Are Moroccan job seekers different than job creators? An exploratory study of differences in entrepreneurs and non-entrepreneurs

2014 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 198-208 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abderrahman Hassi ◽  
Giovanna Storti
Keyword(s):  
Theory Approach ◽  
Business Networks ◽  
Job Seekers ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Public ◽  
Entrepreneurial Spirit ◽  
Start Up ◽  
Study Methodology ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine differences between Moroccan entrepreneurs and non-entrepreneurs in order to circumvent the nature and origin of their differences. Design/methodology/approach – This research was carried out in Morocco with a sample of 20 entrepreneurs identified as individuals who have been operating their own business or who have unsuccessfully started a small business, and a contrast sample of 20 non-entrepreneurs, classified as career professionals working for other organizations such as the public service and/or the private sector who wanted to start their own business but failed in doing so. The study methodology adopted a qualitative approach with semi-structured interviews due to the exploratory nature of the subject. The in-depth interviews were analyzed using the grounded theory approach (Glaser and Strauss, 1999). Findings – The findings highlight that there are no differences between entrepreneurs and non-entrepreneurs in terms of personality traits and characteristics. The interviewees emphasize the importance of financial resources, business networks and connections as vital factors in the decision to start a venture. Research limitations/implications – In terms of implications of the current research, understanding the determinants of entrepreneurship in Morocco is of considerable theoretical and practical value, especially given that there is no research that looks into this issue in the Moroccan context. Practical implications – Concerning practical implications, by identifying reasons why Moroccan young graduates, by large, show a weak entrepreneurial spirit and would rather be job seekers than potential job creators, adequate measures need to be put in place with aspirations that they will encourage the creation of more start-up businesses. Originality/value – Studies that compared entrepreneurs and non-entrepreneurs are far from being consistent. Moreover, the current research is the first study that looked into differences between entrepreneurs and non-entrepreneurs in Morocco.

Role reflections of police reservists: a study of volunteer reserve officers in Malaysia

2018 ◽  
Vol 41 (6) ◽  
pp. 813-827 ◽  
Author(s):  
Phaik Kin Cheah ◽  
N. Prabha Unnithan ◽  
Suresh Suppiah
Keyword(s):  
Police Officers ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Theory Approach ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Public ◽  
Role Orientations ◽  
Grounded Theory Approach ◽  
Practical Implications ◽  
Insight Into

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to investigate the work roles of the Royal Malaysia Police Volunteer Reserve officers.Design/methodology/approachA grounded theory approach was utilized for the generation and analysis of the data. Data were collected through interviews, observations and follow-ups. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 20 male and female volunteer reserve officers and 5 regular police officers aged between 24 and 58 years of mixed socioeconomic backgrounds, ethnicities and ranking in the Royal Malaysia Police force. Two civilian respondents (spouses of the Police Volunteer Reserve officers) were also interviewed for this study for the purpose of theory sampling.FindingsThe data were analyzed qualitatively resulting in a model of Royal Malaysia Police Volunteer Reserve officer roles consisting of four orientations.Research limitations/implicationsStudy outcomes are discussed theoretically and administratively. The four role orientations identified will assist researchers studying police reserve volunteerism.Practical implicationsStudy outcomes allow administrators to utilize and deploy police reservists in consonance with the four role orientations identified.Social implicationsThis study provides insight into how police reservists conceive of and execute their roles as they negotiate them in relation to the regular police officers they work with and the public from which they are drawn.Originality/valueThis is the first study of police volunteerism in Malaysia.

scholarly journals Fraud in overseas aid and the challenge of measurement

2015 ◽  
Vol 22 (2) ◽  
pp. 184-198 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark Button ◽  
Chris Lewis ◽  
David Shepherd ◽  
Graham Brooks
Keyword(s):  
High Risk ◽  
International Development ◽  
Local Context ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Public ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore the challenges of measuring fraud in overseas aid. Design/methodology/approach – The research is based on 21 semi-structured interviews with key persons working in the delivery of aid in both the public and voluntary sectors. It uses the UK Department for International Development as a case study to applying more accurate measures of fraud. Findings – This paper shows there are significant challenges to using fraud loss measurement to gauge fraud in overseas aid. However, it argues that, along with other types of measures, it could be used in areas of expenditure in overseas governments and charities to measure aid. Given the high risk of such aid to fraud, it argues helping to develop capacity to reduce aid, of which measuring the size of the problem is an important part; this could be considered as aid in its own right. Research limitations/implications – The researchers were not able to visit high-risk countries for fraud to examine in the local context views on the challenges of measuring fraud. Practical implications – The paper offers insights on the challenges to accurately measuring fraud in an overseas context, which will be useful to policy-makers in this context. Social implications – Given the importance of as much aid as possible reaching recipients, it offers an important contribution to helping to reduce losses in this important area. Originality/value – There has been very little consideration of how to measure fraud in the overseas aid context, with most effort aimed at corruption, which poses some of the same challenges, as well as some very different challenges.

scholarly journals Exploring and extending the synergy concept – a study of three acquisitions

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Johan Holtström ◽  
Helén Anderson
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
Business Networks ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Business Network ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Dynamic Perspective ◽  
Acquisition Processes ◽  
A Company ◽  
Practical Implications ◽  
Managerial Perspective

Purpose This study aims to contribute with an extended framework on synergy realisation in acquisitions. The study conceptualises synergy realisation after acquisitions, in interaction with other companies in a business network and that synergy can be the result of both intended and not intended actions. Design/methodology/approach The study is based on a company involved in acquisitions, being both the acquirer and the acquired. The data for analysis were collected through semi-structured interviews with managers involved in the described acquisition processes. The semi-structured interviews were guided by overarching themes to cover relevant areas of the described acquisitions. Findings This study develops a framework in which synergy is used as a concept in business networks. The framework offers a more dynamic perspective on acquisition processes and extends the view of acquisition performance beyond more financial and company internal aspects of acquisition processes. Further, the findings show that related companies such as customers and suppliers, play important roles in synergy realisation. Practical implications From a managerial perspective, the study shows the importance of understanding the underlying forces of integration processes. Originality/value The concept of synergy used in this study not only includes the companies integrated in an acquisition but also their business networks. Including the integrated companies and their business networks provides a more dynamic perspective from which to plan and realise synergy.

scholarly journals From “great expectations” to “hard times”

2016 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
pp. 17-38 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard Hanage ◽  
Jonathan M Scott ◽  
Mark A.P. Davies
Keyword(s):  
Personal Development ◽  
Cultural Policy ◽  
Business Success ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Entry Barrier ◽  
Great Expectations ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Personal Lives ◽  
Start Up ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate how digital creative graduates develop new businesses on graduating from university, and how their creative, business and personal lives interact until their nascent ventures fail financially. Design/methodology/approach – Seven digital creative nascent graduate entrepreneurs were followed for up to five years. Although independently assessed as having promise of business success, they were young and lacked business experience. They were followed through six-monthly semi-structured interviews which investigated their business, creative and personal development. The interviews were transcribed and key statements manually coded and extracted for analysis to identify issues, tipping points and outcomes. Findings – The primary contribution is the finding that, despite a promising beginning and very generous start-up support, all seven nascent ventures failed financially and most were closed down in favour of employment, particularly when personal issues such as parenthood sharpened the need for stable levels of income. The graduates demonstrated weaknesses in their commercial skills, especially selling (human capital) and insufficient utilization of networks (social capital) so that in the mainly mature low entry-barrier markets they were entering they were at a disadvantage from the outset. The research has also demonstrated the value of a real-time longitudinal qualitative approach to investigating businesses from business start-up to eventual exit. Practical implications – The insights gained have practical implications for start-up and survival support for creative graduate businesses, as well as raising issues about the effectiveness of postgraduate entrepreneurship education and cultural policy relating to this economically important sub-sector. Originality/value – The longitudinal approach has brought new insights and indicates several areas where more research would be valuable, especially in dealing with the consequences of unsuccessful nascent business ventures.

Contextualising the antecedents of organisational innovativeness

2017 ◽  
Vol 33 (2) ◽  
pp. 178-194 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas Ahrens ◽  
Aishah A.K. Al-Sereidi ◽  
Halimah F. Al-Shaebi ◽  
Asra H. Rahmdel
Keyword(s):  
Qualitative Research ◽  
Public Sector ◽  
Research Methodology ◽  
Quantitative Research ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Public ◽  
Organisational Capabilities ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore the specific meanings underlying the general antecedents of organisational innovativeness (OI) in one specific public sector context, to fill empirically the categories employed in prior quantitative research and to understand better some of the opportunities for strengthening facilitators of OI and overcoming barriers to OI that present themselves in particular contexts. Design/methodology/approach This research is based on a field study. It uses 29 semi-structured interviews with the members of UAE government and semi-government organisations. The research methodology is qualitative: it seeks to elucidate the meanings that structure the respondents’ understandings of innovation at work. Findings Across the UAE public sector there are great differences in organisational members’ interest in, and readiness to engage with, OI. Members of the public sector tended to conceptualise OI as a set of individual efforts and relationships in which the trust with superiors played a key role, as did the availability of individual rewards. For some respondents communication served as an umbrella term to denote organisational characteristics that would enable individuals to join efforts to make the public sector more innovative. Overall, the great variations in respondents’ ability to articulate and conceptualise the antecedents of OI suggests that organisational capabilities to support OI need strengthening. Research limitations/implications The paper’s insights are based on the study of the public sector of only one country and may be difficult to generalise to other countries. Practical implications The paper suggests ways in which Emirati public sector organisations can strengthen the facilitators of OI and overcome the obstacles presented by the barriers to OI in order to help public sector leaders and employees make innovation a routine element of their day-to-day work. Originality/value The paper presents a first attempt at using qualitative research to deepen our understanding of the antecedents of organisational innovativeness in the public sector.

Gender culture and Malawian women’s reconciliation of work and family responsibilities

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Tiyesere Mercy Chikapa
Keyword(s):  
Work And Family ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Family Responsibilities ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Public ◽  
Insurance Sector ◽  
Gender Culture ◽  
Cultural Systems ◽  
Formal Employment ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose This paper aims to examine how cultural systems shape spousal attitudes and the expectations placed upon women. This is based on the assumption that cultural systems shaping spousal attitudes and expectations on women makes their reconciliation of work and family responsibilities difficult despite sorting out childcare challenges and support with domestic work. Design/methodology/approach This paper is based on 55 semi-structured interviews with Malawian women working in formal employment. From the 55 women interviewed, 31 worked in the public education sector and the remainder in the private sector’s financial and insurance sector. However, for comparison, 24 men from the same sectors were also engaged in the interviews. These were drawn from education and finance and insurance industries. Findings Analysis reveals that contrary to extant literature, childcare is not all or even always the main focus of family responsibilities potentially affecting Malawian women’s work life. Their experiences with reconciling work and family responsibilities were influenced by gender culture, which shapes spousal attitudes and community expectations. Research limitations/implications This study has not generated results suitable for statistical generalisation, but it may still allow for theoretical generalisation to similar contexts. Practical implications Managers need to recognise that women may be coming from homes and communities that place demanding expectations on them. Social implications There is need for promotion of gender equal social norms that enable women, just as men, to focus on their careers. Originality/value This paper contributes to limited literature about women’s experiences with reconciliation of work and family responsibilities in the contexts of a developing country where women have access to relatively affordable childcare support.

Governance structure and public health provision

2019 ◽  
Vol 33 (4) ◽  
pp. 426-442 ◽  
Author(s):  
David John Sheard ◽  
Gregory Clydesdale ◽  
Gillis Maclean
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Governance Structure ◽  
Health Board ◽  
Health Providers ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Public ◽  
Practical Implications ◽  
Public Health Provision

Purpose A key question in the provision of public health concerns how that provision is governed. The purpose of this paper is to examine the governance structure of a public health board and its perceived impact on the efficacy of clinical operations. Design/methodology/approach Structural issues examined the level of centralisation and public participation, and whether governance should occur through elected boards or appointed managers. These issues were examined through multiple lenses. First was the intention of the structure, examining the issues identified by parliament when the new structure was created. Second, the activities of the board were examined through an analysis of board meetings. Finally, hospital clinicians were surveyed through semi-structured interviews with both quantitative and qualitative questioning. Findings A contradiction was revealed between intention, perception and actual activities. This raises concerns over whether the public are significantly informed to elect the best-skilled appointees to governance positions. Practical implications This research holds implications for selecting governance structures of public health providers. Originality/value Few studies have looked at the role of a publicly elected healthcare governance structure from the perspective of the clinicians. Hence, this study contributes to the literature on healthcare structure and its impact on clinical operations, by including a clinician’s perspective. However, this paper goes beyond the survey and also considers the intention of the structure as proposed by parliament, and board activities or what the board actually does. This enables a comparison of intention with outcomes and perception of those outcomes.

The importance of brand architecture in business networks

2016 ◽  
Vol 19 (2) ◽  
pp. 133-155 ◽  
Author(s):  
Selena Aureli ◽  
Fabio Forlani
Keyword(s):  
Brand Management ◽  
Local Context ◽  
Business Networks ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Brand Architecture ◽  
Case Study Methodology ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Study Methodology ◽  
Destination Management Organizations

Purpose This study aims to understand if network brand management is a key activity in tourism business networks and how the network brand relates to the place brand and the brands of individual network members. Design/methodology/approach Preference has been given to a qualitative approach and to the use of case study methodology. Two qualitative techniques have been used: document analysis and in-depth semi-structured interviews. Findings Results indicate that network brand identity is a prerequisite for all alliances, thus confirming the brand’s aggregating role in business networks. However, the network brand is not always exploited for commercial purposes, as signalled by the few efforts in communication activities. Results also indicate that there is a strong connection between the network brand and the place, confirming that tourism businesses are intertwined on a local context and cannot avoid citing the place where they operate. Research limitations/implications Two main aspects limit the generalizability of this study. First, the empirical evidence is limited to four case studies and refers to only one country. Second, chairmen of the examined networks were interviewed without investigating the opinions of network members who may have contrasting views. Practical implications Poor brand management within the examined networks suggests that network managers should have more decision-making power. To apply concepts of brand architecture, network managers should be able to influence brand strategies of individual network members. For example, structures and processes could be created to engage all members in brand management activities like for Destination Management Organizations (DMOs) searching to increase participation of all stakeholders. Originality/value The novelty of this study is that it explores the role of brand management in networks created by partners with equal decision power. Moreover, it differs from previous research on inter-firm relations because it adopts the concept of brand consonance to evaluate if networks will succeed in the long term thanks to a proper management of the network brand.

scholarly journals Examining bribery in Papua New Guinea's public sector: forms and accountability implications

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Samson Tiki ◽  
Belinda Luke ◽  
Janet Mack
Keyword(s):  
Public Sector ◽  
Central Government ◽  
Actor Network Theory ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Public Servants ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Public ◽  
Accountability System ◽  
Practical Implications

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to examine bribery and its accountability implications within Papua New Guinea's (PNG's) public sector.Design/methodology/approachSemi-structured interviews were conducted with 11 senior public servants from three central government departments. Perceptions, forms and accountability dimensions compromised through bribery were analysed through an actor network theory (ANT) lens to understand the actors contributing to bribery and how it might be addressed.FindingsForms (and variations) of bribery included “promises” by clients, pre-commitments by public servants and expectations/obligations imposed by public servants. Multiple and interdependent actors (including compromised accountability perceptions) are identified.Practical implicationsFindings provide important insights for public servants and policy-makers within and beyond PNG's government departments, highlighting the associated implications for individuals, the public sector and the country more broadly.Originality/valueThe incorporation and analysis of accountability dimensions through an ANT lens provides new perspectives on bribery. Further, the significance and extent of compromised accountability dimensions within the network suggests a broken accountability system.

scholarly journals A professional development practice to enhance principals' instructional leadership – enabling and constraining arrangements

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mette Liljenberg
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Instructional Leadership ◽  
Time Perspective ◽  
Collaborative Work ◽  
Hierarchical Control ◽  
Theory Approach ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
Practical Implications

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to increase the knowledge of principals' professional development (PD) by focusing on the arrangements that shape a PD practice initiated to enhance principals' instructional leadership.Design/methodology/approachThe paper draws on findings from a three-year PD initiative in a Swedish school district. The data consist of field notes and semi-structured interviews with principals and managers. Theoretically, the paper takes its starting point in the theory of practice architectures and the cultural-discursive, material-economic and social-political arrangements that shape practices.FindingsPractices for principals' PD require a fine balance to prevent the perception of hierarchical control. Designated time, common artifacts and external expertise are arrangements of practice that enable principals' PD. High expectations and relations between principals and managers both enable and constrain principals' PD. As trustful relations are of particular importance, the implication for managers and others organizing for principals' PD is to make sure that collaborative work settings also become a natural way of working for principals. As building relations takes time, a longer time perspective is also recommended.Practical implicationsThe findings have practical implications for educational leaders responsible for organizing PD practices for principals in any context.Originality/valueThis paper adopts a practice theory approach to its study of principals' PD and provide an elaborated illustration of arrangements that enable and constrain principals' PD in collegial settings.

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