Recent Submissions

  • Investigating disparities in SMEs digitalisation

    Mahmood, Samia; Asghar, Nadia; Kousha, Kayvan (Enterprise Research Centre, 2024-10-28)
    This research investigates disparities in digitalisation among UK Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs), with a specific focus on variations by gender, ethnicity, region, and industry. Adopting a mixed-method approach, data was collected from both primary and secondary sources. Primary data was obtained from a panel discussion with academics, SME owners, and industry experts, providing a practical perspective that bridges the gap between theory and practice in digital transformation, particularly in the context of SMEs. Secondary data was sourced from the UK Longitudinal Small Business Survey (LSBS) spanning from 2018 to 2022, which examines digital technology adoption trends across five key digitalisation indicators: Accountancy Software, HR Management Software, Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) Software, AI/Robotics/Automation, and Virtual Reality/Augmented Reality (VR/AR) technologies.
  • How is ChatGPT acknowledged in academic publications?

    Kousha, Kayvan (Springer Nature, 2024-10-21)
    This study analysed the acknowledgment of ChatGPT in 1,759 academic publications indexed in Scopus and Web of Science up to August 2024. Around 80% of acknowledgments were related to text editing and proofreading, while only 5.3% mentioned ChatGPT for non-editorial research support, such as data analysis or programming. A small portion (3.5%) of researchers acknowledged ChatGPT for drafting sections of manuscripts. About two-thirds of corresponding authors who acknowledged ChatGPT were from non-English-speaking countries, and 75% of the publications with ChatGPT acknowledgments were published within January to August 2024. These findings suggest that ChatGPT was primarily acknowledged for language enhancement rather than more complex research applications, although some researchers may not have found it necessary to mention its use in their publications, highlighting the need for transparency from journals and publishers.
  • Bataille, Foucault and the lost futures of transgression

    Pawlett, William (Taylor & Francis, 2024-11-01)
    This paper examines the theme of transgression as it is developed in Bataille’s text L’érotisme of 1957. It is critical of Foucault’s 1963 essay on Bataille Préface á la transgression and it then considers the linked yet distinct processes of transgression, profanation and degradation in contemporary culture. Far from inaugurating a new era of transgression, the last sixty years have seen the dissolution of ‘sexuality’ from supposed limit experience to one of limitless confinement within commodified identity positions. What might a future of transgression, in Bataille’s rather that Foucault’s sense, have looked like and why did it not take place?
  • Revisiting the role of bilateral investment treaties in foreign direct investment

    Cusimano, Alessandro; Godwin, Eun Sun; McKay, Stephen; Potočnik, Metka (Macrothink Institute, 2024-10-18)
    This article revisits the role of Bilateral Investment Treaties (BITs) in Foreign Direct Investment (FDI). It investigates, in particular, the institutional quality of the host countries, the number of cases brought for resolution, plus a more nuanced formulation of numbers of BITs, focusing on developing host countries. The analysis looks at more recent developments in BITs and incorporates economic freedom as a proxy of institutional quality of the host countries and considers the number of Investor-State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) in the BITs. We assume a non-linear relationship between BIT and FDI. Models are run using feasible generalized least squares (FGLS). Our new findings reveal that there is an optimum level of BITs in attracting FDI (higher and lower numbers do worse), constituting a re-appraisal of past analyses. Previous ISDS cases show a significant negative relationship with FDI. Economic Freedom has a strong positive and significant relationship with FDI/GDP, as previously found. 
  • How do museums and galleries help academics create societal impact? An analysis of the UK REF2021 impact case studies

    Kousha, Kayvan; Stuart, Emma; Abdoli, Mahshid; Thelwall, Mike (Springer Nature, 2024-10-25)
    Although the cultural and heritage roles of museums and art galleries are well recognised, they can also be vehicles to help scholars generate societal impact. This study systematically investigates this role for the first time, using evidence from UK Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2021 impact case studies (ICSs). We identified mentions of over 1,700 UK museums in 6,361 ICSs across all academic fields. While a third of ICSs in Main Panel D (mainly arts and humanities) mentioned at least one museum or art gallery, they were rarely mentioned in the other three panels (2.3% to 4.7%). The percentage was highest in the Art and Design (57%), Classics (56%), Archaeology (44%) and History (42%) Units of Assessment (UoAs). A content analysis of Art and Design case studies showed that collaborations or consultations with museums (25%), public engagement activities (23%), the display of cultural artefacts (18%) and preservation of cultural heritage (17%) were the main roles played by museums and art galleries. Evidence of societal impact in these cases came from testimonials (40%) and audience statistics or feedback (20%) in arts case studies. Overall, the study demonstrates the importance of museums and art galleries for helping many arts and humanities scholars to generate societal impacts.
  • Finally free of the interpreter's gaze? Uncovering the hidden labor of gaze work for deaf consumers of interpreter services

    De Meulder, Maartje; Stone, Christopher (Clemson University Press, 2024-09-30)
    The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated a shift towards remote video-mediated sign language interpreting. This has uncovered the hidden labor of gaze work that deaf consumers of interpreting services have been obliged to engage in. We specifically focus on one group of deaf consumers of interpreter services: deaf academics. We consider the role of interpreter education in the context of the backchanneling expectation, the invisibility of gaze work prior to the proliferation of remote video-mediated interpreting, during the COVID era, and then post-COVID. Throughout this chronology, we consider the expectations of interpreters and deaf academics for interaction and feedback between interpreter and academic. While gaze work historically forms part of the wider calculated consumer labor, this is something within the conference setting that deaf consumers are now more resistant to engage in. This is partly because of sensory overload and the need to manage multimodal resources. However, this is also about exercising choices. We highlight the need for sign language interpreters to be educated in more nuanced ways with respect to gaze behaviors. It is clear that deaf consumers want interpreters to provide solutions to ensure that interpreter-mediated access provides access without the problematic addition of consumer labor.
  • Examining the Impact of trust on bank-customer relationship management: Evidence from Nigeria

    Sani, Kareem Folohunso; Gbadamosi, Ayantunji; Al-Abdulrazak, Rula; University of East London (The 21st Academy of African Business and Development (AABD) Conference. MacEwan University, Edmonton, AB Canada, (May 18 – 22)., 2021-05-31)
    This research investigates the impact of ‘Trust’ on bank-customer relationship management in the Nigerian banking industry, and its roles on their performances over the years. The study is interpretive in nature and involves the conduct of thirteen (13) in-depth interviews on the subject-matter, with banks’ customers in Gombe, Nigeria. It shows that a relationship does exist between Trust, Relationship Marketing and Banks’ Performance indicators. The study also found that trust will change in terms of its influence and effects over the lifecycle of relationship development. It identifies various aspects of trust in banking and they include: Trust in bank’s liquidity position, promise fulfilments, communication systems, staffs, service delivery processes, online systems and physical and cyber security apparatus. These could serve as useful tools for decision making in the banking system. This paper has contributed to the relationship marketing literature by ascertaining the positive role of trust in relationship building and the resultant positive impacts on customer’s retention and bank’s profitability. Various aspects of bank’s trust were also identified for the first time.
  • 'They're still fighting the fight on Facebook': the landscape of social media remembering the British coal industry

    Millar, Grace; Curtis, Ben; Gildart, Keith; Perchard, Andrew (Oral History Society, 2024-09-02)
    Facebook has become a critical location for discussions of the past and part of the cultural circuit in which oral history interviews take place. Despite this, oral historians’ discussion of social media has focussed on recruitment and dissemination. This article uses oral history interviews to explore Facebook remembering of the British coal industry: from groups with thousands of members to conversations between two people. Our interviewees referred to Facebook and those discussions of Facebook posts form the evidence base of this article. We show that Facebook memory practices influence how coal mining is remembered offline and use the metaphor of a landscape to demonstrate their complexity. We conclude that attention to social media’s impact on cultural circuits is a matter of urgency for oral historians.
  • Decoding organisational attractiveness: a fuzzy multi-criteria decision-making approach

    Rahimi, Roya; Vatankhah, Sanaz; Roodbari, Hamid; Oraee, Atrina (Emerald, 2024-10-21)
    Purpose- High-skilled employees are crucial for sustained competitive advantage of organisations. In the "war for talent", organisations must position themselves as attractive employers. This study introduces a unified framework to systematically identify and prioritise Organisational Attractiveness (OA) components, focusing on the extreme context of the airline industry. Design/methodology/approach- Treating OA as a Multi-Criteria Decision Making (MCDM) situation, the study employs the Fuzzy Delphi Method (FDM) to validate key OA factors and the Fuzzy Analytical Hierarchy Process (FAHP) to prioritise them based on experts’ judgements. Findings- The study identifies five criteria and 22 sub-criteria for OA, with job characteristics and person-job fit as most critical. These elements signal employment quality and skill-job alignment, reducing information asymmetry and attracting talent. Findings- The study identifies five criteria and 22 sub-criteria for OA, with job characteristics and person-job fit as most critical. These elements signal employment quality and skill-job alignment, reducing information asymmetry and attracting talent. Practical implications- This research provides a practical framework for airline managers to identify and prioritise key aspects of OA to enhance their value proposition and attract and retain qualified employees. For policymakers, applying the OA framework supports informed policy decisions on employment standards and workforce development. Originality- This research introduces a fuzzy OA index and a framework that enhances OA. By incorporating signalling theory into a fuzzy MCDM approach, it systematically addresses key OA components, offering a strategic method to boost OA.
  • “Be a miner”: constructions and contestations of masculinity in the British coalfields, 1975–1983

    Gildart, Keith; Curtis, Ben; Perchard, Andrew; Millar, Grace (Cambridge University Press, 2024-09-18)
    In 1975, the National Coal Board (NCB) produced a short film, “People Will Always Need Coal”, to encourage recruitment into mining. It was extraordinarily attention-grabbing, presenting miners as cosmopolitan playboys. It defined the industry in hyper-masculine terms, encouraging would-be recruits to “be a miner”. This article uses the film as a starting point for a discussion of the complex interactions between the material realities of masculinity, class, and culture within Britain's coalfields in the period 1975–1983. A critical reading of the film is complemented by archival research and oral testimony drawn from interviews with 96 former miners and their families. At a time when the industry was positioning itself as an employer with a long-term future, mining was presented on screen as a modern masculine occupation that was far removed from the dominant imagery of coal for much of the twentieth century. The National Union of Mineworkers’ (NUM) victories in the strikes of 1972 and 1974, the drafting of a Government Plan for Coal, and rising living standards, created a short period of optimism before the cataclysmic closures of the 1980s and 1990s. This was a time when masculinity in the coalfields was being reproduced, modified, contested, and subverted. The years 1975–1983 offer valuable insight into such masculinity and the ways it was mediated and challenged through work, the domestic sphere, leisure, and popular culture.
  • Marketing during a global crisis in an emerging market: a study of the response to the COVID-19 pandemic in the retail banking sector

    Sani, Kareem Folohunso; Gbadamosi, Ayantunji; Al-Abdulrazak, Rula M. (Taylor & Francis, 2023-10-30)
    This article investigates the challenges and opportunities for banks during the unexpected global crisis of the coronavirus pandemic and how they have developed innovative marketing strategies to retain existing customers while attracting new ones. It features a meticulous synthesis of primary and secondary data. Specifically, 24 semi-structured interviews and 1 focus group discussion were conducted, on the perspectives of both customers and banks. These were supported by data from Bloomberg and other secondary data. This article establishes that the COVID-19 pandemic has provided unique opportunities for banks to retain existing customers while attracting new ones. It highlights various activities that have helped banks improve their brand image, growth, profitability, and sustainability during the disaster. It identifies the critical elements of sustainability during the pandemic from the banks’ perspectives. It also demonstrates different customer expectations, including further reduction of interest rates on loans, extending loan repayment periods and implementing a COVID-19 sensitization campaign among the public. The study offers novel insights on the topic by demonstrating that there are inherent opportunities in such a global crisis, despite the associated challenges. In such a situation, banks must reposition their strategies to survive the crisis while supporting and attracting existing and prospective customers.
  • Going green: The role of e-banking quality in sustainable development

    Sani, Kareem Folohunso; Gbadamosi, Ayantunji; Ogunseyin, Michael; University of Wolverhampton Business School (The Academy of African Business and Development (AABD) Conference., 2024-07-15)
    The need to preserve the environment for future generations can't be over-emphasized as nations are coming together to work out modalities to create a sustainable environment for both present and future generations. Businesses do not exist in a vacuum; their activities are also impacting the environment, ranging from climate change to air and water pollution as well as other environmental disasters capable of destroying some of the essential resources in the environment. Therefore, it is also imperative for businesses to consider the environment while also making a profit for the stakeholders. Banking is at the heart of every enterprise, which assumes a special niche due to its ability to influence any country's economic growth and development. This study studies the impact of e-banking quality on banking sustainability practices. The findings indicate that mobile banking, internet banking, and automated teller machines are helping banks in developing countries, particularly in Nigeria, support the sustainable development goal of Nigerian society. However, further findings revealed various challenges of these digital banking tools, which are preventing their full adoption by most banking customers in Nigerian society, thus preventing the rapid adoption of sustainable practices that could support sustainable development in the environment. Therefore, the study concludes that more work needs to be done by both banks and the government of Nigeria to improve the infrastructural facilities, while banks should focus on improving the quality of the various features associated with different electronic banking channels. This investigation further highlights that only a few bank customers have embraced electronic banking in Nigeria, making it difficult for banks to support sustainable development practices.
  • Single student-mothers’ work-life balance and the challenges of multiple roles

    Adisa, Toyin; Mordi, Tonbara; Sani, Kareem Folohunso; University of East London (British Academy of Management Conference, 2022-08-08)
    While the debates concerning work-life balance continue to proliferate among employees of traditional organisations, its importance for students cannot be ignored. This article is based on interviews with 21 single student-mothers who are enrolled in full-time study at university and have other non-academic roles to fulfil. It examines the challenges, consequences, and coping mechanisms of single student-mothers involved in meeting the demands of their multiple roles. The findings highlight the nature of single student-mothers’ work-life balance, lives, and role challenges as well as the consequences of combining multiple competing roles. The findings of this study show that single student-mothers struggle to combine their multiple roles and achieve work-life balance. The study highlights the importance of familial and social support as well as the ‘sister keeper’ initiative in fulfilling multiple role demand and in creating a satisfactory balance between single student-mothers’ different spheres of life. Some recommendations are given for students and university policymakers to address the needs of the growing number of single student-mothers.
  • Beyond growth: promoting inclusive development of creative clusters in the UK

    Carey, Heather; Giles, Lesley; O'Connor, Kate; Sissons, Paul; Godwin, Eun Sun (Creative Industries Policy and Evidence Centre (Creative PEC), 2024-07-24)
    Over the past two decades, there have been two defining narratives for the creative industries: on the one hand a story of economic success and growth, on the other, entrenched inequality and exclusion. Often there is strikingly little connectivity between them. This research has sought to explore how to position equality and inclusion more firmly at the centre of the creative cluster development agenda and the place-based approaches that might support more inclusive growth of creative clusters. It draws lessons from an in-depth study of the Yorkshire screen cluster, case studies of other UK cities and regions, and a review of international practice. It presents five key recommendations for policymakers and industry stakeholders: 1. Baseline equality and inclusion in regional creative clusters: develop stronger regional intelligence systems that can monitor the extent to which the opportunities created as clusters expand are benefitting people from diverse backgrounds and those living in social mobility ‘cold spots’. 2. Make inclusive growth the primary objective of the creative cluster development agenda: embed equality, diversity and inclusion into the core of the strategy for growth and promote greater connectivity between sector-focussed and place-based approaches to inclusive growth in the city-region. 3. Advance a multi-faceted, integrated set of active policy measures that tackle the structural issues at the root of exclusion and disadvantage. Diversify education pathways; connect those disadvantaged in the labour market with jobs in growth sectors; advance good work and inclusive working practices; promote inclusive entrepreneurship; and unlock the potential of cultural anchors. The research identifies nearly 50 examples of inspiring practice, from 15 different countries across the globe. 4. Maximise local partnerships and employer engagement: weave together a wide range of services, activities and expertise within the city-region to customise programmes to local needs and sustain action over the long-term. Strengthen the engagement and investment of private-sector employers, unite business communities with shared interests and promote peer-to-peer learning. 5.Build our collective understanding and evidence base of ‘what works’ in promoting more inclusive development of creative clusters: ring-fence funding for programme evaluation, promote consistency and comparability in impact measurement; and develop mechanisms that support knowledge exchange between creative clusters.
  • Stigma hurts: exploring employer and employee perceptions of tattoos and body piercings in Nigeria

    Adisa, Toyin; Adekoya, Olatunji David; Sani, Kareem Folohunso (Emerald, 2021-03-15)
    Purpose: This study draws on social stigma and prejudice to examine the perceptions and beliefs of managers and employees regarding visible tattoos and body piercings, as well as the impact they have on potential employment and human resource management in the global South, using Nigeria as the research context. Design/methodology/approach: The study uses a qualitative research approach, drawing on data from 43 semi-structured interviews with employees and managers in Nigeria. Findings: Contrary to the popular opinion that tattoos and body piercings are becoming more accepted and mainstream in society, this study finds that some Nigerian employers and employees may stigmatise and discriminate against people with visible tattoos and body piercings. The findings of this study suggest that beliefs about tattoos are predicated on ideologies as well as religious and sociocultural values, which then influence corporate values. Research limitations/implications: The extent to which the findings of this research can be generalised is constrained by the limited sample and scope of the research. Practical implications: Religious and sociocultural preconceptions about people with visible tattoos and body piercings have negative implications for the recruitment and employment of such people and could prevent organisations from hiring and keeping talented employees. This implies that talented employees might experience prejudice at job interviews, preventing them from gaining employment. Furthermore, stigmatising and discriminating against people with visible tattoos and body piercings may lead to the termination of employment of talented employees, which could negatively affect organisational productivity and growth. Originality/value: This study provides an insight into the employment relations regarding tattoos and body piercing in Nigeria. The study highlights the need for mild beliefs and positive perceptions about people with visible tattoos and unconventional body piercings. There should be a general tolerance of the individual preference for body art and physical appearance, and this tolerance should be incorporated in organisational policies, which are enactments of corporate culture.
  • Digital onboarding and employee outcomes: empirical evidence from the UK

    Sani, Kareem Folohunso; Adisa, Toyin; Adekoya, Olatunji David; Oruh, Emeka (Emerald, 2022-09-27)
    Purpose: Given the sharp rise in the adoption of digital onboarding in employment relations and human resource management practices, largely caused by the continuing COVID-19 pandemic, this study explores the impact of digital onboarding on employees' wellbeing, engagement level, performance, and overall outcomes. Design/methodology/approach: This study uses an interpretive qualitative research methodology, undertaking semi-structured interviews with 28 participants working in the UK services industry. Findings: The study finds that digital onboarding has a significant impact on employee outcomes, following the perceptions of “dwindling social connectedness and personal wellbeing”, “meaningful and meaningless work”, and “poor employee relations” among employees and their employers in the workplace. Practical implications: Due to the increased adoption of digital onboarding, human resources teams must focus on having considerable human interaction with new hires, even if this means adopting a hybrid approach to onboarding. Human resources teams must ensure that they work together with line managers to promote a welcoming culture for new hires and facilitate organisation-driven socialisation tactics and the “quality” information necessary for supporting new employees. For new employees, besides acquiring the digital skills that are essential in the workplace, they must accept the changing digital landscape in order to practice effective communication and align their goals and values with those of their organisation. Originality/value: Qualitative research on the influence of digital onboarding on employee outcomes is limited, with much of the research yet to substantially consider the impact of digitalisation on the human resources function of onboarding employees as full members of an organisation.
  • A comparative study of the work–life balance experiences and coping mechanisms of Nigerian and British single student-working mothers

    Mordi, Tonbara; Adisa, Toyin; Adekoya, Olatunji David; Sani, Kareem Folohunso; Mordi, Chima; Akhtar, Muhammad Naseer (Emerald, 2023-04-03)
    Purpose: Recent gender-related research has focused on how gender affects work–life balance (WLB), particularly whether men and women have similar difficulties balancing work and family demands. However, to broaden WLB research beyond its concentration on employees to a different population, this study investigates the WLB experiences of single student-working mothers. Design/methodology/approach: This article uses a qualitative study using three focus groups to compare Nigerian and British single student-working mothers' WLB experiences and coping strategies or mechanisms adopted in these two contexts. Findings: The findings indicate that, regardless of nationality, single student-working mothers are affected by inter-role conflict, role ambiguity, role strain, role overload and external role pressures, which make achieving WLB a herculean task. Nevertheless, given the different political, economic and socio-cultural landscapes of the two countries, the extent to which the aforementioned factors impact single student-working mothers varies and influences the range of coping mechanisms adopted in the two contexts. Practical implications: The insights gleaned from this study suggest that there are huge challenges for single student-working mothers in terms of achieving WLB due to their status as students, workers and mothers. Combining these roles negatively affect their WLB and level of productivity and effectiveness, at home, at work and at university. This poses significant implications for human resource structures, policies and practices. The authors suggest that single student-mothers should learn from their counterparts' experiences and coping mechanisms, and that organisations and government should also provide adequate support to help them combine their challenging roles. This would ease the tension associated with combining multiple roles and enhance their well-being and WLB. Originality/value: The study calls for a re-examination of WLB policies and practices at organisational and national levels to ensure that single student-working mothers are well supported to enhance their productivity and WLB.
  • The National Student Survey and the ‘customerization’ of university students: a qualitative study of UK higher education

    Adisa, Toyin; Harrison, Michael; Sani, Kareem Folohunso; Mingazova, Diliara; Kypuram, Jaya (Springer Nature, 2022-10-12)
    Has the National Student Survey ‘customerized’ the UK’s university students? This article examines the ‘customerization’ of university students in the UK and the impacts of reciprocity and social exchange behaviour on National Student Survey outcomes. Using a multi-method qualitative approach, the findings suggest that the National Student Survey is an imperfect barometer for measuring teaching quality and academic standards at universities. It finds that students are being treated as customers so they will give their universities positive evaluations in the National Student Survey. The findings also reveal that the discretion and decisions of students are mostly based on reciprocity, according to which students are willing to complete the National Student Survey favourably only if they get good grades and received ‘VIP treatment’. The article concludes by explaining the implications of its findings on practice and recommending an agenda for future research.
  • Work–life balance: Does leadership matter?

    Sani, Kareem Folohunso; Adisa, Toyin (Emerald, 2024-01-10)
    Purpose: The extant literature on work–life balance (WLB) has generally overlooked the interrelationship between leadership and WLB. Does leadership have any impact on employees' use of WLB policies and practices? To answer this question, this article considers the social exchange theory as well as transformational and transactional leadership in an investigation of the impact of leadership on WLB. Design/methodology/approach: The study employs qualitative data from 32 semi-structured interviews to achieve the study’s objectives. Findings: The research reveals that leadership does matter in WLB. The study findings reveal that both the transactional and transformational leadership styles result in the establishment of strong reciprocal relationships between leaders and employees in terms of using WLB policies and practices. Managers only sanction the use of WLB policies and practices only as a reward for excellent performance or when they are completely sure the outcome will favour the organisation. The study concludes that the desire to achieve WLB has often led many employees to go the extra mile in carrying out their work duties, which is rewarded with an approval to use WLB policies and practices. These non-contractual exchanges emphasise reciprocity and are based on trust. Research limitations/implications: The extent to which the findings of this research can be generalised is constrained by the size and nature of the research sample. Practical implications: Many managers are transactional leaders, and they purposefully allow their employees to use WLB policies and practices only as a reward for meeting targets and for excellent performance. This means that employees who fall short of the required targets and expected performance are not permitted to use WLB policies and practices. This finding implies that such employees experience incessant work–family conflict, which may have negative implications for their work engagement, overall well-being and work performance. Originality/value: This study demonstrates that leadership is relevant to WLB. It shows that transformational leadership is supportive of WLB, as it considers employees' work performance and non-work outcomes. The results and practical implications of this study aids the understanding of the non-contractual exchanges involved in manager–employee relationships, which is crucial for ensuring employees' achievement of WLB and for organisations to achieve their goals.

View more