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Board diversity and corporate propensity to R&D spending
Get PDFYesDrawing on collective contributions and group performance perspectives, this paper examines the role of board diversity in firms’ R&D investment decisions. Building on a fault-line argument about a team’s demographic
attributes, this study also decomposes the impact of demographic and cognitive diversity on R&D spending. The study sample contains UK data of non-financial companies covering the period between 2005 and 2018. We
employ panel data analysis techniques and control for potential endogeneity issues through the application of the
two-step system Generalised Method of Moments (GMM) estimations. The findings demonstrate a positive and
significant relationship between board diversity and level of corporate R&D spending. The findings also show
cognitive diversity as significantly positively associated with corporate R&D investments. Demographic diversity, however, has an insignificant relationship with corporate spending on R&D. The results further show that demographic diversity negatively moderates the relationship between cognitive diversity and spending on R&D. Our main findings document that the board’s attributes as a group significantly influence decisions of strategic importance such as, investment in R&D projects. The findings on sub-dimensions of board diversity imply that as compared to demographic diversity, functional/cognitive diversity is more relevant to strategic decisions and
related outcomes. The study has practical implications for shareholders in documenting the importance of board
diversity, and policy implications for regulators in highlighting the separate roles of behavioural and cognitive diversity in shaping firms’ strategic investment decisions
Exploration of meaning, motivation, and preparedness to care amongst the one-child policy generation in China
Get PDFYesIn China there is a cultural expectation (Xiao, -filial piety) that offspring should provide care for their parents. However, the sustainability of this is threatened by the impact of the One-Child Policy (OCP) (1979-2015), which has resulted in a diminution in numbers of children available to care, rapid urbanisation and increase in the number of women in employment. In this context, the objective was to explore the motivations, meaning, and preparedness for future caregiving of offspring affected by the OCP.
We adopted a constructivist position using a hermeneutic phenomenology approach and interviewed eight current and prospective caregivers aged 20-35 years about future caregiving responsibilities. Data were obtained through in-depth interviews, analysed using reflective Thematic Analysis.
Three prominent themes: (i) Caregiving beliefs, (ii) Caregiving conditions and (iii) Contextual factors were identified under an overarching theme "Competing pressures-meanings, motivation and preparedness". Despite the inherent stress, participants envisaged providing or organising care in the future to fulfil Xiao, and most viewed long-term care settings as unviable. Ultimately, the findings suggested that the actual performance of caregiving would not always measure up to ideal expectations, resulting in 'filial discrepancy' that is, a gap between societal expectations for caregiving to older relatives and actual caregiving performance. This could adversely impact the caregivers and quality of care provided. The findings highlighted the urgent need to develop culturally attuned services, including education and training for family caregivers, health and social care professionals.This work was supported by Research England: Quality Related Global Challenge Research Fund; University of Bradford
Female Board Representation and Coupled Open Innovation: Evidence from Emerging Market Multinational Enterprises
Get PDFYesLittle research has been done on female board representation in emerging market multinational enterprises (EMNEs). Our paper considers the role of female board representation and its impact on open innovation (OI) in the unique context of emerging markets. We draw on upper echelons and institutional theories to understand how female board representation and cross-country institutional contexts influence coupled OI. Combining a 10-year (2009-2019) dataset with a rich in-depth content analysis of 183 (EMNEs) engaged in OI, our results reveal a significant positive association between female board representation and a firm’s commitment to coupled OI initiatives. We also find that country-level institutional factors affect and positively moderate the relationship between female board representation and coupled OI. In emerging market environments where managerial perception and cultural beliefs sometimes hinder the promotion of females into top positions, our work has implications for EMNEs regarding how they harness diversity. We contribute to the OI literature by showing that female board representation enhances corporate OI investment within EMNEs
Offloading devices for the prevention of heel pressure ulcers: A realist evaluation
Get PDFYesHeel pressure ulcers can cause pain, reduce mobility, lead to longer hospital stays and in severe cases can lead to sepsis, amputation, and death. Offloading boots are marketed as heel pressure ulcer prevention devices, working by removing pressure to the heel, yet there is little good quality evidence about their clinical effectiveness. Given that evidence is not guiding use of these devices, this study aims to explore, how, when, and why these devices are used in hospital settings.
To explore how offloading devices are used to prevent heel pressure ulcers, for whom and in what circumstances.
A realist evaluation was undertaken to explore the contexts, mechanisms, and outcomes that might influence how offloading devices are implemented and used in clinical practice for the prevention of heel pressure ulcers in hospitals. Eight Tissue Viability Nurse Specialists from across the UK (England, Wales, and Northern Ireland) were interviewed. Questions sought to elicit whether, and in what ways, initial theories about the use of heel pressure ulcers fitted with interviewee's experiences.
Thirteen initial theories were refined into three programme theories about how offloading devices are used by nurses 'proactively' to prevent heel pressure ulcers, 'reactively' to treat and minimise deterioration of early-stage pressure ulcers, and patient factors that influence how these devices are used.
Offloading devices were used in clinical practice by all the interviewees. It was viewed that they were not suitable to be used by every patient, at every point in their inpatient journey, nor was it financially viable. However, the interviewees thought that identifying suitable 'at risk' patient groups that can maintain use of the devices could lead to proactive and cost-effective use of the devices. This understanding of the contexts and mechanisms that influence the effective use of offloading devices has implications for clinical practice and design of clinical trials of offloading devices.
How, for whom, and in what circumstances do offloading devices work to prevent heel pressure ulcers? Tissue viability nurses' perspectives.CG conducted this review as part of her PhD at the University of Leeds which was funded by a Charitable Grant from https://leedscares.org/LeedsHospitalsCharity (https://www.leedshospitalscharity. org.uk/) and Smith and Nephew Foundation
Dementia Prevention and the General Practitioners' role: a qualitative interview study
Get PDFYesGeneral Practitioners (GPs) play an increasingly important role in proactively preventing dementia. 40% of dementia cases could be prevented or delayed by targeting 12 modifiable risk factors throughout life. However, little is known about how GPs perceive their role in dementia prevention and associated barriers.
Aims: To explore the role of GPs in dementia prevention.
Design and Setting: A qualitative study among UK GPs.
Method: Semi-structured online interviews with 11 UK GPs exploring their views regarding their role in dementia prevention. Data were analysed using thematic analysis.
Results: GPs reported that they never explicitly discuss dementia risk with patients, even when patients are presenting with risk factors, but acknowledge that dementia prevention should be part of their role. They advocate for adopting a whole team approach to primary care preventative practice, using long-term condition/medication reviews or NHS health checks as a platform to enable dementia risk communication targeting already at-risk individuals. Barriers included a lack of time, an absence of knowledge and education about the modifiable dementia risk factors, as well as a reluctance to use dementia as a term within the appointment for fear of causing health anxiety. Brain health was perceived as offering a more encouraging discursive tool for primary care practitioners, supporting communication and behaviour change.
Conclusion: There needs to be whole systems shift towards prioritising brain health and supporting primary care professionals in their preventative role. Education is key to underpinning this role in dementia prevention.The University of Bradford, SURE funding scheme (reference: DA512
Prognostic factors influencing HIV-free survival among infants enrolled for HIV early infant diagnosis services in selected hospitals in Nairobi County, Kenya
Get PDFYesDespite being a preventable disease, pediatric HIV infection continues to be a public health concern due to the morbidity and mortality associated with the disease. Vertical transmission of HIV occurs when a mother living with HIV passes the virus to her baby during pregnancy, childbirth, or breastfeeding. Globally, the vertical transmission rate of HIV is 9% with sub-Saharan Africa accounting for 90% of these infections. In Kenya, the national vertical transmission rates of HIV stood at 11.5% by the end of 2018, with a target to reduce vertical transmission rates to below 5% and 2% in breastfeeding and non-breastfeeding infants respectively, by the end of 2021.
To determine the prognostic factors influencing HIV-free survival among infants enrolled for HIV early infant diagnosis (EID) services in selected hospitals in Nairobi County, Kenya.
A prospective cohort study design was adopted. HIV exposed infants were recruited at six weeks to determine HIV-free survival over 12 months follow up. Simple random sampling was used to select 166 infants and data were collected from the mothers using semi-structured interviewer-administered questionnaires. Log-rank tests were used to test for associations at the bi-variable level while Cox-proportional regression was used to analyze data at the multi-variable level, with the aid of STATA 14 software. Ethical approval was obtained from Kenya Medical Research Institute, Scientific Ethics Review Unit.
The overall infant HIV incidence rate over one-year follow-up was 9 cases per 100 person-years (95% CI: 5.465-16.290). The failure event was defined as an infant with a positive PCR test during the study period with total failures being 13 (9.41%) over 12 months. Prognostic factors associated with poor infant HIV-free survival were young maternal age (18-24 years) and mothers with a recent HIV diagnosis of ≤ 2 years since a positive HIV diagnosis (HR 5.97 CI: 1.20, 29.58) and (HR 6.97 CI: 1.96, 24.76), respectively.
Maternal prognostic factors associated with poor infant HIV-free survival were young maternal age (18-24 years) and recent maternal HIV diagnosis of ≤ 2 years since positive HIV diagnosis. The study recommended the development of an intervention package with more rigorous adherence counseling and close monitoring for young mothers, and mothers with recent HIV diagnoses
Evaluating the intention to use Industry 5.0 (I5.0) drones for cleaner production in sustainable food supply chains: an emerging economy context
Get PDFYesPurpose – The purpose of this study is to evaluate food supply chain stakeholders’ intention to use Industry 5.0 (I5.0) drones for cleaner production in food supply chains.
Design/methodology/approach – We used a quantitative research design and collected data using an online survey administered to a sample of 264 food supply chain stakeholders in Nigeria. The partial least square structural equation model (PLS-SEM) was conducted to assess the research’s hypothesised relationships.
Findings – We provide empirical evidence to support the contributions of I5.0 drones for cleaner production. Our findings showed that food supply chain stakeholders are more concerned with the use of I5.0 drones in specific operations such as reducing plant diseases which invariably enhances cleaner production. However, there is less inclination to drones adoption if the aim was pollution reduction, predicting seasonal output and addressing workers health and safety challenges. Our findings outline the need for awareness to promote the use of drones for addressing workers hazard challenges and knowledge transfer on the potentials of I5.0 in emerging economies.
Originality – This is the first study to address I5.0 drones' adoption using a sustainability model. We contribute to existing literature by extending the sustainability model to identify the contributions of drones use in promoting cleaner production through addressing specific system operations. This study addresses the gap by augmenting a sustainability model, suggesting that technology adoption for sustainability is motivated by curbing challenges categorised as drivers and mediators
How and when does big data analytics capability contribute to market performance
Get PDFYesThis study looks at the relationship between big data analytics capability and market
performance and how this relationship can be facilitated by adopting disruptive business models in
competitive environments
The impact of geopolitical risks on renewable energy demand in OECD countries
No full textNoThis paper examines the effects of geopolitical risks on renewable energy demand in 20 Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) member countries from 1970 to 2019. The renewable energy demand function includes carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, economic globalisation, natural resources rents, and per capita income as control variables. It is found that geopolitical risks reduce the demand for renewable energy and threaten climate change mitigation policies. Degrading the environment in terms of rising CO2 emissions is detrimental to the renewable energy demand. Natural resource rents also decrease renewable energy consumption. However, higher per capita income and economic globalisation significantly increase renewable energy consumption. These findings bear crucial policy implications for the Russia-Ukraine War era, suggesting that geopolitical risks discourage renewable energy demand. Therefore, policymakers in the OECD countries should focus on geopolitical harmony among economic agents, groups, and regions