In this research, we employed multivariate statistical methods to investigate the perspectives of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) concerning the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) regulation and their apprehensions related to EPR compliance. The EPR regulation, which places the responsibility of waste management on producers, has significant financial and administrative implications, particularly for SMEs. A sample of 114 businesses was randomly selected, and the collected data underwent comprehensive analysis. Our findings highlight that a notable proportion of businesses (44.7%) possess knowledge of the EPR regulation’s provisions, whereas only a marginal fraction (1.8%) lacks sufficient familiarity. We also explored the interplay between opinions on the EPR regulation and concerns regarding its financial and administrative implications. Our results establish a significant correlation between EPR regulation opinions and concerns, with adverse opinions prominently influencing concerns, particularly regarding financial burdens and administrative workloads. These outcomes, derived from the application of multivariate statistical techniques, provide valuable insights for enhancing the synergy between environmental regulations and business practices. EPR regulation significantly affects SMEs in terms of financial, administrative, and legal obligations, thus our study highlights that policymakers may need to consider additional support mechanisms to alleviate the regulatory burden on SMEs, fostering a more effective and sustainable implementation of the EPR regulation.
The human factor of production is a significant player in increased organizational productivity. Due to the contemporary competitive work environment, the millennial in front-line jobs is faced with demanding work activities, resulting in challenges to their psychological well-being. Therefore, exploring the connectedness between work-life balance, employee engagement and psychological well-being of the millennial becomes imperative. Research was conducted, using an ex-post facto research design, among 320 purposively selected front-line millennial employees, with a mean age of 32 years. The instrument administered in a Google Form survey contained a 44-item self-report questionnaire, comprising work-life balance, employee engagement with components as vigor, dedication and absorption, and employee well-being. Data analyzed revealed that work-life balance significantly predicted employee well-being, accounting for 25% variance. The dimensions of employee engagement (vigor, dedication and absorption) collectively accounted for 7% variance in employee well-being. The study establishes the fact that to enhance the psychological well-being of Millennials in front-line jobs, organizational management should design the work structures to allow for work-life balance, which will as well increase their work engagement. They can encourage employees to find meaning and purpose in their work (dedication), provide opportunities for skill development and autonomy (vigor), and create an environment that allows employees to fully immerse themselves in their tasks (absorption). These could be implemented through organizational development strategies and work design. However, future research should target additional variables, replicate the study in different contexts and among another population of employees, employ longitudinal data collection methods, and increase sample sizes. Furthermore, measures should be taken to minimize the impact of social desirability and enhance the generalizability of the research.
In a time of a growingly age-diverse workforce, modern organizations are facing the challenge of simultaneously maintaining job satisfaction for both younger and older workers. In that regard, this study aims to analyse and further explore the difference in job expectations of employees from the IT industry who belong to different age groups. Based on the extant literature, an appropriate research model was designed, which was subsequently tested using the data gathered through the surveys conducted over the past fourteen years. The research results show that the main difference between younger and older employees within the IT industry is related to professional and personal growth. Specifically, younger employees primarily look for personal development and rapid professional advancement, which are of minor importance to their older counterparts. Intriguingly, the obtained results showed no difference between the younger and older employees regarding the work environment, including its competitiveness.
Project success requires team commitment, which is a product of an encouraging culture of cooperation and teamwork among project team members. The research work aims to ascertain which components of team commitment affect the performance of construction projects in Nigeria. The research adopted a quantitative design where questionnaires were used for data collection. Out of 1233 questionnaires distributed, 975 were received with valid responses and used for data analysis. Data were analysed descriptively using percentage, mean score, and relative agreement index. The study showed the factors of team commitment having an effect on project performance, as rated by the respondents, to be: Normative component: “Project team members owe a great deal to this organisation”; “Members of the project team do not feel it is right to quit the project before completion”; “This organisation has a great deal of personal meaning for project team members”. Affective component: “This organisation deserves the loyalty of project team members”; “The project team considers the team’s problems as their own. Then, “One of the few negative consequences of leaving this organisation will be the scarcity of available alternatives” is for continuance. In conclusion, the emotional attachment of the team members and sense of obligation to the project team and construction organisation are the driving forces behind pushing for the successful outcome of projects within the Nigerian construction industry.
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