Performance or learning goal orientation: Implications for business performance

An organization's long-term effectiveness and efficiency reflect its learning goal or performance goal orientation. Goal orientation concepts originate in psychology of achievement motivation theory. Goal orientations drive the development and deployment of organizational capabilities, such as market orientation and innovativeness to achieve organizational performance outcomes. Extant research pays little attention to whether or not industry type (services or manufacturing) operates as a significant moderating factor in the relationships among an organization's capabilities, goal orientation, and performance outcomes. This study addresses this gap. The study results indicate a significant moderating effect of industry type on relationship between goal orientation and performance but not between goal orientation and either market orientation or innovativeness. Goal orientation appears to be more important for service industries than for manufacturing.     

The interactive effects of goal orientation and leadership style on sales performance

The authors develop and test a model depicting the moderating effects of different types of manager leadership styles on the relationship between salesperson goal orientations (i.e., performance orientation and learning orientation) and performance. The two surveys were set in retail work contexts in Brazil. Results from a multi-level hierarchical analysis demonstrate that (i) transactional leadership strengthens the positive link between learning orientation and sales performance, whereas (ii) transformational leadership weakens the positive association between learning orientation and performance. Our argument for the positive moderating effect of transactional leadership is built upon the path-goal theory and contingent reward mechanism. The justification for the negative effect of transformational leadership involves the follower-dependency logic and overdependence on supervisory cues.     

Intrinsic religiosity and counterproductive work behavior: The mediating role of Islamic work ethic

This research aims to examine the impact of intrinsic religiosity on counterproductive work behavior directed toward the organization (CWB-O) and the mediating role of Islamic work ethic in this impact. The data were collected from employees working in the hotel and restaurant industry (n = 684). The findings revealed that intrinsic religiosity had a positive and significant effect on Islamic work ethic. It was found that Islamic work ethic also had a negative and significant effect on CWB-O. Similarly, intrinsic religiosity had a negative and significant effect on CWB-O. In addition, it was identified that the Islamic work ethic had a mediating role in the impact of intrinsic religiosity on CWB-O. Taking into consideration that the relationship between intrinsic religiosity and CWB-O and the role of Islamic work ethic in this relationship has not yet been examined in literature, the theoretical contribution of the current research can be better understood. From the perspective of practical contribution, this research may help and guide managers to understand how intrinsic religiosity affects CWB-O.     

Individualism–collectivism and the role of goal orientation in organizational training

This research examines how individualism–collectivism and goal orientation impact training effectiveness through study of an internationally diverse sample of engineers who were undergoing technical training. In light of contemporary views of individualism–collectivism, we argue that collectivism will moderate the influence of learning and performance goal orientations on training by shaping the impact of one's perceived social context on existing performance concerns and goals. Using a sample from a large multinational corporation, we examined the effects of individualism–collectivism and goal orientation on training transfer intentions, motivation to learn, and test performance. Mixed support for our hypotheses was found. Collectivists were found to exhibit higher levels of training transfer intentions and motivation to learn. However, when collectivism was combined with a performance goal orientation, its effects on training outcomes were diminished. Applications for organizations and future extensions of the present research are discussed.     

Team innovation in retail services: the role of ambidextrous leadership and team learning

Service Business - Drawing upon the ambidextrous leadership theory for innovation, this study investigates the role of opening and closing leadership behaviors in both exploratory and exploitative...     

Micro-foundations of organizational design and sustainability: The mediating role of learning ambidexterity

This paper builds on prior scholarly works by examining the relationship between organizing paradox (formalization and decentralization), and organizational levels of learning paradoxes, i.e. exploration and exploitation, and firms’ outcomes (organizational creativity, organizational resilience and organizational energy). Using data from 98 executives and 325 senior employees working across a diverse range of firms operating in the Middle East, the findings suggest that organizing paradox (formalization and decentralization) has a positive impact on learning ambidexterity. In addition, we also found that learning ambidexterity has a positive impact on both organizational resilience and organizational energy. Furthermore, the results indicate that learning ambidexterity mediates the relationship between organizing paradox and organizational creativity. These findings provide important insights into the micro-foundation aspects of organizational ambidexterity.     

The mediating role of entrepreneurial orientation: A meta-analysis of resource orchestration and cultural contingencies

Building on the resource orchestration literature, we use meta-analytic structural equation modeling to test a model where entrepreneurial orientation (EO) mobilizes resources to influence firm performance. Our results indicate that (1) EO mediates (partially) the human and social capital - firm performance relationships; (2) social capital is positively associated with human capital; (3) the relationship between social capital and firm performance is mediated in two steps, first, by human capital, and then, by EO; and (4) the human capital – EO relationship is stronger in high in-group collectivistic, low future oriented, and high uncertainty avoidance cultures.     

High performance work systems and corporate performance: the influence of entrepreneurial orientation and organizational learning

This study investigates the functioning mechanisms of how high performance work systems (HPWS) affect organizational performance. We propose that (HPWS) can positively affect organizational performance through the mediating role of entrepreneurial orientation. An organization with high performance work systems can perform better if it enjoys high level of organizational learning. We design and administer a survey questionnaire to high-level executives or founders of companies from manufacturing and service industries and receive 176 valid responses. The results of the empirical data indicate that the relationship between high performance work systems and corporate performance is more positive when organizational learning is stronger. Entrepreneurial orientation partially mediates the relationship between high performance work systems and organizational performance. This study opens new research avenues by extending and incorporating explanations and predictions of HPWS and entrepreneurial orientation, two areas that largely have been considered independently of each other. Implications for practice and directions for future research are provided.     

High performance work systems and corporate performance: the influence of entrepreneurial orientation and organizational learning

This study investigates the functioning mechanisms of how high performance work systems (HPWS) affect organizational performance. We propose that (HPWS) can positively affect organizational performance through the mediating role of entrepreneurial orientation. An organization with high performance work systems can perform better if it enjoys high level of organizational learning. We design and administer a survey questionnaire to high-level executives or founders of companies from manufacturing and service industries and receive 176 valid responses. The results of the empirical data indicate that the relationship between high performance work systems and corporate performance is more positive when organizational learning is stronger. Entrepreneurial orientation partially mediates the relationship between high performance work systems and organizational performance. This study opens new research avenues by extending and incorporating explanations and predictions of HPWS and entrepreneurial orientation, two areas that largely have been considered independently of each other. Implications for practice and directions for future research are provided.     

Leader-member exchange and employee work outcomes in Chinese firms: the mediating role of job satisfaction

This study investigates the mediating role of job satisfaction in the relationships between leader-member exchange (LMX) and employee work outcomes in Chinese firms, namely, organizational commitment and intention to leave. Based on the data collected from the four manufacturing firms based in China, the hierarchical regression analyses strongly support our theoretical predication that job satisfaction fully mediates the relationships between LMX and employees’ organizational commitment and intention to leave. The theoretical and practical implications of these findings are discussed.     

Organizational resource dependencies and goal orientation

This paper examines the relationships between organizational dependencies on its environments and organizational goal orientation, as perceived by members, by means of an exploratory study using data from 15 industrial companies in Britain. The results show that the organization's external goal orientation is related to the resource-dependence aspects of its relevant environments.     

Managerial competencies,innovation and engagement in SMEs: The mediating role of organisational learning

According to job demands-resources theory, resources promote positive attitudes, which results in several positive behaviors at work. However, there is little research that examines the effect of managerial competencies on positive attitudes at work. Our research proposes a scale of 7 managerial competencies that evidence to be connected with a particularly relevant attitude at work, namely, engagement. We find that the proposed managerial competencies scale overcomes the required psychometric properties, on the basis of a sample of 204 managers of Spanish SMEs. Following job demands-resources theory, our study confirms a direct and positive effect of the 7 managerial competencies on engagement. The implications of the study are that managerial competencies should be considered by managers to promote engagement at work.     

Integrating organizational learning with high-performance work system and entrepreneurial orientation: a moderated mediation framework

This study proposes a moderated mediation model to investigate the relationship between organizational learning and firm performance. We argue that entrepreneurial orientation mediates the positive effect of organizational learning on firm performance. Furthermore, the relationship between organizational learning and entrepreneurial orientation is strengthened when firms employ a higher level of high-performance work system. Hypotheses are supported by data from 181 firms operating in the manufacturing and service industries in China. Statistical results further reveal that a high-performance work system has different moderating effects on exploitative learning and exploratory learning. This research extends our understanding of organizational learning theory, entrepreneurship and human resource management literature by cross-fertilizing constructs in these fields with empirical evidence.     

The relationship between laissez-faire leadership and burnout: Mediation through work alienation and the moderating role of political skill

We tested the relationship between laissez-faire leadership and job burnout and the mediating role of work alienation in this relationship. We also examined the moderating role of political skill in the relationship between laissez-faire leadership and burnout. Based on time-lagged (three waves, two months apart) survey data collected from 272 employees in 92 firms operating in China, our results showed that laissez-faire leadership was positively related to burnout both directly and via work alienation. Moreover, the positive relationship between laissez-faire leadership and burnout was contingent on political skill, such that the relationship was weak when political skill was high. The study provides useful suggestions to help managers curb employees' feelings of burnout and work alienation.     

Change-oriented organizational citizenship behaviors: the direct and moderating influence of goal orientation

Organizational learning in a retail setting relies on the motivation of boundary-spanning retail associates to identify and implement organizationally functional changes with respect to work methods, policies, and procedures within the context of their jobs, stores, or organizations-referred to as change-oriented organizational citizenship behaviors (OCBs). A theoretical model of situation and person antecedents of change-oriented OCBs is developed and tested with a sample of 183 full-time boundary-spanning employees of a national retail sales organization. The results reveal that learning goal orientation and leader-member exchange quality are direct positive antecedents of these behaviors. The results also demonstrate interesting Person × Situation interactions. Direct relationships between transformational or contingent reward leadership behaviors and change-oriented OCBs are moderated by employee performance goal orientation. A positive relationship between organizational commitment and change-oriented OCBs is moderated by employee learning goal orientation. Contingent reward leadership and transformational leadership behaviors also have indirect positive relationships with change-oriented OCBs via leader-member exchange quality.     

Hope and positive affect mediating the authentic leadership and creativity relationship

The study analyzes how authentic leadership (AL) predicts employees' creativity both directly and through the mediating role of employees' positive affect and hope. Two hundred and three employees working in Portuguese retail organizations participate in the research. Employees report their hope and positive affective states, as well as the AL of their supervisors. Supervisors report the employees' creativity. The main findings are: (a) AL predicts employees' creativity, both directly and through the mediating role of employees' hope; (b) AL also predicts employees' positive affect, which in turn predicts employees' hope and, thus, creativity. The study enriches the understanding of the processes through which AL improves employees' creativity, and provides valuable insights for both scholars and practitioners. By promoting AL, and employees' hope and positive affect, organizations may increase employees' creative performance, creativity being an important path to organizational performance.     

Effect of technological and digital learning resources on students' soft skills within remote learning: The mediating role of perceived efficacy

The study analyses the effects of the technological and digital learning resources (DLRs) on the development of students' soft skills (SSk) in remote learning, mediated by the perceived efficacy of students in this modality of education. The study employed a survey research method, and the data were collected through a self-administered questionnaire. Participants included 637 students experiencing remote learning during the second COVID-19 lockdown in the north of Portugal (between 1 and 15 March 2021). The structural equation modelling analysis technique tested the hypothesized model. The study showed that technological and DLRs were strongly interconnected. The results supported our hypotheses, evidencing that, in remote learning, the adequacy of DLRs had a direct effect on the development of SSk, presenting the efficacy perceived by the students as a mediator of this relationship. The study demonstrated that, with the experience of remote learning, students perceived the development of their SSk, which is consistent with the literature review we carried out. Implications of these findings are discussed, considering the literature on technology-mediated learning and the development of human resources SSk in the context of the digital transition.     

The role of experience in work and learning among design engineers

Taking an approach to learning in the workplace as a phenomenon situated and accumulated in the course of work activities and everyday practice, the purpose of this study was to investigate how workers (development engineers and designers) themselves perceive the role of experience in work and learning. The empirical material consists of interviews with 18 employees in two enterprises in Finland. Narrative analysis of the holistic core stories yielded four thematic categories. The categories indicate that learning from experience plays an essential part in coping and learning along with other people, in understanding holistic work processes and in creating a personal perception of one's work and the learning that takes place in its course. It is suggested that the essence of learning through experience in everyday practice challenges the employers, first, to pay attention to the maintenance of a collaborative working atmosphere, second, to arrange possibilities for the continuous analysis of tasks within working teams and networks and, third to see their experienced fellow workers as mentors in order to harness the know‐how embedded in teams and organisations to better benefit all workers.     

How authentic leadership influences employee proactivity: the sequential mediating effects of psychological empowerment and core self-evaluations and the moderating role of employee political skill

This study aims to examine the relationship between authentic leadership and employee proactive behavior. Based on self-determination theory, we argue that such a relationship is sequentially mediated by psychological empowerment and core self-evaluations. In addition, political skill plays a moderating role in the third stage. These hypotheses are validated by a sample of 65 leaders and 275 subordinates from two private enterprises in mainland China. Results show that authentic leadership (Time 1) influences employees’ proactive behavior (Time 3) through the psychological empowerment (Time 1) and core self-evaluations of employees (Time 2), and the relationship between core self-evaluations and proactive behavior is positively moderated by employees’ political skill. In addition, bootstrapping results also verify the moderating role played by employees’ political skill in the indirect relationship between authentic leadership and proactive behavior through core self-evaluations. Theoretical and managerial implications are further discussed in the light of these findings.     

Market orientation,organizational performance,and the mediating role of crowdsourcing in knowledge‐based firms

This paper establishes the relationships between market orientation and crowdsourcing in knowledge‐based firms for improving their organizational performance. By understanding the relationships among these variables, firms are in a better position to tackle complex business and innovation problems faster and at a lower cost. Results from the Spanish biotechnology and telecommunications sectors show the relevance of social networks for a better adaptation to rapidly changing markets and increasing competitiveness.