SMEs’ export propensity in North Africa: a fuzzy c-means cluster analysis

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to analyse the determinants of small and medium-sized enterprises’ (SMEs) propensity to export using data from a North African country, namely Algeria. Drawing on the extended resource-based view, the study examines the role of firms’ resources and capabilities in explaining the probability to export. Design/methodology/approach The study employs the nascent fuzzy c-means clustering technique to analyse a sample of 208 Algerian SMEs. The sample included both established and potential exporters operating across various sectors. A combination of online and face-to-face methods was used to collect the data. Findings While a preliminary analysis established the existence of five clusters exhibiting different levels of resources and capabilities, further discernment of these clusters has shown significant variances in relation to export propensity. In short, clusters exhibiting combinations that include higher levels of export-oriented managerial resources showed greater export propensity, whereas clusters lacking such assets were less likely to display high export propensity, despite superior capabilities in marketing and innovation. Practical implications The findings provide a more comprehensive insight on the critical resources shaping SMEs’ internationalisation in the North African context. The paper holds important implications for export promotion policy in this area. Originality/value The study makes a twofold contribution. First, the use of the fuzzy c-means clustering technique to capture the joint influence of discrete resources and capabilities on SMEs’ export propensity constitutes a methodological contribution. Second, being the first study bringing evidence on SMEs’ internationalisation from the largest country in the African continent, in terms of landmass, constitutes an important contextual contribution.

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Algeria may lose out from US Maghreb policy

Emerald Expert Briefings ◽

10.1108/oxan-db259669 ◽

2021 ◽

Keyword(s):

North African ◽

Content Type ◽

Western Sahara ◽

The North ◽

Global Challenges ◽

African Context ◽

Us Hegemony

Significance Biden looks set to renounce the previous administration's isolationism and confront global challenges, which in the North African context risk exacerbating long-standing problematic security trends. Impacts De facto division of Libya into Turkish and Russian spheres will be another indication of waning US hegemony in the area. Rescinding Trump’s recognition of Morocco’s claim on Western Sahara would trigger the greatest crisis ever in US-Moroccan relations. Washington could face difficulties coordinating with Algiers on key counterterrorism issues.

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Talent management research in Africa: towards multilevel model and research agenda

African Journal of Economic and Management Studies ◽

10.1108/ajems-12-2018-0371 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 10 (4) ◽

pp. 440-457 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Alex Anlesinya ◽

Kwesi Amponsah-Tawiah ◽

Kwasi Dartey-Baah

Keyword(s):

Research Agenda ◽

Talent Management ◽

Management Model ◽

Future Research ◽

Management Research ◽

North African ◽

Content Type ◽

The North ◽

Future Research Agenda ◽

African Context

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to systematically review talent management research in Africa with the aim of developing a multilevel talent management model and defining future research agenda. Design/methodology/approach A systematic literature review is performed utilising studies published on the topic from 2008 to 2019 in various research databases. Findings The findings highlighted various talent management contributions and challenges in the African context. They further revealed major issues with the nature of research method adopted in talent management research in Africa. Moreover, contextually, apart from Southern Africa sub-region, talent management research is highly under-researched in the North African, West African and Eastern African sub-regions of the continent. Therefore, talent management research in Africa can be described as being at an embryonic stage. Practical implications Effective talent management has significant transformative and growth power through its varied positive contributions. Talent management in Africa is faced with numerous organisational and macro-level challenges and requires attention from relevant stakeholders, if African talents are to be harnessed to facilitate the development of the continent. Originality/value This systematic review on talent management is the first of its kind focusing solely on Africa. Also, this study contributes further evidence by proposing a multilevel talent management model based on the synthesised evidence since multilevel research in the field of talent management is very limited.

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Digital tools to promote remote lesson study

International Journal for Lesson and Learning Studies ◽

10.1108/ijlls-09-2020-0072 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽

Author(s):

Joanna C. Weaver ◽

Gabriel Matney ◽

Allison M. Goedde ◽

Jeremy R. Nadler ◽

Nancy Patterson

Keyword(s):

Teacher Education ◽

Lesson Study ◽

Online Courses ◽

Digital Tools ◽

Teacher Education Programs ◽

Education Programs ◽

Teacher Isolation ◽

Content Type ◽

Face To Face ◽

Using Data

PurposeThe authors propose that a digital instructional delivery format of lesson study (LS) may have the potential to amplify particular aspects of traditional, face-to-face LS.Design/methodology/approachThis is a qualitative case study, using data triangulation, member checking and an inductive approach to open-coding utilizing grounded theory to identify codes and themes.FindingsDigital tools promoted LS and learning, allowing for rigorous collaboration, synchronous observations, data collection and feedback, leading to deeper understanding.Research limitations/implicationsDigital tools used in the online LS process changed how instructional planning can be researched, analyzed and written collaboratively and impacted the fluidity of a lesson, the ease of observation and reflection, student engagement and the researchers' and students' ability to share ideas in real time.Practical implicationsLS can be integrated into online teacher education programs to engage students in online learning and promotes engagement, peer interaction and student voice. The use of these digital tools is not restricted just to remote instructional contexts.Social implicationsLS reduces teacher isolation, builds a collaborative community of teachers and increases instructional motivation. Educators across schools, universities or districts can integrate online LS into remote teacher education programs and online courses.Originality/valueThis study is original work that has not been published elsewhere.

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Aha! “take on Me’s”: bridging the North sea with relational autoethnography

Qualitative Research Journal ◽

10.1108/qrj-d-18-00013 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 18 (4) ◽

pp. 330-344 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Trude Klevan ◽

Bengt Karlsson ◽

Lydia Turner ◽

Nigel Short ◽

Alec Grant

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Collaborative Work ◽

Cross Cultural ◽

Content Type ◽

Face To Face ◽

Relational Practice ◽

The North ◽

The North Sea ◽

The Uk ◽

New Research

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore how sharing stories of being a mental health professional and academic, based more broadly on serendipity and searching in life, can serve as means for bridging and developing cross-cultural understandings and collaborative work. Design/methodology/approach This paper is a relational autoethnography based on face-to-face and written conversational dialogue between five mental health academics from the UK and Norway. Findings The very practice of writing this paper displays and serves the purpose of bridging people, cultures and understandings, at several levels, in the facilitation of new research and writing projects. Troubling traditional boundaries between “us” and “them, and the “knower” and the “known,” the writing is theoretically underpinned by Friendship as Method, situated in a New Materialist context. Originality/value Through its conversational descriptions and explorations the paper shows how doing relational autoethnography can be purposeful in developing cross-cultural understandings and work at both professional and personal levels. It also demonstrates how autoethnography as relational practice can be useful in the sharing of this methodology between people who are more and less familiar with it.

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The paradox of roots and wings: labor mobility between local firms and MNEs in North Africa

Journal of Knowledge Management ◽

10.1108/jkm-08-2018-0544 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 24 (1) ◽

pp. 56-80 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Fawzi Tigharsi ◽

Abderaouf Bouguerra ◽

Ismail Golgeci ◽

Yasin Rofcanin

Keyword(s):

Personal Growth ◽

Multinational Enterprises ◽

African Country ◽

Labor Mobility ◽

Phenomenological Approach ◽

North African ◽

Content Type ◽

The North ◽

North African Country ◽

Local Firms

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to explore employees’ knowledge- and learning-related experiences in moving between local firms and multinational enterprises (MNEs) and to examine the nature of paradoxes of labor mobility that local talents face in their career in the North African country of Algeria. In doing so, this paper explored the multifaceted experiences of employees who left local firms and joined MNEs.Design/methodology/approachThe authors use a qualitative study, in-depth interviews with 12 employees from various industries, and apply an interpretive phenomenological approach to explain labor mobility between local firms and MNEs in the North African country of Algeria. The authors specifically focus on personal experiences of employees who worked in both local firms and MNEs.FindingsThe findings report a paradoxical situation and suggest that despite talented individuals grow their capabilities in MNEs through reward and personal growth incentives, the grass is not always greener, and they face the paradox of nurturing their capabilities (wings) or empowering their roots by returning local firms to seek stability, security and flexibility.Originality/valueThis study contributes to the research at the intersection of human resource management, knowledge management and the paradox of management in emerging markets. Its value stems from empirically explicating the paradox of roots and wings as a complementary, learning type of paradox that individuals at local firms and MNEs in Algeria experience.

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Technological and Typological Study of the Upper Capsian Bone Assemblage from SHM-1, Tunisia

Journal of African Archaeology ◽

10.3213/2191-5784-10206 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 10 (1) ◽

pp. 45-57 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Simone Mulazzani ◽

Isabelle Sidéra

Keyword(s):

Raw Materials ◽

North African ◽

The North ◽

Technological Approach ◽

African Context ◽

First Time ◽

Cultural Components

Presented here is a study of the bone industry from the Capsian site of SHM-1 in eastern Tunisia, dating from the 7th and 6th millennia BC. In spite of the very fragmentary condition of the 111 specimens analysed, the technological approach adopted — used for the first time in the Maghreb — shows recurrences within the chaines opératoires used in tool production, choice of raw materials, cutting and fashioning techniques, and the morphologies sought. The assemblage mainly consists of pointed tools obtained by grooving ruminant metapodials in two or four pieces, as well as other types peculiar to the North African context. The traits and patterns apparent in the SHM-1 assemblage are also found in other Capsian and Neolithic assemblages, thereby allowing us to make a first characterisation of certain technical and cultural components common to the Capsian tradition.

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Dilemmas of empowering families of children with autism spectrum disorders: a qualitative case study

Advances in Autism ◽

10.1108/aia-05-2020-0028 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽

Author(s):

Rouhallah Khara ◽

Leila R. Kalankesh ◽

Hassan Shahrokhi ◽

Saeed Dastgiri ◽

Kamal Gholipour ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Children With Autism ◽

Autism Spectrum ◽

Insurance Companies ◽

Content Type ◽

North West ◽

Face To Face ◽

Family Empowerment ◽

The North ◽

Literature Searches

Purpose The purpose of this study was to identify the challenges and solutions in the empowerment of families of children with autism in Tabriz located in the North West of Iran. Design/methodology/approach In this exploratory and qualitative study, which was conducted from January to March 2019, 14 in-depth face-to-face interviews and 1 focus group (n = 5) were conducted with family empowerment experts. Data analysis was performed based on a content analysis approach via MAXQDA v 10. Findings Results revealed that empowerment challenges can be classified into six main themes including shortage of facilities and specialists, family-related problems, administrative and organizational, cultural and societal, financial and other problems. The most important empowerment solutions were divided into three main themes including informing and training skills by holding empowerment programs, governmental and insurance companies support, and organizational and administrative solutions. Research limitations/implications Limitation of this study is that families are not included; as families may also provide or challenge other solutions for empowerment based on their needs, ignoring their views may be losing part of vital information in this field. It is recommended that this research be conducted in the future from the perspective of families of people with autism and other stakeholders. Practical implications Based on the results of this study, stakeholders in the field of autism and the family empowerment can address the identified challenges and utilize solutions to improve the process of family empowerment and make more effective decisions in this regard. Originality/value Literature searches revealed a lack of any completed research in Iran specific to identifying empowerment challenges and related solutions. Efforts must be taken on root challenges which have been identified scientifically.

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A US study shows satisfaction with teammates improves team performance for face-to-face teams, and virtual teams

Human Resource Management International Digest ◽

10.1108/hrmid-09-2021-0201 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽

Author(s):

David Smith

Keyword(s):

Virtual Teams ◽

Project Teams ◽

Business Simulation ◽

Content Type ◽

Face To Face ◽

Capstone Courses ◽

Southeastern Us ◽

Final Sample ◽

Using Data ◽

Practical Implications

Purpose The authors wanted to find out how to improve teamwork in both virtual teams and face-to-face teams. They suspected different factors were in play. Design/methodology/approach Hypotheses were tested using data from 1,110 participants. Participants enrolled in management capstone courses at a large public university in the southeastern US between Spring 2009 and Autumn 2016. The final sample was 997 participants in 242 project teams. Each team had three to six members, with an average number of 4.4. About, 55.6% of participants were operating in VTs. Students worked on a semester-long business simulation project called Glo-Bus, which was designed to model ongoing industry practices realistically. Findings The results showed that individual skills were more influential on teammate satisfaction for FtFs than for VTs. Conversely, VT’s interactions were more pivotal regarding teammate satisfaction for VT processes than FtFs. Originality/value The research results have practical implications for managers. Managers need to focus on developing and selecting employees who are best suited for VTs, or they might become reluctant to continue working in them. But FtFs interact more easily than VTs and managers may prefer to create such teams on the basis of functional skills. It would also be beneficial for managers to assemble teams of individuals more likely to interact and form relationships, even if only via technological mediums such as videoconferencing for VTs.

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