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1 – 10 of 22Gerry Larsson, Ann Elisabet Zander and Marianne Lönngren
The purpose of this study was to develop an easy-to-use, theoretically well-founded and psychometrically sound assessment tool of the concept co-workership.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study was to develop an easy-to-use, theoretically well-founded and psychometrically sound assessment tool of the concept co-workership.
Design/methodology/approach
Firstly, inductively generated examples of favourable and unfavourable co-worker behaviours were collected, clustered and then expressed as frequency-based Likert-type scale items. Data were obtained from 825 Swedish white collar workers and military personnel. A factor analysis (principal axis factoring with oblique rotation) resulted in a seven-factor solution built up by 30 items and forming the instrument Co-Worker Questionnaire (Co-Worker Q).
Findings
The factors have a strong resemblance to the content of dominating models of leadership, followership, organizational citizenship behaviour and leader–member exchange. The factor scales had relatively high reliability (high Cronbach’s alpha coefficients and low standard errors of measurement). Regarding discriminability, women scored more favourably on five of the factors, men on one factor and age differences were noted on two factors.
Research limitations/implications
Shortcomings include the lack of data on possibly related aspects including person factors, such as personality and socio-economic status, and contextual factors such as more detailed data on the type of work environment and organizational culture.
Practical implications
The instrument has an easy-to-use format and can be used in organization development interventions with a co-workership focus and in individualized coaching or mentoring programmes.
Originality/value
The co-workership concept has so far mainly been used in the Nordic countries. The development of the Co-Worker Q opens up for broader applications.
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Anna Karin Olsson, Kristina M. Eriksson and Linnéa Carlsson
The purpose is to apply the co-workership approach to contribute guidelines for manufacturing managers to exploit the potential of digital technologies through a human-centric…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose is to apply the co-workership approach to contribute guidelines for manufacturing managers to exploit the potential of digital technologies through a human-centric perspective.
Design/methodology/approach
A longitudinal single case study within manufacturing including a mix of qualitative methods with 18 in-depth interviews and focus groups with 25 participants covering all organizational levels and functions.
Findings
Findings demonstrate that to re-interpret manufacturing management through the lens of Industry 5.0 (I5.0), managers need to respond to the call for a more human-centric perspective by focusing on organizational prerequisites, such as holistic understanding, inclusive organizational change, leadership practices, learning and innovation processes.
Research limitations/implications
Limitations due to a single case study are compensated with rich data collected over time with the strengths of mixed methods through in-depth interviews and focus groups with participants reflecting and developing ideas jointly.
Practical implications
Managers’ awareness of organizational prerequisites to promote human perspectives in all functions and at all levels in digital transformation is pivotal. Thus, proposed organizational prerequisites are presented as managers’ guidelines for future innovative manufacturing.
Social implications
Findings emphasize the need for digital transformation managers to apply a human-centric perspective acknowledging how organizational changes affect the inclusion of employees, and thus challenge culture, structure, communication and trust toward I5.0.
Originality/value
The study contributes to the emerging field of I5.0 by applying an interdisciplinary approach to understand the elusive phenomena of enfolding technology and humans.
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Helena Elisabeth Liewendahl and Kristina Heinonen
Customer value creation is dependent on a firm’s capacity to fulfil its brand promises and value propositions. The purpose of this paper is to explore frontline employees’ (FLEs’…
Abstract
Purpose
Customer value creation is dependent on a firm’s capacity to fulfil its brand promises and value propositions. The purpose of this paper is to explore frontline employees’ (FLEs’) motivation to align with value propositions.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper explores FLEs’ motivation to align with a firm’s value propositions as operationalised brand promises. A longitudinal, three-phase case study was conducted on a business-to-business company in the building and technical trade sector.
Findings
This study reveals factors that foster and weaken employees’ motivation to align with a firm’s brand promises and value propositions. The findings show that co-activity and authentic, practice-driven promises and value propositions foster FLEs’ motivation to uphold brand promises and value propositions, whereas an objectifying stance and power struggle weaken their motivation.
Practical implications
The study indicates that a bottom-up approach to strategising is needed and that FLE is to be engaged in traditional managerial domains, such as in developing value propositions. By creating space and agency for FLE in the strategising process, their motivation to align with value propositions is fostered. Four motivational modes are suggested to support bottom-up strategising.
Originality/value
The paper is unique in its focus on FLEs’ motivation. Developing value propositions traditionally falls within the domain of management strategising, while employees are ascribed the role of enactment. Contrary to the established norm, this paper highlights employees’ active role in strategising and developing value propositions.
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Organizational change processes are often modeled on a linear understanding of change in which the process is composed of individual succeeding steps. In this paper, an…
Abstract
Organizational change processes are often modeled on a linear understanding of change in which the process is composed of individual succeeding steps. In this paper, an organization change process in a Swedish telecommunication company, TelCo., is studied from the perspective of non‐linearity. Complexity theory is used in the paper as a loosely coupled framework of theories and perspectives that do not assume that social or natural systems operate in accordance with linearity. By integrating complexity theory perspectives on organization change, disruptive, fluid processes of change may be better understood. Notions such as non‐linearity and complexity may thus be fruitfully integrated into the analysis of organizational change processes.
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Kristin Lebesby and Jos Benders
This study aims to emphasize the importance of taking into account the perspectives of prospective participants and identifying potential tensions in action research.
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to emphasize the importance of taking into account the perspectives of prospective participants and identifying potential tensions in action research.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper reflects on a (participatory) action research (AR) project in which the first author was involved as an embedded researcher. The data were gathered through semi-structured interviews, field notes and observed project activities. The authors conducted a thematic analysis.
Findings
This paper thematically categorized four types of tensions between both groups. These were tensions connected to: internal facilitators giving guidance, project goals, top-down expectations and unfamiliarity with AR working formats.
Practical implications
Quintessential to AR is giving the less privileged a voice. For this to work, gaining a good understanding of their perspectives is crucial.
Originality/value
This paper challenges the implicit assumption that prospective participants of AR projects are always willing to participate.
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Ulf Blossing and Mette Liljenberg
The purpose of this paper is to contribute to the understanding of Swedish school leaders’ relational and management work orientation, in terms of both techno and socio structure…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to contribute to the understanding of Swedish school leaders’ relational and management work orientation, in terms of both techno and socio structure dimensions. The background is the neoliberal policy regime, underpinned by OECD and PISA, and an increased focus on school leaders’ management work.
Design/methodology/approach
In total, 26 school leaders in a Swedish municipality were interviewed, and their responses were analysed to score their expressed orientations in terms of techno structure (object and formal) and socio structure (person and symbolic) dimensions.
Findings
The school leaders had predominantly formal work orientations, expressed in comments about organising teams, scheduling teacher meetings, shaping working routines in meetings, making plans and (in some cases) creating an infrastructure. Scores for object (goal and result) and symbolic dimensions of their management orientation were low.
Practical implications
The results suggest a need to increase Swedish school leaders’ attention to object aspects, and both person and symbolic aspects of the formal or organising dimension, of their work. They also indicate the importance of establishing and communicating core symbols in compulsory schooling, like democracy and equity, to avoid external accountability pressures instrumentally shaping schools’ management.
Originality/value
In contrast to previous research, the analysis indicates that Swedish school leaders have a predominantly formal and organising work orientation, frequently with little clear goal and results orientation, or attention to professional needs and motivations of the teachers (important aspects of person orientation).
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Magnus Hoppe, Mats Westerberg and Eva Leffler
The purpose of this paper is to present and develop models of educational approaches to entrepreneurship that can provide complementary analytical structures to better study…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to present and develop models of educational approaches to entrepreneurship that can provide complementary analytical structures to better study, enact and reflect upon the role of entrepreneurship in higher education.
Design/methodology/approach
A general framework for entrepreneurship education is developed by using theory as well as practical experiences from the fields of business, engineering and pedagogy. The paper is mainly conceptual where the unfolding Swedish practice is used as contextual backdrop.
Findings
The FOR/IN/THROUGH/ABOUT (FITA) taxonomy is presented and used to develop three models of how to approach entrepreneurship in higher education depending on purpose. As there exists a didactical divide between entrepreneurial education for business and entrepreneurial approach to teaching and learning, educators and researchers ought to let their specific context influence the adoption of the taxonomy as well as the presented models.
Research limitations/implications
The differentiations suggested by the presented models can be used to both structure the designs and limit claims of future research. More heuristic research is called for.
Practical implications
The use of FITA in the designing of entrepreneurship education offers new opportunities for enhancing complementary student learning in higher education.
Social implications
The study suggests that any political or scholarly initiative must acknowledge the diversity of entrepreneurship education and chose different approaches depending on what is to be achieved.
Originality/value
The multidisciplinary approach has made it possible to present and create models that denote a common ground for a productive discussion on how to better understand and make use of entrepreneurship in higher education.
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The purpose of this paper was to modify an existing survey that measures co-worker perceptions of health-related quality management (QM) values and perceived health and to measure…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper was to modify an existing survey that measures co-worker perceptions of health-related quality management (QM) values and perceived health and to measure both co-worker and manager perceptions of those values. The purpose was also to test the modified survey and then compare the results from managers and co-workers from two organizations in which the survey has been used to measure baseline data in a lean research project and to help managers understand the areas where improvement is needed.
Design/methodology/approach
An earlier survey measuring co-worker perception of the dimensions of the health-related QM values “leadership commitment” and “participation of everybody” has been developed with corresponding statements for managers. The results of the survey were analyzed using SPSS (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences), the Cronbach’s alpha coefficient was calculated for each of the dimensions, and the correlations between the dimensions and the health index were investigated using the Pearson correlation. The mean and standard deviation were also calculated.
Findings
The modified survey is presented in the paper, and the results demonstrate that the managers’ perception of the presence of health-related QM values is higher than that of the co-workers. Seeing the leadership from the co-workers’ standpoint compared with the managers’ perspective provides novel insight for both the researcher and the managers.
Originality/value
Leaders in organizations must develop greater efficiency to improve operational performance and develop healthy work environments. Practicing QM can benefit performance and is central for inspiring quality and efficiency within organizations, as well as for enhancing co-worker well-being. Earlier research found relationships between co-workers’ perception of their health and the health-related QM values “leadership commitment” and “participation of everybody.” With the survey presented in this paper, it is possible to measure these health-related QM values and provide a comparison between manager and co-worker perceptions.
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Alexander Styhre, Sanne Olilla, Leena Wikmalm and Jonas Roth
Identities are central to the regulation and control of knowledge‐intensive work. Rather than being managed on the basis of technocratic or bureaucratic control, knowledge…
Abstract
Purpose
Identities are central to the regulation and control of knowledge‐intensive work. Rather than being managed on the basis of technocratic or bureaucratic control, knowledge intensive firms are employing knowledge workers who enact and internalize identities and roles that guide everyday behaviour in organizations. However, the concept of identity is relational and contingent on local conditions and interactions in everyday practices, different identities may be complementary or even contradictory. The paper aims to show that consultants are altering between being experts and speaking‐partners, two identities that in many ways are complementary but also mutually reinforcing.
Design/methodology/approach
This is a case study of a Swedish management consulting firm, Johnson Consulting.
Findings
The challenge for consultants is to be capable of effortlessly transgressing the line of demarcation between the two identities – expert and speaking‐partner – and their accompanying practices for the benefit of the client. Skilled consultants are trained at moving back and forth between these positions while less experienced consultants may find it intimidating to lose their position as expert.
Practical implications
The paper concludes that knowledge‐intensive firms such as management consulting firms should articulate and elaborate on the various identities mobilized in everyday work when encountering clients.
Originality/value
The paper uses the literature on identities in knowledge‐intensive firms and an empirical study of management consultants to show that knowledge‐intensive work is always operating on the level of identities and self‐images. Understanding knowledge intensive firms thus demands an understanding of how co‐workers perceive their own role.
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The purpose of this paper is to discuss aspects of responsibility in relation to organizational contexts, the main focus being responsibility for consequences we cannot reach…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to discuss aspects of responsibility in relation to organizational contexts, the main focus being responsibility for consequences we cannot reach. Responsibility is a major underpinning of business administration and management and also an aspect of everyday life. Responsibility is about responding, to act as an answer to previous action/s, but we never know all consequences of our actions.
Design/methodology/approach
Literature from management, HRM studies and from philosophy scholars is used to discover different perspectives of responsibility and a typology of responsibility handling is developed.
Findings
In total, three types of responsibility are suggested and discussed in relation to managerial and organizational practices. The main contribution is the typology of responsibility combined with the relational focus of managerial and organisational processes. Imagining, fantasy and care are shown as important for the developing of responsibility.
Research limitations/implications
The suggested typology is theoretically developed without empirical studies behind.
Practical implications
A conclusion is that valuing of long‐term survival of humanity and nature must be built into our judgments and our assessments processes in everyday organizational life, if we should be able to act responsibly.
Originality/value
The concept of responsibility is currently intensively discussed, because of successes and disappointments of the CSR movements, because of global economy, and because of climate changes, etc. The suggestion of three types of responsibility in this paper can contribute to sorting out theoretical and practical possibilities in different contexts.
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