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Book part
Publication date: 13 September 2017

Shinya Uekusa

This comparative study qualitatively explores how linguistic minority immigrants and refugees experienced the 2010–2011 Canterbury and Tohoku disasters, including their coping…

Abstract

This comparative study qualitatively explores how linguistic minority immigrants and refugees experienced the 2010–2011 Canterbury and Tohoku disasters, including their coping mechanisms and their perceived vulnerabilities and resilience. The data used for this qualitative analysis was primarily drawn from 28 in-depth interviews with linguistic minority immigrants and refugees and their supporting organization staff conducted in 2015–2016. Additional material was drawn from two publicly available data sets. Immigrants and refugees are typically thought of as being more vulnerable in disasters. However, findings drawn from this research demonstrate the nonlinearity, complexity, and contextuality of social vulnerabilities in disasters, suggesting that they are not necessarily powerless help-seekers in some cases. Using Bourdieu’s capital theory, this study demonstrates how immigrants and refugees were active social agents in these disasters. Consequently, we need to reconceptualize the social vulnerability approach. Some study participants had experiences of going through wars and everyday disasters, which made them more resilient. This is conceptualized here as earned strength, which can be a significant resource in disasters for the socially vulnerable. This chapter hopes to answer some critical questions regarding the social vulnerability approach: how do we incorporate the structure–agency concept, how do we theoretically deal with the contextuality/nonlinearity of social vulnerability in disasters, and how do we conceptualize a research study that can seek more practical and generalizable findings, instead of event-driven and disaster-specific findings?

Details

Recovering from Catastrophic Disaster in Asia
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-78635-296-5

Keywords

Book part
Publication date: 14 May 2018

Daina Mazutis

Over the last several decades, businesses have faced mounting pressures from diverse stakeholders to alter their corporate operations to become more socially and environmentally…

Abstract

Over the last several decades, businesses have faced mounting pressures from diverse stakeholders to alter their corporate operations to become more socially and environmentally responsible. In turn, many firms appear to have responded by implementing more sustainable practices — measuring, documenting, and publishing annual CSR or sustainability reports to showcase how they are addressing important issues in this area, including: resource stewardship, waste management, greenhouse gas emission reductions, fair and safe labor practices, amongst other stakeholder concerns. And yet, research in this domain has not yet systematically examined whether businesses have, on the whole, changed their practices in tandem with the important changes in its institutional context over time. Have corporate CSR initiatives, in fact, been growing over the last 25 years or has the increased attention to CSR actually been much ado about nothing? In this chapter, we review the empirical literature on CSR to uncover that common measures of CSR such as the KLD do not support the concept that CSR practices have increased substantively over the last 25 years. We supplement this historical review by modeling the growth curves of CSR implementation in practice and find that the pace of positive change has indeed been glacial. More alarmingly, we also look at corporate social irresponsibility (CSiR) and find that, contrary to expectations, businesses have become more, not less, irresponsible during this same time period. Implications of these findings for theory are presented as are suggestions for future research in this domain.

Details

Corporate Social Responsibility
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-78754-260-0

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 5 April 2022

Farhana Afroj

This paper investigates the financial strength of banks in Bangladesh and factors affecting the financial strength over the years 2010–2015 on 35 banks.

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Abstract

Purpose

This paper investigates the financial strength of banks in Bangladesh and factors affecting the financial strength over the years 2010–2015 on 35 banks.

Design/methodology/approach

Additive value function with CAMEL rating (capital stength, asset quality, managerial efficiency, earning ability, liquidity) has been employed to calculate banks’ financial strength index (FSI). In the second stage, panel regression has been exercised to find out the determinants of banks’ financial strength.

Findings

Empirical finding exhibits that the Islamic banks of Bangladesh are financially stronger and outperform conventional and Islamic window banks with higher liquidity. In the ownership category, private banks have more financial strength with higher capital strength, asset quality, managerial efficiency and earning ability than public banks. Bank size, loan recovery, salary and banking sector development positively affect whereas the loan-asset negatively affect the bank’s financial strength in Bangladesh.

Research limitations/implications

This study has its limitations despite its importance. CAMELS is a more improved form than using CAMEL. But because of the data deficiency on “S” which represents sensitivity, it would not be possible to use CAMELS framework. Further researchers could incorporate this.

Practical implications

Government and banks should allow Islamic banks to enter the market on easy terms because of their outstanding performance in the existing market. In addition, banks should provide loans with consideration so that they cannot create credit risk. In addition, they should calculate composite financial strength annually to understand which components they need to work on.

Originality/value

This study extends the extant result on the composite FSI. It is hard to examine the financial strength of banks using only ratio value, which misleads most of the time. The study offers evidence on how the FSI provides more rigorous results and what are the factors contribute most to the financial strength of banks.

Details

Asian Journal of Economics and Banking, vol. 6 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2615-9821

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 15 December 2020

Bhumi Mahesh Trivedi and Biju Varkkey

The purpose of this paper is to discuss how Aster Retail (AR), UAE, handled career plateau challenge by adopting multiple strategies and earning employee commitment and motivation…

363

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to discuss how Aster Retail (AR), UAE, handled career plateau challenge by adopting multiple strategies and earning employee commitment and motivation for business growth.

Design/methodology/approach

The organization addressed two types of plateaus – structural and content by creating both vertical and lateral opportunities/options for employees, and supporting them with resources to build required capabilities, and managing their career aspirations. The strategies also helped AR to remain true to the organization’s philosophy, “We will treat you well.”

Findings

The study enunciates how HR initiatives can add value by converting the negative phenomenon of plateau, into an opportunity for employees to grow.

Originality/value

The study has three contributions: How in a retail organization with strong promoter principles and values, both structural and content plateau are addressed, and linked with business strategies? The study sheds light on how organizational and HR support for career management addresses employee plateau, particularly for solid citizens. makes the employees feel “not plateaued” at all; and in the long run, why and how HR managers should focus more on proactively addressing content plateau than structural plateau.

Details

Strategic HR Review, vol. 19 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1475-4398

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 11 March 2014

Karen A. Geiger and Cheryl Jordan

The purpose of this paper is to focus on the work of those with societal privilege in the practice of inclusion. It outlines the experience of privilege, obstacles raised by the…

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to focus on the work of those with societal privilege in the practice of inclusion. It outlines the experience of privilege, obstacles raised by the study of women in cross-race relationships, and offers guidance for those with privilege in how to use it in relationships and organizational inclusion efforts.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper takes lessons from varied literatures about privilege, social justice, and organizational inclusion/diversity and applies them to the work of inclusion for those privileged by race in the USA.

Findings

The paper offers guidance to those with race privilege in the USA. It suggests ways to problematize privilege, how to become a social justice ally, reframe what white means, develop awareness about race dynamics, use empathy cautiously, create a “third culture,” balance multiple identities, and acknowledge numerous power differentials.

Research limitations/implications

Given the specific contexts and social identities chosen here, the conclusions may not generalize. Therefore, researchers are encouraged to extend the experience, obstacles and guidance for those with other kinds of privilege in other contexts.

Practical implications

Because of global demographics, organizations have incorporated a wide range of workforce diversity and now need to maximize practices of inclusion so talent can be fully utilized. This paper provides specific practices that can cause those with privilege to create a truly inclusive environment.

Originality/value

There is very little exploration about the role of those with societal privilege in the definitions and practices of inclusion. This paper's contribution is to outline the work to be done by those privileged.

Details

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion: An International Journal, vol. 33 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2040-7149

Keywords

Content available
Book part
Publication date: 13 September 2017

Abstract

Details

Recovering from Catastrophic Disaster in Asia
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-78635-296-5

Article
Publication date: 16 November 2015

Alex Lowy

There is a recurring and universal set of competing forces that strategy implementers must manage, and their ability to marshal resources and hearts while maintaining the current…

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Abstract

Purpose

There is a recurring and universal set of competing forces that strategy implementers must manage, and their ability to marshal resources and hearts while maintaining the current business depends very much on how six key dilemmas are handled.

Design/methodology/approach

The author identifies the six dilemmas and offers a leaders’ guide to managing them.

Findings

Dilemmas do not signal that a strategy is flawed or that leadership is failing. Rather, they are part and parcel of the strategy implementation process; they present consequential choices that need to be understood and addressed.”

Practical implications

Realism dictates that legitimate dilemmas need to be acknowledged and addressed directly and fully.

Originality/value

The leader who is first to recognize and effectively manage the dilemmas of strategy implementation will likely gain a headstart in organizational transformation.

Details

Strategy & Leadership, vol. 43 no. 6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1087-8572

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 19 February 2024

Fiona Maureen Courtens, Elvira Haezendonck and Alain Verbeke

This research aims to provide a new perspective on the evolving linkages between LAs and FSAs in the context of the technology-based manufacturing industry. Firm-level competitive…

Abstract

Purpose

This research aims to provide a new perspective on the evolving linkages between LAs and FSAs in the context of the technology-based manufacturing industry. Firm-level competitive strengths in an international context build upon the combination of (largely) exogenous location advantages (LAs) and endogenous firm-specific advantages (FSAs). The authors focus especially on the decay of LAs over time, which has been observed in many highly developed countries during the past decades. The authors show how the strengthening of FSAs can substitute for decaying LAs, thereby safeguarding against the demise of entire industrial regions.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors examine the technology-based manufacturing industry in Belgium, building upon an analysis of survey responses by 66 firms including a subgroup of 26 multinational enterprise (MNE) subsidiaries. The professional association representing this industry in Belgium (Agoria) viewed the firms included in the survey as representative for Belgian technology-based manufacturing in terms of the LAs they presently build upon (or location disadvantages they face) and the internal strengths they command relative to (foreign) rivals. The investigation uncovered the decay of critical LAs in Belgium and in parallel, the rise of ‘compensating’ FSAs of Belgian operations relative to foreign firms, including, especially, MNE sister subsidiaries in other countries. The authors also conducted 23 in-depth interviews with senior level managers (CEOs and senior vice presidents) of technology-based firms, including 10 subsidiaries of foreign-owned MNEs, which validated our analysis of the interplay between LAs and FSAs.

Findings

The findings reveal that since inception, Belgian manufacturing operations experienced an overall decay in their critical LAs by 23% on average. Despite this, several Belgian subsidiaries of foreign MNEs consider themselves as commanding a resource-base superior to that of the next-best-in-class subsidiaries. Furthermore, when assessing the dynamic interplay between LAs and FSAs, there is some evidence that the decay of LAs fueled the quest for – and firm-level journey toward – stronger FSAs.

Originality/value

The originality of this study is the alternative perspective to the conventionally assumed “positive-positive” relationship between LAs and FSAs. Prior management research has not examined the impact of decaying LAs on new FSA-creation in the realm of technology-based manufacturing.

Details

Competitiveness Review: An International Business Journal , vol. 34 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1059-5422

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 21 June 2013

Kerstin Holmlund

The purpose of this paper is to utilize illustrative examples from the industrialisation period in Sweden to analyse the interlace between poor legislation and school legislation.

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to utilize illustrative examples from the industrialisation period in Sweden to analyse the interlace between poor legislation and school legislation.

Design/methodology/approach

It deals with how state regulation and societal transformations intervened in the lives of poor children and their parents. In particular, this article examines how collaboration between schools and poor relief resulted in normative judgements about their social inclusion and exclusion.

Findings

Overall, the article illuminates a new era in the history of social policy, an epoch when old assumptions were abandoned and fresh links were forged between industrialisation, national economics, education, gender relations, and social welfare. These changes are clarified not only by reference to nineteenth century sources but also to national and international research, and ideas about capital and gender relations associated with, among others, Hannah Arendt and Pierre Bourdieu.

Originality/value

The study illustrates how and why the official public spirit affects children and why understanding of this relationship needs to be broadened as well as deepened.

Details

History of Education Review, vol. 42 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0819-8691

Keywords

Case study
Publication date: 28 July 2017

Sujo Thomas, Abhishek, Sanket Vatavwala and Piyush Kumar Sinha

BigBasket.com, an online supermarket established in December 2011 in Bangalore, India, had become one of the major players in the Indian online grocery market by the end of March…

Abstract

BigBasket.com, an online supermarket established in December 2011 in Bangalore, India, had become one of the major players in the Indian online grocery market by the end of March 2016.1 Run by Innovative Retail Concepts Private Limited, BigBasket.com was operating in more than 23 cities across the country in 2016. The online grocery market in India was in a stage of growth and transformation, fuelled by India's large urban population who sought a lifestyle of convenience and ease. It had also attracted many entrepreneurs who competed fiercely with each other in a market characterised by thin margins. Intense competition ensured that only a few companies were able to survive and sustain themselves. One of these companies was Big Basket, which succeeded in spite of the competition, attracting Series Da funding worth USD 150b million from the United Arab Emirates-based Abraaj Group in March 2016.2

Details

Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad, vol. no.
Type: Case Study
ISSN: 2633-3260
Published by: Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad

Keywords

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