Open Access
Social work educational programmes aimed at the young: redefining programmes to succeed?
(Taylor & Francis, 2020) Aguilar Tablada, María Victoria; Erro Garcés, Amaya; Pérez García, Raquel María; Sociología y Trabajo Social; Soziologia eta Gizarte Lana; Gestión de Empresas; Enpresen Kudeaketa
In recent years, young people’s behavior has undergone major changes as they have been affected by the crisis that influences their future perspectives and goals. In this context, the demands of youth pose a relevant challenge to social work education. To respond to this challenge, social work education programmes should be adapted. Using meta-analysis methods, this article reviews the current situation of educational programmes focused on young people in the field of social work. Four areas were identified as results from the literature review: social work education programmes focused on specific needs, the adoption of ICTs to complement social work education services, the development of children’s programmes to address problematic situations in their earlier stages, and proposals for improving educational programmes. The main findings show that most studies focused on improving social work education programmes and analyzing the specific needs of social work users. On the other hand, ICTs are not included in most of the articles selected. These results allow us to identify several key recommendations that will assist social work education programmes in successfully adopting and implementing changes experienced to better meet the needs of young people in their daily practice.
Open Access
Action research as a meta-methodology in the management field
(SAGE, 2020) Erro Garcés, Amaya; Alfaro Tanco, José A.; Gestión de Empresas; Enpresen Kudeaketa
Although it was first developed in the field of psychology, action research is a methodology of growing importance in business and management contexts. In this research article, we focus on a significant aspect of action research: the variety of methodologies that can be used jointly in an action research study and its relationships. More specifically, the aim of this study is to underscore the definition of action research as a meta-methodology that encompasses different ways of carrying out empirical research. To this end, we perform a meta-analysis of articles discussing empirical research that used an action research methodology. The meta-analysis is based on a systematic review of articles published between 2000 and 2018. The main findings suggest that action research may be regarded as a multidisciplinary method and that it can be implemented jointly with other methodologies; not just qualitative methods but also quantitative research. Consequently, action research may now be defined as a meta-methodology or an umbrella process. In this way, action research is a tool whose implementation ought to be promoted in the business/management field as a way of enhancing relevant, rigorous empirical studies and serving as a framework reference in projects based on research and practice contribution as well as active collaboration between researchers and practitioners.
Open Access
Co-designing doctoral programs to enhance postgraduate students' employability: insights from industry stakeholders
(Emerald, 2023) Pérez García, Raquel María; Erro Garcés, Amaya; Aramendia Muneta, María Elena; López Peláez, Antonio; Gestión de Empresas; Enpresen Kudeaketa
Purpose: Doctoral programs play a crucial role in promoting innovation and technology transfer in universities. To design these programs effectively and with a co-design perspective, it is essential to consider all stakeholders involved in the process, including teachers, students and employers. The main objective of this study is to enhance postgraduate programs to improve students' employability. Design/methodology/approach: This empirical study was conducted over a three-year period and employed semi-structured interviews as its primary research methodology. In the first phase, 21 in-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with managers from various sectors. The second phase involved 20 interviews, and the final phase of the study included 18 interviews with the same managers from previous phases. Findings: The study's main results revealed that the international networks, language proficiency and analytical skills of doctoral students were highly valued by employers. The main findings come from companies with doctoral students. Therefore, the skills were identified during the learning experience of the PhD graduates in the companies. Practical implications: The study's results can guide improvements in postgraduate program curricula and design to enhance students' employability. Originality/value: This research presents a novel approach to its findings. On the one hand, the study's conclusions may provide valuable insights for business agents, encouraging them to hire PhD students. On the other hand, it aims to drive necessary changes that promote more PhD students' focus on non-academic careers, creating significant value for research and innovation in the private sector.
Open Access
Mental wellbeing and work-related quality of life across European workers: characteristics and associated factors
(Emerald, 2024-11-25) Erro Garcés, Amaya; Iriarte Redin, Concha; Gestión de Empresas; Enpresen Kudeaketa
Purpose: Mental well-being of employees has decreased as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Based on the data collected by Eurofound in the electronic survey 'Living, working and COVID-19' (2020), this paper aims to identify which aspects of the work-related quality of life and other sociodemographic variables can explain the mental well-being of workers in, especially, convulsive times like those experienced during COVID-19 and beyond. The main objective is to improve labor welfare in the future. Design/methodology/approach: With a sample of 8,777 observations (Round 2), cross-sectional analyses were conducted. Findings: The results indicated that all factors of work quality of life such as working conditions, work–family interface, job stress and job satisfaction were predictors of the mental well-being of workers. Likewise, being a woman, being of mature age, having a partner and having good training/education were variables also associated with mental well-being. Originality/value: The research revealed that the pandemic in Europe had a greater impact on the psychological well-being of women compared to men. Also, younger populations exhibited decreased levels of mental health.
Open Access
A potential paradigm shift in global mobility? The impact of the Covid-19 pandemic
(Elsevier, 2023) Mello, Rodrigo; Erro Garcés, Amaya; Dickmann, Michael; Brewster, Chris; Gestión de Empresas; Enpresen Kudeaketa; Institute for Advanced Research in Business and Economics - INARBE
The COVID-19 pandemic profoundly affected the global mobility (GM) policies of multinational enterprises (MNEs). Through interviews with policy decision-makers in 32 companies, we applied Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis to examine how the pandemic accelerated changes in MNE policies and the management of GM. Our framework builds on contingency theory, traditionally concerned with aligning organizational policies with macro- and meso-level contextual factors. We extend this by integrating micro-level individual variables, such as career aspirations and well-being, as contingent factors influencing GM practices. There is variation in GM responses in relation to the volume of GM activities, GM-related policies, investments in digitalization and technology, and variations in mobility types. We observed a potential paradigm shift that affords employees greater agency in their global mobility paths, thereby greater granularity to contingency theory. This nuanced approach opens new research avenues and equips organizational leaders with a comprehensive set of variables for GM decision-making. Our findings indicate lasting global mobility changes but foresee gradual implementation due to associated risks.
Open Access
Superdiversity and social policies in a complex society: social challenges in the 21st century
(SAGE, 2021) López Peláez, Antonio; Aguilar Tablada, María Victoria; Erro Garcés, Amaya; Pérez García, Raquel María; Gestión de Empresas; Enpresen Kudeaketa
La superdiversidad es una característica de las sociedades contemporáneas que afecta a los procesos de cambio social y las políticas sociales. Utilizando métodos de metaanálisis, este artículo revisa el tratamiento de la superdiversidad en la literatura para informar mejor las políticas sociales desde una perspectiva sociológica. Un rastreo de la literatura en inglés y español recopiló 76 artículos con diferentes enfoques metodológicos durante el período 2007-2019. Los descriptores de la búsqueda fueron superdiversidad, diversidad cultural, flujos migratorios, migración global, cambios de población, interacciones sociales, cambio social, complejidad social, cuidados, política social, contextos superdiversos, edad, género y migrantes. Los principales resultados son la identificación de claves para informar las políticas sociales y promover un cambio social sostenible en consonancia con la realidad social actual.
Open Access
Teletrabajo y conciliación: ¿una trampa para las mujeres?
(Universitat Oberta de Catalunya, 2022) Sánchez Aragón, Anna; Belzunegui Eraso, Ángel; Erro Garcés, Amaya; Pastor Gosálbez, Inma; Gestión de Empresas; Enpresen Kudeaketa
La situación de emergencia sanitaria provocada por la COVID-19 ha reabierto con especial vigor el debate sobre el impacto del teletrabajo en las condiciones de trabajo, así como en las posibilidades que ofrece para la conciliación. Dado el alto nivel de implantación del teletrabajo entre mujeres, se hace necesario reflexionar sobre el impacto que el uso de esta modalidad de trabajo productivo pueda tener sobre ellas y sobre otros aspectos de la vida cotidiana. La extensión del trabajo a distancia lleva implícita una amenaza para las mujeres en la medida en que el teletrabajo puede impactar de forma especialmente negativa en el desempeño laboral de las mujeres y, a su vez, esto pondría en riesgo los avances conseguidos durante las últimas décadas en materia de igualdad de género. Se hace necesaria la regulación del trabajo a distancia para evitar convertir el teletrabajo en una trampa que haga recaer, aún más, sobre las mujeres, el peso de la conciliación.
Open Access
The usage time of social media as a predictor of customer loyalty
(Springer, 2024-08-24) Dávila Espuela, Nélida; Reina Paz, María Dolores; Erro Garcés, Amaya; Gestión de Empresas; Enpresen Kudeaketa; Institute for Advanced Research in Business and Economics - INARBE
This paper aims to shed light on the potential influence of daily usage time of social media on customer loyalty through social media. The main objective is to identify, on the one hand, possible generational differences regarding usage time and, on the other, what characteristics of social media posts impacting loyal customer outcomes are most affected by usage time. To this end, after an exhaustive review of the current state of the art, an online survey was conducted in the last quarter of 2022 with a sample of 485 individuals to assess their opinions and intentions toward different types of social media posts. Attitudinal responses were collected for 12 study variables, and an independence test and a series of regressions were conducted to validate the hypotheses. The results indicate that there are indeed generational differences in social media usage time. Additionally, it was observed that usage time is a significant predictor of social media loyalty in general and, specifically, for loyalty created through posts with relevant content, campaigns with incentives, and popular content among friends. Among the conclusions of this study is the applicability to the business sector, regarding the various considerations that companies should take into account based on their communication objectives and the target user profile, as well as the type of social media posts they should consider. © The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature 2024.
Open Access
Perceived health and earnings: evidence from the European working conditions survey 2015
(MDPI, 2022) Erro Garcés, Amaya; Aramendia Muneta, María Elena; Errea Rodríguez, María; Cabasés Hita, Juan Manuel; Institute for Advanced Research in Business and Economics - INARBE
This paper aims to analyse the relationship between perceived health and earnings across Europe. Empirical analysis is based on the last published round from the European Working Conditions Survey (N = 43,850) and offers updated evidence on the effect of earnings on perceived health in 35 countries. The main findings show a positive and significant relationship between earnings and health, which is consistent with the existing literature. Moreover, health seems to be U-shaped relative to earnings. On the other hand, age is negatively related to health, which is consistent with previous research. This paper shows the health differences between countries, where cultural, geographic, and economic differences imply health inequalities across countries. From a practical perspective, understanding the dynamics of perceived health and earnings’ processes can contribute to health policy.
Open Access
Poverty, social work, and social intervention: decent work as a strategy to overcome poverty after the Covid-19
(Taylor and Francis Group, 2023) López Peláez, Antonio; Aramendia Muneta, María Elena; Erro Garcés, Amaya; Gestión de Empresas; Enpresen Kudeaketa; Institute for Advanced Research in Business and Economics - INARBE
Social workers worldwide must be concerned about how to overcome poverty after the COVID-19. The 61st Session of United Nations Commission for Social Development has highlighted decent work as a priority for social workers and social welfare practitioners after de COVID-19. Decent work is a key strategy to overcome poverty in the post-pandemic time. A systematic review of the literature revealed 225 articles from 2020 on this topic. The descriptors were social work, decent work, good work, decent job, good job, decent employment, and good employment. The results obtained allow us to establish some recommendations to address poverty from the perspective of social work, designing intervention strategies to overcome inequalities.