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.
Description:
Intercultural competency (ICC) has been an extensively researched area within the past decade, given the broad consensus that this trait constitutes one of the key competencies of the 21st century manager. However, somewhat under-explored are aspects including the implications and effects that pedagogies such as blended learning have on the inculcation of ICC traits, specifically within the context of multicultural, multi-ethnic university level student groups in Australia, within which this research has been conducted. Drawing on social psychology, this exploratory study examines perceptual data on blended learning experiences within a cross-cultural higher education setting. Results suggest that intercultural competency is best learned through social exchanges, such as faceto-face rather than blended learning. Our findings provide support for the importance of context, which is significantly related to cross-cultural studies and curriculum development and design.
Description:
Intercultural competency (ICC) has been an extensively researched area within the past decade, given the broad consensus that this trait constitutes one of the key competencies of the 21st century manager. However, somewhat under-explored are aspects including the implications and effects that pedagogies such as blended learning have on the inculcation of ICC traits, specifically within the context of multicultural, multi-ethnic university level student groups in Australia, within which this research has been conducted. Drawing on social psychology, this exploratory study examines perceptual data on blended learning experiences within a cross-cultural higher education setting. Results suggest that intercultural competency is best learned through social exchanges, such as faceto-face rather than blended learning. Our findings provide support for the importance of context, which is significantly related to cross-cultural studies and curriculum development and design.
Description:
During the early days in the public service, Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) were in the form of charts and graphs. This was to be my first experience with performance measurement and, although the use of performance indicators was confined to more senior management and did not affect me personally at the time, they were to be at the vanguard of a culture change that would eventually permeate the entire organization and the public sector in general. Experience with performance measure was, to me, the first evidence of aculture of continuous improvement and hinted at what I viewed as an attempt at a marked departure from the bureaucratic past.
Description:
The purpose of this paper was to examine the influence of individual and situational level factors on internal whistle-blowing intentions, within a South African context. This is the first quantitative study of whistle-blowing in South Africa. Quantitative survey data, encompassing 250 senior, middle and lower-level management/administration personnel was analysed. Majority of surveyed participants indicated positive intentions toward whistle-blowing. Majority also believes that general sense of morality and professional ethics are the most influential motivations for whistle-blowing. Improved internal organizational systems and external legal systems were surprisingly found to discourage whistle-blowing in our sample. A theoretical basis for future research is extrapolated, with the main findings highlighting the importance of positive organizational values/culture and the perpetuation of business ethics awareness.
Description:
The purpose of this paper was to examine the influence of individual and situational level factors on internal whistle-blowing intentions, within a South African context. This is the first quantitative study of whistle-blowing in South Africa. Quantitative survey data, encompassing 250 senior, middle and lower-level management/administration personnel was analysed. Majority of surveyed participants indicated positive intentions toward whistle-blowing. Majority also believes that general sense of morality and professional ethics are the most influential motivations for whistle-blowing. Improved internal organizational systems and external legal systems were surprisingly found to discourage whistle-blowing in our sample. A theoretical basis for future research is extrapolated, with the main findings highlighting the importance of positive organizational values/culture and the perpetuation of business ethics awareness.
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.
Description:
Students’ conceptions of learning or preconceived views of what learning means to students have been found to play a significant role in how they choose to approach their learning. This study investigates conceptions of learning held by accounting students in their second- and third-years in university. The study is based on phenomenographic and content-analytic approaches applied to survey responses of 207 accounting students from an Australian university. In the first phase of the analysis we identify 6 learning conceptions. Learning is conceived as: (1) increase of knowledge; (2) understanding; (3) knowledge acquisition for application; (4) a pathway to success; (5) seeing in new ways; and (6) self-development. Compared to similar studies we did not find evidence of the conception ‘learning as memorisation’. In contrast to prior research ‘learning as understanding’ emerged as a lower- order conception of learning in accounting students in this study. In the second phase we find that, after controlling for a range of factors that are likely to affect students’ conceptions of learning third-year students are more likely to adopt a higher-order conception. However, majority of the students, including third year students, continue to adopt low-order conceptions. These findings highlight the need to extend student learning beyond the acquisition of technical skills and knowledge to instil higher-order learning conceptions which underpin the development of generic skills much demanded of professional accountants. As a result, the findings of this study have implications for curriculum and assessment design, and learning and teaching practice in accounting degree programs.
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.
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"
Description:
Public sector organizations have existed for thousands of years and have long been equated with bureaucracy. Andreski (1984, p.104) cites the Chinese and Roman empires as classic examples of bureaucracy, describing them as "administrative machines," while Gaebler (1996) states that bureaucratic structure originated with the Roman army around 2,500 years ago. This gave rise to the concept of a bureaucracy based on traditional military ideals and "good administration" (Hood 1991) and paved the way for the modernist concept of the bureaucracy. Traditional organizations depended on bureaucratic structures to ensure that work was completed efficiently by removing error and idosyncrasy and reinforcing conformity and obedience. Bureau-cratic, or mechanized, structures rely upon centralized decision-making, formalized rules, and highly specialized tasks (Taylor 1911, 1913 and Weber 1947, cited in Sadler 1999)
Description:
This chapter begins by describing the purpose, aim and scope of the book. It describes the historical context of the public sector culture, the change resulting from the introduction of the philosophies of New Public Mangaement (NPM) and managerialism, and the effects that these changes have had on public sector employees, particularly those employed in the sector prior to the introduction of NPM. The book analyzes institutional theory and examines the effects that attempting to conform to the mandated NPM philosophy while retaining traditional bureaucratic methodologies has had on those affected organizations and their staff members.
Description:
Over the years the new institutionalism in public sector analysis has contributed significantly to our understanding of the dynamics of public sector institutions. While it has moved research away from behavioural explanations to recognizing political and cultural contexts, the focus on public sector institutions has been minimal. This research examines, by self-report questionnaire from employees in two government organizations, how institutional mechanisms shape whistle-blowing intentions within the context of a developing country. Despite the country context, findings from this study are encouraging in that participants’ intentions to blow the whistle were found, generally, to be strong.
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.
Description:
Purpose – Using the case of a cross-cultural setting, the purpose of this paper is to compare perceptions of students towards face-to-face learning and blended learning. A social constructivist perspective is used which implies that cultural data are in fact social constructs made on the basis of the participants’ own cultural thought patterns and the concepts and categories to which they are socialised within learning organisations. This paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach – Perceptual evidence forms the primary qualitative and quantitative data for this study. The paper uses social constructivist approach with empirical data in developing the notion that cross-cultural management is a process whereby people, through social interactions, acquire participative competence for working in cross-cultural settings. Findings – Perceptual data emerging from this study point out that considering the learning objectives of a cross-cultural context are paramount when engaging in cross-cultural management curriculum and teaching design. Such social contexts, while complex and challenging, is often a perfect opportunity where cross-cultural competence can be developed. Originality/value – The value of the study lies in the original insights it offers into student experiences and the challenges to adopt a “one size fits all” strategy in a cross-cultural setting.
Description:
There is a large body of literature which acknowledges that women play vital roles in protecting and managing forest resources around the world (Agarwal, 2010b; Colfer, 2013; FAO, 2006, 2007; Mai, Mwangi, & Wan, 2011; Sewell Jr, 1992). Despite their contributions to forest management, women are still largely excluded from decision making roles in forestry organizations, especially in developing countries (FAO, 2007). As a result, most of the forestry related decisions are made by males, resulting in the marginalisation of women’s interests in forest management and minimizing the potential contributions of women (ABS, 2013; Christie & Giri, 2011; Lidestav, 2010). The history of forest management in Nepal typifies this gender bias in forestry governance (Christie & Giri, 2011; Giri & Faculty, 2008). While men are actively involved in decision making processes within formal environmental organizations and institutions, women are more likely to be involved at informal and grass root levels, including as an unpaid labour force (Agarwal, 2010b). Before the introduction of community based forestry programs, the Nepalese Ministry of Forests and its subsidiaries (referred to here as the forest bureaucracy) was the major organization responsible for governing the forestry sector. After the introduction and advancement of community based forest management programs, and the entry of civil society, donor and other private sector organizations, the scope and nature of forestry governance has been extended in Nepal. Although, this shift in paradigm opened space for the entry of women into different forestry institutions, the under representation of women in forest bureaucracy (still a major part of forestry governance) still continues. Nepalese rural women have low literacy rates and little involvement in public spheres. As a result there is limited access, for women working at the grassroots level, to national level policy making, planning and implementation. It is usually assumed that professional women bring women’s issues and interests into forestry policy and programmes on behalf of grassroots level women. This representation is not always effective (Giri and Faculty, 2008, Agarwal, 2010b). Government forestry institutions represent the country in participating in different national and international forestry agendas including climate change. If ‘grassroots’ women’s agendas are excluded from decision making processes in regard to environment related agendas, the solutions proposed for environmental problems may be ineffective or only partially effective (WOCAN, 2012). This paper examines the existing legislative measures and institutional practices that facilitate or constrain the role of women in Nepalese forestry institutions. This study also investigates how the gendered institutional norms and values associated with forest-governing institutions, such as forest bureaucracies, shape the nature and extent of women’s involvement in decision making processes in the Nepalese forest bureaucracy. We use Feminist Institutionalism (FI) to examine the effect of the gendered nature of forestry institutions, policies and practices that shape the role of women in forest bureaucracy. We extend New Institutionalism (NI) by incorporating feminist perspectives to forestry governance. In exploring why the gender mainstreaming of legislative measures and practices has not been wholly effective, it is important to examine the informal norms and values within an institution. These act to shape both the behaviour of the individual and political outcomes. Since forestry is highly gendered sector based on different social norms and values, NI is considered a good approach to study those institutions. New Institutionalism is a cutting theme which crosses various disciplines, and holds the interest of historians, sociologists, economists, political scientists and social theorists (Goodin, 1996). New Institutionalism was constructed as a progressive version of older, descriptive approaches to institutionalism in order to understand the role of formal and informal rules which affect the political behaviour of individuals (Gherardi, 1996). This paper examines opportunities and challenges involved in: a) promoting women’s participation in forest governance; and b) establishing an influential role for women in forestry governance. To date, researchers using the approach of institutionalism have not adequately considered the gender perspective, especially within the context of developing countries (Tripp, 2007). This study will therefore extend NI further through theoretical and practical insights, relating gendered issues to NI and particularly its sub-branch, FI.
Description:
There is a large body of literature which acknowledges that women play vital roles in protecting and managing forest resources around the world (Agarwal, 2010b; Colfer, 2013; FAO, 2006, 2007; Mai, Mwangi, & Wan, 2011; Sewell Jr, 1992). Despite their contributions to forest management, women are still largely excluded from decision making roles in forestry organizations, especially in developing countries (FAO, 2007). As a result, most of the forestry related decisions are made by males, resulting in the marginalisation of women’s interests in forest management and minimizing the potential contributions of women (ABS, 2013; Christie & Giri, 2011; Lidestav, 2010). The history of forest management in Nepal typifies this gender bias in forestry governance (Christie & Giri, 2011; Giri & Faculty, 2008). While men are actively involved in decision making processes within formal environmental organizations and institutions, women are more likely to be involved at informal and grass root levels, including as an unpaid labour force (Agarwal, 2010b). Before the introduction of community based forestry programs, the Nepalese Ministry of Forests and its subsidiaries (referred to here as the forest bureaucracy) was the major organization responsible for governing the forestry sector. After the introduction and advancement of community based forest management programs, and the entry of civil society, donor and other private sector organizations, the scope and nature of forestry governance has been extended in Nepal. Although, this shift in paradigm opened space for the entry of women into different forestry institutions, the under representation of women in forest bureaucracy (still a major part of forestry governance) still continues. Nepalese rural women have low literacy rates and little involvement in public spheres. As a result there is limited access, for women working at the grassroots level, to national level policy making, planning and implementation. It is usually assumed that professional women bring women’s issues and interests into forestry policy and programmes on behalf of grassroots level women. This representation is not always effective (Giri and Faculty, 2008, Agarwal, 2010b). Government forestry institutions represent the country in participating in different national and international forestry agendas including climate change. If ‘grassroots’ women’s agendas are excluded from decision making processes in regard to environment related agendas, the solutions proposed for environmental problems may be ineffective or only partially effective (WOCAN, 2012). This paper examines the existing legislative measures and institutional practices that facilitate or constrain the role of women in Nepalese forestry institutions. This study also investigates how the gendered institutional norms and values associated with forest-governing institutions, such as forest bureaucracies, shape the nature and extent of women’s involvement in decision making processes in the Nepalese forest bureaucracy. We use Feminist Institutionalism (FI) to examine the effect of the gendered nature of forestry institutions, policies and practices that shape the role of women in forest bureaucracy. We extend New Institutionalism (NI) by incorporating feminist perspectives to forestry governance. In exploring why the gender mainstreaming of legislative measures and practices has not been wholly effective, it is important to examine the informal norms and values within an institution. These act to shape both the behaviour of the individual and political outcomes. Since forestry is highly gendered sector based on different social norms and values, NI is considered a good approach to study those institutions. New Institutionalism is a cutting theme which crosses various disciplines, and holds the interest of historians, sociologists, economists, political scientists and social theorists (Goodin, 1996). New Institutionalism was constructed as a progressive version of older, descriptive approaches to institutionalism in order to understand the role of formal and informal rules which affect the political behaviour of individuals (Gherardi, 1996). This paper examines opportunities and challenges involved in: a) promoting women’s participation in forest governance; and b) establishing an influential role for women in forestry governance. To date, researchers using the approach of institutionalism have not adequately considered the gender perspective, especially within the context of developing countries (Tripp, 2007). This study will therefore extend NI further through theoretical and practical insights, relating gendered issues to NI and particularly its sub-branch, FI.