Special issue on workplace learning in emerging economies
The issues and challenges of workplace learning is always context-specific. The continual learning at workplace across levels and functions is a necessary ingredient of any successful organizations. However, the same organizations operating in different business environments have to make corresponding changes in their standard operating practices to make themselves stay relevant. The learning at workplace in organizations across national boundary needs to be context-sensitive as financial, physical and other related infrastructures across the frontier, the emerging and the developed economies of the world are different. It is in this context that the organizational abilities and capabilities need to be continuously revisited to make it sustainable to effectively meet with challenges and opportunities of the external environment which have become competitive in the fast changing world.
It is under this backdrop that the Special Issue was conceptualized for the academicians, the researchers, the practicing managers and the likes to contribute empirical and conceptual research papers focusing on the different facets of “Workplace Learning in Emerging Economies”. This special issue of the Journal of Workplace Learning has five papers aimed at finding relevant solutions to key emerging issues of organizations in operation in the emerging economies of the world. These five papers throw scientific light on to how to make an organization sustainable in emerging economies, wherein learning at workplace among the employees across levels and functions makes the firm agile and competitive. The articles published in this special issue are based on empirical research and each one has incorporated careful presentation of the data, thoughtful analysis and discussion.
The special issue starts with a research paper on “On Managing Business, Organisation Climate and Enterprise System Implementation: Insights from Indian MSMEs”. This paper throws empirical light on how to manage business vis-à-vis the role of organizational climate and enterprise system implementation in an Indian context. It has explained the critical role played by internal environment of organizations to keep employees engaged in implementing the enterprise system.
The second paper entitled “Knowledge Sharing Enablers, Processes and Firm Innovation Capability” is grounded in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) work context. The knowledge-sharing and firm innovation capabilities have been buzz words in organizations across the globe, including the UAE. The findings of this paper have significant implications for the UAE organizations which have relentlessly engaged in leveraging knowledge-sharing enablers and processes to increase their innovation capability.
The subsequent paper is entitled “Employee Participation and Turnover Intention: Exploring the Explanatory Roles of Organizational Justice and Learning Goal Satisfaction”. This paper has touched upon key challenges of employee turnover intentions and its management to arrive at a win–win situation for both the employees and the organization. It has solid implications for the organizations, wherein employee turnover intentions are one of the key challenges being confronted by the leaders and the managers.
The penultimate paper of this special issue is entitled “Onboarding self-initiated expatriates: The case of Icelandic employees working for the Nordic Cooperation”. The “onboarding self-initiated expatriates” is an interesting and exciting area of research, and it has been handled well in the aforementioned article. This research paper deals with onboarding self-initiated expatriates and has brought out empirically arrived-at practical solutions for managing the Icelandic employees who have been employed by Nordic corporations. It has also identified that future research areas need to be explored empirically.
The last paper is entitled “Organizational culture, innovative behaviour and work related attitude: role of psychological empowerment” and is situated in an Indian context. The psychological empowerment of employees at workplace is essential for both individual- and organizational-level productivity. The findings of this paper have huge managerial implications for workplace excellence in organizations in the emerging economies.
Overall, this special issue with five research papers provides varied perspectives and insights into managing workplace learning in organizations in emerging economies. Each of the five papers has critical inputs, strategic solutions for the leaders and managers to leverage for the continuous renewal of their organizations. It is hoped that the readers will find this special issue relevant and thought-provoking.
