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Article
Publication date: 3 April 2017

Stephanie Solansky, Vipin Gupta and Jifu Wang

This paper is a regional exploratory study of implicit leadership theories in two regions of China. The purpose of this paper is to compare ideal vs Confucian leadership profiles…

Abstract

Purpose

This paper is a regional exploratory study of implicit leadership theories in two regions of China. The purpose of this paper is to compare ideal vs Confucian leadership profiles and explore the possibility of a cultural hybrid perspective of leadership.

Design/methodology/approach

This study empirically explores leadership profiles through indigenous leadership research and compares implicit leadership theories of Confucian leadership and ideal leadership among a group of 128 managers representing two regions in mainland China. In doing so, measures developed by Global Leadership and Organizational Behavior Effectiveness that were translated into the local language are employed.

Findings

The results empirically show that a region known to have a deeper cultural entrenchment interprets Confucian ideology as ideal leadership, while a region more disconnected from the cultural center transforms its ideology based on more globally accepted leadership ideals.

Practical implications

The findings of this study caution leadership researchers (whether universally-etic or specifically-emic focused) from making generalizations regarding leadership. Although there might be some broad universals of leadership, context-specific leadership practices are deeply rooted between and within cultures.

Originality/value

This paper contributes to the literature by providing insight on implicit leadership theories in China and by proposing a culturally hybrid perspective of leadership based on globalization and cultural entrenchment forces.

Details

Leadership & Organization Development Journal, vol. 38 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0143-7739

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 12 October 2017

Stephanie Solansky and Derrick McIver

By relying on social learning theory, the authors aim to evaluate how team characteristics as evaluated by a team coach impact participation in leadership development program…

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Abstract

Purpose

By relying on social learning theory, the authors aim to evaluate how team characteristics as evaluated by a team coach impact participation in leadership development program activities. Specifically, the authors hypothesize that teams with high levels of competence and social support would participate more team and program-wide training activities.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors examine 41 teams (266 participants) in a leadership development program and develop a two-by-two matrix to categorize teams based on their underlying characteristics for the purpose of identifying participation differences.

Findings

The mixed results indicate how team social support is a key driver for participation in team activities and how team competence is associated with less participation in program-wide activities in a leadership development program.

Practical implications

The results point to the importance of team characteristics when using teams for education and training programs such as leadership development programs. Team characteristics such as team competence and team social support should be considered when building teams and for team facilitation needs during education and training programs that implore teams to enhance learning.

Originality/value

Although the use of teams as an organizing strategy is popular, very little research has examined the effectiveness of this strategy by taking a deeper look at team characteristics and how these impact participation in a leadership development program.

Details

Team Performance Management: An International Journal, vol. 24 no. 3/4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1352-7592

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 18 October 2022

Emmanuel Quansah, Kaveh Moghaddam, Stephanie Solansky and Yuan Wang

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) play a vital role throughout the global economy, spurring innovation and job creation. This study investigates the effect of strategic…

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Abstract

Purpose

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) play a vital role throughout the global economy, spurring innovation and job creation. This study investigates the effect of strategic leadership practices on SME performance.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors conducted a quantitative survey of leaders from 290 SMEs to examine their strategic leadership and how it affects SME performance. Structural equation modeling (SEM) is used to test the dependent relationships in this paper.

Findings

The results suggest that the strategic leadership effect on firm performance is fully mediated by employee empowerment dynamic capability (EEDC) as well as resilient dynamic capability (RDC).

Originality/value

Strategic leadership is traditionally analyzed in large organizations. The authors evaluate the role of strategic leadership in SMEs which is an underexplored context for leadership studies. In this process, the authors also analyze the mediating role of EEDC and RDC.

Details

Leadership & Organization Development Journal, vol. 43 no. 8
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0143-7739

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 23 October 2019

Barjinder Singh, T.T. Selvarajan and Stephanie T. Solansky

Drawing on the conservation of resources theory, the purpose of this paper is to test a model of the influence of coworker-resources (coworker-support and coworker-exchange) on…

1848

Abstract

Purpose

Drawing on the conservation of resources theory, the purpose of this paper is to test a model of the influence of coworker-resources (coworker-support and coworker-exchange) on employee performance with psychological flourishing as mediator and employee race as moderator.

Design/methodology/approach

Using a sample of 321 employees from a mid-western US organization, the authors conducted a field study and used regression analysis to test the hypotheses. The authors ran the basic mediation as well as moderated-mediation models with non-parametric bootstrapping procedures.

Findings

Coworker-support and coworker-exchange were positively associated with psychological flourishing, which, in turn, was positively associated with employee performance. The authors found support for psychological flourishing as a mediator of coworker influence–employee performance relationships. The authors also found evidence supporting race as a boundary condition that moderated coworker influence–performance relationships, which were stronger for minorities as opposed to whites.

Practical implications

To ensure employee well-being and superior employee performance, especially for racial minorities, managers must create work environments replete with coworker-support and healthy coworker-exchange.

Originality/value

The study undertakes a simultaneous examination of two different forms of coworker influences on employee performance and clarifies the role of underlying psychological mechanisms that pave the way for coworker influence on performance. The findings provide clarity regarding the employee–coworker relationship research; in addition, they establish race as an important boundary condition when considering coworker influences and employee performance.

Details

Journal of Managerial Psychology, vol. 34 no. 8
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0268-3946

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 26 August 2014

Stephanie Solansky

The purpose of this paper is to shed light on psychological empowerment in a leadership development context by addressing two questions. First, what is the role of leadership…

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to shed light on psychological empowerment in a leadership development context by addressing two questions. First, what is the role of leadership experience and education value in the psychological empowerment of leadership development? Second, are there significant differences in leadership development implications depending on the extent of psychological empowerment?

Design/methodology/approach

These research questions are addressed in an empirical study of n=256 individuals taking part in a leadership development course. The first question was analyzed with regression analysis and the second question was analyzed with analysis of variance and covariance after the individuals were categorized based on their psychological empowerment of leadership development.

Findings

As hypothesized, leadership experience and leadership education value are significantly, positively related to the psychological empowerment of leadership development. Additionally, a higher psychological empowerment score did result in better leadership development implications. Conclusions for psychological empowerment and leadership development research are discussed.

Originality/value

There is limited research on psychological empowerment and leadership development. This study contributes to the literature by immersing psychological empowerment in a leadership development context and empirically testing theory driven hypotheses based on transformational learning theory and expectancy value theory.

Details

Leadership & Organization Development Journal, vol. 35 no. 7
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0143-7739

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 29 March 2011

Stephanie T. Solansky

This study seeks to explore why some teams realize performance gains and others do not. Team identification is proposed as an explanatory mechanism of performance.

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Abstract

Purpose

This study seeks to explore why some teams realize performance gains and others do not. Team identification is proposed as an explanatory mechanism of performance.

Design/methodology/approach

Data from two longitudinal studies with 42 teams (270 individuals) are examined using regression analysis. Study 1 relies on student teams, while Study 2 is based on two field samples of actual working teams. In both studies, team identification was captured prior to the objective performance measures.

Findings

This study empirically provides evidence that team identification is linked to team performance across three settings.

Research limitations/implications

Although the sample size is relatively small within each study, the implications are that team process variables such as identification matter when gauging performance across all three settings.

Practical implications

It is critical that team‐oriented processes, such as identification, are promoted if managers hope to see performance gains within work teams. Just because a team is created, this does not guarantee that the members will operate as a collective entity to accomplish tasks. If the members of the team identify with one another, they are more likely to outperform individual‐oriented teams.

Originality/value

There is little agreement regarding performance gains and teamwork. This study demonstrates that teams with identification are better performers across three settings, in which two are based on applied settings of actual intact work teams. This study is also valuable because it provides longitudinal data, given that identification is measured prior to performance.

Details

Journal of Managerial Psychology, vol. 26 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0268-3946

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 14 June 2019

This paper aims to review the latest management developments across the globe and pinpoint practical implications from cutting-edge research and case studies.

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Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to review the latest management developments across the globe and pinpoint practical implications from cutting-edge research and case studies.

Design/methodology/approach

This briefing is prepared by an independent writer who adds their own impartial comments and places the articles in context.

Findings

The findings indicate that within leadership development programs, team social support is a key driver for participation in team activities. They also indicate that team competence is associated with less participation in program-wide activities.

Originality/value

The briefing saves busy executives and researchers hours of reading time by selecting only the very best, most pertinent information and presenting it in a condensed and easy-to-digest format.

Details

Development and Learning in Organizations: An International Journal, vol. 33 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1477-7282

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 21 September 2020

John H. Humphreys, Milorad M. Novicevic, Stephanie S. Pane Haden and Md. Kamrul Hasan

Uhl-Bien and Arena (2018) presented a persuasive argument for recognizing the concept of enabling leadership as a critical form of leadership for adaptive organizations. This…

Abstract

Purpose

Uhl-Bien and Arena (2018) presented a persuasive argument for recognizing the concept of enabling leadership as a critical form of leadership for adaptive organizations. This study aims to narratively explore the concept of enabling leadership in the context of social complexity.

Design/methodology/approach

To explore how leaders enable adaptive processes, Uhl-Bien and Arena (2018) called for future research using in-depth case studies of social actors centered on emergence in complex environments. In this in-depth case study, the authors pursue theory elaboration by using a form of analytically structured history process to analyze primary and secondary sources.

Findings

During archival research of Whitney Young, Jr’s largely overlooked and misunderstood leadership in the historic social drama of the 1960s US civil rights movement, the authors discovered compelling evidence to support and extend the theoretical arguments advanced by Uhl-Bien and Arena (2018).

Research limitations/implications

The reflexivity associated with interpretive case approaches confronts the issue of subjectivism. The authors ask readers to judge the credibility of their arguments accordingly.

Originality/value

Using a relational leadership-as-practice lens, the authors interpret the dramaturgical performance Whitney Young, Jr directed to facilitate coherent emancipatory dialogue, affect the social construction of power relations and enable the adaptive space needed for social transformation to emerge.

Article
Publication date: 20 April 2012

Joseph A. Allen, Stephanie J. Sands, Stephanie L. Mueller, Katherine A. Frear, Mara Mudd and Steven G. Rogelberg

The purpose of this paper is to identify how employees feel about having more meetings and what can be done to improve employees' feelings about their work meetings.

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to identify how employees feel about having more meetings and what can be done to improve employees' feelings about their work meetings.

Design/methodology/approach

Data were obtained from three samples of working adults. The first was a convenience sample recruited by undergraduate students (n=120), the second was a stratified random sample from a metropolitan area in the southern USA (n=126), and the third was an internet‐based panel sample (n=402). Constant comparative analysis of responses to open‐ended questions was used to investigate the overarching research questions.

Findings

It is found that employees enjoy meetings when they have a clear objective, and when important relevant information is shared. Consistent with conservation of resources theory, most employees are unhappy with meetings when they reduce their work‐related resources (e.g. meetings constrain their time, lack structure and are unproductive).

Practical implications

The data suggest that meetings appear to be both resource‐draining and resource‐supplying activities in the workplace. Researchers and managers should consider overtly asking about how people feel about meetings, as a means of identifying areas for future research inquiry and targets for improvement in the workplace generally.

Originality/value

The paper describes one of the few studies on meetings that ask the participants overtly what their feelings are regarding their workplace meetings. Additionally, the paper illustrates the usefulness of qualitative data analysis as a means for further understanding workplace activities viewing respondents as informants.

Article
Publication date: 9 September 2013

Konstantinos Poulis and Efthimios Poulis

Challenging assumptions about the uni-nationality of markets, the paper aims to understand the role of intra-national cultural heterogeneity in product standardisation and…

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Abstract

Purpose

Challenging assumptions about the uni-nationality of markets, the paper aims to understand the role of intra-national cultural heterogeneity in product standardisation and adaptation strategies of multinational firms in a single-country, multicultural market.

Design/methodology/approach

The study is set against the dominant backdrop of deductive reasoning in the field and adopts a qualitative mode of inquiry that promotes empathy with the setting. Through a multiple case study approach among paradigmatic cases, it sheds light on the aforementioned objective.

Findings

The paper conceptualises the term “layers of adaptation” and reveals that firms use multi-dimensional standardisation/adaptation configurations. It explicates sub-contextual variations that move beyond assumptions of intra-national sameness and identifies their influence on unnoticed, more agile forms of adaptation.

Research limitations/implications

Findings are limited to the analysis of practices in a specific setting. More studies across diverse contexts are necessary in order to expand the boundaries of relevant investigations and enrich the process of theorising.

Practical implications

The findings caution that lack of internal sameness in multicultural markets may necessitate a multi-layered standardisation/adaptation logic that considers varying “depths” and “breadths” of relevant marketing strategies.

Originality/value

The paper challenges assumptions that have characterised the standardisation and adaptation discourse, conceptualises the term “layers of adaptation” to denote the need for more considerate market responses and highlights the usefulness of qualitative investigations towards theoretical grounding of the field.

Details

International Marketing Review, vol. 30 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0265-1335

Keywords

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