Business Commons^™

Psychosocial Workplace Hazards And Industrial Relations: An Introduction, Alexis Vassiley, Tom Barratt, Kantha Dayaram, John Burgess

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

This article introduces the special issue, bringing together research on psychosocial workplace hazards (PSWH) which engages industrial relations (IR) perspectives. This is important as PSWH are increasingly studied and regulated, with new regulatory frameworks creating opportunity and necessity for IR perspectives to engage with PSWH. These hazards are intimately related to power relations between employers, workers and the broader society within which they interact, a topic of longstanding investigation within IR. To date, PSWH research has largely occurred in the work, health and safety (WHS) field, reflecting a broader historical separation between WHS and IR in scholarship and practice. While …

Ai Agents And Agentic Systems: A Multi-Expert Analysis, Laurie Hughes, Yogesh K. Dwivedi, Tegwen Malik, Mazen Shawosh, Mousa Ahmed Albashrawi, Il Jeon, Vincent Dutot, Mandanna Appanderanda, Tom Crick, Rahul De’, Mark Fenwick, Senali Madugoda Gunaratnege, Paulius Jurcys, Arpan Kumar Kar, Nir Kshetri, Keyao Li, Sashah Mutasa, Spyridon Samothrakis, Michael Wade, Paul Walton

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

The emergence of AI agents and agentic systems represents a significant milestone in artificial intelligence, enabling autonomous systems to operate, learn, and collaborate in complex environments with minimal human intervention. This paper, drawing on multi-expert perspectives, examines the potential of AI agents and agentic systems to reshape industries by decentralizing decision-making, redefining organizational structures, and enhancing cross-functional collaboration. Specific applications include healthcare systems capable of creating adaptive treatment plans, supply chain agents that predict and address disruptions in real-time, and business process automation that reallocates tasks from humans to AI, improving efficiency and innovation. However, the integration of these systems …

Unveiling The Charisma Of Artificial Intelligence: How Voice Assistants Captivate Users And Emotionally Influence User Experience, Bibaswan Basu, Sanjit K. Roy, Chrysostomos Apostolidis

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Although studies have explored user experience (UX) with artificial intelligence (AI)-powered voice assistants (VAs), the cognitive, psychological, and emotional factors affecting user engagement and experience with VAs have yet to be investigated in depth. Drawing on cognitive absorption and broaden-and-build theories, this study investigates how VAs captivate users, enhance positive emotions, and influence the overall UX. To address these questions, we conduct three types of analyses—exploratory, confirmatory, and configurational—utilizing data from 125,600 user reviews on a popular VA platform (Google Assistant) from 2017 to 2024. First, we employ bidirectional encoder representations from the transformers (BERT)topic modeling to unearth relevant cognitive …

Environmental Regulation And Firm Productivity: Evidence From China’S New Energy Industry, Zidan Shan, Xiangyu Han, Zhaoyong Zhang

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Environmental regulation can possibly enhance firm productivity through its competitiveness effects that can induce regulated firms to improve cost-cutting efficiency and to develop or adopt new technologies, known as the Porter Hypothesis, though there is still conflicting evidence reported. This paper examines the impacts of environmental regulation on firm productivity in China’s new energy industry by incorporating the mediating effect and boundary mechanism of green technological innovation and innovation openness within an innovation ecosystem. We find robust evidence that environmental regulation can enhance firms’total factor productivity (TFP) in the new energy industry with green technological innovation being the important mediator …

How Do Workforce Adaptability And Reskilling Initiatives Drive Innovations: The Case Of Western Australian Construction Industry, Keyao Li, Mark A. Griffin, Mengting Xia

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Modern methods of construction (MMC) mark a shift from traditional practices to innovative workflows enabled by digital advancements. These changes demand a construction workforce that is adaptable, open to change, and committed to continuous improvement. This study explores how adaptability and continuous improvement contribute to achieving the desired outcomes of MMC. Specifically, it seeks to examine how these qualities are understood within the construction workforce and their practical implications. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with twenty-five construction experts in various roles and organisations. Interview results highlighted that fostering adaptive skills and targeted reskilling can maximise the benefits of MMC. Meanwhile, workforce …

The Impacts Of Digital Technology Use And Tourism Expenditure On Women’S Family Status: Evidence From China, Jinwei Wang, Juan Hu, Yachen Zhang, Xin Wang, Alastair M. Morrison

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

The status of women is an influential factor in supporting the stable development of families and societies. How to improve women’s status has become a focus in gender studies, with emerging digital technologies and tourism expenditure thought to have potential impacts. This research investigated relationships among digital technology use, tourism expenditure, and women’s family status using survey data from the China Family Panel Studies (CFPS). The impacts were determined through developing baseline regression and stepwise regression models. The main findings were: (1) Digital technology use had a significant and positive effect on women’s family status, and there were differences among …

Towards Carbon Neutrality In Tourism: Pathways And Future Research Directions, Pezhman Hatamifar, Kourosh Esfandiar, Zahed Ghaderi

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Achieving carbon neutrality (CN) in tourism is essential for mitigating climate change, yet existing literature provides limited guidance on effective pathways. This review addresses this gap by examining key strategies for carbon-neutral tourism, integrating both mitigation and adaptation approaches across three pathways: individual actions, industry initiatives, and destination policies to advance CN goals in tourism. This review found that achieving CN in the tourism industry necessitates a multifaceted approach involving stakeholders at various levels, from individuals to destination managers and policymakers, on both the supply and demand sides. Additionally, addressing behavioral changes, ethical considerations, and transparent carbon offset programs are …

Digital Economy Development And Enterprise Carbon Reduction: Evidence From China, Ziyang Li, Tao Luo, Yanlin Li, Yuanyuan Wu

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Purpose: This study examines the impact of the digital economy on enterprises carbon reduction from a micro-firm perspective. Design/methodology/approach: Drawing on China’s National E-commerce Demonstration Cities policy, this study utilizes a sample from the 2007–2015 China Tax Survey, which covers millions of enterprises, and applies a staggered difference-in-differences model for analysis. Findings: The results indicate that digital economic development significantly promotes enterprise carbon reduction. Mechanism analysis reveals that green innovation and production efficiency are key channels for this impact. Furthermore, heterogeneity analysis suggests that the emission reduction effect is more pronounced in state-owned enterprises, cities with less government regulation, highly …

Phase-Specific Pandemic Survival Strategies: Insights From Tour Operators, Kai Xin Tay, Thanam Subramaniam, Jeniffer Kim Lian Chan, Neethiahnanthan Ari Ragavan, S. Mostafa Rasoolimanesh, Joaquim Dias Soeiro

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and a significant and negative impact on the tourism sector, and effective strategies were required to resolve pertinent challenges. The present study sought to appraise the survival strategies of Malaysian tour operators through a systematic literature review and in-depth interviews with 26 tour operator firms. The findings were discussed by employing a reactive, adaptive, protective, and proactive (RAPP) framework to underscore phase-specific strategies. The first phase included decreasing operational expenditures and staff layoffs. The second phase encompassed retraining existing staff while diversifying the current business scope. The third phase prioritised protecting financial integrity, engaging …

Supporting Careers, Strengthening Institutions: A Framework For Understanding The Careers Of University Professional Staff, Michelle Gander

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

In recent decades, universities have undergone profound transformations shaped by globalisation, digital disruption, new accountability regimes, and shifting societal expectations. While considerable scholarly and public attention has focused on academic staff within these institutions, far less has been devoted to understanding the evolving roles and contributions of professional staff. This report addresses that gap by bringing much-needed visibility to the increasingly complex, strategic, and professionalised work undertaken by professional services staff in higher education. This report foregrounds the career trajectories and aspirations of university professional staff. It sheds light on the opportunities and constraints that shape their advancement. By tracing …

Graduate Outcomes Of Australian Hospitality Educational Institutions And Skills Desired By Employers: A Matrix Model, Alireza Amrollahi, Hana Hadinejad, Brent D. Moyle, Nicholas Thomas

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Demand for a skilled hospitality workforce has accelerated post-pandemic. However, limited research has explored the core competencies desired by the hospitality sector and their alignment with graduate outcomes from bachelor’s programs. Consequently, this study uses the Australian accommodation sector as an exemplar case to examine the alignment of skill supply and demand in the sector. An analysis of 28,000 Australian job advertisements reveals that employers seek a combination of soft and hard skills. Soft skills prevalent in job advertisements include communication, customer-orientation, teamwork, and adaptability. Hard skills that emerged include quality assurance, property management, culinary expertise, hospitality proficiency, and safety. …

Shareholders’ Engagement And Corporate Performance, Ahmad Saiful Azlin Puteh Salin, Zubaidah Ismail, Malcolm Smith

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

An investor relations function fosters continuous and direct communication between executives and stakeholders (Chapman et al., 2022). However, this function does not attract sufficient attention from the researchers, and not much literature documenting and evidence of the importance of developing strong relationships between firms with both shareholders and other stakeholders, which can lead to long-term partnership, increased loyalty, and hence, better operations carried out by the business entities. In light of this, the objective of this study is to investigate the connection between the level of engagement of shareholders and the profitability of corporations. This study uses content analysis on …

Dei And Discrimination In The Marketing Industry: Exploring The Lived Experiences In The Workplace. Evidence From Western Australia, Ashlee Morgan, Melissa Fong-Emmerson, Steven D’Alessandro, Marie Ryan

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

This paper explores the lived experiences of individuals in the Western Australian marketing industry, focusing on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) within the workplace. Through a survey of 573 marketing professionals, the study gathered both qualitative and quantitative data on perceptions and attitudes towards DEI, and personal experiences of discrimination. The findings indicate strong support for DEI within the marketing workforce, with 76.6% agreeing that diversity and inclusion are important in the workplace, and 78.1% affirming that DEI should be a business priority. Yet, 25% reported personal experiences of workplace discrimination, underscoring the urgent need for organisations to listen to …

Fashioning Intangible Cultural Heritage In Tourism, Chaowu Xie, Hai Zhu, Jiangchi Zhang, Songshan Huang

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

The fashion evolution of intangible cultural heritage in tourist destinations is vital for promoting intangible cultural heritage inheritance and innovation. However, there is limited literature on its specific manifestations and influencing factors. This study employed a mixed research design. Study 1, taking Xunpu head-pinned flowers decoration as a study case, and following grounded analysis, found that the fashion evolution of intangible cultural heritage in tourist destinations was manifested by the pattern of “traditional ontology evolving into fashion ontology, traditional representations evolving into fashion representations, and traditional constructions evolving into fashion constructions.” Study 2, based on a scenario-based experiment, found that …

Entrepreneurship: A Practical Guide For Business Success, Jalleh Sharafizad, Violetta Wilk, Kerry Brown, Aglae Hernandez Grande, Fleur Sharafizad, Dorothy Wardale

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

This book is tailored for entrepreneurs in their startups or moving to the next stage of their businesses, micro and small business owners, as well as individuals who are considering starting their own ventures. It brings together essential insights, practical tools, and valuable resources developed through two Western Australian government initiatives focused on entrepreneurial training and support. In addition, it draws on a range of business concepts from other sources, refining and simplifying them to suit the specific needs of emerging and growing enterprises.

Designed to be both flexible and supportive, the book serves multiple roles throughout your entrepreneurial journey. …

The Missing Link In Urban Tourism: Connecting Leisure, Accessibility And Resident Participation For Enhanced Value, Juliana Juliana, Amelda Pramezwary, Arifin Djakasaputra, Moh Muhlis Anwar, Ferry Jie

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

This study aims to explore the interrelationships between urban leisure opportunities, accessibility of cultural resources, residents’ active engagement in urban tourism and their perceptions of tourism value. By examining these dynamics, the study seeks to provide insights into fostering sustainable urban tourism that benefits both residents and visitors. A quantitative research design was employed, utilizing a structured survey distributed to urban residents. Partial least squares-structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) was used to analyze the relationships among variables, supported by reliability and validity tests. Bootstrapping techniques further assessed the robustness of the hypotheses. The results indicate significant positive relationships among the studied …

Ijv Announcements And Shareholder Value Creation: Do Industrial Diversification And Relatedness Matter?, Kin Yip Ho, Zhaoyong Zhang, Lanyue Zhou

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Purpose – This study empirically examines how industrial diversification and partner business relatedness influence shareholder value, focusing on US multinational enterprises’ (MNEs) worldwide joint venture (JV) announcements, with particular emphasis on East Asian economies. Design/methodology/approach – Drawing on theories from finance, strategic management and international business, we apply a standard event study methodology and employ three parametric and nonparametric tests (i.e. the Patell Z-test, the rank test and the generalized sign test) to assess the impact. We calculate abnormal returns (ARs) as the difference between actual and expected returns and average them across firms to obtain the average AR for …

Laissez-Faire Leadership, Red Tape And The Meaningful Work Paradox, Abid Hussain, Esme Franken

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

While meaningful work is widely recognised as a driver of job satisfaction, the role of leadership style and bureaucratic constraints in shaping this relationship remains underexplored. This study addresses this gap by investigating how laissez-faire leadership and red tape moderate the meaningful work–job satisfaction relationship among Australian public sector employees (N = 277). The findings reveal that laissez-faire leadership strengthens this relationship, suggesting that the autonomy it provides enhances the benefits of meaningful work, contrary to its traditionally negative portrayal. In contrast, red tape significantly weakens the relationship, highlighting the adverse effects of bureaucratic inefficiencies. These results confirm that meaningful …

Regional Tourism Destination Brand Identity Formation Via Social Media: A Mixed Methods Study, Stephanie Meek, Violetta Wilk

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

This study examines the influence of social media on regional destination brand identity, addressing post-COVID-19 challenges for regional destinations through the Adaptive Control of Thought-Rational (ACT-R) theory framework. We conducted two studies: a qualitative analysis of 2325 social media user-generated content posts using Leximancer, and a quantitative survey of 1239 potential tourists using structural equation modelling (SEM) with AMOS. The qualitative study identified distinctive brand associations for the regional tourism destination, which informed Study 2. The quantitative study demonstrated that electronic word of mouth (eWOM) on social media has a positive influence on perceptions of regional tourism destination brand identity, …

The Metaverse And Sport Fandom: Revolutionising Sport Consumption, Ashlee Morgan, Anthony Kerr

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

This article explores the potential transformative impact of the metaverse on sport consumption. While traditional sport environments cultivate a sense of communitas and liminality, where attendees experience unity and solidarity, the digital shift is redefining these dynamics. The metaverse offers new ways for sport consumers to engage, experience, and enter into an exchange. We present a model that conceptualises the multifaceted elements reshaping how sport is consumed, while also providing a framework to critically assess the implications of this transformation. We address both the opportunities and challenges presented with the expansion of virtual sport consumption and highlight legal and ethical …

Blurred Vision: Understanding Barriers To Initiating Collaborative Market Driving, Kim Feddema, Daniel Schepis, Liudmila Tarabashkina, Sharon Purchase

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Purpose: This paper aims to examine why many producers of origin-bound products struggle to collectively drive increases in market value, despite shared interests. The authors apply a collaborative market driving (CMD) lens to the early stages of collective efforts, to identify the key motivators, visioning processes and explore why CMD can fail to initiate. Design/methodology/approach: The authors present a qualitative case study of the Western Australian monofloral honey industry. Data includes 64 producers’ and distributors’ online content and 30 interviews with stakeholders. Leximancer was used to map marketing communications, and participant narratives were thematically analysed using terroir and authenticity frameworks. …

The Mediating And Moderating Roles Of Entrepreneurship Education In The Perceived Acquisition Of Entrepreneurial Learning And Knowledge, Frances Y.M. Chang, Muhammad Aftab Alam, Murray Taylor

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Entrepreneurship education (EE) is a pivotal inspiration for students’ efforts to acquire entrepreneurial knowledge (EK), which can enable them to found new business ventures. We draw on entrepreneurial inspiration theory to develop a framework that we use to test (a) the mediating effect of entrepreneurship education and (b) the moderating effects of different pedagogical approaches on the relationship between students’ entrepreneurial intention (EI) and EK. The results reveal that entrepreneurship has significant and positive direct and indirect effects on the relationship between EI and EK. Importantly, our analyses reveal that the different pedagogical approaches used in business schools to impart …

Education For Sustainable Development: An Assessment Of Australian And Canadian Business Schools, Eduardo Ordonez-Ponce, Mehran Nejati, Rahatulaain Ahmad

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Purpose: This study aims to investigate whether and how business schools in Australia and Canada advocate for education for sustainable development. Design/methodology/approach: This exploratory study used a sequential mixed methods design, using a combination of qualitative content analysis and thematic analysis. During phase 1, sustainability reports developed by Australian and Canadian business schools (SIP reports), which are signatories to the Principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME), were reviewed using qualitative content analysis methods. Following that, a thematic analysis of semi-structured interviews with nine representatives from selected business schools from Australia and Canada were conducted to triangulate and interpret the findings …

Examining Love As A Central Ethic Of Leadership: A Kierkegaardian And Feminist Reading, Edward Wray-Bliss, Irene E. De Pater

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

This paper examines love as a concept for advancing our understanding of the ethics of leadership. We draw upon writings that consider love to be at the heart of modern subjects’ search for meaning and affective attachment to organisation – necessitating, we argue, an exploration of leadership too in these terms. Existing works on leaders’ supposed love for those they lead are considered. These serve as a springboard from which to undertake a philosophical examination of two dominant formulations of an ethics of love in Western culture: neighbour and agapeic love. Neither of these conceptualisations, we argue, suffice as an …

Preparing Tourism, Hospitality And Events Graduates To Be Industry Ready: Extending The Three-Factor Model Of Authentic Learning, Eliza Kitchen, Edmund Goh, Effie Steriopoulos, Tracy Harkison, Colin Drake, Martin Robertson, Erwin Losekoot, Lynn Waterston

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Authentic learning is a critical pedagogy and curriculum requirement in higher education to better prepare students for future workforce requirements. As such, educators adopt a range of authentic learning tasks such as work-integrated learning, industry reports, and field trips to enable student engagement in current industry issues. Although such actions are practical and have valuable impact on students, there has been little effort to narrow the theoretical gap. The present study addresses this by extending the authentic learning three-factor model (construction of knowledge, disciplined inquiry, and value beyond school) to evaluate the perceptions of educators in THE higher education towards …

Value Co-Creation In Live Streaming Through Tourism Scenes: A Contextual Marketing Perspective, Jun Yu, Chaowu Xie, Songshan Huang

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Purpose: This study aims to identify a value co-creation framework for live streaming through tourism scenes (LStTS). It also clarifies the value attributes of LStTS and makes an empirical test. Design/methodology/approach: The study used a mixed-method approach. In Study 1, a total of 12,216 pieces of viewers’ comments and ten web news reports were coded and analyzed employing a grounded theory approach. In Study 2, data were collected from 587 Douyin e-commerce users. Exploratory factor analysis and partial least squares structural equation modeling were used to test the value co-creation framework of LStTS. Findings: In Study 1, six value attributes …

Application Of Enterprise Architecture To Guide The Integration Of Health Information Systems In Namibia, Laizah Mutasa, Martin Mabeifam Ujakpa, Wandisa Nyikana, Irja Shaanika, Tiko Iyamu

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Namibia is characterized by a fragmented health-care system that has led to data inconsistencies and duplication of efforts. It has also become costly to health-care institutions to maintain these fragmented, standalone systems. This study examined how enterprise architecture (EA) can be applied to guide the integration of health information systems (HISs) in the Namibian health-care context. A qualitative approach was applied to collect data from two cases using semi structured interviews and an interpretive approach in the analysis. From the analysis, the constructs of requirements clarity, information systems and technology (IS/T) project management, systems documentation, and communication were discovered to …

Business Model Innovation Through Ai Adaptation: The Role Of Strategic Human Resources Management, Sanjit K. Roy, Bidi L. Dey, David M. Brown, Aman Abid, Chrysostomos Apostolidis, Michael Christofi, Shlomo Tarba

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

While artificial intelligence (AI) requires business model innovation, it simultaneously poses persistent operational, regulatory and strategic challenges, highlighting the importance of researching AI adaptation to appropriate organizational value. AI adaptation is not monolithic, and its nature and consequent value appropriation processes may vary due to external factors and an organization's strategic approach to innovation and resource management. Accordingly, a taxonomy of AI adaptation and its link with value appropriation can yield a theoretical understanding and practical implications of why and how organizations vary in leveraging strategic human resource management to shape business innovation led by AI adaptation. In this paper, …

Necessary Configuration Analysis (Nconfa): A New Multivariate Approach, S. Mostafa Rasoolimanesh, Hesam Olya

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

This paper introduces a new analytical method, Necessary Configuration Analysis (NConfA), which advances asymmetrical analysis by determining the necessity of configurations–combinations of factors–rather than focusing on individual conditions. While existing methods such as fuzzy-set Qualitative Comparative Analysis (fsQCA) and Necessary Condition Analysis (NCA) assess the necessity of single conditions or factors, NConfA provides deeper insights into multivariate relationships. It identifies necessary configurations crucial for achieving desired outcomes in complex social phenomena. This paper includes a step-by-step guide and an illustrative example of this technique, offering opportunities for reanalysing prior studies and expanding applications to fields such as service research and …

Sacred Or Sacrificed Placemaking: A Contested Fan Pilgrimage Site For Rural Tourism Development, Timo Thelen, Sangkyun Kim, Tomohiro Kai, Eerang Park

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

The concept of placemaking describes the transformation and development of a site directed by the local authorities. This longitudinal study examines the emergence of a fan pilgrimage site in rural Japan and the subsequent placemaking process to establish it as a popular culture tourism site. The study uncovers friction among stakeholders and backlash against the top-down placemaking approach from both residents and fans, whose attitudes are more critical and impactful than those of non-fan tourists towards making the place. The study contributes to a nuanced understanding of placemaking dynamics and complexity by drawing on a non-Western context and its particularities, …