Search results
1 – 10 of 22Robert J. Taormina and Talya N. Bauer
This study examined whether organizational socialization content areas are applicable across cultures. Data were gathered from 324 U.S. and 198 Hong Kong employees who completed a…
Abstract
This study examined whether organizational socialization content areas are applicable across cultures. Data were gathered from 324 U.S. and 198 Hong Kong employees who completed a questionnaire assessing four socialization content domains (training, understanding of the job, coworker support, and future prospects within the company), five measures of job satisfaction, and three measures of organizational commitment. Based on the merged data from the two cultures, all four socialization domains played a significant role in predicting satisfaction and commitment. These socialization measures also were stronger predictors than a variety of demographic measures. Although there were some differences in the relative strengths of the socialization measures when the data were analyzed separately for each nation, the overall results support the idea that the socialization content areas tested are applicable across cultures. Implications for managing employees in the different cultures are discussed.
Robert J. Taormina and Jennifer H. Gao
Work enthusiasm and organizational socialization (Training, Understanding, Coworker Support, and Future Prospects) were compared in two predominantly Chinese regions, i.e., Macau…
Abstract
Work enthusiasm and organizational socialization (Training, Understanding, Coworker Support, and Future Prospects) were compared in two predominantly Chinese regions, i.e., Macau (a former Portuguese territory in China) and Zhuhai in the People’s Republic of China. Data were collected from 276 (96 Macau and 180 Zhuhai) full‐time, line‐level, ethnic Chinese employees in the two regions. Results revealed the Zhuhai employees to be much more enthusiastic at work. The Zhuhai employees also evaluated Training, Understanding, and Future Prospects more highly than did the Macau employees (no differences were found for Coworker Support). Regression analyses revealed Future Prospects to be the strongest predictor of work enthusiasm in Zhuhai, while education and years on the job explained most of the variance for work enthusiasm in Macau. The results of the comparisons are discussed in terms of the similarities and differences in the cultures and economic development of the regions.
Details
Keywords
The purpose of this paper is to address the two research gaps in the literature between employee needs and organizational socialization; and organizational socialization and…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to address the two research gaps in the literature between employee needs and organizational socialization; and organizational socialization and organizational culture by examining the relationships among four employee motivational needs (for achievement, affiliation, autonomy, and power), four organizational socialization content areas (training, understanding, coworker support, and future prospects), and three facets of organizational culture (bureaucratic, innovative, and supportive).
Design/methodology/approach
Questionnaire data of 156 full‐time employees from a variety of organizations are analyzed by correlations, regressions, and structural equation modeling (SEM).
Findings
Employee motivational needs explain significant variance for all socialization domains; whereas socialization explains significant variance for all organizational cultures (while needs explain little or no variance for culture). Regression and SEM analyses establish that organizational socialization links employee needs to organizational culture.
Research limitations/implications
Whereas socialization is confirmed as the link between the person and the organization, future studies could examine how the socialization content areas link persons to other organizational variables, such as leadership styles and political behavior.
Practical implications
Employee needs should be taken into account as regards the content domains of organizational socialization programs, and management should consider these domains as relevant to the socialization of employees in all types of organizational cultures.
Originality/value
This is the first empirical study on the interrelationships among employee needs, organizational socialization content areas, and facets of organizational culture.
Details
Keywords
Angus C.H. Kuok and Robert J. Taormina
The purpose of this paper is to empirically investigate the extent of the reported low affective commitment compared to continuance commitment of Chinese casino dealers, to…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to empirically investigate the extent of the reported low affective commitment compared to continuance commitment of Chinese casino dealers, to discern if there is a significant difference between the two types of commitment, and to identify factors that could explain the difference between them.
Design/methodology/approach
Questionnaire data were obtained from 247 Chinese casino dealers working for the three major casino groups in Macau. Correlations and regressions were used to analyze the data.
Findings
Dealers’ affective commitment was significantly lower than their continuance commitment, suggesting dealers do not like their jobs but do not leave them, which indicates they have cognitive dissonance about their jobs. Organizational socialization, organizational support, and supervisor integrity were positively correlated with affective commitment; while value of money, pay satisfaction, and neuroticism, were positively correlated with continuance commitment. Organizational support was the strongest predictor of affective commitment, while the value they place on money was the strongest predictor of continuance commitment.
Practical implications
Casino managers could improve dealers’ affective commitment by facilitating their organizational socialization, especially training and rewards for their work, providing greater organizational support, and fair and supportive treatment from their supervisors.
Originality/value
This is the first study to provide evidence of the difference between affective and continuance commitment in Chinese society, and identifies factors that influence each type of commitment, and may help resolve the employees’ dilemma about their jobs, which is an important concern for Chinese managers.
Details
Keywords
The purpose of this paper is to look into the theories regarding leadership, organizational culture, and organizational socialization and the theory that some aspects of…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to look into the theories regarding leadership, organizational culture, and organizational socialization and the theory that some aspects of socialization (e.g. employee enthusiasm for, or lack of, cooperation) can influence an organization's culture.
Design/methodology/approach
Via questionnaire, 166 employees from a variety of organizations evaluated their leaders and companies on all variables. Correlation and regression analyses were employed.
Findings
Correlations revealed leader behaviors to be more control‐oriented in bureaucratic culture; and more flexible‐oriented in innovative culture; but, contrary to expectations, more control‐oriented in supportive culture. Regressions confirmed these results and revealed that both leadership and socialization explained significant variance in all cultures. The leadership behaviors were also differentially associated with the socialization content domains, supporting most but refuting some aspects of organization theory.
Research limitations/implications
The unexpected finding of highly control‐oriented leader behaviors in supportive culture suggests the need for more research in this area.
Practical implications
A need for more flexible leader behaviors in certain organizational cultures was found. Leadership behaviors needing development in regard to socialization were likewise revealed. Also found, were aspects of socialization content that need more management attention in all three types of organizational cultures examined.
Originality/value
This is the first empirical analysis of the interrelationships among the organizational socialization content areas, leadership behavior, and organizational culture.
Details
Keywords
Robert J. Taormina and Sammi Kin‐Mei Lao
Debates in the literature on entrepreneurship concentrate on whether the focus should be on psychological variables or the external environment. Despite most studies being on the…
Abstract
Purpose
Debates in the literature on entrepreneurship concentrate on whether the focus should be on psychological variables or the external environment. Despite most studies being on the former, many others argue that the external environment is more useful in understanding business start‐ups. This paper seeks to examine the relative influence of both types of variables.
Design/methodology/approach
Data were collected from 337 Chinese respondents in three different groups: first, people who do not want to start a business; second, people planning to set up a business; and finally, entrepreneurs who had started successful businesses. Respondents were assessed on three psychological/behavior variables (achievement striving, social networking/Guanxi, and optimism), and one external environment variable (perceived importance of a favorable business environment).
Findings
Group comparisons revealed that psychological characteristics as well as the business environment were both significant predictors. Psychological characteristics were a stronger influence for potential entrepreneurs and the business environment stronger for successful entrepreneurs.
Research limitations/implications
The results help clarify debates regarding the relative importance of personal characteristics and the business environment to entrepreneurial motivation as these variables explained 54 percent of the variance for motivation. Although only one ethnic group (the Chinese) was studied, the results for the personality variables largely matched those in the Western literature, which suggests generalizability of the findings. Also, the environmental influence measure could be valuable in future research.
Originality/value
Both psychological characteristics and an environmental measure are evaluated to compare their influences on entrepreneurial motivation.
Details
Keywords
René Duignan and Kosaku Yoshida
This study aims to assess how Japanese employees perceive their changing work environment.
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to assess how Japanese employees perceive their changing work environment.
Design/methodology/approach
The perceptions of Japanese white‐collar employees towards defined aspects of their work environment were tested and compared in a sample set of Japanese, European and US financial securities companies operating in Japan, in order to find which international model provided the highest evaluations.
Findings
Results revealed that employees in Japanese companies displayed significantly higher levels of understanding of company goals and objectives than their counterparts in the foreign companies. Employees in Japanese companies also evaluated their training significantly higher than their counterparts in European companies. However employees in European companies rated their future prospects significantly higher than their counterparts in Japanese and US companies. Perceptions of Japanese employees of US and European companies provide mixed results which should be of serious concern to foreign companies aiming to integrate and motivate Japanese workers.
Originality/value
The paper shows that despite the trend towards the “westernization” of the work environment in Japan, key elements of the Japanese model remains highly‐rated.
Details
Keywords
René Duignan and Anthony Iaquinto
Aims to determine the self‐perceptions of Japanese female white‐collar employees regarding defined aspects of their work environment.
Abstract
Purpose
Aims to determine the self‐perceptions of Japanese female white‐collar employees regarding defined aspects of their work environment.
Design/methodology/approach
The sample consisted of Japanese workers employed in Japanese and foreign (US and European) financial services companies. The self‐perceptions were tested and compared: directly with the self‐perceptions of male counterparts, and within an exclusively female sample divided into two subsets of Japanese and foreign companies operating in Japan.
Findings
Results show that despite recent employment system changes, clearly segregated gender roles persist in the Japanese workplace with female employees reporting significantly lower self‐evaluations of their training‐received, future prospects and understanding of operations than their male counterparts. However, when female results are subdivided by national origin of their company, Japanese women employed in foreign companies show significantly higher self‐evaluations of training‐received, future prospects than their female counterparts employed in Japanese companies.
Research limitations/implications
To eliminate cross‐industry interference and erroneous differences the research focuses exclusively on the financial securities industry. Therefore, the results cannot be generalized to other companies operating in other industries in Japan.
Practical implications
The results suggest that foreign companies are providing a higher degree of gender empowerment and offer important early insights into the hiring, training and creation of a new cadre of female white‐collar workers in Japan.
Originality/value
The study extends research into understanding issues surrounding female white‐collar workers in a period of great change in Japanese companies and society itself.
Robert Detmering, Anna Marie Johnson, Claudene Sproles, Samantha McClellan and Rosalinda Hernandez Linares
– The purpose of this paper is to provide a selected bibliography of recent resources on library instruction and information literacy.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to provide a selected bibliography of recent resources on library instruction and information literacy.
Design/methodology/approach
Introduces and annotates English-language periodical articles, monographs and other materials on library instruction and information literacy published in 2013.
Findings
Provides information about each source, discusses the characteristics of current scholarship and describes sources that contain unique scholarly contributions and quality reproductions.
Originality/value
The information may be used by librarians and interested parties as a quick reference to literature on library instruction and information literacy.
Details
Keywords
Abstract
Purpose
In online user innovation communities (UICs), firms adopt external innovations beyond their internal resources and capabilities. However, little is known about the influences of organizational adoption or detailed adoption patterns on subsequent user innovation. This study aims to examine the influence of organizational adoption, including its level and timing, on users' subsequent innovation behavior and performance.
Design/methodology/approach
This research model was validated using a secondary dataset of 17,661 user–innovation pairs from an online UIC. The effect of organizational adoption on users' subsequent innovation likelihood was measured by conducting a panel logistic regression. Furthermore, the effects of organizational adoption on subsequent innovation’ quality and homogeneity and those of the adoption level and timing on subsequent innovation likelihood were tested using Heckman's two-step approach.
Findings
The authors found that organizational adoption negatively affects the likelihood of subsequent innovation and its homogeneity but positively affects its quality. Moreover, more timely and lower-level adoption can increase the likelihood of users' subsequent innovation.
Originality/value
This study comprehensively explores organizational adoption's effects on users' subsequent innovation behavior and performance, contributing to the literature on UICs and user innovation adoption. It also provides valuable practical implications for firms on how to optimize their adoption decisions to maintain the quantity, quality, and diversity of user innovations.
Details