Digital Commons Network^™

Evaluating Complex Social Change: Lessons From Ford’S Climate Change Program, Subarna Mathes, Bess Rothenberg, Kelsey Simmons

The Foundation Review

This article offers a detailed account from within the Ford Foundation of what it takes to subject a complex social change strategy to genuine evaluative scrutiny. Drawing on the work of the Foundation’s Office of Strategy and Learning (OSL) and its evaluation of the Natural Resources and Climate Change program, it describes what shifts in strategy and learning were necessary, what was required organizationally, and what changed as a result.

The article delves into the evaluation process itself, including how OSL balanced the needs and perspectives of Ford leadership, program staff, and grantee partners. It shares how OSL centered equity …

Philanthropy And The Climate Crisis: Learning And Evaluation To Drive Decision-Making And Identify Emergent Opportunities, Lindsay Hanson, Rosy Kalfus, Courtney Lee

The Foundation Review

To us, strategic learning is an adaptive approach to using evaluation and other data to directly affect decision-making and action.

An early focus on building relationships and accountability to specific outcomes and values — including establishing baselines and plans for regular reporting and interpretation — laid the groundwork for decision-making in later stages of the Climate Solutions program’s lifecycle.

Increasingly rapid data feedback loops informed the Climate Solutions program’s strategy pivot, decisions, and collaboration with grantees and funder partners.

Engagement in strategic learning and use of evaluation to drive decision-making improved with practice, as illustrated by the Climate Solutions team’s …

More Than The Sum: A Collective Vision For The Future Of Strategy, Monitoring, Impact, Learning And Evaluation (Smile) In Climate Philanthropy, Marta Arranz, Rees Warne, Olivia Deich, Amelia Abdelrazik

The Foundation Review

Organizations funding climate work must learn quickly and make urgent decisions despite uncertainties and low levels of control. Within climate philanthropy, sharing learnings widely and using evidence for decision-making are crucial.

The authors argue the “evaluation” field is both misdefined and underleveraged. In a shift away from accountability and siloed learning within organizations, they propose redefining the evaluation profession as SMILE (Strategy, Monitoring, Impact, Learning, and Evaluation).

After three years of building field-wide learning infrastructure, the authors reflect on the field’s progress and offer recommendations to the climate philanthropy ecosystem.

Climate Breakthrough's Impact And Learning System: A Case Study, Olivia Deich

The Foundation Review

Climate Breakthrough makes one-time, multi-million-dollar, multi-year, flexible grants to climate strategists. The portfolio is collectively aimed at achieving an outsized emissions reduction goal. There are no strategy pillars, and grantees are from across the globe. This model, paired with Climate Breakthrough’s guiding values, opens the door for impact and learning work focused on iteration and learning.

In practice, grantees identify a small set of key performance indicators themselves; they share emissions reduction estimates for their work that are important but not dominant; they have abundant impact and learning resources; and the funder gains a wealth of data from which to …

Feedback Loops In Practice: A Case Study On Evaluating A Climate Collaborative, Mansi Shah, Amy Sherwood, Abbie Turiansky, Drew Koleros, Axum Teferra

The Foundation Review

Philanthropic support to address the climate crisis has grown substantially, yet it remains unclear how effectively philanthropies are learning from their investments, from each other, and from other actors about what generates meaningful impact. Evaluations have come under scrutiny, as conventional approaches often struggle to account for complexity and provide the timely insights needed for adaptive management.

In this article, the authors present the learning journey of a complex, systems-focused climate philanthropy initiative that uses structured feedback loops as an evaluation design. They describe how these loops were implemented over a two-year evaluation; discuss the choice of complexity-aware methods; and …

Spend-Down To Scale Up: Limited-Life Giving In The Climate Crisis, Madeleine C. Mckinnon, Samuel Rogers, David Gunsberg, Emma Mcintosh

The Foundation Review

This article shares first-hand experiences of a charitable foundation operating under a spend-down model, illustrating how a fixed time horizon shapes philanthropic and programmatic behavior. The authors discuss three conditions that a spend-down horizon reliably forces: the imperative to fund quickly, collaboratively, and boldly on shared goals; the discipline to concentrate capital with strategic focus; and the emphasis on learning and collaboration as both a means to optimize for impact now and to sustain and scale impact over the long term.

Authors explore the influence of these conditions in a series of case studies working towards a clean energy transition …

Leadership Dynamics, Transparency, & Governance During Crisis In Religious Organizations: Discussing The Roman Catholic Church’S Centralized Authority, John D. Rudnick Jr, Raymond L. Enzweiler, Srecko Koralija

Interdisciplinary Journal of Leadership Studies

Abstract
This article considers two high-profile crises inside the Roman Catholic Church. The rejection of the Vatican audit in 2015 and the financial loss from a large investment in London real estate exemplify tension and balance between centralized, hierarchical leadership and institutional accountability. These cases examine leadership patterns relative to transparency, communication, and governance, evaluating the efficacy of centralized power under financial distress. The discussion is organized across pre-crisis, active crisis, and post-crisis phases by integrating insights from transactional, transformational, servant, and adaptive leadership style models. Performance improvement (PI) tools such as Before Action Reviews (BARs), After Action Reviews (AARs), …

When Going Alone Feels Right: The Effect Of Solo Cues On Interest In Attending Cultural Events, Inyoung Lee, Sang-Hoon Kim

Asia Marketing Journal

With the rise of solo consumers, cultural event marketers face a challenge: how can events appeal to solo consumers without marginalizing group consumers? To address this question, the impact of solo cues in marketing communication is examined through the lens of role and script theory. Two experiments demonstrate that solo cues, which signal the inclusion of solo consumers among attendees, increase solo consumers' attendance interest but do not affect group consumers. For solo consumers, the impact of solo cues is driven by anticipated enjoyment and is particularly pronounced for events entailing a high (vs. low) level of social interaction, where …

Bridging The Intention-Behavior Gap In Adopting Zero-Waste Grocery Retail Store, Elizabeth Jacob, Salil Sahadevan

Asia Marketing Journal

Growing interest in sustainability within marketing has renewed attention to zero-waste retail, yet it remains largely niche. This study investigates the challenges limiting zero-waste retail adoption and explores consumer expectations through key stakeholder interviews and a large-scale consumer survey in India. Building on earlier work that focused primarily on individual barriers, it incorporates structural factors and the interconnected nature of these obstacles. Adoption of zero-waste shopping practices is constrained by emotional labor, cognitive overload, and systemic friction. Cultural norms favoring convenience and hygiene reinforce disposability, and the lack of conventional packaging creates logistical hurdles. In this connection, the study identifies …

Risk, Benefit, And Trust In Emotionally Intense Services: A Moderated Mediation Model Of Home-Based Palliative Care Adoption In China, Cong Zhuang, Wenfeng Wei, Kyung-Min Kim

Asia Marketing Journal

As aging populations expand across Asia, home-based palliative care remains underutilized despite its potential to preserve dignity and emotional well-being. This study examines adoption decisions under emotionally intense uncertainty by testing a moderated mediation model in which perceived risk reduces adoption intention through diminished perceived benefit, and trust conditions the risk–benefit appraisal link. A scenario-based experiment with 400 Chinese participants was analyzed using PROCESS Models 4 and 7 with bias-corrected bootstrapping. Results show that perceived benefit fully mediates the effect of perceived risk on adoption intention. Trust shows evidence of conditioning the association between perceived risk and perceived benefit; however, …

Bright Shadows, Fresh Appeal: How Shadow Brightness Shapes Perceptions Of Fresh Products, Jonghee Kum, Hyewon Cho, Hyejin Lee

Asia Marketing Journal

This study examines how shadow brightness (light vs. dark) influences consumer responses to fresh products across four studies. Studies 1a and 1b demonstrate that consumers evaluate fresh products with light shadows more favorably compared to those with dark shadows. Study 2 identifies the underlying mechanism, showing that light shadows increase perceived wholesomeness, which positively affects consumer responses. Study 3 tests a boundary condition, revealing that the positive impact of light (vs. dark) shadows is pronounced for uncooked products but reduced for cooked products. These findings contribute to a better understanding of the influential role of visual elements in shaping consumer …

Smart Tourism Technology And Sustainable Tourism: Creating Vivid Memories To Drive Tourists' Behavioural Intention, Hatane Semuel, Regina Jokom, Trixie Nova Bella Tandijaya, Sienny Thio

Asia Marketing Journal

This study examines the impact of smart tourism technology and sustainable tourism on tourists' behavioural intention, with vivid memory as a mediating variable. Earlier studies have investigated smart tourism technology and sustainability separately, but there is a lack of understanding of how these two perspectives interact with memory theory to influence tourist behaviour. To address this gap, a survey was conducted involving 742 tourists across four major Indonesian cities, and the data were analysed using path analysis with SmartPLS. The findings show that sustainable tourism directly and indirectly shapes behavioural intention, while smart tourism technology influences it only indirectly through …

The Afterlife Of Luxury: Triggers, Intentions, And Channel Preference In China's Resale Boom, Junfeng Shi, Dehua Xia

Asia Marketing Journal

This study examines the factors shaping Chinese consumers' intention to resell used luxury products and their preferences for resale channels, drawing on the extended Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB). Data were collected from 381 consumers via an online survey and analyzed using structural equation modelling with confirmatory factor analysis and regression. Results indicate that the primary motivation for reselling is the lack of need when items are no longer useful or suitable. Consumers' resale intentions are driven mainly by internal factors: attitudes, sense of duty, perceived benefits, and behavioral control, while external factors, such as subjective norms, have minimal impact. …

Editorial Note: Navigating Institutional Complexity Across State, Civil, And Market Sectors, Muhammad Ramaditya, Rijal Ramdhani

BISNIS & BIROKRASI: Jurnal Ilmu Administrasi dan Organisasi

No abstract provided.

Transfer Pricing Dispute Resolution: How Feasible Is The Implementation Of Safe Harbors In Indonesia?, Daniel Edgar Hirasma Saragi, Antonius Ragil Kuncoro

BISNIS & BIROKRASI: Jurnal Ilmu Administrasi dan Organisasi

This study aims to explore the feasibility of implementing safe harbors in transfer pricing regulations in Indonesia. Safe harbors are alternative tax policies for taxpayers on specific transactions, which can exempt them from general provisions if meets certain specific regulations set by the tax authority (United Nations, 2017). Using a qualitative methodology, this study explores data from various literature and the results of interviews with experts in the field of transfer pricing. Moreover, this research utilizes interpretative paradigm, inductive approach, and descriptive study. With the help of NVIVO software, the researcher conducted a thematic analysis of the data obtained. This …

Consumer Perceptions Of Diversity, Equity And Inclusion In A Heritage Beauty Branding: Pathways To Brand Image, Connection, Love, And Loyalty, Nuzul Riska, Anni Rahimah, Kadarisman Hidayat

BISNIS & BIROKRASI: Jurnal Ilmu Administrasi dan Organisasi

In an increasingly competitive and socially conscious marketplace, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives are emerging as powerful strategic tools for brand differentiation and consumer engagement. This study investigates the influence of DEI-driven marketing strategies on brand image and brand connection, and their subsequent impact on brand loyalty, with brand love examined as a moderating variable within the beauty industry. Employing a quantitative, explanatory research design, data were collected from 250 respondents using purposive sampling and analyzed through Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). The findings reveal that DEI significantly enhances both brand image and brand connection. While brand …

The Impact Of Organizational Ergonomics On Job Burnout: Evidence From Higher Education Institutions In Iraq, Zainab Shakir Jubair Al-Zalmi

Journal of Economics and Administrative Sciences

This research aims to examine organizational ergonomics and its impact on job burnout among a random sample of teaching and administrative staff employed at universities, colleges, and institutes within higher education institutions in Iraq. This topic is of considerable importance because improving organizational ergonomics can enhance the work environment, increase job performance, and promote employee well-being. The research also seeks to address the problem of occupational stress and excessive workloads resulting from increasing teaching and administrative tasks assigned to employees in higher education institutions. These pressures contribute to higher levels of job burnout and adversely affect employee performance and job …

The Impact Of Flexible Work Arrangements On Employee Performance: Evidence From Private Universities In Baghdad, Mariam Adeeb Rasheed, Noor Khalil Ibrahim

Journal of Economics and Administrative Sciences

This study examines the effect of Flexible Work Arrangements (FWAs) (flexible scheduling, compressed workweek, and telecommuting) on employee performance among administrative leaders in private universities in Baghdad. Addressing inconsistent findings in prior research regarding whether different forms of workplace flexibility contribute equally to employee performance. Guided by Social Exchange Theory, a quantitative cross-sectional design was employed using data collected from 321 administrative leaders across 15 private universities in Baghdad. Measurement reliability, convergent validity, discriminant validity, and confirmatory factor analysis were assessed using the covariance-based structural equation modeling (CB-SEM) procedure in SmartPLS4. The proposed hypotheses were subsequently tested through structural model …

Enhancing Institutional Performance Through Agile Leadership And Knowledge Management: Evidence From Iraqi Universities, Maha Farooq Ezzat

Journal of Economics and Administrative Sciences

Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) operating in Volatile, Uncertain, Complex, and Ambiguous (VUCA) environments face unprecedented managerial challenges. Over the last few years, traditional hierarchical control systems have become less suitable for developing the agility and innovation needed to maintain institutional performance. To date, research has focused on agile leadership and knowledge management separately, but there is a significant gap in the theoretical and empirical literature on their interaction within the higher education system in Iraq. This paper attempts to fill this gap by exploring the interaction between agile leadership, processes of knowledge management (tacit and explicit), and institutional performance. The …

The Impact Of Ai-Driven Customer Relationship Management On Sustainable Performance: The Mediating Role Of Digital Customer Experience, Muhammad Ibrahim Jawad Al-Dulaimi

Journal of Economics and Administrative Sciences

This paper addresses the limited understanding of how Artificial Intelligence–driven Customer Relationship Management (AI-CRM) influences sustainable performance in emerging economies, particularly through the mediating role of digital customer experience. The study aims to examine the effect of AI-CRM on sustainable performance and investigate whether digital customer experience mediates this relationship. AI-CRM is operationalized through predictive and operational analytics, while sustainable performance is measured using the triple bottom line dimensions: economic, environmental, and social. A quantitative, cross-sectional research design was adopted. Data were collected through a structured questionnaire administered to 168 customers of hypermarkets affiliated with the Iraqi Ministry of Trade …

The Moderating Effect Of Digital Literacy On The Relationship Between Ai Interaction Quality And Consumer Emotional Engagement, Ali Thamer Ali Al-Ibadi

Journal of Economics and Administrative Sciences

As artificial Intelligence (AI) is having an increasing influence on the consumer-brand relationship, empirical evidence of the effects of AI-powered real-time communication on emotional brand engagement over time is scarce. Based on the Digital Emotional Brand Engagement (DEBE) model consisting of four outcome dimensions (Affective Engagement, Cognitive Engagement, Behavioral Engagement, Identification, and Emotional Attachment). The study proposes and empirically tests a model of four dimensions of AI interactions (Responsiveness and Availability, Personalization, Conversational Quality, Problem Resolution Efficiency). A descriptive-correlational quantitative design was adopted, and a sample of 400 consumers who had recently used AI-powered customer service was drawn. Multiple regression …

Key Factors Affecting Arable Land Areas In Iraq: An Analytical Economic Study (1990–2021), Duaa Emad Ahmed, Osamah Kadhim Jbara, Kais Hassan Alwan

Journal of Economics and Administrative Sciences

This paper aims to measure and analyze the factors affecting arable land areas in Iraq during the period (1990–2021), to determine the nature of the relationship between these factors in the short and long term. The study analyzed the relationship between the quantity of nitrogen and phosphate fertilizers used in agriculture, the volume of water inflow from the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, and investment allocations for land reclamation projects. It evaluated their impact on arable land areas in Iraq. Results using the ARDL methodology indicated a long-term cointegration relationship between the variables through the bounds test. The F-value reached 7.597. …

Diagnosing Influential Observations Via Hybrid Secretary–Osprey Optimization Algorithm (Hsooa) In Gamma Regression Models For Fasting Blood Glucose Data, Luay Adil Abduljabbar, Sabah Manfi Ridha

Journal of Economics and Administrative Sciences

Influence diagnostics are essential for identifying influential observations that may affect the estimation accuracy of regression models. Classical diagnostic measures such as Cook's Distance and DFFITS may become less effective in complex or highly dispersed datasets. In this study, a new Hybrid Secretary–Osprey Optimization Algorithm (HSOOA), based on the integration of the Secretary Bird Optimization Algorithm (SBOA) and the Osprey Optimization Algorithm (OOA), is proposed for influential observation detection in the Gamma Regression Model (GRM). This optimization framework successfully achieves an optimal balance between global exploration and local exploitation. The proposed HSOOA framework was applied to a real medical dataset …

Tribal Governance And Organizational Performance In Iraqi Government Organizations: The Mediating Role Of Employee Competency And The Moderating Role Of Merit-Based Management Systems, Roohallah Noori, Maryam Tehrani, Yousef Vakili, Ghasem Ali Rahimeh Fartoosi

Journal of Economics and Administrative Sciences

Iraqi governmental organizations face a persistent governance crisis in which tribal affiliation - rather than merit – influences recruitment, promotion, and resource allocation decisions, yet the quantitative structural impact of this informal institutional logic on organizational performance remains underexamined. This study aims to examine the direct impact of tribal governance on organizational performance in Iraqi ministerial and governmental organizations, and to test the mediating role of HRM practices effectiveness and employee competency, and the moderating role of merit-based management systems in this relationship. A quantitative cross-sectional survey was conducted with 414 managers and senior specialists across Iraqi governmental organizations, using …

The Relationship Between Financial Depth And Financial Inclusion And Its Impact On Economic Growth: An Econometric Analysis, Omar Mahmood Akawee, Ehsan Jabr Ashoor

Journal of Economics and Administrative Sciences

This research analyzes the impact of financial depth and financial inclusion on economic growth in Iraq, while also examining their combined effect through an interaction term that captures the complementary dimension of the financial sector. The study adopts an econometric approach using the Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) model, based on monthly time-series data covering the period (2022–2025), to estimate both short-run and long-run relationships. The results reveal the existence of a long-run equilibrium relationship among the study variables, as confirmed by the Bounds Test and the error correction term. Furthermore, financial depth, represented by broad money (M2/GDP) and credit to …

Random Forest Algorithm Vs. Linear Regression For Financial Performance Determinants: Evidence From Iraqi Mixed-Sector Firms, Odaiy Obaid Zeidan, Mustafa Habib Mahdi

Journal of Economics and Administrative Sciences

This paper examines the predictive factors of financial performance among Iraqi mixed-sector firms, comparing the predictive power of traditional Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) regression with the Random Forest (RF) machine learning algorithm. Utilizing annual data from 11 firms over the period 2015–2020, the study measures financial performance using Return on Assets (ROA), Return on Equity (ROE), and Return on Sales (ROS). OLS regression identified the directional relationships and p-values, whereas Random Forest evaluated predictive accuracy and modeled nonlinear relationships. The OLS results indicate that firm size, liquidity, productivity, and cash-to-asset ratio have significant positive effects on financial performance, while the …

Navigating Nil In Collegiate Athletics: Athletes, Institutional, And Market Perspectives, Don Lee, Hoyeol Yu, Myungwoo Lee, Minseok Cho

Journal of Issues in Intercollegiate Athletics

This study examines the post-2021 NCAA Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) era by synthesizing scholarship on how NIL policies have transformed collegiate athletics. Specifically, it explores the regulatory, economic, governance, and equity dynamics emerging from a decentralized policy environment and the rapid expansion of athlete commercialization. An AI-assisted scoping review and content analysis were conducted on NIL-related studies published in leading sport management and sport law journals since July 1, 2021. Using large language model–supported searches, thematic coding, and reliability and validity procedures, the selected studies were systematically analyzed across legal, governance, commercialization, athlete experience, and equity dimensions. Findings identified …

“Playing Mental Gymnastics”: Exploring Black Women College Athletes' Mental Health Experiences At Historically White Division I Universities, Ezinne D. Ofoegbu

Journal of Issues in Intercollegiate Athletics

Between 2002 and 2022, over 125 college athletes died by suicide, and Division I athletes represented 45% of these deaths. In 2023, Black women college athletes at Division I universities identified racism as a mental health stressor at a higher rate than their non-Black peers. The intersectional nature of social identities and athlete status may create gendered and racialized stressors that are uniquely experienced by Black women athletes. Given the underrepresentation of Black students (i.e., athletes and nonathletes), coaches, faculty, and staff at historically white institutions (HWIs), Black women athletes are likely navigating campus relationships and environments that are shaped …

The Impact Of Toxic Leadership On Intercollegiate Athletics: Gender-Differentiated Perceptions, Tara Tietjen-Smith, Haley Blount

Journal of Issues in Intercollegiate Athletics

While some investigative research has been conducted to examine the impact of toxic, or destructive, leadership in sport, few studies have focused on intercollegiate athletics departments. The purpose of this study was to examine how common toxic leadership is in intercollegiate athletics departments as well as its impact. A quantitative cross-sectional survey study was designed to examine NCAA Division I and II athletics employee experiences using the Toxic Triangle of Sport Management (TToSM) as a theoretical framework. Respondents (N = 2,051) were asked questions concerning their perceptions of work environments, leadership, and organizational culture procured from three distinct and well-established …

New Basketball Venues And Attendance In Men's College Basketball: Insights For Facility Planning And Athletic Department Strategy, Brad Stinnett

Global Sport Business Journal

As college athletic departments continue to put considerable resources into basketball facilities, understanding the impact these venues can have on attendance has become increasingly vital. The purpose of this study is to examine the impact of new basketball facilities on attendance among NCAA Division I men's basketball programs. Using a longitudinal pre-post comparative research design, 20 programs that opened new venues since the 2015-16 season served as the sample. A dataset was created using publicly available secondary archival data sources. Findings highlight attendance patterns after the opening of the new venue, facility capacity utilization, and changes in program winning percentage. …