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This study aims to examine how the fear of appearing incompetent (FAI) and competency pressure relates to negotiation tactics and subjective perceptions in a negotiation.

Using a dyadic buyer/seller negotiation simulation and pre- and post-negotiation questionnaires, we assessed FAI, competency pressure, tactics and subjective perceptions of the negotiation. Mediation models were tested using path analysis adapted from Hayes (2013) PROCESS procedures. MPlus “complex” multi-level function was used to account for non-independence of observations.

Results indicated that those with a higher FAI perceive more competency pressure, which is associated with greater use of competitive tactics (e.g. misrepresenting own interest, holding back information, making unreasonable offers) and lesser use of cooperative tactics (e.g. sharing helpful information, making reasonable offers, compromising). Tactics used in the negotiation mediated the relationship between competency pressure and subjective perception of the negotiation, such that competitive tactics were negatively related, and cooperative tactics were significantly positively related to subjective perception of the negotiation.

Reliability on the cooperative tactics measure was only minimally acceptable and all measures were self-report and collected during a single lab simulation session.

The findings suggest that relieving competency pressure in negotiation settings could open avenues for cooperation. Gaining expertise through formal negotiation training may be one way to accomplish this.

This is the first known study to investigate FAI and competency pressure in a negotiation setting. We draw on an emotion–cognition–behavior framework to show that FAI is associated with competency pressure thoughts, which predict negotiation behaviors. Further, this research lends support to the notion that competitive tactics are fundamental to the mental model of a negotiation.

This chapter introduces the concept of “competency labor” and illustrates its important role in organizational life for both researchers and practitioners. In the contemporary workplace environment individuals face increasing expectations of competence. However, demonstrating competence is no simple task – rather, to demonstrate competence requires a concerted effort in terms of individuals’ affect, cognition, and behavior. Accordingly, new models are needed that can explain these emergent processes. The present work integrates the literatures related to emotional labor and impression management, and builds a theory-based framework for investigating the processes (affective, cognitive, and behavioral) of making desired impressions of competency at work and how these processes impact critical individual and organizational outcomes. Our conceptual model proposes how growing demands in the workplace for individuals to display competence affect how they think, feel, as well as act. In sum, our work advocates that a new research stream is needed to better understand the “competency labor” phenomenon and its theoretical as well as practical implications.

This study explores the adoption of Industry 4.0 in developing countries' export industries, focusing on factors influencing this adoption, the moderating role of market pressure and prioritizing key factors for sustainable growth.

Based on the “TOE theory” this study has proposed a research framework to identify the factors influencing the adoption and sustainable implementation of Industry 4.0 in the export industry. This study has collected valid datasets from 387 export-oriented industries and applied SEM-ANN dual-stage hybrid model to capture linear and nonlinear interaction between variables.

Results revealed that Technical Capabilities, System Flexibility, Software Infrastructure, Human Resource Competency and Market pressure significantly influence the Adoption of Industry 4.0. Higher market pressure as a moderator also improves the Industry 4.0 adoption process. Results also pointed out that system flexibility is a gray area in Industry 4.0 adoption, which can be enhanced in the export industry to maintain a sustainable adoption and implementation of Industry 4.0.

Minute information is available on the factors influencing the adoption of Industry 4.0 in export-oriented industries. This study has empirically explored the role of influential factors in Industry 4.0 and ranked them based on their normalized importance.

The purpose of this paper is to examine the effects of the commitment‐ and control‐approaches on the use of competency management, and to investigate whether attitude, subjective norm and perceived behavioural control mediate these effects.

In Study 1, using a survey, employees indicated whether their organization adopted a commitment‐ or a control‐approach towards competency management. Moreover, they rated their own attitude, subjective norm, perceived behavioural control, and behaviour. In Study 2 a scenario experiment was conducted in which the authors manipulated the commitment‐ and control‐approaches towards competency management in order to establish causal relations.

Results consistently showed that the use of competency management is higher within a commitment‐ than within a control‐approach. Furthermore, attitude and perceived behavioural control were found to mediate the relationship between the commitment‐approach and the use of competency management.

Future research should include other organizational members, for example (line) managers, to create future insight in the effects of commitment‐ and control‐approaches on the use of competency management.

The results of the studies highlight that a commitment‐oriented approach increases the use of competency management by employees and that a positive employee attitude and perceived behavioural control are of considerable importance when increasing the use of competency management is an organization's primary goal.

The paper gives insight in how to persuade and stimulate employees to use competency management more frequently.

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the direct effect of external pressure on environmental outcomes and manufacturing performance and examine the mediating effect of sustainable management practice.

This study draws upon institutional theory and resource-based view to understand how factors such as external pressure and sustainable management relate with environmental outcomes and manufacturing performance. The model specifies previously unexplored direct and mediating relationships between external pressure, sustainable management, environmental outcomes and manufacturing performance. The empirical analysis is based on data collected from the sixth edition of the International Manufacturing Strategy Survey. The research hypotheses are tested using structural equation modelling.

Results show that while there is a significant direct and mediating relationship between external pressure, adoption of formal sustainability programmes and environmental outcomes, such significant relationships do not exist with manufacturing performance.

The study shows that external pressure can influence adoption of sustainable practices but this does not necessarily lead to an improvement in manufacturing performance. As such managers need to identify the actual benefits of sustainability and weigh them up against costs of implementing such programmes.

The relationship between the adoption of sustainable practices and organisational performance is a complex one. In contrast to previous studies, this study found that while external pressure and sustainable management relate positively with environmental outcomes, no such relationship exists with manufacturing performance. This raises a number of question marks over naive implementation of sustainable strategies.

To outline a core competence model by exploring links between core competence and the associated concepts of competencies, capabilities, and resources, and by proposing refinements to the characteristics of these concepts.

A case study based primarily on personal interviews.

The findings suggest that competencies, capabilities, and resources are all linked to core‐competencies; the first two continuously, and the third intermittently; motivate refinement of the competence concept, by adding adaptation competence as governing customer loyalty, and transfer competence as managing transcendental integration; and motivate refinement of the capability concept, by adding capacity as a quality characteristic, and communication as a characteristic that can actively initiate organizational change.

The paper outlines a core competence model and propose refinements of the characteristics and links of the concepts, contributing to both core competence theory and resource‐based theory.

This work informs managers of the details of the core competence concept, of particular interest to managers with a customer‐focused standpoint. An empirical core competence exemplifies the importance of knowing the characteristics of competencies, since they encapsulate the power of organizational development. Managers also need to pay attention to the influences of capabilities, since they not only support organizational processes (if up‐to‐date), but also initiate change.

The development and specification of the core competence concept.

This study aims to investigate the factors associated with the intention to use information technology in audit (ITIA) in Iraq.

The study uses a quantitative approach based on a questionnaire survey of 186 respondents. The study population includes respondents who are board members, senior executives, internal auditors and information technology (IT) assistants in various Iraqi organizations from different sectors. Structural equation modeling has been used to estimate the results.

The findings exhibit that most auditors in Iraq use basic IT software. However, among several specialized and advanced IT audit software packages, only generalized audit software is used by about 20%. The results also indicate that social factors significantly and positively impact auditors’ and practitioners’ perceptions of ITIA use. Moreover, the results reveal that companies and auditors who use or audit complex accounting systems perceive higher benefits and intent to adopt ITIA. However, the results report that organizational support, professional support, competency and IT education have an insignificant effect on ITIA adoption.

The originality of the present research lies in several aspects. First, the research study focuses specifically on Iraq, which is an emerging and less developed country influenced by social and economic. This research context provides a unique perspective and contributes to the understanding of ITIA adoption in less developed countries. The study investigates how external factors, including social and external pressure and the support of government professional bodies, affect the adoption of ITIA. Further, it assesses the influence of firms’ specific factors such as management support, level of competency and complexity of accounting information systems. Second, the study uses a quantitative approach with a questionnaire survey from various Iraqi organizations and sectors. The specific sample composition adds originality by capturing insights from different levels of organizational hierarchy and diverse professional backgrounds. Third, the findings shed light on the current IT usage in auditing practices in Iraq, highlighting that most auditors use basic IT software and the limited adoption of specialized IT audit software packages. Finally, the study’s originality is also reflected in its contribution to expanding knowledge on the perceived benefits and challenges associated with ITIA adoption in less developed countries. By emphasizing the need for broader awareness of emerging technology-enabled auditing software and considering the unique characteristics of less developed countries, the research provides valuable insights and implications for practitioners, policymakers and researchers.

The purpose of this paper is to show the effects of the six competence areas of Garcia-Aracil and Van der Velden (2007) on new graduates' labor market success measured by salary.

The paper starts with a literature review about the role of competencies in higher education. Then the Graduate Career Tracking System (GCTS) carried out at the University of Pécs (UP) in Hungary provides a good basis to understand the competence assessment methodology better. Furthermore, GCTS is suitable for carrying out an exploratory, a confirmatory factor analysis and an OLS regression to discover the connection between competencies and level of income.

The analyzed results, using a representative online survey based on 6,190 respondents, show that the six competence sets do exist, but that not all of them have a significant effect on salaries. With the control variables involved, 24.3% (EFA) and 23.0% (CFA) of the global competencies account for variance in salaries. The impact of methodological and the socioemotional set on salaries can be clearly seen among those with new degrees, and based on the results and the literature review, the HEIs can improve them.

In the absence of nationwide general competence assessment, the results are limited only for the UP graduates of Hungary, even if this HEI is one of the biggest ones.

Based on the results, more soft-competence development courses and opportunities should be offered by the HEIs.

The findings of the study help us to understand the role of the institutions in tertiary education, the extra service to be provided to assist students in being successful in life. Based on the literature review, there is a need to understand better the connection between competencies and labor market success. This paper contributes to this and also presents an opportunity for further comparative research. The sample is robust to allow other researchers to use this conceptual model and apply it to other countries.

This paper examines competence development as a facet of a firm’s dynamics. Proceeding from a “model of competence building” developed in an earlier study, a theory of competence development is outlined, which recommends that competence development should cyclically alternate between competence upgrading and competence renewal. This cycle is subject to various influences, including the firm-specific resource base, the way in which managers perceive competence to create customer value, the level of undesired knowledge diffusion, and changes in the environmental dynamics specific to the firm. Inevitably, the theory of competence development involves some simplifications; yet it’s relevance is underlined by the fact that it stands up to empirical analysis.

The purpose of this study is to describe how one US Midwestern university implements quality principles, based on the value added premise in a teacher preparation program that yields accountability, teacher education standards attainment and ultimately improvement of teacher candidates and overall programs.

Data pertinent to students were gathered in a systematic way as they declared a certification area. This data was used to identify students who needed tutorial support and class advisement to assure successful matriculation, program completion and success on identified critical assessments. The two assessments identified were teacher work sample (TWS) and the national physical education certification examination (Praxis II). Meaningful proactive advisement, data sharing and tutorial testing assistance program were the primary approaches used to improve teacher candidate competencies.

Specific course modifications and curricular redesign resulted in positive results on the TWS and Praxis II. The results have been improved teacher candidate performance on knowledge, skills and dispositions measures.

As result of sharing data, a cultural shift occurred within the program. Faculty became more accountable to teacher candidate competency attainment and teacher candidates became more attuned to becoming an effective prospective teacher.

Because this particular teacher education programs implemented quality principles, utilized the value added approach to management and systematically used data that yielded positive results, it has become a model for other teacher education programs.

This study uses one program to provide examples of how management of accountability and standards attainment can lead to administrative, curricular, candidate and overall program improvement.