Silicon Valley’s Indian diaspora: networking and entrepreneurial success

2015 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 190-208 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anuradha Basu ◽  
Meghna Virick

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the factors that influence the success of entrepreneurial ventures started by members of the Indian diaspora in Silicon Valley. Design/methodology/approach – It is based on survey data collected from Indian-born high-tech entrepreneurs living in Silicon Valley, and uses Bayesian estimation to test hypotheses aimed at understanding entrepreneurial growth. Specifically, the paper examines the linkages between prior startup experience, participation in diasporic networks, and new venture growth. Findings – It finds that entrepreneurs with prior startup experience displayed more active participation in diasporic networks, and were more likely to have co-founders. Active network participation over a length of time was positively related to new venture growth. The findings contribute toward the understanding of the value of startup experience in leveraging social networks, and the relationship between diasporic network participation and entrepreneurship. Research limitations/implications – As a cross-sectional study with a single data source, it is subject to concerns about causality and common method variance. Practical implications – The results highlight the value of serial entrepreneurship and the potential benefits to immigrant entrepreneurs of participating in diasporic social networks, especially those with a global reach. They also suggest that investors would be better off investing in entrepreneurs who have greater startup experience and participate actively in diasporic networks. Originality/value – The paper is based on a very unique sample of Indian-born immigrant high-tech entrepreneurs based in the Silicon Valley. It provides a deeper understanding of the role of diasporic social networks, and their relationship with prior startup experience and entrepreneurial success within that context.

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Raj Chandra ◽  
Abdul Munasib ◽  
Devesh Roy ◽  
Vinay K. Sonkar

Purpose Information is often available to consumers through their social networks. Focusing on dairy consumers in India, this paper aims to present evidence of peer effects in consumers’ attitudes towards various food safety attributes and food safety practices. Design/methodology/approach Unobserved individual heterogeneities are crucial confounders in the identification of social (endogenous) effects. The identification is based on exploiting within-consumer variation across different aspects of attitude (or practices) related to food safety. Findings This paper uses a novel identification strategy that allows for average effects across attributes and practices to be estimated. Using the strategy, though this paper cannot estimate endogenous effects in each attribute or practice, this paper is able to identify such effects averaged over attributes or practices. Research limitations/implications Cross-sectional study, caste affiliation is not defined at the right level of granularity. Practical implications The results suggest that information campaigns aimed at creating awareness about food safety can have social multiplier effects, and this also translates into changes in the practices followed to mitigate food safety risks. Social implications In health-related awareness and practices, there are well-established cases of multiplier effects. The most significant example of this is the Pulse Polio campaign in India, where an awareness drives through social multiplier effects had such a significant impact that in 2012 India was declared polio-free. Perhaps, a similar campaign in matters related to food safety could be very fruitful. Originality/value The methodology and the issue are unique. Little exists in assessing social networks in the context of food safety.


2020 ◽  
Vol 27 (3) ◽  
pp. 427-447
Author(s):  
Norifumi Kawai ◽  
Mirela Xheneti ◽  
Tomoyo Kazumi

PurposeThis article seeks to theorize and empirically examine the conditional mechanisms through which entrepreneurial legitimacy determines the success or failure of new ventures by building upon Zimmerman and Zeitz's (2002) causal process model of legitimacy.Design/methodology/approachWe gathered cross-sectional data from 266 Japanese new venture owners running their businesses across a variety of sectors and empirically examined whether, how and when legitimacy positively affects new ventures' performance by employing the SPSS PROCESS macro for moderated mediation analysis.FindingsThe results indicate that rich access to a pool of valuable resources fully mediates the positive effects of legitimacy on new venture growth. Furthermore, this study offers robust empirical evidence that prior entrepreneurial experience and competitive intensity as the internal and external contingency factors significantly moderate the indirect effect of legitimacy on new venture growth through resource accessibility.Research limitations/implicationsAlthough our analysis provides clear support for the view that important resources for new venture performance are gained through legitimacy, it does not offer precise clarifications for the type and sources of legitimacy and for the strategies that could be deployed to achieve legitimacy. Future studies should clearly distinguish tangible assets (e.g. financial resources) from intangible assets (e.g. tacit knowledge, networks and reputation) in terms of resource accessibility. Therefore, it should be worth scrutinizing the multiple dimensions of resources as potential mediators of the legitimacy-new venture growth relationship in greater depth.Practical implicationsFrom a policy perspective, this study suggests that a special emphasis needs to be placed on designing and carrying out policies aimed at increasing the visibility and credibility of entrepreneurship as a positive career path since public acceptance of entrepreneurship is essential to new venture growth. Furthermore, it is logical to conclude that achieving greater legitimacy is a pivotal strategic tool not only to overcome resource barriers but also to maximize a probability of survival, specifically for those entrepreneurs without prior experience and those operating in a fiercely competitive market environment.Originality/valueUnlike previous studies that have mostly presented the direct effect of entrepreneurial legitimacy on venture outcomes (Capelleras et al., 2019; Kibler and Kautonen, 2016; Pindado and Sánchez, 2017), our research empirically identified the potential complexities inherent in this relationship by performing a conditional indirect effect analysis.


2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Julien Fakhoury ◽  
Claudine Burton-Jeangros ◽  
Idris Guessous ◽  
Liala Consoli ◽  
Aline Duvoisin ◽  
...  

Abstract Background In Europe, knowledge about the social determinants of health among undocumented migrants is scarce. The canton of Geneva, Switzerland, implemented in 2017–2018 a pilot public policy aiming at regularizing undocumented migrants. We sought to test for associations between self-rated health, proven eligibility for residence status regularization and social and economic integration. Methods This paper reports data from the first wave of the Parchemins Study, a prospective study whose aim is to investigate the effect of residence status regularization on undocumented migrants’ living conditions and health. The convenience sample included undocumented migrants living in Geneva for at least 3 years. We categorized them into those who were in the process of receiving or had just been granted a residence permit (eligible or newly regularized) and those who had not applied or were ineligible for regularization (undocumented). We conducted multivariate regression analyses to determine factors associated with better self-rated health, i.e., with excellent/very good vs. good/fair/poor self-rated health. Among these factors, measures of integration, social support and economic resources were included. Results Of the 437 participants, 202 (46%) belonged to the eligible or newly regularized group. This group reported better health more frequently than the undocumented group (44.6% versus 28.9%, p-value < .001), but the association was no longer significant after adjustment for social support and economic factors (odds ratio (OR): 1.12; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.67–1.87). Overall, better health was associated with larger social networks (OR: 1.66; 95% CI: 1.04–2.64). This association remained significant even after adjusting for health-related variables. Conclusion At the onset of the regularization program, access to regularization was not associated with better self-rated health. Policies aiming at favouring undocumented migrants’ inclusion and engagement in social networks may promote better health. Future research should investigate long-term effects of residence status regularization on self-rated health.


2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Amrita Ayer ◽  
Eddy R. Segura ◽  
Amaya Perez-Brumer ◽  
Susan Chavez-Gomez ◽  
Rosario Fernandez ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Social networks, norms, and discussions about sexual health may inform sexual practices, influencing risk of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) or sexually transmitted infection (STI) acquisition. To better understand social networks of Peruvian men who have sex with men (MSM) and transgender women (trans women), we examined key social network members (SNMs), participant perceptions of these network members’ opinions toward sexual health behaviors, and associations between network member characteristics and condomless anal intercourse (CAI). Methods In a 2017 cross-sectional study, a convenience sample of 565 MSM and trans women with HIV-negative or unknown serostatus was asked to identify three close SNMs; describe discussions about HIV and STI prevention with each; and report perceived opinions of condom use, HIV/STI testing, and partner notification of STIs. Generalized estimating equations evaluated relationships between SNM characteristics, opinions, and discussions and participant-reported CAI. Results Among participants who identified as MSM, 42.3% of key SNMs were perceived to identify as gay. MSM “never” discussed HIV and STI prevention concerns with 42.4% of heterosexual SNMs, but discussed them “at least once weekly” with 16.9 and 16.6% of gay- and bisexual- identifying SNMs, respectively. Among participants who identified as trans women, 28.2% of key SNMs were perceived as heterosexual; 25.9%, as bisexual; 24.7%, as transgender; and 21.2%, as gay. Trans women discussed HIV/STI prevention least with cis-gender heterosexual network members (40.2% “never”) and most with transgender network members (27.1% “at least once weekly”). Participants perceived most of their close social network to be completely in favor of condom use (71.2% MSM SNMs, 61.5% trans women SNMs) and HIV/STI testing (73.1% MSM SNMs, 75.6% trans women SNMs), but described less support for partner STI notification (33.4% MSM SNMs, 37.4% trans women SNMs). Most participants reported CAI with at least one of their past three sexual partners (77.5% MSM, 62.8% trans women). SNM characteristics were not significantly associated with participant-reported frequency of CAI. Conclusions Findings compare social support, perceived social norms, and discussion patterns of Peruvian MSM and trans women, offering insight into social contexts and sexual behaviors. Trial registration The parent study from which this analysis was derived was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (Identifier: NCT03010020) on January 4, 2017.


2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 73-87
Author(s):  
Linda Nesse ◽  
Marianne Thorsen Gonzalez ◽  
Geir Aamodt ◽  
Ruth Kjærsti Raanaas

Purpose Recovery for residents who experience co-occurring problems and live in supported housing takes place in everyday contexts. This study aims to explore residents’ self-reported recovery and quality of life and examine the relationships between these factors and issues in supported housing. Design/methodology/approach A cross-sectional study was conducted at 21 supported housing sites in six cities across Norway. A total of 104 residents (76 men and 28 women) responded to measures of recovery (Recovery Assessment Scale – Revised), life satisfaction (Manchester Short Assessment of Quality of Life), affect (single items), staff support (Brief INSPIRE) and sense of home (single items). Findings Linear regression analyses indicated associations between recovery and staff support (B = 0.01, 95% CI = 0.01-0.02, ß = 0.39), housing satisfaction (B = 0.15, 95% CI = 0.07-0.22, ß = 0.38), sense of home (B = 0.23, 95% CI = 0.14-0.32, ß = 0.49) and satisfaction with personal economy (B = 0.11, 95% CI = 0.05-0.17, ß = 0.33). Similarly, associations were found between life satisfaction and staff support (B = 0.03, 95% CI = 0.02-0.04, ß = 0.46), housing satisfaction (B = 0.63, 95% CI = 0.46-0.80, ß = 0.60), sense of home (B = 0.65, 95% CI = 0.42-0.87, ß = 0.51) and satisfaction with personal economy (B = 0.34, 95% CI = 0.19-0.50, ß = 0.39). Originality/value The findings imply that core issues in supported housing, namely, staff support, housing satisfaction, sense of home and satisfaction with personal economy, are associated with recovery and quality of life.


2014 ◽  
Vol 40 (3) ◽  
pp. 300-324 ◽  
Author(s):  
Véronique Bessière ◽  
Taoufik Elkemali

Purpose – This article aims to examine the link between uncertainty and analysts' reaction to earnings announcements for a sample of European firms during the period 1997-2007. In the same way as Daniel et al., the authors posit that overconfidence leads to an overreaction to private information followed by an underreaction when the information becomes public. Design/methodology/approach – In this study, the authors test analysts' overconfidence through the overreaction preceding a public announcement followed by an underreaction after the announcement. If overconfidence occurs, over- and underreactions should be, respectively, observed before and after the public announcement. If uncertainty boosts overconfidence, the authors predict that these two combined misreactions should be stronger when uncertainty is higher. Uncertainty is defined according to technology intensity, and separate two types of firms: high-tech or low-tech. The authors use a sample of European firms during the period 1997-2007. Findings – The results support the overconfidence hypothesis. The authors jointly observe the two phenomena of under- and overreaction. Overreaction occurs when the information has not yet been made public and disappears just after public release. The results also show that both effects are more important for the high-tech subsample. For robustness, the authors sort the sample using analyst forecast dispersion as a proxy for uncertainty and obtain similar results. The authors also document that the high-tech stocks crash in 2000-2001 moderated the overconfidence of analysts, which then strongly declined during the post-crash period. Originality/value – This study offers interesting insights in two ways. First, in the area of financial markets, it provides a test of a major over- and underreaction model and implements it to analysts' reactions through their revisions (versus investors' reactions through stock returns). Second, in a broader way, it deals with the link between uncertainty and biases. The results are consistent with the experimental evidence and extend it to a cross-sectional analysis that reinforces it as pointed out by Kumar.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kochu Therisa Karingada ◽  
Michael Sony

PurposeThe COVID-19 pandemic lockdown has caught many educational institutions by surprise and warranted an abrupt migration from offline to online learning. This has resulted in an education change, without any time for due consideration, as regards its impact on musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) on students. The purpose of this study is to investigate MSD related to online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown.Design/methodology/approachA cross-sectional study was conducted on undergraduate students in India. In total, 261 students participated in this online survey.FindingsThe study finds that around 80% of students have reported some symptom in the head, neck and eyes since they started online learning. In total, 58% have reported MSD symptom in the right shoulder and 56% in the right hand fingers. Besides, more than 40 % of students experienced some MSD symptoms, in almost all the body parts studied, due to online learning. Correlation analysis is conducted between time spent on online learning per day and MSD symptoms.Originality/valueThis is the first study conducted on MSD and online learning during COVID-19 pandemic.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Roya Malekzadeh ◽  
Samereh Yaghoubian ◽  
Edris Hasanpoor ◽  
Matina Ghasemi

Purpose Responsiveness is a reaction to the reasonable expectations of patients regarding ethical and non-clinical aspects of the health-care system. Responsiveness is a characteristic of health-care system and the observance of the patient’s rights. The purpose of this study is to compare the responsiveness of the health-care system based on the hospital ownership in Mazandaran province in Iran. Design/methodology/approach The cross-sectional study design was used on 1,083 patients referred to public and private hospitals and hospitals affiliated to social security organization in Mazandaran province in 2017. The World Health Organization’s responsibility questionnaire was used to collect data. Data were analyzed by using SPSS version 21. Descriptive statistics and one-way ANOVA results are presented is the results section. Findings All responsiveness dimensions were salient for respondents. The response rate in the selected hospitals was very close, which ranged from 85.7 to 90.2%, and there was no significant difference between public, private and social security hospitals (p > 0.05). The most crucial responsiveness dimension in hospitals was autonomy. Originality/value In the current study, the dimensions of communication and confidentiality were identified as priority dimensions based on the least score for breeding actions to improve the responsiveness of the health-care system. At the end, some useful recommendations such as re-engineering the processes, training to engage the employees with patients and encouraging them to fill the gap were suggested.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kinga Kołodziej ◽  
Anna Kurowska ◽  
Anna Majda

Purpose The purpose of this study is to assess the intensity of perceived stress and measure the subjective control of anxiety, anger and depression in a group of women and men staying in Polish penitentiary institutions. Design/methodology/approach The research was carried out in two penitentiary institutions located in the Lesser Poland Voivodeship at the turn of 2019/2020. The study group consisted of 152 prisoners. In the cross-sectional study, two standardised research tools – the Perceived Stress Scale and the Emotional Control Scale – were used. Findings Over half of the prisoners (57.24%) presented a high level of stress. The intensity of the perceived stress did not depend on the gender and age of the convicted persons. The general indicator of emotional control among the respondents averaged 51.82 points (standard deviation = 14.52) and ranged from 22 to 83 points, which means that people detained in penitentiary institutions suppressed their negative emotions at an average level. The prisoners had the best control over fear (M = 18.68), less over anger (M = 16.86) and the least over depression (M = 16.27). Statistical analysis showed a correlation between the level of emotional control and the intensity of perceived stress. Research limitations/implications The small sample size of the group participating in the study and narrowing of the research area means that results can not be generalised across all isolated prison population. Practical implications The results obtained from the study can be used by a multidisciplinary team to develop therapeutic programmes for convicted persons, the aim of which is to evaluate strategies for coping with stress and controlling emotions. Social implications Popularising reliable information related to the issue of experiencing stress and varied emotions in those staying in penitentiary institutions may lead to the elimination of harmful stereotypes functioning in society, as well as reduce the phenomenon of marginalisation of prisoners, and thus contribute to the success of the social rehabilitation process. Originality/value Research on the level of stress intensity in prisoners is important because the rates of mental health disorders among prisoners consistently exceed the rates of such disorders in the general population.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohadese Borazjani ◽  
Mehran Nouri ◽  
Kamesh Venkatakrishnane ◽  
Maryam Najafi ◽  
Shiva Faghih

Purpose Plant-based diets have been related to decreasing morbidity and mortality of many non-communicable diseases. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between plant-based diets and lipid profiles and anthropometric indices. Design/methodology/approach This cross-sectional study was performed on 236 men and women selected from Shiraz health-care centers. This study used a 168-item food frequency questionnaire to calculate plant-based diet index (PDI), healthy plant-based diet index (hPDI) and unhealthy plant-based diet index (uPDI). Total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and triglycerides were measured. Furthermore, body mass index, a body shape index and conicity index (CI) were calculated after measuring weight, height and waist circumference. Findings Higher score of PDI was significantly related to higher triglycerides level (OR = 2.16; 95% CI: 1.04, 4.48; P = 0.03). In the fully adjusted model, there was a significant association between ABSI and hPDI (OR = 4.88; 95% CI: 1.17, 20.24; P = 0.03). A significant inverse association was observed between uPDI and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) (OR = 0.45; 95% CI = 0.21, 0.98; P = 0.03). Also, this study found a decreasing, but insignificant trend in relation of ABSI (OR = 0.72; 95% CI = 0.22, 2.34) and CI (OR = 0.41; 95% CI = 0.06, 0.56) with PDI. Research limitations/implications Further studies are needed to explore the association of PDI with anthropometric indices and lipid profile and also to assess the potential causality of the observed associations. Plant-based diets according to their contents could affect triglycerides, HDL and anthropometric properties. Practical implications Hence, dietitians should consider the findings of this study such as the inverse effect of unhealthy plant-based diets on HDL and the relation between healthy plant-based diets and WC and abdominal obesity. Originality/value This study showed that adherence to a plant-based diet was related to higher triglycerides levels. Also, uPDI was inversely associated with HDL level. Furthermore, participants who adhered more to a healthy plant-based diet had higher abdominal adiposity.


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