Balancing social missions with profitability

A study in the International Journal of Business Excellence has revealed how accountability in the performance of social village-owned enterprises (VOEs) is critical to their meeting both their social mission and achieving financial viability without compromising either. The research, which focused on VOEs across four districts, examined 451 participants and showed how social ethics and financial aims must be delicately balanced.

Yesi Mutia Basri, Hariadi Yasni, Poppy Nurmayanti M., and Novita Indrawati of the Faculty of Economics and Business at the University of Riau in Pekanbaru, Indonesia, explain that accountability is the pivot about which an organisation must balance its social impact and financial security. Moreover, when social organizations are held accountable for their actions and decisions, they tend to perform better both in terms of their social mission and financial health, the team found. This connection underscores the need for a clear approach to the organisation’s social goals and its finances.

However, the team also showed that there can be confounding factors that can tip this delicate balance. They suggest that institutional pressures can affect the interplay between accountability and performance. Such pressures, which may arise from regulations, community expectations, or even the support of other organizations can reduce accountability and have a detrimental impact on financial performance and social aims within VOEs.

There are, of course, other factors at play such as public and business transparency and the rule of law. Indeed, the findings could offer some guidance to governments in the formulation of policies to enhance accountability within social organizations.

The team suggests that in order to build on the findings, future work will look at a wider range of social organization types and examine the impact of various governance principles as well as study the broader political context of the activities of those organisations. Such would add to our understanding of organizational accountability.

Basri, Y.M., Yasni, H., Nurmayanti M., P. and Indrawati, N. (2023) ‘Accountability in social enterprises: the role of institutional pressure and social performance’, Int. J. Business Excellence, Vol. 31, No. 1, pp.155–175.

Inderscience journals accepted for indexing in Studies on Women and Gender Abstracts database

The Editorial Office is pleased to report that the following journals have been accepted for indexing in Taylor & Francis's Studies on Women and Gender Abstracts database:

• International Journal of Business Innovation and Research
• International Journal of Comparative Management
• International Journal of Computational Economics and Econometrics
• International Journal of Sustainable Aviation
• International Journal of Entrepreneurial Venturing
• International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Innovation Management
• International Journal of Export Marketing
• International Journal of Gender Studies in Developing Societies
• International Journal of Globalisation and Small Business
• International Journal of Healthcare Technology and Management
• International Journal of Social Entrepreneurship and Innovation
• Journal for International Business and Entrepreneurship Development
• MENA Journal of Cross-Cultural Management
• World Review of Entrepreneurship, Management and Sustainable Development

Special issue published: "Driving Excellence Through Digital Transformation"

International Journal of Public Sector Performance Management 12(3) 2023

• An empirical study of job aspirants' perception towards e-recruitment practices
• Impact of capital structure on Indian banking: an empirical analysis
• Retention swirl: tool creation to understand factors effecting employee retention in entrepreneurial firms
• Factors impacting digital buyer's decision: role played by virtual store and social networking sites as selling medium for consumer electronics
• Predictive role of quality of work life on employee well-being: an empirical study of selected solar power organisations of India
• Determinant factors influencing green purchase intention of millennials in Delhi/NCR and green consumer needs
• An empirical research on GAIL
• Leveraging technical analysis and artificial intelligence - optimisation of global portfolio management through world indices
• Investigating and analysing critical factors for the adoption of green banking practices

Editor in Chief invites submissions for newly relaunched journal, Atoms for Peace

Dr. Abdessamad Didi, the newly appointed Editor of Atoms for Peace: an International Journal (AfP), is delighted to announce an open call for research papers dedicated to advancing the field of nuclear science, with a particular focus on the peaceful applications of atomic energy. The journal invites authors to contribute articles that highlight innovative research and cutting-edge developments in nuclear science and its role in fostering global peace and sustainable development. Dr. Didi encourages researchers, academics and professionals from diverse backgrounds to submit their work to AfP, thereby facilitating the dissemination of valuable insights within this pivotal domain.

Scope of the journal

We welcome submissions related to, but not limited to, the following areas:

• Nuclear reactor technologies: exploration of pioneering reactor designs, safety enhancements and operational efficiency innovations in nuclear reactors
• Radiation medicine: advancements in radiation therapy, diagnostic radiology, and nuclear medicine aimed at enhancing healthcare outcomes
• Nuclear security and non-proliferation: strategies and technologies designed to ensure the peaceful utilisation of nuclear materials and the prevention of their misuse
• Nuclear energy policy: studies examining energy policy, regulatory frameworks and sustainable nuclear energy solutions
• Environmental impact assessment: evaluations of the environmental impact of nuclear facilities and waste management
• Nuclear education and public outreach: initiatives aimed at fostering public awareness and comprehension of nuclear science

AfP operates as a fully refereed international journal, committed to the publication of original articles that explore the theory and practical application of nuclear science. Our primary emphasis is on innovative approaches with substantial implications for advancing global peace and sustainable development. We invite researchers, scholars and experts in the field to contribute to AfP and contribute to the responsible utilisation of atomic energy for the betterment of society and the world.

Objectives

The primary mission of AfP is to establish a global platform for the dissemination of pioneering research findings, ideas and concepts at the intersection of nuclear science, technology and the pursuit of international peace. AfP places a distinct emphasis on fostering knowledge exchange and innovation in the field of nuclear science, with a focus on its role in promoting global peace and sustainable development.

Our specific objectives include:

• Advancing nuclear science: to facilitate the exchange of groundbreaking research in the domain of nuclear science, including but not limited to reactor technologies, radiation medicine, nuclear security and environmental impact assessment
• Promoting peaceful nuclear applications: to promote the responsible use of atomic energy for peaceful purposes, such as healthcare, energy generation and environmental management, while preventing its misuse
• Knowledge sharing: to serve as a conduit for the sharing of knowledge ideas, and expertise among scholars, researchers and practitioners in the field of nuclear science
• Public awareness and education: to contribute to public awareness and understanding of nuclear science, its benefits and its potential contributions to global peace and development
• Interdisciplinary collaboration: to encourage interdisciplinary collaboration by bringing together experts from various fields, including nuclear science, policy and environmental studies
• Ethical and sustainable practices: to promote ethical and sustainable practices in the application of nuclear science, ensuring the protection of human health and the environment

Readership

AfP's readership comprises nuclear scientists, healthcare professionals, policymakers, educators and the general public. This diverse audience seeks cutting-edge research and insights into nuclear science's peaceful applications, healthcare and sustainable energy. Professionals in nuclear medicine, environmental experts and decision-makers benefit from the journal's content. Educators and students use it as a valuable resource for teaching and learning. AfP also caters to global peace advocates and those curious about the responsible use of atomic energy.

Contents

AfP's content spans nuclear science advancements, healthcare applications and sustainable energy topics. It includes research on nuclear reactor technologies, radiation medicine, policy and environmental impact. Readers will find articles on medical innovations, ethical practices and global peace initiatives tied to nuclear science. AfP fosters interdisciplinary knowledge exchange and responsible atomic energy utilisation.

Submission process

All articles for this journal must be submitted using the online submissions system available via the Submitting Articles tab at www.inderscience.com/afp. Please follow all instructions and author guidelines.

Research pick: Student security study - "Understanding users’ perceptions of security in mobile devices using the two-step cluster analysis"

Research in the International Journal of Business Information Systems investigates user perception of mobile device security and offers several recommendations for users and manufacturers of such devices.

Nelson Tochukwu Agu, Joshua Ebere Chukwuere, and Tlhalitshi Volition Montshiwa of North-West University in Mahikeng, South Africa, offer several alarming insights into awareness of mobile security issues among students in the region. Their primary finding from a survey of 142 students at NWU is that some students mistakenly believe that mobile phones are inherently secure and others do not realise that such devices can be less secure than traditional desktop or laptop computers. The work suggests that there is a need for increased vigilance and education regarding mobile device security.

The team also found that while most users have a basic understanding of mobile device security, many of them lack knowledge of even common threats such as viruses, worms, Trojans, and phishing attacks. The researchers believe that this knowledge gap is particularly troubling, as it implies a lack of vigilance in safeguarding mobile devices against these various threats. Many such threats could detrimentally affect the individuals involved, but many have much broader implications allowing the spread of malware to other users and for malicious third parties to compromise devices and so build networks, botnets, under their control for illicit purposes, such as distributed denial of service (DDOS) attacks on organisational and governmental networks, for instance.

The team also found that even those users who understand password protection, many of them neglect additional security measures such as encryption, PINs, patterns, or biometric authentication. They point out that users are happy to engage in risky behaviour, such as ignoring system security warnings, clicking on links or downloading attachments from unknown sources, as well as over-sharing personal information on social media platforms, which might be useful to a third-party hoping to carry an identity theft or in fraudulent activity, based on social engineering in which a confidence trick is played out on an individual or member of an organisation rather than an attack being technological in nature, such as hacking or cracking to break into and compromise a computer system.

The researchers suggest that education of users is critical to bolster mobile phone security, but they insist that device manufacturers should also bear responsibility in addressing this issue and should be proactive in this educational process.

Agu, N.T., Chukwuere, J.E. and Montshiwa, T.V. (2023) ‘Understanding users’ perceptions of security in mobile devices using the two-step cluster analysis’, Int. J. Business Information Systems, Vol. 44, No. 1, pp.81–101.

Free open access article available: "Accountability in social enterprises: the role of institutional pressure and social performance"

The following paper, "Accountability in social enterprises: the role of institutional pressure and social performance" (International Journal of Business Excellence 31(1) 2023), is freely available for download as an open access article.

It can be downloaded via the full-text link available here.

Research pick: Assessing and addressing academic burnout - "Areas of worklife as predictors of the burnout syndrome"

A research study in International Journal of Behavioural and Healthcare Research has found a profound connection between the dynamics of the work environment and the widespread problem of burnout syndrome among professors in Brazilian academic institutions. The study considers six key facets of work life outlined by the areas of work life scale (AWS) – workload, control, reward, community, fairness, and values, and uses them to discern insights into their predictive potential of academic burnout.

The team of Adriana Porto (Lutheran University of Brazil), Luis Felipe Dias Lopes (Federal University of Santa Maria), and Claudimar Pereira da Veiga (Fundação Dom Cabral) used the Maslach Burnout Inventory General Survey (MBI-GS) tool, which they tailored and calibrated for the Brazilian context, to delve into the measurement of three distinct dimensions of burnout: exhaustion, cynicism, and efficacy.

The team used data from 558 professors to look at aspects of the work environment and its impact on burnout within Brazilian academia. The findings validate the assertion that understanding the six areas of work life can significantly influence how burnout manifests and evolves within this sector.

Burnout, while commonly used in the vernacular represents a complex syndrome characterized by chronic workplace stress that has not been effectively managed. It can lead to physical, emotional, and mental exhaustion. These problems, in turn, can lead to cynicism and detachment from one’s work as well as a diminished sense of personal accomplishment and efficacy. Chronic burnout has far-reaching implications for those affected having a detrimental impact on well-being and physical health. It can also affect the workplace in which they find themselves leading to problems with productivity in the workplace, affecting those whom the workers serve. And, ultimately society at large and the wider economy, healthcare, education, and public services.

There is an urgent need for organizations to understand the multi-faceted nature of burnout and its connection with the work environment. Proactive measures addressing workload, control, rewards, community, fairness, and values can help create nurturing work environments that mitigate burnout risks. The research offers an invaluable roadmap for organizations to design interventions focused on enhancing employee well-being, and so fostering a healthier, more productive workforce and positively contributing to society more broadly.

Porto, A., Lopes, L.F.D. and da Veiga, C.P. (2023) ‘Areas of worklife as predictors of the burnout syndrome’, Int. J. Behavioural and Healthcare Research, Vol. 9, No. 1, pp.1–17.

Research pick: Surprising influences on employee intention to quit - "An emerging approach towards intention to quit among IT employees"

Research in the International Journal of Enterprise Network Management reveals unexpected factors that influence an employee’s intentions to quit their job in information technology. The findings challenge the received wisdom and could shed light on the dynamic role of online professional networking and social media profile updates.

There has been much research in employee intention to quit as it can have a significant impact on a wide range of organisations. Conventionally, researchers have focused on factors such as job satisfaction and organizational commitment. These are the standard key indicators that can help predict which employees might be planning to leave and so allow organisations to perhaps manage staff turnover more effectively. However, there was an obvious gap in understanding how online activities, such as updating job profiles on social media platforms and engaging in professional networking sites, affect a person’s intention to leave a job.

Ashish Kumar Biswas of Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies (Deemed to be University) in Hyderabad, R. Seethalakshmi of VIT-AP University in Amaravati, and Prabha Mariappan of Veltech University in Chennai, India, have employed a quantitative survey approach involving almost 600 participants and used a structural equation model to test their hypothesis and hopefully help fill this gap in our understanding of employee intention to quit.

The team found that, as one might anticipate, an increased engagement in professional networking sites ultimately influences an individual’s intention to leave their current job and find employment elsewhere. This is not necessarily an obvious factor as many people might daydream about finding a new job and investigate their options, perhaps even uploading their CV (curriculum vitae or résumé) to a job-seekers web site, but a certain level of activity might nudge them towards quitting whereas casual interaction with such websites would not necessarily reinforce the tendency. Online activity of this kind cannot be ignored as an influential factor in affecting an individual’s intentions in much the same way as job satisfaction and level of engagement should not be ignored, especially if they are dwindling. Moreover, the research suggests that employee commitment to a job is dynamic and can fluctuate with changing circumstances.

The team suggests that even highly committed employees might intensify their job search efforts, but this doesn’t necessarily translate to higher turnover rates. In contrast, those members of staff who are not committed to their jobs may choose to stay with their current employer for various reasons, such as a competitive job market or personal obligations, and perhaps because they do not see the opportunities that might exist via social media and job-seekers websites.

Biswas, A.K., Seethalakshmi, R. and Mariappan, P. (2023) ‘An emerging approach towards intention to quit among IT employees’, Int. J. Enterprise Network Management, Vol. 14, No. 3, pp.283–298.

International Journal of Intelligent Engineering Informatics indexed by Scopus and celebrates Clarivate impact factor

We are pleased to announce that the International Journal of Intelligent Engineering Informatics has been indexed in Elsevier's Scopus database.

Prof. Ahmad Taher Azar, the journal's Editor in Chief, has provided the following statement:

"The indexing of the International Journal of Intelligent Engineering Informatics by Scopus - one of the most prestigious academic databases in the world - represents a significant milestone for our journal, and signifies a major step forward in our mission to disseminate high-quality research to a global audience.

Furthermore, we are delighted to share that IJIEI has achieved an impressive Clarivate impact factor of 6.3. This remarkable recognition underscores the exceptional quality of the research published in our journal and the dedication of our scholarly community.

We would like to express our deepest gratitude to our esteemed Inderscience journal team and board members, whose guidance and expertise have played an instrumental role in shaping the journal's direction. We also extend our heartfelt thanks to our authors, whose insightful contributions have enriched our publication, and to our diligent reviewers for their invaluable support in maintaining our high standards.

This accomplishment is a testament to the collective effort and commitment of our entire community. As we move forward, we remain dedicated to fostering excellence in research and providing a platform for the dissemination of groundbreaking discoveries.

Thank you for your unwavering support and trust in the International Journal of Intelligent Engineering Informatics. We look forward to continuing this remarkable journey together."

Research pick: Understanding cyberthreats in IoT networks - "A comparative framework for cyber threat modelling: case of healthcare and industrial control systems"

Cyberattacks are a major problem for all kinds of organizations with the potential to compromise e-commerce, government, and healthcare. Research in the International Journal of Critical Infrastructures, highlights how Internet of Things (IoT) devices, which are not necessarily as well protected as conventional computers in terms of firewalls, antivirus, and malware protection, can represent an important vulnerability in a system. Such threats extend beyond potential financial loss where they can disrupt infrastructure, government, and even threaten human lives, particularly in healthcare facilities.

Taofeek Mobolarinwa Balogun, and Hayretdin Bahsi of Tallinn University of Technology in Tallinn, Estonia, and Omer F. Keskin and Unal Tatar of the University at Albany, State University of New York, USA offer a comparative framework for modelling the threat of cyber attack on IoT devices and networks.

The team’s new framework can be used to evaluate particular vulnerabilities within an IoT network from the perspective of a putative third-party attacker. The framework can critically assess what factors are involved in determining the level of sophistication needed to carry out a successful cyberattack that causes damage to the system. It is more common not to consider the sophistication of an attacker but simply to harden firewalls and keep antimalware software up to date and hope these are sufficient to protect the system from attack. The factors considered include accessibility, stealth, technical ability, and time. Given enough of each, a sufficiently sophisticated attacker might be able to breach any security. Knowing just how sophisticated an attacker needs to be gives the IoT network manager the opportunity to increase the requisite level of defence.

The team demonstrated that two distinct IoT network types: SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) infrastructure and healthcare IoT infrastructure represent different levels of sophistication. SCADA networks demand greater expertise and sophistication compared with healthcare IoT networks. This suggests that there is a need for a bespoke approach to fortifying different types of critical systems. Understanding this requirement is an important part of allowing decision-makers at national and organizational levels to counter threats proactively without the need to over-extend security on more sophisticated systems that are intrinsically less vulnerable.

Balogun, T.M., Bahsi, H., Keskin, O.F. and Tatar, U. (2023) ‘A comparative framework for cyber threat modelling: case of healthcare and industrial control systems’, Int. J. Critical Infrastructures, Vol. 19, No. 5, pp.405–431.

Research pick: Hybrid approach recognises human activity - "Hybrid machine learning approach for human activity recognition"

Research in the International Journal of Computer Applications in Technology introduces a hybrid classification algorithm aimed at improving the recognition of human activities using smartphone data. The work could have implications for various fields, including healthcare and personal support.

Ahmad Taher Azar of both the Prince Sultan University in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia and Benha University in Benha, Egypt, hoped to demonstrate a tool for accurately categorizing six distinct human activities: lying, sitting, standing, walking, walking upstairs, and walking downstairs. He used supervised machine learning techniques that merged Random Forest Decision Trees (RFDT) and Neural Networks (NN) to this end.

The hybrid approach was able to classify six human activities with an accuracy rate of 96 per cent. This surpasses the performance of individual machine learning techniques like NN or RFDT and is comparable with the current state-of-the-art methods. However, what sets this algorithm apart is its efficiency in processing. The hybrid algorithm can infer behaviour from smartphone behaviour in just 0.073 seconds compared to the accuracy achieved with a Convolutional Neural Network (CNN), which can take well over 1.5 seconds to do the same job and reach a similar level of accuracy.

Azar’s work emphasises how useful such an efficiency improvement could be in that it would allow real-time processing of smartphone data even on devices without a built-in dedicated computer processing unit for coping with such tasks. This capacity has considerable implications, particularly in scenarios where immediate and accurate activity recognition is essential, such as in healthcare and personal support applications. A particularly timely application would be for patient support and monitoring on so-called “virtual wards” where the patient usually remains in their home and is looked after by healthcare professionals remotely using telemedicine tools for monitoring and advising.

It is worth noting that there remain several challenges for this kind of research. The identification of basic movements such as climbing the stairs or lying down is achievable provided the person has their smartphone about their person at all times. However, there is a need for deeper recognition of emotional state and other factors important to that person’s health and wellbeing.

Azar, A.T. (2023) ‘Hybrid machine learning approach for human activity recognition’, Int. J. Computer Applications in Technology, Vol. 72, No. 3, pp.231–239.

Free open access article available: "Start-up selection criteria for corporate venturing: what matters for incumbents?"

The following paper, "Start-up selection criteria for corporate venturing: what matters for incumbents?" (International Journal of Entrepreneurial Venturing 15(4) 2023), is freely available for download as an open access article.

It can be downloaded via the full-text link available here.

Research pick: Nostalgia ain’t what it used to be - "Nostalgia and co-creation"

Research in the Journal of Design Research, introduces an innovative approach that combines co-creation and follow-up interviews to use nostalgia effectively in the realm of design and innovation. The objective is to harness nostalgia as a valuable tool for creating meaningful and user-centric experiences, products, and services.

Co-creation is a collaborative tool used by designers who collaborate closely with users during the initial, and sometimes all, stages of the process to understand more clearly the wants and desires of their putative users. Renu Zunjarwad of the Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts at Arizona State University has illustrated the approach by examining the cultural significance of street-food in Mumbai and comparing it with production, distribution, and consumption practices of street-food in Phoenix, Arizona, USA.

Zunjarwad’s research highlights the importance of focusing on the cultural networks surrounding an artefact in design research. She concludes that co-creation is a powerful technique for exploring abstract concepts such as trust, nostalgia, and social anxiety. When effectively implemented, co-creation can provide valuable insights for developing user-centric experiences and products.

The work forms part of a larger project investigating how nostalgia, authenticity, and tradition influence Indian street-food practices in the global context. Key research questions centre on the role of nostalgia in shaping street-food practices in the era of globalization and the contribution of design to these experiences.

While co-creation can be employed at any stage of the design and product development process, it is most effective when used early to identify broader opportunities based on the wants of the potential consumers of the product. However, successful co-creation requires careful planning, collaboration, and facilitation to generate unique value and thence solutions that focus on the customer rather than simply the bottom-line. The benefits can be substantial although the approach requires more time and energy than conventional design processes by virtue of involving more people who are beyond the company’s regular staff.

Zunjarwad adds that co-creation can itself be used in research. “Co-creation is a powerful technique to explore difficult-to-observe concepts like trust, nostalgia, and social anxiety. It can deliver impactful insights to build user-centric experiences, products, and services when implemented well,” she writes.

Zunjarwad, R. (2023) ‘Nostalgia and co-creation’, J. Design Research, Vol. 21, No. 1, pp.62–78.