Purpose: The purpose of this paper is twofold, first is to conceptualize the role of “psychological danger” and the consequent “interpersonal distrust” as the cause of knowledge hiding in organizations. Second, it proposes the role of “compassion” training to tackle this challenge to knowledge hiding. Thus, the overall idea contributes to the ongoing conversation on knowledge hiding and provides new insights into tackling the same. Design/methodology: This paper uses an integrative review technique to conceptualize the proposed relationships for model development. Extant work on knowledge hiding and its antecedents were reviewed to propose the new antecedents and outline how the compassion training may help combat the challenge posed. A theoretical lens of social exchange theory forms the basis for the proposed relationship. Findings: This study forwards the reasons for knowledge hiding and the ways to tackle it. We observe that “psychological danger” (opposite of psychological safety) might lead to an interpersonal distrust between employees, and this may finally lead to knowledge hiding behavior. This interpersonal transaction leading to hiding behavior could be regulated by the compassion developed in an employee via training. Originality: Although the research on “knowledge hiding” is progressing, there is still a lack of focus on findings answers to the challenges of the way “knowledge hiding” behavior is triggered. This study is unique in its proposal of an organizational intervention of “compassion” to tackle knowledge hiding. Research implications: This study proposes a new set of antecedents to the knowledge hiding behavior. It also conceptualizes a moderated mediation model that could be tested in future research. Future studies may employ an intervention-based experimental or longitudinal survey research to study the proposed relationship. Practical implications: This research takes cognizance of the challenge organizations face due to knowledge hiding behavior and how it degrades the knowledge management systems. It proposes that if employees are provided with compassion training, it may help check the issue of “knowledge hiding”. © 2022, Emerald Publishing Limited.

This paper concentrates on the method of effectively utilizing dissipated heat from castings to preheat the raw material of the consequent batch, thereby minimizing energy input for melting a fresh batch of raw material. The wastage of energy during manufacturing processes is a major environmental concern due to the reducing energy resources. This paper focuses on reducing energy wastage in one of the most common manufacturing processes, sand casting. In the process of casting, when the molten metal solidifies, large amounts of heat energy dissipated by the metal is absorbed by the sand and released into the atmosphere. By introducing metal shots to acquire the heat lost during the above-mentioned process, the hot metal shots could be utilized to preheat the raw material ingots. This reduces the net energy used by the furnace for melting the next batch. Upon experimenting with aluminum casting using the green sand casting method, it was found out that at least 5.7% of heat energy recovery is possible from the energy input. This will prove to be highly effective in terms of reduction of the energy requirement of casting processes, thereby rewarding us with ecological and economic benefits. © 2023, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd.

Companies are adopting agile methodology in response to fulfill a growing demand for agility. Specifically, the scrum method gained popularity, despite having no guarantee of success. This study employs socio-technical systems interaction as a framework to study the reasons for agile project failure. It reflects on misalignments as an outcome of sociotechnical systems interaction. In this study, we identify the events that are most commonly responsible for imbalance by using socio-technical systems theory as a diagnostic tool. We conducted a qualitative interpretive study interviewing twenty-seven individuals in agile information systems delivery (ISD) team settings. Our findings reveal how an individual's lack of belief about being agile, doing agile, and both result in events of failure in IT projects. This study provides a nuanced understanding of the challenges and reasons for failure in agile teams. © 2023 IEEE Computer Society. All rights reserved.

Although AI-enabled customer relationship management (CRM) systems have gained momentum in healthcare to enhance performance, there is a striking dearth of knowledge on how such capabilities are formed and affect service innovation. The study adopted a mixed-method approach to investigate the underlying phenomena. This research infused resource-based theory, dynamic capability theory, and theory of productivity paradox to investigate how healthcare in India acquires AI-enabled CRM capabilities and enhances service innovation. We identified the facets of AI-enabled CRM capabilities using a case study and developed a framework for AI-enabled CRM capability and service innovation. This study noticed that customer service flexibility (CSF) is a missing link in this relationship. The findings of the quantitative study employing PLS-SEM reveal the linear relationships between AI-enabled CRM capability, CSF, and service innovation. This study explains the formation of AI-enabled CRM capabilities to fill the research gap and direct innovative performance in healthcare, which is an immediate need to sustain in a volatile environment. This study provides theoretical implications to enhance the research stream and practical implications for decision-makers. © 2022 Elsevier Ltd

Internationalization of new ventures (INV) has been the interest of inquiry for more than three decades. Though many researchers have looked at different factors and their impact on the speed, scope, and intensity of internationalization in new ventures, this stream of research requires more attention in the context of emerging economies. The study examines the role of a firm's business group affiliation and its impact on internationalization of new ventures in emerging economies. It also explains how industry concentration and liberalization of the economy change the relationship between business group affiliation and internationalization. Based on a dataset of new ventures from 67 industries founded in India during the period of 1996 to 2014, our results suggest that ventures with business group affiliation focus on the domestic market, and the focus changes from the domestic market to international when there is high industry concentration and with the liberalization of the economy. © 2022 Elsevier Inc.

According to industry reports, artificial intelligence-based chatbots could transform online customer service. Though businesses are increasingly implementing chatbots to automate customer service, the lack of consumer trust and acceptance continues to cause worry. Although trust is critical to acceptance, research on the drivers and consequences of trust in AI-based chatbots is limited. Hence a study was conducted to identify the antecedents of consumers’ trust in text-based customer service chatbots and examine the influence of trust on behavioral intentions. The data collected from 221 users was analyzed using the structural equations modeling method. Results reveal that conversational cues influence the perceived functional and social attributes of the chatbot, and these, along with personal disposition to trust technology, further influence trust formation. Finally, trust determines behavioral intentions. Incidentally, privacy risk turned out to be a non-significant predictor of trust. The study provides measures to improve trust and suggests directions for future research. © 2023 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.

This study explores the factors that drive the adoption of sustainable business model innovations (SBMIs). In this mixed-method (qualitative and quantitative) study, we draw on upper echelon theory to identify the factors that have led firms to switch from conventional products and processes to sustainable business innovation. This study of senior managers uses qualitative data to understand the mechanisms adopted by top management to make the switch to SBMIs. Data was gathered from 285 middle managers to empirically validate the theoretical model. The study concludes that in the top management team (TMT), ambidextrous learning has a positive association with the firm's decision to adopt SBMIs. However, TMT diversity and university-industry collaboration are positively associated with ambidextrous learning by top management and, subsequently, the adoption of SBMIs. Our findings also suggest that transformational leadership positively moderates the association between TMT diversity and ambidextrous learning. However, the impact on the relationship between collaboration and ambidextrous learning is negative. © 2023 The Authors

Purpose: This paper aims to examine the relationship between earnings quality and corporate cash holdings in an emerging economy. Existing literature posits that earnings quality is a result of information asymmetry and firms with lower earnings quality increases cash holdings, to shield the firm from future uncertainties. In this paper, the authors propose a ‘private benefits hypothesis’, which suggests that lower earnings quality is an indicator of opportunism and expropriation of resources in the firm, through tunneling or excessive executive compensations. As a result, firms with lower earnings quality increase cash holdings in their control, to increase their private benefits and to avoid the scrutiny of the external stakeholders. The authors further examine the monitoring role played by institutional investors on cash holdings, with varying degrees of earnings quality. Design/methodology/approach: This study uses an unbalanced panel data sourced from Prowessdx, from 2000 to 2019. The analysis employs 20,231 firm-year observations from 2,421 firms. Earnings quality is calculated following Dechow and Dichev (2002). Findings: Empirical analysis confirms that the firms with higher earnings quality reduce cash. Further, institutional investors reduce the cash holdings in firms with higher earnings quality. Institutional investors effectively reduce the cash only in firms with at least 10% of equity shareholding. The results are robust to alternative measures of earnings quality and endogeneity concerns. Originality/value: This study diverges from the information asymmetry hypothesis in the existing literature on earnings quality and cash holdings and highlights the underlying private benefits hypothesis, that will impact cash holdings. Next, the 10% institutional shareholding is important in the Indian context as it represents the minimum threshold at which block holders can request extraordinary general meetings (Section 100 of the Companies Act 2013) or the involvement of the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) (Section 213 of the Companies Act 2013). This study highlights that unlike in Anglo-Saxon economies, institutional investors or other minority shareholders are empowered by the Companies Act 2013 to play a vital role in corporate governance with a mere 10% equity. © 2023, Emerald Publishing Limited.

Purpose: Flexible return policies are offered by the manufacturers to encourage the retailers announcing a lenient returns scheme to their customers. Design/methodology/approach: This study considers the distribution of durable products in a supply chain where the demand is sensitive to sales effort and retail price. Using a game theoretic framework, the paper presents an assessment of the strategic effect of flexible returns policy announced by the manufacturer under retail competition and highlights its implications on profitability. Findings: Comparative analysis of monopolistic and duopolistic competition provides a better understanding about the repercussions and related facts on offering a flexible returns policy in these environments. It is profitable for the manufacturer to offer a flexible returns policy when there is retail competition than under monopolistic condition. Practical implications: Practitioners view returns policy offered as an insurance given to the buyers and they infer it to be a better mechanism for doing business. Lenient returns policy promotes the sales by increasing the trust on the retailer and boosts up the perception of quality about the product by lowering the perceived risk for customers. Originality/value: Effective product return strategies such as being lenient in terms of time, money, effort, scope and exchange can result in increased revenues, lower cost and improved profitability to the manufacturer and retailer, at the same time offering an enhanced level of customer service. © 2022, Emerald Publishing Limited.

Purpose: This study aims to examine the effects of green human resource management (GHRM) and green transformational leadership (GTL) on employees’ green work behavior. This study also tests the mediating role of environmental value congruence (EVC) on the relationship of GHRM and GTL with employees’ green work behavior. Design/methodology/approach: Responses were collected from 480 employees working in various Indian hotels using a two-wave survey design. The data was analyzed using Smart PLS 4. Findings: The findings report significant indirect associations between GHRM and GTL on the one hand and in-role green behavior and extra-role green behavior on the other through EVC. Practical implications: This paper highlights leaders’ focus on creating environmentally focused HR practices in hotels. As employees are the face for customers, particularly in the hotel industry, green behavior creates a green image of the organization in consumers’ minds, which may result in long-term sustainable competitive advantage. Originality/value: This study makes two significant contributions; one, it explores the effect of GTL and GHRM on hotel employees’ green behaviors and second, it also tests the mediating role of EVC in explaining the relationship between the focal constructs in the Indian Hotel industry which has not been studied before. © 2023, Emerald Publishing Limited.

Purpose: The main purpose of this paper is to determine the bias-corrected efficiencies and rankings of the selected hotels and restaurants (H&Rs) in India. Design/methodology/approach: The data for the Indian H&R sector are collected from the Prowess database. The bootstrap data envelopment analysis (DEA) based on a constant return to scale (CRS), variable return to scale-input oriented (VRS-IP) and variable return to scale-output oriented (VRS-OP) are applied on H&Rs to obtain the bias-corrected efficiencies. Findings: It is found that relative efficiencies using basic DEA methods of all the 45 H&Rs of India are overestimated. These efficiencies are corrected using bias correction through bootstrap DEA methods. The bounds for the efficiencies of each H&R are computed using all the adopted methods. All H&Rs are ranked using bias-corrected efficiencies, and the linear trend between ranks suggests that the H&Rs are ranked almost similarly by all the adopted methods. Practical implications: To improve efficiency, Indian H&R companies must rethink their personnel needs by enhancing their workforce management capabilities. The government needs to extend more support to this sector by introducing a liberal legislation framework and supporting infrastructure policies. Originality/value: There is a paucity of studies on H&Rs in India. The current study focused on measuring bias-corrected efficiencies of the selected H&Rs of India. This study is one of the few initiatives to explore bias-corrected efficiencies extensively using the bootstrap DEA method. © 2023, Emerald Publishing Limited.

Considering the three dimensions of sustainability, viz. economic, environmental, and social, the social dimensions of sustainability are getting lesser attention by firms and the same can be evinced from the sustainability ratings of firms, particularly in developing economies. Social sustainability is measured over several dimensions, where Thomson Reuters uses an integrated framework using four major indicators: the shareholders score, the community score, the product responsibility score, and the human rights score to measure and evaluate the social sustainability performances of firms. These four indicators are measured based on a number of company level indicators, as observed from the reported information of firms. We consider for this study, the Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) ratings of 10 Indian firms that are constantly evaluated for their social sustainability performances, for the past nine years in the reports of Thomson Reuters. We have formulated a periodic prediction model for the social sustainability performances of firms based on a basic grey prediction model (GM (1, 1)) and a moving probability Markov based error prediction model. It is observed from the results of the case evaluation that Indian firms have to mend or amend their strategies to improving their focus on social sustainability. Although, some of the firms show trivial increasing performance trends for these indicators, many of them follow declining trends. Focusing on the theory of Utilitarianism, we conclude that any improvements in socially responsible activities of firms can result in social good; along with the gain of sustainable competitive advantages for them. © 2023, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V.

Purpose: This paper aims to examine the relationship between environmental factors, risk perception and decision-making in risk management. Specifically, using attribution theory, the authors study the influence of macro-level logistical capabilities of a host country on a firm’s actual and perceived supply chain risk, and examine if this country-level factor and the firm level perception of risk affect a firm’s decision-making in risk management. Design/methodology/approach: This study uses a combination of primary data from 932 manufacturing firms from 22 countries and secondary data from the logistics performance index (LPI), and empirically tests the conceptual framework using partial least squares structural equation modeling. Findings: Key results reveal that a country’s logistical capabilities, measured using LPI, have a significant impact on managers’ risk perception. Firms located in countries with high LPI perceive lower risk in their supply chain both in the upstream and downstream, and therefore do not invest much in external integration, compared to firms in low LPI countries, and hence are exposed to high risk. Originality/value: This is one of the first empirical studies linking a country’s logistical capabilities with supply chain risk perceptions, objective supply chain risk and supply chain risk management efforts of a firm using the International Manufacturing Strategy Survey database. © 2021, Emerald Publishing Limited.

The International Journal of Finance & Economics (IJFE) contributed substantially to its research domain between 1996 and 2021. We conduct a comprehensive bibliometric study to examine IJFE's evolution. We use various science mapping approaches to study its performance, intellectual structure, and determinants of academic influence. IJFE's contributions and impact have grown markedly. Authors affiliated with the United Kingdom and the United States are its most frequent contributors. Authors linked with the International Monetary Fund and the City, University of London top the journal's list of contributors. The keyword ‘exchange rate/real exchange rate’ is the most frequently used in IJFE articles, followed by ‘economic growth.’ IJFE's knowledge structure consists of eight themes: (1) exchange rate mechanism, currency crisis, and capital flows, (2) stock market volatility, (3) effects of credit rating on international financial markets, (4) exchange rate volatility and market efficiency, (5) banking sector efficiency, (6) linkage between financial development and economic growth, (7) technical analysis in the foreign exchange market and R&D investment, and (8) stock markets and environmental sustainability. Using regression analysis, we find five factors positively associated with IJFE citations: lead article in an issue, number of authors, article age, number of tables, and number of references. © 2022 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Purpose: This paper aims to understand the impact of the job switching behavior on different stages of the communities of practice’s life cycle. Job switching has been viewed from both positive and negative point of views, and its impact on certain organizational factors might be found in literature. Job switching/job hopping behavior of an individual might be fueled by socio-economic factors as well as fun, but it has serious implication for the companies. But an understanding of how this new employee might influence the communities of practice, given which stage is the community in, is something that has not been studied yet. This work is an attempt in that direction. Design/methodology/approach: Using integrative review technique, this paper forwards a conceptual framework based on the literature reviewed and builds a model using an understanding of the nuances of each stage of the life cycle of communities of practice. Findings: The model proposes the impact of switching on each stage of the life cycle of communities of practice. It is observed that at each stage a new entrant who is a “job hopper” might either help or hinder the progress of a community of practice. Research limitations/implications: This paper gives a new impetus to the research on communities of practice in contemporary perspective. The model proposed could be tested using data from real communities of practice. This paper limits itself to the proposal of the model and does not engage in testing it. Practical implications: Organizations and managers may use the model to understand how a new entrant to the organization will complement the existing life cycle phase of the communities of practice within. Originality/value: The conceptual model proposed is unique in its context of job switching behavior and its effect on communities of practice. Research on communities of practice from this contemporary perspective might bring important research directions in future. © 2021, Emerald Publishing Limited.

Purpose: This paper aims to develop a conceptual model to understand how different gamification designs (hedonic and utilitarian) evoke different emotions and impact subsequent patronage intentions for online consumers in different mindsets. Design/methodology/approach: The authors first conducted a content analysis study and then tested the model with two online experiments [both 2 × 2 factorial designs – gamification (hedonic/utilitarian) and mindset (implemental/deliberative), with different utilitarian and hedonic products]. Findings: Gamification with hedonic benefits influences website patronage intentions by evoking promotion emotions, while gamification with utilitarian benefits does so by evoking prevention emotions. Gamification with hedonic benefits has a stronger impact on consumers shopping with deliberative mindsets, while gamification with utilitarian benefits works better for those with implemental mindsets. Research limitations/implications: Future research may extend the present work by considering other types of gamification. Practical implications: Managerially, e-tailers may use gamification with hedonic aspects for consumers in deliberative mindsets and utilitarian aspects for those in implemental mindsets. Originality/value: To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this research is the first to draw a link between mindsets and gamification. This research is also the first to operationalize gamification as hedonic and utilitarian based on their design characteristics and to establish emotional consequences as an important link between gamification and user behaviors. © 2023, Emerald Publishing Limited.

Maintenance of equipment is one of the most important operational issues that can be focused on to improve productivity. Maintenance cost includes the cost of preventive and corrective maintenance, which may vary depending on how often maintenance is scheduled. This paper describes the maintenance modeling of a system with multiple parts. The objective is to get a minimum-cost decision that meets the machine availability criteria and to be finished within the time allowed for maintenance. A Genetic Algorithm (GA) is used for the decision parameters optimization. The algorithm procedure leads to a maintenance decision; repair, replacement, or no action for system parts. A case study shows how the model can be used in real life. © 2023 IEEE.

Environmental sustainability performance predictions can help firms to set benchmarks for improvement and comparison. Although several works in literature have attempted in measuring environmental sustainability performances, predicting the same remains an area less explored. This is certainly due to the requirement of large datasets for constructing efficacious time-series prediction models. We attempt in this direction to forecast the environmental sustainability performances of firms based on the three indicators of performance provided by Thomson Reuters, the Resource use score, the Emissions score, and the Environmental innovation score. We propose a prediction model, which is best suited for prediction, when the available datasets are small. A trigonometric grey prediction model is employed, where the GM (1, 1) model for prediction is used initially, and later on, an error prediction model is built, based on a trigonometric residual prediction model. The model has been applied for real data of ten Indian firms to predict their future environmental sustainability performances. From the results, we observe an increasing consideration for environmental sustainability by the majority of Indian firms for the predicted year. The results of the study agree with the remarks reported in existing literatures. Hence, managers of firms are recommended to use the proposed prediction model for forecasting and improving their environmental sustainability performances for the future. © 2023 Elsevier B.V.

The adoption of digital technologies can result in the increase in production, efficacy, and profitability of food supply chains (FSC). Digital twin in the food supply chain can enhance the resilience of food supply chain, reduce the food waste, and improve the sustainability. The purpose of this research is to identify and analyze the role of digital twin technology in enhancing the resilience and sustainability of food supply chain. The novel grey causal modelling (GCM) methodology has been utilized in this research for analysis. The GCM for the causal analysis can consider the four features that are characterized as the causes, the effects, the objectives, and the outcomes. This research work has identified the fifteen factors from the extant literature review and experts’ opinions. The responses are collected from the experts in two phases. In the first phase, responses were taken to find the cause-and-effect factors, and in second phase, responses were collected to rank the identified cause-effect pairs for various objectives to calculate the outcomes for the study. The various situations were plotted based on their outcomes with respect to objectives using the magnitude plots. Findings of the study suggest that enhanced coordination is the decisive causal factor, considering the dual objectives of resilience and sustainability. This research can be helpful for policymakers, practitioners, and food industries for the development of resilient sustainable FSC system. © 2023 Elsevier Ltd

Purpose: This study examines the mediating and moderating role of proactive career behavior (PCB) and role ambiguity (RA) in the relationship between transformational leadership and subjective career success (SCS). Design/methodology/approach: This study is a moderated mediation model with a sample size of 408 employees as respondents working in seven different organizations in the hospitality industry in the northern region of India. For the analysis of data, SmartPLS is used, and moderated mediation is done by Hayes Process Macro. Findings: The results report that PCB mediates the relationship between transformational leadership and SCS. Also, it has been found that RA will moderate this relationship. Practical implications: The result of the study on SCS will be beneficial for organizations facing high attrition. Also, the paper brings forth the importance of transformational leadership and the impact of RA on employees' career success. Leaders and seniors in an organization need to focus on reducing RA. Originality/value: This study is unique since the relationship between transformational leadership and SCS has been examined in the hospitality industry. In addition, perhaps RA as a moderator influencing PCB and career success has been studied for the first time. © 2023, Emerald Publishing Limited.