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1 – 10 of 842Mark O'Donnell, Lisa A. Ruth-Sahd and Clifton O. Mayfield
The purpose of this paper is to test whether supportive workspace design, cultivation of high-quality leader–member relationships and vision alignment explain incremental variance…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to test whether supportive workspace design, cultivation of high-quality leader–member relationships and vision alignment explain incremental variance in job satisfaction, work engagement and overall life satisfaction beyond antecedents identified in an earlier model of healthy workplace practices.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper reports the results of a survey study with a diverse sample of 214 employees.
Findings
In a series of regression analyses, the findings revealed that supportive workspace design, cultivation of high-quality leader–member relationships and vision alignment each explain incremental variance in one or more outcome variables (job satisfaction, work engagement and overall life satisfaction) beyond that of antecedents identified in an earlier model of healthy workplace practices.
Research limitations/implications
The present study identifies additional important variables to consider when conducting future research on healthy workplace practices. Future research could use longitudinal or experimental designs to further investigate the causal direction of the relationships identified in the present paper.
Practical implications
Managers can implement the practices identified in this paper to improve employees’ work engagement, job satisfaction and overall life satisfaction.
Social implications
This paper offers insights about how to improve employees’ lives, and thus, the potential impact is far-reaching and meaningful.
Originality/value
This paper empirically assesses workplace variables that were not included in tests of the prior healthy workplace practices model.
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Mark O'Donnell, Gary Yukl and Thomas Taber
The purpose of this paper is to determine if the relationships found between a leader's behavior and the quality of the exchange relationship with a subordinate can be replicated…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to determine if the relationships found between a leader's behavior and the quality of the exchange relationship with a subordinate can be replicated using a different measure of leader‐member exchange (LMX) and a different sample.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper reports the result of a survey study with a sample of 239 employees who rated specific behaviors of their manager and the quality of the LMX relationship.
Findings
In a regression analysis that included several other important leader behaviors, supporting, delegating, and leading by example were statistically significant predictors of LMX.
Research limitations/implications
The findings suggest that the positive relationship found in several earlier studies between LMX and a broad measure of transformational leadership was not interpreted correctly.
Practical implications
The results from this study identify specific leader behaviors that are likely to be useful for developing a stronger exchange relationship with individual subordinates.
Social implications
The leader behaviors identified in the present study also have clear implications for the effectiveness of top executives and political leaders.
Originality/value
More types of leadership behavior were measured than in earlier LMX studies, the limitations of broadly‐defined behaviors were avoided, and a different measure of LMX was used than in most prior studies on the relationship of leader behaviors to LMX.
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Marco Lam, Mark O'Donnell and Dan Robertson
Although prior research has found that employee participation is key to successfully implementing quality management initiatives (Baird et al., 2011; de Menezes, 2012; Lagrosen…
Abstract
Purpose
Although prior research has found that employee participation is key to successfully implementing quality management initiatives (Baird et al., 2011; de Menezes, 2012; Lagrosen and Lagrosen, 2005), little research in operations management exists that investigates which management actions and behaviors lead to employee commitment to such initiatives. The purpose of this paper is to address this gap in the operations management literature by investigating which influence tactics are the most effective in soliciting employee commitment to continuous improvement tasks. The paper also examines how influence tactics affect the supervisor-subordinate relationship and the manager’s effectiveness in implementing continuous improvement initiatives.
Design/methodology/approach
A survey instrument was used to measure supervisor-subordinate relationship quality, usage of influence behaviors and participants’ task commitment to continuous improvement initiatives.
Findings
The results indicate that five of the 11 influence tactics identified in the prior literature, i.e., collaboration, consultation, ingratiation, inspirational appeals, and rational persuasion, are significant and strong predictors of employee commitment to continuous improvement initiatives. Further, analyses show that these influence tactics are significant drivers of the quality of the supervisor-subordinate relationship, which was found to partially mediate the relationship between influence tactics and the supervisor’s effectiveness in implementing continuous improvement projects.
Research limitations/implications
Since the extant CI and Total Quality Management literature has looked at the plant or program level rather than the worker-level as in the research, the findings offer one explanation as to why earlier studies investigating the relationship between quality management programs and increased organizational performance reported mixed results.
Practical implications
Increasing managers’ awareness and usage of influence tactics may increase the success rate of continuous improvement projects as well the quality of the relationship with the manager’s subordinates.
Originality/value
While the extant literature has argued that management support and employee commitment are key components of a continuous improvement project implementation, little has been written about the specific management actions and behaviors that lead to success.
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Gary Yukl, Mark O'Donnell and Thomas Taber
Many studies have examined outcomes and antecedents of leader‐member exchange (LMX), but few studies have explored how LMX is related to specific types of leadership behaviors…
Abstract
Purpose
Many studies have examined outcomes and antecedents of leader‐member exchange (LMX), but few studies have explored how LMX is related to specific types of leadership behaviors. The purpose of this paper is to examines a more comprehensive set of leader behaviors than any previous study on LMX.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper reports the result of a survey study with a sample of 248 respondents from a diverse set of industries, organizations, and occupations. Respondents rated specific behaviors of their manager and the quality of the exchange relationship.
Findings
Four of the five relations‐oriented behaviors (supporting, recognizing, consulting, and delegating) were strongly related to LMX. The task‐oriented behaviors (clarifying, planning, monitoring) were not significantly related to LMX. Results for the transformational behaviors were mixed. The relations‐oriented aspects of transformational leadership appear to have more influence on LMX than the change‐oriented aspects.
Originality/value
The present study clarifies the relationship between leader behavior and LMX. Practical implications of the findings for managers are discussed. Some recommendations for future research are provided.
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In this study, the construct validity and effectiveness of a newly identified influence tactic, organizational appeal, is tested. Utilizing a sample of practicing professional…
Abstract
In this study, the construct validity and effectiveness of a newly identified influence tactic, organizational appeal, is tested. Utilizing a sample of practicing professional accountants, study results show that organizational appeal is distinct from other influence tactics, is perceived to be used frequently by supervisors, and is effective at influencing subordinates. The organizational appeal influence tactic could be particularly useful in situations where accounting supervisors and managers use proactive tactics to influence others to complete tasks or make decisions; to influence outsiders (e.g., suppliers, clients, government agents) over whom they have little authority; and where other influence tactics are not effective or appropriate.
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The purpose of this paper is to examine leadership styles and their impact on TQM focus within Indian firms.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine leadership styles and their impact on TQM focus within Indian firms.
Design/methodology/approach
The empirical data for this study were drawn from a survey of 111 firms in India to examine the validity and reliability of the independent constructs (leadership styles: transformational, servant, adaptive, rational and kinesthetic); and two dependent constructs (TQM focus: continuous improvement and innovation). The data were analyzed employing correlation and multiple regression analysis to identify the influence of leadership styles on TQM focus.
Findings
The results of the study revealed that six of the nine hypotheses have a significant and positive relationship with TQM focus; one hypothesis is partial while rest two hypotheses are not associated with TQM focus. It is also found that leadership styles are more inclined to continuous improvement and perceived as dominant TQM practices than innovation.
Research limitations/implications
This study used only two major variables, continuous improvement and innovation, as the outcome of TQM focus, but the outcomes are not limited. TQM focus is also related to other variables such as customer focus, product quality, employee involvement, benchmarking, etc. Future research should be extended by using other variables as the outcome of TQM focus.
Originality/value
The results can be beneficial for the current organization’s leaders to achieve appropriate leadership styles for effective and TQM focus. Moreover, this paper also attempts to inspire researchers to include the TQM focus in studying the effect of the leaders on TQM focus while implementing it effectively in the organizations.
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