People believe that they know who they are and that who they are matters for what they do. These core beliefs seem so inherent to conceptualizations of what it means to have a…
Abstract
Purpose
People believe that they know who they are and that who they are matters for what they do. These core beliefs seem so inherent to conceptualizations of what it means to have a self as to require no empirical support. After all, what is the point of a concept of self if there is no stable thing to have a concept about and who would care if that concept was stable if it was not useful in making it through the day? Yet the evidence for action-relevance and stability are surprisingly sparse.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper outlines the identity-based motivation theory, a theoretical approach that takes a new look at these assumptions and makes three core predictions as to when an accessible self-concept influences behavior. These are termed “dynamic construction”, “action-readiness”, and “interpretation of difficulty”. That is, rather than being stable, which identities come to mind and what they mean are dynamically constructed in context.
Findings
People interpret situations and difficulties in ways that are congruent with the currently active identities and prefer identity-congruent to identity-incongruent actions. When action feels identity-congruent, experienced difficulty highlights that the behavior is important and meaningful. When action feels identity-incongruent, the same difficulty suggests that the behavior is pointless and “not for people like me.”
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The purpose of this paper is to review the existing literature and conceptual developments to explore how and why universities should teach entrepreneurship.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to review the existing literature and conceptual developments to explore how and why universities should teach entrepreneurship.
Design/methodology/approach
This is a theoretical paper which draws on the rich seam of existing literature to develop theory about enterprise education purpose and pedagogy.
Findings
Universities are uniquely able to provide the right sort of education that will produce “better” entrepreneurs. In turn, these better entrepreneurs are better enabled to produce and successfully implement the innovation that drives economic growth.
Practical implications
These are twofold. The paper raises awareness of the importance of the university's role for developing the right sort of entrepreneurship. It also highlights important pedagogic points that will realise the full potential of a university entrepreneurial education.
Originality/value
The paper largely synthesises existing work, but conceptualises and presents the material in a new way.
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Rohit Gupta, Baidyanath Biswas, Indranil Biswas and Shib Sankar Sana
This paper aims to examine optimal decisions for information security investments for a firm in a fuzzy environment. Under both sequential and simultaneous attack scenarios…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to examine optimal decisions for information security investments for a firm in a fuzzy environment. Under both sequential and simultaneous attack scenarios, optimal investment of firm, optimal efforts of attackers and their economic utilities are determined.
Design/methodology/approach
Throughout the analysis, a single firm and two attackers for a “firm as a leader” in a sequential game setting and “firm versus attackers” in a simultaneous game setting are considered. While the firm makes investments to secure its information assets, the attackers spend their efforts to launch breaches.
Findings
It is observed that the firm needs to invest more when it announces its security investment decisions ahead of attacks. In contrast, the firm can invest relatively less when all agents are unaware of each other’s choices in advance. Further, the study reveals that attackers need to exert higher effort when no agent enjoys the privilege of being a leader.
Research limitations/implications
In a novel approach, inherent system vulnerability of the firm, financial benefit of attackers from the breach and monetary loss suffered by the firm are considered, as fuzzy variables in the well-recognized Gordon – Loeb breach function, with the help of fuzzy expectation operator.
Practical implications
This study reports that the optimal breach effort exerted by each attacker is proportional to its obtained economic benefit for both sequential and simultaneous attack scenarios. A set of numerical experiments and sensitivity analyzes complement the analytical modeling.
Originality/value
In a novel approach, inherent system vulnerability of the firm, financial benefit of attackers from the breach and monetary loss suffered by the firm are considered, as fuzzy variables in the well-recognized Gordon – Loeb breach function, with the help of fuzzy expectation operator.
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Wellbeing evaluation using ordered categorical response data is hazardous given the scale dependent nature of most measures of wellbeing and inequality. Here, scale independent…
Abstract
Wellbeing evaluation using ordered categorical response data is hazardous given the scale dependent nature of most measures of wellbeing and inequality. Here, scale independent instruments for measuring levels of wellbeing and inequalities between groups in multidimensional ordered categorical environments are introduced and applied in a study of health and consumption wellbeing and the aging process in twenty‐first century China. Urban/rural location, gender, age and the availability of welfare support were considered circumstances in what is in essence a study of equality of opportunity in the acquisition of health and consumption wellbeing in Chinas’ aging population. Older populations are found to experience diminished and increasingly diverse wellbeing outcomes that are, to some extent, ameliorated by welfare support.
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Discusses the relation between cybernetics and architecture and pays tribute to Gordon Pask’s role and influence. Indicates Pask’s contribution to an increasingly environmentally…
Abstract
Discusses the relation between cybernetics and architecture and pays tribute to Gordon Pask’s role and influence. Indicates Pask’s contribution to an increasingly environmentally responsive architectural theory that may lead to a more humane and ecologically conscious environment.
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Gordon C. Anderson and K.C. Chan
Discusses how the University of Strathclyde established an overseasoperation for its MBA Programme in South‐East Asia. Examines developmentfrom two perspectives – that of the…
Abstract
Discusses how the University of Strathclyde established an overseas operation for its MBA Programme in South‐East Asia. Examines development from two perspectives – that of the Programme Director and that of its first graduate.
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Sana El Harbi, Alistair R. Anderson and Meriam Amamou
– The research aims to ask whether, in the absence of overarching innovative conditions, a small firm can have an innovative culture and what its scale and scope is.
Abstract
Purpose
The research aims to ask whether, in the absence of overarching innovative conditions, a small firm can have an innovative culture and what its scale and scope is.
Design/methodology/approach
The study employs four exploratory case studies. This methodological choice is justified in that a case study approach allows the use of the existing literature without inhibiting the detection of any unique characteristics in the Tunisian context. This context of a developing economy is likely to be different from established economies.
Findings
The study finds evidence of a learning environment within the firms and a good fit with the concepts of an innovative culture. Internal knowledge sharing is evident for all companies. However, this culture faces inwards, so that the paucity of linkages and weak socialisation combines with institutional thinness to isolate the firms. Local competitive advantages are not amplified but rather are dampened by the relative absence of interaction.
Research limitations/implications
Most research about innovation in the ICT sector is conducted in the context of developed countries. This paper shows the specificities and uniqueness of innovation culture in the context of a developing country.
Practical implications
The findings imply that despite recent improvements, Tunisia lacks many of the regional “institutions” that produce the synergic benefits of an innovative milieu.
Originality/value
The context of a developing country is novel. The value of the findings may, however, be extended to other similar countries. This is important given the role of ICT in “catching up”.