Investigating the environmental behavior of business and accounting university students

2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (4) ◽  
pp. 819-839 ◽  
Author(s):  
Grigorios Kyriakopoulos ◽  
Stamatios Ntanos ◽  
Sofia Asonitou

Purpose The purpose of this study is to explore the underlying dimensions of environmental behavior (EB) and examine how environmental education (EE) and ecological sensitivity (ES) motivate the EB of Business Administration and Accounting students (BAS). Design/methodology/approach A questionnaire survey was conducted and a sample of 190 BAS was randomly selected from the departments of Business Administration and Accounting and Finance at the University of West Attica (UNIWA), Greece. Findings The analysis was structured upon four underlying components under the EB of the sample: information seeking, recycling, green consuming and active participation. A positive relationship between EB and EE was revealed, while EB and ES were moderately interrelated. An important result was the hesitation of students to convert EE and ES to active participation and green consuming behavior, thus reaffirming similar results from other studies. Research limitations/implications The findings should be further developed using larger samples among other higher education institutions. Future research could be extended to students who reside at sub-urban or rural regions or students who are educated upon diverse academic disciplines. The basket of questions can be enriched with issues of immediate concern among future business executives such as the “ethical” role of accountants or the value creation for local societies. Originality/value The significance of this study lies on associating students’ EB with formal EE with personality characteristics such as ES. Educational policy-makers can enrich the curricula of BAS with environmentally oriented courses and teaching methods that can increase the active participation of students.

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Monika Jedynak ◽  
Wojciech Czakon ◽  
Aneta Kuźniarska ◽  
Karolina Mania

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to identify the development of the digital transformation literature and to the systematic literature review methodology.Design/methodology/approachThe authors run a systematic literature review, followed by a rigorous thematic analysis of both academic and grey literature dataset, in order to develop a conceptual map of organizations' digital transformation. The authors aggregate the concepts and topics identified across the literature to find that they overwhelmingly tackle digital business models. At the same time, the authors identify a major blind spot resulting from ignoring the organization itself as a unit of analysis.FindingsThe findings show that developing a digital theory of the organization or the theory of digitally transformed organization is a major challenge to management researchers. The analysis exposed numerous research gaps that can be helpful for future research directions.Originality/valueDigital transformation research enjoys an increasingly rapid rise to recognition across many academic disciplines and strongly impacts the management domain. adopt the view that published documents reflect the collective understanding of a phenomenon. This paper contributes to filtering the digital transformation literature, clarify complex relation between digital transformations of organizations and identify the key blind points.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Willy Das ◽  
Satyasiba Das ◽  
Manojit Chattopadhyay

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to review and critique the existing literature on entrepreneurial teams (ET) by taking a multi-disciplinary viewpoint and provide a future research agenda based on the identified themes and trends.Design/methodology/approachA systematic literature review (SLR) was undertaken using “business source complete”. Further scrutiny and application of exclusion criteria led to a final sample consisting of 139 papers from 27 different journals belonging to not just entrepreneurship and strategic management but also other disciplines like OB, finance, sociology, psychology, etc. Using qualitative thematic analysis, the authors identified 11 major themes.FindingsThe paper reviews both the eleven themes and the linkages between the themes. Thereby identifying areas that have been understudied and those that have received comparatively more attention. The review revealed that the research stream possesses certain conceptual and methodological concerns apart from its cross-sectional and primarily bivariate nature. Five such main concerns have been identified and discussed in detail. Other elements of the resulting research agenda include calls for more clinical process-oriented research, further attention to context, shifting the level of analysis, and a need to integrate across disciplines.Originality/valueThis paper incorporates a broad insight of ET across academic disciplines to show how future contributions could benefit by incorporating research from other fields. In doing so, provides a starting point for more nuanced discussions around the interrelationships between the different conversations that are taking place in the ET literature.


2014 ◽  
Vol 70 (6) ◽  
pp. 1015-1038 ◽  
Author(s):  
Allen Edward Foster ◽  
David Ellis

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore the concept of serendipity and approaches to its study particularly in relation to information studies. Design/methodology/approach – The origins of the term serendipity are described and its elaboration as an exploratory and explanatory concept in science and the social sciences are outlined. The distinction between serendipity and serendipity pattern is explained and theoretical and empirical studies of both serendipity and the serendipity patterns are explored. The relationship between information encountering is described. Empirical studies of serendipity using Citation Classics and other research approaches in information studies are described. Findings – The discrepancy between occurrences of serendipity in studies using Citation Classics and reported serendipity in philosophy of science, research anecdotes, information encountering and information seeking by inter-disciplinary researchers is highlighted. A comparison between a process model of serendipity and serendipity as an emergent behavioural characteristic are indicates directions for future research. Originality/value – The paper provides and original synthesis of the theoretical and empirical literature on serendipity with particular reference to work in information studies and an indication of the methodological difficulties involved in its study.


2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 1175-1206 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rodrigo de Castro Freitas ◽  
Maria do Carmo Duarte Freitas

Purpose Lean office covers the improvement of administrative processes and information flows. In offices, one of the essential challenges is to coordinate the development of information management capabilities. Thus, this paper aims to identify the key factors of information management in lean office deployment contexts. Design/methodology/approach By adopting a qualitative approach, it consists of theoretical research that applies grounded theory's coding technique and exploits 27 scientific studies on lean office published in the past 20 years. Findings It identifies five key factors for managing information into an organizational structure that optimizes information flow, such as “information-seeking,” “access to information,” “information quality,” “information processing” and “use of information and communication technology”. Research limitations/implications Data analysis was restricted in scientific research regarding lean office deployment. Therefore, the accuracy of the concepts and categories of information management proposed in this paper can be adjusted and validated in future research, thus deepening the discussion of its findings. Practical implications It highlights issues for managing information in contemporary organizations such as failures in information retrieval, restrictions on access to information, lack of quality information, inadequate information processing criteria and inefficiency of information systems infrastructure. Originality/value It analyzes the lean office deployment from the theoretical framework of information management. Thus, it differs from other studies in this field because it is not limited to the operational aspects of lean management. Nevertheless, it shows that lean office reconfigures information flows and continually improves organizations’ strategic management.


2017 ◽  
Vol 41 (5) ◽  
pp. 710-727 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xuebing Dong ◽  
Yaping Chang ◽  
Xiaojun Fan

Purpose Marketers recognize that the internet is crucial in the lives of consumers; thus, they invest money on online advertisements. Using multiple online media primarily influences the message acceptance of consumers. The synergistic effect of online multimedia relies on form, content, and sources of information, and time. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach A model that reflects the influence of the characteristics of online multimedia on message response through message acceptance is established based on theories of information persuasion, encoding variability, and multiple-source assumption. Based on a survey of 411 online media users, the study applies partial least-squares regression to test the research model. Findings The results show that variety of forms, complementary of contents, diversity of sources, and time interval influence message response via message strength. Complementary of contents and diversity of sources affect message response via perceived credibility. Synergy type moderates the relationship between variety of forms and perceived credibility and between diversity of sources and perceived credibility. Research limitations/implications The current study mainly tests the effect of these characteristics on message response and the moderating effect of synergy type. Future research can examine the effect of these characteristics on information seeking and consumption behavior and the moderating effect of the cognitive mode of consumers. Practical implications This study provides insight into the characteristics of synergy and contributes to the literature on integrated marketing communication. The results provide guidance for practitioners to effectively plan online multimedia practices. Originality/value This study explored the influence of the characteristics of online media synergy on message response through message acceptance. The study also discussed the moderating effect of the type of online multimedia synergy.


2019 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
pp. 403-417 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dennis Lopez-Odar ◽  
Aldo Alvarez-Risco ◽  
Aristides Vara-Horna ◽  
Raquel Chafloque-Cespedes ◽  
M. Chandra Sekar

Purpose The purpose of this study is to determine the metric properties of a questionnaire that evaluates environmental and ecological purchasing behavior, environmental personal norms, environmental identity and environmental social influence. Design/methodology/approach The validity and reliability of the scales of the questionnaires were determined in a sample of 2445 consumers from Lima (Peru), selected through non-probabilistic sampling by quotas and by factorial analysis based on Classical Theory of Tests (CTT) and Structural Equations of Variance with Partial Least Squares (SEM-PLS). Findings The results support the construct and discriminant validity of the instrument, as well as the internal consistency of all the subscales (Cronbach’s alpha between 0.662 and 0.8887 – composite reliability between 0.815 and 0.917). Research limitations/implications Customers evaluated were only from Lima city. It would be important to evaluate, in future research, customers from other cities in Peru. Practical implications Although a large number of instruments have been designed, not all are based on integral theoretical models, and their metric properties were determined with methodological criteria that restrict their applicability. Therefore, there is a need to have valid and reliable instruments for the identification of environmental behavior and ecological purchasing. Social implications This “new questionnaire” integrates the exploration of environmental behavior and ecological purchasing, along with the measurement of personal environmental norms, environmental identity and the social influence received from peers and teachers, to provide a comprehensive picture of the consumer behavior. Originality/value This research constitutes a theoretical and practical contribution to the understanding and evaluation of ecological behavior and some of its associated factors. Its main contribution is the adaptation of this instrument to the Peruvian context and the validation of an instrument that evaluates environmental and ecological purchasing behavior, personal environmental standards, environmental identity and environmental social influence.


2020 ◽  
Vol 72 (5) ◽  
pp. 725-744
Author(s):  
Michael D. Ekstrand ◽  
Katherine Landau Wright ◽  
Maria Soledad Pera

PurposeThis paper investigates how school teachers look for informational texts for their classrooms. Access to current, varied and authentic informational texts improves learning outcomes for K-12 students, but many teachers lack resources to expand and update readings. The Web offers freely available resources, but finding suitable ones is time-consuming. This research lays the groundwork for building tools to ease that burden.Design/methodology/approachThis paper reports qualitative findings from a study in two stages: (1) a set of semistructured interviews, based on the critical incident technique, eliciting teachers' information-seeking practices and challenges; and (2) observations of teachers using a prototype teaching-oriented news search tool under a think-aloud protocol.FindingsTeachers articulated different objectives and ways of using readings in their classrooms, goals and self-reported practices varied by experience level. Teachers struggled to formulate queries that are likely to return readings on specific course topics, instead searching directly for abstract topics. Experience differences did not translate into observable differences in search skill or success in the lab study.Originality/valueThere is limited work on teachers' information-seeking practices, particularly on how teachers look for texts for classroom use. This paper describes how teachers look for information in this context, setting the stage for future development and research on how to support this use case. Understanding and supporting teachers looking for information is a rich area for future research, due to the complexity of the information need and the fact that teachers are not looking for information for themselves.


Author(s):  
William J Rose ◽  
Diane A Mollenkopf ◽  
Chad W. Autry ◽  
John E. Bell

Purpose – As global populations become increasingly urbanized and urban areas grow in density and complexity, many firms seeking to operate in these areas face significant new challenges. The purpose of this paper is to identify the approaches utilized by urban logistics service providers to overcome the issues resulting from urban density and complexity. The paper also identifies potential directions for future research based on the research findings. Design/methodology/approach – The study followed a grounded theory approach (Corbin and Strauss, 2008) to uncover the approaches utilized by logistics service providers to adapt to urban environments. Findings – The urban environment exerts certain coercive and mimetic pressures on logistics service providers. To overcome these pressures, urban logistics service providers seek to manage space, resources, and legitimacy in the urban environment. Research limitations/implications – This research followed an inductive approach, and therefore, further empirical research is required to ensure statistical generalizability. Additionally, all research participants are currently employed in the USA, and so further research at the international level should be conducted. Practical implications – The framework presented will enable firms seeking to enter the urban market to more quickly adapt to the specific pressures of the urban ecology. Originality/value – While literature from several academic disciplines outline problems and solutions specific to urban areas, little qualitative, inductive research has been conducted in the field of urban logistics. The current research serves as a starting point for further urban logistics research.


2021 ◽  
Vol 29 (2) ◽  
pp. 371-402
Author(s):  
Huthaifa Al-Hazaima ◽  
Mary Low ◽  
Umesh Sharma

Purpose This paper aims to examine the perceptions of salient stakeholders in Jordan concerning the importance of integrating sustainability education (SE) into the accounting curriculum. Design/methodology/approach This paper uses salient stakeholder theory as a lens and seeks to explore the possible integration of SE into the Jordanian tertiary accounting curriculum. A final sample of 702 salient stakeholders including university accounting educators, accounting students, industry accountants, government representatives and accounting association professional members were used to glean an insight of their views and the extent to which sustainability is present in accounting education. Findings Findings indicate that there is a strong belief by these salient stakeholders that there is significant importance for the integration of SE into the accounting curriculum in Jordanian universities. There is concern that the current curriculum does not meet the educational needs of future accountants and business executives from a sustainability perspective. Research limitations/implications This study contributes to the research debate on the competencies crisis in accounting education by focusing on the lack of SE in the accounting curriculum. This study draws attention to the need of up-skilling and applied knowledge in this critical area. There are strong viewpoints from the salient stakeholders in this study. They emphasise that a progressive education solution is required and which integrates SE into the accounting curriculum. Practical implications The research is useful to accounting educators, professional accounting associations, industry, accounting students and the government. The salient stakeholders in Jordan wish to include SE within the accounting curriculum. This would lead to future accountants and business executives having stronger competencies to respond in a resilient and resourceful manner to changes in the way business is conducted, especially in an area where societal and environmental impacts are highly scrutinised. Originality/value This study provides evidence on how salient stakeholders of an emerging economy can influence, provide guidance and leadership in integrating SE in the accounting curriculum. Engaging actively and extensively with research studies such as this allows them to voice their opinions about the importance of sustainability and how their country can better engage in this increasingly important field.


2012 ◽  
Vol 25 (2) ◽  
pp. 72-86 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ilias G. Basioudis ◽  
Paul de Lange ◽  
Themin Suwardy ◽  
Paul Wells

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to investigate student perceptions of the design features included in an “off the shelf” Learning Management System (LMS) in teaching undergraduate accounting students.Design/methodology/approachQuestionnaire responses from 846 accounting students studying in the UK, Australia and New Zealand provide international data to develop a model to explain student perception of the LMS.FindingsThe final model shows student satisfaction with the use of a LMS is positively associated with three variables: usefulness of lecture notes, bulletin boards and discussion forums, and other LMS tools. Further, the comparison of cultural differences of the three countries shows all students treat the provision of notes as a desirable attribute on a LMS. Findings also suggest that although students find the provision of materials over the LMS does not enhance student engagement in class, overall a comparison of the three countries shows all students treat the provision of notes as a desirable attribute of a LMS.Research limitations/implicationsFuture research should collect ethnicity data to enable an analysis of cultural influence on student perceptions of the LMS.Practical implicationsAs increased motivation to learn is found to contribute to improved achievement of learning outcomes, the study's findings have implications for faculty contemplating the adoption of a LMS in their courses. The findings specifically confirm that usefulness of lecture notes, use of bulletin/discussion boards, and other LMS tools are positively endorsed by students and hence increase their motivation to learn.Originality/valueThe current paper adds to the literature as the motivation to use and engage with LMSs by accounting students is not well understood.


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