Business Framework Research Articles

Corrigendum: From conceptual model to conceptual framework: a sustainable business framework for community water supply businesses

Corrigendum: From conceptual model to conceptual framework: a sustainable business framework for community water supply businesses

Framework for a circular economy business enabled by digital platforms: A review

For decoupling economic growth and environmental impact, current business models must transition toward a circular economy (CE). Currently, CE business models enabled by digital platforms (DPs) are gaining attention; although existing studies provide insights for improving business practices, they do not systematize the knowledge on the composition of such businesses. In this study, a typology of DP-enabled CE businesses is proposed based on a literature review of 64 studies. A framework based on existing typologies was designed and revised based on the review, by integrating 125 practices; four patterns of DP-enabled CE businesses were identified: (A) product circulation, (B) virtualized and intensified usage, (C) efficient and effective recycling, and (D) visualization and collaboration. [Display omitted]

Green entrepreneurship: A review of sustainable business practices in manufacturing and high-tech industries

This paper aims to examine sustainable practices within the manufacturing and high-tech industries, highlighting how green entrepreneurship and sustainable business practices are reshaping these sectors. As global pressures to address climate change intensify, these sectors are increasingly adopting sustainable strategies that not only reduce environmental impact but also drive economic growth. The paper discusses key sustainable practices, including energy management, advanced manufacturing technologies, and supply chain optimization, highlighting their significance in reducing carbon emissions and enhancing operational efficiency. Case studies from leading companies, such as Toyota, Google, and Apple, illustrate how innovations in renewable energy, automation, and ethical sourcing are being integrated into business models to support long-term sustainability goals. Additionally, the paper examines the challenges faced by organizations, particularly smaller enterprises, in implementing these practices, and the critical role of international regulatory frameworks in ensuring global sustainability standards. The analysis underscores the importance of the “triple bottom line” approach – profit, people, and planet – as a strategic framework for businesses aiming to achieve resilience and leadership in the emerging green economy. The findings suggest that while the transition to sustainable practices presents significant challenges, it also offers substantial opportunities for long-term economic and environmental benefits.

Developing Green Sustainable Entrepreneurship for Competitive Advantages through Green Management

The research aims to unravel Green Competitive Advantage (GCA) management which has emerged as a crucial strategy in recent years for organizations seeking a competitive edge. The growing literature on GCA underscores its significance, highlighting its potential to enhance organizational sustainability and performance while also providing a competitive advantage. The adoption of green innovation and high environmental awareness has been shown to yield improved performance and a better competitive advantage. This contributes to sustainable business practices and positions the company favorably in the business landscape. Therefore, understanding the implications of GCA is essential for policymakers who need to define the best mechanism for developing green innovation. This, in turn, can help organizations achieve a competitive advantage and ensure business sustainability. The study emphasizes the importance of GCA literacy among practitioners and stakeholders. The novelty of the research results indicates that understanding encourages the selection of green changes within organizations, promoting GCA as a sustainable business framework. Summing up, GCA management not only offers a competitive edge for businesses but is also a step towards a sustainable future. Therefore, exploring the role of GCA in business management and its potential implications is of utmost importance in today's business world.

Corporate Social Responsibility 2.0 Towards a socio-transformative paradigm for business

The South African business fraternity is expected to contribute to and foster the government’s social transformation agenda. This contribution should be directed by businesses’ corporate social responsibility (CSR) intentions and organizational arrangements. However, companies’ efforts in this regard are being increasingly criticized due to the absence of a socio-transformative agenda. In other words, CSR praxis is perceived to be inadequately positioned in businesses to act as a core strategic function aimed at benefiting society. The purpose of this article is to outline the perceived failures of conventional CSR praxis and to propose a framework for businesses to adopt a socio-transformative CSR paradigm. A generic qualitative research design, utilizing document analysis and a literature survey, was followed in this study. The findings indicate that businesses do indeed need to adopt a socio-transformative business model to comply with national and international driving forces for change. Recommendations are proposed to guide businesses towards such a transformative management approach utilizing the principles of McKinsey 7-S model for business readiness and Kotter’s 8-step change management model. The study encourages corporations and firms to adopt a socio-transformative paradigm by utilizing established business readiness and change management models.

Covid-19 as a lens to investigate local approaches to business and human rights: the case of Northern Ireland

The legal and regulatory framework of business and human rights (BHR) tends to prioritise human rights due diligence (HRDD). This has a role to play in protecting and respecting human rights, but we argue that HRDD’s capacity to reflect context showcases BHR’s potential to improve the lived experience of those in the communities where business operates. Here, we consider two contextual phenomena: Northern Ireland and Covid-19. By focusing on a small regional economy, we investigate the impact of size, location, socio-economic and cultural history on how business integrates (or might integrate) in the social life of a community. By addressing Covid-19 and its recovery, we look at how a global event might be experienced differently depending on location, circumstances and levels of community engagement. We conclude that a more holistic approach might facilitate specific local lived interactions between business and human rights.

Reshaping Tomorrow through Green Governance and Circular Economy: An Emerging Paradigm

Circular economy and green governance are gaining momentum and traction with industry and policymakers. The circular economy is viewed as a restoration and regeneration system in which resources, energy usage, and greenhouse gases are minimized. At the same time, the Green Governance structure is a good transition to a circular economy and helps enterprises to move toward sustainable development. This study’s objective is to explore the hidden possible relationship that exists between the Green Governance of companies and the much-anticipated Circular Economy for low waste and carbon society. Furthermore, an extensive literature review was undertaken to create the first green governance circular economy framework (GGCE) for businesses to integrate the proposed model into their operational activities. This GGCE framework will be developed by exploring the similarities between green governance and circular economy. This study has three expected findings; firstly, the proposed framework will help firms to change their business approach to addressing climate change. Secondly, the GGCE framework will help policymakers to develop policies for circular economy governance. Lastly, it will be the point of reference to the academician for further extension of the GGCE framework.
 Keywords: green governance, circular economy, GGCE framework, Nigeria oil and gas sector

Evaluation of third-party logistics service providers for car manufacturing firms using a novel integrated grey LOPCOW-PSI-MACONT model

Automotive businesses often delegate logistical tasks to third-party logistics (3PLs) service providers to acquire a competitive edge in the dynamic market. Nevertheless, selecting the most suitable third-party logistics (3PL) partner is a multifaceted undertaking that needs careful evaluation of several criteria and alternatives. This research aims to introduce an integrated grey Multiple Criteria Decision Making (MCDM) framework for automotive businesses to deal with the multidimensional 3PL selection decision problem. This framework incorporates an enhanced Preference Selection Index (PSI), Logarithmic Percentage Change-driven Objective Weighting (LOPCOW), and Mixed Aggregation by Comprehensive Normalization Technique (MACONT). The LOPCOW-G and grey PSI (PSI-G) methods extract the criterion weights, whereas the MACONT-G method ranks the alternatives. The suggested framework's practicality is shown by conducting a case study about evaluating and selecting a third-party logistics (3PLs) provider. The findings indicate that the parameters of significant importance are “skilled workforce (0.0977),” “financial strength (0.0901),” and “IT-IS competence (0.0839).” Furthermore, TPL4 has been recognized as the most optimum option with a value of 0.4797. The MACONT-G model is as well compared against other grey MCDM techniques to assess the validity of the proposed model. The Pearson correlation coefficient between MACONT-G and the other models based on grey sets is 0.958, suggesting a significant and positive link. Furthermore, it is worth noting that a sensitivity analysis has been conducted to validate the accuracy and reliability of the created framework. In conclusion, this study has identified managerial and policy implications that might assist policymakers and executives in effectively evaluating 3PL providers.

The path to Net Zero carbon emissions for veterinary practice.

The urgent need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in line with the Paris Agreement is a compelling reason for the entire veterinary profession to act on climate change because of its impact on animal health. The aim of this perspective is to provide a business framework that veterinary practices can use to implement the path to Net Zero carbon emissions. Practice management is identified as a key stakeholder capable of implementing significant change within the sector. Climate related business opportunities and challenges are identified and integrated into a stepwise process for practices to follow. The pathway requires establishing a culture of sustainability within the veterinary team, measuring and reporting emissions, setting targets and systematically prioritizing reductions. Practices can begin this process immediately by reducing emissions under direct control of the business (Scope 1) and emissions from electricity purchases (Scope 2). To complete the pathway, emissions from all other activities (Scope 3) will need to be reduced and offset. Reduction of Scope 3 emissions is more challenging and will require collaboration between all supply chain stakeholders. The progression of climate change is now inevitable and a proactive approach from veterinary leaders, in particular practice management, will provide new opportunities, manage risks and inspire the broader veterinary sector to join their efforts to achieve a better future for animal health.

INVESTIGATING THE ECONOMIC IMPLICATIONS OF LABOUR MARKET TRENDS ON BUSINESS HIRING PRACTICES

Labour is a unique and vital resource for a business. Every countrys regulations, or the institutional mechanisms that make up its labour market, establish the framework for all labour contracts. The main focus of our research is the criticism of the increasing gap between the requirements of businesses and the actual implementation of employment contracts under present regulations. Whether the labour market and the firms regulatory institutional mechanism design are appropriate for the needs of the particular firm and the nations economy is the main economic matter at hand. The flexibility of contract between employers and employees was diminished during the 20th century as a result of the majority of employment regulations being tightened under the pretext of increased worker protection. The exact opposite was what businesses required and demanded: more flexible employment contracts. Because it controls employment relationships and establishes the parameters of contract flexibility, employment regulation is a crucial component of the legal business framework. These factors affect a firms ability to compete internationally as well as the overall health of the economy. We hypothesised that because regulations cause businesses to put off hiring, an employment climate that is less flexible will be less beneficial. We look into the labour markets challenges and the regulatory practises in a few areas of Vellore District. Flexibility in the labour market is a composite measure of a few chosen variables that are thought to eventually affect a countrys economic performance. Finding the variables that affect labour market flexibility and the chosen output variables like employment and productivity, among others is our goal. KEY WORDS: Labour, Economic conditions, Market, Chi-square, Employment

Quantifying the Return on Investment for Businesses in Adopting Green Construction Practices

As the global community grapples with environmental issues, businesses are increasingly adopting sustainablepractices, particularly resource-intensive and environmentally impactful operations in the construction industry.This study aims to comprehensively analyze the economic implications of adopting green building practices, providingvaluable insights for businesses considering sustainability initiatives.The results of our study reveal a subtle relationship between the adoption of green building practices and financialperformance. We show that, contrary to conventional understanding, businesses can achieve significant ROI throughsustainable initiatives.Our research shows that investments in green building practices not only contribute to environmental protection, but alsohave long-term economic benefits.Furthermore, this study provides a framework for businesses to assess the potential ROI of specific green practices andprioritize investments accordingly.The result of the study is very important for decision makers in construction companies (politicians and stakeholders inthe construction industry) to enable them to make rational choices that combine economic growth with environmentalresponsibility.

Rural tourism management from an entrepreneurial approach and its impact on local development

Tourism has the capacity to diversify the economy due to its transformative nature, mainly through the practice of various tourism modalities. In the case of rural communities, strategies can be implemented to expand productive capacities and competencies, if they are managed as a complement to traditional economic activities, and keeping in mind that a fundamental element in the matrix of territorial economic development is the business segment. Therefore, the objective of this article was to determine the management capacity of rural tourism through the business fabric of a rural setting. Scientific observation and documentary analysis were used as methods, which allowed determining the different factors that lead to the integration of tourist activity as a factor of local development in the Cuban municipality. In addition, the main elements that favor or limit the management of Cuban rural areas for tourism purposes were analyzed, based on work experiences in Avilanian municipalities. The conclusion was reached that tourism activity is a feasible opportunity, its management leads to the implementation of actions that articulate and stimulate the activation of rural heritage, in correspondence with the demands of the tourism market, where the actors involved carry out the business framework that conditions the gradual development of tourism based on the characteristics of each territory.

Thriving in the Entrepreneurial Landscape of Sustainability and Intelligent Automation Era

The contemporary corporate landscape is undergoing a major shift, marked by a dual transformation towards sustainability and intelligent automation. As the world faces complex social and environmental challenges, entrepreneurs find themselves at a crossroads of unprecedented opportunities and daunting challenges. This study addresses the critical point where sustainability intersects with business automation, focusing on the complicated dynamics that entrepreneurs must navigate. The main concern is the need for entrepreneurs to effectively infuse the principles of sustainability and intelligent automation into their businesses. Recognizing the growing demand for environmentally conscious products and services alongside the profound impact of automation, entrepreneurs face the pressing challenge of crafting strategies that holistically embrace these paradigms. Thus, the study aims to discern the multifaceted landscape of entrepreneurial endeavors in this context. Methodologically, a combination of qualitative interviews with experienced entrepreneurs and quantitative surveys from various industries will be used, followed by thematic analysis to highlight general patterns. The study is based on a fusion of sustainable business frameworks and technology adoption models that support the exploration of entrepreneurial resilience in the context of sustainability and automation. The outcomes include an enriched understanding of the complex interplay between these dimensions and the discovery of strategies that fuel entrepreneurial triumph. This study's exploration of the intersection of sustainability, automation and entrepreneurship resonates deeply with the principles of the green economy. By dissecting the challenges and strategies entrepreneurs use to embrace sustainability and automation, the research contributes valuable insights to the ongoing discourse on sustainable business practices within a burgeoning green economy. The findings will assist policy makers by providing useful information to cultivate an environment conducive to sustainable, technology-based entrepreneurship.

Analysis of Apple's Marketing Strategy Based on 4P Theory

Apple is the world's largest technology company and is an industry leader since the first computer was developed. One of the keys to Apple's success is developing an entire ecosystem that includes IOS. Based on the 4P theory of marketing, this paper analyzes the development strategy of Apple. The purpose of this paper is to discover the development potential and potential problems of the company through the analysis of marketing strategy. Through the method of case study, this paper analyzes the existing problems of Apple in product, price, place and promotion strategies and puts forward suggestions. The results show that creating innovative and high-quality products, providing a unique user experience, and classifying products according to different groups are effective development strategies for Apple Inc. In addition, increasing the number of directly operated stores to improve service quality and controlling the quantity and quality of advertisements are also key factors in Apple's success. Apple's 4P analysis shows that Apple still has opportunities to make progress and needs to improve the details of its future development. Overall, this paper provides valuable insight into the development strategy of one of the world's most successful companies and a useful framework for businesses seeking to achieve similar success.

Empowering Medtech Startups: Unveiling the Path to Commercial Triumph Within the European Union

Purpose: This research delves into the realm of Medtech startup ventures within the European Union (EU) context. It tries to shed the light focusing on their business strategies and challenges. A significant focal point is the imperative of a meticulously crafted marketing strategy, a strategy that addresses the market regulatory and prerequisites in addition to financial accessibility. The study will attempt to unearth profound insights into personal encounters and outlooks concerning startups in the Medtech sector.
 
 Theoretical Framework: This research investigates existing literature and introduces a set of research hypotheses aimed at scrutinizing the triumphant trajectory of Medtech startups. Based on the Literature theoretical investigations, several proposition were derived. Proposition 1 advocates for the prominence of market leaders as a means to optimize returns and evade the peril of the "Valley of Death." Proposition 2 accentuates the role of academic engagements in aligning with genuine market requirements whereas Proposition 3 attempt to investigate the deleterious repercussions stemming from the intricate EU regulatory landscape on the commercial performance of Medtech startups. Finally Proposition 4 underscores the pivotal nature of timing across diverse startup phases, spanning from patent acquisition to market entry.
 
 Design/Methodology/Approach: The research methodology uses a qualitative aspects, it encompasses interviews with founders, investors, and industry experts. Additionally, the research integrates case studies addressing both successful and unsuccessful Medtech startups within the European Union. The primary aim is to bridge the existing gaps in the literature surrounding the adept management of successful Medtech startup journeys and the intricate interplay between startups and flourishing business models.
 
 Findings: Based on the investigations and tests, this study bequeaths valuable insights, serving as a cornerstone for evaluating and refining strategies, fostering successful outcomes, and nurturing the symbiotic relationship between startups and prosperous business frameworks.
 
 Conclusion: This paper not only fills existing voids in the literature but also lays the foundation for prospective exploration. It offers an avenue for further expansion by potentially encompassing a broader spectrum of Medtech startups, thereby deepening our understanding of management strategies, marketing dynamics, and the intricate dynamics underpinning triumphant business models in the Medtech sphere.

Digital Pathology – From Slides to Screen

The term ‘Digital Pathology’ (DP) is used to denote digitisation efforts in pathology. DP can be defined as the digitalisation of gross and microscopic tissue specimens. Digital slides are created by scanning glass slides with a scanning device to provide high-resolution digital images that can then be managed, analysed, distributed and stored as digital images. Whole slide imaging helps to get high-resolution digital slides, the pathologist can scan the slides rapidly and focus by zooming in and out on the monitor using the keyboard, mouse, or his/her finger and gather information to make the diagnosis. These images are an accurate representation of the scanned glass slide and in some applications; they may be more valuable than the actual glass slides in terms of image resolution and ease of identification of specific diagnostic features. Digital imaging can be subdivided into two classes, that is, the digital microscopes to create a digital image and diagnosis-aided systems to detect the region of interest and give a presumptive diagnosis. The various benefits of using DP are similar in concordance in diagnosis as with glass slides with rapid access to second opinion, archiving and retrieval of slide images are much easier, and case histories and diagnostic information can be easily shared and retrieved. Another important field is the medical education, for graduates and postgraduate students, where difficult and rare cases can be shared and stored. The integration of clinical, laboratory and radiology data with pathology images, applying artificial intelligence (AI) for correlation is called computational pathology, which is the future of diagnostics. However, DP still has to deal with issues such as large data storage, high initial investment, confidentiality and lack of standardisation. These issues are being dealt with and newer solutions are being discussed. DP has started to expand and there are many well-established DP companies working towards the advanced diagnostic skills for pathologists and building the required business framework to support the development of precision medicine. Few biopharmaceutical companies and top clinical research organisations have adopted the concept of DP to streamline their drug development processes. DP can be relevant with the advent of assays such as markers or multiplex, which are difficult to discern with the human eye. With the increased use of exponential technologies such as AI and machine learning, enhanced translational research, computer-aided diagnosis and personalised medicine is expected to grow in the near future. After a DP system has been successfully deployed and integrated, the possibilities are immense. It is assumed that DP is not meant for taking pathologists out of the picture, infact with the emerging data analytics tools, DP will undoubtedly allow pathologists to make a more accurate and consistent diagnosis in the near future.

Price or quality? Consumers' preferences and willingness to pay (WTP) for online food delivery services in the COVID-19 era

PurposeThis article investigates the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the consumer preference for the attributes of online food delivery (OFD) services in India. It also shows how the order size influences the consumer's willingness to pay (WTP) for the attributes of OFD services.Design/methodology/approachThis work incorporates a conjoint analysis-based approach to determine the consumer preference for the attributes of OFDs such as price, delivery time, restaurant rating and packing quality during the COVID-19 pandemic. The fractional factorial design is applied for the data collection. The relative importance of the attributes and the part-worth utility of the attributes' levels have been determined. Further, the utility associated with the attributes' levels is used to find the consumer's WTP for different attributes.FindingsThe COVID-19 pandemic has changed consumer preference from price to food and packing quality in India. When the order is small, consumers exhibit a higher preference to the delivery time than packing quality. In contrast, consumers show a higher preference to packing quality than delivery time with the increase in order size. The consumer's WTP attains the highest level in case of food quality, followed by convenience and packing quality. The WTP for the attributes rises with the increase in order size.Practical implicationsThe insights highlight the need for the online food delivery industry to redesign the business framework in the post-pandemic era. The hygiene and safety measures maintained by the consumers during the pandemic have significantly changed their purchasing behaviour, raising their preference for service quality (food and packing quality) of the OFD services apart from price.Originality/valueThis work determines the consumers' utility for each attribute level of OFDs, along with their relative importance. Moreover, this study contributes to the existing literature by exhibiting the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the consumer preference and order size on consumer's WTP for the attributes.

Problems of using DevOps methodology in the framework of Russian business

DevOps methodology is fairly new to Russian business, which brings with it a number of challenges in implementing the methodology as well as interpreting some of its aspects. In this paper we will discuss the main challenges that may be faced by specialists who are planning to make a transition from old to new methodologies. These problems will be considered not only from international practices and experience, but mainly from the nature of Russian business and its perception of new developments in the IT field.

Analisis Pengukuran Tingkat Kematangan Tata Kelola Sistem Informasi Manajemen Keuangan Daerah (SIMDA Keuangan) Menggunakan Cobit 5

The Musi Banyuasin Regency Government has implemented an information system to support its business processes, one of which is the Regional Financial and Asset Management Agency (BPKAD). To carry out its function in managing regional finances and assets, BPKAD mostly utilizes the Regional Management Information System (SIMDA) which has been used for approximately five years, but has never been evaluated. For this reason, it is necessary to evaluate SIMDA information technology governance. In this study, the author uses a qualitative approach using the Process Assessment Model (PAM) consisting of indicators on process performance and process capability COBIT 5: A Business Framework for the Governance and Management of Enterprise IT which is the material research standards to process primary data and secondary data. The result of the research is that there is a staffing requirement evaluation process carried out by the BPKAD secretary by positioning it to the staffing sub-section in the form of ASN Requirements Formulation, Plan, Fulfillment and Proposal Forms. This study also revealed that there is a process in the backup log in the operation of Simda carried out by the ICT management section of the MUBA Regency BPKAD, the EDM04 process, EA01 Monitor, is at level 2, which means that the process already has good governance, such as being properly managed and controlled. and the APO07, BAI09 and DSS01 processes are at level 1, which means that the process has been carried out by the MUBA Regency BPKAD, the IT governance capability level at SIMDA BPKAD MUBA Regency is on average at level 1.

Reducing Central Line-Associated Bloodstream Infections in a Burn Intensive Care Unit: Using a Business Framework for Quality Improvement.

Central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs) pose a unique risk in burn patients, with rates of infection 2-3 times that of other Intensive Care Unit (ICU) populations. Here we present a detailed account of our experience in reducing CLABSI rates utilizing a business framework called the Four Disciplines of Execution (4DX). The Burn ICU CLABSI rate had risen to the 90th percentile nationally when compared to other burn units on the National Healthcare Safety Network. We applied the 4DX framework. This is a four-step method which includes creating a Wildly Important Goal, establishing measurable and accomplishable process measures, creating a scoreboard, and using a weekly meeting to provide accountability. Process changes included both physician and nursing practices. The physicians changed the criteria for when to order blood cultures, as well as requiring attending approval for cultures. The nurses engaged in a peer-observation practice improvement for "scrub the hub" and line dressing conditions and improved their own expertise for peripheral IV placement. The multidisciplinary team initiated a daily review of line indications to ensure removal as soon as possible. Overall, the CLABSI rate decreased from 7.39 infections per 1000 line days to 2.29 infections per 1000 line days over 1 year. We subsequently achieved over 635 days without a CLABSI. In conclusion, the 4DX was a successful quality improvement technique in our healthcare context. Because of the simplicity of implementation, we think it is broadly applicable in the healthcare setting.