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21 – 30 of over 187000The overall aim of this paper is to identify the human capital and organizational factors that facilitate knowledge supporting system to boost innovation in emerging markets. The…
Abstract
Purpose
The overall aim of this paper is to identify the human capital and organizational factors that facilitate knowledge supporting system to boost innovation in emerging markets. The innovative capability of organizations depends undoubtedly on how successful they are in the generation of knowledge, either via external acquisition or internal creation, and how organizational culture, management support and human capital factors are significant.
Design/methodology/approach
To validate this phenomenon, a quantitative explanatory study was designed. Data collection was carried out through a questionnaire completed by 211 respondent of firms located in Mexico. During data analysis, structural equation modeling was implemented with the support of SmartPLS 3.0 to understand the moderating role of organizational factors and human capital between knowledge support system and innovativeness.
Findings
The findings show that it is fundamental to build theories grounded in the particular realities of Latin American countries. For instance, these results suggest that there are two paths of innovation in Mexico in which organizational and human factors play key but differentiated roles. On the one hand, organizational culture, top management support, commitment and openness to innovation are essential to building and maintaining a knowledge support system that enables innovation. Additionally, promoting people-oriented organizations is key to innovation. Human capital factors, such as collaborators' motivation, professional skills and the opportunity to learn, intensify the knowledge support system and innovative capability.
Research limitations/implications
The main limitations of the study are that only Mexican firms have been analyzed, and it is not possible to generalize the results to other contexts. Additionally, we have not identified whether the organizations that participated in the study originated in Mexico or are global enterprises that operate in Mexico. It could be significant to analyze whether multinationals from other countries that are operating in Mexico are more committed to learning to innovate than Mexican firms and the differences in their knowledge generation activities.
Practical implications
The results of this study invite: (1) Managers to develop strategic initiatives that systematically promote knowledge generation activities identifying external and internal activities that allow them to build and maintain a knowledge support system, (2) Organizations to promote collaborative spaces in which employees can work in teams and strengthen their social ties, identifying communication physical and virtual spaces to share new ideas, seek new ways of doing things, and explore new processes and activities. This process will be significant in a culture where resistance to change predefines how knowledge translates into innovation.
Social implications
The improvement of collaborators skills must be accompanied by other policies to enhance the innovation and business environment including the modernization and expansion of infrastructure. It is fundamental that governments firms and universities jointly develop a research agenda that will lead to the identification of significant issues and the effectiveness of solutions to foster innovation in Mexico. Only a holistic approach is likely to help the country move up the value chain and become a knowledge economy. In fact innovation is seen as a social process of public sector organizations that promote knowledge infrastructure such as universities and the government agencies that produce knowledge.
Originality/value
These results suggest that there are two paths of innovation in Mexico in which organizational and human factors play a key but differentiated role. In Mexican firms, innovative capability is possible due to knowledge support systems built on organizational factors, and human capital factors, such as professional skills and motivation for opportunities to learn which intensify innovation.
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Zhangming Ma, Heap-Yih Chong and Pin-Chao Liao
Human error is among the leading causes of construction-based accidents. Previous studies on the factors affecting human error are rather vague from the perspective of complex and…
Abstract
Purpose
Human error is among the leading causes of construction-based accidents. Previous studies on the factors affecting human error are rather vague from the perspective of complex and changeable working environments. The purpose of this paper is to develop a dynamic causal model of human errors to improve safety management in the construction industry. A theoretical model is developed and tested through a case study.
Design/methodology/approach
First, the authors defined the causal relationship between construction and human errors based on the cognitive reliability and error analysis method (CREAM). A dynamic Bayesian network (DBN) was then developed by connecting time-variant causal relationships of human errors. Next, prediction, sensitivity analysis and diagnostic analysis of DBN were applied to demonstrate the function of this model. Finally, a case study of elevator installation was presented to verify the feasibility and applicability of the proposed approach in a construction work environment.
Findings
The results of the proposed model were closer to those of practice than previous static models, and the features of the systematization and dynamics are more efficient in adapting toward increasingly complex and changeable environments.
Originality/value
This research integrated CREAM as the theoretical foundation for a novel time-variant causal model of human errors in construction. Practically, this model highlights the hazards that potentially trigger human error occurrences, facilitating the implementation of proactive safety strategy and safety measures in advance.
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Ibrahim Abiodun Oladapo and Asmak Ab Rahman
One area of concern for Islamic economics is the challenges and discrimination experienced in Muslim societies and the lower human development indices compared to the Western…
Abstract
Purpose
One area of concern for Islamic economics is the challenges and discrimination experienced in Muslim societies and the lower human development indices compared to the Western counterparts. It is possible that the application of the theory of Maqāsid al Sharī’ah (TMS) could provide some insight on the problems and probably offer some support to the policymaker on the direction to take. The purpose of this paper is to apply TMS to validate the factors of human development.
Design/methodology/approach
The primary data were collected using a questionnaire. The target respondents were Muslims from Nigeria. Both stratified and purposeful random sampling techniques were used to collect the data, and the analyses were done by SPSS and AMOS statistical software.
Findings
In validating factors that contribute to human development, TMS framework is used, and the model integrates five factors which are considered most likely to have influence on human development. The model proposes that individual factors such social justice and human rights have effects on the factors of human development.
Originality value
This study provides understanding on the contributing factors to the persistent challenges of human development in predominantly Muslim settings. Previous research which has applied TMS focused more on its financial relevance and has not attempted to understand the situation and proffer solution.
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Efthymia Metalidou, Catherine Marinagi, Panagiotis Trivellas, Niclas Eberhagen, Georgios Giannakopoulos and Christos Skourlas
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the association of lack of awareness and human factors and the association of lack of awareness and significant attacks that threat…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the association of lack of awareness and human factors and the association of lack of awareness and significant attacks that threat computer security in higher education.
Design/methodology/approach
Five human factors and nine attacks are considered to investigate their relationship. A field research is conducted on Greek employees in higher education to identify the human factors that affect information security. The sample is consisted of 103 employees that use computers at work. Pearson correlation analysis between lack of awareness and nine (9) computer security risks is performed.
Findings
Examining the association of lack of awareness with these attacks that threat the security of computers, all nine factors of important attacks exert significant and positive effect, apart from phishing. Considering the relationship of lack of awareness to human factors, all five human factors used are significantly and positively correlated with lack of awareness. Moreover, all nine important attacks, apart from one, exert a significant and positive effect.
Research limitations/implications
The paper extends understanding of the relationship of the human factors, the lack of awareness and information security. The study has focused on employees of the Technological Educational Institute (TEI) of Athens, namely, teachers, administrators and working post-graduate students.
Originality/value
The paper has used weighted factors based on data collection in higher education to calculate a global index for lack of awareness, as the result of the weighted aggregation of nine (9) risks, and extends the analysis performed in the literature to evaluate the effectiveness of security awareness in computer risk management.
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Oluwaseyi Popogbe and Oluyemi Theophilus Adeosun
Human capital flight from Nigeria to developed countries has remained a topical issue. This paper aims to empirically analyze the push factors for the migrants who explore the…
Abstract
Purpose
Human capital flight from Nigeria to developed countries has remained a topical issue. This paper aims to empirically analyze the push factors for the migrants who explore the various legal migrant schemes from a macro perspective. The authors examine human capital development and its role in contributing to human capital flight to more developed counties.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper is anchored on the push–pull model. Using secondary data from 1990 to 2019, the authors look at the relationship between human capital flight and variables such as life expectancy, infant mortality rate, population growth rate and Nigeria’s unemployment rate. The auto-regressive lag model (ARDL) was adopted to estimate the empirical relationship among these variables.
Findings
The results from the ARDL model suggest a positive relationship exists between population growth rate and migration rate. A negative relationship was, however, observed between life expectancy and migration rate. This study also found that an increase in the infant mortality rate negatively impacted migration significantly. Therefore, an increase in infant mortality rate lowered the migration rate. Finally, an increase in the unemployment rate increased migration; however, insignificantly.
Research limitations/implications
The findings from this study are limited to the push factors influencing migration out of Nigeria. These factors are also restricted to variables for which data can be derived under the study’s scope. The results of this study have far-reaching implications, especially for policymakers and citizens alike. Better human capital development through enhanced life expectancy and reduced population in Nigeria will reduce the migration rate. Therefore, this study calls for the doubling of developmental and infrastructural efforts at all levels of governance.
Originality/value
This paper’s importance lies in its ability to elucidate push factors that influenced migration out of Nigeria empirically. An empirical approach to the subject matter will explain these factors and the degree to which they influence migration. This will guide the policy-making process in curbing brain drain, which is a major challenge in Nigeria.
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Rinki Dahiya and Juhi Raghuvanshi
Notwithstanding the findings of several published articles on human capital, there is scarcity of a comprehensive instrument to measure it. In this direction, the objective of…
Abstract
Purpose
Notwithstanding the findings of several published articles on human capital, there is scarcity of a comprehensive instrument to measure it. In this direction, the objective of present research is to develop a valid and reliable scale to assess human capital.
Design/methodology/approach
This research was divided into two parts. Study 1 focused on literature review of human capital measures, development of items and exploring the factor structure of human capital construct on a sample of 184 employees. Study 2 was based on the survey of 212 employees, and reliability assessment and confirmatory factor analysis was performed to validate the factor structure of human capital construct.
Findings
The findings can be summarized in two ways. Study 1 present that human capital scale is multidimensional consisting of employee capability, leadership and motivation, employee satisfaction and creativity. The findings of study 2 confirms the validity and reliability of three factor structure of human capital construct consisting of 18 items in total.
Practical implications
The study provides a multidimensional psychometric instrument which can help in measuring the human capital of the organization from the perspective of capabilities, satisfaction and creativity and leadership and motivation. Moreover, it can serve as an aid to human resource (HR) and human resource development (HRD) professionals for human capital assessment in the organizations.
Originality/value
This study provides a measure to assess human capital in Indian manufacturing sector organizations that makes a novel contribution to the area.
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Yumiao Chen, Jianping Wang and Zhongliang Yang
– The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of the human factors/ergonomics (HFE) studies for respirator.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of the human factors/ergonomics (HFE) studies for respirator.
Design/methodology/approach
This review paper describes and discusses the various factors and methodologies of HFE, for the purpose of better considering human factors, used in respirator studies and further human-centered product development.
Findings
Many attempts have been made to study human factors for respirators mainly including fit, human performance, comfort, and mood. Physical, psychological, and physiological indices of people are extremely valuable to HFE studies for respirator. Objective and subjective measures were methodologies widely used. Quantitative and qualitative approaches were adopted to illustrate the human performance and well-being influenced by respirators. A summary table presented with major methods used for indices of respirators in the field of HFE. According to the current researches, this review indicated three particular challenges facing HFE studies of respirators now.
Practical implications
With the ever increasing role of protection from air pollution in society, respirator has become an increasingly important part of our daily lives. HFE intervene in optimizing the relationships between respirators and the human using them. Plenty of efforts have been dedicated for the development of protection capability, but HFE studies for respirators are lacking. In recent years, there has been a tremendous interest in introducing HFE research methods that can evaluate respirators from the perspective of human and translate them into constraints for designing human-centered respirators.
Originality/value
This is a first paper in the field of HFE studies for respirator, which will remain helpful to the scientific community to start further human-centered research work and product development.
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B. Kirwan, B. Martin, H. Rycraft and A. Smith
Human error data in the form of human error probabilities should ideally form the corner‐stone of human reliability theory and practice. In the history of human reliability…
Abstract
Human error data in the form of human error probabilities should ideally form the corner‐stone of human reliability theory and practice. In the history of human reliability assessment, however, the collection and generation of valid and usable data have been remarkably elusive. In part the problem appears to extend from the requirement for a technique to assemble the data into meaningful assessments. There have been attempts to achieve this, THERP being one workable example of a (quasi) database which enables the data to be used meaningfully. However, in recent years more attention has been focused on the PerformanceShaping Factors (PSF) associated with human reliability. A “database for today” should therefore be developed in terms of PSF, as well as task/ behavioural descriptors, and possibly even psychological error mechanisms. However, this presumes that data on incidents and accidents are collected and categorised in terms of the PSF contributing to the incident, and such classification systems in practice are rare. The collection and generation of a small working database, based on incident records are outlined. This has been possible because the incident‐recording system at BNFL Sellafield does give information on PSF. Furthermore, the data have been integrated into the Human Reliability Management System which is a PSF‐based human reliability assessment system. Some of the data generated are presented, as well as the PSF associated with them, and an outline of the incident collection system is given. Lastly, aspects of human common mode failure or human dependent failures, particularly at the lower human error probability range, are discussed, as these are unlikely to be elicited from data collection studies, yet are important in human reliability assessment. One possible approach to the treatment of human dependent failures, the utilisation of human performance‐limiting values, is described.
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Damien Power and Amrik S. Sohal
This study seeks to further examine the extent and emphasis of particular human resource management strategies in Australian JIT companies through an empirical analysis of survey…
Abstract
This study seeks to further examine the extent and emphasis of particular human resource management strategies in Australian JIT companies through an empirical analysis of survey data. The results indicate that the management of the human variable in Australian JIT environments can be characterised by a stronger emphasis on a number of factors, including, for example: change management; participative decision making; flexibility and multi‐skilling; and open and effective communication processes. What was particularly striking from this analysis was the evidence gained not only of the added emphasis on these issues in the JIT companies, but of the potential for “adding value” through combining management strategies. It is evident that the companies identified as being more heavily involved in JIT practices appear to be more focused on particular human resource management strategies, and as a result see the management of the human variable as critical to the success of their operation. It could perhaps be further hypothesised as a result that there is a process of organisational learning going on in these companies, creating conditions enabling these organisations to more completely and effectively tap into and develop their human potential.
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