bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The role of strategic groups in understanding strategic human resource management
Authors: Gannon Judie M. , Doherty Liz , Roper Angela 
Published: June 2012

PurposeThis article aims to explore how understanding the challenges faced by companies' attempts to create competitive advantage through their human resources and HRM practices can be enhanced by insights into the concept of strategic groups within industries. Based within the international hotel industry, this study identifies how strategic groups emerge in the analysis of HRM practices and approaches. It sheds light on the value of strategic groups as a way of readdressing the focus on firm and industry level analyses.Design/methodology/approachSenior human resource executives and their teams across eight international hotel companies (IHCs) were interviewed in corporate and regional headquarters, with observations and the collection of company documentation complementing the interviews.FindingsThe findings demonstrate that strategic groups emerge from analysis of the HRM practices and strategies used to develop hotel general managers (HGMs) as strategic human resources in the international hotel industry. The value of understanding industry structures and dynamics and intermediary levels of analysis are apparent where specific industries place occupational constraints on their managerial resources and limit the range of strategies and expansion modes companies can adopt.Research limitations/implicationsThis study indicates that further research on strategic groups will enhance the theoretical understanding of strategic human resource management and specifically the forces that act to constrain the achievement of competitive advantage through human resources. A limitation of this study is the dependence on the human resource divisions' perspectives on realising international expansion ambitions in the hotel industry.Practical implicationsThis study has implications for companies' engagement with their executives' perceptions of opportunities and threats, and suggests companies will struggle to achieve competitive advantage where such perceptions are consistent with their competitors.Originality/valueDevelopments in strategic human resource management have relied on the conceptual and theoretical developments in strategic management, however, an understanding of the impact of strategic groups and their shaping of SHRM has not been previously explored.
Work organization, performance and health: introduction
Authors: Citoni Guido , Mahy Benoît , Rycx François 
Published: June 2012

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to introduce this special issue on work organization, performance and health.Design/methodology/approachThe authors provide a general review of the literature and describe the main findings of the papers appearing in this special issue.FindingsThis issue provides new evidence regarding the impact of work organization (essentially defined in terms of payment methods, teamwork, workforce age structure and labour contracts) on performance (measured through employment, productivity and sickness absenteeism indicators). It also sheds more light on the determinants of workers’ health by gender, with particular attention to working conditions and mobbing.Originality/valueThe papers collected in this special issue provide some fine examples of recent work at the crossroads of health and personnel economics.
Healthy personnel policies
Authors: Eriksson Tor 
Published: June 2012

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to note that the current discussion about employer behaviors appears to be more concerned with how these affect the physical world than the consequences of the adoption of new management practices and organizational changes for the physical and psychological wellbeing of their employees.Design/methodology/approachKeynote speech (review of the literature).FindingsThis paper argues that the overlap between health and personnel economics is a new, fruitful area of research that can fill this void. Recent research in health economics has taught us that the life cycle perspective is key, and accordingly, the importance of childhood conditions have become increasingly better understood. However, the determinants of adult health, and the role of work life and working conditions and changes therein, are less well understood.Originality/valueThe paper discusses what economists can contribute to this area of research, and then selectively reviews some previous studies, including an investigation of the relationship between job design and health in Europe. Finally, some thoughts are given regarding promising areas for further research and a brief discussion of the major challenges involved.
Work organization, labour contracts and employment
Authors: Dhyne Emmanuel , Mahy Benoît 
Published: June 2012

PurposeTo ease adjustments in the labour market, many countries have softened their legislation since the 1970s by introducing flexible labour contracts or by making their use easier. The purpose of this paper is to document labour management of temporary contracts during the last 20 years in Belgium, compared to the situation in its neighbouring countries. The authors investigate the determinants of the use of flexible labour contracts and the consequences of their introduction on labour dynamics.Design/methodology/approachA dynamic Probit is considered to model the use of fixed term labour contracts (FTCs) and standard dynamic labour demand equations are used to test the impact of labour contracts on the labour adjustment at the firm level, using a panel of around 8,000 firms during the period 1998‐2005.FindingsThe results indicate that some firms follow labour management based on a core (indefinite term contracts – ITCs) and a peripheral component (FTCs) and manage temporary contracts on a “permanent” basis, from a long run perspective. Estimates also confirm a much faster temporary contracts employment adjustment, while ITCs adjustment does not depend on whether firms employ FTCs. ITCs short‐term employment elasticity with respect to wages suggests that workers protection against redundancies is strengthened when firms manage work organisation with both types of contracts. In contrast to ITCs, FTCs are used to meet unexpected demand shocks.Originality/valueThis paper contributes to the growing literature on the impact of the introduction of new flexible contracts on the labour demand at the firm level.
Does it pay to be productive? The case of age groups
Authors: Cataldi Alessandra , Kampelmann Stephan , Rycx François 
Published: June 2012

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to evaluate empirically the relationship between workforce age, wage and productivity at the firm level.Design/methodology/approachPanel data techniques are applied to Belgian data on private sector workers and firms during 1999‐2006.FindingsResults (robust to various potential econometric issues, including unobserved firm heterogeneity, endogeneity and state dependence) suggest that older workers are significantly less productive than prime age and young workers. In contrast, the productivity of middle‐aged workers is not found to be significantly different compared to young workers. Findings further indicate that average hourly wages within firms increase significantly with workers’ age. Overall, this leads to the conclusion that young (older) workers appear to be “underpaid” (“overpaid”).Originality/valueThese findings contribute to the growing literature on how the workforce age structure affects productivity and wages.
Sickness absence, performance pay and teams
Authors: Dale‐Olsen Harald 
Published: June 2012

PurposePerformance pay is growing in importance. Even in a centralised economy such as the Norwegian economy, the prevalence of performance pay has increased significantly from 1997 to 2003, and internationally changes in payment methods also occur increasingly. The purpose of this paper is to analyse how performance pay and team organisation and the interaction between these affect publicly‐financed sickness absences of workers.Design/methodology/approachStandard panel and cross‐section non‐linear and linear regression techniques are applied to Norwegian panel register and questionnaire data on private sector workers and workplaces during 1996‐2005.FindingsTeam organisation and performance pay are found to be negatively related to sickness absence incidence rates and sick days, partly due to strong negative relationships in workplaces providing jointly performance pay and team organisation. The negative effect of performance pay on sickness absence survives even when fixed job effects are taken into account. The negative effects were stronger for weak incentives than stronger, and they are primarily related to group‐based incentive schemes.Practical implicationsIntroducing weak group‐based incentive schemes might be one way to successfully tackle absenteeism for firms.Originality/valueThe paper's findings contribute to the growing literature on how performance pay and team organisation affect absenteeism.
Is your job bad for your health? Explaining differences in health at work across gender
Authors: Cottini Elena 
Published: June 2012

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to investigate how different measures of working conditions affect the health at work of female and male workers of 15 European countries. Particular attention is paid to the gender dimension of this relationship.Design/methodology/approachUsing the European Working Conditions Survey from 2005 the author describes differences in health at work by gender accounting for both psychosocial and physical hazards at work. A Probit OLS estimator is used to obtain the relevant estimates and endogeneity problems have been properly addressed.FindingsResults show that controlling for a broad selection of personal and work attributes, working conditions are associated with more work related health problems – both physical and mental. Importantly, some evidence is found in support of a different pattern by gender. With respect to mental health at work, males suffer more from high work demands/low job autonomy compared to females. Task segregation may play a role in explaining these differences. A less clear pattern across gender is found with respect to physical health problems at work. When the endogeneity of working conditions is taken into account, results are confirmed and show that the effect of working conditions on health at work is under‐estimated when endogeneity is not accounted for.Originality/valueThe paper's findings contribute to shed more light on the controversial analysis between working conditions and health according to gender.
Mobbing and workers’ health: empirical analysis for Spain
Authors: Angeles Carnero M. , Martínez Blanca , Sa´nchez‐Mangas Rocı´o 
Published: June 2012

PurposeThe purpose of the paper is to evaluate the effect of mobbing in workers’ health.Design/methodology/approachUsing a dataset of Spanish workers from the VI Spanish Survey on Working Conditions, the authors identify mobbed and not mobbed workers and use two different health indicators: the worker's perception that work affects health, and the presence of bad health symptoms. The authors analyze the incidence of both indicators in mobbed and not mobbed workers then estimate an econometric model to explain the probability of suffering bad health in terms of mobbing and a set of job and workers’ characteristics. The authors deal with the potential endogeneity of mobbing.FindingsIt is found that, regardless of the health indicator used, the probability of suffering bad health is significantly higher among mobbed workers than among those not being mobbed. Moreover, when the health indicator is based on the worker's perception, not taking into account the endogeneity of mobbing leads to underestimation of its effect on health.Practical implicationsThe results can be of interest for workers, firms and policy makers in charge of designing policies related to working conditions. Given the well‐known link between worker's health and productivity, the paper's results can have implications from the economic point of view.Originality/valueTo the authors’ knowledge, this paper is the first attempt to empirically analyze the relationship between mobbing and health at Spanish workplaces.
Organizational change and development
Authors: Brown William , May Douglas 
Published: June 2012

PurposeThe correlation between transformational and contingent reward leadership behaviors and desired organizational outcomes is well established. The degree to which these behaviors can be taught and deployed for organizational benefit is considerably less well documented. Explored even less is the extent to which transformational leadership training impacts desired organizational outcomes. The purpose of this paper is to examine the extent to which the positive correlational relationship among transformational leadership, organizational outcomes, and productivity, extensively reported in the leadership literature, can be affirmed.Design/methodology/approachA large manufacturing organization, which had failed to achieve expected productivity improvements following major capital expenditures, undertook a comprehensive program to increase first‐line supervisors’ contingent reward and transformational leadership behaviors.FindingsConsistent with prior studies, a significant positive relationship between the leadership behaviors of interest, affective measures, and an objective productivity metric were observed prior to the beginning of the training program. Following a year‐long training program, contingent reward and transformational leadership behaviors increased significantly, as did objectively measured productivity and job satisfaction.Research limitations/implicationsResults and conclusions may be limited by the fact that the study is from a single industry. Additional studies from a variety of industries with large numbers of participants will be helpful in more fully understanding the ways in which contingent reward and transformational leadership behaviors can best be developed and deployed in organizational settings.Practical implicationsThe elements of the training program are discussed, along with implications and advice for the use of leadership training to increase productivity.Originality/valueAn objective dependent variable and a large sample, pre‐ and post‐test design provide strong support for the impact of a transformational leadership development intervention on productivity.
Making Buddhism work @ work: the transformation of a religion into a seasoned ethical system
Authors: Marques Joan 
Published: June 2012

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to review Buddhism as a potential reform instrument in the workplace and discuss some obstacles in making that happen.Design/methodology/approachBy the use of literature review and interviews, Buddhism's establishment in the USA is reviewed, a brief overview of Buddhism in general is provided, Buddhism is considered within the light of the spirit at work discourse, and the current discourse on implementing Buddhist practices in the workplace is reviewed.FindingsIt is found that Buddhist practices are becoming more widely accepted but the fact that they are called “Buddhist” practices may be a barrier in massive acceptance.Research limitations/implicationsThe information was gathered from literature and disputed by pro‐Buddhist individuals (monks and lay persons), which may leave room for some bias in view sharing.Practical implicationsBuddhist practices, when perceived as ethical values, make perfect sense, and could help instigate a positive turnaround in general feelings about work and experiences at work.Originality/valueBuddhism has not been discussed broadly within the scope of management practices. While Buddhism is generally endorsed in this paper, the discourses here discussed present a realistic view on points of caution when considering promoting Buddhist values in work environments.
Trust building in supply chain partners relationship: an integrated conceptual model
Authors: Laeequddin Mohammed , Sahay B.S. , Sahay Vinita , Abdul Waheed Kareem 
Published: June 2012

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to develop an integrated conceptual trust building model for supply chain partners’ relationships. It is based on the literature on trust building models from various disciplines.Design/methodology/approachVarious trust building concepts and models were reviewed and five widely referred trust building models were selected from the literature to analyze and integrate the views to develop an integrated conceptual model from supply chain partners’ relationships point of view.FindingsThe conceptual frame work suggests that trust is a sum of risk‐worthy characteristics, risk‐worthy rationale and risk‐worthy institutional systems of supply chain members. Though the model represents the trust building process at dyadic level, the concept can simply be extended to any number of levels and perspectives.Research limitations/implicationsThe model has considered the trust building perspectives from supply chain partners’ relationships point of view. The discussions of the model lead to empirically testable issues.Practical implicationsThe study results suggest that the supply chain members should strive to reduce the risk levels to build trust rather than striving to build trust to reduce the risk. As long as members’ risk levels are within their bearable limits trust can be considered as a risk coping mechanism and when the risk levels exceed their bearable limits the subject of trust turns into risk management/security management.Originality/valueThe trust building concepts developed through this model can be used by both practitioners and researchers on the subject of trust. However the model's application is not limited to supply chain management; it can be easily adapted to any discipline of management.
Managing meta‐learning in offshore software development environments
Authors: Mathrani Anuradha , Parsons David 
Published: June 2012

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to investigate the current glocal (global and local) environment to answer the following research questions: How does the glocal environment influence software exporting industries in India? How is the evolving “sticky” knowledge from individuals and teams assimilated into organizational knowledge repositories? What management practices have been learnt and applied for advancement of knowledge portfolios in the offshore software business market?Design/methodology/approachAn interpretivist research design is used to gain insights into organizational learning processes adopted by offshore software vendors for assimilating evolving knowledge into knowledge repositories.FindingsThis paper describes the influence of the current glocal environment on software exporting industries in India and presents a model for organizational learning to assimilate knowledge and build effective representations of emerging knowledge artifacts. The authors employ the concept of meta‐learning (or “learning about learning”) to analyze the recursive nature of organizational learning processes.Practical ImplicationsThe proposed model of meta‐learning explains how software organizations build on individual and team competencies to build core competencies. The model helps us to understand how organizations advance their learning processes and upgrade their knowledge repositories.Originality/valueThe paper offers new perspectives on how organizations reflexively monitor their knowledge processes to advance their knowledge portfolios. It identifies adhocratic and bureaucratic management processes for assimilating the evolving “sticky” knowledge from individuals into organizational knowledge repositories. This paper contributes to the growing body of literature that emphasizes ongoing learning from individual to collective level in the knowledge industry sector.
The “hetero‐ethical” management development rationale
Authors: Cullen John , Turnbull Sharon 
Published: June 2012

PurposeLees's “ten faces” description of organizational rationales for investing in management development reflected a personal assessment which was not grounded in empirical data. Although frequently discussed and cited since, no critique of the model, or discussion of the ethics of organizational investment in management development, has been offered. The purpose of this paper is to explore the impact of the rationale of a management development programme, particularly on programme participants.Design/methodology/approachAn ethnographic approach was utilized in the collection of data on reactions to the rationale for deploying a spiritual management development initiative in a large Irish services organization.FindingsThe research conducted on the programme found the programme's rationale to be “hetero‐ethical” in that it suggested multiple possible outcomes for participants which they were encouraged to identify and pursue on an individual level.Research limitations/implicationsThe implications of this for participants and organizations are considered.Originality/valueThe concept of the hetero‐ethical rationale for management development, and its implications, are discussed and potential avenues for further research are identified. This concept differs from previous ones in that it considers how rationales for management are received and appreciated by participants.
The invisible administrator
Authors: Herzog Richard 
Published: June 2012

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to argue that intersubjective experiences, governed by various dimensions of space, and induced actions are invaluable to invisible public administrators. Knowledge of these experiences holds the keys to good public administration practice and theory building.Design/methodology/approachThis paper seeks to establish various dimensions for cultivating space in public organizations. These dimensions are related to intersubjective experiences.FindingsThe development and refining of methods, including reflection, reflexivity, hermeneutics, and dialectics, to enrich intersubjective experiences, is found to be essential.Practical implicationsAs organizational realities change, the administrative understandings of intersubjective experiences will have to evolve.Originality/valueKnowledge of the invisible administrator and intersubjective experiences has not been accorded enough research importance.