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1 – 10 of over 1000Swaminathan Mani and Mridula Mishra
The purpose of this study is to provide a viewpoint on the characteristics and ingredients of what constitutes an agile team using the lens of progress made toward goals (with…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to provide a viewpoint on the characteristics and ingredients of what constitutes an agile team using the lens of progress made toward goals (with three sub-categories) and execution/a bias for action (with three sub-categories). Also, highlight the similarity of constructs between two different yet related concepts of employee engagement and agile workforce and how they can be a force multiplier for companies if leveraged right.
Design/methodology/approach
This study undertook literature review of key papers in the areas of building agile teams, its benefits and success stories largely popularized by the technology companies in the software development lifecycle and core constructs of employee engagement. The authors then build a framework of what constitutes an agile team, while briefly explaining the nine archetypes that emerge from the 3 × 3 matrix.
Findings
Employee engagement and agile teams, although different yet related concepts, have very similar underlying constructs. Companies can take advantage of the symbiotic and mutually reinforcing relationship between these two constructs to “futureproof” their business in these turbulent times. Adopting an agile mind-set to team development – experimentation, incremental, iterative progress, nimble and flexible to pivot as per changes in environment – has proven to be successful for many iconic companies. A 3 × 3 matrix plotted against progress toward goals and a bias for action (with three sub-categories each) has given nine team archetypes, with agile team occupying the aspirational, north-east corner of the matrix.
Originality/value
This paper provides insights into this important concept of building agile teams and offers a strategy model to be leveraged to build an agile mind-set in companies. HR managers now have a strategic framework to understand the characteristics and ingredients of agile team and understand the similarity of constructs between employee engagement and agile workforce. They can audit where their teams are at present and work on a clear road map to move them into agile mode.
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Swaminathan Mani and Mridula Mishra
To provide an alternative, neuroscience perspective to enhance employee engagement in companies.
Abstract
Purpose
To provide an alternative, neuroscience perspective to enhance employee engagement in companies.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors have undertaken extensive literature review to identify the key neurotransmitters that enhances employee motivation. The paper list four neurochemicals - DOSE (Dopamine, Oxytocin, Serotonin and Endorphins) are called “angel chemicals” that enhance the overall well-being of people. The characteristics of these neurochemicals and their impact on employee engagement are discussed briefly in the paper. Care has been taken to ensure the language used in the paper is not medical terminologies but what is widely used in the business world - to make it relevant for HR managers and leaders in the Industry.
Findings
Dopamine (Mood elevator that enhances happiness and is associated with memory, learning, planning and productivity), Oxytocin (that enhances bonding, trust and empathy), Serotonin (that helps maintain emotional balance and enhances well-being) and Endorphins (boosts self-esteem and reduces anxiety) are all known to enhance productivity, improve collaboration, increase prosocial behavior, reduce stress and boost the overall well-being of the employees. These concepts are both the necessary goldilocks conditions and celebrated output of having highly engaged workforce. Many of the triggers for synthesizing DOSE in the body needs small modifications in the office environment and cost-effective interventions as shared in the paper. Companies have spent several hundred billion dollars on employee engagement initiatives with limited success. HR leaders now have an alternative, neuroscience perspective to consider as part of their overall employee engagement strategy.
Originality/value
This paper provides insights into this important concept of employee engagement from a neuroscience perspective. Leveraging DOSE to enhance employee engagement is a new concept that HR managers now can use to augment their employee engagement interventions to enhance the teams’ morale.
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Swaminathan Mani and Mridula Mishra
The purpose of this paper is to identify non-monetary variables that can be leveraged by HR practitioners to enhance employee motivation and engagement in their companies…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to identify non-monetary variables that can be leveraged by HR practitioners to enhance employee motivation and engagement in their companies. Covid-19 has plunged the corporate world into a severe crisis. Companies are struggling to conserve cash. HR managers who had used monetary levers such as salaries to motivate their staff have to now use non-monetary levers such as appreciation and career growth to keep the morale high.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors have undertaken extensive literature review to identify the non-monetary variables that enhances employee motivation. Exploratory survey to validate the relevance of these variables was conducted. Operational definition of the variables is provided apart from logically grouping them into a framework that can be leveraged by HR practitioners.
Findings
In total, 20 variables were grouped into a framework of five levers called “GREAT” that expands to growth, renewal, enabling, aspirational and transparency levers. All these levers on their own and used in conjunction with other levers have shown to increase employee morale and motivation. The GREAT framework gives an additional lens for HR practitioners to evaluate their employee engagement programs using non-monetary variables.
Originality/value
This paper provides insights into this important concept of employee engagement during a crisis situation of unprecedented proportion. While employee morale is the first casualty in a crisis, it (the motivation) should be the last one to lose in a battle of this magnitude. HR managers now have a strategic framework (“GREAT”) to use to evaluate their interventions to enhance the teams’ morale.
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Swaminathan Mani and Mridula Mishra
The purpose of this article is to identify new variables that form the core building blocks of employee engagement model which can be leveraged by human resources' (HR…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this article is to identify new variables that form the core building blocks of employee engagement model which can be leveraged by human resources' (HR) practitioners to develop HR strategies to drive employee engagement initiatives in their companies.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors have undertaken extensive literature review to identify the variables that enhances engagement. These variables are yet to be leveraged fully in engagement models that have been developed but have the potential to impact the motivation levels of the employees. Exploratory survey to validate the relevance of these variables was conducted and subsequently these variables were grouped into a Context, Altruistic, Resonance and Enable (“CARE”) framework that can be leveraged by HR practitioners.
Findings
The changing nature of workforce, increasing diversity and tenure of jobs has resulted in changing aspirations of employees as well. The building blocks hitherto adopted by companies to craft their employee engagement strategies have to undergo a perceptible change as well. This paper offers an alternative perspective of relooking the engagement levers currently adopted by firms (work environment, autonomy, appreciation, organization support, etc.) and proposes 15 new building blocks (resonant connections, value congruence, socialization practices, micro-moments of connections, fit amongst others) which are logically grouped under CARE model over which employee engagement strategies can be built by companies.
Originality/value
This paper provides insights into this important concept of employee engagement using a set of newer constructs that can form the foundation of newer models that will drive future HR strategies to enhance engagement.
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Tong Yin and Audhesh K. Paswan
This research paper aims to examine the relationships among the factors associated with changing shopping environment, consumer knowledge and reference price.
Abstract
Purpose
This research paper aims to examine the relationships among the factors associated with changing shopping environment, consumer knowledge and reference price.
Design/methodology/ approach
A self administered online survey was used to collect data (final sample size was 265). After checking for non‐response bias, data was factor analyzed and checked for reliability and validity. Hypotheses were tested using structural Equation Modeling procedure.
Findings
Product search opportunity is associated with product and price knowledge. Price volatility is negatively associated with internal reference price. Further, consumers' price comparison propensity and price knowledge positively influence external reference price. Finally, price volatility has a significant negative influence on consumer knowledge and IRP orientation.
Research limitations/implications
The sampling frame is a major limitation, in addition to not including variables such as product type and other measures of price volatility. Future research should expand the sampling frame and include other variables as well as other aspects of price volatility.
Practical implications
These findings provide insights into advertised price claims in the information rich internet age. Managers also benefit from the finding that the internet, particularly price comparison, influences external reference price. Consequently, managers must be cautious with their advertised price claims and not exaggerate the value of offerings or cost savings too much.
Originality/value
This topic is important because retailers extensively use reference price or price comparison to increase consumers' perception of the product value. However, not much research attention has been given to this topic.
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Lorna Ruane and Elaine Wallace
The purpose of this paper is to understand the relationships Generation Y females have with fashion brands online. Specifically, it examines the role of the internet and social…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to understand the relationships Generation Y females have with fashion brands online. Specifically, it examines the role of the internet and social networks in these relationships.
Design/methodology/approach
Narrative interviews were employed to gather data from Generation Y women. Analysis was conducted using inductive thematic analysis.
Findings
Two main themes emerged from the data: the importance of social media and the influence of the internet. Findings suggest social networks have a significant influence on the dynamics of brand consumption and inform our understanding of females' online shopping behaviours.
Research limitations/implications
A qualitative methodology was utilised to elicit insights from consumers. This allowed participants to express their thoughts in their own words, which provided rich data for analysis.
Practical implications
We provide guidance for marketing managers seeking to harness social networks to market brands. Findings illustrate the role of social networks in driving brand consumption among Generation Y women, and highlight the criticality of the social network as a source of information and reassurance for brand choices. Further, we identify concerns about online shopping, and provide suggestions for online retailers seeking to augment consumers' shopping experiences.
Originality/value
This study offers insights into Generation Y females' use of the internet and social networks for brand consumption. To date such research has been mainly quantitative. Further, Generation Y has been neglected in the marketing literature. This paper addresses these gaps and illustrates the significant impact social media has on the behaviour of female consumers.
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Marc-David L. Seidel and Henrich R. Greve
In social theory, emergence is the process of novelty (1) creation, (2) growth, and (3) formation into a recognizable social object, process, or structure. Emergence is recognized…
Abstract
In social theory, emergence is the process of novelty (1) creation, (2) growth, and (3) formation into a recognizable social object, process, or structure. Emergence is recognized as important for the existence of novel features of society such as new organizations, new practices, or new relations between actors. In this introduction to the volume on emergence, we introduce a framework for examining emergence processes and theories that have been applied or can be applied to each of the three stages. We also review each volume chapter and discuss their relation to each other. Finally, we make suggestions on the future of research on social emergence processes.
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Sungwook Min, Namwoon Kim and Ge Zhan
The purpose of this study is to offer explanations of the wide variation in the impact of market size on new market entry decisions – i.e. its positive impact lessens because of…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to offer explanations of the wide variation in the impact of market size on new market entry decisions – i.e. its positive impact lessens because of unreliable predictability of market size on post-entry profit and entry motivations other than post-entry profit.
Design/methodology/approach
On the basis of the two explanations, this paper builds a contingency frame that the impact of market size on new market entry depends on entry-context-specific variables. It validates the contingency frame, empirically analyzing 219 parameter estimates of the impact of market size on market entry obtained from 41 existing empirical studies.
Findings
The meta-analysis results reveal that the entry-context-specific variables used in this study – niche market entry, high-tech market entry, entry by industry incumbent firms and the year of market entry – notably moderate the impact of market size on new market entry decisions, as the research frame suggests.
Research limitations/implications
This study examines the various literature and study outcomes in the areas of marketing, economics and strategy to elucidate whether and when market size is a critical driver of new market entry. In most cases, the greater the new market size, the greater is the propensity to enter the market. However, the contingency arguments stated in this paper suggest that firms may and do enter a new market even if the market size is not large at the time of entry.
Originality/value
This paper enhances the understanding of the relative importance of market size in market entry decisions, which depend on various entry contexts. It clarifies the direction and magnitude of the impact of such entry contexts.
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