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Research methodology This case was created based on secondary sources available in the public domain (i.e. news articles). This case has been taught in an undergraduate course of principles of management under the chapter on ethics. Case overview/synopsis When the COVID-19 pandemic broke out, people panicked and rushed to purchase essential products such as hand sanitizers, antibacterial soaps, disinfectant wipes and face masks. The images of a panicked public inspired the brothers Matt and Noah Colvin who amassed and hoarded stockpiles of these essential products to make immense profit. They claimed that their trade approach was legitimate. Yet by an ironic twist of fate, their unorthodox acts were revealed in the media and consequences came in threes: the public vilified the hoarders, the online marketplaces kicked them out and the authorities opened an investigation about alleged price-gouging practices. Complexity academic level This case study may be used in classroom discussions on the concepts of hoarding and price gouging in the following academic programs: bachelor’s in business administration, master of science in business administration and MBA programs. This case study may be used in the following academic courses: ethics in business, responsible management, fundamental of management and organizational behavior.

Purpose Given the growing importance of spirituality and religion-related factors in the workplace, this paper aims to analyze the effects of spirituality, intrinsic religiosity and Islamic work ethics (IWE) on employee job performance. Design/methodology/approach Building on these theoretical concepts and perspectives, the authors hypothesized that employee intrinsic motivation mediated these proposed effects. To verify these propositions, the authors examined data collected from 224 full-time employees working for various organizations in Morocco. The authors conducted structural equations modeling (SEM) analyses using the AMOS 24 platform and Bayesian analyses to investigate direct and indirect effects. Findings First, the authors found that only IWE has positive and significant direct effect on job performance. Second, the findings indicate that employee intrinsic motivation does not mediate the relationship between the independent variables of spirituality and intrinsic religiosity and the dependent variable of job performance. These results may be because of the fact that Islamic principles and values are implemented and more reinforced in the Moroccan workplace than new and modern concepts such as intrinsic religiosity and spirituality. Research limitations/implications The present paper used a cross-sectional methodology, which did not allow testing causation between the constructs under study. Practical implications Organizations and managers alike ought to resort to IWE insights with the objective to increase the performance of their Muslim members. Originality/value This paper is novel as it represents a study on spirituality in a non-Western context. It also uses a relatively sizeable sample (N = 224) of full-time employees in the workplace.

Exposing under which conditions management innovation diffuses within firms, this study investigates at the individual level the mediating influence of middle managers’ voice behavior on the relationship between CEOs’ empowering leadership behavior and perceived management innovation. We also propose that the magnitude of thisrelationshipdependsonmiddlemanagers’ collectivist orientation. Thisstudyexploitsa unique Moroccan sample of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and utilizes structural equation modeling to analyze the studied relations. We found that the positive relationship between CEOs’ empowering leadership behavior and management innovation is mediated by middle managers’ voice. This effect is conditioned by middle managers’ collectivist orientations, which positively influence their attention to CEOs’ signals and the value and frequency of their contributions to management innovation. While research has identified the external and organizational factors that shape management innovation, our study concentrates on the individual level and accentuates that middle managers’ closeness to management processes, combined with their access to technical knowledge, renders them essential to management innovation. We contradict arguments that middle managers may be less inclined to help management innovation to emerge. SMEs can systematically invest in management innovation by advancing their managerial capabilities and considering individual value orientations.

Purpose The purpose of this study is to examine the influences of transactional and transformational leadership styles on employee job satisfaction, employee affective commitment and organisational citizenship behaviour (OCB) within Moroccan organisations. Design/methodology/approach Data were gathered from a sample of 219 employees working in seven different industries in Morocco and analysed using Structural Equations Modelling (SEM). Findings SEM analyses reveal that employee job satisfaction, affective commitment and OCB are only impacted by the personal recognition dimension of the transformational leadership style. The study indicates that charisma and intellectual stimulation (transformational leadership) as well as contingent reward and management-by-exception (transactional leadership) did not yield significant results. Research limitations/implications The use of a cross-sectional research design limits establishing cause-and-effect relationships. Practical implications The results of the current study may be of use and interest for organisations in designing effective leadership training programs, as it takes into account how managers and/or practitioners tap into their subordinates’ effective behaviour. Originality/value With insights derived from a non-Western perspective, the major theoretical contribution of the present study lies in exploring the effects of transactional and transformational leadership styles on employee job satisfaction, employee affective commitment and OCB in Morocco.

Purpose As volunteering research in nonprofit organizations is growing significantly, the purpose of this paper is to examine the effects of volunteering drivers and work engagement on volunteer continuation will. Design/methodology/approach Building on empirical and theoretical perspectives, the authors hypothesized that work engagement mediates the relationship between volunteering drivers and volunteer continuation will. To verify our hypotheses, we examined data collected from 372 active volunteers from Palestinian nonprofit organizations. The authors conducted structural equations modeling (SEM) analyses using the AMOS 24 platform to investigate direct and indirect effects. Findings The results of the study show that work engagement is a significant predictor of volunteer continuation will; mediates the relationship between career driver of volunteering and volunteer continuation will; and mediates the relationship between the protective driver of volunteering and volunteer continuation will. Research limitations/implications The research design limits establishing cause and effect relationships among the examined variables. Practical implications The results of the current study may be of use for nonprofit organizations managers formulating effective recruitment and training policies to retain their volunteers. Originality/value The paper contributes to the limited empirical body of the volunteering research. The study is novel as it is one of the few studies conducted using data coming from a non-western context.

Purpose This study aims to examine a model that uses climate for creativity as an intervening mechanism for the relationship of empowering leadership to management innovation in the hospitality industry. Design/methodology/approach The sample comprises 127 hotels in Morocco. Data were gathered from two sources, namely, the administrative department managers and the front desk managers. Structural equation modeling analyses along with the Bayesian estimation technique were used. Findings Findings demonstrate that the climate for creativity plays a mediating role between empowering leadership and management innovation. The climate for creativity dimensions of employee creativity recognition, flexibility to change and adequate resources for innovation pave the way for empowering leaders in the adoption of new management practices, processes or structures. Practical implications This study suggests that climate for creativity can be an effective tool for implementing management innovation. Hence, leaders and managers of hotel firms, who aim to obtain innovative results in the managerial spheres, should capitalize on the benefits of building a positive climate for creativity. Originality/value The present paper bridges a gap pertaining to antecedents and factors that impact management innovation. It is the first of its kind to investigate the influence of empowering leadership on management innovation with climate for creativity as a mediating variable.

PurposeThe purpose of this paper was to explore the role of empowering leadership, organizational climate for initiative and job autonomy in spurring innovative work behavior (IWB).Design/methodology/approachThis study resorted to the structural equation modeling technique along the Bayesian estimation approach to analyze the mediating role of the organizational climate for initiative and job autonomy in the empowering leadership-IWB link in data gathered from CEOs, middle managers and non-managerial employees of 444 small and medium enterprises in Morocco.FindingsThe findings revealed that empowering leadership is a prerequisite of IWB as subordinates, who are empowered by their leaders, demonstrate IWB. Further, organizational climate for initiative and job autonomy mediate the empowering leadership-IWB link.Practical implicationsThis research has demonstrated that firms and organizational leaders who seek to make their middle managers innovative in their job should adopt empowering leadership practices, build an organizational climate that is favorable for initiative-taking and grant middle managers with autonomy in the way they carry out their tasks.Originality/valueThis paper extends our understanding on the mechanisms linking empowering leadership and IWB by testing the mediating effects of organizational climate for initiative and job autonomy.

Con datos de una encuesta a 301 pymes de Quebec, se examina la influencia de los sindicatos en la formacion en el empleo en estas empresas. Los autores se centran en la inclusion de clausulas al respecto en convenios colectivos y concluyen que tales clausulas establecen un marco reglamentario para ciertas medidas de fomento de la formacion y el aprendizaje en el lugar de trabajo, lo que pone de relieve la influencia de los sindicatos. Sin embargo, en general la inclusion o ausencia de estas clausulas no se traduce necesariamente en mayor o menor participacion en este tipo de actividades.

Resume Les auteurs se fondent sur une enquěte aupres de 301 PME quebecoises pour analyser l'influence – deja attestee – de la presence syndicale sur la formation en entreprise. Ils s'attachent notamment a isoler l'effet des clauses relatives a la formation inscrites dans les conventions collectives et montrent que celles-ci constituent un cadre normatif pour les pratiques de formation et de promotion de l'apprentissage sur le lieu de travail, contribuant ainsi a renforcer l'influence syndicale. Cependant, l'existence de telles clauses (ou leur absence) n'est pas necessairement associee a un acces ameliore (ou plus limite) aux activites de formation effectives.

Based on a survey of 301 small and medium-sized enterprises in Quebec, this article explores the influence of unions on employee training in these firms. While unionization is generally found to have an influence on employee training practices, the authors' focus on the inclusion or non-inclusion of specific training clauses in collective agreements shows that such clauses establish a regulatory framework for certain forms of learning and training support at the workplace, which enhances union influence. Overall, however, the inclusion (or absence) of training clauses in collective agreements does not necessarily translate into higher (or lower) participation in actual training activities.

Subject area The case is designed for students with prior knowledge of principles of management, particularly leadership theories. The case would also benefit bachelor students who already took an introductory course to leadership such as organizational behavior or graduate students who are familiar with the leadership and/or entrepreneurship literature. This case study may be used in the following academic courses: theories of leadership, leadership and leaders, organizational leaders’ roles, management skills, entrepreneurship, entrepreneurial management. Study level/applicability This case study may be used in the following academic programs: Bachelor’s in Business Administration Master of Science in Business Administration MBA Programs. Case overview Kamal Reggad is a Moroccan entrepreneur who created the company Menaclick, an online business that aims to sell and promote various products and services nationally and internationally at discounted prices. Goods and services are posted on Menaclick’s website www.hmizate.ma, which means “good deals” in Moroccan Arabic. The Hmizate platform operates a daily-deals and group-buying website offering discounted deals to Moroccan customers. The deals are mainly on goods and services such as traveling, food, esthetics, shopping, high-tech gadgets and recreational events (Eco, 2013). Menaclick is based in Casablanca, Morocco, and its website www.hmizate.ma is one of the most popular websites in the country with over 40,000 visitors per day. In the past few years, Kamal has been significantly contributing to building the groundwork of the e-commerce industry in Morocco, a course that has been changing the way Moroccan customers shop for goods and services. In fact, it is because of the merits of group-buying sites such as Hmizate that over 16 million Moroccan internet users navigate the net daily to buy products and services online with ease and facility (Maroc Numeric Cluster, 2014). Kamal Reggad is a fitting example of an innate leader who introduced a new leadership style to Morocco. Kamal took a colossal risk by targeting a new and unexplored market in Morocco which is the e-commerce business; his risks have paid off. As the case explains, Kamal’s success is because of his passion, perseverance and positive attitude. Expected learning outcomes In general, the objective of the case study is to further enhance the understanding of leadership in general and entrepreneurial spirit in particular. The case study will assist students in developing their leadership-related skills through the discussion of a real-life situation and experience and propose an example of the importance of participative leadership during the launching phase of a business venture. The case is designed to provoke and stimulate students’ personal reflections about a particular management style, especially in entrepreneurship. Supplementary materials Teaching notes are available for educators only. Please contact your library to gain login details or email support@emeraldinsight.com to request teaching notes. Subject code CSS 3: Entrepreneurship.

Purpose The present study aims to understand how Moroccan women working in information technology (IT) perceive the roles they fulfill in both their private and professional lives and assess their Work–life balance (WLB). Design/methodology/approach Existing research about WLB in Morocco focuses mainly on the public sector. As the present study is the first of its kind to deal with the private sector and more specifically IT, it is exploratory in nature while adopting a qualitative methodology. Twenty Moroccan women working in IT companies in the city of Casablanca were interviewed. Collected data were analyzed using a content analysis approach. Findings It emerged from the data analysis that adhering to the cultural assumption of being the pillar of the household and to the culture of respondents’ organizations seems to be a key factor in employee WLB. Three main recommendations stemmed from the current research, namely, increased maternity leave duration, workplace nurseries and telework, may help IT female employees improve their WLB and well-being. Research limitations/implications First, the study participants were selected by one individual, which may create a “sampling bias”, where one specific profile of IT specialist could be selected. Second, only IT workers took part in the study and no IT employers were interviewed, which may yield having only “one side of the story”. Practical implications The results that emerged from the current study, particularly the three main recommendations made by the 20 interviewees (increase of maternity leave duration, workplace nurseries and telework) may be used by different IT companies in the hopes of improving female employees’ WLB and well-being. Overall, employers ought to put in place measures and accommodate employees to help them reconcile their work and personal life commitments. Social implications It has been documented that lack of WLB can result in increased stress, deleterious effects on psychological and physical well-being and increased family and marital tensions (Burchell et al., 2001; Lewis and Cooper, 1999; Scase and Scales, 1998). Therefore, various stakeholders, in addition to employers, such as the government and IT employees’ families should work collaboratively to implement meaningful WLB arrangements and, in turn, prevent the negative effects of work–life imbalance through, among others, government policy interventions. Originality/value The present study is the first of its kind that looked into the perception of WLB among Moroccan women operating in the IT industry. It offers valuable insights about how to assist female Moroccan IT workers to reconcile their work and personal life commitments.

The present research is designed to identify the appropriate and relevant objectives that need to be pursued through entrepreneurial activities targeting elementary school children. It assesses the effectiveness of early entrepreneurship education. To do so, children aged 11 and 12 attended an entrepreneurial program and completed two versions of the same questionnaire before and after the program. We measured the development of three outcome sets of skills: non-cognitive entrepreneurial skills, cognitive entrepreneurial skills, and intentions to become an entrepreneur. The change in the dependent variable (the three sets of skills) is measured by the difference in this scale between using paired-sample t-test. Gender and parents’ occupation were controlled for. The findings of this study confirm that late childhood (11–12 years old) seems to be the adequate period in order to develop self-efficacy, a non-cognitive skill required to become an entrepreneur. Nonetheless, cognitive entrepreneurial skills and entrepreneurial intentions did not change after the program.

Purpose – The present paper aims to shed light on workers ' perception of diversity and their demographical characteristics as well as characteristics of their organizations. Design/methodology/approach – Descriptive statistics and multiple regression technique were used to, respectively, describe the sample and test the research hypothesis. Findings – The current study findings reveal that three variables influence employee perception about diversity within Moroccan organizations, namely, education, industry and nationality. The more employees are educated, the more positively they perceive diversity. The same logic applies to nationality and industry. Diversity is better perceived by foreign workers in Morocco and is most prevalent in the services industry. Research limitations/implications – The sample size (N = 87) is too small compared to the number of variables included in the research. Practical implications – Enhancing employees’ diversity climate perceptions may have financial and non-financial implications for organizations. Moreover, diversity perception is linked to worker attitudes in the workplace. Social implications – Policymakers in Morocco ought to design and enforce human resource policies that encourage organizations to recruit employees with diverse backgrounds. To do so, it is recommended that a commission or task force be created to fulfill the role of a “watchdog” in diversity-related spheres such as developing plans and models for employers, setting diversity-related goals and objectives and putting in place adequate and effective mechanisms and tools to assess the implementation of diversity initiatives by Moroccan organizations. Originality/value – The current research is the first survey-based study on the topic in the Moroccan context. Further, the fact the respondents are from various organizations, industries and sectors allows for the elimination of the normative influence of a single organizational culture.

Subject area This case study may be used in the following academic courses: Theories of Leadership; Leadership and Leaders Organizational Leaders Roles; Management Skills Ethics and Governance; and Ethics and Management Entrepreneurial Management. Study level/applicability This case study may be used in the following academic programs: Bachelor's in Business Administration; Master of Science in Business Administration; and MBA Programs. Case overview There is little doubt, if any, that values shape the decisions, behaviors and corporate moves that business managers and leaders make in their day-to-day operations. The following case study sheds light on the influence of personal values on individuals in leadership positions. To do so, concrete examples of observed behaviors, in cases where values have been honored and positive outcomes have been attained, will be reported. From hiring practices, contract bidding, compensation policies and/or customer service, the Ynna conglomerate group, a Moroccan holding corporation, has been led by a visionary who patiently started his life journey as a shepherd tending ewes, and decades later has emerged as an extraordinary business legend to emulate. Virtually all the decisions taken within his companies are influenced by his moral convictions and his values. Miloud Chaabi, listed in Forbes Magazine as one of the top 40 richest billionaires in Africa, is a principled and revered individual who has been spiritually leading his businesses in various sectors since 1948. Expected learning outcomes In general, the objective of the case study is to further enhance the understanding of leadership in general and values-based leadership in particular. The case study will assist students in developing their leadership-related skills through the discussion of a real-life situation and experience, and proposing solutions to a challenge face by the company in the area of leadership approaches. The case is designed to provoke and stimulate students' personal reflections about a particular approach of management, especially in a transition period. Supplementary materials Teaching Notes are available for educators only. Please contact your library to gain login details or email support@emeraldinsight.com to request teaching notes.

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine differences between Moroccan entrepreneurs and non-entrepreneurs in order to circumvent the nature and origin of their differences. Design/methodology/approach – This research was carried out in Morocco with a sample of 20 entrepreneurs identified as individuals who have been operating their own business or who have unsuccessfully started a small business, and a contrast sample of 20 non-entrepreneurs, classified as career professionals working for other organizations such as the public service and/or the private sector who wanted to start their own business but failed in doing so. The study methodology adopted a qualitative approach with semi-structured interviews due to the exploratory nature of the subject. The in-depth interviews were analyzed using the grounded theory approach (Glaser and Strauss, 1999). Findings – The findings highlight that there are no differences between entrepreneurs and non-entrepreneurs in terms of personality traits and characteristics. The interviewees emphasize the importance of financial resources, business networks and connections as vital factors in the decision to start a venture. Research limitations/implications – In terms of implications of the current research, understanding the determinants of entrepreneurship in Morocco is of considerable theoretical and practical value, especially given that there is no research that looks into this issue in the Moroccan context. Practical implications – Concerning practical implications, by identifying reasons why Moroccan young graduates, by large, show a weak entrepreneurial spirit and would rather be job seekers than potential job creators, adequate measures need to be put in place with aspirations that they will encourage the creation of more start-up businesses. Originality/value – Studies that compared entrepreneurs and non-entrepreneurs are far from being consistent. Moreover, the current research is the first study that looked into differences between entrepreneurs and non-entrepreneurs in Morocco.

This briefing examines training and development in Quebec, a province of Canada. Quebec has three main features that distinguish it from the rest of North America: (1) the majority of its population is French-speaking; (2) there is extensive government regulation of the labour market; and (3) it has the highest level of unionised workers in North America. This briefing outlines the educational system, then examines the legislation that makes it compulsory for organisations over a certain size to invest in training and development. Training investment by small and medium sized enterprises is examined due to their importance in the Quebecois economy. A general description of Quebec is also given.

PurposeCorporate trainers' credibility has been universally ignored by researchers and its significance has remained elusive across cultures. Thus, the purpose of this present paper is to examine variations of trainers' credibility determinants in Canada and Morocco.Design/methodology/approachA comparative qualitative study with in‐depth interviews and the grounded theory approach were adopted to carry out the research. Participants in the study consisted of 60 civil servants employed in various governmental departments in Canada and Morocco.FindingsA framework identifying distinct categories based on common determinants of trainers' credibility was constructed for each respective country. These categories were attributed the following designations: qualifications, perceived competence, perceived justice and perceived confidence for the Canadian sample; and qualifications, perceived competence, and personal attributes for the Moroccan sample. Similarities surfaced regarding some of the determinants in both cultures such as qualifications, and competence. However, Canadian respondents emphasized trainers' performance, fairness and confidence, while Moroccan trainees valued wisdom (hikma), honesty (sidk), trust (amanah) and the trainer as a role model.Practical implicationsThe findings indicate that cultural values ought to be considered in trainers' credibility in efforts to enhance the level of comprehension regarding credibility determinants that could impact training success and effectiveness. It is also recommended that organizations consider taking into account the determinants of credibility during the selection process of trainers who will be primarily tasked with delivering corporate training to employees locally or in various cultural settings.Originality/valueThe paper provides groundbreaking insights as it is the first study to investigate trainers' credibility across cultures by resorting to an emic approach to provide a cross‐cultural perspective on the subject.

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to provide a synthesis based on a review of the existing literature with respect to the variations in training practices and attitudes across national cultures.Design/methodology/approachA content analysis technique was adopted with a comparative cross‐cultural management perspective as a backdrop to address the occurrence of differences in practices and attitudes across various national cultures.FindingsMost of the extant literature remains distant from providing a systematic and analytical repertoire on the subject. In efforts to bridge this gap, a synthesis of the literature has been elaborated, identifying a range of variations that have been grouped around the following categories: importance of organizational training; access to organizational training; different types of training provided to employees; actors involved in organizational training; and organizational support for training.Research limitations/implicationsThe heterogeneity of the literature impeded the use of a theoretical training management framework for the present review.Practical implicationsOrganizations operating overseas and HRM/HRD practitioners should consider the complexity of diverse cultural differences, while managing employee training in culturally diverse settings. Nations ought to be aware of training practices abroad to observe trends and changes caused by globalization, as they may influence the shaping of national training practices and regulations. From a theoretical point of view, it is important to undertake conclusive research by further examining training practices and attitudes through the various national cultures with the objective of better circumventing the differences and by highlighting their prominent characteristics and implications.Originality/valueThe present contribution is the first documented synthesis of the literature on the subject.

The aim of the following paper is to discuss how culture interplays within the realm of globalisation. We postulate that albeit some commonalities and overlap, the theories associated with the various perspectives capture a lucid and coherent snapshot of the realities edging the narrative on globalisation and culture. We conclude that insights embedded with the different perspectives are conducive to a more insightful and logical debate on the interactions that unfold as the globalisation of modern economies encounters cultural diversity within organisations. The latter is vital for researchers and practitioners in the workplace as the subject area confronts considerable limitations in research across all the disciplines but even more so in international business management with the latter as the abode where interactions between globalisation and culture are exhibited.

Transnational flows of people, financial resources, goods, information and culture have recently been increasing in a drastic way and have profoundly transformed the world (Ritzer and Malone, 2001). This phenomenon has been labeled globalization. As a result, a great deal of debate and discussion, even controversy (Bird and Stevens, 2003) has taken place about globalization in various disciplines from different angles. In fact, there seems to be a controversy in regards to globalization and the contradictory meanings associated with it. This controversy refers, among others, to either “a dominant logic of globalization” which postulates that there is a single cause for globalization or to a “phenomenon with a complex set of causes” which argues that there are various causes for globalization (Beck, 2000). In corollary, research has not been successful in grasping the globalization phenomenon in its entirety.

This study explores the preferences of Moroccan university students for their first employment. More precisely, the study investigates the relationship between the preferences of students for working either for public or private companies and whether their choices are affected by several factors such as preference for high job salaries, job security, career development and work responsibility. In addition, the study identifies differences between the preferences of male and female students, their major and age. Moroccan students from different private and public universities participated in the present study. The research results confirmed that working for either a private or public company is related to the preferences of students for job security, career development and job responsibility. The study did not find any statistically significant difference between the preference of males and females, students with different ages and students from different majors. The implications and suggestions for Moroccan and foreign companies along with suggestions for future studies are discussed.

The paper examines variations of the approach to using the case method in employee training in Canada and Morocco. A comparative qualitative study based on semi-structured interviews with 29 civil servants from both countries was conducted. No similarities have been found between the Canadian and Moroccan samples regarding the approach to using the case method. By large, Canadian respondents declare to play an active role in the individual-based learning process, favouring experiential learning and preferring an instructor who takes on the role of facilitator. Conversely, Moroccan interviewees enjoy learning in teams under the direction of an instructor who is seen as a role model that adopts a structured approach to case-based training. The present paper sheds light on the use of the case method across cultures and provides insights about the impediments to using this method outside North America.

The purpose of this paper is to synthesise and critique the literature related to the impact of national culture on corporate training design. There is evidence of a lack of systematic and homogenous studies with a total absence of an examination of the impact of national culture on training evaluation. The study draws the attention to practical implications as practitioners and organisations operating in the international arena should take into consideration cultural differences to efficiently design training activities across cultures and for employees in different countries.