scholarly journals Occupants’ satisfaction and perceived productivity in open-plan offices designed to support activity-based working: findings from different industry sectors

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Christhina Candido ◽  
Ozgur Gocer ◽  
Samin Marzban ◽  
Kenan Gocer ◽  
Leena Thomas ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Interior Design ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Tertiary Education ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Open Plan ◽  
Industry Sectors ◽  
Support Activity ◽  
Insight Into ◽  
Survey Questionnaires

Purpose In the rise of offices designed to support activity-based working (ABW), parts of industry have fully transitioned to open-plan environments and then later to unassigned seating, whereas other parts, such as tertiary education, are still in the process of moving away from individual offices. There are a few relevant studies to understand how occupants from industry sectors with different levels of adoption of ABW perceived environments designed to support this way of working. This paper aims to contribute to the knowledge gap by providing insight into workers’ satisfaction and dissatisfaction from open-plan offices designed to support ABW along with the key predictors of perceived productivity. Design/methodology/approach A data set of 2,090 post-occupancy evaluation surveys conducted in five sectors – tertiary education, finance, construction, property/asset management and design/engineering – was analyzed. ANOVA and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) were conducted for the survey questionnaires. First, ANOVA tests were conducted for the whole sample with perceived productivity as the dependent variable. A seven-point Likert scale with five theoretical factors was generated with all survey questionnaires. CFA was performed to show the factor loadings. In addition, regression analyses were carried out for each of factor item taken as the independent variable, where perceived productivity was the dependent variable. Key sources of satisfaction and dissatisfaction per sector were analyzed and differences between occupants reporting a negative or positive impact on their productivity were also investigated. Finally, open-ended comments were analyzed to show the key sources of dissatisfaction based on open-ended comments. Findings Workers from construction were the most satisfied, followed by finance and tertiary education. Occupants from all industry sectors consistently rated their workspaces highly on biophilic and interior design. Distraction and privacy received the lowest scores from all sectors. Open-ended comments showed mismatches between spatial and behavioral dimensions of ABW both for satisfaction and perceived productivity. Interior design was the strongest predictor for perceived productivity for all sectors. Findings dispel the notion that ABW implementation may not be suitable for certain industries, as long as the three key pillars of ABW are fully implemented, including design, behavior and technology. Originality/value This paper provides insight into workers’ satisfaction and dissatisfaction from open-plan offices designed to support ABW in different industry sectors along with the key predictors of perceived productivity.

scholarly journals Ownership feature and firm performance via corporate innovation performance

2018 ◽  
Vol 25 (2) ◽  
pp. 239-250 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dung Nguyen ◽  
Hoai Nguyen ◽  
Kien S. Nguyen
Keyword(s):  
Firm Performance ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Policy Implications ◽  
Ownership Concentration ◽  
Likelihood Method ◽  
Sales Growth ◽  
Reverse Causality ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Cmp Model

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the simultaneous relationship among ownership concentration, innovation and firm performance of the small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Vietnam during the 2011–2015. By employing a Conditional Mixed Process (CMP) model, the findings show that: there is no impact of ownership concentration on innovation, but it has a positive impact on sales growth; innovation positively affects firm performance; and there exists a positively reverse causality from sales growth to innovation. Design/methodology/approach In this study, the authors propose the adaption of CMP model (Roodman, 2011). The nature of the first stage dependent variable – Innovation – is a binary one while the dependent variable Performance is continuous. Therefore, a model that can adapt the binary nature of the dependent variable and perform the estimation of a system of equations such as CMP model is preferred. The CMP framework is substantially that of seemingly unrelated regression, but with application in a larger scope. This approach is based on a “simulated maximum likelihood method” suggested by Geweke–Hajivassiliou–Keane algorithm. Findings By applying CMP method, this study examines the simultaneous relationship among ownership concentration, innovation and firm performance of the SMEs in Vietnam from 2011 to 2015. The findings indicate that: there is no impact of ownership concentration on innovation, but it has a positive impact on sales growth; innovation positively affects firm performance; and there exists a positively reverse causality from sales growth to innovation. Research limitations/implications In spite of the efforts to explore the simultaneous relationship among ownership concentration, innovation and firm performance of the SMEs in Vietnam, the study still has some limitations which are promising further research directions. First, the SME surveys by Central Institute for Economic Management do not have much information about other types of ownership including state-owned and foreign ownership. Therefore, possible further studies with richer data sets may explore the impacts of different types of ownership on firm innovation and performance. Second, other types of innovation such as organizational innovation, marketing innovation can also be investigated in further studies in a richer data set for the case of Vietnam SMEs. Originality/value The findings show that: there is no impact of ownership concentration on innovation, but it has a positive impact on sales growth; innovation positively affects firm performance; and there exists a positively reverse causality from sales growth to innovation. The policy implications insist on facilitating SMEs with easier access to capital via loans with preferred interest or trust loans without collateral, training programs for the labor force and SME leaders, and reduction of unnecessary administrative procedure.

Capital and credit constraints in the engagement of youth in Ghanaian agriculture

2019 ◽  
Vol 80 (1) ◽  
pp. 22-37 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martinson Ankrah Twumasi ◽  
Yuansheng Jiang ◽  
Monica Owusu Acheampong
Keyword(s):  
Positive Impact ◽  
Credit Constraints ◽  
Rural Youth ◽  
Unique Contribution ◽  
Switching Regression ◽  
Credit Constraint ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Application Procedure ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to determine the factors influencing rural youth farmers’ credit constraints status and the effect of credit constraint on the intensity of participation of these farmers in Ghana. Design/methodology/approach The econometric estimation is based on cross-sectional data collected in 2018 from the Brong Ahafo region in Ghana. The sample data set consists of 450 rural youth farmers. The collected data were analyzed through different econometric techniques, using the endogenous switching regression model (ERSM). Findings The direct elicitation approach employed in this study revealed that out of the 450 farmers, 211 (47 percent) of the respondents were credit constrained compared to 239 (53 percent) of their counterparts who were unconstrained. The ERSM indicated that youth farmers education, age, savings, parents occupation reduced the probability of the rural youth farmer to be credit constrained but cumbersome loan application procedure and loan disbursement time positively affect credit constraint. Moreover, farmers that are credit constrained have lower intensity of participation in agriculture activities than a random farmer from the sample. This suggests that access to credit has a positive impact on the intensity of participation in agriculture activities. Research limitations/implications In this study, only rural youth farmers in a particular region were considered. However, there are youths all over the nation. Therefore, future researchers could consider other youth’s farmers elsewhere in the country. Originality/value Although existing studies have examined rural youth farmers’ participation in agriculture and credit constraint separately, the unique contribution of this paper is the analysis of credit constraint of rural youth farmers as well as the impact of credit constraint on the intensity of participation in agriculture activities.

Impact of business model innovations on SME’s innovativeness and performance

2019 ◽  
Vol 14 (4) ◽  
pp. 521-539 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rimantas Gatautis† ◽  
Egle Vaiciukynaite ◽  
Asta Tarute
Keyword(s):  
Business Model ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Innovation Activities ◽  
Organizational Inertia ◽  
Multiple Characteristics

Purpose Business model innovations (BMIs), their drivers and outcomes are attracting increasing attention in academic literature. However, previous studies have mainly focused on large companies, while knowledge of BMI in small-to-medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) is limited. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to add new insights into how related BMI drivers, practices and outcomes are in relation to SMEs. Design/methodology/approach An extensive review of the existing literature was performed. Consequently, the relationships between BMI drivers, BMI practices and outcomes of BMI were developed as a conceptual framework. An empirical study was carried out. A structural equation modeling (SEM) procedure was used to empirically test the model using a quantitative data set of Lithuanian SMEs (n=73). Findings The study provides insights into the relations between BMI drivers, BMI practices and outcomes of BMI in SMEs. The findings of SEM, four drivers (innovation activities, strategic orientation, market and technology turbulence, respectively) are indicated to contribute to BMI of SMEs. In addition, the results proved that the implementation of BMI practices leads to strategic and architectural changes in firms and has a positive impact on SMEs performance and innovativeness. Research limitations/implications Empirical research is focused on a limited number of internal and external BMI drivers, which have an influence on BMI in SMEs from one geographical region. Consequently, there are many external and internal BMI drivers which also may have an influence on BMI in SMEs, such as industry life cycle, organizational inertia and leadership. Meanwhile, SMEs possess multiple characteristics, i.e. a phase of maturity, gender of CEO, firm size and industry; therefore, the aforesaid aspects are considered to be significant limitations. In addition, the importance of SMEs characteristics as mediators for the effects on a firm’s performance and innovativeness should be considered in future research avenues. Practical implications Findings of this research can be used by SME managers to better understand how firms might actively engage in BMI practices, what drivers lead to BMI and, in turn, affect their firm’s performance and innovativeness. SME managers should be encouraged to pay attention to strategic and architectural changes of BM that can contribute to enterprise performance and innovativeness. Originality/value This paper adds to the stream of BMI research by empirically exploring drivers and outcomes of BMI in SMEs. In addition, this paper fulfills research gaps proposed by Bouwman et al. (2018), Foss and Saebi (2017), Heikkilä, Bouwman and Heikkilä (2018) and Lambert and Davidson (2013), and enhances the current overall understanding of BMIs.

R&D volatility and market value: the role of executive overconfidence

2019 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 411-431
Author(s):  
Benlu Hai ◽  
Qingzhu Gao ◽  
Ximing Yin ◽  
Jin Chen
Keyword(s):  
Business Performance ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Market Value ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Dynamic Perspective ◽  
Innovation Strategies ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Relationship

Purpose Significant increase or decrease in research and development (R&D) expenditure may have an immense impact on market value. Based on the punctuated equilibrium theory, this paper aims to empirically analyze the impact of R&D volatilities on market value and the moderating effect of executive overconfidence. Design/methodology/approach The study uses the panel data set that covers 902 Shanghai and Shenzhen A-share manufacturing listed firms and multiple regression method to test the theoretical hypotheses. Findings The results show that both positive and negative R&D volatilities have a robust and significant positive impact on the market value. Further analysis shows that the executive overconfidence positively moderates the relationship between R&D volatilities and market value. Research limitations/implications In a rapidly changing and highly competitive environment, firms should recognize that the balance of innovation strategies will help to bring higher market value. Furthermore, firms could improve corporate governance to make the best of managerial characteristics, such as overconfidence, on the innovation decision-making process. Originality/value By pushing the static perspective to a dynamic perspective and empirically documenting the role of executive overconfidence, this study contributes to the literature on the relationship between R&D expenditure and market value, generating theoretical and practical insights for firms to improve innovation governance and innovation strategies to achieve better business performance.

Bridge and redundant ties in networks: the impact on innovation in food SMEs

2015 ◽  
Vol 18 (3) ◽  
pp. 355-379 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ghasem Shiri ◽  
Loïc Sauvée ◽  
Zam-Zam Abdirahman
Keyword(s):  
Empirical Research ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Process Innovation ◽  
Innovation Activity ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Product And Process Innovation ◽  
Product And Process ◽  
The Impact

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to study the impact of networks diversity on innovation activity of firms. It aims to review the structural issue in innovation networks and to distinguish different structures of networks for product and process innovation through an empirical research. Design/methodology/approach – Using a data set of 348 European agri-food firms, the authors study the impact of bridge and redundant ties on product and process innovation of firms. This is an empirical research based on an online survey in five European countries. Findings – The finding shows that bridge ties (measured by the number of heterogeneous networks in which firm participate) always facilitate product innovation in firms. The authors found also that a high number of heterogeneous ties in term of partners (simultaneous presence of redundant and non-redundant ties) motivate both product and process innovation in firms. Furthermore, the authors found a positive impact of network competence on process innovation. Research limitations/implications – The measures of bridge ties and redundant ties are indirect measures. This choice is a willing choice. Direct measurement of bridge and redundant ties always requires in-depth interviews with firms managers and thereby are limited by the number of observations. Originality/value – Research on innovations networks are dominated by case studies and researches with limited number of observations. Studying the networking behaviour, particularly the tie selection, of a wide range of firms brings additional knowledge in this field of research.

Using SEM-PLS to assess users satisfaction of library service quality: evidence from Malaysia

2019 ◽  
Vol 40 (3/4) ◽  
pp. 240-250 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sahar Hosseinikhah Choshaly ◽  
Marva Mirabolghasemi
Keyword(s):  
User Satisfaction ◽  
Structural Model ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Measurement Model ◽  
Information Control ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Library Users ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Library User ◽  
Insight Into

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of Libqual+™ dimension (affect of services, information control and Library as a place) on user satisfaction at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM). Design/methodology/approach Data were collected using a sample of 100 students and it was analyzed using SPSS and SmartPLS. The measurement model was analyzed using composite reliability, convergent and discriminate validity while the structural model was used to predict the relationships between variables. Findings The results indicated that services, information control and library as a place have a significant and positive impact on the overall satisfaction of library users, with affect of services being the most important predictor of library user satisfaction. Practical implications Overall, users are satisfied with the services provided by the UKM library. Results from this study will help librarians to make better decisions in providing effective services and fulfilling the library’s vision and mission. Originality/value The study provides insight into the UKM University how to use LibQual+™ dimension to improve user’s satisfaction.

scholarly journals Changing contexts: from criminal to citizen

2019 ◽  
Vol 33 (3) ◽  
pp. 515-526
Author(s):  
Aidan McKearney
Keyword(s):  
Gay Men ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Sexual Citizenship ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Working Lives ◽  
Legislative Changes ◽  
Depth Interviews ◽  
Insight Into

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to provide a critical reflection on the profound changes regarding sexual minority rights in Britain and Ireland. It seeks to illustrate how recent legislative changes can impact the working lives of gay employees living and working in nonmetropolitan locales. The paper also aims to assess the role of LGBTQI movements, groups and networks, in facilitating voice and visibility and advancing equality. Design/methodology/approach Secondary research was undertaken to assist in contextualising the empirical findings, within a literature review. The paper presents findings derived from a qualitative study, involving in-depth interviews with 44 gay men in Britain and Ireland. Findings LGBTQI movements and groups have played a crucial role in facilitating voice, and visibility for LGBTQI people in both Britain and Ireland. These movements have themselves, undergone change, moving from liberationist-queer-radical approaches to normalising-sexual citizenship-radical approaches. Significant legislative advances have taken place in the 2000s, and these have had a positive impact on gay workers. However, there is a continuing need for organisations to respond in ever more strategic, effective and inclusive ways, if the promise of sexual citizenship is to be realised by gay people in the workplace. Local, self-organised LGBT groups can play an important role in building sexual citizenship in nonmetropolitan locales. Originality/value This paper’s value and contribution lie in its application of theoretical principles and models, most notably models of sexual citizenship, in a specific historical, geographical and spatial context. The paper offers an insight into the lives of gay men who reside and work in nonmetropolitan locales; and highlights the emergence of subtle forms of gay resistance and radicalism, through self-organised groups.

Firm-level determinants of job creation by SMEs: Swedish empirical evidence

2015 ◽  
Vol 22 (4) ◽  
pp. 666-679 ◽  
Author(s):  
Darush Yazdanfar ◽  
Peter Öhman
Keyword(s):  
Method Of Moments ◽  
General Pattern ◽  
Generalized Method Of Moments ◽  
Job Creation ◽  
Financial Leverage ◽  
Firm Level ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Industry Sectors ◽  
The Relationship

Purpose – Using a resource-based approach, the purpose of this paper is to examine the effects of the firm-level determinants financial leverage and liquidity on job creation at small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in six industry sectors in Sweden. Design/methodology/approach – The generalized method of moments system model was used to analyse an extensive panel data set of 26,721 Swedish SMEs over the 2008-2011 period. Findings – The empirical results indicate that job creation is positively related to SMEs’ financial leverage and liquidity, and to their size and age. SMEs’ financial leverage and size are the most important firm-level determinants of job creation. Although there are differences between industry sectors, the results confirm the general pattern of the effect of financial leverage and liquidity on job creation. Research limitations/implications – Due to the importance of job creation for economic growth, the relationship between SMEs’ capital structure and job creation should be of interest to researchers, practitioners, and policymakers. In investigating the importance of financial leverage and liquidity to labour demand dynamics, this study analyses the firm-level factors that influence job creation by SMEs. Originality/value – Since there is limited empirical research focusing on this relationship at firm level in the context of SME, the current research aims at investigating the determinants of job creation at the firm level empirically.

Corporate tax planning and corporate tax disclosure

2019 ◽  
Vol 28 (2) ◽  
pp. 327-364
Author(s):  
Mahfoudh Hussein Mgammal
Keyword(s):  
Positive Impact ◽  
Positive Influence ◽  
Tax Planning ◽  
Corporate Tax ◽  
Effective Tax Rate ◽  
Firm Level ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose This paper aims to examine the impact of corporate tax planning (TP) on tax disclosure (TD). Using tax expenses data set, with the detailed effective tax rate (ETR) by reconciling individual items of income and expenses. Design/methodology/approach A firm-level panel data set is used to analyse 286 non-financial listed companies on Bursa Malaysia that spans the period 2010-2012. Multivariate statistical analyses were run on the sample data. The empirical understanding of TD depends on public sources of data in the financial statement, characterized in the aggregated note of tax expenses. Fitting with Malaysian environment, the authors measured TD using modified ETR reconciling items. Findings Results show that TP, exhibit a robust positive influence on TD. This suggests that TP is related to lower corporate TD. In addition, companies with high TP attempt to mitigate the disclosure problem by increasing various TD. The authors further find significant positive impact between each of firm size and industry dummy, on TD. This means that company-specific characteristics are significant factors affecting corporate TD. Research limitations/implications This study contributes to the literature on the effect of TP on TD. It depends on both the signalling theory and the Scholes–Wolfson framework, which are the main theories concerned with TP and TD. Therefore, from a theoretical side, the authors add to the current theories by verifying that users are the party influenced whether positively or negatively, by the extent of TD or the extent of TP activities through Malaysian organizations. Practical implications The evidence found in this paper has important policy and practical implications for the authorities, researchers, decision makers and company managers. The findings can provide them some relevant insights on the importance of TP actions from companies’ perspective and contribute to the discussion of who verifies and deduces from TD directed by companies. Originality/value This paper originality is regarded as the first attempt to examine the impact of TP on TD in a developing country such as Malaysia. Malaysian setting is an interesting one to examine because Malaysia could be similar to other countries in Southeast Asia. Results contribute significant insights to the discussion about TD regarding, which parties are responsible for the verification of TD by firms, and which parties benefit from this disclosure. Findings suggest that companies face a trade-off between tax benefits and TD when selecting the type of their TP.

Split-share reforms and capital structure adjustment in China: a dynamic panel fractional estimation

2020 ◽  
Vol 47 (6) ◽  
pp. 1265-1280
Author(s):  
Tanveer Ahsan ◽  
Sultan Sikandar Mirza ◽  
Bakr Al-Gamrh ◽  
Muhammad Zubair Tauni
Keyword(s):  
Capital Structure ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Easy Access ◽  
Dynamic Panel ◽  
Chinese Firms ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Structure Adjustment ◽  
The Government ◽  
Nonfinancial Firms

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to explain the adjustment rate toward the target capital structure of Chinese nonfinancial listed firms and to investigate the impacts of the split-share reforms (2005–2006) on the capital structure adjustment rate.Design/methodology/approachThe authors control for the unobserved heterogeneity and the fractional nature of the adjustment rate by applying an unbiased dynamic panel fractional estimator on the unbalanced panel data of 27,545 firm-year observations of Chinese nonfinancial firms listed during 1998–2015.FindingsThe authors find that Chinese firms adjust at an annual rate of 19–27% to reach their capital structure targets. The authors also find a positive impact of the split-share reforms on the adjustment rates of Chinese nonfinancial firms toward their target capital structure. Split-share reforms also helped Chinese firms to increase the use of equity financing in their capital structure.Practical implicationsThe authors argue that the government should strengthen capital markets to enable easy access to more financing options so that Chinese firms can acquire cheaper external financing.Originality/valueTo the best of authors' knowledge, this is the first study that applies an unbiased dynamic panel fractional estimator on an extended data set of 27,545 firm-year observations of Chinese nonfinancial firms listed during 1998–2015.

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