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Article
Publication date: 19 September 2008

John O. Okpara and Pamela Wynn

The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of ethical climate on job satisfaction and organizational commitment in Nigeria, and to discover the extent to which unethical…

5785

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of ethical climate on job satisfaction and organizational commitment in Nigeria, and to discover the extent to which unethical practices among managers have impacted upon managerial practices in Nigeria.

Design/methodology/approach

The study followed a descriptive research design using survey methods with statistical treatment. Using the business directory of companies in Nigeria, a sample of 409 managers was drawn using a systematic random sampling technique. Multiple regression analysis and Pearson's product moment correlation were used to assess the influence of ethical climate types on job satisfaction and organizational commitment.

Findings

The findings revealed that there was a relationship between organizational ethical climate and facets of job satisfaction. It was also found that ethical climate types explained 58 percent of the variation in overall job satisfaction. Also, the correlation between ethical climate types and organizational commitment was positive and significant. This implies that favorable organizational ethical climate would encourage commitment and job satisfaction.

Research limitations/implications

This research is limited to four business enterprises – banks, manufacturing, transportation, and construction companies. Thus, the results cannot be generalized to other industrial sectors that were not part of this study. In addition, the assessment of job performance and productivity are beyond the scope of this study.

Practical implications

The paper offers practical suggestions of how management can improve job satisfaction and organizational commitment by improving the ethical climate of the organization.

Originality/value

The paper examines the impact of ethical climate on job satisfaction and organizational commitment in Nigeria, a sub‐Saharan African country in a sub‐continent that has been neglected and under‐researched. The study draws management practitioners' attention to the fact that they should adopt behavior that can help to improve employees' ethical behavior. From an academic perspective this study provides insight into the relationship between ethics, job satisfaction, and commitment, which should contribute to the future development of this line of research, particularly in developing countries like Nigeria. Furthermore, this topic has not been tested empirically in Nigeria. Therefore, the present study is of significant value to practitioners and scholars alike.

Details

Journal of Management Development, vol. 27 no. 9
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0262-1711

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 January 2008

John O. Okpara and Pamela Wynn

The purpose of this study is to examine the extent to which organizations in Nigeria use various human resource management (HRM) practices, and the perceived challenges and…

11337

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to examine the extent to which organizations in Nigeria use various human resource management (HRM) practices, and the perceived challenges and prospects of these practices.

Design/methodology/approach

A combination of quantitative and qualitative research methods was employed to gather information. Specifically, data were collected from 253 managers in selected firms. Descriptive data analysis is presented with respect to the use and execution of HRM practices such as recruitment, selection, performance appraisal and training and development. In addition, information was collected and analyzed with regard to the challenges and prospects of HRM.

Findings

This study provides significant current information on HRM knowledge and practices in Nigeria. The findings reveal that HRM practices, such as training, recruitment, compensation, performance appraisal and reward systems, are still in place. However, issues of tribalism, AIDS, training and development and corruption are some of the challenges identified that need to be addressed.

Research limitations/implications

The study was limited to 12 companies in ten cities. A broader geographic sampling would better reflect the national profile. Another limitation could stem from the procedure used in data collection method (drop off and pick up). However, extreme measures were taken to protect the identity of the respondents.

Practical implications

The study identified challenges and prospects of HRM in Nigeria. Organizations should employ requisite HRM practices to achieve excellent organizational performance. Furthermore, the government may create policies to promote the above practices, since, in the long term, achieving organizational excellence will reflect positively on the economy. All these may be facilitated through proactive organizational and national human resource development initiatives.

Originality/value

The significance of the present study stems from the fact that very few studies have explored the impact of human resource challenges and prospects in Nigeria. The results provide additional insights into HRM practices in Nigeria, a sub‐Saharan African country. A region that has been neglected by management researchers and has therefore been less researched. Also, the insights gained from this study contribute to the future development of this line of research, particularly in a non‐Western country like Nigeria.

Details

Management Research News, vol. 31 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0140-9174

Keywords

Content available
1999

Abstract

Details

Management Research Review, vol. 34 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2040-8269

Article
Publication date: 11 September 2007

Temi Abimbola and Christine Vallaster

This paper is a brief historical examination of brand, organisation identity and reputation in small and medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs). The discussion is situated within the…

10996

Abstract

Purpose

This paper is a brief historical examination of brand, organisation identity and reputation in small and medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs). The discussion is situated within the context of the challenges that the global knowledge‐based business environment poses to organisations of differing sizes.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors' approach is discursive. The argument is supported by findings from published studies and empirical reality. The authors analyse and distill our thoughts (and the empirical findings) in a way that is relevant to the activities of entrepreneurs and SMEs.

Findings

Organisations are better able to create strong firm by integrating branding, reputation building, relevant and appropriate organisational identity beyond their visual façade. They need to be more proactive, and also have to express and embed their brand value propositions within their identity and reputation in their dealings with customers. The authors surmises that researching about (and evaluations of) brand, reputation and organisation identity need to play more active roles in offering novel ways of conceptualising and documenting the realities of the contemporary (global) business environment in which firms operates.

Originality/value

The study offers new horizons on brand, organization identity and reputation as they relate to economic reality. The authors unequivocal articulation is that these concepts are critical factors in the success of enterprises and small businesses in competitive markets.

Details

Qualitative Market Research: An International Journal, vol. 10 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1352-2752

Keywords

Abstract

Details

Urban Ethnography
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-78769-033-2

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 6 February 2024

Jorge Sanabria-Z and Pamela Geraldine Olivo

The objective of this study is to propose a model for the implementation of a technological platform for participants to develop solutions to problems related to the Fourth…

Abstract

Purpose

The objective of this study is to propose a model for the implementation of a technological platform for participants to develop solutions to problems related to the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) megatrends, and taking advantage of artificial intelligence (AI) to develop their complex thinking through co-creation work.

Design/methodology/approach

The development of the model is based on a combination of participatory action research and user-centered design (UCD) methodologies, seeking to ensure that the platform is user-oriented and based on the experiences of the authors. The model itself is structured around the active and transformational learning (ATL) framework.

Findings

This study highlights the importance of addressing 4IR megatrends in education to prepare students for a technology-driven world. The proposed model, based on ATL and supported by AI, integrates essential competencies for tackling challenges and generating innovative solutions. The integration of AI into the platform fosters personalized learning, collaboration and reflection and enhances creativity by offering new insights and tools, whereas UCD ensures alignment with user needs and expectations.

Originality/value

This research presents an innovative educational model that combines ATL with AI to foster complex thinking and co-creation of solutions to problems related to 4IR megatrends. Integrating ATL ensures engagement with real-world problems and critical thinking while AI provides personalized content, tutoring, data analysis and creative support. The collaborative platform encourages diverse perspectives and collective intelligence, benefiting other researchers to better conceive learner-centered platforms promoting 21st-century skills and co-creation.

Details

Interactive Technology and Smart Education, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1741-5659

Keywords

Content available
Book part
Publication date: 22 October 2019

Abstract

Details

Urban Ethnography
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-78769-033-2

Article
Publication date: 10 October 2016

Gilbert Painter, Pamela Posey, Douglas Austrom, Ramkrishnan Tenkasi, Betty Barrett and Betsy Merck

This paper aims to report on a qualitative comparative case study of coordination in three ongoing research and development projects, each conducted by teams working virtually…

1680

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to report on a qualitative comparative case study of coordination in three ongoing research and development projects, each conducted by teams working virtually across multiple, geographically dispersed sites and involving varying degrees of task uncertainty at differing stages on an innovation continuum, from basic fundamental research to scale-up and commercial development.

Design/methodology/approach

This study investigated characteristics of effective virtual innovation teamwork, primarily using structured interviews, observation and a limited number of surveys. The analysis was based upon Pava’s (1983) methodology of sociotechnical systems (STS) for non-linear work and was used to assess the influence of virtuality and task uncertainty on the quality of team deliberations and the knowledge development barriers experienced at the various stages on the innovation continuum.

Findings

The study identified different technical and social coordination mechanisms and their impact in mitigating knowledge barriers for differing levels of task uncertainty. Technical elements, many based in digital information technology, appeared most significant for coordination where task uncertainty and ambiguity were low. However, with high task uncertainty, the most significant mechanisms were closely tied to the formal and informal social systems of virtual organization.

Research limitations/implications

The key implication for future research is the development of further applications to evaluate this coordination model for modern teamwork in virtual contexts.

Practical implications

The findings extend previous theory about coordination of innovation to include fundamental research and virtual collaboration. Based on the results, a four-step STS methodology for design of virtual team coordination mechanisms was developed and piloted successfully by scientific teams at a prominent North American research laboratory.

Originality/value

This research project has shown that modern STS methodology, updated for non-routine work in a virtual context, can provide a way to assess and mitigate “coordination costs” associated with virtual teamwork. Further, it has identified clear categories of coordination mechanisms that are most effective when teams are working at different stages in the innovation process.

Details

Team Performance Management, vol. 22 no. 7/8
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1352-7592

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 July 2006

Eileen M. Trauth and Debra Howcroft

This article aims to add to the growing number of critical empirical studies and to reflect on the process of conducting this type of research, thereby addressing the lack of…

2006

Abstract

Purpose

This article aims to add to the growing number of critical empirical studies and to reflect on the process of conducting this type of research, thereby addressing the lack of exemplars for those engaged with critical empirical information systems research.

Design/methodology/approach

Applies the critical lens to a multi‐year examination of variation in the career narratives of women in the American IT labor force. While an interpretive epistemology was initially chosen for this research project, over time, analysis of interview data took on an increasingly critical orientation. This, in turn, influenced subsequent fieldwork to become critical in nature.

Findings

One theoretical contribution is highlighting the role of power dynamics in understanding what sits beneath the surface of observations about these women's experiences in the IT workforce. The second theoretical contribution is helping to shift the focus away from predominantly essentialist theories that dichotomize men and women and toward a recognition of the diversity among women in the IT field.

Research limitations/implications

Future research should include additional critical empirical studies of women in the IT field in other countries.

Practical implications

This research project can serve as a useful example for other critical IS researchers about to embark on empirical fieldwork.

Originality/value

This paper provides a concrete illustration of the way in which empirical research is altered as the epistemological lens shifts from interpretivist to critical.

Details

Information Technology & People, vol. 19 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0959-3845

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 27 October 2020

Wendy Cukier, Suzanne Gagnon and Ruby Latif

This paper examines actors and discourses shaping new Canadian legislation designed to advance diversity in corporate governance.

Abstract

Purpose

This paper examines actors and discourses shaping new Canadian legislation designed to advance diversity in corporate governance.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper performs a stakeholder and discourse analysis drawing on texts of parliamentary debates.

Findings

The paper illuminates tensions regarding definitions of diversity, its importance for boards of directors and the mechanisms favoured for implementation. Official discourses examined show that, unlike for other political issues, opposition was largely muted, and most stakeholders engaged in the process supported legislation advancing diversity. Nonetheless areas of debate and positioning by actors and suggest important differences, with outcomes linked to non-traditional power bases.

Research limitations/implications

This study provides insights into the discursive environments of organizations and processes relating to promoting diversity and equality in the political decision-making domain, a critical venue for understanding advancement of equity, often neglected in organizational studies.

Practical implications

By understanding the complex and competing discourses surrounding diversity and inclusion at the macro level this paper provides a context for understanding organizational (meso) and individual (micro) beliefs and behaviours.

Social implications

This study shows how advocacy shapes how policy and legislation are framed and the ways mainstream organizations, including women's groups, may advance gender equality without regard to other dimensions of diversity or intersectionality.

Originality/value

This study maps the political discourse around recent Canadian legislation designed to improve diversity on boards that must, in the Canadian context, address more than gender.

Details

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion: An International Journal, vol. 40 no. 7
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2040-7149

Keywords

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