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Behaviour resulting from work group normative processes can be examined and changed to increase the productivity of an organisation. A model for exploring the process of work group norm diagnosis that can be used by organisational consultants is developed. Examples of its use are also presented.

Purpose – We investigate the antibias norm, “political correctness” (PC), and explore the consequences of the PC norm for group processes and group performance.

Methodology/approach – We define the term PC as it is used in public discourse and distinguish the PC norm from the related antibias norm of color blindness.

Findings – We suggest that the PC norm may play a unique role in reducing a critical type of uncertainty that would otherwise constrain performance, in particular, group creativity and decision making, in diverse work groups. We then explore the controversial argument that being politically incorrect can actually promote freedom of expression.

Originality/value of chapter – We conclude by reflecting on the costs of the PC norm and why the PC norm may remain prevalent in work groups for some time to come.

The purpose of this paper is to apply a group norm approach to explain how average engagement across an organization is related to an individual’s level of engagement.

Survey data were collected from over 46,000 participants from 140 organizations. Multi-level analysis tested the hypotheses that similarity (in terms of shared status) and likely interaction would determine the extent a group’s norms affected individual engagement. Normative data and the dependent variable data were provided by different participants.

Results supported the aggregation of individuals’ measure of engagement to form three norms within an organization: an employee norm, a manager norm and a senior leader norm. These engagement norms were significantly related to an individual’s engagement at work beyond the effect of both organizational resources and manager support. Individuals were more strongly influenced by the norm of those in the organization with whom they were most similar and with whom they were likely to interact.

Provides evidence that engagement exists at the group level and that status groups within the organization have norms that independently affect individual-level engagement.

The purpose of this paper is to examine the effects of group conflict norms and task interdependence on individuals' willingness to help others under conditions of task conflict to better understand how group characteristics influence individual helping behavior.

A total of 81 university students participate in a scenario study. The scenario has a 2 (task interdependence: high vs low) ×2 (group conflict norm: open vs avoiding) design.

The results suggest that in groups characterized with open conflict norms and high‐task interdependence members are less willing to help than members in groups with avoiding conflict norms and high‐task interdependence.

This research implies that helping behavior in high‐task interdependent workgroups is highest when groups have an avoiding conflict norm. Limitations include amongst others discussing the explicit request for help coming from the group used in this study and the external validity of scenario studies.

The findings suggest that managers or supervisors can help to provide circumstances in which task conflict does not prohibit helping behavior.

The paper offers a first step to experimentally investigate how individuals react to intragroup task conflict and the consequence for constructive behavior.

Social categorization processes may lead work groups to form different types of group norms. We present a model of norm formation and suggest that group norms may emerge immediately following the group’s inception. Further, the content of such norms may be influenced by group members’ demographic heterogeneity. We outline a profile of work group norms and describe how social categorization processes influence norm formation. We also develop a series of testable propositions related to these norms. Finally, we discuss the implications of our social categorization model for future research on work groups in organizations.

Individuals perceive multiple barriers to consuming cultured meat. This study empirically investigates whether different types of social norms enhance behavioural intentions towards this novel food technology. Specifically, it examines the impact of general norms, in-group norms and out-group norms (based on meat-eaters or non-meat eaters, respectively) on consumers' willingness to try cultured meat.

A two-factorial between-subject online experiment was conducted using a sample of 431 Austrian consumers. The data were analysed using structural equation modelling in AMOS.

This study finds empirical support that both general norms and dietary in-group norms enhance consumers' behavioural intentions towards cultured meat, whereas dietary out-group norms do not affect the latter. The effect of in-group norms on behavioural intentions is mediated by identification with the respective dietary in-group. In addition, in-group identification and out-group disidentification as well as dietary identity also directly affect willingness to try cultured meat. Overall, meat-eaters report greater behavioural intentions than non-meat-eaters.

The findings indicate that using normative dietary cues in marketing campaigns might assist in efforts to increase consumer acceptance of cultured meat. Such efforts might be particularly relevant when introducing cultured meat to European markets.

This study is the first to experimentally examine the principles of the focus theory of normative conduct and social identity theory in the context of consumer-oriented cultured meat research. It contributes to the current literature by empirically demonstrating the relevance of social (group) norms in this domain.

Facilitating members' continual participation in a community is crucial for ensuring the community's long-term survival. However, knowledge regarding whether member similarity is related to member participation and the mechanism underlying this relationship is limited. Drawing on similarity–attraction, social exchange and social identity theories, this study explored the influences of different facets of similarity (i.e. value, personality and goal similarity) on group norm conformity, group identity and social participation.

Data were collected from 444 Taiwanese members of social networking sites (SNSs), and structural equation modeling was employed to examine the hypothesized relationships.

The results revealed that value similarity directly affected group norm conformity but did not directly affect group identity; personality similarity influenced group identity but not group norm conformity. Goal similarity had positive influences on group norm conformity and group identity. Moreover, group norm conformity had direct and positive influences on group identity and social participation; group identity also had a positive influence on social participation.

On the basis of the aforementioned findings, this study contributes to the understanding of factors facilitating SNS members' participation from the perspective of similarity. These findings can serve as a reference for SNS administrators to facilitate social participation by emphasizing member similarity.

This paper aims to theorize counterfeit luxury consumption among millennials from a generational identity perspective.

The paper proposes and tests a model of counterfeit buying behavior using an online survey of 467 millennial respondents. The study uses multi-item measures from the extant literature and uses the structural equation modeling technique to test the proposed hypotheses.

The findings reveal when millennials have a self-defining relationship with their generation, they tend to internalize the generational norm pertaining to counterfeit luxury consumption. Millennials’ counterfeit related values: market mavenism, postmodernism, schadenfreude and public self-consciousness contribute to their generational identity. Moreover, market mavenism, cool consumption and public self-consciousness establish counterfeit luxury consumption as a generational norm.

The findings of this paper suggest that the expertise and influence of market mavens can be used to deter counterfeit consumption. Moreover, luxury brands must communicate a cool image to offset the rebellious image of counterfeits. Further, from a standardization versus adaption standpoint, the generational perspective allows for the standardization of anti-counterfeiting campaigns.

The paper makes a novel contribution to the counterfeiting literature by demonstrating that millennials pursue counterfeit luxury brands when they pledge cognitive allegiance to their generation. The paper, thus, extends the identity perspective of counterfeit luxury consumption to group contexts. The authors also test and validate the role of descriptive norms in group contexts by introducing the construct generational norm to counterfeiting literature.

This research examined fans' purchase intentions towards the sponsor of a NASCAR (National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing) event and towards the previous sponsor. The study shows that fans are more likely to purchase from the current sponsor and less likely to purchase from the previous sponsor. Fan identification and perceived group norms were significant predictors of purchase intentions towards the current sponsor, but only perceived group norms predicted purchase intentions towards the ex-sponsor. Additionally, perceived group norms partially mediated the relationship between fan identification and purchase intention.