Context: The survey research was based in a developing-country context (Nigeria) and carried out at a UK University.
Data collection: Paper-based and web-based surveys.
Data analysis: Categorical principal component analysis, latent class analysis of structured data, and thematic analysis.
This case study examines how a mixed-mode survey was used to investigate how non-local or transnational (diaspora) actors and their resources can help achieve the unmet goals of entrepreneurial ecosystems. In addition, the case discusses how this approach helped reach a population that is difficult to access, improve response rates, capture diverse perspectives, and address the preferences and accessibility needs of different individuals. It also discusses how data was gathered through structured responses from a large and geographically diverse audience.
After studying this case, readers should be able to understand why mixed-mode surveys are chosen based on methodological considerations. Readers should also be able to understand the connection between research questions and data analysis techniques. Finally, they should be able to explain the rationale behind the effective use of mixed-mode surveys.
Akiode, M., & Fuller-Love, N. (2023). Using Mixed-Mode Survey in Exploring Transnational Entrepreneurial Ecosystems. Sage Research Methods: Business.
Readers might also be interested in this paper.
]]>It is generally believed that one’s outlook can change due to living abroad. Although relocating abroad (japa) can be a life-changing experience, the extent of the change in people’s outlooks differs. For some, it can be quite dramatic, while others may find that their perspectives change more gradually. Generally, travelling widely and living abroad can challenge existing beliefs and assumptions, and it can help people develop a more open and tolerant outlook.
There are a number of reasons why the perspectives of Nigerians living abroad may change. For some, the conditions that influenced their decision to travel can cause them to re-evaluate their outlook on life. Many people become more open-minded when they interact with people from other cultures and adopt new ways of living. Outlooks also naturally change as people grow and mature. Lastly, many travel for educational purposes; learning new things helps to expand one’s knowledge and can help one see the world in a new light.
If living abroad can change the outlook of Nigerians living abroad, does it change the way they think about doing business in Nigeria? Do they see opportunities and threats differently, or does the environment in their home country affect how they perceive opportunities and threats?
It is important to understand how Nigerians living abroad, who have an entrepreneurial mindset, perceive these things, especially as the government looks for ways to support the SME sector.
The paper looked at how diasporans view their resources and the business environment in their home country. It found that, compared to other entrepreneurs, diasporans do not see the opportunities and threats of doing business in Nigeria differently. Akiode, M. (2023). Positioning diasporans as change agents in the SME sector. American Journal of Management, 23(1), 112-125. Read more.
]]>Mr Biala: “Biala.”
She: “That’s not it—your Christian name?”
Mr Biala: “Biala.”
Then he said, “Read Psalm 126:1 in Yoruba.” Names are symbols whose meanings are created, interpreted and reshaped by human interaction and shared understanding.
Names are not just labels, they symbolize identity, destiny or divine purpose.
The significance of a name is often shaped by the story around it. People interpret names differently depending on; cultural background, religious teachings, personal experiences etc.
Over time, communities reinterpret names through teaching, preaching or discussion. A name’s meaning can evolve as people interact with text and with each other.
In scriptures, names often signal transformation: Abram - Abraham Sarai - Sarah Saul - Paul
Not every English name is a Christian name and some non-English names have scriptural meanings. Just me loving the symbol-meaning-action interpretive lens
😁 📖 I hope I made you look up scriptures. Happy weekend!
]]>I explained that a marketing system is an interaction between many parts, institutions, actors, processes, and activities (firms, consumers, channels, platforms, etc.). One broad intended outcome of their interactions is customer satisfaction. For example, a company may want to review its pricing objectives to identify the intended outcome. The clarification of overall pricing objectives is important if pricing strategy is to be effective.
Disruptions create unintended consequences. A disruption is an initiating event that can cause a sudden change in the system because these elements are interconnected. For example, if a factory shuts down due to a power interruption, the knock-on effects could include lost sales, reputational damage, and competitor gain. While the loss of sales and reputational damage are negative knock-on effects for the factory, the disruption creates a positive effect for the competitor.
Another example: intended outcomes of an influencer marketing campaign include awareness, sustained engagement, relevance, etc. Platform algorithm changes, an offhand comment, or rapid audience preference shifts are examples of triggers that can disrupt this intended outcome. The positive (emergent) knock-on effect could be unplanned virality, leading to broadened awareness. Positive feedback loops can amplify success through sharing and more user-generated content emerging. Negative (emergent) knock-on effects could be authenticity erosion, where the audience feels paid posts are staged, leading to reduced engagement and follower churn; overexposure, leading to diminishing returns; brand–influencer mismatch, leading to backlash and reputational damage (negative feedback loop), etc. Moving on, I mentioned the world is principally made of two kingdoms: light and darkness. The kingdom of light, to which we belong, can also be usefully described as a system i.e. a set of interconnected beliefs, practices, institutions, and relationships that interact to produce emergent outcomes (disruptions causing positive and sometimes negative knock-on effects). However, the overarching intended outcome is to revealed Jesus and glorified Him.
Sure, you are curious about my answers to their two questions. Well, the path that led me to lecturing is an intended outcome, and there are unintended consequences with positive and negative knock-on effects. I first encountered them as a group meeting under a tree (negative knock-on effect?), but we bless God. I encouraged them to support one another, co-evolving dynamically, with the strong supporting the weak. I concluded by encouraging them with Philippians 2:15: “…that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world.” I told them that whether they meet under a tree or on a rooftop, they should bear these three things in mind:
I might one day write a book titled The Intended Outcomes, Unintended Consequences, because “yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us” (Romans 8:37).
]]>Empathy is one of the five key skills of entrepreneurship. It gives entrepreneurs the ability to relate to how others are feeling because they have been in a similar situation themselves. It is a skill that helps entrepreneurs understand the reality of being an entrepreneur or evaluate their ability to become one. For example, when an entrepreneur or a potential entrepreneur reads about other entrepreneurs or interviews them, that person is developing empathy. Such exercises help individuals understand what those entrepreneurs have been through by putting themselves in their shoes.
Empathy is a thinking tool that can be used to create innovative products. Every great product or service is the result of a creative idea. However, before that idea emerged, there was a conscious and deliberate effort to understand the feelings, circumstances, intentions, thoughts, and needs of others. As one of the essential tools in the design process, empathy helps in understanding the emotional and cultural realities of the people for whom you are designing. Therefore, it enables you to create better solutions that add value and attract customers to your business idea. Empathy also helps individuals connect with potential collaborators, audiences, and readers in a more meaningful way. For example, empathy as a business tool in content writing is about writing for, and with, the reader in mind. When empathy is used in the right way, it becomes a business tool that helps identify the unmet needs of others, leading to the creation of new products and services.
In order to be successful, a business needs to ensure that its marketing programmes are appropriate for its customers. Empathy helps businesses get into the customer’s mindset and provides the ability to truly understand the customer better. This helps a business make accurate assessments of the needs, wants, and thought processes of its target market. In addition, the empathy skills of those responsible will determine the extent to which information about customer needs and wants is used wisely and honestly to provide products and services that meet those needs.
Empathy as a business skill in management refers to a leader’s ability to understand the feelings and viewpoints of subordinates and take those perspectives into account when making decisions. Furthermore, empathy is one of the attributes of emotional intelligence, and skilled leaders use empathy and social skills to earn the loyalty of their subordinates. Such leaders also tend to be effective at settling disputes between managers and are better able to find common ground and shared purpose among diverse areas of the organisation. This skill is also found among leaders who are able to move people in a desired direction.
Empathy in customer service is about putting customers first. It is one of the dimensions of quality service. Every customer wants to be considered and treated as an individual rather than as a number. Empathy determines the extent and quality of individualised attention an organisation gives its customers. Empathy helps make great customer service personnel because it enables them to focus relentlessly on the customer. Without empathy, a customer service officer would be unable to provide excellent customer service. They would be unable to understand customer needs and challenges from the customer’s point of view.
In immigrant entrepreneurship, elements of mutual relationships, quality, and ongoing exchanges between business partners and collaborators are often explained using the synonymous terms guanxi and tie or strength of tie. The former is used in Eastern network literature, while the latter is found in Western network literature. These concepts describe how network relationships contribute to business success through trust, understanding, support, and the reciprocation of past favours. Empathy has been one of the four dimensions of guanxi long before Western literature paid significant attention to the concept in business relationships. Therefore, from this perspective, empathy is a relational business tool. It refers to the ability of customers and sellers to understand each other’s needs within network relationships.
Empathy is important in the development of personal skills and employability. It involves responding to the practical and emotional needs of colleagues. Organisations expect candidates to demonstrate respect and empathy toward others. In addition to qualities such as pragmatism, decisiveness, and experience, managers are often selected for their empathy. From an international human resources perspective, adaptability is one of the key criteria used in selecting expatriates who possess the ability to put themselves in others’ situations and identify with them. Cultural empathy is a key trait of adaptability and is one of the selection criteria used in assessing a candidate’s potential for success abroad. International managers are expected to develop empathy and tolerance toward cultural differences. Being able to demonstrate empathy for different viewpoints makes them more positively perceived in the host country. Empathy enhances an expatriate’s interactions with people. It indicates an ability to understand and accept diversity, develop honest friendships with foreign nationals, and show a willingness to use, no matter how rudimentary, the host-country language.
Another aspect of empathy is that it generates genuine concern for the needs of others and the desire to serve them. It involves experiencing others’ emotions by imagining their perspectives and situations, and it is a significant indicator of giving. Philanthropy is about compassion and giving back. It goes beyond empathy by encouraging action and can be described as the external expression of internal empathy. It is through empathy that charities and philanthropic initiatives create significant social impact without questionable ulterior motives.
Practise empathy through observation ==== Practising empathy through observation involves not only thinking about what people need but also exploring how they behave.
Engaging people in conversation is another way to practise empathy. It involves asking people how they feel and what they think and then genuinely listening to them.
Exercises such as interviewing people can help you develop empathy for what they have experienced and what they need. Ask “why” questions to avoid making assumptions. Such questions enable you to put yourself in others’ shoes because you gain a clearer understanding of their situation and can imagine what you would do in the same circumstances.
To ensure that your product or service relates to your audience, watch and listen to them carefully.
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