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1 – 10 of 39Kanhaiya Kumar Sinha, Chad Saunders and Simon Oliver Raby
This paper aims to provide evidence-based managerial advice for identifying, developing and managing a broad-based innovation system for organizations to reap optimal performance…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to provide evidence-based managerial advice for identifying, developing and managing a broad-based innovation system for organizations to reap optimal performance outcomes.
Design/methodology/approach
The general review is based upon large-scale peer-reviewed academic studies of innovation practices in organizations and their performance outcomes and synthesized here through two illustrative case studies. The first case deals with Brightsquid Secure Communications as they expanded their product-focused innovation practices to include broad-based organizational improvements, while the second case focuses on Trimet Building Products and their use of broad-based innovation to turn around declining revenue.
Findings
Using the SME context, this study outlines an innovation management model that highlights the importance of leadership attention on organization-wide innovation and the interdependence of investments across functions.[AQ2] To enhance their performance, SMEs must implement broad learning programs across the organization that provides formal and informal cross-training and takes a cross-functional approach to innovation and problem-solving.
Originality/value
Reviewing and integrating the literature on different innovation types and outcomes, this study proposes a novel broad-based innovation model that guides firms that overemphasize improvements within a single function. Further, drawing on the learning literature, this paper recommends an organizational learning and collaboration model to achieve organization-wide innovation for optimal outcomes.
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Etienne St-Jean, Maripier Tremblay, Rahma Chouchane and Chad W. Saunders
The purpose of this study is to investigate how a career shock, like the COVID 19 pandemic, decreases entrepreneurial career commitment (ECC). The authors look at the specific…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to investigate how a career shock, like the COVID 19 pandemic, decreases entrepreneurial career commitment (ECC). The authors look at the specific effect of career shock on stress and emotional exhaustion mediating the commitment, and how organizational and relational resources offset the shock to keep the entrepreneurs committed to their career.
Design/methodology/approach
This study used a two-wave sample of 365 entrepreneurs collected four months apart. The authors initially recruited entrepreneurs three months after the pandemic started, then four months later, and tested these ideas with longitudinal data. The design was informed by the stress-strain-outcome (SSO) model to investigate career shock as stressors to entrepreneurs that are likely to produce emotional exhaustion and a decline in ECC.
Findings
The findings demonstrate that career shock affects stress, which in turn leads to a decline in commitment through the mediation effect of emotional exhaustion. Organizational resources (e.g. access to finance) do not impact ECC, stress or emotional exhaustion. However, relational resources (e.g. quality emotional support) are important for ECC by supporting a decrease in stress and emotional exhaustion.
Research limitations/implications
This study makes three main contributions. Firstly, it advances career shock research in entrepreneurship, emphasizing its role in explaining entrepreneurial career commitment through stress-strain mediation. Secondly, it adds to the understanding of entrepreneurial career commitment and its impact on persistence in entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial exit. Lastly, it supports the relevance of the Stress-Strain-Outcome model in entrepreneurship, demonstrating how career shock can decrease entrepreneurial career commitment through stress and emotional exhaustion. Further research is needed to explore the interaction of career identity and career planning in maintaining career resilience amidst career shocks.
Practical implications
This study has practical implications for policymakers and service providers in entrepreneurship. It highlights the significance of resources, particularly relational resources, in maintaining psychological health and entrepreneurial career commitment (ECC). The findings support the importance of the Stress-Strain-Outcome (SSO) model in entrepreneurship, emphasizing the need for entrepreneurs to have access to relational resources as coping mechanisms. Policymakers and service providers should focus on enhancing entrepreneurs' capacity to acquire, protect, and develop relational resources. Additionally, the study suggests that entrepreneurs should seek access to both relational and organizational resources to effectively navigate career shocks, such as the pandemic. Further research is needed to explore the role of other types of resources, such as social capital and psychological capital, in entrepreneurial well-being and persistence.
Originality/value
This study demonstrates that a career shock affects stress, which in turn leads to a decline in commitment only through the mediation effect of emotional exhaustion. The panel/longitudinal data analysis demonstrates the causality in the process, highlighting the positive role of the entrepreneur's relational resources. Specifically, it shows that an increase in access to relational resources causes a decrease in stress and emotional exhaustion, which in turn causes ECC to improve. Entrepreneurs are ill-equipped to face a career shock if they lack these resources.
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David J. Finch, Nadège Levallet, Chad Saunders, Evelyn Field, Jason Ribeiro, Simon Raby, Michael Roberts, Faith-Michael Uzoka and Alexandria Campbell
Disruptive forces, such as the global pandemic and technological innovation, are leading to growing labor uncertainty. For organizations, being able to adapt is a key skill for…
Abstract
Purpose
Disruptive forces, such as the global pandemic and technological innovation, are leading to growing labor uncertainty. For organizations, being able to adapt is a key skill for employees, while adapting to different employment contexts is increasingly essential for career success. This study leverages career adaptability theory and integrated dynamic capabilities to isolate skills enabling career adaptation.
Design/methodology/approach
A qualitative study was conducted to develop a skills codebook using a Delphi technique to converge on career adaptation skills, which was validated against leading meta-skills frameworks and a purposeful sample of 15 occupational competency models.
Findings
The codebook phase identified 24 distinct meta-skills in 6 clusters: problem-solving, self-reliance, collaboration, communication, core literacies and core workplace skills. Findings confirmed that most of the skills identified by the experts were also present across the meta-skills frameworks.
Research limitations/implications
This study highlights research opportunities, including a recommendation to extend the codebook by conducting a large sample empirical study of occupational competency models.
Practical implications
Adaptive individuals remain attractive in the job market. With the proposed framework, individuals can systematically reflect on ways to develop career adaptation skills. Other stakeholders should support the development of skills that facilitate an individual's capacity to adapt to diverse employment contexts.
Originality/value
This study contributes to resolving the debate on skills contributing to career adaptation by combining the career adaptability theory and integrated dynamic capabilities, to produce a harmonized meta-skills codebook including labels, definitions and synonyms. This study validates the codebook against leading skills frameworks and occupational competency models.
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Kanhaiya K. Sinha, Chad Saunders, Simon Raby and Jim Dewald
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the moderating role of previous venture experience on the relationship between learning breadth and innovation breadth, defined as the…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the moderating role of previous venture experience on the relationship between learning breadth and innovation breadth, defined as the range of innovation types within a firm, and the impacts on SME performance.
Design/methodology/approach
A theoretical model was developed, and hypotheses were tested using step-wise multivariate regressions on survey data from 509 North American SME respondents.
Findings
The results demonstrate that the previous venture experience of a firm's top management plays a key role in enhancing the innovation breadth for a given level of learning breadth. There is a curvilinear relationship between innovation breadth and learning breadth, and increases in innovation breadth lead to increases in firm performance.
Practical implications
The results indicate that organizations seeking higher performance returns by expanding their breadth of innovations need parallel attention on higher learning breadth in order to adequately capture the value from this broader set of innovations.
Originality/value
The paper contextualizes learning and innovation in the SMEs and argues that the consideration of diversity (breadth) of learning and innovation can help us understand their performance implications across industries. It also extends the effect of previous venture experience (PVE) of the leadership team in explaining performance. Beyond their ability to address external factors, PVE has a moderating effect on the relationship between learning and innovation breadth across the organization. Previous venture experience serves as both a guide and catalyst for investments in learning activities that lead to a broader range of innovation activities across the firm.
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Sarah Fotheringham and Chad Saunders
– The purpose of this study is to investigate the potential of social enterprise as a strategy for poverty reduction for women.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to investigate the potential of social enterprise as a strategy for poverty reduction for women.
Design/methodology/approach
A literature synthesis on the topic was conducted and patterns, linkages and gaps were examined among key themes to identify how social enterprise can potentially serve as a poverty reduction strategy for women.
Findings
The paper presents the findings in terms of specific factors contributing to women’s poverty and hypothesizes mechanisms through which social enterprises can mitigate or address these factors in practice. The paper organizes these findings in an integrative framework that highlights the need to ensure a solid policy foundation is in place before a number of key support mechanisms are enabled, which then facilitate specific types of work that can then grow in a sustainable manner.
Research limitations/implications
While the mechanisms and proposed framework are based on the extant literature, additional empirical investigation is required.
Practical implications
Women are disproportionately burdened by poverty and the framework presented provides a very practical tool to guide the design of new or diagnosing existing social enterprises targeting poverty reduction for women.
Social implications
Without a strategic approach, the risk is either perpetuating the status quo, or worse, placing those women engaged in social enterprises in a worse financial and social position.
Originality/value
There is limited research on the poverty reducing role of social enterprise for women and the proposed mechanisms and integrative framework presented provide a means of synthesizing our current knowledge while providing the basis for future investigations.
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Kingsley Obi Omeihe, Isaac Amoako and Veronika Gustafsson
In this chapter, the authors examine trust and social networks among entrepreneurs operating in a developing market context. At the centre of this study, trust emerges from the…
Abstract
In this chapter, the authors examine trust and social networks among entrepreneurs operating in a developing market context. At the centre of this study, trust emerges from the interplay of a range of cultural-specific factors, each of which describes how social relations shape economic action. Using case studies of exporting Nigerian small and medium sized enterprises, the authors document how exporting arrangements are enforced across West African markets. Interview data reveal how entrepreneurs take advantage of indigenous trust-based relationships to enforce exporting agreements. It is clear that exporting activities are shaped by trust and networks of kinship and market associations that permeate the West African region. This chapter facilitates a better understanding of trust and the range of indigenous relationships that underpin exporting activities in Nigeria and particularly across West Africa.
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Chad Perry, David Carson and Audrey Gilmore
Writing articles is a core activity in an academic's career. The aim of this article is to show prospective writers of an article in EJM how to go about getting published. It…
Abstract
Writing articles is a core activity in an academic's career. The aim of this article is to show prospective writers of an article in EJM how to go about getting published. It emphasises that an EJM article is a part of a conversation with the editors, reviewers and readers. First, the concept of joining this conversation is established. Then targeting a journal and other aspects of planning with co‐authors are noted, before an article's structure and style are described. Drafting, submitting and revising the article, and starting again if it is rejected, conclude the paper. This article should be useful for those academics who are not publishing enough, and for doctoral candidates and their supervisors.
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Christopher A. Ballweg, William H. Ross, Davide Secchi and Chad Uting
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the prevalence and influence of social network website (SNW) content about alcohol use and abuse on job applicant reactions to their…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the prevalence and influence of social network website (SNW) content about alcohol use and abuse on job applicant reactions to their prospective immediate supervisor and toward applying for the job.
Design/methodology/approach
In Study 1, raters coded photographs and photo captions found on 1,048 personal SNWs of US managers or business owners. Approximately 22 percent of managers’ personal SNWs contained references to alcohol, providing a base rate large enough to warrant further research. In Study 2, laboratory experiment participants saw a fictitious company’s website including a professional managerial profile. A 3 × 3 factorial design then varied whether the prospective manager’s comments on his personal SNW emphasized professional activities, social drinking, or alcohol abuse; also, the manager’s friends’ comments emphasized work activities, social drinking, or alcohol abuse. A control group did not see a personal SNW.
Findings
Alcohol abuse information on personal SNWs – whether posted by the manager or by the manager’s friends – negatively affected attitudes toward the manager. Alcohol abuse information posted by the manager (but not by the manager’s friends) decreased the willingness of participants to apply for the position. These findings were consistent with the Brunswick Lens Model and the warranting hypothesis.
Originality/value
This is the first study to investigate managerial SNW content and it effects upon prospective job seekers’ attitudes.
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Chad Cooper and Brian H. Kleiner
Briefly discusses some of the common injuries caused by poor ergonomics and how to find these problems within the workplace. Continues, in more depth on some of the new…
Abstract
Briefly discusses some of the common injuries caused by poor ergonomics and how to find these problems within the workplace. Continues, in more depth on some of the new developments in a variety of areas and the cost effectiveness of implementing any new ideas. Concentrates particularly on computer related areas.
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Stelvia V. Matos, Martin C. Schleper, Jeremy K. Hall, Chad M. Baum, Sean Low and Benjamin K. Sovacool
This paper aims to explore three operations and supply chain management (OSCM) approaches for meeting the 2 °C targets to counteract climate change: adaptation (adjusting to…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to explore three operations and supply chain management (OSCM) approaches for meeting the 2 °C targets to counteract climate change: adaptation (adjusting to climatic impacts); mitigation (innovating towards low-carbon practices); and carbon-removing negative emissions technologies (NETs). We suggest that adaptation nor mitigation may be enough to meet the current climate targets, thus calling for NETs, resulting in the following question: How can operations and supply chains be reconceptualized for NETs?
Design/methodology/approach
We draw on the sustainable supply chain and transitions discourses along with interview data involving 125 experts gathered from a broad research project focused on geoengineering and NETs. We analyze three case studies of emerging NETs (biochar, direct air carbon capture and storage and ocean alkalinity enhancement), leading to propositions on the link between OSCM and NETs.
Findings
Although some NETs are promising, there remains considerable variance and uncertainty over supply chain configurations, efficacy, social acceptability and potential risks of unintended detrimental consequences. We introduce the concept of transformative OSCM, which encompasses policy interventions to foster the emergence of new technologies in industry sectors driven by social mandates but lack clear commercial incentives.
Originality/value
To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this paper is among the first that studies NETs from an OSCM perspective. It suggests a pathway toward new industry structures and policy support to effectively tackle climate change through carbon removal.
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