Entrepreneurship as an IEEE workforce development theme

The IEEE is currently planning an extensive workforce development (WFD) programme through its volunteer and associated networks. Together with environmental scans, potential learning areas and contributing partners are being solicited. The Institute of Physics has an established workshop in Entrepreneurship for Scientists and Engineers, which may partially fulfil this role. This paper describes the format and content of this workshop, constructively evaluating it keeping in mind metrics relating to WFD. Future value-adds for IEEE involvement are identified

Small businesses in the new creative industries:innovation as a people management challenge

Purpose - This paper presents findings from an SME case study situated in the computer games industry, the youngest and fastest growing of the new digital industries. The study examines changing people management practices as the case company undergoes industry-typical strategic change to embark on explorative innovation and argues that maintaining an organisational context conducive to innovatin over time risks turning into a contest between management and employees as both parties interpret organisational pressures from their different perspectives. Design/methodology/approach - A single case study design is used as the appropriate methdology to generate indepth qualitative data from multiple organisational member perspectives. Findings - Findings indicate that management and worker perspectives on innovation as strategic change and the central people management practices required to support this differ significantly, resulting in tensions and organisational strain. As the company moves to the production of IP work, the need for more effective duality management arises. Research limitations/implications - The single case study has limitations in terms of generalisability. Multiple data collection and triangulation were used to migitate against the limitations. Practical implications - The study highlights the importance of building up change management capability in the small businesses typical for this sector, an as yet neglected focus in the academic iterature concerned with the industry and in support initatives. Originality/value - Few qualitative studies have examined people management practices in the industry in the context of organisational/strategic change, and few have adopted a process perspective

Integrating the Entrepreneurial Mindset into the Engineering Classroom

CONTRIBUTION: This paper highlights one approach to fostering the entrepreneurial mindset in the engineering classroom. BACKGROUND: Entrepreneurship and innovation are currently trending topics in engineering education and will continue developing for the foreseeable future. INTENDED OUTCOMES: The guiding research question is: How can an entrepreneurial mindset focused learning experience improve student self-regulation, seeing value, and lifelong learning through metacognitive reflections? APPLICATION DESIGN: The study is implemented within a five-week module focused on developing the entrepreneurial mindset as part of a required course on supply chain management technology. The supporting pedagogical interventions include authentic learning, information literacy, a mix of low stakes and high stakes assessment, and parallel scaffold and collaborative learning. The module is assessed through a metacognitive reflection centered around self-regulated learning, seeing value, and lifelong learning. FINDINGS: First, the metacognitive reflections showed ~50% of participants would approach their work differently (e.g., make changes to management and scheduling, using credible sources, obtaining writing assistance through the university writing lab). Second, participants were able to articulate soft skill development and/or subject matter expertise as benefits as it relates to entering the workforce. Third, participants were able to express opportunities for extending their knowledge in the future

The nexus between digital skills/competences and work: A bibliometric study

The widespread use of computers and other new information and communication technologies (ICT) in every realm of society has increased the demand for specific skills and competences for people at any age and stage of life to use and work with ICT effectively. Summarised under the terms "digital skills" and "digital competences" by the European Commission in 2018, these concepts still lack clarity and are characterised by some ambiguity though much research has been devoted to them. Given that these two concepts are of high topicality with regard to current labour market developments, like skills mismatch, the digital divide or the design and implementation of occupational retraining programmes, the main purpose of this paper is to contribute to a more clear-cut understanding of the nexus between digital skills/competences and work. To accomplish this goal, we carry out a bibliometric study consisting of both quantitative and qualitative analysis. Our main findings are that research on the nexus between digital skills/competences and work is evolving and this research field is anchored in many different scientific disciplines and shares thematic overlaps with various other areas such as higher education research. The qualitative part of our analysis reveals that this research field is defined by six building blocks with one motor theme on "digital literacy". Furthermore, employment or employability as well as the effects of changing technologies at the workplace are the most crucial topics addressed in this research field, reflecting the high value attributed to digital skills/competences in determining the employability of the current and future workforce

Nurturing next-generation biomedical engineers in Africa: The impact of Innovators’ Summer Schools

The mission of healthcare systems in Africa to deliver compassionate and effective care has been constrained by growing populations, increasing burden of disease, political conflict and limited resources. The impacts of these constraints can be substantially alleviated, and the healthcare services strengthened, through the creation and adoption of affordable, accessible and appropriate biomedical engineering systems and technologies. There is an urgent need for building capacities in biomedical engineering, innovation and entrepreneurship in African countries. The African Biomedical Engineering Consortium has been organising a series of Innovators’ Summer Schools to meet this need by empowering students and researchers with entrepreneurial and innovative skills, and facilitating the design and development of robust, appropriate, and commercially viable medical systems and devices. In this paper, we analyse and discuss the impact of six of these schools held between 2012 and 2017. We used a questionnaire-based survey to collect responses from students who had attended the summer schools. The results of this study demonstrate that the teaching-learning model adopted in the ABEC summer schools was largely effective in promoting biomedical engineering skills, career choices, professional networks and partnerships amongst young African engineers and life scientists who attended the summer schools

Thriving Innovation Ecosystems: Synergy Among Stakeholders, Tools, and People

An innovation ecosystem is a multi-stakeholder environment, where different stakeholders interact to solve complex socio-technical challenges. We explored how stakeholders use digital tools, human resources, and their combination to gather information and make decisions in innovation ecosystems. To comprehensively understand stakeholders' motivations, information needs and practices, we conducted a three-part interview study across five stakeholder groups (N=13) using an interactive digital dashboard. We found that stakeholders were primarily motivated to participate in innovation ecosystems by the potential social impact of their contributions. We also found that stakeholders used digital tools to seek "high-level" information to scaffold initial decision-making efforts but ultimately relied on contextual information provided by human networks to enact final decisions. Therefore, people, not digital tools, appear to be the key source of information in these ecosystems. Guided by our findings, we explored how technology might nevertheless enhance stakeholders' decision-making efforts and enable robust and equitable innovation ecosystems

The Role of Human Resource Management in the Growth of Startups: A Multiple Case Study from the Perspective of Entrepreneurs and Employees

The purpose of the present study is to investigate the role of human resource management (HRM) in the growth of startups. Accordingly, the missions and practices of HRM in startups are identified from the perspective of entrepreneurs and employees. A multiple case study approach is used by focusing on two startups in Iran. Moreover, the data are collected by interviewing one entrepreneur and four employees in each company. Besides, qualitative data are analysed using thematic analysis. Results demonstrated the various types of HRM missions and practices in startups and reflect different perspectives of entrepreneurs and employees of human resources management in these companies. Finally, the results illustrated that HRM can play an important role in the growth of these companies. Although research in the field of startups has increased in recent years, the role of HRM in the growth of these companies has rarely been addressed. The present research helps to expand literature related to the role of HRM in the growth of startups by considering the different perspectives of startups' entrepreneurs and employees

The effects of collaborative leadership practices on employee satisfaction levels

Successful organizations understand how employee satisfaction levels affect the bottom line. Establishing the best practices for managing employee satisfaction is paramount so human resource directors can share information. This literature review will help educate human resource practitioners and researchers to understand better the history, the existing research, and the benefits of properly managing employee satisfaction levels. When employees become dissatisfied, it can lead to a lack of trust, poor communication, and retention problems. Obtaining information on managing employee satisfaction levels can be difficult for aspiring human resource leaders. Through this phenomenological research study, human resource executives will share their knowledge and experience by answering 11 interview questions that seek to answer four research questions that revolve around defining, measuring, and tracking levels of employee satisfaction. Next, the discussions will move toward overcoming challenges of managing employee satisfaction, then migrate toward the challenges that are faced when trying to increase employee satisfaction. Finally, the questioning will end with a list of practices that human resource directors should avoid when managing satisfaction levels. These questions will be asked and answered through a semi-structured interview process where human resource executives will share their knowledge and experience with what has worked in the past. Maintaining acceptable employee satisfaction levels is essential to keeping organizations running smoothly. Human resource directors can increase employee satisfaction in many forms, and those suggestions will be reviewed and analyzed in this research study

DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY POLICY FOR SMEs: A BIBLIOMETRIC ANALYSIS

This study aims to analyze digital technology policies, especially for SMEs publication trends regarding time, author, journal, affiliation, and institution; research areas that are prominent and influential on digital technology policies, especially for SMEs, as well as opportunities and limitations for future researchers to explore. This study uses Scientometrics analysis through bibliometric analysis. Data analysis was carried out in two parts through inductive analysis where the first was bibliometric analysis and in the second part, network mapping. Data were extracted from the Scopus database, in November 2021 during the period 2003-2021. The results of the study show that the highest publications were in 2020 as many as 19 documents; the most relevant source is Telecommunications Policy, the most cited authors are Depaoli, Paolo and the most relevant affiliate is Loughborough University. The results of the study have implications that in the future Digital Technology Policy for SMEs research will focus on studies on Digital Technologies barriers, innovation-diffusion, SME innovation and E-Business