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1 – 10 of 26Burnout has been known to negatively affect volunteers. However, information involving various factors that influence their burnout is severely lacking. This study aims to examine…
Abstract
Purpose
Burnout has been known to negatively affect volunteers. However, information involving various factors that influence their burnout is severely lacking. This study aims to examine how volunteers displayed adaptability, the ability to change their thoughts, actions and/or behaviors in uncertain situations, to offset the negative relationship with burnout. This study also examined the amount of training a volunteer reported as one factor that may act to moderate this negative relationship between adaptability and burnout.
Design/methodology/approach
Using the conservation of resources (COR) theory, the author investigated how volunteers try to maintain their current level of resources, which aids in coping with stress and lowering their risk of burnout.
Findings
Using regression, the author discovered that adaptability was negatively related to burnout and this relationship was stronger for volunteers who reported less training. Training was confirmed as a moderator in this relationship. In sum, training acted as a buffer in the negative relationship involving adaptability and burnout.
Originality/value
The current study is one of the few to adopt theories often used to understand employee experiences, and apply them to volunteers. Interestingly, across a variety of volunteer environments, these employment theories and relationships, including adaptability, appear to matter.
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Mar Cárdenas-Muñoz, Luis Rubio-Andrada and Mónica Segovia-Pérez
The purpose of this research is to determine key behaviours to be efficient in identifying and developing employees' talent. The article aims to address the relationship between…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this research is to determine key behaviours to be efficient in identifying and developing employees' talent. The article aims to address the relationship between learning agility and job crafting, the influence between them, and how this relationship is built to improve performance and adaptability. For this purpose, the research has analysed which behaviours obtain the highest scores in both scales (job crafting and learning agility), designing the tool which allows Human Resources (HR) professionals an efficient identification and development behaviours to get the versatile talent that companies and professionals of the future need.
Design/methodology/approach
Using the questionnaire that has integrated the learning agility scale and the Spanish job crafting scale. Data were collected from a sample of business professionals in Spain. Factor analysis and hierarchical cluster analysis were used, using a classificatory variable with the 126 valid responses obtained.
Findings
In an ever-changing environment, continuous employee adaptation to his/her role within a company is a critical factor for its survival. However, there is a paucity of large-scale empirical research on which behaviours employees have to develop to increase their adaptative skills. Drawing on the outcome of extant literature, the authors identify learning agility as the construct that firms have to encourage in their employees to impact job crafting. The contribution of the paper is twofold: (1) the authors empirically explored the association and the effects of learning agility and its factor on the development of job crafting. Results demonstrated the association between the two constructs; further, higher scores in both learning agility and job crafting predict increased employability, and higher scores in job crafting are associated with higher scores in change agility; (2) this study provides a multidimensional instrument that provides HR departments with the key behaviours to recruit in order to develop talent to prepare employees to face future challenges, ensuring the right performance and sustainable impact in the environment.
Research limitations/implications
A limitation of this study is that it is done exclusively within Spanish companies, even though from different industries and with different characteristics. Therefore, future research is necessary and should be conducted in other countries in similar industries to explore the empirical findings from this study in additional contexts.
Practical implications
This research has found a tool that might allow HR departments to measure what level of job crafting and learning agility their employees have and to identify what key behaviours they need to focus on in the recruitment or in their internal strategic HR action plan to overcome any future challenges in their organization.
Social implications
In a scenario where artificial intelligence is modifying the professional landscape, generating uncertainty about which skills are best to develop, the results are a guide for enterprises as to where to focus plans for learning and training, as well as for business schools regarding the content provided in training programs.
Originality/value
The authors advance the literature by providing a theoretical base for understanding the relationship between job crafting and learning agility. This article offers some practical managerial recommendations that help the human resources department focus on behaviours that allow talent to be identified and recruited to ensure an effective organization.
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Abdulah Bajaba, Saleh Bajaba and Abdullah Alsabban
The purpose of this paper is to examine the mediating role of organizational identification (OI) and the moderating role of adaptive personality (AP) between exploitative…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine the mediating role of organizational identification (OI) and the moderating role of adaptive personality (AP) between exploitative leadership (EL) and constructive voice (CV) relationship.
Design/methodology/approach
This study samples 154 full-time employees from Saudi Arabia and records their self-reported responses to closed-ended items in the survey. Hierarchical regression and PROCESS Macro are used for the analysis.
Findings
Utilizing social identity theory and social exchange theory, the authors demonstrate EL adversely affect CV through OI. AP also moderates EL-OI relationships. The indirect effects of EL on CV via OI are moderated by AP. In other words, adaptive employees are more likely to neutralize the adverse effects of such exploitation by adapting to the situation.
Practical implications
Human resource professionals and organizations must identify indicators of EL when evaluating job candidates. Organizations should also adopt communication systems that encourage employees to report any misconduct. Finally, organizations should speak out against exploitative leaders and educate their employees on ethics.
Originality/value
The originality is in extending the nomological network of EL to incorporate reduced employee OI and constructive deviance. It also discusses how adaptive employees mitigate exploitative behavior's negative effects.
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Wiebke M. Roling, Marcus Grum, Norbert Gronau and Annette Kluge
The purpose of this study was to investigate work-related adaptive performance from a longitudinal process perspective. This paper clustered specific behavioral patterns following…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study was to investigate work-related adaptive performance from a longitudinal process perspective. This paper clustered specific behavioral patterns following the introduction of a change and related them to retentivity as an individual cognitive ability. In addition, this paper investigated whether the occurrence of adaptation errors varied depending on the type of change content.
Design/methodology/approach
Data from 35 participants collected in the simulated manufacturing environment of a Research and Application Center Industry 4.0 (RACI) were analyzed. The participants were required to learn and train a manufacturing process in the RACI and through an online training program. At a second measurement point in the RACI, specific manufacturing steps were subject to change and participants had to adapt their task execution. Adaptive performance was evaluated by counting the adaptation errors.
Findings
The participants showed one of the following behavioral patterns: (1) no adaptation errors, (2) few adaptation errors, (3) repeated adaptation errors regarding the same actions, or (4) many adaptation errors distributed over many different actions. The latter ones had a very low retentivity compared to the other groups. Most of the adaptation errors were made when new actions were added to the manufacturing process.
Originality/value
Our study adds empirical research on adaptive performance and its underlying processes. It contributes to a detailed understanding of different behaviors in change situations and derives implications for organizational change management.
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Sean W. Rowe, Vishal Arghode and Som Sekhar Bhattacharyya
The purpose of this research study was to explore the relationship between adaptive performance and work-related indicators of psychological well-being among ‘The Episcopal Church…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this research study was to explore the relationship between adaptive performance and work-related indicators of psychological well-being among ‘The Episcopal Church bishops.’
Design/methodology/approach
Hierarchical regression models were used in this research study to explore the relationship between adaptive performance and work-related psychological health.
Findings
There was a positive correlation between adaptive performance and work-related psychological health. Demographic factors did not correlate to adaptive performance. However, a negative correlation was observed between the years ordained as a bishop and the interpersonal adaptability dimension of adaptive performance.
Research limitations/implications
Managing work stress has been revealed as an integral part of adaptive performance and satisfaction in ministry. Interpersonal adaptability and reactivity could be understood, then, as useful vehicles for increasing the capacity of bishops to manage work stress. In this research, the authors applied the Scale for Individual Adaptive Performance and the two scales Scale of Satisfaction in Ministry and Scale of Emotional Exhaustion in Ministry .
Practical implications
The results provided insights into the behaviors necessary for adequate development of bishops in their role. The religious landscape was becoming more challenging from a revenue generation perspective. The resultant complexity and the financial strain would necessitate the need for development of different models of ministry for long-term sustainability. This could further necessitate a different set of knowledge creation related to a set of behavioral capacities like those of adaptive performance. Such insights would assist in the promotion and development of greater work-related psychological health in bishops while deepening their ability to deal with complex and uncertain environments. Furthermore, this would increase satisfaction in ministry through improved workplace management skills.
Originality/value
Presently, very few studies empirically established the developmental needs of bishops as they entered, learned and grew into their leadership roles. Such insights would allow the formation programs for new bishops to be grounded in empirical data. Furthermore, this research study examined a largely unexplored population. This would provide a basis for a larger research agenda related to adaptive performance in judicatory leaders and their work-related psychological health. Consequently, it is posited that improved psychological health would result in better workplace learning.
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Concept maps are popularly used within academic development spaces, especially to teach new concepts at beginner levels for undergraduate students. Their popularity is partly…
Abstract
Concept maps are popularly used within academic development spaces, especially to teach new concepts at beginner levels for undergraduate students. Their popularity is partly based on the fact that they employ visual tools such as charts, diagrams, pictures, tables, etc., to simplify concepts that students would otherwise consider dense. This paper reports on the findings of an extended orientation project conducted between February and June of 2022 with a small cohort of 15 first-year students registered in an entrepreneurship course at a vocational higher education institution in South Africa. The research question guiding this study is: How can concept maps inspire entrepreneurial thinking for first-year ECP students at a vocational institution in South Africa? Using Cultural-Historical Activity Theory (CHAT), I analysed the two iterations of the students' concept maps together with selected data from the focus group interviews. Key findings reported include the students' fuzzy knowledge of what entrepreneurship as a discipline entails, the planned career trajectories for most of the participating students, as well as indecisiveness as to whether the students will be pursuing entrepreneurship after graduation. In the language of CHAT, the above findings are described as presenting tensions between the subject, tool and object. This layer of analysis calls for an urgent re-think of how the students are recruited and orientated into the programme and how the curriculum is delivered at the first-year level.
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Muhammad Kashif Imran, Ambreen Sarwar, Tehreem Fatima and Syed Muhammad Javed Iqbal
In the current dynamic world, organizations required rapid changes to meet the increasing demands of their customers. On the other hand, the practice side claims that the majority…
Abstract
Purpose
In the current dynamic world, organizations required rapid changes to meet the increasing demands of their customers. On the other hand, the practice side claims that the majority of the organizational change attempts fail due to resistance from the employee side. Based on the behavioral theory of leadership, the authors examined the relationship between ethical leadership and organizational change with moderated mediation effect of behavioral resistance to change and commitment to change on the stated relationship.
Design/methodology/approach
Data were obtained from 333 employees, selected at random, in three waves (i.e. pre-change, during change and post-change) using survey methods from services sector organizations operating in Pakistan.
Findings
The authors found that ethical leadership was positively linked to organizational change and this relation was partially mediated by the commitment to change. Further, behavioral resistance to change weakened the relationship between ethical leadership and commitment to change.
Practical implications
The current study illuminates the importance of ethical leaders in the organizational change process, and empirical findings also gave an important direction to build change commitment in employees to reach positive results. Further, change leaders should use ethical practices in the workplace during organizational change initiatives to deal with behavioral resistance to change.
Originality/value
This study links ethical leadership with organizational change using the behavioral theory of leadership, an unexplored area in the existing literature that gives a new insight to academia and practice side officials to successfully implement any organizational change initiative.
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Brandon A. Smith and Karen E. Watkins
The purpose of this review is to evaluate existing learning agility measures and offer recommendations for their use in organizational and scholarly contexts.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this review is to evaluate existing learning agility measures and offer recommendations for their use in organizational and scholarly contexts.
Design/methodology/approach
This is a general review paper assessing the psychometric qualities of prevalent learning agility measures. Measures were selected based on their predominance and use in the learning agility literature and organizational settings.
Findings
Learning agility measurement is an area requiring further research. Multiple conceptualizations of learning agility exist, making the true structure of learning agility unclear. The learning agility measures in the academic literature deviate from learning agility’s traditional conceptualization and require further validation and convergent validity studies. Commercial measures of learning agility exist, but their development procedures are not subjected to peer review and are not widely used in academic research, given the cost associated with their use.
Practical implications
Learning agility is prevalently used in organizational settings and is receiving increased scholarly attention. Various conceptualizations and measurement tools exist, and it is unclear how these theories and measures relate and differ. This paper contributes to practice by providing practical guidelines and limitations for measuring learning agility.
Originality/value
Learning agility was initially conceived as a multidimensional construct comprising people agility, results agility, change agility and mental agility. As the construct has evolved, the dimension structure of the measure has evolved as well. This study addresses a gap in our current understanding of how to conceptualize and measure learning agility.
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In a rapidly changing career landscape where lifelong job security is no longer guaranteed, this study investigates how audit firms play an important role in shaping their…
Abstract
Purpose
In a rapidly changing career landscape where lifelong job security is no longer guaranteed, this study investigates how audit firms play an important role in shaping their employees’ career perceptions and the subsequent effects on auditor behavior. Specifically, it explores the link between audit firms’ career development initiatives and auditors’ perceptions of external employability – an important determinant of auditor behavior. Using the framework of social exchange theory, the study investigates how perceived external employability affects both relational and operational behaviors of auditors.
Design/methodology/approach
The study employs structural equation modeling on survey data from 359 auditors.
Findings
The results indicate that when audit firms actively support career development, it positively contributes to auditors’ perceived external employability. A higher perceived external employability, in turn, leads to positive behavioral outcomes among auditors, including stronger relational behaviors (such as professional commitment) and operational behaviors (including heightened professional skepticism and reduced behaviors that could compromise audit quality).
Originality/value
This study uncovers a paradox where perceived external employability, typically viewed as a risk, emerges as a potent driver of desirable auditor behavior. In today’s dynamic career landscape, emphasizing individual-centered and flexible careers, these results highlight the benefits of perceived external employability. Rather than undermining audit services, increased perceived external employability driven by firm investments in auditors’ careers acts as a catalyst for desirable auditor behavior. Organizational support in terms of career development practices creates an environment where auditors are more committed, professionally skeptical and uphold the quality of audit services.
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This paper aims to explain the unwillingness to exchange export knowledge by members of exporters’ networks and provides potential solutions to this problem.
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to explain the unwillingness to exchange export knowledge by members of exporters’ networks and provides potential solutions to this problem.
Design/methodology/approach
This study uses data from a survey of 301 members of a French exporter’s network to test a set of hypotheses with partial least squares structural equation modeling.
Findings
Network participants’ export experience and age have a negative influence on their willingness to exchange knowledge. However, positive attitudes toward the network (perception of network quality, commitment) can mitigate those negative links.
Practical implications
Network members’ unwillingness to exchange knowledge represents a major challenge that threatens the existence of knowledge networks. The findings suggest solutions to this issue for network managers.
Originality/value
This study views knowledge exchange in a network as a risky behavior. It explains why members do not participate in networks. The model shows how contrary forces work and interact to deter or foster knowledge exchange.
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