Purpose Whistleblowing has been receiving increased attention and support in recent times as a means of detecting and correcting wrongdoing in organizations. This study aims to examine perceptions, attitudes and consequences (actions and reactions) of whistleblowing, as well as the predictors of internal and external whistleblowing intentions, by using Graham’s (1986) model of principled organizational dissent in a small emerging and collectivist culture like Barbados. Design/methodology/approach The study utilized a self-administered survey of 282 accounting employees working in organizations in Barbados. Findings Results reveal that there is little awareness of whistleblowing legislation. Most respondents perceive whistleblowing as ethical and favor internal over external whistleblowing. Findings show that personal responsibility and personal costs significantly influence internal whistleblowing intentions, while personal costs influence external whistleblowing. Using qualitative data, several themes emerged as influencing whistleblowing: perceived benefits of whistleblowing, actual whistleblowing experiences (handling of reports), personal costs (climate of fear and hostility), perceived lack of anonymity and cultural norms. Research limitations/implications Future research should control for social desirability bias and use more rigorous qualitative approaches such as face-to-face interviews and focus groups to gain in-depth opinions and feelings on the topic. Practical implications Whistleblowing can be achieved through such mechanisms as perceived organizational support, strong ethical codes of conduct, rewarding ethical behavior and promoting sound work ethics in organizations. Originality/value This paper explores whistleblowing in an emerging economy where there has been little research on the topic. Thus, this study supplements the existing research in emerging economies by examining the applicability of Graham’s (1986) model of principled organizational dissent.

PurposeThe purpose of the paper is to highlight the need for Caribbean scholarship to advance and test social psychological models that speak to current entrepreneurial realities on the ground which have implications for theory, education, practice and public policy. It tests a revised entrepreneurial intentions‐based model by examining the impact of several socio‐cognitive predictors.Design/methodology/approachUsing a structural equation modelling approach, a revised model of entrepreneurial intentions is tested based on a survey of 376 university students from a Caribbean university.FindingsThe chi square difference results reveal that when compared with the proposed (revised) model, a previous model advanced by Krueger is found to be the most suitable model in explaining entrepreneurial intentions.Research limitations/implicationsThe cross‐sectional design of the study does not permit causal statements to be made regarding the variables examined. There is a call for longitudinal research to further examine the causal links between relevant variables in entrepreneurial models.Practical implicationsThis paper has strong practical value in that the results can assist students, educators, and present entrepreneurs in understanding the dynamics and processes involved in entrepreneurial decision‐making. This understanding can promote the development and maintenance of further entrepreneurial ventures in the Caribbean.Originality/valueThe paper also has a strong theoretical value as it relies on several socio‐cognitive explanations of human behaviour, and seeks to advance the theoretical field by using more rigorous analyses.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine corporate governance (CG) issues among boards of directors (BODs) in Barbados’ state-owned enterprises (SOEs) by utilizing agency and institutional theories as the theoretical framework. Design/methodology/approach This research adopts a mixed methods approach using quantitative and qualitative methods. Data are collected in five stages including data initially from a governance workshop attended by BODs. The findings are presented and feedback obtained in subsequent stages including several seminars attended by BODs, government officials, regulators and other stakeholders. Findings BODs perceive that they perform their roles and responsibilities in an effective and efficient manner, influence decision making, exercise control in SOEs and conduct well-organized meetings. However, respondents from the various stages report that there is lack of accountability and transparency, inadequate disclosure, lengthy board meetings resulting in excessive delays in decision making, unclear accounting and auditing guidelines, and a lack of training in financial and CG matters. Political interference, board appointment and composition are also cited as major concerns. Research limitations/implications Suggestions include reduced political interference, increased training, following OECD (2005) best practices and greater accountability. Originality/value The paper extends the literature on CG in BODs in SOEs in emerging economies. This study utilizes the agency and institutional frameworks to understand the phenomenon.

Barbados is one of the most popular destinations in the Caribbean. Historically most visitors were accommodated in hotels. In the past decade, however, the proportion of luxury rooms has declined in proportion to the expansion in the second home rental market. The behavior of rental prices for villas on the island, nevertheless, is not well understood. Using observations on 322 villas and cottages, this article estimates a hedonic regression of the prices for these properties. Prices are modeled as functions of structural, neighborhood, and environmental factors. The findings from the article suggest that the rental prices for villas and cottages on the island are largely because of unobserved neighborhood characteristics and structural features related to the property. The study contributes to the literature by providing an assessment of the villa market in a largely tourism-dependent economy and also proposes an approach for measuring unobserved neighborhood characteristics.

Researchers in public administration for the past few decades are interested in exploring how public service motivation (PSM) influences turnover intentions. This study puts the theory of PSM to test in a different cultural context and explores the relationship between PSM and leadership on turnover intentions via person-organization fit (P-O fit) in public sector employees from Trinidad and Tobago and Barbados. Results of structural equation modeling indicate a significant negative relationship between senior leadership and turnover intentions, but a positive and significant relationship between PSM and turnover intentions. The positive effects of PSM on turnover are different from the Western models of motivation in the public sector. Results also show a partial mediation of PSM and turnover intentions via P-O fit. This research highlights the need for studying leadership, motivation, and turnover by utilizing a cultural and value lens to examine and understand employee behaviors in public organizations outside of North America.