Search results

This chapter examines the relationship between four variables indicating ethical disposition – ethical sensitivity, ethical reasoning, concern for others, and egocentrism – and trait professional skepticism (PS) (Hurtt, 2010) among 119 first-year auditors. While there has been research addressing the link between ethical dispositional factors and state PS in auditors (e.g., Shaub & Lawrence, 1996), there is a lack of research into the link between ethical dispositional factors and trait PS (Hurtt, 2010). The results indicate that trait PS is higher in first-year auditors with higher levels of ethical reasoning, concern for others, and egocentrism. More ethically sensitive auditors do not demonstrate higher levels of trait PS, however. The results provide evidence that auditors’ ethical dispositions influence their ability to have the mindset necessary to carry out the investor protection role that requires adequate PS.

In the current contribution I suggest that reactions to decision-making procedures often are influenced by egocentric concerns. Such egocentrism can be inferred from various theories that assume people's procedural justice judgments to be based on the implications of decision-making procedures for themselves instead of for others. The present review considers evidence for two propositions: (1) People respond more negatively to procedural injustice when it happens to themselves than when it happens to others, and (2) an egocentric self-focus amplifies people's fairness-based responses to decision-making procedures. It is concluded that egocentric motives play a central role in procedural justice effects.

Group members often reason egocentrically, both when allocating responsibility for collective endeavors and when assessing the fairness of group outcomes. These self-centered judgments are reduced when participants consider their other group members individually or actively adopt their perspectives. However, reducing an egocentric focus through perspective taking may also invoke cynical theories about how others will behave, particularly in competitive contexts. Expecting more selfish behavior from other group members may result in more self-interested behavior from the perspective takers themselves. This suggests that one common approach to conflict resolution between and within groups can have unfortunate consequences on actual behavior.

Quality of life is a relevant concept in philosophy, psychology, and economics. It is also relevant in both Western and Eastern contexts. Distinguished scholars in different disciplines and cultures agree that quality of life is not an egocentric concern, rather it is a question of being in harmony with something bigger than one’s own self – and that could be nature, humankind, the planet, or the whole universe. Quality of life is not achievable if the Earth is sick and human communities are strained. In addition to harmonizing the relationship with the outer world, it is also necessary to develop a harmonious contact with the inner world and break out of “ego” and become part of “eco.”

Individual change is a prerequisite for change in the economic system. By reversing the tendency to focus on a narrowly defined ego, as in egocentrism, we suggest that the individual should follow a path that leads him or her to what is natural and real. When individuals consider themselves part of nature, and not apart from nature, their quality of life will increase. Scientific research shows that the separation between people and nature is one of the most important obstacles to achieve happiness and meaning of life.

The purpose of this paper is to explore the concept of information culture in Mainland China and apply the information culture framework to an organizational setting.

The foundation for the research is provided by a review of Chinese and English language literature and a case study of a university library was conducted, involving semi-structured interviews.

The information culture framework facilitated identification of factors not recognized in previous information culture research, including uniquely Chinese factors of egocentrism, guanxi (relationships), mianzi (face), hexie (harmony) and renqing (mutual benefit). A further finding highlighted the profound differences between archives and library institutions in China.

The paper provides the first step toward further exploring features of Chinese organizational culture which will not only influence information management practices but also highlight the issues relating to collaboration between libraries and archives in China.

Inclusive leadership education espouses a generalized set of values that it hopes to impart to students, what Foucault (1978) would call discourse. However, students may choose to embrace, resist, alter, or challenge particular aspects of a class’s discourse. Qualitative analysis compared multicultural leadership course students’ pre-test and post-test responses to a question that asked them to define inclusion. Four changes in narratives emerged: some students 1) exhibited heightened awareness of difference, 2) transitioned away from egocentrism in leadership thinking, 3) expressed more comfort with thinking about inclusion as an abstract concept, and 4) challenged the charge to define inclusion.

In recent years, innovative and entrepreneurial efforts have flourished in China's education sector to meet the rising demand of an increasingly wealthier population and a nation determined to transform from a labor‐intensive economy into one powered by knowledge and innovations. Issue 4 of this volume of On the Horizon will present a collection of articles that document and analyze some of the most influential innovations and entrepreneurial activities in China's education sector. As an introductory piece to the themed issue, this article aims to provide some context information of educational innovations in China.

This is a commentary on educational innovations in China. By reviewing the literature on comparative education and analyzing real cases, this article analyzes two factors that may easily lead to misunderstanding and misinterpretation of education in China: contradictions and egocentrism.

Questions that are addressed include why education in China gets more and more attention nowadays from educators around the world and what problems those educational innovations attempt to solve.

This article provides insight into educational innovations in China in two ways. First, it presents an overview of recent educational innovations in China. Second, it provides two important strategies to help readers better understand educational innovations in China – how to understand contradictions and how to increase the awareness of egocentrism.

A full understanding of organizational and group effectiveness must take into the account the causes and contexts that exacerbate and reduce tension between groups, and the individual psychological mechanisms involved. This chapter attempts to analyze intergroup behavior through a phenomenological lens: examining how people perceive groups, their own and others, and how these perceptions shape subsequent behavior. Two individually based processes, categorization and egocentrism, and two group-based processes, competition over scarce recourses and strivings for positive social identities, allow intergroup hostilities and biases to flourish. Two strategies for reducing intergroup tension, both of which involve transforming representations of the out-group, are discussed. One is a group-based strategy, which involves structurally altering the relationship between groups by increasing their interdependence. The other strategy, perspective-taking, is individually based. Perspective-taking increases out-group evaluations, decreases stereotyping, and decreases the selection of expectancy-consistent information, all through activation and application of the self-concept. Because many intergroup biases are rooted in individual psychological processes, such as categorization and egocentrism, it is suggested that strategies designed to reduce intergroup tensions that build off these biases might be particularly effective. Implications of intergroup conflict and perspective-taking for organizations are discussed.

The social and cognitive development of young people at adolescence can have a marked influence on their health‐related behaviour. Psychological development can be influenced at both inter‐ and intrapersonal levels, and health behaviour can be explained and accounted for by a diverse range of influences. This article discusses issues such as experimentation, self‐esteem and individuality within the framework of current theories of psychological development. It assesses the implications of adolescent development for health education programmes, with specific reference to how psychological development influences the motivation and reinforcement of health‐compromising behaviour, such as smoking.

The purpose of this paper is to propose a new generic human resource management (HRM) system linked to a novel and more developed social and organizational paradigm: the common welfare HRM system.

This conceptual paper builds on the concept of individual consciousness to better understand the differences between the three generic HRM systems. It relates different levels of consciousness to one of the most cited HRM system typologies: the control and the commitment HRM systems. The control HRM system will be related to a low level of consciousness. The commitment HRM system will be related to a medium level of consciousness. And the highest level of consciousness is related to the proposed common welfare HRM system. This latter system of HRM practices will be supported by examples of three very innovative organizations.

This paper presents a new HRM system that intends to foster innovation and creativity all around the organization, and represents a development on the traditional control and commitment. The common welfare HRM system implies a new approach in management and HRM, away from the primacy of the ego, competition and hierarchy.

The common welfare HRM system is related to highly innovative organizations and implies a paradigm shift in which a more humanistic view of individuals is offered.

The paper clarifies the several HRM practices related to the three HRM systems: control, commitment and common welfare.

The paper theoretically underpins the existence of a new and more developed HRM system through consciousness levels and analyzes the particular HRM practices of this new system.