Management Practitioners Research Articles

Collective Action for a Multispecies World: A Compositionist Approach to Grand Challenges

As the field of management studies widens its scale of reflection to consider the socio-ecological ecosystems of which organizations are part, more attention is devoted to grand challenges. While extent literature generally treats them as exogenous objects, our focus here is on unfolding encounters with grand challenges. We conceive grand challenges as concrete problems of arbitration of more-than-human ways of life, where the managerial practices of organizations enact and transform grand challenges. We put forward a posthumanism and pragmatist style of thinking, which, we argue, can help us think with grand challenges and engage in creative ways of composing a common world. Through the story of a problematic situation where tangles of grand challenges abound, we offer a mode of construction that can help us compose what is, in a given situation, a ‘better’ world. This mode of construction is based on three sets of practices, namely, slowing down, multispecies world-making, and being present and grieving losses. It facilitates the emergence of new ways of composing the world, helps account for the implication of other species, and foregrounds the elaboration of worlds in a response-able way. Our paper contributes to the grand challenges literature by proposing a mode of attention and action that engages both management researchers and practitioners in the work of constructing multispecies worlds.

Re-imagining the Factors Influencing the Choice of Project Management Tools and Techniques in Tanzanian Infrastructure Projects: Elicitation of Practitioners’ Perspectives

Construction project Management tools and Techniques (CPMTT) are vital for the success of construction projects. Nonetheless, there is a paucity of studies that examined the factors influencing the choice of CPMTT in developing countries, particularly, Tanzania. The objective of the study was to analyze the factors influencing the choice of CPMTT in Tanzanian public infrastructure projects, with the aim to fill the knowledge gap. The study was descriptive in nature and employed a mixed method approach. Using purposive and snowball sampling techniques, data was collected from 60 out of 70 Project management practitioners including Consultants and project Coordinators within Dar-es-salaam Metropolitan Development Projects (DMDP) and similar infrastructure projects. Fifty valid responses were received equivalent to 83% response rate and interviews were done. Quantitative data from respondents was analyzed using IBM SPSS v25. The directed content analysis method was employed for qualitative data from 10 Resident Engineers to supplement the quantitative results. Using factor analysis, four groups of organization support, ease of access and usefulness of tools, fulfilment of project objectives, and project environment and idea generation were determined to influence the choice of CPMTT. Project managers frequently choose tools that are easily accessible without considering the organization's project objectives or resource commitment. The findings could be used as a guide for project practitioners to critically assess the areas of weakness and select CPMTT that can help address those weaknesses and hence improve project delivery in Tanzania, an unexplored context. Project managers are called to re-imagine project needs based on priority and select the CPMTT that satisfies the needs based on experience, skills and project objectives as crucial factors in the selection of CPMTT rather than using their discretion. This would improve the delivery of infrastructure projects and, hence, performance outcomes in the construction sector in Tanzania and other emerging countries. This study was limited to DMDP public infrastructure projects in Tanzania. Keywords: Construction Project Management Tools and Techniques (CPMTT), Decision analysis, mixed-methods, Tanzania

Hiding when you're not green: An empirical analysis on green public procurement

IMPACT This article highlights the significant influence of respondent bias on green public procurement (GPP) practices. After surveying the largest contracting authorities in the Czech and Slovak Republics, the authors found that non-respondents to GPP surveys typically adopt fewer green practices. This finding underscores the need for improved monitoring and institutional pressure to enhance GPP implementation. The article presents actionable insights for increasing GPP uptake which will be valuable for practitioners in public procurement, sustainability management and policy development. The authors advocate for tailored control and incentive mechanisms, emphasizing the importance of organizational performance monitoring. This article is particularly relevant for professionals in countries with developing GPP frameworks or those operating within imperfect institutional environments. By addressing these biases and enhancing monitoring, practitioners will be able to drive more effective and sustainable procurement practices.

Ethical and operational challenges in AI-empowered employee recruitment: Insights and suggestions to the managers and managerial practitioners

Ethical and operational challenges in AI-empowered employee recruitment: Insights and suggestions to the managers and managerial practitioners

Winter climate preconditioning of summer vegetation extremes in the Northern Hemisphere

Abstract The impact of the spring climate on the Northern Hemisphere’s summer vegetation activity and extremes has been extensively researched, but less attention has been devoted to whether and how the winter climate may additionally influence vegetation extremes in the summer. Here, we provide insights into the influence of winter temperature and precipitation on summer vegetation extremes in the Northern Hemisphere. To do this, we identify positive and negative extremes in the summer leaf area index (LAI, a proxy for vegetation activity) and assess winter effects on those extremes using logistic regression at the regional scale. Over a quarter of the regions in the Northern Hemisphere show strong winter climate preconditioning on summer LAI extremes, which is typically stronger for croplands than forests. In regions with strong winter preconditioning, the spring LAI mediates the link between winter climate and summer LAI extremes through the ecological memory in seasonal legacy effects. Our findings suggest that extremely low summer LAI in both croplands and forests is preconditioned by colder and drier winters, while extremely high summer LAI in forests is associated with warmer and wetter winters. For low summer LAI in croplands, warmer winters are associated with an increased likelihood of extremes in mid-latitude regions and a reduced likelihood in high-latitude regions. Consideration of winter preconditioning effects may improve our understanding of inter-annual variability of vegetation activity and support agricultural and land management practitioners in anticipating the detrimental effects of winter on crop yields and forest conditions.

Incidence and Predictors of Unexpected Malignancy in Benign Myomectomy or Hysterectomy.

Introduction Detection of gynecological cancers preoperatively is imperative for practitioners for optimal patient management and outcome. This study aimed to estimate the incidence of unexpected malignancy (UM) in patients who underwent hysterectomy or myomectomy for presumed benign indications and to detect the predictive factors of UM. Methods A retrospective analytical study that included patients who underwent hysterectomy or myomectomy for benign indications from January 1st, 2016, to December 31st, 2020, was conducted at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Salmaniya Medical Complex, Bahrain. The main outcome was the overall incidence of UM and the incidence of each malignancy. Characteristics of UM were compared with benign pathologies. Fisher's exact and Pearson's chi-square tests were used to compare categorical variables and the Mann-Whitney U test or student's t-test for continuous variables. Binary logistic regression was used to identify the predictors of occurrence of UM. Confidence interval (CI) was set at 95%. A probability value (p-value) less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results Out of 513 patients who underwent hysterectomy or myomectomy, 379 (73.9%) fulfilled the inclusion criteria,314 (82.8%) hysterectomies and 65 (17.2%) myomectomies. The overall incidence of UM was 1.3% (n=5/379), 1.3% (n=4/314) among hysterectomiesand 1.5% (n=1/65) among myomectomies. Three (0.8%) pre-malignant pathologies were identified: one (0.26%) smooth muscle tumor of unknown malignant potential, leiomyoma with bizarre nuclei, and mucinous borderline tumor of endocervical type of ovary each. The types of UM were sarcomas in three (0.26%) patients (two (0.5%) leiomyosarcomaand one (0.26%) endometrial stromal sarcoma)and endometrial adenocarcinomaand ovarian cancer in one (0.26%) patient each. No significant difference was found between the characteristics of UM and benign pathologies. Conclusion Although this study demonstrated a low incidence of UMamong both hysterectomiesandmyomectomies, theage at the diagnosis of our patients with UM was as young as34 years of age, and sarcomas were the most common type of UM. Disconcertingly, none of the studied independent variables had significantly predicted the occurrence of UM.

Which organisational context factors help women to obtain and retain leadership positions in the 21st century? A systematic review and research agenda for human resource management

AbstractObtaining and retaining women in leadership positions is an ongoing challenge for scholars and practitioners in Human Resource Management (HRM). Research on the role of organisational context factors in supporting women who either are already in leadership roles or aspire to obtain them is fragmented and spread across multiple disciplines. In this systematic literature review, we identified 87 articles related to organisational context factors and female leadership. We mapped these articles onto the stages of the employee lifecycle: (1) Recruitment and Selection, (2) Learning and Development, (3) Performance Appraisal, and (4) Reward and Retention. Additionally, we introduced the category (5) Organisational Setting to encompass overarching context factors such as industry. For each article, we assessed the underlying assumptions concerning the gender‐neutrality or gender‐sensitivity in the practical implications. Our analysis revealed that some stages of the employee lifecycle received more attention than others and that the derived practical implications often go far beyond what can be concluded based on the study findings. We discuss theoretical implications and outline future research opportunities, such as the potential for HRM scholars to integrate an intersectionality lens into research along the employee lifecycle. We end with practical implications for HRM practitioners who wish to implement evidence‐based insights from our review.

THE ROLE OF MENTAL WORKLOAD, ORGANIZATIONAL COMMITMENT, COMPETENCE, KNOWLEDGE SHARING, AND WORK ENGAGEMENT ON CIVIL SERVANTS’ PERFORMANCE

The combination of high job demands and low resources increases stress among employees, therefore organizations must ensure an appropriate workload. High job demands can be alleviated by maximizing job resources by recruiting competent, emotionally committed employees who are willing to share knowledge within the organization. This current study aims to examine the direct effects and the mediating role of work engagement on employee performance. The variables in this study were assessed through the utilization of adapted instruments, namely the Three Component Model (TCM) questionnaire for employee commitment, competencies adapted from occupational expertise and self-competence instruments, the UTRECHT Work Engagement Scale (UWES) questionnaire for work engagement, NASA TLX for mental workload, and Performance Instrument for employee performance. We conducted a cross-sectional study involving civil servants (ASN) in Tasikmalaya with a total of 243 respondents (Male = 51.4%, Female = 48.6%). Descriptive data analysis was conducted using Stata/MP 17.0, while hypothesis testing employed Structural Equation Modeling Partial Least Squares (SEMPLS). The findings indicate that most research hypotheses are accepted,particularly the influence of competence and commitment on work engagement, which validates previous research findings. Only commitment and mental workload do not have direct effects on performance. These findings serve as a reference for Human Resource Management (HRM) practitioners to develop human resources through training and development initiatives,thereby enhancing work engagement and subsequently improving employee performance productivity.

Research on Agricultural Product Price Prediction Based on Improved PSO-GA

The accurate prediction of scallion prices can not only optimize supply chain management and help related practitioners and consumers to make more reasonable purchasing decisions, but also provide guidance for farmers’ planting choices, thus enhancing market efficiency and promoting the sustainable development of the whole industry. This study adopts the idea of decomposition–denoising–aggregation, using three decomposition and denoising techniques combined with three single prediction models to form a base model. Various base models are divided into different combinations based on whether the computational structure is the same or not, and the optimal weights of the combinations are determined by using the improved particle swarm optimization–genetic algorithm (PSO-GA) optimization algorithm in different combinations. The experimental results show that the scallion price in Shandong Province from 2014 to 2023 shows an overall upward trend, and there is a cyclical and seasonal fluctuation pattern of “high in winter and low in summer”; the semi-heterogeneous-PSO-GA model reduces the MAPE by 49.03% and improves the directional accuracy by 41.52%, compared to the optimal single prediction model, ARIMA. In summary, the combined model has the most accurate prediction and strong robustness, which can provide ideas and references for the difficult problem of determining the optimal weights of the combined model in the field of predicting the prices of agricultural products.

The Clinical Nurse Practitioner's Essential Role in Early Diagnosis and Management of Multiple Sclerosis in Europe: A Consensus Report.

Timely diagnosis of multiple sclerosis (MS) is a challenge due to factors such as prompt identification of symptoms and consequent delays in hospital visits and treatment initiation. In part to address this challenge, an expert scientific advisory panel of clinical nurse practitioners (CNPs) from different European nations was convened by Viatris on October 25, 2022, in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. This meeting was an interactive discussion to understand the role of clinical nurse practitioners in MS management. The objectives were to (1) understand the current delays in MS diagnosis from the perspective of expert CNPs; (2) determine the role of the CNP in MS management; and (3) identify the opportunities to improve accessibility, foster collaboration among stakeholders, and promote initiatives to educate people with MS. The recommendations of the panel underline the multidimensional role of CNPs in the management of MS at all stages. Health care stakeholders need to work together to achieve better access to treatment regimens and facilitate outcomes in the management of MS through shared decision-making and follow-ups. Further exploration of the role of CNPs in the management of MS, as well as recommendations for early diagnosis, will help both general practitioners and specialists better manage MS care.

Systems thinking for management practitioners and scholars: Strengthening the tools to analyze “wicked problems”

Global fragility and conflict have challenged business to identify solutions to some of the world’s most “wicked problems.” Yet corporate practitioners struggle to analyze the relationship between the firm and society in conflict-affected and fragile spaces. Systems analysis, emergent in peacebuilding, offers a compelling approach for management practitioners and scholars to better understand the role of business in complex social environments. This participatory, qualitative approach applies collaborative inquiry and causal-loop diagraming to analyze the complex dynamics that create the operational conditions and trace the impact of the firm on those conditions. This article outlines the application of this approach and argues that it fills a gap in the current tools used to understand the private sector’s role and agency in contributing positively to society. What emerges is a pathway to enhance theoretical development and practical understanding of the risks and impacts of corporate operations in the most challenging of contexts.

Consensus in Data Management: With Use Cases in Edge-Cloud and Blockchain Systems

Consensus is a fundamental problem in distributed systems, involving the challenge of achieving agreement among distributed nodes. It plays a critical role in various distributed data management problems. This tutorial aims to provide a comprehensive primer for data management researchers on the topic of consensus and its fundamental and modern applications in data management. We begin by exploring the basic principles of consensus, including the problem statement, system models, failure scenarios, and various consensus algorithms such as Paxos and its variants. The tutorial then delves into the applications of consensus in distributed data management, focusing on distributed atomic commitment and data replication. We explain how consensus is integral to these areas and present examples of research and industry work that apply consensus to data management. The tutorial extends to modern use cases of consensus in the evolving landscapes of edge-cloud systems and blockchain technology. We discuss how consensus mechanisms are being adapted and applied in these areas, highlighting their growing importance in emerging areas of data management. By exploring these cutting-edge applications, participants will gain insights into how consensus is shaping ongoing and future research on distributed data management. The tutorial builds on the authors' recent book "Consensus in Data Management: from Distributed Commit to Blockchain". The book will serve as the foundation and reading material for the tutorial. This tutorial targets data management researchers and practitioners to equip them with the knowledge and perspective needed to innovate in these emerging fields. This includes graduate students and junior researchers starting their careers in the area of distributed data management. Also, it includes researchers in other areas of data management who wish to explore the area of distributed data management with the goal of utilizing it in their own fields.

Meaningful body talk: Emotional experiences with music-based group interactions

Music-based group interaction (MGI) is a complex social phenomenon that is important for individuals' emotional experiences. However, research on emotion in tourism lacks a focus on group interaction integrating the mind and body. Guided by Damasio's neurocognitive-evolutionary theory, this study used an adapted go-along method at Midi Festivals to analyze festivalgoers' emotional experiences during MGI. Meanings of the body and its agency-related roles were captured between emotions, music, and group interaction. Results revealed three patterns of MGI—dissociative, reflective, and immersive—based on the extent of congruence between social and bodily rhythms. MGI allows participants to achieve a clear sense of self and shared belonging thanks to the unity between body and mind. The findings provide insights into contemplating emotions, the body, and group interaction within a musical context. Results suggest that music tourism holds value for enhancing individuals' emotion regulation and well-being, offering implications for practitioners in event management.

Enhancing the adaptive capacity of fisheries to climate change: Bridging academic theory and management practice through practitioner interviews

Climate change is dramatically altering the environmental context in which marine resources are harvested and managed. A growing field of academic literature has begun to explore the adaptive capacity of fishers and managers to respond to this change, but much of this field is abstract and theory-driven. Therefore, it is unclear whether this literature accurately reflects the adaptation priorities of fishery management practitioners, or whether there are gaps in the literature that these practitioners could fill with on-the-ground knowledge. Second, even if these principles of adaptive capacity are perfectly aligned with management practitioners’ priorities, it is unclear to what extent these principles are actively considered in the decision making process, and if not, why. This study seeks to address these questions by confronting fisheries professionals with academic ideas around adaptive capacity through a series of semi-structured interviews with federal fishery managers and scientists whose work informs decision making in the United States regional fishery management system. The study then uses these interviews to identify three low-cost, high-impact action items that could make concepts from the academic literature more accessible and useful to these practitioners and expand the literature by incorporating practitioners’ expertise. These action items are: 1) distinguish adaptive capacity from adaptive management, 2) use practitioner insights to contextualize the elements of adaptive capacity within the constraints and opportunities of governance systems, and 3) expand academic research to explicitly consider the capacity to adapt on appropriate timelines given the scale and pace of systemic change.

Determining factors influencing flood preparedness among citizens in Jakarta: A protection motivation theory approach

The Jakarta Metropolitan Area is one of the cities heavily affected by floods in Asia. Effective disaster risk reduction strategies require deep understanding of what motivates its citizens towards preparedness and mitigation actions. This study aimed to discern these motivating factors among Jakarta's residents through the Protection Motivation Theory (PMT) approach. Through an online survey, 304 participants provided insights into how the extended PMT factors shape their Protection Motivation (PM) towards flood preparedness. A total of nine (9) variables and 41 constructs were considered in this study. PMT factors were comprised of PM, Perceived Severity (PS), Perceived Vulnerability (PV), Response Efficacy (RE), and Perceived Self-Efficacy (SE) along with additional factors such as Media (M), Government Preventive Actions (GA), Flood Experience (FE), and Geographical Perspectives (GP). Partial Least Square Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) revealed that SE had the most substantial impact on influencing PM (β = 0.522) followed by PV, PS, and RE. The results also showed the significance of M and GA to both SE and RE. Meanwhile, FE illustrates positive impact to both PV and PS. Interestingly, GP was found to be only significant to PV and not to PS. External factors M and GA demonstrated a significant indirect effect on PM through SE, whereas GP exhibited a significant indirect effect on PM through PV. These findings provide actionable insights for policymakers and disaster management practitioners, emphasizing the power of media and the need for comprehensive strategies that address both the psychological and practical aspects of flood disaster readiness in Jakarta and potentially other flood-prone regions.

The Wisdom of the Collective: An Integrated Multi-Level Framework of Shared Leadership in Engineering Management Project Teams

Shared leadership is positioned as a promising field of research. In recent years scholarly interest in shared leadership has grown exponentially. However, studies on shared leadership are limited and underdeveloped in the engineering management context. To advance a holistic understanding of shared leadership in engineering management project teams, this study conducted a systematic, integrated review of 256 articles on shared leadership spanning 25 years (1998–2022). By doing so, we present a synthesis of the definitions of shared leadership; an evaluation of its measurement techniques; and an examination of the research designs (e.g. article types, research strategies, research disciplines and sample types) utilized in shared leadership studies. Moreover, we map shared leadership studies onto a multi-level framework that integrates individual-level, team-level, project-level and organizational-level analyses in terms of its antecedents, consequences, mediating mechanisms and boundary conditions. This framework offers a roadmap for future studies to help researchers systematically target opportunities within the field of engineering management. Also, it brings important managerial implications for engineering management project managers and practitioners who seek to implement good practices in organizations.

Perceptions of Stakeholders on the Financial and Economic Crisis in Lebanon: An In-depth Analysis

Abstract This study examines Lebanon’s enduring financial and economic crisis, exacerbated by economic challenges, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the Port of Beirut explosion. With over 80 % currency devaluation due to sovereign debt default, the crisis has intensified poverty and unemployment, compounded by political turmoil. Using survey data from 178 stakeholders, experts, and academics, this research explores the intricate drivers of Lebanon’s crisis and offers insights for policymakers. Employing quantitative methods, it uncovers the intertwined role of financial mismanagement, government failures, mounting public debt, financial engineering techniques, and political instability in driving the crisis. Recommendations emphasize prudent financial practices, sound governance, and policy interventions. This study sheds light on Lebanon’s complex financial and economic challenges with data-backed perspectives from diverse stakeholders, providing valuable insights for management practitioners and scholars navigating crises in tumultuous environments. It aims to contribute to the management discourse, equipping stakeholders with actionable strategies for addressing and preventing similar crises. It also explores the interplay between stakeholder perspectives and the determinants of the financial crisis in Lebanon. It delves into the interconnected nature of the crisis and demonstrates how stakeholders from various sectors and backgrounds mirror the factors identified in the literature.

Information Sharing and Outreach as Social Capital in Groundwater Governance

Successful governance of groundwater is process, people, and policy implementation working in tandem. While its success may be measured in desired outcomes, sustaining those outcomes depends on the interaction of these three elements. This paper reports the results of interviews conducted with local groundwater district Directors and district Managers in the state of Texas who make policy decisions and implement those policies, respectively. New paradigms of groundwater governance see public engagement as social capital that results in more effective groundwater management outcomes. The focus of this paper is to test this paradigm by presenting groundwater management and public engagement from the perspective of the professionals and practitioners in groundwater management. I conduct thirteen interviews with groundwater Managers and Directors in Texas. Three themes emerge from a qualitative analysis of these interviews. First, sharing Information and expertise with the public is seen as a public service by groundwater Managers that augments their professional roles. Second, this sharing is an informal, two-way exchange with those who have local experience and knowledge. The two-way exchange is built on social networks that form social capital, lowering the transaction cost of implementing policy by Managers. Third, factors beyond the control of Managers can also affect transaction costs of groundwater management. The transaction costs of groundwater management include coordinating user activity and managing the conflict or tensions that arise over groundwater supply and demand. This paper contributes to the literature on the importance of social capital to groundwater management. Results of the study illustrate the importance of user, well-owner, and stakeholder group engagement to effective and efficient groundwater management and policy outcomes.

How to Design Green Compensation to Promote Managers’ Pro-Environmental Behavior? A Goal-Framing Perspective

AbstractHuman resource management (HRM) scholars and practitioners are increasingly interested in how to leverage HRM tools to address pressing environmental issues while balancing an organization’s need for profit. One important theme of this line of research is the use of contingent compensation (i.e., green compensation) to motivate managers to engage in pro-environmental behavior. However, current research on the efficacy of green compensation in promoting managers’ environmental contribution yields two seemingly contradictory views. First, based on agency theory, green compensation is found to be an effective tool to elicit managers’ environmental efforts. On the other hand, from a stewardship theory perspective, green compensation is regarded as ineffective in attempts to stimulate managers’ environmental contributions. In this paper, we propose that this potential conflict could stem from the way green compensation is designed. To address this issue, drawing upon goal-framing theory, we develop a normative theoretical framework toward designing key features of green compensation that could help to promote managers’ pro-environmental behaviors while mitigating potential pitfalls. These key features include explicitly acknowledging managers’ contributions to environmental endeavors, distribution of the compensation by prominent stakeholders with salient pro-environmental values, distribution of the compensation in public ceremonies, ensuring modesty in size of the compensation compared with managers’ non-contingent compensation, monitoring outcome and process performance, and developing group-based in addition to individual-based compensation. We conclude with implications of this design for theory and practice.

Strategies for Coping with Occupational Trauma: A Scoping Review of the Police Officer Context.

Occupational trauma is heightened among police officers due to their exposure to physical, biological, chemical, and psychological hazards. Sustained occupational trauma results in mental illness among members of the police, which is a public health issue of concern. This study aimed to report a scoping review of the literature on strategies employed by police officers for coping with occupational trauma around the globe. A search string, formulated from the review question of what is known about the strategies of police officers for coping with occupational trauma, was used to search for articles from databases. A total of 588 hits were screened against inclusion criteria, resulting in 36 full-text studies between 1983 and 2022 being included in this review. Data were extracted using a standardised data extraction tool. The multi-step process was used to analyse the extracted data, integrating quantitative and qualitative approaches. From this review, 'adaptive coping mechanisms', involving confrontation; 'maladaptive coping mechanisms', such as self-isolation, distancing and substance use; 'resilience', relating to mental preparation, and 'seeking support systems' from family, colleagues and professionals reflected the strategies used by police officers to cope with occupational trauma. Social stigma related to mental health disorders impacts the strategies used by police officers to cope with occupational trauma. the police management and healthcare practitioners must collaborate towards providing constructive environments that support and strengthen police officers' strategies for coping with occupational trauma.