The relationship between employability skills and career adaptability: a case of undergraduate students of the United Arab Emirates

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Khalizani Khalid ◽  
Abdul Majeed Ahmad
Keyword(s):  
United Arab Emirates ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Industrial Revolution ◽  
Complex Problem ◽  
Employability Skills ◽  
Career Adaptability ◽  
Full Time ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Part Time Students ◽  
The Relationship

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to examine the psychometric properties of the Career Adapt-Abilities Scale (CAAS-Arabic form) and investigates the relationship between Emirati students' employability skills and their career adaptability in the workplace, against the backdrop of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (IR 4.0).Design/methodology/approachA survey was conducted of 420 full-time, working and part-time students in their final year in the United Arab Emirates (UAEs).FindingsAs hypothesized, career adaptability is positively related to the employability skills of complex problem-solving, critical thinking, creativity, people management and coordinating with others, even when controlling for demographic characteristics.Practical implicationsConsistent with career construction theory, this study presents evidence of the instrumental role of skills required for IR 4.0 in managing career resources and subjective career success. Understanding the relationship between IR 4.0 skills and career adaptability offers valuable insights for academia and policymakers on formulating strategies and action plans to continually update Emirati students' transferable skills. It is also crucial for long-term success in human capital sustainability under the Emiratization policy.Originality/valueThis study is a preliminary step toward clarifying the complex mechanism through which career adaptability relates to career outcomes and sustaining employability. Concentrating on UAE undergraduates, this study elucidates the relationship between employability skills and career adaptability, and advocates more research employing boundary conditions that might limit their effects on adapting behaviors.

Exploring privacy and trust for employee monitoring

2015 ◽  
Vol 115 (1) ◽  
pp. 88-106 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shuchih Ernest Chang ◽  
Anne Yenching Liu ◽  
Sungmin Lin
Keyword(s):  
Organizational Culture ◽  
Employee Performance ◽  
Full Time ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
Study Results ◽  
Employee Monitoring ◽  
Communication Privacy ◽  
The Relationship

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to evaluate privacy boundaries and explores employees’ reactions in employee monitoring. Design/methodology/approach – The research used the metaphor of boundary turbulence in the Communication Privacy Management (CPM) theory to demonstrate the psychological effect on employees. The model comprised organizational culture, CPM, trust, and employee performance in employee monitoring to further investigated the influence exerted by organizational culture and how employees viewed their trust within the organization when implementing employee monitoring. Variables were measured empirically by administrating questionnaires to full-time employees in organizations that currently practice employee monitoring. Findings – The findings showed that a control-oriented organizational culture raised communication privacy turbulence in CPM. The communication privacy turbulence in CPM mostly had negative effects on trust in employee monitoring policy, but not on trust in employee monitoring members. Both trust in employee monitoring policy and trust in employee monitoring members had positive effects on employee commitment and compliance to employee monitoring. Research limitations/implications – This research applied the CPM theory in workplace privacy to explore the relationship between employees’ privacy and trust. The results provide insights of why employees feel psychological resistance when they are forced to accept the practice of employee monitoring. In addition, this study explored the relationship between CPM and trust, and offer support and verification to prior studies. Practical implications – For practitioners, the findings help organizations to improve the performance of their employees and to design a more effective environment for employee monitoring. Originality/value – A research model was proposed to study the impacts of CPM on employee monitoring, after a broad survey on related researches. The validated model and its corresponding study results can be referenced by organization managers and decision makers to make favorable tactics for achieving their goals of implementing employee monitoring.

Determination of criteria for assessing the quality of training future specialists for higher education

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ludmila Sokorutova ◽  
Natalia Prodanova ◽  
Inna Ponomareva ◽  
Oleg Volodin
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Personal Development ◽  
Full Time ◽  
Highly Qualified ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Survey Results ◽  
Professional Employee ◽  
Professional Fields

PurposeThe most important problem for higher education in the post-COVID period is the production of highly qualified specialists for the labor market. The purpose of this study is to determine effective criteria for assessing the quality of training of future specialists and the adequacy of their readiness to solve real problems of the future specialty.Design/methodology/approachA study was carried out among students in order to determine some of the most important characteristics of them as future specialists. Based on the survey results, non-academic indicators were identified that participants perceive as significant for a highly professional employee. The empirical study included 300 undergraduate students from four universities (66% women and 34% men aged 20–21). All participants represent full-time training.FindingsThe survey showed that the participants identified the ability to learn and personal development as the most significant personal qualities.Originality/valueMany criteria for assessing the quality of training of specialists in different professional fields have not been precisely defined. Several ways of solving this problem can be proposed: developing criteria for assessing quality in hiring; revising the methods of work of universities; presenting to students the criteria for development in the profession or adopting international criteria for assessing pedagogical quality.

Transactional leadership and dynamic capabilities: the mediating effect of regulatory focus

2019 ◽  
Vol 57 (9) ◽  
pp. 2284-2306 ◽  
Author(s):  
Feng Xu ◽  
Xiaohong Wang
Keyword(s):  
Transactional Leadership ◽  
Regulatory Focus ◽  
Dynamic Capabilities ◽  
Mediating Effect ◽  
Full Time ◽  
Promotion Focus ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Collaborative Innovation ◽  
Different Dimensions ◽  
The Relationship

Purpose The mechanism of leadership’s impact on dynamic capabilities has aroused widespread interest, but few studies focus on transactional leadership, especially empirical research by micro foundations in the R&D departments from collaborative innovation alliances. The purpose of this paper is to investigate how the mechanism of transactional leadership affects dynamic capabilities based on the mediating effect of regulatory focus. Design/methodology/approach In order to better illustrate the role of transactional leadership on dynamic capabilities, the authors introduced regulatory focus as a mediator based on previous research. A sample of 245 dyads comprised of full-time employees and their immediate supervisors was collected from the innovation teams of industry-university alliances through questionnaires in China and analyzed via hierarchical regression method. Non-response bias and endogeneity testing were also conducted to confirm the validity of the findings. Findings Contingency-reward behavior promotes the development of employee sensing and seizing capability. Management-by-exception promotes the development of employee reconfiguration capability. Promotion focus positively mediates the relationship between contingency-reward and sensing-seizing capability. Prevention focus positively mediates the relationship between management-by-exception and sensing-seizing capability. In addition, management-by-exception is also positively related to sensing capability and promotion focus is positively related to reconfiguration capability. Originality/value This paper confirmed different dimensions of transactional leadership favor different dimensions of dynamic capabilities based on different dimensions of regulatory focus, which enriches the theory of strategic leadership and dynamic capabilities, and is conducive to the management of collaborative innovation in technological innovation alliances.

Mediation effect of novelty ecosystems on intrapreneurial behaviour process within an organisational dynamic environment among Kenyan universities

2017 ◽  
Vol 30 (6) ◽  
pp. 957-977 ◽  
Author(s):  
Moses Mpiima Kibirango ◽  
John C. Munene ◽  
Waswa J. Balunywa ◽  
Jovent K. Obbo
Keyword(s):  
Structural Equation ◽  
Sampling Technique ◽  
Integrated Approach ◽  
Positive Deviance ◽  
Mediation Effect ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Full Time ◽  
Snowball Sampling ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Relationship

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine, explain, predict and guide the processes, mechanisms and outcomes of intrapreneurial behaviour to provide evidence that novelty ecosystems mediate the relationships between generative influence, positive deviance and intrapreneurial behaviour. It also enlightens the capacity of replicating the intrapreneurial best practices. Design/methodology/approach The study uses an integrated approach of entrepreneurship and complexity theories. Its subjects were full-time designated university employees in the Republic of Kenya. A total number of 244 employees were selected using snowball sampling technique from ten public and private universities in the Kenya. A self-administered questionnaire was used to collect data. Findings The structural equation modelling path analysis and the bootstrapping results confirmed full mediation of novelty ecosystems in the relationship between generative influence and intrapreneurial behaviour. The findings, further, verified that novelty ecosystems partially mediate the relationship between positive deviance and intrapreneurial behaviour. Research limitations/implications Subjective appraisals were used, despite the fact that studied variables are ultimately based on what employees perceive. Future research should generate and include more objective measures. Practical implications Intrapreneurial behaviour can only be explained and predicted through novelty ecosystems. University leaders need to fully understand and facilitate novelty ecosystems. Social implications A deeper understanding of the power of generative influence, positive deviance and novelty ecosystems will not be fully realized until researchers devote as much energy and attention to facilitation as has been devoted to conflict. Originality/value This study extends existing intrapreneurial research into complexity approach.

Decision-making approach for complex problems management in a scarce human resources environment

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Marcilio Andrade ◽  
Dermeval Carinhana Jr
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Human Resources ◽  
Theoretical Perspective ◽  
Optimal Solution ◽  
Complex Problem ◽  
Theory Of Constraints ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Physical Constraints ◽  
Complex Problems ◽  
The Relationship

Purpose This purpose of this study is to structure complex problems to be solved with greater efficiency, optimising the relationship between root causes (RC) relevance of the problem and utilisation of human resources to treat them, minimising the use of manpower in problem-solving activity and thus contributing to greater productivity within organisations. Design/methodology/approach The authors built an approach under the concepts of theory of constraints and multiattribute and multiobjective decision-making methods that were applied in a real complex problem of the low development of Brazilian space industry, by theoretical perspective. Also, the authors submitted it in a simulation environment to assess in which situations it is successful considering number of problem’s RC, system complexity and number of people in the system. Findings The approach was successful on the real case, finding the optimal relationship between the RC relevance and the number of people involved to treat them. For certain complex problem inputs configurations, simulation results reveal that the approach is reliable obtaining more than 95% chance of success in finding the optimal relationship, when comparing with traditional prioritising methods. Originality/value This approach introduces an unprecedented way to locate and evaluate non-physical constraints within a system, which is used to determine RC relevance, as well as an unprecedented way of defining a single optimal solution for structuring a problem, considering the relevance of RC and the use of human resources. The approach is useful for organisations in general which often need managing complex problems with few resources.

Career adaptability, job crafting and subjective career success: the moderating roles of lone wolf personality and positive perfectionism

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yasir Mansoor Kundi ◽  
Sandrine Hollet-Haudebert ◽  
Jonathan Peterson
Keyword(s):  
Career Success ◽  
Career Commitment ◽  
Job Crafting ◽  
Career Adaptability ◽  
Mediation Model ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Lone Wolf ◽  
Moderated Mediation Model ◽  
Subjective Career Success ◽  
The Relationship

PurposeUsing career construction theory, the authors empirically examine the mechanism by which career adaptability promotes employee subjective career success (career satisfaction and career commitment) through job crafting.Design/methodology/approachA moderated mediation model is tested using survey data from 324 full-time business professionals in France. Hypotheses are tested using structural equation modeling (SEM).Findingshe authors found that job crafting mediated the relationship between career adaptability and subjective career success (career satisfaction and career commitment). The positive effect of career adaptability on job crafting was greater under higher levels of lone wolf personality and positive perfectionism, as was the indirect effect of career adaptability on subjective career success via job crafting.Research limitations/implicationsdata are cross-sectional in nature. Robust theoretical contentions and affective means of identifying common method variance (CMV) are addressed and evaluated.Practical implicationsHigh levels of career adaptability may be a useful strategy for promoting employee job crafting and subjective career success. In addition, individuals with lone wolf personality and positive perfectionism should be given opportunities to craft their jobs in the workplace.Originality/valueThis research confirms a moderated mediation model positioning job crafting as a mediator of career adaptability's effects on employee subjective career success and lone wolf and positive perfectionism as moderators of such effects. This study suggests that job crafting and career-focused personality traits are important factors that influence the relationship between career adaptability and subjective career success.

Impact of flexible work arrangements on employees’ perceived productivity, organisational commitment and perceived work quality: a United Arab Emirates case-study

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Anaam Hashmi ◽  
Abdullah Al Ghaithi ◽  
Khaled Sartawi
Keyword(s):  
United Arab Emirates ◽  
Employee Productivity ◽  
Organisational Commitment ◽  
Flexible Work ◽  
Employee Outcomes ◽  
Work Quality ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Work Arrangements ◽  
The Relationship

Purpose This study aims to examine the impact of flexible work arrangements (FWAs) on employees’ perceived productivity, quality of work and organisational commitment (OC) with a special focus on the United Arab Emirates. It also analyses the mediating effect of employee happiness on the relationship between FWA and employees’ perceived productivity, OC and perceived work quality. Design/methodology/approach A quantitative, non-experimental correlational study was used for this research project. The study yielded numerical data, which were analysed using a deductive approach. The analysis aimed at exploring the relationships between the constructs, which were viewed as variables; these relationships were considered correlations, mediation and moderation. The sample comprises employees currently working at different public and private sector organisations, representing all major service industries in the UAE. Nine questions were used to assess the flexibility at work and six out of the nine questions were used to measure the level of FWAs using the Likert scale. Findings FWA has a significant and positive association with the employees’ perceived productivity, quality of work and OC. It was confirmed that happiness plays a mediating role in the relationship between FWA and employee outcomes. The facility allows employees to manage their personal and professional lives with ease using their preferred work method. This ability promotes employee satisfaction. In conclusion, managers and employees around the world should view FWAs as a positive tool to enhance employee productivity and OC, particularly in an emergency like the Covid-19 pandemic. Research limitations/implications The participants’ honesty was a limitation, which could raise questions on the validity of this study. This limitation arises when the self-report method is used for data collection. Use of multiple instruments could be another limitation. Practical implications Organisational leaders can use FWAs to improve employee outcomes. When an organisation grants flexible work options to employees, it implies that the organisation trusts its employees to complete the task. This factor motivates all employees to work with dedication, which is particularly true if the employees are creative people and wish to work on their preferred time and place. Originality/value This study is significant because the findings will allow managers to assess the benefits of using FWAs to improve employee productivity, particularly in the service sector. It combines the aspects of perceived productivity, OC and perceived work quality, as well as employee happiness to assess the role of FWAs in organisations. The study also investigates the influence of FWAs in improving these employee outcomes. Based on the literature review, this study on FWAs is the first of its kind in the UAE, the country using a truly multinational workforce coming from more than 100 countries and cultures.

Loyalties divided or identities as resources? The role of external relational identification in facilitating socialization

2022 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter Anzollitto ◽  
Danielle Cooper
Keyword(s):  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Initial Study ◽  
Conservation Of Resources ◽  
Full Time ◽  
Resource Base ◽  
Socialization Process ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Relational Identification ◽  
The Impact

PurposeAlthough research regarding socialization processes recognizes the importance of organizational identification for newcomer adjustment outcomes, it has less frequently considered the impact of newcomer identification with targets external to the organization. This study aims to investigate whether relational identification with identities external to the organization can be beneficial for socialization outcomes, a relationship the authors describe through the conservation of resources theory. At a time when newcomers are expending resources and may not have a support system inside the organization, important identities may foster success through building a resource base of support available to the newcomer.Design/methodology/approachTwo studies were conducted with newcomers, both groups responded to multi-wave surveys. The authors conducted an initial study with undergraduate students (n = 45) in their first semester of college and a second study with working individuals employed full time in their first year in a new organization (n = 148).FindingsRelational identification with identities external to the organization is positively related to job engagement through the dual mediation of social support and psychological well-being. The results indicate that these external resources encourage well-being and free newcomers to invest in becoming physically, emotionally and cognitively engaged with their new jobs.Practical implicationsThe results suggest that organizations may wish to take care in helping newcomers maintain strong relational identities outside the organization while becoming connected with their new organization.Originality/valueThe findings suggest that external relational identities are a neglected and important element influencing the socialization process.

Analysis of the attrition phenomenon through the lens of university dropouts in the United Arab Emirates

2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 357-374
Author(s):  
Sanaa Ashour
Keyword(s):  
Early Intervention ◽  
United Arab Emirates ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Theoretical Models ◽  
Phenomenological Approach ◽  
Small Sample ◽  
Drop Out ◽  
Early Marriage ◽  
Contributing Factors ◽  
Content Type

Purpose Theoretical models of attrition have failed to address the interwoven factors from the perspective of undergraduate students that influence their decision to drop out. The purpose of this paper is to unravel these complexities using a qualitative phenomenological approach to gain systematic descriptions of the experience of non-completion. Design/methodology/approach Tinto’s (2004) and Bean and Metzner’s (1985) models serve as the theoretical construct for the study’s design and analysis. In-depth interviews were conducted with 41 students who discontinued studies at universities in the United Arab Emirates, to understand the situations that led them to drop out of university and how they experienced this event in their lives. Findings Several issues were identified as contributing factors for dropping out that are consistent with those found in the international literature. Additional issues were more gender or culture specific and, to some extent, represented the differences that signal a social development that is in a transitional stage. The findings revealed that institutional factors, poor pre-college preparation, environmental factors (work-education conflict), early marriage responsibilities, well-paid job opportunities and financial concerns were most influential. Research limitations/implications Despite the limitations of relying on a small sample to generalize findings, the rich detail of this inductive study has added to the understanding of the dropout phenomenon in a new context. Practical implications The paper recommends both remedial and early intervention strategies to be undertaken by the Ministry of Education and universities. Remedial strategies include re-examining the desired standard of English as a condition for admission and adjusting the grading system. Early intervention measures that accommodate the needs of at-risk students are also proposed. At local, regional and international levels, higher education should be freed from commodification and inflated fees. Originality/value The paper presents a significant departure from the largely North American and European literature on the university dropout, by offering a broader knowledge of this phenomenon in another regional and national context.

Does work engagement mediate the perceived career support- and career adaptability- work performance relationship?

2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 310-327 ◽  
Author(s):  
Manish Gupta
Keyword(s):  
Work Engagement ◽  
Work Performance ◽  
Career Adaptability ◽  
Career Support ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Mediating Role ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
Relationship Of ◽  
The Relationship

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the mediating role of work engagement between the relationship of perceived career support and work performance as well as between the relationship of career adaptability and work performance. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected form 606 i-generation liquid knowledge workers. They had completed their internship program in the industry for a period of at least one month. Regression analysis was carried out to test the hypothesized framework. Findings Most of the results indicated support for the hypotheses. Work engagement was found to be mediating the perceived career support and work performance relationship fully. However, work engagement was found to be mediating the career adaptability and work performance relationship only partially. Research limitations/implications Engaging liquid workers plays a crucial role in passing the positive effects of perceived career support and career adaptability to work performance. Practical implications The findings suggest that managers may take steps to enhance engagement levels of the employees so that it can help the interns high on perceived career support and career adaptability perform well at work. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is unique that tests and finds the intervening role of work engagement between work performance and the two career-related constructs.

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