Srinivasan Sekar and Lata Dyaram
The purpose of this paper is to identify some of the critical organizational support factors and efforts that facilitate better employee participation in corporate volunteering…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to identify some of the critical organizational support factors and efforts that facilitate better employee participation in corporate volunteering (CV) programs. There is a growing interest to understand the role of organization in enhancing better employee participation in volunteering programs.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors conducted an empirical investigation with (n = 461) employee volunteers, who participated in company sponsored volunteering programs. The authors tested the hypothesized relationship using structural equation modelling (SEM).
Findings
The SEM results indicate that cultural fit, organizational CV communication and implementation of CV programmes facilitate better employee participation.
Research limitations/implications
This study provides insights for organizations in terms of increased internal communication and alignment of organizational values with CV programmes to attract better employee participation in volunteering programmes.
Originality/value
This study contributes to the literature on the phenomenon of employee volunteering by examining various organizational efforts that facilitate better employee participation in volunteering programmes.
Details
Keywords
This study assesses the relevance of both individual and contextual factors as an antecedent to employee participation in corporate volunteering (CV) activities and affective…
Abstract
Purpose
This study assesses the relevance of both individual and contextual factors as an antecedent to employee participation in corporate volunteering (CV) activities and affective organizational commitment and inter-role conflict as an outcome of employee volunteering. This study draws from the functional theory of motivation, social exchange theory and role strain perspective to explain hypothesized relationship of the study constructs.
Design/methodology/approach
A questionnaire survey was administered with 461 employee volunteers who had participated in company-sponsored volunteering programs. The authors adopted structural equation modeling (SEM) to test the study hypotheses.
Findings
The findings from the survey suggest that altruistic motives and organization CV capability will impact employee's participation in CV. The results highlight that employee participation in CV enhances affective organizational commitment, indicating that employee volunteering creates inter-role conflict.
Research limitations/implications
Though the study has identified inter-role conflict as a potentially unfavorable outcome, exploring when and how employee volunteering will create a negative effect will add significant value to organizations to protect the interest of their employees.
Practical implications
This study provides insights to understand the relative effects of self- and other-oriented motives. The results suggest that organizations have more directed and carefully designed employee volunteering activities to enable more favorable benefits to employees.
Originality/value
This study contributes to expanding the knowledge on the phenomenon of employee volunteering by introducing and empirically validating an integrated framework of antecedents and consequences of employee volunteering.
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Srinivasan Sekar and Lata Dyaram
The purpose of this paper is to examine how some of the key aspects of employee motivation and their perception of volunteering programs impact their participation in corporate…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine how some of the key aspects of employee motivation and their perception of volunteering programs impact their participation in corporate volunteering. Specifically, this study argues that employee’s self-oriented motives to significantly influence employee participation than other-oriented motives. Similarly, this study also hypothesized that the corporate volunteering program characteristics to significantly relate to employee participation in corporate volunteering.
Design/methodology/approach
The data were collected from 461 employee volunteers representing various industries across four different locations in India. A self-reported method was used to collect the data by administering the questionnaires.
Findings
The structural equation modeling results indicate that other-oriented motives (altruistic) and characteristics of corporate volunteering programs to significantly predict employee participation in corporate volunteering and self-oriented motives did not show significance in predicting employee participation.
Research limitations/implications
Results suggest that employee participation in volunteering is a function of not merely employee motivation but also how the volunteering programs are conceptualized and implemented.
Originality/value
This research study moves beyond mere role of employee motives analysis and considered the role of characteristics of corporate volunteering programs to impact employee volunteering behavior. Further, it highlights there is a differential impact of self- and other-oriented motives in predicting employee participation.
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Arun Joshi, Srinivasan Sekar and Saini Das
The purpose of this paper is to unearth various dimensions of employee experience (EX) and explore how pandemic impacted various EX factors using online employee reviews. The…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to unearth various dimensions of employee experience (EX) and explore how pandemic impacted various EX factors using online employee reviews. The authors identify employee-discussed EX-factors and quantify the associated sentiments and importance.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper employs Latent Dirichlet Allocation on the online employee reviews to identify the key EX-factors. The authors probe sentiments and importance associated with key EX-factors using sentiment analysis, importance analysis, regression analysis and dominance analysis.
Findings
The result of topic modeling identifies 20 EX-factors that shape overall EX. While skill development plays a major role in shaping overall EX, employees perceived Salary and Growth as the most important EX-factor and expressed negative sentiments during the pandemic. Employee sentiments significantly influence overall EX.
Practical implications
When employees have extensive change experience, managers should consider various facets of EX to manage the smooth change and deliver a better EX. This research offers key EX-factors to be considered by managers while dealing with employees. Online employee reviews websites are recommended to include the identified key EX-factors to comprehend the holistic EX.
Originality/value
This study contributes to the growing literature on the employee experience as a concept by identifying various EX-factors. The authors expand the extant EX scales by identifying an inclusive and updated set of EX-factors.
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Srinivasan Sekar, Sriji Edakkat Subhakaran and Deeptam Chattopadhyay
The purpose of this paper is to investigate employees’ perception of their organization and to examine the impact of such perception on overall employee satisfaction using…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to investigate employees’ perception of their organization and to examine the impact of such perception on overall employee satisfaction using qualitative and quantitative employee reviews in an online platform.
Design/methodology/approach
The employee online reviews were classified into positive and negative sentiments using sentiment analysis. Further, multiple regression was employed to examine the impact of sentiments (positive and negative) and employee ratings on pre-defined job attributes in explaining overall employee satisfaction with the organization.
Findings
The findings of the sentiment analysis shows that employee online reviews exhibit more positive sentiments than negative sentiments. Positive sentiments show a significant positive effect, and negative sentiments show a significant inverse relationship with overall employee satisfaction. Further, pre-defined job attributes are differently related to overall employee satisfaction with the organization, skill development being the strongest predictor.
Practical implications
Practitioners may customize the organization's policies and practices based on the sentiments associated with employee reviews. Organizations emphasizing employee engagement and satisfaction are suggested to include skill development as their priority.
Originality/value
Most existing work on overall employee satisfaction is primarily based on the survey questionnaire method; only recently, online employee reviews (OERs) are gaining attention. The current research uses employee online reviews to study overall employee satisfaction.
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Manigandan Sekar, Vijayaraja Kengaiah, Praveenkumar T.R. and Gunasekar P.
The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of coaxial swirlers on acoustic emission and reduction of potential core length in jet engines.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of coaxial swirlers on acoustic emission and reduction of potential core length in jet engines.
Design/methodology/approach
The swirlers are introduced in the form of curved vanes with angles varied from 0° to 130°, corresponding to swirl numbers of 0–1.5. These swirlers are fixed in the annular chamber and tested at different nozzle pressure ratios of 2, 4 and 6.
Findings
The study finds that transonic tones exist for the nonswirl jet, creating an unfavorable effect. However, these screech tones are eliminated by introducing a swirl jet at the nozzle exit. Weak swirl shows a greater reduction in noise than strong swirl at subsonic conditions. In addition, the introduction of swirl jets at all pressure ratios significantly reduces jet noise and core length in supersonic conditions, mitigating the noise created by shockwaves and leading to screech tone-free jet mixing.
Originality/value
The paper provides valuable insights into the use of coaxial swirlers for noise reduction and core length reduction in jet engines, particularly in supersonic conditions.
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Swetha Andra, Murugesan Muthalagu, Jaison Jeevanandam, Durga Devi Sekar and Rajalakshmi Ramamoorthy
A widespread focus on the plant-based antimicrobial cotton fabric finishes has been accomplished with notable importance in recent times. The antimicrobials prevent microbial…
Abstract
Purpose
A widespread focus on the plant-based antimicrobial cotton fabric finishes has been accomplished with notable importance in recent times. The antimicrobials prevent microbial dwelling in fabrics, which causes severe infections to the fabric users. Chemical disinfectants were conventionally used in fabrics to address this challenge; however, they were found to be toxic to humans. Thus, the present study aims to deal with the utilization of phytochemical extracts from different parts of Pongamia pinnata as antimicrobial coatings in cotton fabrics.
Design/methodology/approach
The root, bark and stem were collected and washed several times using tap water. Then, the leaves were dried at room temperature and the root and bark were dried using an oven at 40ºC. After drying, they were ground into fine powder and extracted with ethanol using the Soxhlet apparatus. After that the extract was coated on the fabric tested for antimicrobial studies.
Findings
The results reported that the leaf extract of P. pinnata-coated fabric exhibited enhanced antibacterial property towards gram-negative Escherichia coli bacteria, followed by root, bark and stem. The wash durability test in the extract-coated fabric samples revealed that dip-coating retained antibacterial activity until five washes. Thus, the current study clearly suggests that the leaf extract from P. pinnata is highly useful to develop antibacterial cotton fabrics as health-care textiles.
Originality/value
The novelty of the present work is to obtain the crude extract from the leaves, bark, root and stem of P. pinnata and evaluate their antibacterial activity against E. coli, upon being coated on cotton fibres. In addition, the extracts were subjected to wash durability analysis to study the coating efficiency of the phytochemicals in cotton fabrics and a probable mechanism for the antibacterial activity of P. pinnata extracts was also presented.
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Akhil Khajuria, Anurag Misra and S. Shiva
An experimental investigation for developing structure-property correlations of hot-rolled E410 steels with different carbon contents, i.e. 0.04wt.%C and 0.17wt.%C metal active…
Abstract
Purpose
An experimental investigation for developing structure-property correlations of hot-rolled E410 steels with different carbon contents, i.e. 0.04wt.%C and 0.17wt.%C metal active gas (MAG) and cold metal transfer (CMT)-MAG weldments was undertaken.
Design/methodology/approach
Mechanical properties and microstructure of MAG and CMT-MAG weldments of two E410 steels with varying content of carbon were compared using standardized mechanical testing procedures, and conventional microscopy.
Findings
0.04wt.%C steel had strained ferritic and cementite sub-structures in blocky shape and large dislocation density, while 0.17wt.%C steel consisted of pearlite and polygonal ductile ferrite. This effected yield strength (YS), and microhardness being larger in 0.04wt.%C steel, %elongation being larger in 0.17wt.%C steel. Weldments of both E410 steels obtained with CMT-MAG performed better than MAG in terms of YS, ultimate tensile strength (UTS), %elongation, and toughness. It was due to low heat input of CMT-MAG that resulted in refinement of weld metal, and subzones of heat affected zone (HAZ).
Originality/value
A substantial improvement in YS (∼9%), %elongation (∼38%), and room temperature impact toughness (∼29%) of 0.04wt.%C E410 steel is achieved with CMT-MAG over MAG welding. Almost ∼10, ∼12.5, and ∼16% increment in YS, %elongation, and toughness of 0.17wt.%C E410 steel is observed with CMT-MAG. Relatively low heat input of CMT-MAG leads to development of fine Widmanstätten and acicular ferrite in weld metal and microstructural refinement in HAZ subzones with nearly similar characteristics of base metal.
Details
Keywords
Pantri Heriyati, Nathanya Chitta, Sekar Prasetyaningtyas, Prita Prasetya and Neeraj Yadav
Interrelationships among some common factors of human resource (HR) management and quality management are still unexplored. Changes in work patterns due to the Covid-19 pandemic…
Abstract
Purpose
Interrelationships among some common factors of human resource (HR) management and quality management are still unexplored. Changes in work patterns due to the Covid-19 pandemic have aroused interest in some of these factors, such as working-hours, work pressure, work–life balance practices, job satisfaction. The purpose of this study is to explore the interrelationships among such factors. Specifically, the influence of work hours, work pressure, job rotation and work–life balance on job satisfaction is evaluated both directly and under the mediating influence of working conditions.
Design/methodology/approach
A questionnaire-based survey was conducted in Indonesia among diversified organisations. A total of 432 responses were gathered, and they were examined using hypothesis testing and partial least square based structural equation modelling.
Findings
The study confirms the statistically proven impact of work pressure, job rotations and work–life-balance practices on working conditions. Job rotations, work–life balance practices and working conditions directly influenced job satisfaction. Work pressure did not influence job satisfaction directly, but it significantly influenced working conditions, which eventually affected job satisfaction. Working hours neither affected working conditions nor job satisfaction in a significant manner.
Practical implications
Covid-19 necessitated working from home, which is a peculiar work–life balance situation. The findings are helpful for organisations in planning strategies related to work–life-balance, working hours, multi-skilling, working conditions and other quality of work life factors in both regular working conditions and under Covid-19 conditions.
Social implications
The proven influence of work pressure and work–life-balance practices may result in the formation of informal organisations, social groups and increased social networking. As working hours are not diagnosed as an influencing factor for job satisfaction, organisations may think about increasing them, affecting the social fabric of the working community.
Originality/value
Previously unexplored interrelationships among various quality of work life factors are established. Under Covid-19 circumstances, factors such as working hours, work–life-balance and work pressure are investigated in a novel manner. The factors and their interrelationships are important to both quality management professionals and HR professionals.
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Hongjiang Yao, Yongqiang Chen, Yangbing Zhang and Bo Du
The purpose of this paper is to establish an integrated framework of the antecedents of enforcement after contract violations in construction projects and to examine whether…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to establish an integrated framework of the antecedents of enforcement after contract violations in construction projects and to examine whether contract provisions (control and coordination provisions) and trust (goodwill and competence trust) affect enforcement mechanisms (contractual enforcement and relational enforcement).
Design/methodology/approach
A survey method was employed to test the hypotheses. The authors collected data from the Chinese construction industry, and general contractor respondents were asked to answer a questionnaire about a contract violation by one of their subcontractors.
Findings
Control provisions and competence trust are positively related to contractual enforcement, but goodwill trust is negatively related to contractual enforcement. Relational enforcement is influenced by goodwill trust and competence trust.
Research limitations/implications
This study treats contract violations as a given variable, and it focuses on contract violations by subcontractors. The cross-sectional design makes it difficult to confirm the causality of the relationships.
Practical implications
Overly strict contractual enforcement can generate disputes and a vicious cycle of retaliation, and overly severe relational enforcement can damage a potentially profitable long-term relationship. In construction projects, the violating party will benefit from this study to avoid excessively contractual enforcement and relational enforcement, thus developing a more collaborative atmosphere on the current project and even establishing a solid long-term relationship.
Originality/value
This study extends the project management literature by investigating the antecedents of enforcement after contract violations, an area not yet fully researched.