Review Of Empirical Studies Research Articles

A review of empirical studies on IT governance frameworks

A review of empirical studies on IT governance frameworks

Boards of directors in BRIC countries: A review of empirical studies

The paper is aimed to analyse the most recent and relevant research on boards of directors in BRIC. Existent reviews on the board of directors do not focus on BRIC and do not consider the specifics of their corporate governance model. Therefore, the current review fills this gap by analysing 111 research papers from Scopus/Web of Science published between 2015 and 2020. Firstly, we provide a content analysis of abstracts to find the most frequent research topics and compare them to the developed countries’ studies. Secondly, based on the content analysis findings, we provide a qualitative analysis of three research directions: board composition, social capital, and board functioning, divided further into ten smaller research topics. Thirdly, we compare the research output with the developed countries’ studies and the statistics provided by the Spencer Stuart Board Indexes to analyse whether they are coherent. The results confirm the topicality of board research in BRIC and overlapping topics between the BRIC and the more developed countries. As a result, we formulate a research agenda for further studies on boards in BRIC.

A Review of Empirical Studies in Japan Related to Whistleblowing

A Review of Empirical Studies in Japan Related to Whistleblowing

How do healthcare professionals respond to ethical challenges regarding information management? A review of empirical studies

ABSTRACT Aim This study is a systematic review that aims to assess how healthcare professionals manage ethical challenges regarding information within the clinical context. Method and Materials We carried out searches in PubMed, Google Scholar and Embase, using two search strings; searches generated 665 hits. After screening, 47 articles relevant to the study aim were selected for review. Seven articles were identified through snowballing, and 18 others were included following a system update in PubMed, bringing the total number of articles reviewed to 72. We used a Q-sort technique for the analysis of identified articles. Findings This study reveals that healthcare professionals around the world generally employ (to varying degrees) four broad strategies to manage different types of challenges regarding information, which can be categorized as challenges related to confidentiality, communication, professional duty, and decision-making. The strategies employed for managing these challenges include resolution, consultation, stalling, and disclosure/concealment. Conclusion There are a variety of strategies which health professionals can adopt to address challenges regarding information management within the clinical context. This insight complements current efforts aimed at enhancing health professional-patient communication. Very few studies have researched the results of employing these various strategies. Future empirical studies are required to address this.

The relationship to caregiving: how psychological therapies can support carers of people with a diagnosis of emotionally unstable (borderline) personality disorder

This article reviews empirical studies of psychological interventions that have been offered to (informal) carers for people with a diagnosis of emotionally unstable (borderline) personality disorder (EUPD). A search of electronic databases, and subsequent reference searching, was performed in October 2019 to identify empirical studies in this area. In total, sixteen articles were included in this review. The quality of each paper was formally reviewed, alongside their findings. Three main theoretical approaches were apparent: mentalization-based treatment (MBT), dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT), and other psycho-education or miscellaneous intervention. Intervention outcome measures included scales for burden, grief, depression, and anxiety, many of which saw improvements, including clinically significant changes. Among high-quality papers, there was no clearly superior approach to interventions for carers. This review emphasised the need for plurality in psychological approaches for supporting carers, and for more work in this developing area of research.

Antipseudomonal β-Lactams Resistance in Iran.

Over the last years, the mortality rate of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, which is one of the major reasons for severe infections, has been significantly increasing. This bacterium is highly resistant to many antibiotics, especially carbapenems, thanks to its complicated mechanism by which it can acquire exogenous genes. The purpose of this research is to have a review of empirical studies surveying the P. aeruginosa resistance to beta-lactams in Iran in order to investigate the most reliable methods by which the incidence of P. aeruginosa infections can be decreased and controlled. We performed a systematic review of all articles published from 2008 until 2018. Studies which did not address P. aeruginosa resistance to beta-lactams were excluded from the analysis. Studies with less than 10 cases were also excluded. Studies with more than ten cases, which did not have repetitive information, were taken into account for the final selection; 133 out of 893 articles were chosen. The resistance rate of P. aeruginosa among the articles was as follows: more than 72% of studies revealed >50% level of resistance to cefepime, followed by aztreonam (53.2%), ceftazidime (61%), piperacillin/tazobactam (54.5%), meropenem (48.3%), and imipenem (42.4%). The selection of empiric antipseudomonal antibiotics is absolutely uncertain and hazardous, and the risk of clinical failure may be more among cephalosporins and piperacillin-tazobactam as well as aztreonam. The results of this study illustrate that the methods enabling clinics to identify the bacterium resistance pattern and its genetic basis and to have the opportunity of empiric therapies through access to updated local data of antimicrobial susceptibility pattern are the most effective methods. However, the widespread usage of these approaches undoubtedly needs reliable molecular and nucleic acid-based devices, which are both affordable and available.

Evolutionary Approaches to Regional Clusters and Networks: A Review of Empirical Studies by ‘the Utrecht School’ of Evolutionary Economic Geography

Evolutionary Approaches to Regional Clusters and Networks: A Review of Empirical Studies by ‘the Utrecht School’ of Evolutionary Economic Geography

한국의 세대 간 사회이동과 교육 불평등 : 2000년대 이후 경험적 연구에 대한 종합적 검토

본 연구는 한국 사회의 세대 간 사회이동 및 교육기회의 이동성 추세에 관한 최근 연구들을 종합적으로 검토해 봄으로써 실제로 한국에서 기회의 불평등이 최근 출생 코호트에서 강화되고 있는지에 대한 해답을 탐색했다. 핵심적인 결과는 다음과 같다. 첫째, 직업의 세대 간 상관성의 경우 그것이 최근 출생 코호트로 오면서 증가했다는 경험적 증거는 찾아보기 어렵다. 다수의 연구들이 직업의 상관성이 큰 변화 없이 유지되고 있음을 보여주는 가운데 비교적 최근에 발표된 연구는 오히려 최근 출생 코호트로 옮겨오면서 아버지와 아들의 계급적 상관성이 약화되는 경향을 밝히고 있다. 한국에서 세대간 소득탄력성의 경우도 다른 서구 국가들에 비해 상대적으로 낮은 편이며, 시기에 따른 경향성도 보이지 않았다. 둘째, 최종 학력 취득에서 교육기회의 불평등이 증가했다는 뚜렷한 증거 역시 발견하기 어려웠다. 재학 중인 학생들의 학업성취도 추세의 경우 아직 충분한 경험적 연구가 축적되지 않았다. 이와 관련해 사교육, 문화자본, 사회자본에 대한 연구들이 주는 가족배경 격차 추세에 대한 함의를 검토했다. 셋째, 몇몇 연구들은 세대 간 이동성에서 교육을 통한 경로의 중요성에 비해 교육과 관계없이 형성되는 부모와 자녀 지위 간 연계 경로의 중요성이 점차 커지고 있음을 시사하고 있다. 결론에서는 한국 사회의 이동성 추세의 경험적 양상과 기존 사회적 인식, 담론 간 괴리를 설명할 수 있는 가설적 설명들을 제시했다.

Mathematics teachers and social justice: a systematic review of empirical studies

ABSTRACT The issue of social justice has been regularly addressed in many published papers in mathematics education research, particularly after 2000, when the discipline took a more explicit socio-political turn. However, there does not appear to be a consensus as to what the term designates and includes. This paper is a systematic review of the empirical studies published from 2000 until the middle of 2019 that explicitly address social justice from the perspective of practising mathematics teachers and/or teaching. More specifically, we examine (a) how social justice is conceptualised in the identified studies, (b) what specific issues are investigated and methodological approaches employed to do so, and (c) the main key points that arise from their empirical findings. Implications and suggestions of how the field can move forward are discussed at the end.

STEM Education in Early Childhood: A Review of Empirical Studies

ABSTRACT Research Findings: Various cross-disciplinary STEM learning activities were implemented in the early childhood context. Young children and their parents had rather positive attitudes towards STEM learning. In addition to educational values, the economic value of STEM learning for their family was perceived by a good number of parents, which believed that learning STEM could pave a path for their children toward future economic prosperity. Early childhood teachers perceived the values of STEM education from the learning and social perspectives while they realized various practical constrains of time, support and resources, worried about teachers’ capacity and subject knowledge, and considered students, developmental differences and safety. They were not confident to implement STEM lessons with their young students. Practice or Policy: It is urgent to present teachers a holistic picture for STEM curriculum in the EC context, covering strengthening discipline-based content learning, enhancing discipline-based integration, and preparing for the innovation-driven integration. The complete process of transferring professional knowledge (including awareness, acquisition, transformation, association, application, and externalization) should be embodied in the design of STEM professional training programs. Parents also needed more training on how to work with their children in STEM activities and scaffold their children’ learning.

Narrative Review of Sensory Changes as a Biomarker for Alzheimer's Disease.

Early recognition of Alzheimer's disease (AD) in the prodromal period has not been robust yet will be necessary if effective disease-modifying drugs are to be useful in preventing or delaying the condition. The objective of this narrative review was to describe the current, evidenced based understanding of alterations in sensory data as potential biomarkers for AD. Review of empirical studies that tested senses as biomarkers for AD and were published in English within the past 50 years was completed. Eighteen empirical studies were identified that met the strict criteria for inclusion, with 12 of these studies being related to the olfactory system. Two studies examined auditory, two examined vision, one examined proprioception, and one examined taste. Thus, only olfaction has been studied to any extent, leaving a clear gap in the literature for the use of other senses. A promising area of research has begun to be reported concerning differences in responses to pain stimuli in AD relative to cognitively normal subjects. Pain is not a single sense like the others but integrates several senses and may allow for use as an early biomarker for AD, as it integrates several brain areas and pathways. Unlike the other senses, simple devices can be used to measure changes in pain perception in cognitively normal adults with genetic predispositions for possible AD, making this potentially useful for clinicians in the future.

Psychological Factors of Myocardial Infarction: Prospects for Clinical and Psychological Research

This article is a review of empirical studies on the topic of psychological characteristics that contribute to the incidence of myocardial infarction. Such studies are fragmented and deal mostly with the following categories: mental states, patient’s mental processes, symptoms of mental disorders, behavioral strategies, social factors, etc. The research objective was to analyze the results of empirical studies on the myocardial patients' psychological characteristics. The authors identified difficulties and contradictions in the studies. Diagnostic capabilities of type A proved no longer relevant. An analysis of the contradictions in type D studies suggested that longitudinal studies based on a initially healthy people would prove most effective for further research, as well as detailed meta-analyzes of empirical publications. The role of hostility in the genesis of myocardial infarction proved understudied by domestic scientists. As for anxiety in patients with myocardial infarction, it received enough scientific attention; however, researches do not agree about role in the development of myocardial infarction. To reduce psychological risks during cardiovascular diseases, it is necessary to determine what conditions and factors accelerate or inhibit the onset of myocardial infarction when combined with personal anxiety. The authors propose to use the following samples: 1) patients with a risk of a heart attack; 2) patients after a heart attack; 3) patients past rehabilitation period. The findings indicate promising areas for future research for the prevention of myocardial infarction.

A review of the influence of political connections on management’s decision in non-US settings

Purpose Given the interest in better understanding the economic effects of political connections, this paper aims to review empirical studies in the accounting and finance domain investigating the effects of firms’ political connections on management’s decision in non-US settings. Design/methodology/approach Key words used to search for relevant studies include “political connections” linked with “tax avoidance,” “earnings quality” “voluntary disclosure.” The authors consult several editorial sources including Elsevier, Electronic Journals Service EBSCO, Emerald, Springer, Palgrave Macmillan, Sage, Taylor & Francis and Wiley-Blackwell. The authors’ search yields 46 published studies since 2006. Findings The review reveals a prevalence of studies conducted in Asia. A narrative synthesis of empirical findings shows mixed effects of political connections on earnings management, as measured by accrual-based or real earnings management practices. Mixed evidence also exists for the association between political connections and reporting policy (e.g. corporate social responsibility reporting). The review also reveals that firms with political ties adopt an aggressive tax policy aimed at reducing effective tax rates and are more likely to choose a Big 4 auditor. Originality/value The review discusses the political connections literature focusing on studies outside of the USA and the effect of such connections on decision-making by management. It identifies some limitations of this literature and offers guidance for future research avenues. The synthesis suggests that political connections can adversely or beneficially impact management’s decisions depending on the legal, institutional and cultural characteristics prevailing in a particular setting.

How does finance influence labour market outcomes? A review of empirical studies

PurposeThis paper reviews economic studies on the effects of various aspects of finance on labour market outcomes.Design/methodology/approachThe paper is a systematic literature review that reviews the weight of the evidence on the relationships between specific elements of finance and labour outcomes. The review is divided into three major sections: (1) job quantity and job quality; (2) distributional effects; and (3) resilience and adaptability.FindingsFinance interacts with labour market institutions to jointly determine labour outcomes. Firm financial structures influence their labour practices – highly leveraged firms show greater employment volatility during cyclical fluctuations, and leverage strengthens firm bargaining power in labour negotiations. Bank deregulation has mixed impacts on labour depending upon the state of prior bank regulations and labour markets. Leveraged buyouts tend to dampen acquired-firm job growth as they pursue labour productivity gains. The shareholder value movement may contribute to short-termism among corporate managers, which can divert funds away from firm capital accumulation toward financial markets, and crowd out productive investment. Declining wage shares of national income in most OECD countries since 1990 may be driven in part by financial globalisation. The financial sector contributes to rising income concentration near the top of the distribution in developed countries. The availability of finance is associated with increased reallocation of labour, which may either enhance or impede productivity growth. Finally, rising interest rate environments and homeowners with mortgage balances that exceed their home's value may reduce labour mobility rates.Originality/valueThis review contributes to the understanding of the effects of finance on labour by reviewing and synthesising a large volume of literature.

Corporate Governance-Firm Performance Relationship: Empirical Evidence from African Countries. A Principal Components Analysis

This study investigated the relationship between corporate governance and firm performance, with evidence from Africa countries. The review of empirical studies from African countries had established a relationship between corporate governance and firm performance without consensus on a particular kind of relationship; while the result of the analysis using data on the return on assets, returns on equity, price earnings ratio, Tobin’s Q and constructed Performance Index as measures of firm performance and ownership structure as a measure of corporate governance revealed that corporate governance has a positive significant relationship with firm performance in Nigeria. The study concluded that though the agency costs of firms are very high, sound corporate governance is usually responsible for the positive performance of firms across African countries. Keywords: Corporate Governance, Agency theory, Firm Performance. DOI: 10.7176/EJBM/12-17-07 Publication date: June 30th 2020

Maatschappelijke impact van gepersonaliseerde informatievoorziening: feit of fictie?

Abstract Societal impact of personalized information delivery: Fact or fiction?This article is about personalized information delivery in the Netherlands and is based on a review of empirical studies on this topic. The risk of echo chambers and filter bubbles is discussed and put in an international perspective. The focus is on the role government institutions, tech companies and scholars can play in this field. At present, the Dutch journalism landscape would still appear to be sufficiently diverse, delivering information that is accessed by different groups of citizens. But the precise effect of news personalization remains unclear and the growing power of tech companies also shows the need for more insights and better research methods. Without in-depth (data) knowledge, it is difficult to develop solution directions to prevent any problems that the personalization of news could entail.

Correction to: An integral perspective on teacher evaluation: a review of empirical studies

The original version of this article unfortunately contained mistakes.

An integral perspective on teacher evaluation: a review of empirical studies

Teacher evaluation has been used for decades in schools as a human resource management practice to hold teachers accountable and to help them develop professionally. This paper provides a synthesis of empirical studies about teacher evaluation. We use an overarching theoretical framework, the value chain, as a guide to collect and map insights from empirical research about teacher evaluation. First, we mapped the variables that are described as significant for teacher evaluation from a quantitative viewpoint. Second, by adding the qualitative insights, we gained a more detailed understanding about how these significant relationships work. After a screening of the literature, 15 quantitative and 21 qualitative studies were included in this review. The results elaborate on the definition and measurement of teacher evaluation, the outcomes of teacher evaluation and important context variables for teacher evaluation, all found in empirical research on teacher evaluation. This review provides an overview of the empirical results from the teacher evaluation research literature about antecedents and consequences of teacher evaluation. We conclude with paths for future research.

Transformed management scholarship and ways forward for exploring social innovation in organizations

Inspired by recent calls for a transformation of management scholarship, we conduct a scoping review of empirical studies during 1998–2015 on the phenomenon of social innovation within organizations. Social innovations are novel solutions that address social problems and create value for society as a whole. We make several problem-based observations and suggest how the social innovation phenomenon can be empirically grounded and contextualized to make future research intellectually relevant and meaningful for practice. We propose that the way forward lies in using abduction as a logic of discovery, adopting complexity theorizing, and using set-theoretic analytical methods to reflect multiple realities. The application of these three methods will help link theory and research methods with practice, thereby improving the ability of research to tackle managerial and societal issues and hence strengthening management scholarship.

CONCEPTUAL REVIEW OF LEADERSHIP ON ORGANIZATIONAL PERFORMANCE

In the last few years, due to the surge in the attention towards leadership and the lack of a review mapping the effects of leadership on organizational performance, we believe its coherent to provide a clear review on leadership and how it affects organizational performance. This paper aims to review empirical studies on leadership and organizational performance with the aim of constructing a comprehensive model to conceptualize existing literature. The authors reviewed main journals with impact factor of over 2 and all Leadership titled SSCI journals. As a result, 687 studies published between 1957 and 2017 were analyzed, out of which 486 met the criteria of being empirical studies on leadership and performance. Out of the 486, 20 articles used Organizational Performance as their dependent variable, thus were included in our model. In doing so, the authors aim to extend the field in three ways: First, based on their review, the authors mapped a comprehensive model of the effects of leadership style and leadership characteristics through moderators and organizational mediators on organizational performance. Second, the authors, through vigorous examination, display and evaluate existing variables and measures on leadership and organizational performance within the literature. Finally, the authors aim to contribute to the field by presenting a detailed future research agenda and practical considerations for managerial implications.