Journal of Strategic Innovation and Sustainability

Sustainability Constitutionalism: Adopting National Perspectives on Sustainability

Rhett Martin — 2024-09-20

The development of environmental constitutional rights has provided important legal advances in procedure, standing, enforcement and remedies for matters concerning environmental protection and conservation. The constitutional textualization of environmental norms represents a significant development in both constitutional and environmental law, as well as providing a powerful impetus for cross-disciplinary research. These developments have not been mirrored to the same extent with sustainability thresholds and practices. Just as environmental rights are a legitimate avenue for constitutional protection, this article argues a similar position should accord to sustainability rights in constitutions by constitutional textualization of sustainability standards and thresholds. Achieving this constitutional recognition ensures sustainability has a national agenda for a sustainable future.

Examining Successful Management Practices Among Senior Women Using Artificial Intelligence Technology

Leslie Gilliam — 2024-09-20

Artificial intelligence (AI) technology innovations can intensify the digital ecosystem affecting management practices and the quality of life for female senior business leaders in the United States. The purpose of this qualitative, transcendental phenomenology study was to examine the lived experiences that some female senior business leaders, ages 55 - 95, face using AI technology in decision-making. The conceptual framework are Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and the Mindspace Model. Data was collected through interviews with 12 successful female senior business leaders from nine industries in the US. The Van Kaam method, supported by Moustakas’ theoretical process, was used to analyze the data. Descriptive and inductive coding was used to categorize the themes: (a) AI technology is beneficial, (b) leadership and change management, (c) technology adaptation and acceptance, (d) decision-making and communication, and (e) information sharing and privacy. This study contributes to positive social change as a benefit to seniors by strengthening their AI technology decision-making practices, leadership, and community awareness in addition to influencing positive social change across management platforms.

Strategically Prioritizing Type-Specific Innovations at the Stages of the Supply Chain Resilience Cycle: A Contingency Framework

Bo Li — 2024-09-20

Faced with various disruptions and crises, supply chain decision-makers are eager to enhance their supply chain resilience (SCRES), and they have realized that innovation could be a powerful tool for enhancing SCRES. This paper investigates the relationship between innovation and SCRES by analyzing the types of innovation at the SCRES stages. We contend that innovation positively impacts SCRES if investment in type-specific innovation is strategically planned and prioritized. The proposed research framework demonstrates this relationship and guides how to prioritize type-specific innovation at each stage of the SCRES cycle. This research builds a foundation for future research on the interrelationship between innovation and SCRES. It offers supply chain practitioners a roadmap for investing in type-specific innovation at each stage of the SCRES cycle.

Digital Transformation of Organizations and Their Organizational Cultures: A Case Study in a National Defense Industry

Spyridon Kapotas — 2024-09-20

Digital transformation is essential for organizations to gain a competitive edge in today’s fast-changing environment. It involves a radical shift in products, services, people, and processes to enhance performance, posing a significant challenge. This paper explores digital transformation within a national defense company, which already upholds high-quality standards and a strong culture—key factors in facilitating digital transformation. The literature on organizational digital transformation and its benefits is reviewed, and the digitalization process is analyzed to outline the steps needed for transformation. A crucial prerequisite is cultivating an adaptive, high-performance culture, which requires assessing the current organizational state and implementing necessary actions. This paper presents an assessment of the company and proposes actions for cultural and digital transformation. The inextricable link between digital transformation and organizational culture change is highlighted, along with the benefits, barriers, and strategic proposals for digital strategy, vision, and mission.

Merging Realities for Better Health: A Dive Into Virtual Healthcare

Keren Asgodom — 2024-11-06

This paper delves into the transformative use of Virtual Reality in the public health domain, focusing on its psychological effects, the effectiveness of VR-based patient education interventions, and ethical considerations surrounding the use of personal data and privacy. Through the examination of peer-reviewed studies, the research found that VR offers innovative solutions on health education and mental health outcomes. The immersive digital environment of VR offers breakthroughs in delivering patient education and psychological interventions. As VR devices continuously collect vast amounts of sensitive user information to create unique experiences, the paper discusses the need for data protection and ethical guidelines to protect user privacy and gain consumer trust. However, it is important to address the significant ethical and social issues, and adverse reactions, such as cyber-sickness or escapism, to fully realize the benefits of Virtual Reality.

Kalundborg Industrial Symbiosis: Circular Strategy in the Light of Mutualism

Gilles Paché — 2024-11-06

The Kalundborg industrial symbiosis serves as an excellent example of inter-organizational collaboration, showcasing the principles of industrial ecology and the circular economy. Since the 1960s, local companies have developed a network of material and energy exchanges, turning waste and by-products into reusable resources in a mutually beneficial system. This model not only reduces waste and greenhouse gas emissions but also results in substantial savings in energy and raw material costs. Key participants in this symbiosis include companies such as Novo Nordisk, Novozymes, and Statoil, alongside the Asnæs power plant. These organizations exchange flows of heat, steam, gypsum, and biomass, creating an integrated network where one company’s waste becomes a resource for another. The industrial symbiosis has significantly lowered CO2 emissions and saved millions of cubic meters of water, as well as tons of residual materials annually. This research note highlights that trust and inter-organizational collaboration are essential to the success of this circular economy model, while recognizing that its application in other regions will require adjustments tailored to local conditions.

The New Power Couple: Artificial Intelligence and Renewable Energy

Gabriele Mauro — 2024-11-18

Achieving net-zero emissions is one of the most challenging goals of our time, requiring large-scale integration of renewable energy (RE) into national energy supply chains. This demands new competencies for firms to preserve their competitive advantages in rapidly evolving market environments, often called dynamic capabilities. A promising technology for integrating, scaling, and diffusing renewable energy within energy supply chains is artificial intelligence. However, the literature on AI-renewable energy supply chains is still in its early stages and often lacks broader theoretical development or managerial insights. In response, we introduce a theoretical framework to identify and develop AI-based dynamic capabilities in renewable energy supply chains through a case study approach. Supply chain predictability and optimization, key components of sensing and seizing capabilities, are crucial for developing effective renewable energy supply chains. Our study provides valuable insights also for practitioners aiming to establish AI-driven renewable energy supply chains.

A Systematic Review of Data Visualization

Shilpa Balan — 2024-11-18

Data visualization involves presenting data in graphical or pictorial form that in turn helps with decision support. This study addresses the importance of data visualizations in today’s data world, and its role in effective communication in various industry sectors. This study applied the PRISMA methodology to conduct the literature review. Four major themes are identified in this paper: data visualization principles, methods, contemporary chart types, and data visualization challenges. Popularly applied data visualization principles such as Gestalt Principles that help make data visualizations more effective are examined. Advanced chart types include doughnut chart, chord diagram, sankey diagram, and violin plot. Some challenges associated with data visualizations are data accuracy, complexity and uncertainty. Given the challenges, visualizations still benefit any field of study that requires interpreting and presenting complex information.

Unraveling the Dynamics of e-Government Digitization, Penetration and User Experience: A Case Study of Greek Municipalities

Olga Tsatsani — 2024-11-18

This study examines the user experience (UX) of Greek municipal websites, the first in-depth look at local e-Government services in Greece. Using Lighthouse for technical performance and an Adapted UX Audit, it explores factors beyond digital skills affecting citizen adoption of these platforms. Findings reveal widespread deficiencies, with no municipality scoring above 55%, highlighting significant challenges in usability, functionality, and user satisfaction. Critical issues in Technical Performance and Missing Features, both scoring below 50%, suggest that inherent design flaws hinder user acceptance. The study emphasizes the need for improvements in feedback mechanisms, multilingual support, and accessible help sections to better serve diverse populations. Addressing these gaps could enhance e-democracy by fostering more inclusive, user-friendly services. The results advocate for a strategic overhaul of municipal websites to increase engagement, improve e-Government effectiveness, and strengthen democratic participation. Limitations and recommendations for future research and policy-making are also provided.

The Impact of Executive Board Member Characteristics on Firm Innovation: The Roles of R&D and Organizational Tenure

Youstina Masoud — 2024-11-18

Much of the current thinking on board composition suggests that the presence of executive directors as internal board members is detrimental to a firm’s innovation. Our intention in this research paper is to grant greater nuance to this relationship. Specifically, we examine whether factors that give an executive director greater knowledge regarding the firm’s innovative capabilities (involvement in R&D and their organizational tenure) act to influence firm-level innovation. Using a dataset of 300 firms from three R&D intensive industries spanning a 6-year period, we find that these two characteristics serve to offset the negative effects of executive directors on innovation. Our findings offer enhanced guidance to scholars and practitioners who are concerned about the presence of insiders on boards of directors.