Cent Response Research Articles

Successful authors’ views on the editorial review processes of accounting journals

Purpose– The purpose of this paper is to report successful authors’ views about the editorial review processes of a set of 42 accounting journals. The two main objectives are: to enlighten editors and journal publishers in their quest to improve their journals’ editorial review processes and to inform prospective authors about the past experiences successful authors have had with the 42 accounting journals.Design/methodology/approach– A Webmail survey was used to collect data about authors’ experiences with publishing in one of the 42 accounting journals. A total of 856 responses (40 per cent response rate) was received. Various statistical analyses were used to explore a range of editorial review process features, including the timeliness of editorial feedback, timeliness of publishing accepted manuscripts, quality of the feedback provided and performance of the editor.Findings– Authors were found to be generally quite satisfied with the editorial review processes of the journals in which they published. There were, however, notable leaders and laggards observed among the 42 journal titles. The survey findings also revealed that many journals use the practice of basing their editorial decisions on the comments of a single reviewer. In fact, this practice is most prevalent among the journals that are commonly perceived as the field’s “top” journals. These and other editorial review results – for example, comparisons between journal-tiers, geographical locations of editorial review offices and journal specialties – are discussed.Originality/value– This paper extends and moves well beyond Adler and Liyanarachchi (2011), by exploring such additional author perceptions of the editorial review process as the performance of journal editors, the use of multiple reviewers and reviewers’ reporting of the typical faults/weaknesses in the papers they read. Exposing to public scrutiny an academic discipline’s editorial review processes is quite common in some fields of research, most notably medicine. Doing so in the accounting discipline addresses a need that many of the respondents felt was highly necessary and long overdue. While authors will benefit from the paper’s insights, editors and publishers are expected to as well.

The effects of ethical work climate on organizational commitment in Taiwanese Military units

Purpose– The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between overall ethical work climate (EWC) and overall organizational commitment (OC) and test the effects of types of EWC on three components of OC in Taiwanese military context.Design/methodology/approach– A literature review on EWC and OC provides the basis for the research model and hypotheses. A self-completion questionnaire survey, involving 508 respondents (92.36 per cent response rate) from military officers in Taiwan included both full-time training officers of the National Defense University and officers of Department of Defense. The authors use statistical analysis, including hierarchical regression and structural equation model to test hypotheses about the relationships above.Findings– The results indicated that overall EWC and some climate types significantly positively or negatively influenced overall OC, affective commitment, continuance commitment and normative commitment.Practical implications– The findings can provide helpful perspectives on management and organizations of benefit to scholars and policy-makers to make ethical policy in military organizations. In addition, suggesting for military leaders to foster some types of ethical climates to prevent low OC.Originality/value– Theoretically, the paper serves as a pioneer research for testing the concept of influence of EWC on OC and shows the effects of types of EWC on three components of OC in military context. Practically, the results and recommendations in the paper will be useful to those involved in the field of management in Taiwan military organizations.

Farming on the edge: farmer attitudes to bovine tuberculosis in newly endemic areas

Defra's recent strategy to eradicate bovine tuberculosis (bTB) establishes three spatial zones: high-risk areas (HRAs) and low-risk areas, and an area referred to as ‘the edge’, which marks the areas...

Barriers constraining management innovation (MI) adoption in the Ghanaian construction consulting sector

Purpose– The purpose of this paper is to critically examine and report upon the barriers that constrain MI within the Ghanaian construction consulting sector. Globalization and the shift towards knowledge-based economies have encouraged organizations to adopt management innovation (MI) as a means of increasing market share and creating competitive leverage. Organizations within developing countries, such as Ghana, have followed this global trend, but barriers continue to affect MI adoption.Design/methodology/approach– The research is positioned within a mixed methods “deductive” methodological tradition and is undertaken via a three-stage iterative approach. First, the research synthesizes relevant literature to identify 14 potential barriers to MI adoption. Second, using convenient and snowball sampling techniques, structured survey questionnaires were distributed to 70 consulting firms within the Kumasi metropolis; a high 78.5 per cent response rate was returned. Third, data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and principal component (factor) analysis to determine underlying barriers that restrict MI adoption.Findings– The barriers to MI adoption are contained within four inextricably linked factor groups: organizational structural influences, flow of information, institutional constraints and costs of innovations. The findings demonstrate that innovation thrives in an organizational environment that nurtures creativity, staff development, moderate risk taking and idea generation and management – albeit, the external economic environment must also be conducive to facilitating innovation within companies and organizations.Practical implications– Innovation within construction companies is a prerequisite requirement for a dynamic and competitive economy because it nurtures self-regulating “free market” behavior, which creates considerable benefit to an economy. Such an attribute is particularly attractive for the developing country of Ghana, which has historically suffered from recurrent social, political and economic pressures. Hence, the research findings will be of practical interest to policymakers, academics and industrialists who have a vested interest in improving the performance of the Ghanaian economy. It will also be of interest to others within developing countries who are experiencing similar issues.Originality/value– This research work builds upon the work of previous scholars in this field and investigates the barriers to implementing MI in Ghana. The paper’s findings will be useful to organizations and government policymakers who seek to increase business performance within a free market and profitability in an ever increasingly competitive world.

Study and labour market effects of graduate students’ interaction with work organisations during education

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to present an empirically based discussion of how cooperation between higher education institutions and work organisations (WOs) can increase graduate learning experiences and employability. Design/methodology/approach – Data are based on an electronic and mail-based graduate survey among Norwegian master’s degree graduates six months after graduation. 2,232 master degree graduates responded to the survey, giving a 54 per cent response rate. All subject fields were represented. Findings – 77 per cent of the graduates have some forms of interactions with WOs during their studies. The level and mode of participation differ, however, very much, and the benefits of participating differ by mode of interaction. Project-based interaction is positively and significantly associated with completing studies on time. Further, graduates who have participated in either project-based interactions or practice periods have better labour market situation after graduation than their peers. The results hold also when controlling of subject field differences and students’ abilities. Research limitations/implications – The study indicates that it is important to look at a wide range of interaction activities and look at the benefits from these activities both in terms of effects on the quality of the learning experience, as well as benefits realised in the transition to work. The data on learning benefits of interaction with WO during higher education are, however, limited, and further studies are needed on this issue in particular. Practical implications – The study indicates that only certain forms of interactions between students and WOs have benefits for students; namely the ones that involve a certain degree of time and commitment. Programme officers in higher education should target more committed interaction forms, because the added value is significantly higher for the students. Originality/value – The study contributes new knowledge about the external networks of higher education institutions, by looking at the role of students in such networks and by measuring the benefits by using a representative sample of students.

Market Orientation and Organizational Performance: Case of PakistaniSMEs

The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between market orientation and its three dimensions with firm performance. The study employed a cross sectional research design, using a structured questionnaire survey with a sample of 367 SMEs fully operational in Pakistan. A total of 213 valid questionnaires were completed and returned representing 58 per cent response rate. The results indicate that market orientation as a construct has a significant relationship and influence on performance of SMEs. Multiple regression results indicate that all the three dimensions of market orientation have significant influence on performance. The study will benefit SME managers, business practioners and government at various levels and will also serve as a frame of reference for future studies. Future recommendations are also provided for researchers.

The role of trust in enhancing Internet use in a high-risk society

Purpose– This paper aims to determine the key trust antecedents that influence Internet users’ trust level toward Internet service providers (ISPs) in a high-risk society. It also investigates trust-building process, major causes of its violation, their potential implications and restoration.Design/methodology/approach– A mixed-method approach was used in collecting data in Kenya in 2014 by using questionnaire and interview techniques. The former was administered to 250 (with 81 per cent response rate) randomly selected Internet users at Kenyatta University while the latter focused on key decision-makers from four randomly selected ISPs in Nairobi.Findings– The results show that Internet users’ perceptions of ISPs’ ability to be trusted in Kenya depend more on their competence in terms of service delivery (ability) and desire to protect users (benevolence) than upholding acceptable standards (integrity). The results also indicate a lack of trust manifested in poor communication and greed for profit among ISPs as major causes of trust violation.Originality/value– This paper proposes two frameworks that can enhance Internet use by providing a better understanding of trust in a high-risk society.

An exploratory study of the perceptions of AACSB International’s 2013 Accreditation Standards

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to report on the findings of an exploratory survey designed to measure AACSB member deans’ perceptions about the recently revised 2013 Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) Accreditation Standards. In April of 2013, AACSB International released a major revision of its accreditation standards to better reflect the increased globalization of management education. Design/methodology/approach – The present study surveyed AACSB member school deans via e-mail using SurveyMonkey during October and early November of 2013. A total of 1,131 valid e-mail addresses were found for the deans/heads of member schools (accredited and non-accredited). In total, 259 surveys were completed, resulting in a 23 per cent response rate for member schools with valid e-mails (n = 1,131). Findings – The present study found that the AACSB membership largely perceives that AACSB accreditation is a basic requirement to be a credible and competitive business school, is an indicator of a quality education and is linked to enhancing a business school’s ability to be effective in faculty recruitment and student placement. Even business school’s holding association of MBA (AMBA) and the European Foundation for Management Development’s International Accreditation Program (EQUIS) accreditation seemed to think that AACSB accreditation is a basic requirement to be a competitive business school. The most notable finding of this study is that most deans indicated that they will be able to meet the 2013 standards. Originality/value – Although at the time of the survey no business school had been subject to review under the new standards, member deans largely felt that the guiding principles and values and the accreditation standards themselves are achievable. In addition, there was widespread agreement that AACSB accreditation is valuable, meaningful and essential in today’s globally competitive environment.

The influence of a business ethics course on ethical judgments of Malaysian accountants

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the influence of ethics instruction received during tertiary education on ethical judgments of Malaysian accountants. Design/methodology/approach – Data were obtained through questionnaire survey and analyzed using regression analysis. Findings – A total of 221 respondents representing a 88.4 per cent response rate completed the questionnaire. The regression results show that ethics instruction received during tertiary education have a significant impact on both legal and illegal business scenarios. Accountants also judged an illegal questionable scenario stricter than a legal questionable scenario. Research limitations/implications – The questionnaires were distributed to those firms which participated in the internship programme. Although the firms which participated were of varying sizes, care still needs to be taken in interpreting the results, as representativeness remains an issue in studies of small sample size. Practical implications – The findings appear to suggest that ethics is an important factor influencing ethical judgments. Hence, the subject should be taught at least at the tertiary level so as to inculcate ethical values early in younger generation. An ethically imbued workforce can be expected to make sound and equitable corporate decisions. Originality/value – The study offers preliminary insight into the benefit of introducing the business ethics course in the undergraduate accounting programme at public universities in Malaysia.

Critical success factors for institutional repositories implementation

Purpose – This paper aims to explore the critical factors that contribute to the success of institutional repositories worldwide. Previous research indicates that there is little agreement surrounding what constitutes a successful institutional repository. Design/methodology/approach – Possible key factors were extracted from literature review and responses from expert panels. A web-based survey questionnaire forming a total of 69-item statements was developed. The questionnaire, when pilot-tested, was found highly reliable. The questionnaire was then distributed to 322 institutional repository managers, who are representative of the population, via the OpenDOAR email distribution service. Data collection ended in four months, once the sample volume of usable questionnaires reached 295, which is 91.6 per cent response rate. Findings – The results of the factor analysis indicate the possibility of 46 variables under six factors being important for the success of institutional repository implementation. These six factors are “Management”, “Services”, “Technology”, “Self-archive Practices”, “People” and “Resources”. Practical implications – This study has empirically tested and consolidated the factors which are important in institutional repository implementation worldwide and documented them as critical success factors. Originality/value – It also frames questions about the possible value of developing some guidelines or standards related to success factors to be able to monitor the deployment of institutional repositories.

Studying the influence of entrepreneurial attributes, subjective norms and perceived desirability on entrepreneurial intentions

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to study the influence of entrepreneurial attributes, subjective norms and perceived desirability on entrepreneurial intentions. Design/methodology/approach – The data were collected from the business students of the Quaid-i-Azam School of Management Sciences, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan. In total, 200 questionnaires were circulated among students of which, 185 were returned, representing 92.5 per cent response rate. After discarding incomplete and biased questionnaires, 170 were left for further analysis. The SPSS 20.0 was used to perform statistical analysis. Findings – The research finds that students’ entrepreneurial attitude, perceived desirability and subjective norms significantly lead to the development of students’ intentions to become entrepreneurs. Interestingly, the student’s existing skills and capabilities do not prove to be a significant predictor of their intentions to become entrepreneurs. The study concludes that the students can become successful entrepreneurs even without existing entrepreneurial skills and capabilities, provided that they have the entrepreneurial attitude, desirability and support by the community. Research limitations/implications – Limited sample size is one of the main limitations which confines its generalizability. Nonetheless, this research can create a ripple effect to further explore the factors on a large-scale sample in different cities, universities and countries. Originality/value – In the existing economic crises in the country, developing entrepreneurs is one of the important ways to boost-up financial growth. Students are one of the best potential segments, in this regard, to be developed as potential future entrepreneurs. Research on student’s intentions to become entrepreneurs in Pakistan is limited. This research had added value in both theory and practice by identifying the factors that can develop students’ intentions to become entrepreneurs.

Entrepreneurship and innovation initiatives among Asian multinationals

Purpose – The purpose of this paper was to analyze the level of innovation and entrepreneurial culture among Asian multinationals, especially as they face intense competition from large global companies. Past practices and the sense that Asian companies are followers rather than innovators have resulted in the persistent belief that these companies are not sufficiently innovative and do not support or promote an entrepreneurial culture. However, given the rapid development in Asian economies in recent years, it is useful to analyze whether such traditional views and practices are changing and whether employees in these organizations view innovation as a necessary tool. Design/methodology/approach – The data for this study came from a survey of 193 executives (32.2 per cent response rate). The statements in the survey instrument were designed to measure aspects of three factors, namely, organizational philosophy, corporate support and human capital, for the practice of entrepreneurship and innovation in th...

The Impact of Working Relationship Quality on Job Satisfaction and Sales Person Performance: An Adaptive Selling Behaviour

Working relationships have been the main area of substantial devotion in practice and research comparable over the previous period of time. Although, there have some work in this area in the Pakistani context. Increasing a superior tolerant of the directorial society in which an excellence development method is implemented that can present imminent into what approaches association valour commence to recover willingness for completion. Motivation of working relationships creates personal responsibility and person’s management skills foremost to greater coolness. This increases attitude of organisation and consequence on working interactions. The previous concepts of uncertain relationships are now replaced with the increased working relationships between salespersons and the customer. This study will evaluate the impacts of working relationships on the job contentment of the workers of these organisations. Objective of the Study: The objective of this article is to show the association between job satisfaction and sales person performance with adaptive selling behaviour of Organisations. In this study, we explored the effects of the organisational environment on the employee’s performance. Research Questions: RQ 1: What is the impact of organisational effectiveness on employee’s performance? RQ 2: Is the quality can change the sales performance? RQ 3: How we can understand the adaptive selling behaviour of new employees? Research methodology: Data were collected from the employees of PIZZA huts in Rawalpindi and Islamabad. The survey was completed by 105 employees, 98 per cent response was observed. Results were made using Correlation, regression and ANOVA with the available data. Findings: We gathered data from sellers, customer and retailers to examine the impact of sales behaviour. Analysis reveals that there is strong +ve association of sales person performance and job satisfaction. Research limitations/implications: The survey was conducted in the randomly selected PIZZA organisations of Rawalpindi and Islamabad. Significance of the study: This article shows the working relationship quality on job satisfaction and sales person performance. This study is helpful for private organisations of Pakistan to manage the selling behaviour and engagement of employees. Organisations can arrange training programmes to modify employee’s empowerment for getting positive results.

What is exchanged in psychological contracts? Multiple sets of obligations, targeted effort and uncertainty reduction

Purpose– The purpose of this paper is to explore the currency underlying the employment relationship of allied health workers by investigating the mechanisms of their psychological contracts.Design/methodology/approach– Path analyses were conducted on the survey responses from Australian allied health professionals (n=112; a 46 per cent response rate).Findings– The analyses revealed that psychological contract promises decreased organizational citizenship behaviours relating to the organization (OCBO), while contract fulfilment increased commitment and reduced psychological distress. Contract breach reduced organizational commitment.Originality/value– The results indicate that obligations may be the primary currency in their psychological contract, with career commitment forming a set of obligations by which employees determine their OCBO, highlighting the nature of the resources exchanged to be targeted to their perceived source, in this case organizational promises begetting discretionary contributions to the organization. Further, fulfilment may reduce uncertainty, which in turn can reduce strain and increase OCBO.

Impact of Implementing an Electronic Health Record on Surgical Resident Work Flow, Duty Hours, and Operative Experience

Our objective was to assess the effect of implementing an electronic health record (EHR) on surgical resident work flow, duty hours, and operative experience at a large teaching hospital. In May 2012, an EHR was put into effect at our institution replacing paper documentation and orders. Resident time to complete patient documentation, average duty hours, and operative experience before EHR and afterward (at 1, 4, 6, 8, and 24 weeks) were surveyed. We obtained 100 per cent response rate from 15 surgical residents at all time intervals. The average time spent documenting before EHR was 9 ± 2 minutes per patient document and at Weeks 1, 4, 6, 8, and 24 after EHR implementation was 22 ± 10, 15 ± 7, 15 ± 7, 14 ± 8, and 12 ± 4 minutes, respectively. Repeated measures analysis of variance demonstrated a difference among the means (P < 0.0001). Discharge summary and operative note remained significantly longer to complete at Week 24 compared with paper documentation (P < 0.05). Average resident work hours and operative cases per week before EHR were 77 ± 5 hours and 12 ± 5 cases, respectively, which were similar at all time points after EHR implementation (P > 0.05). At 24 weeks after EHR, 74 per cent of residents felt their risk of performing a medical error using electronic documentation and order entry was higher compared with paper charting and orders. Transition to EHR led to a significant doubling in resident time spent performing documentation for each patient. It improved over 6 months after implementation but never reached the pre-EHR baseline for operative notes and discharge summaries. Average resident work hours and case logs remained similar during this transition.

Development, validation and initial outcomes of a questionnaire to examine human factors in postgraduate surgical objective structured clinical examinations.

Human factors including stress, repetition, burnout and fatigue are associated with possible sources of error. Objective structured clinical examinations (OSCEs), where examiners concentrate for long periods, would benefit from a human factors approach to see whether these factors affect consistency of examiner behaviour, attitude and marking. Little has been published for OSCEs, in part due to the lack of a validated tool for collecting data in this setting. A 46-item questionnaire was developed based on the Human Factors Analysis and Classification System (HFACS) domains and completed by examiners in the Intercollegiate Membership of the Royal College of Surgeons (MRCS) examination. To refine the questionnaire, an initial analysis focused on response patterns of each item. Cronbach's α was used to assess internal consistency, and a factor analysis was performed to uncover different domains emerging from the data. A total of 108 examiners completed the questionnaire (90·0 per cent response rate). The questionnaire, refined to 38 items based on an initial analysis of response patterns, showed good reliability for internal consistency (Cronbach's α = 0·76) and test-retest reliability (r = 0·85, n = 48, P < 0·001). Four factors had a close themed resemblance to the original HFACS domains, but were associated with different items, suggesting that the four human-factor domains might be linked to different behaviours and attitudes in an examination setting. Analyses according to sex, professional background and experience highlighted additional stress levels in examiners from one of the surgical Royal Colleges (P <0·001), matching evidence from the situation in that College at the time of this study. The recognition and further investigation of human factors in OSCEs is needed to improve examiner experience and behaviour in order to influence delivery, candidate experience and quality assurance of these examinations.

Influence of stabilized nitrogen fertilizer use on yield, nutrient uptake and soil quality under maize-wheat sequence in Uttar Pradesh

Field experiments were conducted to study the impact of stabilized N fertilizer on yield, nutrient uptake and soil quality under maize-wheat cropping sequence at Fertilizer Research Farm, Uttaripura, Kanpur Nagar (U. P.), Chandra Shekhar Azad University of Agriculture & Technology, Kanpur during 2010–11 and 2011–12. Results indicated that grain and straw yield of maize-wheat significantly increased with the use of different urea A Lab over (T1) urea lab 8041 (plain urea). Significant increase in yield of maize-wheat was also noted within each urea A Lab up to urea A Lab 8044. The highest grain yield of maize and wheat was noted 33.15 and 56.75 q/ha, respectively, with urea A Lab 8045 (T6). The per cent response in grain of maize-wheat at T6 over T2 was noted (6.75 and 10.25 q/ha) with corresponding per cent response 25.56 and 22.04, respectively. Nutrient uptake (NPK) also significantly increased with various urea A Lab over urea Lab (T2). Protein content in both maize and wheat positively responded with the use of different urea A Lab over urea Lab. The response of various urea A Lab 100% was almost at par with 125% urea Lab 8046 (plain urea).

Validation of soil test and yield target based fertilizer prescription model for wheat on inceptisol

Soil test crop response (STCR) based fertilizer prescription for desired yield target of wheat was developed under Integrated Plant Nutrition System (STCR-IPNS) on Periyanaickepalayam soil series (Vertic Ustropept) of Tamil Nadu. On-farm testing of fertilizer prescription equations are essential to demonstrate the effectiveness of technology delivery to the stake holders in need. The present study was undertaken in six locations to evaluate the model through field experiments in Western Zone of Tamil Nadu. The treatments included control, blanket recommendation, soil test crop response (STCR) based fertilizer dose for an yield target of 3.0 and 4.0 t/ha, STCR-IPNS based fertilizer dose for an yield target of 3.0 and 4.0 t/ha and farmer's practice. Based on the initial soil test values of available N, P and K and the quantities of N, P and K contributed through farm yard manure (FYM), fertilizer doses were calculated and applied for STCR and STCR-IPNS treatments for the respective yield targets. The treatments were imposed and cultivation practices were carried out periodically and the grain yield was recorded at harvest. Using the data on grain yield and fertilizer doses applied, per cent achievement and response ratio (RR) were worked out. Post-harvest soil samples were collected and analyzed for available N, P and K status. The results of the experiments indicated that in all the six locations, the per cent achievement of the targeted yield was within±10% variation proving the validity of the equations for prescribing integrated fertilizer doses for wheat. The highest mean per cent achievement was recorded in the yield target of 4.0 t/ha (101.2) under STCR-IPNS followed by STCR-NPK alone 4.0 t/ha. The highest mean yield was recorded in STCR-IPNS–4.0 t/ha (4047 kg/ha) recording an increase of 62.1% over blanket recommendation. Among the treatments, STCR-IPNS recorded relatively higher RR than other treatments and the highest mean RR of 6.90 kg/kg was recorded under STCR-IPNS 4.0 t/ha. The highest benefit: cost ratio (1.81) was also recorded in STCR-IPNS 4.0 t/ha. The post-harvest soil available NPK indicated the build up and maintenance of soil fertility due to soil test based fertilizer recommendation under IPNS. The fertilizer prescription equations developed for wheat under IPNS can be recommended for mixed black calcareous soils of Tamil Nadu (Vertic Ustropept) for achieving an yield target of 4.0 t/ha with sustained soil fertility and it can be extrapolated to other agro-climatic zones of Tamil Nadu on similar and allied soil types.

CMHTs for older people: team managers’ views surveyed

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to identify features of community mental health teams (CMHTs) for older people valued by their managers, and those they would most like to change. Design/methodology/approach – Content analysis was used to analyse “free text” responses to open questions from a national survey about CMHTs’ organisational structures and processes. Responses were sorted into statements which were categorised into content areas and higher level dimensions. Findings – Free text information was provided by 376 teams (an 88 per cent response rate). Eight higher level dimensions were identified. One related specifically to integration with social care services, whilst several more included material about other aspects of intra-team integration (e.g. documentation and location). The largest proportion of statements related to staffing and teamwork. Statements about inter-personal and inter-professional issues were largely positive, whilst statements about resources, bureaucracy and integration with social care services typically detailed desired changes. Practical implications – Four key issues emerged comprising a high level of support from managers to develop integrated practices; a need to define the focus of CMHTs for older people and to be fully resourced; and the importance of a nurturing and supportive team environment. Originality/value – The methodology provides a bridge between qualitative and quantitative research, exploring the volume of statements on particular topics and their meaning.

Relationships between dental appearance, self-esteem, socio-economic status, and oral health-related quality of life in UK schoolchildren: A 3-year cohort study.

To examine the relationships between dental appearance, characteristics of the individual and their environment, and oral health-related quality of life (OHQoL) in young people over time. A total of 374 young people (122 boys, 252 girls) aged 11-12 years from seven different XX schools were recruited at baseline and 258 (78 boys, 180 girls) followed-up 3 years later, aged 14-15 years (69 per cent response rate). Participants completed a measure of OHQoL (CPQ11-14 ISF-16) and self-esteem (SE, CHQ-CF87). A clinical examination was undertaken, including clinician and self-assessed normative measures of need [Index of Orthodontic Treatment Need (IOTN)] and dental caries. The Index of Multiple Deprivation was used to indicate socio-economic status (SES). There was a general improvement between baseline and follow-up in the measures of malocclusion, as well as OHQoL. Multiple linear regression indicated that there were significant cross-sectional associations at baseline between OHQoL and SES (rho = -0.11; P = 0.006), SE (rho = -0.50; P < 0.001), and self-assessed IOTN (rho = 0.27; P < 0.001). There were significant longitudinal associations between the change in OHQoL and change in SE (rho = -0.46; P < 0.001) and change in the decayed, missing, or filled surfaces (rho = -0.24; P = 0.001). The mean improvement in the total CPQ11-14 ISF-16 score for those with a history of orthodontic treatment was 3.2 (SD = 6.9; P = 0.009) and 2.4 (SD = 8.8; P < 0.001) for those with no history of treatment. The difference was not statistically significant (P = 0.584). OHQoL improved in young people over time, whether they gave a history of orthodontic treatment or not. Individual and environmental characteristics influence OHQoL and should be taken into account in future studies.