Women and expatriate assignments

2016 ◽  
Vol 38 (2) ◽  
pp. 200-223 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arup Varma ◽  
Linda Russell

Purpose – The purpose of the paper is twofold – first, to explore the role of perceived organizational support (POS) during the three critical stages of the female expatriate experience, with a view to explaining the disproportionately low numbers of females in expatriate roles; and second, to offer specific suggestions to multi-national enterprises to help them create a level playing field so females can compete for expatriate assignments. Design/methodology/approach – The authors draw upon the theory of POS to explore how the perceived lack of support from their organization during the critical stages of expatriate assignments affects women’s interest, and potentially their performance, in expatriate assignments. The authors develop and present relevant propositions. Findings – This is a conceptual paper that offers a process model of the impact of POS on the three stages of selection of females for expatriates. Research limitations/implications – From a theoretical perspective it is clear that POS can play an important role in the willingness of females to accept international assignments. Thus POS can be a critical determinant of the potential levels of female participation in expatriate assignments. Previously, scholars have argued that the low numbers of female expatriates may be a result of a lack of interest on their part, or because they may not be welcomed in many countries. However, subsequent theses have argued, and many studies have shown, that females can be equally successful. The proposed process model helps to better understand how organizations might dismantle the barriers faced by potential female expatriates, by addressing the key issues at each stage. Practical implications – Multinational enterprises need to ensure that they are drawing from their full pool of talent, if they are to compete effectively against other multinational enterprises. By paying attention to the suggestions, and adopting and executing the propositions, they will be able to avoid the possibility that their qualified female employees may withdraw from the organization if they believe that they are not likely to be considered for expatriate assignments, simply because of their gender, even though they are interested. Social implications – From a societal perspective, it is indeed critical that qualified females are provided the same opportunities that are made available to males. Given that roughly half the population is female, multi-national enterprises that fail to treat their female employees fairly will be seen as poor corporate citizens. Originality/value – This is the first paper to address the critical issue of low numbers of females on expatriate assignments by drawing upon the tenets of the theory of POS. The authors offer several propositions to help multinational enterprises understand the impact of the gender imbalance in expatriate assignments, and offer suggestions on how organizations might improve the participation of females in expatriate assignments.

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Youngkeun Choi

Purpose Based on the conservation of resources theory, this study aims to develop and test the relationship between workplace ostracism and the work-to-family conflict of a female employee. And, it assumes that the direct link between workplace ostracism and the work-to-family conflict of a female employee is moderated by perceived organizational support. Design/methodology/approach For this, this study used a survey method and multiple regression analyses with multi-source data from 226 Korean female employees. Findings The results suggest the following. First, workplace ostracism was positively associated with the work-to-family conflict of a female employee. Second, there was a stronger positive relationship between workplace ostracism and work-to-family conflict for female employees with low as opposed to those with high levels of perceived organizational support. Originality/value To the best of author’s knowledge, this study is the first one to examine the moderating effect of perceived organizational support on the relationship between workplace ostracism and the work-to-family conflict of a female employee.


2018 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 329-344 ◽  
Author(s):  
Armando Papa ◽  
Gabriele Santoro ◽  
Lia Tirabeni ◽  
Filippo Monge

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to study the effects of social media usage on four knowledge creation processes, namely socialisation, externalisation, combination and internalisation, and innovation in small and medium enterprises (SMEs). Design/methodology/approach A sample of 96 SMEs has been used to gather data through a standardised questionnaire and test the hypotheses through OLS regression models. Findings The results indicate that social media influence positively three out of four knowledge creation processes and that they help to foster the innovation process. Originality/value From a theoretical perspective, the study contributes to literature considering a specific digital tool and its effect on knowledge creation and innovation. In fact, a few studies have considered the impact of social media usage on other variables, such as ROI and productivity, but never on knowledge creation and innovation through a quantitative study. From a managerial perspective, the research suggests managers to implement and involve social media within business and innovation processes.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Wanglin Ma ◽  
Puneet Vatsa ◽  
Xiaoshi Zhou ◽  
Hongyun Zheng

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to explore the relationship between farmers' happiness and farm productivity, taking maize production in China as an example.Design/methodology/approachThe conditional mixed process model is employed to account for the endogeneity that inevitably arises in regression models studying happiness and estimate the 2015 China Household Finance Survey data.FindingsThe empirical results show that a higher level of farmers' happiness is associated with higher maize productivity. The marginal return in maize productivity changes unevenly with increments in farmers' self-reported happiness on a five-point Likert scale. Farmers' happiness is positively determined by their age, educational level, farm size, machinery ownership, access to agricultural subsidy and car ownership. Machinery ownership and access to credit are two important factors that improve maize productivity.Research limitations/implicationsThe finding suggests that promoting the subjective well-being of farmers is conducive to higher productivity and improved national food security. The results have implications for China and other developing countries aiming for sustainable agricultural development.Originality/valueFirm-level data show that workers' happiness improves productivity. However, it is still unclear whether farmworkers' happiness affects farm productivity. Thus, this study provides the first empirical analysis of the impact of farmworkers' happiness on farm productivity.


2020 ◽  
Vol 14 (3) ◽  
pp. 695-713
Author(s):  
Feifei Yang ◽  
Jiaqi Huang ◽  
Xiao Feng ◽  
Miles M. Yang

Purpose This paper aims to investigate the effects of goal orientation on understanding the dynamics of stocks and flows (SF). Design/methodology/approach The authors use the well-established department store task as the experimental task to evaluate people’s understanding of SF and implement a survey to assess different goal orientation levels. Ordinary least square is used to test the effects of goal orientations on the SF performance. Findings The findings suggest that learning goal orientation is positively associated with SF performance. However, prove and avoid performance goal orientation are unrelated to SF performance. Originality/value The study has important theoretical and practical contributions. From a theoretical perspective, the authors examine the impact of goal orientation in dynamic decision-making to advance the knowledge on the role of goal orientation. Practically, the research demonstrates that learning-goal-oriented people perform better in stock and flow tasks, suggesting that goal orientation is an important trait for recruiting organizational members whose work involves SF decision-making tasks.


2019 ◽  
Vol 48 (5) ◽  
pp. 1239-1260
Author(s):  
J. Irudhaya Rajesh ◽  
Verma Prikshat ◽  
Paul Shum ◽  
L. Suganthi

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to understand the impact of transformational leadership (TL) on follower emotional intelligence (EI) and examine the potential mediation role played by follower EI in the relationship between TL and follower outcomes (i.e. growth satisfaction in the job and job stress (JS)). Design/methodology/approach Data were obtained through survey using questionnaire collected from 908 employees who worked across six different sectors, i.e. manufacturing, IT, healthcare, hospitality, educational and public services in Southern India. The mediation model proposed in this study was tested using structural equation modelling and bootstrapping method. Findings The relationship between TL and Follower EI was significant. Follower EI was found to partially mediate the relationship between TL and followers’ growth satisfaction in job. Contrary to expectations, the follower EI did not significantly predict JS in this study and hence the follower EI did not mediate in the proposed model. However, follower EI and growth satisfaction in the job jointly mediated the relationship between TL and follower JS fully. Research limitations/implications Self-report bias about supervisors’ TL behaviours and followers’ own EI assessment and collection of data from the mono-source (subordinate self-report) might have impacted the results of this study. Moreover, some items were negatively worded and reverse coded as cognitive speed bumps to restrain the respondent’s tendency to rush through answering the survey questionnaire. Practical implications This study established a partial and joint mediation of follower EI on the relationship between TL and follower outcomes. Basing on these findings, this study highlights the need for the practitioners to better understand the importance of EI training for the leaders in the organisations for obtaining better outcomes in the followers. Social implications The study establishes the fact that the attunement of transformational leaders’ EI and follower EI help leaders as well as followers to guide their behaviour towards positive outcomes. Originality/value This study is among the first to examine the impact of TL on follower EI and the potential mediation of follower EI between TL and follower outcomes. From a theoretical perspective, this study is one step closer to fully understand the intervening process between TL and follower outcomes.


2019 ◽  
Vol 25 (2) ◽  
pp. 146-164
Author(s):  
Toyin Ajibade Adisa ◽  
Fang Lee Cooke ◽  
Vanessa Iwowo

Purpose By conceptualising patriarchy in the workplace as a social situation, the purpose of this paper is to examine the prevalence of patriarchal attitudes and their impact on women’s workplace behaviour among Nigerian organisations. Design/methodology/approach The study uses a qualitative research approach, drawing on data from 32 semi-structured interviews with female employees and managers in two high-street banks in Nigeria. Findings The study finds that patriarchy shapes women’s behaviour in ways that undermine their performance and organisational citizenship behaviour (OCB). Furthermore, the study finds that patriarchal attitudes, often practised at home, are frequently transferred to organisational settings. This transference affects women’s workplace behaviour and maintains men’s (self-perceived) superior status quo, whereby women are dominated, discriminated against and permanently placed in inferior positions. Research limitations/implications The extent to which the findings of this research can be generalised is constrained by the limited sample and scope of the research. Practical implications The challenges posed by the strong patriarchy on women’s workplace behaviour are real and complex, and organisations must address them in order to create a fairer workplace in which employees can thrive. It is therefore essential for organisations to examine periodically their culture to ensure that all employees, regardless of gender, are involved in the organisation’s affairs. Furthermore, organisations need to help women become more proactive in combating patriarchal behaviour, which often affects their performance and OCB. This requires organisations to affirm consistently their equal opportunities, equal rights and equal treatment policies. It is essential that organisations take this problem seriously by attaching due penalty to gender discrimination, as this will go a long way in ensuring positive outcomes for women and providing a fairer workplace. Originality/value This study provides empirical evidence that a more egalitarian work environment (in Nigerian banking) will result in improved performance from female employees and organisations. It calls for greater policy and organisational interventions to create a more inclusive work environment and an equal society.


Author(s):  
Rabia Imran ◽  
Raghad Ezzeldin Aldaas

PurposeThe current research is aimed at exploring entrepreneurial leadership (EL) as a mediator in perceived organizational support (POS) and organizational performance (OP) relationship. Furthermore, it also examined the impact of POS and entrepreneurial leadership on the performance of an organization.Design/methodology/approachA purposively selected sample of 216 respondents from the SME sector of Oman was chosen for the study.FindingsThe results revealed that POS and entrepreneurial leadership positively and significantly have an effect on organizational performance. Moreover, the hypothesized role of entrepreneurial leadership as a mediator between POS and OP relationship was also supported.Research limitations/implicationsIn spite of the novelty of the research, it was limited due to a few reasons. First, the research design is cross-sectional. Second, the research only focused SME sector. This research only focused on entrepreneurial leadership as a mediator, whereas, other mediators could have been explored as well.Originality/valueThe research on POS and organizational performance relationship is still in its exploration stage. Past research indicate that POS has an effect on different outcomes within an organization, including its performance. However, still, the research on the entrepreneurial leadership process is quite scarce. The current research will explore it in the context of Oman, where there is a dire need to establish SME sector performance. The unique combination between POS, entrepreneurial leadership and performance in the SME sector of Oman marks the novelty of the current research. This study contributes to the SME’s literature and it is among the pioneer studies exploring the mediating role of entrepreneurial leadership in the relationship between POS and OP.


2019 ◽  
Vol 28 (2) ◽  
pp. 177-200 ◽  
Author(s):  
Clarice Secches Kogut ◽  
Renato Dourado Cotta de Mello ◽  
Angela da Rocha

Purpose Starting from the knowledge-based view as a theoretical perspective, this study aims to examine how an emerging market multinational enterprise (EMMNE) engages in reverse knowledge transfer (RKT) processes and how such processes are managed by headquarters. Therefore, this paper captures the perspective of top management concerning RKT and the processes used to create, transfer and integrate knowledge. Design/methodology/approach The study uses a longitudinal design based on the case method of investigation. The case selected for the study was a Brazilian company theoretically sampled for being a domestically, regionally and globally important, information-rich company that operates in an industry in which technology plays a crucial role. The company was also selected for having had asset-seeking motives in at least some of its foreign market entries and for having successfully absorbed foreign-acquired capabilities. Findings The study provides counterfactual evidence to the springboard perspective, considering timing and speed of the internationalization and catch-up processes and the size of acquisitions. The study also highlights differences to other emerging market multinational enterprises, concerning the internationalization trajectory and catch-up moves, and to traditional MNEs, regarding RKT challenges and practices. Research limitations/implications The main limitations of the study relate to the case study method, which does not allow for statistical generalization, although it does support analytical generalization. Originality/value The study contributes to the literature by shedding light on the process by which a Latin American multinational firm developed technological capabilities to compete globally, focusing on the symbiotic, self-nurturing relationship between internationalization processes and technology acquisition and integration processes. Moreover, the work provides novel theoretical insights regarding timing, location, size and execution of the RKT activities. Finally, the paper contributes to the understanding of the relational aspects of the RKT process by focusing on building human relationships as the major force behind knowledge integration and examining the resistance of the acquired companies from developed markets to adopt the parent company’s best practices, or to contribute to its integrated knowledge, when the parent company is an EMMNE.


2019 ◽  
Vol 39 (4) ◽  
pp. 525-542
Author(s):  
Barooj Bashir ◽  
Abdul Gani

Purpose As universities are human capital intensive organizations, practices followed by a university for enhancing the satisfaction of its teachers can be of great help in attracting, retaining and managing highly qualified and competent teachers. The purpose of this paper is to empirically examine the impact of job satisfaction (JS) on organizational commitment (OC) of university teachers in India. Design/methodology/approach A total of 396 academicians are surveyed to assess the subjects’ responses to JS and commitment questionnaire. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used in the process of statistical analysis. Findings The results confirmed a significant impact of JS on OC of university teachers in India. With 1 percent increase in estimates of pay and job security (PJS), organizational support (OS) and job challenge (JC), there would be 21, 36 and 49 percentage increase, respectively, in OC of university teachers. Of all the factors of JS, JC is the most significant contributing factor, followed by OC and PJS that help in motivating and retaining the teachers in higher education institutions in India. Research limitations/implications The sample of the study has been chosen from the higher education sector in Northern India, and so it still needs to be explored whether the findings of this study can be replicated in different geographical areas and organizational settings for further verification and generalization. Practical implications Encouraging greater satisfaction among the faculty members may positively influence work-related behaviors, especially commitment among the teachers. The paper may benefit the decision makers in universities to follow the proactive practices to improve the satisfaction and commitment of teachers as educational performance is of priority on the national agenda. Originality/value The study provides useful insights about a JS-OC relationship model and informs the stakeholders on how to create an enabling environment at the policy and practice level that would help in attracting and retaining teachers in universities in India. It contributes to enriching the JS and OC literature in a sector and a country poorly addressed so far in research.


2019 ◽  
Vol 28 (3) ◽  
pp. 557-577 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wann Yih Wu ◽  
Li Yueh Lee ◽  
That Thi Pham

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of expatriate’s social capital and knowledge sharing on multinational companies’ (MNCs) financial performance, with a specific focus on the influence of trust, commitment, organizational support and the four elements of balanced scorecard (BSC). Design/methodology/approach A quantitative questionnaire survey was conducted using expatriates of MNCs in Taiwan as the respondents. Findings Trust and organizational support are significant predictors of knowledge sharing and social capital, which further facilitate their influence on learning and growth, customer satisfaction, internal process improvement and financial performance of MNCs. Besides, social capital serves as an accelerate agent to promote the influence of trust on knowledge sharing, and customer satisfaction serves as a catalyst on the influence of learning and growth and internal process on a firms’ financial performance. Practical implications This study provides a clear articulation of the role of knowledge sharing on the financial performance and its moderation effect on the elements of BSC. Trust and organizational support are essential for knowledge sharing and expatriates’ social capital. The roles of social capital and knowledge sharing are critical for expatriates to be success in the overseas market places. Originality/value Since the evidences regarding expatriate performance rarely integrate the variables of social capital, knowledge sharing and BSC into a more comprehensive framework, the results of this study can be an important reference for academicians to do further validation. These results are also critical for practitioners to develop dispatching policies for the expatriates in the oversea market places.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document