Determinants of best HR practices in Chinese SMEs

2014 ◽  
Vol 21 (3) ◽  
pp. 414-430 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexander Newman ◽  
Abdullah Z. Sheikh

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the factors which determine the adoption of best HR practices in Chinese small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Design/methodology/approach – Regression analysis was utilized to analyse survey data obtained from 345 enterprises operating across China in a wide range of industrial sectors. Findings – Enterprises with greater resources in terms of their size, their relationships with external organizations, their cooperation with foreign partners and the human capital of their CEO were found to be more likely to adopt best HR practices. Contrary to the findings of the existing literature no relationship was found of a relationship between family ownership and the use of best HR practices. Research limitations/implications – The cross-sectional design is an obvious limitation of the study. Other limitations relate to the generalizability of the study findings outside the context in which the research was undertaken, and the use of convenience sampling. Practical implications – Enterprises should consider building strategic relationships with external organizations and developing cooperation with foreign partners as a way of leveraging human resource expertise at a limited cost. Originality/value – This is the first study to examine how differences in the resource endowments of Chinese SMEs influence their adoption of best HR practices.

2015 ◽  
Vol 30 (2) ◽  
pp. 183-198 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hannes Zacher ◽  
Heiko Schulz

Purpose – In many countries, both the number of older people in need of care and the number of employed caregivers of elderly relatives will increase over the next decades. The purpose of this paper is to examine the extent to which perceived organizational, supervisor, and coworker support for eldercare reduce employed caregivers’ strain and weaken the relationship between eldercare demands and strain. Design/methodology/approach – Survey data were collected from 100 employed caregivers from one organization. Findings – Results showed that eldercare demands were positively related to strain, and perceived organizational eldercare support (POES) was negatively related to strain. In addition, high POES weakened the relationship between eldercare demands and strain. Research limitations/implications – The cross-sectional design and use of self-report scales constitute limitations of the study. Practical implications – POES is a resource for employed caregivers, especially when their eldercare demands are high. Originality/value – This research highlights the relative importance of different forms of perceived support for reducing employed caregivers’ strain and weakening the relationship between eldercare demands and strain.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Khahan Na-Nan ◽  
Apiwat Arunyaphum

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore the influences of work engagement and knowledge sharing as mediators of empowering leadership and innovative work behaviour. Design/methodology/approach A cross-sectional design study was used, and questionnaires were submitted to 385 engineers to test the proposed relationships. AMOS 21 and PROCESS macro 3.1 were used for statistical analysis. Findings The results revealed that work engagement and knowledge sharing were partially mediated by empowering leadership and innovative work behaviour. Practical implications The results of the study can be used by leaders for promoting and supporting innovative work behaviour in the organisation. Moreover, employees should be supported and enhanced to learn continuously under the consultation of the leaders. Originality/value The findings contribute to the literature on empowering leadership and innovative work behaviour by highlighting that work engagement and knowledge sharing act as mediators to empower leadership and enhance innovative work behaviour.


2020 ◽  
Vol 35 (2) ◽  
pp. 115-128
Author(s):  
Pedro Neves ◽  
Gökhan Karagonlar

PurposeThe interest on leader humor styles is recent. By applying a trustworthiness framework, the authors examine (1) how leader humor styles contribute to performance and deviance via trust in the supervisor and (2) who benefits/suffers the most from different leader humor styles.Design/methodology/approachThe authors tested their hypotheses in a sample of 428 employee–supervisor dyads from 19 organizations operating in the services sector.FindingsAffiliative and self-enhancing leader humor styles are particularly beneficial for employees with low core-self-evaluations, helping them develop trust in the supervisor and consequently improving their performance. An aggressive leader humor style, via decreased trust in the supervisor, reduces performance, regardless of employees' core self-evaluations. Self-enhancing and self-defeating leader humor styles also present significant relationships with organizational deviance.Research limitations/implicationsLimitations include the cross-sectional design and the limited number of mechanisms examined.Practical implicationsOrganizations need to train leaders in the use of humor and develop a culture where beneficial humor styles are endorsed, while detrimental humor styles are not tolerated.Originality/valueThese findings contribute to the literatures on trust and humor, by showing that the use of humor is not as trivial as one could initially think, particularly for those with low core self-evaluations, and by expanding our knowledge of the mechanisms by which different leader humor styles may influence performance and deviance.


2020 ◽  
Vol 22 (3) ◽  
pp. 173-183
Author(s):  
Julia Wilpert ◽  
Ellen Janssen

Purpose This study aims to exploratively compare several characteristics of 330 offending and non-offending Dutch subjects, seeking advice/help from child sexual abuse (CSA) prevention helpline Stop it Now!-The Netherlands (SiN-NL). Design/methodology/approach With a retrospective cross-sectional design, SiN-NL contact logs between March 2012 and June 2016 were investigated. Findings Results revealed a few interesting differences and similarities. Contrary to earlier findings, attraction to minors and especially boys did not distinguish offenders and non-offenders. However, intimate partner status, suicidal tendencies and expectation of the helpline differed significantly between the study samples. Also, the relevance of several self-reported CSA promoting and impeding factors varied between groups. The non-offender group more often indicated fear of consequences and avoidance of risk situations to be constraining factors, whilst the offender group more frequently suggested benefiting from professional help and social support. Practical implications The results of this study might inform different forms of prevention and treatment programs aimed at similar help-seeking individuals. Because of their perceived CSA promoting potential by help seekers, access to children and substance abuse are important topics to address by operators and taken into account when assessing offending risk. In contrast to earlier findings, sexual orientation did not differentiate offenders from non-offenders and might play a less significant role. Higher rates of suicidal tendencies and need for help and therapy could imply that, compared to non-offenders, offenders require a more cautious approach and additional care. Originality/value To our knowledge this is the first study to investigate self-reports of offending and non-offending subjects, seeking advice/help from a CSA prevention helpline.


2016 ◽  
Vol 58 (3) ◽  
pp. 263-282 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ronda Marie Smith ◽  
Shruti R Sardeshmukh ◽  
Gwendolyn M Combs

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore the complex relationships between gender and entrepreneurial intentions. Design/methodology/approach – This paper uses a two study design where the second study is a constructive replication of the first study. The first study uses a cross-sectional design, while the second uses a design where data collection of variables were temporally separated. The analysis is conducted using Hayes (2014) process macro using 1,000 bootstrapped draws to understand the interaction between gender and creativity and the potential mediation involving life roles and goals. Findings – The empirical results are threefold. First, the results show that creativity has a direct and positive effect on entrepreneurial intentions. Second, gender did not have a direct effect on entrepreneurial intentions, and finally, gender showed an interaction with creativity such that in both the samples, creativity had a stronger relationship with intentions among women. Practical implications – The results point to the inclusion of creativity exercises in the entrepreneurship curriculum as well as to create and tailor programs to enhance women’s entrepreneurial intentions. Originality/value – Using a two study constructive replication approach, this study demonstrates the complex effect of gender on entrepreneurial intentions. Traditionally, women are argued to have lower entrepreneurial intentions, but this study finds that creative women were more likely to have entrepreneurial intentions in the sample. The results also show that the women’s family salience (life roles and goals) did not mediate the relationship between gender and entrepreneurial intentions.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  

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 This research paper draws lessons from firms in Portugal to understand how HR practices and organizational culture impact the construction of an organization's innovative capability. It was revealed that the combination of four cultural traits – namely mission, consistency, adaptability, and involvement – has marked direct impacts on innovative capability promotion. Furthermore, these traits positively facilitate HR practice implementation. Specifically innovation-focused HR practices were found to boost innovative capability by fifty percent more than generic HR practices alone. Yet it remains crucial for HR practitioners to concentrate on both generic and specifically innovation-focused HR practices when designing and building their HR systems. 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.


2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Rachael Frost ◽  
Kate Walters ◽  
Jane Wilcock ◽  
Louise Robinson ◽  
Karen Harrison Dening ◽  
...  

PurposePost-diagnostic dementia care is often fragmented in the United Kingdom, with great variation in provision. Recent policies suggest moving towards better community-based care for dementia; however, little is known on how this care is delivered. This study aimed to map the post-diagnostic dementia support provided in England a decade after the introduction of a National Dementia Strategy.Design/methodology/approachA mixed-methods e-survey (open Nov 2018–Mar 2019) of dementia commissioners in England recruited through mailing lists of relevant organisations was conducted. The authors descriptively summarised quantitative data and carried out thematic analysis of open-ended survey responses.Findings52 completed responses were received, which covered 82 commissioning bodies, with representation from each region in England. Respondents reported great variation in the types of services provided. Information, caregiver assessments and dementia navigation were commonly reported and usually delivered by the voluntary sector or local authorities. Integrated pathways of care were seen as important to avoid overlap or gaps in service coverage. Despite an increasingly diverse population, few areas reported providing dementia health services specifically for BME populations. Over half of providers planned to change services further within five years.Practical implicationsThere is a need for greater availability of and consistency in services in post-diagnostic dementia care across England.Originality/valuePost-diagnostic dementia care remains fragmented and provided by a wide range of providers in England.


2019 ◽  
Vol 37 (3) ◽  
pp. 821-837 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Gabriella Ceravolo ◽  
Vincenzo Farina ◽  
Lucrezia Fattobene ◽  
Lucia Leonelli ◽  
GianMario Raggetti

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine whether financial consumers are sensitive to presentational format of financial disclosure documents and whether this influences the financial attractiveness of products. Design/methodology/approach In order to observe and measure consumers’ attention, the authors exploit the unobtrusive methodology of eye tracking on a sample of nonprofessional investors, applying an ecological protocol, through a cross-sectional design. Findings The analysis reveals that financial information processing and attention distribution are influenced by the way the information is conveyed. Moreover, some layouts induce individuals to rate the products as less financially attractive, independent of the information content. This suggests the importance of studying the neural mechanisms of investors’ behaviour in the scrutiny of financial product documents. Practical implications The results lead to recommend regulators and managers to study how investors respond to financial disclosure documents by exploiting neuroscientific techniques. Moreover, there is a role for the search of any benefit coming from emphasising specific sources of information inside documents. Originality/value This research investigates the influence of presentational format on consumers’ information processing measuring the underlying neurophysiological processes; the consequent perception of financial attractiveness is also explored.


2020 ◽  
Vol 40 (9/10) ◽  
pp. 1021-1039
Author(s):  
Kaz Stuart ◽  
Mark A. Faghy ◽  
Elaine Bidmead ◽  
Ruth Browning ◽  
Catriona Roberts ◽  
...  

PurposeThis paper proposes a biopsychosocial (BPS) analysis of COVID-19 experiences which enhances understanding of complex and interrelated factors and leads to the proposition of a BPS recovery framework.Design/methodology/approachOnline narrative research was used to explore people's experiences of COVID-19 and was conducted over a four-month period. The call was distributed via a short open-ended qualitative online survey advertised on social media platforms and 305 responses came from across England.FindingsThe findings illustrate people with a narrow range of BPS characteristics experienced over a wide range of BPS impacts which are nuanced, complex and dynamic. Left unaddressed these may create future adverse BPS characteristics. An integrated BPS framework for recovery is proposed to avoid such further negative outcomes from the pandemic.Research limitations/implicationsThe sample contained a bias in age, gender and living arrangements.Practical implicationsThe paper offers a clear framework to enable integrated holistic recovery/regrowth planning.Social implicationsUsing the framework would reduce social and health inequities which have been recently deepened by COVID-19 in the long-term.Originality/valueThe paper is original in its use of a BPS analytical framework.


2015 ◽  
Vol 23 (3) ◽  
pp. 20-22 ◽  
Author(s):  
Clinton Longenecker ◽  
Laurence S Fink

Purpose – Presents the distilled wisdom of two human-resource (HR) award facilitators. Design/methodology/approach – Takes in the form of ten questions that make a difference for HR leadership. Findings – Asks: Are you trusted by the members of your organization? Do you possess a real and comprehensive understanding of how your business makes money? Do you keep yourself up to speed on the legal and compliance issues that are most important to your organization? Do you think strategically and execute operationally? Are you measuring and monitoring the most meaningful metrics that measure mission-driven performance? Are you working hard to create business partnerships with your stakeholders that increase the likelihood of success? Are you taking steps to help all managers in your organization to operate like great HR leaders? Are you using your talents and influence to build teams and solve organizational problems? Do you seek out and apply innovative HR practices that can truly affect your organization’s bottom-line performance? Do you ensure that people have the information they need to perform in an optimal fashion? Practical implications – Urges HR specialists to review, reflect on and assess their response to each of the questions. Social implications – Suggests that each question identifies key behaviors and activities that can become a target for improvement. Originality/value – Provides valuable insight rarely available to HR specialists.


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