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Technological Change Management Strategies In Asian Small-Scale Businesses: Trends In Singapore, Thomas Menkhoff, Yue Wah Chay

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

Based on survey data on the change management behavior of Chinese small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) in Singapore, the paper explores how small entrepreneurs are coping with the city-state's turbulent business environment, processes of technological advancement and accelerated change. Differences between so-called opportunistic entrepreneurs and small business ventures are examined. Conceptually, the paper is informed by theories of change management, strategic choice, entrepreneurship and Chinese business. Special emphasis is put on the identification of demographic characteristics of "technological change masters" in Singapore's small business sector so as to gain an understanding of both the dynamism and relative passivity of …

Measurement Equivalence In The Conduct Of A Global Organizational Survey Across Countries In Six Cultural Regions, Alain De Beuckelaer, Filip Lievens, Gilbert Swinnen

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

This study examined the measurement equivalence of a global organizational survey measuring six work climate factors as administered across 25 countries (N = 31.315) in all regions of the world (West Europe, East Europe, North America, Latin America, South America, Middle East, Africa and Asia-Pacific). Across all countries, the survey instrument exhibited 'form equivalence' and 'metric equivalence', suggesting that respondents completed the survey using the same frame-of-reference and interpreted the rating scale intervals similarly. Schwartz's (1994, 1999, 2004) cultural value theory was then used for grouping the countries in cultural regions, and to anticipate measurement equivalence of the data from …

Japanese Corporate Governance: Structural Change And Financial Performance, Asli M. Colpan, Toru Yoshikawa, Takashi Hikino, Hiroaki Miyoshi

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

This paper analyzes institutional and legal changes related to corporate governance and their impact on financial performance in Japan since the second half of the 1990s. We attempt to address two issues systematically: (1) how much the governance reforms of Japanese firms transformed the conventional system of alliance capitalism and managerial control; and (2) what economic outcomes those governance changes have yielded. As the Commercial Code and other legal and institutional frameworks were revised, Japanese firms experienced shifts in terms of stock ownership, corporate control and managerial organizations. Our empirical results show that the influence of new ownership composition and …

The Effects Of Entrepreneurial Growth Orientation On Organizational Change And Firm Growth, Wee Liang Tan, Thomas Menkhoff, Yue Wah Chay

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

Managing growth in an enterprise as it grows beyond the startup phase is a challenge for many entrepreneurs. One key element that can help or hinder growth is the entrepreneur. Entrepreneurial growth has been linked to micro variables (motivations and psychological attributes of the entrepreneur) and macro variables. However, few studies have examined the role of the growth aspirations of the entrepreneur on the necessary elements of organization change related to growth.

This paper reports a study employing a typology of entrepreneurs based on their growth aspirations using an established dichotomous scale devised by Smith to differentiate between what he …

The Validity Of Assessment Centres For The Prediction Of Supervisory Performance Ratings: A Meta-Analysis, Eran Hermelin, Filip Lievens, Ivan T. Robertson

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

The current meta-analysis of the selection validity of assessment centres aims to update an earlier meta-analysis of assessment centre validity. To this end, we retrieved 26 studies and 27 validity coefficients (N=5850) relating the Overall Assessment Rating (OAR) to supervisory performance ratings. The current study obtained a corrected correlation of .28 between the OAR and supervisory job performance ratings (95% confidence interval .24 < =rho < =.32). It is further suggested that this validity estimate is likely to be conservative given that assessment centre validities tend to be affected by indirect range restriction.

The Promise Of A Managerial Values Approach To Corporate Philanthropy, Jaepil Choi, Heli Wang

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

This article presents an alternative rationale for corporate philanthropy based on managerial values of benevolence and integrity. On the one hand, top managers with benevolence and integrity values are more likely to spread their intrinsic concern for others into the wider society in the form of corporate philanthropy. On the other hand, top managers high in benevolence and integrity are likely to contribute to improved managerial credibility and trusting firm-stakeholder relationships, thereby improving corporate financial performance. Therefore, the article makes the argument that both corporate philanthropy and corporate financial performance can better be interpreted as resulting from managers’ benevolence and …

A Self-Motives Perspective On Feedback-Seeking Behavior: Linking Organizational Behavior And Social Psychology Research, Frederick Anseel, Filip Lievens, Paul E. Levy

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

Both the feedback-seeking literature in management and the self-motives domain in social psychology have focused on how motives affect the way in which people acquire information for self-evaluation purposes. Despite apparent conceptual similarities, the implications of research in these domains have not been fully integrated. This paper aims to link research on feedback-seeking behavior to recent theoretical developments in social psychology. First, the current perspective in management on feedback-seeking motives is depicted. Second, a well-established framework of self-motives in social psychology is introduced. Third, similarities and differences between these two motivational perspectives are discussed and a first step towards integration …

The Long-Term Impact Of The Feedback Environment On Job Satisfaction: A Field Study In A Belgian Context, Filip Anseel, Filip Lievens

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

This study examines (1) the relationship between the feedback environment and job satisfaction and (2) the mediating role of leader-member exchange in a Belgian context. Results from a sample of 155 employees of a governmental service for employment and vocational training supported our hypotheses. A favorable supervisor feedback environment was related to higher levels of job satisfaction 5 months later, and this relationship was fully mediated by the quality of leader-member exchange. These findings highlight the usefulness of diagnosing and assessing the feedback environment for a better understanding of feedback processes and for enhancing feedback interventions in organisations.

The Puzzle Of Insular Domains: A Longitudinal Study Of Knowledge Structuration And Innovation In Biotechnology Firms, Gerald George, Reddi Kotha, Yanfeng Zheng

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

In this study we explain the puzzle of insular domains: insular domains are niches where new innovation is built on the knowledge within the domain. Given the nature of knowledge needed for new innovation in an insular domain the puzzle is why do new firms enter these niches? In a longitudinal sample of 128 biotechnology start-ups founded from 1980 to 1999 we explain why start-ups enter insular domains and how the start-ups develop technology capabilities.

Managing Change In Asian Business: A Comparison Between Chinese Educated And English Educated Chinese Entrepreneurs In Singapore, Thomas Menkhoff, Ulrike Badibanga, Yue Wah Chay

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

Against the background of the current rapidly changing business environment, the article examines the organizational change management behaviour of the owner-managers of small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) in Singapore. The analysis of survey data is aimed at ascertaining whether there are any differences between Chinese and English educated small (ethnic Chinese) businessmen in terms of Change Management (CM), a dichotomy that is of great historical and politico-cultural significance in Singapore. The survey data show that there are indeed differences between the subgroups (eg with regard to the initiation of a more participatory people management style) but these variations turned …

Developing Leadership Talent: A Guide To Succession Planning And Leadership Development: Guidelines For Effective Talent Management, David Vaughan Day

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

No abstract provided.

Towards A Holistic Framework In Fostering Spirituality At Work, Gilbert Tan

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

Management theories are shaped by the assumptions of man. The Scientific and Administrative School of Thoughts adopt a mechanistic view of human. The Human Relations School views humans as social beings. Spirituality at work looks at the spiritual side of the organization and views an as a spiritual being. This paper proposes a holistic framework to spirituality at work. Taking a systems approach the framework discusses how training, cultural and structural interventions directed the four sub-systems of the organization, namely, culture, leadership, structure and people, help to promote spirituality at work. The framework also discusses the organizational and individual outcomes …

A Construct-Driven Investigation Of Gender Differences In A Leadership-Role Assessment Center, Neil Anderson, Filip Lievens, Karen Van Dam, Marise Born

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

This study examined gender differences in a large-scale assessment center for officer entry in the British Army. Subgroup differences were investigated for a sample of 1,857 candidates: 1,594 men and 263 women. A construct-driven approach was chosen (a) by examining gender differences at the construct level, (b) by formulating a priori hypotheses about which constructs would be susceptible to gender effects, and (c) by using both effect size statistics and latent mean analyses to investigate gender differences in assessment center ratings. Results showed that female candidates were rated notably higher on constructs reflecting an interpersonally oriented leadership style (i.e., oral …

Large-Scale Investigation Of The Role Of Trait Activation Theory For Understanding Assessment Center Convergent And Discriminant Validity, Filip Lievens, Christopher S. Chasteen, Eric A. Day, Neil D. Christiansen

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

This study used trait activation theory as a theoretical framework to conduct a large-scale test of the interactionist explanation of the convergent and discriminant validity findings obtained in assessment centers. Trait activation theory specifies the conditions in which cross-situationally consistent and inconsistent candidate performances are likely to occur. Results obtained by aggregating correlations across 30 multitrait-multimethod matrices supported the propositions of trait activation theory, shedding a more positive light on the construct validity puzzle in assessment centers. Overall, convergence among assessment center ratings was better between exercises that provided an opportunity to observe behavior related to the same trait, and …

Change Leadership In Small Enterprises: Evidence From Singapore, Thomas Menkhoff, Yue Wah Chay

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

Leading change processes in an enterprise is a challenge for many entrepreneurs. Numerous elements influence the outcomes of such transformation processes, including the adopted change leadership style, the implementation skills of the entrepreneur, the particular scenario of change in terms of urgency of change and resistance, the scale of change as well as macro variables. This article sheds light on the change leadership approaches of small Chinese entrepreneurs in Singapore. It aims at examining widespread common-sense assumptions that æAsianÆ small entrepreneurs adopt mostly directive-coercive (autocratic) change leadership approaches. We argue that there is indeed a great diversity and heterogeneity amongst …

The Systematic Nature Of Serendipity In Opportunity Discovery: Implications For The Theory Of Entrepreneurship, Reddi Kotha, Dimo Dimov, Gerard George

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

This paper endeavors to disentangle search from serendipity in discoveries of new opportunities. Whereas economic models focus on active search and the tradeoff between its costs and benefits, the Austrian economic tradition posits that individuals do not search for opportunities; it is their alertness that helps them to profit from arbitrage opportunities from the imperfect decisions of others. Further, their alertness reflects their unique prior experience. Yet, despite the intuitive soundness of these ideas, some recent experimental empirical work to test them has highlighted the need for stronger theoretical precision. Are serendipitous solutions better than active search solutions? Can serendipitous …

Corporate Change Management In Asian Business - A Comparison Between Chinese-Educated And English-Educated Chinese Entrepreneurs In Singapore, Thomas Menkhoff, Ulrike Badibanga, Yue Wah Chay

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

Against the background of a rapidly changing business environment, the article examines the organizational change management behavior of the owner-managers of small and medium-sized enterprises in Singapore. The analysis of survey data is aimed at ascertaining whether there are any differences between Chinese and English-educated small (Chinese) businessmen in terms of Change Management (CM), a dichotomy that is of great historical and politico-cultural significance in Singapore. The survey data show that there are indeed differences between the subgroups (e. g. with regard to the initiation of a more participatory people management style) but these variations turned out to be far …

Antecedents, Consequences, And The Mediating Role Of Organizational Innovation: Empirical Generalizations, Leslie H. Vincent, Sundar G. Bharadwaj, Goutam N. Challagalla

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

This study uses emerging meta-analytic methods, in combination with structural equations methodology, to synthesize empirical studies and extend the understanding of relationships amongthe correlates (antecedents and/or outcomes) of innovation in organizations. this study draws upon a meta-analytic database of 155 independent samples from 108 studies from the period of 1970 through 2004. Specifically, the study examines the impact of 26 determinants and 3 performance outcomes of innovation with an overall sample size of 229,395. Organizational resources account for the majority of unique variance explained in predicting innovation generation. Overall findings indicate that innovation is significantly and positively related to superior …

Territoriality In Organizations, Graham Brown, Thomas B. Lawrence, Sandra L. Robinson

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

Territorial feelings and behaviors are important, pervasive, and yet largely overlooked aspects of organizational life. Organizational members can and do become territorial over physical spaces, ideas, roles, relationships, and other potential possessions in organizations. We examine how territorial behaviors are used to construct, communicate, maintain, and restore territories in organizations. We then go on to discuss the organizational consequences of these behaviors, including their effects on organizational commitment, conflict, preoccupation, and individual isolation.

Subethnische Dimensionen Des Veraenderungsmanagements In Asiatischen Klein- Und Mittelunternehmen: Trends In Singapur, Ulrike Badibanga, Thomas Menkhoff

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

Against the background of a rapidly changing business environment, the article examines the organisational change management behavior of the owner-managers of small and medium-sized enterprises in Singapore. The analysis of survey data is aimed at ascertain whether there are any differences between Chinese and English-educated small (Chinese) businessmen in terms of Change Management (CM), a dichotomy which is of great historical and politico-cultural significance in Singapore. The survey data show that there are indeed differences between the subgroups (e.g. with regard to the initiation of a more participatory people management style) but these variations turned out to be far less …

The Impact Of Ownership Structure On Wage Intensity In Japanese Corporations, Toru Yoshikawa, Phillip H. Phan, Parthiban David

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

The authors studied the effect of ownership structure on human capital investments as indicated by wage intensity, defined as the ratio of expenditure on employee wages to sales, in a sample of 996 Japanese manufacturing firms during their economic recession of 1998-2002. They found that domestic shareholders, with interests beyond financial considerations, enhance wage intensity, especially when performance is low, and thereby safeguard human capital investments. Foreign shareholders with sole interest in financial returns have an opposite effect; they reduce wage intensity when firm performance is low.

Assessment Centers: Recent Developments In Practice And Research, Filip Lievens, George C. Thornton Iii

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

In an assessment center, candidates who participate in various simulation exercises are evaluated by a multiple trained assessors on job-related dimensions. Examples of commonly used simulation exercises are role-plays, presentations, in-baskets, or group discussions. For nearly fifty years, assessment centers have remained a popular approach for managerial selection and development (Spychalski, Quinones, Gaugler, & Pohley, 1997), and they have been shown to have substantial validity (Thornton & Rupp, 2004). Assessment centers are also very much an international affair as they are used around the globe (Byham, 2001; Kudisch, Avis, Fallon, Thibodeaux, Roberts, Rollier, & Rotolo, 2001; Sarges, 2001). Over the …

Exploitation, Exploration, And Firm Performance: The Case Of Small Manufacturing Firms In Japan, Takehiko Isobe, Shige Makino, David B. Montgomery

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between technological capabilities and firm performance. We divide technological capabilities into two types – exploitation, which refers to refinement, production and execution, and exploration, which refers to searching, flexibility, and innovation. Based on a sample of 302 small and medium-sized manufacturing firms in Japan, our analysis reveals that exploitation relates more positively to operational efficiency than exploration, and conversely, exploration relates more positively to strategic performance, such as technological innovation and new product development, than exploitation. Moreover, firms with superior exploitation capabilities tend to possess superior exploration skills. Our findings …

What Do Self And Peer Ratings Really Measure?, Gary J. Greguras, Chet Robie, Robert J. Koenigs, Marise Born

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

No abstract provided.

Stripping To The Undercoat: A Review And Reflections On A Piece Of Organization Theatre, Timothy Adrian Robert Clark, Iain Mangham

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

In this article, we review one 'tailor-made play', one piece of organization theatre called Varnishing the Truth. We then reflect on the questions we asked of ourselves while watching this performance and reviewing the video of it: how does this activity relate to its claimed theoretical foundations (Boal's forum theatre)? Is forum theatre an appropriate model for organization theatre? Can 'things be made to move' by an activity such as the one to which we were an audience? In the process of answering these questions, we emphasize the reductive adoption of radical techniques (that is, Boal's forum theatre); the depoliticization …

Guest Editor’S Introduction: Controversies And Continuities In Management Studies: Essays In Honour Of Karen Legge, Timothy Adrian Robert Clark

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

This issue represents a moment of transition in the history of the Journal of Management Studies. After being involved with the Journal in a number of capacities for over 25 years, Karen Legge is retiring as a General Editor. We mark this event by publishing a collection of critical essays stimulated by her work as an influential writer and researcher in management studies. Whether as colleague, teacher or editor she has continually struck a balance between developmental mentoring, critical insight, sage service, and a sense of humour and enjoyment for each task she undertakes. Karen embodies many of those qualities …

Revised Estimates Of Dimension And Exercise Variance Components In Assessment Center Postexercise Dimension Ratings, Charles E. Lance, Tracy A. Lambert, Amanda G. Gewin, Filip Lievens, James M. Conway

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

The authors reanalyzed assessment center (AC) multitrait-multimethod (MTMM) matrices containing correlations among postexercise dimension ratings (PEDRs) reported by F. Lievens and J. M. Conway (2001). Unlike F. Lievens and J. M. Conway, who used a correlated dimension-correlated uniqueness model, we used a different set of confirmatory-factor-analysis-based models (1-dimension-correlated Exercise and 1-dimension-correlated uniqueness models) to estimate dimension and exercise variance components in AC PEDRs. Results of reanalyses suggest that, consistent with previous narrative reviews, exercise variance components dominate over dimension variance components after all. Implications for AC construct validity and possible redirections of research on the validity of ACs are discussed.

Strategy Viewed From A Management Fashion Perspective, Timothy Adrian Robert Clark

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

This article argues for the greater inclusion of external agents within strategy research. Drawing on the emergent management fashion literature, it conceives of these as a group of actors operating within a management fashion‐setting arena. The outputs of this community dominate conceptions of what are deemed legitimate strategic actions. They thus have a critical, if presently neglected, impact on the nature strategy. The roles of the members of the management fashion‐setting community are described and three promising areas of research outlined.

Management Fashion As Image-Spectacle: The Production Of Best-Selling Management Books, Timothy Adrian Robert Clark, David Greatbatch

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

Drawing on the work of Guy Debord's Society of the Spectacle and Daniel Boorstin's The Image, this article argues that aesthetic and management fashions are not separate forms, as both represent the preeminence of the image spectacle. Central to this is the increasing emergence of pseudoevents and synthetic products. Using empirical findings from a study of the production of six best-selling management books, it shows that they are manufactured coproductions that result from an intricate editorial process in which the original ideas are moulded in order for them to have a positive impact on the intended audience. Central to this …

Expert Knowledge And The Role Of Consultants In An Emerging Knowledge-Based Economy, Hans-Dieter Evers, Thomas Menkhoff

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

In the emerging globalised knowledge society/economy, a group of professionals, namely experts and consultants gain in importance. The paper discusses the following issues: Who are these experts and consultants? Why is this group of knowledge workers strategically important and why is their importance - socially in terms of number of persons and economically in terms of output or turnover - growing? How can we explain the increasing professionalisation of consultants? How do they gain their expertise and which role does academic knowledge play in professional attainment? How do consultants package and apply expert knowledge? What are the challenges experts and …