Fara Azmat

Good governance and market-based reforms: a study of Bangladesh

‘Good governance’ is increasingly regarded as pivotal to development in developing countries. The six indicators recognized as the most effective measurement tools of ‘good governance’ across the world are: voice and accountability; political stability and absence of violence; government effectiveness; regulatory quality; rule of law and control of corruption (Kaufmann, Kraay and Lobaton, 2003: 8–9). This paper investigates how lack of ‘good governance’ affects the success and sustainability of the market-based reforms undertaken in the agriculture sector of Bangladesh. The reforms have been associated with increased food grain production, improved food security conditions and easy access by farmers to agricultural inputs. However, a significant problem has arisen recently: the sale of low quality and underweight agricultural inputs sometimes at higher prices has become common. Not only is this problem undermining the positive impact of the reforms, it is also threatening their sustainability. The paper argues that the problems with regulatory quality, rule of law and control of corruption – indicators of good governance – are the underlying reasons for this problem. In the context of increasing pressures from donors to pursue market-based reforms, this paper stresses the need for integrated governance linking government, business and civil society as paramount for promoting good governance for the success and sustainability of the reforms.

Opportunities or obstacles? understanding the challenges faced by migrant women entrepreneurs

Purpose – Applying theories of entrepreneurship, the paper aims to identify the factors – with theoretical explanations – that act as barriers to migrant women entrepreneurs (MWEs), particularly women from developing countries starting businesses in developed economies. The paper further seeks to explore which barriers also have the potential to act as enablers.Design/methodology/approach – The relationship between immigration, ethnicity, gender and entrepreneurship has received little theoretical attention. Linking these discourses, the paper theoretically develops a framework of the possible barriers or enablers faced by MWEs.Findings – The paper reinforces earlier research that MWEs are not a homogeneous group; the problems they face are multifaceted, and MWEs from developing countries are the most disadvantaged of entrepreneurs. It identifies multiple factors – human capital, culture, family, institutional factors, gender and social capital – as possible barriers for MWEs. Findings further indicate th...

Towards a diversity justice management model: integrating organizational justice and diversity management

Purpose - Contemporary organizations are increasingly paying attention to incorporate diversity management practices into their systems in order to promote socially responsible actions and equitable employment outcomes for minority groups. The aim of this paper is to seek to address a major oversight in diversity management literature, the integration of organizational justice principles. Design/methodology/approach - Drawing upon the existing literature on workforce diversity and organizational justice, the authors develop a model based on normative principles of organizational justice for justice-based diversity management processes and outcomes. Findings - The paper proposes that effective diversity management results from a decision-making process that meets the normative principles of organizational justice (i.e. interactional, procedural and distributive justice). The diversity justice management model introduced in this article provides important theoretical and practical implications for establishing more moral and just workplaces. Research limitations/implications - The authors have not tested the conceptual framework of the diversity justice management model, and recommend future research to take up the challenge. The payoff for doing so is to enable the establishment of socially responsible workplaces where individuals, regardless of their background, are given an equal opportunity to flourish in their assigned jobs. Practical implications - The diversity justice management model introduced in this paper provides organizational justice (OJ)-based guidelines for managers to ensure that OJ can be objectively benchmarked and discussed amongst diversity stakeholders to continuously improve actual and perceived OJ outcomes. Social implications - The social implication of this conceptual paper is reduction of workforce marginalization and establishment of socially responsible organizations whereby those marginalized (e.g. people with disabilities) can effectively work in their organizations. Originality/value - This is the first attempt to establish a diveristy justice management model, which incorporates normative principles of organizational justice into diversity management processes and outcomes.

Perceptions of corporate social responsibility amongst immigrant entrepreneurs

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore the understanding of the term corporate social responsibility (CSR) by Sri Lankan immigrant entrepreneurs in Australia. It also seeks to investigate the importance the entrepreneurs place on CSR, their understanding of stakeholders, the types of CSR activities undertaken by them, and the issue of social capital.Design/methodology/approach – Data were collected through in‐depth semi‐structured interviews with Sri Lankan entrepreneurs based in Victoria, Australia.Findings – The interviewees were aware of the term CSR but, nevertheless, had different interpretations of its meaning. However, CSR was considered important and all the interviewees were, in some way, involved in CSR activities and also had a good understanding of the importance of their stakeholders. Findings also highlighted the significance attached to social capital by the entrepreneurs such as informal relationships and trustworthiness which build the intangible attributes of CSR. The present ...

Sustainable Development in Developing Countries: The Role of Social Entrepreneurs

This article adds to the ongoing debate on the relationship between poverty reduction, profits, and environmental sustainability. Drawing from the literature, it presents a conceptual model with propositions to explain how social entrepreneurs can lead to sustainable development in developing countries. These propositions are further strengthened by using a descriptive case of Waste Concern—an initiative of social entrepreneurs—in Bangladesh. Findings illustrate that, despite contextual constraints in developing countries, it is possible to have sustainable development with no trade-off between poverty reduction and environmental sustainability. This win-win outcome is possible through the innovative approaches and creative thinking of social entrepreneurs who, rather than being hindered by contextual constraints, act as catalysts for sustainable development. The findings have implications for academics and policy-makers, highlighting the significance of supporting social entrepreneurs to come up with innovative methods for sustainable development.

Gender perceptions of work-life balance: management implications for full-time employees in Australia

This study reports on gender perceptions of work–life balance based upon a qualitative study carried out among 437 full-time working men (N=245) and women (N=192) in the Australian workforce in 2008. The participants were randomly selected from a wide range of occupations, and their perceptions of: (a) non-work issues; (b) work–life conflicts; (c) organisational support for WLB; (d) desired WLB options; and (e) management treatment were investigated. Findings indicate significant gender differences in all areas studied. As this research provides a holistic view of the different gender perceptions of WLB, the findings have important implications for mobilising workplace support for men and women.

Exploring cultural inclusion: Perspectives from a community arts organisation

Using focus group interviews and individual stories of participants from secondary data, we illuminate the role of Multicultural Arts Victoria (MAV) in Australia in how it promotes cultural inclusion through programs of social and civic service. Our findings confirm the significance of cultural inclusion and the potentially useful role of arts in creating inclusive organisations and communities. We further develop a framework of cultural inclusion in the workplace to provide a holistic understanding of the cultural inclusion process that can lead to the development of inclusive workplaces. As social inclusion is central to Australia’s national identity, this article helps researchers and practitioners to understand how cultural inclusion and inclusive organisational theories collide and complement each other to create inclusive organisations.

Family embeddedness and entrepreneurship experience: a study of Indian migrant women entrepreneurs in Australia

Abstract India has emerged as a major source of migrants for developed countries including Australia; yet, there is a dearth of research on Indian migrant entrepreneurs, particularly women. Using qualitative methods of enquiry, we explore the perceptions of Indian migrant women entrepreneurs (MWEs) and their partners in Melbourne, Australia, about their entrepreneurship experiences from a family embeddedness perspective. More specifically, we explore how family embeddedness of Indian MWEs is influenced by certain factors which in turn influence their entrepreneurship experience. Our findings suggest that entrepreneurship among Indian MWEs is a complex phenomenon influenced by their being an Indian, a woman and a new Australian, all of which interact and influence their family dynamics and entrepreneurial experience. Our findings shed light on the duality of Indian culture which exerts both an enabling and a constraining influence on the family dynamics of MWEs, the constraining role of gender and the positive impact of their integration into the host country’s sociocultural context which all influence their family embeddedness and entrepreneurship. Contributing to the discussion on ‘ethnic’ and ‘women entrepreneurship’ from a family embeddedness perspective, we offer policy implications for facilitating entrepreneurship in the growing but under-researched cohort of Indian MWEs.

Corporate social responsibility, economic globalization and developing countries: A case study of the ready made garments industry in Bangladesh

Purpose – This paper aims to examine the state of corporate social responsibility (CSR) in labour-intensive industries in developing countries in the context of economic globalization. Using the ready-made garments’ (RMG) industry in Bangladesh as a case study, challenges and key issues relating to CSR are highlighted. Design/methodology/approach – The paper draws from the review of existing literature, and the content analysis of two leading newspapers in Bangladesh for a period of one year (July 2012-June 2013) to identify the key and contemporary issues related to CSR in the RMG industry. Findings – Findings identify the contemporary issues of concerns associated with CSR in the RMG industry, relating them to the debate on the applicability of Carroll’s CSR pyramid to developing countries. The findings suggest that non-compliance of CSR in labour-intensive industries is a function of the nature of economic globalization. The need for a stakeholder approach towards CSR for the profitability and sustaina...

Community social capital and entrepreneurship: analyzing the links

This study examines the effects of community social capital on entrepreneurial intentions (EIs) in rural communities in a developing country. Entrepreneurship, in the form of business start-ups, is widely recognized as an integral component of local economic development programs designed to address poverty and limited livelihood opportunities, especially among poor and marginalized communities in rural areas in developing countries. Using a survey of 496 individuals residing in five rural communities in the Philippines, and drawing from the theory of planned behavior and social capital theory, we examine the direct and indirect effects of community social capital (CSC) on an individual’s EIs. The findings show that CSC largely influences EI by shaping an individual’s perceived self-efficacy (PSE) to engage in entrepreneurship, perceived desirability of entrepreneurship (PDE), and perceived social norms toward entrepreneurship (PSNE). High levels of PSE, PDE, and PSNE have a positive influence on an individual’s EI. These findings offer more nuanced explanations of how social capital within a community can facilitate entrepreneurship as a means of community economic development. Implications of the findings and areas for future research are discussed.