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Adopting a social exchange framework, this article examines the relationship between organizational cynicism and leader–member exchange (LMX) using two different methodologies.

Study 1 utilizes a longitudinal panel design (N = 291) to examine the reciprocal relationships between organizational cynicism and LMX over time. Study 2 (N = 348) positions loyalty as a possible mechanism through which organizational cynicism might impair LMX.

Study 1 provides evidence for the existence of some reciprocity in the relationships between organizational cynicism and LMX; however, organizational cynicism appears to be a stronger predictor of LMX than the obverse. The results of Study 2 suggest that cynical employees are less loyal to their supervisors, and this cynicism can interfere with the reciprocity process inherent in the creation and maintenance of high-quality social exchanges at work.

This is the first study to examine the relations between organizational cynicism and LMX in a longitudinal design. Additionally, the inclusion of loyalty and demonstration that organizational cynicism impacts loyalty to supervisors negatively represents a novel direction in organizational cynicism research.

This chapter discusses why employees keep their knowledge to themselves. Despite managers’ best efforts, many employees tend to hoard knowledge or are reluctant to share their expertise with coworkers or managers. Although many firms have introduced specialized initiatives to encourage a broader dissemination of ideas and knowledge among organizational members, these initiatives often fail. This chapter provides reasons as to why this is so. Instead of focusing on why individuals might share their knowledge, however, we explain why individuals keep their knowledge to themselves. Multiple perspectives are offered, including social exchange, norms of secrecy, and territorial behaviors.

This study is designed to describe the marketing practices of private entrepreneurs in mainland China.

Personal interviews were conducted with 200 private entrepreneurs in China. A structured survey instrument was used and data were analyzed using SAS tools.

Four key findings: Chinese entrepreneurs focus primarily on reaching an industrial client base among private companies in China; their marketing practices suggest that they prefer tight control over their operations; they use listed prices extensively and salespeople are typically given some flexibility in deviating from those listed prices; the development of sales/distribution networks is enhanced through the use of listed prices but is hurt by the flexibility salespeople have in deviating from those listed prices. Some marketing practices differ by geographic location of the entrepreneurial firm (Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou) and by the type of entrepreneur (returnee, local).

It is imposible to offer a clear reference point for Chinese entrepreneurs; hence, apart from documenting their practices, it is not certain whether these practices are significantly different from others. All data are self‐reported (including financial performance). Sampling frame: although every attempt was made to have a representative sample, there was no way to guarantee this. More comprehensive research to validate the findings is needed.

The major contribution is insights into the marketing practices of Chinese entrepreneurs so far not documented in the literature. Hence, this study gives a descriptive but comprehensive picture of Chinese entrepreneurs as marketers.

Organizational cynicism is on the increase. The purpose of this paper is to explore how dispositions promote cynical attitudes and how to mitigate the negative impact of organizational cynicism for employees.

The data consisted of two samples (n=312 and n=529) of employed adults. All participants completed online surveys containing the variables of interest. The hypothesized model was tested using structural equation modeling.

Low levels of core self-evaluation (CSE) predict organizational cynicism which, in turn, mediates the relations between CSE and job attitudes. Importantly, the authors find that supervisory support moderates both the relations between CSE and organizational cynicism and organizational cynicism and job satisfaction.

Little research has directly assessed the role of dispositions in the development of organizational cynicism. The authors suggest that CSE contributes to the development of cynical attitudes. Further, the authors demonstrate that a supportive supervisor can serve as a buffer to mitigate the expression and effects of organizational cynicism on workplace outcomes.

Susan Brodt (PhD, Stanford University) is E. Marie Shantz associate professor of organizational behavior and associate professor of psychology at Queen's University. Her research examines aspects of effective work relationships and how psychological and organizational processes help or hinder their development. She is currently studying the dynamics of interpersonal trust – trust building, violation, and repair – and how factors external to a work relationship (e.g., personal blogs) can facilitate trust development and repair. Her work has been published in numerous scholarly as well as practitioner-oriented journals. Susan has served on Editorial Review Boards of several scholarly journals and has held leadership positions in both the Academy of Management (Program and Division Chair, Conflict Management Division) and the International Association for Conflict Management (Program Chair, Board of Directors). She is also an experienced executive educator and consultant on such topics as negotiation, executive leadership, interpersonal trust, and managing global teams.

There is little doubt that in terms of speed and scale, China's economic transformation is without parallel in the past. Never has the world seen a major economic power emerge in such a short time span and attain such a weight in the total world economy. Intriguingly, few social scientific analyses have explicitly interpreted the massive socio-economic changes taking place within China as associated with the emergence of a capitalist political economy.

How should we make sense of Europe's current malaise? Focused on the great recession, the European Union (EU)'s architecture, or diverging national interests, the literature offers useful economic, institutional, and political explanations. It is our contention that, however diverse, these works share one important limitation: a tendency to focus on rather immediate causes and consequences and not to step back with historical or comparative perspectives to gain a “longer” view of the dynamics at work. In this article, we begin by examining parallels between the EU's current conditions and the Austrian-Hungarian Empire. Then, introducing the articles contained in this special issue, we raise research questions pertaining to long-term historical, social, cultural, economic, and political factors. Are the current challenges unprecedented or do they have roots or connections to past events and developments? Is there a European trajectory into which we can contextualize current events? Are there bright spots, and what do they suggest about Europe's present and future? To engage in such questions, the papers leverage the insights of historical and comparative sociology, as well as comparative politics. In so doing, they offer analyses that see the EU as an instance of state formation. They propose that a key dimension of tension and possible resolution is the classic problem of sovereignty. They grapple with the question of identity and institutions, exploring in that context the extent and limit of citizens' support for more Europe. And they delve into the nature of the nationalist and populist sentiments within and across European countries.

An analysis of the factors and reasons for collaboration, partnerships, and mergers in the profit sector is undertaken in this chapter. All terms used are defined, particularly as they apply in the world of for-profit enterprises. Through a thorough review of the literature, the authors provide an outline of historically significant successes and failures of mergers and acquisitions (M&A) in the corporate world and derive lessons from them as they might apply to the nonprofit sector. The reasons that drive both sectors toward such initiatives are discussed with an analysis and comparison of similarities and differences. Both successful mergers and failures are described, primarily through case studies. In addition, human aspects and implications are addressed. Issues such as fear, trust, processes, and psychological challenges of M&A are examined in depth. The influence of communication—the good, the bad, and the ugly—are analyzed from the perspective of clients, regulators, employees, and stakeholders, with reflections on the importance of communication and careful management of change processes. The chapter concludes with a summary of the lessons which can be derived from the literature with a view to providing guidance for similar efforts for information and library organizations.