The role of work characteristics in enhancing older employees' performance: evidence from a post-Soviet country

This paper showcases the contextual development of age diversity in one post-Soviet country – Lithuania – and explores the theoretical grounding and empirical evidence of the role of work characteristics (work-scheduling autonomy (WSA), decision-making autonomy and social support) in the age–individual performance linkage. The individual performance was conceptualized in terms of task, adaptive and proactive performance. Based on empirical findings from multisource data (non-managerial employees and their direct supervisors), this study contributes to the existing literature by showing that high WSA and social support can buffer the negative age effect on performance and that the age–performance pattern depends on the performance criteria used and is not universal.     

The Experience of Untapped Potential: Towards a Subjective Temporal Understanding of Work Meaningfulness

In this paper, we propose that untapped potential acts as a subjective temporal meaning‐making mechanism. Using a two‐wave survey design, we examine the relationship between job characteristics, untapped potential, and work meaningfulness in a heterogeneous sample of 542 employees. We found that employees’ perceived amount of untapped potential mediates the effects of skill variety, autonomy, and job feedback on work meaningfulness. This mediated relationship was moderated by the valence employees attributed to their untapped potential. Moreover, decreases in the perceived amount of untapped potential over time were related to increases in perceived work meaningfulness. Our research shows that work that allows employees to move beyond the here‐and‐now by providing opportunities to realize future work selves is experienced as particularly meaningful. We conclude that, if we wish to understand what makes work meaningful for employees in the present, we need to know how it aligns with their self‐perceptions in the future.     

Autonomy and Effectiveness of Equity International Joint Ventures (EIJVs): An Analysis based on EIJVs in Hungary and Britain

The paper utilizes data collected from 34 equity international joint ventures (EIJVs) located in Hungary and 49 EIJVs located in Britain to examine the effects of autonomy on EIJV effectiveness. Study results suggest that for the total sample, permitting an EIJV to develop local HRM policies and to implement business plans independently contribute to EIJV effectiveness. Additionally, there is a positive correlation between EIJV age and effectiveness. When the samples are broken up, the results are consistent except that developing local HRM policies is not a significant factor with respect to EIJV effectiveness in Hungary. The paper contributes to the literature by demonstrating that autonomy is a multidimensional construct and by providing initial support for the development of a theory relating EIJV autonomy to effectiveness based on a hierarchy of autonomy measures. The paper also suggests a model of relative recommended autonomy levels for different EIJV activities.     

A maturity framework for autonomous solutions in manufacturing firms: The interplay of technology,ecosystem, and business model

Significant advancements within the fields of digitalization, electrification, and automation have enabled the development, testing, and implementation of increasingly advanced autonomous solutions. Current examples of industrial automation promise significant economic and sustainability-oriented benefits for industrial customers. Yet, implemented autonomous solutions have rarely advanced beyond ‘islands of autonomy’. Although enabling initial improvements in the efficiency and effectiveness of operations, they have not led to the systemic process improvements that fully integrated site-wide solutions can achieve. It is becoming increasingly clear that the major challenges in this shift extend beyond technology to focus on business transformation and ecosystem relationships. Yet, extant research offers few insights into these domains. There is a need to develop a business-focused maturity framework for autonomous solutions to contribute to a predominantly technical discourse and support equipment actors and their wider ecosystems in commercializing autonomous solutions. Thus, the purpose of this paper is to investigate how industrial equipment manufacturers can align the development of technology, business models and ecosystem relationships for the advancement of autonomous solutions. We build on case studies that include 32 interviews from four industrial equipment manufacturers and their extended ecosystems of customers and partners. We capture our findings in a three-level maturity framework for industrial autonomous solutions. This framework unwraps the attributes of each level from the perspectives of technical system development, ecosystem configuration, and business model design and is complemented by three overarching principles for the successful commercialization of autonomous solutions.

     

The significance of employee skill in flexible work organizations

Pressures for flexibility among enterprise employees have been explained in previous studies to be largely the result of exogenous factors driven by market pressures for improved product variety, quality and service. This paper derives new insights into the concept of flexibility based on the premise that manufacturing systems based on traditional hierarchical control have significantly given way to enterprise practices that stress a direct connection between employee skill enhancement, market outcomes and rewards. Through an analysis of the 1998 Workplace Employee Relations Survey (WER98) the study provides a more substantive explanation of the variables associated with flexibility, which have become significant in the transition process towards modern enterprise practices. Flexibility is demonstrated to be not only market driven but also dependent on endogenous factors directly promoted by management that stress workforce participation, collaborative working and multifaceted skills development. We provide empirical support for these arguments from an analysis of WERS98.     

An empirical test of contributing factors to different forms of maverick buying

Maverick buying is the non-compliant, off-contract buying of goods and services, for which an established procurement process is in place based on pre-negotiated contracts with selected suppliers. The phenomenon is common in organizations using organization-wide frame agreements. Maverick buying prevents the full utilization of volume discounts negotiated, and also raises unnecessary process costs. This paper focuses on three types of maverick buying drawn from previous literature. Survey data on Finnish governmental procurement is used to test whether characteristics of users and their work contexts, drawn from literature in organizational behavior, affect the reasons for engaging in maverick buying. The results provide guidance on how different types of maverick buying in an organization can be reduced. Specifically, it is shown that all types of maverick buying can be reduced by limiting the task autonomy of the buyers. Additionally, different types of training can help prevent the behavior. Investing in reward and sanction systems, however, does not appear to be helpful in reducing the three types of maverick buying tested for in this study.     

Strategic Technology Management in a Mid-corporate Firm: the Case of Otter Controls

This paper examines strategic technology management in the mid-corporate sector (firms with a turnover between £1 million and £130 million). There is a considerable literature which emphasizes the importance of linking technology and strategy, but this concentrates primarily on the activities of large firms. It is suggested that smaller firms can also benefit from a more strategic approach to technology management and this could help strengthen an area of weakness in the UK economy. The research is based on an in-depth case study of Otter Controls and utilizes a framework developed by Dodgson and Rothwell to analyse the firm's acquisition of new technologies. It is suggested that this model has utility in examining strategic technology management but the addition of a network perspective helps delineate the ways in which external relationships are established and sustained. The data indicate that universities can be useful sources of technology for smaller firms, but successful transfer is dependent on management skill in creating a culture that is open and flexible. Such firms do have considerable problems in assessing the skills and competences of university departments and this adds to the risks of technology alliances. There is also evidence to suggest that even universities with long-standing industrial links lack awareness of the problems associated with management in commercial organizations.     

Under the influence of the team? An investigation of the relationships between team autonomy,individual autonomy and social influence within teams

This study contributes to the debate about whether teamwork facilitates or constrains the single team member's autonomy at work. We investigate whether team autonomy can explain employees' individual autonomy, the teams' informal influence on its members and employees' desire for either individual or team influence. Questionnaire data were collected among employees in four Danish companies from different industries with various types of team organization: permanent, project-based and mixed teams. The results of the multiple regression analyses show that team autonomy is positively associated with individual autonomy, which is neither moderated by the team's ability to make the employee feel responsible nor by team support. Team autonomy is positively associated with facilitative social influence, i.e. team reward, team support and we find a negative association between team autonomy and team coercion. Moreover, employees who experienced more team than individual autonomy wanted their teams to control more work issues compared to employees who experienced lower team than individual autonomy.     

To have and to hold: modelling the drivers of employee turnover and skill retention in Australian organisations

This paper examines the determinants of employee turnover and long-term skill retention in Australian organisations. Three new perspectives are examined: the difference between short-run turnover and long-term retention; the role of different high performance work systems philosophies and human resource practices; and an examination of turnover for various groups of employees based on skill level. The results suggest that the role of learning within organisations is of fundamental importance in reducing short-run turnover and improving long-term skills retention. A series of training and human resource practices have also been found to be important for individual-specific skill categories, but general conclusions for all skill categories cannot be readily made. Finally, different drivers to short-term turnover maybe at play when retention is considered from a long-term strategic perspective.     

The relevance of reputation in the nonprofit sector: the moderating effect of socio-demographic characteristics

This paper extends prior research on the reputation of nonprofit organizations (NPOs) by investigating the moderating role of socio-demographic characteristics in forming NPO reputation and reputation's effects on donating and volunteering behavior. The findings offer new insights into the role an NPO's reputation plays and its effects on key outcomes such as willingness to donate and work as a voluntary member in specific subgroups. The results show that successful reputation management is specifically important for male, older, highly educated, and affluent respondents. Communicational measures aimed at strengthening an organization's social responsibility are particularly promising regarding triggering favorable donor behavior and voluntary support. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Self‐Determined Feedback Seeking: The Role of Perceived Supervisor Autonomy Support

We use self‐determination theory (SDT) as a framework for investigating how perceived autonomy‐supportive supervision positively influences conditions that motivate newcomer subordinates to engage in feedback seeking. Based on data collected from MBA interns at two time periods, perceived autonomy support predicted task autonomy, informal supervisor feedback, and subordinate relationship building, and the latter two mediated the relationship between autonomy support and feedback seeking. Our study provides an SDT perspective on newcomer socialization by highlighting the important role supervisor support for autonomy can play in motivating feedback seeking as a proactive socialization tactic. Organizations and human resources management professionals should consider including training around autonomy support in supervisory training programs. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Job longevity as a situational factor in job satisfaction.

This study investigates the relationships between overall job satisfaction and the five task dimensions of skill variety, task identity, task significance, autonomy, and feedback-from-job for employees at different stages of their careers, as measured by their length of employment on their current jobs, as well as in their current organizations. Basically, the analysis shows that the strength of the relationships between job satisfaction and each of the task dimensions depends on both the job longevity and organizational longevity of the sampled individuals. For employees new to an organization, for example, only task significance is related positively to job satisfaction, while autonomy has a strongly negative correlation. The study presents other significant correlational differences and discusses the implications of its findings for task design, as well as for managing new employees. Approximately 3500 respondents from four different governments--two metropolitan, one county, and one state--participated in the collection of survey data.     

Effects of performance measurement system inconsistency on managers’ role clarity and well-being

In this paper we explore the impact of PMS inconsistency on managerial role clarity and well-being. In addition, we investigate if problems with PMS inconsistency can be dealt with by convincing superiors to loosen their control reactions to variances, giving managers job autonomy and providing managers with support from superiors, peers and staff functions. Based on survey responses from 799 managers in one public sector organization and 187 managers in one private sector organization we conclude that PMS inconsistency has negative effects on managers’ role clarity and well-being. This situation does not improve if superiors practice loose control; on the contrary, it seems to make managers’ work situation worse. Job autonomy and support appear to be better coping methods since they have direct positive impacts on managers’ role clarity and well-being that counteracts the negative effects of PMS inconsistency.     

Technology transfer as a learning and developmental process: an analysis of Norwegian programmes on technology transfer

This paper focuses on understanding technology transfer. The point of departure is to construct a model for transfer of technology based on organizational theory. The model identifies the transfer as a socio-technical learning and developmental process (TLD process). Technology is understood as a social construction where human choice and values determine the outcome. A successful transfer of new technology depends on a socio-technical change process, where the success is reached when the local company profitably integrates technology in its day-to-day operation.The TLD model is used as the basis for an empirical analysis of Norwegian programmes on technology transfer. This work is introduced by giving an overview of the literature evaluating the programmes. This literature, strongly influenced by qualitative methodology, does not give much insight into the basic elements of the TLD process. Therefore, the next step in the research is to investigate the models for the programmes in operation.The main conclusion is that no programme design is consciousiy based on understanding technology transfer as a socio-technical learning and developmental process. Firstly, technology is usually considered as a material artefact and not as a carrier of knowledge and cultural values. Secondiy, the traditional developmental model is bureaucratic and top-down. The intention is to furnish companies with technology and not to let the potential use of new technology be integrated into a planned learning and developmental process.The key point in this paper is to advocate that policymakers and managers of technology transfer programmes redesign their programmes to incorporate the important and necessary learning and developmental processes. If this is taken seriousiy, it will be possible to take full advantage of technology transfer as an important element in technology policy.     

Retirement policies: Evidence of the need for change

Although flexible retirement is widely advocated in the professional literature, a recent survey indicates little movement toward flexibility at the operating level. Human resource managers perceive limited top management support for flexibility. Educational and research efforts are needed to improve retirement policies and more effectively utilize an aging work force.     

The joint influence of technology uncertainty and interorganizational interaction on external technology integration success

This paper empirically examines the acquisition of a technology from a source outside the firm and its incorporation into a new or existing operational process. We refer to this key activity in process innovation as external technology integration. This paper develops a conceptual framework of external technology integration based on organizational information processing theory and technology management literature. The primary hypothesis underlying the conceptual framework is that external technology integration will be most successful when the level of interaction between the source of the technology and recipient of the technology is appropriately matched, or fit, to the characteristics of the technology to be integrated. The conceptual framework also develops other hypotheses relating to contextual factors that may also influence the success of external technology integration. A cross-sectional survey methodology is employed to test the four hypotheses of the conceptual framework, with the results indicating strong support for the fit hypothesis and general support for the contextual hypotheses. The paper closes with a discussion of the implications of this study for both theory and practice.     

Mediating role of perceived supervisor support in the relationship between job autonomy and mental health: moderating role of value–means fit

Based on self-determination theory (SDT), this study investigates the relationship between job autonomy and mental health and the mediating role of perceived supervisor support (PSS) in that relationship. The study also examines whether employees’ work values moderate the relationships between job autonomy and PSS and mental health. Although it is well known that job autonomy has close relationships with mental health, we know little about the roles of PSS and employees’ values in these relationships. Using data from a nationally representative survey, this study found that PSS mediated the relationship between job autonomy and mental health. Furthermore, intrinsic work values positively moderated the relationships of job autonomy with PSS and mental health, whereas extrinsic work values negatively moderated these relationships. These findings support the idea of value–means fit. The findings provide important implications, beyond SDT, for how employees’ mental health can be improved and which employees benefit more from job autonomy.     

Preserving knowledge legacies: workforce aging,turnover and human resource issues in the US electric power industry

The aging of the workforce is believed to be a potential threat to productivity of companies both in the US and worldwide. High levels of turnover that may result from workforce aging could cause short-term as well as permanent loss of knowledge critical to firm operations and customer service. While there is a wealth of research regarding the causes of turnover, there is comparatively little research on the actual effects of turnover, particularly involuntary forms of turnover such as retirement. Focusing on the US electric power industry, whose employees have average ages and company tenures among the highest in the world, this paper explores the aging workforce issue both qualitatively and quantitatively. Results from an executive survey encompassing companies representing over 75 per cent of the industry's workers affirm that workforce aging is the electricity industry's dominant human resource (HR) concern but that it is interrelated with many other top HR issues, including skill shortages, leadership, and transition from an ‘entitlement-based’ to a ‘performance-based’ culture. Implications of prior literature on organizational learning, turnover and socio-technical systems theories are discussed, and propositions are offered as a framework for further research on the general effects of potential knowledge loss due to aging-related turnover.