A similarity measure on tree structured business data

In many business situations, products or user profile data are so complex that they need to be described by use of tree structures. Evaluating the similarity between tree-structured data is essential in many applications, such as recommender systems. To evaluate the similarity between two trees, concept corresponding nodes should be identified by constructing an edit distance mapping between them. Sometimes, the intension of one concept includes the intensions of several other concepts. In that situation, a one-to-many mapping should be constructed from the point of view of structures. This paper proposes a tree similarity measure model that can construct this kind of mapping. The similarity measure model takes into account all the information on nodes’ concepts, weights, and values. The conceptual similarity and the value similarity between two trees are evaluated based on the constructed mapping, and the final similarity measure is assessed as a weighted sum of their conceptual and value similarities. The effectiveness of the proposed similarity measure model is shown by an illustrative example and is also demonstrated by applying it into a recommender system.

Implementing green business processes : the importance of functional affordances of information systems

An environmentally sustainable and thus green business process is one that delivers organizational value whilst also exerting a minimal impact on the natural environment. Recent works from the field of Information Systems (IS) have argued that information systems can contribute to the design and implementation of sustainable business processes. While prior research has investigated how information systems can be used in order to support sustainable business practices, there is still a void as to the actual changes that business processes have to undergo in order to become environmentally sustainable, and the specific role that information systems play in enabling this change. In this paper, we provide a conceptualization of environmentally sustainable business processes, and discuss the role of functional affordances of information systems in enabling both incremental and radical changes in order to make processes environmentally sustainable. Our conceptualization is based on (a) a fundamental definition of the concept of environmental sustainability, grounded in two basic components: the environmental source and sink functions of any project or activity, and (b) the concept of functional affordances, which describe the potential uses originating in the material properties of information systems in relation to their use context. In order to illustrate the application of our framework and provide a first evaluation, we analyse two examples from prior research where information systems impacted on the sustainability of business processes.

Patient and business rules extraction and formalisation using SVN and SBVR for automated healthcare

This paper describes advances in automated health service selection and composition in the Ambient Assisted Living (AAL) domain. We apply a Service Value Network (SVN) approach to automatically match medical practice recommendations to health services based on sensor readings in a home care context. Medical practice recommendations are extracted from National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) guidelines. Service networks are derived from Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) listings. Service provider rules are further formalised using Semantics of Business Vocabulary and Business Rules (SBVR), which allows business participants to identify and define machine-readable rules. We demonstrate our work by applying an SVN composition process to patient profiles in the context of Type 2 Diabetes Management.

Value relevance of information in hi-tech industries in Australia : accounting information and intangible asset disclosures

The main objective of this study is to test the value relevance of financial and non-financial information in high-tech industries in Australia. Ninety-one companies were selected from the sectors of Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology and Life Sciences; Technology, Hardware and Equipment; and Telecommunication Services of ASX for the analysis. Both financial and non-financial sections of annual reports were scrutinized in order to obtain data for the analysis. The unaudited sections of annual reports were particularly analysed using NVivo to obtain the word-count of intangible assets. Ohlson’s (1995) Equity Valuation Model (modified for the intangible assets disclosures) was explicitly applied to examine the value relevance of financial and non-financial information. The overall results provide evidence that book value is the most significant factor and earnings are the least significant factor in deciding share prices in high-tech industries in Australia. This finding supports the previous studies that showed value relevance declined in earnings but increased in book value. This research proved that voluntary disclosures of intangible assets are value relevant, providing support for the previous US and Australian studies and the conclusion that investors probably increasingly rely upon alternative information sources.

Does privatisation drive innovation? Business model innovation through stakeholder viewpoints: the case of Sydney Airport 10 years post-privatisation

Broad economic and social reform, rapid technological change and increasing global competition have meant that organisations must consider all aspects of their business model in order to successfully create and capture ongoing customer value. In this study it is proposed that business model innovation must always consider and incorporate the symbiotic and interdependent relationship that stakeholders have with an organisation. One particular aspect of economic reform, privatisation, has become an important driver of economic growth in many economies, particularly when linked with the rapid growth of air travel. Privatisation of an airport can generate a radical change in the overall business model for the airport owner and the various stakeholders involved in the operation of the airport. Sydney Airport has restructured its overarching business model to meet the demands of stakeholders. Using feedback from key stakeholders, this research examines the generally accepted view that airport privatisation leads to an improvement in airport performance. Chesbrough's Business Model Framework provides a lens to assist the analysis of Sydney Airport operations before and after privatisation, and provides valuable insights into the impact of privatisation on business model innovation. © Cambridge University Press and Australian and New Zealand Academy of Management 2014.

Benefits, impediments and critical success factors in B2C E-business adoption

This paper reports the results of a study carried out to assess the benefits, impediments and major critical success factors in adopting business to consumer e-business solutions. A case study method of investigation was used, and the experiences of six online companies and two bricks and mortar companies were documented. The major impediments identified are: leadership issues, operational issues, technology, and ineffective solution design. The critical success factors in the adoption of e-business are identified as: combining e-business knowledge, value proposition and delivery measurement, customer satisfaction and retention, monitoring internal processes and competitor activity, and finally building trust. Findings suggest that above all, adoption of e-business should be appropriate, relevant, value adding, and operationally as well as strategically viable for an organization instead of being a result of apprehensive compliance.

Looking beyond HRM practices in enhancing employee retention in BPOs: focus on employee–organisation value fit

This paper argues that the effectiveness of HRM practices in tackling employee retention can be enhanced by improving the compatibility between employee and organisational values. We test our hypothesis using structural equation modelling on a sample of 258 employees in business process outsourcing (BPO) firms in the Philippines. The results show that the fit between employee and organisation values positively and partially mediates the effects of HRM practices on employee retention. However, employee–organisation value clash in US-owned BPOs was found to have a negative effect on employee retention. Because employees are less likely to leave when they share similar values as their organisations, HRM practices can be used strategically to improve the employee–organisation value fit to improve retention. The implications of the findings for HR managers of BPOs in developing countries are fully discussed.

A stakeholder approach to corporate social responsibility, reputation and business performance

Purpose - This paper aims to investigate business managers' assessment of stakeholders' influence on corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives. The key stakeholders included "employees" and "unions" as internal and "public", the "media" and the "government" as external stakeholders. The purpose was to estimate the influence of stakeholders that managers perceive as important. Moreover, the study sought to identify association between the CSR construct and corporate reputation and in turn whether this influences business performance. Design/methodology/approach - This study uses a mail survey with a random sampling of senior managers sourced from Dun & Bradstreet's Australian business database, focusing on large organizations (i.e. minimum $10 million p.a. reported sales and minimum 100 employees) as the selection criteria. A conceptual model was developed and tested using structural equation modeling. Findings - The results identified that "employees" and the "public" are perceived to be the influential stakeholder groups in CSR decision-making. There was evidence of a positive relationship between the CSR construct and reputation, which in turn influenced market share, but not profitability. Research limitations/implications - This study examined a cross-section of organizations using Dun & Bradstreet's database of Australian businesses and may not fully represent the Australian business mix. The effective response rate of 7.2 per cent appears to be low, even though it is comparable with other research in the CSR area. There may have been some self-selection by the respondents, although there were no statistically significant differences identified in the corporate characteristics of those invited to participate and those responding with usable questionnaires. Practical implications - Managers can adopt a stakeholder-influenced CSR strategy to generate strong corporate reputation to improve business performance. It is important to ensure that the interests of "employees" and "public" stakeholders are addressed within organizational strategy. Respondents were less concerned about government stakeholders and thus government involvement in organizational CSR may need to be revisited. Social implications - The major concern that emerges from these findings is the absence of the perceived importance of regulatory stakeholders on firms' CSR activities. Regulatory controls of CSR messages could reduce or eliminate inaccurate and misleading information to the public. Originality/value - The analysis explains the perceived relative influence of stakeholders on CSR decisions. It also provides an understanding of the link between organizational CSR reputation and organization's performance.

Making sense of business leadership vis-à-vis china’s reform and transition

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore the contemporary paradigm of business leadership vis-à-vis China’s reform and transitional context. Design/methodology/approach – The paper employs an evidence-based approach to explore the business leadership issues influenced by economic reform and within the context of societal transition in China. A qualitative research method was adopted based on in-depth interviews with a number of middle managers from a variety of Chinese enterprises, including state-owned, domestic-private and foreigninvested enterprises. Content analysis of several rounds of interviews added depth to the data analysis. Findings – The findings complement existing thoughts and illustrate concepts, issues, and characteristics not yet emphasized in mainstream literature. General patterns and associated characteristics of business leadership in China, as well as specific patterns associated with different forms of enterprise ownerships, are identified. Research limitations/implications – The study makes a timely and necessary contribution that enriches context-specific understandings of business leadership against the backdrop of surrounding economic, social, and cultural changes. Practical implications – The study enriches understandings of commonalities and differences in leadership across the globe, facilitating working collaboratively to achieve common goals in a global community. Originality/value – The study offers new insights into business leadership by linking contextual, personal, and cognitional factors together and demonstrates some unique characteristics of leadership styles in transitional economies like China.

Challenges to providing work integrated learning to international business students at Australian universities

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to report on a three-year Australian study of international business and accounting students and the transition to employment. For international students seeking to differentiate themselves in a highly competitive global labour market, foreign work experience is now an integral part of the overseas study “package”. Work-integrated learning (WIL) is seen to provide critical “employability” knowledge and skills, however, international students have low participation rates. The high value placed on WIL among international students poses challenges for Australia as well as opportunities. Understanding the issues surrounding international students and WIL is closely linked to Australia’s continued success in the international education sector which has broad, long-term, social and economic implications.Design/methodology/approach – This paper draws on 59 interviews with a range of stakeholders including international students, universities, government, employers and professional bodies. Central to the paper is an in-depth case study of WIL in the business and accounting discipline at one Australian university.Findings – Providing international students with access to discipline-related work experience has emerged as a critical issue for Australian universities. The study finds that enhancing the employability skills of internationals students via integrated career education, a focus on English language proficiency and “soft skills” development are central to success in WIL. Meeting the growing demand for WIL among international students requires a multipronged approach which hinges on cooperation between international students, universities, employers and government.Originality/value – This project aims to fill a critical knowledge gap by advancing theories in relation to international students and WIL. While there is a significant body of research in the fields of international education and WIL, there is an absence of research exploring the intersection between the two fields. The study will contribute to the advancement of knowledge in both fields by exploring the emerging issue of WIL and international students.

Managerial entrenchment and firm value: a dynamic perspective

We examine the impact of managerial entrenchment on firm value using a dynamic model with firm fixed effects. To estimate the model, we employ the long-difference technique, which is shown by our simulation to deliver the least biased estimates. Based on a large sample of U.S. companies, we document a significantly negative and causal effect of managerial entrenchment on firm value after taking into account omitted variables, reverse causality, and highly persistent endogenous variables. Additional analysis suggests that the causality running from managerial entrenchment to firm value is more pronounced than that for reverse causality.

The provision of business advice to SMEs by external accountants

Purpose – Business advisory services are an emerging service category for external accountants in the small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) environment. The purpose of this study is to investigate determinants of SME demand for business advice, drawing on the agency theory, relational marketing and resource-based literatures.

Design/methodology/approach – The study empirically tested theoretical predictions based on an Australia-wide survey of SMEs, in which 485 firms responded to a questionnaire.

Findings – The results show that the purchase of business advice is significantly and positively associated with the perceived competence of the external accountant, but significantly and negatively associated with length of the relationship. However, the authors observe a significant positive interaction between tenure of the relationship and competence. A unique contribution of this study is the development of the understanding of the combined role of the external accountant’s competence and the tenure of the relationship. The findings indicate that SMEs require time to verify whether accountants have the competence to provide business advice, suggesting that information asymmetry and uncertainty is minimised only after SMEs have nurtured relationships with their external accountants, and after they have developed some confidence in the competence of their external accountants. At the same time, the negative association with tenure suggests that when accountants are not perceived as competent advisors, SMEs purchase less advice over time.

Research limitations/implications – The paper has important theoretical implications by augmenting agency theory, the relational marketing and the resource-based literature, and it clarifies which antecedent factors are important in explaining demand for business advisory services provided by accountants to their SME clients. In particular, the paper highlights the importance of the combined roles that the external accountant’s competence and tenure play in the SME–accountant relationship, highlighting how these two factors can overcome credence issues and ex ante information problems.

Practical implications – The findings have practical implications for government initiatives targeting support to SMEs, as the findings identify small firms and firms planning to grow as likely to gain the greatest benefit from external advice and support.

Originality/value – This study adds to the limited literature and scant theoretical discussions on the emergence of business advisory services that accountants provide to their SME clients by drawing on several theories to explain the determinants of business advice.