324 research outputs found
Editorial EJKM Volume 18 Issue 3: Advances in Health Knowledge Management: New Perspectives
No full textEditorial EJKM Volume 18 Issue 3: Advances in Health Knowledge Management: New Perspectives by Maria Jose Sousa, Francesca Dal Mas and Renato Lopes Da Cost
The Relationship Between Intellectual Capital and Sustainability: An Analysis of Practictioner's Thought
No full textThe purpose of this chapter is to investigate how intellectual capital (IC) and sustainability influence each other in practitioners’ perspective. Three steps methodology was applied to reach this purpose. First, the study employs a text mining analysis of 1651 posts published by practitioners in one of the leading sources of sustainability: the website CSRwire.com. Concepts extracted from the posts are then analyzed using a factor analysis to summarize them within themes. Finally, themes are analyzed to identify how IC and sustainability influence each other using a correlation analysis. Results show that IC and sustainability are complex topics. Practitioners discuss 17 main themes split into Financial (also known as Economic), Social and Environmental sustainability. The three main components of IC: human capital, relational capital and structural capital connect with most of these themes proving that IC and sustainability influence each other
IC and welfare in the fifth stage of Intellectual Capital. Insights from the topic of sustainability
No full textThe thesis merges the topic of Intellectual Capital (IC) with some themes of welfare, more in details sustainability and its sub-theme female entrepreneurship.
The “Fifth Stage of Intellectual Capital” is a recent research trend that sees the concept of “value” go beyond the boundaries of the firm to pursue “the greater good” for the stakeholders and the community. In this perspective, Financial, Environmental, and Social Sustainability and welfare are the key topics.
The purpose of the first research (papers 1 and 2) is to investigate the relationship between IC and sustainability using practitioners’ perspectives and by developing an analysis of comments and practices published in 1,651 blog posts in one of the leading online sources of sustainability research. A total of 1,651 posts, with more than 1.5 million words, published by experts are analyzed using Leximancer and content analysis. The results reveal IC and sustainability to be complex topics under active discussion by practitioners, and several links to the IC literature are compared. The findings focus on the managerial practices applied by leading companies, that show IC and sustainability influence each other in answering a plurality of demands. The research identifies the need to study the managerial practices proposed by practitioners, rather than their company reports. The research recommends developing a trading zone for IC researchers and practitioners. It reflects on the role of new communication tools to connect IC and sustainability. The research concludes that the relationship between IC and sustainability could benefit from the fifth stage of IC research that considers the justifications of the worth of IC and sustainability practices. Practitioners require scholars to reduce the ambiguity between IC and its expected results. This would open the door to a potentially productive way of understanding IC and the complexity of economic, social, and environmental value. Researchers should change their research questions from, “What is IC worth to investors, customers, society, and the environment?” to “Is managing IC a worthwhile endeavor?”
The second research (paper 3) concentrates on one topic, female entrepreneurship as a social sustainability issue. For several decades support for women’s entrepreneurship has been present on the political agenda internationally. The arguments vary, ranging from economic growth and new jobs to human resource utilization to justice and equality. Gender equality is a right recognized and promoted by the United Nations. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development adopted by world leaders in 2015 embody a roadmap for progress that is sustainable and leaves no one behind. Achieving gender equality and women’s empowerment is integral to each of the 17 goals, ensuring the rights of women to get justice and inclusion, economies that work for all, and sustaining shared environment. Entrepreneurship is seen as a vital asset for the economic growth, and public entities should foster it by dedicating specific mentoring programs and funding. Women entrepreneurship is seen as a relevant asset too. Female entrepreneurs are more devoted to the welfare, equity, and care more about sustainable development. The study employs a mixed method approach by collecting data from a Regional program which took place in Friuli Venezia Giulia, Italy, during the years 2011-2012. The idea is to investigate the differences between men and women in terms of experience and complexity of the initiative and to understand the issues that prevent women to open their own business. Using a single case study approach, we investigated the role of relational capital,a vital element of the contemporary economy, and a critical asset for female startups. The purpose of the study is to contribute to the debate regarding issues affecting the opening of new companies as well as the link between relational capital and female enterprises.The thesis merges the topic of Intellectual Capital (IC) with some themes of welfare, more in details sustainability and its sub-theme female entrepreneurship.
The “Fifth Stage of Intellectual Capital” is a recent research trend that sees the concept of “value” go beyond the boundaries of the firm to pursue “the greater good” for the stakeholders and the community. In this perspective, Financial, Environmental, and Social Sustainability and welfare are the key topics.
The purpose of the first research (papers 1 and 2) is to investigate the relationship between IC and sustainability using practitioners’ perspectives and by developing an analysis of comments and practices published in 1,651 blog posts in one of the leading online sources of sustainability research. A total of 1,651 posts, with more than 1.5 million words, published by experts are analyzed using Leximancer and content analysis. The results reveal IC and sustainability to be complex topics under active discussion by practitioners, and several links to the IC literature are compared. The findings focus on the managerial practices applied by leading companies, that show IC and sustainability influence each other in answering a plurality of demands. The research identifies the need to study the managerial practices proposed by practitioners, rather than their company reports. The research recommends developing a trading zone for IC researchers and practitioners. It reflects on the role of new communication tools to connect IC and sustainability. The research concludes that the relationship between IC and sustainability could benefit from the fifth stage of IC research that considers the justifications of the worth of IC and sustainability practices. Practitioners require scholars to reduce the ambiguity between IC and its expected results. This would open the door to a potentially productive way of understanding IC and the complexity of economic, social, and environmental value. Researchers should change their research questions from, “What is IC worth to investors, customers, society, and the environment?” to “Is managing IC a worthwhile endeavor?”
The second research (paper 3) concentrates on one topic, female entrepreneurship as a social sustainability issue. For several decades support for women’s entrepreneurship has been present on the political agenda internationally. The arguments vary, ranging from economic growth and new jobs to human resource utilization to justice and equality. Gender equality is a right recognized and promoted by the United Nations. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development adopted by world leaders in 2015 embody a roadmap for progress that is sustainable and leaves no one behind. Achieving gender equality and women’s empowerment is integral to each of the 17 goals, ensuring the rights of women to get justice and inclusion, economies that work for all, and sustaining shared environment. Entrepreneurship is seen as a vital asset for the economic growth, and public entities should foster it by dedicating specific mentoring programs and funding. Women entrepreneurship is seen as a relevant asset too. Female entrepreneurs are more devoted to the welfare, equity, and care more about sustainable development. The study employs a mixed method approach by collecting data from a Regional program which took place in Friuli Venezia Giulia, Italy, during the years 2011-2012. The idea is to investigate the differences between men and women in terms of experience and complexity of the initiative and to understand the issues that prevent women to open their own business. Using a single case study approach, we investigated the role of relational capital,a vital element of the contemporary economy, and a critical asset for female startups. The purpose of the study is to contribute to the debate regarding issues affecting the opening of new companies as well as the link between relational capital and female enterprises
Supporting Innovation in SMEs and MNCs Alliances: A Case Study
No full textInnovation has been recognized as strictly connected to knowledge abilities. Over the years several approaches and models have been developed in order to facilitate knowledge process but most of them recognize a high degree of personal commitment that involves mental models, personal beliefs, values and the process of reinventing oneself. Interestingly enough there seems to be a lack of literature on how to create it. Tools like data mining, brainstorming, problem solving approaches are well known, but how can we be sure that people will use them correctly? Ethical issues, cultural differences and misunderstanding could affect their effectiveness. Considering companies of different dimension like MNCs and SMEs, the differences become even bigger. Extrogen is an alliance between an Italian SME and a MNC, which name has been faked in order to keep it anonymous. A review of the management control system (MCS) has been conducted applying the Simons model which recognizes the role of MCS for creating boundaries, sharing core values, creating a communicative environment and measuring the results reached. This paper represents a case of study and aims to: 1. Analyze literature on KM barriers, especially comparing MNCs and SMEs and MCS literature; 2. Draw a model which combines the role of MCS as a Knowledge Management Tool; 3. Present a case study where MCS has been used for reducing KM barriers among MNCs and SMEs and supporting innovation
SDG reporting in healthcare
No full textHealthcare is relevant to the Social Development Goals (SDG), as SDG 3 reports the objective of “ensuring healthy lives and promoting wellbeing for all at all ages.” This chapter will expound upon the importance of SDG reporting within the healthcare sector, establishing the correlation between SDG 3 and the other SDGs, exploring the potential goals and advantages of SDG reporting, tackling the obstacles that impede the adoption of appropriate SDG reporting standards, and proposing possible strategies to enhance SDG reporting in this critical sector. The collection of good-quality data and the dissemination of the results is crucial. These may include information at both the macro and micro levels. Engaging in knowledge sharing is an indispensable method for contributing to the dialogue and amplifying the perspectives of relevant stakeholders like policymakers, users/patients, communities, staff, and professionals regarding crucial issues. A multitude of sources should be used to collect such data and create the appropriate indicators. By monitoring key and context-specific SDG indicators, healthcare providers can gain a deeper understanding of how their efforts contribute to realizing these objectives, as well as who these providers are and their function within the healthcare landscape
Climate Change, Healthcare, and Surgery: An Investigation of the Technology Acceptance Dynamics Among European Surgeons
No full textThe relationship between climate change (CC) and healthcare is twofold. On one hand, the effects of CC impact the rise and worsening of several diseases and the need for medical and surgical interventions, especially when extreme weather events occur. On the other hand, the healthcare ecosystem contributes to increasing CC due to the high carbon footprint of its operations, especially in the operating theater. New technologies offer promising pathways for creating sound solutions to improve eco-friendly surgical practices. However, realizing their potential depends on surgeons' willingness to adopt these innovations and on healthcare institutions' ability to integrate them into clinical routines. This study presents a survey conducted among 263 surgeons working in 18 countries in the European Union, following the technology acceptance model framework. Results reveal the relevance of the perceived usefulness and ease of use in implementing the willingness to adopt and, lastly, the effective use of new eco-friendly surgical solutions. New paradigms on the concept of performance and the required competencies and guidelines arise, along with the role of female surgical leaders in adopting new greener surgical solutions aimed at reducing CC
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