Organizational Commitment to Ethics and International Ethical Perspectives: United Arab Emirates (UAE) Banks as a Case Study

This paper advocates the importance of the emergent concept of organizational ethics, defines it and connects it to scholarly literature in organizational sciences. One of the most important findings is the strongly correlated relationship between ethics and both perceived and measurable organizational performance. The findings validate the two major functions played by ethics in organizations, first, an amplifying function that creates self-reinforcing positive spirals, and second, a buffering function that strengthens and protects organizations from adverse organizational change.     

The impact of mindful organizing on operational performance: An explorative study

This study explores the effect of Mindful Organizing, a concept originally developed in the high-reliability organizations literature. We show that mindful organizing can also be applied to ordinary organizations seeking better performance, not just to organizations seeking high reliability. Results of this study demonstrate that mindful organizing and operational performance are positively related. Further, mindful organizing benefits organizations in an uncertain environment more than organizations in a stable environment. Future research avenues of this understudied concept in operations management are discussed.     

The key performance indicators (KPIs) and their impact on overall organizational performance

The concept of performance management is used by most of the organizations to ensure that either they are going on the right path or not. For managing the performance the organizations are required to know about the performance indicators. This paper explores the key performance indicators (KPIs) and impact of these KPIs on the overall organizational performance in manufacturing sector in Pakistan. The data for present study collected from the top level management of the 84 best manufacturing organizations in Pakistan by using a structured questionnaire and the impact of KPIs on the overall performance of the manufacturing organizations were evaluated. The results show that the manufacturing organizations put more focus on the customer satisfaction and Delivery reliability in terms of performance measurement. And measuring the performance in terms of cost, financial, quality, time, flexibility, delivery reliability, safety, customer satisfaction, employees’ satisfaction and social performance indicators have positive significant impact on the overall organization’s performance. This paper puts together all important performance indicators used by organizations in a single list and check their impact on the overall performance indicator index of the Organizations. As Pakistan is among the developing countries, this study will serve as a valuable guideline for several manufacturing organizations operating in other developing countries of the world.     

HRM and the legitimacy market

This article develops and proposes the concept of the legitimacy market as a counterpoint to the product market in strategic FIRM analysis and practice. It is driven by three major concerns. First, in much of the contemporary literature, internal efficiency pursuits and product market equirements appear to be the dominant reference points in HRM analysis and practice. Criteria of environmental legitimacy are scarcely recognized.

Second, despite the many claims that HRM is novel and distinctive, there appears to have been little social science development in the field of HRM. Third, the dominance of the strategic management paradigm in HRM has obscured the distinctiveness of HRM in organizations, especially its role in reflecting the external social and cultural environment. These concerns are addressed through the concept of the legitimacy market. The concept, it is argued, should help to conceptualize and analyse more effectively the environmental determinants of HRM, in particular culture and ideology, as well as suggesting alternatives for practitioners to follow. The core proposition upon which the article is predicated is that legitimacy and efficiency are the two central concerns of management.     

Influences on expatriate social networks in China

This study applied social network theory to investigate the factors influencing expatriate social networks and the consequences of expatriate social networks in China. Based on analysis of 171 Taiwanese expatriates in China, this study found that core self-evaluations and extraversion are significant for expatriates in developing expressive and instrumental ties with host country nationals. Moreover, job autonomy assists expatriates in developing instrumental ties with host country nationals. The expressive and instrumental ties of expatriates with host country nationals are significant for overseas adaptation. Finally, instrumental ties with host country nationals are significant for expatriate job performance.     

Absorptive Capacity in a Non-Market Environment

Abstract

Improved performance by public sector organizations is a political imperative in numerous countries. There are particular challenges in turnaround of poorly performing organizations. Theoretical explanations of the performance trajectories of public organizations, and especially the causes of failure, highlight the importance of knowledge processes, often from an organizational learning perspective. Absorptive capacity provides an alternative way of theorizing the relationships between organizational performance and knowledge processes, derived from the resource-based view of the firm and the broader concept of dynamic capabilities. The article reviews the conceptual, theoretical, and methodological implications of applying absorptive capacity to the performance of public organizations. It concludes that the approach has value and presents a number of propositions to be tested through empirical study, alongside some more general challenges for researchers who wish to study the concept further. The high political salience of public organizations' performance, and the costs of failure, mandates a major research effort on these issues.     

Neither Romance Nor Regulation: Re‐evaluating Community

As the realm of the community has grown increasingly important in the contemporary political economy, the theoretical debates surrounding community have also grown in importance and volume. Too often this literature has been either celebratory or dismissive; either romanticizing the concept and thereby elevating it to primary rank as the focal point of societal initiatives, or objecting to its regulated limits and contradictions and thereby dismissing its importance and political utility. There are important contributions being made by both those who dismiss community and those who celebrate it. But for those interested in understanding the potential for emancipatory social change in the contemporary political economy of neoliberalism there are also severe limitations imposed by these perspectives. After critiquing these literatures and debates, we put forward an understanding of community that is neither dismissive nor celebratory, but instead argues that communities need to be understood as simultaneously products of both their larger, and largely external, contexts, and the practices, organizations and relations that take place within them. Thus, communities, because of their central place in capitalist political economies, can be vital arenas for social change. But they are also arenas that are constrained in their capacities to host such efforts.     

Reducing intentions to resist future change: Combined effects of commitment‐based HR practices and ethical leadership

Change management, and particularly the human side of change, is a central tenet of the strategy of contemporary organizations. However, there is little evidence concerning how strategic HR practices influence how individuals anticipate and react to the implementation of a major change and how direct supervisors influence that process. With a sample of 191 employees from multiple organizations, who completed two surveys with a four‐week lag, we examined the role of commitment‐based HR practices on employees’ intentions to resist future change. We found that commitment‐based HR practices contribute to a decrease in intentions to resist future change, measured four weeks later, via increased affective commitment to change. Moreover, we found that this relationship is conditional on ethical leadership, in that it is significant when ethical leadership is high but not when it is low. Building on social exchange and uncertainty reduction theories, our findings contribute to the literature by examining how and under what boundary conditions HR practices are an effective means for organizations to anticipate and manage change.     

Managing feedback systems to facilitate change in acquisitions: The introduction of a model and explanation of it's application

While feedback plays a key role in organization effectiveness, it is so oversimplified in the management literature as to become almost useless as a tool for understanding or improving organizations. Much of the current work on feedback is so narrowly focused that it fails to make its potential contributions to organization effectiveness. Using the special case of postacquisition integration as an illustration, the paper develops the concept of feedback in more detail, uses this to explain problems in organization performance from a feedback systems perspective, and suggests ways that feedback systems can serve as the focus for interventions to facilitate managed change.     

Achieving competitive advantage through implementing a replicable management standard: Installing and using ISO 9000

This paper investigates the effects of implementing the international standard ISO 9000 on measures of business and operating performance. Based on the literature and a case study we identified two stages in implementing ISO 9000—(1) Installation, which has two dimensions: (a) external coordination and (b) integration; and (2) Usage, which also has two dimensions: (a) in daily practice and (b) as a catalyst for change. The hypotheses were that installation of ISO 9000 is positively related to use of ISO 9000, and use of ISO 9000 is positively related to operating performance. In addition, use of ISO 9000 is positively related to business performance since operating performance is positively related to business performance. We used hierarchical linear models (HLM) to test our hypotheses and validated the results by comparing the longitudinal performance of ISO 9000 certified companies with four matched samples of companies that were not ISO 9000 certified. Our analysis indicated that while the installation stage was necessary to successfully implement ISO 9000, organizations achieved a distinct operating advantage from this replicable standard when they used it in daily practice and as a catalyst for change. These findings were based on responses to a survey of 1150 quality managers in 924 organizations, which was supplemented for about one-third of the organizations with longitudinal information from the Compustat database on the organizations’ business and operating performance. The validation indicated that implementing the ISO 9000 standard led to improved operating performance, but that this outcome did not necessarily or automatically yield better business performance.     

Linking transformational leadership and core self-evaluation to job performance: The mediating role of felt accountability

This study examined the mediating effects of felt accountability (FA) on the effect of both transformational leadership and core self-evaluation (CSE) on task performance (TP) and contextual performance (CP). Structural equation modeling and Analysis of Moment Structures were used to analyze data collected from questionnaires distributed to 302 supervisor–employee dyads. The concept of FA is based on a social contingency model of accountability, which is distinct from feelings of responsibility or obligation in organizational research. Our hypotheses for the mediating role of FA were supported by the data, except that the mediating effect of FA on the relationship between CSE and CP was not supported. We discuss the implications of these results for research and practice in organizations.     

Organizational capacity for change and firm performance in a transition economy

This study explored some human resource and human systems' aspects of the competitive dynamics for firms attempting to survive and prosper within Russia, a highly volatile transition economy. Overall, this study adds to our understanding of international strategic human resource management, dynamic capabilities, and the generation of competitive advantage within transition economies.

We found that a relatively new construct derived from the dynamic capabilities and organizational change literatures, known as ‘organizational capacity for change,’ is positively associated with firm performance within a wide variety of Russian firms. Furthermore, we find that the relationship between organizational capacity for change and firm performance is stronger when there are relatively high levels of uncertainty with the task environment. Finally, we found that organizational capacity for change is an important attribute in all sizes of organizations, not just for large organizations as hypothesized.     

如何管理好非正式性组织

随着经济的发展、社会的进步,非正式组织逐渐受到人们的重视。管理者在管理工作当中,只有有效地发挥非正式组织的积极作用,使非正式组织能够与正式组织完美地结合,切实弥补正式组织的不足,从而实现组织的总体目标。本文分析非正式组织的概念、差异、产生原因和它的积极、消极作用,并就对非正式组织的管理提出建议。     

High level of education builds up strong relationship between organizational culture and organization performance in Pakistan

Organizational culture is an important aspect to be considered by dynamic organizations in order to develop some competitive advantage to ensure enhanced organizational performance. This study aims to elaborate the dimensions of cultural construct in organizations of diversified sectors and their implications in Pakistan. Ten organizations were selected for the study. Four hundred and seventy eight questionnaires were received from these organizations. The questionnaires consisted of three parts, of these, the first part had nine elements that were related to organization and personal profile of the respondents, whereas the second part consisted of 60 elements of cultural construct, namely mission, adaptability, consistency, and involvement. In the third part, dependent variable appears as organization performance and was evaluated by asking eight questions. Results are revealed in two models: according to the first model, organization performance increases from negative 56% to positive 92% due to organizational culture with respect to education. And the second model is also significant at the 95% of confidence level (p < 0.05), and there is a positive relationship between independent and dependent variables. Organizational culture is an essential part of organizational success. Core organizational values typically emphasize special themes such as performance excellence, innovation, social responsibility, worker involvement, and quality of work life. Literacy rate in Pakistan is far below the literacy rate in developed countries. Educated employees play an important role in enhancing organizational performance, particularly in corporate setup. To measure affects of education on organizational performance through its construct involvement, consistency, adaptability, and mission have been endeavored in this study.     

Integrating strategic cost management with a 3DCE environment: Strategies,practices, and benefits

The overall objective of this exploratory research was to examine the possible competitive advantages when organizations integrate strategic cost management into the simultaneous design of products, processes, and supply chains. The concept of concomitantly designing products, processes and supply chains is referred to by Fine [1998. Clockspeed. Perseus Books, Reading, MA] as three-dimensional concurrent engineering (3DCE). While many organizations have adopted concurrent engineering to design new products, few have simultaneously considered cost issues related to designing the supply chain. Fewer still were found to integrate strategic cost management with 3DCE. Thus a case study approach was deemed necessary. Based on case studies of five firms, a framework of testable propositions was developed. The initial findings indicated there is a positive relationship between the customer's and supplier's extent of participation in new product development, supplier development practices, and the integration of strategic cost management practices with 3DCE. The integration of strategic cost management with 3DCE should result in a higher level of operational performance in terms of product performance, supply chain responsiveness, and conformance to quality. Integration should also result in lower product and process costs, faster time to market, and fewer product launch problems. The overall result is a higher level of company performance and competitiveness.     

A Stupidity‐Based Theory of Organizations

In this paper we question the one‐sided thesis that contemporary organizations rely on the mobilization of cognitive capacities. We suggest that severe restrictions on these capacities in the form of what we call functional stupidity are an equally important if under‐recognized part of organizational life. Functional stupidity refers to an absence of reflexivity, a refusal to use intellectual capacities in other than myopic ways, and avoidance of justifications. We argue that functional stupidity is prevalent in contexts dominated by economy in persuasion which emphasizes image and symbolic manipulation. This gives rise to forms of stupidity management that repress or marginalize doubt and block communicative action. In turn, this structures individuals' internal conversations in ways that emphasize positive and coherent narratives and marginalize more negative or ambiguous ones. This can have productive outcomes such as providing a degree of certainty for individuals and organizations. But it can have corrosive consequences such as creating a sense of dissonance among individuals and the organization as a whole. The positive consequences can give rise to self‐reinforcing stupidity. The negative consequences can spark dialogue, which may undermine functional stupidity.     

Resilience of sustainability‐oriented and financially‐driven organizations

To answer key questions concerning how negative and positive financial performance gaps motivate organizations to build more resilient systems, we develop a conceptual process model to reveal the process by which financially and sustainability‐driven organizations can translate these negative and positive financial performance gaps into organizational resilience. We specify the different modes of search behaviors that these organizations pursue when encountering negative and positive financial performance gaps. We then expand on group engagement model to theorize that vicarious search is likely to encourage limiting behaviors, whereas internal search is likely to foster promotion behaviors. Finally, we explain how both promoting and limiting behaviors can be helpful in improving organizational resilience. In this way, we hope to advance research that connects and integrates relatively disparate realms and, more specifically, to contribute to the sustainability, resilience, and performance feedback literatures.     

Local government reform between ‘exogenous’ and ‘endogenous’ driving forces

Abstract

Configuration is an appealing concept to help understanding the complex arrangements that guide organizations' actions and contribute to their coherence. Although health care organizations are often described as professional bureaucracy a deep understanding of their structure and systems is still lacking. In this article, we draw on empirical data gathered in a Canadian teaching hospital to expose the nature of interdependencies and themes that drive some of its configurations at health care unit level. Five clinical activities were investigated (ocular surgery, brachytherapy, vascular surgery, rheumatology and geriatrics) using direct systematic observation. Four sub-orchestrating themes emerged. Based on the findings it is argued that the operating core of health care organizations is not homogeneous but rather heterogeneous. Therefore it is our contention that hospitals and other public organizations where professionals control the activities at operating level might be better regarded as ‘diversified professional federation’ than as professional bureaucracy.     

Does feminism belong in business ethics?

Contemporary society is experiencing dramatic shifts in its expectations for business and its practices. Within the academic realm two voices of change are the “feminist” and “business ethics” perspectives; unfortunately, these two perspectives often advocate conflicting expectations for business organizations. The purpose of this article is to provide an analysis of the expectations each perspective advocates, and to draw relevant implications for future business practices. Our general conclusion is that the feminist perspective maintains a system of gender dichotomies and fails to recognize shifts in the balance of powers. In contrast, a business ethics perspective moves beyond gender issues and dichotomous systems to the recognition that contemporary society is comprised of minorities, and that the rights of all minorities must be recognized and balanced. We suggest that the feminist perspective must reposition with the rapid shifts currently occurring within our society before it can be a “voice” that should be listened to by business organizations.