The economics of paper consumption in offices

This paper explores the factors potentially responsible for the overconsumption of office paper and estimates the adverse environmental and economic impact of overconsumption. Data were collected from the employees of selected higher educational institutions in Oman. Technical factors, workplace environment, printing preferences and lack of awareness were found the main cause of overconsumption. Environmental and economic impact of the paper was estimated from the actual amount of paper consumed using standard formulas from literature. The institutions have used 5,200 reams (13 tons) of 80gm A4 size paper in one year. The economic cost of the paper was 7,800 OMR (20,280 US$). The environmental impact estimated are: cutting of 312 trees, 73,970 Ibs of CO2 gas emission, 144,742 KWh of energy consumption, solid waste produced 29,614 lbs and 247975 gallons of water were wasted. Changing printing preferences, a significant amount of economic and environmental resources to the tune of 44.8% can be saved

Knowledge management and sustainable entrepreneurship: a bibliometric overview and research agenda

Abstract The current work highlights the evolution in knowledge management for sustainable entrepreneurship research by analyzing the key trends and major concepts. Additionally, the knowledge structures of such research themes were analyzed and mapped. Moreover, this paper seeks to present a research agenda concerning the study subject. It employed an integrated bibliometric approach and systematic review of knowledge management and sustainable entrepreneurship research by conducting two main procedures, namely domain analysis (i.e., key trends and evolution) and knowledge structures analysis (i.e., intellectual, social, and conceptual structure). A total of 233 documents were obtained from Scopus and Web of Science datasets and analyzed using both R 4.1.2 and VOSviewer software. The findings demonstrated that the contributors (i.e., the authors, nations, journals, and institutions) produced a discernible evolution in the body of knowledge on the themes of knowledge management and sustainable business within the designated period. Furthermore, science mapping approaches deeply grasp the social, conceptual, and intellectual structures of such research themes. This current work is considered one of the first attempts to systematically review, analyze, and visualize the scientific productions on knowledge management and sustainable entrepreneurship. The findings of the current work also offer a solid understanding and insights into the potential directions for the research agenda in these disciplines

A scientometric analysis of entrepreneurial and the digital economy scholarship: state of the art and an agenda for future research

Abstract Recently, there has been a greater focus on the relationship between entrepreneurship and the digital economy in academia and practice. However, no known work systematically reviews and analyses such a connection, which highlights the need to address this gap by conducting a thorough systematic literature review employing bibliometric and scientometric analyses concerning entrepreneurship and digital economy research. In doing so, analysis of key trends as well as knowledge structure (i.e., intellectual and conceptual) has been employed to analyze, visualize, and map 275 documents gathered from Web of Science (WoS) and Scopus data sets. The number of publications in the current research field has expanded dramatically due to the substantial efforts by major contributors (e.g., researchers, institutions, nations, and academic journals) worldwide. Key research themes, trends, approaches, and outlines were also emphasized by mapping the intellectual, social, and conceptual structures of entrepreneurship and digital economy-related research. The implications, limitations, and agenda for future research were all outlined

The Anatomy of Entrepreneurial Failure: Antecedents of the Performance Failure Appraisal Inventory and the Role of Social Support

The purpose of this study is to investigate the impact of stress factors on entrepreneurial failure and to examine the relationship between prior entrepreneurial failure and future fear of failure. This study takes a novel approach by considering the moderating role of social support on this relationship. We employed the least squares–structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) technique to analyze the responses of 162 failed entrepreneurs in Oman. Our findings demonstrate that stress factors in all four dimensions (managerial and planning elements, working capital, competitive environment, and growth and overexpansion) have a significant impact on entrepreneurial failure. Moreover, the results reveal that prior entrepreneurial failure is positively related to fear of failure. However, social support has a crucial moderating effect on the relationship between prior failure and present and future failure-related anxiety, reducing the influence of prior entrepreneurial failure on entrepreneurs’ fear of failure. This study contributes to the theoretical understanding of the antecedents and outcomes of entrepreneurial failure and offers practical implications for policymakers and practitioners seeking to promote entrepreneurship and reduce failure rates

Drivers of generative AI adoption in higher education through the lens of the theory of planned behaviour

Drawing on the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB), this study investigates the relationship between the perceived benefits, strengths, weaknesses, and risks of generative AI (GenAI) tools and the fundamental factors of the TPB model (i.e., attitude, subjective norms, and perceived behavioural control). The study also investigates the structural association between the TPB variables and intention to use GenAI tools, and how the latter might affect the actual usage of GenAI tools in higher education. The paper adopts a quantitative approach, relying on an anonymous self-administered online questionnaire to gather primary data from 130 lecturers and 168 students in higher education institutions (HEIs) in several countries, and PLS-SEM for data analysis. The results indicate that although lecturers' and students' perceptions of the risks and weaknesses of GenAI tools differ, the perceived strengths and advantages of GenAI technologies have a significant and positive impact on their attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioural control. The TPB core variables positively and significantly impact lecturers' and students’ intentions to use GenAI tools, which in turn significantly and positively impact their adoption of such tools. This paper advances theory by outlining the factors shaping the adoption of GenAI technologies in HEIs. It provides stakeholders with a variety of managerial and policy implications for how to formulate suitable rules and regulations to utilise the advantages of these tools while mitigating the impacts of their disadvantages. Limitations and future research opportunities are also outlined

Investigating the Role of Green Hotel Sustainable Strategies to Improve Customer Cognitive and Affective Image: Evidence from PLS-SEM and fsQCA

Partial least square structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) and fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) were used to uncover the determinants of customers’ overall positive image of green hotels, which can affect behavioral intentions. A sample of 323 customers of 54 four- and five-star “green” hotels in the Sultanate of Oman were surveyed. The findings can explain the complex process shaping customers’ perceived image. The fsQCA analysis shows that the overall positive image of green hotels was driven by the interaction of two core conditions, environmental values and cognitive image, and one peripheral condition, low-carbon knowledge. Together, these factors are sufficient to form a favorable image of eco-hotels and could make a favorable affective image unnecessary. The PLS-SEM approach clarifies that this process takes place through an indirect mechanism wherein environmental values and low-carbon knowledge shape customers’ cognitive image, which then boosts the overall positive image of eco-hotels. Such comprehensive insights address the gap in the body of literature vis à vis the influence of customers’ psychological factors through cognitive and affective images. Theoretical and practical implications are examined