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Article
Publication date: 12 August 2022

Bahadur Ali Soomro, Ummi Naiemah Saraih and Tunku Salha Tunku Ahmad

This study examines the effect of personality traits on organizational cynicism (OC). It explores, also, OC's predictive power on Employee Performance (EP) in Pakistan.

Abstract

Purpose

This study examines the effect of personality traits on organizational cynicism (OC). It explores, also, OC's predictive power on Employee Performance (EP) in Pakistan.

Design/methodology/approach

This is a quantitative study in which the authors employed a survey questionnaire to collect cross-sectional data from the academic leaders of Pakistan's Higher Education Institutes (HEIs). The authors utilized 325 usable cases to arrive at this study's findings.

Findings

The Structural Equation Model (SEM) analysis shows a positive and significant effect of agreeableness, extraversion, Emotional Stability (ES), conscientiousness and openness to experience on Cognitive Cynicism (CC), Affective Cynicism (AC) and Behavioural Cynicism (BC). Moreover, CC, AC and BC have proven to be negative and insignificant predictors of EP.

Practical implications

This study's findings offer additional insights to understanding the direct connection between personality traits, OC and EP. Therefore, the findings support the development of effective policies and organizational setups to manage OC through personality traits. The findings assist, also, in understanding OC and its adverse effects on EP. Finally, the findings further add to the depth of the literature through empirical confirmation by academic leaders.

Originality/value

This study's findings offer the original contribution of personality traits, OC and EP among HEIs' academic leaders in a developing country.

Details

International Journal of Educational Management, vol. 36 no. 7
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0951-354X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 November 2022

Xinying Yu and Yuwen Liu

With the spread of COVID-19, governments have initiated lockdown procedures and forced organizations to switch to remote working. Employees working remotely in isolated and…

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Abstract

Purpose

With the spread of COVID-19, governments have initiated lockdown procedures and forced organizations to switch to remote working. Employees working remotely in isolated and confined situations are experiencing great stress and uncertainty. This study aims to investigate how remote workers perform during lockdowns.

Design/methodology/approach

Drawing on social information processing theory, this study developed and tested hypotheses linking professional isolation, cynicism and task performance. This study was comprised of 497 remote workers in the financial industry in China.

Findings

The findings revealed that professional isolation is positively related to cynicism, and cynicism is negatively related to task performance. Cynicism mediates the relationship between professional isolation and task performance. The results indicated that psychological hardiness moderated the mediation effect of professional isolation on task performance through cynicism.

Practical implications

This research offers implications for managers and practitioners on reducing employees' feeling of isolation through effective communication, collaboration and support via online platforms and preventing and reducing cynicism by introducing clear organizational policy and practice to balance job demands and job resources. Meanwhile, managers can develop commitment, control and challenge components of employees' psychological hardiness to enhance job performance.

Originality/value

This study extends the remote working literature in a crisis situation and fills the gap in the cynicism literature by understanding the role played by cynicism for remote workers. The current study also adds to the literature by highlighting the importance of psychological hardiness for remote workers during the pandemic.

Details

Information Technology & People, vol. 36 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0959-3845

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 17 March 2023

Tu Lyu, Yulin Guo and Hao Chen

Based on the cognition–affect–conation pattern, this study explores the factors that affect the intention to use facial recognition services (FRS). The study adopts the driving…

Abstract

Purpose

Based on the cognition–affect–conation pattern, this study explores the factors that affect the intention to use facial recognition services (FRS). The study adopts the driving factor perspective to examine how network externalities influence FRS use intention through the mediating role of satisfaction and the barrier factor perspective to analyze how perceived privacy risk affects FRS use intention through the mediating role of privacy cynicism.

Design/methodology/approach

The data collected from 478 Chinese FRS users are analyzed via partial least squares-based structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM).

Findings

The study produces the following results. (1) FRS use intention is motivated directly by the positive affective factor of satisfaction and the negative affective factor of privacy cynicism. (2) Satisfaction is affected by cognitive factors related to network externalities. Perceived complementarity and perceived compatibility, two indirect network externalities, positively affect satisfaction, whereas perceived critical mass, a direct network externality, does not significantly affect satisfaction. In addition, perceived privacy risk generates privacy cynicism. (3) Resistance to change positively moderates the relationship between privacy cynicism and intention to use FRS.

Originality/value

This study extends knowledge on people's use of FRS by exploring affect- and cognitive-based factors and finding that the affect-based factors (satisfaction and privacy cynicism) play fully mediating roles in the relationship between the cognitive-based factors and use intention. This study also expands the cognitive boundaries of FRS use by exploring the functional condition between affect-based factors and use intention, that is, the moderating role of resistance to use.

Details

Information Technology & People, vol. 37 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0959-3845

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 6 May 2021

Cem Sen, Ibrahim Sani Mert and A. Mohammed Abubakar

A traditional view of an ideal workplace is an organization with a justice climate and a supportive atmosphere. Over the past years, justice and support practices in the workplace…

Abstract

Purpose

A traditional view of an ideal workplace is an organization with a justice climate and a supportive atmosphere. Over the past years, justice and support practices in the workplace have received significant scholarly, practical and even political attention. Unfortunately, theoretical underpinnings and literature associated with these themes vary across multiple disciplines, cultural and contextual settings. To fill the void from the Turkish contextual perspective, the present study aims to examine the association among perceived organizational support (POS), organizational justice and cynicism.

Design/methodology/approach

The sample was chosen from the public employees in the central organization of two ministries in Ankara Province. Data through questionnaires were collected by the conveniency method from a total of 326 public employees. The proposed model is analyzed withvariance-based structural equation modeling technique.

Findings

Results suggest that POS and organizational justice exert a negative impact on cynicism. In particular, as employees-POS and organizational justice increases, the tendency for organizational cynicism decreases.

Originality/value

In today’s dynamic environment, controlling and reducing the cynicism, which emerges as an important threat to the success of organizations, of employees has become essential in obtaining a sustainable competitive advantage. The originality of this research stems from its ability to put forward how to manage and control cynicism, with the help of organizational support and organizational justice and hence have a power that increases personal and organizational efficiency and performance from the Turkish contextual perspective. There is limited research examining the relationship among organizational POS, organizational justice and cynicism in the Turkish context.

Details

International Journal of Organizational Analysis, vol. 30 no. 6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1934-8835

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 16 October 2018

Mohamed Mousa

This paper aims to discover the effect of cultural diversity challenges (organizational communication, work- related discrimination and training) on physicians’ cognitive…

1228

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to discover the effect of cultural diversity challenges (organizational communication, work- related discrimination and training) on physicians’ cognitive, affective and behavioral cynicism in the context of public hospitals, Menoufia (Egypt).

Design/methodology/approach

A total of 360 physicians at public hospitals in Menoufia (Egypt) were contacted and all of them received a set of questionnaires. After five follow ups, a total of 240 responses were collected with a response rate of 66.67 per cent.

Findings

The findings suggest that only communication is considered the main and significant predictor for cognitive, affective and behavioral cynicism. Accordingly, when physicians perceive well-coordinated and balanced communication, they feel that their hospital has an adequate level of integrity and consequently will have a positive attitude toward it.

Practical implications

Through well-formulated organizational communication, the hospital administration can decrease the organizational cynicism among physicians and subsequently their unwanted behavior. It is needless to say that when physicians experience an open-door communication climate, they experience a sense of psychological safety and give their very best.

Originality/value

This paper contributes by filling a gap in management and organization literature, in which empirical studies on cultural diversity and organizational cynicism were limited until now.

Details

Journal of Global Responsibility, vol. 9 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2041-2568

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 2 April 2020

Yuxia Qian and Guowei Jian

This study aims to construct and empirically test a theoretical model of a mediated relationship between ethical leadership and organizational cynicism.

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Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to construct and empirically test a theoretical model of a mediated relationship between ethical leadership and organizational cynicism.

Design/methodology/approach

From a communication perspective, this study examines the underlying mechanism of the association between ethical leadership and organizational cynicism. A cross-sectional survey was sent to participants in different occupations. Path analysis was used to test the overall model fit.

Findings

The results indicate that ethical leadership has both a direct and indirect effect on organizational cynicism through the mediating role of leader-member exchange (LMX) and organizational identification. However, a surprising finding is that the mediating mechanisms of LMX and organizational identification are not in a parallel structure, but in a serial pattern. That is, the mediating role of LMX is further mediated by organizational identification.

Originality/value

This study contributes to the literature in several aspects. First, the study sheds light on leadership as an important source of organizational cynicism. In particular, the theoretical model presents pathways that show how the predictive effects of ethical leadership on organizational cynicism are mediated through leader-member relationships and organizational identification. Second, the theoretical analysis on the mediating process highlights the role of communication in facilitating the influence of leadership and constructing organizational identification. Third, the mediating model offers concrete guidance for organizations in their attempt to mitigate organizational cynicism.

Details

Corporate Communications: An International Journal, vol. 25 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1356-3289

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 6 April 2010

Janine Dermody, Stuart Hanmer‐Lloyd and Richard Scullion

The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of trust, cynicism and efficacy on young peoples' (non)voting behaviour during the 2005 British general election.

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of trust, cynicism and efficacy on young peoples' (non)voting behaviour during the 2005 British general election.

Design/methodology/approach

Survey data were gathered from 1,134 interviewer‐administered questionnaires with young first‐time voters during the three‐week period following the British general election in May 2005. Validated attitudes statements were used to measure their levels of trust, cynicism and efficacy.

Findings

The research shows that young people are generally distrusting of and very cynical about politicians and the Prime Minister (Tony Blair) Thus, in part, the data support the existing evidence that cynicism contributes to feelings of political alienation. However, the paper's findings also indicate that while young people can be highly distrusting and cynical, they can also be interested in the election and vote.

Research limitations/implications

Current, negative evaluations of young people and electoral politics need to be reviewed. While, it cannot be denied that this age group are highly cynical, and their electoral participation is in decline, for some, this cynicism, when combined with personal efficacy, can act as a positive force to stimulate “monitorial” interaction with election offerings. Consequently, further research is needed to understand young peoples' perceptions of democracy and electoral politics, how their personal efficacy can be increased and what feeds their cynicism.

Originality/value

This paper offers a contemporary understanding of young people as an interested and critical citizenry and raises a number of important questions that set a new agenda for political marketers researching youth electoral engagement in the future.

Details

European Journal of Marketing, vol. 44 no. 3/4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0309-0566

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 13 September 2018

Katja Stradovnik and Janez Stare

The purpose of the paper is to examine the impact of Machiavellian leadership and organisational cynicism on the emotional exhaustion of employees.

2045

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of the paper is to examine the impact of Machiavellian leadership and organisational cynicism on the emotional exhaustion of employees.

Design/methodology/approach

Survey data were collected from 463 employees of Slovenian municipalities. Surveys were used to collect Machiavellianism, organisational cynicism and emotional exhaustion data. Hypotheses were verified by means of three methods: the contingency table, χ2 test and Pearson coefficient.

Findings

Machiavellian leadership has an impact both on the presence of emotional exhaustion and organisational cynicism. According to the results, both Machiavellianism and organisational cynicism have a direct linear impact on the increase of emotional exhaustion.

Research limitations/implications

The findings of the research were formulated on the basis of a survey conducted according to a self-assessment online survey.

Originality/value

Even though the concept of Machiavellianism was developed 500 years ago, the existing literature suggests that it continues to be relevant in modern times, most frequently in terms of examining the way leaders establish their power and adopt (un)ethical leadership practices and the implications their behaviour has on their direct working environment. Only select authors have examined Machiavellianism in correlation with organisational cynicism and emotional exhaustion, with an emphasis on the public sector. Due to a lack of research conducted on the subject, the main research challenge was to establish actual correlations between the three factors above.

Details

Leadership & Organization Development Journal, vol. 39 no. 8
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0143-7739

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 June 2010

James J. Sobol

The purpose of this paper is to use Klinger's theory of negotiated order to examine whether district crime and deviance levels exert influence on levels of police cynicism towards…

2060

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to use Klinger's theory of negotiated order to examine whether district crime and deviance levels exert influence on levels of police cynicism towards district residents. A secondary purpose is to discuss the policy implications for the proposed relationship between district crime and police cynicism.

Design/methodology/approach

Interviews from the Project on Policing Neighborhood (POPN) and patrol district crime data were used to study whether crime and deviance levels exert influence on police cynicism of district residents (n=574). It was hypothesized that officers would be more cynical of citizens in districts with higher rates of violent crime compared with their colleagues assigned to districts with lower rates of violent crime.

Findings

The results of OLS regression analyses indicate that district violent crime rate was related to police cynicism and in the direction hypothesized, controlling for both individual and occupational covariates. Officers with more experience were also found to have lower levels of cynicism.

Research limitations/implications

Items used to construct the measure of police cynicism were adapted from the POPN survey data set which asked general questions about officer perceptions of district residents. Further research and better measures are necessary in order to examine the determinants of police cynicism with implications for explaining behavior. Findings from the study might be used by policymakers in terms of police assignment and deployment to high crime areas.

Originality/value

This is the first empirical attempt at examining Klinger's theory of social ecology. The study incorporates a policy argument based on the theoretical precepts and the results from the data analysis.

Details

Policing: An International Journal of Police Strategies & Management, vol. 33 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1363-951X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 20 April 2018

Radomir Zekavica, Biljana Simeunovic-Patic, Phillippus J. Potgieter and Cornelis J. Roelofse

The purpose of this paper is to present the results of the first research on prevalence, nature and correlates of the police cynicism in Serbia, with particular attention to the…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to present the results of the first research on prevalence, nature and correlates of the police cynicism in Serbia, with particular attention to the associations of cynicism with job satisfaction.

Design/methodology/approach

Data were collected using a paper-based survey, and obtained from 472 police officers from five police departments across the country. For the purpose of measuring of organizational and work aspects of police cynicism a new developed 24 five-level Likert-type items scale was used.

Findings

The results show that cynicism is normally distributed. No statistically significant gender, education or police rank differences were identified, and the length of service does not appear to influence cynical attitudes significantly. Cynicism scores statistically significantly varied across police departments and predicted job dissatisfaction. The underlying four-factor structure of police cynicism was identified. The factors include: general organizational cynicism; cynicism toward police hierarchy/superiors; cynicism toward public/citizen cooperation; and cynicism toward modernization of policing in the crime control field.

Research limitations/implications

The generalizability of the sample is limited, giving that participants come from only five out of a total of 27 police departments in the country, while the female police officers and officers with education higher than high school were somewhat overrepresented.

Originality/value

This research provides some more evidence on the nature and determinants of police cynicism that might inspire future research in this important but under-researched area. It implies that the need to explore more deeply relations between police cynicism and stress, burnout and particularly contextual and departmental factors that might be influential to police cynicism. It might also incite future research on the internal structure of police cynicism.

Details

Policing: An International Journal, vol. 41 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1363-951X

Keywords

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