scholarly journals Towards a qualitative understanding of human capital in entrepreneurship research

2017 ◽  
Vol 23 (2) ◽  
pp. 210-227 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dimo Dimov

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to revisit the conceptualization and measurement of human capital in entrepreneurship research. Design/methodology/approach By contrasting reflective and formative conceptions, it shows that human capital is more appropriately seen as defined and formed by its indicators (education, work experience, entrepreneurial experience, industry experience, and managerial experience). It, then, explores the configurations of these indicators in a qualitative comparative analysis framework based on Boolean algebra and fuzzy-set methodology. It derives an empirical typology of the human capital of nascent entrepreneurs, based on two primary combinations of indicators. Findings The paper shows that the relationship between human capital and venture emergence is best represented as multiple, conjectural causation, i.e. human capital matters through certain combinations of its indicators. Originality/value The discussion and results offer novel and valuable insights into entrepreneurship researchers for the conceptualization and use of human capital constructs.

Author(s):  
Byungku Lee

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to offer a unique perspective on the role of entrepreneurs’ hard work for the relationship between entrepreneur human capital and venture success. To this end, this study examined whether entrepreneurs with high human capital work harder than entrepreneurs with low human capital, the effect of entrepreneurs’ hard work on venture performance, and whether entrepreneurs’ hard work mediates the relationship between entrepreneur human capital and venture performance.Design/methodology/approachIn this explorative study, the role of entrepreneurs’ hard work as a mediator that transfers entrepreneur human capital into venture success was examined in a sample of 2,648 single-founder startups in the USA and 21,184 observations during the period of 2004-2011.FindingsThe effect of entrepreneurs’ industry experience on entrepreneurs’ hard work was significantly positive, while the effect of entrepreneurs’ general education on entrepreneurs’ hard work was significantly negative. Moreover, entrepreneurs’ hard work was a significant predictor of venture success. Finally, the results showed that entrepreneurs’ hard work partially mediates the positive relationship between entrepreneurs’ industry experience and venture success.Originality/valueOn one hand, the link between human capital and firm performance has been studied thoroughly and findings so far support the positive link between them. On the other hand, there has been continuous criticism that human capital gained much of its attention at the expense of human labor. There is a paucity of research, however, that investigating the dynamics of the relationships between human capital and human labor. This study provides an empirical explanation of such dynamics of the relationships of human characteristics in the context of entrepreneurship.


2017 ◽  
Vol 24 (6) ◽  
pp. 1337-1349 ◽  
Author(s):  
Atilla Damci ◽  
David Arditi ◽  
Gul Polat

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore the relationship between civil engineers’ demographics (e.g. age, marital status, education, work experience) and their personal values. The objective was to predict civil engineers’ personal values based on their demographics. Design/methodology/approach A questionnaire survey was administered to civil engineers to collect data on their demographics and their personal values. Statistical analysis was performed to verify whether a significant statistical relationship exists between civil engineers’ demographics and their personal values. Findings The most important and the least important personal values were identified for civil engineers. Statistical analysis indicated that civil engineers’ values do vary based on their demographics. Research limitations/implications The results of this study cannot be generalized, because individuals’ personal values and demographics are, by definition, local. Location and culture may affect the personal values of civil engineers. Practical implications Team leaders normally have access to information about the demographics of the engineers they employ; based on the results of this study, they should be able to predict their personal values, and to make more informed decisions when appointing them to particular positions on project teams. Originality/value The research presented in this paper, establishes for the first time, that a linkage exists between civil engineers’ personal values and their demographics, and makes it easier for team leaders to make assignment decisions.


2016 ◽  
Vol 31 (3) ◽  
pp. 642-656 ◽  
Author(s):  
Violet T. Ho ◽  
Amanuel G. Tekleab

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to disentangle the relationship between the request of idiosyncratic deals (i-deals) and the receipt of such deals, and investigate the moderating roles of human capital (gender and industry experience) and social capital (leader-member exchange (LMX)) in this relationship. Attitudinal outcomes of i-deals receipt are also examined. Design/methodology/approach – Data were collected from 244 alumni of a Midwestern public university. Findings – The positive relationship between i-deals request and receipt was stronger at higher than at lower levels of LMX. Receiving i-deals was related positively to job satisfaction and affective commitment, and negatively to turnover intention. Research limitations/implications – The authors provide a nuanced perspective of i-deals by separating employees’ request from their receipt of i-deals, and identifying contingent factors that determine whether i-deal requests are successful. Practical implications – For employees, cultivating a strong relationship with one’s supervisor can yield benefits that extend to i-deals negotiation. Providing i-deals to deserving workers can boost employees’ work attitudes. Originality/value – Previous studies have operationalized the i-deals construct as requesting and receiving the deal, thereby excluding the possibility that employees may have requested but did not receive the i-deal. This is one of the first studies to disentangle these two concepts, thereby providing a more balanced and representative view of i-deal-making in organizations.


Author(s):  
Nopadol Rompho

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between levels of human capital and financial performance of firms that use two distinct human resource management (HRM) strategies. Design/methodology/approach A survey of 128 HRM managers was conducted to assess differences in human capital between firms using different HRM strategies. A multiple regression analysis was used to investigate the relationship between firms’ human capital and financial performance. Findings The results show that companies employing a make-organic strategy have a higher level of human capital than companies employing a buy-bureaucratic strategy. There was no relationship between the level of human capital and long term financial performance of firms with both make-organic and buy-bureaucratic strategies. Research limitations/implications This research contributes toward understanding the effect of HRM strategy and facilitates an optimal strategy choice depending on the organization. However, this study did not consider the lead time between changes in human capital and the effect on financial performance. Practical implications The research encourages firm managers to understand the value of human capital, preparing them for changes in the future. Originality/value This study is among the first to investigate the relationship between human capital and financial performance considering different HRM strategies.


2018 ◽  
Vol 52 (5/6) ◽  
pp. 946-972 ◽  
Author(s):  
Charalampos Saridakis ◽  
Sofia Angelidou

Purpose Collecting behaviour is a special type of consumption, which consists of several traits, such as “completion”, “perfection”, “caring” and “cooperation”. The purpose of this study is to shed light on this complex consumption behaviour, by effectively developing an empirical typology of collectors and explaining their motivation to engage in collecting. Design/methodology/approach In total, 208 questionnaires were collected among Thai collectors. A set-theoretic comparative approach was implemented – namely, fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis. The value of the proposed approach over conventional correlational methods, is illustrated through an examination of a set of relevant research propositions. Findings The study develops an empirical typology of collectors, on the basis of the various collecting behaviour traits. It has been suggested that different combinations of motives are sufficient for identifying collector types accurately, and the proposed typology is stable and generalizable across collectors of different demographic characteristics. Specifically, “expert professionals” are mainly driven by adventure and social motives, while the role of idea motive is crucial for “introvert focusers”. Adventure and social motives are necessary conditions for “extrovert altruists”, while gratification has a deleterious role. The presence of social motive is necessary for “hobbyists”, while the absence of value motive is also required. Practical implications The brand collectible market is booming, and the collectibles can be a strategy for brands to maintain existing users and reinforce loyalty levels. Global brands, such as Swatch and Coca-Cola, have been acquired for collection rather than typical consumption purposes. Marketers and brand managers should therefore monitor the motivation behind this complex consumption behaviour. The mosaic of motives to engage in collecting behaviour varies across different types of collectors, and therefore specifically tailored strategies are proposed. Originality/value The study tackles the lack of literature specifically focussing on collecting behaviour in relation to motivation. This is the first attempt to empirically derive a collectors’ typology and provide a nuanced coverage of how financial and nonfinancial (hedonic) motives and their combinations affect different collector types.


2018 ◽  
Vol 56 (6) ◽  
pp. 1217-1231 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marta Peris-Ortiz ◽  
Carlos Alberto Devece-Carañana ◽  
Antonio Navarro-Garcia

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationship between open innovation (OI) and radical and incremental innovation success in knowledge-based companies. The company’s human resources and organizational learning capability are considered as the fundamental nexus of this relationship.Design/methodology/approachAt the conceptual level, the paper analyzes the relationships between dynamic capabilities and OI and between OI and innovation success. Fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) was used to study how innovation is implemented in 29 companies.FindingsFsQCA identifies combinations of factors that facilitate incremental innovations. These combinations reveal the path to implementing company policies that enable incremental innovation and foster radical innovation.Research limitations/implicationsThe nature of the study sample means that the findings should be generalized with precaution. The most valuable implication is the identification of combinations of factors that help companies manage innovation.Originality/valueScarce literature links organizational learning factors and OI to different types of innovation. The use of fsQCA to analyze the cases also marks a breakthrough in the innovation literature.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nagwan Abdulwahab AlQershi ◽  
Ramayah Thurasamy ◽  
Gamal Abdualmajed Ali ◽  
Hussein Abu Al-Rejal ◽  
Amr Al-Ganad ◽  
...  

Purpose This paper aims to examine the mediating role of human capital on the talent management in hospitals’ sustainable business performance in the health-care sector of Malaysia. Design/methodology/approach The study used a quantitative approach, with an initial sample of 174 Malaysian hospitals. The theoretical framework was based on previous studies of talent management (TM), human capital (HC) and sustainable business performance (SBP). Partial least squares-structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) was used to test the study’s hypotheses. Findings Talent management mindset (TMM), but not talent management strategy (TMS), has a significant relationship with HC and SBP. HC has a significant direct relationship with SBP, and also mediates the relationship between TMM and SBP but not between TMS and SBP. Research limitations/implications This work is one of a limited number of studies to empirically address TM, HC and SBP in this context. The study is limited to Malaysian hospitals. It provides theoretical contributions by broadening the knowledge of HC, TM and the multifocal perspective of hospitals’ SBP, a relevant but underexplored issue, offering several avenues for future research. Practical implications The findings have beneficial practical implications for both policy makers and managers. First, focusing on talented people will directly improve sustainable performance in the Malaysian health sector. The findings also have important theoretical implications both for Malaysia and countries in similar situations. The study will serve as a reference point for such countries in trying to understand factors influencing SBP. Originality/value This is the first study to examine the mediating effect of HC on the relationship between talent management and hospitals’ sustainable business performance in Malaysia, or worldwide.


2020 ◽  
Vol 26 (6) ◽  
pp. 1259-1279
Author(s):  
Susanne Schlepphorst ◽  
Elizabeth C. Koetter ◽  
Arndt Werner ◽  
Christian Soost ◽  
Petra Moog

PurposeDrawing on human capital (HC) and social capital (SC) as well as the Jack-of-all-trades theory, this paper aims to clarify the relationship between international assignments (IAs) of employees and their entrepreneurial intentions. The study proposes that such IAs provide specific environmental features which may enable employees to build up diverse skills and network relations conducive to entrepreneuship.Design/methodology/approachThe authors collected data using an online survey, targeting professionals and managers in Germany and Switzerland. They used 223 complete responses. Before data collection, they ensured the suitability of their questionnaire by employing well-tested scales and consulted independent experts in survey design and methodology. They tested their hypotheses by applying multiple mediation modeling.FindingsAs hypothesized, the authors find empirical evidence that diverse skills and network relationships as well as poor career prospects, positively mediate the relationship between IAs and entrepreneurial intentions of employees.Research limitations/implicationsWe applied simple random and the snowball sampling method. Our approach involved the use of headhunters, international employers and relocation companies as multipliers.Practical implicationsOur results have practical implications for employees and employers. Employees on international assignments can proactively pursue opportunities in order to utilize the acquired experiences and resources for taking up entrepreneurial activities. Employers can try to retain these employees to facilitate (international) corporate entrepreneurship.Originality/valueTo the best of our knowledge, this is the first empirical study to highlight the entrepreneurial ambitions of international assignees. It thus provides initial insights into this topic.


2019 ◽  
Vol 28 (2) ◽  
pp. 142-157
Author(s):  
Joanna Santiago

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to understand the relation between the dimensions of employer brand (EB) attractiveness and the intention to submit a job application to the organisation. An increase of competitiveness in the business world has resulted in an increased effort by organisations to improve the processes of recruitment and retention of talented professionals, as the human capital of organisations is extremely important for their growth and sustainability. Regardless of an organisation’s size, the difficulties faced in recruiting and retaining highly qualified human capital are tangible. In this sense, the research problem identifies EB as being a strategic element for attracting future employees to work for an organisation. Design/methodology/approach This study used both quantitative (a questionnaire survey) and qualitative (in-depth interviews) data to investigate the perceptions of future and current employees. Findings Evidence from 281 respondents (of which almost 60 per cent belong to the millennial generation) who participated in the quantitative study supports the multi-dimensionality of EB attractiveness, highlighting the importance of economic factors, such as an above-average salary or opportunities for promotion, which are seen to be less important to millennials when considering future job prospects. Interestingly, the results of the qualitative research for current employees show slightly different concerns, in that career progression appears to be crucial. Originality/value The study findings not only offer a basis for research on the dimensions of employer attractiveness, but also, they serve as a managerial guide towards enhancing companies’ ability to attract, retain and motivate talented individuals.


2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (6) ◽  
pp. 1107-1124
Author(s):  
Zhining Wang ◽  
Shaohan Cai ◽  
Mengli Liu ◽  
Dandan liu ◽  
Lijun Meng

PurposeThe aim of this paper is to develop a tool measuring individual intellectual capital (IIC) and investigate the relationship between self-reflection and IIC.Design/methodology/approachThis study developed a theoretical model based on social cognitive theory and the literature of self-reflection and intellectual capital (IC). This research collected responses from 502 dyads of employees and their direct supervisors in 150 firms in China, and the study tested the research model using structural equation modeling (SEM).FindingsThe results indicate that three components of self-reflection, namely, need for self-reflection, engagement in self-reflection and insight, significantly contribute to all the three components of IIC, such as individual human capital, individual structural capital and individual relational capital. The findings suggest that need for self-reflection is the weakest component to impact individual human capital and individual relationship capital, while insight is the one that mostly enhances individual structural capital.Practical implicationsThis paper suggests that managers can enhance employees' IIC by facilitating their self-reflection. Managers can develop appropriate strategies based on findings of this study, to achieve their specific goals.Originality/valueFirst, this study develops a tool for measuring IIC. Second, this study provides an enriched theoretical explanation on the relationship between self-reflection and IIC – by showing that the three subdimensions of self-reflection, such as need, engagement and insight, influence the three subdimensions of IIC, such as individual human capital, individual structural capital and individual relational capital.


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