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1 – 10 of 892This study aims to examine why women transition from wage work to self-employed entrepreneurship, the seemingly insecure and unruly economic sector compared with the stable iron…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to examine why women transition from wage work to self-employed entrepreneurship, the seemingly insecure and unruly economic sector compared with the stable iron rice bowl and the fancy spring rice jobs.
Design/methodology/approach
Based on in-depth interviews in Zhejiang, the entrepreneurial hotbed in coastal China, this study examines the experiences of self-employed female entrepreneurs who used to work in the iron rice bowl and the spring rice jobs and explores their nonconventional career transition and its gendered implications.
Findings
This study finds that these women quit their previous jobs to escape from gendered suppression in wage work where their femininity was stereotyped, devalued or disciplined. By working for themselves, these women embrace a rubber rice bowl that allows them to improvise different forms of femininity that are better rewarded and recognized.
Originality/value
The study contributes to studies on gender and work by framing femininity as a fluid rather than a fixed set of qualities and fills the research gap by illustrating women’s agency in reacting to gender expectations in certain workplaces. The study develops a new concept of rubber rice bowl to describe how entrepreneurship, a seemingly women-unfriendly sphere, attracts women by allowing them to comply with, resist, or improvise normative gender expectations.
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Abstract
Purpose
Career plateau and employee silence are negative employee management phenomena that should be overcome but are challenging. However, relatively speaking, when employees reach a particular career stage, it is inevitable that the hierarchical plateau in the career plateau will occur, while the phenomena of employee silence have the chance to improve. This paper aims to study the influence mechanism of the career plateau on employee silence in an uncertain environment and then provides theoretical support for enhancing the organizational phenomenon of employee silence.
Design/methodology/approach
After considering the effects of career plateau and social desirability of employee silence, this paper obtained 313 samples based on the pilot survey, which were collected anonymously online and offline. Based on passing the data quality test, this experiment uses hierarchical regression, Bootstrap method, interaction graph and slope test to test the mediating variable
Findings
The results show a significant positive correlation between career plateau and employees' silent behavior. Affective commitment plays a partial mediating role between career plateau and employees' silent behavior. Organizational justice not only negatively moderated the relationship between career plateau and affective commitment but also negatively moderated the indirect effect of career plateau on silent behavior through affective commitment.
Originality/value
First, based on the theory of uncertainty management and social exchange theory, this paper develops a behavioral response to the organizational environment based on the principle of fair exchange when employees perceive an uncertain environment. This study innovatively applied the two theories together in one study, establishing a link between the two theories. Second, this study explores the influence of career plateau on employee silence and empirically tests the silent behavior based on the previous division of three dimensions of career plateau. The third study explores affective commitment, the black box of the relationship between career plateau and employee silence. This research also enriches the related research on affective commitment.
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Chanmi Hwang, Byoungho Jin, Linfeng Song and Jing Feng
The purpose of this paper is to examine the factors that influence older adults' intention to use virtual fitting room technology during the COVID-19 pandemic based on the…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine the factors that influence older adults' intention to use virtual fitting room technology during the COVID-19 pandemic based on the extended technology acceptance model (TAM).
Design/methodology/approach
An online survey was conducted with a sample of older adults from 60 to 90 years old (n = 819). A structural equation modeling was conducted to test a proposed research model.
Findings
The results revealed that older adults' behavioral intentions were positively influenced by perceived usefulness and ease of use, and fear of infection during the pandemic was significantly related to the perceived usefulness. Fit concern was not significantly related to perceived usefulness of virtual fitting room technology.
Originality
This research extends the TAM by adding antecedents to perceived usefulness in explaining older adults' adoption of virtual fitting technology.
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Zhang Guangqing, Shenjun Qin, Li Zhen, Han Haiyan, Li Hui and Tao Chang
This study aims to investigate the coupling reaction of epoxide and CO2 catalysed by alkali metal salts in the presence of ß-cyclodextrin (ß-CD) derivatives to generate cyclic…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to investigate the coupling reaction of epoxide and CO2 catalysed by alkali metal salts in the presence of ß-cyclodextrin (ß-CD) derivatives to generate cyclic carbonates at various conditions.
Design/methodology/approach
The coupling reaction was catalysed by alkali metal salts. The effects of the co-catalysts were investigated by using the conversion rate of raw materials. The affecting factors, such as reaction temperature, amount of the co-catalyst and reaction time, were explored. The possible mechanism of the coupling reaction was discussed.
Findings
Results showed that the structure of ß-CD is an important factor influencing the catalytic activity for the coupling reaction of epoxide with CO2. The catalytic system of 2,3,6-trimethyl-ß-CD with potassium iodide (KI) showed a high catalytic activity. The protocol was expanded to various epoxides, which provided the corresponding cyclic carbonates in excellent yields. The apparent decrease in the yields was not detected after four recycling times. Moreover, the mechanism for the synergetic effect of the catalyst was proposed.
Originality/value
The coupling reactions were achieved in the presence of different structure of ß-CD as co-catalysts. The affecting of substituent of ß-CD were investigated.
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This paper seeks to propose that practical wisdom originating within the Chinese classical traditions has been instrumental in China's ascendance to the world stage. Its purpose…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper seeks to propose that practical wisdom originating within the Chinese classical traditions has been instrumental in China's ascendance to the world stage. Its purpose is to analyze biographical data across 200 Chinese business leaders in order to gauge the relative influence of two competing ideologies – Maoism and Confucianism.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper is based on a two‐step design process. First, modern day leadership archetypes characterizing Maoist and Confucian ideology were developed from the literature. Second, these archetypes were applied in the content analysis of biographical data on Chinese business leaders.
Findings
There was evidence of both Maoism and Confucianism in the practices of Chinese business leaders. An unintended, third cohort of leaders emerged, representative of the younger end of the biographical distribution, who appear to embrace paradox in their ideological orientation.
Practical implications
There were three practical implications for management and leadership development: the importance of integrating the concept of paradox into management and leadership development curricula; the provision of illustrative alternatives to western world leadership exemplars; and increased emphasis on global leadership as an emergent phenomenon with particular attention to the burgeoning internationalization of Chinese enterprise and its associated ideologies.
Originality/value
The current leadership literature is dominated by western world exemplars. This paper offers an alternative view; one rich with the wisdom and classical traditions of the Chinese culture.
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The purpose of this paper is to create a new research direction within the domain of firms’ strategic orientations.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to create a new research direction within the domain of firms’ strategic orientations.
Design/methodology/approach
Based on data from Swedish multinational corporations (MNCs), this paper identifies types, i.e. configurations, of strategic orientations involving the components of entrepreneurial orientation and market orientation, and examines relationships with performance in foreign markets. Cluster analysis identifies types, and linear regression analysis examines relationships with performance in foreign markets.
Findings
Four types of orientations were found: conservative; entrepreneurial; maximizing; and irresolute. Furthermore, it was found that the relationship with performance in foreign markets is most positive for the maximizing followed by the conservative and irresolute.
Research limitations/implications
First, it is established that entrepreneurial orientation and market orientation do not operate in isolation but are mutually supportive. Second, by establishing that type of orientations makes a difference for performance, this paper goes beyond the predominant view saying that just degrees matter. Third, the findings contribute to resource-advantage theory by establishing that competitive advantage results from resources being complementary in nature.
Practical implications
Instead of solely relying only on entrepreneurial orientation, or market orientation, corporations are advised to carefully evaluate their configuration of orientations. The evaluation is decisive because it cites implications for performance.
Originality/value
The study contributes to the literature on strategic orientation in a unique way as it captures performance implications stemming from types of strategic orientations.
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Bingjun Li, Shuhua Zhang, Wenyan Li and Yifan Zhang
Grey modeling technique is an important element of grey system theory, and academic articles applied to agricultural science research have been published since 1985, proving the…
Abstract
Purpose
Grey modeling technique is an important element of grey system theory, and academic articles applied to agricultural science research have been published since 1985, proving the broad applicability and effectiveness of the technique from different aspects and providing a new means to solve agricultural science problems. The analysis of the connotation and trend of the application of grey modeling technique in agricultural science research contributes to the enrichment of grey technique and the development of agricultural science in multiple dimensions.
Design/methodology/approach
Based on the relevant literature selected from China National Knowledge Infrastructure, the Web of Science, SpiScholar and other databases in the past 37 years (1985–2021), this paper firstly applied the bibliometric method to quantitatively visualize and systematically analyze the trend of publication, productive author, productive institution, and highly cited literature. Then, the literature is combed by the application of different grey modeling techniques in agricultural science research, and the literature research progress is systematically analyzed.
Findings
The results show that grey model technology has broad prospects in the field of agricultural science research. Agricultural universities and research institutes are the main research forces in the application of grey model technology in agricultural science research, and have certain inheritance. The application of grey model technology in agricultural science research has wide applicability and precise practicability.
Originality/value
By analyzing and summarizing the application trend of grey model technology in agricultural science research, the research hotspot, research frontier and valuable research directions of grey model technology in agricultural science research can be more clearly grasped.
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Ruicheng Wang and William Chongyang Zhou
Two types of institutional constraints, namely, institutional voids and policy uncertainty, have been recognised and elaborated, including their influence on new venture…
Abstract
Purpose
Two types of institutional constraints, namely, institutional voids and policy uncertainty, have been recognised and elaborated, including their influence on new venture performance. However, not enough attention has been paid to the multidimensional attribute of institutional transformation. By hinting at a relatively underexplored third type of institutional constraints, i.e. institutional fragility, this paper aims to build a comprehensive framework of institutional constraints to analyse how innovative start-up performance is influenced by institutional constraints.
Design/methodology/approach
Using Chinese manufacturing firms as the empirical sample, the authors use an econometric method to test the relationship between institutional constraints and the performance of innovative start-ups.
Findings
On the basis of a uniquely constructed database from 2005 to 2007, the authors find that institutional constraints are negatively associated with innovative start-up performance proxied by return on assets, sales growth and new product sales.
Originality/value
The study offers researchers and practitioners a detailed view of institutional constraints and innovative start-up performance.
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Kh. Hosseinzadeh, Elham Montazer, Mohammad Behshad Shafii and D.D. Ganji
The purpose of this paper is to investigate natural convection in a porous wavy-walled enclosure that is including a cylinder cavity in the middle of it and filled with a hybrid…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to investigate natural convection in a porous wavy-walled enclosure that is including a cylinder cavity in the middle of it and filled with a hybrid nanofluid contains 1-Butanol as the base fluid and MoS2–Fe3O4 hybrid nanoparticles.
Design/methodology/approach
The domain of interest is bounded by constant temperature horizontal corrugated surfaces and isothermal vertical flat surfaces. The numerical outputs are explained in the type of isotherms, streamline and average Nusselt number with variations of the Rayleigh number, Hartmann number, nanoparticle shape factor and porosity of the porous medium. For solving the governing equations, the finite element method has been used.
Findings
The results show that Nuave is proportional to Rayleigh and nanoparticle shape factor directly as well as it has an inverse relation with Hartmann and porosity. The obtained results reveal that the shape factor parameter has a significant effect on the heat transfer performance, which shows a 55.44% contribution on the average Nusselt number.
Originality/value
As a novelty, to maximize the heat transfer performance in a corrugated walls enclosure, the optimal parameters have intended by using the response surface and Taguchi methods. Additionally, an accurate correlation for the average Nusselt number is developed with sensibly great precision.
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Tiannv Ma and Siying Yang
This study aims to examine how entrepreneurial orientation affects new venture performance in a dynamic environment. The authors examine whether entrepreneurial bricolage and…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to examine how entrepreneurial orientation affects new venture performance in a dynamic environment. The authors examine whether entrepreneurial bricolage and opportunity recognition mediate the effect of entrepreneurial orientation on new venture performance and whether environmental dynamics moderate the above effects.
Design/methodology/approach
This study uses questionnaires to collect data. The sample includes responses of managers from 274 new Chinese ventures. Regression analysis and bootstrapping are used to test the hypotheses.
Findings
Entrepreneurial bricolage and opportunity recognition play mediating roles between entrepreneurial orientation and new venture performance. Environmental dynamism positively moderates the relationship between opportunity recognition and new venture performance.
Practical implications
In a dynamic environment, new ventures should strengthen their entrepreneurial orientation, which would gradually improve their performance by improving their entrepreneurial bricolage and opportunity recognition ability.
Originality/value
This study innovatively explains the relationship between entrepreneurial orientation and new venture performance from the perspectives of “flexible solutions to current problems” and “discovering and grasping potential new opportunities.” It does so by using the concepts of entrepreneurial bricolage and entrepreneurial opportunity identification in the context of a dynamic environment.
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