Search results

1 – 10 of over 41000
Article
Publication date: 17 March 2021

Marge Sassi, Ülle Pihlak and Gesa Birnkraut

The study aims to understand how practicing organizational performance evaluation (OPE) is related to the performance paradox (tensions between creative freedom and survival

Abstract

Purpose

The study aims to understand how practicing organizational performance evaluation (OPE) is related to the performance paradox (tensions between creative freedom and survival challenges) in “evaluation-hesitant” cultural and creative industries (CCI) organizations.

Design/methodology/approach

Mixed methods research, consisting of moderation analyses and unstructured expert interviews.

Findings

A conceptual model is developed to explain how creative freedom and survival challenges affect OPE in “evaluation-hesitant” CCI organizations.

Originality/value

The authors bring a new understanding to the factors that contribute to evaluation-hesitance in CCI. The paper contributes to discussing both the theory of paradox and flow theory in explaining the relations between OPE, creative freedom and survival challenges.

Article
Publication date: 23 November 2022

Hamfrey Sanhokwe

Exposure to a public health threat of significant proportions made current models inadequate to explain the failure phenomenon in small businesses. Hence, the need to reimagine…

Abstract

Purpose

Exposure to a public health threat of significant proportions made current models inadequate to explain the failure phenomenon in small businesses. Hence, the need to reimagine the phenomenon. Borrowing from the principles of biology, this study extended theoretical and empirical perspectives on the failure phenomenon by unpacking its constituent elements and the measurement metrics using the regeneration lens.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on a cohort tracked over time, the study estimated the survival probabilities of small and medium-scale enterprises (SMEs) with and without regeneration using the Kaplan–Meier method. The study investigated the factors that predict enterprise regenerative capacity using the multivariate Cox proportional hazard ratios.

Findings

Rates of interruption in business activity, by month, ranged between 0% and 18% during the follow-up period. True mortality rates hovered between 0% and 4% over the same period. Over three in five SMEs that experienced interruption in business activity without ceasing operations regenerated at some point in time during the follow-up period. The survival probabilities beyond the follow-up period were 0.85 and 0.44 with and without regeneration effects, respectively. Fresh capital injection (+), the introduction of new/improved processes or products/services (+), perceived business outlook (+) and the presence of debt (−) influenced the capacity to regenerate.

Research limitations/implications

The cohort was followed for only six months. There is a need to continue interrogating the failure phenomenon in other contexts over longer periods using the regeneration lens. Bringing on board academia, financial institutions and other SME-related ecosystem players will be strategic.

Practical implications

The approach provides a more nuanced understanding of the life and well-being of enterprises under conditions of disruption. Improving the precision and validity of failure-related statistics enhances their utility in policy and remediation-related discussions.

Social implications

The results did not show significant differences in SME mortality rates between male and female-owned enterprises. The results provide further evidence that the failure phenomenon is ungendered. As such, financial institutions and the SME ecosystem at large must eliminate perceptual gender biases in the financing and other support to SMEs.

Originality/value

The study used the principles of biology to reimagine the failure phenomenon in small businesses. The approach breathes life into entrepreneurship research and policy.

Details

Journal of Entrepreneurship in Emerging Economies, vol. 16 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2053-4604

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 6 October 2022

Parthasarathi Das and Venugopal Pingali

The purpose of the study is to propose a framework for understanding the dynamism of the human self-system from evolutionary and socio-psychological perspective. The study aims to…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of the study is to propose a framework for understanding the dynamism of the human self-system from evolutionary and socio-psychological perspective. The study aims to help scholars interested to use an evolutionary lens for examining consumer behaviour.

Design/methodology/approach

Relying on the principle of self-cybernetics, the study proposed a general framework explaining the operating mechanism of human self-system. The proposed framework incorporates the socio-psychological and the evolutionary perspective of the human self-concept.

Findings

The framework may help consumer scholars to integrate socio-psychological and evolutionary theories to produce novel and testable hypotheses.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first attempt to propose a framework based on the principle of cybernetics to facilitate the use of an evolutionary lens in consumer research.

Details

Journal of Consumer Marketing, vol. 39 no. 7
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0736-3761

Keywords

Book part
Publication date: 25 November 2021

Patricia A. Jennings, Tara L. Hofkens, Summer S. Braun, Pamela Y. Nicholas-Hoff, Helen H. Min and Karime Cameron

The quality of students' relationships with their teachers plays a significant role in their success in school. Social and emotional learning (SEL) curriculums show great promise…

Abstract

The quality of students' relationships with their teachers plays a significant role in their success in school. Social and emotional learning (SEL) curriculums show great promise for supporting student development. However, quality implementation requires that teachers recognize and understand how their behavior and interactions with students impact the development of these skills. The Prosocial Classroom Model proposes that teacher social and emotional competencies (SECs) play a critical role in creating and maintaining a classroom where everyone feels safe, connected, and engaged in learning. In this chapter, we extend the understanding of SEC to include leadership styles as defined by evolutionary motivational systems theory. We argue that a critical dimension of effective SEL instruction and teacher SEC is effective leadership that skillfully applies an understanding of the social and emotional dimensions of classroom interactions that promote motivation, engagement, and learning. Implications for educational theory, policy and practice, and research are discussed.

Article
Publication date: 16 June 2022

Sushanta Kumar Sarma, Kunal Kamal Kumar and Sushanta Kumar Mishra

Social enterprises (SEs) have experienced unprecedented uncertainty due to COVID-19, and it has challenged the fundamental assumptions underlying the SEs. Little is known about…

Abstract

Purpose

Social enterprises (SEs) have experienced unprecedented uncertainty due to COVID-19, and it has challenged the fundamental assumptions underlying the SEs. Little is known about the strategic response of SEs when their fundamental characteristics are being challenged. The purpose of this paper is to explore – how do SEs respond to a crisis caused by the pandemic?

Design/methodology/approach

This paper adopts a case study approach and reports the response strategy of impulse social enterprises (ISE) from India. Data were collected through interviews, Webinars and organizational reports. To analyze the data, the authors examined the fundamental assumption on SE that was challenged by the pandemic.

Findings

The response strategy of ISE is driven by social and substantive rationality focusing on the relationship with the community and doing what is good for them. The role of communication was vital in gathering support and resources to continue with their function. ISE adapted a mindset of mission agility and created an alternative market for its product.

Originality/value

This study highlights the response strategy of SE in an emerging economy like India, which experienced one of the stringent lockdowns. It is probably one of the few studies that examined the responses of SE under a crisis that challenged their fundamental attributes by adopting the framework of Bacq and Lumpkin (2021).

Details

Social Enterprise Journal, vol. 18 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1750-8614

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 17 March 2019

Jiafu Su, Qun Bai, Stavros Sindakis, Xuefeng Zhang and Tao Yang

The vulnerability of multinational corporation (MNC) knowledge network is one of the major causes for the failure and even the death of MNCs in the fierce global market…

Abstract

Purpose

The vulnerability of multinational corporation (MNC) knowledge network is one of the major causes for the failure and even the death of MNCs in the fierce global market competition. Employee turnover and knowledge loss are the triggers for the MNC knowledge network vulnerability and a matter of serious concern in the evolution and development of MNC knowledge network. The purpose of this work is to propose a valid and quantitative measurement method to investigate the influence of employee loss and knowledge loss on the vulnerability of MNC knowledge network.

Design/methodology/approach

MNC knowledge network is inherently a heterogeneous network where there are mainly two types of units: employees and their knowledge. Therefore, this paper establishes a weighted super-network model for MNC knowledge network to depict its heterogeneous composition. On the basis of the weighted MNC knowledge super-network, the static and dynamic vulnerability measurement methods are further proposed to investigate and evaluate MNC knowledge network vulnerability.

Findings

A real case is given to illustrate the applicability of the proposed weighted MNC knowledge super-network model and the network vulnerability measurement methods. The results show the super-network model proposed in this paper can effectively embody the complex features of MNC knowledge network, and the vulnerability measurement methods can effectively investigate the influence of employee loss and knowledge loss on network vulnerability.

Originality/value

From the perspective of super-network, researchers and practitioners can get a more systematic and deeper understanding of the MNC knowledge network and its human and knowledge resource constitute which are vital for the evolution and development of MNC. Moreover, the MNC knowledge network vulnerability measurement methods can effectively measure and analyze the influence of resource loss on network vulnerability, which can provide a helpful decision support for monitoring and managing of MNC knowledge network vulnerability to reduce its adverse effects.

Details

Management Decision, vol. 59 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0025-1747

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 5 September 2018

Sunanda Jha and Dinabandhu Bag

The purpose of this paper is to study the characteristics of the workers in the informal economy and explore the reasons for workers migrating from rural to urban area. The…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to study the characteristics of the workers in the informal economy and explore the reasons for workers migrating from rural to urban area. The authors also explore and enumerate various reasons why the migrants choose to work informally and study whether internal migrants treat this sector as temporary or transitory before moving to the formal sector. The authors reconnoitre the issues in coverage of factors in unregistered service, this research is carried out at a smaller scale of operations of the service enterprises having a minimum of three (or more) employees, which poses significant issues in the enumeration. This work further emphasises on the reasons why people migrate and choose the informal sector (IS) and to estimate the contribution of technology towards productivity of this sector.

Design/methodology/approach

Building on empirical data collected through interviews with the migrants, who are now part of the informal service enterprises of Delhi and peripheral areas, this paper presents the results of a survey conducted in 2017. This research is based on appropriate scale driven by the instrument of choice by the sampling of units. Data were collected by conducting field survey using structured questionnaire. By performing the estimation at the unit rather than the industry level, the authors reduce difficulties of mis-measured output and inputs, thus, potentially obtaining a more accurate estimate of technologies contributions towards the firm productivity.

Findings

The small service enterprises are making poorer value addition towards measured productivity due to the factors such as lack of equipment or technical know-how. The authors find that marginalisation thesis holds true only partially and the rest are in this sector by choice, considering it as an opportunity. Maximum number of entrants had been attracted by opportunities in this sector itself; actual and potential mobility from the informality towards formalisation is quite low; education is one of the important determinants for entrepreneurs shifting from informality towards formalisation.

Research limitations/implications

The research is limited only to informal service enterprises located in Delhi, the national capital of India and the peripheral areas.

Practical implications

By identifying the factors, proper policy measures can be designed which will be in a focused direction to reduce the size of the IS and to improve the working condition of the migrants who are part of this sector. The estimation is at the unit level using primary data.

Originality/value

The estimation is at the unit level using primary data, the research contributes to the literature on informal service sector, and this sector needs more intensive large-scale studies in order to design policies which can result in betterment of the society as a whole, benefiting the segment that needs immediate attention from government and society as well.

Details

International Journal of Sociology and Social Policy, vol. 39 no. 1/2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0144-333X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 4 October 2021

Ganesaraman Kalyanasundaram, Sitaram Ramachandrula and Bala Subrahmanya Mungila Hillemane

Entrepreneurs nurture their ambitions of founding tech start-ups that facilitate significant innovations despite vulnerability and considerable uncertainty by resolutely…

1060

Abstract

Purpose

Entrepreneurs nurture their ambitions of founding tech start-ups that facilitate significant innovations despite vulnerability and considerable uncertainty by resolutely addressing multiple challenges to avert failures. The paper aims to answer how soon do tech start-ups fail, given their lifecycle comprising multiple stages of formation and what attributes hasten failure of tech start-ups over their lifecycle? These questions have not been answered adequately, particularly in the context of India's emerging economy, where an aspiring start-up ecosystem is striving to flourish at an exceptional rate.

Design/methodology/approach

The study addressed two specific objectives: (1) Does life expectancy vary between life-cycle stages? and (2) What attributes impact tech start-ups' failures? Primary data were gathered from 151 cofounders (101 who have experienced failure and 50 who are successful and continuing their operations) from India's 6 leading start-up hubs. The survival analysis techniques were used, including non-parametric Kaplan–Meier estimator, to study the first objective and semi-parametric Cox proportional hazard regression to explore the second objective.

Findings

The survival probability log-rank statistics ascertain that life expectancy is different across the life-cycle stages, namely emergence, stability and growth. The hazard ratios (HRs) throw light on attributes like stage, revenue, conflict with investors, number of current start-ups, cofounder experience, level of confidence (LoC) and educational qualifications as the key attributes that influence start-up life expectancy over its lifecycle.

Practical implications

The empirical study on tech start-ups' life expectancy has practical implications for entrepreneurs and investors besides guiding the ecosystem's policymakers. First, the study helps entrepreneurs plan for resources and be aware of their start-up journey's potential pitfalls. Second, the study helps investors to establish the engagement framework and plan their future funding strategy. Third, the study helps policymakers to design and establish progressive support mechanisms that can prevent a start-up's failure.

Originality/value

First and foremost, start-up life expectancy study by life-cycle stages provide detailed insights on start-ups' failures. The theoretical framework defined is replicable, scalable and distinctly measurable for studying the start-up failure phenomenon. The life expectancy of tech start-ups by life-cycle stage is a critical empirical contribution. Next, the attributes impacting start-up life expectancy are identified in the context of an emerging economy.

Details

International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behavior & Research, vol. 27 no. 8
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1355-2554

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 3 January 2023

Mohammad Monirul Islam and Farha Fatema

This study examines the survival probability of the firms during the COVID-19 pandemic and identifies the effects of pandemic-era business strategies on firm survival across…

Abstract

Purpose

This study examines the survival probability of the firms during the COVID-19 pandemic and identifies the effects of pandemic-era business strategies on firm survival across sectors and sizes.

Design/methodology/approach

This study combines World Bank Enterprise Survey data with three consecutive follow-up COVID-19 survey data. The COVID-19 surveys are the follow-up surveys of WBES, and they are done at different points of time during the pandemic. Both WBES and COVID-19 surveys follow the same sampling methods, and the data are merged based on the unique id number of the firms. The data covers 12,551 firms from 21 countries in different regions such as Africa, Latin America, Central Asia and the Middle East. The study applies Kaplan–Meier estimate to analyze the survival probability of the firms across sectors and sizes. The study then uses Cox non-parametric regression model to identify the effect of business strategies on the survival of the firms during the pandemic. The robustness of the Cox model is checked using the multilevel parametric regression model.

Findings

The study's findings suggest that a firm's survival probability decreases during the pandemic era. Manufacturing firms have a higher survival probability than service firms, whereas SMEs have a higher survival probability than large firms. During the pandemic period, business strategies significantly boost the probability of firm survival, and their impacts differ among firm sectors and sizes. Several firm-specific factors affect firm survival in different magnitudes and signs. Except in a few cases, the findings also indicate that one strategy positively moderates the influence of another strategy on firm survival during a pandemic.

Originality/value

COVID-19 pandemic has drastically affected the business across the globe. Firms adopted new business processes and strategies to face the challenges created by the pandemic. The critical research question is whether these pandemic-era business strategies ensure firms' survival. This study attempts to identify the effects of these business strategies on firms' survival, focusing on a comprehensive firm-level data set that includes firms from different sectors and sizes of countries from various regions.

Details

Management Decision, vol. 61 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0025-1747

Keywords

Book part
Publication date: 17 June 2013

Michelle I. Gawerc

This article presents the results of a 15-year longitudinal study of the major educational peacebuilding initiatives in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories, during…

Abstract

This article presents the results of a 15-year longitudinal study of the major educational peacebuilding initiatives in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories, during times of relative peace and of acute violence (1993–2008). Using longitudinal field research data and surveys, it examines how peace initiatives, that work across conflict lines, adapt to hostile and unfavorable environments. Additionally, it investigates the criteria that allows some peacebuilding initiatives to survive and persist, when the large majority do not. Building on the organizational and social movement studies literature, I contend that organizations need to successfully attend to a variety of challenges such as maintaining resources, maintaining legitimacy, managing internal conflict, and maintaining commitment to have a significant chance for survival. Moreover, I argue that for organizations committed to working across difference and inequality in unfavorable and hostile conflict environments, it is critical for organizational effectiveness and survival to pay heed to the quality of the cross-conflict relationships, as well as, to matters of equality.

Details

Research in Social Movements, Conflicts and Change
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-78190-732-0

Keywords

1 – 10 of over 41000