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1 – 10 of 25Vimal Kumar, Ankesh Mittal, Alok Kumar Sharma and Ramli Ahmad
Stress is the most common emotional or mental state that employees experience during their work. The employees in academics and industry are facing increased levels of stress as…
Abstract
Purpose
Stress is the most common emotional or mental state that employees experience during their work. The employees in academics and industry are facing increased levels of stress as they progress through their work. The study aims to investigate the relationship between academic and industry employees’ stress personalities. West Coast psychological consultants Mary Dempcy and Rene Tihista distinguish between the seven various types of stress and offer suggestions to deal with it.
Design/methodology/approach
In this study, the authors have built a survey questionnaire using a sample of 195 respondents from the industry and academic of North India and analysed their responses to find their stress personalities at work. The Independent sample t-test approach has been applied to analyse the employee stress personality.
Findings
The study finds out that stress is a sophisticated defence mechanism that is unique to each individual and varies depending on the environment. Using employee response of academic and industry, the study covers the essence of seven types of stress for individuals, and that lent good support to the framed hypothesis.
Research limitations/implications
These seven types of stress have importance and different levels to knowing their appropriateness to the individuals and suggest to take necessary action of plan. It shows the individuals feel about stress, how the bodies react to it and how to cope with it are all indicators of the personalities, attitudes and adaptability.
Originality/value
The novelty of this study is to apply Mary Dempcy and Rene Tihista’s stress personalities compared with the two respective categories.
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Vandana, Ruchi Jain Garg, Vinod Kumar and Alok Kumar Singh
Present research analyzes and evaluates the impact of e-resources usage factors (training modes, awareness, influencers, utilitarian benefits and ease of use) towards satisfaction…
Abstract
Purpose
Present research analyzes and evaluates the impact of e-resources usage factors (training modes, awareness, influencers, utilitarian benefits and ease of use) towards satisfaction and intention to use these e-resources.
Design/methodology/approach
The data for present study were collected from postgraduate students of Delhi (India) and 248 valid responses were received through the survey. After reliability and validity tests, structural relationships between variables were studied.
Findings
The present study revealed that all five factors significantly affected satisfaction and intention to use e-resources. However, influencers were found to have the highest impact on satisfaction and intention to use e-resources.
Originality/value
The present study is a maiden attempt to explore the impact of e-resources usage factors on satisfaction and intention to use by postgraduate students at management schools in Delhi, India.
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Lata Bajpai Singh, Alok Kumar and Shalini Srivastava
This paper aims to assess the relationship between academic burnout-student engagement relationships on management students of the Delhi-NCR region of Northern India. It further…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to assess the relationship between academic burnout-student engagement relationships on management students of the Delhi-NCR region of Northern India. It further attempts to study the moderating impact of internal locus of control and mediating impact of loneliness on the academic burnout-student engagement relationship.
Design/methodology/approach
The data was collected using standardized instruments from 264 respondents. Descriptive statistics, correlation and moderated-mediated regression analysis were used to test the hypotheses.
Findings
The study found a negative association between student engagement and academic burnout and loneliness. A positive association between academic burnout and loneliness and a moderating impact of internal locus of control on academic burnout and student engagement relationship. Loneliness acted as a partial mediator for the moderated relationship between the academic burnout-student engagement relationship.
Research limitations/implications
Sample size and sampling units are the limitations of the study.
Practical implications
The conclusion of the presented study offers different inferences including validating the self-determination theory (Ryan and Deci, 2000) and possible courses of actions to be taken by academic institutions and students themselves. It ranges from careful investigation of student’s behaviors, design and implements collaborative projects along with student’s involvement in social networking based groups for collaborations and help.
Social implications
With the help of the study, the society including parents, family, friends, officials and academicians at educational institutions can offer useful insights to students through recreational and social activities for behavior modifications.
Originality/value
The major contribution of the study is to understand the psyche of the budding professionals perceiving increased stress and pressure. Limited studies are found in the Indian context and no studies in the past have used the study variables together. Internal locus of control as a personality variable has not been studied with respect to student’s burnout and engagement. Furthermore, none of the studies done in the past have deliberated upon loneliness with respect to the student community.
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Alok Kumar Samanta, Varaprasad G. and Anand Gurumurthy
Health care organisations implement lean six sigma (LSS) methodology to achieve improved performance in terms of cost, quality and productivity. However, the way it gets…
Abstract
Purpose
Health care organisations implement lean six sigma (LSS) methodology to achieve improved performance in terms of cost, quality and productivity. However, the way it gets implemented differs between organisations. Hence, this paper deal with a review of case studies describing the implementation of LSS in health care organisations to understand the nuances of implementation and identify future research directions.
Design/methodology/approach
The journal articles indexed in the Web of Science and Scopus database were filtered out. In total, 154 articles were evaluated using specific structural dimensions to categorise the literature into various groups, and content analysis was performed to synthesise the same.
Findings
This review revealed that the number of articles publishing the application of LSS in health care has been increasing in the last five years. Academic hospitals play a pivotal role to bridge the gap between LSS theory and practice. Despite this fact, certain themes remain unexplored. Not many studies are available that document the application of LSS in non-clinical areas such as pharmacy, internal logistics, maintenance and medical records. Only 20% of articles mentioned the post-intervention data up to three years, thus questioning the sustainability aspect of the achieved improvements.
Research limitations/implications
Various research gaps were identified, which can be used by the researchers to build the body of knowledge in the domain of LSS in health care.
Practical implications
This review provides a diversified view regarding the utility of LSS in the health care scenario. The findings will provide valuable insights for the health care practitioners regarding tools, techniques, drivers and performance measures.
Originality/value
To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study to review only the case studies that describe the implementation of LSS in the health care sector.
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Alok Kumar Goel and Geeta Rana
The purpose of this paper is to identify the steps taken by human resource (HR) managers at India’s Yes Bank to enhance employee retention and to create an environment conducive…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to identify the steps taken by human resource (HR) managers at India’s Yes Bank to enhance employee retention and to create an environment conducive to growth.
Design/methodology/approach
Information gathered from semi-structured interviews has been presented.
Findings
This paper reveals how Yes Bank has transformed its working environment through innovative HR practices.
Practical implications
The approach adopted by an emerging Indian bank to address various HR issues has been detailed, and it is shown how the bank responded to changes and challenges in the internal and external environments.
Social implications
This paper explains that Indian banks are about to come under increasing competitive pressure, as limits on foreign direct investment are relaxed.
Originality/value
This paper provides plenty to interest practicing managers, researchers and students in HR management, organizational behavior and industrial relations.
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Alok Kumar Goel, Geeta Rana Sharma and Renu Rastogi
The purpose of this article is to analyse the extent, strategy and imperatives of knowledge management (KM).
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this article is to analyse the extent, strategy and imperatives of knowledge management (KM).
Design/methodology/approach
The investigation was carried out with the aid of a case study of NTPC, a navratan PSU of the government of India. This paper discusses components of the knowledge management implementation plan and the KM imperatives to achieve its strategic business objectives. Information technology has been accorded an important role in much of the contemporary knowledge management literature. When these assumptions are challenged, the role of information technology in knowledge management processes also comes into question. The paper outlines this perspective of knowledge management and examines the way it characterises knowledge sharing processes and role of information technology in creating a virtual organisation for knowledge sharing purposes.
Findings
The research findings indicate that KM could improve organisational and managerial as well as the financial aspects of an organisation. The KM helped the organisation to manage and institutionalise knowledge management processes and to create organisational culture for managing and motivating knowledge workers.
Practical implications
This is a qualitative study that could be further enriched by empirically measuring KM, person‐organisation fit and its impact on the level of engagement. What emerged from the analysis is the importance of the concept of knowledge sharing. This KM study will help other organisations as they embark on their KM journey.
Originality/value
The paper highlights the impact of KM and the approaches for competitive advantage, which can facilitate knowledge generation and knowledge sharing processes by means of a case study.
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Swati Alok, Navya Kumar and Sudatta Banerjee
COVID-19 placed millions of employees under work-from-home/telework. Employers intend extending telework for the long-term, anticipating business benefits. But the benefits are…
Abstract
Purpose
COVID-19 placed millions of employees under work-from-home/telework. Employers intend extending telework for the long-term, anticipating business benefits. But the benefits are impacted by employees' well-being/ill-being, which is affected by the satisfaction of psychological needs. In turn, need satisfaction is influenced by employees' personal/job attributes. As work-from-home's blended environment disrupts routines, the satisfaction of the psychological need for structure or routines was examined in this study, along with the effect of personal/job attributes.
Design/methodology/approach
Cross-section primary data were collected from 500 teleworking information technology employees from India and analysed using partial least squares structural equation modelling. Vigour and exhaustion represented well-being and ill-being. Telework self-efficacy, standardised job, technology assistance and supervisor social support were the determinants or personal/job attributes. Need for structure satisfaction was the mediator.
Findings
Telework self-efficacy, technology assistance and supervisor social support were positively associated with structure satisfaction. In turn, structure satisfaction was related positively with vigour and negatively with exhaustion, and thus mediated between personal/job attributes and vigour/exhaustion. Standardised job did not affect vigour, exhaustion or structure satisfaction.
Originality/value
Need for structure is mostly studied as a trait, with implications of greater/lesser preference for structure examined. However, this work acknowledges structure as a basic ubiquitous need. Everyone needs some structure. Hence, need for structure is researched from the novel perspective of its satisfaction. This paper also uniquely combines job demands–resources model which identifies personal/job attributes, with concepts of epistemic which posit the need for structure.
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Swati Alok, Sudatta Banerjee and Navya Kumar
This study aims to identify demographic characteristics, personal attributes and attitudes and social support factors that adversely or favourably affect the likelihood of career…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to identify demographic characteristics, personal attributes and attitudes and social support factors that adversely or favourably affect the likelihood of career persistence amongst women workers of the Indian IT sector.
Design/methodology/approach
The research, grounded in the social cognitive career theory, analyses primary data collected from 850 women working in IT via a survey. Based on an original definition of career persistence, the sample was segregated into 427 persistent and 423 non-persistent women. Logistic regression was performed to test for the effect of various determinants on the likelihood of women being career persistent versus non-persistent.
Findings
Being married, having children, as well as high levels of belief in gender disadvantage and work–family conflict lowered the likelihood of career persistence amongst women. While being a manager, possessing high career identity, high occupational culture fit, positive psychological capital and family support boost the likelihood.
Originality/value
The study examines women's actual continuance in an IT career vis-à-vis exit from the workforce/IT field, rather than women's stated intent to persist/quit as previously investigated. It uses logistic regression to identify both hurdles and aids on the path of women's career persistence. The findings can help recognize women more likely to struggle, thus be a first step in targeted organizational interventions to plug a leaky talent pipeline.
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The purpose of this paper is to explore the influence of human factors in quality management on quality improvement practices and organisational performance in the Yemeni…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to explore the influence of human factors in quality management on quality improvement practices and organisational performance in the Yemeni industrial sector.
Design/methodology/approach
Data were collected via a quantitative survey with a questionnaire distributed to 261 managers from 87 industrial companies. Replies from 210 managers give a response rate of 80 per cent. Data were analysed with Statistical Package for the Social Sciences 16.0, including factor analysis, reliability analysis, descriptive statistics, and correlation analysis. Structural equation modelling was carried out using Amos to evaluate the model and hypotheses.
Findings
Human factors influence positively quality improvement practices and organisational performance. Quality improvement practices positively influence organisational performance. Human factors indirectly and significantly influence organisational performance via the mediator of quality improvement practices.
Research limitations/implications
The findings will be useful to both researchers and managers, especially those in Yemeni industrial companies. For further work, this study can be expanded to cover companies in other Middle East countries, and it may include more human factors.
Originality/value
The study is one of a few that investigate the influence of human factors on quality management. Additionally, this study is the first to carry out such research in the Yemen and the Middle East region.
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This paper aims to review the recent advances in processing and utilization of Madhuca longifolia flowers to address its potential as an industrial ingredient.
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to review the recent advances in processing and utilization of Madhuca longifolia flowers to address its potential as an industrial ingredient.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper analyzes the harvesting practices of flowers and recent works on the value addition.
Findings
Mahua flowers are rich source of natural sugars (glucose, fructose, sucrose, etc.) and hence are deliberately used for liquor production by tribal besides various food products, namely, Mahua ladoo, barfi, kheer, sweet puri and as grain staple. Mahuain medicine has been curing people since ages such as in rakhtpitta, diarrhoea and skin diseases and as aphrodisiac, galactagogue, carminative, antihelmenthic, antibacterial and antioxidant. Mahua candy, cake, ready to serve beverages, toffee, squash, ladoo, bars, etc. have been developed as value-added products. However, such a wonderful nature’s gift remains underused due to post harvest spoilage.
Practical implications
Improvement in storage facilities and processing of flowers after harvesting and drying will lead to enhanced availability of flowers for industrial purposes for food, feed and fodder. More value-added products can be prepared by the preparation of flower-juice concentrate, as well as efforts are made to produce powder from the flowers.
Originality/value
Post-harvest spoilage of Mahua flowers due to improper collection and handling practices, and filthy storage conditions is the major limitation of Mahua flowers to be used as a potential industrial ingredient. An improvement in collection, handling and pre-processing practices can diversify its use from liquor production to various value-added and functional food products at an industrial scale.
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