Self-employment and job generation in metropolitan areas, 1969–2009

Many regional development policy initiatives assume that entrepreneurial activities promote economic growth. Empirical research has presented rationale for this argument showing that small firms create proportionally more new jobs than large firms. However, little research has been performed on the issue of net job generation at the urban level, particularly when self-employment is considered as an indicator of entrepreneurial activities. This paper investigates to what extent US metropolitan areas in the 1969–2009 period characterized by relatively high rates of self-employment also have shown relatively high rates of subsequent total employment growth. The analysis corrects for the influence of sectoral composition, wage level, educational attainment, presence of research universities and size of the metropolitan area to measure the extent to which the number and quality of self-employed in a region contribute to total employment growth. It finds the relationship between self-employment rates and subsequent total employment growth to be positive on average during the 40-year period but to weaken over time.     

Deunionization and job polarization – a macroeconomic model analysis for a small open economy

Declining unionization rates and job polarization are two important labor market developments of recent decades. A large body of literature has analyzed these phenomena separately, but little has been done to see whether there is a link between them. We employ a macroeconomic model for a small open economy with a large input–output core to analyze how deunionization may cause job polarization. Our analysis shows that medium-skilled workers are negatively affected by deunionization, mainly as a result of the heterogeneity of the elasticities of substitution between different types of labor. While the elasticities of substitution between high- and medium-skilled labor are relatively low, the elasticities of substitution between medium- and low-skilled are relatively high. As a result, when deunionization leads to increased wage dispersion, we find that demand for low-skilled increases at the expense of medium-skilled labor, thus yielding a more polarized labor market.     

Supply chain analysis of e-tailing versus retailing operation – a case study

The swift growth of e-commerce or e-tailing as a consumer retail channel has made it a serious competitor to traditional retail channels and is changing consumers’ purchasing behaviour. The purpose of this case study, based on Target and Amazon.com, is to analyse the attributes of traditional retailing, e-tailing, and hybrid supply chain models to form conclusions about the feasibility of an idealised supply chain model for the future. An integrated and generalised modelling framework is used that incorporates Six Sigma – define, measure, analyse, improve, control methodology leveraging various tools, including process flow maps, cause and effect diagram, performance efficiency metrics, failure mode and effects analysis (FMEA), and Monte Carlo simulation. Based on this analysis and research, the conclusion is that the idealised supply chain of the future may evolve into a hybrid supply chain, which includes both e-tail and retail channels. The main recommendations from this study include assessing the risks of migrating to such a hybrid supply chain and to leverage the recommended actions provided in the hybrid FMEA. To facilitate more effective and mature processes, this study can guide researchers in exhaustive empirical evaluations of hybrid supply chains, gather experiences and lessons learned for practitioners.     

Pushed out or pulled in? Self-employment among ethnic minorities in England and Wales

High rates of self-employment among ethnic minorities in England and Wales are investigated using a framework in which the self-employment decision is influenced by ethnic-specific attributes as well as sectoral earnings differentials. As expected, differences in an individual's predicted earnings in paid and self-employment are strongly correlated with self-employment decisions. Individuals with low English fluency, and recent immigrants, are less likely than other members of ethnic minorities to be self-employed. Perhaps surprisingly, this is also true of individuals living in “enclaves” — areas with a high percentage of their own ethnic group. The relatively deprived nature of such areas of England and Wales may explain this.     

Employee work–life balance outcomes in Ireland: a multilevel investigation of supervisory support and perceived organizational support

This article examines how employee perceptions of supervisory and organizational support for work–life balance, in addition to the number of work–life balance programmes available, predict a number of work–life balance outcomes including role conflict, job satisfaction, family satisfaction and turnover intentions in a sample of large private and public sector organizations in Ireland. The attitudes of HR managers towards work–life balance programmes are also explored. To account for the nested structure of the data, analyses were conducted using hierarchical linear modelling. We found that perceptions of work–life supportiveness as measured at the HR manager and immediate supervisor levels affect employee uptake of work–life programmes, employee work–life balance outcomes and turnover intentions.     

Retention,turnover and return – a longitudinal study of allied health professionals in Britain

Problems of retention and turnover of allied health professionals are under-researched. A longitudinal (two-year) study of four allied health professions (AHPs) in the British health-care system sampled from three categories – stayers, leavers and returners. Qualitative data identified respondents' (n = 1925) own reasons for staying within the National Health Service (NHS), leaving it or returning to it. Data at the second stage of the study (n = 719) additionally identified reasons for staying in non-NHS employment. Responses show key differences among stayers, leavers and returners for their employment choice decisions. Differences between AHPs in the NHS and those working outside it are also identified. Longitudinal data revealed the influence of the changing employment context on employment choice decisions. Findings are related to the policy context and relevant theoretical literature. Recommendations for future research, particularly focusing on stayers so as to enhance retention strategies, are made.     

Modelling innovation support systems for regional development – analysis of cluster structures in innovation in Portugal

The present article offers a concise theoretical conceptualization and operational analysis of the contribution of innovation to regional development. The latter concepts are closely related to geographical proximity, knowledge diffusion and filters and clustering. Institutional innovation profiles and regional patterns of innovation are two mutually linked, novel conceptual elements in this article. Next to a theoretical framing, the article employs the regional innovation systems concept as a vehicle to analyse institutional innovation profiles. Our case study addresses three Portuguese regions and their institutions, included in a web-based inventory of innovation agencies which offered the foundation for an extensive database. This data-set was analysed by means of a recently developed principal coordinates analysis followed by a Logistic Biplot approach (leading to a Voronoi mapping) to design a systemic typology of innovation structures where each institution is individually represented. There appears to be a significant difference in the regional innovation patterns resulting from the diverse institutional innovation profiles concerned. These profiles appear to be region specific. Our conclusion highlights the main advantages in the use of the method used for policy-makers and business companies.     

Narrating strategy in the flow of events – Illusion and disillusion in strategy-making

Narrative strategy-making is useful in the mobilization of strategies because narratives impart coherence and linearity to our understanding of organizational events. Our paper examines the relation between narrative strategy-making and the flow of events. We present a longitudinal, participatory study of a software company seeking global growth. Specifically, we followed events preceding and succeeding construction of the strategic ‘success stories’ used by the software company’s managers in investor negotiations. We conceptualize the point of illusion and disillusion underlying the temporal construction and use of strategy narratives and show how the former enables strategy-making, while the latter constrains it. We add to narrative strategy research by elaborating the relation between the construction of strategy narratives and the flow of organizational events.     

Public–private innovation: barriers in the case of mobility as a service in West Sweden

Departing from open innovation (OI), this case study explores the development of Mobility as a Service (MaaS) in West Sweden. An analysis of 19 interviews reveals how representatives from involved actors perceive internal and external barriers as hampering the regional public transport authority’s attempts to collaborate with private actors, and that the perception of barriers is incongruent across public and private actors. Transferability to other cases of public–private OI is discussed, and implications for public actors are proposed. The paper expands the knowledge of preconditions for MaaS’ development and of the unique conditions for OI in public–private settings.     

The strategies of supply chain risk management – a synthesis and classification

This paper conducts an in-depth systematic literature review of 86 peer-reviewed academic journal articles on supply chain risk management (SCRM) strategies from 2000 to mid-2015. The findings indicate a variety of dispersed supply chain risk (SCR) mitigating strategies and suggest a more homogeneous use of terminology. Moreover, the analysis also reveals insufficient evidence for the effect of SCRM on performance. The current study groups and synthesises the various SCRM strategies into proactive and reactive approaches for the ante and the post disruption state and classifies them according to the different supply chain types. Altogether the findings provide essential practical and theoretical contributions to strategic responses to adverse incidents by creating a unique conceptual framework of SCRM strategies and providing direction towards promising areas of research.     

Method of evaluating the impact of ERP implementation critical success factors – a case study in oil and gas industries

The so far implemented enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems have in many cases failed to meet the requirements regarding the business process control, decrease of business costs and increase of company profit margin. Therefore, there is a real need for an evaluation of the influence of ERP on the company's performance indicators. Proposed in this article is an advanced model for the evaluation of the success of ERP implementation on organisational and operational performance indicators in oil–gas companies. The recommended method establishes a correlation between a process-based method, a scorecard model and ERP critical success factors. The method was verified and tested on two case studies in oil–gas companies using the following procedure: the model was developed, tested and implemented in a pilot gas–oil company, while the results were implemented and verified in another gas–oil company.     

Market and learning orientation in times of turbulence: relevance questioned? An analysis using a multi-case study

This paper aims to pinpoint and to discuss the factors that determine (i) why companies which have previously not been market oriented become so, and (ii) why already market-oriented companies increase their level of market orientation. This paper also analyses drivers of market orientation adoption and dynamics of processes as well as potential links between market orientation, strategy and learning orientation. Empirical research is based on a multi-case study of the Spanish construction and real state industry, providing a longitudinal approach. Data suggest that competitive environments trigger heightened interest in the market orientation and learning orientation constructs. In the analysed industry market orientation seems to be more prevalent in the “sunset” rather than before during the “sunrise” of the industry, which is opposite to the early work of Baker et al. (In: Sauders J (ed) The Marketing Initiative: ESRC Studies into British Marketing. Preentice-Hall, Hemel Hempstead, 1994). The link between market orientation and strategy is unclear, but proactive firms are better prepared for periods of crisis. Thinking on practical implications, this research highlights the relevance of market orientation and learning orientation in times of turbulence and suggests that proactive firms are better prepared for times of turbulence. The paper also includes discussion and implications for both literature and practice. Recommendations for best practices are also provided.     

On startups and doublethink – resistance and conformity in negotiating the meaning of entrepreneurship

Startup entrepreneurship is – in the literature, in the discourse of those engaging in it, and in cultural representations of the same – presented both as resistance against prevailing corporate logics and as a path towards becoming a corporate entity. Resistance, claimed or otherwise, is not just a reaction to a perceived outrage or a power imbalance, but is in itself a constitutive part of contemporary entrepreneurship, particularly as this is culturally constructed. We study this paradox, where a discourse of resistance becomes a productive part of entrepreneurial culture, by way of a case study of a successful startup. We analyze the manner in which people working in the startup utilize ‘doublethink’ to portray the organization both as resistance to an assumed, more corporate, ‘Other’ and also as a budding corporation unto itself. By doing so, we highlight how a discourse of resistance works as a value in entrepreneurship culture as well as a productive element of the same. In our case, resistance and corporate conformity come together in a way that defies easy classification; one where notions of resistance exist as easy-to-adopt identity positions and where doublethink becomes a productive way of dealing with corporate success.     

Entrepreneurial orientation in work groups – effects of individuals and group characteristics

This study discusses how the perceived entrepreneurial orientation (EO) of individuals, and in particular that of the work group leader impacts the perceived EO of the work group, which in turn improves the work group’s performance. Using a sample of 356 individual employees of five companies operating globally in diverse industries, the results of our structural equation model and multiple linear regression analyses indicate that both the group members and work group leader’s EO decisively encourage the EO of the work group, with a significantly positively effect on its performance. Furthermore, while work group heterogeneity shows a small but significant positive influence, a shared vision in the work group is found to have a clearly positive impact on work group EO. Accordingly, this study has crucial practical implications for work groups and their leaders aspiring to ameliorate work group performance through EO increasing measures with reference to the specific individual and group characteristics. From a theoretical perspective, this research contributes to the academic debate on the EO concept at individual and work group levels.     

Triggers of HR outsourcing decisions – an empirical analysis of German firms

This paper takes an explanatory approach to the triggers of Human Resource (HR) outsourcing decisions and evaluates them empirically. Our data show that many German firms have never explicitly considered outsourcing of HR functions. Obviously, explicit outsourcing decisions do not come into being automatically but have to be triggered. We analyze theoretically and empirically which triggers are relevant. In our definition, HR outsourcing includes a broad range of internal HR functions and the respective, externally procured personnel services (e.g., temporary agency work, payroll accounting, interim management, outplacement services, HR consulting, placement services and others).     

The role of villages in households’ poverty exit: evidence from a multilevel model for rural Vietnam

Vietnam experienced a dramatic drop in overall poverty during the 90s. However, the poverty reduction showed substantial variation across households, villages and regions. Using a multilevel model on panel data from the rural sample of the Vietnam Living Standard Measurement Survey we demonstrate the important role of villages in household poverty exit dynamics. We also show how an analysis of village-level random effects predictions can help targeting of policies to reduce poverty.     

The organizational infrastructure of continuous improvement – an empirical analysis

To pursue constant incremental improvements, firms must develop the dynamic capability of continuous improvement (CI). Research suggests that an organizational infrastructure is necessary to sustain CI capability. Although there have been some attempts to delineate a comprehensive model for CI infrastructure, empirical investigation is still underdeveloped. The present study explores key dimensions of the organizational infrastructure—strategic alignment, teamwork for problem solving, and goals management systems. We analyze their effects on CI capability by using a database of 266 firms. We identify the variables that underlie the organizational infrastructure through exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis of measurement items, and then we perform a structural equation model linking the infrastructure to CI capability. Our findings suggest that strategic alignment and teamwork for problem solving affect CI capability. This study contributes to the operationalization of the organizational infrastructure and to the understanding of how it affects CI capability in operations management contexts.     

Toward a continuum of measurement scales in Just-in-Time (JIT) research – an examination of the predictive validity of single-item and multiple-item measures

We compare the predictive validity of single-item and multiple-item measures utilized in Just-in-Time (JIT) research. The study examines if single-item measures could be used for some of the JIT practices, especially if the object of inquiry is concrete singular and if the attribute to be researched is concrete. Arguments are developed for the concrete nature of the JIT practice of “set-up time reduction” and we examine the ability of a single-item measure of this variable to predict the criterion variable (delivery performance). In addition, the study also examines the efficacy of using multiple-item measures for variables that are abstract in nature, and thereby attempts to develop a continuum of JIT constructs ranging from concrete to abstract. The results obtained by analyzing two sets of survey data show that multiple-item measures are not necessarily more valid than single-item measures for all constructs. The findings provide evidence that multiple-item measures and single-item measures for scale development should be contingent upon the nature of constructs. For concrete constructs, single-item measures are as valid as multi-item measures. Meanwhile, for abstract constructs it is important to ensure that multiple items are considered to capture the multi-dimensional nature of these constructs. Results also reveal that JIT practices display significant differences in terms of abstract/concrete perceptions. The paper presents theoretical and practical implications of the findings, and offers directions for future research.     

Does entrepreneurship pay for women and immigrants? A 30 year assessment of the socio-economic impact of entrepreneurial activity in Germany

Abstract

Using data from the German Socio-Economic Panel from 1984 to 2012, we explore income effects of self-employment for females and migrants. Controlling for the selection into self-employment, we differentiate the overall earnings differential between the self-employed and the wage-employed into an endowment effect (they are equipped with characteristics that positively affect earnings in either occupation) and a treatment effect (the income effect solely due to the decision for self-employment). We find that women exhibit both a lower treatment effect and a lower endowment effect than men. Migrants benefit much more from entrepreneurial activities than Germans, having a significantly higher treatment effect. Among the countries of origin, Turkish migrants benefit the most from their self-employment decision, while southern Europeans exhibit the lowest income relevant skills.