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1 – 10 of over 7000Qurat-ul-Ain Burhan and Muhammad Asif Khan
The present study aims to elucidate the mediating role of relational energy between empowering leadership and its attitudinal (employee engagement), behavioral (knowledge sharing…
Abstract
Purpose
The present study aims to elucidate the mediating role of relational energy between empowering leadership and its attitudinal (employee engagement), behavioral (knowledge sharing) and performance (task) related outcomes, respectively, and the moderating role of autonomy between empowering leadership and relational energy, using the social cognitive theory.
Design/methodology/approach
The study used surveys in the small and medium-sized enterprises sector and collected time-lagged data to address common method variance and reveal causal relationships. AMOS was used to conduct hypothesis testing.
Findings
The results suggest that empowering leaders have a positive impact on outcomes such as employee engagement, knowledge sharing and task performance, and this impact is mediated by relational energy. Autonomy moderates the empowering leaders and relational energy relationship, strengthening it when autonomy is high.
Practical implications
Organizations should focus on leadership development programs depending on the need. Empowering leadership should be promoted to get positive attitudinal and behavioral outcomes in terms of employees. Empowering the employee in terms of decision-making helps motivate employees to perform better.
Originality/value
The study contributes to the empowering leadership literature by associating social cognitive theory. Empowering leaders has the potential to increase employee engagement, knowledge sharing and task performance.
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Postmodernist contestations of modernist economic and organizational rationalities have made immense contributions to organizational analysis. A current direction in critical…
Abstract
Postmodernist contestations of modernist economic and organizational rationalities have made immense contributions to organizational analysis. A current direction in critical theory now, working through the postmodernist critique, seeks new conceptions of organizations and sources for the revitalization of organizational life. In particular, feminist criticism drawing on, and contributing to, postmodern forms of inquiry and interpretation, offers new visions of critical organizational analysis. This article addresses feminist postmodern critiques, and particularly discusses two feminist contributions developed out of serious critical engagement with postmodernist thought: eco‐feminism and conceptions of “relational autonomy”, of agentic, social subjectivity.
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The purpose of this paper is to explore the nature of psychological contracts of international business travellers (IBTs), a new form of expatriate that has arisen from the…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to explore the nature of psychological contracts of international business travellers (IBTs), a new form of expatriate that has arisen from the growing need for alternative forms of internationally mobile talent. The research is conducted in Belgium, a country recognised as a global hub in which international assignments are essential to economic success.
Design/methodology/approach
Research in respect of IBTs is limited and semi-structured interviews are used to explore Belgian employee perspectives.
Findings
The contract is more relational in nature than might be expected with an idiosyncratic mix of relational and transactional obligations.
Research limitations/implications
The research is small-scale and qualitative and not widely generalisable. Further it presents only employee perspectives. Nevertheless it generates rich insights into a phenomena about which little is known.
Practical implications
The findings develop understanding of how to manage the valuable strategic resource that is the IBT.
Originality/value
First, the research is of value to the International Human Resource Management field in developing understanding of a newly emerging form of international employee, the IBT. Second, it contributes to psychological contract research in both developing understanding the transactional/relational balance and in generating much-needed rich and nuanced qualitative data.
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Muhammad Zeshan, Tahir Masood Qureshi and Irfan Saleem
This paper aims to clarify the relationship between digitalization and the employees’ autonomy. It proposes a positive relationship between digitalization and employees. It…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to clarify the relationship between digitalization and the employees’ autonomy. It proposes a positive relationship between digitalization and employees. It explains why strategic human resource management (HRM) is essential in this relationship. The study aims to solve the control autonomy paradox related to the use of technology in organizations.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper opted for the explanatory study using a cross-sectional design. Responses were received from the alumni of a French business school using the survey strategy. Structural equation modelling has been used to validate the measure and to test the hypotheses.
Findings
The paper provides empirical evidence for the positive relationship between digitalization and employees’ autonomy. It suggests that an enabling control-based HRM system mediates the positive relationship between digitalization and autonomy.
Originality/value
The study enriches the literature in information technology by solving the control autonomy paradox associated with information technology. Moreover, the study also highlights the importance of an enabling control-based HRM system by underlining its role in developing the empowering organizational context.
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Margarietha de Villiers Scheepers, Paul Williams, Vikki Schaffer, Anthony Grace, Carl Walling, Jenna Campton, Karen Hands, Deborah Fisher, Hannah Banks, Jo Loth and Aurora Scheelings
In contrast to prior studies examining burnout in academic employees, this paper explores how academic employee agency mitigates burnout risks in the context of the coronavirus…
Abstract
Purpose
In contrast to prior studies examining burnout in academic employees, this paper explores how academic employee agency mitigates burnout risks in the context of the coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) and how this agency facilitates research productivity and influences well-being in the face of changes in learning and teaching practices.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors use collaborative auto-ethnography (CAE) in the higher education (HE) sector to probe how an employee productivity group supported the group's members during the pandemic.
Findings
Thematic analysis revealed four emerging themes: burnout, beneficial habits for research productivity, blocking-out-time and belonging. The authors' findings suggest that by acknowledging and legitimising employee-initiated groups, feelings of neglect can be combatted. Purposeful employee groups have the potential to create a therapeutic, safe space and, in addition to the groups' productivity intent, diminish the negative effects of a crisis on organisational effectiveness.
Originality/value
This paper contributes to the literature by utilising a CAE approach to provide greater insight into how academics enact agency by creating digital research workspaces, attending to the spatial dimensions of well-being especially during turbulent times.
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G.J. Teunissen, P. Lindhout and T.A. Abma
The purpose of this paper is to explore the impact of chronic illness on a couple’s life experiences over a period of 40 years. It critically examines the assumptions of the…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to explore the impact of chronic illness on a couple’s life experiences over a period of 40 years. It critically examines the assumptions of the public health discourse in the light of this couple’s attempts to balance love and health care within their relationship.
Design/methodology/approach
The couple, the first two authors, put themselves under the magnifying glass. They arranged for a dialogic encounter and built a co-constructed auto-ethnography. This study consists of a “raw” narrative and a reflection. This reflexive part was added by the third author, interpreting the couple’s experiences applying in a sociocultural way theories of ethical care. This sheds light on ethical care aspects encountered in the couple’s balancing of love and health care.
Findings
This study shows that the couple copes with adversity rather than being in control of it. Nonetheless their love relationship appears to be flourishing, thanks to their acknowledgement of the importance of mutual caring.
Research limitations/implications
The current public health discourse puts the couple’s private love relationship under pressure. It turns a blind eye towards the difficulties they experience with the contemporary “self-management” paradigm. The couple feels that the government is an interloper intruding into their private relationship. This creates tension, friction, anxiety, as well as increasing the burden of the illness and makes them feel insecure and unsafe.
Originality/value
The novel method used in this study offers a rare and deep insight.
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Lisa Harris, Helena Cooper–Thomas, Peter Smith and Gordon W. Cheung
This study aims to test the propositions of socialization resources theory, specifically focusing on social capital resources and their prediction of proximal (relational…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to test the propositions of socialization resources theory, specifically focusing on social capital resources and their prediction of proximal (relational learning) and distal (job satisfaction and intent to quit) outcomes. The authors include the job design characteristic of job autonomy as a moderator of these associations.
Design/methodology/approach
Cheung et al.’s (2021) four-step SEM procedure was used to test our mediation, moderation and moderated mediation hypotheses. The sample consisted of newcomers (N = 175) measured at two time points.
Findings
The results support the proposed model. Relational learning mediates the associations between social capital resources and outcomes; the utility of these social capital resources is stronger when job autonomy is lower.
Practical implications
Organizations can use social capital resources to reduce newcomers' uncertainty during socialization, facilitating learning and positive outcomes. Organizations should also carefully consider the amount of job autonomy they grant to newcomers, as too much can be detrimental.
Originality/value
Despite the acknowledged importance of workplace resources and relationships, few studies have focused on social resources provided during socialization. Moreover, job design is rarely included in socialization research, despite its influence on workplace processes. Thus, this study provides information about two novel areas of investigation: socially-oriented socialization resources and the impact of job autonomy.
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Fei Zhou, Jian Mou, Wei Wang and Yenchun Jim Wu
Previous studies overemphasize the negative effects of social media usage (SMU) within organizations and underestimate its positive influences on employees' behavior. This study…
Abstract
Purpose
Previous studies overemphasize the negative effects of social media usage (SMU) within organizations and underestimate its positive influences on employees' behavior. This study attempts to link employees' social media use at work to their creativity performance.
Design/methodology/approach
Based on the bounded generalized reciprocity theory and unbounded indirect reciprocity (UIR) theory, the authors developed a research model. To test the model, the authors collected a set of 172 paired data of organizations and employees from 31 knowledge-intensive enterprises in China to test the hypothesis.
Findings
This research found that the social, cognitive and hedonic uses of social media all directly affect employee creativity. Relational energy fully mediates the effects of the cognitive and hedonic usages on creativity. Moreover, job autonomy moderates the effects of the relationships among the social, cognitive and hedonic uses on employee creativity.
Originality/value
The conclusions not only enriched authors’ understanding of the effectiveness of interpersonal interaction but also extended the research boundary of the relationship between SMU and employee creativity.
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Helen Creswick, Liz Dowthwaite, Ansgar Koene, Elvira Perez Vallejos, Virginia Portillo, Monica Cano and Christopher Woodard
The voices of children and young people have been largely neglected in discussions of the extent to which the internet takes into account their needs and concerns. This paper aims…
Abstract
Purpose
The voices of children and young people have been largely neglected in discussions of the extent to which the internet takes into account their needs and concerns. This paper aims to highlight young people’s lived experiences of being online.
Design/methodology/approach
Results are drawn from the UnBias project’s youth led discussions, “Youth Juries” with young people predominantly aged between 13 and 17 years.
Findings
Whilst the young people are able to use their agency online in some circumstances, many often experience feelings of disempowerment and resignation, particularly in relation to the terms and conditions and user agreements that are ubiquitous to digital technologies, social media platforms and other websites.
Practical implications
Although changes are afoot as part of the General Data Protection Regulation (herein the GDPR) to simplify the terms and conditions of online platforms (European Union, 2016), it offers little practical guidance on how it should be implemented to children. The voices and opinions of children and young people are put forward as suggestions for how the “clear communication to data subjects” required by Article 12 of the GDPR in particular should be implemented, for example, recommendations about how terms and conditions can be made more accessible.
Originality/value
Children and young people are an often overlooked demographic of online users. This paper argues for the importance of this group being involved in any changes that may affect them, by putting forward recommendations from the children and young people themselves.
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The aim of this paper is to theoretically explore the concept of leadership in a Total Quality Management (TQM) context by developing a new theoretical framework of understanding…
Abstract
Purpose
The aim of this paper is to theoretically explore the concept of leadership in a Total Quality Management (TQM) context by developing a new theoretical framework of understanding Total Quality Leadership (TQL) as well as by opening the dialogue in researching further key elements of TQL.
Design/methodology/approach
The approach that the paper adopts is conceptual. Based on exploration of the wider management and leadership literature of empirical and theoretical studies, this paper develops a framework of TQL.
Findings
The suggested TQL framework is composed by three main pillars, namely the proactive, adaptive and the relational. The former consists of elements like anticipation of current business environment complexities and filtering of information that enhances practice decision making. The second pillar refers to adaptation, autonomy and feedback while the last one emphasises on the importance of aspects like social interactions, engagement and empathy. The paper explains why the specific pillars with the additional elements are critical for TQM success.
Originality/value
Given the tremendous challenges that organisations face due to increased complexity and demanding competition of the business environments globally, the role of leadership as the major “soft” aspect of TQM approach, seems to be vital more than ever. But the type of TQL appropriate to enhance total quality success nowadays, is still (and should be) under continuous exploration. This conceptual study attempts to provide new theoretical insights of TQL as well as to open the dialogue around the main elements consisting of TQL and how the future research agenda is formulated.
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