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Article
Publication date: 11 December 2019

The work-life experiences of an invisible workforce: The case of live-in women migrant domestic workers in Malaysia

Wee Chan Au, Uracha Chatrakul Na Ayudhya, Yan Soon Tan and Pervaiz K. Ahmed

The purpose of this paper is to explore the work-life (WL) experiences of live-in women migrant domestic workers (MDWs), who represent a significant proportion of migrant…

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore the work-life (WL) experiences of live-in women migrant domestic workers (MDWs), who represent a significant proportion of migrant workers globally. MDWs play a key role in enabling the work-life balance (WLB) of others, namely the middle-class households that employ them. Yet, their experiences have largely been invisible in mainstream WL literature. The authors draw on an intersectional approach to frame the WL experiences of this marginalized group of women at the intersection of being secondary labour segment workers, with significant legal and employment restrictions as migrant workers, who work and live in the same place as their employers.

Design/methodology/approach

Qualitative interviews were conducted with 13 women MDWs from Indonesia and the Philippines working in Malaysia. The women talked about the meaning of work as MDWs, how they maintain familial connections whilst working abroad, and how they negotiate their WLB as live-in workers. Thematic analysis of the interviews focused on the intersection of the women’s multiple dimensions of disadvantage, including gender, class and temporary migrant-foreigner status, in shaping their accounts of the WL interface.

Findings

Three thematic narratives highlight that any semblance of WLB in the MDWs’ lived experience has given way to the needs of their employers and to the imperative to earn an income for their families back home. The themes are: working as MDWs enables the women and their families back home to have a life; the co-existence of WL boundary segmentation and integration in relation to “real” and “temporary” families; and the notion of WLB being centred around the women’s ability to fulfil their multiple duties as MDWs and absent mothers/sisters/daughters.

Research limitations/implications

The study is based on a small sample of live-in women MDWs in Malaysia, intended to promote typically excluded voices and not to provide generalizable findings. Accessing potential participants was a considerable challenge, given the vulnerable positions of women MDWs and the invisible nature of their work.

Practical implications

Future research should adopt a multi-stakeholder approach to studying the WL experiences of women MDWs. In particular, links with non-governmental organizations who work directly with women MDWs should be established as a way of improving future participant access.

Social implications

The study underscores the existence of policies and regulations that tolerate and uphold social inequalities that benefit primary labour segment workers to the detriment of secondary labour segment workers, including women MDWs.

Originality/value

Extant WL literature is dominated by the experiences of “the ideal work-life balancers”, who tend to be white middle-class women, engaged in professional work. This study offers original contribution by giving voice to a taken-for-granted group of women migrant workers who make other people’s WLB possible. Moreover, the study challenges WL research by underscoring the power inequities that shape the participants’ marginal and disadvantaged lived experience of work, life, family and WLB.

Details

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion: An International Journal, vol. 39 no. 5
Type: Research Article
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/EDI-02-2019-0059
ISSN: 2040-7149

Keywords

  • Work-life balance
  • Intersectionality
  • Invisible workers
  • Live-in domestic workers
  • Malaysia and Asia
  • Women migrant workers

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Book part
Publication date: 15 July 1991

Advances in Chinese Library and Associated Information Services since the Mid-1970s

WEIMING LI

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Advances in Librarianship
Type: Book
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/S0065-2830(1991)0000015006
ISBN: 978-0-12024-615-1

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Article
Publication date: 16 July 2018

Examining the determinants and outcomes of netizens’ participation behaviors on government social media profiles

Junpeng Guo, Chunxin Zhang, Yi Wu, Hao Li and Yu Liu

Government social media profiles (GSPs) are increasingly used by government agencies during social crises, and the success of GSPs is highly dependent on netizens…

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Abstract

Purpose

Government social media profiles (GSPs) are increasingly used by government agencies during social crises, and the success of GSPs is highly dependent on netizens’ participation behavior (NPB). Drawing upon the social support theory, the purpose of this paper is to propose a theoretical model to examine the determinants and outcomes of NPB during a social crisis.

Design/methodology/approach

To test the research model, a field survey was conducted in the context of Tianjin 2015 explosions in China. The authors adopted a two-step approach to test the models. First, the authors conducted exploratory factor analysis to evaluate the measurement properties of the reflective latent constructs. Then, the authors performed a structural equation analysis to test the hypotheses.

Findings

The results show that information support and emotional support are significant determinants of NPB and persona involvement moderates the relationships between them. Additionally, this study reveals that information source preference and increasing enthusiasm for becoming a civil journalist are two critical and significant outcomes of NPB.

Research limitations/implications

There are some limitations in this paper that must be taken into account when interpreting its findings. First, the study is designed on a single profile and concerns a single social crisis. Additionally, future research might consider incorporating factors beyond the individual level, e.g., community social capital (Putnam, 1993). Finally, with the emergence of various IT platforms, such as a government’s own website and online forms, future research can investigate how their characteristics can facilitate other social media platforms’ participation.

Practical implications

This paper offers a number of crucial research implications to the literature of social media in crisis management, thereby contributing to the explanation of NPB on GSPs in the management of social crises. Considering social support as a factor affecting NPB on GSPs, the authors also add personal involvement to the research on the functions of NPB on GSPs and include encouraging civil journalist and making GSPs the principal source of political information.

Social implications

The research provides participating netizens on GSPs with some suggestions about generating more cost-effective and useful interventions to improve netizen participation levels on GSPs. The findings highlight that governmental social media profiles must focus on continuous development, such as trying best to satisfy the habits of netizens, to motivate netizens to create dependence of information acquisition on the GSPs, called information source preference. On the other hand, the study reminds netizens of the importance of NPB on GSPs during crises and encourages them to act as civil journalist.

Originality/value

First, the study investigated the outcome effect of NPB on GSPs on netizens’ information source preference and civil journalist. Second, this study identifies the determinants of NBPs on GSPs from both the informational and the emotional support perspectives. Third, this study investigates the moderating effects of personal involvement on the relationships between determinants from social support and NPB on GSPs.

Details

Aslib Journal of Information Management, vol. 70 no. 4
Type: Research Article
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/AJIM-07-2017-0157
ISSN: 2050-3806

Keywords

  • Social support
  • Participation behaviour
  • Personal involvement
  • Civil journalist
  • Government social media profiles
  • Information source

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Article
Publication date: 1 June 2005

Paradigm weak and strong – Volume 2

Li‐teh Sun

Man has been seeking an ideal existence for a very long time. In this existence, justice, love, and peace are no longer words, but actual experiences. How ever, with the…

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Man has been seeking an ideal existence for a very long time. In this existence, justice, love, and peace are no longer words, but actual experiences. How ever, with the American preemptive invasion and occupation of Afghanistan and Iraq and the subsequent prisoner abuse, such an existence seems to be farther and farther away from reality. The purpose of this work is to stop this dangerous trend by promoting justice, love, and peace through a change of the paradigm that is inconsistent with justice, love, and peace. The strong paradigm that created the strong nation like the U.S. and the strong man like George W. Bush have been the culprit, rather than the contributor, of the above three universal ideals. Thus, rather than justice, love, and peace, the strong paradigm resulted in in justice, hatred, and violence. In order to remove these three and related evils, what the world needs in the beginning of the third millenium is the weak paradigm. Through the acceptance of the latter paradigm, the golden mean or middle paradigm can be formulated, which is a synergy of the weak and the strong paradigm. In order to understand properly the meaning of these paradigms, however, some digression appears necessary.

Details

International Journal of Sociology and Social Policy, vol. 25 no. 6/7
Type: Research Article
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/01443330510791342
ISSN: 0144-333X

Keywords

  • Paradigms
  • Society
  • Cause and effect

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Book part
Publication date: 27 August 2013

Reenacting Contextual Boundaries – Entrepreneurial Resourcefulness in Challenging Environments

Friederike Welter and Mirela Xheneti

In this chapter, we advance an understanding of entrepreneurial resourcefulness in relation to context by focusing on challenging and sometimes outright hostile…

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Abstract

In this chapter, we advance an understanding of entrepreneurial resourcefulness in relation to context by focusing on challenging and sometimes outright hostile environments and the way they shape, and are shaped by, entrepreneurial resourcefulness. Drawing on selective evidence from several projects in post-socialist countries in both Central and Eastern Europe and Central Asia and other published research covering these countries, we argue for contextualized conceptualizations of resourcefulness. More specifically we emphasize that temporal, historical, socio-spatial, and institutional contexts are antecedents and boundaries for entrepreneurial behavior, while at the same time allowing for human agency. This is visible in individuals’ actions to negotiate, reenact, and cross these boundaries, and as a result, intentionally or inadvertently contributing to changing contexts. We suggest that resourcefulness is a dynamic concept encompassing multiple practices, which change over time, and it results from a close interplay of multiple contexts with entrepreneurial behavior. We also propose that from a theoretical point of view, resourcefulness not only needs to be contextualized, but it also needs to be explored together with its contextual outcomes – the value it creates and adds at different levels of society.

Details

Entrepreneurial Resourcefulness: Competing With Constraints
Type: Book
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/S1074-7540(2013)0000015009
ISBN: 978-1-78190-018-5

Keywords

  • Entrepreneurial action
  • entrepreneurial behavior
  • context of entrepreneurial behavior
  • transition economies
  • post-Soviet countries

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Case study
Publication date: 26 November 2015

Hotelvp: swimming with sharks

Yan Gong, Ramakrishna Velamuri, Liman Zhao and Liang Dong

This case is written for those people who are interested in entrepreneurship, and to generate discussions on the Lean Start-up methodology, as well as other topics related…

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Teaching notes available

Abstract

Subject area

This case is written for those people who are interested in entrepreneurship, and to generate discussions on the Lean Start-up methodology, as well as other topics related to entrepreneurship and innovation.

Study level/applicability

It can be used with senior undergraduates, MBAs, EMBAs and senior executives.

Case overview

In August 2011, Mars Ren and Gene Deng created a technology-based venture, Shanghai Tianhailu Network Information Technology Ltd. Filled with passion, they aspired to be the first “factory outlet” in China' hotel booking industry. To achieve this goal, they developed the Hotelvp app for mobile users. After 6:00 p.m. every day, users could book accommodation online in hotels above three-star standard for that same night at significant discounts. Hotels also benefited because they could sell their unsold room nights at the last minute and improve their revenue management. Ren and Deng were convinced that this win-win idea would take off. Unfortunately, it failed to fully satisfy either the users or the hotels. In spite of the founders' passion and energy, it was still acquired by a much more powerful player in the online sector, JD.com, in early 2014. This case is designed to stimulate in-depth discussions based on the question: What are the key obstacles when launching a startup and how to overcome them?

Expected learning outcomes

Through class discussion, it aims at teaching the student how to define and practice a start-up idea successfully by following the “Lean Start-up” methodology and/or take advantage of a practical tool, discovery-driven planning. Specifically, this case intends to teach students how: To identify and define a good start-up idea; To take actions based on the idea/opportunity, iterate and modify it along the way to create new start-ups, and finally lead the new start-ups to grow and succeed; To understand the key concepts, frameworks and theoretical logics of Lean Start-up methodology, and apply it in practice.

Supplementary materials

Teaching Notes are available for educators only. Please contact your library to gain login details or email support@emeraldinsight.com to request teaching notes.

Details

Emerald Emerging Markets Case Studies, vol. 5 no. 8
Type: Case Study
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/EEMCS-06-2015-0115
ISSN: 2045-0621

Keywords

  • Start-ups
  • Entrepreneurial opportunity
  • Technology-based entrepreneurship

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Article
Publication date: 4 July 2016

A framework for effective crisis response

Nitin Pangarkar

– The purpose of this paper is to propose a framework for effective crisis response.

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to propose a framework for effective crisis response.

Design/methodology/approach

The methodology involves a qualitative examination of responses by companies that have been judged by analysts to be varyingly effective. Toyota, for instance, had a poor response to its product quality and recall crisis. Singapore Airlines on the other hand, is often cited as an exemplar for an effective response to the crash of its flight SQ 006 in Taiwan.

Findings

This research finds that organizations with a strong commitment to doing the right thing for stakeholders and a high readiness are most likely to effectively respond to crises. Organizations lacking in one of the two critical dimensions (commitment to stakeholders and/or readiness), on the other hand, are likely to have ineffective responses with possible post-crisis losses in competitive (e.g. market share) and financial (e.g. penalties) terms.

Research limitations/implications

The case study methodology implies limitations about generalizability. The framework may also be less useful in crises where there is ambiguity about the genesis of the crisis and its implications, such as the disappearance of the Malaysian Airlines’ MH 370 flight.

Practical implications

Since crises are commonplace and can impact any company, the framework can be useful for a wide range of companies.

Originality/value

The proposed framework fills a gap in the understanding about why some companies have effective responses to crises and others do not. Prior literature has often adopted narrower perspectives such as the skills and the personality of the CEO, pre-crisis drills and effective communication strategies post-crisis. This study argues that while these factors are important, they are not sufficiently strategic.

Details

Journal of Organizational Change Management, vol. 29 no. 4
Type: Research Article
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/JOCM-04-2015-0063
ISSN: 0953-4814

Keywords

  • Commitment
  • Toyota
  • Singapore Airlines
  • Crisis response
  • Readiness

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Article
Publication date: 21 January 2019

A two-wheel load balance control strategy for an HVTL inspection robot based on second-order sliding-mode

Zhihang He, Wei Wang, Huaping Ruan, Yanzhang Yao, Xuelong Li, Dehua Zou, Yu Yan and Shaochun Jia

Overhead high-voltage transmission line (HVTL) inspection robots are used to inspect the transmission lines and/or maintain the infrastructures of a power transmission…

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Abstract

Purpose

Overhead high-voltage transmission line (HVTL) inspection robots are used to inspect the transmission lines and/or maintain the infrastructures of a power transmission grid. One of the most serious problems is that the load on the front wheel is much larger than that on the back one when the robot travels along a sloping earth wire. Thus, ongoing operation of the inspection robot mainly depends on the front wheel motor’s ability. This paper aims to extend continuous operation time of the HVTL inspection robots.

Design/methodology/approach

By introducing a traction force model, the authors have established a dynamic model of the robot with slip. The total load is evenly distributed to both wheels. According to the traction force model, the desired wheel slip is calculated to achieve the goal of load balance. A wheel slip controller was designed based on second-order sliding-mode control methodology.

Findings

This controller accomplishes the control objective, such that the actual wheel slip tracks the desired wheel slip. A simulation and experiment verify the feasibility of the load balance control system. These results indicate that the loads on both wheels are generally equal.

Originality/value

By balancing the loads on both wheels, the inspection robot can travel along the earth wire longer, improving its efficiency.

Details

Industrial Robot: the international journal of robotics research and application, vol. 46 no. 1
Type: Research Article
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/IR-10-2018-0212
ISSN: 0143-991X

Keywords

  • Inspection robot
  • Load balance
  • Second-order sliding-mode control
  • Traction force
  • Wheel slip

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Article
Publication date: 1 January 1990

Privatisation in Singapore: The Success of Public Sector Management

Tan Chwee Huat

Public enterprises have contributed significantly to Singapore′seconomic success but in recent years they have been criticised forplaying a dominant role that overshadows…

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Abstract

Public enterprises have contributed significantly to Singapore′s economic success but in recent years they have been criticised for playing a dominant role that overshadows the private sector. The Government has decided to embark on a ten‐year privatisation process. However, public enterprises will continue to participate in business where private entrepreneurs are reluctant to venture into.

Details

International Journal of Public Sector Management, vol. 3 no. 1
Type: Research Article
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/09513559010145264
ISSN: 0951-3558

Keywords

  • Privatization
  • Public sector
  • Singapore

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Article
Publication date: 1 February 1999

Managing human behaviour in the airline industry

Brian H. Kleiner

Devotes the entire journal issue to managing human behaviour in US industries, with examples drawn from the airline industry, trading industry, publishing industry, metal…

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Devotes the entire journal issue to managing human behaviour in US industries, with examples drawn from the airline industry, trading industry, publishing industry, metal products industry, motor vehicle and parts industry, information technology industry, food industry, the airline industry in a turbulent environment, the automotive sales industry, and specialist retailing industry. Outlines the main features of each industry and the environment in which it is operating. Provides examples, insights and quotes from Chief Executive Officers, managers and employees on their organization’s recipe for success. Mentions the effect technology has had in some industries. Talks about skilled and semi‐skilled workers, worker empowerment and the formation of teams. Addresses also the issue of change and the training that is required to deal with it in different industry sectors. Discusses remuneration packages and incentives offered to motivate employees. Notes the importance of customers in the face of increased competition. Extracts from each industry sector the various human resource practices that companies employ to manage their employees effectively ‐ revealing that there is a wide diversity in approach and what is right for one industry sector would not work in another. Offers some advice for managers, but, overall, fails to summarize what constitutes effective means of managing human behaviour.

Details

Management Research News, vol. 22 no. 2/3
Type: Research Article
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/01409179910781922
ISSN: 0140-9174

Keywords

  • Human resource management
  • Industry
  • USA

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