Does collectivism necessarily negate the spirit of entrepreneurship?

2014 ◽  
Vol 20 (3) ◽  
pp. 278-296 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rachid Zeffane
Keyword(s):  
Middle East ◽  
United Arab Emirates ◽  
Explanatory Power ◽  
National Level ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Strong Impact ◽  
Gulf Region ◽  
Personal Traits ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Impact

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore the relationships between individualism/collectivism (as personal traits) and individuals’ potential to become an entrepreneur. Design/methodology/approach – The study draws on a sample of 503 students enrolled in business courses at a university in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). It focusses on the concept of Entrepreneurial Potential (EP) as a measure of “desirability and inclination” to start a business. The paper tests the hypothesis that the concepts of individualism and collectivism are not necessarily polar ends of the same continuum and examine their impacts on EP, controlling for age and gender as main demographic characteristics. Four main hypotheses are explored. Findings – Statistical analysis confirms the two main hypotheses. They reveal that: first, concomitant with the dominant collectivist values at national level, potential future entrepreneurs evolving in the Middle East/Gulf region endorse personal traits of a predominantly collectivist nature; second, contrary to popular assumptions individualism does not have a strong impact on youth EP. In the context of this study, the impact of collectivism on EP is most significant. The paper also found that gender had no significant impact on EP Research limitations/implications – The use of personality traits alone, as a basis for understanding predictors of EP may not be sufficient. A number of contextual variables (such the socio-cultural and economic context) may also have a strong influence. Unfortunately, it is not possible to test for these effects with the data available in this study. Future research may consider these. Practical implications – Despite its limited scope (limited sample-size and target population), the findings of this study are useful to both practitioners and policy makers. Management practitioners interested in entrepreneurial behaviors need to take stock of the fact that future entrepreneurs can (and perhaps should be able to) blend their competitive entrepreneurial drive with the spirit of collectivism. This is particularly relevant in selection processes using personality tests for the purpose of extracting the most likely candidates for entrepreneurial ventures involving youth. Originality/value – The findings of this study do not support the general assumption that individualism and entrepreneurship ties necessarily go hand in hand. They clearly indicate that collectivism has more explanatory power in this regard, though this may be contextual. These findings may be explained by the context of the study (UAE/Middle East). The overwhelming majority of the respondents are from the Middle East and gulf region, where collectivist aspirations are predominant. Yet, the economies of countries in those regions are fuelled by an increasing number of advanced and quite daring entrepreneurial projects, as exemplified by the modernist business ventures in Dubai, Qatar, and Abu Dhabi.

The impact of culture on the construal of organizational crisis: perceptions of crisis in Dubai

2015 ◽  
Vol 20 (3) ◽  
pp. 310-325 ◽  
Author(s):  
Valerie Priscilla Goby ◽  
Catherine Nickerson
Keyword(s):  
United Arab Emirates ◽  
Arabian Gulf ◽  
Initial Study ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Organizational Crisis ◽  
Communication Management ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Organizational Crises ◽  
Research Stream ◽  
The Impact

Purpose – Despite the rising significance of the Arabian Gulf on the global corporate landscape, research is lacking in the area of organizational crisis communication. The purpose of this paper is to present a preliminary contribution to this gap in the form of an initial investigation of the conceptualization of crisis among female Emirati nationals in Dubai. Design/methodology/approach – With reference to Pearson and Clair’s (1998) list of organizational crises, the authors designed a survey to elicit perceptions of crises, their severity, and their likelihood of occurring in the United Arab Emirates; the authors administered this survey to 105 female Emirati respondents. Given the heavy delineation of gender roles that exists in the region, the authors limited this initial study to a single gender, women. The authors discuss the crises respondents identified as most severe and most likely to occur in the country in terms of culture, Islamic values, and business in Dubai. Findings – Responses indicate that perceptions of crisis differ vastly from those that typically obtain in western countries and that particular religious and cultural factors influence these perceptions. Research limitations/implications – Given the divergence between the construal of crisis in the Gulf and in western contexts, further investigation of how organizational crisis is perceived and responded to in Gulf contexts is warranted to inform corporate communication management in a region whose economic influence is increasingly important. Future research also needs to investigate a broader sample, including male respondents, in order to construct a framework of culture and crisis in the region. Practical implications – As more MNCs are attracted to Dubai, and other Gulf cities, it is imperative that they are well informed of the differing perceptions of, and reactions to, potential crises that may affect them directly or indirectly. Originality/value – The present study is the first the authors know of that assesses how organizational crises are perceived in a Gulf context. It brings to the fore certain particularities that could serve as hypotheses for an innovative research stream. While it is an exploratory study, it highlights salient issues that can be formulated into hypotheses in further research.

Unraveling the complex nexus of punitive supervision and deviant work behaviors: findings and implications from hospitality employees in Pakistan

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Aisha Sarwar ◽  
Lakhi Muhammad ◽  
Marianna Sigala
Keyword(s):  
Explanatory Power ◽  
Work Behavior ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Cognitive Mechanisms ◽  
Theoretical Understanding ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Deviant Behaviors ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Moderating Role

Purpose The study adopts the conservation of resources (COR) theory for providing a better theoretical understanding of punitive supervision as an antecedent of employees’ minor deviant behaviors (namely, employee time theft and knowledge hiding) via creating cognitive mechanisms (employees’ perceived incivility). The purpose of this paper is to examine the moderating role of employees’ RESILIENCY on employees’ ability to buffer the impacts of punitive supervision. Design/methodology/approach Data was gathered from 265 frontline hospitality employees in Pakistan. A survey was administered in person to establish trust and rapport with employees and so, collect reliable data. Findings The findings confirmed a direct and mediated impact of punitive supervision on employee minor deviant behaviors via creating perceived incivility. The moderating role of employees’ resiliency was also confirmed, as the employees’ resiliency helped them mitigate the impact of punitive supervision on perceived incivility. Research limitations/implications Data was collected from employees’ perceptions working in one industry and cultural setting. As employees’ perceptions (influenced by their cultural background) significantly affect their interpretations and reactions to punitive behavior, future research should validate and refine the findings by collecting data from a wider and diversified cultural and industry setting. Practical implications The findings provide theoretical explanatory power of the drivers and the contextual factors leading to minor employee deviant behaviors. The findings guide managers on how to develop pro-active and re-active strategies for deterring the occurrence and eliminating the consequences of punitive supervision. Originality/value This study contributes to the literature in multiple ways. It identifies and validates punitive supervision as an antecedent of Deviant Work Behavior (DWB). It provides a theoretical underpinning for explaining how punitive supervision spurs cognitive mechanisms, which in turn drive DWB. It also studies the nexus between destructive supervision and its outcomes in its entirety by studying the mediated and the moderating impacts of punitive supervision and perceived incivility, respectively.

Do age, work experience and gender affect individuals’ propensity to trust others? An exploratory study in the United Arab Emirates

2018 ◽  
Vol 38 (3/4) ◽  
pp. 210-223 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rachid Zeffane
Keyword(s):  
United Arab Emirates ◽  
Work Experience ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Small Sample ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Trust Formation ◽  
Propensity To Trust ◽  
And Gender ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of age, work experience and gender on individuals’ propensity (inclination or readiness) to trust others. Design/methodology/approach The authors gathered literature arguments and developed a basic theoretical model explored through an empirical study. The study uses a sample of 324 retail business owners/operators in the United Arab Emirates. The authors developed and tested three main hypotheses. Findings Age has a significant positive impact on the propensity to trust. Work experience has a similar effect, but to a lesser degree. Females are generally less predisposed to trust. However, the impact of age on trust was significant for both males and females. Research limitations/implications This study focuses on a small sample of individuals in a single country. A larger multi-context study would be beneficial in verifying the above findings. Also, the concept of trust used in this study is general and focuses mainly on general likelihood/aspirations to trust others. Future research could examine the relationship of age to different aspects of trust and in different circumstances. Practical implications The findings of this study have several practical benefits. They draw the attention of human resource management practitioners and policy makers to the importance of age, work experience and gender in shaping trust relationships in both societal and business contexts. Originality/value The impact of age (and aging) work and society in general is a growing concern. Despite the number of studies examining trust and the process of trust formation, the relationships between age, gender and trust have been largely overlooked in previous research. This study attempts to address this gap and provides useful evidence likely to inspire further/future research on this issue.

scholarly journals Board structure and corporate R&D intensity: evidence from Forbes global 2000

2020 ◽  
Vol 28 (3) ◽  
pp. 445-463 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aws AlHares ◽  
Ahmed A. Elamer ◽  
Ibrahem Alshbili ◽  
Maha W. Moustafa
Keyword(s):  
Risk Taking ◽  
National Level ◽  
Oecd Countries ◽  
Least Square ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Board Structure ◽  
Accounting Systems ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Anglo American ◽  
The Impact

Purpose This study aims to examine the impact of board structure on risk-taking measured by research and development (R&D) intensity in OECD countries. Design/methodology/approach The study uses a panel data of 200 companies on Forbes global 2000 over the 2010-2014 period. It uses the ordinary least square multiple regression analysis techniques to examine the hypotheses. Findings The results show that the frequency of board meetings and board size are significantly and negatively related to risk-taking measured by R&D intensity, with a greater significance among Anglo-American countries than among Continental European countries. The rationale for this is that the legal and accounting systems in the Anglo American countries have greater protection through greater emphasis on compliance and disclosure, and therefore, allowing for less risk-taking. Research limitations/implications Future research could investigate risk-taking using different arrangements, conducting face-to-face meetings with the firm’s directors and shareholders. Practical implications The results suggest that better-governed firms at the firm- or national-level have a high expectancy of less risk-taking. These results offer regulators a resilient incentive to pursue corporate governance (CG) and disclosure reforms officially and mutually with national-level governance. Thus, these results show the monitoring and legitimacy benefits of governance, resulting in less risk-taking. Finally, the findings offer investors the opportunity to build specific expectations about risk-taking behaviour in terms of R&D intensity in OECD countries. Originality/value This study extends and contributes to the extant CG literature, by offering new evidence on the effect of board structure on risk-taking. The findings will help policymakers in different countries in estimating the sufficiency of the available CG reforms to prevent management mishandle and disgrace.

Entrepreneurial leadership in Middle East sport businesses

2020 ◽  
Vol 35 (2) ◽  
pp. 167-188
Author(s):  
Majd Megheirkouni ◽  
Alison Thirlwall ◽  
Ammar Mejheirkouni
Keyword(s):  
Gender Differences ◽  
Middle East ◽  
Cultural Values ◽  
Quantitative Methods ◽  
Business Owners ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Entrepreneurial Leadership ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Gender Differences And Similarities

Purpose The purpose of this study is to understand the impact of gender in the sport business by investigating gender differences in entrepreneurial leadership and cultural values using quantitative methods. Design/methodology/approach In total, 241 surveys were completed by sport business owners in 4 countries in the Middle East. Findings The results revealed that gender differences and similarities are not only widely affected by national cultural values but also the effects of national cultural values vary between countries in the Middle East, despite these countries being similar in terms of habits, traditions, history, language and institutional systems. Additionally, it was found that entrepreneurial leadership is a role, task or responsibility that is related to both men and women in the sport business in the Middle East. Research limitations/implications Theoretical and practical implications of the findings are discussed, together with limitations and suggestions for future research. Originality/value This is the only study in the field of entrepreneurial leadership that examined the concept of entrepreneurial leadership in Middle East sport businesses.

scholarly journals Impact of IoT on social innovation in Japan

2019 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 341-353 ◽  
Author(s):  
Temitayo Shenkoya ◽  
Cho Dae-Woo
Keyword(s):  
Social Innovation ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
National Level ◽  
Geographical Location ◽  
Radical Change ◽  
Working Environment ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Incremental Change ◽  
The Impact

Purpose Recently, the discussion on the impact of the Internet of Things (IoT) in theory and in practice is increasing. While some proponent envisage that the IoT will bring about positive radical change in the modern society, others argue that the IoT will introduce more disadvantages in the long run (mainly in terms of job losses) than advantages. The purpose of this paper is to arbitrate this controversy by examining the impact of IoT on the Japanese society. Design/methodology/approach While previous studies have largely been qualitative in nature, in this study, a quantitative approach was used. A multi-dimensional analysis was carried out and the statistical method known as the one-way analysis of variance was used to process the data obtained during this study. Findings The results show that indeed the IoT has a positive impact on the daily lives of the Japanese people, however the change it brings are mainly incremental change and not radical. Furthermore, rather than reducing job opportunities, it has created more opportunities and simplified operation processes. Research limitations/implications However, a limitation of this study is in its narrow scope. It is important to note that further studies on an international level or perhaps multi-national level is needed. Furthermore, there may be other underlining factors, such as culture, social, economic, geographical location, technology capacity, that may contribute to the impact of the IoT on daily life. Therefore, future research needs to verify if indeed this is the case. Originality/value This research successful arbitrates the argument about the impact of the IoT on the society by specifically showing that the advantages brought by the IoT out-ways its disadvantages. Furthermore, the uncertainty (fear of job losses) expressed by some experts was addressed in this study. The results obtained showed that the diffusion of the IoT has no correlation with job loss but rather supports improved working environment and creation of jobs.

Trust, personality, risk taking and entrepreneurship

2015 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 191-209 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rachid Zeffane
Keyword(s):  
Gender Differences ◽  
United Arab Emirates ◽  
Risk Taking ◽  
Important Variable ◽  
Entrepreneurial Intentions ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Nascent Entrepreneurs ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Business Courses ◽  
The Impact

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of trust, personality and risk taking on entrepreneurial intentions (EIs). In this perspective, it explores gender differences among nascent and actual entrepreneurs in the context of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Design/methodology/approach – Survey data were collected from two sets of populations: 370 students attending business courses in a university in the UAE (as proxies to nascent entrepreneurs) and 324 small business owners/operators (as proxies to actual entrepreneurs). The scales used in the study were borrowed from previous research and were also empirically confirmed through reliability tests. Findings – In support of previous research, analyses of variance confirmed the hypotheses that females are less inclined to become entrepreneurs and are less likely to take risk. Females were also found to be less trusting than males. Regression analysis revealed that, the intention to engage in entrepreneurship is most significantly affected by the propensity to trust. These confirm the study hypotheses. Research limitations/implications – This study is set in a single country and as such, its findings may be constrained by cultural/national specificities. Future research could consider examining the variables of this study (particularly gender differences and their relevance to the effects of trust and risk taking on EIs) in a wider cross-national context. Practical implications – The findings of this study clearly indicate that trust is an important variable that can be cultivated at the pre-entrepreneurial stage so that future entrepreneurs (females in particular) are appropriately equipped and geared to cope with risk in entrepreneurship activities. Originality/value – Research on gender, trust, risk taking and entrepreneurial behaviors in the UAE/Middle East context remains lacking. Also, studies using samples of both actual and nascent entrepreneurs remain lacking. This study fills these gaps and also provides a platform for further understanding the importance of gender differences in relation to trust, personality, risk taking and EIs.

Explaining university student loyalty: theory, method, and empirical research in Chile

2019 ◽  
Vol 32 (4) ◽  
pp. 525-540 ◽  
Author(s):  
Juan Alejandro Gallegos ◽  
Arturo Vasquez
Keyword(s):  
Student Satisfaction ◽  
Empirical Studies ◽  
Explanatory Power ◽  
University Student ◽  
Key Comparisons ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Relational Processes ◽  
Student Loyalty ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explain student loyalty beyond its customary relationship with student satisfaction by including two relational variables, trust and commitment, two cognitive traits (service familiarity and communication) and one affective trait (opportunism) as moderators of the impact of trust and commitment on loyalty. Design/methodology/approach Two relational constructs (trust and commitment) are employed to improve the loyalty model and key comparisons are performed to know if career, cohort and sourcing school generate differences in the explanation of student loyalty. Findings Results show that the explanation chain that starts with student satisfaction but continues with the development of student trust and the reaching of student commitment culminates with student loyalty. The moderators (student opportunism, service familiarity, communication, age and available income for education) significantly contribute to the explanatory power of the model. Career is a meaningful differentiator in reaching student loyalty as are student cohort and the type of high school from which the student came. Research limitations/implications This is one of first empirical studies on university student loyalty. Future research could test the same or new hypotheses using different samples and contexts. Practical implications University policies may benefit from the inclusion of norms regarding relational processes and outcomes such as the value of trust in the interactions and systematic recognition and awards assigned to student commitment achievements. Originality/value The explanation chain of customer loyalty was successfully applied to student loyalty, and strengthened with the addition of meaningful moderating variables.

Exploring the impact of gender on challenges and coping during the COVID-19 pandemic

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kathryn Krase ◽  
Leina Luzuriaga ◽  
Donna Wang ◽  
Andrew Schoolnik ◽  
Chantee Parris-Strigle ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Online Survey ◽  
National Level ◽  
Past Research ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Sources Of Information ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Usa ◽  
And Coping ◽  
The Impact

PurposeRepercussions to everyday life caused by the COVID-19 pandemic disproportionately impacted certain segments of the population, including older adults, communities of color and women. The societal response to reduce the impact of the pandemic, including closing schools and working from home, has been experienced differentially by women. This study explored how individual challenges and coping mechanisms differed for women as compared to men.Design/methodology/approachThis study used an anonymous, cross-sectional, online survey early in the COVID-19 pandemic. Convenience, snowball and purposive sampling methods were used. Data were collected in June 2020 targeting adults living in Canada and the USA, with a total of 1,405 people responding, of which, the respondents were primarily women, White and with high education levels.FindingsThe results of this study confirm previous research that women struggled more to adapt to the pandemic and felt less prepared than men during the COVID-19 pandemic. Further, this study found significant differences in the sources of information and support used by women as compared to men.Originality/valueThe findings of this study not only confirm past research but also highlight that practice and policy responses to this pandemic, and future research on national level crises need to be targeted by gender, so that different needs are effectively addressed. Additionally, this article also identifies sources or challenges, as well as support, in order to inform and strengthen such responses.

Determinants of employees’ innovative behavior

2018 ◽  
Vol 30 (3) ◽  
pp. 1601-1620 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shaker Bani-Melhem ◽  
Rachid Zeffane ◽  
Mohamed Albaity
Keyword(s):  
Job Stress ◽  
United Arab Emirates ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Extensive Literature ◽  
Innovative Behavior ◽  
Coworker Support ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Mediating Role ◽  
Workplace Happiness ◽  
The Impact

Purpose This study aims to examine the impact of workplace happiness, coworker support and job stress on employee innovative behavior. The mediating effects of coworker support and job stress are also explored. Design/methodology/approach The study uses survey data from 328 employees from different departments in four- and five-star hotels in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Based on an extensive literature review, five main hypotheses were formulated and explored. These were tested through multiple regression analysis using the SPSS Process Macro plugin. Findings Workplace happiness is the most significant determinant of employees’ innovative behavior, while coworker support plays a significant mediating role. Contrary to the study hypothesis and assumption, job stress alone is not a significant mediator; it only plays a mediating role when combined with coworker support. Research limitations/implications The sample is from a single sector (hotels) in a single country. Future research would benefit from examining the above relationships in other sectors (such as health and education) in the UAE. It could also explore the validity of these relationships in the tourism/hotels sector of other countries in the Middle East and Gulf regions. Originality/value Few studies have attempted to investigate factors that may promote or impede innovative behavior among employees in the hotels sector, particularly in the UAE. The data, model and findings of this study address this gap and add to the current state of knowledge.

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