scholarly journals The prospective applicability of the strengths-based approach to managing and developing employees in small businesses

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Chamila Kumudunee Wijekuruppu ◽  
Alan Coetzer ◽  
Pattanee Susomrith
Keyword(s):  
Small Businesses ◽  
Management Practice ◽  
Employee Selection ◽  
Task Assignment ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Employee Productivity ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Work Related ◽  
Individual Productivity ◽  
And Performance

PurposeThe strength-based approach is promulgated as a management practice that improves individual productivity and performance. This study's purpose is to explore the prospective applicability of the strengths-based approach to managing and developing employees in small businesses. The study focuses on four domains of practice: selection, training, performance evaluation and task assignment.Design/methodology/approachThe study employed semi-structured, face-to-face interviews to obtain data. The units of analysis were managers and employees of small businesses. Eleven managers and 19 employees were interviewed. Data analysis involved thematic analysis with the NVivo 12 software program.FindingsFirst, the small businesses used a strengths-based approach for employee selection during employees' temporary status of employment and in employee task assignment. However, managers did not employ a strengths-based approach to employee selection during selection interviews, training or performance evaluations. Second, the managers perceived strengths identification as a difficult task. Based on personal observations, they perceived employees' positive character traits, job-related skills and work-related efficiency as employee strengths.Practical implicationsThis study informs managers about a potential alternative to the traditional weakness-based management practice. The findings and conceptual arguments suggest that a strengths-based approach can provide a cost-effective alternative to the resource-intensive approaches commonly employed to enhance employee productivity and performance.Originality/valueThe study provides the first empirical evidence on the prospective applicability of the strengths-based approach to small businesses and explores conceptually the suitability of the said approach to this context.

Receiving a national quality award three times

2015 ◽  
Vol 27 (1) ◽  
pp. 63-78 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paulo A. Cauchick Miguel
Keyword(s):  
Driving Force ◽  
Financial Analysis ◽  
Management Practice ◽  
Performance Excellence ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
National Quality ◽  
Quality Award ◽  
And Performance ◽  
National Quality Award

Purpose – In recent decades, a framework for management performance has proven to be an important management practice for achieving organisational performance excellence. In this sense, the purpose of this paper is to analyse how a specific company manages to achieve performance excellence through the attainment of the Brazilian National Quality Award. Design/methodology/approach – The study adopts a case-based approach using a single unit of analysis that might be considered a revealing case. The company studied is one of the largest companies in the information and financial analysis sector in Latin America and is part of a major worldwide corporation. Semi-structured interviews with senior managers and document analysis were used for data collection, with content and inductive analysis performed a posteriori. Findings – The main results outline the approach adopted by the company for each performance excellence award criterion and highlight some of the relevant organisational practices, especially those related to the nature of the company’s businesses. The findings show that the top management has been an essential driving force in transforming the managers at all levels into agents of improvement at the studied company. Additional key points are the deployment of the company’s “shared values” throughout the company and the implementation of a medium- and long-term comprehensive strategic plan focused on the award criteria. The company’s strategic system has been a driving force of its success. Research limitations/implications – For a more extensive empirical validation, further replications using other samples are needed to ensure the external validity of these findings. Originality/value – This paper is one of the few published studies discussing business excellence in emerging economies, which is not observed very often in developing markets. In addition, the paper focuses on promoting a culture of quality, a less common phenomenon in the economies of developing countries than in those of developed nations. Finally, this paper may be useful for practitioners and academics interested in the subject of quality and performance excellence.

Design and development of a bio-digester for production of biogas from dual waste

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
pp. 247-260 ◽  
Author(s):  
Modestus Okechukwu Okwu ◽  
Olusegun D. Samuel ◽  
Omonigho B. Otanocha ◽  
Promise P. Balogun ◽  
Ogugu J. Tega ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cost Effective ◽  
Clean Energy ◽  
Cow Dung ◽  
Poultry Waste ◽  
Solid Waste Disposal ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Ambient Temperatures ◽  
Volatile Solids ◽  
And Performance ◽  
Chicken Waste

Purpose A novel cost-effective bio-digester was explored to convert biological waste into useful clean energy. The bioreactor was aimed to anaerobically digest locally sourced cow dung and chicken droppings. Design/methodology/approach The design consideration is a batch horizontal 267 L digester made from cast iron with centrally positioned four-impeller shaft to enhance mixing. The system operated with a retention time of 63 days and a substrate (cow dung and poultry waste) ratio of 1:2 and water substrate ratio of 1:0.5 in the gasholder system. The purification, compression and performance evaluation of the generated biogas were also conducted. Findings The total volume of gas produced for each substrate compositions designed over 14 days ranges between 49.34 and 52.91 mL/day. The optimal value of 52.45 ml using cow dung and poultry waste (w/w) 20:80 was obtained. The average ambient temperatures during the study were within the mesophilic range of 20-40°C. The pH values were stable and always in the optimal range of 6.5-8.0. The reductions in moisture content, ash content, total solids and volatile solids were from 80.50-0.20 per cent, 39.60-14 per cent, 18.50-5.90 per cent and 11.60-4.90 per cent, respectively. Originality/value The developed digester is cost-effective and would help minimize solid waste disposal. The estimated methane contents of the gas from cow dung and chicken waste after scrubbing were found to be 71.95 per cent and could be harnessed in solving the energy crisis in the developing nations.

A review: metamaterial sensors for material characterization

Sensor Review ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 39 (3) ◽  
pp. 417-432 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Vivek ◽  
K. Shambavi ◽  
Zachariah C. Alex
Keyword(s):  
Material Characterization ◽  
Research Work ◽  
Wave Interaction ◽  
High Sensitivity ◽  
Electromagnetic Spectrum ◽  
Label Free ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Work Related ◽  
Sensing Application ◽  
And Performance

Purpose This paper aims to focus on research work related to metamaterial-based sensors for material characterization that have been developed for past ten years. A decade of research on metamaterial for sensing application has led to the advancement of compact and improved sensors. Design/methodology/approach In this study, relevant research papers on metamaterial sensors for material characterization published in reputed journals during the period 2007-2018 were reviewed, particularly focusing on shape, size and nature of materials characterized. Each sensor with its design and performance parameters have been summarized and discussed here. Findings As metamaterial structures are excited by electromagnetic wave interaction, sensing application throughout electromagnetic spectrum is possible. Recent advancement in fabrication techniques and improvement in metamaterial structures have led to the development of compact, label free and reversible sensors with high sensitivity. Originality/value The paper provides useful information on the development of metamaterial sensors for material characterization.

What kind of firm do you owner-manage? An institutional logics perspective of individuals’ reasons for becoming an entrepreneur

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 297-318 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rodrigo Basco
Keyword(s):  
Family Business ◽  
Multivariate Analyses ◽  
Institutional Logics ◽  
Employee Productivity ◽  
Firm Resources ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Young Firms ◽  
Inductive Research ◽  
Post Entry ◽  
And Performance

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to compare the post-entry firm behavior of firms owner-managed by entrepreneurs who entered for family-oriented vs opportunity-oriented reasons. Design/methodology/approach Using the institutional logics perspective, the author argues that firms under the influence of opportunity-oriented or family-oriented owner-managers may differ in their internal practices, purpose, strategies, and performance. The author follows an inductive research methodology strategy by performing multivariate analyses with a sample of 1,733 Chilean firms to explore the preliminary conjectures. Findings Firms owner-managed by entrepreneurs who entered for a family-oriented reason finance their investment with firm resources, are less dependent on one customer and are willing to put forth less innovation effort than firms owner-managed by entrepreneurs who entered for an opportunity-oriented reason. No differences were found in terms of employee productivity. Additionally, the results show that young firms owner-managed by opportunity-oriented entrepreneurs have higher growth ratios than young firms owner-managed by family-oriented entrepreneurs. Inversely, old firms owner-managed by entrepreneurs who entered for an opportunity-oriented reason grow much less than old firms owner-managed by entrepreneurs who entered for a family-oriented reason. Originality/value This paper contributes to the literature at the intersection of family business and entrepreneurship by addressing the calls made by Aldrich and Cliff (2003) and Discua Cruz and Basco (2018) to better understand the family’s influence on entrepreneurship.

Training the world: using archetypes to create a practical global learning strategy

2015 ◽  
Vol 47 (1) ◽  
pp. 8-14
Author(s):  
Richard Mesch ◽  
Stacie Comolli
Keyword(s):  
Small Businesses ◽  
Learning Strategy ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Global Learning ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Corporate Learning ◽  
Cultural Preferences ◽  
The World ◽  
Cultural Preference

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to define a new methodology for designing corporate learning for a global audience and to provide a case study of that methodology in action. The Global Learning Archetypes approach adapts well-established cultural preference models and combines them with insightful learning models. The result is three primary Global Learning Archetypes and six secondary archetypes that allow training to be designed once and used around the world. Design/methodology/approach – The Global Learning Archetype approach was created by evaluating well-established global cultural preferences models, integrating them with a proprietary learning criteria model, and developing a model for rapidly and cost-effectively creating learning for multiple geographies. Additionally, a case study illustrates both the challenges and successes when implementing this model in a large global corporation. Findings – Most organizations create global learning either by creating content in their “home” location and then adapting it for other locations, or by distributing a single version of content and trusting local facilitators to provide context for it. The first method is expensive and time-consuming; the second method is risky and unreliable. The Global Archetype method provides for creating learning interactions that are appropriate for multiple geographies in a single effort. Practical implications – Most large organizations are global, and smaller organizations increasingly have a global footprint. According to Fortune Magazine, the Fortune Global 500 are headquartered in 37 different countries and do business in over 150 different countries. An Institute for the Future/Intuit study notes that by 2018, half of all US small businesses will be involved in international trade. CSA Research observes that businesses spend about US$31 billion a year on localization. A method for providing global learning in both an impactful and cost-effective way is clearly necessary. Originality/value – The Global Learning Archetypes method is comparatively new, but it draws from well-established and well-vetted content on worldwide cultural preferences and on effective learning criteria. As such, it is a valuable synthesis of the proven and the innovative. Far more than a conceptual model, the Global Archetypes have been used by some of the largest organizations in the world; a case study of one such implementation is provided in this paper.

BT Wholesale pilots online coaching and mentoring

2007 ◽  
Vol 15 (7) ◽  
pp. 20-22
Keyword(s):  
Personal Development ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Project Managers ◽  
Pilot Program ◽  
Operations Planning ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Personal Effectiveness ◽  
Support Tools ◽  
Innovative Thinking ◽  
And Performance

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to describe a coaching and mentoring pilot program, using multimedia technology, at BT Wholesale.Design/methodology/approachExplains how the company tested “next generation” coaching and performance‐support tools during the three‐month pilot involving 80 consultants, project managers and support staff in the operations‐planning and central‐change team. Reveals the main findings from the pilot program.FindingsReveals that participants benefited in their personal effectiveness and ability to manage stressful situations. The pilot indicates that raising productivity by between 10 and 15 percent is feasible as a typical outcome. Results of the post‐pilot evaluation show that participants agreed program could support innovative thinking practices (76 percent), has the potential positively to affect leadership styles and behaviors (64 percent) and could underpin training programs and learning application in the workplace (70 percent).Practical implicationsIndicates that information technology can make it cost‐effective for a firm to spread the benefits of coaching and mentoring to a wider range of workers.Originality/valueShows that many participants believed that the coaching would add further value by underpinning other personal development, change and stress‐management initiatives.

Will supply side policies work with Millennials?

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Louis J. Pantuosco ◽  
Danko Tarabar
Keyword(s):  
Global Market ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Supply Side ◽  
Employee Productivity ◽  
Cultural Attitudes ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Work Related ◽  
Societal Pressure ◽  
The Usa ◽  
Tax Benefits

Purpose This paper aims to hypothesize on the relationship between the Millennial workforce and US firms’ response to the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) of 2017. The authors postulate that societal pressure from the younger generational cohorts will motivate socially cognizant corporations to share their newly acquired tax benefits with their workforce to attract, retain and inspire employee productivity and retention, as well as customer loyalty. Design/methodology/approach The authors empirically examine work-related cultural attitudes of the Millennial generational cohort in the USA, and by exploring related literature on organizational management and supply side economics, the authors aim to connect them to firms’ response to tax cut windfall in a simple theoretical model. The authors complement their methods by using descriptive statistics on firm tax responses that followed the 2017 TCJA. Findings The authors offer support for the notion that companies are behaving rationally by providing short-term benefits to employees when employees are, on average, younger. The competitive nature of the global market acts as an incentive to avoid permanent obligations such as wage and benefits increases. The data reveal that a significant number of companies had a transitory reaction to the latest tax cut. Research limitations/implications The authors encourage future research, once sufficient time elapses, to exploit the time periods before and after the tax cut to provide a better assessment of the empirical impact of the 2017 tax cut on firm responses, conditional on workforce makeup. Originality/value The authors examine whether and how the Millennial cohort might shape firm behavior following changes in tax policy.

scholarly journals Impacts of knowledge sharing: a review and directions for future research

2019 ◽  
Vol 31 (3) ◽  
pp. 207-230 ◽  
Author(s):  
Farhan Ahmad ◽  
Muhaimin Karim
Keyword(s):  
Knowledge Sharing ◽  
Past Research ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Work Related ◽  
Review Protocol ◽  
Negative Impacts ◽  
And Performance ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Methodological Aspects

PurposeKnowledge sharing contributes to the success of an organization in various ways. This paper aims to summarize the findings from past research on knowledge-sharing outcomes in organizations and to suggest promising directions for future research.Design/methodology/approachThere was a conduction of a systematic literature review that consisted of three main phases: defining a review protocol, conducting the review and reporting the review. The thematic analysis was conducted on 61 studies, based on which a framework for understanding the impacts of knowledge sharing was developed.FindingsPrevious research has investigated knowledge-sharing outcomes at three levels: the individual, team and organization; specific impacts are summarized for each level. The most commonly studied factors affected by knowledge sharing are creativity, learning and performance. Knowledge sharing is also found to have some beyond-convention work-related impacts, such as those on team climate and employees’ life satisfaction. Research on the outcomes of knowledge sharing is dominated by quantitative studies, as we found only one qualitative study in this review. Based on the discussion of the results, promising avenues for further research were identified and a research agenda was proposed. More research on differential, psychological and negative impacts, as well as interactional and methodological aspects of knowledge-sharing, is suggested.Originality/valueTo date, no systematic review has been conducted on the impacts of knowledge-sharing. This paper makes an important contribution to knowledge-sharing research, as it consolidates previous research and identifies a number of useful research topics that can be explored to advance the field, as well as to establish the evidence-based importance of knowledge sharing.

China will see off challengers in EV batteries

2021 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Cost Effective ◽  
Government Support ◽  
Critical Element ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Car Industry ◽  
Mitigate Climate Change ◽  
And Performance ◽  
Critical Mineral ◽  
Wealth Generation ◽  
Global Transition

Significance The battery is the most expensive and performance-critical element of an electric vehicle (EV). China's dominance in the sector therefore has strategic implications, because the global transition towards EVs is key to achieving international targets to mitigate climate change, and to individual nations’ wealth generation prospects. Impacts The car industry worldwide will increasingly depend on access to cost-effective batteries, which in the short term means Chinese suppliers. China’s dominance of the battery supply chain and fast-growing EV market ties foreign automotive leaders to Chinese partners and markets. Extensive government support would be needed to compete with Chinese firms’ dominance in the battery and critical mineral supply chains.

This is not what I wanted

2016 ◽  
Vol 38 (4) ◽  
pp. 466-486 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jhony Choon Yeong Ng ◽  
Iris Yu Ting Shao ◽  
Yiping Liu
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Coping Strategies ◽  
Coping Strategy ◽  
Workplace Behavior ◽  
Avoidance Coping ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Work Related ◽  
Counterproductive Behavior ◽  
And Performance ◽  
Use Of Social Media

Purpose – Many fresh graduates have unrealistic career expectations. When reality sets in after graduation, they may be disappointed. Due to factors such as the limited availability of feasible alternative career options, employees who have to stay in jobs they dislike may feel trapped. To alleviate the resulting stresses, they may engage in avoidance coping strategies, such as non-work-related social media use, to discharge their mental strains. The purpose of this paper is to discuss how the perception of being trapped can result in the adoption of avoidance coping strategies, and how these strategies can influence individual performance and social media use. Design/methodology/approach – Based on the literature on avoidance coping strategy, goal orientation theory, and performance theory, the authors proposed a theoretical model on how the avoidance coping strategy of an individual can influence their performance and workplace behavior. Findings – The authors propose that when a fresh graduate feels “trapped” in a job, the stresses experienced may cause them to hide behind their defense mechanisms. An avoidance coping strategy may then be adopted, and this will influence the individual’s workplace behavior (in terms of non-work-related use of social media) and performance. Practical implications – If an avoidance coping strategy is an antecedent to non-work-related use of social media, then controlling the use of social media in the workplace may only cause these employees to switch to other forms of self-distraction (for instance, spending more time chatting with colleagues). Under some circumstances, the use of such control mechanisms may even give cyberloafers stronger urges to use social media for non-work-related purposes. If this is the case, managers should reconsider their current approach in handling the related behavior. Social implications – If the cause of non-work-related use of social media in the workplace is an avoidance coping strategy, then the engagement of such workplace behaviors should not be considered “intentionally harmful actions”. One important criterion for workplace behavior to qualify as a type of counterproductive behavior is that such behavior must be conducted to be intentionally harmful. Given this, the resulting actions of an avoidance coping strategy should not be considered a form of counterproductive behavior, and the authors should reconsider the conceptualization of cyberloafing provided in the organizational literature. Originality/value – The authors believe that this research represents one of the first attempts to bridge the gap between clinical and managerial literature. It attempts to explain non-work-related use of social media in the workplace from the perspective of trapped perception and avoidance coping strategy, and it argues that not all forms of non-work-related use of social media in the workplace are instances of cyberloafing.

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