bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Political support for women entrepreneurs
Authors: Pardo‐del‐Val Manuela , Ribeiro‐Soriano Domingo 
Published: November 2007

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to analyze the application of EU programmes that seek to help women to set up their own businesses and discuss how public measures can help full integration of women into all walks of society, especially within jobs that correspond to their skills and capabilities.Design/methodology/approachAfter a literature review on the difficulties women face to find a suitable job, according to their preparation, their needs and their expectations, and the political considerations to act towards equality, this study is aimed at analyzing a European initiative designed to avoid gendered impacts on the present labour market. Through in‐depth interviews of project leaders stemming from the EQUAL Community Initiative, a list of mechanisms to support female entrepreneurship is discussed.FindingsThe paper concludes that, while there is no single remedy that will adequately address the complex mix of factors that keep women entrepreneurs behind men, most projects focus on training, funding and mentoring as key supporting tools.Research limitations/implicationsThe limited sample and the focus on the project leaders as the only interviewees make generalization of findings difficult. Future interesting research lines would involve deeper investigation into the highlighted topics, especially training and mentoring.Practical implicationsThe paper is a useful source of information about the contents of public support programmes for practical researchers planning to study in greater depth the specific measures to fight against gendered inequality.Originality/valueThis article gives additional insight into public measures to help female entrepreneurship, stressing the main support lines.
Is Indian software workforce a case of uneven and combined development?
Authors: Ilavarasan Vigneswara 
Published: November 2007

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to test the existing theoretical argument that the Indian software industry is a case of uneven and combined development by examining the workforce.Design/methodology/approachThe paper is based on a survey conducted in two software organizations located in Bangalore. Data were collected through a combination of quantitative (114 questionnaires) and qualitative methods (62 semi‐structured interviews). Respondents were selected randomly from the work floor.FindingsThe paper observes that the workforce is uneven in nature and directly integrated with the global market. The workforce appears homogeneous. A typical software worker in India is a young male; hails from an urban and a semi‐urban locality; follows Hinduism, and belongs to the upper socio‐economic stratum of Indian society. He holds an undergraduate engineering degree, not necessarily in computer science, from a second‐grade educational institution. He is trained by the employers as per the needs of the Western market, and works for longer hours than required. He earns more than his counterparts in the other industries, and is promoted periodically based on work experience.Research limitations/implicationsThe paper suggests that Indian future policy initiatives should recognize the need for inclusion of the disadvantaged in this growing sector. Also, conclusions drawn from the study are useful for the developing countries that imitate Indian software industry to develop inclusive development policies.Originality/valueFrom the existing literature, it is not known whether the employment‐related benefits are reaching all the social groups, or uneven and combined development is reflected at the workforce as well. The paper fills the gap using triangulation of methods.
Exploring highly educated refugees’ potential as knowledge workers in contemporary Britain
Authors: Psoinos Maria 
Published: November 2007

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explore whether highly educated refugees have the potential to become active members of the UK knowledge economy and to identify what socio‐political factors are currently excluding/marginalising them.Design/methodology/approachThe empirical work consists of semi‐structured interviews conducted with 15 highly educated refugees residing in the UK. The interviews, which contain theory‐driven and open‐ended questions, elicited how refugees themselves perceive their post‐migration experiences, and especially their employment experiences in the UK.FindingsThe participants do not perceive themselves as passive and incompetent, as they are often portrayed. They also claim that their exclusion/marginalisation from the UK economy is not due to any lack of qualifications and skills from their side, but due to ongoing discriminatory processes and to the long process of getting their qualifications validated.Research limitations/implicationsThe use of a single method and a cross‐sectional design does not allow an understanding of whether and to what extent the findings apply to other disadvantaged populations, which could be clarified through a comparative, longitudinal study.Practical implicationsHighly educated refugees have the potential to become knowledge‐workers, but certain barriers they face suppress this potential. This is why future policies should continuously support refugee agencies and communities that play a vital role in refugees’ lives and work‐related adaptation and encourage the creation of new ones where they are most needed.Originality/valueThis research, by “giving voice” to the selected participants, reveals the existing contrast between highly educated refugees’ own perceptions and the negative socio‐political discourse surrounding them and highlights the contribution that this population can make to the UK knowledge economy.
Disconnecting knowledge from the knower
Authors: Adelstein Jennifer 
Published: November 2007

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to investigate how the knowledge work discourse has been transformed from a celebration of those who create knowledge to one of leaden prescription to purposively separate the knowledge from the knower.Design/methodology/approachThe approach takes the form of genealogical discourse analysis of the dominant and alternative knowledge work discourses.FindingsFrom its earliest conceptions, knowledge work as a discourse was conceived as creating a new class of worker who was highly educated, motivated and financially aspirational. Through alignment with significant discourses from such fields of knowledge as economics, the law and technology, knowledge has become an organisational asset, to be secured by technology and protected by law even from those who created it. Discursive transformation shows that knowledge work and those who perform it – the knowledge workers – have become marginalised in the discourses until they have virtually disappeared altogether.Research limitations/implicationsAs a conceptual paper, the analysis does not address an empirical research frame. However, the paper illustrates how power is implicated in all aspects of the knowledge work discourse.Originality/valueThe paper identifies how power relations are implicit in organisational discourses of knowledge work. Knowledge is seen to be central to studies of organisations, economics and globalisation, yet human beings as creators of knowledge have been marginalised in the knowledge discourses.
Practising knowledge workers: perspectives of an artist and economist
Authors: Nicolopoulou Katerina , Karatas‐Ozkan Mine 
Published: November 2007

PurposeThe paper aims to generate insights into practitioners’ understanding of global knowledge work/workers by exploring the perspectives of an artist and economist.Design/methodology/approachSemi‐structured interviews with the two participants were conducted; and the interview material was transcribed and analyzed.FindingsGlobal knowledge work is a multifaceted concept; it can exist in different fields, including art, technology and social sciences. Global knowledge work is about knowledge that is acquired, accumulated, shared and enriched through relocation, travel or integration into networks. Global knowledge workers are equipped with some form of specialized knowledge, skills set and different communication strategies. Their motivation varies from intellectual curiosity, financial and career benefits, personal reasons to seek a life in another country to the prestige of global knowledge work.Practical implicationsDiversity is a defining attribute of global knowledge work. Diverse backgrounds, expertise and viewpoints of global knowledge workers are becoming an increasingly significant asset for organizations. This has implications in terms of developing effective diversity management strategies in global and knowledge‐intensive organizations, such as universities.Originality/valueThe paper draws on two interviews with practising global knowledge workers, in the fields of art and economy. Useful insights are generated for practitioners in all fields, combining interesting perspectives on global knowledge work and its future value.
The interconnectedness between leadership and learning: a reaffirmation
Authors: Marques Joan F. 
Published: November 2007

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to reemphasize the essence of upgrading students' learning mentality in higher education as much as possible, in order to enable excellence in workplace performance later.Design/methodology/approachThe subject scope of this paper is: learning as a vehicle toward excellence. Methods used in the paper are: literature review and student performance evaluations. Its approach to the topic is: a review of the basic component for excellence in learning; connecting learning mentalities with workplace behaviors; evaluation of behaviors of great learners and leaders; and presents a model.FindingsThe paper finds that learning and leadership have a mutuality effect on one another. Behaviors in attitudes toward learning are important indicators of behaviors in workplace performance.Research limitations/implicationsAlthough concisely reviewed, this paper does not specifically focus on unfortunate learning outcomes for students, resulting from poor teaching methods, learning disabilities, cultural and environmental drawbacks, or other circumstantial imbalances. The main focus of this paper is rather on attitudes toward learning, which oftentimes convert into workplace behaviors.Practical implicationsFor students the practical implications of this paper are: examining their learning behavior and adopt a more constructive one where possible and necessary. For course facilitators and academic advisors they are: scrutinizing problem students' performance more intensely, confronting these students with the need to adjust, and, where possible, providing them the support mechanisms to do so. For members of the corporate world they are: if still obtaining education or on‐the‐job training – examining their learning behaviors, and thus their chances on future success; and if in managerial positions: learning to recognize certain traits early on in job applicants.Originality/valueNew in this paper is: the clear link between learning and leading; five behaviors of great learners and leaders; and a model that displays the effects of attitudes toward learning.
Managers' justice perceptions of high potential identification practices
Authors: Slan‐Jerusalim Rebecca , Hausdorf Peter A. 
Published: November 2007

PurposeThe purpose of the present study was to describe the high potential identification practices of Canadian organizations and to assess elements of these practices as they relate to managers' perceptions of organizational justice.Design/methodology/approachThe study reviewed the literature on high potential identification practices and organizational justice to develop a survey for managers attending a leadership conference. Distributive and procedural justice was regressed against the elements of these programs (e.g. the extent of manager input into the program, the openness of communications) to determine the impact of program elements on justice outcomes.FindingsThe paper reveals that approximately one‐third (38 percent) of companies reported having a high potential identification program. High potential was most often defined in specific organizational terms based on competencies. Typically, information used to identify these individuals was based on: personal experience with the person, performance appraisals and past performance or results. Hierarchical linear modeling analyses (n=123) indicated that high potential identification programs containing manager input, open communication and formal program evaluation significantly predicted procedural justice. None of the predictions for distributive justice were significant.Originality/valueThis study is the first to empirically investigate the impact of high potential identification practices on managers' perceptions of organizational justice in North America. Manager's justice perceptions reflect an important criterion to evaluate high potential identification programs. The current study found that manager's perceptions of procedural justice were higher when they had more input into the development of the program, when the communication strategy was more open, and the program was evaluated. Despite these important elements, many organizations do not incorporate them into their programs, which have implications for their success.
Managing change through management development: an industry case study
Authors: Shanley Chris 
Published: November 2007

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explore the interconnections between management development and change management within the context of an industry case study. To develop strategies for how management development practices might better support the management of change.Design/methodology/approachUsing a constructivist methodology, one‐to‐one interviews were conducted with two groups: a randomly chosen cross‐section of middle managers and a purposive sample of senior stakeholders within the industry. Thematic analysis was used to interpret the interview data.FindingsThe study finds that there was not a clear understanding of how the management of change fitted within the overall job role of the middle managers. How middle managers actually manage change on a day‐to‐day basis has been largely ignored or taken for granted. This has led to considerable stress on managers. There is a wide range of management development practices in the industry, with many managers receiving low levels of preparation and support.Research limitations/implicationsAs a qualitative study, there are limitations on the generalisability of findings. The study is set in one industry and the concepts advanced will require validating in other settings. Further research possibilities are recommended.Practical implicationsBased on the literature and study findings, a list of change management competencies and a number of management development strategies are recommended as a way of bringing change management more into the foreground of management thinking and practice within the industry.Originality/valueThis paper contributes to the small body of research on the interconnections between management development and change management, provides the only such research in the residential aged care industry, and contributes a range of practical proposals about how management development practices can be used to support the change management competencies of middle managers.
The influence of supervisory‐support climate and unemployment rate on part‐time employee retention
Authors: Gentry William A. , Kuhnert Karl W. , Mondore Scott P. , Page Erin E. 
Published: November 2007

PurposeUsing “districts” nested within “regions”, this multi‐level analysis research aims to examine whether a climate of supervisory‐support at a “district”‐level (as measured by perceived supervisor support (PSS)), and “region”‐level unemployment rates were related to “district”‐level retention rates of blue‐collar part‐time employees (PTEs).Design/methodology/approachBlue‐collar PTE retention rates (from company records) and PSS levels (from a company‐wide survey) of a large global service provider were gathered. “Regional” unemployment rates were collected via publicly‐accessible government statistics.FindingsThe study finds that PSS levels of blue‐collar PTEs were related to retention rates. Additionally, through the nested relationship of the study, the “region”‐level unemployment rate was also related to PTE retention levels.Research limitation/implicationsLimitations of the study included generalization to other companies, inability to collect demographic data, sample size and sampling issues, and concerns about the measurement of retention.Practical implicationsThis study revealed that supervisory‐support climate was important in PTE retention. This paper gives mechanisms that managers can use to improve PSS levels of employees. Additionally, since organizations exist in environments, results show that the external environment may affect organizational outcomes, no matter what occurs internally in the organization.Originality/valueThis study is unique since it focused specifically on blue‐collar PTEs, a much‐needed group of people to research. The paper gave ways for managers to enhance their relationship with PTEs, thereby having special value for managers and those who study managerial development. Additionally, the study gave evidence that organizations exist in environments, and factors outside the organization may affect retention within organizations.
Adoption of information and communication technology
Authors: Hoon Yang Kyung , Lee Sang M. , Lee Sang‐Gun 
Published: November 2007

PurposeThe aim of this paper is to find out: why some organizations adopt ICT later than the others, and whether organizations have different adoption strategies based on the type of ICT.Design/methodology/approachThis paper is an empirical study of the ICT diffusion process between the early and late adopters of relational database and local area network.FindingsThe results of the study indicate that there are significant differences between early and late adoption organizations with regard to management characteristics such as the age and interests of the CEO and CIO, and also the adoption process such as the evaluation period and initiation time. However, no significant differences were found in organization resource or corporate strategy factors. Furthermore, the results of the study indicate that there are significant differences in organizational characteristics such as sales volume, organization slack and rewards between the two types of ICT.Research limitations/implicationsThe sample size is relatively small. Replication of this study with additional organizations in the sample will allow stronger validation of diffusion theory.Originality/valueIt is believed that the results of the study will provide useful guidelines in strategy development for managing ICT diffusion by organizations and IT vendors.
Organizational innovation management
Authors: Wong Shui‐Yee , Chin Kwai‐Sang 
Published: November 2007

PurposeOrganizational innovation management (OIM) is one of the critical means to sustain competitiveness in organizational innovation in the long term. Although literature in innovation management has discussed the notions of OIM, an organization‐wide OIM framework has not yet been developed and validated. This project is thus carried out to develop and validate an organization‐wide OIM framework.Design/methodology/approachFrom an extensive review of literature, core values and concepts of an OIM conceptual system are developed. Then, OIM critical factors are identified and validated by questionnaires and interviews in the HK/PRD manufacturing industry.FindingsThe OIM critical factors are validated by examining the importance of OIM critical factors and the relationship between company accomplishment in individual factors and performance in organizational innovation. Also an organization‐wide OIM hierarchical framework is formulated based on the OIM factors, with an evaluation of the HK/PRD manufacturing industry.Research limitations/implicationsAlthough the identified critical OIM factors and the developed OIM framework could cover all types of industries, this research has only been done in the electronics and electrical consumer products manufacturing industry in HK/PRD region.Practical implicationsThe developed organization‐wide OIM hierarchical framework builds a foundation for a comprehensive study in OIM. It provides a useful reference for managers to understand critical success factors of OIM. Furthermore, this framework can be further applied for any other organization‐wide OIM‐based management, such as OIM improvement programmes and OIM assessment systems.Originality/valueAn organization‐wide OIM framework is developed and validated.
Exploring the effects of ERP systems on organizational performance
Authors: Velcu Oana 
Published: November 2007

PurposePrevious research showed that there are payoffs from IT investments, but the question is when and why such payoffs occur. This paper aims to adopt an “inside the black‐box” approach to the analysis of economic benefits of ERP systems by examining what business process (BP) changes take place in companies that have different motives for implementing ERP systems. This explorative study seeks to further examine the influence of these BP changes on organizational performance.Design/methodology/approachIn Spring 2006, 14 semi‐structured interviews were made in mid‐sized Finnish companies that use an ERP system. An ERP scorecard framework was applied to assess the perceived benefits of ERP.FindingsCompanies that have a technologically‐led motivation perceive “improved service time in accounting tasks” as an internal efficiency benefit, “faster response to business change” as customer benefits, and financial benefits in terms of other improved efficiencies. Companies that have a business‐led motivation perceive “economies of scale” as an internal efficiency benefit, and financial benefits in terms of “lower headcount costs” and “lower selling, general and administrative costs.” Both groups of companies report BP changes in terms of “reassignment of financial management of business cases.”Research limitations/implicationsThe balanced‐scorecard approach offers a systematic analysis of the ERP effects in organizations, but it limits the interpretation of the interview data. The small number of ERP implementations studied means that the results are not directly generalizable, but they point out interesting avenues for future research.Practical implicationsThe insights in the paper about the relationship between how ERP projects are motivated and how benefits are perceived may be helpful to organizations that implement ERP systems. The findings support the importance of continued monitoring of ERP systems to leverage their effects in maximizing benefits for the implementing organizations.Originality/valueThe paper provides new insights into the interrelationships between the motivations for implementing ERP systems and the perceived ERP benefits.