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1 – 10 of 895Payal S. Kapoor and Vanshita Singhal
High dispositional optimism is often associated with people engaging in behaviour that has adverse effects on their health such as smoking. This study aims to investigate people’s…
Abstract
Purpose
High dispositional optimism is often associated with people engaging in behaviour that has adverse effects on their health such as smoking. This study aims to investigate people’s intention to adopt preventive health behaviour by observing the effectiveness of anti-smoking ads during the ongoing coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
Design/methodology/approach
Two studies have been carried out, first with a UK sample and second with the US sample. The studies examined the effectiveness of anti-smoking ad (appeal: high fear vs low fear), smoking behaviour elicited perception of vulnerability to COVID-19 and dispositional optimism on lowering people’s urge to smoke.
Findings
The study findings revealed a high fear appeal ad is more effective in lowering people’s urge to smoke. However, this association is significantly mediated by perception of vulnerability to COVID-19. Further, high dispositional optimism was found to moderate the effect of the anti-smoking ad on the perception of vulnerability to COVID-19, although a comparatively smaller effect was observed for the UK sample. Finally, high dispositional optimism significantly moderated the mediation of vulnerability to COVID-19 on lower urge to smoke only for the US sample.
Originality/value
The study highlights a need for a greater collaborative effort by the public, government, firms in the business of nicotine replacement solutions, socially responsible cigarette and tobacco manufacturing firms and health agencies that may lead to increased preventive health behaviour during the ongoing pandemic.
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Paul Smith, Peter Caputi and Nadia Crittenden
The purpose of this study is to test the concurrent criterion validity of a new measure, the Career Pathways Survey (CPS) by exploring how women's glass ceiling beliefs are…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to test the concurrent criterion validity of a new measure, the Career Pathways Survey (CPS) by exploring how women's glass ceiling beliefs are related to five major indicators of subjective career success: career satisfaction, happiness, psychological wellbeing, physical health and work engagement (WE).
Design/methodology/approach
Data from a cross‐sectional study of 258 women working in Australian organizations were analyzed. The participants completed the CPS and measures of subjective career success. The CPS assesses four sets of beliefs about glass ceilings: denial, resilience, acceptance and resignation.
Findings
Regression analyses showed denial was positively associated with career satisfaction and WE; resignation was negatively related to happiness and both emotional and physical wellbeing; resilience had positive relationships with happiness and WE; acceptance was negatively related to WE. The findings provide support for the hypotheses and the concurrent validity of the CPS.
Research limitations/implications
Given the study uses a cross‐sectional design, causal directions found between variables are inferences. Further research with longitudinal and experimental studies is needed to provide support for these inferences.
Practical implications
Training programs to analyze glass ceiling beliefs after testing with the CPS may be a beneficial strategy to help women identify reasons for their career goals. Feedback from CPS testing might facilitate greater awareness of the causes of women's subjective success in organizations.
Originality/value
The paper is the first to shed light on the connections between these success variables and women's beliefs about glass ceilings.
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Vinita Sangtani and Feisal Murshed
Based on knowledge-based view of the firm, and salesperson attributions, the purpose of this paper is to develop and test a contingency-based framework featuring how salespeople’s…
Abstract
Purpose
Based on knowledge-based view of the firm, and salesperson attributions, the purpose of this paper is to develop and test a contingency-based framework featuring how salespeople’s product knowledge: product and brand knowledge (PBK) and competitors’ product and brand knowledge (CPBK) and optimism impact salesperson performance.
Design/methodology/approach
Hypotheses are tested on survey data from 185 car salespeople in Southeast USA.
Findings
Results document support for the main effects of PBK, CPBK, and their joint effects. Furthermore, under high optimism, the positive impact of CPBK on salesperson performance is attenuated. However, optimism × PBK interaction was not supported.
Research limitations/implications
Extant literature lacks insights into the impact of salespeople’s product knowledge. By examining salespeople’s product knowledge in a disaggregated fashion, and the interaction of product knowledge × optimism, this research highlights the multi-dimensional nature of product knowledge, whose complex ramifications cannot otherwise be uncovered by a globally conceptualized construct.
Originality/value
This study isolates salespeople’s domain-specific knowledge of products from the more global construct of salespeople’s knowledge. The focus on how PBK and CPBK exert a joint positive influence on performance is novel. In addition, by examining how optimism weakens the relationship between CPBK and performance, this research provides a notable contrast to extant findings and broadens the learned optimism paradigm.
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Jay R. Tombaugh, Clifton Mayfield and Roger Durand
This study aims to provide preliminary evidence for a new conceptualization and measure of workplace spirituality labeled spiritual expression at work (SEW). While the extant…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to provide preliminary evidence for a new conceptualization and measure of workplace spirituality labeled spiritual expression at work (SEW). While the extant literature focuses on the fulfillment of workers' spiritual needs, spiritual expression refers to the impact of personal spirituality on the everyday thoughts, behaviors and interactions of employees.
Design/methodology/approach
A pilot study (n=92) included item generation and an exploratory factor analysis of the five‐item SEW scale (SEWS). The primary validation study (n=348) consisted of: performing a confirmatory factor analysis of the SEWS; comparing the SEWS with other spirituality measures, including two measures of personal spirituality and two measures of values‐based workplace spirituality; psychometrically assessing the convergent, discriminant and predictive validity of the SEWS; and examining the correlations and regression results between the SEWS and the comparison measures.
Findings
The SEWS showed acceptable psychometric properties across both samples, and the results support the convergent, discriminate and predictive validities of the SEW construct.
Research limitations/implications
This study is subject to the typical limitations of cross‐sectional research. However, meaningful results were obtained across two samples.
Practical implications
These results suggest workers may express their spirituality regardless of their perceptions of the spiritual nature of the organization. In doing so, personal spirituality may impact important personal and organizational outcomes.
Originality/value
This study moves beyond existing research by showing a new way to assess workplace spirituality.
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Avina J. Mendonca, Nidhi Mishra and Sanket S. Dash
The chapter studies the flow experience among academicians and the determinants of flow initiation and development. The academicians’ studied, have both research and teaching…
Abstract
The chapter studies the flow experience among academicians and the determinants of flow initiation and development. The academicians’ studied, have both research and teaching duties. The data for the study is drawn from 12 interviews conducted with academicians in India, with science, social science, and statistics as their fields of study. The study finds that different psychological needs can lead to flow experiences. It is proposed that the relationship between flow and psychological needs is influenced by personality traits (openness to experience and conscientiousness), which are reflected in day-day behavior (spontaneity and structuring). Interaction between humans (either students or collaborators) induced and strengthened flow-like feelings and emotional well-being, subject to certain conditions. Problem solving was found to be the key determinant of flow. Overall flow was found to be higher among research-oriented people working in science.
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Sofia Salvado Antunes, Cristela Maia Bairrada and Susana Garrido
Aim of this study is to examine how environmental concern and perceived consumer effectiveness (PCE) mediate the effect of consumer optimism and pessimism on Generation Z's…
Abstract
Purpose
Aim of this study is to examine how environmental concern and perceived consumer effectiveness (PCE) mediate the effect of consumer optimism and pessimism on Generation Z's intention to purchase sustainable clothes.
Design/methodology/approach
A survey was administered to 247 Gen Z students using a quantitative methodology. Structural equation modeling was used for hypothesis testing.
Findings
The examination of findings provides support for the idea that both optimism and pessimism have a direct impact on environmental concerns and perceived consumer effectiveness. Additionally, it reveals that environmental concerns and perceived consumer effectiveness play a positive role in influencing sustainable clothing purchases.
Originality/value
This study is one of the first marketing studies to explore the relationship between personality traits, environmental concerns and the intention to purchase sustainable clothing, providing insight into their relationship.
Research limitations/implications
Some methodological limitations impact the contributions of this cross-sectional investigation. It only tested a few variables predicting the intention to purchase sustainable clothing.
Practical implications
This research provides decision-makers, including marketers, with insights on leveraging dispositional traits to increase consumers' purchase intention of sustainable clothing.
Results
Environmental concerns and PCE have a positive effect on sustainable clothing purchases, which are influenced by both optimism and pessimism.
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James R. Langabeer and Jami DelliFraine
Although management researchers have long recognized that cognitive and behavioral constructs can influence strategic process, there have been surprisingly few empirical studies…
Abstract
Purpose
Although management researchers have long recognized that cognitive and behavioral constructs can influence strategic process, there have been surprisingly few empirical studies exploring their actual influence. More specifically, there have been no reported findings examining how an executive's general tendency to expect positive outcomes (i.e. optimism) shapes their strategic process. The purpose of this paper is to examine if optimism serves as a cognitive bias that short‐circuits the strategic process, or more specifically results in a greater use of incrementalism versus a comprehensive rational process.
Design/methodology/approach
This is an initial study to explore the relationships between optimism and strategic process. The authors opted for a large cross‐sectional sample of chief executive officers (CEOs) in the for‐profit sector of the US healthcare industry, distributed 810 surveys, and received a 21 percent response rate. The authors' methods incorporated the well‐established Life Orientation Test for optimism, and interaction effect regression models, correlations, and ANOVAs were used to test relationships.
Findings
It was found that at the time of the study, executives were more optimistic than average. It was further found that higher optimism is associated with less rational (and more incremental) strategic decision‐making processes. Organizational size also had an interaction effect on the optimism‐strategic process relationship.
Research limitations/implications
The authors operationalized only a few variables in this initial study. A more comprehensive study, utilizing many more variables and exploring optimism for the top management team (beyond just the CEO) is being incorporated into subsequent studies.
Practical implications
If disposition (e.g. optimism) is associated with strategic processes, then a better understanding of executive's dispositions could be used to better align CEOs with organizational types and stage of life cycle.
Originality/value
This is the first study of its kind to begin to explore the association between dispositional optimism and strategic processes.
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This paper aims to investigate how cognitive factors affect borrowing discouragement among entrepreneurs. Specifically, the study tests the effects of overconfidence, dispositional…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to investigate how cognitive factors affect borrowing discouragement among entrepreneurs. Specifically, the study tests the effects of overconfidence, dispositional optimism and entrepreneurial self-efficacy (ESE) on borrowing discouragement.
Design/methodology/approach
The study relies on Fraser's (2014) theoretical model to formulate the hypotheses. The results are based on a small sample of French entrepreneurs drawn from the AMADEUS database. Hierarchical Probit estimations are used to access the effects of the cognitive factors on borrowing discouragement.
Findings
The findings suggest that optimistic entrepreneurs are less likely to feel discouraged, while miscalibrated entrepreneurs are more prone to feel borrowing discouragement. There was no significant result for ESE and discouragement.
Originality/value
The study brings new implications and insights to the literature that investigates factors that cause discouragement in entrepreneurs, as well as implications for policymakers.
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Yuriy Nesterko, Michael Friedrich, Nadja Seidel and Heide Glaesmer
The purpose of this paper is to test a hypothesized structure of interrelations between pre-migration dispositional factors (cultural identity and optimism/pessimism) and…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to test a hypothesized structure of interrelations between pre-migration dispositional factors (cultural identity and optimism/pessimism) and immigration-related experiences (level of integration and perceived discrimination) in association with mental and physical components of health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in a sample of Jewish people from the Former Soviet Union (FSU) who immigrated to Germany.
Design/methodology/approach
A questionnaire in Russian, including items about the immigration background, level of integration, perceived discrimination as well as cultural identity, dispositional optimism/pessimism (Life Orientation Test-R) and HRQoL (SF-12) was handed out to Jewish immigrants from the FSU living in Germany. The data of 153 participants were analyzed using structural equation modeling.
Findings
Whereas no significant associations between Jewish identity and HRQoL could be found, both a positive association between optimism and level of integration with a link to physical and mental health, and an inverse relation between optimism and perceived discrimination with a link to mental health, were observed. Opposite associations were found for pessimism.
Originality/value
The results replicate prior research findings on Jews from the FSU living in Israel and the USA and suggest more detailed assessment methods for further investigations on integration processes and cultural identity in the selected group of immigrants. Additionally, HRQoL is significantly lower in the Jewish sample than in the general population. These findings underline the need for a better integration policy, especially for Jewish people from the FSU.
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Veland Ramadani, Khaula Abdulla Alkaabi and Jusuf Zeqiri
This study aims to investigate the impact of entrepreneurial mindsets on the performance of family businesses in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). This study focused on the…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to investigate the impact of entrepreneurial mindsets on the performance of family businesses in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). This study focused on the following entrepreneurial mindset factors: alertness to opportunity, ambiguity tolerance, dispositional optimism and risk-taking propensity.
Design/methodology/approach
A partial least squares structural equation modeling was used to evaluate the proposed research model. The gathered data consisted of 321 family businesses that operate in the UAE.
Findings
Findings showed that only two of the entrepreneurial mindset factors had a significant and positive impact on the firm’s performance, namely, alertness to opportunity and dispositional optimism.
Originality/value
This paper covers a research gap by reflecting the effect of the entrepreneurial mindset in an unstudied context, such as the UAE. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the only study that measures the effect of the dimensions of the entrepreneurial mindset on the performance of family businesses in the UAE, and as such, it represents an additional value to the literature in this field.
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