Business Commons^™

Creating A Stem Identity: Investment With Return, Janet Callahan, Patricia Pyke, Susan Shadle, R. Eric Landrum

R. Eric Landrum

Aquifer Analysis: Told And Untold Stories In Warwick Churches, Vaughan S. Roberts

Vaughan S Roberts

An Innovative Leadership Effectiveness Measure: Applied Analytic Indicators Of High-Consequence Industry Performance, Brent D. Bowen, Erin E. Bowen, Dean E. Headley, Hatice Küçükönal, Clay Wildt

Erin Bowen

Leadership effectiveness in high-consequence industries has more than a bottom-line fiscal impact; it is linked to critical issues of human safety. Performance, productivity and overall quality of service have to be managed with focus on improvement in systemic safety while simultaneously maintaining a viable and profitable organization. This premise is specifically foremost in the leadership of airline organizations. The Airline Quality Rating has become a recognized and lauded indicator of airline performance in the United States. A valid case is presented herein to confirm that the Airline Quality Rating’s applied analytic methodology effectively provides a tool for assessing organizational leadership. …

The Relational Ecology Of Identification: How Organizational Identification Emerges When Individuals Hold Divergent Values, Marya Besharov

Marya Besharov

This research builds on theory about how identification develops when members differ in which organizational values they hold to be important. It is relatively well established that conflict and dis-identification arise under such conditions. In the socially responsible retail company I studied, in contrast, I found identification as well as dis-identification. Both outcomes emerged from members’ interactions with others whose values and behaviors differed from their own. Identification arose when managers interpreted and enacted organizational values for frontline employees by developing integrative solutions, removing ideology, and routinizing ideology. Dis-identification developed in the absence of these practices. The resulting process model …

Creativity From Constraint? How Political Correctness Influences Creativity In Mixed-Sex Work Groups, Jack Goncalo, Jennifer Chatman, Michelle Duguid, Jessica Kennedy

Jack Goncalo

Most group creativity research is premised on the assumption that creativity is unleashed by removing normative constraints. As work organizations become increasingly diverse in terms of gender, however, this assumption needs to be reconsidered since mixed-sex interactions carry a high risk of offense. Departing from the assumption that normative constraints necessarily stifle creativity, we develop a theoretical perspective in which creativity in mixed-sex groups is enhanced by imposing a norm to be politically correct (PC)—a norm that sets clear expectations for how men and women should interact with one another. We present evidence from two group experiments showing that the …

The Ethical Climate And Context Of Organizations: A Comprehensive Model, Anke Arnaud Dr., Marshall Schminke

Dr. Anke Arnaud

Traditional approaches to understanding the ethical context of organizations often focus on ethical work climate, which reflects the collective moral reasoning of organization members. However, such approaches overlook other components of the ethical environment that may influence how ethical judgments translate to ethical behavior. This study extends our understanding of the ethical context of organizations by considering how three distinct aspects of that context collective moral reasoning (ethical climate), collective moral emotion, and collective ethical efficacy interact to influence ethical behavior. Results from 117 work units support our hypotheses. Implications and suggestions for future research are discussed.

Is It Me Or Her? How Gender Composition Influences Interpersonally Sensitive Behavior On Collaborative Cross-Boundary Projects, Michele Williams

Michele Williams

This paper investigates how professional workers’ willingness to act with interpersonal sensitivity is influenced by the gender and power of their interaction partners. We call into question the idea that mixed-gender interactions involve more interpersonal sensitivity than all-male interactions primarily because women demonstrate more interpersonal sensitivity than do men. Rather, we argue that the social category “women” can evoke more sensitive behavior from others such that men as well as women contribute to an increase in sensitivity in mixed-gender interactions. We further argue that the presence of women may trigger increased sensitivity such that men can also be the recipients …

Developing Soft Skills To Manage User Expectations In It Projects: Knowledge Reuse Among It Project Managers, Stacie Petter, Adriane Randolph

Adriane B. Randolph

This research explores information technology (IT) project managers' reuse of knowledge associated with soft skills when managing user expectations. Through interviews with IT project managers, several themes emerged: novelty of problems, conditions within the organization, types of available knowledge, and methods for reusing knowledge. Within this study, we discovered the need for additional research on how social norms and organizational conditions encourage or inhibit knowledge reuse. Furthermore, we identified a difference in the usefulness of knowledge captured in formal repositories according to levels of project management experience. The findings confirm, extend, and illuminate the current research associated with knowledge reuse …

Workplace Mentoring And Career Resilience: An Empirical Test, Ridhi Arora Research Scholar, Santosh Rangnekar Associate Professor

Ridhi Arora

The present study sought to investigate the role of mentoring relationships in predicting career resilience. The study adopted a cross-sectional survey based research design using a sample of 205 managers from public and private sector organizations in North India. Mentoring relationships were measured under the 2 broad categories of career mentoring and psychosocial mentoring in alignment with previous studies. The findings showed that psychosocial mentoring acts as a significant predictor of career resilience;however, career mentoring was not found to have any significant influence on career resilience. Given research thus reiterated the significant contribution of mentoring in influencing career outcomes such …

A Formula For Picking The Best, Most Well-Rounded Candidate For A Health Care Administrative Office, Ronald Dearinger

Ronald L Dearinger

One approach to selecting the best candidate for an administrative position

Front Line Hospitality Leaders: Knowledge, Knowledge Acquisition, And Ability To Effectively Lead, Gregory Scott Krawiec

Gregory Scott Krawiec

The successful practice of leadership involves a considerable amount of time, effort, and knowledge. The hospitality industry is service intensive and requires leadership effectiveness. Understanding the front line leader's knowledge and its source, ability to apply the knowledge, and time allotted in the work environment to utilize this knowledge is of great importance to future hospitality leadership research. Although leaders exhibited negligible knowledge about leadership and indicated very little familiarity with leadership theory and concepts, all communicated standard thoughts about leadership traits and characteristics. However, hospitality leaders do not model the behaviors and skills they list as being characteristic of …

Guanxi Vs Networking: Distinctive Configurations Of Affect And Cognition Based Trust In The Networks Of Chinese Vs American Managers, Roy Chua, Michael W. Morris, Paul Ingram

Roy CHUA

This research investigates hypotheses about differences between Chinese and American managers in the configuration of trusting relationships within their professional networks. Consistent with hypotheses about Chinese familial collectivism, an egocentric network survey found that affect- and cognitionbased trust were more intertwined for Chinese than for American managers. In addition, the effect of economic exchange on affect-based trust was more positive for Chinese than for Americans, whereas the effect of friendship was more positive for Americans than for Chinese. Finally, the extent to which a given relationship was highly embedded in ties to third parties increased cognition-based trust for Chinese but …

Embeddedness And New Idea Discussion In Professional Networks: The Mediating Role Of Affect-Based Trust, Roy Y. J. Chua, Michael W. Morris, Paul Ingram

Roy CHUA

This article examines how managers' tendency to discuss new ideas with others in their professional networks depends on the density of shared ties surrounding a given relationship. Consistent with prior research which found that embeddedness enhances information flow, an egocentric network survey of mid-level executives shows that managers tend to discuss new ideas with those who are densely embedded in their professional networks. More specifically, embeddedness increases the likelihood to discuss new ideas by engendering affect-based trust, as opposed to cognition-based trust. Implications for network and creativity research are discussed.

Empowerment Through Choice?: A Critical Analysis Of The Effects Of Choice In Organizations, Roy Y. J. Chua, Sheena S. Iyengar

Roy Chua

The provision of choice is one of the most common vehicles through which managers empower employees in organizations. Although past psychological and organizational research persuasively suggests that choice confers personal agency, and is thus intrinsically motivating, emerging research indicates that there could be potential pitfalls. In this chapter, we examine the various factors that could influence the effects of choice. Specifically, we examine individual-level factors such as the chooser’s socioeconomic status and cultural background. We also examine situational factors such as the content of choice and the number of choices offered. We then expand our discussion on the effect of …

Creativity As A Matter Of Choice: Prior Experience And Task Instruction As Boundary Conditions For The Positive Effect Of Choice On Creativity, Roy Y. J. Chua, Sheena S. Iyengar

Roy CHUA

This study investigates the effects of prior experience, task instruction, and choice on creative performance. Although extant research suggests that giving people choice in how they approach a task could enhance creative performance, we propose that this view needs to be circumscribed. Specifically, we argue that when choice is administered during problem solving by varying the number of available resources, the high combinatorial flexibility conferred by a large choice set of resources can be overwhelming. Through two experiments, we found that only individuals with high prior experience in the task domain and given explicit instruction to be creative produced more …

Perceiving Freedom Givers: Effects Of Granting Decision Latitude On Personality And Leadership Perceptions, Roy Y. J. Chua, Sheena S. Iyengar

Roy Chua

A perennial question facing managers is how much decision latitude to give their employees at work. The current research investigates how decision latitude affects employees'' perceptions of managers'' personalities and, in turn, their leadership effectiveness. Results from three studies using different methods (two experiments and a survey) indicate an inverted-U shaped relationship between degree of decision latitude and leadership effectiveness perceptions. The increase in leadership effectiveness perception between low and moderate decision latitude was explained by an increase in perceived agreeableness; the decrease in leadership effectiveness perception between moderate and high decision latitude was explained by a decrease in perceived …

Finding The Right Mix: How The Composition Of Self-Managing Multicultural Teams' Cultural Value Orientation Influences Performance Over Time, Chi-Ying Cheng, Roy Y. J. Chua, Michael W. Morris, Leonard Lee

Roy CHUA

This research investigates a new type of team that is becoming prevalent in global work settings, namely self-managing multicultural teams. We argue that challenges that arise from cultural diversity in teams are exacerbated when teams are leaderless, undermining performance. A longitudinal study of multicultural master of business administration study teams found that in the early stage of team formation, teams with a low average level of, but moderate degree of variance in, uncertainty avoidance performed best. Four months post formation, however, teams with a high average level of relationship orientation performed better than teams with a low average level of …

The Costs Of Ambient Cultural Disharmony: Indirect Intercultural Conflicts In Social Environment Undermine Creativity, Roy Y. J. Chua

Roy CHUA

Intercultural tensions and conflicts are inevitable in the global workplace. This paper introduces the concept of ambient cultural disharmony—indirect experience of intercultural tensions and conflicts in individuals' immediate social environment—and demonstrates how it undermines creative thinking in tasks that draw on knowledge from multiple cultures. Three studies (a network survey and two experiments) found that ambient cultural disharmony decreases individuals' effectiveness at connecting ideas from disparate cultures. Beliefs that ideas from different cultures are incompatible mediate the relationship between ambient cultural disharmony and creativity. Alternative mechanisms such as negative affect and cognitive disruption were not viable mediators. Although ambient cultural …

From The Head And The Heart: Locating Cognition- And Affect-Based Trust In Managers' Professional Networks, Roy Y. J. Chua, Paul Ingram, Michael W. Morris

Roy Chua

This article investigates the configuration of cognition- and affect-based trust in managers' professional networks, examining how these two types of trust are associated with relational content and structure. Results indicate that cognition-based trust is positively associated with economic resource, task advice, and career guidance ties, whereas affect-based trust is positively associated with friendship and career guidance ties but negatively associated with economic resource ties. The extent of embeddedness in a network through positive ties increases affect-based trust, whereas that through negative ties decreases cognition-based trust. These findings illuminate how trust arises in networks and inform network research that invokes trust …

Do I Contribute More When I Trust More? Differential Effects Of Cognition- And Affect-Based Trust, Roy Y. J. Chua, Kok-Yee Ng

Roy Chua

This study investigates the relationship between level of trust and cooperative behaviours in a social dilemma. We argue that this relationship should depend on the basis of trust (cognition- versus affect-based) and on beliefs about the equality of resource endowments. Results supported our prediction that increasing affect-based trust increases cooperation, but increasing cognition-based trust to a certain level can reduce cooperation because of free-riding tendency. Moreover, these effects of trust are stronger for individuals who believed that other group members had more resources than they did. Thus, our study demonstrates that higher levels of trust do not necessarily encourage cooperation. …

Effects Of Cultural Ethnicity, Firm Size, And Firm Age On Senior Executives’ Trust In Their Overseas Business Partners: Evidence From China, Crystal X. Jiang, Roy Y. J. Chua, Masaaki Kotabe, Janet Y. Murray

Roy Chua

We investigate trust relationships between senior business executives and their overseas partners. Drawing on the similarity-attraction paradigm, social categorization theory, and the distinction between cognition- and affect-based trust, we argue that executives trust their overseas partners differently, depending on the partners’ cultural ethnicity. In a field survey of 108 Chinese senior executives, we found that these executives have higher affect-based trust in overseas partners of the same cultural ethnicity as themselves; cognition-based trust is associated with affect-based trust differently when overseas partners are of the same or different cultural ethnicity. We also examine the role of relative firm size and …

Organizational Culture, Organizational Orientation, And Sbu Innovativeness, Frederik Beuk, Jelena Spanjol

Frederik Beuk

No abstract provided.

Esochoice: The Self-Manipulation Of Tastes By Chameleonic Decision Makers, Brian J. Gibbs

Brian J. Gibbs

No abstract provided.

Leadership And Motivational Challenges In The Australian It Sector, Jane Murray

Jane Murray

Extract Company background and contextIn early 1997, two young Australian IT graduates hatched a plan. Instead of working 9-5 in a large IT organisation, they decided they would like to start up their own software development company. After a lengthy period of discussion and planning, the pair began operations in the garage of one of their suburban Australian homes. In order to get the business up and running, they both continued their regular jobs by day and worked on their new business venture after hours. A first milestone occurred not long after the company began when the pair successfully tendered …

Dispersed Leadership, Power And Change: An Empirical Study Using A Critical Management Framework, Ray Gordon

Ray Gordon

Using a critical management framework I provide a genealogical account of a police organization's attempt to implement what senior officers in its behavioural change division described as a dispersed leadership (Bryman, 1996; Gordon, 2002) strategy. I describe the organization and provide a detailed account of the dynamics that emerge as groups and individuals who historically held positions of power found themselves reporting to one of many designated leaders. The account depicts how the organization's dispersion of leadership, while on the surface represents a new and successful endeavour, is rendered problematic by the organization's historical constitution of power.

Boredom At Work: A Neglected Concept, Cynthia D. Fisher

Cynthia D. Fisher

Nearly everyone experiences episodes of boredom at work from time to time, regardless of the nature of their job. Previous research on vigilance and industrial monotony is unable to explain boredom on any but the simplest of tasks. A broader view of the causes of boredom, including attributes of the task, environment, person, and person-environment fit, is proposed. Likely consequences of boredom are considered, and research needs and implications are discussed.

Employee Judgments Of And Behaviors Towards Corporate Social Responsibility: A Multi-Study Investigation Of Direct, Cascading, And Moderating Effects, Pavlos A. Vlachos, Nick Panagopoulos, Adam Rapp

Pavlos A Vlachos

Do employee judgments of their organization’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programs relate to CSR-specific performance and in-role job performance? Can middle managers influence the formation of such judgments and what factors might moderate such cascading influences? To answer these yet unaddressed questions, we conduct three studies. Study 1 takes an organizational justice perspective and tests our baseline model. Results show that employees’ CSR judgments trigger their affective commitment and performance on extra-role CSR-specific behaviors; however, extra-role CSR-specific performance is unrelated to in-role job performance. Study 2 replicates Study 1’s findings while, in addition, applies a social information processing approach and …

Tripping And Falling Into The Future: An Eolithic Perspective, Keri Schwab

Keri Schwab

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: Thirty years ago, Dustin and McAvoy (1984) published an essay in Environmental Ethics titled “Toward Environmental Eolithism.” The article compared and contrasted two distinct orientations to environmental planning and management: the design mentality and the eolithic mentality. The authors concluded that the more popular design mentality lacked obscure eolithic mentality was a superior orientation to environmental planning and management. Environmental Ethics and then discuss how an eolithic perspective might complement the strategic planning process. We begin by describing the similarities between strategic planning and the design mentality as well as the shortcomings of strategic planning in a rapidly …

Multiple Institutional Logics In Organizations: Explaining Their Varied Nature And Implication, Marya Besharov, Wendy K. Smith

Marya Besharov

Multiple institutional logics present a theoretical puzzle. While scholars recognize their increasing prevalence within organizations, research offers conflicting perspectives on their implications, causing confusion and inhibiting deeper understanding. In response, we propose a framework that delineates types of logic multiplicity within organizations, and we link these types with different outcomes. Our framework categorizes organizations in terms of logic compatibility and logic centrality and explains how field, organizational, and individual factors influence these two dimensions. We illustrate the value of our framework by showing how it helps explain the varied implications of logic multiplicity for internal conflict. By providing insight into …

Mindfulness At Work: Antecedents And Consequences Of Employee Awareness And Absent-Mindedness, Jochen Reb, Jayanth Narayanan, Zhi Wei Ho

Jochen Reb

The present study examines antecedents and consequences of two aspects of mindfulness in a work setting: employee awareness and employee absent-mindedness. Using two samples, the study found these two aspects of mindfulness to be beneficially associated with employee well-being, as measured by emotional exhaustion, job satisfaction, and psychological need satisfaction, and with job performance, as measured by task performance, organizational citizenship behaviors, and deviance. These results suggest a potentially important role of mindfulness at the workplace. The study also found that organizational constraints and organizational support predicted employee mindfulness, pointing to the important role that the organizational environment may play …