Australian Journal of Management

Meta-analyses are critical for synthesising research evidence, yet little evidence exists to confirm how closely published meta-analyses adhere to established methodological guidelines. Using a structured assessment of 100 meta-analyses published between 2023 and 2025 in top-tier journals, this article documents key features of contemporary practice, including data scale and structure, estimator and effect-size choices, approaches to detecting and adjusting for publication bias, methods for reporting and exploring heterogeneity, open science practices, and software usage. It reveals a substantial implementation gap between recommended methods and routine practice. Although most meta-analyses extract multiple effect sizes per primary study, fewer than 40% of those that acknowledge dependence employ multilevel or multivariate models. Correlation-based effect sizes dominate, but they rarely incorporate the recommended transformations or weighting strategies designed to avoid known algebraic distortions. Heterogeneity is extreme (median I² > 95%), yet it is often only partially reported or explored. Although publication bias is commonly tested, fewer than half of the studies report bias-adjusted estimates; they rely instead on low-powered diagnostic tools. The authors conclude by identifying inferential consequences that are particularly salient for ensuring the credibility and interpretability of meta-analytic evidence in management and marketing.

JEL Classification: C18, C83, M10

Consumer ethics profoundly influences sustainable and socially responsible consumption behaviors, championing equitable trade practices and fostering a benevolent societal impact. This study orchestrates a methodical exploration into the domain of consumer ethics. By harnessing the potency of the Scopus database, a meticulous curation of pertinent literature is undertaken, involving the culling, curation, and critical evaluation of articles followed by targeted keyword inquiries. Consequently, 168 articles were chosen to assume the spotlight in this scholarly endeavor. Through the lens of this systematic literature review, the prevailing avenues of research on consumer ethics are dissected and categorized on the basis of two pivotal frameworks: antecedents, decisions, and outcomes, as well as theory, contexts, and methodologies. Emanating from this exploration, a thematic analysis has been done to outline the conceptual boundary of the prevailing literature.

JEL Classification: M31 Marketing; D18 Consumer Protection

We study the switching of investment options by defined contribution pension fund members using a unique data set provided by a large Australian superannuation fund that spans the market volatility associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. Switching activity appears reactive to market movements, with a spike in defensive switches during the COVID-related market sell-off and other minor market downturns, and a majority of growth switches in other periods. Switching activity has a negative impact on the balances of members who switch, which appears associated with a tendency to chase returns and switch at inopportune times. Relating switches to member characteristics reveals a higher propensity for more engaged members to switch, members nearing retirement age to make defensive switches and males to make growth switches. Our analysis can assist pension funds to formulate initiatives that may help prevent members from making detrimental switches.

JEL Codes: G11, G23, G41, G51, D14

Recent disclosure mandates focus on reporting information about nonfinancial dimensions of performance regarding corporate environmental social and governance (ESG) activities and impacts. Unlike financial information, few programs teach students how to read and interpret ESG disclosures. Further, ESG information tends to be nonfinancial, non-standardized, and lacks a consistent measurement basis (e.g. tons of emissions or kilowatt hours of energy). This makes it difficult for decision-makers to aggregate and process ESG information. In a laboratory experiment employing eye-tracking technology, we find that participants expend more effort processing ESG information. The additional processing is focused on understanding which metrics are disclosed. Further analysis indicates that familiarity with evaluating ESG performance is associated with how decision-makers include ESG information in overall performance evaluations. Our results have implications for both standard setting and future accounting curricula.

JEL Classification: M41

Drawing from the self-affirmation theory, this research delves into the dynamics of why and how leadership development opportunity can boost Asian employees’ job performance in Western contexts. Specifically, we hypothesize that leadership development opportunity is positively related to Asian employees’ self-affirmation of core values, which further predicts higher task performance and the workplace helping behavior of these employees. Meanwhile, we propose that ethical identification strengthens the positive relationship between leadership development opportunity and self-affirmation of core values. A pilot study (N = 101) is conducted in Australia to uncover the positive association between leadership development opportunity and self-affirmation of core values among Asian employees. In our main study, using multi-wave (i.e. three time points) data focusing on full-time Asian–Australian employees (N = 436), we replicate the findings of the pilot study and find support for the full model. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.

JEL Code: M12

Brick-and-mortar businesses can be categorized into net financing and net investment types based on the diverse approaches they employ in financial markets, with these distinctions rooted in internal factors within the businesses themselves. Research indicates that brick-and-mortar businesses predominantly opt for a net financing approach when engaging with financial markets. Nevertheless, there is a diminishing trend in the proportion and scale of net financing-oriented companies, while those net investment-oriented companies are on the rise. Disparities exist in financial market utilization across industries, regions, and ownership structures. Companies experiencing high-performance volatility and minimal agency issues tend to favor net financing strategies, with performance volatility impacting the method of utilization by influencing free cash flow. Agency issues within businesses contribute to managerial self-interest, consequently influencing their preferred utilization method. This study introduces a novel micro perspective and quantitative approach to investigate the fundamental relationship between brick-and-mortar businesses and financial markets. It aids regulators in assessing the modes and extents of financial services provided to the real economy from a micro-enterprise standpoint.

JEL Code: G1 G2 M2

This article investigates the contingencies that lead to outcomes from two levels of organisational openness. First is the strategy level of ‘open strategy’, where we focus on inclusiveness and transparency of strategy-making and the use of IT tools to facilitate such processes. Second is the operational level relating to an open organisational climate, where we focus on autonomy in operations, integration between different departments, and involvement in operational (non-strategy) decision-making. By collecting data from 49 cases of strategy-making in organisations and using a fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) approach for data analysis, we have devised configurations of the aforementioned factors that lead to positive and negative outcomes. The article discusses these configurations with prior literature and concludes by illustrating their theoretical and practical implications.

JEL Classification: M15

This study examines how differences in nation brand strength affect trade between two countries, how it influences the association between geographic distance and trade, and how it impacts the effects of trade agreements on trade. This study uses panel data on export and import flows between the United States and its 36 major trading partners from 1993 to 2016. A gravity model is developed using a first-order Taylor approximation of multilateral resistance terms and estimated by OLS and PPML. The paper constructs a Nation Brand Distance (NBD) measure, measuring the degree to which nation brand strength scores differ between the United States and its trading partners. NBD is calculated based on differences in the Country Brand Strength Index (CBSI) developed by Fetscherin (2010), consisting of per capita values of exports, tourism, foreign direct investment, immigration, and the government environment. The NBD enters the gravity model by itself and through NBD-geographic distance and NBD-trade agreement interaction terms. The findings suggest that NBD mitigates the negative impact of geographic distance on trade, implying that NBD is a significant factor in explaining bilateral trade and overcoming geographic distance. Moreover, NBD mitigates the positive influence of free trade agreements on exports. This means that free trade agreements are less effective when the NBD between trading partners is significant. Countries must develop their nation’s brand strength to enhance trade. Policymakers should prioritize the development of a strong nation brand to make trade agreements more effective and help overcome the barriers of geographic distance. This means that trade policy strategies should integrate different nation branding initiatives, such as public diplomacy, cultural exchanges, and promoting a positive country image abroad. This study contributes to international trade research, particularly to the stream of New Trade Theory (NTT) studies on different types of distances affecting trade. We introduce a new type of distance, the NBD, to complement the development of NTT.

JEL Classification: F14

We face the situation of radical change in work due to advances in AI and related digital technologies, with uncertainty about how this change will affect workers’ opportunities for meaningful work designs, as well as the flow-on effects for worker well-being, health, skills and productivity. A ‘technocentric fallacy’ assumes that technology itself is the primary driver of successful digital transformation. Yet we have learned from history that technological considerations alone are insufficient for human well-being and productivity. The long-established sociotechnical systems theory of work design advocates that the social aspects of work (e.g. leadership, culture, task allocations) and technical aspects of work (e.g. AI, robots) need to be jointly optimised to achieve quality work. In this article, we expand this theoretical approach to fit current challenges, and to enable its wider-scale application. Our team of social and technical scholars propose a ‘co-evolving’ sociotechnical systems’ (CeSTS) approach to the design, implementation, and use of digital technology in work contexts. CeSTS expands thinking across time and across levels of analysis to create a more proactive, and ultimately more balanced, approach. Achieving CeSTS requires interdisciplinary collaboration, methods that can track dynamic and emergent change, and a multi-stakeholder approach that both informs research and shapes change in work. Altogether, the radical changes in technology demand an equally radical shift in how scholars investigate, and ultimately help to shape, future work.

JEL Classification: 033

Existing studies highlight the importance of air pollution in stock market participants’ information production. We extend this literature by investigating the impact of air pollution on management earnings forecasts among Chinese listed firms. Our findings show that air pollution significantly decreases management earnings forecasts voluntarily released by firms. Empirical results are robust to alternative measures, additional controls, the pseudo forecast date test, the difference-in-differences method and the instrumental variable approach. We further identify managerial ability and management mood as underlying mechanisms. The effects of air pollution are more pronounced among firms with fewer female executives, older executives, and less-educated executives.

JEL Classification: M41, G30, Q53

Organizational change is well-studied, yet remains a fragmented field. While existing theory and research identify various organizational change factors, empirical studies tend to examine these factors in isolation. In this respect, the change field has been ineffective in capturing meaningful profiles or configurations informed by the complex interdependencies among these change factors. This limit contributes to a narrower understanding of organizational change phenomena and how change is studied. To address this gap, we propose a person-centered approach as an accessible and effective approach for studying the underlying profiles that characterizes the complexity of organizational change. This article introduces person-centered research and provides a step-by-step guide to latent profile analysis (LPA), a flagship technique used to analyze profiles. After explaining LPA, we outline essential steps for applying this technique in the context of organizational change, illustrating the value of a person-centered approach in conducting this type of analysis. Offering practical insights for researchers and practitioners, we demonstrate how LPA can uncover hidden profiles of subgroups, providing a more nuanced understanding of organizational change. By making person-centered research more accessible, we promote its use to capture the underlying complexity and diversity of organizational change and its impact on the success of change initiatives.

JEL Classification: M50

Business leaders, particularly in challenging times like the post-COVID era, grapple with fostering employee well-being and addressing spiritual needs. Our research explores the link between workplace spirituality—marked by meaningful work, community, and value alignment—and employee flourishing, with a focus on the role of servant leadership. Using self-determination theory, we analyzed survey data from SMEs in Iran and India, where employees navigated challenging times amid COVID-related difficulties. Study 1 (303 employees in 128 Iranian firms) found meaningful work and a sense of community positively influence employee flourishing, while value alignment has a curvilinear effect. Study 2 (215 senior Indian employees) replicated these findings, highlighting servant leadership’s role in amplifying positive outcomes and mitigating negatives. This research advances self-determination theory and provides practical insights for leaders to foster positive employee outcomes.

JEL Classification: D23, M00

Organizational slack is associated with various positive effects on the organization. By focusing on slack’s cushioning property, which shields the firm from external adversities, this article discusses how slack can also mute important external stimuli for problemistic search and increase adverse self-enhancement effects when an organization performs below aspirations. We use panel data on publicly traded firms to test how shareholder voice affects problemistic search and how slack negatively moderates this relationship. We also show that problemistic search suffers more in self-enhancing firms as a firm’s slack increases. We contribute to the behavioral theory of the firm by unfolding the negative side of slack and demonstrating how differentiation between internal and external coalition perspectives unfolds new sides of this concept.

JEL Classification: L20, M10