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This article has been withdrawn as it was published elsewhere and accidentally duplicated. The original article can be seen here: 10.1108/02683949410062547. When citing the article, please cite: Nityamalyni Menon, K.B. Akhilesh, (1994), “Functionally Dependent Stress among Managers: A New Perspective”, Journal of Managerial Psychology, Vol. 9 Iss: 3, pp. 13 - 22.

The need for developing new entrepreneurial ways of thinking and acting has been in the agenda for the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development and the European Union countries. In line with their agenda, the Nordic Council of Ministers has been preoccupied with the development of entrepreneurial mindsets among the adult population. Seeking to meet the urgent need for developing entrepreneurial thinking, the Nordic Network for Adult Learning, together with the Nordic Council of Ministers, has elaborated and tested a Scandinavian model for stimulating entrepreneurial mindsets through the transformative learning circles. Based on the study of the TLC pilot project, this chapter explores the process of facilitation of entrepreneurial learning. The literature on entrepreneurial learning and education emphasises on the importance of facilitation; however, this issue is yet to be addressed in-depth. This chapter seeks to fill in this gap and contribute to our understanding of the role that facilitators play in the entrepreneurial and transformative learning processes. Drawing on the social constructionist approach to learning, this chapter discusses how facilitators and learners (entrepreneurs) become co-creators of knowledge and learning experiences.

This conceptual paper aims to explain the unidirectional cross-level impact of five “organizational-level” factors on “team-level” innovation capability through two “team-level” mediating factors. This multivariate model consists of five organizational-level factors (higher-level) factors – leadership, culture, structure, networks and knowledge – and team-level (lower-level) factors – “innovation capability”, “team-level focus” and “team-level intensity” towards innovation. Understanding the top-down influence of higher-level factors on lower-level ones gives this study a cross-level and unidirectional nature.

A keyword-based approach was used to select “relevant” articles from major journals to collect evidences and develop a conceptual model. All factors in the conceptual model were chosen from the organizational- and the team-level literature. Theoretical background for each of the chosen “factors” has been presented under relevant headings.

First is the conceptualization of team-level mediators – intensity and focus – towards innovation. Second is the conceptualization of innovation capability as a team-level factor, characterized by two sub-dimensions: customer orientation and manifestation.

This conceptual paper does not contain any empirical data analysis. The authors have not considered individual-level factors like individual excellence, personalities, etc., which may impact team-level innovation. They are specifically looking at the top-down “unidirectional” cross-level impact of “higher-level” (organizational-level) factors on “lower-level” (team-level) factor, not the other way around.

Innovation-driven organizations can use this model to build long-term “innovation capabilities” by developing the right kind of “intensity” and “focus” of their R&D teams towards innovation. R&D teams can be encouraged to work closely with their “target” customers and manifest their innovation capabilities (to them) to ensure market success.

Top management can design organizational-level policies to improve their leadership, culture, structure, networks and knowledge to encourage better innovation. Future researchers who wish to study the “cross-level” influence of organizational-level factors on team-level innovation capability may find this paper useful.

This study’s original contributions include: first, the conceptualization of a multivariate “cross-level” model to understand team-level innovation capability. Second is proposing the mediating role of “team-level” factors like focus and intensity while building innovation capability. Third is conceptualizing innovation capability as a team-level construct, with sub-dimensions: customer orientation and manifestation.

This paper examines the aspect of designing global virtual teams and the key factors that impact team design. Examines how design impacts team performance. Proposes a conceptual model for designing such teams to deliver optimal performance. The model contains four major elements: virtual team structure, strategic objectives, work characteristics and situational constraints. The impact of the last three elements on team structure and their relationship to team performance are examined. Proposes a multi‐dimensional measure for virtual team structure, and considers how situational demands and performance constraints can impact team design. Highlights the fact that performance of teams too is multi‐dimensional and design has to consider the tradeoff involved in these factors. Proposes that global virtual teams be designed with a holistic approach considering an optimal fit between the team structure and the key impacting factors like objectives, work characteristics and situational constraints to deliver performance.

Building upon relational leadership theory, we develop a theoretical model examining the association between leader-follower congruence in follower role orientation and manager and subordinate relational and well-being outcomes. Follower role orientation represents individuals’ beliefs regarding the best way to enact a follower role. We predict that managers and subordinates who share similar role orientations will experience higher quality leader-member exchange (LMX) relationships and greater eustress than those who differ in their follower role orientations. Propositions are presented for direct effects between congruence and stress and indirect effects through LMX. Our theoretical model contributes to nascent research on followership by offering greater understanding of manager and subordinate beliefs regarding how followers should enact their roles, and the importance of considering leader (i.e., manager) as well as follower outcomes in the workplace. It also extends current thinking about stress as an important outcome of leader-follower relationships.

This chapter discusses key training challenges that organizations need to confront with the objective of building a robust human resource management system. Given the dynamics of the current business environment, training and development has become an indispensable function in global organizations. Building an effective human capital that contributes to continual organizational growth has become the established norm to survive in a competitive business landscape. However, the training and development function is often rendered ineffective, on account of various bottlenecks existing in the organization. Addressing these bottlenecks is quintessential in ensuring the creation of a performance-driven human capital. The goal of this chapter is to draw attention to the training impediments that hinder organizational growth and to diagnose the underlying causes for the same. This chapter concludes with recommendations that organizational decision-makers can leverage in their quest to strengthen the human capital, by utilizing their training and development infrastructure optimally.

Leadership behaviour of R&D project managers (RDPMs) is a matter of ongoing interest, as they require a number of traits in order to potentially influence the delivery of projects. However, little empirical evidence exists on factors explaining the traits of RDPMs, making it difficult for industry managers to develop tailored strategies and criteria for selecting people with right skills and behaviours. The purpose of this paper is to fill this gap in knowledge.

The authors test 45 traits with data from a survey of 208 RDPMs, using exploratory factor analysis to establish factors of RDPMs’ traits and the associated measurement items.

The study finds that selected 45 traits can be consolidated in a set of higher order variables/factors that RDPMs need to have including creativity, reasoning and learning; risks and failure acceptance; analytical and originality attributes; realistic and objective approach among others.

The study shows that traits have strong inter-relationship represented by empirically robust underlying factors.

Practically, the results will help industry mangers in implementing tailored strategies in consolidated areas (as identified through factors) and be more effective in skills and competencies development of research and development staff and potentially save costs on human inventory management.

The study empirically established new managerial and leadership behavioural factors.

Knowledge value added is a new cost accounting technique making waves in intangibles accounting. It helps managers conduct a business process audit. However, the managers need a behavioral tool to understand the factors that influence human capital knowledge value add, in order to increase the organizational value add. This tool helps understand the knowledge professional’s perceptions of the organization’s culture towards intellectual enterprise, knowledge management support systems and processes, as well as individual value add, the perceived performance, innovation and consequences of quitting. The tool thus helps formulation of strategies towards effective management of human capital and creating higher value add. A leading Indian infotech organization was studied as a case in point and the results are being used to design more effective knowledge management strategies.

This case study feature aims to focus on team performance in a global product development environment and endeavors to enable managers and leaders of global teams to benefit from the insight.

The paper outlines a case study conducted in an organizational setting spanning a period of five years. The researchers studied a department consisting of product development team members in an emerging region and report findings in the context of existing concepts.

Based on the case study, it is observed that global product development teams are similar to other teams and are governed by structure, task, leadership and team processes. The distance and culture aspect of global teams tend to have additional challenges. Some of these challenges can be mitigated by enabling a robust team design, the right team composition, common processes, alignment with structure, focused training and development, consistent performance and evaluation mechanisms, as well as implementing knowledge management systems and having senior management support.

Usage of global teams for product development is rapidly increasing and the understanding of team performance is critical for their success. This case study is based on an actual product development team engaged over a period of five years. The insights gathered provide a practical perspective of global team functioning that can be used for further exploration and research.

The case study findings can be used by practicing managers, leaders of global teams and organizations to help them understand various factors and implications that may reduce global team challenges in a product development scenario. Some of the best practices suggested in the study may help those creating a global team.

The case study illustrates some of the practical aspects of a global product development function. The approach into examining the functioning of a working team over a period of time helps provide a valuable and coherent view of a complex phenomenon. The factors uncovered during the study help provide a basis for further research.

Reports a study of managerial stress and its dependence on the functional area of the manager. Nine stressors were identified through (a) a literature search and (b) interviews with managers of the different functional areas as well as with academicians as being “functionally dependent”. Data were obtained from questionnaires completed by 128 managers. Analysis revealed that eight of the nine stressors (role ambiguity, pressure for performance, travel as part of the job, being on the interface, responsibility for people, responsibility for things, status of the functional area, and crisis situations) were dependent on the functional area and not on age of the manager, hierarchical level or tenure in the organization. Discusses the managerial and organizational implications.