Satwinder Singh

The Role of Cultural Values in Understanding the Challenges Faced by Female Entrepreneurs in Nigeria

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the challenges female entrepreneurs face in the development of their business in the context of Nigeria. In so doing, it addresses a gap in the literature on the experiences of female entrepreneurs in a non‐Western context and acknowledges the contribution that women make in this area of work.Design/methodology/approach – The paper draws on survey data from 274 female entrepreneurs currently engaged in their businesses in three states – Lagos (Nigerias largest city), Ogun and Oyo within the South West of Nigeria.Findings – Results indicate that female entrepreneurs are generally confident and resourceful and that they enjoy the challenge of entrepreneurial activity. As in the West, they experience difficulties relating to family commitments and access to finance – as well as problems gaining acceptance and accessing networks.Originality/value – It is argued that cultural values specific to the situation mean that these challenges, while common to female e...

Motivation to become an entrepreneur: a study of Nigerian women's decisions

Purpose – The paper aims to draw on rational choice theory (RCT) to explore factors underpinning the decision by female entrepreneurs in Nigeria to enter self‐employment.Design/methodology/approach – A survey research design involving the use of questionnaire and structured interviews to obtain primary data was adopted. Primary data pertain to 300 female entrepreneurs currently engaged in their businesses in three states within the south‐west of the country. A model developed from reviewed literature and multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to analyse data.Findings – Findings suggest the significance of “educational” and “family” capital, an “internal” orientation to social recognition as well as an “external” environment characterised by deregulation of the economy. Results broadly conform to RCT theory postulates of rational behaviour.Research limitations/implications – Inter‐regional variances could not be addressed since the data are analysed in aggregate. Analysis of disaggregate data a...

Strategic behaviour of incumbent firms in the UK

Abstract The main purpose of this paper is to examine the incidence of strategic behaviour in the UK by means of a questionnaire study performed across three broad manufacturing industries – food, electrical engineering and chemicals. Of the strategies which have received substantial theoretical attention, R&D and advertising appear widely used, patenting, pricing and excess capacity much less so. Vertical instruments such as purchasing policy also stand out as important. But possibly only a minority of firms in our sample actively pursue strategic instruments.

Measuring Organizational Performance: A Case for Subjective Measures

We review the organizational performance (OP) measurement literature highlighting the limitations of both objective and subjective measures of performance. We argue that, with careful planning, subjective measures can be successfully employed to assess OP. This is because often consistent, reliable and comparable compatible objective data on OP measures – particularly across countries and sectors – is difficult to come by. Considering that an inflated OP measure can be cross‐checked with the use of secondary data, managers have little incentive to report such figures. As a result, when quizzed over the stand‐alone performance measures of their organizations or vis‐a‐vis their rivals, managers accurately assess and respond to questions on the performance of their organizations. An in‐depth statistical exercise conducted on the subjective measures of OP as reported by managers of four sets of companies in four separate countries, show consistent results, thus lending support to this premise.

Does Strategic Human Resource Involvement and Devolvement Enhance Organisational Performance? Evidence from Jordan

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to test empirically the relationship between the strategic involvement and the devolvement of human resource functions with organisational performance. Design/methodology/approach - This paper is based on the primary data collected from the population of financial firms based in Jordan. The methodology adopted for the purpose of data analysis includes the use of basic statistics, zero-order correlations, confirmatory factor analysis and hierarchical regressions. Findings - The results provide strong support for the hypothesis that the involvement of human resource functions into the business and corporate strategy reduces employee turnover rate and enhances financial performance. The analysis does not support the second hypothesis that empowering day-to-day human resource functions to line managers impacts negatively on employee turnover and positively on financial performance. Practical implications - Our results imply that financial performance can be enhanced and employee turnover rate decreased by involving human resource directors in the overall strategic decision-making process of companies. However, our results also imply that the devolvement of routine human resource issues to line managers is neither positively related to the financial performance of the companies nor negatively related to employee turnover. This raises doubts as to whether, after having involved human resource functions into the strategic affairs of the company, they are empowered enough to make a positive impact. Originality/value - This is one of few papers conducted on this topic in a non-western environment, and the first of its kind for the country of Jordan. This paper contributes to the field through its approach to measuring and testing strategic human resource management theory. The paper also successfully links the core aspects of strategic human resource management with objective indicators of financial performance of the companies.

CHALLENGES IN FEMALE ENTREPRENEURIAL DEVELOPMENT — A CASE ANALYSIS OF NIGERIAN ENTREPRENEURS

The paper examines the validity of stereotypical image of challenges female entrepreneurs (FE) encounter in the development of their business. The study which is conducted in the context of Nigeria, a large transition economy, throws light on a number of general and culture-dominated issues specific to traditional societies. FE, particularly those coming from self-employed parental households, are good at acquiring education and training in their line of business and work much harder at it. However, they struggle to balance family and work life, a job that is made difficult owing to lack of recognition from spouse and business groups they deal with, gender discrimination and sexual harassment. Religious values and previous work experience comes out a positive factor in dealing with challenges. Policy recommendations for the government lie in the identification of potential FE and providing them with necessary training and assistance and key inputs necessary for the growth of a business.

Institutions, complementarity, human resource management and performance in a South-East Asian Petrostate: the case of Brunei

Abstract This is a study on the incidence and impact of specific sets of HR practices on organisational performance (OP) across different types of firm, within an emerging market setting, where institutional arrangements are fluid and developing. The literature on comparative capitalism suggests that, within advanced societies, formal and informal regulations are mutually supportive, and will be sustained by associated HR systems, optimising OP. In contrast, in settings where institutional arrangements are weaker, there will not be the same incentives for disseminating mutually supportive HR bundles, and when these do exist, they are unlikely to yield any better outcomes. We found that this was indeed the case in the petrostate of Brunei as the usage of integrated HR models did not work better than individual interventions. Whilst it is often assumed that, in petrostates, the primary focus of institution-building is to service the needs of the oil-and-gas industry, we found no evidence to suggest that integrated HR systems were any more effective there; this may reflect the extent to which the industry’s HR needs may be simply resolved through turning to overseas labour markets – both for skilled and unskilled labour. At the same time, we found that the efficacy of HR practices varied according to firm characteristics: even in challenging contexts, firms may devise their own solutions according to their capabilities and endowments.

A comparative study of performance appraisals, incentives and rewards practices in domestic and multinational enterprises in the country of Brunei Darussalam

Very little work in the past has focused on the comparative analysis of human resource management (HRM) practices between domestic and multinational enterprises (MNEs). The majority of the work in this area has instead concentrated on comparing the HRM practices utilised by the subsidiaries of MNEs, and has mostly been conducted in the context of developed countries. In this paper, we examine how the HR practices of appraisals, rewards and incentives are offered, explained and monitored in domestic enterprises (DEs) versus MNEs, and how they are similar or different in nature. This paper is based on primary data collected from a cross-section of firms operating in the country of Brunei Darussalam – a context within which no previous work of this nature has been undertaken. An analysis reveals several interesting results: HR practices are more advanced and better structured in MNEs that conduct performance appraisals (PA) more frequently than DEs, and their feedback system is also rapid; incentives and rewards systems in MNEs follow market ethos and principles; the HR directors and employees of MNEs are more receptive to PA than those in DEs whilst, in contrast to DEs, incentives and rewards systems in MNEs follow market ethos and principles. Furthermore, with regard to size, younger firms are more likely to be following market principles in terms of explaining incentives and rewards systems to their employees, whilst older firms claim that working for them carries social and psychological benefits for employees.

Strategic intent, high-performance HRM, and the role of the HR director: an investigation into attitudes and practices in the country of Jordan

There is an implicit undercurrent in the HRM literature that the role of present-day HR director has become ‘strategic’ as opposed to ‘routine’, as in the past. In this article, we empirically test these assertions in the context of the country of Jordan – a context within which little past research into HRM has been undertaken. The design includes a detailed survey instrument sent to all financial firms within the country. We find that the reliance on routine functions has indeed fallen for HR directors surveyed; however, there is only weak evidence to support the theory that the perceived importance of strategic functions has increased substantially. Results show that male HR directors and those longer serving, with higher qualifications, and those working for companies with lower employee turnover are more likely to rate the importance of the most strategic HR functions as ‘high’. Neither company size nor years of establishment moderated this relationship. The empirical evidence from this study – as one of a few conducted in non-Western environment – adds to the literature with some interesting implications and avenues for future work. Importantly, implications from our findings for strategic HRM and the role of the HR director are considered in conclusion.

Knowledge transfer, controls, and performance of MNE subsidiaries in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Purpose – The purpose of this study is to examine the influence of the structural, relational, and cognitive dimensions of knowledge‐sharing in subsidiaries of multinational enterprises (MNEs) located within the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), and the impact of knowledge flows on the performance of such subsidiaries.Design/methodology/approach – A cross‐sectional survey research design, involving the use of a questionnaire to acquire the primary data, is adopted. The analysis is based on 147 completed questionnaires. Descriptive statistics and multivariate regression analysis are used in the analysis of the data.Findings – Formal control mechanisms are widely used as opposed to informal channels of control. Knowledge flows are associated with personalised or bureaucratic controls. Both mechanisms are negatively associated with performance, whilst output control and informal coordination are positively associated. Increased local presence and subsidiary R&D is positively associated with performance.Research...