Keitshokile Dintle Mogobe, Sunanda Ray, Farai Madzimbamuto, Mpho Motana, Doreen Ramogola-Masire, Goabaone Rankgoane, Raina Phillips, Habte Dereje and Mosidi Mokotedi
– The purpose of this paper is to identify organisational, technical and individual factors leading to maternal deaths in non-citizen women in Botswana.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to identify organisational, technical and individual factors leading to maternal deaths in non-citizen women in Botswana.
Design/methodology/approach
A sub-analysis was conducted comparing non-citizen women to citizens in a case record review of maternal deaths in 2010. Feedback on the results to health professionals was provided and their comments were noted.
Findings
In total, 19.6 per cent of 56 case notes reviewed to establish contributory factors to maternal deaths were in non-citizens. This is lower than health professionals perceptions that most maternal deaths are in non-citizens. Non-citizens were significantly less likely to have been tested for HIV and less likely to have received antenatal care, so did not receive interventions to prevent transmission of HIV to their infants or anti-retroviral therapy. They were more likely than citizens to have miscarried or delivered before 28 weeks gestational age at death. Delays in seeking health care were a major contributory factor to death.
Research limitations/implications
Incomplete record keeping and missing details, with 30 per cent of the notes of maternal deaths missing, a common problem with retrospective case-note studies.
Practical implications
Botswana is unlikely to meet Millennium Development Goal five target to reduce the maternal mortality ratio by 75 per cent. To make progress non-citizens must be given the same rights to access maternal health services as citizens. Rationing healthcare for non-citizens is a false economy since treatment of subsequent obstetric emergencies in this group is expensive.
Originality/value
Discrimination against non-citizen women in Botswana, by denying them free access to maternal health services, extends into loss of life because of delays in seeking healthcare especially for obstetric emergencies.
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Vartuhi Tonoyan and Robert Strohmeyer
Existing entrepreneurship literature has provided mixed evidence as to whether resource providers discriminate against female-led innovative start-up ventures in their resource…
Abstract
Purpose
Existing entrepreneurship literature has provided mixed evidence as to whether resource providers discriminate against female-led innovative start-up ventures in their resource commitment decisions either in terms of the likelihood or conditions of resource provision. While some studies revealed evidence indicative of negative discrimination against female entrepreneurs, others have provided evidence suggestive of positive discrimination. In light of these divergent findings, the purpose of this paper is to develop a more nuanced and integrative approach to studying gender biases in entrepreneurial resource provision with greater attention paid to both moderating contingency factors and mediating mechanisms.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors develop a conceptual model and empirically testable propositions describing whether, how and when entrepreneurial resource providers are likely to under-, over- and equivalue female-led innovative start-up ventures relative to equivalent male-led start-up ventures. The model applies not only to institutional or private investors as providers of financial capital to start-up ventures as discussed extensively in extant entrepreneurship literature but also to prospective employees as providers of human capital and prospective consumers as providers of money in exchange for an entrepreneurial product or service. The authors discuss the gender-typing of the entrepreneur's core product/service offering as a key contingency factor likely to moderate the proposed relation. The authors further delineate the importance of what they refer to as the “first”- and “second-order” mediating mechanisms underlying the hypothesized relation between resource provider evaluations of the male versus female founder-CEO, the attractiveness of his/her start-up venture and the (conditions of) resource provision to their start-ups.
Findings
Building on social-psychological theories of descriptive and prescriptive gender stereotypes and extant entrepreneurship literature, the authors establish that gender biases are likely to occur because of resource providers' perceptions of women entrepreneurs at the helm of male-typed start-up ventures to be less competent and agentic, as well as less warm and other-oriented than equivalent male entrepreneurs leading male-typed start-up ventures. The authors discuss the implications of such gender-biased evaluations for the application of stricter performance standards to female-led-male-typed start-up ventures and the likelihood and conditions of resource provision to their companies. The authors further discuss why and when female founder-CEOs of a female-typed (gender-neutral) start-up venture are likely to be overvalued (equivalued) compared to equivalent male founder-CEOs. The authors also develop propositions on additional contingency factors and mediators of the gendered evaluations of founder-CEOs and their start-up ventures, including resource providers' “second-order” gender beliefs, the high-cost versus low-cost resource commitment, individual differences in gender stereotyping and the perceived entrepreneurial commitment of the founder-CEO. The authors conclude by suggesting some practical implications for how to mitigate gender biases and discrimination by prospective resource providers.
Originality/value
Discussing the implications of descriptive and prescriptive gender stereotypes on evaluative decisions of entrepreneurial resources providers, this study advances not only the women's entrepreneurship literature but also the more-established scholarship on the role of gender stereotypes for women's advancement opportunities in the corporate world that has traditionally viewed entrepreneurship as the solution for women fleeing the gender-stereotype-based discrimination in the corporate setting to advance their careers.
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Anchal Luthra, Shivani Dixit and Vikas Arya
The faculties are crucial to education. They should have enough training facilities and be encouraged to actively contribute to high-quality education and successful learning…
Abstract
Purpose
The faculties are crucial to education. They should have enough training facilities and be encouraged to actively contribute to high-quality education and successful learning. Faculty engagement and development activities should be explored and included in learning organizations and employee engagement in India. This paper aims to describe higher education as a learning organization. The research will also assess how faculty development programs affect faculty engagement behaviors in these institutions and if professional development mediates this effect, which has not been previously examined.
Design/methodology/approach
This study was conducted with quantitative data collected from 267 faculties through reliable and validated adapted questionnaires. Semistructured interviews were conducted with heads and professor-level faculties to gain insights into faculty development and engagement. Partial least squares structural equation modeling technique (PLS-SEM 3.3.6 version) was used to test the conceptually drafted model.
Findings
Faculty professional development programs shown to improve higher education faculty engagement and professional progress. The studies also showed that higher education institutions must prioritize faculty development to become learning organizations. Professional development reduced the direct effects of faculty development program (FDP) on faculty engagement. This suggests that professional growth mediates the research.
Practical implications
This research emphasizes and professional development to boost teacher involvement in B-Schools. Management must design faculty development programs to construct professional development and learning organizations, according to the results. Developing and writing rules that encourage faculty engagement in such internal and external programs would also enhance their academic and administrative abilities and assist higher education institutions become learning organizations.
Originality/value
The study is one of the few to examine the impact of faculty development programs and professional development on faculty engagement in higher education institutions, particularly B-Schools, and its competitive mediating role.
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Dominance complementarity, which is the tendency for people to respond oppositely to others along the control dimension of interpersonal behavior, is a means by which people…
Abstract
Dominance complementarity, which is the tendency for people to respond oppositely to others along the control dimension of interpersonal behavior, is a means by which people create and perpetuate informal forms of interpersonal hierarchy within social relationships (Tiedens, Unzueta, & Young, 2007b). In the present chapter, I explore the likely effects of such complementarity on group creativity. I propose specifically that expressions of dominance, even those borne not out of formal hierarchy but rather out of such factors as expertise and enthusiasm for the task, are likely to elicit submissive responses from fellow group members when the group is trying to generate creative ideas. As group members behaving submissively are likely to contribute fewer ideas to group discussion, I argue that group members who behave dominantly may, through their influence on other group members, reduce both the number and diversity of ideas generated within the group. I, therefore, propose that dominance complementarity may impair groups' abilities to generate creative ideas.
The purpose of this paper is to examine the nexus of social support (SS), work–life balance (WLB) and satisfaction with life (SWL) in hybrid work (HW) scenario in learning…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine the nexus of social support (SS), work–life balance (WLB) and satisfaction with life (SWL) in hybrid work (HW) scenario in learning organizations.
Design/methodology/approach
The data were collected via questionnaire method from 531 employees working in learning organizations (IT/ITES sector) in India. The hypotheses were tested using hierarchical regression.
Findings
The findings of the study showed that HW was positively related to SS dimensions, WLB and SWL. Further, the study established the mediating role of SS between HW and WLB as well as WLB as a mediator between HW-SWL relationships.
Research limitations/implications
This study has certain limitations owing to the cross-sectional nature of the data and the specific sector under study. The findings have significant implications for policy making to determine the conditions under which both employees and organizations can benefit from HW. Further, the study has implications for uncertain and volatile environments as had been created by COVID-19 pandemic, where HW arrangements may not be a choice but become necessity.
Originality/value
This study contributes to the conservation of resources theory. It identifies the importance of true autonomy and flexibility for employees.
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The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted the European Union (EU) through heavy pressure on health services, business activity and people's life. To mitigate these effects…
Abstract
Purpose
The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted the European Union (EU) through heavy pressure on health services, business activity and people's life. To mitigate these effects, government agencies, civil society and the private sector are working together in proposing innovative initiatives. In this sense, this study aims to characterize and explore the relevance of these projects to mitigate the effects of COVID-19.
Design/methodology/approach
The Observatory of Public Sector Innovation provided by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development was considered to enable the identification and exploration of innovative projects to combat COVID-19. A methodology based on mixed methods is adopted to initially identify quantitatively the distribution of these projects, followed by a qualitative approach based on thematic analysis that allows exploring their relevance.
Findings
A total of 206 initiatives in the EU have been identified. The distribution of these projects is quite asymmetric, with Portugal and Austria totaling 33.52% of these projects. Most of these projects focus on the areas of public health, infection detection and control, virtual education, local commerce, digital services literacy, volunteering and solidarity and hackathons.
Originality/value
This work is relevant to identifying and understanding the various areas in which COVID-19 initiatives have been developed. This information is of great relevance for the actors involved in this process to be able to replicate these initiatives in their national, regional and local contexts.
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Sheila Namagembe and Joseph Ntayi
The study examined the influence of humanitarian organizations’ culture and financial service providers’ technology readiness on the usage of digital cash-based assistance by…
Abstract
Purpose
The study examined the influence of humanitarian organizations’ culture and financial service providers’ technology readiness on the usage of digital cash-based assistance by humanitarian organizations, the influence of Humanitarian Organization Culture on Financial providers’ technology readiness and the mediating role of financial service providers’ technology readiness on the relationship between the culture in humanitarian organizations and their usage of digital cash-based assistance.
Design/methodology/approach
A quantitative cross-sectional survey design was used. The target population consisted of humanitarian organizations that were members of the Uganda Cash Consortium (UCC). The research hypotheses were tested using SMART PLS version 4.
Findings
The culture in humanitarian organizations and financial service providers’ technology readiness positively influences the usage of digital cash-based assistance by humanitarian organizations during humanitarian crises, and humanitarian organizations’ culture positively influences financial service providers’ technology readiness. Financial service providers’ technology readiness fully mediates the relationship between the culture of humanitarian organizations and the usage of digital cash-based assistance by humanitarian organizations during humanitarian crises.
Research limitations/implications
The study mainly focuses on culture in humanitarian organizations and financial service providers’ technology readiness when examining the usage of digital cash-based assistance during humanitarian crises. Further, financial service providers’ technology readiness is examined using a humanitarian organization, financial service provider and beneficiary/persons of concern’s point of view rather than the government’s point of view.
Originality/value
Research examining determinants for digital cash-based assistance usage in humanitarian crises is scarce. Further, empirical research examining the influence of the humanitarian organizations’ culture and financial service providers’ technology readiness in promoting the usage of digital cash-based assistance in humanitarian crises, the impact of humanitarian organizations’ culture on financial service providers’ technology readiness and the mediating role of financial service providers’ technology readiness on the relationship between the culture of humanitarian organizations and usage of digital cash-based assistance in humanitarian crises are non-existent. The majority of research and grey literature focuses on how digital cash-based transfers can be used to enhance financial inclusion in refugee contexts.
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Koyeli Girigoswami, Agnishwar Girigoswami, A. Harini and J. Thanujashree
Menstruation is a part of the female reproductive cycle that begins with adolescence. Menstruation is a natural change; it relates to several malpractices and misconceptions that…
Abstract
Purpose
Menstruation is a part of the female reproductive cycle that begins with adolescence. Menstruation is a natural change; it relates to several malpractices and misconceptions that may contribute to adverse health outcomes.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors have searched relevant papers using Google Scholar and PubMed to write this mini review.
Findings
During menstruation, poor hygiene maintenance can cause serious illness, which includes the urinary tract and reproductive tract infection. Menstruation management is a hygienic system, and it is essential for females because poor hygiene maintenance during menstruation can cause some infections and numerous sexually transmitted diseases. There are a few nanotechnology-based products that have come into the market to offer some relief to females during their periods.
Originality/value
This mini review will help researchers to design innovative female hygiene products that can relieve the discomfort caused to women during their reproductive age.