scholarly journals Evaluating the motives of child labourers in the informal economy

2020 ◽  
Vol 40 (3/4) ◽  
pp. 409-424
Author(s):  
Aamar Ilyas ◽  
Muhammad Shehryar Shahid ◽  
Ramraini Ali Hassan
Keyword(s):  
Informal Economy ◽  
Sampling Technique ◽  
Child Labour ◽  
Small Sample ◽  
The Body ◽  
Snowball Sampling ◽  
Entrepreneurial Education ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Informal Workers

PurposeConventionally, the marginalised population was considered to engage in child labour due to poverty, education or lack of other options, but indeed, a few children work voluntarily. However, a growing number of scholars, in recent years, have drawn their attention to the valuable question, “why children are engaged in child labour in the informal economy”. Even though a few studies have explored the motives of informal workers, to our knowledge not a single paper has explored the motives of child labourers working in the informal economy. The purpose of this study is to fill this gap by evaluating the motives of child labourers, through three competing theorisations of the informal economy.Design/methodology/approachIn this study, face-to-face structured interviews of 45 child labourers were conducted, who worked in different automobile workshops in the city of Lahore, Pakistan. Respondents were selected using the snowball sampling technique as this strategy is suitable for researching sensitive issues and is feasible for small sample sizes.FindingsThe main finding is that no single explanation is universally applicable to all child labourers. Some (27 per cent) justify their participation in the informal sector as driven by necessity (structuralist perspective), majority (40 per cent) explain their participation in the informal economy as a rational economic choice (neo-liberal perspective) and finally, more than a quarter of respondents (31 per cent) engaged in child labour due to their own free will or voluntarily to work for their family (post-structuralist perspective). This study also revealed that entrepreneurial spawning is a key determinant of child labour as the majority of children, in our study, working in automobile workshops intended to start their own workshop business in the future.Research limitations/implicationsThis article shows that children early engaged in work with entrepreneurial intention/spawning. Entrepreneurial education is very important in a child’s life. Entrepreneurial education will be a ticket to fulfill their dreams and learn new things with entrepreneurial attitude.Practical implicationsGovernment should develop the vocational training institutes for children who left the schools.Originality/valueThis study contributes to the body of literature by providing a better understanding of why children work in informal employment, an occupation generally perceived as constituting exploitative working conditions. This study also contributes to the wider literature of entrepreneurship by exploring “entrepreneurial spawning” as one of the major reasons underlying the participation of children in informal work.

School leaders' adoption and implementation of artificial intelligence

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthew Mark Tyson ◽  
Nicholas J. Sauers
Keyword(s):  
Artificial Intelligence ◽  
School Leadership ◽  
School Leaders ◽  
Implementation Process ◽  
The Body ◽  
Snowball Sampling ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Adoption And Implementation

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to examine school leaders' experiences with adoption and implementation of artificial intelligence systems in their schools. It examined the factors that led educational administrators to adopt one artificial intelligence program (ALEKS) and their perceptions around the implementation process.Design/methodology/approachThis was a qualitative case study that included structured interviews with seven individuals who have adopted artificial intelligence programs in their schools. Participants were identified through purposive and snowball sampling. Interview transcripts were analyzed and put through a two-step coding process involving in vivo coding as well as pattern coding.FindingsTwo major themes emerged from this study pertaining to the state of the diffusion of artificial intelligence through the adoption and implementation process. The findings indicated that school leaders were actively engaged in conversations related to AI adoption and implementation. They also created structures (organizational) to ensure the successful adoption and implementation of artificial intelligence.Originality/valueThis is an original study that examined the experiences of school leaders who have adopted and implemented artificial intelligence in their schools. The body of literature related to artificial intelligence and school leadership is extremely limited.

Understand attitude-behavior gaps and benefit-behavior connections in Eco-Apparel

2016 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
pp. 105-119 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna Perry ◽  
Telin Chung
Keyword(s):  
Small Sample Size ◽  
Sampling Technique ◽  
Small Sample ◽  
Purchasing Behavior ◽  
Snowball Sampling ◽  
Environmental Attitude ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Personal Cost ◽  
Attitude Behavior ◽  
Snowball Sampling Technique

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to understand Eco-Apparel consumption behavior in consumers who care about the environment. Design/methodology/approach – A snowball sampling technique was used to recruit 16 participants for in-depth interviews. Findings – Two attitude-behavior gaps existed: the gap between environmental attitude and Eco-Apparel purchasing behavior; and the gap between Eco-Apparel attitude and Eco-Apparel purchasing behavior. There were two connections: product and emotional benefits leaded to Eco-Apparel purchasing behavior; and personal cost benefits, emotional benefits, and economic considerations leaded to Eco-Apparel using and disposing behavior. These gaps and connections suggested participants have certain standards regarding Eco-Apparel consumption. First, the standard of purchasing Eco-Apparel was the same as regular apparel. Second, participants did not want to expend much effort. Third, for some participants, emotional benefits (e.g. fun, good feeling, satisfaction) were important. Research limitations/implications – The small sample size and the snowball sampling technique limit generalization of the study’s findings. Practical implications – These findings might be of interest to apparel manufacturers and retailers who want to re-enforce consumers’ positive attitudes leading to actual purchase and consumption behaviors. Originality/value – The current study for the first time examines the attitude-behavior gaps, proposes reasons behind these gaps, as well as connections between benefits and Eco-Apparel usage and disposal behaviors. In addition, the proposed framework is the first attempt to illustrate the relationships among gaps, connections, and consumption standards.

“Prevention is better than cure”: challenges in engaging employees through gamification

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Manish Gupta ◽  
Abhishek Behl ◽  
YLN Kumar
Keyword(s):  
Sampling Technique ◽  
Snowball Sampling ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Hr Practices ◽  
Online Mode ◽  
Specific Factors ◽  
Game Elements ◽  
Practical Implications ◽  
Better Than

PurposeGamification, the use of game elements and techniques in the non-game contexts, is gaining popularity among human resources (HR) in an online mode. This paper intertwines the flow and engagement theories to know the challenges faced by companies in India in implementing gamification in their various HR practices to engage their employees.Design/methodology/approachSemi-structured interviews of only the information-rich cases including game designers and HR practitioners were conducted using snowball sampling technique. The interviews were transcribed and were analysed using thematic analysis.FindingsThree reviewed themes emerged from the data labelled as organization-, employee- and job-specific factors. Separate thematic maps drawn for each of the reviewed themes give particulars pertaining to the issues highlighted by the game designers and the HR practitioners in gamification.Practical implicationsThe results of the study are expected to help the organizations make an informed decision about whether they should go ahead with risking their resources as they expect improved engagement levels at work.Originality/valueThe findings contribute to the online engagement literature by exploring its antecedents in the context of gamification of HR practices for higher engagement at work.

A framework of urban entrepreneurship for women breadwinners

foresight ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Babak Ziyae ◽  
Hossein Sadeghi ◽  
Mina Shahamat Nejad ◽  
Mehdi Tajpour
Keyword(s):  
The Body ◽  
Self Control ◽  
Theory Approach ◽  
Snowball Sampling ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Body Of Knowledge ◽  
Social And Economic Development ◽  
Training Courses ◽  
Development Tendency

Purpose Today, urban entrepreneurship is considered one of the vital strategies that directed cities toward self-control by reducing the unemployment rate and its arising problems, creating sustainable revenue and preparing the ground for citizens’ independence. This paper aims to present an integrated foresight framework and establish the boundary conditions for urban entrepreneurship of women breadwinners. The study explains how particular women solve workplace-specific poverty and foster urban wealth by developing startups, new businesses or ventures. Design/methodology/approach The current research uses a qualitative method and uses the grounded theory approach. Data were collected by selecting 24 outstanding women entrepreneurs using snowball sampling and semi-structured interviews in Tehran Metropolitan. Findings The results of the study reveal that the main aspects of the model of urban entrepreneurship consist of causal factors, intervening factors and contextual conditions. By shaping the policies and organizing educational plans, training courses and empowering of women, as well as the establishment of supportive units for the development, identification of the opportunities, developing protective rules, the factors as mentioned above lead to cultural, social and economic development, tendency toward entrepreneurship and development of entrepreneurship among women. Originality/value This study undertakes a first of its kind cross-disciplinary conceptual analysis at the level of how women breadwinners foster urban wealth using developing new businesses, startups or ventures. Despite the importance of urban entrepreneurship, theories for understanding the nexus of urban contexts remain underdeveloped. Therefore, there is still a theoretical gap and lack of research; hence, the current study tries to shed light on the topic and fill this gap in the body of knowledge.

Two sides of the same coin: matter and embodiment in metaphors of money

2015 ◽  
Vol 23 (3) ◽  
pp. 202-215 ◽  
Author(s):  
Evi Sifaki ◽  
Annabelle Mooney
Keyword(s):  
Financial Literacy ◽  
Physical Object ◽  
Small Sample ◽  
The Body ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Conceptual Structures ◽  
Financial Behaviour ◽  
Sentient Beings ◽  
Two Sides

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to document the conceptual metaphors (Lakoff and Johnson, 2003) found in the talk of Greek and Australian adults to describe how people think about money. As money becomes increasingly abstract, understanding money, dealing with debt and encouraging financial literacy become more problematic. Design/methodology/approach – Semi-structured interviews of a small sample (n = 7) are analysed using Lakoff and Johnson’s model of metaphor to map the underlying conceptual structures of money. Findings – This paper argues that the abstraction of money has led people to search for a conceptual object. The forms and features of this object are recovered by tracing the metaphors, their presuppositions and entailments. This shows that people think about money as a physical object that needs to be carefully managed to avoid bodily harm and personal physical discomfort. Specifically, money is an object with weight that physically constrains the body, a substance that can be addictive albeit with the agentive capacity of sentient beings. Social implications – While the physical and corporeal nature of money implicitly underpins existing money management techniques (e.g. “jam jar” accounts), a detailed understanding of money as a (conceptual) object provides detailed discursive, lexical and persuasive resources for promoting sound financial behaviour and perhaps informing both economic and social policies. Originality/value – While metaphor has been studied in economics texts, very little attention has been paid to the language that ordinary people use to talk about money. This research gives a clear picture of money as a metaphorically physical object.

Repurchase intention: the effect of similarity and client knowledge

2020 ◽  
Vol 38 (6) ◽  
pp. 1351-1371
Author(s):  
Halimin Herjanto ◽  
Muslim Amin
Keyword(s):  
Customer Satisfaction ◽  
Sampling Technique ◽  
The Body ◽  
Repurchase Intention ◽  
Snowball Sampling ◽  
Community Centers ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Body Of Knowledge ◽  
Client Knowledge ◽  
Interaction Intensity

PurposeThe objective of this study was to investigate the effect of appearance, lifestyle and status similarity on interaction intensity, satisfaction with a banker and repurchase intention. Also examined was the moderating effect of client knowledge in the enhancement of customer satisfaction with a banker.Design/methodology/approachA total of 800 questionnaires using the snowball sampling technique were performed to distribute the questionnaires to bank customers at different ethnic community centers in New Zealand. A total of 377 useable questionnaires were collected for further analysis.FindingsThe findings indicated that the three types of similarity affect interaction intensity differently. Lifestyle similarity was found to positively influence interaction intensity. The similarity constructs of appearance and status were found to have an insignificant relationship with interaction intensity. The findings show that appearance similarity and interaction intensity are able to enhance customer satisfaction with a banker. Customer satisfaction with a banker has a significant relationship with repurchase intention. Client knowledge influences the degree of interaction intensity and satisfaction with a banker.Practical implicationsThe findings of this study help bankers to understand the importance of their similarities with a customer and to design recruitment strategies and training sections to improve customer satisfaction.Originality/valueThis study contributes to the body of knowledge by incorporating interaction intensity, similarity and satisfaction with a bank into the repurchase intention model.

Practice or lip service: exploring collaboration perspectives in purchasing

IMP Journal ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 452-467 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wesley S. Boyce ◽  
Ray A. Mundy
Keyword(s):  
Supply Chain ◽  
Sample Size ◽  
Small Sample Size ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Sampling Technique ◽  
Small Sample ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Collaborative Relationships ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Supply Chain Relationships

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to convey a sample of current collaboration perspectives in purchasing. The purchasing function has a critical role to play in collaborative relationships since it is a key facet of any given supply chain. These relationships may be beneficial when coordinated actions benefit buyers, suppliers, and the entire supply chain more than the uncoordinated efforts of individual firms. Despite the commonly reported benefits that can be gained in close relationships, recent research has indicated that collaboration attempts between firms in supply chains have not been as widespread as anticipated. Design/methodology/approach This research investigates the progress the purchasing function has made in achieving collaborative supply chain relationships. Input is gained from purchasing professionals via semi-structured interviews of procurement professionals. Grounded theory is used to deduct key themes from the interviews. Findings Results from a small sample size of nine interviews indicate that collaboration in purchasing has not yet reached the theoretical ideal, and it is suggested that key issues such as trust still do not exist at levels that would be appropriate to support collaborative relationships. Research limitations/implications This paper can be used as a basis to support further analysis that may broaden the scope of input from purchasing professionals. It is also difficult to draw generalizations from an interview method, and the sampling technique utilized limited the pool of potential interviewees to a sample size of nine semi-structured interviews. Practical implications This paper provides insights that purchasing professionals and those that deal with them can consider when engaging in supply chain relationships. It provides potential insights into where the purchasing function stands in its use of a collaborative strategy. Originality/value This paper focuses specifically on how the purchasing function is utilizing collaboration by gathering input from purchasing professionals. This practical viewpoint provides a realistic perspective that complements previous research on collaboration.

scholarly journals The practice of employee learning in SME workplaces

2016 ◽  
Vol 23 (3) ◽  
pp. 671-690 ◽  
Author(s):  
Steven Tam ◽  
David E Gray
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle ◽  
Multinational Corporations ◽  
Workplace Learning ◽  
High Growth ◽  
The Body ◽  
Maturity Stage ◽  
Snowball Sampling ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Life Cycle Stages

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore how employees in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) practise and view workplace learning at three different life-cycle stages. Design/methodology/approach – It is a qualitative study using a sample of 30 Hong Kong SMEs classified into inception, high-growth or maturity stage, from which firms in each stage were randomly selected and interviewed until data saturation was reached. Snowball sampling was adopted during interviews and data were examined through thematic analysis. Findings – Consistent themes (patterns) from 134 semi-structured interviews are identified, addressing both similarities and differences in the nature of the practice of workplace learning in SMEs between life-cycle stages. Research limitations/implications – More similar comparative studies in other parts of the world, including quantitative surveys on larger samples, with either SMEs or multinational corporations, are encouraged to enrich the current findings. Practical implications – If organisational growth is a priority, SME owner/managers should support employees’ work and learning in a timely fashion. As the study finds, individual learning and inter-organisational learning are considered “a must to have” for employees, regardless of which stage the firm is at. When an SME enters high-growth, however, more opportunities for group learning are particularly beneficial. For mature SMEs, it is essential for learning to move towards systemisation and include a professional development component to meet employees’ career expectations, not just their work demands. Originality/value – The results advance the body of knowledge in SME learning from the life-cycle perspective. As one of the first studies in bridging these areas, it brings new implications to academic researchers and SME practitioners.

scholarly journals User-driven efforts in creating knowledge graph information system

2020 ◽  
Vol 36 (2) ◽  
pp. 97-111
Author(s):  
Stanislava Gardasevic
Keyword(s):  
Information System ◽  
Information Seeking ◽  
Information Needs ◽  
Resource Discovery ◽  
The Body ◽  
Knowledge Graph ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Community Members ◽  
Study Objective ◽  
Content Type

Purpose This paper presents the results of a qualitative study that involved students of an interdisciplinary PhD program. The study objective was to gather requirements to create a knowledge graph information system. The purpose of this study was to determine information-seeking practices and information needs of this community, to inform the functionalities of a proposed system, intended to help students with relevant resource discovery and decision-making. Design/methodology/approach The study design included semi-structured interviews with eight members of the community, followed by a website usability study with the same student participants. Findings Two main information-seeking styles are recognized and reported through user personas of international and domestic (USA) students. The findings show that the useful information resides within the community and not so much on the program website. Students rely on peer communication, although they report lack of opportunities to connect. Students’ information needs and information seeking are dependent on their progress through the program, as well as their motivation and the projected timeline. Practical implications Considering the current information needs and practices, a knowledge graph hosting both information on social networks and the knowledge produced by the activities of the community members would be useful. By recording data on their activities (for example, collaboration with professors and coursework), students would reveal further useful system functionalities and facilitate transfer of tacit knowledge. Originality/value Aside from the practical value of this research that is directly influencing the design of a system, it contributes to the body of knowledge on interdisciplinary PhD programs.

Integrated quality environmental management implementation in food processing SMEs

2019 ◽  
Vol 31 (5) ◽  
pp. 740-757 ◽  
Author(s):  
Syed Ali Raza Shah ◽  
Khairur Rijal Jamaludin ◽  
Hayati Habibah Abdul Talib ◽  
Sha’ri Mohd Yusof
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Management ◽  
Food Processing ◽  
Success Factors ◽  
Process Management ◽  
Empirical Studies ◽  
Sampling Technique ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
Operational Performance ◽  
Snowball Sampling ◽  
Content Type

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to identify the critical success factors (CSFs) of integrated quality environmental management (IQEM) and analyze their impact on operational performance (OP) and environmental performance (EP) in food processing Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Pakistan. Design/methodology/approach The study is based on collecting data using a survey questionnaire through snowball sampling technique. A total of 302 food processing SMEs operating in Punjab, Pakistan, responded to the survey. SPSS version-23 and SmartPLS-3 were used for data analysis. Findings The literature review identified leadership (LS), employee management (EM), strategic planning (SP), information management (IM), process management (PM), supplier management (SM) and customer focus (CF) as CSFs of IQEM. The results of this study found a significant relationship of all identified CSFs with operational performance in food processing SMEs whereas EM, IM, PM and SM were insignificant with the EP in the food processing SMEs. Research limitations/implications Although this study has collected data from one province, the Punjab province, it still relevant in identifying the CSFs for IQEM implementation within food processing SMEs to improve performance. Originality/value Despite the wide spread of integrated systems practices in the developed countries, little attention has been placed to implement and assess the IQEM initiatives by organizations in the developing countries. Thus, this study identified CSFs of IQEM based on empirical studies and analyzed their impact on OP and EP of food processing SMEs.

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