A failure before analysis: the soup to nuts of preparing for multicountry analyses

2016 ◽  
Vol 23 (4) ◽  
pp. 590-612 ◽  
Author(s):  
Charlotte M. Karam ◽  
David A. Ralston
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
Cross Cultural ◽  
Data Sets ◽  
Review Of The Literature ◽  
Empirical Relationships ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Team Members ◽  
Building Trust ◽  
Key Issues

Purpose A large and growing number of researchers set out to cross-culturally examine empirical relationships. The purpose of this paper is to provide researchers, who are new to multicountry investigations, a discussion of the issues that one needs to address in order to be properly prepared to begin the cross-cultural analyses of relationships. Design/methodology/approach Thus, the authors consider two uniquely different but integrally connected challenges to getting ready to conduct the relevant analyses for just such multicountry studies. The first challenge is to collect the data. The second challenge is to prepare (clean) the collected data for analysis. Accordingly, the authors divide this paper into two parts to discuss the steps involved in both for multicountry studies. Findings The authors highlight the fact that in the process of collecting, there are a number of key issues that should be kept in mind including building trust with new team members, leading the team, and determining sufficient contribution of team members for authorship. Subsequently, the authors draw the reader’s attention to the equally important, but often-overlooked, data cleaning process and the steps that constitute it. This is important because failing to take serious the quality of the data can lead to violations of assumptions and mis-estimations of parameters and effects. Originality/value This paper provides a useful guide to assist researchers who are engaged in data collection and cleaning efforts with multiple country data sets. The review of the literature indicated how truly important a guideline of this nature is, given the expanding nature of cross-cultural investigations.

Website traffic measurement and rankings: competitive intelligence tools examination

2018 ◽  
Vol 14 (4) ◽  
pp. 423-437 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Prantl ◽  
Martin Prantl
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
State Of The Art ◽  
Competitive Intelligence ◽  
Data Sets ◽  
Traffic Data ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Traffic Measurement ◽  
Data Estimation ◽  
Research Studies

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine and verify the competitive intelligence tools Alexa and SimilarWeb, which are broadly used for website traffic data estimation. Tested tools belong to the state of the art in this area.Design/methodology/approachThe authors use quantitative approach. Research was conducted on a sample of Czech websites for which there are accurate traffic data values, against which the other data sets (less accurate) provided by Alexa and SimilarWeb will be compared.FindingsThe results show that neither tool can accurately determine the ranking of websites on the internet. However, it is possible to approximately determine the significance of a particular website. These results are useful for another research studies which use data from Alexa or SimilarWeb. Moreover, the results show that it is still not possible to accurately estimate website traffic of any website in the world.Research limitations/implicationsThe limitation of the research lies in the fact that it was conducted solely in the Czech market.Originality/valueSignificant amount of research studies use data sets provided by Alexa and SimilarWeb. However, none of these research studies focus on the quality of the website traffic data acquired by Alexa or SimilarWeb, nor do any of them refer to other studies that would deal with this issue. Furthermore, authors describe approaches to measuring website traffic and based on the analysis, the possible usability of these methods is discussed.

Why does performance management not perform?

2018 ◽  
Vol 67 (4) ◽  
pp. 673-692 ◽  
Author(s):  
Miguel Pina e Cunha ◽  
Daniel Veiga Vieira ◽  
Arménio Rego ◽  
Stewart Clegg
Keyword(s):  
Performance Management ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Management Practice ◽  
Poor Performance ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Key Issues ◽  
Increase Productivity ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to ask why poor performance management practices persist in Portugal, in the middle of claims to increase productivity. Design/methodology/approach An inductive micro-practice analysis is used to understand barriers to management practice that do not require massive institutional changes. Findings The practice of performance management in Portugal typically displays three weaknesses: (1) insufficient planning (2) process and integrity issues, and (3) a non-meritocratic logic. Research limitations/implications The paper discusses the important topic of persistence of bad practices, showing how institutionalized patterns might be difficult to eradicate even they are suboptimal. Practical implications The authors identity key issues in the functioning of performance management, therefore helping managers in developing remedies to improve the quality of their practice. Originality/value The paper explains the persistence of bad management practice whose continuity hinders not only organizations’ effectiveness but also that of their members.

The convergence of value (quality) recognition approaches

2010 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 5-27
Author(s):  
Yeongsu Kim ◽  
Dong‐Kee Rhee ◽  
Sangsuk Lee
Keyword(s):  
Cultural Context ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Intrinsic Value ◽  
Cross Cultural ◽  
Exchange Students ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Cultural Management ◽  
Future Studies ◽  
Cross Cultural Management

PurposeThis paper aims to answer the following question: do the customer behaviors in evaluating a product's quality converge in terms of low‐ and high‐context culture? The paper is designed to examine how customers in different cultural contexts recognize the quality of a product according to three quality recognition approaches; these are exchange, sign, and experience approaches.Design/methodology/approachIn order to verify whether the worldwide quality recognition methods were converging or diverging, almost 300 exchange students in South Korea were surveyed. The survey examined how the 20s perceive quality of a laptop, analyzing each approach individually in order to observe whether the quality recognition methods were converging. Especially, when examining the experience approach, the value was segregated into two parts: extrinsic and intrinsic value.FindingsIt is found that only the experience approach is converging, which indicates that even within different degrees of cultural context, there are still cultural differences in quality recognition approaches.Research limitations/implicationsLimitations such as limited product uses, dividing the nations simply into two groups which are Western and Eastern are evident in the study. More elaborative future studies are suggested including, dividing nations in terms of cultural context and using more products.Originality/valueThis paper shows that the value recognition approaches are heterogeneous across cultures, and therefore more cultural‐based knowledge is required in cross‐cultural management.

The sorcerer’s apprentice

2020 ◽  
Vol 42 (1) ◽  
pp. 77-80
Author(s):  
Peter Buell Hirsch
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
Ad Hoc ◽  
Unintended Consequences ◽  
Review Of The Literature ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Agile Methodologies ◽  
The Subject ◽  
Ad Hoc Teams ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to illuminate the challenges of ad hoc teams in the corporate setting. Design/methodology/approach Review of the literature about teams, agile methodologies, scrums, etc. was carried out. Findings While ad hoc teams can create value, their proliferation has had unintended consequences. Research limitations/implications The literature review is, by its nature, selective not comprehensive. Practical implications Based on the recommendations cited, corporations will be able to make better decisions about when to initiate special teams. Social implications By doing so, companies will eliminate the frustrations employees feel in certain types of teams and improve their quality of life. Originality/value Although the subject of ad hoc teams has been extensively covered, this viewpoint takes a fresh look at the overall consequences of their proliferation.

Ontology assessment based on linked data principles

2018 ◽  
Vol 14 (4) ◽  
pp. 453-479
Author(s):  
Leila Zemmouchi-Ghomari ◽  
Kaouther Mezaache ◽  
Mounia Oumessad
Keyword(s):  
Linked Data ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
State Of The Art ◽  
Experimental Results ◽  
Data Sets ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Detailed Interpretation

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to evaluate ontologies with respect to the linked data principles. This paper presents a concrete interpretation of the four linked data principles applied to ontologies, along with an implementation that automatically detects violations of these principles and fixes them (semi-automatically). The implementation is applied to a number of state-of-the-art ontologies. Design/methodology/approach Based on a precise and detailed interpretation of the linked data principles in the context of ontologies (to become as reusable as possible), the authors propose a set of algorithms to assess ontologies according to the four linked data principles along with means to implement them using a Java/Jena framework. All ontology elements are extracted and examined taking into account particular cases, such as blank nodes and literals. The authors also provide propositions to fix some of the detected anomalies. Findings The experimental results are consistent with the proven quality of popular ontologies of the linked data cloud because these ontologies obtained good scores from the linked data validator tool. Originality/value The proposed approach and its implementation takes into account the assessment of the four linked data principles and propose means to correct the detected anomalies in the assessed data sets, whereas most LD validator tools focus on the evaluation of principle 2 (URI dereferenceability) and principle 3 (RDF validation); additionally, they do not tackle the issue of fixing detected errors.

Is Nigeria really fighting to win the anti-corruption war?

2020 ◽  
Vol 27 (2) ◽  
pp. 601-617
Author(s):  
Agaptus Nwozor ◽  
John Shola Olanrewaju ◽  
Segun Oshewolo ◽  
Modupe Bosede Ake
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
National Development ◽  
Secondary Data ◽  
Primary Data ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Study Centre ◽  
Key Informant ◽  
Key Issues ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the seeming paradox that underpins Nigeria’s war on corruption. This paradox centres on the undue interference of the presidency in the war against corruption. This interference has resulted in selective prosecutions and a deceleration in the tempo of the anti-corruption crusade. Design/methodology/approach The study used an admixture of primary and secondary data to evaluate whether indeed Nigeria is fighting against corruption to win it. The primary data were derived from key informant interviews. A total of ten diverse experts were interviewed through the instrumentality of unstructured set of questions, which were administered to them with room for elaboration. The secondary data were sourced from archival materials. Findings The findings of the study centre on three key issues: a characteristic one-sidedness in the prosecution of alleged corruption offenders by the anti-graft agencies. Those with pending corruption cases who have decamped to the ruling All Progressives Congress have had their cases placed in abeyance. There is evidence of the politicisation of the war against corruption as well as evidence of weak institutionalisation, which robs the anti-corruption agencies of the capacity to act independently. Practical implications The anti-corruption war may likely be derailed if the operational efficiency of the anti-graft agencies is not enhanced and their independence guaranteed. Social implications If the anti-corruption crusade fails, it will have multiple negative domino effects on national development and quality of life of the Nigerian people. Originality/value The paper is original because no recent study has interrogated the declining efficiency of Nigeria’s anti-graft agencies or linked this declining efficiency on weak institutionalisation and interference from the presidency.

Appreciating your staff makes sound business sense

2015 ◽  
Vol 23 (2) ◽  
pp. 31-33 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul White
Keyword(s):  
Customer Satisfaction ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Internal Conflict ◽  
Staff Turnover ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Team Members ◽  
Employee Recognition ◽  
Quality Of Work ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose – Advances the view that showing appreciation to employees makes sound business sense. Design/methodology/approach – Observes that many employee-recognition schemes currently fail to achieve their goal and explains how to rectify this. Findings – Explains that when employees do not feel appreciated, bad things happen in the organization, with higher rates of tardiness, more absenteeism, increased internal theft by employees and managers, higher staff turnover, more internal conflict and stress among team members, a drop in productivity and the quality of work and lower customer-satisfaction ratings. Practical implications – Describes how team members feel appreciated when appreciation is: communicated regularly; given in language and actions important to the recipient; delivered individually and about him or her personally; and viewed as being authentic. Social implications – Highlights how organizations can improve the performance of their employees. Originality/value – Concludes that the key is to communicate authentic appreciation in the ways that are meaningful to team members.

Construction and validation of the employability questionnaire for accounting graduates

2022 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nabil Ahmed Mareai Senan ◽  
M.M. Sulphey
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
Accounting Education ◽  
Statistical Techniques ◽  
Review Of The Literature ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Item Questionnaire ◽  
Five Factors ◽  
Confirmatory Factor ◽  
Accounting Graduates

PurposeGlobally, serious doubts are now expressed about the quality of accounting education, and employers are concerned about the lack of employability among graduates. There is a lack of a validated tool to measure employability in the Saudi Arabia context. Such a tool is required to assess the level of employability so that required corrective measures could be taken. The purpose of the study is to construct and validate a questionnaire to measure employability of accounting graduates.Design/methodology/approachThe data for the study was collected from various accounting professionals using a pool of 50 items from 420 randomly collected samples. The researchers used different statistical techniques, including exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, to construct and validate the 29 item questionnaire.FindingsBased on the purpose of the study, a questionnaire for measuring the employability of accounting graduates was constructed. The questionnaire developed and scientifically validated through various scientific techniques has 20 items under five factors. The questionnaire is ideal for measuring employability of accounting graduates.Originality/valueA fair review of the literature revealed a dearth of a validated tool to measure employability of accounting graduates. The study has constructed and validated a questionnaire to measure employability of accounting graduates, thereby bridging the gap in literature. This questionnaire, it is expected, would facilitate the conduct of further empirical examinations about employability of accounting graduates.

A gamified approach for engaging teams in corporate innovation and entrepreneurship

2017 ◽  
Vol 14 (2/3) ◽  
pp. 254-262 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rui Patricio
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Team Members ◽  
Software Companies ◽  
Research Areas ◽  
Corporate Innovation ◽  
Innovation Challenge ◽  
Innovation And Entrepreneurship

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explain the link between gamification and innovation and describes the use of a particular gamified method and tool, which helps teams get committed and engaged in idea development. The goal is to provide valuable insights on how gamification can accelerate innovation. Design/methodology/approach A study was conducted using a combination of qualitative methods: workshops based on action research method followed by semi-structured interviews with workshop participants and problem/challenge owners, representing two segments, corporate innovation teams and entrepreneurship. Data were collected from innovation consultants and IT/Software companies’ team members that used this gamification approach to address innovation challenges as well as from an entrepreneurship class from university that also used this particular gamification approach to support an idea competition program. Findings The paper provides insights and discusses the major impacts of gamification from the perspective of innovation consultants, corporate teams as well as from young entrepreneurs. It suggests that the application of this gamified method and tool enhances the quality of the idea that is developed to address an outlined innovation challenge. It was also found that team members/participants as a result of this process subsequently developed important innovation and entrepreneurship capabilities. Originality/value Despite the growing body of literature on gamification, there is a lack of empirical research that examines the use of gamification tools on companies’ innovation and entrepreneurship initiatives. This paper contributes to clarify the contribution of gamified methods and tools toward the success of corporate innovation and entrepreneurship programs by describing the use of a particular gamified approach. Researchers will gain insights into the effects of gamification approaches and a better understanding of the integration requirements with other related research areas. Practitioners will understand how this new method and tool can be implemented in order to drive innovation and entrepreneurship forward.

Haunted by the past: transformations and daily challenges of China's prosthetics

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 115-124
Author(s):  
Chunchun Wang
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
Cross Cultural ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Institutional Pressures ◽  
Rehabilitation Center ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Past ◽  
Daily Experiences ◽  
History Of ◽  
Depth Interviews

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine the transformations of prosthetic practices in China, as well as the daily experiences and dilemmas arising from the everchanging practices since 1949. On the basis of materials, this paper explores an everyday perspective to review the history of technology.Design/methodology/approachEthnography was collected with the application of participant observations, informal interviews and in-depth interviews during a 13-months study at a rehabilitation center in Chengdu, China. The literature on prosthetic manufacturing was also reviewed for this paper.FindingsChina's prosthetic technology seems to evolve from traditional to modern. However, this progressive narrative – innovation-based timeline (Edgerton, 2006, xi) – has been challenged by daily practices. Due to institutional pressures, prosthetists are in a dilemma of selectively using their knowledge to create one kind of device for all prosthesis users with a certain kind of disability, thereby regulating the physical and social experiences of prosthesis users. Besides, prosthesis users are accustomed to prostheses made with old techniques, and must correct themselves from old experiences to the daily practices recognized by the selected techniques.Originality/valueThis paper provides a cross-cultural case to reexamine Edgerton's criticism of the progressive and orderly innovation-centric technological narrative. More importantly, it reviews the history and practices of China's prosthetics from daily experiences rather than Edgerton's concentration on technology; therefore, it provides an everyday perspective for future research on technological transformations.

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