Member perceptions of ESG investing through superannuation

2015 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 79-102 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura de Zwaan ◽  
Mark Brimble ◽  
Jenny Stewart
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Financial Literacy ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Environmental Issues ◽  
Social Implications ◽  
Content Type ◽  
On Line ◽  
Line Survey ◽  
Practical Implications ◽  
Financial Penalty

Purpose – Environmental, social and governance (ESG) risks have the potential to negatively impact financial returns, yet few superannuation funds integrate these considerations into their investment selection. The Cooper Review (2010) identified a lack of member demand as a key impediment to ESG investing by superannuation funds. Given this problem, the aim of this study is to explore superannuation fund members’ perceptions of ESG investing by their funds in order to identify reasons for the lack of demand. Design/methodology/approach – An on-line survey was developed and distributed to assess possible reasons why members do not select ESG investment options. In total, 549 Australian superannuation fund members responded to the survey. Findings – Results indicate that the majority of superannuation fund members are interested in ESG investing. Members lack awareness of their fund’s approach to ESG investing, and they do not perceive there to be a financial penalty from ESG investing. Finally, members show a preference for consideration of governance issues over both social and environmental issues. Research limitations/implications – Respondents are well educated and the majority did not choose their superannuation fund. There was no measure of financial literacy included in the research instrument. There is also a general limitation in surveying superannuation fund members when they lack knowledge about superannuation. Practical implications – The results indicate that superannuation members are interested in both superannuation and ESG investing. Given the low take-up of ESG investment options, this finding raises the question of how effectively funds are engaging their members. Social implications – The results should be of interest to superannuation funds and may lead to renewed interest in promoting ESG products. Originality/value – This is the first study to examine superannuation members’ attitudes and behaviours towards ESG investing in the context of superannuation. The study also adds to our understanding of member decision-making in the $1.8 trillion superannuation industry.

Has Lean improved organizational decision making?

2016 ◽  
Vol 29 (5) ◽  
pp. 536-549 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pascale Simons ◽  
Jos Benders ◽  
Jochen Bergs ◽  
Wim Marneffe ◽  
Dominique Vandijck
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Lean Management ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Organizational Decision Making ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Organizational Contexts ◽  
Sustainable Improvement ◽  
Care Processes ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose – Sustainable improvement is likely to be hampered by ambiguous objectives and uncertain cause-effect relations in care processes (the organization’s decision-making context). Lean management can improve implementation results because it decreases ambiguity and uncertainties. But does it succeed? Many quality improvement (QI) initiatives are appropriate improvement strategies in organizational contexts characterized by low ambiguity and uncertainty. However, most care settings do not fit this context. The purpose of this paper is to investigate whether a Lean-inspired change program changed the organization’s decision-making context, making it more amenable for QI initiatives. Design/methodology/approach – In 2014, 12 professionals from a Dutch radiotherapy institute were interviewed regarding their perceptions of a Lean program in their organization and the perceived ambiguous objectives and uncertain cause-effect relations in their clinical processes. A survey (25 questions), addressing the same concepts, was conducted among the interviewees in 2011 and 2014. The structured interviews were analyzed using a deductive approach. Quantitative data were analyzed using appropriate statistics. Findings – Interviewees experienced improved shared visions and the number of uncertain cause-effect relations decreased. Overall, more positive (99) than negative Lean effects (18) were expressed. The surveys revealed enhanced process predictability and standardization, and improved shared visions. Practical implications – Lean implementation has shown to lead to greater transparency and increased shared visions. Originality/value – Lean management decreased ambiguous objectives and reduced uncertainties in clinical process cause-effect relations. Therefore, decision making benefitted from Lean increasing QI’s sustainability.

scholarly journals Unlimited and protected memory for flight data recorders

2016 ◽  
Vol 88 (6) ◽  
pp. 866-872 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yair Wiseman
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
Memory Device ◽  
Social Implications ◽  
Embedded Memory ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Flight Data ◽  
Embedded Device ◽  
Use Of Internet ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to study extensive enlargement and safety of flight data recorder memory. Design/methodology/approach The study involves the moving the memory of flight data recorders from an internal embedded device to a cloud. Findings The implementation has made the embedded memory device of flight data recorder effectively unlimited, and, hence, much more information can be stored. Research limitations/implications The possibility of a flight data recorder to be damaged or lost in a crash is not so high, but the implementation can be very helpful in cases such as aerial disappearances. Practical implications The implication is larger and protected memory for flight data recorders. Social implications Finding reasons for crashes is faster, and immediate actions can be taken to find remedy to the failures. Originality/value The use of internet and cellphones in airplanes is nothing special at present. It is suggested to take this technology for flight data recorders as well.

Are the saving decision patterns of bank customers also clouded by psychological biases? Evidence from Ghana

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Joseph Emmanuel Tetteh ◽  
Christopher Boachie
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Loss Aversion ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Weighted Least Squares ◽  
Least Squares Regression ◽  
Individual Decision ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Saving Decisions ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Practical Implications

PurposeThis paper attempts to investigate the influence of psychological biases on saving decision-making of bank customers in Ghana.Design/methodology/approachIt employs weighted least squares regression to test the effect of psychological biases on savings decisions of bank customers.FindingsThe findings show that all the nine psychological biases, namely mental accounting, availability, loss aversion, representativeness, anchoring, overconfidence, status quo, framing effect and disposition effect employed for the study have a significant influence on saving decision of bank customers. The results depict that psychological biases are entrenched in the saving pattern of bank customers in Ghana.Practical implicationsFor policy purposes, the study recommends that bank customers need to enhance their knowledge of psychological biases in order to improve their gains from savings, and not to fall prey to these prejudices. The satisfied customer is a dependable source of bank viability and survival.Originality/valueTo the best of the knowledge of the author, this study provides the first empirical evidence of the influence of psychological biases on saving decisions of bank customers in Ghana. The findings of this study will enhance knowledge on the influence of psychological biases on individual decision-making and will accentuate the fact that the individual is not an entirely rational being.

Performance assessment of the complex repairable system with n-identical units under (k-out-of-n: G) scheme and copula linguistic repair approach

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
V. V. Singh ◽  
Abubakkar Idris Mohhammad ◽  
Kabiru Hamisu Ibrahim ◽  
Ibrahim Yusuf
Keyword(s):  
Complex System ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
New Method ◽  
Social Implications ◽  
Repairable System ◽  
Variable Technique ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Different Types ◽  
Theoretical Assessment ◽  
Practical Implications

PurposeThis paper analyzed a complex system consisting n-identical units under a k-out-of-n: G; configuration via a new method which has not been studied by previous researchers. The computed results are more supportable for repairable system performability analysis.Design/methodology/approachIn this paper, the authors have analyzed a complex system consisting n-identical units under a k-out-of-n: G; configuration via a new method which has not been studied by previous researchers. The supplementary variable technique has employed for analyzing the performance of the system.FindingsReliability measures have been computed for different types of configuration. It generalized the results for purely series and purely parallel configurations.Research limitations/implicationsThis research may be beneficial for industrial system performances whereas a k-out-of-n-type configuration exists.Practical implicationsNot sure as it is a theoretical assessment.Social implicationsThis research may not have social implications.Originality/valueThis work is the sole work of authors that have not been communicated to any other journal before.

Sustaining corporate culture in a world of hybrid work

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter Buell Hirsch
Keyword(s):  
Corporate Culture ◽  
Current Literature ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
White Collar ◽  
Subjective Assessment ◽  
Social Implications ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Subject ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose This paper aims to examine the challenges to sustaining corporate culture in a world of hybrid working. Design/methodology/approach This paper is a review of current literature on the impact of remote and hybrid working on white-collar employees. Findings There is little consensus on whether remote/hybrid working will harm or strengthen corporate culture. Research limitations/implications The viewpoint is a subjective assessment of a limited number of articles on the subject Practical implications It is not entirely clear how those responsible for corporate culture can act on the findings. Social implications In a world in which corporations are experiencing a shortage of talent, how they handle corporate culture will be increasingly important. Originality/value While much has been written on the impact of remote working, this viewpoint takes the original view that strong corporate cultures rely more on the attitudes and actions of individual employees that company programs or initiatives.

The response of majority employee-owned firms during the pandemic compared to other firms

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Joseph Blasi ◽  
Douglas Kruse ◽  
Dan Weltmann
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
Employee Ownership ◽  
Social Implications ◽  
Firm Level ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Rutgers University ◽  
Employment Trends ◽  
The Difference ◽  
Industry Membership ◽  
Practical Implications

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to understand how majority employee-owned firms responded to the pandemic compared to firms that were not majority employee-owned. The Employee Ownership Foundation partnered with Rutgers University and the SSRS survey firm to survey ESOP and non-ESOP firms about their responses to the COVID-19 pandemic. A key purpose of the survey was to estimate firm-level changes in employment from mid-January to August (current employment figures were adjusted to August 5 using BLS industry employment trends). The survey also looked at other forms of adjustment and responses to the pandemic as reviewed below. The focus in this study is on the differences between firms that are majority owned by ESOPs and those that are not.Design/methodology/approachThe survey included 247 executives from ESOP Association member companies and 500 executives from an SSRS business panel constructed to be representative of US companies with 50 or more employees. The survey started on August 5 and ended on September 23, 2020.Findings(1) Majority ESOP firms had employment declines from January to August that were on average only one-fourth as large as for other firms. The difference is maintained when controlling for industry membership. (2) Majority ESOP firms were more likely to be declared “essential,” but the lower employment cutbacks among majority ESOP firms remain among essential and non-essential businesses. As essential businesses, majority ESOP firms were more likely receive Paycheck Protection Program or other government pandemic assistance, but both assistance recipients and non-recipients had lower employment cutbacks among majority ESOP firms. (3) The extent of employment cutbacks was higher for non-managers than for managers, but the manager/non-manager gap was higher among other firms than among majority ESOP firms.Research limitations/implicationsThis study supports empirical findings done previously.Practical implicationsThis study suggests to non-EO firms what they can do.Social implicationsThis study suggests strengths of EO firms.Originality/valueA very original and one-of-a-kind dataset.

Wisconsin Assistive Technology Initiative framework for supporting assistive technology decision-making in Singapore schools: perspectives of in-service educators

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Meng Ee Wong ◽  
YingMin Lee
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Assistive Technology ◽  
Peer Review ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Resource Constraints ◽  
Written Feedback ◽  
Technology Initiative ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Trial Experience ◽  
Practical Implications

PurposeThis study explored in-service educators' experience of using the Wisconsin Assistive Technology Initiative (WATI) for assistive technology (AT) decision-making within Singapore schools.Design/methodology/approachThe study adopted a qualitative design. Eight educators across both mainstream and special education schools were introduced to the WATI framework which they subsequently employed as a trial experience for a student under their care. Written feedback gathered from participants was analysed to identify common issues and themes regarding the use of the WATI framework for AT decision-making.FindingsThe comprehensive consideration of a broad scope of different factors, provision of a structured process for AT decision-making, as well as a common language for use by different stakeholders emerged as key benefits of implementing the WATI. Challenges encountered include administrative struggles in gathering different stakeholders together, time and resource constraints and difficulties in loaning AT devices for trial use.Practical implicationsBased on educators' feedback, recommendations to facilitate the adoption of the WATI for AT decision-making within Singapore schools are discussed and considered. This study also highlights the need for greater AT instruction within both preservice and in-service teacher preparation programmes in Singapore.Originality/valueSchools in Singapore currently rarely adopt any frameworks in place to guide educators through a systematic process of AT consideration. It is anticipated that this study will spearhead and drive the adoption of systematic frameworks such as the WATI for better AT decision-making within Singapore schools.Peer reviewThe peer review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon 10.1108/JET-03-2021-0015

Guest editorial: Solving problems for service consumers experiencing vulnerabilities: a marketplace challenge

2021 ◽  
Vol 35 (6) ◽  
pp. 685-691
Author(s):  
Raechel Johns ◽  
Janet Davey
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
Guest Editorial ◽  
Individual Characteristics ◽  
Service Systems ◽  
Social Implications ◽  
Special Issue ◽  
Actor Network ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Key Issues ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose While there is burgeoning service literature identifying consumer vulnerabilities and questioning the assumption that all consumers have the resources to co-create, limited research addresses solutions for consumers experiencing vulnerabilities. Service systems can provide support for consumers but can also create inequities and experienced vulnerabilities. This paper aims to identify current and further research needed to explore this issue and addresses marketplace problems for consumers experiencing vulnerabilities. Design/methodology/approach This viewpoint discusses key issues relating to solving marketplace problems for consumers experiencing vulnerabilities. A call for papers focused on solving marketplace problems for consumers experiencing vulnerabilities resulted in a large number of submissions. Nine papers are included in this special issue, and each one is discussed in this editorial according to five emergent themes. Findings Vulnerabilities can be temporary, or permanent, and anyone can suddenly experience vulnerabilities. Inequities and vulnerabilities can be due to individual characteristics, environmental forces, or due to the structure of the marketplace itself. Solutions include taking a strengths-based approach to addressing inequities and using a multiple-actor network to provide support. Practical implications The recommendations addressed in this paper enable more positive approaches to solving marketplace problems for consumers experiencing vulnerabilities. Social implications Taking a solutions-focused lens to research relating to vulnerabilities will contribute toward addressing inequities within the marketplace. Originality/value Increasingly, service literature is identifying inequities; however, very limited research addresses solutions for solving marketplace problems for consumers experiencing vulnerabilities. This paper suggests taking an approach focusing on strengths, rather than weaknesses, to determine strategies, and using the support of other actors (Transformative Service Mediators) where required.

Want to reduce the bullwhip? Measure it. Here’s how

2017 ◽  
Vol 22 (4) ◽  
pp. 297-304 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ming Jin ◽  
Nicole DeHoratius ◽  
Glen Schmidt
Keyword(s):  
Small Perturbation ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Bullwhip Effect ◽  
End Users ◽  
Social Implications ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Novel Approach ◽  
Level Data ◽  
Beer Game ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose The popular “beer game” illustrates the bullwhip effect where a small perturbation in downstream demand can create wild swings in upstream product flows. The purpose of this paper is to present a methodical framework to measure the bullwhip effect and evaluate its impact. Design/methodology/approach This paper illustrates a framework using SKU-level data from an industry-leading manufacturer, its distributors, end-users and suppliers. Findings Firms benefit from tracking multiple intra-firm bullwhips and from tracking bullwhips pertinent to specific products, specific suppliers and specific customers. The framework presented in this paper enables managers to pinpoint bullwhip sources and mitigate bullwhip effects. Research limitations/implications This paper presents a framework for methodically measuring and tracking intra-firm and inter-firm bullwhips. Practical implications A disconnect exists between what is known and taught regarding the bullwhip effect and how it is actually tracked and managed in practice. This paper aims to reduce this gap. For the various products analyzed herein, the authors show how using this framework has the potential to reduce delivered product cost by 2 to 15 per cent. Social implications Properly managing the bullwhip leads to lower inventories and potentially lower product prices while simultaneously increasing firm profits. Originality/value This paper presents a novel approach to systematically tracking intra-firm bullwhips along with bullwhips specific to a given supplier or customer.

scholarly journals Celebrating advances in LGBT+ diversity in the accountancy profession

2018 ◽  
Vol 9 (5) ◽  
pp. 636-641 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeffrey Unerman
Keyword(s):  
Social Justice ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Social Implications ◽  
Critical Approach ◽  
Diversity Initiatives ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Diversity Issues ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose This paper aims to provide a commentary on evidence presented and issues raised by Egan (2018) regarding LGBT+ diversity initiatives in the accountancy profession. Design/methodology/approach This paper is an invited commentary based on the author’s experiences of LGBT+ and other diversity initiatives in the profession. Findings There is cause for optimism in how far the profession has progressed in some countries on supporting LGBT+ (and other forms of) diversity. Practical implications As multinational accountancy firms can be agents for change in countries where there remains considerable discrimination and hostility to LGBT+ (and other) communities, constructive critique to help further improve the firms’ innovative actions on LGBT+ and other diversity issues could have a major positive impact on social justice. Egan (2018) is an example of such constructive critique. Social implications Where other academic studies take a disparagingly critical approach, they risk both squandering the opportunity to help achieve the progress they espouse and discouraging other firms embracing innovative diversity practices. Originality/value This study provides a counter perspective to some critical accounting arguments that appear to value idealism over progress.

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