4,069 research outputs found

    Firm, industry, and country effects on CO2 emissions levels

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    We hinge on a panel data of 4660 firms across 79 countries and over 15 years to explore how country, industry, and firm effects influence firms' CO2 emissions. Our results show that firm effects are the main factor influencing firms' CO2 emissions (32.8% of the total variance), ahead of industry (30.6%), country (29.3%), or country-industry effects (4.0%). These results highlight the need to overhaul current public policy baselines that mainly focus on environmental regulation and technological development, for the dissemination of proactive environmental practices within the firm also appears to be—at least—as important to ground a low-carbon future. Our findings should also permeate the rhetoric of the agents setting business collective beliefs and influencing management training, as well as that of international organizations at the forefront of the crusade for decarbonization. By contrast, if the misleading idea of marginal firm effects entrenches in our set of beliefs, it could become a self-fulfilling prophecy in the normative system under which policymaking and organizational behavior unfold.Universidade de Vigo/CISU

    Technology, global value chains and functional specialisation in Europe

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    This paper provides empirical evidence on the role of technology in affecting the relationship between the participation of EU countries and industries in Global Value Chains (GVCs) and their employment structure over the period 2000–2014. The empirical analysis is based on country-sector level data for 21 EU countries on employment, trade in value added, patents and investments in intangible assets, and focusses on backward linkages within GVCs. The role of technology is analysed by taking into account both the technological intensity of country-sectors participating in GVC and that of their GVC partners. We study the employment structure by looking at the shares of managers and manual workers, which reflect the “functional specialisation” of the country-sector within GVCs. We find that participation in GVC per se is not related to the employment structure of a country-sector. We show that different patterns of GVC integration and functional specialisation emerge that depend on the initial patents/intangibles intensity of the country-sector integrating in GVC and those of the partners

    The Productivity Puzzle, Management Practices and Leadership

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    The research direction of this thesis is sparked by the puzzling variation in productivity among firms, underscoring the importance of understanding the drivers of productivity better. This thesis encompasses three empirical studies, each tackling a distinct challenge in productivity and management research. It is grounded in the framework of the World Management Survey (WMS), which offers a standardized approach to assess management practices and their relation to differences in performance indicators like firm productivity.The first study explores the universality of people management practices within the WMS framework across fourteen countries. It focuses on the role of firm-level human capital, and the cultural values and employment protection legislation in firms’ institutional environment. The results suggest that firms’ human capital is positively associated with people management practices’ effectiveness, and that the practices are universally linked to productivity without being significantly moderated by cultural context or regulatory factors of employment protection.The second study taps into individual managers’ role and investigates the influence of CEOs' instrumental leadership behaviors alongside management practices for firm productivity. Analyzing data from Dutch manufacturing firms, it concludes that both CEO leadership behaviors and management practices independently are associated with productivity, emphasizing the unique roles of CEOs and firm management.The third study examines the link between management practices, productivity, and export performance in Dutch manufacturing firms. It finds that better-managed firms tend to have higher productivity and export revenues, suggesting a relationship between management practices’ role in firm productivity and the heterogeneity in firms’ export performances

    Are Trade Rules Undermining Taxation of the Digital Economy in Africa?

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    African countries are currently considering provisions in the AfCFTA and at the WTO to liberalise digital trade. As they face mounting fiscal pressures, it is imperative that they beware the implications of digital trade provisions for their ability to tax their digital economy. In this paper, we develop a comprehensive framework for analysing the impact of trade rules on tax regimes in the digital economy, with a focus on Kenya, Rwanda, and South Africa. We explore how trade rules ostensibly shape tax policies and their implications for revenue generation. By examining rules regulating trade in services and the imposition of customs duties on electronic transmissions, we identify how these rules may directly impact tax policies and limit revenue generation possibilities. Moreover, digital trade rules, such as those related to data flows, localisation, and source code sharing, have the capacity to produce both indirect and administrative effects on tax measures. These rules can alter tax structures, taxation rights, data collection, and the capacity to monitor and implement tax measures. Our findings shed light on the complex interplay between trade rules and tax measures, highlighting potential challenges and opportunities for revenue generation from the digital economy in African countries

    How much does Lean Manufacturing need environmental and information technologies?

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    This paper analyses the role played by Environmental and Information Technologies (ET&IT) in the capability of Lean Manufacturing (LM) to achieve improved industrial performance. In contrast to seminal literature about lean practices, and in view of increasing consumer requirements regarding response times and environmental concerns, we suggest that shop-floor technologies are crucial for transforming lean routines into enhanced performance. Hypotheses were tested in a multisectoral sample of 763 manufacturing plants (NACE codes 15–37) from five different European countries. Results confirm total mediation by both technologies between lean routines and industrial performance, which entails that LM establishes efficient conditions on the shop floor for developing technology-enabled capabilities that can be leveraged to improve industrial performance. From a managerial perspective our findings highlight the need for avoiding short-sighted attitudes and for internalising plant technologies within lean transformation projects. This is important not only because such technologies are determinant for maximising the potential of organisational routines in current manufacturing systems but also because of their intrinsic benefits.Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad | Ref. ECO2016-76625-

    Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Manufacturing Companies' Supply Chain Management in Finland

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    The COVID-19 outbreak shocked the whole world in 2020. As the pandemic quickly spread across the globe, only during its first year, over 75 million positive cases and 1,6 million deaths were reported worldwide, and in November 2022, the same numbers were over 634 million and 6,6 million. The world’s economic system and global markets were greatly affected, and many countries tried to counter the pandemic’s spread by implementing strict lockdowns, which further caused turbulence on the markets. Countless manufacturing companies across the globe were faced with massive global supply chain disruptions, and they were felt even in companies operating in Finland. Managers and scholars alike have been working very hard for the past three years to find out what were (and are) the best countermeasures to combat the pandemic’s effects and disruptions, but a consensus of an answer is still missing. This thesis aims to investigate the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on manufacturing companies operating in Finland, and to examine what kind of ways or methods these companies adopted to counter the COVID-19 pandemic in Finland compared to the rest of the world. These two topics form the two main research questions of this thesis, and they are answered from the basis of a qualitative systematic literature review and a mostly qualitative semi-structured interview study to which interviewees from six different manufacturing companies take part in. The literature review consists of supply chain management theory and a look into the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on manufacturing companies operating outside of Finland. The literature review is also used to build a theoretical framework, which is used in the end to analyse the results of the interview study and compare them to the findings of the literature review. The results of this thesis offer insight into the differences of the COVID-19 pandemic’s impacts on the supply chain management of manufacturing companies operating in Finland and outside of Finland, and the different supply chain management related countermeasures taken by these companies. From the literature review, it was discovered that global supply shortages, large-scale fluctuations in demand, consumption shocks, and increases in material prices and lead times were some of the most recognizable effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the manufacturing companies operating outside of Finland, often affecting directly to their operations and Tier 1 suppliers. The interview results reflected similar results, only the companies operating in Finland mostly experienced the pandemic’s effects through their suppliers’ suppliers’ problems, which were usually operating outside of Finland. Also, the companies that were located in countries that went into lockdowns had their own challenges as well. To counter the global supply chain disruptions, both the interview study and the literature review provided similar findings: the realization of the necessity of evolving the existing supply chain management from lean thinking to a more agile and resilient system became evident for those that hadn’t already done so. Differences in the ways of attempting to accomplish this were found, but the goal was still very similar for most of the companies

    The Diffusion of Dynamic Capability in Organizations in Digitalizing Operating Environments

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    Digitalisaation myötä erilaiset teknologiat yleistyvät muuttaen organisaatioita, toimialoja ja liiketoimintaympäristöjä. Organisaatioissa tarvitaan uusia kyvykkyyksiä ja osaamista, kun niin arvontuotto ja toimintamallit kuin yhteistyön tekeminen ja päivittäiset toiminnot muuttuvat. Usein dynaamiset kyvykkyydet nähdään ensi sijassa johdon kykynä havaita organisaatioon vaikuttavia mahdollisuuksia ja uhkia, tarttua niihin ja muuttaa organisaatiota tarvittavalla tavalla. Tarve monipuolisemmalle ymmärrykselle dynaamisista kyvykkyyksistä digitalisaation kontekstissa on tunnistettu huomioiden myös muun henkilöstön tärkeä rooli organisaation muutoskyvykkyyden luomisessa. Tämän väitöskirjan tavoitteena on tuottaa uutta tietämystä siitä, kuinka dynaaminen kyvykkyys kehittyy ja levittäytyy organisaatioissa yli erilaisten työroolien. Tutkimusongelmana on, kuinka dynaaminen kyvykkyys leviää organisaatioissa, jotka toimivat digitalisoituvissa toimintaympäristöissä. Tutkimusongelmaa tarkasteltiin tulkitsevan laadullisen monitapaustutkimuksen menetelmällä kolmen case-organisaation kanssa. Case-organisaatiot edustavat tutkimuskentästä teknologian käyttäjäorganisaation, teknologian kehittäjäorganisaation sekä teknologian ja prosessien integraattoriorganisaation näkökulmia. Pääasiallinen aineiston keruumenetelmä oli laadulliset teemahaastattelut. Yhteensä tutkimuksessa toteutettiin 59 yksilöhaastattelua 36 haastateltavan kanssa. Lisäksi tutkimuksen aikana toteutettiin useita keskusteluita organisaatioiden yhteyshenkilöiden kanssa. Aineisto kerättiin ja analysoitiin vuosina 2018–2022 induktiivisesti ja abduktiivisesti laadullisella sisällönanalyysilla tulkitsevan kenttätutkimuksen ja grounded theory -lähestymistavan oppeja hyödyntäen. Tutkimuksen luotettavuuden arviointiin käytettiin laadullisen, tulkitsevan ja tapaustutkimuksen kriteereitä. Tutkimuksen keskeisenä tuloksena tuotettiin malli siitä, kuinka nykypäivän digitalisoituvissa toimintaympäristöissä dynaaminen kyvykkyys näyttäytyy monitasoisena ilmiönä siten, että operatiivinen dynaaminen kyvykkyys ja johdon dynaaminen kyvykkyys ovat erillisiä toisistaan. Johdon tason ja operatiivisen tason dynaamiset kyvykkyydet ilmenevät eri tavoin eri työrooleissa vaikuttaen näin organisaation kehitykseen vastavuoroisten johdon ja henkilöstön toimien kautta. Väitöskirjassa tuotetaan seuraavat suositukset johdolle siitä, kuinka monitasoisen dynaamisen kyvykkyyden leviämistä organisaatioissa voitaisiin tukea: (1) jatkuva ja aito sidosryhmien osallistuminen, (2) muutoksen tavoitteiden, vaikutusten, saavuttamiskeinojen ja hyötyjen selkeyden varmistaminen, (3) henkilökohtaisen työssä kehittymisen resurssien turvaaminen, (4) taustalla vaikuttavien yhteistyötä haittaavien jännitteiden käsitteleminen ja (5) ihmistenvälistä dynaamista kyvykkyyttä tukevien käytäntöjen hyödyntäminen. Teorian näkökulmasta tulokset tarjoavat lisäymmärrystä dynaamisten kyvykkyyksien vuorovaikutteisesta luonteesta johdon ja muun henkilöstön välillä. Käytännön näkökulmasta tulokset auttavat johtoa organisaation ja sen kyvykkyyksien kehittämisessä. Kiihtyvän digitalisaation ja jatkuvan muutosvaatimuksen myötä vaikuttaa ratkaisevalta, että organisaatiot kykenevät täydellä potentiaalillaan hyödyntämään kykynsä havaita mahdollisuuksia ja uhkia, tarttua niihin sekä muuntautua tarvittavalla tavalla. Tässä väitöskirjassa esitetyt tulokset tukevat osaltaan näitä pyrkimyksiä. Jatkotutkimuksena suositellaan monimenetelmällisiä lähestymistapoja, operatiivisen dynaamisen kyvykkyyden olemukseen tarkempaa pureutumista, organisaatioiden kontekstuaalisten tekijöiden kattavampaa sisällyttämistä, pitkittäisiä johdon ja henkilöstön näkökulmia huomioivia tarkasteluita sekä tutkimusta siitä, kuinka esitettyjä johdon suosituksia voidaan hyödyntää organisaatioissa käytännössä.Digitalization introduces new technologies changing organizations, industries, and operating environments. New capabilities and expertise are required, as organizations need to rethink their value offerings, operating models, and ways of collaborating and conducting day-to-day tasks. While dynamic capabilities are often viewed as managerial capacities of sensing, seizing and transforming, recently the focus on employees in creating organizational capacity for change has increased. Likewise, the need for a more nuanced understanding of the development of dynamic capabilities in digitalization has been noted. The aim of this dissertation is to better understand, how dynamic capability develops and spreads in organizations across different work roles. The research problem is how dynamic capability diffuses in organizations in digitalizing operating environments. The research problem was studied by an interpretive qualitative multiple-case study with three case organizations representing the perspectives of a technology user, technology creator, and technology and process integrator. The main data collection method was semi-structured, theme-based interviews. In total 59 individual interviews with 36 informants were conducted, and additionally several discussions were held with company representatives. The data were collected and analysed over the period of 2018–2022 by inductive and abductive approaches, qualitative thematic analysis, and drawing from the guidelines of interpretive field research and grounded theory methodology. The reliability and validity were evaluated by utilizing the criteria of qualitative, interpretive, and case-study research. As findings, a model of how dynamic capability in today’s digitalizing operating environments appears as a multilevel phenomenon comprising of operative dynamic capability and managerial dynamic capability is presented. The managerial- and operative level dynamic capabilities manifest differently in different work roles and contribute to organizational development through reciprocal actions of the management and employees. Additionally, the following managerial propositions are given on how the diffusion of dynamic capability could be supported in organizations: (1) exercising continuous and genuine stakeholder participation, (2) ensuring clear goals, implications, way to, and benefits of change, (3) securing resources for individual development at work, (4) addressing underlying tensions hindering collaboration, and (5) deploying organizational practices enabling interpersonal dynamic capability. As theoretical contributions, the findings provide new understanding on dynamic capabilities as reciprocal phenomena between the management and employees. As practical implications, the findings help management in their organizational and capability development efforts. As digitalization accelerates pace invoking requirements of continuous adaptation, it seems vital for organizations to utilize their full potential of sensing, seizing, and renewing capacities. The findings presented in this dissertation aim to support these endeavours. As future research, mixed methods approaches, closer investigations on the essence of operative dynamic capability, more comprehensive considerations on organizational contextual factors, further longitudinal study incorporating both employee and managerial views, and examinations on utilizing the presented propositions in practice in organizations are suggested

    “So what if ChatGPT wrote it?” Multidisciplinary perspectives on opportunities, challenges and implications of generative conversational AI for research, practice and policy

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    Transformative artificially intelligent tools, such as ChatGPT, designed to generate sophisticated text indistinguishable from that produced by a human, are applicable across a wide range of contexts. The technology presents opportunities as well as, often ethical and legal, challenges, and has the potential for both positive and negative impacts for organisations, society, and individuals. Offering multi-disciplinary insight into some of these, this article brings together 43 contributions from experts in fields such as computer science, marketing, information systems, education, policy, hospitality and tourism, management, publishing, and nursing. The contributors acknowledge ChatGPT’s capabilities to enhance productivity and suggest that it is likely to offer significant gains in the banking, hospitality and tourism, and information technology industries, and enhance business activities, such as management and marketing. Nevertheless, they also consider its limitations, disruptions to practices, threats to privacy and security, and consequences of biases, misuse, and misinformation. However, opinion is split on whether ChatGPT’s use should be restricted or legislated. Drawing on these contributions, the article identifies questions requiring further research across three thematic areas: knowledge, transparency, and ethics; digital transformation of organisations and societies; and teaching, learning, and scholarly research. The avenues for further research include: identifying skills, resources, and capabilities needed to handle generative AI; examining biases of generative AI attributable to training datasets and processes; exploring business and societal contexts best suited for generative AI implementation; determining optimal combinations of human and generative AI for various tasks; identifying ways to assess accuracy of text produced by generative AI; and uncovering the ethical and legal issues in using generative AI across different contexts

    Business Functions Capabilities and Small and Medium Enterprises’ Internationalization

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    Ineffective global expansion can adversely affect small and medium enterprises (SMEs) business outcomes. Business leaders are concerned with developing effective global expansion strategies to penetrate potential international markets, thus enhancing sustainability. Grounded in the business management systems theory, the purpose of this qualitative multi-case study was to explore strategies that leaders of Sub-Saharan Africa manufacturing SMEs use for global expansion. The participants were five manufacturing value-adding SME leaders participating in export markets. Using Yin’s five steps data analysis process, six themes emerged: (a) enterprise characterization, (b) understanding the enterprise’s product, (c) intra-enterprise factor-based strategies for export participation, (d) the enterprise’s external factor-based strategies for successful export venture, (e) global expansion strategies, and (f) serendipitous findings. A key recommendation for SME leaders is to analyze the critical components of their products and prepare to adjust them to the demand dimensions of the target market. The implications for positive social change include the potential to increase the enterprise’s wealth, increase employment, reduce poverty for all value chain participants, and growth in gross domestic product
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