scholarly journals Management Innovation and Middle Managers: The Role of Empowering Leadership, Voice, and Collectivist Orientation

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-23
Author(s):  
Sylvia Rohlfer ◽  
Abderrahman Hassi ◽  
Simon Jebsen

ABSTRACT Exposing under which conditions management innovation diffuses within firms, this study investigates at the individual level the mediating influence of middle managers’ voice behavior on the relationship between CEOs’ empowering leadership behavior and perceived management innovation. We also propose that the magnitude of this relationship depends on middle managers’ collectivist orientation. This study exploits a unique Moroccan sample of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and utilizes structural equation modeling to analyze the studied relations. We found that the positive relationship between CEOs’ empowering leadership behavior and management innovation is mediated by middle managers’ voice. This effect is conditioned by middle managers’ collectivist orientations, which positively influence their attention to CEOs’ signals and the value and frequency of their contributions to management innovation. While research has identified the external and organizational factors that shape management innovation, our study concentrates on the individual level and accentuates that middle managers’ closeness to management processes, combined with their access to technical knowledge, renders them essential to management innovation. We contradict arguments that middle managers may be less inclined to help management innovation to emerge. SMEs can systematically invest in management innovation by advancing their managerial capabilities and considering individual value orientations.

2017 ◽  
Vol 20 (4) ◽  
pp. 534-556 ◽  
Author(s):  
Boris Urban ◽  
Eric Wood

Purpose Innovation is a multi-dimensional phenomenon and at the firm level incorporates the behaviors and interactions of individuals and various organizational factors. Not only are entrepreneurship and innovation complementary, but a combination of the two is vital to organizational success. The purpose of this paper is to respond directly to research calls to provide an integrated model of corporate entrepreneurship (CE) which encompasses both organizational- and individual-level factors. Design/methodology/approach A model was formulated in accordance with the study hypotheses and statistically tested. A sample of 784 responses from the South African financial sector was surveyed. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to test for model fit. Findings The results support the hypotheses that it is through the interaction of the firm (in establishing corporate building blocks), and the individual (through entrepreneurial alertness and metacognitions) that CE activity is realized. SEM results showed that entrepreneurial alertness had the greatest direct path impact on CE. Practical implications Managers need to understand and leverage corporate building blocks in a manner that influences employee’s respective levels of entrepreneurial alertness and metacognitions in order to foster CE. Originality/value The study is one of the first to model and empirically test causal links between corporate building blocks, entrepreneurial alertness, metacognitions, and CE at the firm level. Moreover, the study takes place in an under-researched African context, allowing for fresh insights to evolve.


2019 ◽  
Vol 41 (3) ◽  
pp. 592-613 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrés Salas Vallina ◽  
Maria D. Moreno-Luzon ◽  
Anna Ferrer-Franco

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is twofold: first, to examine whether inspirational leadership of heads of specialized medical units is related to individual ambidexterity of their dependent physicians; and second, to study the possible mediating role of organizational learning capability (OLC) in the relationship between inspirational leadership and individual ambidexterity.Design/methodology/approachStructural equation modeling was used on a sample of 194 medical specialists from Spanish public hospitals.FindingsResults show that inspirational leadership is positively related to individual ambidexterity among healthcare physicians. In addition, the results of the study revealed that the relationship between inspirational leadership and individual ambidexterity is mediated by conditions that facilitate learning, namely, OLC.Research limitations/implicationsThis study uses cross-sectional data, which do not guarantee causality relationships among the examined variables.Practical implicationsThe results of this paper suggest first that heads of healthcare units should inspire followers to achieve both exploration and exploitation. Second, it is also necessary to consider that inspirational leaders promote those conditions that facilitate learning, which should be particularly taken into account to enhance both physician’s exploration and exploitation.Originality/valueIn stressing an evident gap in the relationship between leadership and ambidexterity at the individual level, this paper attempts to advance in the leadership literature by revealing how the action or power of moving the intellect or emotions, and enhancing enthusiasm and confidence, empowers physicians to both explore and exploit knowledge. The results also indicate that the inspiration transmitted by the heads of medical services, facilitate physician’s perceived learning conditions which, in turn, fosters their individual ambidexterity.


Author(s):  
Shahnawaz Muhammed ◽  
William J. Doll ◽  
Xiaodong Deng

Success of organizational level knowledge management initiatives depends on how effectively individuals implementing these initiatives use their knowledge to bring about outcomes that add value in their work. To facilitate assessment of individual level outcomes in the knowledge management context, this research provides a model of interrelationships among individual level knowledge management success measures which include conceptual knowledge, contextual knowledge, operational knowledge, innovation, and performance. The model was tested using structural equation modeling based on data collected from managerial and professional knowledge workers. The results suggest that conceptual knowledge enhances operational and contextual knowledge. Contextual knowledge improves operational knowledge and is also a key predictor of innovations. The innovativeness of an individual’s work along with operational knowledge enhances work performance. The results support the proposed model. This model can potentially be used for measuring knowledge management success at the individual level.


Author(s):  
Marlene Mauk

This chapter presents the results of the empirical analysis of levels and sources of citizen support for democratic and autocratic regimes. The analysis proceeds in three steps. First, it compares the levels of regime support in democracies and autocracies. It shows that levels of citizen support, while varying considerably across individual countries, are roughly equal between democratic and autocratic regimes. Second, the analysis investigates the individual-level sources of regime support. It finds evidence that the same set of individual-level sources affect regime support in democracies and autocracies and that they do so in virtually the same way across regimes. Third, it addresses the system-level sources of regime support in democracies and autocracies. Using multilevel structural equation modeling, it observes effects of three of the four system-level sources in both types of regimes; yet, these system-level sources do not affect regime support in the same way in democracies as in autocracies.


2018 ◽  
Vol 39 (7) ◽  
pp. 826-843 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cheol Liu ◽  
David Ready ◽  
Alexandru Roman ◽  
Montgomery Van Wart ◽  
XiaoHu Wang ◽  
...  

PurposeEven though e-leadership was broadly defined in 2001 (Avolioet al.), there has been surprisingly little progress (Avolioet al., 2014). In order to make a better progress, the authors recommend dividing the field into four quadrants to facilitate the research focus. It can be divided by e-leadership phases (the adoption of technology phase vs the quality of use of technology phase), as well as the purposes (e-leadership as virtual communication vs e-leadership as management of organizational structures). The paper aims to discuss these issues.Design/methodology/approachThis study provides a model of e-leadership as communication adoption at the individual level (ECAMi). Structural equation modeling was used to test a previously published model by Van Wartet al.(2017a). The model included select traits and skills (as antecedent conditions), awareness of ICTs, evaluation of ICTs, willingness to expend effort in learning about ICTs, intention to use ICTs, and facilitating conditions.FindingsThe overall model demonstrates a good fit. It can be concluded that the ECAMirepresents a valid model for understanding e-leaders’ technological adoption. It is also found that while all select skills and traits are significant – energy, responsibility and analytical skills stand above the others.Originality/valueTo the best of the authors’ knowledge, this represents the first effort to operationalize e-leadership.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Chalachew Almaw Tefera ◽  
William D. Hunsaker

PurposeSince the term's introduction two decades ago, “psychological capital” has been described as an intangible strategic organizational resource. However, there remains a dearth of research regarding its application, especially in the macro-management fields. This paper addresses this gap by elevating the individual-level psychological capital (ILPC) concept to an equivalent organizational-level psychological capital (OLPC) model with appropriate methodological considerations.Design/methodology/approachThe elevation of ILPC to OLPC is conducted using referent shift approach. Then, the proposed OLPC model is tested and validated using the partial least-squares structural equation modeling analysis technique.FindingsTesting the OLPC model adequately validated the basic requirements of reliability, validity, multicollinearity and redundancy analysis. To ensure the practical use of the proposed model, a simulation study was also conducted, and the results confirmed the strength of ILPC being elevated to a model of OLPC.Research limitations/implicationsThe findings imply a better understanding of psychological capital from a multilevel perspective and present cross-level opportunities to enrich the scholarly corpus. The current paper also provides an insight into psychological capital management efficiency at all organizational levels so that the greatest benefits can be obtained.Originality/valueThis paper shows, for the first time, the possibility of borrowing ILPC concepts to help enact OLPC in organizations by means of a survey study. This paves the way for further investigation into the use of psychological capital at strategic and other macromanagement levels. Finally, future studies are encouraged to triangulate and strengthen the main arguments presented here.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lei Xie ◽  
Shaoping Qiu ◽  
Mary Jo Garcia Biggs

Purpose This study aims to examine the relationship between supervisor’s altruistic leadership behavior (ALB) and family-to-work development (FWD) in the context of Chinese small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs); and test the mediation effect of learning organization culture (LOC) between ALB and FWD. Design/methodology/approach A non-experimental, quantitative, cross-sectional survey research approach was applied. A structural equation modeling technique was used to test all hypotheses. Findings Results indicated that ALB is positively and significantly correlated with FWD. Additionally, the relationship between ALB and FWD is mediated by LOC. Practical implications This study suggests that building and maintaining an effective LOC requires leaders to champion, human resource (HR) professionals to strengthen and employees to support learning as a system. Thus, HR professionals should implement altruistic leadership mentoring and coaching programs. In the case of Chinese SMEs, altruistic leaders are especially instrumental in generating followers’ positive outcomes in both work and family domains. Originality/value This study looks into the influence of organizational factors on the direction of FWD. In particular, this study seeks to examine organizational factors that relate to spillover from family to work.


2019 ◽  
Vol 36 (1) ◽  
pp. 82-91 ◽  
Author(s):  
Reto Felix ◽  
Jacob Almaguer

PurposeResearchers have become increasingly interested in the construct of psychological ownership in recent years. The purpose of this paper is to extend the target of psychological ownership to planet Earth as a whole and investigate its relationship with materialism and pro-environmental behavioral intentions.Design/methodology/approachThe paper is based on a survey with 236 college students from a public university in the Southeast of the USA. The model fit from a confirmatory factor analysis is very satisfactory. Mediation of psychological ownership for the planet is formally tested using structural equation modeling (SEM) and Hayes’ (2013) macro for SPSS.FindingsThe findings of this paper support the expectation that both the individual (my planet) and the collective-oriented dimensions (our planet) of individual-level psychological ownership are positively related to recycling intentions and the intention to purchase green products. Further, formal mediation tests show that psychological ownership for my planet, but not for our planet, mediates the relationship between material values and pro-environmental behaviors.Practical implicationsCompanies that aim to gain competitive advantage through green citizenship can highlight the individual or shared ownership of the planet to align the political agenda of government officials with their company mission, vision and brand positioning.Originality/valueThe current paper contributes to the emerging body of literature on psychological ownership by extending its target to planet Earth as a whole. It is the first paper to explain the previously observed negative relationship between materialism and pro-environmental behaviors through the mechanism of psychological ownership.


2019 ◽  
Vol 31 (4) ◽  
pp. 1785-1800 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abderrahman Hassi

Purpose This study aims to examine a model that uses climate for creativity as an intervening mechanism for the relationship of empowering leadership to management innovation in the hospitality industry. Design/methodology/approach The sample comprises 127 hotels in Morocco. Data were gathered from two sources, namely, the administrative department managers and the front desk managers. Structural equation modeling analyses along with the Bayesian estimation technique were used. Findings Findings demonstrate that the climate for creativity plays a mediating role between empowering leadership and management innovation. The climate for creativity dimensions of employee creativity recognition, flexibility to change and adequate resources for innovation pave the way for empowering leaders in the adoption of new management practices, processes or structures. Practical implications This study suggests that climate for creativity can be an effective tool for implementing management innovation. Hence, leaders and managers of hotel firms, who aim to obtain innovative results in the managerial spheres, should capitalize on the benefits of building a positive climate for creativity. Originality/value The present paper bridges a gap pertaining to antecedents and factors that impact management innovation. It is the first of its kind to investigate the influence of empowering leadership on management innovation with climate for creativity as a mediating variable.


2019 ◽  
Vol 25 (4) ◽  
pp. 582-605 ◽  
Author(s):  
Majharul Talukder

Purpose Despite much research on organizations’ adoption of innovation, little is currently known about individual employees have gone about it. The purpose of this paper is to empirically investigate the determinants that address individual employees’ decisions concerning innovation in the workplace. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected from 272 employees from a tertiary education institution in Australia using a structured instrument. Findings Results from the structural equation modeling analysis indicate that enjoyment and motivation impact significantly on attitudes to an innovation, which, in turn, affects how employees behave toward it. Practical implications Furthermore, organizational patronage, innovativeness and self-image have been found to influence the innovation adoption process. These findings have implications for the effective management and implementation of an innovation at the individual level. Originality/value Although innovation adoption has been studied extensively, drivers of adoption and research on individual innovation acceptance remain limited. Designing an effective approach for increasing end-user acceptance and subsequent use of innovation continues to be a fundamental challenge. The current literature indicates that we know relatively little about the ways in which individuals adopt and the factors that influence individual adoption of innovation. This study is designed to fill that gap. The identification of the factors is important to create a work environment that is conducive to individual adoption of innovation and thereby gain the expected benefits from the innovation.


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