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1 – 10 of over 29000This paper addresses access to formal health care among Cape Verdean immigrants in the Netherlands, and their transnational health‐seeking process in other European countries…
Abstract
This paper addresses access to formal health care among Cape Verdean immigrants in the Netherlands, and their transnational health‐seeking process in other European countries. Three barriers hindering Cape Verdeans' access to care have been identified: lack of information about the health services available, problems in the relationship with health providers and difficulties in dealing with the conditionality of help. These problems are deeply intertwined, and relate to two sets of factors. At the macro‐level these include the organisational and structural characteristics of the Dutch health care system. At the micro‐level, the problems concern the mismatch between users' and providers' expectations of health care provision.Despite the barriers encountered, Cape Verdeans strive to benefit from good health. The informants in this study employ two sorts of strategy to access good health care. On the one hand, they try to adapt their help‐seeking behaviour to the model prevalent in the Netherlands. On the other, they resort to transnational health care use in other European countries, including Portugal and France. These strategies prove Cape Verdeans' resilience in finding the care that is most appropriate to their needs.
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This paper aims to provide a qualitative country case study of The Netherlands, adopting the macro-institutional social enterprise (MISE) framework as developed by Kerlin (2009…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to provide a qualitative country case study of The Netherlands, adopting the macro-institutional social enterprise (MISE) framework as developed by Kerlin (2009, 2013, 2017). The research question is twofold: How does the institutional context shape the social enterprise country model in The Netherlands, and To what extent can the MISE framework be a useful tool in explaining this dynamic between the institutional context and social enterprise country model?
Design/methodology/approach
This research applies the MISE framework developed by Kerlin (2017), which is founded upon the historical institutionalist approach.
Findings
The analysis of the institutional context in The Netherlands shows that the country context shares most traits with the autonomous diverse model. Its institutional environment should however be more enabling for the development of social enterprises. This discrepancy is explained through the notion of political will, resulting in the suggestion that the historical institutionalist approach of the MISE framework could be expanded by a greater focus on political will.
Research limitations/implications
To investigate the Dutch social enterprise country model, this paper principally relies on external sources, including surveys (McKinsey, 2016; PwC, 2016; Social Enterprise NL, 2015; 2016; 2018). This is problematic due to its subjective nature, small population size used and potential conceptual misfit with the definitions used in this research.
Practical implications
For academia, this paper enhances the understanding of the relations between the institutional environment and social enterprise by adding a case study of The Netherlands to the body of research around the MISE framework. Furthermore, the paper suggests to enhance the historical institutionalist approach of the MISE framework with a greater focus on political will. For advocates of social enterprises in The Netherlands, including policymakers, this paper may add to their understanding of the current developments around social enterprise in The Netherlands and possibly enhance their effectiveness of advocating for policies that are conducive to the development of social enterprises.
Originality/value
This research is the first in applying a universally applicable theoretical framework to the context of The Netherlands. For scholars of social enterprise in The Netherlands, it provides a comprehensive overview of developments of social enterprise in the country over recent years, as well as a thorough analysis of the current state of affairs. For international scholars of social enterprise, this research provides a case of comparison with other countries, taking into account all main institutions that shape a country and social enterprise in that country. For scholars of the MISE framework, this research offers an additional country case study that further helps improve the framework.
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Hsin‐I Hsiao, Ron G.M. Kemp, Jack G.A.J. van der Vorst and S.W.F. (Onno) Omta
This paper aims to investigate outsourcing of different types of logistics activities in Taiwanese food industry, and benchmark with practices in The Netherlands.
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to investigate outsourcing of different types of logistics activities in Taiwanese food industry, and benchmark with practices in The Netherlands.
Design/methodology/approach
The outsourcing of four levels of logistics activities is investigated: transportation (level 1), packaging (level 2), transportation management (level 3), and distribution network management (level 4). A structured questionnaire was designed and sent to logistics managers in The Netherlands and Taiwan to evaluate the most commonly outsourced activities and identify specific outsourcing firm's characteristics.
Findings
About 69 per cent of the companies, in both countries outsource level 1 activities, 16 per cent level 2, and 37 per cent level 3 activities. Only few companies (about 10 per cent) outsource the highest level of activities. In particular, The Netherlands has higher percentages for levels 1 and 3. This might be caused by the fact that most Taiwanese companies emphasise low cost whereas the Dutch companies focus on flexibility in order to deal with higher complexities. When intentions for the future are included, Taiwan is planning to outsource level 2 (40 per cent) and level 4 activities (36 per cent) much more than The Netherlands (respectively 13 and 17 per cent). When zooming in, it was found that outsourcing strategies of companies in the subsectors differ. For instance, the dairy sector outsources more frequently than the meat sector on the first three levels. This might be caused by the fact that meat companies emphasise food quality, whereas dairy companies emphasise flexibility and reliability.
Research limitations/implications
This study investigated only food processors. The paper suggests further research should include other types of food organisations.
Originality/value
The paper provides valuable insights in outsourcing strategies of food processing companies in Taiwan and The Netherlands for advanced logistics service providers who are looking at the market potential of Taiwan.
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Warwick Funnell and Jeffrey Robertson
The purpose of this paper is to examine sixteenth century Netherlands business organisation and accounting practices, then the most advanced in Western Europe, to test Sombart's…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine sixteenth century Netherlands business organisation and accounting practices, then the most advanced in Western Europe, to test Sombart's theory that scientific double entry bookkeeping was an essential prerequisite for the development of modern capitalism and the emergence of the public corporation during the late sixteenth and early seventeenth centuries. Rather than being a development of Paciolian bookkeeping, double‐entry bookkeeping in sixteenth century Netherlands was grounded in northern German (Hanseatic) business practices.
Design/methodology/approach
Sixteenth century Dutch business records and Dutch and German bookkeeping texts are used to establish that north German Hanseatic commercial practices exercised the greatest influence on The Netherlands' bookkeeping practices immediately prior to the development of the capitalistic commercial enterprise in the first years of the seventeenth century.
Findings
Contrary to Sombart's thesis, scientific double‐entry bookkeeping was rarely used in sixteenth century Netherlands, which became Europe's most sophisticated commercial region during the late sixteenth century and early seventeenth century. Instead, extant commercial archives and the numerous sixteenth century accounting texts suggest that Hanseatic business practices and agents' (factors') bookkeeping were the dominant influence on northern Netherlands' business practices at this time. The organisation and administrative practices of Netherlands' businesses prior to the seventeenth century, especially their decentralised structure and lack of a common capital, were founded on Hanseatic practices that were considerably different to the best Italian practice of the time.
Research limitations/implications
North German influences on Dutch accounting and business practices have significant implications for social theories of the development of capitalism, notably that of Bryer, that assume the use of a scientific (capitalistic) form of double‐entry bookkeeping was essential to the development of capitalism from the seventeenth century. This is tested in a subsequent paper which examines the accounting practices of the Dutch East India Company (Verenigde Oost‐Indische Compagnie or VOC) which was founded in 1602 at the very cusp of modern capitalism. The research presented here was partially constrained by the scarcity of transcriptions of original sixteenth century bookkeeping records.
Originality/value
The vigorous debate in the accounting history literature about the dependence of modern capitalism upon a scientific (capitalistic) form of double entry bookkeeping prompted by Sombart has been mainly concerned with England. This paper introduces into the debate material which documents the accounting and business practices of the most commercially advanced region of Europe in the late sixteenth century and the influence of Dutch bookkeeping texts.
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To empirically study the uptake of collection‐and‐delivery points (CDPs) in The Netherlands and its consequences for retailers, shopping centres, and mobility.
Abstract
Purpose
To empirically study the uptake of collection‐and‐delivery points (CDPs) in The Netherlands and its consequences for retailers, shopping centres, and mobility.
Design/methodology/approach
The study uses 2006 data from an online consumer survey and data provided by the major CDP companies in The Netherlands. In addition, two Dutch directors of CDP companies were interviewed.
Findings
The service point is nowadays the dominant form of CDP in The Netherlands. However, in 2006 only 1.4 percent of all online orders in The Netherlands were delivered at a service point. In addition, Dutch consumers currently mainly use service points for returning their online orders. As such, positive mobility effects of service points are so far small. Nevertheless, for retailers operating a service point may lead to additional revenues, as one in four online shoppers make a purchase when collecting or returning a parcel.
Research limitations/implications
Since service points – at least in The Netherlands – are nowadays mainly used for returning online orders, future empirical research should not neglect the reverse logistics function of CDPs.
Practical implications
Online shoppers are more willing to use the service point concept when they have many service points in the vicinity of their home. In addition, service points with many consumers in their immediate surroundings also perform best. A five minutes driving distance by car seems the critical accessibility value for the success of this concept.
Originality/value
Using nation‐wide representative samples the paper makes a significant contribution to the scarce empirical literature on the uptake and consequences of CDPs for retailers, shopping centres, and mobility.
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José Muller-Dugic, Pascal Beckers and Mario Braakman
Syrian refugees in the Netherlands frequently suffer from mental health problems. It is argued that mental health not only consists of the absence of psychiatric disorders but…
Abstract
Purpose
Syrian refugees in the Netherlands frequently suffer from mental health problems. It is argued that mental health not only consists of the absence of psychiatric disorders but also of the presence of mental well-being. However, there is little attention to the mental well-being of refugees, and no intervention exists that focuses on fostering the mental well-being of refugees. Therefore, the new culturally sensitive positive psychology intervention “Mosaic” was developed and implemented in collaboration with the target audience and local partners. Mosaic is offered in the Arabic language, and the content is focused on (re)finding purpose in life and (re)discovering life values and subsequently acting upon these values. The purpose of this study is to assess the effect of Mosaic on the mental well-being of Syrians in the Netherlands.
Design/methodology/approach
The effect of Mosaic on the mental well-being of Syrians in the Netherlands is assessed by conducting a randomized controlled trial (RCT) with a waitlist control group.
Findings
Postintervention within sample t-tests showed that the intervention group (n = 66) experienced significantly more overall mental well-being, emotional well-being and purpose in life right after participating in the intervention when compared to the preintervention measurement. The effect on purpose in life persisted six months later. These improvements were not found among the control group (n = 60).
Originality/value
Mosaic is the first positive psychology intervention in the Netherlands that was developed for and in collaboration with Syrian refugees. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is also the first study in the Netherlands and one of the first ones in Europe that assesses the effect of positive psychology for refugees specifically.
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Sophie Hennekam and Loubna Tahssain-Gay
The purpose of this paper is to provide a cross-cultural comparison of the attitudes toward diversity among human resource managers working for the same multinational company in…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to provide a cross-cultural comparison of the attitudes toward diversity among human resource managers working for the same multinational company in the Netherlands and Morocco.
Design/methodology/approach
In total, 35 semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted by telephone and were analyzed by the use of content analysis. Hofstede’s cultural dimensions were used as theoretical framework.
Findings
The findings suggest that attitudes toward diversity are changing and not always in line with Hofstede’s scores from 2010. Differences between the Netherlands and Morocco are discussed and trends in both countries are outlined.
Originality/value
While it has been argued that Hofstede’s cultural dimensions are relatively stable over time, the findings show that attitudes toward diversity are evolving in the light of the changing environment and that other cultural factors also play an important role.
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S.S. Gustafsson and M. Bruyn‐Hundt
Compares the way women are taxed in the Germany, Sweden and TheNetherlands by looking at both macro and micro data from the perspectiveof a wife′s contribution to family income…
Abstract
Compares the way women are taxed in the Germany, Sweden and The Netherlands by looking at both macro and micro data from the perspective of a wife′s contribution to family income. The programs used for analysis are included in an appendix. Taxing husbands and wives by adding joint incomes and dividing by two (as in Germany) penalises dual‐earner couples and favours one‐earner couples. Completely separate taxation (as in Sweden) is a major incentive for couples to be dual‐earner. In The Netherlands the government reform of the tax system (1990) has reduced negative tax effects on secondary earnings without introducing the positive effects seen in Sweden. Tax incentives are not the only determinant of women′s participation in the labour market.
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Reimara Valk, Mandy van der Velde, Marloes van Engen and Betina Szkudlarek
The purpose of this paper is to explore the influence of cultural identity change, organizational and social support and cultural distance on repatriation experiences of Indian…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to explore the influence of cultural identity change, organizational and social support and cultural distance on repatriation experiences of Indian international assignees.
Design/methodology/approach
Semi‐structured interviews were held with 19 Indians on international assignment in The Netherlands and 11 Indians repatriated from The Netherlands. Respondents were asked to reflect on their cultural identity changes and the effects of social support, organizational support and cultural distance between the host and the home country on their international assignment and repatriation experiences. Iterative thematic analyses revealed five central themes: cultural identity independence; knowledge utilization and organizational learning; social network support; global career prospects in the Indian economy; work‐life balance.
Findings
Cultural identity changes ranged from low adaptation to Dutch culture and happiness on return to India through to high cultural flexibility and readiness to move to another sojourn. The majority of respondents reported great appreciation by their supervisors and co‐workers and utilization of their knowledge gained in The Netherlands. These factors, in addition to good career prospects and social support from their informal networks, contributed positively to their repatriation experiences.
Originality/value
This study challenges the frequently reported negative repatriation experiences of sojourners from the West.
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Tessie Schepman, Marian Koren, Aleksandra Horvat, Dejana Kurtovic and Ivana Hebrang Grgic
The purpose of this paper is to document a joint research project aimed at investigating the existing library practices regarding protection of personal data, in view of…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to document a joint research project aimed at investigating the existing library practices regarding protection of personal data, in view of computerization of libraries and its consequences, and awareness of the privacy (anonymity) of the library users that was carried out simultaneously in The Netherlands and Croatia in the autumn of 2007.
Design/methodology/approach
The research was a continuation of an ongoing cooperation between The Netherlands Public Library Association and the Department of Information Sciences, University of Zagreb. A questionnaire was developed based on previously conducted interviews with librarians and survey of recent literature on anonymity. It was carried out online via a special link on the web site of The Netherlands Public Library Association and sent by e‐mail to selected libraries in Croatia.
Findings
Replies obtained from 65 Dutch and 33 Croatian libraries of all types have been compared and commented in the paper. The research shows that despite existing differences in library facilities librarians in both countries have not yet become fully aware of all aspects of privacy issues that new services provided by the new technology have brought about, nor received adequate training or taken appropriate measures.
Research limitations/implications
Further research on library practices regarding data protection and measures and steps to be taken by libraries in order to improve the present inadequacies can be envisaged in future.
Originality/value
The paper provides information on data security issues in Dutch and Croatian libraries.
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