scholarly journals A three-fold framework for understanding HRM practices in South-Eastern European SMEs

2016 ◽  
Vol 38 (3) ◽  
pp. 310-331 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexandros Psychogios ◽  
Leslie Thomas Szamosi ◽  
Rea Prouska ◽  
Christopher Brewster
Keyword(s):  
Eastern European ◽  
Exploratory Research ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
South Eastern ◽  
Hrm Practices ◽  
Business Environments ◽  
Yugoslav Republic ◽  
Communist Countries ◽  
See Region

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to study particular structural and organisational factors affecting the formality of human resource management (HRM) practices in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in South-Eastern European (SEE) post-communist countries, in particular Serbia, Romania, Bulgaria and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia in order to understand the antecedents of formalization in such settings. Design/methodology/approach – Adopting a quantitative approach, this study analyses data gathered through a survey of 168 managers of SMEs from throughout the region. Findings – The results show that HRM in SMEs in the SEE region can be understood through a threefold framework which includes: degree of internationalisation of SMEs, sector of SMEs and organisational size of SMEs. These three factors positively affect the level of HRM formalisation in SEE SMEs. These findings are further attributed to the particular political and economic context of the post-communist SEE region. Research limitations/implications – Although specific criteria were set for SME selection, the authors do not suggest that the study reflects a representative picture of the SEE region because the authors used a purposive sampling methodology. Practical implications – This paper provides useful insights into the factors which influence HRM in SMEs in a particular context. The findings can help business owners and managers understand how HRM can be applied in smaller organisations, particularly in post-communist SEE business contexts. Originality/value – HRM in SMEs in this region has hardly been studied at all despite their importance. Therefore, this exploratory research seeks to expand knowledge relating to the application of HRM in SMEs in SEE countries which have their business environments dominated by different dynamics in comparison to Western European ones.

scholarly journals Rewarding employees in turbulent economies for improved organisational performance

2016 ◽  
Vol 45 (6) ◽  
pp. 1259-1280 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rea Prouska ◽  
Alexandros G. Psychogios ◽  
Yllka Rexhepi
Keyword(s):  
Work Environment ◽  
Economic Crisis ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Eastern European ◽  
Organisational Performance ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Total Rewards ◽  
Yugoslav Republic ◽  
See Region ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore the application of total reward practices in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the South-Eastern European (SEE) region and the reward elements positively affecting organisational performance. Design/methodology/approach The sample consists of 199 SMEs operating in SEE countries which are either under economic crisis or transition: Greece, Bulgaria, Romania, Albania, Kosovo and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. Findings SMEs in the SEE region are implementing a total rewards model which is characterised by a weaker application of individual aspects and by a stronger application of transactional, relational and communal aspects. Within the communal aspects of the model, the study found three elements of the work environment that positively affect organisational performance; work-life balance, employee involvement voice mechanisms, and organisational culture supporting personal and professional development. Practical implications The study contributes to HR practice; the authors found that a better work environment is positively related to improved organisational performance in these SMEs. This means that in times of economic crisis or transition when HR budgets are limited such non-financial strategies can be a viable alternative to costly financial rewards to such organisations. Originality/value The study contributes to both theory and HR practice by shedding light on how employee rewards are affected in economies under crisis and transition, how SMEs can motivate their employees when faced with significant financial limitations, as well as explores which reward elements can lead to enhanced organisational performance in such organisations.

Collaborative practices with suppliers in Indian manufacturing multinationals

2017 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 206-231 ◽  
Author(s):  
Manoj Hudnurkar ◽  
Urvashi Rathod
Keyword(s):  
Balanced Scorecard ◽  
Quantitative Methods ◽  
Business Environment ◽  
Exploratory Research ◽  
Manufacturing Companies ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Collaborative Practices ◽  
Qualitative And Quantitative Methods ◽  
Customer Perspective

Purpose The aim of this research was to study collaborative practices with suppliers in multinational manufacturing companies operating in India and to develop a framework for collaboration with suppliers. Design/methodology/approach This study adopted a four-step mixed-methods approach that included qualitative and quantitative methods. Qualitative technique was used to explore the factors and develop a balanced scorecard-based (BSC – balanced scorecard) framework using them. Quantitative technique was used to validate the framework statistically and also by using fuzzy analytical hierarchy process using perception-based ranks given by practitioners. Findings The exploratory research resulted in 26 antecedents for collaboration with suppliers in supply chains. Out of these 26, only 19 were considered based on importance given by practitioners. Further, the identified antecedents were classified and mapped based on the perspectives of the BSC. The extended BSC adds business environment and partnership perspectives to existing BSC framework. Some of the important factors identified under these perspectives were transparency of transactions, long-term commitment and trust. The customer perspective was given the utmost importance by the practitioners. Research limitations/implications There are certain issues that may limit the completeness of the work in a global context. The number of organizations (21) and respondents (45) may also be insufficient to convey the complete knowledge embedded in the practice of the field. Originality/value The study provides practical insights about the factors affecting collaboration with suppliers. A BSC-based framework for collaboration with suppliers was also developed along with the associated importance of each perspective and factors under each perspective, which can prove to be of great value to academics and practitioners involved in relationship with suppliers in supply chain.

What do we know about manufacturing reshoring?

2018 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 79-122 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paolo Barbieri ◽  
Francesco Ciabuschi ◽  
Luciano Fratocchi ◽  
Matteo Vignoli
Keyword(s):  
Point Of View ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Exploratory Research ◽  
Product Lines ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Implementation Processes ◽  
Business Environments ◽  
Literature Reviews ◽  
New Business ◽  
Industrialization Policy

Purpose The aim of this paper is to analyze and classify research that has been conducted on manufacturing reshoring, i.e. the decision to bring back to the home country production activities earlier offshored, independently of the governance mode (insourcing vs outsourcing). Consequently, the paper also aims at providing avenues for future research and to highlight the distinct value of studying manufacturing reshoring either per se or in combination with other constructs of the international business tradition. Design/methodology/approach A set of 57 carefully selected articles on manufacturing reshoring published in international journals or books indexed on Scopus in the past 10 years was systematically analyzed based on the “5Ws and 1H” (who-what-where-when-why and how) set of questions. Findings The authors’ work shows a certain convergence among authors regarding what reshoring is and what its key features and motivations are. In contrast, other related aspects, such as the decision-making and implementation processes, are comparatively less understood. Research limitations/implications As manufacturing reshoring is a “recent” topic, for some of its aspects, only exploratory research is available to date, limiting the authors’ possibility to either characterize it in a more exhaustive way or highlight well-established patterns. Practical implications The paper demonstrates that studying reshoring will indeed contribute to expanding our understanding of internationalization processes and strategies in general and of production internationalization specifically. While past studies have argued that the learning derived from international experience would permit firms to overcome their unfamiliarity with new business environments, reshoring might show that this outcome is not necessarily certain. Rather, firms might not be able to overcome obstacles because of internationalization or they might realize that attempting to do so is not desirable, e.g. because of excessive risk or changes in the firm’s strategic priorities. Social implications From a societal point of view, the present research underlines that reshoring can be part of that re-industrialization policy that many Western countries include in their economic agenda – yet, its impact on employment should not be overestimated, as often relocation is only in regard to some product lines. At the same time, there might be an intimate relationship between reshoring and the various forms of technological innovations applied to manufacturing – which has become popularly labeled as “Industry 4.0”. Originality/value Literature reviews proposed until now usually paid almost exclusive attention to motivations driving this phenomenon. This paper offers a broader and more comprehensive examination of the extant knowledge of manufacturing reshoring and identifies the main unresolved issues and knowledge gaps, which future research should investigate.

Why is evacuation so difficult? Sociocultural aspects of landslide disaster in Ponorogo, Indonesia

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Dian Purworini ◽  
Desi Puji Hartuti ◽  
Dini Purnamasari
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Communication Strategy ◽  
Sociocultural Factors ◽  
Exploratory Research ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Daily Lives ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Staff Members ◽  
The Republic

PurposeSociocultural aspects of populations residing in disaster-prone areas have not often been discussed in disaster evacuation studies. Therefore, the main purpose of this paper is to describe the sociocultural factors affecting evacuation decision-making.Design/methodology/approachThis was an exploratory research study which used in-depth semi-structured interviews to collect the data. Selection of the informants was also fulfilled via the purposive sampling method with regard to specific criteria. The informants consisted of 20 villagers that had faced a disaster and eight staff members of the Regional Board of Disaster Management of the Republic of Indonesia which is Badan Penanggulangan Bencana Daerah (BPBD), Ponorogo, who had managed it. The data analysis was ultimately performed through thematic coding.FindingsThe results of the coding analysis revealed that sociocultural aspects were among the primary reasons for evacuation decisions before disasters. In this paper, sociocultural factors shaping evacuation decision behavior could be a result of norms, roles, language, leadership, rules, habits, jobs, perceptions, family engagement, as well as other behaviors demonstrated by individuals and the community.Research limitations/implicationsThis study is not analyzing the role of the social organization or a religious one and also the economic aspect in the evacuation decision-making.Practical implicationsThis paper includes implications for the local government and the BPBD Ponorogo to establish an efficient communication strategy persuading villagers to evacuate. In general, formal policies cannot always be implemented in managing disaster; therefore, visible dedication and solidarity of the members are always needed in order to manage evacuation problems.Originality/valueThis paper meets needs for a study delineating sociocultural factors affecting evacuation decisions before disasters strike. Sociocultural theory could also describe real aspects of culture inherent in the daily lives of populations living in disaster-prone areas.

Westernization or localization of human resource management practices in CIS countries? Evidence from Kazakh firms

2019 ◽  
Vol 14 (3) ◽  
pp. 385-409 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marina Latukha ◽  
Konstantin Malko
Keyword(s):  
Resource Management ◽  
Human Resource Management ◽  
Multinational Corporations ◽  
Human Resource ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Business Environment ◽  
Exploratory Research ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Hrm Practices ◽  
Cis Countries

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the peculiarities of human resource management (HRM) practices in Kazakh firms and identify the factors that influence them. Attention is paid to analysis of the country-specific environment, which shapes the peculiarities of HRM and provides discussion on the respective Westernization or localization perspectives. Design/methodology/approach The paper argues that HRM practices are influenced by a number of factors, some of which are rather specific to Kazakhstan and some are common in a Commonwealth of Independent States’ context. The study uses exploratory research which includes the conduction of a survey, consisting of blocks of questions, for data collection. Findings The results show that despite dynamic economic growth of Kazakhstan’s economy, HRM practices are still in transition from those of Soviet heritage to ones that exist in Western multinational corporations. They cannot fully match the country’s needs for HRM development. Several recommendations for the future development of HRM in Kazakhstan are made. Originality/value The study examines the adaptation of HRM practices to the business environment in Kazakhstan.

Factors affecting teachers’ motivation

2016 ◽  
Vol 30 (1) ◽  
pp. 101-114 ◽  
Author(s):  
Muhammad Imran Rasheed ◽  
Asad Afzal Humayon ◽  
Usama Awan ◽  
Affan ud Din Ahmed
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Public Sector ◽  
Performance Management ◽  
Financial Incentives ◽  
Vital Role ◽  
Working Environment ◽  
Primary Data ◽  
Exploratory Research ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Factors Affecting

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore/investigate various issues of teachers ' motivation in public sector Higher Educational Institutions of Pakistan. Design/methodology/approach – This is an exploratory research where surveys have been conducted in the well known public sector Universities of Pakistan; primary data have been collected through questionnaire and in depth face to face interviews. Findings – Findings of the research have shown that although compensation packages and financial incentives are important factors for employees in the competitive market environment of the higher education sector but some other factors like job design and working environment, performance management system, and training and development are also significant. The research has also explored various issues being faced by teachers in public sector HEIs related to the above mentioned factors. Originality/value – This study can play a vital role in compelling the higher education authorities to ponder over the motivational issues of teachers in universities. The research can prove to be an effectual document for other worldwide universities where teachers are facing similar issues.

Research on factors influencing consumers’ loyalty towards geographical indication products based on grey incidence analysis

2017 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 397-407 ◽  
Author(s):  
Huibin Zhan ◽  
Sifeng Liu ◽  
Jielong Yu
Keyword(s):  
Perceived Quality ◽  
Geographical Indications ◽  
Exploratory Research ◽  
Geographical Indication ◽  
Analysis Model ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Factors Influencing ◽  
Grey Incidence Analysis ◽  
Incidence Analysis

Purpose Loyalty of customers is an essential factor influencing the development of geographical indication products industry. The purpose of this paper is to construct a model to detect factors influencing customers’ loyalty on geographical indication products. With analysing four teas, i.e., Lu’an Gua Pian, Huoshan Huangya, Huangshan tribute chrysanthemum and Yuexi Cuilan, this paper measures the factors strengthening consumers’ loyalty and examines how much impact these factors have. Design/methodology/approach This paper is characterised as an exploratory research using the grey incidence analysis model and data are obtained by questionnaire survey. Findings In general, result of the analysis indicates that customer’s attitude towards its producing areas, perceived quality and cognition of the protection of geographical indications are the important factors that influence their loyalty towards geographical indication products. Detailed rank of their power that goes from highest to lowest is: customer’s attitude towards its producing areas, perceived quality and cognition of the protection of geographical indications. It also shows that the method of grey incidence analysis is adaptable to evaluate factors affecting consumers’ loyalty, which can make the result more persuasive and objective. Originality/value The authors construct a model from three aspects: customer’s attitude towards the producing areas of geographical indication products, the perceived quality and cognition of the protection of geographical indications. On the basis of this model, the authors analyse the factors which influence customer’s loyalty with grey incidence analysis.

An analysis of factors affecting growth of organic food

2016 ◽  
Vol 118 (9) ◽  
pp. 2308-2325 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richa Misra ◽  
Deepak Singh
Keyword(s):  
Organic Farming ◽  
Healthy Lifestyle ◽  
Organic Food ◽  
Food Products ◽  
Polluted Water ◽  
Exploratory Research ◽  
National Capital Region ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
National Capital

Purpose Food gives us essential nutrients to lead a healthy lifestyle but lately it has been found that many food products have become hazardous due to contamination and lead to many diseases. The rampant use of pesticides and chemical-based fertilizers in agriculture has, increased the productivity but at the same time they have created an alarming situation for the environment. The demand of the hour is to therefore to encourage organic farming and offer a better choice to consumers as well as save the environment. The purpose of this paper is to explore and understand the factors affecting perception of consumers on organic food products in Indian context. Design/methodology/approach The study used a structured survey of 150 respondents covering Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR) of Ghaziabad, Noida and Faridabad (India). Exploratory research was used to know the variables from the literature that affect the perception of consumers regarding organic food. Descriptive research was used to understand the demographic profile of the organic food consumer’s. Conclusive research design was used to test the hypotheses based upon the motivating and inhibiting factor in the growth of organic food. Findings The data collected from the survey were analyzed using t-test, χ 2 test, factor analysis and multiple linear regression tests. Results indicated that the intention to purchase organic products was impacted by the consumer’s belief on the safety and health aspect of the product, trust and certification, information and availability and lifestyle and are hence drivers of growth. And certain impeding factors were identified like doubt in the professed quality of organic food, lack of awareness and price parity. Social implications There are enough evidences of fertile land being converted into wasteland because of use of agro- chemical-based fertilizers in farming. There are also enough incidents of polluted water (ground and surface) due to agrochemical-based farming. Heavy use of pesticides leads to adverse effect on the health of farmers also. There were many reports of farmers committing suicide because of debt due to heavy investment on pesticides and fertilizers. Organic farming is a win-win proposition for environment, farmers and consumer’s. Originality/value The study was an effort to understand awareness and perception of organic food consumers in urban India post-agriculture revolution. The result would help the organic food producing and marketing companies to understand the factors that influence the belief of consumers when they purchase organic food and henceforth they can formulate communication strategies and marketing policy based on consumer’s expectations.

scholarly journals Outline of Implemented Eco-innovation Activities – the Case of Clusters of South Eastern European Region

Organizacija ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 47 (4) ◽  
pp. 267-279 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jana Hojnik ◽  
Mitja Ruzzier ◽  
Aleš Lipnik
Keyword(s):  
Best Practice ◽  
Basic Research ◽  
Descriptive Statistics ◽  
European Region ◽  
Eastern European ◽  
South Eastern ◽  
Innovation Activities ◽  
See Region ◽  
Innovation Support ◽  
Regional Programs

AbstractBackground and Purpose: Providing a win-win situation for enterprises and the environment is raising the importance of eco-innovation. This article sheds light on the eco-innovation activities implemented within the clusters of the South Eastern European region (hereafter the SEE region). The main objective of this paper is to provide an outline of the situation pertaining to the implementation of eco-innovation activities in analyzed clusters. Methodology: Empirical evidence is provided through the performance of survey research with a sample of 52 clusters, encompassing 11 countries of the SEE region. The basic research method used in this research was a questionnaire developed for cluster organizations, with which we gathered the data and afterwards conducted descriptive statistics. Results: The findings demonstrate that the majority of analyzed clusters implement eco-innovation activities. The results indicate that 40 clusters out of 52 in all have set objectives with regard to eco-innovation support in their national or regional programs, followed by 35 clusters, which include objectives related to eco-innovation in their cluster strategies, and lastly, only 15 clusters are primarily focused on eco-innovation. Hence, our study depicting the current situation regarding the implementation of eco-innovation activities in analyzed clusters and clusters’ orientation towards eco-innovation leads to us the discussion of why such differences in clusters occur. Conclusion: The huge differences related to the implementation of eco-innovation activities in clusters of the SEE region, can also reflect the level of the national/regional development in terms of economic indicators such as GDP and, at the same time, offer room for a lot of improvement, and an exchange of best practice.

An empirical investigation on factors affecting perceived learning by training through simulations

2017 ◽  
Vol 49 (1) ◽  
pp. 22-32 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sushil Chaurasia
Keyword(s):  
Small Sample Size ◽  
Collective Learning ◽  
Small Sample ◽  
Perceived Learning ◽  
Exploratory Research ◽  
Collaborative Communication ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Learning Satisfaction ◽  
Management Students

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to make an exploratory investigation of the important factors affecting the students’ perception of learning using simulation. Design/methodology/approach This exploratory research focuses on how collective learning, satisfaction, fun, collaborative communication, and time committed for the simulation affect the learning perceived by the students in a business post graduate course. In all, 157 students in a management course were divided in 26 teams of 6 members each. At the end of the simulation, learners were examined through surveys about their perception of different aspects of the simulation. Findings The findings of this research study showed that only four of these factors (collective learning, satisfaction, collaborative communication, and time) affected the students’ perceived learning. Research limitations/implications The exploratory nature of this study, along with the small sample size and the detail that responses were gathered from a single course, limits the extent to which we can make generalizations from the results. Practical implications The results from this research represent an important contribution to the premise of use of simulation in education, broadening the research of perceived learning through the perspective of simulations and opening a path for further research in this field. Originality/value Preparedness of management students with simulation training is of importance to business organizations and B-schools. Simulations permit learners to solve real-world problems, and they offer an opportunity to test recently attained skills without risk. Simulations can permit learners to visualize, discover, and articulate explanations for phenomena that would otherwise be difficult to observe.

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