scholarly journals A SECOND CHANCE FOR ENTREPRENEURS IN THE REPUBLIC OF MOLDOVA: CHALLENGES AND SOLUTIONS

2021 ◽  
pp. 40-51
Author(s):  
NOVAC Alexandra ◽  
ACULAI Elena ◽  
MAIER Lidia
Keyword(s):  
Business Environment ◽  
Entrepreneurial Activity ◽  
Business Failure ◽  
Limited Information ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Significant Deterioration ◽  
Entrepreneurial Skills ◽  
The Republic ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Second Chance

The relevance of offering a second chance is determined not only by the need to mitigate the consequences of business failure and motivate the entrepreneur to continue his entrepreneurial activity, but also by the impact on the country’s economy, as business closure leads to job losses, a worsening of the financial possibilities of the national and local budgets, reduction of competition and other negative trends in the internal market. The importance of these issues has increased significantly in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to significant deterioration of the Moldovan business environment. The aim of the paper is to identify the barriers and needs of entrepreneurs, who face financial or other difficulties, are in a state of insolvency, have gone through restructuring/bankruptcy proceedings and would like to benefit from a second chance in Moldova. The research methodology is based on the analysis of legislative acts in the field; statistical data analysis; the results of 16 semi-structured interviews with entrepreneurs on elucidating the factors that favor and hinder the entrepreneurial activity, related to obtaining a second chance in business. The interviews were conducted between April and August 2018. The research results showed that both internal factors (insufficient financial resources, knowledge of crisis management, mismanagement, insufficient staff qualification, including the entrepreneurial skills / experience of the owners, the lack of people with certain professions) and external (related to insolvency legislation, limited information on the possibilities that can be used in case of failure) are determining for taking a second chance.

The effects of COVID-19 on small and medium-sized enterprises: empirical evidence from Jordan

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Tala Abuhussein ◽  
Husam Barham ◽  
Saheer Al-Jaghoub
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
Business Models ◽  
Ad Hoc ◽  
Business Environment ◽  
Internal Communication ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Qualitative Research Design ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Factual Data

Purpose The ongoing coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has resulted in sudden changes in the macro environment and market behaviour, making most enterprises urgently reconfigure their business models to cope with changes following the COVID-19 outbreak. This paper aims to present empirical data on the effects of the COVID-19 crisis on small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), highlighting the initial conclusions regarding their crisis management. It presents factual data on how SMEs in Jordan can use entrepreneurship to combat uncertainty and promote new opportunities. Design/methodology/approach This study involves an exploratory qualitative research design, drawing from 32 semi-structured interviews of key informants from Jordanian SMEs in different stages of the crisis. The different coping strategies of the SMEs and their effectiveness in the first six months of the pandemic are then compared. Findings The findings show how Jordanian SMEs have adapted to cope with the changes in the business environment because of COVID-19. These strategies include modifying their operations that is moving from an ordinary business model to more tentative digitalisation, improving internal communication and restructuring ad hoc organisational culture. Originality/value The study presents important and timely implications for managers of Jordanian SMEs and policymakers by increasing the sensitisation and awareness of SMEs’ coping mechanisms. It is the first study in management that empirically analyses the impact of COVID-19 on Jordanian SMEs.

Study of Schoolchildren Entrepreneurial Intentions and Activities in Nizhny Novgorod

2018 ◽  
Vol 2018 (4) ◽  
pp. 166-186
Author(s):  
Nadezhda Butryumova ◽  
Nadezhda Golubeva
Keyword(s):  
International Research ◽  
Positive Attitude ◽  
Business Environment ◽  
Entrepreneurial Intentions ◽  
Entrepreneurial Activity ◽  
Entrepreneurial Skills ◽  
To Receive ◽  
The City

The goal of the paper is to study the entrepreneurial intentions and activities of schoolchildren in Nizhny Novgorod, to identify their needs in developing entrepreneurial skills. The questionnaire is based on the questions of the international research questionnaire GUESSS. For measuring entrepreneurial intentions we used the test of Bass that assesses focus of a person on a task, on communication or on oneself. The questionnaire was distributed to schoolchildren from different schools and districts of the city. On the whole 330 respondents participated in our survey. The results showed that 51% of the schoolchildren think about the career of entrepreneur. The positive attitude towards entrepreneurial activity was identified. Schoolchildren need for in-depth mastering of various skills, obtaining more information about entrepreneurship. Unfortunately, schools rarely provide an opportunity for their schoolchildren to receive knowledge about business environment, to carry out any project activities in order to develop their entrepreneurial ideas.

The impact of gender and culture on networking and venture creation

2017 ◽  
Vol 24 (2) ◽  
pp. 332-349 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tugba Kalafatoglu ◽  
Xavier Mendoza
Keyword(s):  
Women Entrepreneurs ◽  
Entrepreneurial Activity ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
African Region ◽  
Female Entrepreneurship ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Key Factor ◽  
Entrepreneurial Activities ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Entrepreneurial Networking

Purpose To date, little research has been focused on the nature and dynamics of female entrepreneurial networking activity. Thus, the purpose of this paper is to examine how gender and culture affect business creation, how women perceive social capital, and how important their personal networks are for their businesses, especially in the context of patriarchal societies. Design/methodology/approach Semi-structured interviews were conducted with women entrepreneurs living and operating businesses in Turkey and in four countries of the Middle East and North African region, namely, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Morocco, and Egypt. Findings The results indicate that being a woman entrepreneur in a highly patriarchal society limits entrepreneurial activities due to culture and social norms. However, networking appears as the key factor for these women entrepreneurs to overcome the barriers that they face, such as access to capital, financial information, resources, and new business opportunities. Research limitations/implications This study has limitations that tend to be commonly found in exploratory studies, so you cannot make generalizations. However, the findings lay the groundwork for future studies to examine the role of networking activity in female entrepreneurship in the context of patriarchal societies. Practical implications The findings are helpful for policymakers and other social groups interested in improving the conditions for female entrepreneurship. Governments and other economic actors need to provide training in both management and networking skills, encourage local businesses and associations to provide their venues for networking opportunities, and also provide support to women business organizations. Social implications Women’s entrepreneurship is growing, but still there is a scarcity of scholarly literature on the women entrepreneurs and their entrepreneurial activity. Originality/value This research provides empirical evidence of the nature and dynamics of female entrepreneurial networking activity in the context of patriarchal societies.

scholarly journals Influence of external factors on foreign direct investment flows using the example of the Visegrad Group and Serbia

2021 ◽  
Vol 69 (3-4) ◽  
pp. 80-94
Author(s):  
Aleksandar Kemiveš ◽  
Lidija Barjaktarović
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Direct Investment ◽  
Direct Investment ◽  
Regional Cooperation ◽  
Business Environment ◽  
External Factors ◽  
Foreign Direct Investments ◽  
Political Risks ◽  
The Republic ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Visegrad Group

This research paper examines the impact of external factors on the dynamics of foreign direct investment (FDI) trends in specific economies. The same subject will be analyzed through the examples of the Visegrad Group and the Republic of Serbia. The aim of the research is to determine the existence of a link between the impact of foreign direct investments on the growth and development of the economy observed through gross domestic product (GDP) in the 1990-2018 period. The results of the research indicate that Poland was the most successful in attracting and keeping FDI, compared to other countries. Further, the volume of FDI has been dependent on several external factors, such as overall business environment, economic crisis, political risks, positions in relevant institutions, pandemic, etc. Moreover, for the Republic of Serbia, it will be important that all stakeholders in the country have a proactive approach in order to keep FDI in the country. Finally, representatives of the authorities should be committed to fulfilling promised deals related to the regional cooperation and EU (European Union) accession and integration.

scholarly journals Communication channels in the host community market adopted by Chinese immigrant entrepreneurs

2018 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Tinashe T.R. Ndoro ◽  
Lynette Louw ◽  
MacDonald Kanyangale
Keyword(s):  
Small Businesses ◽  
Communication Channels ◽  
Business Environment ◽  
Host Community ◽  
Entrepreneurial Activity ◽  
Chinese Immigrant ◽  
Snowball Sampling ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Immigrant Entrepreneurs ◽  
Managerial Implications

Orientation: There is a growing prevalence of entrepreneurial activity by immigrant entrepreneurs in different sectors of various economies across the world. Immigrant entrepreneurs seek to identify opportunities to grow and sustain their businesses in hostile business markets. Immigrant entrepreneurs use an array of channels of communication to gain insight of the opportunities in the market.Research purpose: The study sought to investigate the communication channels used by Chinese immigrant entrepreneurs to identify opportunities in the host community market.Motivation for the study: The study was undertaken given the dearth of research on the role of communication channels in enabling the identification of opportunities by immigrant entrepreneurs.Research design, approach and method: A qualitative research design was adopted in which purposive and snowball sampling were adopted. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 21 Chinese immigrant entrepreneurs operating small businesses in the South African context.Main findings: The results indicate that the immigrant entrepreneurs identified opportunities in the business environment through establishing channels of communication that manifested as networks with family members, customers, local employees and competitors. Building relationships through networks was key for the process of identifying opportunities.Practical/managerial implications: The study provides evidence that information about opportunities in the market is identified through dynamic channels of communication characterised by networks with different stakeholders.Contribution/value-add: Communication channels are pivotal in enabling the identification of opportunities in the business environment. Immigrant entrepreneurs actively create and sustain their relationships with various stakeholders in the business environment to be able to identify opportunities in the business environment.

scholarly journals An Assessment of the Impact and Benefits of Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) On Manufacturing Profitability: A Case Study of a Food Processing Industry in Nigeria

2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (09) ◽  
pp. 25175-25188
Author(s):  
Kalwang, M. M. ◽  
Kulla D. M. ◽  
Agontu J. A. ◽  
Mafai, G. S
Keyword(s):  
Raw Materials ◽  
Business Environment ◽  
Spare Parts ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Total Productive Maintenance ◽  
Effective Implementation ◽  
Maintenance System ◽  
Direct Observations ◽  
World Class ◽  
The Impact

This study was carried out to assess the impact and benefits of Total Productive Maintenance on manufacturing profitability awareness for Grand Cereals Ltd., Jos-Nigeria). The research objective is to assess the impact and benefits of TPM on manufacturing profitability of the company. Data relevant to the study were collected using designed questionnaire, structured interviews, direct observations and company records. The Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) and Microsoft Excel were used in analysing the data obtained. The results show that the frequency of machine and equipment breakdowns is 58% often and 42% rarely. The research also reviewed that 84% of machine operators were not involved in maintenance activities with only 16% involvement. As regards to the effectiveness of the maintenance technique(s) used, 76% was rated good while 24% was rated fair. Cereal Mill Overall Plant Effectiveness (OPE) was obtained at 38% which was below the world class standard by almost 50%. Equipment downtime was a major cause of plant underutilization with 91% caused by shortage of critical spare parts and 9% shortage of raw materials. On TPM awareness, 80% of the employees have been aware of the TPM concept while 98% indicated the concept of TPM would help improve the current maintenance system and 2% were not sure.20% of the employees were not aware of TPM while 80% of employees indicated that the company does not implement TPM, with 20% not sure that the TPM concept can help improve the current maintenance system. Based on these results, knowledge and information sharing, operator involvement, engagement of all employees from top management to lower level and training should be considered. The effective implementation of TPM model could increase the competition of the company in the dynamic business environment. Thus, adoption and effective implementation of TPM is recommended for the company towards achieving improvement in its manufacturing profitability.  

scholarly journals A mixed-methods longitudinal evaluation of a one-day mental health wellness intervention

2016 ◽  
Vol 76 (2) ◽  
pp. 244-256 ◽  
Author(s):  
Louise Doyle ◽  
Jan de Vries ◽  
Agnes Higgins ◽  
Brian Keogh ◽  
Padraig McBennett ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mixed Methods ◽  
Self Efficacy ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Mixed Methods Approach ◽  
Perceived Impact ◽  
The Republic ◽  
Wellness Intervention ◽  
The Impact

Objectives: This study evaluated the impact of a one-day mental health Wellness Workshop on participants’ mental health and attitudes towards mental health. Design: Convergent, longitudinal mixed-methods approach. Setting: The study evaluated Wellness Workshops which took place throughout the Republic of Ireland. Method: Questionnaires measuring hope, mental health self-efficacy, attitudes towards mental health and perceived impact on wellbeing were administered to participants before the workshop ( n = 415), 1 week after ( n = 221) and 3 months after ( n = 110). Semi-structured interviews were carried out with 24 participants to generate a more in-depth understanding of the impact of the workshop. Results: Quantitative findings relating to hope, mental health self-efficacy and attitudes towards mental health did not identify statistically significant changes; however, participants’ perceptions of the effect of the workshop on wellbeing suggested a positive impact which was maintained over time. Qualitative findings, however, suggested that hope and self-efficacy were improved and the simplicity and utility of the wellness strategies disseminated in the workshop, in addition to the warmth and openness of the narrative approach used by the facilitators, were central to the perceived positive impact. Conclusion: This evaluation demonstrates the potential for wellness interventions to have a subjective improvement in wellbeing in members of the general public.

scholarly journals Older Users of a Befriending Service in Ireland and the Maintenance of Personal Autonomy during the COVID-19 Pandemic

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (6) ◽  
pp. 2788
Author(s):  
Eimile Holton ◽  
Rachel Fitzpatrick ◽  
Rebecca Maguire ◽  
Seán Commins ◽  
Thomas Scharf ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Grounded Theory ◽  
Personal Autonomy ◽  
Constructivist Grounded Theory ◽  
Theory Approach ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Social And Emotional ◽  
Older Users ◽  
The Republic ◽  
The Impact

In the Republic of Ireland (RoI), COVID-19 public health guidelines have been most restrictive for people aged 70 and over. Such individuals are most likely to avail of befriending services offered by a network of Irish organisations. The aim of this study was to explore the impact of COVID-19 guidelines on befriending service users, and to develop recommended adaptations to befriending services compatible with such guidelines. A qualitative constructivist grounded theory approach was taken to the study design and analysis, using semi-structured interviews to collect data from 11 participants by telephone between May 2020 and January 2021. Results show a grounded theory describing how older users of a befriending service maintained their personal autonomy in the face of strict government guidelines. Participants described living life as usual, often contravening guidelines, and how they chose to adapt to the situation, yielding both positive and negative outcomes. Some potential adaptations were discussed to the befriending service (including a preserved focus on the social and emotional functions of the befriending relationship, and the accommodation of collaborative decision making about communicative alternatives), but ultimately it was made clear that participants would tailor the services to their own preferences. Results have implications for befriending service design and delivery, and for public health officials who wish to support the health of older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic.

scholarly journals Entrepreneurship facilitators and their role in poverty alleviation

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Osama Aziz
Keyword(s):  
Human Development ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Human Development Index ◽  
Poverty Alleviation ◽  
Business Environment ◽  
Entrepreneurial Activity ◽  
Low Income Countries ◽  
The World ◽  
Entrepreneurial Activities ◽  
The Impact

Poverty is one of the main issues faced by countries across the world. Over the last three decades, governments and international organizations such as the World Bank, the IMF, etc. have been trying to reduce poverty. Despite this, today almost 2.5 billion people are still living in poverty. Entrepreneurship is often seen as a way to reduce poverty. Moreover, the role of entrepreneurship facilitators is very important in creating a suitable business environment for entrepreneurs which increases the capacity of entrepreneurial activities. The purpose of this thesis is to provide an insight into how entrepreneurial activity and entrepreneurship facilitators (Government, Incubators, and Financial Institutions) help in improving the business environment in all countries and hence in poverty alleviation, examining the impact in case of high-income, high medium-income, medium-income, low-income countries and, as a result, reduce poverty. To investigate this, the Human Development Index (HDI) has been used to measure poverty. Secondary data for Entrepreneurship (Entrepreneurial Facilitators, Entrepreneurial Activities, and Economic Factors) and Poverty (HDI)) from the period of 2005 to 2016 are used for high-income countries, high medium-income countries, medium-income countries and low-income countries. The study has found that there is a positive and significant relationship between entrepreneurial activity and the changes in Human Development Index (HDI) in all countries studied over the 12 years period. It also finds that the presence of good entrepreneurial facilitators improves the capacity of entrepreneurial activity which reduces poverty as measured by the HDI. It adds to the body of knowledge by using HDI as a new tool to analyze the impact of entrepreneurial activity country wise. It also suggests that governments need to make better business related regulations which will motivate entrepreneurs and create ease of business doing. Finally it suggests that trade openness bring foreign investments in a country which create employment for people.

scholarly journals Entrepreneurship facilitators and their role in poverty alleviation

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Osama Aziz
Keyword(s):  
Human Development ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Human Development Index ◽  
Poverty Alleviation ◽  
Business Environment ◽  
Entrepreneurial Activity ◽  
Low Income Countries ◽  
The World ◽  
Entrepreneurial Activities ◽  
The Impact

Poverty is one of the main issues faced by countries across the world. Over the last three decades, governments and international organizations such as the World Bank, the IMF, etc. have been trying to reduce poverty. Despite this, today almost 2.5 billion people are still living in poverty. Entrepreneurship is often seen as a way to reduce poverty. Moreover, the role of entrepreneurship facilitators is very important in creating a suitable business environment for entrepreneurs which increases the capacity of entrepreneurial activities. The purpose of this thesis is to provide an insight into how entrepreneurial activity and entrepreneurship facilitators (Government, Incubators, and Financial Institutions) help in improving the business environment in all countries and hence in poverty alleviation, examining the impact in case of high-income, high medium-income, medium-income, low-income countries and, as a result, reduce poverty. To investigate this, the Human Development Index (HDI) has been used to measure poverty. Secondary data for Entrepreneurship (Entrepreneurial Facilitators, Entrepreneurial Activities, and Economic Factors) and Poverty (HDI)) from the period of 2005 to 2016 are used for high-income countries, high medium-income countries, medium-income countries and low-income countries. The study has found that there is a positive and significant relationship between entrepreneurial activity and the changes in Human Development Index (HDI) in all countries studied over the 12 years period. It also finds that the presence of good entrepreneurial facilitators improves the capacity of entrepreneurial activity which reduces poverty as measured by the HDI. It adds to the body of knowledge by using HDI as a new tool to analyze the impact of entrepreneurial activity country wise. It also suggests that governments need to make better business related regulations which will motivate entrepreneurs and create ease of business doing. Finally it suggests that trade openness bring foreign investments in a country which create employment for people.

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