Search Results (641)

The transition toward sustainable agriculture has increased interest in agroecological strategies (AS), which aim to reduce chemical inputs while enhancing environmental and socio-economic resilience. Despite growing policy support, adoption remains limited, suggesting that farmers’ behavioral intention (BI) alone may not fully capture the complexity of agroecological uptake. This study aims to identify and validate key behavioral constructs associated with farmers’ intention to use AS, applying the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) as a conceptual and measurement framework. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 188 farmers engaged in agroecological farming in the Małopolska region of Poland. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was employed to validate the measurement model and assess the reliability and validity of four latent constructs: Performance Expectancy (PE), Effort Expectancy (EE), Social Influence (SI), and Facilitating Conditions (FCs). Following model refinement, 17 measurement items were retained. All constructs demonstrated strong internal consistency and convergent validity (Composite Reliability > 0.85; Average Variance Extracted > 0.70). The highest standardized factor loadings were observed for “ease of learning” within EE (λ = 0.995), “reduction of production costs” within PE (λ = 0.990), and “access to organizational support” within FC (λ = 0.985). BI exhibited a very high factor loading (BI2, λ = 0.998), indicating strong commitment among current agroecological farmers. Descriptive findings further point to limited institutional participation and extension support, highlighting the prominence of structural conditions within the validated measurement framework. The main contribution of this study lies in the empirical validation of the UTAUT-based measurement instrument for agroecological contexts and in emphasizing the salience of institutional and facilitating dimensions in relation to farmers’ BI toward agroecological transitions. Full article

Administrative strategies are essential for ensuring efficiency and effectiveness in public institutions, particularly in the context of low- and middle-income countries where governance challenges and resource constraints persist. This study analyzes the relationship between organizational commitment and administrative management in a local public financial institution in Peru. Drawing on Meyer and Allen’s three-component model of commitment (affective, continuance, and normative) and classical administrative theory (planning, organizing, directing, and controlling), the research explores how psychosocial drivers influence perceptions of administrative practices. A cross-sectional, quantitative, non-experimental design was applied, surveying 31 employees using validated Likert-scale questionnaires. Fieldwork was conducted from January to June 2024. Non-parametric correlation analysis revealed a strong and statistically significant positive association between organizational commitment and administrative management (Spearman’s rho = 0.661, p < 0.01). Normative commitment was the most influential dimension, underscoring the role of loyalty and ethical obligation in sustaining perceived administrative management. These findings highlight the importance of strengthening human capital and organizational commitment as part of administrative strategies for institutional development. The study contributes to debates on governance and public sector reform by emphasizing how organizational dynamics in local institutions can shape broader trajectories of economic growth and development in emerging contexts. Full article

The circular economy (CE) has emerged as a compelling alternative to the dominant linear “take–make–waste” model, which has contributed to environmental degradation, resource scarcity, and social inequalities across global value chains. By emphasizing the reduction in waste, the circulation of products and materials at their highest value, and the regeneration of natural systems, CE offers a pathway toward more sustainable and resilient forms of production and consumption. Despite its growing prominence, organizational implementation of CE remains uneven and challenging. This paper synthesizes current developments on CE implementation in business, with particular attention to environmental, economic, and social dimensions. Building on this synthesis, the paper identifies key internal and external challenges and proposes a practical framework outlining seven transition steps for organizations, ranging from strategic commitment and governance to monitoring and continuous improvement. Two case vignettes from the consumer goods and fashion industries illustrate how firms implement circular principles through business model innovation, supply-chain collaboration, and consumer engagement, while also highlighting ongoing limitations and trade-offs. Overall, the paper demonstrates that while the transition to a circular economy is complex, it is achievable through coordinated organizational change, stakeholder involvement, and systemic innovation, offering benefits for businesses, society, and the environment. Full article

Background/Objectives: The global nursing workforce shortage has heightened concerns about burnout, workload, and nurse retention, with an increasing intention to leave the profession and the unit, especially in the post-pandemic context. Although intention to leave has been widely studied, limited attention has been paid to nurses who continue to provide high-quality care and persist despite expressing a desire to leave. This study aimed to explore the reasons for persistence among nurses who intend to leave the organization and the profession. Methods: A descriptive qualitative study was conducted involving frontline nurses and nurse managers working in a large university healthcare trust in Northern Italy. Data were collected through three focus groups, using a semi-structured interview, until data saturation was achieved. Data were analyzed using inductive content analysis. Findings were reported in accordance with COnsolidated criteria for REporting Qualitative research guidelines. Results: Thirty-two participants were included. Overall, two main themes emerged: ‘Reasons that are inside of me’ and ‘Reasons that are outside of me but influence my decisions to stay’, with eight and six subthemes respectively. Internal reasons included professional passion, commitment, autonomy, perceived usefulness, and supportive collegial relationships. External reasons included organizational flexibility, opportunities for internal mobility and professional development, responsiveness to nurses’ expectations, and, in some cases, limited external employment alternatives. Conclusions: Persistence represents a distinct and underexplored dimension within the intention-to-leave continuum. While internal reasons reflect deeply rooted professional identity, external organizational reasons are modifiable and play a critical role in promoting retention. Organizational strategies aligned with nurses’ values, expectations, and professional development needs may enhance workforce stability and inform more targeted retention interventions. Full article

Emerging hospitality markets confront a two-speed ecosystem where operational digitalization outpaces strategic AI readiness, creating a benefit–feasibility gap. Providers recognize substantial technology value yet face implementation constraints from costs, integration complexity, and skills shortages, while guests demonstrate acceptance conditional on trust, with privacy concerns suppressing willingness to pay. Drawing on dual-perspective empirical evidence from Albania’s accommodation sector consisting of a national provider readiness assessment (N = 1821) and a guest acceptance study (N = 689) conducted in prior research, this Design Science Research study develops a segment-differentiated technological blueprint through systematic integration of Design Thinking, service blueprinting, and systems thinking methodologies. Integrated TAM-TOE-DOI framework analysis reveals three distinct provider segments requiring differentiated implementation pathways: Tech Leaders positioned for AI capabilities, Selective Adopters benefiting from smart modules, and Skeptics requiring foundational capabilities. Empirical evidence establishes that regional ecosystem characteristics outweigh organizational scale in determining adoption feasibility, trust operates as a gating condition moderating acceptance and financial commitment, and supply–demand misalignment creates bottlenecks invisible to single-perspective assessments. Theoretical contributions extend TAM-TOE-DOI frameworks from explanatory constructs to design requirements, conceptualize supply–demand alignment as an adoption mechanism, and generate two generalizable design principles: dual-constraint satisfaction requiring simultaneous provider feasibility and guest acceptance, and trust-as-architecture embedding trust mechanisms as structural properties. The proposed segment-differentiated technological blueprint offers actionable implementation pathways aligned with varying levels of provider readiness, providing transferable guidance for policymakers, technology vendors, education providers, and accommodation providers across the Western Balkans, the Mediterranean, and other post-transition economies facing similar heterogeneity in readiness and resource constraints. Full article

Crisis management at work refers to how organizational members handle unexpected or unwanted critical events in their current operational (e.g., employees) and strategic (e.g., management) tasks and represents a key factor for the system’s effectiveness and success. The present research aimed to (1) develop and examine the psychometric properties of the Crisis Management at Work Scale (CMWS), including employees’ mastery of five crisis-related facets (preparedness, prevention, problem solving, achievement and helping others), and (2) examine individual-level dispositional mindfulness (i.e., describe, aware, non-judging, and non-reacting) and contextual-level mindful organizing factors (i.e., preoccupation with failure, reluctance to simplify, sensitivity to operations, commitment to resilience, and deference to expertise) as predictors of crisis management. Data (Study 1) from 791 employees in Italy supported the CMWS’s construct validity and reliability. Data (Study 2) from a two-wave design (N = 414) involving 84 Italian organizations and structural equation model results suggest that both employees’ (Time 1) mindfulness traits and mindful organizing contextual factors predict (Time 2) crisis management dimensions, with mindfulness traits exerting stronger effects. Furthermore, crisis management showed the highest association with the “aware” sub-dimension of mindfulness traits and the least association with the “deference to expertise” sub-dimension of mindful organizing. Overall, our multi-wave findings support the CMWS’s validity and provide an overarching conceptual framework for an organizational audit on both individual and contextual factors underpinning multi-faceted crisis management. Results are discussed in light of the relevance of crisis management for sustainable organizational effectiveness as well as thriving and survival in increasingly unstable and uncertain environments. Full article

Sustainable development is a central objective for contemporary firms. It involves both long-term organizational resilience and improved environmental, social, and governance (ESG) performance. Structural tools that support long-term stability and strategic continuity play a critical role in achieving these goals. However, their adoption depends on the interaction between formal and informal institutional forces. Drawing on institutional theory, this study applies fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) to data from Chinese listed firms. We examine how four institutional dimensions jointly shape structural tool adoption: governance structure, intergenerational heterogeneity, institutional and cultural context, and market-driven and mimetic forces. Structural tools facilitate governance consolidation and leadership succession, which are essential for sustainable development. Our findings show that no single institutional condition is sufficient to trigger adoption. Instead, multiple conditions must combine to enable firms to implement structural tools. The seven configurations identified reveal diverse governance paths across different institutional contexts, including complementary, substitutive, and conflicting relationships between formal and informal institutions. We also find clear causal asymmetry: the conditions that promote adoption differ fundamentally from those that inhibit it. Structural tools provide an institutional foundation for balancing short-term pressures with long-term sustainability commitments. Firms lacking these mechanisms face greater risks of leadership succession failure and long-term instability. Additional analyses using mean difference tests and fixed-effects models further confirm that structural tool adoption significantly enhances both sustainable development capacity and ESG performance. Overall, this study advances institutional theory. It shows how the interaction between formal and informal institutions shapes governance choices. It also explains how governance structures are linked to sustainable development outcomes. Full article

This study examines whether environmentally specific authentic leadership promotes organizational citizenship behavior for the environment and contributes to organizational environmental sustainability. The study employed a three-wave survey design to collect data from 262 full-time employees in Chinese organizations, ensuring the results are both representative and reliable. The results show that environmentally specific authentic leadership is positively associated with employees’ organizational citizenship behavior for the environment. Environmentally specific authentic leadership is also positively related to environmental commitment, highlighting the importance of leadership for sustainable workplace behaviors. Additionally, the study found that environmental commitment partially mediates the relationship between environmentally specific authentic leadership and organizational citizenship behavior, underscoring the vital role of environmental commitment in fostering pro-environmental actions. Taken together, these findings clarify how environmentally specific authentic leadership influences organizational citizenship behavior for the environment through environmental commitment. Practically, the results suggest that organizations can encourage organizational citizenship behavior for the environment by developing leaders’ environmentally specific authentic leadership and implementing green human resource management practices. Consequently, the study offers actionable guidance for achieving environmental sustainability. Full article

Background/Objectives: Healthcare workers have faced increasing emotional strain driven by organizational constraints, rising workload, and accumulated post-pandemic pressure. To support emotional well-being in primary care professionals, the Catalan Health Institute implemented a large-scale psychoeducational group program in its primary care centers. This study explored its feasibility, acceptability, and the factors shaping real-world implementation from the perspectives of participating professionals and community psychologists who taught it. Methods: A qualitative study was conducted involving five online focus groups held with community psychologists (two groups) and primary care professionals who participated in the program (three groups), selected through purposive sampling. Additional qualitative material was obtained from implementation-related field notes. Session transcripts were analyzed using inductive thematic analysis. The study is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT05720429). Results: Participants described a context of sustained emotional strain that increased motivation to engage with the program. The sessions were perceived as a valuable protected space for emotional expression, interpersonal connection, and learning self-care strategies. Community psychologists were regarded as key facilitators due to their embedded role and contextual knowledge. However, inconsistent managerial engagement, lack of protected time, competing workloads, and inadequate physical spaces were barriers to successful implementation. Participants proposed strengthening institutional support and offering follow-up sessions to consolidate benefits. Conclusions: The program was positively valued and was perceived to provide individual and team-level benefits. Its sustainability requires stronger organizational commitment and integration into routine practice. Findings underscore the need to complement individual-focused interventions with systemic actions addressing workload, staffing, and organizational culture. Full article

Sustainability is now central to corporate legitimacy; yet, its implementation remains uneven—particularly in emerging and fragile institutional contexts characterized by weak enforcement, shifting stakeholder expectations, and fragmented governance. Although research acknowledges that senior executives shape sustainability outcomes, it often relies on structural or demographic proxies and overlooks how leaders actually interpret and address these demands. This conceptual paper develops Executive Sustainability Cognition (ESC) as cognitive governance: the capability through which C-suite leaders select, frame, prioritize, and embed sustainability imperatives when formal institutional guidance is weak or ambiguous. Integrating Upper Echelons Theory, Institutional Theory, Stakeholder Theory, Strategic Leadership Theory, and sensemaking research, the paper develops a four-stage ESC process comprising: (1) attention to sustainability cues (selective noticing and issue admission), (2) framing (meaning construction), (3) prioritization (authorization of strategic trade-offs through commitment and resource allocation), and (4) translation (institutionalizing sustainability through structures, incentives, and culture). Eight testable propositions specify how ESC mediates between external pressures and organizational responses, and how institutional fragility, stakeholder fragmentation, and organizational learning orientation moderate these effects to produce symbolic versus substantive outcomes. By framing executive cognition as a substitute governance mechanism in fragile contexts, the paper offers a context-sensitive framework to guide research and improve sustainability practices in emerging and weak-governance markets. Full article

The rapid digital transformation of healthcare has improved clinical efficiency, patient engagement, and data accessibility, but it has also introduced significant cyber security and data privacy challenges. Healthcare IT systems increasingly rely on interconnected networks, electronic health records (EHRs), tele-medicine platforms, cloud infrastructures, and Internet of Medical Things (IoMT) devices, which collectively expand the attack surface for cyber threats. This scoping review maps and synthesizes recent evidence on cyber security risks in healthcare, including ransomware, data breaches, insider threats, and vulnerabilities in legacy systems, and examines key data privacy concerns related to patient confidentiality, regulatory compliance, and secure data governance. We also review contemporary security strategies, including encryption, multi-factor authentication, zero-trust architecture, blockchain-based approaches, AI-enabled threat detection, and compliance frameworks such as HIPAA and GDPR. Persistent challenges include integrating robust security with clinical usability, protecting resource-limited hospital environments, and managing human factors such as staff awareness and policy adherence. Overall, the findings suggest that effective healthcare cyber security requires a multi-layered defense combining technical controls, continuous monitoring, governance and regulatory alignment, and sustained organizational commitment to security culture. Future research should prioritize adaptive security models, improved standardization, and privacy-preserving analytics to protect patient data in increasingly complex healthcare ecosystems. Full article

Olive oil is a high-value product that is highly exposed to fraud, making robust traceability systems essential to protect authenticity, consumer trust, and competitiveness. This study examines how digital traceability technologies influence fraud mitigation and the sustainable performance of olive oil mills in southern Brazil. A systematic literature review, conducted according to the PRISMA 2020 protocol in Scopus and Web of Science, identified state-of-the-art supply chain and authentication technologies, including blockchain, IoT, RFID, QR codes, cloud computing, Big Data, artificial intelligence, and physicochemical methods. Two structured questionnaires were then applied to managers from nine mills in the main Brazilian olive oil cluster, and the data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Chi-Square tests, and correlation measures within a framework grounded in Resource-Based View and Institutional Isomorphism theories. The results show that adoption of digital traceability is still incipient, while internal factors such as organizational commitment and marketing strategies play a more decisive role than external pressures in explaining adoption. Although managers do not yet perceive a direct impact on fraud mitigation, adoption is positively associated with economic, environmental, and social sustainability outcomes. Given the exploratory design and the small, non-probabilistic sample (n = 9), the findings should be interpreted as indicative rather than definitive. The proposed framework is intended as a transferable analytical lens that can be adapted and further validated in other agri-food and industrial contexts using larger samples and objective fraud-related indicators. Full article

This study examines how psychological safety (PS) relates to employees’ innovation commitment (IC) in private higher education institutions (HEIs) in Egypt by specifying a learning-based mechanism and two enabling boundary conditions. Drawing on organizational learning theory and commitment research, we surveyed 405 academic and administrative staff (faculty members, teaching assistants, and administrators) across six private universities using validated multi-item measures and analyzed the proposed moderated-mediation model using PLS-SEM (SmartPLS 4), alongside procedural checks to mitigate common method bias. Results indicate that psychological safety is positively associated with knowledge sharing (KS) and innovation commitment, and that knowledge sharing partially mediates the relationship between psychological safety and innovation commitment. The findings further show that transformational leadership (TL) strengthens the positive association between psychological safety and knowledge sharing, while digital readiness (DR) strengthens the positive association between knowledge sharing and innovation commitment. The study contributes by clarifying when psychologically safe climates are most likely to be linked to innovation commitment through day-to-day exchange behaviors and by identifying leadership and digital capability conditions that amplify these relationships in private HEIs. Practically, the results underscore the value of institutionalizing psychologically safe dialog, developing transformational leadership behaviors, and investing in digital infrastructure and skills to make knowledge flows more actionable for innovation-related persistence. Full article

Workplace weight stigma is a form of discrimination affecting equality, health, and careers, yet occupational research remains fragmented. This gender-sensitive systematic review synthesizes evidence on workplace weight stigma among adult workers and job applicants since 2000. Following PRISMA procedures, we searched psychological, medical, sociological, and economic databases, identifying 25 included studies examining work outcomes. The corpus includes experimental vignette and correspondence studies, surveys, and qualitative designs, predominantly from high-income Western countries. Higher body weight is consistently associated with disadvantages across the employment life cycle: reduced callbacks and hiring, lower wages and wage growth, fewer promotions, and negative performance evaluations. Penalties are systematically stronger for women; intersectional analyses remain rare. Weight-based teasing, unfair treatment, and stereotype threat are linked to poorer self-rated health, psychological distress, burnout, reduced work ability, lower job satisfaction and commitment, and stronger turnover intentions. Organizational-level evidence is indirect but suggests detrimental effects on engagement and citizenship behaviors. Findings support conceptualizing workplace weight stigma as both a psychosocial hazard and a structural driver of labor-market inequality, underscoring the need for size-inclusive HR practices, leadership, and occupational risk-prevention policies. Full article

Workplace mistreatment and positive interpersonal experiences are not often considered simultaneously in empirical research. However, people are realistically experiencing positive and negative interpersonal experiences at work regularly. The goal of this study is to fill this gap by examining the relative importance of both incivility and prosocial experiences on people’s job attitudes. Data from a large university in the northeastern United States revealed significant relationships between incivility and prosocial experiences and cynicism towards organizational change, job satisfaction, turnover intentions, and affective commitment. Further, relative weights analysis, controlling for established job stressors, identified interpersonal experiences as accounting for about half of the variance in job attitudes. This demonstrates the strong role that these experiences have in shaping attitudes. Further, experiences coming from supervisors were highlighted as particularly important. Follow-up analyses provide preliminary evidence that these interpersonal experiences have a stronger influence on job attitudes for racial minority workers than for white workers. Implications and future directions are discussed. Full article