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In this chapter, we compare five approaches for assessing competences of higher education graduates. We begin by outlining the main reasons for assessing higher education graduates’ competences. Next, we present a brief definition of competences. This definition is applied throughout the chapter, and forms the framework for comparing various approaches for measuring higher education graduates’ competences, and for discussing their relative strengths and weaknesses. We conclude that the existing approaches for assessing competences are suitable for measuring only one type of competence, that is, either cognitive or non-cognitive, but limited in their capacities to measure both. In the context of changing labor market needs and requirements, it is essential either to use these approaches in combination or to develop innovative methods which are equally suitable for measuring discipline-related as well as more generic competences. In this chapter, we discuss the assessment approaches by mainly focusing on employment-related competences. By employment-related competences we mean both cognitive and non-cognitive aspects of competences, such as personal and social skills, leadership, and communication skills.

The changes in the economy along with various political reforms have resulted in an increased focus on enhancing the employability of higher education graduates and have challenged the traditional role of higher education such as creating informed citizens and improving the well-being of individuals and the larger society. In this era of globalization, employability of higher education graduates is considered imperative in strengthening economies and in increasing their competitiveness. This increased focus on employability calls for innovative methods and approaches for assessing the skills and competencies of graduates. Employability is a broad concept and should not be seen as synonymous with the actual employment of graduates. Given these changes in the larger economy and higher education systems, this chapter attempts to map the changes in the overall goals and objectives of higher education against various political and economic forces, and to discuss the implications of these changes with reference to ‘employability gain’ of graduates. In doing so, we first discuss various definitions of employability and identify commonalities and differences between them. Next, we examine the potential of two assessment approaches – self-reports and performance-based tests – for measuring employability gains based on research findings from two higher education quality management projects implemented in Germany.

The strength-based approach is promulgated as a management practice that improves individual productivity and performance. This study's purpose is to explore the prospective applicability of the strengths-based approach to managing and developing employees in small businesses. The study focuses on four domains of practice: selection, training, performance evaluation and task assignment.

The study employed semi-structured, face-to-face interviews to obtain data. The units of analysis were managers and employees of small businesses. Eleven managers and 19 employees were interviewed. Data analysis involved thematic analysis with the NVivo 12 software program.

First, the small businesses used a strengths-based approach for employee selection during employees' temporary status of employment and in employee task assignment. However, managers did not employ a strengths-based approach to employee selection during selection interviews, training or performance evaluations. Second, the managers perceived strengths identification as a difficult task. Based on personal observations, they perceived employees' positive character traits, job-related skills and work-related efficiency as employee strengths.

This study informs managers about a potential alternative to the traditional weakness-based management practice. The findings and conceptual arguments suggest that a strengths-based approach can provide a cost-effective alternative to the resource-intensive approaches commonly employed to enhance employee productivity and performance.

The study provides the first empirical evidence on the prospective applicability of the strengths-based approach to small businesses and explores conceptually the suitability of the said approach to this context.

This study aims to investigate the uptake and usage patterns of information and communication technologies (ICTs) by women small business owners (SBOs).

Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 25 women SBOs who were recruited through purposeful sampling methods. Interview data on communication technologies participants used were broken down into six main categories: internet search, internet advertising, online transactions, telephone, email and fax. Participants were also asked questions regarding proximity between them and different business contacts, and whether technology influenced how they communicated with these individuals.

All participants had moved up from having a basic website to transacting goods and services online. ICTs were used to acquire tangible and intangible resources as well as for informal learning. Geographical distance between SBOs and individuals within their business and convenience of ICT failed to affect participants’ preference for face-to-face communication with key business contacts.

This study has limitations that tend to be commonly found in exploratory studies, such as a small sample size. However, the findings lay the groundwork for future quantitative studies that examine the potential influence of other factors, such as gender and culture, on adoption of ICT by SBOs.

This study responds to a call for research that develops a more nuanced understanding of how women SBOs use ICTs in their business. The findings can be used by policymakers and development agencies in their teaching and training interventions.

This study applied the herd mentality theory to explore local and global social media users’ responses to panic buying across the USA, UK and Australia during the COVID-19 crisis to understand the implications on operations and supply chains.

A total of 208,806 social media user-generated content (UGC) pieces were collected from Twitter in three countries – the USA, UK and Australia. The analysis of this big qualitative data was performed using machine learning–based software – Leximancer.

Positive and negative sentiment towards panic buying during the COVID-19 crisis was observed in the UGC. No significant differences in social media UGC sentiment between the three countries were found; however, differences did exist in key themes. This suggests that the focus, not the sentiment, of consumers’ responses to panic buying differed across countries. Social media users follow their location-based and topic-consonant social “herd”, rather than the global “herd”.

This study was the first to show that social media users’ herd mentality differs in a crisis. The herd mentality of social networks is dependent on factors such as the geographic location of the social network (herd), which can differ from the global herd’s reaction, specifically in terms of topics evident in UGC.

Operations and supply chain managers need to include social media UGC analysis in their strategies in crisis management responses. The topics, not the sentiment, of consumers’ responses to panic buying require managerial actions.

This is the first study to show that herd mentality during a crisis, such as COVID-19, is not unidimensional and varies according to the location of the social media network with profound implications for operations and supply chain managers.

This study aims to investigate how city dependence and city social bonding determine city brand love. In addition, the study examines whether there are different resident segments that exhibit distinct behaviour in relation to city brand formation.

The study is based on primary responses collected from 595 residents from Khulna city in Bangladesh. The research model is tested using partial least square (PLS) structural equation modelling. The resident segments were identified using PLS prediction-oriented segmentation method.

Results show that city dependence (i.e. dependence on urban facilities and services provided by the city) and city social bonding (i.e. social interactions amongst residents in the city) lead to city brand love through city satisfaction and city identification. In addition, the study finds that city social bonding and city satisfaction are important for the relationship-reliant residents, whereas city dependence and city identification are important for the resource-reliant residents.

Future research can investigate the relationship between the length of residence and native vs non-native residents’ influence on city brand love formation.

The city brand managers and planners should adopt a resident-inclusive approach that considers the different needs of the residents to engender city brand love.

The study contributes to city branding literature by empirically investigating the under-researched topic of city brand love by identifying the key constructs and their role in determining city brand love. Further, it shows that the route to city brand love formation is different based on residents’ needs.

Transactive memory systems (TMS) is a theory of group cognition which conceptualizes knowledge sharing and retrieval processes in groups by the use of a shared “directory”. This paper aims to review and analyze the literature and outline a set of requirements for an information system to support and facilitate TMS processes.

The author analyzed all TMS research literature in the SCOPUS and PROQUEST databases, mapping relevant observations about TMS to a TMS process model. These findings were then translated into functional requirements for a TMS information system (TMS‐IS).

A reasonable integration of information management functions into the TMS process model is possible. However, it was also found that social software functions for social networking, self‐disclosure and conversation are a necessary component of such a TMS‐IS.

The specification provides a useful consolidation of the research literature and a reliable point from which to commence design of a TMS‐IS. It is expected that basing these requirements on the research into social cognition will improve the functional fit of a TMS‐IS to group behavior and performance.

Although TMS is a cognitive theory based on knowledge sharing, there has been no analysis until now of the research literature specifically in order to derive specifications for a supporting software system.

The purpose of this paper is to examine the social sustainability strategies of multinational mining companies in addressing risks in areas of exploratory intensity and contributing to social capital in local communities.

This study is situated within an interpretivist paradigm and uses a qualitative research methodology, drawing on data from semi-structured interviews with multinational mining companies operating in Ghana and key stakeholder groups.

The results of this study show that multinational mining companies use strategies broadly categorised as social responsibility, social compliance, local content and relationship proximity to address challenges embedded in the extractive process.

By examining the strategies in addressing risks to sustainable social development in mining communities, this study contributes to fill the social sustainability gaps in mining research and adds to relevant literature.