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1 – 10 of 11Yahya Skaf, Zouhour El Abiad, Hani El Chaarani, Sam El Nemar and Demetris Vrontis
This paper aims to examine how gender diversity and women’s empowerment influence the performance of family entrepreneurships and explores the role of firm characteristics as a…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to examine how gender diversity and women’s empowerment influence the performance of family entrepreneurships and explores the role of firm characteristics as a moderating factor.
Design/methodology/approach
The study used a structured questionnaire as the survey tool to collect data from 91 women managers working in family entrepreneurships, which originated from entrepreneurial initiatives, located in various Lebanese regions. The validity of the construct was assumed using the fitness of extracted index, incremental fit-index, non-normal fit-index, root mean square of residuals and standard root mean square residual. Composite reliability, Cronbach's alpha and value confirmatory factor analysis were used to measure the internal consistency. Data were analyzed using the structural equation modeling method.
Findings
This study reveals that gender equality, education level and family support significantly affect women's empowerment while an insignificant association was found between empowerment and earning social status and achieving financial independence. This paper also showed a significant interaction between women’s empowerment and the performance of family entrepreneurships. Additionally, the results showed that women holding managerial positions in family entrepreneurships is positively associated with firm performance. Finally, it was concluded that the location of the family firm moderates the relationship between gender diversity and firm performance.
Originality/value
This research contributes to theory and practice regarding the role of women in family entrepreneurships and sheds light on gender differences influencing family entrepreneurships and women empowerment issues.
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Demetris Vrontis, Hani El Chaarani, Sam El Nemar, Zouhour EL-Abiad, Rayan Ali and Eleni Trichina
The purpose of this paper is to extend the current literature on international entrepreneurial careers by employing the structural equation modeling (SEM) technique. It mainly…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to extend the current literature on international entrepreneurial careers by employing the structural equation modeling (SEM) technique. It mainly aims at identifying determinants of international entrepreneurial intentions among young people and after their first employment experience in Lebanon.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper uses SEM on a sample of 150 young Lebanese employees to analyze the relationships among the model constructs.
Findings
The SEM broadly holds and adequately fits the data. The entrepreneurship context and the motivation of young employees are the variables that positively affect entrepreneurial intentions. Entrepreneurship education and social norms have no statistically significant impact. Finally, risk awareness and professional experience are the variables that negatively affect entrepreneurial intentions. The level of international entrepreneurial intentions among young Lebanese employees is relatively low, which may be justified by the bad economic and political situation.
Research limitations/implications
Data were drawn from organizations located in a specific geographical area, namely, Lebanon. Thus, this may constrain the generalizability as well as causality of the results.
Originality/value
This study provides an empirical explanation of having an international entrepreneurial career after the first employment experience, with a sample of 150 young employees in Lebanon. By applying the SEM, this study developed a multi-perspective framework covering various factors that may affect the choice of an international career in entrepreneurship, especially after the first job experience. Even though this study's results reflect a particular case, its recommendations could facilitate the achievement of better learning outcomes.
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Demetris Vrontis, Hani El Chaarani, Zouhour El Abiad, Sam El Nemar and Alissar Yassine Haddad
The purpose of this paper is to reveal the impact of dynamic managerial innovative capabilities on the competitive advantage (CA), financial performance (FP) and non-financial…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to reveal the impact of dynamic managerial innovative capabilities on the competitive advantage (CA), financial performance (FP) and non-financial performance (NFP) of the health-care sector during the very turbulent Covid-19 pandemic period. The focus is on human behavior and personnel interaction in the hospitals that receive Covid-19 cases.
Design/methodology/approach
Data for this research was collected from the medical sector in Lebanon. The authors approached 14 public hospitals and 60 private hospitals for the study and only 48 hospitals (total of 284 respondents) accepted to complete the survey and provide data using a structured questionnaire.
Findings
This study reveals the moderating impact of CA on the relationship between dynamic managerial innovative capabilities and the performance of the health-care sector. Based on 48 Lebanese health-care centers during the Covid-19 pandemic, the results of the structural equation modeling model indicate that dynamic managerial innovative practices positively impact on CA and NFP. The results also reveal that CA has a moderating effect on the relationship between dynamic managerial innovative practices and NFP.
Practical implications
This study does not reveal any direct or indirect relationship between managerial capabilities and FP during the pandemic.
Originality/value
As the world deals with the Covid-19 pandemic, the health-care sector needs new approaches and methods for confronting the constantly evolving and turbulent environment. This study examines how health-care leaders are dealing with these dynamic challenges and tests a three-dimensional SEM model of dynamic managerial capabilities (sensing, seizing and reconfiguration) that impact CA.
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Demetris Vrontis, Sam El Nemar, Ammar Ouwaida and S.M. Riad Shams
The purpose of this study is to understand and accentuate the value of social media in international student recruitment in Lebanese higher education institutions (HEIs). This…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to understand and accentuate the value of social media in international student recruitment in Lebanese higher education institutions (HEIs). This study analyses the significance of social media and the changes occurring in the means of communicating with the potential international students, with an aim to understand how the HEIs could adapt with the changes to implement a model of engagement to include social media as a fundamental constituent of the Lebanese HEIs’ international student recruitment strategy.
Design/methodology/approach
The researchers carried out a study through quantitative descriptive approach by using a probabilistic simple random sample and a self-administered questionnaire on 230 international students from several universities and colleges in Lebanon as a data collection method.
Findings
The findings demonstrated a certain level of engagement in social media networks from the part of the students during their search for college or university and course information. Research showed that international students still prefer the traditional sources, apart from social media, during their search. Among traditional media sources, friend, family and university website were the highest in ranking. Among social media sources, Facebook, Instagram, Google+ and YouTube showed the highest ranks. Most students have, indeed, contacted a friend or a university staff for university course information by using social media sites.
Practical implications
For managerial practice, this is an incentive for institutions of higher education to re-evaluate and assess the effective impact of social media on the recruitment of international students and to regulate their social media marketing strategies. For research in international education, the insights of this study are useful to explore further research avenues in the area of capacity building for business innovation, marketing and quality assurance in higher education in the cross-cultural context.
Originality/value
This study offers insights on the implications of social media for international student recruitment strategies in a particular Lebanese context of HEIs.
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Amani Fathi Jamal, Sam El Nemar and Georgia Sakka
This research explores the link between job redesign and skilling in three Lebanese service provider industries, aiming to understand how these factors affect organizational…
Abstract
Purpose
This research explores the link between job redesign and skilling in three Lebanese service provider industries, aiming to understand how these factors affect organizational agility, a crucial factor for efficiency and effectiveness and promote long-term interventions through job redesign, upskilling and reskilling.
Design/methodology/approach
This study employed two surveys, one for personnel (employees) and one for human aid managers (HR managers). These surveys collected data from 384 employees and 67 HR managers. The study utilized a work design questionnaire (WDQ), skilling application evaluation and the change acceptance model and testing to evaluate job redesign, skilling application effectiveness, technology acceptance and change readiness.
Findings
It was revealed that there is a significant and positive relationship between job redesign and the application of skilling programs. This relationship was shown to enhance organizational agility, with a particular focus on employees' technology acceptance and readiness for change. The integrated framework that combines job redesign, upskilling and reskilling was empirically tested and found to enable organizations to build their agility. The study also identified challenges and offered solutions for implementation, emphasizing the importance of employee responsiveness.
Practical implications
This research emphasizes the need for organizations to adapt job designs and enhance employee skills to enhance organizational agility, recommending a structured approach that combines job redesign and skill development efforts.
Originality/value
This research integrates job redesign, upskilling and reskilling in Lebanese service provider industries, contributing to organizational change and workforce development. It emphasizes technology acceptance and readiness for change.
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Hani El Chaarani, Zouhour EL Abiad, Sam El Nemar and Georgia Sakka
This study contributes to examining the factors that drive the adoption of cryptocurrencies for financial transactions in the tourism and hospitality industries. This is crucial…
Abstract
Purpose
This study contributes to examining the factors that drive the adoption of cryptocurrencies for financial transactions in the tourism and hospitality industries. This is crucial to develop tourism and hospitality and stimulate financial inclusion in developing and developed countries.
Design/methodology/approach
This research paper employs the SEM model and bootstrapping method on a sample of 417 French participants involved in tourism and hospitality industries to reveal the causal pathway between a set of independent factors and the willingness to adopt cryptocurrencies for financial transactions.
Findings
The empirical findings reveal that ease of use, perceived usefulness, social influence, and financial literacy increase the willingness to use cryptocurrencies. French hotels need to have a strategic orientation, to deal with customers, competitors and changing technological environment. The study also reveals that social influence and financial literacy reduce the level of perceived financial risk and thus, leads to increase the intention to adopt the new type of decentralized currencies.
Originality/value
In contrast to previous studies that focused on the volatility and risk of cryptocurrencies, this research employs a human-centric approach covering different factors that could lead to the adoption of the new type of currency for financial transactions in tourism and hospitality industries.
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Hani El Chaarani, Prof. Demetris Vrontis, Sam El Nemar and Zouhour El Abiad
The purpose of this paper is to reveal the impact of strategic competitive innovation types on the financial performance of SMEs during a very critical period: the COVID-19…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to reveal the impact of strategic competitive innovation types on the financial performance of SMEs during a very critical period: the COVID-19 pandemic. Four strategic competitive innovation types are considered in this study: marketing innovation, organizational innovation, product innovation and processes innovation.
Design/methodology/approach
To examine empirically the relationship between strategic competitiveness and financial performance, data were collected from a sample of 426 Lebanese SMEs belonging to seven different sectors.
Findings
The empirical findings of principle component analysis model (PCA) and multiple regression model (MR) reveal that the ability to innovate is essential to an SME’s survival during a crisis. The results of this study confirm the existence of a positive impact of marketing innovation and processes innovation on the financial performance of SMEs during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Practical implications
Moreover, results suggest that, in Lebanese SMEs, product innovation and organizational innovation do not have any impact on the financial performance during the pandemic period.
Originality/value
This research focused on strategic competitive innovation as a broadly considered essential condition for the survival of SMEs during the COVID-19 crises.
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Mahmoud El Samad, Sam El Nemar, Georgia Sakka and Hani El-Chaarani
The purpose of this paper is to propose a new conceptual framework for big data analytics (BDA) in the healthcare sector for the European Mediterranean region. The objective of…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to propose a new conceptual framework for big data analytics (BDA) in the healthcare sector for the European Mediterranean region. The objective of this new conceptual framework is to improve the health conditions in a dynamic region characterized by the appearance of new diseases.
Design/methodology/approach
This study presents a new conceptual framework that could be employed in the European Mediterranean healthcare sector. Practically, this study can enhance medical services, taking smart decisions based on accurate data for healthcare and, finally, reducing the medical treatment costs, thanks to data quality control.
Findings
This research proposes a new conceptual framework for BDA in the healthcare sector that could be integrated in the European Mediterranean region. This framework introduces the big data quality (BDQ) module to filter and clean data that are provided from different European data sources. The BDQ module acts in a loop mode where bad data are redirected to their data source (e.g. European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, university hospitals) to be corrected to improve the overall data quality in the proposed framework. Finally, clean data are directed to the BDA to take quick efficient decisions involving all the concerned stakeholders.
Practical implications
This study proposes a new conceptual framework for executives in the healthcare sector to improve the decision-making process, decrease operational costs, enhance management performance and save human lives.
Originality/value
This study focused on big data management and BDQ in the European Mediterranean healthcare sector as a broadly considered fundamental condition for the quality of medical services and conditions.
Details