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1 – 10 of over 4000Sam Prince, Stephen Chapman and Peter Cassey
The paper introduces a new conceptualisation of entrepreneurship that promotes a broader perspective of the phenomenon. The purpose of the paper is to re-conceptualise the act of…
Abstract
Purpose
The paper introduces a new conceptualisation of entrepreneurship that promotes a broader perspective of the phenomenon. The purpose of the paper is to re-conceptualise the act of entrepreneurship so as to reduce it to the fundamental behaviours and processes.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper sets out the motivations for and challenges in establishing a broader definition of entrepreneurship. Following this, current approaches to defining entrepreneurship are reviewed. In light of these, a definition of entrepreneurship is offered that captures a new perspective in understanding entrepreneurship. A critique of the offered definition is offered with regards to promoting theory development, empirical research, quality predictions and a distinctive research domain.
Findings
The authors argue that a definition of entrepreneurship that is focussed on the development and validation of ideas provides a thought-provoking re-conceptualisation of entrepreneurship. Extant perspectives on entrepreneurship as business/organisation creation, uncertainty, innovation, value creation and opportunity recognition/creation are drawn on to demonstrate the applicability of the definition.
Originality/value
The pursuit for an encompassing definition of entrepreneurship has been both extensive and earnest, which has inadvertently resulted in a sizable pool of definitions. The authors offer a re-conceptualisation of entrepreneurship with the intent to provide a broad yet coherent definition that encompasses all acts of entrepreneurship. A benefit of this conceptualisation is the establishment of the endpoint of the entrepreneurship process that delineates it from the domain of management.
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The purpose of this paper is to outline a theory-based approach to defining the corporate reputation construct.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to outline a theory-based approach to defining the corporate reputation construct.
Design/methodology/approach
The approach taken is to describe how to create a well-formed nominal definition of a construct and then show how this definition is translated into an operational definition that guides the selection of an appropriate measure. New definitions of corporate social reputation and appropriate measures of this construct are provided to illustrate this framework.
Findings
The definitional framework used suggests that many measures of corporate social responsibility and reputation are under specified. Thus, the measures derived from these definitions are poorly constructed. The strengths and weaknesses of three new types of measure of corporate social reputation are reviewed.
Practical implications
For scholars the advantages of creating a well-formed definition are that it will lead to a valid measure of the construct under investigation. This will then help to better interpret what are significant findings and non-findings of empirical research.
Originality/value
This paper is an extension of the author’s previous work on defining the corporate reputation construct. Because what is meant by corporate social responsibility is contested amongst scholars this and related constructs need more precise definition and measurement. This paper offers a theory-based approach to achieve this aim.
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Edmond Manahasa, Ahsen Özsoy and Odeta Manahasa
The proposed definitional framework can be used to define housing typologies of cities in developing countries. It aims to define housing typologies in the capital city of…
Abstract
Purpose
The proposed definitional framework can be used to define housing typologies of cities in developing countries. It aims to define housing typologies in the capital city of Albania, Tirana, using the proposed hierarchical framework within the dynamics of four political periods: Ottoman, establishment, socialist and postsocialist.
Design/methodology/approach
This study proposes a new definitional approach for the housing typologies through a hierarchical framework that defines the typologies based on their political period and legality statuses departing from the case of Tirana, which is featured by a heterogeneous context. Such context is characterized by uncontrollable urban development, making typology definition problematic. Furthermore, beyond the form, spatial and functional features, it presents their exterior distinctiveness as an innovative element. The methodology used in the study includes archival research, image documentation, spatial, functional and exterior distinctiveness analysis of housing typologies and exploration of housing form features in different political periods.
Findings
The study identifies urban formal housing typologies in Tirana detached houses, apartments, mass housing, social housing, gated communities, informal detached houses and housing with in/formal additions.
Originality/value
This definitional approach can be used to define housing typologies for cities featured by heterogeneous urban context.
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Ulrik B. Nielsen, Martin Hannibal and Nathalie N. Larsen
The purpose of this paper is to provide a systematic review of the substantial and growing body of emerging market (EM) research. Through assessing the literature an organizing…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to provide a systematic review of the substantial and growing body of emerging market (EM) research. Through assessing the literature an organizing framework is formed to support a nuanced basis for future research and management decisions in EMs.
Design/methodology/approach
Following guidelines of seminal authors, the authors conduct a systematic review involving both leading field-specific and top-tier international business journals.
Findings
The empirical context of the literature is outlined showing dominance of studies involving China and India. Seminal contributions are identified based on cross-references in the EM field and citations in international business literature in general. The definitional elements of the most dominant definitions are compiled into an organizing framework.
Research limitations/implications
Researchers need to acknowledge the distinct contextual setting of specific regions and countries labeled as EMs. This entails considerations into the capacity of current frameworks to lend insights not just on EM contexts but the particular EM context in focus.
Practical implications
The findings suggest a more nuanced approach to managing activities in EM contexts. The proposed framework encloses the EM category on its distinct dimensions. Each provides a unique basis for managerial decision-making on specified EM activities.
Originality/value
This paper provides the first systematic review of the ever-growing body of EM research literature to map and assess the existing intellectual territory. Through this, the authors contribute to the development of the existing body of knowledge and form a solid basis for future research.
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Three different pedagogical approaches grounded in three different definitional foundations of entrepreneurship have been compared in relation to their effects on students. They…
Abstract
Purpose
Three different pedagogical approaches grounded in three different definitional foundations of entrepreneurship have been compared in relation to their effects on students. They are: (1) “Idea and Artefact-Creation Pedagogy” (IACP), grounded in opportunity identification and creation, (2) “Value-Creation Pedagogy” (VaCP), grounded in value creation and (3) “Venture-Creation Pedagogy” (VeCP), grounded in organisation creation.
Design/methodology/approach
Data were collected at 35 different sites where education was deemed to be entrepreneurial and experiential. A quantitative, smartphone app-based data collection method was used alongside a qualitative interview approach. 10,953 short-survey responses were received from 1,048 participants. Responses were used to inform respondent selection and discussion topics, in 291 student and teacher interviews. Comparative analysis was then conducted.
Findings
The three approaches resulted in very different outcomes, both in magnitude and in kind. VaCP had strong effects on entrepreneurial competencies, on student motivation and on knowledge and skills acquisition. VeCP had weaker effects on knowledge and skills acquisition. IACP had weak effects on all outcomes probed for. Differences were attributed to variation in prevalence of certain emotional learning events and to variation in purpose as perceived by students.
Research limitations/implications
VaCP could serve as an escape from the potential dilemma faced by many teachers in entrepreneurial education, of being caught between two limiting courses of action; a marginal VeCP approach and a fuzzy IACP one. This could prompt policymakers to reconsider established policies. However, further research in other contexts is needed, to corroborate the extent of differences between these three approaches.
Originality/value
Most impact studies in experiential entrepreneurial education focus only on organisation-creation-based education. This study contributes by investigating entrepreneurial education that is also grounded in two other definitional foundations. Allowance has been made for novel comparative conclusions.
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Abraham Carmeli, D. Elizur and Eyal Yaniv
This study attempts to analyze the structure of work commitment by delineating and classifying the content areas that constitute the conceptual space of the work commitment domain.
Abstract
Purpose
This study attempts to analyze the structure of work commitment by delineating and classifying the content areas that constitute the conceptual space of the work commitment domain.
Design/methodology/approach
Building on the work commitment literature, the present study considers the identified forms of work commitment, but goes beyond these forms to explore a basic conceptual structure of the domain.
Findings
The findings indicated that multiple commitment measures provide more comprehensive information concerning individuals' work commitment than a single general measure. Specifically, facet analysis provides an important tool for researchers to understand the structure of work commitment.
Originality/value
The multifaceted approach employed in this study enabled the designing and empirical testing of a structural definitional framework of work commitment, which despite growing interest, lacks such a definition. Only two of the three possible facets were examined. Future research may use the complete definitional framework in order to systematically develop an empirical tool that will represent all three facets and their elements.
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Anthony McMullan and Stephen Dann
This paper aims to present a new model of marketing analysis that is capable of using the embedded knowledge that sits untapped in the history of marketing thought to solve…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to present a new model of marketing analysis that is capable of using the embedded knowledge that sits untapped in the history of marketing thought to solve contemporary marketing problems – the conceptual-historical analytical research model (CHARM).
Design/methodology/approach
This paper outlines the evolution of historical analysis methods (HAM), along with critiques and enhancements of the prior processes offered by Savitt (1980), Nevett (1991) and Golder (2000). From these foundations, the paper outlines the components of the model of historical analysis, detailing the development of the analytical template design. It also details the four-step process of engaging structured revisits of past knowledge for contemporary problem-solving.
Findings
The CHARM for problem-solving in marketing is a knowledge-gathering system that informs marketing decisions addressing contemporary problems. This is achieved through the use of embedded knowledge from a corpus of historical texts.
Research limitations/implications
This paper provides a method for future researchers to apply for replicable examination of historical texts and to assist intercoder reliability for multi-author history projects through the application of structured templates.
Practical implications
The CHARM for problem-solving in marketing is a knowledge-gathering system that informs marketing decisions addressing contemporary problems. This is achieved through the use of embedded knowledge from a corpus of historical texts.
Originality/value
The CHARM process applies a systematic protocol for engaging qualitative sources for historical analysis through preset data collection templates, structured analysis frameworks and definitional understanding templates for improved replicability. This paper presents a new model of approaching historical analysis through a problem-solving lens, whereby historical sources become the foundations for the solution to a problem, rather than just the literature review that identifies the presence of gap.
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Mohammad Salman, Showkat Ahmad Ganie and Imran Saleem
This paper follows three objectives. The paper aims to demonstrate a synoptic view of the historical evolution of competence, significant growth and changes in conversation. The…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper follows three objectives. The paper aims to demonstrate a synoptic view of the historical evolution of competence, significant growth and changes in conversation. The second objective is to investigate the meaning and definitional usage of competence and competency. The third objective is to present a synoptic view of different dimensions of competence.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper reviews the selected literature spanning from 1959 to date from various databases using the following keywords: competence, competency, employee competence, employee competency, competency management and competency-based management. A total of 170 studies were selected in the first wave. In the second wave, a detailed assessment was made, as suggested by Tranfield Denyer and Smart, to ascertain the relevance of the articles. In this way, only 63 studies were selected for the review. This study also considers other relevant literature.
Findings
The historical evolution demonstrates that competence scholarship has focused on use of the concept in different fields and contexts, theoretical frameworks for competence development and strategic relevance of competence-based (demand-based) human resource management. Results also suggest that the term competency and competence are interchangeably usable. Finally, the review summarizes a total of 16 dimensions of competence, studied in various contexts and classifies them into hard and soft competence and further dividing them into knowledge, skill and self-actualization-related competence.
Research limitations/implications
This paper discusses various research implications for human resource development scholars and professionals.
Originality/value
This paper is a unique attempt to review the literature on three themes of employee competence.
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Peter Foreman and David A. Whetten
Although the organizational identity (OI) construct (Albert & Whetten, 1985) is now in its fourth decade, research in the field has been somewhat uneven, particularly with respect…
Abstract
Although the organizational identity (OI) construct (Albert & Whetten, 1985) is now in its fourth decade, research in the field has been somewhat uneven, particularly with respect to an essentialist view and hypothetico-deductive type of studies. Believing that this stems in large part from insufficient construct clarity (Suddaby, 2010), this theory-development initiative presents an expanded conceptual framework. The authors exploit several key elements of individual identity and make the case for using these as the basis for conceptualizing an organizational-level equivalent. Starting with the premise that an individual’s identity is the product of comparisons, two dimensions are identified: the type of comparison (similarity, difference), referred to as the “identity conundrum,” and the object of comparison (self–other, self–self), referred to as the “identity perspective.” The authors then propose a four-cell distinctive conceptual domain for OI and explore its implications for scholarship.
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Shmuel Stashevsky and Dov Elizur
The major objective of the study was to analyze the structure of the Quality Management (QM) domain, as it is perceived by rank and file employees and middle management. A…
Abstract
The major objective of the study was to analyze the structure of the Quality Management (QM) domain, as it is perceived by rank and file employees and middle management. A definitional framework for the QM domain was suggested based on two facets: behavior modality and organizational referents. Subjects were 208 employees in three industrial organizations in Israel, which were in the process of applying a QM program. Factor Analysis identified one of the facets defined – the referents. Guttman’s Smallest Space Analysis was applied next for testing the proposed hypotheses. An empirical double‐ordered system, a Radex structure, was obtained that reflects the facets of the definition: behavior modality (performance, satisfaction and evaluation) and referents (employee, colleagues, supervisor and management). Unlike previous studies on introducing other change programs, management comes nearer to the employees, reflecting the high involvement of the management in QM programs. The roles of the above facets in the present study as compared to other studies are discussed, as well as the possibility of applying the proposed definitional framework to other change programs.
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