The Social‐Cognitive Underpinnings of Employees’ Ambidextrous Behaviour and the Supportive Role of Group Managers’ Leadership

Although research on organizational ambidexterity has exploded in the past several years, the determinants of individual‐level ambidexterity have received little scholarly attention. This is surprising given that management scholars increasingly highlight the benefits of combining explorative and exploitative activities in individual employees’ work roles. Using data collected by a two‐wave survey of 638 employees nested in 173 groups across 34 organizations, our research demonstrates that both psychological factors and leadership predict employees’ ambidextrous behaviour. Our results demonstrate that general self‐efficacy positively predicts ambidextrous behaviour through learning orientation. In addition, we show that employees exhibit higher ambidexterity when their group managers demonstrate paradoxical leadership; that is, a leadership style that couples strong managerial support with high performance expectations. Paradoxical leadership also moderates the relationship between learning orientation and individual ambidexterity such that employees’ ambidextrous behaviour is highest when paradoxical leadership and employee learning orientation are simultaneously at high levels.     

The status of workers and platforms in the sharing economy

We consider whether workers who provide their services through online platforms, such as Handy and Uber, should be classified as independent contractors or employees. Using a formal economic model, we show how being too strict or too liberal in classifying workers as independent contractors (relative to the actual degree of control workers have) can be detrimental, not just to firms and welfare, but sometimes to the workers themselves. We also use the model to explore the extent to which an intermediate classification of workers between employees and independent contractors may lead to better outcomes. The intermediate classification is meant to apply to firms that retain control of some actions while their workers control others, as is the case for many online platforms.     

Work Design–Related Antecedents of Turnover Intention: A Multilevel Approach

Previous research on employee‐turnover intention has focused mostly on a single level of analysis. This multilevel study of 1,149 employees and 144 managers from a 21‐store Taiwanese retail home improvement chain demonstrated that individual and store‐level factors were significantly associated with employee‐turnover intention. Job characteristics explain within‐store variance. In addition to age and tenure similarity among employees, transformational leadership and compensation explain between‐store variance. Theoretical and practical implications of the research are also discussed.     

An empirical study of other‐oriented and rational self‐interest leadership approaches

Other orientation is defined as “the extent to which individuals are concerned with the welfare of others” (Meglino & Korsgaard, 2007, p. 59). Other‐oriented leaders focus their attention on organizational objectives coupled with a human resource emphasis, whereas rational self‐interested leaders concern themselves with organizational objectives coupled with self‐emphasis. This quantitative study examines philanthropian and servant leadership, which are other‐oriented leadership approaches, and transactional leadership, which is a rational self‐interested leadership approach, to determine the effectiveness of the approaches in the 21st century. This study further examines the results of a hermeneutic phenomenological study of philanthropian leadership that introduced a new other‐oriented leadership model. This study focuses on leadership preferences of leaders, employees, and third‐year undergraduate business students to determine if there is a significant difference between preferences among groups for other‐oriented and rational self‐interest‐oriented leadership approaches.     

Impact of knowledge oriented leadership on knowledge management behaviour through employee work attitudes

Abstract

Despite the acknowledged importance of knowledge management (KM), many employees avoid practicing KM at the individual level. This avoidance often leads to loss of the intellectual capital due to employee turnover. Many potential behavioural remedies are still untapped in the existing literature. This study extends the construct of knowledge oriented leadership (KOL) and examines its role in predicting KM behaviour among employees of the hospitality sector, at the individual level. It also investigates the mediating effect of employee work attitudes including affective commitment, creative self-efficacy and work engagement, by using partial least square for structure equation modelling. This study finds that KOL positively affects KM behaviour, affective commitment, creative self-efficacy and employee work engagement. Work attitudes (affective commitment, creative self-efficacy, work engagement) mediate the relationship of KOL and KM behaviour. Furthermore the direct positive effect of employee affective commitment, creative self-efficacy and work engagement on KM behaviour is also significant. This study contributes to the body of knowledge by extending the construct of KOL, and by investigating the connection between KOL, work attitudes, and KM behaviour among hospitality employees, at the individual level.     

近朱者赤:伦理型领导如何影响员工内部揭发意向?

鉴于员工内部揭发能有效阻止企业中的非伦理行为,很多研究开始关注员工内部揭发问题。本研究着眼于员工内部揭发的伦理性,认为伦理型领导能够降低员工的道德推脱意识,从而正向影响员工内部揭发意向;员工感知的社会责任感正向调节伦理型领导对员工道德推脱的作用。本文通过三个阶段的数据收集,得到232套有效问卷。实证结果表明:(1)伦理型领导能够显著正向影响员工内部揭发意愿;(2)道德推脱在伦理型领导和内部揭发间起中介作用;(3)员工感知的企业社会责任对道德推脱在伦理型领导与内部揭发之间的间接关系起到调节作用,也即只有当员工感知到企业承担更多的社会责任时,伦理型领导通过道德推脱影响员工内部揭发意向的中介作用是显著的。本文在理论上丰富了伦理型领导与员工内部揭发之间作用机制的研究,对有效促进组织内部揭发的途径有重要启示作用。     

Cross‐cultural differences on work‐to‐family conflict and role satisfaction: A Taiwanese‐British comparison

The aim of this research was to explore relations between work and family demands and resources, work‐to‐family conflict (WFC), and work and family outcomes in a cross‐cultural comparative context involving Taiwanese and British employees. Two‐hundred and sixty‐four Taiwanese employees and 137 British employees were surveyed using structured questionnaires. For both Taiwanese and British employees, work and family demands were positively related to WFC, whereas work resources were negatively related to WFC. Furthermore, WFC was negatively related to family satisfaction. More importantly, we found that nation moderated relationships between work resources and WFC, WFC and work, and family satisfaction. Specifically, work resources had a stronger protective effect for Taiwanese than British in reducing WFC, whereas WFC had a stronger detrimental effect on role satisfaction for British than Taiwanese. It is recommended that both culture‐general and culture‐specific effects should be taken into consideration in designing future WFC research and familyfriendly managerial practices. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

The role of reward omission in empowering leadership and employee outcomes: A moderated mediation model

In this study, we examined the relationships between empowering leadership employee outcomes (creativity and job performance) and the mediating (voice behaviour and taking charge) and moderating (reward omission) variables in these relationships. Our theoretical model was tested using the data collected from 197 full‐time employees and 32 supervisors. Analyses of the multisource data indicated that empowering leadership is linked to subordinates' job performance and creativity through subordinates' taking charge and voice behaviour as intermediate variables. However, the indirect relationship exists only when leaders display high levels of reward omission. Our research addressed a specific gap in understanding the boundary conditions for empowering leadership to be effective. We conclude with theoretical and practical implications of our findings as well as future research directions.     

Predicting pro‐change behaviour: the role of perceived organisational justice and organisational identification

This study sets out to determine some of the key factors that foster employees’ behavioural support for change management interventions. Specifically, we examine the relationships between organisational justice, organisational identification and employees’ pro‐change behaviour by analysing questionnaire‐based survey data from 137 market research employees. Full structural equation modelling results indicate that out of the four main organisational justice types, only interpersonal justice perceptions play a significant role in predicting pro‐change behaviour after controlling for same source bias effects. In particular, the relationship between interpersonal justice and pro‐change behaviour is partially mediated by organisational identification. The results additionally indicate that age is positively associated with pro‐change behaviour and tenure with organisational identification. The study as such indicates that while perceptions of fair treatment based on respectful and courteous interactions are important in encouraging employees’ behavioural engagement in change management interventions, key in this process is the role that they play in encouraging identification with the employing organisation.     

Scheduled to work hard: The relationship between non‐standard working hours and work intensity among European workers (2005–2015)

Work intensity is of central importance for organisational performance, as well as workers' health and well‐being, yet its determinants at the workplace‐level remain underresearched. This article addresses this gap by examining consequences of working time adjustments for work intensity and the role of control over scheduling in influencing when working time adjustments have stronger effect on work intensity. Working hours are analysed on three dimensions: duration, distribution and flexibility. Analysis uses the European Working Conditions Survey (2005–2015) and a sample of employees from EU28 countries. Findings reveal that work intensity is closely related to the timing of work. Working long days or weeks, at night, on weekends, and with changes in hours imposed by employers is associated with more intense work. Moreover, the impact of non‐standard hours on work intensity differs depending on who (workers or employers) has control over their scheduling.     

Why do firms adopt ‘beyond‐compliance’ environmental policies?

This paper examines why firms selectively adopt ‘beyond‐compliance’ environmental policies. It argues that existing explanations based on factors external to firms are under‐specified and a focus on internal dynamics is also required. It draws insights from institutional theory, corporate social performance perspective, and stakeholder theory and relates them to internal processes. Beyond‐compliance policies are adopted, if at all, due to two types of intra‐firm process: power based and leadership based. These processes arise under different conditions and lead to different types of outcome. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment     

The Comparative Influences of Transformational Leadership and Leader–Member Exchange on Follower Engagement

Scholars of transformational leadership and leader–member exchange (LMX) have argued that leaders are able to positively influence the job attitudes and behaviors of followers by different means. Whereas transformational leadership focuses on the leaders’ ability to transform followers through a global inspiring vision that encourages positive change among all employees, LMX highlights the importance of the leaders’ unique relationships with followers as the driver of positive attitudes and behaviors. Using field data gathered from 280 full‐time employees, the current research compared the influence of these two leadership styles on follower engagement. The results suggested that rather than the influence derived from inspirational leadership behaviors, it is employees’ unique relationship with their leader that creates follower engagement. Additionally, the results indicated that follower engagement mediates the relationship between leadership and key employee outcomes (i.e., organizational citizenship behavior [OCB] and employee turnover intentions). Implications to theory and practice are discussed.     

Reducing Organizational Politics in Performance Appraisal: The Role of Coaching Leaders for Age‐Diverse Employees

We examined whether a supervisor's coaching leadership style predicts the perception of organizational politics in performance appraisal (OPPA) reported by the collaborators. Additionally, we drew on social cognition and motivational life‐span development theories to hypothesize age‐related differences in perceived OPPA and its link with the coaching leadership style. Using hierarchical linear modeling (HLM) on a sample of 576 employees and 112 leaders, we found that coaching leaders are perceived as less manipulative in their performance ratings, especially by older employees. This article includes a discussion of the implications these results have for performance management of an age‐diverse workforce. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

The Effect of International Work Experience on the Career Success of Expatriates: A Comparison of Assigned and Self‐Initiated Expatriates

This article is one of the first to examine the long‐term effect of expatriation on careers, comparing the impact of international work experience on the career success of assigned and self‐initiated expatriates. Our sample consists of employees who were working abroad in 2004, and we examine their subjective and objective career success eight years later. Despite the “dark side of international careers” arguments associated with the repatriation literature, we find that the long‐term impacts of international work experience on career success are generally positive and mainly unrelated to whether the work experience was acquired as an assigned or self‐initiated expatriate. Companies recruit employees with international experience externally but are much more likely to offer further internal jobs to assigned expatriates. This reinforces the need for further research and for companies to see all those with international experience as important elements of the workforce. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

A conscious‐authentic leadership approach in the workplace: Leading from within

This study combines components of the relatively nascent concepts of conscious leadership and authentic leadership. It is a synopsis of a recent empirical study comparing two groups of companies and their respective CEOs. Each group is comprised of three companies. Group I is led by CEOs who use a conscious‐authentic leadership approach in the workplace. They infuse their personal values, beliefs, and relational leadership behavior into the policies, practices, and employee programs within their respective organizations to achieve specific organizational outcomes. Group II CEOs do not use this leadership approach. The companies selected for study were categorized by disinterested third parties in the business community. This study explores the perceptions of the employees of both groups and the impact of the conscious‐authentic leadership model on organizational behavior and specific organizational outcomes in the workplace. The organizational outcomes tested in this study are voluntary employee‐withdrawal behavior and absenteeism during the period 2003–2005. An employee questionnaire was administered to the employees of both groups to measure organizational behavior. The same questionnaire was administered to the CEOs to determine their level of self‐awareness and their sense of the reality of the human condition within their respective organization. A separate leadership questionnaire was administered to the CEOs for a self‐assessment of personal attributes and leadership style. The findings provide a working definition of conscious‐authentic leadership behavior and a working model of the components of this approach as implemented by Group I CEOs in the workplace.     

Use of employees and alternative work arrangements in the United States: a law,economics, and organizations perspective

This paper considers the incidence of employees versus other forms of work in the United States, including temporary agency workers, contract company workers, independent contractors, and self-employment. It does so within a single, unifying framework. The approach takes an economics of organizations focus to consider when it is optimal for the firm to control the work routine instead of the worker. This is critical in defining and determining employment versus other forms of work. The cost of measuring output and monitoring effort and of worker versus firm expertise are important in determining the organization of work. This approach proves fruitful, but it also is important to account for the impact of certain legal restrictions in the U.S. labor market. The empirical findings show that independent contractors are in jobs that require worker expertise and training and for which monitoring of worker effort is difficult. Contract company workers' characteristics are a hybrid between independent contractors' and employees'. Temporary agency workers occur where the firm wishes to legally outsource its low-wage workers yet still maintain a degree of control over their work routine.     

Effects of the ‘principle of non‐discrimination’ on temporary agency work: compensation and working conditions of temporary agency workers in 15 European countries

This article examines, with reference to Europe (EU‐15), whether temporary agency workers experience less favourable working conditions and compensation than employees with a standard employment contract. Furthermore, it analyses whether the same differences exist in European countries with and without the principle of non‐discrimination in force. The results show that discrimination of temporary workers persists even when we control for other factors. Second, in countries with the principle of non‐discrimination in force, the discrimination is higher with respect to employer‐provided training.     

Involuntary part‐time workers in Britain: evidence from the labour force survey

Part‐time employment is widely considered functional for the economy, with both benign and detrimental implications for employees. However, specific analyses of involuntary part‐time work in Britain are surprisingly absent from the flexibility debate, and workers in such positions remain largely under‐researched. This article explores involuntary part‐time employment in relation to socio‐economic circumstances. We analyse Labour Force Survey data, using logistic regression modelling to identify the segments of workers filling part‐time jobs involuntarily. The results suggest that involuntariness for part‐time jobs is affected by a range of demographic and work‐related characteristics considered. Being a couple with dependent children, for example, reduces the likelihood of involuntariness among female part‐time employees whereas lower educational and occupational levels imply a higher involuntariness across both sexes.     

Wage‐setting Decisions on Newly Hired Employees: Survey Evidence from Colombian Firms

This paper uses a survey on wage formation applied to 1305 Colombian firms to study wage‐setting decisions of newly hired employees. The survey indicates that wages of the newly hired are based mainly on a predefined wage structure. This may help to explain, in part, the presence of downward nominal wage rigidities in the Colombian formal labour market, since firms are unwilling to differentiate the pay of new hires from the wages of existing workers. Using multinomial logit models, we find that firm size and the share of temporary workers increase the relative risk of using a predefined internal structure over bargaining between employee and employer when setting the wages of the newly hired employees. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The Importance of Attributional Complexity for Transformational Leadership Studies

Attributional complexity refers to the capability of discriminating and integrating dimensions related to social judgment in order to understand social behaviour. While previous leadership research has examined the role of leader attributions, it has neglected the role of attributional complexity. We theorize and find support for a relationship between higher attributional complexity and transformational leadership behaviours, based on a sample of 100 leaders and their direct reports. Leaders who were more complex in their social judgments, attributing complex external and internal causes to others' behaviours and actions, were seen as more transformational by their direct reports. Our findings suggest that attributional complexity is a construct that warrants consideration in future research on both transformational leadership and leadership attributions.