A qualitative enquiry into trans-national challenges of migrant workers through the lenses of work-family interface
- Authors: Pillay, Soma , Abhayawansa, Subhash
- Date: 2011
- Type: Text , Conference paper
- Relation: Global problems and national regulations : Challenges to regulatory strategies, 2011 International Congress of the International Institute of Administrative Sciences (IIAS); Lausanne, Switzerland; 4th-8th July 2011
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- Description: Background-Against the backdrop of significant migration changes and the further growth projected in the diversity of the workforce, we explore the trans-national challenges of migrant workers, from a cultural perspective. Aim-Drawing from sociological and administrative theory,we seek to understand how different cultural settings influence transnational experiences. Method-We report the results of a qualitative exploratory study through the lens of institutional anomie theory. Results-Drawing on this evidence, and on sociological and administrative theory, our findings and theoretical explanation lends strong support to understanding that the greater the gap in the cultural orientation of the worker’s home country and new country, the greater the disequilibrium and anomie in work family interface. This study also confirms that cross cultural variables has a direct impact on trans-national challenges experienced by migrant workers. Conclusion-Our findings assist in developing strategic understanding of how trans-national challenges may improve current practices and policies.
An examination of consistency theory and employee performance through the lenses of SMEs in the United Arab Emirates (UAE)
- Authors: Riaz, Shoaib , Pillay, Soma , Khan, Rameez
- Date: 2013
- Type: Text , Conference paper
- Relation: Managing on the edge, 27th Australian and New Zealand Academy of Management Conference (ANZAM 2013); Hobart, Australia; 4th-6th December 2013 p. 1-21
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- Description: This paper advances our understanding of the variables contributing towards the consistent performance of employees in the SMEs of U.A.E. No such study has been conducted in the Arab world yet. This study applies concepts examined in developed countries (with regards to the large organizations) to the SMEs in a developing country. Data was collected from 107 SME managers/owners working in U.A.E. Results indicated that the variables studied in developed countries are valid in U.A.E as well; a country with predominantly Arab culture. Findings suggest that all the variables discussed in this research are positively correlated with the consistent performance of the SMEs’ employees in U.A.E.
An exploratory study into work/family balance within the Australian higher education sector
- Authors: Pillay, Soma , Kluvers, Ron , Abhayawansa, Subhash , Vranic, Vedran
- Date: 2013
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Higher Education Research and Development Vol. 32, no. 2 (2013), p. 228-243
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- Description: The higher education landscape is undergoing major transformation, with a significant impact on the work and family practices of academics and professional staff. The purpose of this exploratory study is to examine the extent to which (1) time-related, (2) strain-related and (3) demographical variables impact on the work/family balance of academic and professional staff in Victorian universities and Technical and Further Education (TAFE) institutes. Our findings reveal that university employees experience greater work/family imbalance. The results of this research demonstrate how the three constructs contribute to work/family imbalance in academia, especially within the university sector. This paper is believed to be the first to explore work/family balance from an Australian cross-sectoral perspective. It provides an agenda for future theory and research to increase understanding of work/family balance from a cross-sectoral perspective.
An institutional theory perspective on corruption : The case of a developing democracy
- Authors: Pillay, Soma , Kluvers, Ron
- Date: 2014
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Financial Accountability & Management Vol. 30, no. 1 (2014), p. 95-119
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- Description: The purpose of this paper is to use quantitative data to describe corruption in the SANPS, and use Luo's ([Luo, Y., 2005]) institutional theory to gain insights into how corruption develops and remains entrenched despite the introduction of anti‐corruption legislation. A total of 1,500 questionnaires were distributed to public servants in nine provinces, but predominantly in Kwa Zulu Natal and Gauteng. There were 702 returned giving a response rate of 47%. We conclude that the findings discussed in this paper lend support for Luo's theoretical model being able to provide insight into the development of corruption, its consequences and possible remedies.
Charting pathways to growth and development through transparent procurement management in Africa
- Authors: Pillay, Soma
- Date: 2021
- Type: Text , Book chapter
- Relation: Public Procurement, Corruption and the Crisis of Governance in Africa Chapter 14 p. 269-286
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- Description: Efficient government procurement system is significant in cases where public procurement accounts for a large portion of economic activity. While in major OECD countries, government procurement ranges from 12-14% of the gross domestic product, this range is substantially larger in Africa. Therefore, ensuring transparency in the procurement procedure is an essential determinant of good governance practice and efficiency, as it enhances the competitiveness of public procurement. In this chapter a review is offered of best practices in public procurement. The chapter also examines transformational procurement which refers to a type of organizational change management focusing on strategies to enable major and long-term improvements to procurement processes, activities, and relationships. As the public sector is becoming focused on procurement transformation, it is timely to strengthen the strategic value of the procurement function and highlight its vital role in increasing efficiency and maximizing the value of money spent. The chapter reviews the most common procurement transformation challenges agencies have been tackling with public procurement professionals across the African continent and a shared perspective on how to overcome them. The introduction of transparent practices is insufficient to ensure competitive public procurement, therefore in order to enjoy maximum benefits from the reform toward transformational and transparent procurement, African countries must simultaneously combat conspiratorial practices of firms in the public procurement tendering system. This chapter also helps us understand the reasons for agencies' reluctance toward introducing transformational procurement in government purchasing. © The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021.
Conclusion
- Authors: Bilney, Chris , Pillay, Soma
- Date: 2015
- Type: Text , Book chapter
- Relation: Public sector organizations and cultural change p. 142-164
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- Description: This chapter synthesizes the argument discussed in previous chapters into a holistic account of the context wherein many public sector organizations in this country have moved toward a private sector model of operation. It addresses the concept of institutional isomorphism within the context of institutional theory and describes how many organizations struggle to relinquish the rsisk-averse behaviours and cultures that impede their adoption of mandated private sector practices. "From conclusion"
Corruption in procurement-antecedents, practices, and challenges
- Authors: Pillay, Soma
- Date: 2021
- Type: Text , Book chapter
- Relation: Public Procurement, Corruption and the Crisis of Governance in Africa Chapter 3 p. 35-54
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- Description: Governance aspects of African democracies have been the focus of theoretical and empirical study for over two decades. With the introduction of newly established democracies, new markets evolved with controversial results. The basic premise of this chapter is that good governance practices are shaped and constructed through organizational practices. Within the most large public and private sector entities, procurement practices are organized around institutional measures and the extent of compliance with legislative controls. This chapter examines corruption in procurement- its antecedents, practices, and challenges, through the lenses of institutional theory. Instances of corruption in African public services are reported on almost a daily basis. There is no scarcity of scandals that illustrate the depth and pervasiveness of corruption. In the wake of these scandals and the role that corruption has played, awareness has grown about the social, political, and economic costs of the corruption which such African countries cannot afford. In Africa, as in most parts of the world, governments are major consumers of goods and services. It is therefore expected that government procurement presents opportunities for governance challenges. Such governance challenges may be attributed to the area of government procurement having a series of unique features and as such participants are susceptible to acts of poor governance such as corruption. Antecedents such as the magnitude and volume of procurement activities, ambiguity around the market value of many of the items being purchased, the spaces for political discretion that exist within government, and interdependence among various agencies, all contribute to government procurement as a fertile ground for corruption. © The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021.
Development Corruption in South Africa : Governance Matters
- Authors: Pillay, Soma
- Date: 2014
- Type: Text , Book
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- Description: Instances of corruption in South Africa are reported on an almost daily basis—there is no scarcity of scandals that illustrate the depth and pervasiveness of this corruption. In the wake of these scandals, awareness has grown about the economic, social, and political costs of corruption, which South Africa cannot afford. With increasing intolerance of these devastating effects, pressure from citizens and financial markets prove the need for a review of good governance matters. Development Corruption in South Africa examines governance matters with a focus on corruption. This rich empirical body on governance variables and governance performance is a welcome addition to South African government literature. Pillay's approach is unique as it improves the gathering, analysing, and disseminating of new data, which is valuable to various stakeholders. This volume analyses governance from a broad analytical framework and includes an analysis of current problems as well as future problems and their causes. Soma Pillay is Senior Lecturer in the Department of Management at Federation University Australia. She teaches across undergraduate and postgraduate programs in the subject areas of organizational behavior, human resource management, organizational management, and international management. Prior to joining academia, Pillay spent many years in the Public Service.
Do as we say, not as we do : Promoting mission statements and values in the light of public sector reform
- Authors: Bilney, Chris , Pillay, Soma
- Date: 2013
- Type: Text , Conference paper
- Relation: Managing ethics on the edge, 3rd Annual Australasian Business Ethics Network Conference (ABEN 2013); Hobart, Australia; 2nd-3rd December 2013
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Double bind in the public service : Competing Paradigms in the Australian public sector
- Authors: Bilney, Chris , Pillay, Soma , Jones, Robert
- Date: 2014
- Type: Text , Conference paper
- Relation: Reshaping Management for Impact, 28th Australian and New Zealand Academy of Management Conference (ANZAM 2014); Sydney, Australia; 3rd-5th December 2014 p. 1-19
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- Description: A dramatic transformation has taken place in the public sector worldwide as many governments have privatised many of their organisations and agencies. As a result, public sector employees worldwide have been exposed to contradictory pressures as their senior executive managers demand adherence to the traditional bureaucratic mechanisms for which they have always been known while concurrently attempting to conform to the economic reductionist principles of their private sector competitors. We argue that this has led to many staff, as well as the organisations in which they work, experiencing situations of double bind. Through the lens of autoethnography, this paper examines the double bind with which I, as an Australian public sector worker, am faced and some of the effects.
Examining Nepalese forestry governance from gender perspectives
- Authors: Wagle, Radha , Pillay, Soma , Wright, Wendy
- Date: 2017
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: International Journal of Public Administration Vol. 40, no. 3 (2017), p. 205-225
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- Description: This article examines Nepalese forestry governance from gender perspectives. We argue that gendered institutional norms and values are associated with forest-governing institutions, such as forest bureaucracies, shaping the nature, and extent of women’s involvement in decision-making processes in the Nepalese forest bureaucracy. Studies on Nepalese forestry reveal that substantial progress has been made in forming policies and initiating activities for including women in forestry governance of Nepal; however despite this, gendered dynamics create difficulties for women to enter and progress in the forestry profession, thereby creating gendered employment territories through institutional, legislative, normative, and infrastructural measures. © 2017 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.
Examining the work–life balance of immigrants in Australia : an anomie theory perspective
- Authors: Pillay, Soma , Riaz, Shoaib , Dorasamy, Nirmala
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: International Journal of Intercultural Relations Vol. 93, no. (2023), p.
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- Description: Against the backdrop of significant migration changes and the predicted further diversification of the workforce, we present the concept of anomie to explain how different sociological and cultural settings influence migrants’ work and family experiences. Anomie refers to the feeling of disorientation and alienation from society caused by a sense of absence of supporting social systems. This article integrates cross-cultural management research into the migration and work–family interface and presents findings from a study of migrants residing in Australia. Through a qualitative methodology using semi-structured interviews and open-ended surveys, our study explored participants’ experiences of social and cultural adaptation orientations and behavioural anomie shifts. The findings and theoretical explanation lend strong support to the understanding that sociological influences and cultural orientation moderate migrants’ experiences. We also present an argument for refining Durkheim's anomie theory to incorporate strains of social, cultural and behavioural consequences concerning migrants’ work and life experiences across cultures. © 2023
Expatriate adjustment and assignment success : The significance of host country support
- Authors: Sokro, Evans , Pillay, Soma
- Date: 2016
- Type: Text , Conference paper
- Relation: Under new management: Innovating for sustainable and just futures, 30th Australian and New Zealand Academy of Management Conference (ANZAM 2016); Brisbane, Australia; 6th -9th December 2016
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- Description: While the recent literature on expatriation acknowledges the importance of host country support in expatriate assignment success, yet few studies have addressed how host country support may influence expatriate adjustment and overall success, especially in sub-Saharan Africa host country context. This study examines expatriates’ perceptions of support from local employees and its impact on expatriates’ adjustment and overall assignment success. Results show that expatriates perceived host country support as important in enhancing their adjustment to host subsidiaries as well as playing a significant role in their assignments success in general. Theoretical and practical implications of these findings are discussed and suggestions for future research are provided.
Exploring barriers, organisational support and demographics as predictors of whistle blowing intentions - an analysis of multi level variables
- Authors: Pillay, Soma , Ramphul, Needesh , Dorasamy, Nirmala , Meyer, Denny
- Date: 2012
- Type: Text , Conference paper
- Relation: 5th Biennal Conference of the Academy of World Business, Marketing and Management Development p. 590-615
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Exploring predictors of job satisfaction in call centres - The case of Australia
- Authors: Annakis, John , Lobo, Antonio , Pillay, Soma
- Date: 2011
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Corporate Ownership and Control Vol. 8, no. 3 D (2011), p. 376-395
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- Description: In this paper we examine predictors of job satisfaction within the call centre industry. Using a qualitative methodology, we investigate the nature and extent of job satisfaction of customer service representatives in two large Australian call centres. The findings from the study confirm that monitoring, personal privacy and flexibility correlate to workers' wellbeing and job satisfaction.
Factors influencing whistle-blowing in South African local government
- Authors: Pillay, Soma , Kluvers, Ron , Reedy, P.
- Date: 2011
- Type: Text , Conference paper
- Relation: The future of work and organisaitons, 25th Australian and New Zealand Academy of Management Conference (ANZAM 2011); Wellington, New Zealand; 7th-9th December 2011 p. 1-25
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- Description: Whistle blowing can be considered a key tool for fighting corruption, encouraging good governance, accountability and transparency in the public sector. Our main research objective was to gain a better sense of variables influencing employees’ intentions to blow the whistle within South African local government A survey document was sent to South African local governments. Respondents were required to indicate their opinions on a five point lickert scale. Principal component Factor analysis was applied to the data. The findings are consistent with previous research into whistle blowing. The need to blow the whistle is reduced if an organization’s control system is seen to have integrity and is perceived as a deterrent against maleficent behaviours.
Feminist institutionalism and gendered bureaucracies : forestry governance in Nepal
- Authors: Wagle, Radha , Pillay, Soma , Wright, Wendy
- Date: 2020
- Type: Text , Book
- Relation: Feminist Institutionalism and Gendered Bureaucracies: Forestry Governance in Nepal
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- Description: This book examines the processes for the inclusion of women, and the role of women employees in Nepal’s forestry bureaucracy. The book adopts a “gender lens” drawn from feminist institutionalism and is framed around the following four objectives: evaluating the effectiveness of current legislative and policy frameworks for the inclusion of women in the Nepalese forest bureaucracy; examining the dynamics of organizational culture, formal and informal institutions, and structure and agency in and around forest bureaucracy in Nepal; assessing power relations in forestry institutions focusing on influential participation of women forestry professionals in the bureaucratic structure; and gaining insights about the alternative space of feminist institutionalism in connection with women inclusive forest bureaucracy. Findings in the book inform and extend feminist institutionalism perspectives by applying it to a context which remains under explored, providing insights on the efficacy of public sector cultural change, especially as it relates to those areas within bureaucracies less in a position to adopt the changes mandated by society and principles of good governance. © The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2020.
Governance and multiculturalism; The White elephant of social construction and cultural identities
- Authors: Koerner, Catherine , Pillay, Soma
- Date: 2019
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- Description: A key intervention in the growing critical literature on race, this volume examines the social construction of race in contemporary Australia through the lenses of Indigenous sovereignty, nationhood, and whiteness. Informed by insights from white Australians in rural contexts, Koerner and Pillay attempt to answer how race shapes those who identify as white Australian; how those who self-identify thusly relate to the nation, multiculturalism, and Indigenous Sovereignties; and how white Australians understand and experience their own racialized position and its privilege. This “insider perspective” on the continuing construction of whiteness in Australia is analyzed and challenged through Indigenous Sovereign theoretical standpoints and voices. Ultimately, this investigation of the social construction of race not only extends conceptualizations of multiculturalism, but also informs governance policy in the light of changing national identity.
Governance in developing countries : Sri Lanka and South Africa compared
- Authors: Samaratunge, Ramanie , Pillay, Soma
- Date: 2011
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: International Journal of Public Administration Vol. 34, no. 6 (2011), p. 389-398
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- Description: In this article, we investigate the main features of the governance model in two developing democracies, Sri Lanka and South Africa. We believe that these two countries are interesting test cases for a comparative study. Both countries are former British colonies and have inherited a similar administrative system heavily influenced by the British colonial model and have experienced an ethnic conflict to different extents in the past. This comparison allows us to examine the determining factors for and against the level of effectiveness of governance in both countries. The findings suggest that the socio-political system within which they operate is dynamic and is an important influence for integrated governance. The study concludes that the outcomes of governance in both countries are better explained by taking into account the features described in an integrated governance model. This provides a better understanding of the dynamics of governance in developing countries.
Groups and teamwork
- Authors: Pillay, Soma
- Date: 2012
- Type: Text , Book chapter
- Relation: Human resource management in Australia and New Zealand Chapter 13 p. 384-411
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- Description: In today's highly competitive environment, organisations realise that they can achieve their goals only through the combined efforts of everybody involved in the organisation. Previously, organisations relied on hierarchiacal, functionally orientated, command-and-control systems. Today, the adoption of a team-based work arrangement creates a flat, focused, flexible, and adaptive organisation capable of rapid responses to change. Groups and teamwork allow for greater participation, increased performance, and ultimately influence the motivation and satisfaction of employees. However, changing to a team-based structure does not guarantee success. Some groups tend to be more successful than others, and for this reason it is essential to investigate the factors that contribute to effective group functioning. The introduction of virtual teams into the workplace also offers new challenges for the way in which people are managed. In this chapter, we explore the nature of groups, how they develope, and the factors that contribute to effective group functioning. We examine the difference between groups and teams, and give special attention to the utilisation of teams in the workplace.