Journal of Business and Management Research

Human Capital as Enabler of Career Success: Perceptions of Nepali Women Executives

Jyoti Regmi Adhikary — 2023-09-15

This study explored the perceptions of Nepali women executives about human capital elements that enabled their career success. In-depth interviews were used to generate information from purposively selected ten women executives representing varied organizations. Analysis revealed six human capital enablers to contribute to their career success: education, experience, expertise, performance, training, and relevant knowledge. Results show that human capital enables career success both directly and indirectly. The study outlines the pathway of career success and highlights the importance of socio-cultural consideration in further research in Nepal.

Students’ Decision-Making at the University Level: A Phenomenological Study

Prabina Rajbhandari Vaidya — 2023-09-15

Students’ decision making is a dynamic and complex process. A number of quantitative studies have identified the elements that play their role in this process, particularly in the contexts of the developed regions. However, in the developing countries, especially in the countries of South-Asian region where collectivist societies exist, such studies occur in a very negligible number. To fill this gap, the present study explored the elements that are perceived to affect undergraduate and graduate students’ decision making on academic as well as non-academic contexts. Given that today’s students are tomorrow’s leaders, understanding their decision making may contribute in anticipating the nature of decisions they would make in the future. To understand this phenomenon, interpretive phenomenological analysis was used. The study found two major themes – personal elements, and external elements. The discussion on these themes and their sub-themes highlight that students make decisions centered on consequences such as loss of position and prestige, fear of individual punishments. Students decision making were also found to reiterate the theory of utilitarianism and relative truth theory.

Conceptualization of Workplace Spirituality in an Eastern Context

Arjun Kumar Shrestha — 2023-09-15

Workplace spirituality is a complex construct and is perceived differently in different cultures and contexts. The purpose of this study was to construct the meaning of workplace spirituality from the perceptions of employees in an Eastern context, particularly Nepal, which is primarily dominated by the Vedic and Buddhist spiritual traditions. This study utilized the constructivist grounded theory methodology to elucidate the meaning of WPS. The analysis of data revealed that WPS is a multi-dimensional construct having nine distinct dimensions – Altruistic Motive, Interpersonal Positivity, Compassion, Inner Calmness, Duty Orientation, Sense of Collaboration, Interconnectedness, Self-Regulation, and Higher Consciousness. The emergence of these dimensions is discussed in light of the Western WPS literature and the teachings of Vedic and Buddhist spiritual traditions. Finally, practical and research implications are drawn and the study's limitations are highlighted.

Lived Experience of Business School Faculty in post COVID-19 New Normal

Bhawana Tamrakar — 2023-09-15

Two years of COVID-19 pandemic was a unique experience for many of us. The impact of the pandemic in the academic sector was distinct. This study explored the impact of pandemic on business schools and business school teaching through the examination of the lived experience of business school faculty members. The Hermeneutic phenomenology was used to capture the lived experience of the faculties who were involved in online teaching during pandemic and are teaching in the post COVID-19 new normal at graduate and undergraduate level in different business schools in Nepal. The data were collected through in depth interviews. The analysis of the data revealed four themes: (1) Not ready for hybrid mode, (2) Possibility opened up by online experience, (3) Challenge to maintain academic standard, and (4) Measures to tackle behavioral change among students. The findings suggest that COVID-19 and the time after directed business education towards transformation. However, the Nepali business school and business school faculty members have a long ground to cover. The implication and limitation of the study have been indicated.