bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Technology as a driver for changing customer‐provider interfaces
Authors: Kowalkowski Christian , Brehmer Per‐Olof 
Published: September 2008

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explore how information and communication technology (ICT) is affecting and driving changes in the service processes and customer interfaces of capital goods manufacturers.Design/methodology/approachThe research is focused on intra‐ and inter‐organizational relationships, i.e. between front office and back office and between provider and customer. Two market‐leading, international manufacturing firms were selected for in‐depth case studies.FindingsBy means of ICT systems and applications, it is becoming increasingly possible to replace tasks through an integration of processes between organizational units, either between front office and back office or between front office and customer. Closer technical integration between provider and customer can be a basis for more advanced and extensive offerings. In bundled offerings, not only one but a number of service production process interfaces become important.Research limitations/implicationsAs the local service organizations in three Western European countries have been studied, the general applicability of the findings may be limited.Practical implicationsThe results of this study stress the importance of developing capabilities to manage several process interfaces simultaneously. Furthermore, an important message is that firms must balance the interplay between process automation and personal interactions when delivering industrial services.Originality/valueICT systems are becoming more critical for the provision of industrial services. This paper provides an insight into how technology enables new service processes.
Challenges in enhancing enterprise resource planning systems for compliance with Sarbanes‐Oxley Act and analogous Canadian legislation
Authors: Kumar Vinod , Pollanen Raili , Maheshwari Bharat 
Published: September 2008

PurposeThis paper aims to examine major challenges faced by companies in enhancing their enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems for compliance with regulatory internal control requirements, specifically those imposed by the Sarbanes–Oxley Act (SOX) of 2002 and analogous Canadian legislation.Design/methodology/approachData were collected through case studies of four medium‐sized and large companies that use ERP systems and that have operations in the USA and Canada, thus being subject to SOX and/or similar Canadian regulations.FindingsThe companies faced some technical, process and cultural challenges in implementing regulatory control compliance. In all companies, existing ERP systems were not able to meet all control requirements without some modifications or add‐on applications. Control implementations have been long, complicated and costly processes, which are not fully completed. Detailed analyses and documentation of existing systems, controls and processes were required in all companies. The protection of systems security and the segregation of duties were perceived to be major technical obstacles. Cultural factors resulted in additional challenges, notably resistance to change.Research limitations/implicationsThe findings of this study enhance the understanding of ERP systems design features, processes and challenges in implementing regulatory controls. As such, they provide a foundation for further empirical studies and for building models of ERP systems effectiveness in implementing effective controls.Practical implicationsThe study provides managers insight into challenges in enhancing ERP systems for regulatory control compliance. Lessons learned can contribute to the development and sharing of best practices and to overall organizational effectiveness.Originality/valueUsing an interdisciplinary approach, the study provides new evidence on the extent to which ERP systems meet regulatory internal control requirements.
Personality and negotiation revisited: toward a cognitive model of dyadic negotiation
Authors: Ma Zhenzhong 
Published: September 2008

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to review the studies of personality and negotiation and argues that the relationship between personality and negotiation is worth re‐examination and more research attention should be devoted to this area.Design/methodology/approachA cognitive model of personality and negotiation is constructed by integrating cognitive and social factors into the exploration of negotiation processes. The mediating roles of negotiator cognitions are discussed within this framework and relationships between personality and three negotiator cognitions: win–lose orientation, face‐saving and trusting are proposed.Research limitations/implicationsThis study provides an integrative model for studying the relationship between personality, negotiator cognition, negotiation behaviors and outcomes, and thus has impotent implications for future studies on negotiation.Practical implicationsThe knowledge of the relationship between personality and negotiation will help organizations use personality assessment for better decisions about selection, promotion and training for improvement in negotiation skills.Originality/valueThis study attempts a complete exploration on the framework that integrates personality factors and negotiation behavior and outcomes, and provides potential directions for future studies on personality and negotiation.
Gender wage gap and the glass ceiling effect: a firm‐level investigation
Authors: Barnet‐Verzat Christine , Wolff François‐Charles 
Published: September 2008

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to assess the relevance of the glass ceiling effect, according to which the gender log wage gap accelerates in the upper tail of the wage distribution, at the firm level.Design/methodology/approachThe empirical analysis is based on a sample of 4,654 employees, working in a French private company from the Defence and Aerospace sector. Quantile wage regressions were used to study whether a glass ceiling effect exits at the firm level. The difference between the male and female wage distributions is also decomposed into two components, one due to differences in labour market characteristics between men and women and one due to differences in rewards to these individual characteristics.FindingsIt was found that the gender wage gap measured through OLS is quite low, less than 8 per cent when controlling for age, experience, qualification and location. It remains rather flat along the wage distribution, a result which casts doubt on the glass ceiling theory. The gender gap is mainly due to differences in labour market characteristics rather than to differences in the rewards of these characteristics, especially among executives. Finally, women face a lower probability of reaching higher hierarchical positions within the firm.Research limitations/implicationsTaking into account firm effects matters when measuring the magnitude of the gender wage throughout the wage gap distribution.Originality/valueThis paper presents original estimates of the gender wage gap with an unusual, firm‐based sample of workers.
Human resource practices, organizational commitment and intention to stay
Authors: Chew Janet , Chan Christopher C.A. 
Published: September 2008

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine the impacts of key human resource (HR) practices on permanent employees' organizational commitment and intention to stay. These practices include facilitating of person‐organization fit (P‐O fit), designing effective remuneration and recognition, creating sufficiently challenging assignments, and implementing training and career development.Design/methodology/approachThe study was carried out in three phases. First, 13 experts (e.g. academics, HR managers and organizational psychologists) were interviewed using the Delphi technique. Second, in‐depth interviews with 12 HR managers were conducted. Third, 457 employees from nine Australian organizations responded to a survey. Structural equation modeling was used to test the hypotheses.FindingsOrganizational commitment was positively affected by P‐O fit, remuneration, recognition, and an opportunity to undertake challenging employment assignments. Intention to stay was significantly related to P‐O fit, remuneration, recognition, training and career development. Surprisingly, training and career development was not significantly related to organizational commitment and challenging assignment was not significantly related to intention to stay.Originality/valueThis paper contributes to existing knowledge by testing HR practices in large public and private Australian organizations, which are impacted by demographic changes, increasing dependence on outsourcing, and industrial relations reforms. Thus, the results of this study will provide practitioners with better insights into some practices that could elevate organizational commitment and retention of employees.
Search strategies of the unemployed in the Russian Federation
Authors: Hjeds Löfmark Monika 
Published: September 2008

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine the effectiveness of job search and human capital of the unemployed in the Russian Federation for obtaining a job the following year.Design/methodology/approachCross‐sectional data on human capital and job‐search strategies from different years of the Russian Longitudinal Monitoring Survey are used in different probit specifications to present and analyse empirical results.FindingsSearching through friends and directly are the most common search methods, implying a large trust in networks. Moreover, people tend to do the right thing when trusting their networks; in 1994, searching via friends and directly were the only methods with a positive impact. People used fewer methods in 1994 and the impact of job searching is also higher in the latter two samples. This indicates a society gradually adapting to unemployment. As regards human capital, it is worth noticing that the results in 2004 are in accordance with several predictions of human capital theory, whereas the impact of medium education and work experience in the samples based on earlier years is weaker. This suggests that more people have had time to upgrade their skills, to obtain relevant work experience and/or to obtain a post transition secondary education in 2003.Originality/valueThis paper identifies the importance of both different job‐search strategies and human capital when searching for a job in the Russian Federation. The result presented may be of interest to both policy‐makers and scientists.
Workplace flexibility and job satisfaction: some evidence from Europe
Authors: Origo Federica , Pagani Laura 
Published: September 2008

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to empirically test whether various flexible work arrangements produce different effects on alternative measures of job satisfaction in Europe. To test the existence of heterogeneity in the impact of flexibility on job satisfaction, the paper verifies whether this relation varies with workers' characteristics.Design/methodology/approachEmpirical evidence is based on a representative sample of European employees taken from a specific wave of the Eurobarometer survey. An ordered probit estimator is used to get the relevant estimates and endogeneity problems have been addressed by exploiting the richness of the data‐set in terms of information on workers' attitude toward work and life (used as proxies of unobserved time‐invariant factors, which are the primary source of endogeneity).FindingsA positive link was found between functional flexibility and job satisfaction and either no effect or a negative impact of quantitative flexibility. The positive impact of functional flexibility is greater when considering satisfaction for intrinsic aspects of the job. Estimates by workers' characteristics highlight interesting differences by age, skill and country of residence.Research limitations/implicationsThe major limitation is the cross‐sectional nature of the data, but there was no awareness of any panel data containing information on all the relevant variables of this analysis.Originality/valueWith respect to the existing literature, the paper simultaneously considers different types of flexibility and estimates their effect on different facets of job satisfaction, also considering the impact of flexibility on job satisfaction by workers' characteristics. This evidence may be useful to firms in designing more tailored flexibility packages.
Role stressors and organizational commitment: public sector employment in St Lucia
Authors: Addae Helena M. , Praveen Parboteeah K. , Velinor Nickler 
Published: September 2008

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationships among role conflict, role ambiguity, the three dimensions of organizational commitment, and turnover intentions. In addition, the paper tests the moderating effect of perceived alternatives in the relationship between continuance commitment and turnover intentions.Design/methodology/approachThe research was a cross‐sectional study of employees in the public sector in St Lucia. In total, 226 usable questionnaires were obtained. Hierarchical regression analyses were used to test the hypotheses.FindingsIt was found that role ambiguity and conflict were negatively associated with affective and normative commitment. Also, there were negative relationships between the three dimensions of organizational commitment and turnover intentions. There was no significant relationship between employees' role stressors and their continuance commitment. Employees with continuance commitment develop turnover cognitions when alternative jobs are available.Research limitations/implicationsMore research using data from the public sector in developing countries is advocated. Studies should incorporate three dimensions of organizational commitment and also assess pay satisfaction. Moderators that might change employees' normative and affective commitment should be explored.Practical implicationsIt is suggested that the sector should reduce role stressors to enhance employees' commitment. Employees should be offered competitive salaries to minimize turnover of employees with affective and normative commitment. This will serve to minimize retention of mainly employees with high continuance commitment.Originality/valueThis is one of the few studies that have examined organizational commitment in the public sector using data from a developing country.
The impact of locus of control on job stress, job performance and job satisfaction in Taiwan
Authors: Chen Jui‐Chen , Silverthorne Colin 
Published: September 2008

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine the relationships between locus of control and the work‐related behavioral measures of job stress, job satisfaction and job performance in Taiwan.Design/methodology/approachSubjects were drawn from a pool of accounting professionals who completed a questionnaire made up of valid and reliable instruments that measured each of the variables studied.FindingsThe findings indicate that one aspect of an accountants' personality, as measured by locus of control, plays an important role in predicting in the level of job satisfaction, stress and performance in CPA firms in Taiwan. Individuals with a higher internal locus of control are more likely to have lower levels of job stress and higher levels of job performance and satisfaction.Practical implicationsThe results indicate that locus of control plays an important role in the overall effectiveness of accountants, even in a non‐western culture like Taiwan.Originality/valueThis was a study of a non‐Western culture and focused on individuals in a profession rather than occupations not requiring professional credentials.
Corporate entrepreneurs or silent followers?
Authors: Heinonen Jarna , Toivonen Jouko 
Published: September 2008

PurposeThe purpose of this research is to explore how employee attitudes affect management behaviour in the corporate entrepreneurship (CE) setting. The paper focuses on the co‐evolutionary processes of practices and elements of the social structure, i.e. simultaneous top‐down and bottom‐up influences.Design/methodology/approachOrganisation‐level data from individuals in the Finnish public‐sector health and social care organisation was obtained. The questionnaire comprised Likert‐scale attitude statements on different aspects of management behaviour, enabling structures, and individual attitudes. The data analysed consisted of 523 responses. Factor analysis and reliability tests were used to create aggregated measures for different CE antecedents and hierarchical regression analysis in order to test the causal model derived from the previous literature.FindingsEmpirical evidence of the crucial role of individual attitudes and action in CE was found, thus indicating that certain attitude types influence management behaviour. Straightforward communication emerged as the most important bottom‐up modality in that it is needed if individual attitudes are to influence managers.Originality/valueThe results challenge and complement previous research in the field of CE in recognising the crucial role of individual employees. The findings suggest that CE is not catalysed from the bottom up by silent followers, even though superiors find them comfortable to manage. It is rather the self‐confident and satisfied corporate entrepreneurs with initiative who critically question the existing working modes and thus catalyse CE. Finally, suggestions for further research were offered.
A cross‐cultural study into peer evaluations of women's leadership effectiveness
Authors: Jogulu Uma D. , Wood Glenice J. 
Published: September 2008

PurposeThe present paper is based on a cross‐cultural exploration of middle managers in two diverse cultures and aims to focus on how the leadership styles of managerial women are perceived and evaluated. In particular, female and male peer evaluations of leadership effectiveness in Malaysia and Australia are to be explored.Design/methodology/approachSurveys from 324 middle managers from Malaysia and Australia were quantitatively analysed. The sample for the study was drawn from organisations in four industry types in both countries.FindingsFindings suggest that evaluations of female managers' leadership styles in general, and within the respondent's own organisations, were strongly culture specific, especially in Malaysia. The results reflected the strongly held values, attitudes and beliefs of each country. While this is not unexpected, it does highlight a need to be cautious when interpreting Western research results and attempting to transplant those into other cultures. In Malaysia, female managers were not seen as effective in the leadership styles they adopted in their roles when compared to the Australian female managers' evaluations. Such an evaluation may have had little to do with an objective appraisal of the female managers' capability, but rather with a strongly held cultural belief about the appropriate role of women in society, and in organisations in particular.Research limitations/implicationsIt is suggested that national culture manifests itself in the values, attitudes and behaviours of people. Cultural influences are therefore likely to impact on the way women and men behave in the workplace, particularly when roles of authority and power are evident, and the way in which that behaviour will be evaluated by others. Further research using different samples in different cultures are recommended. In addition, the influence of ethnicity, race or religion in plural countries such as Malaysia and Australia is also worthy of investigation.Practical implicationsThis research suggests that values and attitudes are strongly culture‐specific and therefore have the ability to influence evaluations at an organisational level. Such an awareness of cultural influences should guide appropriate human resource practices, particularly within a globalized environment.Originality/valueThe inclusion of a gender comparison in the data analysis in this paper is a significant attempt to add to the extant knowledge of the cross‐cultural research. This is a unique contribution because of the omission of a gender perspective in the previous two seminal studies in culture literature (i.e. Hofstede and House et al.). In addition, the findings suggest that culture‐specific influences are important determinants that impose expectations on the role of women differently from men in society and within organisations hence, making the gender comparison of the findings more significant.
Transformational leadership as related to team outcomes and contextual moderation
Authors: Mannheim Bilha , Halamish Hila 
Published: September 2008

PurposeOn the basis of the full‐range theory of leadership of Bass and Avolio, several hypotheses designed to examine the relationships of transformational leadership style with group outcomes in army training teams, in differing contexts were tested. These outcomes consisted of cohesion, learning culture and members' self‐efficacy. It is the purpose of this paper to determine whether the effects of leadership style of trainers is universal across teams from various contextual backgrounds.Design/methodology/approachThe population comprised 890 cadets in the basic, operations and support, and infantry tracks in an officers' training school of the Israeli Defense Forces. They were organized into 66 teams. Data were collected in two stages, by means of Form 5X of the multi factorial leadership questionnaire (Bass and Avolio). The moderation of track context on the relationships between leadership style and group outcomes was analyzed, by means of moderated regressions.FindingsFindings do not support the universality of relationships predicted according to the theory. Only in the case of the basic track was transformational leadership style related to the group outcome of learning culture. In this track as well, transformational leadership was slightly related to group cohesion. The study points to the importance of the moderation of context in the relationships of leadership styles and group outcomes, and raises questions regarding the universality of leadership style relationships in groups according to the full‐range theory. The possible importance of group background as a moderator is discussed.Originality/valueThe study emphasizes recent research indications as to the importance of contextual considerations in the study of relationships of transformational leadership to group aspects.