In search of the Holy Grail: a 20-year systematic review of the happy-productive worker thesis

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Gisela Sender ◽  
Gustavo Cattelan Nobre ◽  
Sungu Armagan ◽  
Denise Fleck
Keyword(s):  
Content Analysis ◽  
Current Knowledge ◽  
Empirical Studies ◽  
Holy Grail ◽  
Content Type ◽  
New Concepts ◽  
Long Time ◽  
And Performance ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Productive Worker

Purpose The relationship between job satisfaction and performance is a topic that has been intriguing scholars and managers for a long time. With the flourishing of positive psychology, it has been called the happy-productive worker thesis. New concepts led to new results but still divergent. This study aims to understand the past 20 years of research on the topic, also called the holy grail of the organizational sciences, helping to unwrap conclusions so far. Design/methodology/approach Bibliometric analysis was performed with R statistical tool’s support, complemented by content analysis, based on studies from three major databases between 1999 and 2019. The empirical studies were analyzed according to the constructs used, shedding light on when the happy-productive worker thesis is more likely to be confirmed. Findings Results show a variety of constructs and instruments used to operationalize the constructs. This lack of convergence accounts for a large part of the general inconclusiveness of the topic. Indicated research gaps can be useful to both academics and practitioners. Research limitations/implications Only studies declared as related to the happy-productive worker thesis were considered. Practical implications Managers can benefit from considering the findings as a basis for decision-making regarding investments in employee happiness at work, focusing on the aspects of happy constructs that lead to productive criteria. Originality/value The application of mixed methods, complementing the bibliometric with thorough content analysis, provided a more detailed overview of current knowledge about the topic, helping to disentangle different concepts that were treated as similar. Thus, it is possible to understand in which situations happy workers are really more productive.

Intellectual capital and performance

2018 ◽  
Vol 19 (2) ◽  
pp. 407-452 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eugénia Pedro ◽  
João Leitão ◽  
Helena Alves
Keyword(s):  
Intellectual Capital ◽  
Research Question ◽  
Empirical Studies ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Depth Study ◽  
Global Vision ◽  
Customer Capital ◽  
And Performance ◽  
The Relationship

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to determine the predominant classification of intellectual capital (IC), in terms of components, using the literature of reference on the relationship between IC and performance and considering multi-dimensional analysis axes (MAAs): organisational, regional and national. Design/methodology/approach A systematic literature review (SLR) is presented focussing on empirical studies on IC published in the period 1960-2016. A protocol for action is defined and a research question is raised, gathering data from the databases of: Web of Science, Scopus and Google Scholar. A social network analysis is also provided to determine the type of networks embracing groups, IC individual components and performance type. Findings Of the 777 papers included in the SLR, 189 deal with the relationship between IC and performance. The paper highlights the greater development of empirical studies starting from 2004; the organisational MAA is the most studied. The most frequently used groups of components in studies dealing with IC’s influence on performance corresponds to a triad of human capital; structural (organisational or process) capital; and relational (social or customer) capital, which determine positively the performance of organisations/regions/countries, but their influence is not linear and depends on various factors associated with the context and surrounding environment. Practical implications This study has wide-ranging implications for politicians/governments, managers and academics, providing empirical evidence about the relationships between the components of IC and performance, by MAAs, and a global vision and better understanding of how those IC components have developed and how they are related to performance. Originality/value Due to the high number of references covering a wide range of disciplines and the various dimensions (e.g. organisational, regional and national) that form IC, it becomes fundamental to carry out an SRL and systematise its MAAs to deepen knowledge about what has been discovered/developed in this domain, in terms of empirical studies, in order to situate the topic in a wider theoretical-practical context. The paper is exceptionally wide-ranging, covering the period 1960-2016. It is one of the first clarifying studies on systemisation of the literature on IC, by MAA, and an in-depth study of IC’s impact on the performance of organisations/regions and countries which may serve as a guideline for future studies using the taxonomy proposed.

Abusive supervision: a content analysis of theory and methodology

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yucheng Zhang ◽  
Zhongwei Hou ◽  
Xingxing Zhou ◽  
Yumeng Yue ◽  
Siqi Liu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Content Analysis ◽  
Organizational Behavior ◽  
Research Design ◽  
Empirical Studies ◽  
Country Of Origin ◽  
Abusive Supervision ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Current State ◽  
The Relationship

Purpose Despite recent organizational behavior studies have witnessed considerable progress in abusive supervision research; some demerits for both theory and methodology still remain in the past years. To clarify the current state of knowledge in the field, this study aims to analyze the current state of theories and methods on abusive supervision and provides a detailed future research agenda. Design/methodology/approach This paper conducted a literature review for both theory and methodology of the abusive supervision research using a content analysis of 134 publications. Findings For the theory part, this paper summarized the theories that had been applied to explain the relationship between abusive supervision and its consequences as well as antecedents. For the methodology part, this paper outlined some critical issues regarding country of origin, research design, measurement, analysis strategy and also summarized with a discussion of the relationship between methodological issues and article impact. Finally, this paper concluded by presenting an agenda for future abusive supervision research regarding both theory and methodology. Originality/value First, this paper summarizes the main theories, antecedents and consequences often used in abusive supervision research to allow scholars to carry out theoretically driven research investigating abusive supervision in the future. Second, through a content analysis of the methods sections of abusive supervision research in the samples (i.e. country of origin, research design, measurement and analytical procedures), this paper identified the potential reasons underlying the inconsistency in the conclusions of abusive supervision research and provide some guidance for future empirical studies. Third, based on the qualitative review, this paper provides an agenda for future research investigating abusive supervision by developing a content-specific theoretical framework to benchmark abusive supervision research against other research related to leadership and offers an accurate response to scholars’ criticisms of abusive supervision research.

The relationship of personality to cognitive characteristics and SME performance in Tanzania

2018 ◽  
Vol 25 (4) ◽  
pp. 667-686 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nsubili Isaga
Keyword(s):  
Personality Traits ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Current Knowledge ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Cognitive Characteristics ◽  
Entrepreneurial Characteristics ◽  
Medium Enterprise ◽  
And Performance ◽  
The Relationship

PurposeFocussing on the relationship between personality traits and small and medium enterprise (SME) performance in Tanzania’s furniture sector, the purpose of this paper is to examine the effect of cognitive characteristics as a mediating variable.Design/methodology/approachA total of 300 SMEs in furniture sectors from four different regions in Tanzania were involved in this study. Structural equation modelling approach was used to test simultaneously the direct and the indirect effects of the characteristics of the entrepreneurs on the SMEs performance.FindingsThe findings show that personality traits have a significant influence on SMEs performance through cognitive characteristics.Research limitations/implicationsThe study’s data were collected from businesses in only one industry (furniture) in Tanzania. Future research may extend the approach to other business sectors.Practical implicationsSince entrepreneurial characteristics are considered an important driver of a country’s economic development and performance, it is hoped that governments and sector associations implement suitable policies and incentives to develop an entrepreneurial culture among citizens.Originality/valueCurrent knowledge about entrepreneurial characteristics and their relationship with SME performance in developing countries, especially Tanzania, is very limited. The present study suggests that cognitive characteristics are necessary mediators of the link between personality traits and SME performance.

Does culture tame the bunny? A content analysis of a global adult magazine

2014 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. 4-23 ◽  
Author(s):  
Meidiahna Kusuma
Keyword(s):  
Qualitative Research ◽  
Content Analysis ◽  
Empirical Study ◽  
Culturally Diverse ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Empirical Studies ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Adaptation Decision ◽  
The Relationship

Purpose – Few empirical studies have probed the effects of culture on the standardization/adaptation decision in the context of controversial products. This study aims to investigate the relationship between sociosexuality and the adaptation decision for editorial images and advertisements in Playboy magazine through content analysis. Design/methodology/approach – This study is a qualitative research using content analysis as the research approach. The content analysis is done for Playboy magazines from four culturally diverse countries conducted for this study. Findings – The result shows that editions of the magazine across four culturally diverse countries reveal that sociosexuality is positively correlated to the degree of nudity in photographs and to the usage of advertising for controversial products. Moreover, the paper uses the concept of sociosexuality to gain a better understanding of the empirical discrepancies concerning nudity or sex appeal. Originality/value – This research is an empirical study developed by author to confirm the influence of culture on the standardization/adaptation decision in the context of controversial products. This research is originally developed by author and has not been published before.

Corporate social responsibility awareness and performance: the case of Chinese airports

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Thanh Ngo ◽  
Qixia Tian
Keyword(s):  
Corporate Social Responsibility ◽  
Content Analysis ◽  
Social Responsibility ◽  
Data Envelopment ◽  
Content Type ◽  
And Performance ◽  
Corporate Social ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Larger Sample ◽  
Practical Implications

PurposeThis study examines the corporate social responsibility (CSR) awareness of major Chinese airports during the 2013–2017 period as well as its influence on the airports' performance.Design/methodology/approachThe authors first used a content analysis to quantify CSR awareness of the examined airports reflecting their annual and CSR reports. Alongside other characteristics such as location and size, CSR awareness’ influence on the airports' performance (measured by data envelopment analysis [DEA]) was consequently examined.FindingsThe CSR awareness varies among airport and over time; however, an increasing concern about this issue is found in the Chinese airport industry. Particularly, Chinese airports tend to focus more on customers and the society and that increase of CSR awareness could improve the airports' performance.Research limitations/implicationsThe authors analyzed only four Chinese airports, and the data may be influenced by other factors such as politics, culture, business behaviors or management. Studies with larger sample (e.g. more airports from China and/or other countries) or with more CSR aspects and indicators will contribute to this matter.Originality/valueThis is the first study to combine the content analysis and the DEA into a single framework to examine the relationship between CSR awareness and performance, especially for Chinese airports. It can therefore provide important practical implications to Chinese aviation managers.

scholarly journals A meta-analysis of the impact of privatization on firm performance

2017 ◽  
Vol 55 (1) ◽  
pp. 178-202 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patricia Bachiller
Keyword(s):  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Empirical Studies ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Public Offerings ◽  
Managerial Implications ◽  
The Common ◽  
And Performance ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Relationship

Purpose Despite the vast literature on privatization, the relationship between change of ownership and performance is not clear. The purpose of this paper is to understand why divergences are found between the empirical results of papers analyzed. Design/methodology/approach The author applies a meta-analysis to a sample of 60 empirical studies that analyze the performance of privatized companies. The author checks whether different results on performance can be explained by the method of privatization and the level of development of the country of privatized companies. Findings The findings indicate that companies privatized by public offerings obtain a better performance than companies privatized using other methods, such as private sale or voucher privatization, and do not support the common-place assumption that privatization in developing countries does not improve financial performance. Originality/value The study contributes to the literature on privatization because it adds new empirical evidence about the privatization programs and it first applies a meta-analysis to a sample about privatization on state-owned companies. The author discusses theoretical and managerial implications and offers suggestions for future research on privatization.

scholarly journals A critical perspective on the measurement of performance in the empirical multinationality and performance literature

2017 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 94-118 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicole Franziska Richter ◽  
Robert Schmidt ◽  
Tina Jessica Ladwig ◽  
Fabian Wulhorst
Keyword(s):  
Performance Measures ◽  
Empirical Studies ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Research Designs ◽  
Financial Performance Measures ◽  
And Performance ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Benefits And Costs

Purpose This paper aims to contribute to the core research in international business (IB), namely, the relationship between multinationality and performance and is concerned with the quality of past empirical research designs. Design/methodology/approach On the basis of 49 studies, given in a literature review, the match between performance measures used in empirical studies and the underlying theoretical streams that explain the effects on benefits and costs of multinationality is critically evaluated. Findings Findings indicate that authors still largely rely on overall financial performance measures. Theoretical arguments, in contrast, refer to specific benefit and cost positions that might be better reflected in operational performance indicators. The idiosyncratic choice of the performance measures used might contribute to the varying results in past studies. Originality/value Suggestions for improving future research designs are offered.

The reflexive turn in key account management

2014 ◽  
Vol 48 (11/12) ◽  
pp. 2071-2104 ◽  
Author(s):  
Markus Vanharanta ◽  
Alan J.P. Gilchrist ◽  
Andrew D. Pressey ◽  
Peter Lenney
Keyword(s):  
Empirical Studies ◽  
Negative Relationship ◽  
Success Rates ◽  
Key Account Management ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Account Management ◽  
Long Run ◽  
Key Account ◽  
And Performance ◽  
The Uk

Purpose – This study aims to address how and why do formal key account management (KAM) programmes hinder effective KAM management, and how can the problems of formalization in KAM be overcome. Recent empirical studies have reported an unexpected negative relationship between KAM formalization and performance. Design/methodology/approach – An 18-month (340 days) ethnographic investigation was undertaken in the UK-based subsidiary of a major US sports goods manufacturer. This ethnographic evidence was triangulated with 113 in-depth interviews. Findings – This study identifies how and why managerial reflexivity allows a more effectively combining of formal and post-bureaucratic KAM practices. While formal KAM programmes provide a means to initiate, implement and control KAM, they have an unintended consequence of increasing organizational bureaucracy, which may in the long-run hinder the KAM effectiveness. Heightened reflexivity, including “wayfinding”, is identified as a means to overcome many of these challenges, allowing for reflexively combining formal with post-bureaucratic KAM practices. Research limitations/implications – The thesis of this paper starts a new line of reflexive KAM research, which draws theoretical influences from the post-bureaucratic turn in management studies. Practical implications – This study seeks to increase KAM implementation success rates and long-term effectiveness of KAM by conceptualizing the new possibilities offered by reflexive KAM. This study demonstrates how reflexive skills (conceptualized as “KAM wayfinding”) can be deployed during KAM implementation and for its continual improvement. Further, the study identifies how KAM programmes can be used to train organizational learning regarding KAM. Furthermore, this study identifies how and why post-bureaucratic KAM can offer additional benefits after an organization has learned key KAM capabilities. Originality/value – A new line of enquiry is identified: the reflexive-turn in KAM. This theoretical position allows us to identify existing weakness in the extant KAM literature, and to show a practical means to improve the effectiveness of KAM. This concerns, in particular, the importance of managerial reflexivity and KAM wayfinding as a means to balance the strengths and weaknesses of formal and post-bureaucratic KAM.

scholarly journals Creating relationship continuity across projects in the construction industry

IMP Journal ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 207-229 ◽  
Author(s):  
Malena Ingemansson Havenvid ◽  
Elsebeth Holmen ◽  
Åse Linné ◽  
Ann-Charlott Pedersen
Keyword(s):  
Construction Industry ◽  
Empirical Studies ◽  
Mutual Orientation ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Construction Firms ◽  
Relationship Continuity ◽  
Time Period ◽  
Strategy Types ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Over Time

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationship continuity across projects among actors in the construction industry, and to discuss why and how such continuity takes place. Design/methodology/approach The authors draw on the results from four in-depth case studies illustrating different strategies for pursuing relationship continuity. The results are analysed and discussed in light of the oft-mentioned strategies suggested by Mintzberg (1987): emergent, deliberate and deliberately emergent strategies. Furthermore, the ARA-model is used to discuss why the relationship continuity strategies are pursued, and which factors might enable and constrain the relationship continuity. Findings The main findings are twofold. First, the authors found that the strategy applied for pursuing relationship continuity may, in one-time period, contain one type of strategy or a mix of strategy types. Second, the type of strategy may evolve over time, from one type of strategy being more pronounced in one period, to other strategies being more pronounced in later periods. The strategies applied by construction firms and their counterparts can thus contain elements of emergent, deliberate and deliberately emergent strategies, in varying degrees over time. It is also shown that the strategies of the involved actors co-evolve as a result of interaction. Also, the main reasons for pursuing continuity appear to lie in the re-use and development of important resources and activities across projects to create efficiency and the possibility to develop mutual orientation, commitment and trust over time, and thus reduce uncertainty. Research limitations/implications Further empirical studies are needed to support the findings. For managers, the main implication is that relationship continuity can arise as part of an emerging interaction pattern between firms or as part of a planned strategy, but that elements of both might be needed to sustain it. Originality/value The authors combine Mintzberg’s strategy concepts with the ARA-model to bring new light to the widely debated issue of discontinuity and fragmentation in the construction industry.

“Knowledge management practices” as moderator in the relationship between organizational culture and performance in information technology companies in India

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Timothy Shea ◽  
Syed Aktharsha Usman ◽  
Sengottuvel Arivalagan ◽  
Satyanarayana Parayitam
Keyword(s):  
Information Technology ◽  
Organizational Culture ◽  
Knowledge Management ◽  
Organizational Performance ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Content Type ◽  
And Performance ◽  
Information Technology Companies ◽  
The Relationship

Purpose The purpose of this study is to empirically examine knowledge management (KM) practices as a moderator in the relationship between organizational culture and performance. The effect of four types of organizational culture on organizational performance was studied. In addition to direct effects, most importantly, KM practices as a moderator in strengthening the culture-performance relationship were empirically examined. Design/methodology/approach A carefully crafted survey instrument was distributed and data was collected from 1,255 respondents from 10 information technology companies in India. After checking the psychometric properties of the instrument, this paper performs hierarchical regression to test hypotheses. Findings The results reveal that: cooperative culture, innovative culture, consistent culture and effectiveness culture were all positively and significantly related to organizational performance; KM practices were positively and significantly related to organizational performance, KM practices moderate the relationship between various dimensions of organizational culture and organizational performance. Research limitations/implications As with any survey-based research, the present study suffers from the problems associated with self-report measures. These are common method bias and social desirability bias. However, this study attempts to minimize these limitations by following appropriate statistical techniques. Practical implications This study contributes to both practicing managers and the literature on KM and organizational culture. The study suggests that managers use KM practices, which are all-pervasive and very important for improving organizational performance. The results highlight the importance of implementing KM practices in organizations. Originality/value This study provides new insights into the importance of KM practices in achieving sustained competitive advantage by achieving organizational effectiveness. To the knowledge, the importance of KM practices is underemphasized in organizational culture research.

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