Is employee-client matching good for firms targeting the bottom of the pyramid? A study of microfinance institutions

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Naome Otiti ◽  
Kjetil Andersson ◽  
Roy Mersland

Purpose The purpose of this study is to determine whether there exists employee-client matching at the bottom of the pyramid (BOP) and the most favourable employee-client categorization in terms of employee productivity when serving the BOP market. This is important in a bid to determine how to effectively operate at the BOP given the market’s unique characteristics. Design/methodology/approach This study uses two methods depending on the research question. First, a one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) is used to determine the different employee-client categories based on socio-economic status. Second, fixed effects analyses are performed based on these categories to determine the most suitable employee-client category. Findings The results show the existence of employee-client matching based on similar socio-economic status. However, multivariate testing reveals that the mismatch category, where employees are of higher socioeconomic status than the clients, generates more favourable employee productivity. Moreover, this result may be contingent on the geographical location of the firm. Practical implications The findings are important for human resource management particularly the employment strategy of BOP firms. It suggests the need to consider employee profiles and client profiles when deciding which new markets to target. Originality/value The paper uses a global database of microfinance institutions as a case of BOP firms to investigate employee-client matching at the bottom of the pyramid.

2018 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 257-279 ◽  
Author(s):  
Burak Cem Konduk

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explain how a multi-market firm develops the motivation to forbear from competition.Design/methodology/approachA two-way fixed effects model with Driscoll and Kraay standard errors investigates the research question with panel data collected from the US scheduled passenger airline industry.FindingsThe results demonstrate that although the interaction of multi-market contact with strategic similarity impairs a firm’s forbearance from competition, the same interaction promotes it as firm performance deteriorates, supporting the hypotheses.Research limitations/implicationsPerformance explains not only how forbearance emerges out of coincidental multi-market contact but also reconciles the mixed evidence for the impact of the two-way interaction between multi-market contact and strategic similarity on forbearance.Practical implicationsAntitrust authorities should pay more attention to low performing firms than to high performing firms in their investigations. Also, managers of multi-market firms should identify multi-market rivals with low performance as targets for the initiation of forbearance.Originality/valueThis study revises the mutual forbearance theory to align it with the accumulating empirical evidence that otherwise refutes its assumption and thereby improves theory’s descriptive and predictive power.


2018 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 246
Author(s):  
Joseph Etiongbie Ogbiji

This study sought to investigate the influence of parental socio-economic status (SES) on higher academic aspiration among senior secondary school students in Cross River State of Nigeria with emphasis on Ogoja Education Zone. To do this, three research questions and three hypotheses were formulated to guide the study. The research questions were based on three variables of parental educational status, occupation and material wealth. The research instrument was a 17 item researcher-made “Parental Socio-economic status and higher academic aspiration of senior secondary school students questionnaire”. It was built on a four-point modified Likert scale. Samples comprised of 600 senior secondary three (SS3) students at the rate of 30 per school from the five local government areas in the education zone. Data were analyzed using simple percentages. The result of research question one which sought to determine the influence of parental educational status on their children’s higher educational aspirations shows that 72.16% of the respondents affirmed that parental educational status has significantly high influence on their wards educational aspiration. Research Question two was on the influence of Parental occupation on their children’s academic aspiration. It had a positive response of 37.99% which shows negative influence. The finding on Research Question three shows that 62% of the respondents were positive about the influence of parental material wealth on their academic aspiration. Based on the above findings conclusion and recommendations were drawn.


2020 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
pp. 57-76
Author(s):  
Margot Hurlbert ◽  
Amber J. Fletcher

AbstractSituated within the larger context of Canadian pipeline decisions, it is argued that pipeline proposals in a geography without pre-existing pipelines are unsuccessful in contrast to proposals repurposing and expanding existing pipelines. The Chippewas of the Thames (the ‘Chippewas’) unsuccessfully opposed Enbridge's expansion, reversal and repurposing to crude oil of the Line 9 pipeline in Ontario, Canada. Analysing the Chippewas’ case within the context of recent oil- and gas-pipeline developments, using a lens of intersectionality focused on identity markers of indigeneity, socio-economic status and geographical location, exposes the naturalised power structures of Canadian law. These structures include the legal institutions of real-property law, Crown ownership of wildlife and fish, implicit ‘standing’ of the economy and assimilation of indigenous rights. Exposing this dichotomy of indigenous rights on paper vs. in practice deepens the consideration of indigenous rights, potentially allowing intersecting oppressions to be addressed.


2014 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 83-95 ◽  
Author(s):  
Angela Donkin ◽  
Jillian Roberts ◽  
Alison Tedstone ◽  
Michael Marmot

Purpose – This paper was written as part of a suite to inform the Big Lottery Better Start programme and as such has focused on the outcomes that are of interest to that programme. The authors have also focused on outcomes for younger children and the zero to three years age group where data are available. There is a social gradient such that the lower a family's socio-economic status (SES) the greater the likelihood that they have children who are obese, have impaired social and emotional skills, or have impaired language acquisition. These statistics are clear and undisputed. The purpose of this paper is to explore some of the reasons for the social gradient in these outcomes. The paper provides some suggestions for actions that might be taken to redress the inequalities. It follows broader work presented in, for example, the Marmot (2010) review, Fair Society Healthy Lives. Design/methodology/approach – Rapid review of the literature building on the work of the Marmot (2010) review. Findings – Poor SES is linked with increased stress and a higher likelihood of being unable to afford to live a healthy life. These factors can have a negative impact on children's outcomes. The paper presents some examples of what can be done. Originality/value – This should be a useful paper for local authorities trying to reduce inequalities and improve outcomes.


2021 ◽  
Vol 34 (2) ◽  
pp. 1-18
Author(s):  
Funlola O. Olojede

In conversation with David Adamo's Africa in the Bible approach, which investigates the presence of Africa and Africans in Scriptures, this article conducts a synoptic search of the named and unnamed "African" women of the Torah and Nebiim with the aim of probing their socio-economic status. We ask, to what extent does a socioeconomic reading of the portraits of these women - from Hagar to the Queen of Sheba - afford us a glance into the lives of women in antiquity in the geographical location called Africa today, many of whom seemed to enjoy a great degree of social and economic independence? The social identity and status of these women may help to counteract some of the modern images of African women as victims of patriarchy under male power. The implications of the findings for African biblical hermeneutics of which Adamo is one of the foremost proponents cannot be over-emphasised.


2017 ◽  
Vol 3 (3) ◽  
pp. 158-172 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vanja Ljujic ◽  
Jan Willem van Prooijen ◽  
Frank Weerman

Purpose The literature on terrorism suggests a strong link between criminal offending and terrorism – the crime-terror nexus. Building upon a strain theory perspective, the purpose of this paper is to suggest that devalued socio-economic status (i.e. limited education and unemployment) and criminal past define the pool of people from which violent and terror offenders may be recruited. Design/methodology/approach The current study compares three sources of data on educational and employment characteristics of violent and terror offenders: Dutch statistical data (CBS) including the Police Recognition System (HKS) on violent criminals, the findings on jihadist networks and the open access on European terrorists. Findings The majority of Dutch violent offenders, foreign fighters and European terrorists have only completed secondary school (or lower) and were unemployed in the year of offending. Half of recent European terrorists had previously been involved in violent crimes and/or had joined jihadi groups abroad. Research limitations/implications One limitation of the study concerns the exploratory use of secondary and open-access data. While it was impossible to establish causality with the current methodology, these findings highlight the background conditions under which violent and terrorist crime can originate, and suggest one of the mechanisms that shapes the crime-terror nexus. Future research would benefit from more work identifying the causal antecedents to terrorism. Practical implications Whether relative deprivation is a direct cause or merely an amplifying factor in criminal motivation needs to be scrutinized in future research. However, its consideration may have great implications for policy and law enforcement agencies. Social implications An individual’s desire to improve status and personal significance by the virtue of illegal activity may be particularly salient in the context of cultural polarization, which manifests as decreased trust and loyalty toward national laws and institutions. Parallel to preventive and security measures, it may be worthwhile to encourage multicultural associations and community networks in support of mutual (interethnic and interreligious) understanding. Originality/value The paper explores one of the oldest factors that has been suspected of leading to terrorism in lack of economic or educational opportunity. However, the paper also offers a new perspective on how these factors may relate to participation in terrorism. Rather than claiming these factors directly cause terrorism, the authors take a strain theory perspective to argue that these strains induce fewer opportunities to engage in terrorism and provide individuals with the skills/strength to resist de-radicalization or counter-radicalization.


2017 ◽  
Vol 5 (4) ◽  
pp. 720
Author(s):  
Zayda S. Asuncion ◽  
Marilu Rañosa-Madrunio, Ph.D.

<p><em>Language attitudes have been the focus of interest in sociolinguistics for the past decades. In the Philippines, there is a dearth of literature on sociolinguistic studies that focus on indigenous languages and their speakers. To contribute to the literature, this study endeavoured to investigate the attitudes of Gaddang speakers in the northern part of the country towards Gaddang, their native language; Ilocano, the lingua franca of the province; Tagalog/Filipino, the national language; and English, one of the official languages. It also explored possible differences in the language attitudes of the Gaddangs in terms of geographical location, age, gender, socio-economic status, and educational attainment. Using survey questionnaire and semi-structured interview, the study involved 568 respondents. Results revealed that Gaddang speakers manifest positive attitudes towards Tagalog, Gaddang, Ilocano, and English respectively. The study also yielded significant differences in their attitudes with respect to geographical location, age, socio-economic status, and educational attainment except gender. The results have significant implications on the maintenance or gradual loss of their native language.</em></p>


2021 ◽  
Vol 72 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-28
Author(s):  
Marc-André Luik ◽  
Jan Salland

Abstract This paper uses data from the Health and Retirement Study to investigate the role of inheritances for stockholding. Individual heir fixed-effects estimates show that an inheritance receipt increases subsequent stock market participation. The respective magnitude of this shift is higher for large and fully anticipated receipts, whereas it seems to be largest for fully but larger-than-expected transfers. Generally, our effects are driven by households entering the stock market. Also, a less pre-inheritance liquidity constrained household shows higher post-inheritance stock ownership probability. This suggests, inheritance size as well as receipt and size anticipation are determinants for stockholding. In the context of stock market participation, our results highlight considerable heir and transfer heterogeneity which can have important implications for bequest taxation and economic welfare. By means of the intergenerational transmission of inequality and socio-economic status via the ‘wealth channel’, households not only benefit from transfer receipt but also from later capital gains, due to stock market participation.


2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 95-109
Author(s):  
Khagendra Raj Pant

The purpose of this study is to explore and analyze the relationship between the parental socio-economic status and academic achievement of students. The research question of the study was: How does the parental socio-economic status influence on academic achievement of students? This study focused on the interrelated dimensions of parental income, educational status, and its effect on children’s education. The study was conducted with a qualitative case study research design. Altogether 15 informants from parents, teachers, and students were selected by the purposive sampling method. In-depth interviews, focus group discussions, and observation techniques were followed during data collection. Data were analyzed using thematic narrative analysis. The study found that the majority of students of low socio-economic status have poor academic achievement. Parents of low economic background have been found less interested in the education of their children. Students from low socio-economic status more emphasized on employment rather than further study after secondary education. Such students were found to be pursuing unskilled jobs in labour market. This study recommended conducting free technical and vocational education. Schools and concerned authorities need to conduct parental awareness and education programs.


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