scholarly journals An exploratory study of job insecurity in relation to household registration, employment contract, and job satisfaction in Chinese state-owned enterprises

2017 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 151-165
Author(s):  
Bing Shi
Keyword(s):  
Job Satisfaction ◽  
Job Insecurity ◽  
Safety Net ◽  
Macro Level ◽  
Social Safety Net ◽  
Household Registration ◽  
Employment Contract ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Micro Level ◽  
Chinese State

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the influence of the household registration and of employment contract on employee job insecurity in the Chinese state-owned enterprises (SOEs). The relationships between job satisfaction and the two components of job insecurity are also analysed. Design/methodology/approach The research uses original data collected through a questionnaire survey in six Chinese SOEs. In all, 309 samples are analysed mainly using hierarchical regression analysis. Findings The research finds household registration is a predictor of job insecurity while employment contract is not. Job satisfaction is found to be positively related to one of the components of job insecurity: the perceived severity of job loss. Social implications To improve job security of the employees who are in vulnerable positions, improving the equality of social safety net is significant. In China, household registration causes unequal access to social welfare and employment opportunities; improving the equality may be more significant than seeking for permanent employment. Originality/value The research suggests two levels of factors influencing job insecurity: the macro-level factors that include the institutional configurations of social safety net; and the micro-level factors that include employment contract. The macro-level factors have fundamental influence while the micro-level factors are more apparent. The micro-level factors may manifest their influence only when the macro-level factors equally cover all the employees. The macro-level factors may also intermediate the relationship between job insecurity and satisfaction.

Value co-creation through actor embeddedness and actor engagement

2019 ◽  
Vol 37 (3) ◽  
pp. 271-283 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anees Wajid ◽  
Muhammad Mustafa Raziq ◽  
Omer Farooq Malik ◽  
Shahab Alam Malik ◽  
Nabila Khurshid
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
Conceptual Models ◽  
Perceived Value ◽  
Marketing Research ◽  
Macro Level ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Creation Process ◽  
Meso Level ◽  
Micro Level ◽  
Service Ecosystem

Purpose It is argued that the service-dominant (S-D) view of the value co-creation concept is mainly of a macro nature and is difficult to examine empirically. In this regard, marketing research using the micro-foundation theory proposes some conceptual models, through which relationships (involving value co-creation) at a micro/meso level may be studied. The purpose of this paper is to add to such exchanges regarding value co-creation and conceptualize the link of embeddedness of an actor (in a service-ecosystem) to their engagement in the value co-creation process. Design/methodology/approach The authors draw on the S-D logic and the value co-creation concept and make propositions with regard to two micro-foundational concepts: actor engagement and actor embeddedness. Findings The authors show that actor embeddedness can be considered as an antecedent of actor engagement, which leads to value co-creation at a macro level and perceived value in context at the micro level. Originality/value The authors fill some gaps in literature with regard to S-D logic and value co-creation by combining two micro-foundational concepts: actor engagement and actor embeddedness and propose how through these, some macro-level outcomes such as value co-creation and resource integration may be determined.

Mexico City street vendors and the stickiness of institutional contexts

2017 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 119-135 ◽  
Author(s):  
Farzad H. Alvi ◽  
Jorge Alberto Mendoza
Keyword(s):  
Emerging Markets ◽  
International Business ◽  
Informal Sector ◽  
Rational Expectations ◽  
Macro Level ◽  
Formal Sector ◽  
Street Vendors ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Institutional Contexts ◽  
Micro Level

Purpose The need for a firm’s business strategy to be responsive to the institutional contexts of emerging markets is well-established in the literature. Often, however, strategic responsiveness is impeded by defining institutional contexts as country-level aggregations (macro-level) and glossing over sub-national variations (micro-level). The purpose of this paper is to investigate micro-level contexts that can defy macro-level assumptions of economic rationality. Design/methodology/approach As a research site, the motivations of street vendors in Mexico City are analyzed in terms staying in one sub-national context, the informal sector, as opposed movement to another, the formal sector. Unanticipated reluctance to move from one context to another is defined as stickiness. Findings Sub-national institutional contexts are found to be sticky, with less movement between informal and formal sectors than would have been anticipated. Unexpectedly, it is found that a significant number of street vendors prefer the hardship of the informal sector to the relative security of the formal sector. Research implications International business research makes assumptions about the growth narrative of emerging markets, often characterizing a growing middle class as a rising tide that lifts all boats. In terms of further research on adapting strategy, however, assumptions of rational expectations ought to be tempered, as demonstrated by the stickiness of the informal sector. Originality/value A contribution is made to the international business literature by showing that macro-level assumptions about institutional context based on rational expectations of wealth-maximizing behavior in emerging markets may result in an incomplete view of institutional context. Ultimately, adaptation of strategy could be impaired as a result.

Antecedents and outcomes of job insecurity among salespeople

2018 ◽  
Vol 36 (2) ◽  
pp. 290-302 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mona Bouzari ◽  
Osman M. Karatepe
Keyword(s):  
Job Satisfaction ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Job Insecurity ◽  
Job Resources ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Creative Performance ◽  
Job Outcomes ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Career Opportunities ◽  
Intermediate Linkage

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the impacts of job resources, as manifested by selective staffing, training (TR), and career opportunities, on job insecurity and the influence of job insecurity on hope, job satisfaction, and creative performance. By investigating these relationships, the present study also aims to provide the managers the ways by which they can foster job resources, reduce job insecurity, and activate hope and job outcomes of their salespeople. Design/methodology/approach Data came from hotel salespeople in Iran. Structural equation modeling was used to test the aforesaid relationships. Findings The empirical data lend support to the overwhelming majority of the relationships. Specifically, job insecurity and hope act as mediators of the impacts of job resources on job satisfaction. Job satisfaction mediates the impacts of job insecurity and hope on creative performance. Contrary to what has been hypothesized, job insecurity positively influences salespeople’s hope. Such salespeople in turn exhibit higher job satisfaction. In addition, job resources do not significantly influence hope via job insecurity. Practical implications Management should invest in job resources to reduce job insecurity. Management should also try to hire individuals high on hope since hope is treated as a malleable variable and can be developed via TR interventions. Workshops can be organized to enable junior salespeople to learn senior salespeople’s practices regarding the solutions to new customer requests and problems. Originality/value Job insecurity is an endemic problem in many industries and there is a lack of empirical research about the intermediate linkage between job insecurity and employees’ job outcomes. There is also a need for more research to ascertain the factors influencing job insecurity.

Premature deindustrialization and inequality

2017 ◽  
Vol 44 (2) ◽  
pp. 154-168 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard Grabowski
Keyword(s):  
Developing Countries ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
Safety Net ◽  
Social Programs ◽  
Social Safety Net ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Agricultural Growth ◽  
Poor Families ◽  
International Demand ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose The purpose of the paper is to determine why premature deindustrialization is occurring in many developing countries. Design/methodology/approach A theoretical structure for explaining premature deindustrialization is utilized. Then the comparative experiences of a number of developing countries are used to illustrate the operation of the theory. Findings The results indicate that increasing inequality among a number of developing countries has reduced the domestic market for labor intensive manufactured goods, resulting in stagnation in manufacturing. Also, the increasing inequality in developed countries has reduced international demand for labor intensive manufacturing. Thus developing countries have fewer opportunities to export labor intensive manufacturing. Research limitations/implications Data on inequality is limited and it is very difficult to determine causality. However, intuition indicates that causality is most likely bi-directional. Practical implications Strategies of economic development must concern themselves with the effects that increasing inequality will likely have on the development of labor intensive manufacturing. Social implications Social programs that bolster the purchasing power of poor families are likely to be important (social safety net). Broad-based agricultural growth will provide a basis for labor intensive manufacturing. Originality/value The originality stems from the linking of deindustrialization with rising inequality.

Remote education vs traditional education based on effectiveness at the micro level and its connection to the level of development of macro-economic systems

2019 ◽  
Vol 33 (3) ◽  
pp. 533-543 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elena Sibirskaya ◽  
Elena Popkova ◽  
Lyudmila Oveshnikova ◽  
Irina Tarasova
Keyword(s):  
Supply And Demand ◽  
Development Program ◽  
Traditional Education ◽  
Macro Level ◽  
Economic Systems ◽  
World Bank Group ◽  
United Nations Development Program ◽  
Remote Education ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Micro Level

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to verify the developed hypothesis on the basis of comparison of remote education and traditional education in terms of its effectiveness at the micro-level, as well as to determine the presence, degree and nature of correlation between the share of remote education and level of development of economic systems of separate states (macro-level). Design/methodology/approach The methodologies of this paper are based on the system approach and include methods of research investigation such as problem, logical, comparative analysis, synthesis and formalization, as well as a purposely designed author’s method of assessment of the effectiveness of remote education and traditional education. In addition to the specified methods, this methodology also includes the methods of correlation and regression analysis which are used by the authors to determine the presence and degree of correlation between the share of remote education and the state of macro-level economic systems. The authors have analyzed the correlation between the share of remote education in the higher education structure according to the summarized data of the ICEF Monitor and the existing studies and publications on this topic (y) with indicators of macro-level economic systems such as GDP, billions of dollars (x1); GDP per capita (x2); Education Index according to the United Nations Development Program (x3); Knowledge Economy Index according to The World Bank Group (x4); and the index of innovative development of socioeconomic systems according to INSEAD, WIPO and Cornell University (x5). The econometric analysis of the mentioned factors was performed after that. Findings The authors have come to conclusion that remote education is indeed much more effective at the micro-level, since it allows the students to receive similar educational services with greater convenience, a wider choice of higher educational institutions and at a lower cost compared to traditional education. At the same time, no negative influence of remote education on the macro-level economic system has been revealed; on the contrary, a positive, albeit slight, influence similar to traditional education has been found. For this reason, promotion of the formation and development of remote education is recommended instead of limitation, since it allows modernizing the educational system for the benefit of both supply and demand. Originality/value The research contributes to the development of the concept of socioeconomic development of economic systems through clarification of influence of remote education on it.

Ambitious fiscal reform faces obstacles in Colombia

2021 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Social Policy ◽  
Safety Net ◽  
Basic Income ◽  
Social Safety Net ◽  
Fiscal Reform ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Tax Revenues ◽  
Poor Households ◽  
The Social ◽  
International Investors

Significance The plans, presented to Congress on April 15, aim to increase tax revenues by an unprecedented COP23.4tn (USD6.4bn) and make permanent a basic income programme started during the COVID-19 pandemic. Such moves would help fill the fiscal hole created during the pandemic and strengthen the social safety net. However, their advancement will be difficult. Impacts Failure to pass fiscal reform, or the passing of a watered-down bill, would damage Colombia’s credibility with international investors. Ongoing pandemic challenges and lockdowns will see firms and households require support well into 2021. A permanent basic income for poor households would be an important step towards a more progressive social policy.

Korean EFL students’ argumentative writing in L1 and L2: A comparative move analysis study

2020 ◽  
Vol 19 (2) ◽  
pp. 217-230
Author(s):  
Soomin Jwa
Keyword(s):  
Macro Level ◽  
Contrastive Rhetoric ◽  
Content Type ◽  
English Writing ◽  
Korean And English ◽  
Efl Students ◽  
Micro Level ◽  
Thesis Statement ◽  
L1 And L2 ◽  
Level Analysis

Purpose This comparative study aims to investigate the rhetorical organization of Korean and English argumentative texts. In previous studies, the rhetorical organization of such texts has been categorized as either direct or indirect depending on the placement of the thesis statement (Chien, 2011). The present study attempts to document more specific rhetorical patterns using Swales (1990) concept of moves and steps. Design/methodology/approach Ten Korean EFL students with similar L1 and L2 literacy backgrounds were selected, and, adopting a within-subject design, the students wrote two argumentative essays, one in Korean and one in English, in response to two different topics. The students’ essays were analyzed at both the macro and micro levels. The focus of the macro-level analysis was on the placement of the thesis statement and of topic sentences in each of the body paragraphs. Once the macro-level analysis was done, the essays were analyzed at the micro level using Swales (1990) move analysis. Findings The findings suggest that both texts were organized in a similar way at the macro level, constituting a typical paper structure (i.e. introduction, body and conclusion). However, a difference appears at the micro level: the students used a variety of steps to create a move when writing in Korean, whereas little variation was found in the English texts. An analysis of the data suggests the possibility that the standardized moves and steps in the English texts may be due not to culture-specific rhetoric, but to a lack of practice with rhetorical thinking in English. Originality/value In previous studies, the rhetorical organization of texts has been categorized as either direct or indirect depending on the placement of the thesis statement. The present study uses the framework of move analysis to describe more specific organizational patterns of Korean and English writing to determine the extent to which Korean and English writing is similar in the genre of argumentative writing. Another significance of the study lies in the choice of Korean writing as a reference point for comparison with English writing. It has been widely noted that there is a dearth of research of Korean students’ writing in contrastive rhetoric. To the best of the author’s knowledge, most of the contrastive rhetoric studies were conducted with Chinese or Japanese student writers.

Job insecurity and job satisfaction

2014 ◽  
Vol 19 (4) ◽  
pp. 426-446 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xingshan Zheng ◽  
Ismael Diaz ◽  
Ningyu Tang ◽  
Kongshun Tang
Keyword(s):  
Job Satisfaction ◽  
Deep Level ◽  
Job Insecurity ◽  
Response Scale ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Employee Job Satisfaction ◽  
Chemical Companies ◽  
High Level ◽  
Positive Traits

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine optimism and how facets of subordinates’ psychological characteristics, such as their attitudes and personalities, are similar to their direct supervisors’ (as person-supervisor deep-level similarity or P-S deep-level similarity) in order to understand their interactions with job insecurity in predicting employee job satisfaction. Design/methodology/approach – Empirical study had been conducted. Sample firms in this study consist of eight state-run electric power companies and 16 licensed chemical companies in central Hubei Province in China. In total, 368 valid samples were included in the analyses (with a valid return rate of 73 percent). All constructs were rated on a five-point Likert-type response scale. In order to diminish the possibility of common method biases, the authors used participants’ dyad supervisors to rate P-S deep-level similarity and P-S guanxi. The authors tested the hypotheses by implementing hierarchical linear regression. Findings – The results show that when certain demographic variables (e.g. age, gender, education, post, employment type, income proportion, position) and P-S guanxi are controlled, optimism and P-S deep-level similarity significantly interact with job insecurity to predict job satisfaction. Job satisfaction is bolstered when job security increases among those who report a high level of both optimism and P-S deep-level similarity. Originality/value – Researchers have found that job insecurity has negative effects on job satisfaction (Sverke et al., 2002). But there is a lack of understanding about the mechanism of how job insecurity affects job satisfaction. In this study, the authors found that optimism and P-S deep level similarity could jointly moderate the relation (and direction) between job insecurity and job satisfaction. The work illustrates how positive traits (such as optimism) and psychological factors (such as P-S deep-level similarity) could affect employee job satisfaction with different levels of job insecurity.

What is the actual prevalence of medical bankruptcies?

2016 ◽  
Vol 43 (12) ◽  
pp. 1284-1299 ◽  
Author(s):  
Donald D. Hackney ◽  
Daniel Friesner ◽  
Erica H. Johnson
Keyword(s):  
Ad Hoc ◽  
Safety Net ◽  
Extensive Literature ◽  
Social Safety Net ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Social ◽  
Health Event ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Medical Bills ◽  
Actual Prevalence

Purpose Medical bankruptcies occur when an individual experiences an acute or chronic health event, and the costs of care exceed the individual’s ability to pay. In such cases, the individual typically files for bankruptcy. There is an extensive literature that estimates the prevalence of medical bankruptcy, but studies either select a population whose medical care is extremely expensive or chooses ad hoc thresholds for medical bankruptcy categorizations. In both cases, the prevalence of medical bankruptcy is biased. The purpose of this paper is to estimate the actual prevalence of medical bankruptcies in a manner that avoids these limitations. Design/methodology/approach Data are randomly drawn from a single US Bankruptcy Court district. Following the literature, an ad hoc threshold of medical debts which places the bankruptcy filer “at risk” for a medical bankruptcy is postulated. Misclassification analyses are used to estimate the likelihood of a medical bankruptcy filing while adjusting for the use of ad hoc thresholds. Findings The naive prevalence of medical bankruptcy is 23.1 percent, but exceeds 50 percent when accounting for misclassification. Many individuals are “ostensibly” medically bankrupt. They are already seriously indebted, and any outside financial shock, including but not limited to medical bills, can push these debtors into insolvency. Originality/value Bankruptcy is an important social safety net. An improved understanding of the types and magnitudes of medical debts which precipitate a bankruptcy filing can lead to policies that improve outcomes for bankruptcy filers and reduce the social costs of bankruptcy.

Detrimental effects of cynicism on organizational change

2016 ◽  
Vol 29 (4) ◽  
pp. 580-598 ◽  
Author(s):  
Usman Aslam ◽  
Muhammad Ilyas ◽  
Muhammad Kashif Imran ◽  
Ubaid- Ur- Rahman
Keyword(s):  
Job Satisfaction ◽  
Organizational Change ◽  
Public Sector ◽  
Job Insecurity ◽  
Interactive Effects ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Organizational Cynicism ◽  
Withdrawal Behavior ◽  
Public Sector Organizations ◽  
Change Leaders

Purpose – The purpose of this research is to investigate the detrimental effects of cynicism on organizational change. It presents an interactive and novel theoretical research model based on organizational cynicism. The study aims to determine the causes of cynicism and suggests remedies for it so that change may be implemented with the consensus of all stakeholders. Design/methodology/approach – This is an associational study that aims to test the hypotheses of linear relationships among the variables used in the proposed model. Data have been collected from 417 employees, working for three public sector organizations, by using self-administrated questionnaires. The model proposed in this research has been tested by using regression analysis in Amos 22. The interactive effects have been examined by using Aguinis’s (2004) multiple moderated regression. Findings – The results reveal that dispositional resistance increases the intention of an employee to exhibit withdrawal behavior and that organizational contextual factors have statistically significant relationships with employees’ withdrawal behavior and their job satisfaction. Moreover, the results of interactive effects are partially significant. Practical implications – The Government of Pakistan, the managements of public sector organizations and workplace unions can resolve the issues of cynicism and job insecurity by involving employees in decision making and by building trust in change leaders. Employees’ participation and their trust in change leaders can decrease their intentions to exhibit withdrawal behavior and lessen the occurrences of organizational cynicism. In addition, trust in change leaders can raise job satisfaction, while job insecurity can decrease the job satisfaction levels of employees. Originality/value – This research presents and examines a unique multiple interactive model of organizational cynicism. Until recently, a scant number of studies particular to Asian culture, have investigated the detrimental and interactive effects of cynicism on organizational change.

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