Leading learning and innovation in organizations: A distributed leadership perspective

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ankita Tandon
Keyword(s):  
Distributed Leadership ◽  
Flexible Work ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Leadership For Learning ◽  
Work Arrangements ◽  
Leadership Models ◽  
Distributed Approach ◽  
Work From Home ◽  
Current Context

Purpose This paper explores the role of distributed leadership for learning and innovation in organizations. Learning and innovation being collective interactive processes, individual leadership is not the most effective way to drive them. This paper discusses how developing a distributed approach to leadership can be useful in enhancing the effectiveness of these processes, particularly in the current context of dispersed and remote working spurred by the pandemic. Design/methodology/approach This paper draws on literature from the domains of leadership and learning to discuss how effectiveness of learning and innovation can be enhanced through the application of appropriate leadership models. Findings This paper brings out the importance of developing a distributed leadership approach to enhance learning and innovation in organizations. It provides actionable suggestions that can be used by organizations to develop shared leadership capabilities. Originality/value Moving away from traditional leadership models, this paper highlights the significant role that distributed leadership can play to enhance the effectiveness of collective processes such as learning and innovation. The approach is even more relevant in the current pandemic context where organizations are operating in a distributed setup with flexible work from home arrangements. Learning and innovation in such virtual, asynchronous work arrangements is a challenge. Development of distributed leadership mindset and approach can enable organizations to operate more effectively in the new normal.

A systematic review of work-life integration and role of flexible work arrangements

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sourabh Kumar ◽  
Sankersan Sarkar ◽  
Bhawna Chahar
Keyword(s):  
Work Life ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Personal Factors ◽  
Flexible Work Arrangements ◽  
Flexible Work ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Organizational Policies ◽  
Work Arrangements ◽  
Future Research Agenda

Purpose The growing demands of work and life have shifted the concept of work-life balance to work-life integration (WLI). The success of integration depends upon the flexibility to perform the duties. This paper aims to explore the factors that affect WLI and the role of flexible work arrangements (FWAs) in the process of WLI. Design/methodology/approach Systematic literature review was used to explore the concept of WLI and FWAs. A bibliometric analysis was carried out with Bibexcel and VoSviewer. Findings This paper explained the organizational and personal factors that create the demand for WLI. The FWAs, perceived flexibility, technology and self-efficacy have important roles in WLI. The result of WLI can be enrichment or strain, depends upon how effectively the work-life domains are integrated. Originality/value This paper explores the work-life from both personal and organizational views. The findings of this paper will be useful to design the organizational policies and work arrangements that match the requirements of employees and organizations. This paper helps to develop the future research agenda of investigating the relations of WLI to performance, organizational policies and personal factors.

scholarly journals Has the Economic Lockdown Following the Covid-19 Pandemic Changed the Gender Division of Labor in Israel?

2021 ◽  
pp. 089124322110012
Author(s):  
Meir Yaish ◽  
Hadas Mandel ◽  
Tali Kristal
Keyword(s):  
Gender Inequality ◽  
Unpaid Work ◽  
Paid Work ◽  
Flexible Work ◽  
Work Arrangements ◽  
Work From Home ◽  
The Family ◽  
Allocation Of Time ◽  
Using Data ◽  
Families With Children

The economic shutdown and national lockdown following the outbreak of COVID-19 have increased demand for unpaid work at home, particularly among families with children, and reduced demand for paid work. Concurrently, the share of the workforce that has relocated its workplace to home has also increased. In this article, we examine the consequences of these processes for the allocation of time among paid work, housework, and care work for men and women in Israel. Using data on 2,027 Israeli adults whom we followed since the first week of March (before the spread of COVID-19), we focus on the effect of the second lockdown in Israel (in September) on the gender division of both paid and unpaid work. We find that as demand for housework caused by the lockdown increases, women—especially with children—increase their housework much more than men do, particularly when they work from home. The consequences of work from home and other flexible work arrangements for gender inequality within the family are discussed.

Intention to use flexible work arrangements

2018 ◽  
Vol 31 (7) ◽  
pp. 1438-1460
Author(s):  
Eun Jung Ko ◽  
Sang Soo Kim
Keyword(s):  
Gender Differences ◽  
Motivational Factors ◽  
Personal Life ◽  
Intention To Use ◽  
Flexible Work Arrangements ◽  
Flexible Work ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Work Arrangements ◽  
Novel Approach ◽  
Significant Difference

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate gender differences in motivations to use flexible work arrangements (FWAs) in Korea. Design/methodology/approach Based on a literature review on theory of planned behaviour (TPB), this study considers four motivational factors that influence the intention to use FWA: motivation for personal life, motivation for productivity, peer behaviour and concerns about career disadvantages. Survey response data drawn from 92 male and 105 female Korean workers were used to analyse differences by gender. Findings As for the male respondents, all four motivational factors have a significant effect on the intention to use FWA. However, in the female respondents, the effects of concerns about career disadvantages on the intention to use FWA are not significant. The results of gender differences analysis show that significant difference was not found in the effect of motivation for personal life on the intention to use FWA while the other three motivational factors have significant differences by gender. Research limitations/implications In this research, basing its conceptual background on TPB, a novel approach is taken by introducing motivational factors as the antecedents of intention to use FWA. This is a more systematic view on individuals’ behavioural mechanism relating to the intention to choose FWA. It is also meaningful in that this study looks at the intention to use FWA from a broader perspective by suggesting gender differences as critical analysis criteria given the uniqueness of Korean labour market. Practical implications For an effective operation of FWA, it is important not only to launch a flexible working programme itself, but also to ensure that the users are properly understood and fairly evaluated. Originality/value Considering the motivations of utilising FWA from various angles will contribute to coming up with various measures to raise the use and effectiveness of FWA.

scholarly journals “Family-Friendly” Jobs and Motherhood Pay Penalties: The Impact of Flexible Work Arrangements Across the Educational Spectrum

2018 ◽  
Vol 46 (1) ◽  
pp. 3-44 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sylvia Fuller ◽  
C. Elizabeth Hirsh
Keyword(s):  
Work Life ◽  
Flexible Work Arrangements ◽  
Flexible Work ◽  
Wage Gaps ◽  
Work Arrangements ◽  
Work From Home ◽  
Educational Groups ◽  
Wage Penalties ◽  
Face Time ◽  
The Impact

This article focuses on how flexible work arrangements affect motherhood wage penalties for differently situated women. While theories of work–life facilitation suggest that flexible work should ease motherhood penalties, the use of flexibility policies may also invite stigma and bias against mothers. Analyses using Canadian linked workplace–employee data test these competing perspectives by examining how temporal and spatial flexibility moderate motherhood wage penalties and how this varies by women’s education. Results show that flexible work hours typically reduce mothers’ disadvantage, especially for the university educated, and that working from home also reduces wage gaps for most educational groups. The positive effect of flexibility operates chiefly by reducing barriers to mothers’ employment in higher waged establishments, although wage gaps within establishments are also diminished in some cases. While there is relatively little evidence of a flexibility stigma, the most educated do face stronger wage penalties within establishments when they substitute paid work from home for face time at the workplace as do the least educated when they bring additional unpaid work home. Overall, results are most consistent with the work–life facilitation model. However, variability in the pattern of effects underscores the importance of looking at the intersection of mothers’ education and workplace arrangements.

Impact of flexible work arrangements on employees’ perceived productivity, organisational commitment and perceived work quality: a United Arab Emirates case-study

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Anaam Hashmi ◽  
Abdullah Al Ghaithi ◽  
Khaled Sartawi
Keyword(s):  
United Arab Emirates ◽  
Employee Productivity ◽  
Organisational Commitment ◽  
Flexible Work ◽  
Employee Outcomes ◽  
Work Quality ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Work Arrangements ◽  
The Relationship

Purpose This study aims to examine the impact of flexible work arrangements (FWAs) on employees’ perceived productivity, quality of work and organisational commitment (OC) with a special focus on the United Arab Emirates. It also analyses the mediating effect of employee happiness on the relationship between FWA and employees’ perceived productivity, OC and perceived work quality. Design/methodology/approach A quantitative, non-experimental correlational study was used for this research project. The study yielded numerical data, which were analysed using a deductive approach. The analysis aimed at exploring the relationships between the constructs, which were viewed as variables; these relationships were considered correlations, mediation and moderation. The sample comprises employees currently working at different public and private sector organisations, representing all major service industries in the UAE. Nine questions were used to assess the flexibility at work and six out of the nine questions were used to measure the level of FWAs using the Likert scale. Findings FWA has a significant and positive association with the employees’ perceived productivity, quality of work and OC. It was confirmed that happiness plays a mediating role in the relationship between FWA and employee outcomes. The facility allows employees to manage their personal and professional lives with ease using their preferred work method. This ability promotes employee satisfaction. In conclusion, managers and employees around the world should view FWAs as a positive tool to enhance employee productivity and OC, particularly in an emergency like the Covid-19 pandemic. Research limitations/implications The participants’ honesty was a limitation, which could raise questions on the validity of this study. This limitation arises when the self-report method is used for data collection. Use of multiple instruments could be another limitation. Practical implications Organisational leaders can use FWAs to improve employee outcomes. When an organisation grants flexible work options to employees, it implies that the organisation trusts its employees to complete the task. This factor motivates all employees to work with dedication, which is particularly true if the employees are creative people and wish to work on their preferred time and place. Originality/value This study is significant because the findings will allow managers to assess the benefits of using FWAs to improve employee productivity, particularly in the service sector. It combines the aspects of perceived productivity, OC and perceived work quality, as well as employee happiness to assess the role of FWAs in organisations. The study also investigates the influence of FWAs in improving these employee outcomes. Based on the literature review, this study on FWAs is the first of its kind in the UAE, the country using a truly multinational workforce coming from more than 100 countries and cultures.

Chasing productivity demands, worker well-being, and firm performance

2020 ◽  
Vol 49 (9) ◽  
pp. 1823-1843
Author(s):  
Mastura Ab Wahab ◽  
Ekrem Tatoglu
Keyword(s):  
Firm Performance ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Manufacturing Firms ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Flexible Work Arrangements ◽  
Flexible Work ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Work Arrangements ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Relationship

PurposeThis study aims to examine the impact of chasing productivity demands on worker well-being and firm performance in manufacturing firms in Malaysia. Flexible work arrangements and human resources support are used as moderators to mitigate the adverse impacts associated with chasing productivity demands.Design/methodology/approachData were collected from 213 workers from manufacturing firms through a survey questionnaire utilizing structural equation modeling.FindingsThe findings of the study show that flexible work arrangements play a significant role in moderating the relationship between chasing productivity demands and well-being, and between chasing productivity demands and firm performance. The study also shows that flexible work arrangements are important to buffer the adverse effects of chasing productivity demands on worker well-being. In addition, flexible work arrangements strengthen the positive effect of worker well-being on firm performance.Research limitations/implicationsThis study highlights the importance of flexible work arrangements in overcoming the negative impact of the relationship between chasing productivity demands and worker well-being and strengthening the positive impact of the relationship between worker well-being and firm performance.Originality/valueThis study has extended the variable of chasing productivity demands in the existing literature on the job demands–job control model, specifically in manufacturing firms.

Mapping four leadership styles in Japan: how has the role of the principal been shaped by policies?

2019 ◽  
Vol 58 (2) ◽  
pp. 187-207
Author(s):  
Hirokazu Yokota
Keyword(s):  
Instructional Leadership ◽  
Leadership Styles ◽  
School Leadership ◽  
Distributed Leadership ◽  
Educational Administration ◽  
Policy Documents ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Western View ◽  
Role Of The Principal

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine how internationally recognized styles of transactional, instructional, transformational and distributed leadership have emerged in the Japanese education system. Design/methodology/approach National legislation and policy documents in Japan since 1945 were collected by searching for the word “principal” or “head of school.” Then, four types are excluded: those that are unique only to one school type, do not explicitly deal with the role of the principal, are in subordinate laws prescribing contents that essentially overlap with those in superordinate statutes and define procedural roles of the principal. As a result, 17 legal provisions and 35 policy documents remained, each of which was analyzed by using four leadership styles. Findings Despite an increasing focus on instructional, transformational and distributed styles, Japan has not comprehensively articulated attributes and abilities expected of the principal. Additionally, a movement away from instructional leadership in the 2000s contrasts with the recent emphasis on “educational leadership.” Moreover, transformational leadership has centered on the school–family–community collaboration and the expansion of principal autonomy, and distributed leadership has taken the forms of new positions that support the principal, both of which were influenced by the decentralization movement. Research limitations/implications It points to the susceptibility of the role of the principal in Japan and western countries alike to broader structural reforms but with different implications and distinct timing of the advent of leadership styles among them. Additionally, Japan has adopted a modified approach to distributed leadership style, which is somewhat similar to delegation, to make a compromise between the emergent theory and the centrality of the principal in the school hierarchy. Furthermore, instructional leadership seems to be a “late bloomer” in Japan because of its practice-based nature and unsuitability to daily realities of the principal. Originality/value As an arguably unprecedented attempt to apply leadership styles to legislation and policy documents, this study builds a foundation for understanding how school leadership is shaped by education policies. Moreover, while making connections to the western view, it creates a paradigm for future studies of school leadership in Japan and in the field of comparative educational administration.

Distributed leadership and organizational commitment: moderating role of confidence and affective climate

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sinda Ben Sedrine ◽  
Amel Sabra Bouderbala ◽  
Myryam Hamdi
Keyword(s):  
Organizational Commitment ◽  
Organizational Climate ◽  
Distributed Leadership ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Essential Element ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Digital World ◽  
Affective Climate

Purpose The purpose of this study is to examine the effect of distributed leadership on organizational commitment and the role of trust and open group climate as moderator variables in this relationship. Design/methodology/approach To test the conceptual model and research hypotheses empirically, the authors collected data based on an investigation over a sample of 318 engineers in the Information Technology telecommunication sector in Tunisia. The results were analyzed using factor analysis and structural equation modeling. Findings The results show a significant and positive impact of the support function, of the participation in decision-making and cooperation on organizational commitment. The authors find evidence for the existence of a positive moderating effect of trust and affective climate at the level of the causal link between distributed leadership and organizational commitment dimensions. Research limitations/implications These results provide useful indications for managers within the framework of leadership style that is more appropriate to the group’s proper functioning. Throughout this work, managers will know that distributed leadership is adapted to create a social climate based on dialogue and trust, an essential element of distributed leadership. Supervision and authority should give up a coercive vision in a more cooperative and constructive approach. Coordination should be founded on a horizontal and transversal vision of the organization. Originality/value Distributed leadership is increasingly seen as a key vehicle for firms’ improvement and renewal. However, research on this concept was largely conducted in the field of education and health. Studies dealing with small and medium-sized companies are rather scarce. There are not, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, any works in the Tunisian context because the majority of the reference studies are Anglo-Saxon. The originality and value of this research lies in its anchoring in the context. Moreover, this study provides empirical evidence of the importance of the role of the affective climate on organizational commitment. Indeed, engagement is a behavioral and attitudinal indicator of organizational climate. This paper is intended to provide a stimulus for exploring the distributed leadership area in terms of shaping thinking and designs for organizational change to enhance organizational commitment in a highly digital world.

Who benefits from time-spatial job crafting? The role of boundary characteristics in the relationship between time-spatial job crafting, engagement and performance

2020 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-19
Author(s):  
Jurgita Lazauskaite-Zabielske ◽  
Arunas Ziedelis ◽  
Ieva Urbanaviciute
Keyword(s):  
Job Performance ◽  
Work Engagement ◽  
Job Crafting ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Work Arrangements ◽  
Boundary Characteristics ◽  
Indirect Relationship ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Work And Life

PurposeUsing the theoretical framework of job demands-resources and boundary management, the purpose of this paper is to explore the moderating role of work and life boundary characteristics in the relationship between time-spatial job crafting, work engagement and job performance.Design/methodology/approachA total of 176 employees working in the IT sector and having an opportunity to use flexible work arrangements were surveyed online.FindingsWork and life boundary characteristics were found to moderate the relationship between time-spatial job crafting and work engagement as well as between time-spatial job crafting and job performance. Moreover, boundary characteristics moderated the indirect relationship between time-spatial job crafting and job performance through work engagement.Practical implicationsTime-spatial job crafting becomes a key strategy for maintaining work engagement and job performance, when work–life boundaries are less flexible and less permeable.Originality/valueThe study demonstrates that boundary characteristics determine the effects of time-spatial job crafting on work engagement and job performance.

scholarly journals Flexibility or ethical dilemma: an overview of the work from home policies in modern organizations around the world

2016 ◽  
Vol 24 (7) ◽  
pp. 12-15
Author(s):  
Ahmad Timsal ◽  
Mustabsar Awais
Keyword(s):  
Geographic Location ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
Main Question ◽  
Flexible Work ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Work From Home ◽  
Country Analysis ◽  
Pros And Cons ◽  
Flexible Work Arrangement ◽  
The Developed Countries

Purpose The primary purpose of this paper is to highlight the pros and cons associated with the work from home policies and how these policies differ across countries and cultures. The main question to be answered is that why a perk or benefit is now being considered as an ethical issue. Design/methodology/approach Opinions of practitioners and examples of some leading controversial work from home policies have been discussed in detail. Examples from the developed countries have been compared with those of less developed countries, to present a cross country analysis. Findings Culture has a significant impact on the flexible work arrangement policies. Although many companies endorse some degree of flexibility for working mothers or parents in general, working from home as a universal policy is still debatable. The decision to offer this facility to employees majorly depends upon the geographic location of that organization. Originality/value All the discussions and views expressed solely belong to the authors. This paper can be extended by adding some empirical evidences from the companies who actually offer this facility to their employees.

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