an article by Mukta Kulkarni (Indian Institute of Management Bangalore, India) and Siddharth Nithyanand (Aspiring Minds Assessment Pvt. Ltd, Udyog Vihar, India) published in Employee Relations Volume 35 Issue 2 (2012)
Abstract
Purpose
Past research has largely portrayed job choice as a relatively rational and goal-directed behaviour where applicants make decisions contingent on organisational recruitment activities, or evaluations of job and organisational attributes. Research now informs us that job choice decisions may also be based on social comparisons and social influence. The purpose of this paper is to add to this body of knowledge by examining reasons why social influence is a key factor in job choice decisions of relatively young job seekers.
Design/methodology/approach
The study is based on in-depth interview data from graduating seniors at an elite business school in India.
Findings
Respondents did not see themselves as acting based on social influence as much as they perceived others around them to be. Reasons they noted for others’ socially influenced job choice decisions were: peers and seniors are seen as more accessible and trustworthy than organisations; organisations do not share all and/or objective data, driving job seekers to other sources; job seekers are clueless and hence follow a “smart” herd; and job seekers make decisions for social status signalling. Respondents pointed to socially influenced job choices as being rational behaviours under certain conditions.
Research limitations/implications
Generalisability of findings may be limited to young job seekers or to the Indian context, and the authors encourage replication. The authors also acknowledge the importance of individual difference variables in job choice decisions, a factor not considered in the present research.
Practical implications
Given that job seekers rally around others’ notion of an attractive job or an organisation, the paper outlines several implications for managerial practice.
Originality/value
This study, in a yet unexamined cultural context, points to the simultaneous and combined importance of normative and informational social determinants of job choice, bias blind spots in one’s own job choice perceptions and decisions, gender specific socialisation influences on job choices, and the notion of job fit in terms of fitment with expectations of important reference groups.
Showing posts with label employees_behaviour. Show all posts
Showing posts with label employees_behaviour. Show all posts
Tuesday, 18 December 2012
Monday, 17 December 2012
Labour flexibility in SMEs: the impact of leadership
an article by Jos Mesu (Saxion University of Applied Sciences, Utrecht, The Netherlands), Maarten Van Riemsdijk (University of Twente, Enschede and Saxion University of Applied Sciences, Utrecht, The Netherlands), Karin Sanders (University of Twente, Enschede, The Netherlands) published in Employee Relations Volume 35 Issue 2 (2012)
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationship between transformational and transactional leadership, and labour flexibility within small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Using a sample comprising 755 employees, rating 121 supervisors within 50 Dutch small and medium-sized companies, the authors examined the relationship between transformational and transactional leadership on the one hand, and temporal and functional flexibility on the other. Further, to test whether the expected associations could be perceived as a social exchange between supervisor and employees, this study investigated the mediating role of affective organisational commitment.
Design/methodology/approach
Because data were nested, the authors used multilevel analysis for hypothesis testing.
Findings
Both dimensions of transformational leadership, visionary leadership and coaching, were positively related to temporal flexibility; also two dimensions of transactional leadership, contingent reward and active management by exception, were also positively associated with temporal flexibility. All of these associations were mediated by affective organisational commitment, indicating social exchange relationships. As opposed to expectations, passive management by exception, representing poor transactional leadership, was positively related to temporal and functional flexibility. Affective commitment did not mediate these relationships.
Practical implications
SMEs are therefore advised to improve visionary leadership, coaching skills, contingent reward, and active management by exception.
Originality/value
The paper shows that, remarkably, labour flexibility can be increased by both effective and poor leadership. On the one hand, effective leadership seems to promote temporal flexibility by creating employees’ commitment to the organisation. Poor leadership, on the other hand, does not call for people’s affective commitment and thus seems to be forcing employees into demonstrating flexible behaviours, as a way of compensating for bad management.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationship between transformational and transactional leadership, and labour flexibility within small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Using a sample comprising 755 employees, rating 121 supervisors within 50 Dutch small and medium-sized companies, the authors examined the relationship between transformational and transactional leadership on the one hand, and temporal and functional flexibility on the other. Further, to test whether the expected associations could be perceived as a social exchange between supervisor and employees, this study investigated the mediating role of affective organisational commitment.
Design/methodology/approach
Because data were nested, the authors used multilevel analysis for hypothesis testing.
Findings
Both dimensions of transformational leadership, visionary leadership and coaching, were positively related to temporal flexibility; also two dimensions of transactional leadership, contingent reward and active management by exception, were also positively associated with temporal flexibility. All of these associations were mediated by affective organisational commitment, indicating social exchange relationships. As opposed to expectations, passive management by exception, representing poor transactional leadership, was positively related to temporal and functional flexibility. Affective commitment did not mediate these relationships.
Practical implications
SMEs are therefore advised to improve visionary leadership, coaching skills, contingent reward, and active management by exception.
Originality/value
The paper shows that, remarkably, labour flexibility can be increased by both effective and poor leadership. On the one hand, effective leadership seems to promote temporal flexibility by creating employees’ commitment to the organisation. Poor leadership, on the other hand, does not call for people’s affective commitment and thus seems to be forcing employees into demonstrating flexible behaviours, as a way of compensating for bad management.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
