Applied research indicates strong connections between dimensions of the work place, stress and job satisfaction. Yet, there is an absence of theory to provide conceptual understanding of these relationships. In 1999, Sparks and Cooper advocated using job‐specific models of stress as a way of developing a better understanding of the relationships. The current study adopted this recommendation and investigated a specific job context, specifically, naval officer trainees undergoing their sea training. The results indicate that a general model of stress is unhelpful in identifying the predictors of stress and job satisfaction in specific job contexts. Instead, the authors recommend identifying salient workplace dimensions rather than a broad‐brush approach when seeking workplace associations with stress.

This article investigates the factors that influenced the entrepreneurial start-up businesses among Chinese immigrants who had been granted residency under three different immigration policies in Australia. These immigrant groups differed in their resources and experienced different market conditions which led to different opportunity structures and subsequent choices of entrepreneurial activities. The mixed embeddedness model was identified as being useful for analysing the factors contributing to the business start-ups of these Chinese immigrant entrepreneurs. The research contributes to the existing literature by developing a dynamic analysis of the interaction of personal resources and economic conditions in the pursuit of business ventures. Also, the intersectionality of gender, race and class is analysed in relation to the mixed embeddedness model. Importantly, this research emphasises the need to look beyond either broad cultural factors or single factors in attempting to analyse the pathways selected by immigrant entrepreneurs.

PurposeTo demonstrate two distinct leadership requirements for project managers and establish a theoretical basis for distinguishing between these two types of leadership.Design/methodology/approachA framework linking transactional and transformational leadership qualities with project management attributes is developed.FindingsExplains how reactive decisions relating to monitoring of schedules and budgeting data of projects has received the greatest attention in the literature but this is only one aspect of project control. Project leadership that is proactive in controlling projects is more effective.Research limitations/implicationsThe implications of our findings are substantive. Project managers who focus on proactive leadership behaviour will be more successful in completing projects on time, on budget and to the specified standard as well as achieving the strategic purpose of the project.Practical implicationsProject managers need to pay more attention to the progress of their projects and forestall any problems rather than just being reactive problem solvers.Originality/valueThe paper provides a framework for establishing the linkage between proactive decisions that impact on the direction that the project is progressing and reactive decisions that solve the existing problems of project management. It is a different focus to the traditional project management leadership knowledge base.

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Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine how Chinese immigrant businesses in Australia were able to shift from low return start-up businesses and move to more competitive business models targeting mainstream clientele. The research aims to identify the factors enabling a break-out strategy for these entrepreneurs and whether a horizontal or vertical break-out was achieved. Design/methodology/approach A qualitative research method with in-depth interviews is employed. Interviews were conducted with 55 Chinese immigrant business owners in Sydney and Canberra. Findings The analysis found that a break-out strategy depended on a range of business activities, including innovation, marketing, networking and personnel strategies. Importantly, the current research found that these resources have varying degrees of importance in the different stages of the transition to the new business model. Accumulating sufficient financial capital was a fundamental enabler for a break-out strategy, followed by the capacity to learn and benefit from the experience of social networks. Research limitations/implications The current research highlights the importance of financial capital and capacity to benefit from social networks as fundamental factors in enabling a break-out strategy. The benefit of the qualitative approach in obtaining rich data needs to be offset by potential limitations on generalisability. Future research could incorporate comparison between different size businesses as well as analysing factors underpinning a failure to successfully implement a break-out. Practical implications The findings indicate that business support groups and policymakers could review access to financial capital for entrepreneurs seeking break-outs, consider improving opportunities for developing capacity to utilise heterogeneous social networks, and consider pathways for improving skills acquisition amongst immigrant entrepreneurs. Originality/value This paper contributes to the research literature on break-out strategies used by immigrant entrepreneurs by analysing, in detail, the transition steps undertaken by ethnic Chinese entrepreneurs in the shift to more competitive business models.

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