How and when is self-efficacy related to entrepreneurial intentions: exploring the role of entrepreneurial outcome expectations and subjective norms

This study investigates how and when general self-efficacy is related to entrepreneurial intentions. We propose that entrepreneurial outcome expectations function as a mediator in this relationship, while subjective norms act as a moderator. Using a sample of 1052 students from U.S. Public Universities, we tested a moderated mediation model. Results showed that general self-efficacy is positively related to entrepreneurial intentions through the mediating effect of entrepreneurial outcome expectations, and that this relationship is significantly positive for individuals with favourable subjective norms towards entrepreneurship, while significantly negative for individuals with less favourable subjective norms. These findings contribute to literatures on entrepreneurial intentions.   Keywords: entrepreneurial intentions, self-efficacy, entrepreneurial outcome expectations, subjective norm

The effects of social spending on entrepreneurship in developed nations

Understanding how national policy can spur entrepreneurial activity is central to entrepreneurship research. Over the past decade, there has been a limited set of research findings to suggest that social spending may increase entrepreneurship in addition to serving more direct social purposes. We examine the topic through the lens of market failure theory and Austrian economics. In accordance with the Austrian perspective, we theorize that social spending increases the opportunity cost of entrepreneurship, thereby decreasing the attractiveness of entrepreneurship in comparison to salaried employment. Drawing from a sample of 31 developed countries spanning 2004–2011, we investigate the effects of social spending on entrepreneurial attitudes and activity. Our results indicate that country level social spending negatively affects entrepreneurial activity, business ownership, and the public’s view of entrepreneurship as a career choice. The findings suggest that social spending may be better suited for addressing social issues compared to spurring entrepreneurial attitudes or activity. Our findings have implications for both the entrepreneurship and national policy literature

The Mediating of Organization Change, Perceptions of Politics and Interpersonal Conflict at Work on the Leader/Member Exchange and Job Satisfaction Relationship

Using the lens of social exchange theory, this study examines the role of organization change, perceptions of politics (POPS) and interpersonal conflict at work (ICAW) on the LMX/job satisfaction relationship. Results indicate that organization change, POPS and ICAW each have a partial negative mediation effect on the LMX/job satisfaction relationship. Implications for management are briefly discussed

High Performance Work Systems: A Necessity for Startups

New businesses are an important part of any economy, yet the key elements to achieve startup success are often unclear or up for debate. Attracting, selecting, and training employees are often critical activities for most startups. Research suggests that high performance work systems (i.e., a bundle of human resource practices) enhance organizational performance. However, we posit that most startups lack these systems at the onset, yet with minimal effort can establish a system to improve their likelihood of meeting their goals, enhancing capabilities, and ensuring long-term survival.

A growth model for understanding female-owned enterprises

Numerous policy initiatives designed to support the growth of female-owned enterprises in the developing economies have repeatedly failed to achieve their objectives. Research recognizes the lack of contextualized growth models for defining female-owned enterprises in such contexts as the main issue. Thus, and drawing from our qualitative data, we propose a growth model to account for the business development activities of female-owned enterprises from a developing economy perspective. Through analyzing our qualitative data, it emerged that money (access and utilization), management (nonformal education and experience), and market (customer intelligence) were direct determinants of the growth trajectories of female-owned enterprises. Motherhood (household and family), meso- (membership of professional networks and social learning), and macro-environment (sociocultural and economic issues) indirectly influenced their growth by mediating women’s access and utilization of the aforementioned direct determinants. From that, we offer recommendations for practitioners including public authorities and key actors within the entrepreneurial ecosystem that provide the support infrastructure for female-owned enterprises in a developing economy

Keeping the peace: An investigation of the interaction between personality, conflict and competence on organizational citizenship behaviors

This author accepted manuscript is deposited under a Creative Commons Attribution Non-commercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC) license. This means that anyone may distribute, adapt, and build upon the work for non-commercial purposes, subject to full attribution. If you wish to use this manuscript for commercial purposes, please contact [email protected]: The purpose of this paper is to investigate the interaction between self-reported proactive personality, competence, and interpersonal conflict in the prediction of supervisor ratings of organizational citizenship behaviors directed at individuals (OCBI) and organizations (OCBO). Design/methodology/approach: Data were obtained from 165 full-time subordinate-supervisor dyads. Employees self-reported personality and control variable information in wave 1 and competence and interpersonal conflict information in wave 2. Data regarding employee OCB performance were collected from supervisors in wave 3. Findings: Results suggest that OCBs are performed less frequently in stressful circumstances but that proactive personality appears to assuage the effects of stress. Significant two- and three-way interactions suggest the interplay of personal and situational characteristics are more complex in predicting OCBO than OCBI, likely due to its more distal nature. Practical implications: Results of the current study suggest steps managers may want to take to increase employee performance of OCBs, specifically, selecting proactive individuals, creating training programs to bolster employees’ competence, and minimizing interpersonal conflict at work. Originality/value: The current study confirms and extends extant research. The current study goes beyond previous work to consider a more complex interaction of factors that are related to employee engagement in OCBs.Ye

Moderators of the personality-performance relationship

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to investigate whether job meaning and job autonomy moderate the relationship between emotional stability and organizational citizenship behavior. Design/methodology/approach: In total, 190 supervisor-subordinate dyads completed three surveys. Linear and curvilinear analyses were used to assess the data. Findings: Results indicate emotionally stable individuals are more likely to perform OCBOs in low autonomy and/or low job meaning situations than are employees low in emotional stability. Conversely, individuals who have high autonomy and/or high meaning jobs are likely to engage in OCBOs regardless of personality. Research limitations/implications: As a survey-based research study, causal conclusions cannot be drawn from this study. Results suggest future research on the personality-performance relationship needs to more closely consider context and the potential for curvilinear relationships. Practical implications: Managers should note that personality may significantly affect job performance and consider placing individuals in jobs that best align with their personality strengths. Originality/value: This study sheds light on factors which may have led to erroneous conclusions in the extant literature that the relationship between personality and performance is weak.Ye

Comparison of RNA-Seq and Microarray Gene Expression Platforms for the Toxicogenomic Evaluation of Liver From Short-Term Rat Toxicity Studies

Gene expression profiling is a useful tool to predict and interrogate mechanisms of toxicity. RNA-Seq technology has emerged as an attractive alternative to traditional microarray platforms for conducting transcriptional profiling. The objective of this work was to compare both transcriptomic platforms to determine whether RNA-Seq offered significant advantages over microarrays for toxicogenomic studies. RNA samples from the livers of rats treated for 5 days with five tool hepatotoxicants (α-naphthylisothiocyanate/ANIT, carbon tetrachloride/CCl4, methylenedianiline/MDA, acetaminophen/APAP, and diclofenac/DCLF) were analyzed with both gene expression platforms (RNA-Seq and microarray). Data were compared to determine any potential added scientific (i.e., better biological or toxicological insight) value offered by RNA-Seq compared to microarrays. RNA-Seq identified more differentially expressed protein-coding genes and provided a wider quantitative range of expression level changes when compared to microarrays. Both platforms identified a larger number of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in livers of rats treated with ANIT, MDA, and CCl4 compared to APAP and DCLF, in agreement with the severity of histopathological findings. Approximately 78% of DEGs identified with microarrays overlapped with RNA-Seq data, with a Spearman’s correlation of 0.7 to 0.83. Consistent with the mechanisms of toxicity of ANIT, APAP, MDA and CCl4, both platforms identified dysregulation of liver relevant pathways such as Nrf2, cholesterol biosynthesis, eiF2, hepatic cholestasis, glutathione and LPS/IL-1 mediated RXR inhibition. RNA-Seq data showed additional DEGs that not only significantly enriched these pathways, but also suggested modulation of additional liver relevant pathways. In addition, RNA-Seq enabled the identification of non-coding DEGs that offer a potential for improved mechanistic clarity. Overall, these results indicate that RNA-Seq is an acceptable alternative platform to microarrays for rat toxicogenomic studies with several advantages. Because of its wider dynamic range as well as its ability to identify a larger number of DEGs, RNA-Seq may generate more insight into mechanisms of toxicity. However, more extensive reference data will be necessary to fully leverage these additional RNA-Seq data, especially for non-coding sequences