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Purpose: The purpose of this study is to examine factors leading to venture success, emphasizing the role of entrepreneurs as critical in the whole process, based on a sample of women entrepreneurs. Drawing upon the competence-based view of the firm, it examines the effect of entrepreneurial competencies, managerial competencies and reliance on networks toward increased female venture success rates. Design/methodology/approach: A structured questionnaire was allocated to women entrepreneurs to seek respondents' perceptions. Principal component analysis (PCA) with varimax rotation was undertaken to confirm the constructs' validity. A hierarchical regression analysis was performed to test the hypotheses. Findings: Networking stands out as having the most significant positive effect on venture success while entrepreneurial and managerial core competencies are both important, with entrepreneurial competencies demonstrating a slightly higher score. Also, years of entrepreneurial experience, entrepreneurial family background and family status prove significant. Research limitations/implications: The study confirms prior research, highlighting the role of entrepreneurs as central, sharpening understanding of the required determinants of venture success. It further provides new insight into venture success from the perspective of the competence-based theory, highlighting clear-cut competencies. Practical implications: The study paves the way for the design of entrepreneurial learning programs targeting entrepreneurs and particularly females, highlighting the need for on-going education and educational programs to support entrepreneurs and distinctly women. Originality/value: The study contributes to the effective management of venture progress and success and provides insight into entrepreneurs and policymakers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate whether predicting factors of conventional ventures’ performance are appropriate in interpreting the creative industries context. Moreover, this paper introduces a way to measure venture performance in creative industries.Design/methodology/approach A structured questionnaire was used to address this research objectives, based mainly on scales tested in previous studies. Data were collected from a sample of 371 female entrepreneurs of creative industries. A hierarchical linear regression analysis was conducted to examine the research hypotheses.Findings In congruence with the hypotheses, the findings demonstrated that venture performance in creative industries can be predicted by factors that affect conventional venture performance. Creative personality and professional network ties are regarded according to the empirical analysis presented in this paper as the factors with the highest impact.Research limitations/implications Data were pulled from female entrepreneurs in Greece, especially from the two biggest cities Athens and Thessaloniki. Consequently, it was precarious to fulfill the condition of generalizability. Additionally, a snowball sampling method was used, because of the absence of creative industries firms’ directory in Greece.Originality/value Based on authors’ knowledge and review, no prior study has examined predictors’ effect on creative industries venture performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – Substantial research has examined the pivotal role of supervisor positive humor in generating employee outcomes. To date, though, little is known about the relationship between supervisor humor and newcomers’ adjustment. The purpose of this paper is to contribute to this gap by examining the effect of supervisor positive humor on newcomers’ adjustment. In doing so, the authors highlighted relational identification with the supervisor as a mediating mechanism that explains the aforementioned association. Design/methodology/approach – Data were drawn from 117 newcomers. In order to collect the data the authors used the snowball method. Also, hierarchical regression analysis was conducted. Findings – The results demonstrated that supervisor positive humor affects employees’ relational identification with the supervisor which, in turn, positively relates to newcomers’ adjustment. Research limitations/implications – Data were collected using a cross-sectional design and, therefore, the authors cannot directly assess causality. Moreover, the authors used self-report measures which may strengthen the causal relationships. Originality/value – To the best of the knowledge, this is the first study that illustrates the role of supervisor humor in enhancing both newcomers’ relational identification and adjustment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Numerous empirical studies have examined predictors of emotional exhaustion. In this vein, both positive and negative leadership styles have been associated with this outcome. Yet, little is known about the role of Machiavellian leadership in fostering employees' emotional exhaustion. As such, we investigated the relationship between Machiavellian leadership and emotional exhaustion. Even more, we investigated an explanatory mechanism of this association by encompassing organizational cynicism as a mediator. Results showed that Machiavellian leadership has a both direct and indirect, through organizational cynicism, on employees' emotional exhaustion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study examines the internationalization of Greek SMEs in Western Europe and the Balkan area, focusing on the role of location as a selection criterion in their FDI decisions. Data aimed at capturing SMEs’ perceptions with regard to incentives affecting their FDI based on location criteria. We find that location plays a significant role with regard to the benefits that firms gain, highlighting OLI paradigm's theoretical relevance in the examination of FDI, while presenting internationalization trends in the global environment. Findings further contribute to the adaption of effective practices to enhance firms’ competitiveness through more rational and targeted investment decisions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – Leader-member exchange (LMX) has been proposed as a core mechanism which accounts for the impact of various antecedents on employee outcomes. As such, the purpose of this paper is to examine the mediating effect of LMX regarding the relationship between leader positive humor and employees’ perceptions of organizational cynicism. Design/methodology/approach – Data were collected from 114 public employees. In order to examine the authors’ hypotheses hierarchical regression analysis was conducted. Findings – As hypothesized, results demonstrated that LMX mediates the relationship between leader positive humor and organizational cynicism. Research limitations/implications – Data were drawn from public employees and, therefore, this may constrain the generalizability of the results. Also, the cross-sectional analysis of the data cannot directly assess causality. Originality/value – This is the first empirical study to examine the mediating effect of LMX in the relationship between leader humor and employees’ perceptions of organizational cynicism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose -- Leader-member exchange (LMX) has been proposed as a core mechanism which accounts for the impact of various antecedents on employee outcomes. As such, the purpose of this paper is to examine the mediating effect of LMX regarding the relationship between leader positive humor and employees' perceptions of organizational cynicism. Design/methodology/approach -- Data were collected from 114 public employees. In order to examine the authors' hypotheses hierarchical regression analysis was conducted. Findings -- As hypothesized, results demonstrated that LMX mediates the relationship between leader positive humor and organizational cynicism. Research limitations/implications -- Data were drawn from public employees and, therefore, this may constrain the generalizability of the results. Also, the cross-sectional analysis of the data cannot directly assess causality. Originality/value -- This is the first empirical study to examine the mediating effect of LMX in the relationship between leader humor and employees' perceptions of organizational cynicism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The present paper aims at discussing the transformative potential of an e-mentoring support with regard to mentors' and mentees' learning and behavioral aspects, through an empirical study based on rural women entrepreneurs in Greece. Design/methodology/approach – Mentors' and mentees' perceptions with regard to the benefits they acquired in terms of knowledge, skills and behavioral aspects were assessed through questionnaires that were collected in three time periods – before, right after and six months upon the completion of the intervention. Findings – E-mentoring can serve as a dynamic, two-fold relationship that can create a significant learning database benefiting both sides. Mentees' knowledge and skills were positively influenced, while their attitudes facing uncertainty, flexibility and innovation were found to be strongly influenced in the short and long run. Mentors did not seem to acquire extraordinary benefits from e-mentoring in terms of knowledge and skills, while their attitudes towards flexibility and interest in people demonstrate a marginally negative tendency. Both mentors' and mentees' self-confidence demonstrated an increased tendency and was influenced throughout the intervention and six months upon its completion. Practical implications – Besides benefiting the direct e-mentoring participants and enhancing the development of women entrepreneurship, findings can also significantly benefit management and policy-makers alike, creating avenues to further advance future efforts and practices in raising tomorrow's women entrepreneurs. Originality/value – Theoretical and empirical evidence in the field of e-mentoring as well as on encouraging future women entrepreneurs remains scarce. The present paper constitutes a first step towards suggesting an approach to e-mentoring practices, raising awareness and faith with regard to the beneficial role that e-mentoring support can have in the development of women entrepreneurship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to discuss the benefits, barriers and challenges of the transdisciplinary approach to training, and to present findings of a case analysis. Design/methodology/approach – The paper is based on the research findings of an experimental training program for Greek local government managers co-funded by the European Union. Findings – The adoption of the transdisciplinary approach for the effective training of (local government) managers has a number of important advantages, including the connection of training with real problems that organizations face today, as well as the development of transdisciplinary competences necessary for the effective adaptation and activation of managers in the turbulent environment of the new economy. Research limitations/implications – The experimental training program focuses on managers of Greek local government organizations. However, the critical factors that are described are relative to the training needs of most organizations operating in the new globalized economic environment. Practical implications – The design of the transdisciplinary training programs, as well as their implementation and evaluation processes, can be of use to all organizations interested in the strategic training and development of human resources, regardless of their size and sector. Originality/value – There is a great potential for the development of training programs based on the transdisciplinary approach. Fields of immediate application are those where social, economic and ecological elements interact and should be integrated in a sustainable way. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the impact of five extrinsic rewards (financial incentives, promotion opportunities, organisational prestige, relations with supervisor and relations with peers) on employees' psychological empowerment. Further, the present study compares these effects and the level of psychological empowerment between public and private employees. The results demonstrated that extrinsic rewards differentially affected both samples. Financial incentives, promotion opportunities and organisational prestige had a stronger effect on private employees' psychological empowerment, whereas relations with supervisor and peers were significant predictors of public employees' psychological empowerment. The results also indicated that private employees experience greater psychological empowerment, meaning and impact than public counterparts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose -- The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of perceived external prestige on organizational identification in the context of a Greek public organization and to address the moderating role of gender in the relationship between perceived external prestige and organizational identification. Design/methodology/approach -- Data were obtained from a sample of 159 employees working in Citizens Service Centers. Analysis was conducted using moderated hierarchical regression analysis. Findings -- Perceived external prestige is positively related with organizational identification (fl = 0.33, p < 0.001). The influence of the interaction of perceived external prestige and gender on organizational identification is also supported (fl = -0.29, p < 0.05). In particular, the effect of perceived external prestige on organizational identification was stronger for men. Research limitations/implications -- There is limited inference to other private and public organizations because data are based on one public organization. The cross-sectional analysis of the data cannot directly assess causality. Originality/value -- This is the first study to examine the moderating role of gender in the relationship between perceived external prestige and organizational identification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose -- The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of perceived external prestige (PEP) on organizational identification in the context of a Greek public organization and to address the moderating role of gender in the relationship between PEP and organizational identification. Design/methodology/approach -- Data were obtained from a sample of 159 employees working in Citizens Service Centers. Analysis was conducted using moderated hierarchical regression analysis. Findings -- PEP is positively related with organizational identification (β == 0.33, p < 0.001). The influence of the interaction of PEP and gender on organizational identification is also supported (β = -0.29 p < 0.05). In particular, the effect of PEP on organizational identification was stronger for men. Research limitations/implications -- Limited inference to other private and public organizations because data are based on one public organization. The cross-sectional analysis of the data cannot directly assess causality. Originality/value -- This is the first study to examine the moderating role of gender in the relationship between PEP and organizational identification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Strategic entrepreneurship captures firms' efforts to simultaneously excel at opportunity seeking and advantage seeking. But little research exists into mechanisms that might facilitate strategic entrepreneurship. Drawing on the twin concepts of competence exploration and competence exploitation, we study their effects on strategic entrepreneurship. Theoretically, the entrepreneurial components of strategic entrepreneurship (an entrepreneurial mindset and creating innovation) should benefit from competence exploration while its strategic components (managing resources strategically and executing competitive advantages) should benefit from competence exploitation, but not vice-versa. Our findings, however, suggest that this theoretical dichotomy does not hold up in practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Employee empowerment is regarded as an essential management practice that may offer various benefits in health-care organizations. Despite a growing research body regarding the antecedents of psychological empowerment, the literature indicates limited empirical evidence on the effect of rewards on nurses' psychological empowerment. Thus, the purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of a bundle of rewards, namely skill variety, information, recognition and job security, on the psychological empowerment of public nurses. Further, this study investigates the influence of demographics on this construct. Data from 258 public nurses demonstrate that information, recognition and job security have a significant association with employees' feelings of psychological empowerment. This study shows no relationship between skill variety and psychological empowerment. With respect to demographics, age, work experience and tenure have an impact on psychological empowerment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Successful entrepreneurial activities are a function of human venture and environmental conditions, since the key to improving entrepreneurial perceptions and attitudes within society and within Higher Education (HE) institutions lies in education. The purpose of this paper is to address issues surrounding entrepreneurial education in HE in Greece, and describes the delivery and evaluation of two programs. The programs were offered by a public university and a public technological & educational institute designed to create opportunities for learning entrepreneurial capacities, in order to develop a framework for the design and implementation of such activities. Research results, concerning (i) the programs' concept and (ii) the degree that the programs influence the students' knowledge, skills and attitudes towards the undertaking of entrepreneurial activities, provide useful information for academicians, educators, educational managers and policy makers, concerning the design of similar programs. The methodology used brings in the description of each program's structure (in terms of its formation, development, implementation and evaluation) and the evaluation of its effectiveness, based on a pre- and post-analysis of students' perceptions from each institution. Data were collected from 904 students, with both business and scientific-technological studies background. The analysis of data provides useful conclusions in relation to (i) the design of entrepreneurial education, (i.e. emphasis should be placed on the networking with the business world, the laboratory assistance, the mentoring process, the participants' scientific background) and (ii) the accomplishment of the two programs' objectives in "developing potential entrepreneurs", which seems to be moderately positive. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – This paper's primary purpose is to emphasize the importance of entrepreneur training regarding creativity and innovation. Their significance and the importance of the latter regarding the development of business and training needs are the research questions of a survey conducted in northern Greece. Design/methodology/approach – The survey, of 116 entrepreneurs, owners of small medium and very small enterprises, investigates awareness, attitudes and perceptions regarding creativity and innovation, for facilitating the design and development of training interventions. Data were collected using modified and extended questionnaires of an analogous tool created for the needs of the TRACTORS project. The questionnaires included both open-ended and closed questions. Descriptive statistics were generated by the analysis of quantitative and qualitative data. Findings – Findings suggest that entrepreneurs/owners and/or managers of micro and small medium enterprises in northern Greece are largely aware of the significance of creativity and innovation, believing that these are positively related to each other and interact in the development of their business. Training intervention is deemed as of great importance, and obstacles concerning financial resources, experience, time, infrastructure and not risk averse, were underlined. Research limitations/implications – Creativity and innovation training interventions for entrepreneurs in terms of process, content, method, duration, trainers etc., is in a fledgling stage and requires further research to determine the "right training intervention mix" serving the needs of the non homogeneous entrepreneurial category. Originality/value – Although entrepreneurship creativity and innovation are viewed as the "creation of the future", little has been done to train entrepreneurs to participate creatively in the innovation economy. The present paper traces these needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to advance the argument for the transformative potential of e-mentoring support to women entrepreneurs, presenting an e-mentoring intervention to rural women entrepreneurs in Greece. Design/methodology/approach – A six stage e-mentoring process is practiced through a project supporting rural women entrepreneurs, based on mentees' and mentors' reactions. Their expressed degree of satisfaction with regard to the e-mentoring relationship, achievement of personal goals, as well as their desire to continue the relationship are served as useful indicators. Questionnaires are used during three times (pre and post the e-mentoring relationship, i.e. before, just after its end and six months later) to obtain information from mentees' and mentors' groups. Findings – The features of the quality of the e-mentoring relationship such as mentors'/mentees' characteristics, frequency of contacts, and e-services are judged to be satisfactory by both mentors and mentees. Mentees perceive that they sufficiently achieved their personal goals, emphasizing the successful role modeling that their mentors provide. Mentors gain publicity and the broadening of their connections. Practical implications – The survey results could offer substantial assistance to decision makers concerning designing and implementing e-mentoring processes supporting female entrepreneurship. Originality/value – Despite the explosion of online mentoring opportunities, few academic articles and little empirical evidence have addressed e-mentoring support to women entrepreneurs. The present paper attempts to add research results and suggests a framework of e-mentoring process discussing both mentors' and mentees' reactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to address entrepreneurial programs offered by Greek higher education institutions (HEIs) to 1639 students in different scientific disciplines at Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (AUTh) and Technical Educational Institution of Thessaloniki (TEITh). The programs were analyzed and it was revealed that there were differences in participation rates, attitudes towards entrepreneurship education and perceptions about required skills between the two genders. Design/methodology/approach – During the developmental phase of the particular entrepreneurship program, an evaluation stage had been predicted, whereby student participants (344 females and 370 males AUTh students and 410 females and 515 males TEITh students) would anonymously fill out questionnaires upon completion of the program, regarding male as opposed to female attitudes and perceptions. Findings – There are higher enrollment rates of males than females. Regarding attitudes towards participation in entrepreneurial educational programs, females demonstrate a stronger interest in acquiring knowledge, developing skills, facing career competition and networking with local business, to a significantly higher degree than their male counterparts. In addition, females rank all skills as of higher significance in successful entrepreneurial activity, assigning lower value only to communication skills, compared to men. The opposite holds for males, who ranked communication skills as of greatest importance among all other skills. Research limitations/implications – This paper provides insight into gender differences regarding male and female involvement in entrepreneurial education and as to their "pre-entrepreneurial" profile and characteristics. It therefore sharpens understanding as to the way in which entrepreneurship education can encourage female participation within the entrepreneurial arena in future. Practical implications – Factors that male and female students consider to be most important in issues of entrepreneurship education are identified, providing a framework for the effective design, quality and delivery of such programs. Originality/value – The present paper constitutes one of the first to examine factors accounting for male and female student participation in entrepreneurship education programs offered by HEIs in the Greek context. The value derived aids the development of curricula tailored to gender distinctive needs and demands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to appraise rural women entrepreneurs, running co-operatives in Greece. The paper seeks to examine the effects of training support on their entrepreneurial skills and attitudes, co-operatives' viability and growth prospects, and work-family balance. Design/methodology/approach – An evaluation research was conducted in which 104 rural women members of co-operatives, who had participated in a specific training program contributed. Anonymous questionnaires were used to collect data on participants' perceptions of the effects of the training intervention. Descriptive statistics, factor analysis and intercorellations were employed in analysing the data. Findings – The data illustrate that participants perceived benefits in terms of skill improvements, i.e. identification and capturing of business opportunities, effective co-operation and flexibility in decision making and more positive attitudes towards entrepreneurship. In addition, perceptions related to the development and growth prospects of the co-operative and to work-family balance have also been positively affected. Practical implications – The effectiveness of an entrepreneurship program can be enhanced when it is designed to meet the real needs of the organization and thus is more focused. Training needs analysis prior to intervention is a prerequisite. Moreover, achieving work-family balance can also be seen as an aspect of a co-operative's performance that can be improved through training. Originality/value – This paper enriches research on the effect of entrepreneurship training programs for rural women co-operative members. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, empowerment is considered to be a panacea for many organizations in the modern competitive and turbulent business environment, especially in the service sector where employees come into contact with customers. Moreover, rewards play an important role in motivating employees and leading them to have an appropriate attitude to the customers. Although rewards are one of the most fundamental human resource policies, there is a dearth regarding the systematic study of the whole range of them and their effect on the employees' psychological empowerment. The purpose of this paper is to contribute to this gap by providing a review of the studies on the relationships between rewards and psychological empowerment and proposing a research agenda concerning the examination of the impact of four intrinsic (information, trust, skill variety, recognition) and four extrinsic rewards (financial rewards, job security, relationships with supervisor, relationships with co-workers) on employees' psychological empowerment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this article is to offer a framework model of the planning of the activities of organisations of continuing education and training, which gives the opportunity to determine their mission, to seek specific aims, to develop the available resources and to create a cooperative operating climate. Adopting this recommended model would help these organisations to adapt to the changes and challenges of the contemporary environment, ensure their functioning and the implementation of feedback and, where necessary, use corrective steps in order to achieve the objectives set. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is an "evaluation" study in the form of an extensive "case study" of one particular business school in Greece. Its alleged contribution focuses on the conclusions it hopes to draw in relation to the evaluation research methodology, based on the case evaluation research, experimenting with the use of students' ratings (SETs). The effect of a number of quantitative variables (expected course grade, student study hours, course difficulty, and instructor grading system) as well as of a number of qualitative variables (student's major discipline and reason for taking a course, and instructor gender and employment status) on SETs are examined in order to provide a basis for restructuring the currently employed evaluation research methodology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Changes in the external environment have reshaped the banking industry environment. Responding to that, Greek banks are adopting new strategies towards organizational development and realize that success requires adjustments to their HRD effort. The case example presented here refers to a leading Greek bank that was involved in a systematic HRD effort, based on the use of training interventions as a short-term solution to transit smoothly to the new era. The results of this effort are connected to the improvement of the bank's position in the market, despite its problematic past. However, the next challenge for the bank is to realize that the formation of a long-term development strategy and its integration with wider HR management policies are a priority. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Training is seen as the key instrument in the implementation of Human Resource Management policies and practices in both the private and public sector. The choice of the type of training, focused on human or technical skills, is crucial in designing the training process. This field study investigates the personal and occupational characteristics of 444 public managers, candidates for human and technical skills training. A classification model is proposed which allows the selection and weighting of the candidate trainees' personal and occupational differences in order to participate in one of the two types of training. By means of the stepwise logistic regression method, gender, age, education, attitudes towards training, managerial level and job tenure have been identified as the significant variables associated with type of training. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The scope of this paper is to investigate whether imitation strategies adopted by startups are effective in the pursuit of enhanced entrepreneurial innovation. To this end, a literature review was carried out in order to develop a research framework with factors related to imitation predicting entrepreneurial innovation. Moreover, managerial skills and entrepreneurial skills were incorporated as predictors of entrepreneurial innovation. In this respect, a structured questionnaire was developed to address these research objectives, based on scales tested in previous studies. In 2020, a survey was conducted on 486 startup owners operating in Greece, and a total of 289 responses were received. A hierarchical regression analysis was employed in order to examine the research framework. In congruence with the hypotheses, the findings demonstrated that outcome-based imitation strategies and trait-based imitation strategies positively affect the development of entrepreneurial innovation. Moreover, the positive impact of managerial and entrepreneurial skills on the development of entrepreneurial innovation was also confirmed. In contrast, the findings suggest that frequency-based imitation strategies negatively predict entrepreneurial innovation. However, outcome-based imitation and trait-based imitation strategies have been shown as the determinants with a positive impact on entrepreneurial innovation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]