scholarly journals Role models: expatriate gender diversity pipeline or pipe-dream?

2014 ◽  
Vol 19 (5) ◽  
pp. 572-594 ◽  
Author(s):  
Susan Shortland

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the extent to which – and how – female expatriate role models support women to take up expatriate assignments in the male-dominated oil and gas industry. Design/methodology/approach – The research uses data from a census survey of female expatriates supported by semi-structured interviews with a stratified sample of the survey respondents, triangulated with interviews with human resource (HR) professionals and analysis of organizational policy relevant to expatriation. Findings – Potential assignees value the information that women role models can provide on living in challenging, masculine locations. Role models are particularly important to women undertaking unaccompanied assignments and also when assignment periods exceed traditional lengths. Current female expatriates do not view themselves as role models, despite HR professionals recognizing their value in inspiring women's expatriation. Research limitations/implications – This research was set in a sector with very few female expatriate role models. Further research is needed to understand the influence of role models on women's expatriation in different sectors and organizations with greater female role model representation. Practical implications – Training for current assignees, time to be set aside within work duties and communications links to enable current and returned female expatriates to connect with potential assignees are needed to widen expatriate gender diversity. Originality/value – This research contributes to theory by linking the importance of role models to women's career stages. It proposes a new theoretical contribution by linking role model importance to the types of assignments women undertake. Practical suggestions for organizations are given to widen expatriate gender diversity via support for role models.

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Emmanuel Asare ◽  
Bruce Burton ◽  
Theresa Dunne

PurposeThis study explores Ghanaian views about accountability discharge by firms and government in the context of the nation's newly discovered oil and gas resources. The research focusses on a range of issues relating to stakeholder interaction, communication flows and the impact of decision-making on Ghanaian lives, as perceived by individuals on the ground.Design/methodology/approachThe paper adapts elements of legitimacy theory to interpret the outcome of a series of semi-structured interviews with members of key accountee and accountor groups including citizens and representatives of the state and private firms in the oil and gas industry in Ghana.FindingsThe results indicate that rather than attempting to effect substantive accountability discharge, Ghana's government and oil and gas firms employ a wide range of legitimation strategies despite the apparently complete absence of the accountee power normally seen as driving the need for social contract repair.Research limitations/implicationsThe findings suggest that accountability discharge in Ghana is cursory at best, with several legitimising strategies in evidence. The representatives from state institutions appear to share some of the concerns, suggesting that the problems are entrenched and will require robust enforcement of a strengthened regulatory approach to effect meaningful change.Originality/valueThis paper contributes to the literature on the discharge of institutional accountability by building on earlier conceptualisations of legitimacy theory to explore perceptions around a recent natural resource discovery. The analysis highlights grave concerns regarding the behaviour of state and corporate actors, one that runs counter to sub-Saharan African tradition.


2019 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. 495-512
Author(s):  
Mohmaed Almazrouei ◽  
Khalizani Khalid ◽  
Salam Abdallah ◽  
Ross Davidson

Purpose This paper aims to assess the ways through which the concept of health, safety and environment (HSE) is perceived by workers in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) oil and gas industry. The study focused on different aspects of the HSE culture and how employees with and without leadership responsibilities differed in their conceptualization of HSE culture. Design/methodology/approach Semi-structured interviews were conducted for 30 staff of the state-owned Abu Dhabi National Oil Company in the UAE. The interviewees were purposively selected which included both those in leadership and non-leadership roles. Findings The findings revealed that the interviewees viewed HSE culture as a descriptive term, a causal phenomenon, a systemic approach or a legal requirement/obligation. Interviewees in the production and maintenance units mentioned safety most often. Employees and managers exhibited negligible differences in their usage of the HSE culture concept. Managers predominantly featured in the narratives as important drivers of HSE culture. Physical conditions, behavior and procedures, management, competence and collaboration emerged as important components of a sound HSE culture. Originality/value To enable better communication and subsequent improvement of the HSE culture, an analogical HSE culture “vehicle” was developed in the study. The vehicle is a novel illustration based on the key roles of managers and employees, as well as the main components of a sound HSE culture.


2018 ◽  
Vol 33 (1) ◽  
pp. 50-65 ◽  
Author(s):  
Susan Shortland

Purpose This case study is designed as a teaching exercise and this paper aims to highlight the key issues for organisations’ expatriating women within masculine industry sectors and/or into challenging international environments. Design/methodology/approach This case study draws together key published findings relating to women’s expatriation in the oil and gas exploration and production sector. It demonstrates a triangulated research design, drawing upon organisational policy from two oil and gas firms, semi-structured interviews with 14 human resource professionals and 26 female expatriates, as well as from 71 female assignees’ questionnaire responses. Findings Career and financial drivers underpin women’s motivations for accepting organisationally assigned expatriation. Women expatriates engage in satisficing and career compromise. The main challenges women face in masculine industries include access to expatriate roles because of limited female networks, family concerns, managing working time and work-life balance and coping with loneliness. Research limitations/implications The oil and gas case findings are based on a cross-sectional research design. The majority of female expatriates undertook long-term assignments; limited numbers engaged in flexpatriation. Practical implications While organisational policy supporting expatriation does not usually address gendered expatriate concerns specifically, inclusion of interventions that are identified by women as helpful to their expatriate participation can assist in increasing expatriate gender diversity. Originality/value This oil and gas research case brings together and presents a summary of the motivations, problems and challenges faced by women in male-dominated expatriate environments, together with relevant theoretical approaches and organisational interventions to help us understand and increase expatriate gender diversity.


Kybernetes ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Saleem Ullah Khan Sumbal ◽  
Irfan Irfan ◽  
Susanne Durst ◽  
Umar Farooq Sahibzada ◽  
Muhammad Adnan Waseem ◽  
...  

PurposeThe purpose of this article is to investigate how organization retain the knowledge of Contract Workforce (CWF) and to understand the associated challenges in this regard.Design/methodology/approachAdopting an inductive approach, 15 semi-structured interviews were conducted with senior managers, project heads and consultants working in leading oil and gas companies across eight countries (USA, Australia, UAE, KSA, Pakistan, UK, Thailand and Russia). Thematic analysis was carried out to analyze the data collected.FindingsCWF appears to be a significant source of knowledge attrition and even knowledge loss in the oil and gas sector. There are various risks associated with hiring of CWF, such as hallowing of organizational memory, repeated training of contractors, no knowledge base, workforce shortage among others which can impede the knowledge retention capability of O&G companies in the context of contract workforce. Various knowledge retention strategies for CWF have been revealed, however, there is interplay of various factors such as proportion of CWF deployed, proper resource utilization, cross-functional multi-level teams' involvement and strength of transactional ties. Maintaining strong relationships (Transactional ties) is crucial to maintain a virtual organizational memory (partial knowledge retention) and to follow a adopting a rehired when required policy.Originality/valueThe knowledge retention issue in the context of CWF has not be addressed in past researches. This article attempts to fill this gap.


2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 107-128
Author(s):  
S. Sepehr Ghazinoory ◽  
Shiva Tatina ◽  
Mehdi Goodarzi

Purpose Innovation and technology development policy-making naturally encounters numerous uncertainties and complexities, especially in developing countries, for the sake of the prevailing prospect of decision makers focusing on hard evidences, and neglecting key and effective social ones; in this research, a context-based method by means of Q-methodology was designed to facilitate policy-making for complex systems by bridging between policy and practices (latent in viewpoints) through providing context-based evidences. Design/methodology/approach Due to the nature of knowledge-based systems, the performance of Innovation and Technology Development (ITD) systems is highly dependent on the standpoints of key players/stakeholders of the system. In consideration of Iran’s economy characteristics, Upstream Oil and Gas (UOG) Industry, which is one of the complex Large Technical Systems (LTS), was selected as a case study. Regarding the features of LTSs, the designed model was completed by adding hierarchical clustering method, as well as using the framework of innovation and technology learning transition model to analyze the results. Findings The results showed the capability of the model in providing credible evidences to inform policy-making processes. Originality/value This study is one of the first real experiences which used Q-method for providing evidence-based policy-making model in a complex Large Technical System, namely, Upstream Oil and Gas (UOG) Industry.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Enrico Cirineo Osi ◽  
Mendiola Teng-Calleja

PurposeThis paper aims to examine the experiences of Filipina women business executives occupying top-most leadership roles in male-dominated industries in the Philippines.Design/methodology/approachThis qualitative research utilized the institutional theory and a phenomenological approach with semi-structured interviews for data collection. The seven women executives were purposively selected and interviewed in-depth. Participants were renowned leaders in six male-dominated industries in the country.FindingsThree phases – growing up years, career advancement and raising a family and becoming and being the chief executive officer (CEO) tracked the career development journey of the Filipina women business leaders that participated in the study. Cultural, organizational and familial factors emerged as contextual dimensions at each phase that the women business executives needed to navigate in their journey to the top. Six sub-themes reflect challenges in their career progression – women as in-charge of households, expectations as mothers, limited representation in the boardroom, discrimination as women leaders, women not seen as leaders and husband's ego. Four other sub-themes served as enablers – equal opportunity culture, career pathing and diversity, male mentors/role models and enlightened husbands. The CEO's personal characteristics surfaced as a critical factor – spirituality, being competitive but not ambitious, speaks her mind, can-do attitude, accountability, openness to learn and continually re-invents self.Research limitations/implicationsThe participants only included top-most Filipina women business leaders. Implications to women executives' career development in organizations are discussed.Originality/valueThis current study contributes a proposed conceptual model in the understanding of the career development journey of Filipina women executives in the Philippines where recent findings found greater recognition of their work in the corporate setting as compared to more developed Asian countries.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Tala Abuhussein ◽  
Tamer Koburtay

PurposeDrawing on the “5Ms” gender cognizant framework, this study seeks to investigate how money, motherhood, management, the market and the macro/meso environment dimensions of the 5Ms may influence women's entrepreneurship in Jordan. A related aim is to offer in-depth insights and a fresh understanding of potential factors not included in the original 5Ms model.Design/methodology/approachThe study takes a qualitative-inductive approach, using semi-structured interviews with 14 women entrepreneurs from various industries in Jordan.FindingsThe paper highlights the positive (or adverse) impact of the 5Ms factors (motherhood, macro/meso environment, the market, management and money) on women entrepreneurs in Jordan and introduces new emerging factors. The paper concludes with an extended view of the 5Ms model.Practical implicationsThis study may help develop greater sensitivity and understanding about some of the adverse gender practices faced by women entrepreneurs. Policymakers in Jordan and other Arab countries may consider empowering women entrepreneurs in terms of offering more financial funds and facilities, social support, and managerial empowerment.Originality/valueThe study creates more sensitivity and awareness about the current dynamics, opportunities and impediments that affect women entrepreneurs; thus, it contributes to the extant literature by suggesting new propositions and a novel framework. This study extends Brush et al.'s (2009) 5Ms gendered framework by adding three important factors (Mental health, Maturity and Maintainability). The empirical update and contextual extension of Brush et al.'s (2009) 5Ms model highlight a theoretical contribution.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Komal Chopra

Purpose The purpose of the study was to apply Maslow’s hierarchy of needs to understand consumer motivation for preventive health care in India using content analysis. Design/methodology/approach Content analysis approach which is a qualitative-based approach was adopted. The responses were collected through semi-structured interviews using purposeful sampling method, and the responses were analyzed using content analysis approach. Sub themes and main themes were derived from the data which related to concepts in Maslow’s theory. Findings The results indicate the following: healthy food, healthy diet and health supplements are the basic need; sustainability of health and fitness and health security relate to safety and security need; feeling of pride in being fit, being a role model of fitness for others and influence of electronic media relate to social and self-esteem need; freedom from disease and peace of mind fulfill the need for self-actualization. Research limitations/implications To strengthen the external validity, a mix of alternate research methodologies adopting qualitative and quantitative approach need to be adopted. Practical implications This study will help to better understand motivation for preventive health care. It will enable health-care companies to design health-care marketing programs based on Maslow’s theory to motivate individuals to purchase health products. The public health-care departments can issue guidelines based on Maslow’s theory to motivate citizens toward preventive health care. Originality/value Maslow’s theory was applied in the context of preventive health care.


2018 ◽  
Vol 25 (9) ◽  
pp. 3541-3569 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ala Shqairat ◽  
Balan Sundarakani

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the agility of oil and gas value chains in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and to understand the impact of implementing supply disruption (SD) strategies, outsourcing strategies (OS) and management strategies (MS) on oil and gas value chain agility (VCA). The results can support the oil and gas industry across the UAE to build resilience in the value chain. Design/methodology/approach The research design consists of a comprehensive literature review, followed by questionnaire-based survey responses of 106 participants and comprehensive statistical analysis, thus validate the developed theoretical framework and contribute to both practical and methodological approaches. Findings The findings indicate that oil and gas value chain in the UAE has moderate a significant degree of SD, when OS in place that are synchronized with the overall MS. Among the hypotheses developed, two were accepted thus warranting both SD strategies (r=+0.432) and MS (r= +0.457) found to have a positive moderate effect on VCA. The third hypothesis was rejected by revealing OS (r=+0.387) found to have a positive moderate relationship with VCA. Therefore, implementation of all three strategies has a positive moderate effect on the agility of the value chain and, therefore, supports to sustain competitive position. Research limitations/implications Some of the limitations of this research include the geographic coverage of the study region and other methodological limitation. Practical implications The research provides guidance for oil and gas supply chain managers to better understand the critical factors that impact and determine VCA. The paper also describes relevant strategies that should be taken into consideration by these managers in order to build their agile value chains. Social implications The research contributes to the social dimensions of supply chain sustainability of how resilient is the oil and gas value chain during uncertain conditions, so that it can respond to uncertain changes in order to contribute to corporate social responsibility. Originality/value This research is the first of its kind in the UAE region to assess the link between dimensions of agile value chain, OS, SD strategies and MS primarily from the Emirates of Abu Dhabi and Dubai.


Author(s):  
Leila Bazrafkan ◽  
Ali Asghar Hayat ◽  
Seyed Ziaaddin Tabei ◽  
Leila Amirsalari

Today, role modeling is an essential component of medical education that facilitates the students' learning and affects their attitudes and behaviors. Hence, this study aimed to examine the characteristics of positive and negative role models using a mixed method approach. In the quantitative part, data were collected using a questionnaire with 24 items. The research population included medical students who were in their clinical period between May 2017 and December 2018 at Shiraz University of Medical Sciences (n = 750). A total of 282 questionnaires were completed by these students, and in the qualitative part, 26 semi-structured interviews were conducted with them. The most important components of role modeling for students included: individual characteristics, clinical skills and competence, teaching skills and professionalism, in that order. The qualitative analysis confirmed the results of the quantitative analysis. The findings showed that the characteristics of a negative role model can also be classified in four main components. The results demonstrated that 46.8% of the students identified one or more medical teachers as negative models. Students paid attention to not only the positive characteristics of their teachers, but also their negative features, stating that they had been influenced by both. Therefore, it can be concluded that clinical teachers should improve their performance as positive role models through reducing these negative effects and reinforcing positive characteristics


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