then discusses empirical studies of frame alignment, frame disputes, frame resonance and master frames, among other notions. It is found that the very notion of discursive of cognitive frames remains very vague in these studies, and what are actually studied are for instance, beliefs, attitudes, goals, ideologies or values, especially how they are expressed in discourse. Also studies of relations between frames and culture, identity and discourse show that the notions of frames and framing are theoretically and methodologically unsatisfactory in empirical studies. It is concluded that the methods of the cultural paradigm of SM research may take advantage of the advances of more explicit methods in the study of language, discourse, interaction and cognition.

New work design for knowledge creation and sustainability: An empirical study of coworking-spaces

Abstract: New Work, such as in coworking-spaces, offers greater task autonomy alongside permeable spatial, task, team, and leadership boundaries as compared to traditional work structures. New Work in coworking-spaces provides several advantages for sustainability and knowledge creation, yet it also faces competition and knowledge leakage risks. To understand the nexus of knowledge transfer and sustainability in New Work, we study the processes in coworking-spaces through interviews, observations, and secondary data. We compare environments with low- and high-sustainability targets of coworking-spaces. The results reveal that coworking-spaces can prime their audiences by exposing sustainability in their manifestos, communities, and physical spaces. Knowledge-sharing occurs in different zones of coworking-spaces in the forms of inspiration, problem-solving, synthesizing, and co-creation. The sustainability of coworking-spaces and knowledge-sharing therein is influenced by a shared community nested in the local environment. We develop a model of knowledge creation processes depending on the exposure of a coworking-space’s sustainability targets.

A systematic review on peer assessment: intrapersonal and interpersonal factors

Abstract: Peer assessment is a popular research topic as it takes place in various educational settings around the globe. Due to its nature, a number of intrapersonal and interpersonal factors are involved in its implementation. Empirical research on these factors in peer assessment has been increasing in the last years and our aim is to systematically review them to extract conclusions about the relationships between peer assessment and intrapersonal and interpersonal factors. Using different search strategies, we reviewed 69 articles. We investigated: (1) the characteristics of the included studies, (2) the trends in the bidirectional relationships of intrapersonal  peer assessment and interpersonal  peer assessment, (3) the empirical findings in the relationships between intrapersonal factors and peer assessment, and (4) the empirical findings in the relationships between interpersonal factors and peer assessment. We have identified six intrapersonal factors: motivation, self-efficacy, emotions, trust in the self as assessor, fairness, and comfort; and five interpersonal factors: social connections, trust in the other as assessor, psychological safety, value diversity/congruence, and interdependence. The results showed clear directions for some of those factors and are preliminary in some of the others. This review offers directions to improve the quality of peer assessment research and explores the role of bidirectionality for future research, including an instrument to report the characteristics of future peer assessment studies to facilitate better reports and research designs.

Green Innovation as a Mediator between Green Human Resource Management Practices and Sustainable Performance in Palestinian Manufacturing Industries

Abstract: Green human resources management (GHRM) is a critical research issue that has emerged in recent decades. This study aims to investigate the effect of GHRM practices on sustainable performance, with green innovation as a mediating variable, in manufacturing firms in Palestine. To this end, a research model was developed, and a self-administered questionnaire was designed and distributed to a random sample of top management personnel in manufacturing firms in Palestine. The research model was assessed via the partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) using the Smart-PLS software, based on a sample of 58 responses. The model revealed that GHRM practices, green innovation, and sustainable performance are implemented at a moderate level. Moreover, the results confirmed that GHRM practices and green innovation have significant positive effects on sustainable performance. GHRM practices also positively and significantly affect green innovation. Green innovation partially mediates the relation between GHRM practices and sustainable performance. The results of this research present a conceptual framework and a guideline for policymakers in manufacturing firms on how to use GHRM practices to strengthen employees’ commitment to the environment in order to maximize sustainable performance. Furthermore, the study provides a holistic view of GHRM practices, green innovation, and sustainable performance; such a perspective is considered a foundation for future research directions and provides empirical evidence about the relationships between these variables.

Evaluation of data analytics-oriented business intelligence technology effectiveness: an enterprise-level analysis

Abstract: PurposeA crucial question still remains unanswered as to whether data analytics-oriented business intelligence (hereafter, BI) technologies can bring organizational value and benefits. Thereby, several researchers called for further empirical research to extend the limited knowledge in this critical area. In an attempt to deal with this issue, we presented and tested a theoretical model to assess BI effectiveness at the organizational benefits level in this research article.Design/methodology/approachThe suggested research model expands the application of the DeLone and McLean model in BI technology success or effectiveness research from individual level to organizational level. A cross-sectional survey is developed to obtain primary quantitative data from business and technology managers who are depending on BI technologies to make operational, technical and strategic decisions in Jordanian-listed firms.FindingsEmpirical findings show that system quality, information quality and training quality are significant predictors of user satisfaction, but not of perceived benefit. Data quality was found to be a strong predictor of both perceived benefit and user satisfaction. The influence of perceived benefit on user satisfaction was significant in turn both factors positively affect organizational benefits.Originality/valueThis research paper is a pioneering effort to assess BI technology effectiveness at an organizational level outside the context of developed countries. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, no prior research has combined all dimensions used in this research in one single model.

Empirical research on policy integration: a review and new directions

Abstract: Abstract Research on policy integration has become an important part of public policy scholarship by analyzing how policymakers create linkages between policy subsystems to deal with complex policy problems. To develop this research program further, it is crucial to know how policy integration relates to broader theoretical and methodological developments in the field of public policy studies. This article reviews the empirical literature on policy integration in the last 10 years focusing on concepts, theories, research design, and methods, drawing upon a sample of 413 articles. Results show no systematic patterns in how these four dimensions combine in policy integration research. Above all, stages and theories of the policy process appear to be incorporated in policy integration studies only to a very limited extent. These findings point to four new directions for policy integration research: (1) Striking a balance between conceptual richness and consolidation regarding “policy integration”; (2) An increased focus on the evaluation of integrated policies; (3) More attention to actor-oriented and explanatory theories; (4) The potential for combining qualitative and quantitative methods of data analysis.

Social Media and Impact of Altruistic Motivation, Egoistic Motivation, Subjective Norms, and EWOM toward Green Consumption Behavior: An Empirical Investigation

Abstract: Nowadays, green consumerism is a global trend in the era of the 21st century, prompting businesses to become more environmentally conscious and to build a robust green product range to meet the demands of new customers. This tendency has been aided by social media, which has influenced customers’ buying intentions to be more ecologically responsible. The current study investigates the effects of web-based media on motivation, i.e., egotism and altruism and, subsequently, its effect on the intention of green buying. This paper also attempts to assess the impact of subjective norms on the intention of green buying and, subsequently, its effect on green purchase behavior by incorporating the construct EWOM. Administering the structured questionnaire, 362 young Indian customers’ responses were collected. The Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) approach was applied to test the suggested conceptual model based on empirical research. The findings point to the significance of social media in terms of altruistic motivation, egoistic motivation, and subjective norms, s well as the job of these components as predecessors of green purchasing intention and, subsequently, purchase behavior. The findings also demonstrate the impact of EWOM in influencing buying decisions. The findings of this paper demonstrates that social media, as a well spring of information, contribute pivotal ingredients in the establishment of consumer motivation. These consumer motivations with subjective norms play an essential role in positive green purchase intention. Green buying intention and EWOM had a favorable influence on buying behavior, according to the findings. The findings are important for marketers who would like to improve their social media communication tactics in order to raise customer motivation and buying intention, as well as buying behavior, for green products.

Digital Economy, Industrial Structure, and Environmental Quality: Assessing the Roles of Educational Investment, Green Innovation, and Economic Globalization

Abstract: This study constructs a digital economy (DE) index and explores its impact on environmental quality by utilizing data from China’s 287 prefecture-level cities from 2013 to 2019. Unlike past studies, this research examines the indirect effect of DE on environmental pollution through the channels of industrial structure and educational investment. Further, it also analyzes the moderating role of economic globalization and green technology innovation in the nexus between DE and environmental quality. The empirical results indicate that DE significantly and positively enhances environmental quality by mitigating environmental pollution. This outcome remained stable after a series of empirical analyses and stability checks. Secondly, DE positively affects ecological and environmental quality by improving education levels and upgrading industrial structures. Thirdly, green technological innovation and economic globalization positively and significantly moderate the effect of DE development on ecological and environmental quality. Fourthly, associations between the development of DE and environmental quality are heterogeneous in terms of regions and markets, among which the most significant impact exists in the eastern area and the area with higher marketization. Based on the empirical findings, this paper provides comprehensive recommendations for promoting the DE and advancing China’s environmental quality. Based on the results, important policy implications are suggested.

Barriers and Drivers for Changes in Circular Business Models in a Textile Recycling Sector: Results of Qualitative Empirical Research

Abstract: The growing environmental problems associated with the dumping of large amounts of textile waste and the demand for circular products are prompting textile waste recycling enterprises to develop circular business models (CBMs). This implies a radical change in the way some enterprises operate to obtain growth. Considering the importance of the drivers of and barriers for the adoption and implementation of CBMs in the textile recycling sector, it is claimed that the comprehension of these factors to CBMs is limited and deserves more attention in empirical research. Therefore, our research investigates the antecedents of circular business models in the textile recycling sector by highlighting influencing factors. The aim of the article is to explore the main enhancing and inhibiting factors in the development of circular business models on the example of a large enterprise operating for 30 years in the textile recycling sector. In this study, a case study design of mixed methods, including semi-structured interviews with a business practitioner and the data presented on the websites of the surveyed enterprise, is used. The results suggest that main enhancing factors are relevant regulations at the European level, appropriate technologies and digitisation, and increasing social and environmental awareness of consumers and managerial capabilities. However, inhibiting factors are supply chain complexity and supply chain collaboration in connection with a large scale of business in crisis situations, a large scope and range of geographic diversification of outlets in the perspective of the consequences of the information gap, and readiness to take the so-called “being the first in the market” risk. In practice, this means that general drivers of the CBMs may facilitate the reuse of second-hand clothing and recycling of textiles for other new products as the primary CE action. On the other hand, enterprises have to overcome a number of technological barriers, and in the case of the textile recycling sector, it is necessary to understand which barriers they face to take appropriate actions. Research findings indicate factors that may be the subject of intervention or support of managers or policymakers. This study has practical implications and suggests future study paths.

Assessment of digital maturity: the role of resources and capabilities in digital transformation in B2B firms

Abstract: Digital transformation is a major organisational challenge for manufacturing firms due to the extremely low success rate of such transformations to date. Capability Maturity theory suggests that firms need to develop digital transformation capability incrementally by focusing on a ‘vital few’ improvement priorities for advancing progress. The practitioner literature lacks empirical studies that validate extant capability maturity models (CMM) for digital transformation despite their importance. Moreover, there is a lack of assessment methods, and those that exist do not specify improvement points explicitly, nor prioritise them. Our research aims to address this gap through a systematic, quantitative analysis of digital capability by understanding the deployment of IT-enabled resources. Based on a sample of 302 manufacturing firms, results indicate that the digital transformation stages are punctuated by various resource-capability combinations. Results highlight that strategy- and organisation-related IT-enabled resources are the key drivers of digital transformation. We also observe that as a firm’s digital capability grows at each maturity stage, successively greater IT-enabled resources are required to support this in a stepwise function. To succeed, firms should be incentivised and supported to think beyond technology and develop five specific digital capabilities simultaneously. We also indicate the limitations that underlie our empirical work.

How historical and social aspirations reshape the relationship between corporate financial performance and corporate social responsibility

Abstract: Integrating the behavioral theory of the firm into the discussion on why firms behave in socially responsible ways, the study here develops and empirically tests hypotheses articulating when and how past corporate financial performance (CFP) might lead to more or less engagement in corporate social responsibility (CSR). Rather than treating historical and social aspirations as comparable performance benchmarks that yield similar behavioral responses, as most prior studies do, these two modes of performance comparison may induce signals that executives interpret differently, and therefore may lead to conflicting firm responses towards CSR initiatives. Using panel data pertaining to a large sample of U.S. firms, the study finds that historical and social performance comparisons have differential effects on CSR engagement. The findings describe how different interpretations of achievement influence firm’s engagement in secondary activities concerning environmental and social issues—a topic that has received very little attention in prior empirical research.

Making sense of the digital badging landscape in education and workplace settings: a scoping review of the empirical literature

Abstract: Purpose The concept of digital badges (DBs) as a form of microcredentialing has gained considerable traction in higher education and workplace settings in recent years. This scoping review aims to map the empirical research conducted on DBs in higher education and workplace settings. Design/methodology/approach The design of this study is a scoping literature review. This scoping review adopts the five-stage scoping framework proposed by Arksey and O’Malley (2005). Findings Based upon our review of the 45 studies that comprised this scoping review of the empirical literature on DBs, we advance a typology that segments the empirical research based on whether DBs are used as pedagogical tools (PTs) or microcredentials. The authors found some confusion regarding nomenclature, numerous theories offered to explain DBs and divergent findings that suggest room for further exploration of this relatively new phenomenon. Originality/value This scoping review of the literature helps make sense of the emerging research landscape on DBs. The findings suggest that using DBs as a PT or as a microcredential has implications for a wide range of stakeholders regarding promoting lifelong learning, upskilling and reskilling the workforce. With the financial constraints facing higher education in a postpandemic environment, understanding the impact of DBs is needed before making an investment in this arena.

Exploring thematic influences on theme park visitors' satisfaction: An empirical study on Disneyland China

Abstract: This study aims to explore thematic influences on theme park visitors' satisfaction through user-generated data. To this end, we first used an unsupervised machine learning method, structural topic modeling, and analyzed 112,000 reviews post by visitors to Shanghai Disney Resort from June 16, 2016 to March 4, 2022. Our findings are of great significance for reflecting consumer behavior through user-generated data. Specifically, we find that visitors' satisfaction is highly related to service in the theme park and their playing feeling, and early tourists pay more attention to the experience of specific playing items while later tourists focus on the overall playing experience. In addition, an empirical study is conducted by treating the ratings associated with each review as dependent variable and each topic represented by comments as independent variables, which shows that the relationship between the customer reviews and ratings by tourists becomes less pronounced over time. In other words, as time goes, customers review can reflect their subjective feelings or experience, but the rating is not. We discover the “dynamics” of user-generated data over time and gain a better understanding of the aspects and concerns of visitors' satisfaction over time. The findings of the study contribute to the literature on tourism, service, and consumer behavior while also providing valuable practical implications.

EXPRESS: A Meta-Analysis of Brand Extension Success: The Effects of Parent Brand Equity and Extension Fit

Abstract: Given the high failure rates of brand extensions, insights into the drivers of brand extension success are critical for marketing practitioners and scholars. Prior research has inferred that parent brand equity and extension fit are the two key success drivers; however, empirical findings are mixed. Drawing on signaling theory, categorization theory, and a large database of 2,134 effect sizes from research spanning 1990–2020, the authors address these mixed findings through a meta-analysis to develop empirical generalizations. The results show that parent brand equity and extension fit positively influence extension success. However, the multifaceted dimensions of these two drivers have differential effects. For example, among the fit dimensions, usage fit has the weakest effect. While the results suggest an overall positive interaction effect between the two drivers, a fine-grained perspective that considers the drivers’ various dimensions reveals differences. For example, brand familiarity appears to have a lower interaction effect with extension fit than the other dimensions of parent brand equity. Furthermore, the authors provide a comprehensive analysis of five groups of moderators: contextual factors (parent brand, extension, communication, and consumer factors) and research method factors. The authors offer managerial and future research implications for the design of brand extension strategies.

How Does Intelligent Manufacturing Affect the ESG Performance of Manufacturing Firms? Evidence from China

Abstract: It is no longer possible for China’s economy to grow by relying on the rapid expansion of manufacturing. On the one hand, China’s previous rough manufacturing development pattern seriously harmed the environment. On the other hand, China’s manufacturing productivity and international competitiveness have decreased as a result of the disappearance of demographic dividends and growing labor costs. China’s manufacturing firms must simultaneously increase productivity while lowering environmental pollution. This study, which takes intelligent manufacturing pilot demonstration projects as a quasi-natural experiment, investigates the impact of intelligent manufacturing (IM) on environmental, social and governance (ESG) performance using data from 2149 listed manufacturing firms in China from 2009 to 2021. The results indicate that ESG performance of the listed firms could be improved using IM. The heterogeneity test reveals that IM in non-state-owned firms helps to improve ESG performance at the 1% significance level, while the effect is not significant in state-owned firms. Moreover, the effect in eastern China is significant at the 1% level and at the 5% level in western China, but not significant in central and northeastern China. The two channels through which IM improves corporate ESG performance are promoting innovation investment and improving the quality of the information environment. This study also verifies that both internal and external supervision could strengthen the positive impact of IM on corporate ESG performance, which provides empirical evidence for strengthening the supervision of manufacturing firms. The conclusions of the study reveal the internal force of manufacturing firms to improve ESG performance and also provide theoretical support for their implementation of IM projects.

Consumer participation in reusable resource allocation schemes: A theoretical conceptualization and empirical examination of Korean consumers

Abstract: • Antecedents of consumers’ behavioral intention to use reusable delivery bags are identified. • A conceptual framework is constructed by synthesizing Maslow's hierarchy of needs, technology acceptance model, and identity-based view. • Hierarchical needs determine the perceived usefulness and self-identity of consumers. • The mediating roles of perceived usefulness and self-identity are investigated. • Drivers of consumer intention to use reusable delivery bags vary by gender. In recent years, reusable delivery bags (RDB) have attracted considerable attention as a practice of reusable resource allocation schemes. However, little is known regarding the determinants of consumers’ behavioral intention to use RDB. This study develops a model for the impact of usefulness- and identity-mediated hierarchical needs on behavioral intentions using Maslow's hierarchy of needs, the technology acceptance model, and identity-based motivation theory. A questionnaire survey was undertaken in Korea, and 468 samples were collected for analysis using structural equation modeling. The results show that reliability, perceived safety, social influence, and social impression positively impact consumers’ behavioral intention through the conduction of perceived usefulness. Simultaneously, through the positive mediating effect of self-identity, social influence and social impression affect the propensity to utilize reusable express bags. These findings offer compelling evidence and make significant contributions to the design of corporate resource allocation methods.

The Role of Information and Communication Technology in Managing Supply Chains in Base-of-the-Pyramid Markets

Abstract: The rapid development of information and communication technology (ICT) has created opportunities for supply chain performance improvements to address challenges in base-of-the-pyramid (BoP) contexts. The article aims to analyze how ICTs that provide information, financial access, and transaction applications serve as enablers for transaction cost (TC) reductions and supply chain management (SCM) improvements in the agricultural sector. The objectives of the article are reached by deducting explanations from a framework of existing TC and SCM theories while analyzing six exemplary case studies in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. ICT enables the BoP market to improve its SCM activities. Three different ICT models can be identified: Some ICTs impact 1) information flows only, while others influence 2) financial flows or 3) material flows. TC reductions in the form of screening and selection, measurement, communication, negotiation, and coordination costs serve as explanations and theoretical foundations for these models. Future empirical research should evaluate the application of ICTs in more detail and validate the proposed framework with the help of other methods. The current study will help BoP actors, such as farmers or agricultural dealers, capture more value and reduce poverty through TC reductions and improved SCM. The findings are also applicable to other small businesses considering their industrial contexts. The main contribution of the article is that it brings together theoretical arguments from TC theory, SCM, and practical ICT developments in BoP markets. The framework provides a foundation for developing more in-depth empirical research.

Information multidimensionality in online customer reviews

Abstract: Online customer reviews, as customer experience sharing, contain multiple dimensions of information that have rarely been systematically examined in prior research. Drawing from the customer experience literature, this research analyzes four dimensions of information embedded in online product reviews—namely, sensory information, cognitive information, affective information, and social information—and illustrates their importance by examining their diagnostic value to prospective customers. An empirical study on Amazon online reviews confirms that all four dimensions of information have significant effects on the diagnostic value of online reviews to prospective customers. Moreover, these effects are heterogeneous, contingent on the contextual conditions of product categories and review opinions. The study and findings of information multidimensionality provide a sound framework to glean insights into the rich content in online reviews and other electronic word-of-mouth content, which is crucial to understand customers’ pre-purchase information needs and experience journeys.

Women Opposition Leaders: Conceptual Issues and Empirical Agendas

Abstract: This thematic issue provides the first comprehensive overview of women opposition leaders and their performance. Setting the stage for a new research agenda, this editorial piece integrates theoretical and empirical insights at the intersection of three distinct research areas: political opposition, political leadership, and gender and politics. It discusses various notions of opposition leaders and identifies three main lines of inquiry: (a) career pathways and trajectories, (b) patterns of selection and de-selection, and (c) the actual and perceived performance of women’s oppositional leadership. Applying a variety of theoretical and methodological approaches, this collection of original articles captures the diversity of women opposition leaders, their career trajectories, and their exercise of leadership across different political regimes and world regions.