What goes around comes around. Exploring how skilled migrant founder–managers of SMEs recruit and retain international talent

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Marian Crowley-Henry ◽  
Edward P. O'Connor ◽  
Blanca Suarez-Bilbao
Keyword(s):  
Case Studies ◽  
Ad Hoc ◽  
International Experience ◽  
Career Theory ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Recruitment And Retention ◽  
Hrm Practices ◽  
Micro Level ◽  
Organisational Level ◽  
Skilled Migrant

PurposeThis micro-level study unpacks the recruitment and retention of international professionals to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The study highlights the influence of the founders' international experience when applying organisational-level (meso) policies and practices. With their insider experience as skilled migrants, we share how the founders in each of the SMEs mobilised career capital into human resource management (HRM) strategies.Design/methodology/approachCombining literature on SMEs and skilled migrants' careers, we draw upon intelligent career theory to illuminate the recruitment and retention of self-initiated expatriates and skilled migrants in SMEs. With three SME case studies as samples–one micro, one small and one medium-sized organisation in Ireland–we consider the influence of the founders' international experience in the design and application of formal and informal HRM strategies (at the organisational level) that are operationalised to recruit and retain international talent to/in these organisations.FindingsThe HRM practices in the three SME cases in this paper, each run by migrant founders, vary from formalised (for our medium-sized organisation), semi-formalised (for our small-sized organisation) to ad hoc and tailor-made (for our micro-sized organisation). These particular SMEs were often more receptive to hiring other migrants. The important role of the three SME case studies' skilled migrant founders and their own international career experiences was apparent in the particular HRM approaches they adopted. The relevance of intelligent career theory when applying micro-level findings at the meso-organisational level is shown.Originality/valueThe paper presents how the international experience of founder–managers, in turn, impacts on the HRM practices and policies that are implemented to recruit and retain international employees. The study highlights how both organisation size and founder-manager international experience influence the degree of customisation of HRM practices and policies in SMEs, specifically pertaining to the recruitment and retention of self-initiated expatriates and skilled migrant employees. The heterogeneity within the sub-categories encompassed under the umbrella label of SME is emphasised; validating our case study approach, where nuance and detail of the specific organisation can be shared.

scholarly journals Internationalisation at home for tourism training programmes: case studies from Vietnam

2018 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 19-35
Author(s):  
Cam Thi Hong Khuong ◽  
Ly Thi Tran
Keyword(s):  
Case Studies ◽  
Ad Hoc ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
Research Strategy ◽  
Tourism Industry ◽  
Global Competency ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Internationalisation At Home ◽  
English Speaking ◽  
Training Programmes

Purpose Tourism is one of the most notable features of the contemporary globalised world. The tourism industry is becoming increasingly vital to the economy of many developing and developed countries around the globe. The demand of the tourism industry has posed a challenge for tourism training providers to move towards a more responsive and internationalised curriculum to enhance work readiness for tourism graduates who are expected to work with an increased number of international tourists. The purpose of this paper is analyse whether and how internationalisation has been implemented in the tourism training programmes across six institutions in Vietnam. Design/methodology/approach The research deployed case studies as research strategy with interviews and document analysis as two instruments of data collection. Findings The major findings show that even though the tourism industry demands graduates to possess global competency, knowledge and skills, the curriculum does not prioritise the internationalisation dimensions and the faculty members are not facilitated to be internationally active in their roles. Overall, internationalisation is still fragmented and ad hoc in these institutions even though the private institutions in this research appear to be more responsive to the trend of internationalisation in education than their public counterparts. Research limitations/implications The paper provides recommendations on how to effectively embed internationalisation components into local tourism training programs in Vietnam. Originality/value The research bridges the gap in the literature on internationalisation of the local tourism programme in non-English-speaking countries.

Mind the “academician-practitioner” gap: an experience-based model in the food and beverage sector

2014 ◽  
Vol 17 (4) ◽  
pp. 319-335 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alessio Cavicchi ◽  
Cristina Santini ◽  
Lucia Bailetti
Keyword(s):  
Olive Oil ◽  
Case Studies ◽  
Ad Hoc ◽  
Value Added ◽  
Interdisciplinary Approach ◽  
Research Process ◽  
Longitudinal Case Study ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Real ◽  
Food And Beverage

Purpose – This purpose of this paper is to introduce a research model inspired by the basic principles of experiential research and apply it to the food and beverage industry. Thinkers and doers often do not speak the same language: many scholars have pursued the goal of reducing the gap between academicians and practitioners by introducing new research models or adapting existing ones. Two case studies with wine and olive oil producers illustrate how the model works and highlight its applicability. Background literature is provided to support the model. Design/methodology/approach – In defining the model, we have followed several steps. First, we searched the literature to identify research needs and insights that might be useful in formulating the model. Second, we constructed a model following some procedural steps suggested in the literature. Third, we tested a model to verify its applicability and functionality. The paper is structured as follows: the first section explores the issue of academic–practitioner collaboration to identify the obstacles to effective collaboration and to define possible benefits from reducing the gap. The second section presents background literature on methodologies for enhancing cross-profession collaboration. Finally, the model is described and two case studies are described to flesh out how the model works. Findings – According to our experience and research results, this model is, paraphrasing Phillips (1987), “warrantable” because it proposes continuous reflection to improve the alignment between thinkers and doers: this method of conducting research is objective and bridges the gap between researchers and practitioners. Because this model centres on experience, participant behaviours and beliefs can be elicited about a host of nondurable goods. Having entrepreneurs put themselves in the consumers’ position, and providing them the results of their experiment can be considered the real value added of this approach. The model proposed in this paper opens a wider perspective in qualitative research, and the two case studies demonstrate that it is particularly flexible for adaptation to various businesses. Research limitations/implications – More case studies could be useful to demonstrate the validity of this model. Particularly, a longitudinal case study aiming at collecting data about the participants’ feedback in the long run could help in understanding the deep value of the proposed model. Practical implications – While this paper illustrates two applications of the model with entrepreneurs and managers of the wine and olive oil industry, this model offers potential for analysis not only in the food and beverage sector but all fast-moving consumer goods sectors, as it can be adapted to techniques other than sensory analysis once researchers have confirmed that they fit with the aim of the research and the peculiarities of the problem observed. Social implications – Tools and methodologies must be chosen according to the type of business the problem refers to, and, while this presents a considerable challenge in organizing ad hoc research teams, it also offers an opportunity for an interdisciplinary approach and an exchange of knowledge and skills from different research fields. In this case, the choice of research methodology is much more driven by the real needs that emerge from the phenomenon observed, rather than by the researchers’ specific skills. Originality/value – This paper has helped us broaden our perspective on research and has encouraged us to reflect on critical issues such as validity of a research process and usefulness of research. Some questions about the role of research in relation to practitioners are still open, but we think that this work has the merit of further highlighting the importance of bridging the gap between researchers and practitioners during research, and the usefulness being flexible and open-minded when carrying out an investigation.

scholarly journals Governmental duty of care for disaster-related science diplomacy

2017 ◽  
Vol 26 (4) ◽  
pp. 412-423 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ilan Kelman
Keyword(s):  
Case Studies ◽  
Ad Hoc ◽  
Duty Of Care ◽  
Policy Recommendations ◽  
Disaster Research ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Science Diplomacy ◽  
Peace And Conflict ◽  
Related Science ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to present a first exploration of governmental duty of care towards scientists involved in science diplomacy by focusing on disaster research. Design/methodology/approach The method is a conceptual exploration, using specific case studies and potential scenarios within theories and practices of science diplomacy and duty of care, to raise questions and to suggest policy recommendations for government. The focus on disaster research links the analysis to disaster diplomacy, namely, how and why disaster-related activities (in this case, science) do and do not influence peace and conflict. Findings From examining case studies of, and outputs and outcomes from, disaster-related science diplomacy, governments need to consider duty of care issues in advance and develop a science diplomacy strategy, rather than responding after the fact or developing policy ad hoc. Practical implications Policy recommendations are provided to try to ensure that governments avoid simply reacting after a crisis, instead being ready for a situation before it arises and drawing on others’ experience to improve their own actions. Social implications Improved interaction between science and society is discussed in the context of diplomacy, especially for disaster-related activities. Originality/value Governmental duty of care has not before been applied to science diplomacy. The focus on disaster-related science further provides a comparatively new dimension for science diplomacy.

scholarly journals Meaning of “employee happiness” within the context of complex organisations? An explanatory review on the UAE labour force

2020 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 169-180
Author(s):  
Vic Benuyenah ◽  
Bharti Pandya
Keyword(s):  
Employee Engagement ◽  
United Arab Emirates ◽  
Labour Force ◽  
Theoretical Framework ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The World ◽  
Micro Level ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Organisational Level ◽  
Employee Happiness

Purpose In this study, the authors build on the current frameworks of happiness provided by the PERMA model, the World Happiness Report Index and the theoretical framework provided by the proponents of job-satisfaction model, motivation, employee engagement and commitment. The authors argue that, the existing theoretical framework in the management and the HR literature are just different aspects of a common goal – happiness. This position is consistent with the overall happiness projects championed by governments across the world, including the UK, Bhutan, several Scandinavian nations and essentially the United Arab Emirates. A chasm that currently exists in the literature is the availability of a universally acceptable definition for happiness and protocols for measuring happiness. The authors conclude that more research is required to keep pace with industry development relating to employee happiness initiatives. Design/methodology/approach Using quasi-literature review, the authors analysed selected studies on the theory of happiness to identify how each have treated the concept of happiness in organisations. Findings It is erroneous to promote national or international happiness initiatives without starting from the micro level – in this case, the institutions of society should start measuring happiness from the micro level to help understand what happiness actually means. Research limitations/implications As an opinion piece, its recommendations need to be applied cautiously. Originality/value Till date, only a few studies have explored the concept of happiness from micro-organisational level.

Innovative SMEs in search of ambidexterity: a challenge for HRM!

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Marie-Laure Buisson ◽  
Lise Gastaldi ◽  
Bénédicte Geffroy ◽  
Romain Lonceint ◽  
Cathy Krohmer
Keyword(s):  
Case Studies ◽  
Human Resource ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Hrm Practices ◽  
Hr Practices ◽  
Dynamic Perspective ◽  
Traditional Approaches ◽  
Cross Case Analysis ◽  
Longitudinal Case Studies

PurposeInnovative small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are key economic actors, but they are fragile. Their innovation trajectory requires an evolution in their competencies as their strategy evolves, and this is a particularly critical concern when they are engaged in both exploration and exploitation activities and want to develop organisational ambidexterity. In turn, this brings challenges for human resource management (HRM): some research studies have identified “mobilising” practices for innovation, but few authors have taken a dynamic approach. This study aims to fill this double-theoretical gap by answering the following two questions: how does HRM respond to the challenges associated with the search for ambidexterity in an innovative SME's trajectory? What HRM practices are mobilised in the innovation trajectory of SMEs?Design/methodology/approachThe authors carried out two longitudinal case studies concerning innovative SMEs in the medical equipment sector, which are now over 10 years old and seeking to stabilise an ambidextrous way of operating. The authors conducted 37 semi-structured interviews in 2018–2019 and collected public and internal documents. For each case, the authors identified sequences (Bidart et al., 2013) displaying a certain homogeneity in terms of innovation strategy. The authors then performed a cross-case analysis.FindingsThese case studies produced two main results. First, the trajectory of innovative SMEs consisted of sequences during which competency needs and HRM practices evolved. Despite their similar modes of ambidexterity, the two SMEs have mobilised different human resource (HR) practices. Second, the HRM practices implemented struggle to support the firm at key turning points in the innovation trajectories and can even hinder such changes in direction.Originality/valueThe originality of this work lies in two major dimensions. First, the authors choose to explore innovation and the search for ambidexterity, two themes that are traditionally studied in large firms, in the setting of SMEs. Second, the authors choose a longitudinal method to explore the evolution over time in modes of ambidexterity and HRM, along these SMEs' innovation trajectory. This is a departure from more traditional approaches seeking to identify which HR practices, or configurations of practices, are best able to foster ambidexterity and innovation. It leads the authors to show, in a contingent, dynamic perspective, the importance of the Human Resources Foundation’s (HRF's) positioning and attitude in supporting diversified SMEs’ innovation trajectories. This requires allocation of the necessary resources to the function, which needs time and resources to reflect on how to build the ambidextrous HRM that is essential for the firm's survival.

MobiPSE

2014 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 153-167 ◽  
Author(s):  
Khoi-Nguyen Tran ◽  
Hong-Quang Nguyen
Keyword(s):  
Case Studies ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Ad Hoc ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Research Effort ◽  
Software Process ◽  
Real Life ◽  
Application Development ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Exploration Process

Purpose – This paper aims to solve the stated limitations through (i) exploring usages of scenarios and (ii) proposing a lightweight iterative requirement exploration process that utilizes scenarios to transform the vague ideas of the developers into concrete application’s vision. The explosive growth in pervasiveness, programmability and computational capability of smartphones and tablets unlocks the possibility for many uses of technology, including end-user development (EUD) where end-users create applications as pragmatic tools for their work and hobbies. An extensive amount of research effort has been done to solve EUD challenges; however, the focus of such research lies mainly on designing and implementing software applications. Design/methodology/approach – Based on review on existing application of usage scenario in software application development, we proposed SRE – a scenario-based requirement exploration method and MobiPSE – a lightweight software process that applies SRE. Two EUD projects performed by undergraduate students were used as case studies to test and fine-tune methods. Findings – This paper proposes MobiPSE – a lightweight iterative software process that resolves around our proposed SRE method. Through case studies on MobiPSE, we confirmed that MobiPSE works in real-life scenarios and emphasized two points: ad hoc training has limited effect and lack of technical expertise can still leave a negative impact on requirement exploration process. Research limitations/implications – Because of the limited number of case studies performed for testing and tuning purpose, the proposed methods may not be able to satisfy all cases of EUD. MobiPSE can be fine-tuned further with additional case studies of different scale and team structure. Originality/value – This paper fulfils the need for a lightweight method for exploring requirements and ideas in a EUD project based on creating and analyzing possible usage scenarios.

More is not always better: implementing effective well-being HRM systems

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Case Studies ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Reading Time ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Cutting Edge ◽  
Line Managers ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Hrm Practices ◽  
Pertinent Information ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose This paper aims to review the latest management developments across the globe and pinpoint practical implications from cutting-edge research and case studies. Design/methodology/approach This briefing is prepared by an independent writer who adds their own impartial comments and places the articles in context. Findings The study finds that well-being oriented HRM practices in Germany fall into four different configurations, meaning that employees do not receive equal well-being benefits. Moving from low investment HRM to medium investment HRM is linked to increased health, happiness and relational well-being. However, moving from medium to higher investment HRM does not necessarily lead to similar increases. Instead, higher levels of employee well-being are associated with support and development practices delivered by immediate supervisors and line managers. Originality/value The briefing saves busy executives and researchers hours of reading time by selecting only the very best, most pertinent information and presenting it in a condensed and easy-to-digest format.

All in it together?

2016 ◽  
Vol 24 (4) ◽  
pp. 32-34
Author(s):  
Simon Linacre
Keyword(s):  
Political Parties ◽  
Case Studies ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Reading Time ◽  
Cutting Edge ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Media ◽  
Pertinent Information ◽  
Micro Level ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to review the latest management developments across the globe and pinpoint practical implications from cutting-edge research and case studies. Design/methodology/approach This briefing is prepared by an independent writer who adds their own impartial comments and places the articles in context. Findings Come election time, there are relatively few policies the politicians actually get scrutinized on. The economy gets all the headlines, alongside health and defense, as well as some eye-catching new idea political parties adopt to attract voters. However, rarely do specific policies at the micro level come under the spotlight, unless the media can spot inaccuracies or impending disaster with which they can use for a few inches of newsprint. Practical implications This paper provides strategic insights and practical thinking that have influenced some of the world’s leading organizations. Originality/value The briefing saves busy executives and researchers hours of reading time by selecting only the very best, most pertinent information and presenting it in a condensed and easy-to-digest format.

Varieties of non-obvious meaning in CL and CADS: from ‘hindsight post-dictability’ to sweet serendipity

Corpora ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 339-367 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alan Partington
Keyword(s):  
Case Studies ◽  
Corpus Linguistics ◽  
Macro Level ◽  
Discourse Studies ◽  
Micro Level ◽  
Special Relevance

In this paper, I want to examine the special relevance of (non)obviousness in corpus linguistics through drawing on case studies. The research discussion is divided into two parts. The first is an examination of (non)obviousness at the micro-level, that is, in lexico-grammatical analyses, whilst the second looks at the more macro-level of (non)obviousness on the plane of discourse. In the final sections, I will examine various types of non-obvious meaning one can come across in Corpus-assisted Discourse Studies (CADS), which range from: ‘I knew that all along (now)’ to ‘that's interesting’ to ‘I sensed that but didn't know why’ (intuitive impressions and corpus-assisted explanations) to ‘I never even knew I never knew that’ (serendipity or ‘non-obvious non-obviousness’, analogous to ‘unknown unknowns’).

Large qualitative models of complex chemical and bioengineering processes

1991 ◽  
Vol 56 (10) ◽  
pp. 2107-2141 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mirko Dohnal
Keyword(s):  
Case Studies ◽  
Chemical Process ◽  
Ad Hoc ◽  
Chemical Reactor ◽  
Theoretical Background ◽  
Qualitative Model ◽  
Complex Chemical ◽  
Practical Applications ◽  
Qualitative Models ◽  
Decomposition Principle

Qualitative model is a theoretical background of commonsense. Complex qualitative models can have prohibitively many solutions (qualitative states). Therefore a qualitative analogy of such classical quantitative tools as e.g. the decomposition is developed. Practical applications of decomposition principle is nearly always ad hoc. Therefore two case studies are presented in details, a chemical process (mixer, chemical reactor, separator) and an anaerobic fermentor.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document