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Article
Publication date: 29 August 2022

Abdul Gaffar Khan, Yan Li, Zubair Akram and Umair Akram

Extant scholars identified negative workplace gossip as a social stressor that negatively influences employees’ behavior and attitude. Despite the burgeoning interest in workplace…

Abstract

Purpose

Extant scholars identified negative workplace gossip as a social stressor that negatively influences employees’ behavior and attitude. Despite the burgeoning interest in workplace stressors, limited studies have explored how the detrimental consequences of targets’ perceived negative workplace gossip spur their emotions and behaviors. Grounding on conservation of resources and ego depletion theories, this study aims to investigate why and how targets’ negative workplace gossip may contribute to trigger knowledge hiding. Specifically, the authors explore the underlying mechanism of personal ego depletion and boundary conditions of organizational justice to shed new light on the above process.

Design/methodology/approach

Using two time-wave survey, the authors collected 340 sample data from employees working in high-tech companies of China. Hierarchical regression analysis was used to examine hypothesized relationships of moderated mediation model.

Findings

The empirical results revealed that negative workplace gossip exacerbates knowledge hiding by increasing personal ego depletion. Furthermore, through testing moderated mediation model, the results showed that organizational justice (i.e. distributive and procedural justice) with the low presence moderates the stronger strength of the linkage between negative workplace gossip and personal ego depletion, and likewise, it also moderates the stronger effect of negative workplace gossip on knowledge hiding via personal ego depletion.

Practical implications

This study recommends several guidelines for managers and practitioners to mitigate negative gossip by strengthening organizational justice.

Originality/value

This study first enriches novel understanding in the literature between negative workplace gossip and knowledge hiding by using a new emotional mechanism (i.e. personal ego depletion). This research also contributes new insights by incorporating contextual boundary conditions (i.e. organizational justice) that have not been yet researched on negative gossip and knowledge hiding linkage.

Article
Publication date: 24 November 2021

Abdul Gaffar Khan, Yan Li, Zubair Akram and Umair Akram

Despite the recent extending research on knowledge hiding, there is still scant research on social stressor phenomena-related contextual antecedent factors and new cognitive…

Abstract

Purpose

Despite the recent extending research on knowledge hiding, there is still scant research on social stressor phenomena-related contextual antecedent factors and new cognitive mechanisms of knowledge hiding behaviors. To shed new light on this unexplored gap, this research explores the multi-level moderated mediation model that examines how and when negative gossip experienced by targets in the workplace induces their knowledge hiding from coworkers drawing from the lens of social learning and cognitive theories. More specifically, this study aims to evaluate the relationship between negative workplace gossip and knowledge hiding via moral disengagement, and this mediation effect is also moderated by team relational conflict as a novel boundary condition.

Design/methodology/approach

This study collected multi-wave 338 employees’ data from 68 teams of cross-sectional industries in China, which were nested within teams. The collected nested nature data were analyzed by employing multi-level analysis based on hierarchical linear modeling.

Findings

The results suggested that negative workplace gossip first triggers moral disengagement and thereby, leads to knowledge hiding. Furthermore, the direct positive association between negative workplace gossip and moral disengagement was strengthened by increasing intra-team relational conflict. In addition, the mediation effect of moral disengagement between negative workplace gossip and knowledge hiding was also strengthened through increasing intra-team relational conflict.

Originality/value

This study first empirically examines the multi-level model using a new underlying mechanism (moral disengagement) and team-level boundary condition (relational conflict) and enriches the current literature on knowledge management and workplace gossip. Theoretical and practical implications of these findings and future research lines are also discussed, which will facilitate practitioners and academicians to curb counterproductive knowledge behavior.

Article
Publication date: 7 January 2019

Anum Tariq, Changfeng Wang, Yasir Tanveer, Umair Akram and Zubair Akram

The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of consumers’ attitudes towards organic food on online impulse buying behaviour as well as the moderating effect of three…

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of consumers’ attitudes towards organic food on online impulse buying behaviour as well as the moderating effect of three website features (visual, information and navigation design) on this relationship.

Design/methodology/approach

Survey data were collected via an online survey using social media platforms. A total of 653 online questionnaires were collected (response rate = 72.5 per cent) and analysed by applying exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses. The proposed hypotheses were tested through structural equation modelling.

Findings

Social media forums, ratings and reviews shape Chinese consumers’ attitudes towards organic food and positively influence their online impulse buying in this market. Website features are critical for disseminating information on organic food. Informative webpages featuring product quality and certification have a greater moderating effect on purchase. Information cues such as nutritional content; production and processing methods, and environmentally friendliness also influence consumers’ attitudes and thus impulse buying decisions.

Practical implications

Marketers should reconsider their tactics for dealing with modern consumers, as webpages should be user-friendly and visually appealing with a social learning mechanism to drive organic food consumption.

Originality/value

This study bridges a gap in the literature on social commerce initiatives for developing consumers’ attitudes towards organic food and online impulse buying. Further, it proposes measures that can enhance organic consumption and contributes to the literature on the importance of social factors, resulting in enhanced knowledge on the online impulse buying of organic food.

Details

Asia Pacific Journal of Marketing and Logistics, vol. 31 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1355-5855

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 20 December 2021

Zubair Akram, Saima Ahmad, Umair Akram, Muhammad Asghar and Tao Jiang

This paper aims to answer the question of how, why and when abusive supervision affects employee creativity. Drawing on the conservation of resources theory, this paper examines…

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to answer the question of how, why and when abusive supervision affects employee creativity. Drawing on the conservation of resources theory, this paper examines the direct and indirect (via psychological distress) effects of abusive supervision on employee creativity. It further investigates the boundary conditions imposed by employees’ perceived distributive and procedural justice in the relationships between abusive supervision, psychological distress and employee creativity.

Design/methodology/approach

The study uses multi-sourced and time-lagged data collected in three waves from a survey of employees-supervisor dyads working in the Chinese manufacturing sector. In the first wave, the authors received data from 347 employees on perceived abusive supervision and perceived distributive and procedural justice. In the second wave, 320 employees shared their perceptions of psychological distress at work. In the third wave, the authors received ratings for employee creativity from the direct supervisors of 300 employees. The data were analyzed using bootstrapped moderated mediation procedures.

Findings

The findings revealed a significant negative influence of abusive supervision on employee creativity both directly and indirectly in the presence of perceived psychological distress. However, distributive and procedural justice was found to mitigate the negative impact of abusive supervision on employee creativity.

Practical implications

Abusive supervision has adverse consequences for employees’ creativity because it affects their psychological health. HR and top management should prioritize addressing abusive supervision first and foremost to boost employee creativity in the workplace. Managers should give employees opportunities for participation and foster a climate of fairness in the organization to mitigate the harmful consequences of abusive supervision.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first empirical study that examines the psychological distress-based mechanism in the relationship between abusive supervision and creativity while considering the interactive effects of distributive and procedural justice. It addresses an important research gap in the literature by proposing that organizational perceived distributive and procedural justice can mitigate the detrimental effects of abusive supervision.

Details

International Journal of Conflict Management, vol. 33 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1044-4068

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 17 May 2022

Zubair Akram, Abdul Gaffar Khan, Umair Akram, Saima Ahmad and Lynda Jiwen Song

While the rapid adoption of information communication technologies (ICT) in organizations has been linked with a higher risk of cyberbullying, research on the influence of…

Abstract

Purpose

While the rapid adoption of information communication technologies (ICT) in organizations has been linked with a higher risk of cyberbullying, research on the influence of cyberbullying on interpersonal behaviors in the workplace remains limited. By drawing on the ego-depletion theory and the leader-member exchange (LMX) theory, this research investigates how, why and when workplace cyberbullying may trigger interpersonal aggression through ICT.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors collected data from 259 employees and 62 supervisors working in large ICT organizations in China through a multi-wave survey. The authors performed multilevel analysis and used hierarchical linear modeling to test the proposed moderated mediation model.

Findings

The results revealed that workplace cyberbullying has a significant and positive influence on interpersonal aggression in the workplace via ego depletion. The authors found that differentiation in LMX processes at group level moderates the indirect relationship between workplace cyberbullying and interpersonal aggression (via ego depletion). Furthermore, the positive indirect effect of workplace cyberbullying was found to be stronger in the presence of a high LMX differentiation condition in comparison to a low LMX differentiation condition.

Research limitations/implications

The data were collected from Chinese ICT organizations, which may limit the generalization of this study’s findings to other cultural and sectoral contexts.

Originality/value

This paper provides the first step in understanding how, why and when workplace cyberbullying triggers interpersonal aggression by investigating the role of ego depletion as a mediator and LMX differentiation as a boundary condition. This is the first study to empirically examine the relationships between workplace cyberbullying, ego depletion, LMX differentiation and interpersonal aggression in ICT organizations using multi-level modeling.

Details

Internet Research, vol. 32 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1066-2243

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 7 October 2021

Muhammad Shahid Mehmood, Zhang Jian, Umair Akram, Zubair Akram and Yasir Tanveer

Creativity is vital for the innovation and survival of organizations. The present study aimed to explore the impact of entrepreneurial leadership on team creativity through team…

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Abstract

Purpose

Creativity is vital for the innovation and survival of organizations. The present study aimed to explore the impact of entrepreneurial leadership on team creativity through team psychological safety and knowledge sharing. Social learning theory (SLT) was used to explore the relationships in this study.

Design/methodology/approach

Data were collected from the manufacturing sector of Pakistan, and a sample composed of 70 team leaders and 378 team members was used.

Findings

The results showed the positive influence of entrepreneurial leadership on team creativity. Furthermore, team psychological safety and knowledge sharing mediated the relationship between entrepreneurial leadership and team creativity. Finally, team psychological safety and knowledge sharing sequentially mediated the relationship between entrepreneurial leadership and team creativity.

Research limitations/implications

A small sample size and cross-sectional research design may hinder the generalizability of the findings. The findings suggest that leaders should practice entrepreneurial leadership principles to develop team creativity. Organizations should provide training and development programmes for their leaders and employees to learn the importance of entrepreneurial behaviors and how to explore and exploit entrepreneurial opportunities.

Originality/value

This study extends the leadership and creativity literature by exploring the role of entrepreneurial leadership in developing team creativity. Furthermore, this study was conducted in established organizations to explore entrepreneurial leadership's influence on team creativity. In contrast, earlier scholars recognized entrepreneurial leadership as a leadership style of entrepreneurs and thus examined its implications in new ventures or small and medium enterprises.

Details

Personnel Review, vol. 51 no. 9
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0048-3486

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 19 January 2022

Gul Afshan, Carolina Serrano-Archimi and Zubair Akram

The paper examines the effect of relative leader-member exchange (LMX) on follower's in-role performance, citizenship behaviour and cynicism via relational identification…

Abstract

Purpose

The paper examines the effect of relative leader-member exchange (LMX) on follower's in-role performance, citizenship behaviour and cynicism via relational identification. Moreover, LMXSC (LMXSC) moderates the direct and mediating relationship.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on multi-level (individual and group level) model, dyadic data were collected from 298 employees working under 47 group managers in the banking sector in Pakistan.

Findings

The multi-level moderated mediation model tested in Mplus and HLM software showed the full support for direct, mediating and moderating hypothesized relationships; however, the moderated mediation hypothesis was partially supported. It reveals that relative LMX standing of followers predicted in-role performance, organizational citizenship behaviour at an individual level (OCB-individual) and cynicism. Relational identification with the leader mediated the relationship. Moreover, at high LMXSC, the relationship between relative LMX and relational identification and consequently the outcomes were stronger.

Originality/value

LMX has widely been studied at dyadic level, despite the suggested high and low LMX quality relationships that exist in a workgroup. This study not only investigates the role of relative LMX on employee performance through relational identification but also reports that subjective evaluation of LMXSC plays a major role in promoting employee performance.

Details

Leadership & Organization Development Journal, vol. 43 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0143-7739

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 29 June 2021

Syed Arslan Haider, Muhammad Zubair, Shehnaz Tehseen, Shahid Iqbal and Mariam Sohail

Research on adopting leadership style like ambidextrous leadership to enhance employees' innovative work behavior (IWB) is in an initial stage. Moreover, employees need a high…

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Abstract

Purpose

Research on adopting leadership style like ambidextrous leadership to enhance employees' innovative work behavior (IWB) is in an initial stage. Moreover, employees need a high knowledge sharing attitude to show more IWB. The purpose of this study is to empirically test the impact of ambidextrous leadership on IWB with the mediating role of knowledge sharing and the moderating role of innovativeness as a project requirement (IAPR).

Design/methodology/approach

The simple random sampling technique was used to collect data from 542 employees of project-based construction companies operating in Pakistan. Smart partial least squares-structural equation modeling (Smart PLS SEM v.3.2.8) was used to test the hypotheses.

Findings

The result revealed that ambidextrous leadership has a significant and positive effect on knowledge sharing but negative effect on IWB at the workplace. Additionally, the mediating role of knowledge sharing has been tested and proved to be a potential mediator between ambidextrous leadership and IWB. Also, IAPR as moderator has a significant and positive effect on knowledge sharing and IWB.

Practical implications

The managers need to develop an ambidexterity-oriented strategy and communicate this strategy across the members of the whole organization. These processes can be facilitated by ambidextrous leaders with complex behavioral repertoires and specific constellations and characteristics of top management teams.

Originality/value

The relationship between ambidextrous leadership and IWB is the new contribution through the mediating of knowledge sharing between AL and IWB also moderation role IWB between knowledge sharing and IWB.

Details

European Journal of Innovation Management, vol. 26 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1460-1060

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 10 May 2021

Asif Ali Safeer, Yuanqiong He, Yuanyuan Lin, Muhammad Abrar and Zubair Nawaz

In the modern era, brand authenticity is one of the most powerful positioning strategies for sustainable business growth. This study investigated the impacts of perceived brand…

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Abstract

Purpose

In the modern era, brand authenticity is one of the most powerful positioning strategies for sustainable business growth. This study investigated the impacts of perceived brand authenticity dimensions (i.e., quality commitment, heritage, sincerity) on brand love to predict Generation Y's behavior from the Asian context.

Design/methodology/approach

This is new empirical research that tested the proposed hypotheses through PLS-SEM, as PLS is the most robust technique for predicting consumer behavior. Importantly, consumers (of Generation Y) from five Asian countries contributed to this study, and data collected from 427 Asian millennials on global brands.

Findings

The results analysis revealed that perceived brand authenticity dimensions significantly impacted brand love, which positively affected Asian millennials' behavioral outcomes (i.e., continuous purchase intention and price premium).

Research limitations/implications

This study investigated dimensions of perceived brand authenticity to predict Asian millennials' behavioral outcomes in a broader perspective. Future researchers may investigate a specific culture with a larger sample size to predict millennials behavior.

Practical implications

This study has several implications that guide the global managers of several service and manufacturing industries to develop various positioning and relationship strategies for global brands to target Asian markets effectively.

Originality/value

Using attribution theory, this is the first novel research study that empirically discussed the dimensions of perceived brand authenticity, brand love, and Asian millennials' behavior toward global brands.

Details

International Journal of Emerging Markets, vol. 18 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1746-8809

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 19 October 2020

Muhammad Zubair Alam, Shazia Kousar, Nyla Shafqat and Aiza Shabbir

This paper aims to explore the way tacit knowledge (TK) sharing occurred among automotive workshop (AW) employees. Challenges and drivers of TK sharing (TKS), including stakes of…

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to explore the way tacit knowledge (TK) sharing occurred among automotive workshop (AW) employees. Challenges and drivers of TK sharing (TKS), including stakes of experienced employees that hinder the smooth transfer of TK, have been explored.

Design/methodology/approach

In-depth interviews have been conducted with experienced technicians using open-ended questions to gain deep insights on the issue of TKS. Data coding has been done for thematic analysis to extract themes.

Findings

This study explains the way TK is shared and transferred among employees in the AW sector. Various drivers and challenges in the smooth transfer of TK have been found. Various stakes of employees in the sharing of TK have been explored.

Originality/value

To the best of authors’ knowledge, this is the first study that explored stakes of experienced employees in TKS by exploring challenges in the TKS process among employees. Automotive repair is a complicated technical job that integrates various trade persons for the successful execution of jobs for customer satisfaction. TK is a core value and a sensitive issue among employees, which makes the job of researchers challenging, resulting scarcity of literature on this vital issue.

Details

VINE Journal of Information and Knowledge Management Systems, vol. 52 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2059-5891

Keywords

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