E-Government of Occupational Safety and Health

Electronic government (e-gov) has not been implemented as extensively in many developing countries as in developed countries, especially in certain fields, such as occupational safety and health (OSH). This chapter considers e-gov that is effected through the websites of leading OSH bodies in a developing country, Trinidad and Tobago, and two developed nations, the USA and UK. Using a content analysis and comparison exercise, OSH e-gov shortcomings and opportunities in T&T are noted. Improvement recommendations include development of a strategy and strategy execution plan to boost stakeholder recognition of the value of the OSH agency and OSH e-gov in T&T; partnership-building to make resources available for OSH e-gov enhancement; enhanced accessibility and utility via a wider range of media formats to users; better stakeholder responsiveness via engagement with social media and better online support; and increased data collection and analysis in order to drive continual improvement.

Integration of Gender and Development Approach on Institutional Programs, Activities, and Projects of Higher Education Institution: An Input to Strategic Development Plan

The purpose of this paper is to determine the GAD-aligned Programs, Projects, and Activities' gender-related mandated functions and integration. To obtain the necessary information on individuals in Higher Education Institutions based on specific traits and standards and clearly define the institution's long-term direction based on the institution's aims and objectives. Gender and Development focus on Gender Mainstreaming, which is a technique that incorporates both gender concerns and practices into the strategy, execution, supervision, and evaluation of guidelines, processes, plans, and activities at all levels, ensuring that both genders benefit equally. The study used a descriptive methodology to measure the extent to which gender-related activities integrated into mainstreaming mandatory functions and perceptions on GAD-aligned PPAs. There is no significant link between mandated outcome based on HEI-moderated (LUC or SUC) Instruction, Research, Extension, and Resource Management and perceived level of integration on the gender-related functions of Gender and Development Programs, Activities, and Projects, and GAD-aligned PPAs in mainstreaming. The mainstream GAD-aligned PPAs at the university do not predict the integration of GAD-related functions. The SUC/LUC category did not affect the relationship between the GAD-aligned PPAs and the level of integration when it approached the identified indicators.

Industrial Engagement in the Technical and Vocational Training (TVET) System

From 2010 through to 2021, this study critically assessed Malaysia's government efforts to increase industrial involvement in the country's TVET system. The goal of this research is to look at what the Malaysian government has done to strengthen industrial involvement in the country's TVET system from 2010 to 2021, as well as to make recommendations for any future changes. A textual narrative synthesis, based on three elements: strategy, execution, and the impact of those policies in promoting industrial involvement in the Malaysian TVET system, was used to conduct a systematic review. Five government policies since 2010 have been extracted from 231 linked-literature sources, each of which presented a strategy to improve industry-TVET cooperation. All of these government measures, according to the report, adopted a corporatist paradigm, in order to encourage corporate participation in the national TVET system. This was done by providing various incentives, including tax breaks, training grants, and subsidies. Improvements have been suggested to boost the industry-TVET relationship in Malaysia, particularly by giving connected industries some obligations to participate in the country's human-resource development, in comparison to the German model of the dual Apprenticeship programme.

The roles of performance measurement and management in the development and implementation of business ecosystem strategies

PurposePerformance measurement and management (PMM) systems have traditionally enabled strategy execution within and across firms. However, PMM have been criticized as overly static and deterministic and therefore inappropriate for emergent and dynamic contexts, such as those that characterize business ecosystems.The study aims to address the roles of organizational PMM practices in the development and implementation of business ecosystem strategies.Design/methodology/approachThe authors carried out a qualitative, longitudinal study during 2016–2020 at a Japanese multinational technology corporation attempting to create an ecosystem strategy to expand its market and diversify its offering. The authors collected interview, observation and archival data, spanning the period from framing the initial strategy to establishing the ecosystem.FindingsThe process of developing and implementing the ecosystem strategy was emergent and highly iterative, rather than planned and linear, eventually requiring key decision-makers in the company to challenge some of their deeply held assumptions. PMM practices first acted as barriers to ecosystem development by promoting an excessive focus on revenue generation. Once modified, PMM helped capture, convey and reassess the ecosystem strategy. Performance targets, indicators and strategy maps were not just data gathering and reporting mechanisms but key means to express competing perspectives.Practical implicationsWhen developing an ecosystem strategy, managers should adopt a participatory and iterative approach, reviewing the complementary effects of various PMM tools at different points in time.Originality/valueThe study is among the first to provide an in-depth account of ecosystem strategy creation and implementation and to identify the diverse roles and effects of PMM practices in dynamic and complex contexts.

EXPRESS: Effects of Presentation Modality and Duration on Children’s Strategy Use: A Study in Computational Estimation

Two experiments were run to determine how presentation modality and duration influence children’s arithmetic performance and strategy selection. Third and fourth graders were asked to find estimates for two-digit addition problems (e.g., 52 + 39). Children were tested in three conditions: (1) time-unlimited visual, (2) time-limited visual, or (3) time-limited auditory conditions. Moreover, we assessed children’s working-memory updating and arithmetic fluency. Children were told which strategy to use on each problem to assess arithmetic performance while executing strategies, in Experiment 1, and were asked to choose the best strategy of three available strategies to assess strategy selection, in Experiment 2. Presentation modality influenced strategy execution (i.e., children were faster and more accurate in problems under visual than auditory conditions) but only in children with low updating abilities. In contrast, presentation modality had no effect on children’s strategy selection. Presentation duration had an effect on both strategy execution and strategy selection with time-limited presentation leading to a decline in children’s performance. Interestingly, specifically in children with low updating abilities, time-limited presentation led to poorer performance. Hence, efficient updating seemed to compensate for detrimental effects of auditory in comparison to visual and time-limited in comparison to time-unlimited presentation. These findings have important implications for determining conditions under which children execute strategies most efficiently and select the best strategy on each problem most often, as well as for understanding mechanisms underlying strategic behaviour.

Growth through repositioning – the case of IHCL

Theoretical basis This case highlights repositioning strategies that change a product’s position in the minds of the consumer in response to changes in market conditions. These changes should be balanced with a certain amount of brand authenticity and continuity. Brand identity is the vision, core values and key beliefs of the brand. There are four main branding strategies as follows: house of brands, endorsed brands, sub-brands and branded house. These options can be placed in a continuum and the position on the branding relationship spectrum reflects the degree to which brands are separated in strategy execution and in the customer’s minds. Research methodology This case is based on secondary data, mainly from interviews of industry leaders in business journals, newspapers, research articles and industry reports, including from international organizations. Case overview/synopsis The case examines the frequent revisions in branding strategies by India’s second largest group of hotels – Indian Hotels Company Limited. Repositioning involves changing the market’s perceptions of an offering to compete more effectively in its target segments. However, a certain amount of continuity is also essential to the brand’s development over time. The case helps students to view the brand from two angles as follows: the angle of brand identity and the disruptive angle of new developments. They will examine the rationale for the frequent repositioning strategies using the brand relationship spectrum and whether these will affect the brand identity of the iconic brand Taj. Complexity academic level This case has been effectively used with MBA Marketing students in Product and Brand Management and Services Marketing classes to demonstrate how companies use repositioning strategies as a considered response to the market conditions. As competitive conditions and consumers evolve, changes in branding strategy will be necessitated. The students are expected to have basic knowledge of brand architecture and brand strategies. The case can be used to illustrate the brand relationship spectrum and the differences among branding strategies in brand architecture. Supplementary materials Teaching notes are available for educators only. Please contact your library to gain login details or email [email protected] to request teaching notes.

Sustainability and short-term profitability in the agri-food sector, a cross-sectional time-series investigation on global corporations

PurposeThis paper aims to investigate whether being sustainable is also profitable for agri-food companies in the short-term.Design/methodology/approachThe study analysed the impacts of sustainability multiple issues on one-year lagged return on assets, developing a longitudinal analysis focused on best and worst companies' samples for a timeframe of ten years. Notably, we performed OLS regressions on unbalanced panels data collecting overall 1,760 annual observations from 318 companies. Moreover, we examined the moderating effects of slack resources on the relationship between sustainability and the short-term firms' profitability.FindingsThe results show that the best sustainable companies usually improve future profitability. Conversely, the worst ones should prioritize efforts in specific initiatives (i.e. responsible products, eco-innovation, management and governance commitment to sustainability), which positively affect their profitability and compensate possible short-term financial losses due to CSR strategy execution and sustainable production/supply chain management. Finally, the study found mixed results regarding the moderating effects of slack resources on the scrutinized relationships.Practical implicationsThe paper highlights the key environmental, social and governance aspects to be addressed for consolidating and enhancing the virtuous relationship between non-financial and financial performance, distinguishing between best and worst sustainability performers.Originality/valueThis study is among the first that decomposed sustainability in multiple micro aspects (i.e. sustainable strategy, products and processes) investigating the effects of each of them on the short-term agri-food firms' profitability.