Reviewing the relationship between organizational performance, dynamic capabilities and strategic behavior

Current business challenges mean that understanding elements that can affect organizational performance represents a differential factor in maintaining competitiveness. In this context, the objective of this article is to conduct a Systematic Literature Review (SLR) of the relationship between dynamic capabilities, strategic behavior, and organizational performance. For this, A three-stage SLR protocol was used: (i) planning, (ii) conduct, and (iii) knowledge development. A total of 118 articles covering the publication period of 2006–2021 were included, which evidenced: (i) the grouping of words into three classes: “Knowledge Management,” “Measurement Instrument,” and “Organizational Environment”; (ii) the methodological framework; (iii) directions for future research. The findings reinforce the importance of the theoretical, methodological, and empirical relationship between the three constructs. Furthermore, the results indicate the relationship between the set of terms selected in each class, highlighting the strong connection between dynamic capabilities and competitive intensity. The main findings of the research show that organizations can expand or modify their processes by building and using dynamic capabilities as institutional factors, shaping strategic behavior to advance better performance.

Labor force diversity and new firm formation

Many countries have experienced increases in the diversity of their labor forces. Our paper examines one such country-Sweden-and relates the diversity of the local labor force, in terms of demography, culture, education, occupation and industry, to new firm formation. We measure diversity using entropy measures that account for a wider range of differences than is typically used. Our empirical analysis finds a positive relationship between diversity of the labor force, in terms of demography, culture and education, and the rate of new firm formation. Our results add to the literature on the workings of agglomeration economies in urban growth through variations in human capital, information spillovers and innovation.

Assignment Design and its Effects on Japanese College Freshmen’s Motivation in L2 Emergency Online Courses: A Qualitative Study

Unlike conventional distance learning, the COVID-19-induced emergency online learning environment has resulted in students experiencing prolonged social isolation and anxiety, thereby creating additional barriers to their motivation to learn. Studying under these conditions influences students’ motivation to complete and turn in course-related assignments, especially newly enrolled students taking the English reading online courses as second language learners (L2). The aim of this qualitative study is to examine various factors influencing Japanese college freshmen’s (n = 80) motivation when completing graded online assignments as part of asynchronous English reading courses held during the COVID-19 pandemic. The post-course survey of students from three separate classes was used to capture a detailed panorama of learner motivation. Results from an inductive content analysis of responses indicated that higher levels of motivation were strongly associated with assignments that facilitated learner autonomy, social interaction, personal interest, and practical utility of the task. Conversely, decreased motivation appears to be strongly associated with assignments reinforcing the perception of high difficulty, personal inefficacy, and cognitive overload. These findings are consistent with studies examining online learners’ motivation in the pre-pandemic period. This study found that intrinsic motivation plays an explicit role in enhancing learners’ engagement with instructional materials. Researchers recommend that, especially during emergencies such as a pandemic or major crisis, teachers should deliberately and extensively employ strategies to enhance the motivational appeal of instructional materials and assignments. When designing online assignments for freshman courses, special attention must be paid to psychological (autonomy, utility, relevance), cognitive (information overload), social (relatedness, interaction), and environmental (an emergency, uncertainty, isolation) conditions of learning.