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Article
Publication date: 2 April 2024

Minseok Kim and Taehyung Kim

This study aims to explore the impact of remote work (RW) on millennials’ organizational commitment (OC) by addressing four research gaps identified in existing studies. Drawing…

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to explore the impact of remote work (RW) on millennials’ organizational commitment (OC) by addressing four research gaps identified in existing studies. Drawing on social exchange theory (SET), the authors also investigate if millennials are well-suited for RW environment and how shared leadership (SL) and followership moderate the relationship between RW and millennials’ OC.

Design/methodology/approach

A survey was conducted involving 154 millennial employees. Confirmatory factor analysis and hierarchical multiple regression analysis were performed to investigate the moderating effect of SL and followership on the relationship between RW and millennials’ OC.

Findings

The results reveal that millennials’ OC increases with the degree of RW. Moreover, both SL and followership exhibited a moderating effect on the RW-millennials’ OC relationship, emphasizing their importance in shaping millennials’ OC.

Research limitations/implications

While the effect of RW on individual-level outcomes remains controversial, this study sheds light on the positive impact based on millennials' characteristics and suggests strategies to strengthen their OC in remote working environments. However, due to the cross-sectional nature of our research, a longitudinal study would be valuable to provide deeper insights.

Originality/value

This study contributes to the field of organizational behavior (OB) by connecting millennials’ traits with SL and followership, offering valuable insights into strengthening their OC within the context of RW through the lens of SET. By addressing and filling the four identified research gaps, our research advances knowledge in the improvement of millennials’ OC within the RW environment.

Details

International Journal of Organization Theory & Behavior, vol. 27 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1093-4537

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 16 May 2024

Kesavan Manoharan, Pujitha Dissanayake, Chintha Pathirana, Dharsana Deegahawature and Renuka Silva

The sustainability of the construction industry is associated with the productivity, profitability and competitiveness of the firms, which are significantly affected by…

1202

Abstract

Purpose

The sustainability of the construction industry is associated with the productivity, profitability and competitiveness of the firms, which are significantly affected by inefficient site supervision and labour management approaches. This study aims to use a case study with mixed methods to evaluate the site supervisory characteristics in labour management, labour performance assessment and labour productivity measurement towards developing meaningful guidelines in polishing construction supervision attributes.

Design/methodology/approach

Well-developed modern apprenticeship elements were applied to 62 construction supervisors who were selected using the snowball sampling method, and their relevant competency characteristics were assessed using a comprehensively developed grading mechanism connected with useful training manuals/tools. Academic reviews, experts’ consultations and other meticulous mixed approaches were applied at different stages of the research plan’s sequential layout.

Findings

The mean performance scores of supervisors indicate proficient-level grades in the competency characteristics related to applying efficient labour management procedures and developing-level grades in designing productivity measurement tools, performing assessments on efficiency and productivity and proposing enhancement practices on efficiency and productivity for site operations. The findings point to a modern generalised guideline that establishes the ranges of supervisory attributes within the scope of the study. The validity, reliability, adaptability and generalisability of the findings were assured by using pertinent statistical tests and professional assessments.

Research limitations/implications

Though the study’s conclusions/findings are primarily applicable to the construction environment of a developing country comparable to the Sri Lankan context, they will considerably impact current/future industrial practices in various other countries and emerging industries.

Originality/value

The research has produced a conceptualised modern tool that guides determining the capacity levels of supervisory attributes for carrying out labour management, labour performance assessment and labour productivity measurement aspects in construction. The research has opened a pump that inflows new values of highly workable supervision features for strengthening the site management structures and filling the industry’s knowledge vacuum in the methodical execution of apprenticeships.

Details

Journal of Responsible Production and Consumption, vol. 1 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2977-0114

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 20 May 2024

Kesavan Manoharan, Pujitha Dissanayake, Chintha Pathirana, Dharsana Deegahawature and Renuka Silva

Productivity increase is correlated with profitability, sustainability and competitiveness of the construction firms. Recent studies reveal that the primary causes of productivity…

Abstract

Purpose

Productivity increase is correlated with profitability, sustainability and competitiveness of the construction firms. Recent studies reveal that the primary causes of productivity decline are poor usage of scientific and technological advances, ineffective supervision strategies and poor apprenticeship facilities/opportunities. Accordingly, the purpose of this study was to evaluate how well construction supervisors can utilise fundamental science and technological concepts/ideas to increase the efficiency and productivity of construction activities.

Design/methodology/approach

A new strategic layout was designed with the use of potential training guide tools. Based on the designed layout, a new supervisory training programme was developed, and 62 construction supervisors were selected, trained and evaluated in line with six parts of competencies and the relevant learning domains. An assessment guide with different levels of descriptions and criteria was developed through literature analysis and expert interviews. The research tools were verified using comprehensive approaches.

Findings

The overall mean values of supervisors’ performance scores indicate proficient-level grades in the competency characteristics related to taking measurements, generating drawings/designs using manual techniques and computer-aided tools, involving Bill of Quantities (BOQ) preparations and preparing training plans/materials for improving the competencies of labourers on estimation, measurements and understanding drawings. Their proficiency was notably lower in the use of information and communication technology application tools in construction tasks compared to others. The findings point to a modern generalised guideline that establishes the ranges of supervisory attributes associated with science and technology-related applications.

Research limitations/implications

The study outcomes produce conceptualised projections to restructure and revalue the job functions of various working categories by adding new definitions within the specified scope. This may result in constructive benefits to upgrading the current functions associated with urbanisation, sustainability and society. The implementation of the study’s findings/conclusions will have a significant impact on present and future practices in other developing nations and developing industries, even if they are directly applicable to the Sri Lankan construction industry.

Originality/value

Up to certain limits/stages, the study fills not only the knowledge gap in the field of creating protocols and application techniques connected to lifelong learning and skill enhancement/upgrading but also the existing gaps in work attributes and roles of construction supervisors associated with the utilisation of fundamental science and technological concepts/ideas towards reinforcing sustainable and productive site operations.

Details

Urbanization, Sustainability and Society, vol. 1 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2976-8993

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 24 September 2024

Nurrahmani Madiah Mohamad, Amar Hisham Jaaffar, Nurshahirah Abd Majid and Aerni Isa

The purpose of this study is to examine the effect of technical skills, soft skills and social mobility skills on the perceived employability of Malaysian undergraduates in…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to examine the effect of technical skills, soft skills and social mobility skills on the perceived employability of Malaysian undergraduates in energy-focused universities. This study also aims to investigate the moderating effects of academic performance on such relationships.

Design/methodology/approach

To accomplish these objectives, this study employed partial least squares-structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) to analyse data obtained from 247 Malaysian undergraduates from public and private energy-focused universities across Malaysia. The Human Capital Theory served as the overarching theoretical framework for the study.

Findings

The study reveals that even if an undergraduate has stellar grades, they will not help him/her to land a job if they lack basic technical and computing skills. This study also indicates that undergraduates’ current academic performance affects their perceived employability despite already possessing the necessary soft skills. Along with academic performance, social mobility skills can be a determining factor in how graduates see their own employability. This is because social mobility has a significant impact on graduates’ chances of finding gainful employment.

Research limitations/implications

This study provides insights into how technical skills, soft skills and social mobility skills influence the perceived employability of Malaysian undergraduates, especially in energy-focused universities, and the role of various parties involved. These parties, such as higher education institutions, are the key players that can initiate strategies to enhance specific skills and steer a public conversation towards a more methodical strategy for boosting graduates’ employability for future employment. This research also sheds light on how to better prepare for emerging job opportunities in the energy sector.

Originality/value

The study examines the effect of technical skills, soft skills and social mobility skills on the perceived employability of Malaysian undergraduates in energy-focused universities for future employment among Malaysia’s universities’ graduates. By providing a multidisciplinary viewpoint, this study paves the way for future research partnerships among experts in higher education, researchers in related fields and career researchers.

Details

Higher Education, Skills and Work-Based Learning, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2042-3896

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 8 December 2022

Kesavan Manoharan, Pujitha Dissanayake, Chintha Pathirana, M.M.D.R. Deegahawature and Renuka Silva

Studies highlight that poor labour supervision and inadequate labour training facilities are the primary factors that result in labour skill shortages and productivity-related…

Abstract

Purpose

Studies highlight that poor labour supervision and inadequate labour training facilities are the primary factors that result in labour skill shortages and productivity-related challenges among construction firms. This study aims to assess the construction supervisors’ abilities in providing work-based training elements and evaluating labour skills in construction.

Design/methodology/approach

A construction supervisory training programme was newly designed with a set of labour training exercises using comprehensive approaches. A total of 64 construction supervisors were trained to deliver the labour training components for more than 250 labourers working on 23 construction projects in Sri Lanka. The supervisors’ competencies were assessed using a detailed marking guide developed through expert discussions and literature reviews.

Findings

The results show the detailed cross-section of a wide range of competencies of the construction supervisors in providing labour training elements with the levels of standards/descriptions. The generalisability of the study applications and the reliability of the results were ensured using statistical tests and expert reviews. The findings further describe the impacts of the well-improved competencies of construction supervisors on labour working patterns and work outputs.

Research limitations/implications

Though the study findings were limited to the Sri Lankan construction sector, the study applications can have a considerable impact on the current/future practices of the construction sector in developing countries as well as other developing industries.

Social implications

The study outcomes may contribute to a rapid increase in the number of construction supervisors becoming certified assessors of National Vocational Qualifications up to certain levels. This paper describes the further extensive implications and future scopes of the study elaborately.

Originality/value

The study adds new characteristics and values to construction supervision practices that can be remarkable in achieving higher levels of performance and productivity in labour operations. Importantly, the study contributes to adorning the job role of construction supervisors with the title of “labour training expert”.

Details

Journal of Engineering, Design and Technology , vol. 22 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1726-0531

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 10 September 2024

Aminath Sudha, S.M. Ferdous Azam and Jacquline Tham

Though public sector organisations have continuously borrowed human resource management practices from the private sector, there seems to be sparse evidence on the effectiveness…

Abstract

Purpose

Though public sector organisations have continuously borrowed human resource management practices from the private sector, there seems to be sparse evidence on the effectiveness of financial rewards for public sector employees, especially in developing countries where pay remains low. Therefore, the objective of this research is to test the effectiveness of financial rewards on the job performance of those working in the Maldives civil service from the perspective of a developing country where public sector pay, especially civil pay, remains comparatively low. Additionally, this study tested the mediating effect of organisational commitment on the relationship between financial rewards and job performance.

Design/methodology/approach

A cross-sectional study was conducted using quantitative design methodology, whereby data were collected from 341 employees working in the Maldives civil service and analysed using structural equation modelling.

Findings

The findings indicate that financial rewards negatively affect civil service employees’ job performance. However, financial rewards improve organisational commitment, which reduces the negative effects, although the effect sizes of the mediator are not very significant.

Originality/value

The results of this study present critical theoretical and practical contributions to public administration researchers on using financial incentives as a mechanism to boost job performance, particularly in developing countries, where salaries and other benefits remain low. Furthermore, it presents practical recommendations for managing employees in the Maldives and other countries, where the public sector is less developed and budget constraints remain a challenge.

Details

International Journal of Productivity and Performance Management, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1741-0401

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 6 February 2024

Alina Botezat, Cristian Incaltarau, Sabina Ana Diac and Alexandra Claudia Grosu

This paper aims to extend the scope of previous studies on education-occupation mismatch to explicitly focus on the role high school track choices have on the risk of being…

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to extend the scope of previous studies on education-occupation mismatch to explicitly focus on the role high school track choices have on the risk of being mismatched in the labor market.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper uses the most exhaustive available database regarding the early-career paths of university graduates in Romania. Using a novel matching technique, entropy balancing (EB), our study relies on multinomial logit models and logit regressions to estimate the effect of the completed high school track on the likelihood of being mismatched in the labor market. The empirical analysis focuses on two types of education-occupation mismatches: horizontal and vertical mismatches.

Findings

We show that studying a different field in college compared to the completed high school track increases the risk of being skill mismatched in the first job after graduation. Five years after college graduation, the influence of the high school track fades, while being skill mismatched in the first employment plays a more important role. In contrast, we find no evidence that pursuing a college major unrelated to the completed high school track increases the probability of being overeducated. However, being overeducated in the first job increases the risk of being overeducated five years later.

Originality/value

The study brings new reliable evidence on the extent to which high school track choices may contribute to the risk of being mismatched in the labor market.

Details

International Journal of Manpower, vol. 45 no. 6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0143-7720

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 16 October 2023

Emmanuel Dele Omopariola, Abimbola Olukemi Windapo, David John Edwards, Clinton Ohis Aigbavboa, Sunday Ukwe-Nya Yakubu and Onimisi Obari

Previous studies have postulated that an advance payment system (APS) positively impacts the contractor's working capital and is paramount to ensuring an efficient and effective…

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Abstract

Purpose

Previous studies have postulated that an advance payment system (APS) positively impacts the contractor's working capital and is paramount to ensuring an efficient and effective project cash flow process. However, scant research has been undertaken to empirically establish the cash flow performance and domino effect of APS on project and organisational performance.

Design/methodology/approach

The epistemological design adopted a positivist philosophical stance augmented by deductive reasoning to explore the phenomena under investigation. Primary quantitative data were collected from 504 Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB) registered contractors (within the grade bandings 1–9) in South Africa. A five-point Likert scale was utilised, and subsequent data accrued were analysed using structural equation modelling (SEM).

Findings

Emergent findings reveal that the mandatory use of an APS does not guarantee a positive project cash flow, an improvement in organisational performance or an improvement in project performance.

Practical implications

The ensuing discussion reveals the contributory influence of APS on positive cash flow and organisational performance, although APS implementation alone will not achieve these objectives. Practically, the research accentuates the need for various measures to be concurrently adopted (including APS) towards ensuring a positive project cash flow and improved organisational and project performance.

Originality/value

There is limited empirical research on cash flow performance and the domino effect of APS on project and organisational performance in South Africa, nor indeed, the wider geographical location of Africa as a continent. This study addresses this gap in the prevailing body of knowledge.

Details

Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management, vol. 31 no. 13
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0969-9988

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 1 August 2024

Flordeliza P. Poncio

This review article is focused on the following research questions: RQ1: What are the methods used by authors to collect data in order to evaluate one's profile? RQ2: What are the…

Abstract

Purpose

This review article is focused on the following research questions: RQ1: What are the methods used by authors to collect data in order to evaluate one's profile? RQ2: What are the classification algorithms and ranking metrics used to give suggestions to users? RQ3: How effective are these algorithms and metrics identified in RQ2?

Design/methodology/approach

There are four major systematic review phases being carried out in this survey, namely the formulation of research questions, conducting the review, which includes the selection of articles and appraising evidence quality, data extraction and narrative data synthesis.

Findings

Collecting from primary sources is more personalized and relevant. Embedded skill sets that have a considerable impact on one’s career aspirations could be mined from secondary sources. A hybrid recommender system helped mitigate the limitations of both. The effectiveness of the models depends not only rely on the filtering techniques used but also on the metrics used to measure similarity and the frequency of words or phrases used in a document.

Research limitations/implications

The study benefits internship program coordinators of a university aiming to develop a recommender or matching system platform for their students. The content of the study may shed a light on how university decision-makers can explore options on what are the techniques or algorithms to be integrated. One of the advantages of internship or industrial training programs is that they would help students align them with their career goals. Research studies have discussed other RS filtering techniques apart from the three major filtering techniques.

Practical implications

The outcome of the study, which is a recommendation system to match a student's profile with the knowledge and skills being sought by organizations, may help ease the challenges encountered by both parties. The study benefits internship coordinators of a university who are planning to create a recommendation system, an innovative project to be used in teaching and learning.

Social implications

Internship programs can help a student grow personally and professionally. A university student looking for internship opportunities can find it a daunting task to undertake, as there is a vast pool of opportunities offered in the market. The confidence levels needed to match their knowledge, skills and career goals with the job descriptions (JDs) could be challenging. The same holds with companies, as finding the right people for the right job is a tough endeavor. The main objective of conducting this study is to identify models implemented in recommendation systems to give and/or rank suggestions given to users.

Originality/value

While surveys regarding recommender systems (RS) exist, there are gaps in the presentation of various data collection methods and the comparison of recommendation filtering techniques used for both primary and secondary sources of data. Most recommendation systems for internship programs are intended for European universities and not much for Southeast Asia. There are also a limited number of comparative studies or systematic review articles related to recommendation systems for internship programs offered in an Southeast Asian landscape. Systematic reviews on the usability of the proposed recommendation systems are also limited. The study presents reviews of articles, from data collection and techniques used to the usability of the proposed recommendation systems, which were presented in the articles being studied.

Details

Journal of Research in Innovative Teaching & Learning, vol. 17 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2397-7604

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 11 June 2024

Mahmud Al Masum and Lee Parker

This paper aims to investigate how the technical logics of a World Bank-led performance management reform interacted with the social, political and historical logics within a…

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to investigate how the technical logics of a World Bank-led performance management reform interacted with the social, political and historical logics within a developing country (DC) regulatory organisation. The institutional environment both within and outside the organisation was considered to understand the performance management reform experience.

Design/methodology/approach

An interview-based, longitudinal, qualitative case study approach was used to locate accounting in its technical, social and political space. A large regulatory organisation in Bangladesh was investigated as a case study to reveal how traditional organisational practices and public sector norms mediated a performance management reform. Informed by the institutional logics (IL) and economies of worth perspectives, interviews were used to locate IL at macro-level and associated organisational actors’ strategic responses that ultimately shaped the implementation of a performance management system (PMS).

Findings

This paper reveals how accounting, as a social and political practice, influences accountability reform within a regulatory organisation. It provides an account of both the processes and resultant practices of an accounting reform initiative. While a consultative and transparent performance management process was intended to enhance accountability, it challenged the traditional organisational authority structure and culture. The new PMS retained, modified and adjusted a number of its characteristics over time. These adjustments reflected an amalgamation of the influence of institutional pressures from powerful constituents and the ability of the local agents (managers) in negotiating and mediating the institutionalisation of a new PMS.

Practical implications

The findings of this paper carry major implications for policy makers, particularly with respect to the design of future reform programs on PMS.

Originality/value

This paper offers a theoretical mapping of IL and its organisation-level interpretations and practices. Thus, the authors locate power and influence at field and firm levels. The findings of this study reflect historical, political and cultural backgrounds of the case study organisation and how these contextual forces were active in shaping the meaning of reform logics. Though the institutional environment and agents were unique to the case study organisation, this research offers a “process generalisation” that reveals how a best practice PMS was translated and transformed by the traditional organisational practices in a DC regulatory context.

Details

Meditari Accountancy Research, vol. 32 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2049-372X

Keywords

1 – 10 of 189