Busy Care Research Articles

Online business: ambitious daughters and their suspicious career in China?

Purpose Online business can be an attractive career choice but bears gendered implications under China’s market economy. This study aims to examine how highly educated young women negotiate their career choice of online business, given their enhanced career ambitions and the persisting conservative views of their parents. It is to be examined how these factors interact in shaping women’s strategies and commitment to their nonconventional careers. Design/methodology/approach The study draws on 23 interviews with 18 women involved in online business. The interviews were coded by themes about how women perceive and make career choices to enter online business, the influence of various motivations (e.g., economic security, decency, autonomy and earning potential) and women’s interactions with their parents under gendered social expectations. The study analyzes and categorizes women’s varied strategies and levels of commitment in taking up online business, an attractive but suspicious career for highly educated young women. Findings The study finds that some women chose to conduct online business as a secondary job behind their stable and formal primary job; their compromise under parents’ preferences and social expectations as “compliant daughters,” willingly or forced, coexisted with their persisting interest in online entrepreneurship. Other women, or “self-determined daughters,” embraced online business as their primary job; some benefited from parents’ tolerant views, but others needed to handle the pressure of parental disapproval by hiding or proving their nonconventional career choices worthwhile. Originality/value This study speaks to the gendered opportunity-necessity framework of entrepreneurship by illustrating women’s multiple motivations in China’s market reforms and the rising online entrepreneurship dynamics. The findings contextualize women’s career choices in different family dynamics and suggest how social expectations and gender norms are imposed and transformed, with a focus on the shifting gendered concerns of opportunity, security and decency in an era of digital economy.

Factors determining the expenditure of Lao tourist on Luang Prabang tourism during the epidemic situation of COVID-19

The purpose of this research was to study the factors that determine the expenditure of Lao tourist on Luang Prabang tourism during the epidemic situation of COVID-19. It was developed on a model based on Engel's law and applied Multiple Classification Analysis (MCA) to analyze the data to forecast tourist spending based on their personal attributes. The results showed that certain personal characteristics of tourists influenced what Lao tourists spent on tourism in Luang Prabang at a significant level of 0.01, with the highest spending on Luang Prabang tourism. This was found to be a tourist who earns more than of 601 USD per month or more, are male, aged 40 years and over, married, and from Vientiane Capital. They have an education level of a Bachelor's degree or higher, have a private business career, and traveling to Luang Prabang for the 5th time or more and will spend about than 150.49 USD per person per day on Luang Prabang tourism. Therefore, tourists with such characteristics are a marketing target that concerned parties must prioritize in marketing.

Another trip? Functional and dysfunctional coping with business travel

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to clarify why business travel has ambivalent effects on occupational well-being. We examine associations between business travel, career satisfaction and turnover intentions, as well as the mediating role of functional and dysfunctional coping strategies.Design/methodology/approachWe collected four waves of data across three months from 676 employees (n = 147 business travelers who traveled for work at least once during the study period; n = 529 non-travelers) working in various industries and managerial positions.FindingsConsistent with expectations, the greater the extent of business travel, the higher both career satisfaction (mediated by higher emotional and instrumental support, positive reframing, and substance use, and lower venting and self-distraction, denial and self-blame, and behavioral disengagement) and turnover intentions (mediated by higher active coping and planning, venting and self-distraction, behavioral disengagement, and lower positive reframing).Practical implicationsFindings reveal that business travel presents an ambivalent psychological experience and point to the importance of obtaining and using a coping portfolio in this context.Originality/valueThis study addresses functional and dysfunctional coping as unexplored mediating mechanisms between business travel, career satisfaction, and turnover intentions and provides new insights for research and practice on business travel.

Privilege, place, and patronage: ‘Giving something back’ to Wales

This article explores the complex relationship between civil society, social inequality, and nationhood through examining the motivations of elite members of Welsh civil society as they volunteer to serve on the boards of a wide range of Welsh charities. We interviewed nearly 60 trustees and patrons, all of whom enjoyed successful and influential careers in business, politics, or public service. Their narratives reveal diverse vocabularies of motive, but prominent within these is the desire to ‘give something back’, and not just to society in general but to Wales in particular. While their desire to ‘give back’ reflects an awareness of their own privileged position, their commitment to Wales can be seen as a response to the country’s historic and current dominance by England, as well as a legacy of non-conformism and community. The article concludes by discussing the implications of these narratives for understanding the specificities of ‘geographies of responsibility’, civil society, and nationhood.

Strategic Agility and Performance of Pay Television Industry in Kenya.

The Pay TV market in Kenya operates in a highly competitive business environment, which in turn calls for aggressiveness and more efficient ways of keeping the business afloat. Advancement in technology also comes with several options for Pay TV customers such as online streaming which poses more threat to the market. This research seeks to assess the influence of strategic agility on the performance of the Kenyan Pay TV industry using Multichoice Kenya Limited as the case study. The objectives of this study were to establish the influence of leadership agility, determine the influence cultural agility, assess the influence of business agility, and to determine the influence of career agility on organizational performance in the Kenyan Pay TV industry. The study is of great significance to the government of Kenya since the improved performance of the Pay TV companies can generate more revenue for the government in form of taxes and license fees. New and existing Pay TV companies may also benefit from this study by employing agile strategies for competitive advantage as well as getting more information on how to handle uncertain situations in the business environment. Additionally, academicians who may want to research more on strategic agility may benefit by accessing more information from this study. The concept of strategic agility has not been sufficiently researched especially on the variables such as leadership agility, cultural agility, business agility, career agility and how they influence organizational performance. This research was anchored on four theories namely; The Great Man Theory, Theory of Change, Theory of Constraints, and the Broaden and Build Theory. The reviewed literature on these theories indicates that there is a positive influence of strategic agility on organizational performance. This is a cross-sectional study which involves 60 employees with managerial roles. Descriptive design was used in this study adopting qualitative and quantitative methods. Data collection was done through closed and open-ended questionnaires, keeping a register of questionnaire distribution and feedback collection. A pilot study was carried out to determine the accuracy, clarity and relevance of the study questionnaire. Data analysis was carried using SPSS (V29) and multiple regression analysis. The study found that leadership agility, cultural agility business agility and career agility all have a significant effect on the performance of Pay TV firms in Kenya. The top leadership of firms in Pay TV industry should establish cross-cultural collaboration initiatives to encourage knowledge-sharing and teamwork among employees from different cultural backgrounds, foster a culture that encourages and rewards agile leadership behaviors, such as risk-taking and experimentation and encourage leaders to seek mentorship and coaching to enhance their agility capabilities, should invest in technology and infrastructure that support flexibility and adaptability in responding to market changes and also develop cross-functional teams that can quickly adapt to changing business requirements and address emerging challenges, implement career development plans and pathways that align with the organization's strategic objectives and employees' career aspiration and encourage a growth mindset among employees.

How HR managers develop ideas about HR reform: the role of inter-corporate knowledge exchange in Japan

Following a call for actor-centric research in HRM, we look at the modes how HR managers acquire HR knowledge. Our interview study with HR managers of large established companies in Japan finds a clear preference for direct inter-corporate knowledge exchanges instead of the engagement of outside consultants. Discussing our findings, we explain the reasons for this preference. ing from the case of Japan, we then propose with reference to institutional theory and isomorphism that the way HR knowledge is spread is linked to the nature of employment systems. In external labour markets, HR knowledge has been reported to be predominantly spread through business consultants, educational institutions, and career changes of HR professionals, resulting in normative isomorphism. We propose that in internal labour markets, like Japan’s, companies resort to direct inter-corporate knowledge exchange, which leads to mimetic isomorphism.

Представления студентов вуза о сети деловых контактов как факторе обеспечения развития их будущей карьеры

Creating a business contacts network is a significant factor in managing a business career. Students – future young specialists starting to build their careers do not have much experience in applying social competencies into practice, they are not fully aware of the importance of business contacts for exchanging expertise and get-ting to know the companies’ business processes. In return, HR specialists and company’ CEOs do not always understand the importance of using a business contacts network to manage the motivation, development and talent pool of young professionals. The article presents the results of a survey among university students’ aimed at identifying the importance of creating a business contacts network for their further career develop-ment. It states the recommendations for students on the effective use of a business contacts network when building a business career, and suggestions for CEOs and HR specialists on using business contacts network to manage employees’ business career. In conclusion, business networking plays a crucial role in shaping the career trajectories of university students. By understanding the importance of building and leveraging profes-sional connections, students can enhance their employability and achieve their career aspirations. Educators, employers, and policymakers should collaborate to equip students with the necessary skills and resources to navigate the complex landscape of professional networking effectively.

Private Power and Public Office: The Rise of Business Politicians in Indonesia

ABSTRACT Scholars have long been preoccupied with the role that capital plays in Indonesia’s democratic institutions. Observers emphasize a tight overlap between the worlds of politics and business, with many describing murky connections and corrupt alliances among state officials, oligarchs, and local bosses. While such relations remain fundamental to Indonesian politics, this paper draws attention to a parallel but under-analyzed transformation of both the social and political status of business actors in contemporary Indonesia. From tech entrepreneurs to mining giants, people with established business careers are increasingly taking up the reins of government. Once considered the inferior political and policy actor during Suharto’s New Order, businesspersons now exercise direct political power and entrepreneurial success is valued, even revered, within political and policymaking circles. While evidence of such changes can be identified at different moments in Indonesia’s recent history, during the presidency of businessperson politician, Joko Widodo, there has been a marked intensification of these trends. Today there is a far broader acceptance of business elites as stewards of state institutions. The result is a fusing of private power and public office in a form, and to a degree, that is unprecedented in Indonesia’s political history.

Educating the Younger Generation of Polish Female Refugees in Postwar Britain

Abstract This study explores the education of young Polish female refugees in postwar Britain, and the implications of the establishment of the Committee for the Education of Poles, a body brought into being on April 1, 1947, as a consequence of the passage of the Polish Resettlement Bill in March 1947 (the first ever British legislation dealing with mass immigration). It examines the newly introduced grammar schools for girls, the challenges raised for these new educational establishments, and the strategies introduced by the British authorities in order to cope with the growing numbers of Polish adolescents entering the country after World War II. Based on archival records and supported by oral interviews, the sample case studies presented herein highlight one way in which the young Polish community was rehabilitated in exile at the start of their path towards civic integration. They highlight the key importance of education to that pathway. The studies presented here provide an insight into the experiences of, and challenges faced by, young Polish women during the Process of their education and resettlement. Thanks to extant school reports, it has been possible to ascertain not only the practical and financial problems that impacted the schools presented in the paper, which operated under the auspices of the Committee for the Education of Poles, but also their slow, but steady improvement over time. The paper provides clear evidence that it was thanks to the Committee that a significant proportion of the younger generation of Poles managed to acquire the qualifications needed to secure their first jobs and ultimately a career in industry or business and so play a useful part in the economic life of Great Britain and her overseas territories.

Scurvy: A Rare Disease or a Rare Diagnosis?

Scurvy, the disease state caused by ascorbic acid deficiency, was once an extremely common disease but is now thought to be a rare disease in postmodern societies. Physicians are not trained to consider scurvy as a possible diagnosis in patients at risk; rather, it is considered a rare diagnosis to add to a differential for completeness's sake. We sought to describe the scorbutic patients seen by one physician during a busy academic emergency medicine career. Case series of patients seen by one physician between 1993 and 2023 at five academic teaching hospitals with Emergency Departments (EDs) in the mid-Eastern United States. Presenting signs and symptoms, known scurvy risk factors, Vitamin C levels, clinical course, and outcome for each patient are described. There were 14 presentations by 12 patients diagnosed with scurvy who were initially evaluated in the ED between 1993 and 2023. Each patient had a known risk factor for inadequate Vitamin C intake. All had clinical findings suggestive of scurvy and all but one had a subnormal serum Vitamin C level detected on serum samples sent from the ED. The detection of 12 cases of scurvy by one physician over a three-decade period highlights the importance of screening for scurvy in at-risk populations and generates the hypothesis that scurvy is not a rare disease but rather a rare diagnosis. This research hypothesis should be investigated in further studies.

Getting on board with certified public accountant evolution: re-evaluating a financial statement analysis project in light of a changing profession

PurposeGiven the implementation of a new Certified Public Accountant (CPA) licensure exam and the CPA Evolution Model Curriculum, accounting educators must integrate more advanced skills in their coursework. We illustrate how a commonly-used project in accounting classes, which teaches technical accounting content, can address skills and competencies identified by the Pathways Commission and the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) and, as a result, enhance skills all business school graduates need in the workplace.Design/methodology/approachWe incorporate a financial statement analysis research project under a group work format in three levels of financial accounting classes. Using both quantitative and qualitative analysis, we evaluate changes in student perceptions of skills and competencies important for business graduates.FindingsWe find students perceive improvement in critical thinking, problem-solving, the ability to work with other people, their understanding of the course material, and data analysis abilities after completion of the project. We also find statistically significant increases pre-to post-project in student perceptions of their knowledge, confidence, competence, and enthusiasm with respect to accounting material.Originality/valueWe provide an example of how educators can align a commonly-used project with the CPA Evolution Model Curriculum, yet still meet the needs of non-accounting majors and prepare all students for future business careers. Group work has been studied and similar financial statement analysis projects have been implemented in the classroom for years. We contribute by not only extending and updating this research, but also by re-evaluating a project to determine whether it meets the shifting needs of a rapidly changing profession. By doing so, we answer recent researchers’ call for research in higher education that addresses employability and workplace skills.

Knowledge, attitudes and practices towards community-acquired pneumonia and COVID-19 among general population: a cross-sectional study

BackgroundThis study aimed to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) of the general population to community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) and COVID-19.MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted between September 2022 and February 2023, involving the general population from Ningbo Municipal Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine with a self-developed questionnaire.ResultsA total of 637 valid questionnaires were collected, with the majority of participants being female (62.48%). The mean score for knowledge, attitudes, and practices were 7.60 ± 2.39 (possible range: 0–12), 43.20 ± 4.57 (possible range: 11–55), and 34.57 ± 4.95 (possible range: 10–50), respectively. Multivariate logistic regression analysis indicated that master’s degree or above (OR = 6.04, 95% CI: 1.80-20.31, P = 0.004) and occupation in business or service careers (OR = 0.28, 95% CI: 0.17–0.48, P < 0.001) were independent associated with knowledge. The knowledge (OR = 1.32, 95%CI: 1.20–1.44, P < 0.001) and female gender (OR = 1.48, 95%CI: 1.03–2.14, P = 0.036) were independently associated with positive attitudes. Attitudes (OR = 1.34, 95%CI: 1.26–1.43, P < 0.001) and a monthly household income greater than 20,000 RMB (OR = 0.31, 95%CI: 0.15–0.64, P = 0.001) were independent associated with practices. Pearson correlation analysis revealed that knowledge positively correlated with attitude scores (r = 0.348, P < 0.001) and practice scores (r = 0.259, P < 0.001), and attitude and practice scores were also positively correlated (r = 0.563, P < 0.001). Structural equation modeling showed that knowledge predicted attitudes (β = 0.67, P < 0.001) and practices (β = 0.17, P = 0.017), while attitudes predicted practices (β = 0.58, P < 0.001).ConclusionGeneral population had moderate knowledge, positive attitudes and average practices towards CAP and COVID-19.

Impact Editorial for Apex Journal of Business and Management for Celebrating Success

The College's unique approach to promoting entrepreneurial characteristics among its graduates is instrumental in preparing them for successful careers in business. By fostering a culture of innovation, critical thinking, and ethical decision-making, Apex College equips its students with the skills necessary to excel in their chosen fields and contribute positively to society. Apex College's community engagement initiatives, demonstrate the institution's dedication to addressing local needs and promoting social responsibility. The College's encouragement of entrepreneurial thinking and provision of resources, mentorship, and hands-on experience further contribute to the economic growth and job creation in Nepal. The Apex Journal of Business and Management, the College's flagship academic publication, serves as a vital resource for promoting research, education, and social change. The total sixty citations demonstrate referral of Apex Journal of Business and Management (AJBM) among scholars and academicians. Apex College's commitment to academic excellence, community engagement, and entrepreneurship positions it as a leader in the field of business education and a driving force for positive change in Nepal. Keywords: AJBM, entrepreneurship, Clubs, commitments, achievements

Engage and equip: Transformative class activities for the modern accounting semester

Managerial accounting courses struggle with student engagement, often more than other courses, mainly, due to its course content, which differs significantly from the financial accounting courses. This article provides a list of class activities developed and adapted primarily for managerial accounting courses. The purpose of these class activities is twofold. First, they aim to increase student engagement and promote active learning in class. Second, they help students apply acquired knowledge to real-world examples and develop workplace skills that are vital for a successful business career. The activities are designed to be completed within the class time. We have collected and adapted some of these activities from pedagogical training, while the rest were developed based on our teaching experience. Some of these activities incorporate teaching techniques developed while teaching remotely due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The use of English as corporate language in global knowledge work over a 15-year business career

The use of English as corporate language in global knowledge work over a 15-year business career

Indicators of university social responsibility as a challenge for educational quality: teacher perception

Universities around the world play a key role in shaping the leaders of the future. It is therefore essential that, in the exercise of University Social Responsibility (hereinafter, USR), the teaching staff is actively involved in engaging students with the principles of social, economic, and environmental responsibility. The aim of this study was to analyze the perception, attitude, and participation of the teaching staff of a private Spanish university with respect to USR at its Madrid and Barcelona campuses. A total sample of 43 university professors from both campuses related to socially relevant subjects in business careers was selected to answer a 21-question questionnaire on USR. In general, the results show significant differences between professors at the Barcelona and Madrid campuses with respect to their perceptions of existing social responsibility practices at the university, as well as their own roles in education for sustainable development, highlighting the lack of promotion of specific actions within the subjects taught. This study, although with a reduced sample, is a first diagnosis that seeks to find the strengths and weaknesses of the current situation and provide an objective view. It is hoped that these data will be a starting point to increase the training and awareness of teachers in USR, increasing the number of teachers in the field.

Factors Affecting Auditors Decisions to Change Profession

The cornerstone of audit business is human resources – people, their knowledge and skills create the greatest added value in the provision of audit services. It is noticeable that recently audit companies have been facing serious human resource management challenges - it is becoming more difficult to motivate employees to continue their career in the audit business. The article examines what factors affect the decision of Lithuanian auditors to change their profession and leave the audit business. It was determined that the decision of auditors to leave the profession is affected by various factors, which can be grouped into 4 groups: (1) the image of the profession, (2) the environment of the profession, (3) the working environment and (4) the factors of working conditions. The following working conditions and work environment factors were determined to be of highest importance: (1) excessively long working hours, (2) excessive workload, (3) inability to balance work and free time, (4) uncompetitive salary. The research results show that the factors determining the auditors' decision to leave the profession do not differ significantly, regardless of the time when the auditors left the profession. However, it should be noted that auditors who left the profession in later years were more influenced by dissatisfaction with the factors of working conditions (workload, working hours, balancing work and free time, uncompetitive salary). This indicates that in recent years, with the growth of the Lithuanian economy and in general, more availability of different opportunities to pursue a career in various directions, the younger generation of auditors perceive and accept the complexity of audit work and the remuneration for it differently and choose other, more attractive work alternatives.

Patriarchy repackaged: how a neoliberal economy and conservative gender norms shape entrepreneurial identities in Eastern Europe

ABSTRACT Using positioning analysis we examine how women entrepreneurs construct their entrepreneurial identities in conversations with journalists. The data consists of every interview with women entrepreneurs in every Latvian monthly women’s magazine over a 30-year period. Eleven countries in Eastern Europe, including Latvia, broke away from the communist regime in the 1990s and embraced neoliberal and entrepreneurial values that rely on the use of agency in a free market and where individuals were considered autonomous agents, no longer constrained by gender inequalities and power imbalances. However, an analysis shows that identity constructions by women entrepreneurs have been built on neo-conservative assumptions regarding gender. The default option expressed in the magazines reveals that entrepreneurship is normatively masculine, and the entrepreneurial identity that is on offer for women is either as a ‘secondary entrepreneur’ or a ‘failed woman’. The post-feminist conception of a woman who can have it all, i.e. both a successful business career and a traditional feminine identity with a happy family life, is absent in the interviews. When neoliberalism entered Latvia and merged with neo-conservative gender roles, a specific Eastern European postfeminist regime emerged where neither entrepreneurship nor structural change can be seen as challenging the prevailing patriarchal gender order.

Territorial Expansionists and Troublesome Locals: Daniel Clark at New Orleans and John Christian Schultz at Red River

Abstract The United States and Canada began major efforts to acquire territory in North America’s interior in the nineteenth century. In 1803, the United States purchased approximately 827,192 square miles of territory from France. Canada began to govern 1,409,900 square miles of territory known as Rupert’s Land in 1869. Historical accounts of American and Canadian officials’ efforts in Washington and Ottawa to obtain these vast territories are abundant. Historians have devoted less attention, however, to expansionists who supported American expansion in Louisiana and Canadian expansion in Rupert’s Land. Daniel Clark, U.S. Consul to New Orleans, used his office to promote American acquisition of Spanish Louisiana. Canadian John Christian Schultz, an influential “doctor” and businessperson at Red River, became the owner of the only newspaper in the settlement and used it to advocate for Canadian possession of Rupert’s Land. Clark arrived in Louisiana from Ireland in 1786 and Schultz from Upper Canada between 1859 and 1861. Clark and Schultz were opportunists who understood that American and Canadian territorial ambitions presented them with opportunities to advance their business and political careers. Far less important to both men were the futures of other residents of New Orleans and Red River. Clark and Schultz for example, both argued that representative local government should not be immediately introduced in their regions.

Australia’s Presidents? Herbert Hoover and Lyndon B. Johnson Remembered

Among US presidents, Herbert Hoover and Lyndon Johnson had the strongest ties to Australia. Hoover spent over a year in Australia as a mining engineer before launching a career in international business, food relief, and politics. In 1942, LBJ passed part of his pre-presidential career in Australia. Yet Johnson’s presidential tour in 1966, coupled with his return in 1967, generated massive enthusiasm and modest protests against the Vietnam War. President Johnson’s visits helped to solidify and celebrate US-Australian ties while encouraging Australian independence, even if during a war directed from Washington. While Hoover left his mark on Australia’s landscape in the mines he promoted and the sites that still stand, Australians found little appealing in the dour, Depression-era president who had come and gone without regarding their country as a friend or ally. Johnson thus became a consequential figure in Australia’s national history in ways Hoover never did.