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Article
Publication date: 5 March 2018

Sam K. Formby, Manoj K. Malhotra and Sanjay L. Ahire

Quality management constructs related to management leadership and workforce involvement have consistently shown strong correlation with firm success for years. However, there is…

1038

Abstract

Purpose

Quality management constructs related to management leadership and workforce involvement have consistently shown strong correlation with firm success for years. However, there is an increasing body of research based on complexity theory (CT) suggesting that constructs such as these should be viewed as variables in a complex system with inter-dependencies, interactions, and potentially nonlinear relationships. Despite the significant body of conceptual research related to CT, there is a lack of methodological research into these potentially nonlinear effects. The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate the theoretical and practical importance of non-linear terms in a multivariate polynomial model as they become more significant predictors of firm success in collaborative environments and less significant in more rigidly controlled work environments.

Design/methodology/approach

Multivariate polynomial regression methods are used to examine the significance and effect sizes of interaction and quadratic terms in operations scenarios expected to have varying degrees of complex and complex adaptive behaviors.

Findings

The results find that in highly collaborative work environments, non-linear and interaction effects become more significant predictors of success than the linear terms in the model. In more rigid, less collaborative work environments, these effects are not present or significantly reduced in effect size.

Research limitations/implications

This study shows that analytical methods sensitive to detecting and measuring nonlinearities in relationships such as multivariate polynomial regression models enhance our theoretical understanding of the relationships between constructs when the theory predicts that complex and complex adaptive behaviors are present and important.

Originality/value

This study demonstrates that complex adaptive behaviors between management and the workforce exist in certain environments and provide greater understanding of factor relationships relating to firm success than more traditional linear analytical methods.

Details

International Journal of Productivity and Performance Management, vol. 67 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1741-0401

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 4 April 2022

Daphna Motro and Daniel Sullivan

Using the stereotype content model (SCM) as a framework, the authors examine how the negative relationship between peoples’ unethical behavior and perceptions of their competence…

Abstract

Purpose

Using the stereotype content model (SCM) as a framework, the authors examine how the negative relationship between peoples’ unethical behavior and perceptions of their competence only holds when the unethical act is simple.

Design/methodology/approach

In two studies, participants (n = 401) evaluated the competence of an employee who behaved unethically. In one condition, the unethical behavior was complex (e.g. computer hacking), while in the other it was simple (e.g. stealing items from a closet).

Findings

Our findings are built on prior work by showing that employees are considered significantly more competent when their unethical behavior is complex as opposed to simple (“evil genius” effect).

Practical implications

Employees may not be discouraged from engaging in complex unethical behavior if they recognize that it might not affect their reputation as a competent employee. Given the negative impact of unethical behavior, this is a consequence that organizations would likely seek to avoid.

Originality/value

The authors expand on the SCM by making a clear distinction between how certain behaviors (unethical and complex) influence trait perceptions (warmth and competence). In doing so, the authors identify a moderator – act complexity – that weakens the negative relationship between individuals’ unethical behavior and perceptions of their competence.

Details

Journal of Managerial Psychology, vol. 37 no. 6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0268-3946

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 24 January 2018

Joy Parkinson, Rebekah Russell-Bennett and Josephine Previte

There is a dominance of cognitive models used by marketers when studying social phenomena, which denies the complexity of the behavior under investigation. Complex social behaviors

4260

Abstract

Purpose

There is a dominance of cognitive models used by marketers when studying social phenomena, which denies the complexity of the behavior under investigation. Complex social behaviors are typically emotionally charged and require a different perspective. The purpose of this research is to challenge the planned behavior approach and reframe marketers’ perspectives on how to study complex social phenomenon such as breastfeeding.

Design/methodology/approach

An online survey of 1,275 American and Australian women was undertaken to test the Model of Goal Behavior in a breastfeeding context. Structural equation modeling and multi-group analysis of novice (first-time mothers) and experienced mothers is used to test the hypotheses.

Findings

The findings demonstrate emotion and experience matter when understanding a complex social behavior such as breastfeeding. The emotional variables in the model had significant relationships, while the cognitive variables of instrumental and affective attitude did not. As women progress through their customer journey (from novice to experienced), the behavioral drivers change.

Practical implications

This research demonstrates an emotion, and experience-focused approach should guide the design of social marketing interventions aimed at changing complex social behaviors.

Originality/value

This research presents empirical evidence to challenge the pervasive use of planned behavior models and theories in marketing. Importantly, in social behavior models, emotion rather than attitudes have a larger role in determining intentions and behaviors.

Details

European Journal of Marketing, vol. 52 no. 3/4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0309-0566

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 25 September 2019

Arch G. Woodside, Carol M. Megehee, Lars Isaksson and Graham Ferguson

This paper aims to apply complexity theory tenets to deepen understanding, explanation and prediction of how configurations of national cultures and need motivations influence…

1363

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to apply complexity theory tenets to deepen understanding, explanation and prediction of how configurations of national cultures and need motivations influence national entrepreneurial and innovation behavior and nations’ quality-of-life (QOL). Also, the study examines whether or not high national ethical behavior is sufficient for indicating nations high in quality-of-life.

Design/methodology/approach

Applying core tenets of complexity theory, the study constructs asymmetric, case-based (nations), explanations and predictive models of cultures’ consequences (via Schwartz’s seven value dimensions) and implicit need motivations (via McClelland’s three need motivations) indicating national entrepreneur and innovation activities and subsequent national quality-of-life and ethical behavior. The study includes testing configurational models empirically for predictive accuracy. The empirical examination is for a set of data for 24 nations in Asia, Europe, North and South America and the South Pacific.

Findings

The findings confirm the usefulness of applying complexity theory to learn how culture and motivation configurations support versus have negative consequences on nations’ entrepreneurship, innovation and human well-being. Nurturing of entrepreneur activities supports the nurturing of enterprise innovation activity and their joint occurrence indicates nations achieving high quality-of-life. The findings advance the perspective that different sets of cultural value configurations indicate nations high versus low in entrepreneur and innovation activities.

Practical implications

High entrepreneur activities without high innovation activity are insufficient for achieving high national quality-of-life. Achieving high ethical behavior supports high quality-of-life.

Originality/value

This study is one of the first to apply complexity theory tenets in the field of entrepreneurship research. The study here advances the perspective that case-based asymmetric modeling of recipes is necessary to explain and predict entrepreneur activities and outcomes rather than examining whether variable relationships are statistically significant from zero.

Details

Journal of Business & Industrial Marketing, vol. 35 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0885-8624

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 September 1995

Gordon R. Foxall

Methodological pluralism in consumer research is usually confinedto post‐positivist interpretive approaches. Argues, however, that apositivistic stance, radical behaviourism, can…

6551

Abstract

Methodological pluralism in consumer research is usually confined to post‐positivist interpretive approaches. Argues, however, that a positivistic stance, radical behaviourism, can enrich epistemological debate among researchers with the recognition of radical behaviourism′s ultimate reliance on interpretation as well as science. Although radical behaviourist explanation was initially founded on Machian positivism, its account of complex social behaviours such as purchase and consumption is necessarily interpretive, inviting comparison with the hermeneutical approaches currently emerging in consumer research. Radical behaviourist interpretation attributes meaning to behaviour by identifying its environmental determinants, especially the learning history of the individual in relation to the consequences similar prior behaviour has effected. The nature of such interpretation is demonstrated for purchase and consumption responses by means of a critique of radical behaviourism as applied to complex human activity. In the process, develops and applies a framework for radical behaviourist interpretation of purchase and consumption to four operant equifinality classes of consumer behaviour: accomplishment, pleasure, accumulation and maintenance. Some epistemological implications of this framework, the behavioural perspective model (BPM) of purchase and consumption, are discussed in the context of the relativity and incommensurability of research paradigms. Finally, evaluates the interpretive approach, particularly in terms of its relevance to the nature and understanding of managerial marketing.

Details

European Journal of Marketing, vol. 29 no. 9
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0309-0566

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 4 September 2007

Linda J. Vandergriff

This paper seeks to explore new complex venture approaches needed because the classical twentieth century system engineering model does not accommodate the complexities of

Abstract

Purpose

This paper seeks to explore new complex venture approaches needed because the classical twentieth century system engineering model does not accommodate the complexities of twenty‐first century ventures, especially those with significant knowledge management components.

Design/methodology/approach

A complexity literature review was performed to identify the attributes of complex ventures. Then the fundamental differences in defining, developing, and implementing complicated traditional systems and complex ventures were explored. The resultant complex venture model builds on the insights derived from chaos and complexity theories; observations of several acquisition successes and failures; and doctoral research on agile enterprise decision support.

Findings

Successful traditional systems engineering complicated systems models' built‐in assumptions do not scale to the needed twenty‐first century complex solutions. It is necessary to develop a complex venture model that guides the engineering solutions that: describe complex ventures as flows of intelligence, energy and matter provide value in a dynamic co‐evolving context; provide leadership, not control, with clear and consistent venture‐wide vision that guides empowered individual agent decision making; institute tiered situationally‐aware decision making in both time and place; address factors (material and non‐material) contributing to solution success; provide for rapidly changing context and the co‐evolutionary ventures, including unexpected users, uses, and implementations.

Originality/value

A complex venture conceptual model informs the architecting and systems engineering acquisition practices for this new solution category.

Details

VINE, vol. 37 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0305-5728

Keywords

Abstract

Details

Designing XR: A Rhetorical Design Perspective for the Ecology of Human+Computer Systems
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-80262-366-6

Article
Publication date: 10 October 2016

Joy Parkinson, Lisa Schuster and Rebekah Russell-Bennett

This paper aims to integrate existing thinking and provide new insights into the complexity of behaviours to improve understanding of the nature of these behaviours. This paper…

1098

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to integrate existing thinking and provide new insights into the complexity of behaviours to improve understanding of the nature of these behaviours. This paper expands social marketing theory by introducing the Motivation–Opportunity–Ability–Behaviour (MOAB) framework to assist in understanding the nature of social marketing behaviours by extending the Motivation–Opportunity–Ability (MOA) framework.

Design/methodology/approach

This is a conceptual paper that proposes the MOAB framework to understand the complexity of behaviours.

Findings

This new tool will provide social marketers with an improved understanding of the differences between behaviours targeted by social marketers. Specifically, it provides a definition and application of complexity in social marketing that will facilitate the development of consumer insights and subsequent social marketing programs that more sufficiently account for the complexity of target behaviours.

Research limitations/implications

This proposed MOAB framework offers a foundation for future research to expand upon. Further research is recommended to empirically test the proposed framework.

Originality/value

This paper seeks to advance the theoretical base of social marketing by providing new insights to understand the nature of the behaviour in social marketing to assist social marketers to move beyond attempts to treat all behaviours as if they are the same.

Details

Journal of Social Marketing, vol. 6 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2042-6763

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 May 2004

Drew Wollin and Chad Perry

This article explores how complexity theory can help marketers to understand a market and to operate within it. Essentially, it argues that complexity theory has the potential to…

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Abstract

This article explores how complexity theory can help marketers to understand a market and to operate within it. Essentially, it argues that complexity theory has the potential to provide both global and some local explanations of markets and is complementary to local theories like relationship marketing that may be more familiar to marketing managers. It establishes four types of complex systems that might be used to model social systems. Of these four types, complex adaptive systems seem most appropriate to describe markets. This is illustrated in an investigation of Honda in the global automobile industry. Implications for marketing managers centre on the need to understand feedback loops at many levels of a path‐dependent system that are inherently difficult to predict and control.

Details

European Journal of Marketing, vol. 38 no. 5/6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0309-0566

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 April 2001

Linda L. Brown and Daniel J. Svyantek

Analyses of organizational behavior traditionally use methods based on linear statistics. However, aspects of complex system behavior, such as market share performance, may be…

Abstract

Analyses of organizational behavior traditionally use methods based on linear statistics. However, aspects of complex system behavior, such as market share performance, may be better modeled and understood using graphical approaches. These approaches can be used to clarify the relationships between variables found in psychological research and can provide a complement to traditional research representations that has particular value for the practitioner in organizations. This paper demonstrates how three‐dimensional graphs can be valuable tools for understanding, explaining, and communicating research results by using longitudinal performance data from the automotive industry as an illustration.

Details

The International Journal of Organizational Analysis, vol. 9 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1055-3185

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