Microinsurance performance – a systematic narrative literature review

2015 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. 146-170 ◽  
Author(s):  
George Apostolakis ◽  
Gert van Dijk ◽  
Periklis Drakos
Keyword(s):  
Literature Review ◽  
Financial Performance ◽  
Social Impact ◽  
Relevant Literature ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Policy Implications ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Published Data ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Impact

Purpose – This study aims to offer a literature review on microinsurance, focusing on its financial performance and social impact. The aim is to review current research in microinsurance performance. Over the past decade, microinsurance has aroused the interest of the scientific community. Scholars have monitored its development and have examined its impact on the poor’s ability of breaking out of the poverty trap. Design/methodology/approach – A systematic-narrative method was used to review the relevant literature. In total, 64 relevant articles on investigating the financial performance and the effects of microinsurance programs on the poor’s well-being were reviewed, coded and followed by a narrative synthesis. Findings – This review synthesizes current published data on microinsurance to provide practitioners and researchers with a better understanding of this important area. Microinsurance benefits the poor, as it reduces their vulnerability to poverty. Microinsurance has a twofold impact on an individual’s ability to overcome poverty. First, it has a direct impact on access to healthcare services and, second, it has an indirect effect on an individual’s economic status, by moderating risk vulnerability and improving income stability. Further research is necessary to reach concrete conclusions about the financial performance of microinsurance programs. Finally, the analysis of the literature revealed an absence of research regarding the impact of microinsurance on society and sustainable development. Research limitations/implications – An understanding of the performance of microinsurance services is important. Therefore, the findings can be used by microinsurance practitioners to assess and improve their performance. Further, policy implications such as improvement of financial knowledge and social marketing via education polices to increase microinsurance awareness of its benefits are recommended. Originality/value – This review provides a synthesis of the literature in microinsurance concerning its financial and social performance, and raises suggestions for future research.

YOU EARN as YOU LIVE as YOU VALUE

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 429-450
Author(s):  
Patrick O'Sullivan ◽  
Suthisak Kraisornsuthasinee
Keyword(s):  
Social Impact ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Theory And Practice ◽  
Social Progress ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Extensive Literature ◽  
Voluntary Simplicity ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Work Choices

Purpose In economic theory, the relationship between working/earning decisions and consumption/lifestyle decisions has been conceptualised in an almost entirely unidirectional manner: income from work taken as a given governs consumption and so lifestyle. This involves a narrowly inaccurate view of the consumption–work interaction. The purpose of this paper is to argue that this economist’s way of thinking about consumption and work needs to be replaced by a conception in which not only does realised income determine one’s consumption possibilities but also the desired level of consumption is itself a choice and a key determinant of how and how much one decides to work. Design/methodology/approach The paper is designed as a conceptual contribution in which the above insight is linked to the extensive literature on sustainability. Findings When consumption is no longer thought of as determined by a given income constraint, it becomes possible to consider how people by modifying their consumption aspirations may be led not only to work less or differently but also to live and consume in a more sustainable manner. As a result of lesser pressure to work ever more, they may also be led to an ethical reappraisal of the way they work. Research limitations/implications The conceptualisation suggested is rich in implications for future research, for example, on links between consumerism and corruption; and on the impact of more ethical work choices on well-being. There is an implicit critique of much of HRM theory and practice which tends to instrumentalise work. The implications of artificial intelligence for future work are noted and, in this context, are surprisingly positive. The macro level implication of the need to move away from gross domestic product to more appropriate measures of socio-economic performance and well-being such as Social Progress Index (SPI) are noted. Practical implications The link between this widened conceptualisation of the consumption–work decision and the notion of voluntary simplicity is explored in detail and the latter is shown to apply also to the types of work/job chosen. This in turn is shown to have implications for management (especially HR) practice and for government policies both at micro and macro levels. Social implications This carries clear implications for work-life balance in people’s daily lives; and by choosing more ethical ways of working or types of job, there may be a significant pro-social impact. Originality/value This paper points to a widening of the notion of voluntary simplicity beyond merely consumption choices to apply also to work choices. In the discussion of moral philosophical underpinning of voluntary simplicity, the link is made with Buddhist wisdom of the Middle Way and sufficiency economy and with the Golden Mean of Stoicism.

A systematic review of e-tail product returns and an agenda for future research

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kamrul Ahsan ◽  
Shams Rahman
Keyword(s):  
Literature Review ◽  
Systematic Literature Review ◽  
Research Area ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Product Returns ◽  
Content Type ◽  
People Skills ◽  
New Research ◽  
Returns Management ◽  
The Impact

PurposeThis study conducts a systematic literature review of e-tail product returns research. E-tail product returns are essentially acquisition of products that have been sold through purely online or brick-and-click channels and then returned by consumer to business.Design/methodology/approachUsing a systematic literature review protocol, we identified 75 peer-reviewed articles on e-tail product returns, conducted bibliometric analysis and content analysis of the articles and summarised our findings.FindingsThe findings reveal that the subject of e-tail returns is a new research area; academics have started to investigate several aspects of e-tail returns through different research methodologies and theoretical foundations. Further research is required in leading e-commerce countries and on key areas such as omni-channel returns management, customer satisfaction and service, the impact of resources such as people skills, the benefits of technology and IT systems in managing e-tail returns.Practical implicationsThe study offers a summative account of current e-tail knowledge areas, which can serve as a reference guide for e-tailers to develop strategies for more efficient and competitive product returns.Originality/valueThis study contributes theoretically by developing clusters of key themes or knowledge areas about e-tail returns. It also provides a conceptual framework for e-tail returns management, which can be used as a springboard for further empirical research.

Supply chain integration and firm performance: an empirical study of Swedish manufacturing firms

2014 ◽  
Vol 24 (1) ◽  
pp. 20-31 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hooshang M. Beheshti ◽  
Pejvak Oghazi ◽  
Rana Mostaghel ◽  
Magnus Hultman
Keyword(s):  
Supply Chain ◽  
Financial Performance ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Survey Instrument ◽  
Global Market ◽  
Manufacturing Firms ◽  
Supply Chain Integration ◽  
Manufacturing Companies ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Impact

Purpose – This article aims to explore the impact of supply chain integration on the financial performance of Swedish manufacturing firms. Design/methodology/approach – The literature review provided the foundation for the development of the survey instrument and hypotheses for the study. In addition, the survey instrument was tested by the experts in the field and modified before it was sent to the managers in the survey group. Findings – The findings show that supply chain integration at any level is beneficial to the financial well being of the firm. Companies with total supply chain integration reported the highest level of financial performance. Research limitations/implications – Data were collected from Swedish manufacturing firms without regard to the size of the firm. The results show that supply chain integration is beneficial at any level. Practical implications – The findings will assist managers with decisions regarding supply chain integration and its role as a critical factor in improving the financial performance of manufacturing companies. Originality/value – Limited empirical studies have been conducted in this area, especially in Sweden. This study provides insight for manufacturing managers with regard to the importance of supply chain management and the competitive nature of business in the global market.

Currency risk impact on the financial performance of multilateral banks

2015 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 91-118
Author(s):  
Philip Kamau ◽  
Eno L. Inanga ◽  
Kami Rwegasira
Keyword(s):  
Financial Performance ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Regression Coefficient ◽  
Policy Implications ◽  
Stock Exchanges ◽  
Currency Risk ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Regulatory Status ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Relationship

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate the impact of currency risks on the financial performance of multilateral banks (MBs). Financial performance is measured here by after-tax accounting profitability or losses. Design/methodology/approach – Quantitative hypothesis regarding the impact of currency risks on the financial performance of MBs was tested by a two-tailed t test for significance of the b regression coefficient. Findings – A regression analysis was done on the total currency risk and financial performance of MBs after taking into account currency risk over eight years. The analysis of variance of the regression of the b coefficient led to non-rejection of the null hypothesis of no association, F(1, 6) = 0.77, p > 0.05. The results of the two-tailed t test on the b regression coefficient suggest that the relationship between currency risk and financial performance is statistically insignificant. Therefore, it was concluded that there is no significant impact of currency risk on the financial performance of MBs. Research limitations/implications – The results of the study can be generalized only for MBs given their peculiar characteristics as wholesale banks, which are owned mainly by governments and are generally not listed on stock exchanges. Originality/value – The study is of value to those interested in the multilateral banking industry. To the authors’ knowledge it is the first study providing empirical evidence on currency risk impact on MBs financial performance. The study finds that the currency risk impact on the financial performance of MBs is insignificant. The results are also useful to managers of MBs in terms of benchmarking their effectiveness in managing currency risk compared to their peers and learn from better performers. It has also policy implications in terms of justifying the current self-regulatory status, shareholder monitoring and governance of MBs as they are not significantly impacted by currency risk as it appears to be effectively managed.

scholarly journals Corporate Social Responsibility and Corporate Financial Performance: An Empirical Literature Review

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-32
Author(s):  
Sonia Boukattaya ◽  
Zyed Achour ◽  
Zeineb Hlioui
Keyword(s):  
Corporate Social Responsibility ◽  
Literature Review ◽  
Social Responsibility ◽  
Financial Performance ◽  
Social Impact ◽  
Empirical Literature ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Corporate Financial Performance ◽  
Content Analysis Method ◽  
Corporate Social

This study aims to present a literature review of recent studies on the relationship between environmental, social and governance (ESG) performance, corporate social responsibility (CSR) and corporate financial performance (CFP) and to provide a path for future researches. Using content analysis method, a total of 88 papers published in renowned journals, over the period 2015-2021, were selected in the review. Several findings have been made: first, the majority of researches have focused on the CSR’s “social impact” hypothesis on CFP; the reverse relationship seems to have been overlooked. Second, the contested results are likely to be attributable both to differences in research contexts and CSR’ laws but also to biases relating to the operationalization of CSR concept and CFP proxies retained. Finally, several arguments are advanced arguing for an indirect link between CSR and CFP. Future research should, therefore, pay attention to the different contingent variables that are likely to affect the studied relationship.

Working in a prison: Challenges, rewards, and the impact on mental health and well-being

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sophie Dennard ◽  
Derek K. Tracy ◽  
Aaron Beeney ◽  
Laura Craster ◽  
Fiona Bailey ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Coping Strategies ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Development Project ◽  
Service Development ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Staff Support ◽  
Prison Staff ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Data Driven Approach ◽  
The Impact

Purpose Prisons are uniquely challenging working environments. Staff are often exposed to direct and indirect trauma, impacting negatively on their mental well-being. Due to the limited research into prison staff experience, this paper aims to explore what staff find most challenging, how they cope, what support they would like and rewarding aspects of their work. Design/methodology/approach This service development project was facilitated through a staff well-being event. A qualitative approach was used and 74 staff members provided anonymised responses. An inductive and data-driven approach was used to analyse the data, and the trustworthiness of the analysis was considered using criteria established by Lincoln and Guba (1985). Findings Thematic analysis identified six themes, namely, the challenging nature of the work, interactions with prisoners, staff interactions, inadequate resources, staff support and development and coping strategies. Key findings include managing distress, self-harm and violence and limited resources presenting challenges. Role variety and opportunities to support prisoners were reported as positive. A variety of coping strategies were identified. Wider availability of supervision and reflective practice was suggested by staff. Practical implications Recommendations for increased staff support are made. Suggestions for future research investigating methods to increase rewarding aspects of work within prisons are given. Originality/value This analysis adds to the limited body of qualitative research investigating prison staff experiences; in particular, aspects of the work that they find rewarding such as the role variety and opportunities to make positive changes to prisoners’ lives. Novel coping strategies were identified, including cognitive reframing and behavioural strategies for managing stress, which could be encouraged to increase resilience.

A review of research into knowledge sharing

2019 ◽  
Vol 28 (1) ◽  
pp. 20-22
Keyword(s):  
Life Satisfaction ◽  
Knowledge Sharing ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Work Related ◽  
Review Protocol ◽  
Process Perspective ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Positive Effect

Purpose The purpose of this study is to summarize findings from research into knowledge sharing and to provide suggestions for further research. Design/methodology/approach A systematic literature review was carried out through three phases – review protocol, conducting the review and reporting the review. A thematic analysis was carried out on 61 peer reviewed studies. Findings The review looks at the impact of knowledge sharing in three categories – individual, team and organizational. The main factors studied were creativity, performance and learning. Knowledge sharing goes beyond work-related impacts and has a positive effect on team climate, job satisfaction and life satisfaction. Directions for future research were identified as adopting an interaction and process perspective, investigating negative, differential and psychological impacts and improving methodology through use of qualitative and longitudinal studies. Practical implications As knowledge sharing does have positive psychological effects including enhanced job and life satisfaction it would be beneficial to build it into the organization’s well-being program. Originality/value This paper has an original approach as it is the first systematic review to be carried out on research into knowledge sharing and suggests areas for further investigation.

Wellness tourism: a perspective article

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sergey Kazakov ◽  
Olga Oyner
Keyword(s):  
Relevant Literature ◽  
Academic Research ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Tourism Studies ◽  
Wellness Tourism ◽  
Research Questions ◽  
Research Stream ◽  
Economic Well Being

Purpose This paper aims to examine the development and significant contributions in a growing array of relevant publications spanning from 1946 to date and discuss future developments of the wellness tourism topic until the year 2095. Design/methodology/approach This perspective study traces down the wellness tourism evolution research by re-viewing and analysing an extant body of the relevant literature over the last 75 years. This paper builds a rigorous perspective review by examination of publications derived from several scientific domains, including tourism, medicine, economics and social sciences. Findings As a result of this study, wellness tourism can be attributed as a profuse and proliferating research stream in the recent 75 years. Its relevance to significant aspects of life, such as health and also due to effects on human, social, and economic well-being, drives its proliferation. The paper anticipates the relevance and topicality of wellness tourism studies for academic research in the next 75 years. Originality/value This paper contributes to the theory by addressing the ambiguous nature of wellness tourism, recapping the debate on the most debated research questions, and revealing the perspectives for future research in this area.

Resilience of firefighters exposed to potentially traumatic events: a literature review

2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 217-232
Author(s):  
Vanessa Laureys ◽  
Marleen Easton
Keyword(s):  
Literature Review ◽  
Measurement Techniques ◽  
Traumatic Events ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Research Field ◽  
Empirical Literature ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Potentially Traumatic Events

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to explore the empirical literature on the resilience of firefighters related to potentially traumatic events (PTE). This paper identifies how resilience is defined in this particular research field, reveals trends in applied research methods and examines the main topics addressed in previous research.Design/methodology/approachWeb of Science, PsycARTICLES and Google Scholar databases were searched, as well as a secondary manual screening of the reference lists of all the selected studies and Dutch academic journals. Based on this review, 54 empirical articles were included in the current paper.FindingsFirstly, this paper revealed that there is no consensus in how to define the concept of resilience in this specific research area. A second observation was that most of the selected studies used a quantitative, cross-sectional research design. Finally, the 54 empirical studies provided insights on six topics: the role of the organization, demographic factors, personal characteristics, coping strategies, social support and the reactions of firefighters in the aftermath of PTE. Comparing the empirical results was challenged by the different interpretations and denominations of the concept of resilience and the myriad of measurement techniques applied across the selected articles.Originality/valueThis literature review discovered some promising avenues for future research regarding resilience of firefighters. Moreover, it demonstrated that studying resilience is particularly interesting as the identification of supporting factors leads to a better understanding of how to enhance the well-being, job satisfaction and job performance of firefighters.

Prospects of the fourth industrial revolution for the hospitality industry: a literature review

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 479-494
Author(s):  
Benjamin Appiah Osei ◽  
Neethiahnanthan Ari Ragavan ◽  
Henry Kofi Mensah
Keyword(s):  
Literature Review ◽  
Hospitality Industry ◽  
Industrial Revolution ◽  
Tourism Industry ◽  
Service Industries ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Fourth Industrial Revolution ◽  
Hospitality And Tourism ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The economy of today has moved toward the fourth industrial revolution (FIR), which is characterized by the adoption of technologies such as cyber-physical systems, internet of things, big data, artificial intelligence and robotics. Globally, there is a lot of awareness created on the influence of the FIR on all industries, including hospitality and tourism. A plethora of studies on FIR have been conducted in the setting of manufacturing industries. Nonetheless, there seems to be in-exhaustive and non-consensual agreement among researchers as to the development and prospects of the FIR for service industries. Therefore, the aim of this paper was to comprehensively review the prospects of the FIR for the hospitality and tourism industry. Design/methodology/approach As a result of the novelty and gaps associated with the FIR in the hospitality literature, the authors explored the concept of FIR using a comprehensive literature review approach. Specifically, this paper reviews existing literature from diverse academic backgrounds, and annotates issues with regard to the evolution and prospects of the FIR for the hospitality industry. Findings Emphatically, the development and principles of FIR were expatiated. Additionally, an exegesis was carried out on the prospects (positives and challenges) of FIR for the hospitality industry. Finally, practical and social implications were also discussed. Originality/value It still remains a discourse among scholars and industry stakeholders as to the prospects of the FIR. This paper clarifies the confusion among researchers and bridges the literature gaps. Moreover, this review serves as a theoretical foundation for future research on the impact of FIR on the hospitality industry.

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