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1 – 10 of 449Lixin Cai and Kostas Mavromaras
The study investigates persistence of individuals' labour market activity with a focus on examining whether and to what extent there is genuine state dependence in six labour…
Abstract
Purpose
The study investigates persistence of individuals' labour market activity with a focus on examining whether and to what extent there is genuine state dependence in six labour market states: not-in-labour-force, unemployment, self-employment, casual employment, fixed term contracts, and ongoing employment, and how the persistence and genuine state dependence of the labour market states change with education levels.
Design/methodology/approach
A dynamic multinomial logit model that accounts for observed and unobserved individual heterogeneity is estimated, using the first 19 waves of the Household, Income, and Labour Dynamics in Australia Survey.
Findings
While observed and unobserved individual heterogeneity plays an important role in the persistence of each of the labour market states examined, genuine state dependence is found to be present for all the states. It is also found that the persistence and genuine state dependence of unemployment is larger among those with a low education attainment than among those with higher education.
Practical implications
The existence of genuine state dependence of labour market states calls for early interventions to prevent people from losing jobs.
Originality/value
Earlier studies often focus on persistence of a particular labour market state such as unemployment, while this study examines the persistence simultaneously of six labour market states.
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Robert Kwame Dzogbenuku, Evans Sokro and Kwasi Dartey-Baah
This study seeks to assess how a humane leadership style affects customer service orientation among casual employees of financial service institutions in Ghana. Using job…
Abstract
Purpose
This study seeks to assess how a humane leadership style affects customer service orientation among casual employees of financial service institutions in Ghana. Using job satisfaction as a moderator, this study predicts that a humane leadership style influences casual employees’ customer service orientation.
Design/methodology/approach
Survey data were obtained from 328 frontline casual employees of financial service firms. The structural equation modelling technique of partial least squares was used to test the hypothesised relationships.
Findings
The study found that a humane leadership style positively and significantly drives customer service behaviour. Job satisfaction also had a positive effect on customer service orientation among casual employees.
Originality/value
The study appears to be the first of its kind to explore the moderating role of job satisfaction in the connection between humane leadership and customer service orientation from the perspective of casual employees. The study highlights insightful practical implications for corporate managers, HR practitioners and marketing academics.
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Suhair Alkilani, Martin Loosemore, Ahmed W.A. Hammad and Sophie-May Kerr
The purpose of this paper is to use Bourdieu’s Theory of Capital–Field–Habitus to explore how refugees, asylum seekers and migrants accumulate and mobilise social, cultural…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to use Bourdieu’s Theory of Capital–Field–Habitus to explore how refugees, asylum seekers and migrants accumulate and mobilise social, cultural, symbolic and economic capital to find meaningful work in the Australian construction industry.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper reports the results of a survey of refugees, asylum seekers and migrants who have either successfully or unsuccessfully searched for employment in the Australian construction industry.
Findings
The findings dispel widely held negative stereotypes of about this group by describing a highly capable workforce which could address significant skills shortages in the industry, while concurrently diversifying the workforce. However, it is found that refugees, asylum seekers and migrants face considerable barriers to finding meaningful employment in the construction industry. In circumventing these barriers, education institutions, charities and community-based organisations play an especially important role, alongside friends and family networks. They do this by helping refugees, asylum seekers and migrants accumulate and deploy the necessary capital to secure meaningful work in the construction industry. Disappointingly, it is also found that the construction industry does little to help facilitate capital accumulation and deployment for this group, despite the urgent need to address diversity and critical skills shortages.
Originality/value
Employing Pierre Bourdieu’s Theory of Capital–Field–Habitus, the findings make a number of new theoretical and practical contributions to the limited body of international research relating to the employment of refugees, asylum seekers and migrant workers in the construction. The results are important because meaningful employment is widely accepted to be the single most factor in the successful integration of refugees, asylum seekers and migrants into a host society and the construction industry represents an important source of potential employment for them.
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Prakash Shrestha, Dilip Parajuli and Bibek Raj Adhikari
This paper aims to examine the current quality of work-life (QWL) situation and the effectiveness of labor laws for promoting QWL in the context of Nepalese workplaces.
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to examine the current quality of work-life (QWL) situation and the effectiveness of labor laws for promoting QWL in the context of Nepalese workplaces.
Design/methodology/approach
It uses a descriptive-interpretative-qualitative approach to analyze the responses. Information is gathered through discussions with 85 higher- and middle-level managers of large and medium-sized organizations.
Findings
The majority of Nepalese organizations accept safe and healthy working conditions, social relevance of work-life, social integration in the work organization, and work and total life space as the key aspects of QWL. They have become even more critical as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, they face challenges in providing employees with opportunities for continued growth and security, immediate opportunity to use and develop human capacities, adequate and fair compensation and constitutionalism in the work organization. QWL-related provisions in Labour Act, 2017, play a vital role in promoting the QWL situation. The QWL programs offer many benefits to employees’ private and working lives. The lack of such programs would undoubtedly have negative consequences for Nepalese companies. Compliance with labor laws will promote a better QWL situation at Nepalese workplaces.
Research limitations/implications
Only managerial perspectives are considered for examining the current situation of QWL and the effectiveness of QWL-related provisions of the Labour Act, 2017. It excludes the views of union leaders.
Practical implications
This paper indicates that labor laws’ QWL-related provisions are effective. It also provides several policy measures for promoting a better QWL in Nepalese workplaces.
Originality/value
This study presents QWL-related legal provisions and the actual situation at the workplaces of Nepal. It also presents the key aspects of QWL in the context of Nepal.
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Ibeawuchi K. Enwereuzor, Amuche B. Onyishi and Fumnanya Ekwesaranna
Supervisory abuse is a form of destructive leadership. Research has continued to document many deleterious consequences associated with such improper behavior at work. This study…
Abstract
Purpose
Supervisory abuse is a form of destructive leadership. Research has continued to document many deleterious consequences associated with such improper behavior at work. This study further extends its consequences by testing a model linking abusive supervision to job apathy through a climate of fear.
Design/methodology/approach
This study drew on affective events theory in investigating the role of the climate of fear in instances where casual workers perceive abuse in commercial banks. A three-wave and three-week time lag approach was adopted for data collection from 245 casual workers in southeastern Nigeria.
Findings
Results from partial least squares structural equation modeling supported the model by showing that abusive supervision had a direct positive relationship with the climate of fear and job apathy, while the climate of fear related positively to job apathy. Results also revealed that the climate of fear partially mediated the relationship between abusive supervision and job apathy.
Practical implications
Managers can be trained to become more supportive and less abusive to address the problem of abusive supervision. Furthermore, casual workers are encouraged to report any abuse from their manager to higher authorities inside or outside their workplace.
Originality/value
This study sheds new insights and advances the abusive supervision literature by investigating the climate of fear as the underlying mechanism.
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Pushpendra Singh and Falguni Pattanaik
Since the post-liberalization era, a noticeable structural change and transition in employment have unfolded within the Indian economy. Hence, the purpose of this paper is to…
Abstract
Purpose
Since the post-liberalization era, a noticeable structural change and transition in employment have unfolded within the Indian economy. Hence, the purpose of this paper is to understand employment transition and elucidate the evolving dynamics of rural economies and employment patterns from agriculture to more productive non-agricultural sectors. Additionally, the study investigates the underlying causes of socioeconomic disparities and their repercussions on employment trends.
Design/methodology/approach
To address the aforementioned issues, this study utilised secondary data from labour surveys conducted by the National Sample Survey Organisation spanning from 2004–05 to 2023. Initially, the study computed the magnitude of employment in both agriculture and non-agriculture sectors. Subsequently, the distribution of non-agricultural labour across various socioeconomic characteristics was estimated. Furthermore, a logistic regression model was employed to evaluate the impact of socioeconomic factors on employment choices. Finally, Fairlie’s decomposition model was applied to elucidate workers’ decisions to engage in non-agricultural sectors.
Findings
The study reveals a significant rise in rural non-agricultural employment, from 98.4 m in 2004–05 to 193.3 m in 2023, indicating changing job preferences. Notably, the construction and trade sectors emerge as significant drivers of this trend. However, self-employment and casual labour persist, highlighting job vulnerability. Additionally, women and marginalised individuals with low levels of education and socioeconomic status lag behind in non-agricultural employment.
Originality/value
This study makes a significant contribution by offering a thorough analysis of the employment transition from agriculture to non-agriculture over a span of two decades. It provides valuable insights into the evolving dynamics of employment trends.
Peer review
The peer review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/IJSE-11-2023-0904.
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One of the major goals of sustainable development is creating employment opportunity among all. Despite its largest demographic dividends, the whole world faces challenges in…
Abstract
One of the major goals of sustainable development is creating employment opportunity among all. Despite its largest demographic dividends, the whole world faces challenges in employment generation among youth. The growing number of unemployed youths is one of the important problems faced by developed as well-developing countries. Youth unemployment is the situation of young people who are looking for a job but cannot find a job in the age between 15 and 24. Mismatch between education and employability resulted in high unemployment rates among the youth. A key research question is that how we can bridge the gap and equip the youth for job field. Although eminent economists, newspapers, international statistical bodies continuously put fingers towards this vulnerability, research work in this field is really scant. On this backdrop, this chapter wants to explore the intensity of youth unemployment in India; keeping in mind, India has the largest youth population in the world. Based on data sources from World Development Indicators, the chapter studies the time series since globalisation to COVID periods. This chapter also tries to search the macroeconomic variables related anyway to the youth unemployment rate. As research methodology, we use vector autoregressive (VAR) Granger causality test. Based on our results, the author has concluded that human development index in India and GDP both ways causes each other. And youth unemployment rate in India causes HDI. However, our econometric investigations can be useful to better assessment of youth unemployment in India from liberalisation to pandemic. At the end of this chapter, some final considerations and policy implications on youth labour market dynamics are analysed and discussed.
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Lisa Knight, Steve Gulati and Emma Hill
This paper presents findings from an exploration of the experiences of staff employed on sessional, part-time or fixed-term contracts (termed contingent staff), focusing on their…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper presents findings from an exploration of the experiences of staff employed on sessional, part-time or fixed-term contracts (termed contingent staff), focusing on their perceptions and experiences of identity within a UK higher education context.
Design/methodology/approach
A comparative case study approach was adopted within a qualitative, interpretivist framework. Semi-structured interviews were used to facilitate an in-depth comparative analysis of the experiences of 11 contingent staff. Thematic analysis was employed to compare identity and practice across two settings to uncover distinct and shared factors.
Findings
Participants highlight several critical issues within the study units, including identity and perceived value, team dynamics, clarity of roles and the sense of inclusion within the broader academic community. The findings also reveal that the boundaries between educational roles – including educator, facilitator, coach, mentor and those associated with pastoral care – are increasingly indistinct, suggesting a convergence of pedagogical approaches and holistic practice.
Originality/value
This study provides insights into the underexplored area of pedagogic practice and identity among contingent staff in the UK higher education sector. Unlike previous research, which may broadly examine mentoring roles or apprenticeship outcomes, this study specifically highlights educators' identity perceptions and experiences on contingent contracts, providing a lens on their professional landscape. Employing a comparative case study design enhances the findings by allowing an in-depth juxtaposition of experiences across two distinct higher education institutions.
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Aung Tun Oo, Ame Cho, Saw Yan Naing and Giovanni Marin
Climate change is an undeniable reality that threatens people’s livelihoods. Flooding and saltwater intrusion, along with the rising sea levels, are affecting agricultural and…
Abstract
Purpose
Climate change is an undeniable reality that threatens people’s livelihoods. Flooding and saltwater intrusion, along with the rising sea levels, are affecting agricultural and aquaculture livelihoods in Myanmar’s coastal areas. Although climate change adaptation is gaining popularity as a resilience strategy to cope with the negative effects of climate change, both agriculture- and aquaculture-farmers are more often deterred from implementing climate change adaptation strategies due to practical availability and socioeconomic barriers to adaptation. This study aims to evaluate the barriers and factors that influence farm household’ choice of climate change adaptation measures.
Design/methodology/approach
This study was conducted with 599 farm households (484 rice-farmers and 115 fish farmers) based in the coastal areas of Myanmar during 2021–2022 to explore the farmer’s choice of climate change adaptation measures and the determining factors. The multinomial logit regression (MLR) model was used to examine the factors influencing the farmers’ choice of climate change adaptation strategies.
Findings
The study found out that farm households use a variety of adaptation methods at the farm level, with building embankment strategy (23.4%) in agriculture and net-fencing measure (33.9%) in fish farming being the most popular adaptation strategies. Farmers’ decisions to adopt climate change adaptation strategies are influenced by factors such as distance to market, education level of the household head, remittance income and the availability of early warning information, among others. The study also discovered that COVID-19 has had an impact on the employment opportunities of household members and the income from farming as well had a consequential effect on the adoption of climate change adaptation measures. Furthermore, lack of credit (42.4%), labor shortage (52.8%), pest and disease infestation (58.9%), high input costs (81%) and lower agricultural product prices (73%) were identified as major barriers to the adoption of climate change adaptation measures by both agriculture and aquaculture farm households.
Originality/value
This study demonstrates that the COVID-19 pandemic and farm-level barriers are the major factors influencing farm households’ choice of climate change adaptation measures, and that removing practical farm-level barriers and encouraging the adoption of adaptation techniques as potential COVID-19 recovery actions are required. This study also highlighted that the adaptive capacity of agriculture and aquaculture farm households should be strengthened through formal and informal training programs, awareness raising, the exchange of early warning information and the development of proper credit scheme programs.
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