The challenge of preserving Hong Kong’s successful anti-corruption system

2017 ◽  
Vol 6 (3) ◽  
pp. 227-237
Author(s):  
Ian Scott

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the factors explaining the success of Hong Kong’s Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) and the challenges which it faces in maintaining that success. Design/methodology/approach Utilising a review of primary and secondary sources, a syndrome of success characteristics is developed and analysed against a backdrop of recent high-level scandals involving corruption and unethical behaviour. Findings The paper concludes that the institutionalisation of key structures and processes has enabled the ICAC to perform successfully to date but that the prospect of political interference may represent a significant future challenge. Originality/value Although there has been widespread attention to ICAC success factors, some important features have been neglected and little academic attention has been devoted to recent political challenges to its position.

2018 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 18-29
Author(s):  
Ian Ritchie ◽  
Kathryn Henne

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to assess the institutional mechanisms for combating doping in high-level sport, including the trend toward using legalistic frameworks, and how they contribute to notions of deviance. Design/methodology/approach A historical approach informed by recent criminological adaptations of genealogy was utilized, using primary and secondary sources. Findings Three time periods involving distinct frameworks for combating doping were identified, each with their own advantages and limitations: pre-1967, post-1967 up until the creation of the World Anti-Doping Agency in 1999, and post-1999. Originality/value This study contextualizes the recent legalistic turn toward combating doping in sport, bringing greater understanding to the limitations of present anti-doping practices.


2020 ◽  
Vol 27 (3) ◽  
pp. 755-770
Author(s):  
Maria Krambia-Kapardis

Purpose The purpose of this study is to develop a profile of whistleblowers and to determine whether whistleblowing legislation would encourage those individuals to bring to light some illegal or unethical behaviour that otherwise would remain in the shadows. Design/methodology/approach Having identified whistleblowing correlation, a survey was carried out in Cyprus of actual whistleblowers and could-have-been whistleblowers. Findings Males between 46 and55 years of age, regardless of whether they have dependents or hold senior positions in organizations are significantly more likely to blow the whistle. However, could-have-been whistleblowers did not go ahead because they felt that the authorities would not act on their information. Research limitations/implications Because of the sensitive nature of the research topic and the fact that only whistleblowers or intended whistleblowers could participate in the study, the sample size is limited as a result. This, in turn, limits both the number of respondents in each category (actual and intended) as well as constrains the statistical analysis that could be carried out on the data. Practical implications It remains to be seen whether EU Member States shall implement the European Directive 2019/1937 on the protection of persons who report breaches of Union Law, in its entirety by the due date, namely December 2021. Originality/value This study provides a literature review of whistleblowing and reports an original survey against the backdrop of the European Directive.


2014 ◽  
Vol 26 (6) ◽  
pp. 639-649 ◽  
Author(s):  
Petter Stenmark ◽  
Johan Lilja

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to introduce a methodology that can support the process of understanding and designing for the satisfaction of high-level needs in practice. The satisfaction of high-level needs has seldom been in focus when it comes to customer satisfaction surveys or the process of new product or service development. However, needs do occur on various levels, and the satisfaction of high-level needs actually appears to have the greatest potential for the creation of loyalty among customers and customer satisfaction. The satisfaction of high-level needs has furthermore been pointed out as a strategy for the creation of attractive quality. Design/methodology/approach – The paper is based on literature studies and the application of the Ideation Need Mapping (INM) methodology in a specific case. Findings – The paper presents the INM methodology that could be used for guiding product and service innovation in practice. More specifically, the methodology supports the process of understanding and designing for the satisfaction of high-level needs. Originality/value – This paper aims to contribute to envisioning and demonstrating how the understanding of, and design for, satisfaction of high-level needs can be done in practice.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Amanda Kennedy ◽  
Stacey M. Baxter ◽  
Alicia Kulczynski

Purpose This paper aims to examine the importance of celebrity brands in influencing consumer perceptions of celebrity authenticity, which drives positive consumer attitudes and intentions. In addition, the notion of low-celebrity investment is investigated as a factor that diminishes the positive outcomes associated with celebrity brands. Design/methodology/approach Study 1 examines the effect of brand situation (endorsement versus celebrity brand) on consumer attitudes and intentions. Studies 2 and 3 investigate the role of celebrity authenticity in explaining the effects observed in Study 1. Study 4 examines celebrity investment as a bound of the phenomenon. Findings Study 1 demonstrates that consumers report heightened attitudes and intentions towards celebrity brands when compared to endorsements. Studies 2 and 3 provide evidence that authenticity explains the effects observed in Study 1. Results of Study 4 show that when consumers are aware of low-celebrity investment, the celebrity is viewed as inauthentic regardless of brand situation. Research limitations/implications This research is limited as it focuses only on known celebrity endorsers who were matched with products that had a high level of fit. In addition, purchase intentions were measured as opposed to the study of actual purchase behaviour. Practical implications This research has important implications for the development of endorsements and celebrity brands by demonstrating that consumers view celebrities as authentic when they are involved with brands for reasons other than monetary compensation. Originality/value This research shows that consumers have heightened attitudes and intentions towards celebrity brands compared to endorsements. This research identifies celebrity authenticity as the process underlying the observed phenomenon. However, celebrity investment is identified as a boundary condition demonstrating that knowledge of low investment results in a celebrity being viewed as inauthentic.


2021 ◽  
Vol 35 (9) ◽  
pp. 15-27
Author(s):  
Magnus Söderlund

Purpose This study aims to examine humans’ reactions to service robots’ display of warmth in robot-to-robot interactions – a setting in which humans’ impressions of a service robot will not only be based on what this robot does in relation to humans, but also on what it does to other robots. Design/methodology/approach Service robot display of warmth was manipulated in an experimental setting in such a way that a service robot A expressed low versus high levels of warmth in relation to another service robot B. Findings The results indicate that a high level of warmth expressed by robot A vis-à-vis robot B boosted humans’ overall evaluations of A, and that this influence was mediated by the perceived humanness and the perceived happiness of A. Originality/value Numerous studies have examined humans’ reactions when they interact with a service robot or other synthetic agents that provide service. Future service encounters, however, will comprise also multi-robot systems, which means that there will be many opportunities for humans to be exposed to robot-to-robot interactions. Yet, this setting has hitherto rarely been examined in the service literature.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Fernanda Kalil Steinbruch ◽  
Bernardo Soares Fernandes ◽  
Leandro da Silva Nascimento ◽  
Paulo Antônio Zawislak

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to identify the main activities that startups outsource and the elements involved in outsourcing decisions. Design/methodology/approach A multi-case study composed of Brazilian startups was conducted. Data through interviews and secondary sources were obtained. Two groups of startups were considered and analyzed comparatively: startups in the development stage and in the sales stage. Findings The findings show that even though the literature suggests that the core business should not be outsourced, some startups do have to outsource this kind of activity. That was the main difference found between startups in the sales stage and in the development stage: the former group has a solid structure, knowledge and resources, so they can keep the core business inside the firm; whereas the latter group has little experience, scarce knowledge and resources, making outsourcing a more attractive alternative. Originality/value Theoretically, this paper approaches a perspective underexplored in the innovation and management literature: outsourcing in startups. It highlights how outsourcing, as a decision between making and buying, can help startups to improve success potential. In practice, this paper discusses and demonstrates why and what can be outsourced by startups in the development and in the sales stages to overcome their limitations and, consequently, achieve better innovative results.


2019 ◽  
Vol 35 (1) ◽  
pp. 19-21

Purpose This paper reviews the latest management developments across the globe and pinpoints practical implications from cutting-edge research and case studies. Design/methodology/approach This briefing is prepared by an independent writer who adds their own impartial comments and places the articles in context. Findings If you search images of the word “strategy” on the internet, three of the first seven images to appear on Google (other search engines are available) include chess pieces, while two of the top ten hits involve light bulbs. Aside from the obvious conclusions that any strategic discussion should either involve chess grand masters or well-lit rooms, it is clear that most people assume winning games with lots of moves are possible is the key to a successful strategy. But is this a valid analogy, even at a high level? Originality/value The briefing saves busy executives and researchers hours of reading time by selecting only the very best, most pertinent information and presenting it in a condensed and easy-to-digest format.


2020 ◽  
Vol 15 (3) ◽  
pp. 411-430
Author(s):  
Agnieszka Kurczewska ◽  
Michał Mackiewicz

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to identify human capital factors that pertain both to setting up and successfully running a business. To achieve this objective, the authors apply and extend the theory of career choice offered by Lazear (2005) that explains individual selection into entrepreneurship.Design/methodology/approachThe authors hypothesise that individuals with broader educational and professional backgrounds are more likely to start a business and are more likely to run a business in the long term. The authors tested the hypotheses using unique data from 800 current entrepreneurs, 800 employees who were previously entrepreneurs and 842 employees with no entrepreneurial experience, by means of a logit regression with robust standard errors and extensive robustness checks.FindingsThe authors empirically show that individuals with more diverse educational and professional backgrounds tend to have both greater chances of starting a company, as well as a higher probability of entrepreneurial success. Surprisingly, having managerial experience proved to exert a negative influence on the likelihood of starting a business while having an insignificant impact on the odds of entrepreneurial success.Research limitations/implicationsThe findings are informative for those planning or pursuing an entrepreneurial career, but they are also relevant for the purpose of entrepreneurship education.Originality/valueThe author's extend the body of research supporting Lazear's (2005) theory by showing that broad education and professional experience not only contribute to a higher propensity to start a company but they are also success factors in business per se.


2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 303-314 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jin-Wook Choi

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine how corruption has changed over time in South Korea and to explore how the corruption control and prevention efforts of the Korean government have been successful and failed. Design/methodology/approach This paper draws on institutional theory to formulate a qualitative analysis to assess the effectiveness of anti-corruption policies and measures, and to identify the strengths and weaknesses of anti-corruption reform efforts in South Korea. Findings This paper argues that while the Korean government has been quite successful in building anti-corruption institutions to control low-level petty corruption, it has failed to institutionalize anti-corruption institutions to curb high-level grand corruption. Originality/value While many studies have attempted to identify the successful factors of fighting corruption, this paper draws a theoretical distinction between institution-building vs institutionalization to examine the success and failure of corruption control and prevention efforts in South Korea.


2018 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 544-559 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mahfuzur Rahman ◽  
Mohamed Albaity ◽  
Che Ruhana Isa ◽  
Nurul Azma

Purpose This study aims to concern with Malaysian consumer involvement in fashion clothing. To achieve this, materialism, fashion clothing involvement and religiosity are examined as drivers of fashion clothing purchase involvement. Design/methodology/approach Gender, race and age are explored to have better understanding of fashion clothing purchase involvement in Malaysia. Data were gathered using a Malaysian university student sample, resulting in 281 completed questionnaires. Findings The results support the study’s model and its hypotheses and indicate that materialism, fashion clothing involvement and religiosity are significant drivers of fashion clothing purchase involvement. Also, materialism is a significant driver of fashion clothing involvement, and fashion clothing involvement mediates the relationship between materialism and fashion clothing purchase involvement. The results also show that Malaysian youth do not possess a high level of materialistic tendencies. Originality/value This study offers enormous opportunities for the international apparel marketers to formulate relevant business policies and strategies.


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