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This study aims to investigate the relationships between various frontline management (FLM) styles, human resource management system (HRM) system strength and employees' helping behaviours as a form of organisational citizenship behaviours (OCBs). The research also examines the moderating role of workgroup loyalty in the association between HRM system strength and employees' helping behaviours.

The research uses survey data collected from 315 government workers in Malaysia. Structural equation modelling (SEM) was employed to test the hypothesised relationships.

Two FLM styles, “policy enactor” and “employee coach,” positively predict employees' helping behaviour. However, the “organisational leader” FLM style did not significantly lead to employees' helping behaviour. HRM system strength significantly mediates the relationship between the three FLM styles and employee helping behaviours. Finally, workgroup loyalty significantly moderates the relationship between HRM system strength and employees’ helping behaviours as OCB.

With a wealth of literature demonstrating the importance of FLMs in the implementation of HRM and a growing body of literature demonstrating the robust nature of the “system strength” argument, human resource (HR) practitioners are increasingly able to focus their attention on the way the system and FLMs contribute to employee outcomes and organisational performance. Our results indicate that HRM system strength does indeed enhance the impact of FLM styles on employee helping behaviours.

The originality of this paper is that it acknowledges and empirically examines the heterogenous nature of FLM styles, through signalling theory in enacting HRM policies and links the growing FLM literature to the HRM system strength research. These concepts have also been tested for the first time in a Malaysian context.

The purpose of this paper is to present exploratory research on the potential variation of front line manager (FLM) types and attendant causal links between FLM style and employee outcomes. It challenges the value of a homogenous FLM construct and tests for variation in FLM styles which may affect behaviours and employee outcomes.

A set of discreet FLM types is defined from extant theory and literature (named here as Policy Enactor; Organizational Leader; and Employee Coach). Each type and its relationship to employee outcomes is explored empirically using survey data and qualitative interviews with a small sample of employees (n=46 employees across eight FLM groups) within a multi-national manufacturing plant.

The findings provide preliminary support for an FLM “type” construct. Employees reported a significant dominance of the “Organizational Leader” type for one FLM, while across a broader set of FLM’s the proportions showed measurable variation. The qualitative data provides context examples that help explain FLM typologies and link to employee outcomes.

Much of current literature explores the FLM construct as a singular construct, relying on its contextual relevance for definition within a certain discipline. This paper focuses on combining these contextual experiences to present a multi-faceted construct for the role of FLMs within the employment relations literatures. By moving from the implicit to the explicit, the paper offers a conceptual lens for quantitative and qualitative exploration of the role of FLM types. As a result, attendant and subsequent FLM and employee behaviours may be better examined and possibly better specified. To add value to this contribution longitudinal and more extensive data sets could be examined and tested in the future.

This paper aims to explore the ambiguity and limitations of measuring firm-level multinationality (FLM) using theoretical and empirical comparisons of existing methods. The paper puts forward a list of five key aspects that collectively serve as a tool for researchers to select the most appropriate method for future research and as a basis for the future development of methods.

Firstly, the author reviews existing methods of measuring FLM and consolidates findings into five key aspects. Secondly, the author uses the aspects to compare existing methods theoretically, and subsequently, the author groups them into three distinct streams. Thirdly, the author compares existing methods across a sample of the 35 largest European MNEs by sales in 2020 to identify and demonstrate the ambiguity and limitations of these methods.

The author identifies the five key aspects of measuring FLM: framework, aggregation, segmentation, metrics and indicators. Using empirical comparison, the author empirically confirms the limitations highlighted in the literature and shows the differences and inconsistencies among methods, which cause confusion rather than clarity in the extant literature. Additionally, the author emphasises that three distinct streams further drive the debate on the regional/global nature and present further limitations of methods not mentioned in the literature to date.

This paper provides the most comprehensive review of the existing literature on FLM, resulting in five novel aspects of measuring FLM. The analysis of a sample of 35 European firms demonstrates and identifies the ambiguity and limitations of FLM-measuring methods.

Exposure to high-trauma work has been associated with negative outcomes for individuals and organisations. Support for these employees can buffer and protect against mental health problems. Frontline managers (FLMs) are well placed to provide for employee support needs but are often not effective in doing so. The purpose of this paper is to identify and understand barriers to provision of four different types of social support as identified by House (1981) by FLMs to employees in a high-trauma workplace.

This qualitative study investigates three Australian ambulance service organisations, including 72 interviews.

Nine barriers to support are identified that can obstruct the provision of optimum employee support. These relate to the FLM themselves, the workplace context and employee-centric factors.

This paper is a single industry case study; further complexity may exist in other high-trauma industries. Future research should consult policy makers to develop strategies to address the barriers to FLM support.

FLMs are critical support persons as they are well placed to provide many employee support needs. Emotional support is the foundation for facilitating all other types of support to employees but results here indicate it is often lacking for workers in high-trauma workplaces for a range of individual and organisational barriers that operate in isolation and combined.

This paper juxtaposes House’s (1981) support framework with study findings to provide a model of the barriers to optimal employee support. This model contributes to a reconceptualisation of the relationship between employee and direct manager that is particularly pertinent for high-trauma contexts.

The purpose of this study was to produce dimensionally accurate and reliable fused layer modeling (FLM) feedstock composed of an impact modified polypropylene matrix, compounded with a cellulose nanofiber (CNF) reinforcement and coupled by a maleic anhydride coupling agent to produce comparable mechanical properties in comparison to the industry-standard method of injection molding (IM).

A spray dried CNF (SDCNF) was compounded with the polymer matrix using a masterbatch method. The composite was diluted with neat polymer and extruded into a filament and then printed into standardized mechanical testing samples. For comparison, the filament was chopped and standardized samples were produced with IM.

A loss in mechanical properties of up to 30% was observed in FLM samples. If normalized to reflect improved density from a part consolidation method, losses are reduced to 15% or show improvements in the neat polymer matrix.

Limited research has been done on producing FLM feedstock, reporting mechanical property results based on standardized testing and comparing the same material with IM.

The purpose of this paper is to examine the effects of motivational factors (suppliers and workers are important stakeholders and corporate image concern) on fair labor management (FLM) and the mediating role of top‐management commitment in the relationships.

Responses from sourcing managers of US clothing and footwear companies were gathered through a mail survey and analyzed using a mediated regression analysis and a structural equation modeling technique.

Both the norms in which suppliers and workers are important stakeholders and concern regarding corporate image were significantly related to FLM. The relationship between corporate image concern and FLM was mediated by top‐management commitment and that the relationship between the importance of suppliers and their workers as stakeholders and FLM was partially mediated by top‐management commitment.

Results suggest that changes in the norm, where suppliers and workers are accepted as important stakeholders of the firm, have a direct influence on FLM and that top‐management is requisite in executing FLM orientation and actions in the firms as a response to changing norms and growing pressure in the society regarding labor issues.

Organizational condition for the two commonly cited drivers of FLM to work was discovered.

This paper aims to develop a mathematical model for four-lobe memristor (FLM) element. The four-lobe memristive behaviour can be used in realization of hyperchaotic oscillators and implementation of multi-bit memories. For verification of the developed mathematical framework, two FLM circuit emulators have been presented using VDCC and IC LM13700, respectively.

A mathematical model for FLM has been developed in which, the condition for the existence of symmetrical four lobes, instances and coordinates of the end points of lobes has been derived and presented. Using this mathematical framework, a FLM emulator based on VDCC has been developed. To validate the possibility of practical implementation of FLM concept, an IC LM13700-based circuit has also been developed. The workability of VDCC based circuit has been verified by running simulations in PSPICE environment using CMOS VDCC model. Similarly, the behaviour of LM13700 IC-based circuit has been confirmed by SPICE model of LM13700 IC.

It has been shown mathematically that under certain conditions, third-order flux dependent equation of memductance can be used to generate four lobes on the transient v-i plane. Also, two FLM emulators without using any voltage multiplier circuit/IC have been reported.

From the best knowledge of the authors, there are no such FLM emulators that have been reported in literature so far, which operates at practical operating frequencies.

The purpose of this paper is to explore the challenges of measuring fraud in overseas aid.

The research is based on 21 semi-structured interviews with key persons working in the delivery of aid in both the public and voluntary sectors. It uses the UK Department for International Development as a case study to applying more accurate measures of fraud.

This paper shows there are significant challenges to using fraud loss measurement to gauge fraud in overseas aid. However, it argues that, along with other types of measures, it could be used in areas of expenditure in overseas governments and charities to measure aid. Given the high risk of such aid to fraud, it argues helping to develop capacity to reduce aid, of which measuring the size of the problem is an important part; this could be considered as aid in its own right.

The researchers were not able to visit high-risk countries for fraud to examine in the local context views on the challenges of measuring fraud.

The paper offers insights on the challenges to accurately measuring fraud in an overseas context, which will be useful to policy-makers in this context.

Given the importance of as much aid as possible reaching recipients, it offers an important contribution to helping to reduce losses in this important area.

There has been very little consideration of how to measure fraud in the overseas aid context, with most effort aimed at corruption, which poses some of the same challenges, as well as some very different challenges.

The purpose of this paper is to provide an update on a longitudinal research study that examines the content delivery of courses provided by private training providers (PTPs) for first level managers (FLMs). It measures, against a contemporary soft skill model, the relevance of “off the shelf” training which is aimed at FLMs managerial soft skills, as opposed to “technical” or “hard skill” training. The research has been carried out over three phases. The paper will critically compare and contrast the results and determine if there are any prevailing management paradigms in the content of the courses.

There were three key phases undertaken during the research. Phase 1 involved developing a multi-dimensional best practise core soft skills framework for professional managers. The second phase involved a pilot study conducted as desk research using various online and direct marketing channels in researching 45 PTPs first line manager courses in the UK over a period of two months during October to November 2011, and this exercise was repeated in phase 3 during February and March 2015 using a sample (20) of the same 45 PTPs. Both exercises involved comparing and contrasting the Core Soft Skills Framework to the PTP courses using thematic and coding techniques.

The studies have revealed surprising omissions and contrary positions when it comes to teaching FLMs non-technical skills. On some PTP courses there appeared contrary positions taken up on key managerial concepts such as leadership. In both research phases, “delegation” is an area which FLMs receive significant training. The activity of delegation is an example of top down management used to demonstrate command and control paradigms within the workplace, and fails to take into account todays cultural behavioural shifts. There is also a total lack of acknowledgement on the impact technology is having on a younger generation of managers interpersonal and intrapersonal skills.

The best practise core soft skill framework is based on three key soft skill models which do not take into account soft skills for FLMs. These models do not presently exist. Both the initial study and 2015 follow-up are undertaken by desk research and the content marketing collateral as promoted by the PTPs. What actually happens on the courses themselves: broader management discussions, role play, sharing experiences, etc. cannot be evaluated as part of this research. No distinction has been made in the research with regard the length of the courses.

PTP FLM training is not irrelevant; it is necessary for managers. An issue is the training is pitched at concepts and skills which are too advanced for the FLM who are missing out on the basic non-technical skills. Without this fundamental introduction, it is teaching FLMs to run before they can walk. Of all the FLM courses now researched, there has only been one which covers all the soft skills identified in the framework. With so many core soft skills from the framework omitted from PTP FLM courses, how can FLMs be expected to grasp the basics of soft skills and apply them?

By breaking down the findings, this research can have considerable impact with regard the provision of training for new managers. It informs HR departments about the inconsistencies of new manager training between the providers, but it also highlights areas to new management which are not covered by the courses. For training providers it will act as a reminder that training courses need to be continually reviewed and redesigned to remain relevant as culture rapidly changes from a personal interaction society to a technology interaction society. As a result more emphasis needs to be placed on communication, teamwork, interaction type activities to build intuition and “nous”. Today’s young people are “streetwise” – in technology but not in personal relationships….

The purpose of this paper is to investigate, from the perspective of knowledge workers (KWs), the factors which underpin worker performance. Although a broad array of factors is examined, the role played by the front-line manager (FLM) appears pre-eminent.

Using data collected in 2012 from a sample of 73 New Zealand KWs, the authors adopt a phenomenological approach to understanding how the FLM influences their performance motivations. A two-pronged research design was employed; stage 1 involved a paired statement exercise, which was immediately followed by stage 2, an in-depth interview.

The behaviour and support afforded to KWs by their FLM emerged as an important influence on their individual performance. Specifically, behaviours which convey value, trust and respect, and afford support, recognition and an appreciation for work completed seemingly empower and motivate KWs to superior performance.

The distinctive qualities of KWs and what constitutes their effective management needs to be given consideration in research. Identifying the depth and breadth of the FLM role contributes to this understanding.

FLMs need contemporary development and continued support across the broad spectrum of people management activities, to enable them to build positive relational ties, which are so important to KWs.

This paper contributes much needed empirical data to the understanding of how FLMs contribute to KW performance.