Women entrepreneurship and sustainable development: select case studies from the sustainable energy sector

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ritika Mahajan ◽  
Kaushik Ranjan Bandyopadhyay
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Case Studies ◽  
Women Entrepreneurs ◽  
Real Life ◽  
Energy Sector ◽  
The Body ◽  
Women Entrepreneurship ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The purpose of this paper is twofold. First, it discusses the role of entrepreneurship, in general, and women entrepreneurship, in particular, in advancing the cause of sustainable development. Future research directions that emerge from the body of knowledge that the paper relied upon have been identified. Second, it presents unique cases of eight women-led enterprises in energy sector spread across three continents, namely, Asia, Africa and the USA; identifies the constraints and opportunities, analyses the business models and their impact on the quality of life pointers to demonstrate the role of women-led enterprises in sustainable development. Design/methodology/approach The paper combines a schematic review of literature at the interface of entrepreneurship and sustainable development coupled with select relevant case studies addressing the interface. The real-life case studies, which are consciously chosen and compiled from secondary data sources, complement and testify the insights drawn from the schematic literature review. The framework for analyzing the case studies is designed around multidimensional drivers and factors that steer the women-led enterprises. Findings The paper identified the need to look at entrepreneurship through the gendered lens not only for studying entrepreneurship as a discipline, in general, but also to gauge whether the inclusion of women as entrepreneurs is actually advancing the cause of sustainable development. Besides analyzing real-life case studies of accomplished women entrepreneurs to gauge their motivations and mindsets, the process of identification of pain points, identifying differentiating and innovative features, or studying the impact on society, economy and environment, the paper eventually created a schematic framework of key enablers, constraints and strategic response of women entrepreneurs. Originality/value Given the dearth of adequate theoretical and empirical contributions on the study of effectuation, mindsets and drivers of how women entrepreneurship steers the process of sustainable development, the paper is an endeavour in that direction.

Role of women entrepreneurs and NGOs in promoting entrepreneurship: case studies from Uttarakhand, India

2017 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 451-465 ◽  
Author(s):  
Usha Lenka ◽  
Sucheta Agarwal
Keyword(s):  
Case Studies ◽  
Women Entrepreneurs ◽  
Entrepreneurial Learning ◽  
Women Entrepreneurship ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Government Organizations ◽  
Interview Method ◽  
Depth Interview ◽  
The Right

Purpose Women establish their enterprise for economic independence and empowerment. This study aims to identify the factors that promote women entrepreneurship in Uttarakhand, a state in India. Although, women have the potential to become entrepreneurs, they do not have the right opportunities to explore it. Therefore, the role of non-government organizations (NGOs) is imminent in supporting women's entrepreneurial cause. Design/methodology/approach The problems of women entrepreneurs during venture creation have been explored. Case studies of women entrepreneurs and NGOs operating in Uttarakhand have been developed through an in-depth interview method. Findings Entrepreneurial learning occurs because of certain personal, social and environmentally driven motivational factors. Entrepreneurial learning helps in the development of personal, social, managerial and entrepreneurial competencies. These competencies are essential for the performance of an enterprise. Practical implications This study provides directions to policymakers and researchers to focus on developmental programmes for women entrepreneurs. Originality/value This study explores a conceptual framework for the promotion of women entrepreneurship.

scholarly journals A Conceptual Model Proposal: Universities as Culture Change Agents for Sustainable Development

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (11) ◽  
pp. 4635 ◽  
Author(s):  
Małgorzata Dzimińska ◽  
Justyna Fijałkowska ◽  
Łukasz Sułkowski
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Literature Review ◽  
Conceptual Model ◽  
Culture Change ◽  
Change Agents ◽  
The Body ◽  
Quality Culture ◽  
The University ◽  
The Impact

This paper aims to propose a conceptual model that synthesizes the existing findings concerning universities as culture change agents for sustainable development. The model could serve as a guidance on how universities might get involved in the pro-SD activities. It also underlines the prerequisite of the quality culture that should be introduced within all the activities of universities to successfully act as culture change agents for SD. This paper builds upon the holistic and inter-disciplinary approach to demonstrate that SD does not happen in isolation and that the role of universities in its creation is significant. This study includes a literature review to contextualize the impact of universities on culture and their potential role in SD. The conclusions stemming from the literature review materialize in the proposal of the conceptual model of the university as the culture change agent for SD. The elaborated framework responds to the need for greater clarity, ordering and systematization of the role of universities in the processes of initiating, promoting and modelling the SD-oriented changes while appreciating the role of culture as an enabler, means of social change and a result of SD-focused interventions. The paper contributes to the body of knowledge by offering a novel perspective on the assumed interrelations between university, its quality culture, university main operations such as education, research and engagement with the society as well as the culture and the agency of stakeholders in the context of meeting the world’s current demands without compromising the needs of future generations.

Environmental education in libraries – theoretical foundations and practical implementation

2020 ◽  
Vol 41 (4/5) ◽  
pp. 279-293 ◽  
Author(s):  
Małgorzata Fedorowicz-Kruszewska
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Environmental Education ◽  
Case Studies ◽  
New Paradigm ◽  
Professional Literature ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Multiple Case ◽  
Main Components ◽  
The Impact

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explain the concepts related to environmental education in the context of sustainable development, to indicate the links between them as well as to identify and organize elements of library activities that have the potential to implement environmental education.Design/methodology/approachThe method of analysis and criticism of scientific and professional literature and research reports was used. The multiple case study method was also used.FindingsAn analysis of literature and multiple case studies confirms the assumption that sustainable development is now a new paradigm of librarianship. Among the goals of sustainable development are environmental goals, which in libraries can be achieved through environmental education. A broad approach to environmental education has been proposed, which is implemented not only by using library services but also by building green collections, contacts with environmentally involved librarians, using ecological library infrastructure, observing sustainable management methods in libraries, cooperation between the library and the external environment in terms of the natural environment.Research limitations/implicationsAn analysis of 20 case studies was carried out regarding the implementation of pro-environmental measures in libraries. Examination of a larger number of case studies would probably give a more complete picture of this area of activity in libraries. The next stage of research should be the development of standards/guidelines in the field of environmental education in libraries, and then the development of methods and techniques for assessing the quality of library activities in this area and methods for assessing the impact of libraries on society and the environment in the field of environmental education.Practical implicationsThe paper indicates – based on case study analyses – those library elements that have potential in the field of environmental education. They were ordered in categories that were assigned to the three main components of a library: people, artefacts and processes.Social implicationsSustainable development is a new library paradigm. The paper focuses on the environmental area, specifically environmental education. It has been recognized that libraries have considerable potential for environmental education and should be seen as socially responsible organizations that take responsibility for the impact of their decisions and actions on society and the environment.Originality/valueThe paper explains the basic concepts of environmental education and the relationships between them. It defines the area of environmental education in libraries in terms of library activity elements that can be used to organize them according to the three main components of a library, which are people, artefacts and processes. The paper also indicates that sustainable development should be treated as a new paradigm of librarianship, and environmental education as a new research field of library and information science.

Socio-cultural environments and emerging economy entrepreneurship

2017 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 85-96 ◽  
Author(s):  
Grisna Anggadwita ◽  
Bachruddin Saleh Luturlean ◽  
Veland Ramadani ◽  
Vanessa Ratten
Keyword(s):  
Developing Countries ◽  
Women Entrepreneurs ◽  
Entrepreneurial Activity ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Integrated Analysis ◽  
Cultural Environment ◽  
Women Entrepreneurship ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Entrepreneurial Activities ◽  
The Impact

Purpose Women entrepreneurship has been growing and contributing significantly to economic activities, and it may also reduce unemployment, especially in developing countries. Many women entrepreneurs have begun to experience problems, including within their socio-cultural environment, in the beginning of or when they run their businesses. Among those developing countries, Indonesia has been recognized as having diverse ethnic groups, traditions, religions and languages. The purpose of this paper is to analyse how the socio-cultural environment affects women entrepreneurs in Indonesia. Design/methodology/approach This study aims at exploring the impact of the socio-cultural environment on entrepreneurial behavior, including the involvement of women in entrepreneurial activities in Indonesia as a multicultural country. A theoretical framework is empirically tested to identify the impact of the socio-culture environment on behavior and on women entrepreneurial activity through an integrated analysis. Findings A quantitative method with a causal descriptive approach is used in this study. The data are analyzed by using a descriptive statistics with the structural equation modeling technique. This study is intended to focus on women entrepreneurs in micro, small and medium enterprises in Bandung, Indonesia. A total of 210 women entrepreneurs have participated in this study. Practical implications include useful information for women entrepreneurs to overcome the impact of the socio-cultural environment in their entrepreneurial activities, and suggest insights for future research. Originality/value The development of women entrepreneurship in emerging economies may continuously face challenges, particularly in countries with multicultural attributes.

The impact of entrepreneurship education on innovative start-up intention: the mediating role of entrepreneurial mind-sets

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Rami Hanandeh ◽  
Sakher M.A. Alnajdawi ◽  
Ammar Almansour ◽  
Hamzah Elrehail
Keyword(s):  
University Students ◽  
Educational Institution ◽  
Entrepreneurship Education ◽  
The Body ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Mediating Role ◽  
Start Up ◽  
The Impact

PurposeEntrepreneurship education at universities aims to create entrepreneurial thinking and spread the culture of entrepreneurial awareness, skills and attitudes to students to stimulate their entrepreneurship intentions as graduates. This study investigates the impact of entrepreneurship education on innovative start-up intention as well as the mediating role of entrepreneurial mind-sets of university students.Design/methodology/approachStructural equation modeling (SEM) was used for analysis with (n = 204) valid questionnaires collected from university students.FindingsThe main findings show that entrepreneurial mind-sets mediate the relationship between entrepreneurship education and innovative start-up intention.Originality/valueThis study contributes to the body of knowledge by its application in a higher educational institution and enriches the literature with new evidence that entrepreneurship education could enhance innovative start-up intention.

The effects of ownership structure on likelihood of financial distress: an empirical evidence

2017 ◽  
Vol 17 (4) ◽  
pp. 589-612 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shahab Udin ◽  
Muhammad Arshad Khan ◽  
Attiya Yasmin Javid
Keyword(s):  
Corporate Governance ◽  
Ownership Structure ◽  
Financial Distress ◽  
Generalized Method Of Moments ◽  
The Body ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Government ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore the role of corporate governance proxies by ownership structure on the likelihood of firms’ financial distress for a sample of 146 Pakistani public-limited companies listed at the Karachi Stock Exchange over the period of 2003-2012. Design/methodology/approach The dynamic generalized method of moments (GMM) estimator and panel logistic regression (PLR) are used to determine the impact of corporate governance on the financial distress. The ownership structure is used as a determinant of corporate governance, while the Altman Z-score is utilized as an indicator of financial distress, as it measures financial distress inversely. The smaller the values of the Z-score, the higher will be the risk of financial distress. Findings The authors find insignificant impact of ownership structure on firms’ likelihood of financial distress based on the dynamic GMM method. However, the PLR results indicate that foreign shareholdings have a significant negative association with firms’ likelihood of financial distress, in the case of Pakistan. An evidence of a negative and insignificant relationship between institutional ownership and financial distress was observed, which indicates the passive role of institutional investors in Pakistan. The results also reveal a positive and significant relationship between insider’s ownership and likelihood of financial distress. This finding is consistent with the entrenchment hypothesis which predicts that insiders are more aligned with their self-interest than outside shareholders’ interest when their shareholding increases in the business. Furthermore, the results also reveal insignificant association between government shareholdings and the probability of financial distress. The reason could be the social welfare objective of the government entities rather than profit maximization. Practical implications The findings of this study provide more insight to corporate managers and investors about the association between the quality of corporate governance and the degree of financial distress, with respect to Pakistani firms. Furthermore, this study contributes to the existing literature by adding new evidence from developing countries like Pakistan which are helpful for regulatory bodies and policymakers in the formulation of long-term corporate governance strategies to manage the financial distress. It is well established that strengthening the quality of corporate governance practices enhances the efficiency of capital markets and reduces the probability of financial distress. Originality/value The study extends the body of existing literature on corporate governance and the likelihood of financial distress with reference to Pakistan. The results suggest that policymakers may pay special attention to the quality of corporate governance, specifically ownership structure, while predicting corporate financial distress.

Empowering Jordanian women through entrepreneurship

2020 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
pp. 133-144 ◽  
Author(s):  
Muntaha Banihani
Keyword(s):  
Economic Development ◽  
Women Entrepreneurs ◽  
Social Perceptions ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Female Entrepreneurs ◽  
Family Responsibilities ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Physical Mobility ◽  
The Impact

Purpose A strong correlation has been found across several countries between women’s positions in society and economic development, suggesting that there is a relationship between women’s empowerment and countries’ economic development. Despite the impact women have in terms of economic activity and job creation, however, the role of women entrepreneurs is often underplayed and undervalued. Therefore, this paper aims to investigate the challenges women entrepreneurs face in Jordan to uncover ways to empower them. Design/methodology/approach This qualitative research used in-depth interviews with 15 women to investigate their perceptions regarding the challenges affecting their businesses. Semi-structured interviews were used to allow participants flexibility in expressing their views and experiences. The results from the interviews were analysed using NVIVO software to identify themes and categories. Findings It was found that women entrepreneurs in Jordan still face many challenges, primarily related to family responsibilities, networking and physical mobility. Research limitations/implications Recommendations for scholars and decision makers are presented to reduce the impact of the challenges faced by women entrepreneurs in Jordan. Originality/value This research contributes to the current entrepreneurial literature as it provides a deeper understanding of the experiences of women entrepreneurs in Jordan. Thus, it heeds the call for more research on women entrepreneurs in developing countries. In shedding light on the experiences of female entrepreneurs in Jordan, this paper provides strong arguments for challenging the traditional social perceptions regarding the roles of women.

Investigation into the feasibility of inductively coupled antenna for use in smart clothing

2014 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
pp. 25-37 ◽  
Author(s):  
Minyoung Suh ◽  
Katherine E. Carroll ◽  
Edward Grant ◽  
William Oxenham
Keyword(s):  
Performance Metrics ◽  
Systems Approach ◽  
Real Life ◽  
Relative Displacement ◽  
The Body ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Inductively Coupled ◽  
Smart Clothing ◽  
Antenna Performance ◽  
The Impact

Purpose – This research investigated the feasibility of using an inductively coupled antenna as the basis of applying a systems approach to smart clothing. In order to simulate real-life situations, the impact of the distortions and relative displacement of different fabric layers (with affixed antennas) on the signal quality was assessed. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach – A spiral antenna was printed on different fabric substrates. Obstructive conditions of the inductively coupled fabric layers were investigated to find out how much influence these conditions had on transmission performance. Reflected signals and transmitted signals were observed, while fabric antennas were subjected to displacement (distance and dislocation) or deformation (stretching and bending). The threshold of physical obstacles was estimated based on statistical analyses. Findings – The limits of physical conditions that enable proper wireless transmission were estimated up to ∼2 cm for both distance and dislocation, and ∼0.24 K for bending deformation. The antenna performance remained within an acceptable level of 20 percent transmission up to 10 percent fabric stretch. Based on well-established performance metrics used in clothing environment on the body, which employs 2-5 cm of ease, the results imply that the inductively coupled antennas may be suitable for use in smart clothing. Originality/value – This research demonstrates that the use of inductively coupled antennas on multiple clothing layers could offer the basis of a new “wireless” system approach to smart clothing. This would not only result in performance benefits, but would also significantly improve the aesthetics of smart clothing which should result in new markets for such products.

scholarly journals An interaction effect of perceived government response on COVID-19 and government agency’s use of ICT in building trust among citizens of Pakistan

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mahnaz Mansoor
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Government Agency ◽  
The Body ◽  
Quality Information ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Government Response ◽  
The Government ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Moderating Role

Purpose Among the digital age players, one of the fastest-growing digital channels is social media. In the past few years, developing nations’ government entities and political parties started using social media platforms to broadcast important information regarding decisions made at the state level. Pakistan is among those countries. Therefore, this study aims to empirically investigate the impact of the government agency’s provision of quality information on social media in establishing trust among citizens of Pakistan in a government agency with an underlying mechanism of citizens’ perception about agency’s transparency and responsiveness along with moderating role of perceived government response on COVID-19. Design/methodology/approach Data was collected from 542 social media followers of the Associated Press of Pakistan (a government news agency) and was analysed using measurement and structural models by using SmartPLS 3.3.0. Findings Results revealed that the interactive effect of government response on COVID-19 and government agency’s provision of quality information on social media strengthens the association of government presence on social media with citizens’ perception of the agency’s transparency and responsiveness and their trust in the agency. Practical implications Furthermore, the current study will contribute to the body of knowledge regarding the government agency’s use of information and communication technology and the government’s resultant response on COVID-19. Originality/value An extensive study of the literature revealed a gap available regarding the mediatory role of the citizens’ perception about agency’s transparency and responsiveness in between the association of government agency’s provision of quality information on social media and citizens’ trust in the government agency. Also, to the best of the author’s knowledge, no study to date has investigated the moderating role of government response on COVID-19 in between the relationship of government agency’s provision of quality on social media and citizens’ trust in the government agency and their perception about agency’s transparency and responsiveness. Thus, the current study aimed to address these existing gaps in the literature.

The impact of the quality of the bus fleet in the implementation of strategy of sustainable development of a region

2015 ◽  
Vol 26 (4) ◽  
pp. 471-484 ◽  
Author(s):  
Przemyslaw Misiurski
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Public Transport ◽  
Transport Policy ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Transport Services ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Eu Transport Policy ◽  
The Eu

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to present the condition of the bus fleet operated by the bus companies and its impact on the passengers’ decision about the choice of means of transport in the light of the strategy of sustainable development of a region and the European Union (EU) transport policy. Design/methodology/approach – The paper reviews the legal documents of the EU relating to the implementation of the strategy of sustainable development of a region in a public transport. It shows the current condition of research on the shape of the bus fleet in bus companies in Poland, and on the basis of the analysis performed, it indicates the status of its operation and use. It also shows the results of a survey on factors which direct passengers when choosing a means of transport. Findings – The paper shows that the condition of the bus fleet is of great importance to the quality of transport services provided by the bus company and, as a result, to the implementation of sustainable development policy in a region. Practical implications – By pointing to the fact that the aim of the EU transport policy is to increase the role of public transport, strategic action should be taken to renew the bus fleet in the bus companies. Originality/value – The paper presents the need to adapt the condition of the bus fleet to the requirements of its passengers, which in turn will improve the attractiveness of bus transport and will increase the role of public transport in passenger transportation.

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