Developing Country Perspective Research Articles

The impacts of work-life-balance (WLB) challenges on social sustainability

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine the implications of work-life-balance (WLB) challenges for Nigerian female medical doctors. This study focusses on Nigeria, which its peculiar socio-cultural, institutional and professional realities constitute WLB as well as social sustainability (SS) challenge for female medical doctors.Design/methodology/approachRelying on qualitative, interpretivist approach and informed by institutional theory, this study explores how Nigeria’s institutional environment and workplace realities engender WLB challenges, which consequently impact SS for female doctors. In total, 43 semi-structured interviews and focus group session involving eight participants were utilised for empirical analysis.FindingsThe study reveals that factors such as work pressure, cultural expectations, unsupportive relationships, challenging work environment, gender role challenges, lack of voice/participation, and high stress level moderate the ability of female medical doctors to manage WLB and SS. It also identifies that socio-cultural and institutional demands on women show that these challenges, while common to female physicians in other countries, are different and more intense in Nigeria because of their unique professional, socio-cultural and institutional frameworks.Research limitations/implicationsThe implications of the WLB and SS requires scholarship to deepen as well as extend knowledge on contextual disparities in understanding these concepts from developing countries perspective, which is understudied.Originality/valueThis study offers fresh insights into the WLB and SS concepts from the non-western context, such as Nigeria, highlighting the previously understudied challenges of WLB and SS and their implications for female doctors.

Investigating the Moderating Effects of Self-Efficacy, Age and Gender in the Context of Nursing Mobile Decision Support Systems Adoption: A Developing Country Perspective

<p>Health professionals are increasingly using and relying on mobile applications to support their decisions in Jordan. Nursing staff have the opportunity to use a wide variety of already existed mobile applications to support their tasks when providing health services to both inpatients and outpatients.</p><p>This study attempted to investigate the key factors that affect adoption of mobile applications that support nursing staff health decision making in Jordan. These key factors include perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, subjective norms, job relevance, perceptions of external control. In addition, this study intended to investigate the moderating effect of self-efficacy, age and gender.</p>The study validated the proposed model using data collected from 241 nursing staff in three public and private hospitals in Jordan. Results show that perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use are the most important factors in determining individual’s behavioral intention to adopt the mobile application in their decision support processes.

Re-imagining marketing as societing

Purpose Marketing theory and practice is under severe criticism – socialists and the practitioners criticize marketing in its current form which calls for active efforts by marketers to reposition the discipline – making it beneficial to the masses. The Western world is thoroughly investigated based on the opinions of public regarding marketing as a discipline. However, studies which present a non-Western consumer’s attitudes toward the role of marketing in a society are scant. This purpose of this study is to encapsulate Pakistani consumers’ understandings and attitudes toward marketing with an emphasis on their perceptions of the ethicality and transformative power of the discipline. Design/methodology/approach A purposive convenience sample of 40 professionals with diverse non-marketing backgrounds and of the widest possible demographic profile participated in in-depth, unstructured interviews. The content analysis and grounded theory method were used for the analysis. Findings Marketing is appreciated for creating product awareness and, occasionally, combating social problems, but this positive image is clouded by severely criticizing it for promoting materialism, being irritatingly pervasive and pushy, as well as for using unethical and unfair practices. Practical implications The study offers a valuable insight into the discipline’s performative and social legitimation in a fast-growing Asian economy. The authors recommend paths for a positive repositioning of the discipline that will improve its public image and enhance its potential for being recognized as a force for positive social change. Originality/value Further to enhancing our understanding of consumer attitudes toward marketing, this paper’s value lies in it being the first ever exploration of the developing country perspective. Most importantly, it contributes to a debate that could enlighten the much-needed repositioning of marketing as a discipline to make it useful for masses.

Knowledge Management Strategy and Organizational Creative Performance Nexus: A Developing Countries Perspective

Knowledge Management Strategy and Organizational Creative Performance Nexus: A Developing Countries Perspective

Understanding the adoption of socially responsible supplier development practices using institutional theory: Dairy supply chains in India

Supplier development (SD) initiatives play an important role in building buyer-supplier capacities to deal with social and economic performance. The aim of this paper is to explain the motivations behind the adoption of similar SD strategies to address sustainability (particularly social issues) occurring in local supply chains of a developing country. We compare the economic and social variants of institutional theory to investigate whether efficiency or legitimacy seeking drives the adoption (and copying) of SD practices. Twelve case studies involving private and cooperative dairies were conducted in India via semi-structured interviews. Findings revealed that both private and cooperative dairies adopt similar SD practices to build supplier capabilities and improve social and economic performance of buyers and suppliers. Private dairies imitate SD practices of the cooperatives to survive the competition; i.e., economic performance is the main reason behind their isomorphism. Cooperatives, on the other hand, take up SD practices more for legitimacy and even philanthropic reasons; though also partly note the long-term economic benefits from developing the supplier community. These findings can be used both by practitioners and researchers to gain valuable insights into the reasons driving organisational isomorphism in social sustainability practices from a developing country perspective, something rarely done so far in the literature.

Corporate Governance in Bangladesh: Evidence of Compliance

This study investigates companies’ level of compliance with the Code of Corporate Governance for Bangladesh. Using a quantitative approach, it aims to understand the extent a regulatory provision can enhance the governance scenario of a company. It employed a survey methodology, with a questionnaire being sent to all 229 companies listed on the Dhaka Stock Exchange. The results of the multivariate analysis suggest that age, size, industry and type of company have a statistically positive correlation with the level of compliance with the Code provisions. The findings of the study indicate that listed companies are, on average, moderately compliant with the Code, and compliance is comparatively higher with the Code provisions that coincide with other regulatory provisions. The major theoretical contribution of this study is with its empirical evidence of the code compliance literature from a developing country perspective. Moreover the findings can be used as a guide to help develop policies for better implementation of good governance standards; the identification of areas of non-compliance are expected to help code formulators, regulators and also companies to understand why and where companies are falling behind in compliance with the Code.

A Study of Undergraduate Students’ Use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and the Factors Affecting their Use: A Developing Country Perspective

The purpose of this study was twofold: (1) to examine the extent of undergraduate students’ use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) for personal and educational purposes, and (2) to examine differences in their use based on their gender, academic year, major, ICT access, and perceived ICT competencies. A descriptive method was followed in which 252 participants completed a questionnaire. The participants were students from a university in Jordan. The results showed that almost all the students owned smartphones and majority of them owned laptop computers. They had easy access to common types of technologies such as computers and the internet. They had moderate competencies in the general use of these common technologies, and high competencies in using smartphones. They were users of common digital tools and applications for personal purposes. Their ownership, access, competencies with, and use of ICT for personal purposes did not result in extensive use of ICT for educational purposes. However, students’ use of ICT for informal learning had multifaceted relationships with their use of ICT for personal purposes, ICT access, and ICT perceived competencies. Students’ ICT use for informal purposes is also influenced by their gender. However, the students’ use ICT for formal learning was not directly influenced by their ICT access, ICT perceived competencies, gender, or major. But, students’ use ICT for formal learning was related to their use of ICT for personal purposes and for informal learning. Nowadays university students surrounded by technology, some common types of these technologies include smartphones, Social Networking Service (SNS), computers, and the internet. They know how to use these types of technologies. Students’ use of ICT in their learning is directly and indirectly influenced by several factors. University administrators and faculty members should take advantage of students’ use and experience of specific types of ICT such as smartphones and SNS in their personal and social life by formally integrating such ICT in students’ learning. However such integration needs careful planning in terms of considering the pedagogy related to technology integration and considering the factors that would influence students’ acceptance and use of such technologies.

Drivers of Green Supply Chain Management Practices and their Impact on Firm Performance: A Developing Country Perspective

The purpose of this paper is to identify the drivers of Green Supply Chain Management (GSCM) practices among the manufacturing firms of a developing country, and to examine the impact of GSCM practices on firms’ economic and environmental performance. A structural equation model is developed to study the hypothesized relationships between three drivers and GSCM practices. Furthermore, the relationship between GSCM practices and firm’s economic and environmental performance is also investigated. A sample of manufacturing firms is taken from the companies listed in the local stock exchange. Cross-sectional data of 80 responses from these manufacturing firms is collected. The developed model is tested through Partial Least Square Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) technique. Results show that customer’s pressure and firm’s internal drive (enviropreneurship) positively impacts the adoption of GSCM practices whereas the relationship between governmental legislation GSCM practices adoption is not significant. GSCM practices positively impact the supply chain buying firm’s economic and environmental performance.

The relationship between ownership structure and firm financial performance

PurposePrevious studies that dealt with corporate governance have witnessed gradually significant growth that created some new trends. The purpose of this paper is to be involved in such trends through examining the link between ownership structure as one of the important corporate governance mechanisms and firm performance in Jordan as one of emerging economies.Design/methodology/approachThe current study used the multiple regression method to analyze available data for non-financial firms listed in the Amman Stock Exchange for the fiscal year 2012.FindingsThe findings revealed that managerial ownership has a positive impact on performance. On the other hand, the findings surprisingly showed no evidence to support the impact of foreign ownership on performance. Moreover, there is a significant evidence to support the fact that company size has no impact on firm performance. The findings also revealed that industry type has no impact on firm performance.Practical implicationsThe practical implications of the current study demonstrated that good corporate governance is imperative to all organizations and must be encouraged for the interest of all stakeholders. Unlike the majority of the previous studies, the current study unexpectedly found that foreign ownership is not significantly contributing to the firm performance. Thus, Jordanian Government and other related/responsible parties should formulate policies for the foreign investors.Originality/valueInterestingly, from developed and developing countries perspective, the study is the first of its kind that exclusively chose the mechanisms of ownership structure in its relationship with firm performance represented by market share, where no previous study has tested foreign ownership in such relationship. In that, this study is the first study in emerging economies to investigate such a link. Such new insights on this relationship by current study provide helpful information that is of great value to the government, academics, policy makers, and other stakeholders.

The big five personality traits and their relationship with the intensity of using Facebook: a developing country perspective

There is a remarkable increase in the usage of the social networking sites worldwide especially among young people, which has become a lifestyle. This study examines the role of the big five personality traits and their relationship with the intensity of using Facebook in a developing country perspective like Jordan. A paper-based questionnaire was used to collect the data and the WarpPLS 5.0 software was utilised to test the data using a population sample (N = 260). The results show that the intensity of using Facebook is negatively affected by the three personality traits (neuroticism, agreeableness and conscientiousness) and positively affected by extraversion, meanwhile openness has no significant effect in the current analysis. This study also examines the moderating influence of gender, academic study level, college type and age on the relationships between the big five personality traits and the intensity of using Facebook. Furthermore, with respect to the addictive tendencies, the results revealed that the amount of average usage per day exceeds the benchmark of Facebook addiction.

Clinical profile, intensive care needs and predictors of outcome in children with drowning: A developing country perspective

Clinical profile, intensive care needs and predictors of outcome in children with drowning: A developing country perspective

The big five personality traits and their relationship with the intensity of using Facebook: a developing country perspective

The big five personality traits and their relationship with the intensity of using Facebook: a developing country perspective

Assessing eLearning Systems Success in Nigeria: An Application of the DeLone and McLean Information Systems Success Model

Aim/Purpose: This study is based on the DeLone and McLean’s Information Systems Success (D&M ISS) model, which was modified to determine the success factors responsible for the acceptance of an e-learning system called Canvas by students of a Nigerian University. Background: The adoption of eLearning has been under studied within the context of developing countries. There have been calls in the literature for further research from a developing country perspective. This study attempts to fill this knowledge gap by investigating the factors responsible for students’ adoption of eLearning in a Nigerian University. Methodology: The study was built on the premise that system quality (SQ), service quality (ServQ) and information quality (IQ) are determinants of behavioral intention to use Canvas and user satisfaction of Canvas, both of which in turn influence the actual usage of Canvas. Responses from 366 students were analyzed with AMOS 22 using structural equation model (SEM) to test the relationships between the constructs of the proposed model. Contribution: The study contributes to the research gap about the paucity of studies in the adoption of eLearning in developing countries that have placed emphasis on the use of eLearning systems or on the software quality attributes of the systems under investigation. Findings: The results partially supported the effect of the quality antecedents on behavioral intention and user satisfaction of students. There was full support for the relationship between behavioral intention and user satisfaction of students on their actual usage of Canvas. Recommendations for Practitioners: The level of significance of the constructs identified in the study will guide the formulation of strategies and methods that could further enhance the adoption of eLearning systems in developing countries, specifically Nigeria. Recommendation for Researchers: Theoretically, the study contributes to the body of knowledge on eLearning adoption by empirically validating the DeLone and McLean model in a different context, specifically sub-Saharan Africa. Future Research: Future research could investigate the factors that influence instructors’ behavioral intentions to use eLearning applications and also the effect that the instructors have on students’ adoption of eLearning.

Perception on the Use of Mobile Phones in Retrieving Information from Academic Libraries: A developing country perspective

Purpose – The purpose of the study is to identify the perception of the LIS specialists about the use of mobile phones in retrieving information. It investigates the present status of the LIS specialists regarding mobile phone usage, perceptions regarding the use of mobile phones in retrieving information from libraries and point out the possible drawbacks and their solutions for embracing mobile phones in retrieving information from libraries and providing some suggestions. Design/methodology/approach – The methodology includes a quantitative approach. The authors used a survey method using a structured questionnaire to measure the perception of LIS specialists regarding the use of mobile phones in retrieving information from libraries. Findings – The findings confirmed that the majority (72%) of LIS specialists have the experience of using mobile phones from more than 10 years. Findings also indicate that the LIS specialists overall agreed with the statements of advantages of using mobile phones with a mean score of 5.30. This paper concludes that the respondents also agreed with a mean score 5.37 regarding the possible advantages of introducing mobile phones in retrieving information from libraries. Originality/value – The paper explores the original perceptions of LIS specialists regarding the use of mobile phones in retrieving information from libraries. URL: http://ijkcdt.net/xml/13282/13282.pdf

Early Undifferentiated Arthritis: A Developing Country Perspective from Nepal

Early undifferentiated arthritis is a group of inflammatory joint disease of less than 3 months duration that do not classify under any of the specific rheumatic or connective tissue disorder. Previously, inflammatory arthritis used to be treated only when there was a clear evidence of damage or deformity occurring with it. Use of disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs were considered potentially harmful early in the course of arthritis which could be self-limiting. However, with the abundance of data on outcomes of early arthritis and identification of factors that can help to predict those outcomes lead to earlier use of such DMARDs. Better understanding of serological tests like anti-CCP antibodies and imaging modalities like high frequency ultrasound with power doppler and magnetic resonance imaging has increased the diagnostic and prognostic yield of such early arthritis cases. It is now imperative that the risk be assessed early in the course of disease and early DMARDs be instituted for better outcome in these cases. This review analyses the historical evolution of evidence in the management of early undifferentiated arthritis and summarises the treatment approach, monitoring and disease outcomes till date. Keywords: arthritides; Nepal; power doppler; rheumatoid; ultrasonography.

Identifying and Analyzing of Factors Contributing for Growth of Non–Life Insurance Gross Premium a Developing Country Perspective: Case of Insurance Industry in Ethiopia

Ethiopian non-life insurance gross premium for the past 10 years has grown on average of 20.74% that doubles the economic growth of the country. Although the sector growth is rapid, penetration rate and density of insurance industry are at very low stage. In 2013/2014, Ethiopian insurance industry’s non life insurance premium penetration rate is below 1% and density is 52.00. The objective of this study is to identify and analyze the factors contributing for the growth of non life insurance gross premium. The study is done based on quantitative secondary data collected from National bank of Ethiopia, Ministry of Finance and Economics, Ministry of Trade and Industry, Central Statics Authority, World Bank and other source. The study used 10 years data from the period 2004/2005 to 2013/2014; it accommodates all insurance company in the study from the date of establishment to the current status. This study used correlation as a method of data analysis; a deductive approach is adopted by constructing an empirical model and hypothesizing its collinear relationship between the factor variables. The factors contributing for the growth of non life insurance gross premium are GDP, Investment Capital, Number of insurance Company, capital of insurance, Branch size of insurance company, Age of insurance company and Government policy. The finding shows that most factors have strong correlation to non life insurance gross premium. Government needs to promote the insurance sector as it is contributing for the economic growth, capital formation and employment generation.

Unintentional injuries in children at pediatric emergency center: A developing country perspective

Background: Unintentional injuries are important cause for childhood mortality and long-term morbidity. Developing countries accounts for majority of the childhood deaths due to unintentional injuries. Methods: This was a retrospective descriptive study done at a tertiary care center. Data were obtained from the records of patients. Result: A total of 180 children presented to pediatric emergency during the study period with male-to-female ratio of 2.1:1. The injuries were more common in 1-5-year age group. The most common mechanism of injuries were fall (49.4%) and hit by object (11.1%). Most of the injuries occurred at home. Median duration of arrival to hospital was 60 minutes. Out of 180 children, 19 (10.5%) required hospital admission. Injuries over the head and face were significantly associated with hospital admissions (adjusted odds ratio: 6.45, 95% confidence interval: 1.96-21.93, p=0.002).Background: Unintentional injuries are important cause for childhood mortality and long-term morbidity. Developing countries accounts for majority of the childhood deaths due to unintentional injuries. Methods: This was a retrospective descriptive study done at a tertiary care center. Data were obtained from the records of patients. Result: A total of 180 children presented to pediatric emergency during the study period with male-to-female ratio of 2.1:1. The injuries were more common in 1-5-year age group. The most common mechanism of injuries were fall (49.4%) and hit by object (11.1%). Most of the injuries occurred at home. Median duration of arrival to hospital was 60 minutes. Out of 180 children, 19 (10.5%) required hospital admission. Injuries over the head and face were significantly associated with hospital admissions (adjusted odds ratio: 6.45, 95% confidence interval: 1.96-21.93, p=0.002). Conclusion: Pediatric injuries are common in India. Male children are at higher risk. Injuries over the head and face are associated with higher rates of hospitalization in children. Pediatric injuries are common in India. Male children are at higher risk. Injuries over the head and face are associated with higher rates of hospitalization in children.

Financing Education Abroad: A Developing Country Perspective

Developing countries intensively promote education abroad through financial aid policies. While some financially support students with scholarships, other countries prefer to provide loans. This paper provides a novel data-set containing characteristics of world-wide government-funded scholarship and loan programs supporting education abroad. The data allows us to identify unique stylized facts on these financing policies for middle and low income countries. We find that scholarship programs more frequently select students based on merit criteria, target graduate and postgraduate study level, and require recipients to return after studies than loan programs do. We build a two-country student migration model with government intervention to qualitatively account for the observed patterns. In our model, government intervention is justified for two reasons. First, students from a developing country are financially constrained and cannot afford education abroad. Second, the government values the productivity of “returnees” higher than the market does. We argue that when students are uncertain about their future productivity and may fail at their studies, scholarship programs can insure them against potential default. Consequently, if students differ in their expected ability, under certain conditions a government with a tight budget will prioritize ex-ante high-ability students and support them with scholarships with the return requirement, and support ex-ante low-ability students with loans without the return requirement.

The impact of sharing accommodation on the hotel occupancy rate in the kingdom of Swaziland

This paper examines the relationship and impact of sharing accommodation on the hotel occupancy rate (HOR) from a developing country perspective. Using panel data on the monthly HOR and the number of Airbnb room occupancy rate for the periods 2012–2016 and 2015–2016, respectively, the study applies a hierarchical regression model to respond to the research questions. The Pearson correlation test reveals a positive relationship between the HOR and Airbnb room occupancy rate, thus indicating that an increase in the hotel room occupancy rate moves in tandem with a rise in the Airbnb room occupancy rate. Further test revealed that increase in the Airbnb room occupancy rate coincided with an increase in the hotel room occupancy rate. In addition, the Airbnb platform was found to appeals to a different tourist market profile than does that of hotels, and that, therefore, the two products may be viewed as non-competitors. Furthermore, inconsistencies in regulatory provisions, in terms of which hotels are required to undergo various legal procedures as opposed to such platforms, are evident. The study recommends that the Swaziland Government should undertake stakeholder consultations aimed at developing regulations to manage and monitor sharing accommodation platform participants that will incorporate its innovative and diverse dimensions. The study is important as it provides insights into tourism destination managers on the impact of the sharing economy from a developing country perspective where empirically based research that could be useful in policy formulation is scant.

The Moderating Role of Country of Origin on Brand Equity, Repeat Purchase Intentions, and Word of Mouth in Trinidad and Tobago

ABSTRACTBrand equity has emerged as a critical aspect of marketing, but its effect on consumer behavioral intentions from a developing country perspective has not been sufficiently examined. This study proposes that country of origin and product type will moderate the relationships between brand equity, consumer repeat purchase intentions, and word of mouth. Data were collected from 157 customers and analyzed with regression analysis. Our results confirm the moderating role of COO such that favorable COO weakens the impact of brand equity on consumers' behavioral intentions. Product type was not significant. Theoretical and practical implications of these findings are presented as well as the limitations, and future research opportunities are discussed.