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Article
Publication date: 18 March 2020

Martin Mabunda Baluku, Richard Balikoowa, Edward Bantu and Kathleen Otto

Based on self-determination theory, this study aims to examine the impact of satisfaction of basic psychological needs (BPNs) on the commitment to stay self- or salary-employed…

Abstract

Purpose

Based on self-determination theory, this study aims to examine the impact of satisfaction of basic psychological needs (BPNs) on the commitment to stay self- or salary-employed. Not only the entry of individuals but also their commitment to remain self-employed is important. Enterprises established by the self-employed can only survive longer if the owners are willing to continue in self-employment.

Design/methodology/approach

The study was conducted among a cross-country sample drawn from Germany, Kenya and Uganda. An online survey was conducted among self- and salary-employed individuals in Germany. In Uganda and Kenya, cross-sectional samples were recruited through their workplaces and business forums. These processes yielded 869 responses (373 self-employed and 494 salary-employed). Differences in the impact of BPNs on the commitment to self-employed or salaried-employment across countries were examined using PROCESS macro 2.16.

Findings

The findings revealed that the self-employed exhibit higher commitment to their current form of employment than the salary-employed. The satisfaction of needs for autonomy and competence were associated with higher levels of commitment to self-employment than to salary-employment across the three countries. The need for relatedness was also strongly associated with commitment to self-employment much more than to salary-employment for Ugandan and Kenyan participants; but not for the German participants.

Originality/value

Persistence in self-employment is essential not only for individuals to remain employed but also as a pathway to achieving career success. However, research has paid limited attention to persistence in self-employment. This research contributes to the understanding of antecedents for commitment to self-employment across countries, and therefore what should be done to enable particularly young individuals to stay self-employed. Moreover, the study also examines whether these antecedents have similar effects among individuals in salaried-employment.

Details

Journal of Entrepreneurship in Emerging Economies, vol. 12 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2053-4604

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 11 May 2023

Xenia Bolschakow, Thomas Rigotti and Kathleen Otto

The benefits of authentic leadership for followers have been thoroughly researched, but the effects on leaders’ well-being remain unclear. To address this research gap, the…

Abstract

Purpose

The benefits of authentic leadership for followers have been thoroughly researched, but the effects on leaders’ well-being remain unclear. To address this research gap, the authors hypothesized reciprocal relationships between authentic leadership and work engagement as well as emotional exhaustion.

Design/methodology/approach

The hypotheses were tested in a German sample with leaders from different work sectors using a cross-lagged panel design with a time lag of 14 months (N = 137 at T1; N = 217 at T2).

Findings

Well-being significantly predicted leaders’ engagement in authentic leadership at the second measurement point, whereas the reciprocal relationships were not significant.

Research limitations/implications

Drawing on the Conservation of Resources Theory, possible processes underlying the observed impact of leaders’ well-being on their leadership behavior are discussed. The present research provides evidence that well-being constitutes a crucial basic resource for leaders to engage in constructive leadership behaviors such as authentic leadership.

Originality/value

This study contributes to the literature by uncovering the causal order linking authentic leadership and leaders’ health.

Details

Leadership & Organization Development Journal, vol. 44 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0143-7739

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 3 November 2020

Nurul Ain Hidayah Abas, Mei-Hua Lin, Kathleen Otto, Izazol Idris and T. Ramayah

Academia is known for its high competitiveness, with prestige and diverse responsibilities and achievements being decisive determinants of success resulting in academic…

Abstract

Purpose

Academia is known for its high competitiveness, with prestige and diverse responsibilities and achievements being decisive determinants of success resulting in academic incivility. This paper extends Lazarus and Folkman's theory of stress by examining the moderating role of interpersonal justice (IJ) , as supervisory support, on academics' job satisfaction and depressivity.

Design/methodology/approach

The study recruited 185 academics from a public university in Malaysia to participate in a survey. Using the partial least squares- structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) analysis, academic incivility was negatively related to job satisfaction, whilst positively related to depressivity.

Findings

As hypothesized, it was found that the predicted detrimental effect of academic incivility on job satisfaction was buffered by perceiving high IJ from their immediate supervisors, i.e. deans or heads of department. An unanticipated finding was that there was a stronger relationship between academic incivility and depressivity for those academics who perceived high supervisory IJ.

Practical implications

Further, academic management can formulate and revise zero-incivility policies and promote awareness explaining the detrimental impacts of incivility, despite support systems in academia.

Originality/value

This study provides the first empirical evidence showing the differential impact of supervisory IJ on two conditions of incivility–well-being relationships. Work culture and various sources of incivility should be considered for future research.

Details

Journal of Applied Research in Higher Education, vol. 13 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2050-7003

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 8 October 2020

Henning Krug, Hannah V. Geibel and Kathleen Otto

The purpose of the present research was to examine the impact of identity leadership on employees' well-being mediated by team identification and trust in the leader.

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of the present research was to examine the impact of identity leadership on employees' well-being mediated by team identification and trust in the leader.

Design/methodology/approach

In study 1, N = 192 employees participated in a cross-sectional online survey measuring identity leadership, team identification, trust in the leader and well-being (i.e., job satisfaction, work engagement, burnout). In study 2, N = 72 university students participated in a vignette study that manipulated high/low identity leadership and tested its effect on team identification and trust in the leader.

Findings

In study 1, identity leadership predicted higher team identification, trust in the leader and well-being of employees. Team identification mediated the positive relationship of identity leadership with both job satisfaction and work engagement, while trust in the leader mediated the negative relationship of identity leadership with burnout. In study 2, team identification and trust in the leader were significantly higher in the high identity leadership condition.

Research limitations/implications

The findings are consistent with the few existing studies on the positive effects of identity leadership. However, due to the correlational nature of the data in study 1, future longitudinal field research is needed to support the current findings and further establish causality for the model as a whole.

Practical implications

Identity leadership seems to be promising to increase well-being among employees. Thus, leadership development programs to foster identity leadership and collective identity should be implemented in organizations and further tested with respect to well-being.

Originality/value

This research contributes to an emerging body of research on the social identity approach to leadership and supports the recent claims that social identity might be one of the links between leader behavior and well-being of employees. Moreover, this study is among the first to investigate and experimentally test the underlying mechanisms of identity leadership.

Details

Leadership & Organization Development Journal, vol. 42 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0143-7739

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 13 February 2017

Kathleen Otto, Robert Roe, Sonja Sobiraj, Martin Mabunda Baluku and Mauricio E. Garrido Vásquez

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationship between career ambition – defined as high achievement motivation and strong career orientation – and both extrinsic…

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationship between career ambition – defined as high achievement motivation and strong career orientation – and both extrinsic (salary, position) and intrinsic success (job satisfaction, goal attainment) of psychologists. Over and above this, the authors explore whether extrinsic success predicts intrinsic success or vice versa.

Design/methodology/approach

In order to analyze the impact of career ambition on extrinsic and intrinsic success, the authors conducted two online studies with psychology graduates – a cross-sectional study (Study 1; n=119) and a longitudinal one (Study 2; n=63; two-three years interval between assessment points). The authors applied regression and cross-lagged analyses to investigate the interplay of career ambition and career success.

Findings

The results show that career ambition impacts on both extrinsic and intrinsic success. More specifically, extrinsic success was positively predicted by career orientation in Study 1. In contrast, achievement motivation was negatively related to intrinsic success (Study 1) and even diminished it over time (Study 2). Findings of the cross-lagged analysis further underlined that intrinsic success predicts extrinsic success.

Originality/value

The study contributes by separately investigating two aspects of career ambition and showing their different effects on career success in the specific profession of psychologists. As cross-lagged findings revealed that psychologists’ intrinsic success predicted their extrinsic success and not vice versa, the authors discuss whether psychologists might be worsening their career development in the long run by showing high achievement motivation.

Details

Career Development International, vol. 22 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1362-0436

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 12 March 2018

Martin Mabunda Baluku, Dorothee Löser, Kathleen Otto and Steffen Erik Schummer

The purpose of this paper is to examine the role of protean-related traits and attitudes in the development of international mobility (expatriation) and entrepreneurial intentions…

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the role of protean-related traits and attitudes in the development of international mobility (expatriation) and entrepreneurial intentions among early career professionals. Career mobility is of increasing relevance to achieving career success in the era of protean and boundaryless careers, and in the present day highly globalized labor market. International mobility provides opportunities for work in organizations (corporate expatriation) as well as in entrepreneurship (expat entrepreneurship).

Design/methodology/approach

This paper reports two studies examining the role of “protean career personality,” conceptualized as consisting of personal initiative and flexibility on entrepreneurial and expatriation intention, looking at career orientation attitude as the mediating mechanism. In study 1, the impact of personal initiative and flexibility on the two career mobility paths is explored using a sample of 442 German undergraduate students. Study 2 replicates these relationships among a sample of 100 early career professionals who graduated with a diploma in psychology.

Findings

Results indicate that for the sample of undergraduate students, flexibility and career orientation were positively related to expatriation intention. However, the mediation path was non-significant. On the other hand, personal initiative and career orientation were essential for entrepreneurial intentions, with a significant mediation path. For the early career professionals in contrast, only flexibility turned out to be resourceful for both expatriation and entrepreneurial intentions.

Practical implications

Suggestions for supporting early career professionals to develop interest in working abroad or in entrepreneurship are provided. Particularly, the results indicate that protean traits affect mobility intentions differently. To strengthen intentions for expatriation work, attention should be paid enhancing the ability for staying flexible when it comes to career choices. This applies to both undergraduate students and early career professionals. However, a strong career orientation is also essential to the development of expatriation intention among current students. On the other hand, enhancing proactivity could strengthen entrepreneurial intention among undergraduate students.

Originality/value

This study applies protean-related traits and attitudes; and how they work together in the development of mobility intentions among undergraduate students and early career professionals. The study reveals differential roles of these traits and attitudes among these groups, with regard to expatriation and entrepreneurship. This is important for career guidance.

Article
Publication date: 20 August 2021

Carolina Pía García Johnson and Kathleen Otto

This study aims to explore the relationship between the reported frequency of illegitimate tasks undertaken at work (FREQIT) and gender identity among cisgender individuals and…

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to explore the relationship between the reported frequency of illegitimate tasks undertaken at work (FREQIT) and gender identity among cisgender individuals and persons with a (?) transgender or gender non-conforming (TGNC) identity.

Design/methodology/approach

This research combines an experimental approach with a field-study. Study 1 contained a vignette experiment where participants reported their likelihood to assign illegitimate tasks (IT) to either a cisgender or a TGNC employee. Study 2 measured perceptions of tasks-illegitimacy (PERTI), FREQIT, perceptions of organisational gender climate (PGC), burnout and intention to quit among a sample of cisgender and TGNC participants.

Findings

In Study 1, individuals in a supervisory position were more likely to assign IT to TGNC than cisgender employees. In Study 2, gender identity influenced burnout, intentions to quit and PGC, serially mediated by PERTI and FREQIT. The results from Study 2 did not support the initial model, which proposed that lower PERTI would lead TGNC employees to report a higher FREQIT, leading to lower occupational well-being scores. Instead, TGNC participants’ burnout, intention to quit and PGC scores improved as a consequence of their lower PERTI. However, when comparing cisgender and TGNC individuals, the latter presented higher levels of burnout, intentions to quit and lower PGC scores.

Originality/value

This is the first study measuring the effects of IT on TGNC individuals’ occupational well-being. It underscores the importance to reduce cisgender biases and transphobia and to address IT as obstacles to trans equality in the workplace.

Details

Gender in Management: An International Journal , vol. 37 no. 6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1754-2413

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 3 August 2018

Martin Mabunda Baluku, Matagi Leonsio, Edward Bantu and Kathleen Otto

The purpose of this paper is to investigate how autonomy, moderated by employment status, impacts the relationship between entrepreneurial mentoring (EM) and entrepreneurial…

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate how autonomy, moderated by employment status, impacts the relationship between entrepreneurial mentoring (EM) and entrepreneurial intentions (EI) among three countries (Germany, Kenya, and Uganda); as informed by both theory of planned behavior and self-determination theory.

Design/methodology/approach

A convenient sample of 1,509 youth from Germany, Kenya, and Uganda consisting of final-year university students, wage-employed, and unemployed was identified and studied. A multi-group analysis was conducted to test for differences in the impact of EM and autonomy on EI.

Findings

The findings indicate that mentoring and autonomy are positively correlated with EI. EM and intentions were lower among German participants than for the East African countries. The moderated moderation results revealed that EM is related to higher EI among students and the unemployed, and when individuals have higher levels of autonomy. Country-level analysis showed the effects of EM and autonomy are highest in Germany and lowest in Uganda.

Practical implications

Mentoring and self-determination play an important role in the development of EI. Entrepreneurship mentors should specifically support their protégées to develop the ability to act autonomously as an important entrepreneurial competence. The results further indicate that effectiveness of EM varies according to employment status and among countries. This is particularly important for targeting and designing of EM interventions. EM resources should be applied to youth with high autonomy, who are in either in insecure wage employment or who have no jobs. Protégés with low levels of autonomy should be supported to appreciate autonomy and develop the ability for autonomous action. Future EI research should also examine the impact of the availability of attractive positions in wage employment; and the effects of the availability of social safety nets on the need for autonomy.

Originality/value

A major challenge in EI research is the predominant focus on student populations. Using a multi-group analysis, the present paper tested for differences in the impact of EM and autonomy on EI. EM and EI were lower in German participants that in Kenyan and Ugandan participants. Whereas EM was generally positively correlated to EI, the moderated results showed that EM is related to higher EI among students and the unemployed, and when participants have higher autonomy. The study implies that EM and EI are highly correlated when participants need to work but have not or cannot find work or whey they do not need salaried employment to survive.

Details

International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behavior & Research, vol. 25 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1355-2554

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 18 May 2012

Kathleen Otto and Claudia Dalbert

Previous research has demonstrated the positive impact of relocation mobility on career success. Based on conservation‐of‐resources theory and knowledge about resistance to…

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Abstract

Purpose

Previous research has demonstrated the positive impact of relocation mobility on career success. Based on conservation‐of‐resources theory and knowledge about resistance to change, this study aims to explore the role of personality dispositions and social orientations in explaining job‐related relocation readiness.

Design/methodology/approach

A total of 380 German employees (study 1), unemployed individuals (study 2), and apprentices (study 3) were surveyed on their relocation readiness, personality dispositions (neuroticism, openness to experience, uncertainty tolerance), and social orientations (individualism, collectivism, social norms –i.e. the perceived social endorsement of relocation mobility) in three cross‐sectional studies and one longitudinal study (study 4).

Findings

Findings show that high levels of neuroticism (study 1) and collectivism (studies 1‐3) made individuals less ready to relocate, whereas high levels of openness to experience (study 2), uncertainty tolerance (studies 1‐2), and individualism (study 3) were positively associated with relocation readiness, as was the perceived social endorsement of relocation mobility (studies 1‐4).

Research limitations/implications

Personality dispositions and social orientations should be considered when relocation decisions are at stake. The research focused on relocation readiness and did not investigate actual relocation mobility.

Practical implications

Human resources management and career counseling aiming to foster relocation readiness should take account of the social environment. Moreover, uncertainty‐intolerant individuals should be offered systematic, step‐by‐step guidance on how best to deal with relocation.

Originality/value

The study is the first to show that personality dispositions and social orientations by far outweigh socio‐demographic factors in explaining relocation readiness.

Content available
Article
Publication date: 4 February 2014

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Abstract

Details

Career Development International, vol. 19 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1362-0436

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