Business Commons^™

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 …

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.

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.

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 …

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

Brian J. Gibbs

No abstract provided.

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.

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 …

The Influence Of Mindful Attention On Value Claiming In Distributive Negotiations: Evidence From Four Laboratory Experiments, Jochen Reb, Jayanth Narayanan

Jochen Reb

We examined the effect of mindful attention on negotiation outcomes in distributive negotiations across four experiments. In Studies 1 and 2, participants who performed a short mindful attention exercise prior to the negotiation claimed a larger share of the bargaining zone than the control condition participants they negotiated with. Study 3 replicated this finding using a different manipulation of mindful attention. Study 4 again replicated this result and also found that mindful negotiators were more satisfied with both the outcome and the process of the negotiation. We discuss theoretical and practical implications, limitations, and future directions.

Performance Appraisals As Heuristic Judgments Under Uncertainty, Jochen Reb, Gary J. Greguras, Shenghua Luan, Michael A. Daniels

Jochen Reb

Employees are constantly making decisions and judgments that have the potential to affect themselves, their families, their work organizations, and on some occasion even the broader societies in which they live. A few examples include: deciding which job applicant to hire, setting a production goal, judging one’s level of job satisfaction, deciding to steal from the cash register, agreeing to help organize the company’s holiday party, forecasting corporate tax rates two years later, deciding to report a coworker for sexual harassment, and predicting the level of risk inherent in a new business venture. In other words, a great many topics …

The Effect Of Employee Engagement On Continuance And Normative Commitment To The Organization, Wai Kwan (Elaine) Lau

Wai Kwan (Elaine) Lau

A positive relationship between employee engagement and affective commitment is already documented in the literature. However, we do not adequately know how engagement is associated with continuance and normative commitment. Using survey methodology we find that while engagement has a non-significant positive association with continuance commitment, it has a positive association with normative commitment. No negative association was found between engagement and continuance commitment. This study’s results support recent critiques to Allen and Meyer’s three-dimensional model of organizational commitment.

Project Management Issues In It Offshore Outsourcing, Kathy Schwaig, Stephen Gillam, Elke M. Leeds

Kathy S Schwaig

Global partnerships are forming to take advantage of the cost savings associated with offshoring as well as other strategic benefits. Not all information technology offshoring projects, however, are successful. Cost overruns, increased complexity and defective code cause organizations to rethink their offshoring strategy and their methods for managing these projects. In this paper, project management issues associated with offshore information technology outsourcing projects are identified and specific recommendations for addressing these issues are presented.

I Used To Work At Goldman Sachs! How Organizational Status Creates Rents In The Market For Human Capital, Matthew Bidwell, Shinjae Won, Roxana Barbulescu, Ethan Mollick

Roxana Barbulescu

We contribute to the literature on how human capital can contribute to competitive advantage by exploring whether having high status in the labor market allows employers to achieve rents in acquiring general human capital. Working for a high status employer provides workers with a valuable signal of ability which helps them to secure better jobs in the future. We argue that higher status employers can appropriate some of those advantages by attracting better workers without having to pay any more. We test these arguments using two unique datasets based on a career survey and internal investment banking personnel data. We …

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

Brent 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. …

Leading Mindfully: Two Studies Of The Influence Of Supervisor Trait Mindfulness On Employee Well-Being And Performance, Jochen Matthias Reb, J. Narayanan, S. Chaturvedi

Jochen Reb

This research examines the influence of leaders’ mindfulness on employee well-being and performance. We hypothesized that supervisors’ trait mindfulness is positively associated with different facets of employee well-being, such as job satisfaction and need satisfaction, and different dimensions of employee performance, such as in-role performance and organizational citizenship behaviors. We also explored whether one measure of employee well-being, psychological need satisfaction, plays a mediating role in the relation between supervisor mindfulness and employee performance. We tested these predictions in two studies using data from both supervisors and their subordinates. Results were consistent with our hypotheses. Overall, this research contributes to …

The Ins And Outs Of Change Of Shift Handoffs Between Nurses: A Communication Challenge, John S. Carroll, Michele Williams, Theresa M. Gallivan

Michele Williams

Background: Communication breakdowns have been identified as a source of problems in complex work settings such as hospital-based healthcare. Methods: The authors conducted a multi-method study of change of shift handoffs between nurses, including interviews, survey, audio taping and direct observation of handoffs, posthandoff questionnaires, and archival coding of clinical records. Results: The authors found considerable variability across units, nurses and, surprisingly, roles. Incoming and outgoing nurses had different expectations for a good handoff: incoming nurses wanted a conversation with questions and eye contact, whereas outgoing nurses wanted to tell their story without interruptions. More experienced nurses abbreviated their reports …

A Voice Is Worth A Thousand Words: The Implications Of The Micro-Coding Of Social Signals In Speech For Trust Research, Benjamin Waber, Michele Williams, John Carroll, Alex Pentland

Michele Williams

While self-report measures are often highly reliable for field research on trust (Mayer and Davis, 1999), subjects often cannot complete surveys during real time interactions. In contrast, the social signals that are embedded in the non-linguistic elements of conversations can be captured in real time and extracted with the assistance of computer coding. This chapter seeks to understand how computer-coded social signals are related to interpersonal trust.

The Leap Model: Perceptions Of Emergency Service Leaders Of Legitimacy, R. Jeffery Maxfield, John Fisher

Dr. John R. Fisher

This study adds to the qualitative data showing how leaders in the emergency services perceive legitimacy and the bases of power. The study examines the perception of leaders and their perspective on why subordinates view their leader as legitimate and/or authentic. Two definitions of legitimacy are presented: the traditional viewpoint of French and Raven (1959) associating legitimate power “with having status or formal job authority” and the other proposed by Maxfield (2012) in the LEAP leadership model basing legitimacy or authenticity more on the characteristics and skills leaders bring to their positions. Emergency service students interviewed leaders in their career …

Individual Factors Affecting Entrepreneurship In Hispanics, Julio Canedo

Julio C. Canedo

Understand and explain the factors related to the behaviors of Hispanic entrepreneurs. Present testable hypotheses to guide future research.

The Roles Of Positive And Negative Exemplars In Information Security Strategy, Richard Taylor

Richard Taylor