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Framework of Behaviour Training in Digital Negotiations
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In order to act and to react effectively in (digital) negotiations, it is essential that negotiators recognise and apply diverse negotiation behaviour. However, there is a lack of research regarding IT-based training tools that support negotiators in implementing such behaviour. Consequently, training becomes essential for acquiring the skills to recognise and apply various negotiation approaches. Our objective is to enhance the accessibility of IT-based training for novice negotiators. The training employs software agents capable of exhibiting different negotiation behaviour, thereby enabling negotiators to identify these patterns and respond appropriately during business negotiations. The training encompasses business negotiations with a variety of negotiation partners representing businesses. An artefact was designed and implemented in accordance with the principles and methodologies of design science research. The artefact underwent empirical evaluation through surveys, wherein negotiators identified specific displayed behaviour and reflected upon their individual learning outcomes. Despite the inherent complexity of negotiation behaviour training, novice negotiators were able to successfully recognise behaviour whilst maintaining a consistently high level of intrinsic motivation. Furthermore, the study demonstrated positive effects on learning outcomes
The informational content of key audit matters: Evidence from using artificial intelligence in textual analysis
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This study provides empirical evidence that key audit matters (KAMs) are informative for future negative accounting outcomes. We employ FinBERT—a deep learning model designed for natural language processing that allows human‐like text comprehension—to demonstrate that goodwill‐related KAMs are predictive of firms' future impairments. Our findings reveal that utilizing KAMs as a stand‐alone predictor for future impairments provides meaningful predictive power. By exploring the semantic content of reported KAMs, we find that their predictive power is primarily driven by text passages covering how both the firm and the auditor exercise judgment in the accounting and auditing of goodwill. Furthermore, we show that KAMs are incrementally predictive beyond several firm‐level determinants and disclosures in annual reports. Finally, our additional analyses indicate that (1) KAM‐predicted impairment probabilities are relevant to capital markets, (2) KAMs are useful for predicting the magnitude of goodwill impairments, and (3) the predictive power extends to other KAM topics. Collectively, our findings enhance the understanding of the informational content of KAMs, which is a key rationale for their introduction
Digital innovations and institutional barriers in agricultural input subsidy programmes in sub‐Saharan Africa: Evidence from Nigeria
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Motivation: Agricultural input subsidy programmes are crucial for improving agricultural productivity in sub‐Saharan Africa (SSA). However, there is little empirical evidence on how second‐generation input subsidy programmes (SISPs) based on information and communication technology (ICT) are implemented and the institutional challenges that undermine their effectiveness. Purpose: This article assesses the implementation of ICT‐based SISPs and their challenges in SSA using the Nigerian e‐wallet input subsidy programme as a case study. We draw on a conceptual framework that integrates the national innovation system (NIS), contingency theory, and new institutional economics. Approach and methods: We analysed expert interviews and participatory qualitative data from Process Net‐Maps and focus group discussions (FGDs) using content and Process Net‐Map analyses. Findings: The results show that over 20 public, private and community actors were involved in implementing the e‐wallet SISP across five stages. The programme increased private‐sector participation, reduced corruption, improved recipient targeting, and speeded up input delivery compared to first‐generation input programmes. However, weak institutional arrangements (such as poor funding, restricted institutional collaborations, and stakeholder capability gaps) undermined the innovation aspect of the e‐wallet SISP. The programme also faced five main challenges: policy inconsistency, poor information flow and weak reporting, moral hazards such as “round‐tripping,” input leakage and diversion, and elite capture. The study concludes that institutional constraints, rigid organizational structures, and a narrow focus on solving first‐generation programme challenges limited the ability of actors to adapt to new and evolving challenges. Policy implications: Effective SISPs and input policies require supportive institutional environments that allow actors from all sectors to function effectively. Programmes should thus be designed and managed with flexible and organic structures that foster collaboration among private, public, and community stakeholders. Continuous, stage‐specific evaluations and smart governance tools, such as real‐time mobile data collection and buy‐back initiatives, can strengthen monitoring, input tracking, accountability, and input use incentives
Exploring spatial network structures in entrepreneurial ecosystems: a network and clustering analysis of global venture funding flows
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This study examines the interconnectedness of entrepreneurial ecosystems (EEs) through a comprehensive geospatial network analysis of global investment flows. Addressing the critical need to explore EEs beyond their local boundaries, we investigate how EEs interact across regional, national, and international levels. Utilizing data from Crunchbase, which details 556,612 investment interactions among 5488 city-regions globally from 2000 to 2022, our analysis employs network topology analysis and hierarchical clustering to elicit similarities and differences in the financial interconnectedness. Our findings reveal significant variability in how EEs are connected, with distinct patterns emerging among clusters. We highlight the role of external linkages in shaping the structure EEs, challenging the inward-focused perspective commonly held in current literature. Notably, our research uncovers the extensive reach and complexity of EEs’ financial interactions, illustrating both concentrated and dispersed network embeddedness. The study contributes to the entrepreneurial ecosystem literature in three ways. First, we extend the analysis of EEs to consider their spatial interconnectedness and complex network structures. Second, we introduce network topology analysis as a robust method for understanding the complexities of EE connectivity. And third, through hierarchical clustering of EEs by their network metrics, we show that EE vary greatly in their relational structures. These insights not only enrich our understanding of EEs but also inform policy implications, suggesting avenues for fostering stronger, more resilient entrepreneurial environments through strategic network facilitation and international cooperation.L26;R12;C55;O52;R58;F63;R1
Ecology and the Crisis of Overpopulation: Future Prospects for Global Sustainability, by Shah (Anup). (Aldershot and Lyme, NH: Edward Elgar, 1998. ISBN 1 85898 463 7)
No full textSelbstregulation in der Arbeitstätigkeit: Theoretische Grundlagen, Modellentwicklung und empirische Evidenz
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Der Beitrag entwickelt ein Modell der Selbstregulation in der Arbeitstätigkeit. Ausgehend vom Konzept der Metaregulation als „Regulation höherer Ordnung“ werden automatisierte und kontrollierte Prozesse unterschieden und ihre biopsychologischen Grundlagen (Arousal, Activation, Effort) im kognitiv-energetischen Modell von Sanders verortet. Darauf aufbauend werden vier Regulationsformen (person-/aufgabenbezogen × internal/external) systematisch abgeleitet und im Modell der Selbstregulation in der Arbeitstätigkeit (SRA-Modell) über ein Aktivitäts-Kontroll-System (AKS) integriert. Empirisch wird gezeigt, dass interindividuelle Unterschiede der Selbstregulationskompetenz (SRK), operationalisiert über die Dimensionen Generelle Aktiviertheit (GA) und Ängstliche Anspannung (HA) als Trait und State, mit physiologischen Indikatoren (Herzrate) in Laborstudien sowie mit Merkmalen der Arbeitsgestaltung, Regulationsbehinderungen, Ressourcen und Führungsverhalten in Feldstudien systematisch zusammenhängen. Die Befunde unterstreichen die Bedeutung von Selbstregulation für Leistungsfähigkeit, Wohlbefinden und menschengerechte Arbeitsgestaltung. Abschließend werden Implikationen für Forschung und Praxis im Kontext technologischen Wandels diskutiert. Praktische Relevanz : Die Ergebnisse verdeutlichen, dass Selbstregulationskompetenz eine zentrale Ressource für Leistungsfähigkeit, Wohlbefinden und Indikator für eine menschengerechte Arbeitsgestaltung ist. Durch gezielte Förderung von Selbstregulationsfähigkeiten – etwa über Tätigkeiten mit Entscheidungsspielräumen, vollständige Aufgaben und störungsfreie Arbeitsabläufe ohne Regulationsbehinderungen – kann sowohl die psychische Gesundheit als auch die Arbeitseffektivität verbessert werden. Das vorgestellte SRA-Modell bietet hierfür ein theoretisch und empirisch fundiertes Rahmenkonzept. @This article develops a model of self-regulation in work activity. Starting from the concept of meta-regulation as “higher-order regulation,” it distinguishes between automatic and controlled processes and locates their biopsychological foundations (arousal, activation, effort) within Sanders’ cognitive-energetic model. Building on this, four forms of regulation (person- vs. task-related × internal vs. external) are systematically derived and integrated into the Self-Regulation in Work Activity (SRA) model via an Activity–Control System (AKS). Empirically, we show that interindividual differences in self-regulation competence (SRK)—operationalized through the dimensions General Activation (GA) and Anxious Tension (HA) as both trait and state—are systematically related to physiological indicators (heart rate) in laboratory studies, as well as to features of work design, regulatory obstacles, resources, and leadership behavior in field studies. The findings underscore the importance of self-regulation for performance, well-being, and human-centered work design. We conclude with implications for research and practice in the context of technological change. Practical Relevance : The findings highlight self-regulation competence as a key resource for performance, well-being, and as an indicator of human-centered work design. Promoting self-regulatory abilities—through job designs that provide autonomy, task completeness, and minimal regulatory obstacles—can enhance both psychological health and work effectiveness. The presented SRA model offers a theoretically and empirically grounded framework to support such interventions
Too old to find employment? A novel approach to leverage the power of digital peer groups for older unemployed
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Unemployment is a pressing societal problem world-wide. The consequences of unemployment are disproportionately more severe for older individuals. Building on literature on digital technologies in the context of unemployment and social support in digital peer groups, we design and evaluate a novel job counseling approach to leverage the power of digital peer groups to assist older unemployed individuals in regaining employment. Our approach supplements the traditional one-on-one offline counseling. It is specifically designed for older unemployed individuals, with small group sizes, moderation, and implementation through an easily accessible online messenger. We demonstrate the practical applicability of the proposed approach by instantiating it in cooperation with the German Federal Employment Agency, and we demonstrate how the approach can be used in terms of mutual social support. We evaluate the efficacy of the approach in a controlled, randomized field experiment with 987 older unemployed individuals. The results demonstrate the approach’s positive impact on reemployment chances of older unemployed individuals, by increasing their job search skills and job search intensity. Furthermore, our evaluation reveals that gender and job market situation are important contextual factors for the effectiveness of the digital peer group-based approach, warranting further recognition in research
Informal food systems in food security planning: a case study of Nanjing, China
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Continuing risks, such as economic crises, climate change, and pandemics, have raised concerns about food issues in China and worldwide. The current food planning in China, which prioritizes food security, ignores the role of the informal sector in the resilience of food systems. This study examined the role of informal food systems in enhancing food security and explored the dilemmas of informal food systems in food planning through field and literature research. Taking Nanjing as an example, individual and city-level case studies collected data through face-to-face interviews, questionnaires, observations, and secondary data sources. The data were analyzed from three perspectives: food availability, accessibility, and utilization. The results indicated that small-scale food production and food vending contribute to food diversity, affordability, allocation, and nutritional and social value. Face-to-face direct marketing and cheap prices of local food increase the competitiveness of food in informal food systems. Informal food activities still have the potential to be improved by integrating into food security planning. Food security planning should consider the contributions of informal food systems and improve the current situation by appreciating small-scale agriculture, supporting local food supply chains, and providing a formalization procedure for food bottom-up food activities
Why I declare a conflict of interest and you should not
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Academic publishing is both an indication of scientific contribution and a currency for career advancement. This dual role gives rise to a normative scientific conflict: Does the structural incentive to publish constitute a conflict of interest (COI) that ought to be disclosed? In this paper, we address this conflict through an action research approach, engaging collaboratively and reflexively to answer four related questions: (1) What evidence suggests that researchers face a (financial) COI when publishing? (2) What are the benefits and drawbacks of explicitly acknowledging that publications function as academic currency? (3) How should such conflicts be disclosed? (4) Do mechanisms such as pre-registration and registered reports resolve these concerns? This paper contends that while researchers are clearly incentivised to publish, this interest need not necessarily constitute a conflict or be explicitly disclosed. Treating this issue as a normative scientific conflict does reveal the need for a shift in how researchers understand and navigate the subjective, self-interested dimensions of their work. We propose four key responses: (1) integrating discussions of COIs and biases more extensively into undergraduate science education, (2) promoting greater reflexivity in everyday research practice (e.g., through reflexivity journals, peer-led audit groups, and the reintegration of discussions on the historicity and cultural nature of research into scientific publications), (3) critically investigating institutional incentives and journal policies, and (4) proactively adopting methodological safeguards such as pre-registration. By addressing this conflict through action research, we demonstrate how normative tensions in science can be made productive — supporting both critical reflection and structural improvement
The impact of eliminating reserve requirements on US banks' lending, liquidity, and profitability during COVID‐19
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The US Federal Reserve System (Fed) eliminated reserve requirements for banks in March 2020 during the first quarter of the COVID‐19 pandemic to foster bank lending through expansionary monetary policy. However, we find empirical evidence that the reserve requirements elimination was not able to support bank lending but instead increased the liquidity of US banks. Moreover, the reserve requirements elimination increased the overall profitability of banks but decreased the profitability from net interest income as measured by net interest margin. Our study offers guidance for policy‐makers in taking appropriate monetary policy measures during pandemics like the COVID‐19 pandemic