1,721,012 research outputs found
Forecasting the diffusion of ISO/IEC 27001: a Grey model approach
Full text linkPurpose– The aim of this paper is to present the first diffusion analysis of ISO/IEC 27001, the fourth most popular ISO certification at global level and the most important standard for information security. Design/methodology/approach– To achieve the purposes, the authors applied Grey Models (GM)– Even GM(1,1), Even GM(1,1,α,θ), Discrete GM (1,1), Discrete GM (1,1,α)– complemented by the relative growth rate and the doubling time indexes on the six most important countries in terms of issued certificates. Findings–Resultsshowthatagrowingtrend islikelyto beexpected in the yearsto comeand thatChinawill lead at country level. Originality/value–Thestudycontributestothescientificdebatebypresentingthefirst diffusiveanalysisof ISO/IEC 27001 and by proposing a forecasting approach that to date has found little application in the field of international standards
Technological trends in mountain logistics: A patent analysis
Full text linkTransportation and logistics in mountain regions are difficult due to the harsh weather conditions and complex
terrain. It is crucial to have specialized expertise and advanced technologies to tackle such challenges. However,
the field has unexplored domains, and available solutions are not holistically charted, necessitating a nuanced
understanding of the innovation landscape and growth trajectories. This study aims to undertake a patent
analysis on mountain transportation and logistics to unveil emerging trends, map technological advancements,
and contribute to enhancing transportation systems. Relevant patent documents were extracted from the Der-
went Innovation Index database through a keyword search combined with specific International Patent Classi-
fication categories. From these documents, technological fields were identified and grouped using the Latent
Dirichlet Allocation technique, resulting in 12 clusters. Among them, seat and suspension control systems,
intelligent vehicle control systems, electrical systems and electric vehicles, bicycle frame design, and safety
devices are likely to attract notable interest in the future. The findings contribute to the academic discourse and
hold practical implications for industry and policy stakeholders, offering a nuanced understanding of techno-
logical trends crucial for addressing transportation challenges in mountain terrains
Blockchain adoption and operational performance: a secondary data analysis on effects and contingencies
Full text linkPurpose–Thisstudyanalyzestheperformance implications of adopting blockchainto support supply chain business processes. The technology holds as many promises as implementation challenges, so interest in its impact on operational performance has grown steadily over the last few years. Design/methodology/approach– Drawing on transaction cost economics and the contingency theory, we built a set of hypotheses. These were tested through a long-term event study and an ordinary least squares regression involving 130 adopters listed in North America. Findings–Comparedwiththecontrolsample,adoptersdisplayedsignificantabnormalperformance interms of labor productivity, operating cycle and profitability, whereas sales appeared unaffected. Firms in regulated settings andclosertotheendcustomershowedmorepositiveeffects.Neitherindustry-levelcompetitionnorthe early involvement of a project partner emerged as relevant contextual factors. Originality/value– This research presents the first extensive analysis of operational performance based on objective measures. In contrast to previous studies and theoretical predictions, the results indicate that blockchain adoption is not associated with sales improvement. This can be explained considering that secure data storage and sharing do not guarantee the factual credibility of recorded data, which needs to be proved to customers in alternative ways. Conversely, improvements in other operational performance dimensions confirmthatblockchaincansupportinter-organizationaltransactionsmoreefficiently.Theresultsare relevant in times when, following hype, there are signs of disengagement with the technology
Artificial intelligence in supply chain management: A systematic literature review of empirical studies and research directions
Full text linkThis article presents a systematic literature review (SLR) of empirical studies concerning Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the field of Supply Chain Management (SCM). Over the past decade, technologies belonging to AI have developed rapidly, reaching a sufficient level of maturity to catalyze transformative changes in business and society. Within the SCM community, there are high expectations about disruptive impacts on current practices. However, this is not the first instance where AI has sparked business excitement, often falling short of the hype. It is thus important to examine both opportunities and challenges emerging from its actual implementation. Our analysis clarifies the current technological approaches and application areas, while expounding research themes around four key categories: data and system requirements, technology deployment processes, (inter)organizational integration, and performance implications. We also present the contextual factors identified in the literature. This review lays a solid foundation for future research on AI in SCM. By exclusively considering empirical contributions, our analysis minimizes the current buzz and underscores relevant opportunities for future studies intersecting AI, organizations, and supply chains (SCs). Our effort is also meant to consolidate existing research insights for a managerial audience
United Nations Global Compact: Where are we going?
Full text linkPurpose– In a world characterised by increasing environmental and social awareness, the number of corporate social responsibility and sustainability initiatives has significantly grown. Among these, the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC) is one of the most important, involving more than 12,000 companies. The purpose of this study is to investigate the UNGC’s worldwide diffusion, both at country and industry level, to understand the reasons leading to the highlighted dissemination patterns, and to proposevariousfutureprojections. Design/methodology/approach– The study pursues its objectives by applying the logistic curve model to data provided bytheUnited Nations. The analysis is complemented by adopting instability and concentration indexes. Findings– Results suggest that, while human rights and environmental safeguard in some areas and industries will remain a controversial issue, UNGC adoption will continue growing and giving the participants the requiredlegitimacyto competeinworldwidemarkets. Originality/value– Tothe bestoftheauthors’ knowledge,thisisthe firstpaper thatanalyses the UNGC’s worldwide diffusion and proposes a prediction model for its future dissemination. The findings are of considerable importance in extending the knowledge of the initiative and in understanding the potential valuesofits adoption
ISO/IEC 27001: An empirical multi-method research
Full text linkThe adoption of digital technologies, the emergence of platform-based business models, and the switch to smart working practices are increasing the number of potential entry points in firms’ networks and therefore their potential vulnerabilities. However, despite the relevance of the issue, the managerial debate on the topic is still scant and several research gaps exist. Under this premise, this doctoral thesis touches on the following aspects.
First, by discussing the issue with senior executives and information security experts, it highlights the most relevant information security challenges in the context of Industry 4.0. In doing this, it also shows where current approaches fail short, and what emerging practices are gaining relevance.
Second, by conducting a systematic literature review, the thesis provides a comprehensive synthesis of the academic body of knowledge on ISO/IEC 27001 (i.e., the most renowned international management standard for information security and the fourth most widespread ISO certification) as well as it formulates a theory-based research agenda to inspire future studies at the intersection between information systems and managerial disciplines.
Third, by resorting to Grey models, it investigates the current and future diffusion patterns of ISO/IEC 27001 in the six most important countries in terms of issued certificates.
Fourth, by performing an event study complemented by an ordinary least squares regression on a dataset of 143 US-listed companies, the dissertation sheds light on the performance implications of ISO/IEC 27001 adoption as well as the role of some contextual factors in affecting the outcomes of the adoption.
Overall, this doctoral thesis provides several contributions to both theory and practice. From a theoretical point of view, it highlights the need for managerial disciplines to start addressing information security-related aspects. Moreover, it demonstrates that investments in information security pay off also from a financial perspective. From a practical point of view, it shows the increasingly central role that ISO/IEC 27001 is likely to have in the years to come and it provides managers with evidence on the possible performance effects associated to its adoption.The adoption of digital technologies, the emergence of platform-based business models, and the switch to smart working practices are increasing the number of potential entry points in firms’ networks and therefore their potential vulnerabilities. However, despite the relevance of the issue, the managerial debate on the topic is still scant and several research gaps exist. Under this premise, this doctoral thesis touches on the following aspects.
First, by discussing the issue with senior executives and information security experts, it highlights the most relevant information security challenges in the context of Industry 4.0. In doing this, it also shows where current approaches fail short, and what emerging practices are gaining relevance.
Second, by conducting a systematic literature review, the thesis provides a comprehensive synthesis of the academic body of knowledge on ISO/IEC 27001 (i.e., the most renowned international management standard for information security and the fourth most widespread ISO certification) as well as it formulates a theory-based research agenda to inspire future studies at the intersection between information systems and managerial disciplines.
Third, by resorting to Grey models, it investigates the current and future diffusion patterns of ISO/IEC 27001 in the six most important countries in terms of issued certificates.
Fourth, by performing an event study complemented by an ordinary least squares regression on a dataset of 143 US-listed companies, the dissertation sheds light on the performance implications of ISO/IEC 27001 adoption as well as the role of some contextual factors in affecting the outcomes of the adoption.
Overall, this doctoral thesis provides several contributions to both theory and practice. From a theoretical point of view, it highlights the need for managerial disciplines to start addressing information security-related aspects. Moreover, it demonstrates that investments in information security pay off also from a financial perspective. From a practical point of view, it shows the increasingly central role that ISO/IEC 27001 is likely to have in the years to come and it provides managers with evidence on the possible performance effects associated to its adoption
The impact of abandoning social responsibility certifications: evidence from the decertification of SA8000 standard
Full text linkPurpose – In recent years, many companies have decided to decertify from their previously adopted corporate social responsibility (CSR) standards. The aim of this paper is to explore the phenomenon by focusing on the most important auditable CSR standard: Social Accountability 8000 (SA8000). Design/methodology/approach – First, an event study is performed on a dataset composed of 136 SA8000 decertified public listed companies to analyse the possible relationship between certification, decertification and firms’ operating performance. Second, the authors shed light on the differences between 94 SA8000 (still) certified and the abovementioned 136 decertified firms. Finally, 10 interviews are conducted with decertified firms in the dataset to deepen the outcomes of the previous analyses.
Findings – The results show that, despite an initial positive effect in terms of sales and profitability, decertified companies experienced a reduction in productivity and profitability in the years following the certification, while positive outcomes emerged after the decertification. The study also highlights that certified and decertified firms differ in terms of home country, industry and labour intensity.
Originality/value – The paper contributes to the literature by opening the debate on an important but unexplored research area: the decertification from the most popular CSR standard, i.e. SA8000, and its relationship with firms’ performance. In doing this, it also highlights the main differences between decertified and certified companies
Manufacturing internationalization: from distance to proximity? A longitudinal analysis of offshoring choices
Full text linkPurpose– This paper aims to offer a long-term systematic picture of the evolution of manufacturing offshoring (in terms of intensity, geography and drivers) highlighting the changes in the surrounding context and the resulting transitions points (“points in time”) that have shaped its development path. Design/methodology/approach– Three statistical tools were adopted on a dataset of 644 cases. First, the authors resorted to multiple structural change tests to identify the transition points. Second, the authors explored offshoring geographybyconductinganetworkanalysis.Finally,theauthorsadoptedgravitymodels to shed light on offshoring drivers. Findings– Results highlight three offshoring phases: expansion (2002–2006), reconsideration (2007–2009) and rationalization (2010 onwards). During the first phase, characterized by economic growth, firms were mainly interested in economic savings; offshoring to low-cost countries was the prevailing location strategy. Subsequently, during the economic crisis, the number of cases declined and the main drivers became marketbasedfactorstogetherwiththeresearchforcostsavings.Finally,inthethirdphase,whentheeconomywasstill stagnating and new manufacturing technologies appeared, the number of offshoring cases has further decreased, and technological- and market-based factors have become the main location drivers. Originality/value– The study is the first to adopt a systematic, empirical and quantitative approach to analyze the evolution of the manufacturing offshoring considering both the phenomenon itself and the triggering changes in the surrounding context. In doing this, the authors also tested the importance of considering the point in time in offshoring strategies
The impact of ISO 45001 on firms' performance: An empirical analysis
Full text linkThe aim of this study is to shed light on the relationship between ISO 45001 adoption and firm performance. To explore the issue, we conduct an event study and a weighted least squares regression on a dataset of 157 publicly listed companies – operating in various countries and sectors – that have given public announcement of the attainment of the ISO 45001 certification. The results show that, when compared to non-adopters, ISO 45001-certified companies display better performance in terms of productivity and profitability, while no significant differences emerge for sales. The effects of ISO 45001 adoption are significantly influenced by industry- and company-related contextual factors. The study contributes to the academic literature by developing the first large-scale empirical investigation on the performance implications of ISO 45001. Furthermore, it informs managers that by ensuring healthy and safe workplaces companies can also achieve higher financial performance
Using supply chain databases in academic research: A methodological critique
Full text linkThis article outlines the main methodological implications of using Bloomberg SPLC, FactSet Supply Chain Relationships, and Mergent Supply Chain for academic purposes. These databases provide secondary data on buyer–supplier relationships that have been publicly disclosed. Despite the growing use of these databases in supply chain management (SCM) research, several potential validity and reliability issues have not been systematically and openly addressed. This article thus expounds on challenges of using these databases that are caused by (1) inconsistency between data, SCM constructs, and research questions (data fit); (2) errors caused by the databases' classifications and assumptions (data accuracy); and (3) limitations due to the inclusion of only publicly disclosed buyer–supplier relationships involving specific focal firms (data representativeness). The analysis is based on a review of previous studies using Bloomberg SPLC, FactSet Supply Chain Relationships, and Mergent Supply Chain, publicly available materials, interviews with information service providers, and the direct experience of the authors. Some solutions draw upon established methodological literature on the use of secondary data. The article concludes by providing summary guidelines and urging SCM researchers toward greater methodological transparency when using these databases
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