Business Commons^™

Do It Because I Said So ... Please? : The Connection Between Supervisor Interpersonal Justice, Perceived Power, And Employee Reactions, Ellen Weissblum

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

The purpose of this set of studies was to investigate the linkage between interpersonally just or unjust behavior on the part of a supervisor and the perception of referent, coercive, and legitimate power as perceived by subordinates. It was proposed that lower levels of interpersonal justice on the part of a supervisor would result in the perception that the supervisor possessed a greater degree of coercive power and a lower degree of referent power. It was furthermore proposed that, consistent with prior research, referent power would be positively related to task commitment; coercive power would be positively related to reactance; …

Knowledge Creation In Distributed Group Collaborative Workplace Writing, Virginia Yonkers

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

This study looked at the knowledge creation by distributed groups in a knowledge based organization as they engaged in collaborative writing. A traditional model of knowledge creation assumes knowledge is located by the individual in the forms of content, competency, and expertise. A new model of knowledge creation identifies three ways to identify knowledge (tangible representation of knowledge, procedural and tacit knowledge, partaged knowledge) which can be found internally or externally to the individual, group, or organization. Knowledge creation is a complex process situated in the multiple environments within which a distributed group functions. Power structures create knowledge boundaries within …

The Effects Of Scenario Planning On Participant Perceptions Of Learning Organization Characteristics, Melissa Haeffner, Deanna Leone, Laura Coons, Thomas Chermack

Environmental Science and Management Faculty Publications and Presentations

Scenario planning is often used by organizations to think about future uncertainties. However, what it does in terms of changing perceptions is diffi cult to assess and quantify. To address this need, this article builds on previous studies documenting the effectiveness of scenario planning. Specifi cally, this article contributes to the data on perceptions of learning organization characteristics. This study compiles quantitative data gathered from 133 individuals working in 10 United States companies who participated in scenario planning. The Dimensions of the Learning Organization Questionnaire (DLOQ) instrument was used in a pre- and post-test research design and differences were analyzed …

Three Essays On Strategic Risk Taking, Krista Burrill Lewellyn

Theses and Dissertations in Business Administration

The three essays that comprise this dissertation collectively explore strategic risk taking. The dissertation is underpinned by the notion that corporate executives take strategic risks not randomly, but based on the expectation that outcomes are more likely to be positive rather than negative. Each essay examines how and why decision makers come to vary in their cognitive evaluation of the acceptability of strategic risk taking.

Essay 1 draws from the approach/inhibition theory of power, to explore how power not only provides the means for CEOs to exert their risk preferences, but actually affects what the risk preferences are. Power is …

The Impact Of Perceived Csr On Employee Performance And Turnover Intention: An Examination Of The Mediating Effect Of Organizational Justice And Organization-Based Self-Esteem, Alicia Ting Shiun Ho

Dissertations and Theses Collection (Open Access)

Research on corporate social responsibility (CSR) has spanned across a few decades and in various fields. Yet only a handful of academic studies have investigated the relationship between CSR and a commonly neglected stakeholder – the employees. The employees are an essential part of the organization and will be highly influenced by the CSR initiatives carried out by the organization. In my paper, I intend to bridge the gap between CSR and the employee. A theoretical model is presented to show how employees' perception of CSR subsequently impacts their performance and turnover intentions, mediated by organizational justice and organization-based self-esteem. …

Weiser Carrots And Sticks: Motivation Beyond Money At The Shakedown Café, Julian A. Martinez

CMC Senior Theses

It is generally assumed that monetary incentivization is the most effective means of motivating organizationally-beneficial behaviors. Individuals, under this line of thought, pursue their own objective self-interest above all else. However, evidence is being uncovered that indicates that human motivation may be a much more complicated facet of the human psyche. The purpose of this study is to examine the deeper underpinnings that drive people work that might lie beyond financial rewards. In order to do this, the Shakedown Café, a student-run restaurant on Pitzer College’s campus, will be examined. This specific organization is of particular interest because it does …

Securing Access To Lower-Cost Talent Globally: The Dynamics Of Active Embedding And Field Structuration, Stephan Manning, Joerg Sydow, Arnold Windeler

Management and Marketing Faculty Publication Series

This article examines how multinational corporations (MNCs) shape institutional conditions in emerging economies to secure access to high-skilled, yet lower-cost science and engineering talent. Based on two in-depth case studies of engineering offshoring projects of German automotive suppliers in Romania and China we analyze how MNCs engage in ‘active embedding’ by aligning local institutional conditions with global offshoring strategies and operational needs. MNCs thereby contribute to the structuration of field relations and practices of sourcing knowledge-intensive work from globally dispersed locations.Our findings stress the importance of institutional processes across geographic boundaries that regulate and get shaped by MNC activities.

The Relationship Between Interaction Patterns On An Online Idea Generation Community And The Implementation Of Ideas, Michael D. Jacobson

Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of the study was to investigate a socially-networked online idea-generation community. Specifically, the study examined the specific interaction patterns on an online social network and the emergence of ideas. Using social-network analysis, the interaction among the network participants was studied. This analysis included examining the relationships among the network participants in the generation and implementation of ideas. Comparisons were made between networks with ideas that were implemented and those that were not. The findings revealed that activities on the community can be expressed from a network perspective and that insights were found about participant relationships and positions in …

Core Debates In Assessment Center Research: Dimensions ‘Versus’ Tasks, Neil D. Christiansen, Filip Lievens

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

Although personality constructs are now widely accepted as being important for understanding work behavior, self-report personality tests as a method of assessment are not without their critics (e.g., Morgeson et al., 2007). Whether misguided or not, concerns persist regarding the validity of these measures and the issue of applicant faking has yet to be fully resolved (Tett & Christiansen, 2007). Moreover, applicant reactions tend to be less favorable for personality inventories than many other assessments commonly used in employment settings (Hausknecht, Day, & Thomas, 2004). To some, self-report inventories may be a poor way to assess personality traits, and yet …

Why Corporate Social Responsibility Will Emerge As A Driver Of Effective And Compelling Differentiation For Chinese Brands, Joseph Baladi

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

Although the responsibility and role of business within society have evolved over the past two decades, they remain issues that retain conceptual dimensions. This means that instead of consensus over form and function, both are surrounded by a persistent cloud of disagreement and confusion. Too many people remain unsure about what they represent, the importance they play and the impact they have (or should have) on business as well as society. For one thing, different interpretations of what defines business responsibility to society exist. These range from concern over business’ environmental impact and contribution to climate change, to sustainability practices, …

Role Of Foundations In The Changing World Of Philanthropy: A Houston Perspective, Ronnie Hagerty

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

From the earliest days of the American nation, philanthropy has had a defining role in leading change. Philanthropy has provided vision and voice for nascent social movements ranging from civil rights and the women’s movement to AIDS research and environmentalism. As the 21st century has moved into its second decade, philanthropy finds itself facing significant pressures that threaten to compromise its ability to innovate and advocate for issues and individuals whose voices cannot be heard over the public rhetoric of the day. Once perceived as the purview of the rich and well connected, modern philanthropy cuts across social, economic, and …

The Tangled Web: How Nonprofit Board Members Experience Organizational Crisis, Elizabeth A. Valicenti

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

The purpose of this grounded theory study was to develop an understanding of what board members experience during a time of organizational crisis. Major corporate and nonprofit failures of previously successful organizations in recent years have raised questions and led to speculation about the role of boards of directors through the crises. In this study twenty board members of nonprofit organizations who had experienced an organizational crisis during their board service were interviewed. Participants were asked to share their perceptions and explore how they identified and made meaning of the events and board processes that went on as the crisis …

Faculty Work: Moving Beyond The Paradox Of Autonomy And Collaboration, Mark A. Hower

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

Freedom to pursue one's intellectual interests, known as professional autonomy, is a valued and longstanding faculty tradition. Profound changes in society and the academy, however, suggest new values may be emerging. Collaboration, for example, is increasingly vital to success outside of the academy, and faculty culture, long an individualistic domain, may be shifting in response. This multiple case study explores how faculty members experience the relationship between professional autonomy and collaboration within the context of their department work. Faculty members in four departments were interviewed and both qualitative and simple quantitative data collected. The study found faculty members satisfied with …

Millennial Integration: Challenges Millennials Face In The Workplace And What They Can Do About Them, Chip Espinoza

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

There is a monumental changing of the guard that is currently taking place in organizations due to demographic metabolism. One of the largest birth cohorts or generations in history (Baby Boomer) is beginning to retire while their predecessor (Builder) is almost completely out of the workforce. Gen X is hitting stride and on the cusp of inheriting the proverbial organizational mantle. The three aforementioned age cohorts have learned to play in the organizational sandbox together. However, a new age cohort (Millennial, a.k.a. Gen Y), equal or greater in size to the Baby Boomer cohort started entering the playground approximately ten …

Museums, Leadership, And Transfer: An Inquiry Into Organizational Supports For Learning Leadership, Julie I. Johnson

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

Given the rapid changes that 21st century museums must manage, flexible thinking about leadership forms and purposes is needed. Today's complex leadership landscape necessitates that staff engage in enacting leadership with positional leaders. Limited empirical literature exists that describes how the next generation of museum leaders is being nurtured and developed. The purpose of this study was to: describe museum professionals' perceptions of leadership practices; investigate museums as sites of organizational and leadership learning; and consider the experiences of museum professionals who have participated in leader development programs. The study involved an on-line survey with 310 professionals working in U.S. …

Downsized Survivors: Areas Of Loss And Work Behaviors, Cyndi J. Schaeffer

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

This research design used factor analysis to develop subscales related to areas of loss, and subscales related to work behaviors of survivors following a downsizing. Five loss subscales were revealed as a result of factor analysis. They were loss of sense of justice and supervisory support; loss of security and support; loss of positive outlook; loss of territory; and loss of control and identity. There were two work behavior components identified through factor analysis. They were lack of productivity and sabotage; and intention for flight. The loss components, sense of justice and supervisory support; security and competence; and territory, were …

A Phenomenological Study Of The Experiences Of Women In Leadership And Community At Old Dominion University From 1970 To 1990, Ann E. Wendle Barnes

Educational Foundations & Leadership Theses & Dissertations

During the 1970s college campuses in the United States were often the venue through which change occurred. Female faculty and students were assertive in their efforts to influence equality between men and women across the country (Morris, 1984). This historical phenomenological study examined the oral history of several women who advocated for women's rights at Old Dominion University (ODU) by establishing the Women's Caucus, Women's Studies Program, and Women's Center during the late 1970s through the 1990s.

Participants selected for this study took part in semi-structured interviews, and the results of the interviews were triangulated with archived documents available at …

The Relationship Between Training Design And Trainee Differences On Training Outcomes : An Experimental Investigation Of The Treatment Of Socialization And Training Content In The E-Learning Environment, Regina Elizabeth Yanson

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

For e-learning initiatives to succeed, they must be designed to support a variety of trainees, methods, and content. Two important considerations in the design of any learning environment are the complexity of the tasks being learned and the socialization and connections of the trainees. Therefore, the goal of this research was to investigate how different levels of complexity and trainee socialization affect training outcomes in an e-learning environment. Given the importance of additional trainee and environment factors, a model of e-learning effectiveness was proposed in which the mediating roles of engagement, social presence, and motivation to learn are considered. To …

Harnessing Social Capital : An Exploratory Investigation Of Stakeholder Disposition In Boundary Spanning Networks, Brett Martin-Smith

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

This thesis confronts existing bilateral models of stakeholder management. It is based upon the premise that existing models place insufficient value upon the mediating power of individuals and small groups imbued with social capital within an organisational stakeholder environment. Initially, this study explores and maps the complex theoretical relations between organisations, stakeholders and social capital to construct an argument for addressing stakeholder management from a more plural and holistic perspective. The thesis suggests that rapid advances in social media and social interconnection now enables the sentiment of individual stakeholders to aggregate and rapidly form issue-specific interest groups that harness social …

Relative Leader–Member Exchange, Negative Affectivity And Social Identification: A Moderated-Mediation Examination, Marie Dasborough

Marie T Dasborough

We argue that leader–member exchange (LMX) standing relative to the LMX relationships of other coworkers (RLMX) in workgroups may influence employees' job performance. Based on social comparison and social identity theories, we develop a moderated-mediation model of the psychological processes linking RLMX and job performance, and test it on a sample of 252 employees and 42 managers working in two large banks. Results of hierarchical regression analyses provide support for the model. We found that RLMX was positively related to social identification after controlling for perceptions of LMX; and also that social identification mediated the relationship between RLMX and job …

Network Leadership: An Emerging Practice, Christopher Tremblay, Ed.D

Christopher W Tremblay, Ed.D

No abstract provided.

With Feeling: How Emotions Shape Negotiation, Mara Olekalns, Daniel Druckman

Mara Olekalns

An increasingly popular topic in current research is how emotional expressions influence the course of negotiation and related interactions. Negotiation is a form of social exchange that pits the opposing motives of cooperating and competing against one another. Most negotiators seek to reach an agreement with the other party; they also strive for an agreement that serves their own goals. This dual concern is reflected in a process that consists of both bargaining and problem solving. A good deal of the research and practice literature concentrates on ways to perform these activities effectively. In earlier writing, emotions were viewed largely …

Perspective Taking: Building Positive Interpersonal Connections And Trustworthiness One Interaction At A Time (Download Perspective Taking Survey Items), Michele Williams

Michele Williams

There is growing interest in the role of perspective taking in organizations. Perspective taking has been linked to enhanced interpersonal understanding and the strengthening of social bonds. In this chapter, I integrate research from sociology, communications, and psychology to provide insight into why, when, and how perspective taking facilitates the relational resources of positive connections and trustworthy actions. I introduce the importance of a three-dimensional view of perspective taking for building relational resources and present data validating this conceptualization: I conclude with directions for future research.

Whistleblowing In Organizations: Implications From Litigation, Marsha Katz, Helen Lavan, Yvette P. Lopez

Helen LaVan

No abstract provided.

Business And Non-Profit Organizations Facing Increased Competition And Growing Customers' Demands (Vol. 11), Anna Ujwary-Gil

Anna Ujwary-Gil

The monograph focuses attention on the description and analysis of new phenomena and processes for commercial and non-commercial organizations. Valid conditions are pointed out for the functioning of both commercial and non-commercial organizations and an attempt is made to explain their impact on these organizations. The analysis also examines the strategies used by organizations in the face of fierce competition and increasing consumer demands in their effort to gain and maintain a competitive edge. This case study below is segmented into four areas of interest: • commercial and non-commercial organizations as an object of research, • commercial and non-commercial organizations …

Bullying As An Organizational Safety Issue: Do Different Types Of Bullying Lead To Different Litigated Outcomes?, Helen Lavan, Yvette P. Lopez, William M. Marty

Yvette P. Lopez

No abstract provided.

Whistleblowing In Organizations: Implications From Litigation, Marsha Katz, Helen Lavan, Yvette P. Lopez

Yvette P. Lopez

No abstract provided.

Publishing Without Betrayal: Critical Scholarship Meets Mainstream Journals, Banu Ozkazanc-Pan

Banu Ozkazanc-Pan

In this paper, I discuss challenges critical scholars face with respect to publishing qualitative research in ‘top tier’ mainstream journal outlets. Relying on ideas and insights from postcolonial and feminist thinking, I discuss how these theoretical positions inform reading, writing, and reflexivity in the production of critical management scholarship. To this end, I use examples from reviewers’ comments on work I’ve submitted to the Academy of Management Journal as well as conferences to demonstrate specifically the problematic assumptions that guide qualitative research expectations particularly in ‘top tier’ management outlets. Adopting a reflexive stance that recognizes the limits of individual agency, …