Effect of open-mindedness and humble behavior on innovation: mediator role of learning

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hadi Al-Abrrow ◽  
Akram Sami Fayez ◽  
Hasan Abdullah ◽  
Khai Wah Khaw ◽  
Alhamzah Alnoor ◽  
...  

PurposeThis study examines the effect of open-mindedness (OM) and humble behavior on innovation through the mediator role of learning.Design/methodology/approachA quantitative design was adopted to collect data through a questionnaire-based survey distributed to 400 employees at international oil companies operating in Iraq.FindingsThe results indicate a direct positive of learning on innovation. Hence, there is a natural and partial indirect effect of humble behavior on innovation and a full indirect impact of OM on innovation through learning.Research limitations/implicationsThe theoretical and practical implication of this study indicates that individual learning on innovation is vital when the workplace environment has a diversity of cultural backgrounds. Moreover, the implications of this study may contribute to determining the weakness of invention in such industries because of the effect of personal characteristics (i.e. OM and humble) on readiness to learn.Originality/valueIn a culturally diverse work environment, the behavior of humble and OM will have a significant impact on the intensity of individual learning, which would increase innovation in the context of the oil industry. Therefore, the essence of originality in this study is to lead the managers to pay attention to the psychological aspects of the workplace environment that require learning and innovation.

2014 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 518-535 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark Mullaly

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore the role of decision rules and agency in supporting project initiation decisions, and the influences of agency on decision-making effectiveness. Design/methodology/approach – The study this paper is based upon used grounded theory methodology, and sought to understand the influences of individual decision makers on project initiation decisions within organizations. Data collection involved 28 participants who were involved in project initiation decisions within their organizations, who discussed the process of project initiation in their organization and their role within that process. Findings – The study demonstrates that the overall effectiveness of project initiation decisions is a product of agency, process effectiveness or rule effectiveness. The employment of agency can have a direct influence on decision-making effectiveness, it can compensate for organizational inadequacies of a process or political nature, and it can be constrained in the evidence of formal and effective organizational practices. Research limitations/implications – While agency was recognized by all participants, there are clearly circumstances where actors perceive the ability to exercise agency to be externally constrained. The study is exploratory, contributing to the development of substantive theory. Theory testing as well as a more in-depth investigation of the underlying drivers of agency would be valuable. Practical implications – The study provides executives and individuals supporting the initiation of projects with insights on how to effectively influence the effectiveness of project initiation decisions, and the degree to which personal characteristics influence organizational dynamics. Originality/value – Most discussions of agency has been framed the subject as an executive- or board-level phenomenon. The current study demonstrates that agency is in fact being perceived and operationalized at all levels. Those demonstrating agency in the majority of instances in this study do so in exercising stewardship behaviours. This has important implications for how agency is perceived by executives, and by how agency is exercised by actors at all levels of the organization.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Aihua Wu

PurposeThe impact of specific investments to performance has mixed arguments. This paper aims to clarify how and under what conditions specific investments made by manufacturer tailored to supplier affect the new product development (NPD) performance of the manufacturer itself.Design/methodology/approachThis study develops a moderated mediation model, testing the roles of supplier involvement and information technology (IT) implementation by regression and bootstrap analyses from 378 NPD projects.FindingsThe results show both physical and human specific investments positively affect NPD performance. IT implementation strengthens the mediated role of supplier involvement, i.e. the mediator role of supplier involvement between specific investments and NPD performance link is significantly weaker while IT implementation is lower.Originality/valueThe findings contribute to identify IT implementation and supplier involvement as two important constructs, together demonstrating how and when specific investments affect NPD performance.


2019 ◽  
Vol 41 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-18
Author(s):  
Sajjad Nawaz Khan ◽  
Siti Mariam Abdullah ◽  
Abdul Halim Busari ◽  
Muhammad Mubushar ◽  
Ikram Ullah Khan

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the role of followership dimensions in the transformational leadership process by reversing the lens from the traditional leader-centric perspective to emerging followership perspective and examine the role of trust as a mediating variable in the proposed relationship. Design/methodology/approach Using quantitative method data were collected through a questionnaire from 506 respondents of the telecom sector in Pakistan. The proposed hypotheses were tested using SPSS V.23 and PROCESS V.3.1. Findings The results indicate that followership dimensions (active engagement and independent critical thinking) positively affect all the four constructs of transformational leadership (idealized influence, inspirational motivation, intellectual stimulation and individualized consideration). Furthermore, trust in leadership partially mediates the direct relationship between followership dimensions and transformational leadership constructs. Research limitations/implications This study is conducted in a developing country context which limits its generalizability in other cultural backgrounds. Hence, further investigation could test the role of followership using different samples and methods. Practical implications Organizations need to pay more attention to followers’ development to produce better followership outcomes that will ultimately help establish strong relationships with transformational leaders and sustained positive outcomes. Originality/value This study empirically tests Shamir’s (2007) “reversing the lens” perspective and extends a distinct theoretical contribution to the social exchange theory that neither followers are passive participants, nor always on the receiving end of the relationship but they actively participate to establish a strong relationship with their leaders.


Author(s):  
Francis Kasekende ◽  
Sentrine Nasiima ◽  
Sam Omuudu Otengei

PurposeThe paper examines the mediator role of person-organization fit on the relationships between reward management, employee training, emotional exhaustion and organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) among employees in the manufacturing sector in Uganda.Design/methodology/approachThe study took a cross-sectional descriptive and analytical design. Using a sample of 380 respondents, data were obtained in two studies, the 2nd study being carried out after 8 months from the 1st. Using statistical program for social scientists (SPSS) and analysis of moment structures (AMOS), six hypotheses were tested and analyzed.FindingsResults indicate that employee development and person-organization fit were significant predictors of OCB. The influence of Reward Management and Emotional Exhaustion on OCB was inconclusive since in the 1st study it was positive and significant while non-significant in the 2nd study. Person-organization fit emerged as a full mediator of the Reward Management, Emotional Exhaustion–OCB relationships; and a partial mediator of the Employee Development–OCB relationship.Practical implicationsManufacturing firms will be able to implement HR policies and practices that are relevant for increased employee exhibition of extra role activities. They will be able to adhere to efforts that increase person-organization fit in order to reduce emotional exhaustion for OCB exhibition.Originality/valueThe study demonstrates that person-organization fit acts as a conduit for the translation of all the inputs of reward management and employee exhaustion and, part of the inputs of employee development into increased worker exhibition of extra role activities.


2016 ◽  
Vol 54 (7) ◽  
pp. 1669-1701 ◽  
Author(s):  
Beatriz Cuadrado-Ballesteros ◽  
Isabel-Maria Garcia-Sanchez ◽  
Jennifer Martinez Ferrero

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to analyze empirically the fundamental role that information asymmetry plays in the functioning of an efficient capital market as mediator in the relation between corporate disclosures and cost of capital. Design/methodology/approach – By using a sample of 1,260 international non-financial listed companies in the period 2007-2014. Findings – The findings suggest that high-quality financial and social disclosures quality reduce the cost of capital, by decreasing information asymmetry. In other words, the authors find evidence of the mediator role of information asymmetry in the relation between corporate disclosures and the cost of capital. These results are also controlled for differences on accounting standards and other institutional factors. Originality/value – The central assumption is that the demand for corporate disclosures that reduces the information advantages of some investors (who are more informed) arises from agency conflicts and these information differences in turn, determine the cost of capital. This paper is the first attempt to study, jointly, the effects of decreasing information asymmetries by corporate disclosures on the cost of capital in an international setting. In addition, the authors focussed on both financial and social disclosures, creating empirical proxies whose validity for the analysis has been evidenced.


2020 ◽  
Vol 37 (2) ◽  
pp. 205-214
Author(s):  
JungHwa (Jenny) Hong ◽  
Kyung-Ah (Kay) Byun

Purpose The purpose of this study is to examine the role of culture and future orientation in lenders’ prosocial microlending behaviors. Design/methodology/approach Three experiments examine how different cultural backgrounds, either individualistic or collectivistic, influenced microlenders’ prosocial behaviors, including the amount of microlending, the willingness to help and the length of commitment. Further, the moderating role of future orientation among individualists is investigated. Findings Results indicate that cultural differences influence prosocial microlending differently such that individualists give less to people in need compared to collectivists. Further, the author found that future orientation helps lenders in individualistic culture to improve prosocial microlending behaviors. Originality/value This paper emphasizes the role of cultural background and future orientation in promoting lenders’ prosocial giving in the context of microlending. The results assist social marketers to understand how to motivate giving behaviors via microlending among lenders in different cultures depending on future orientation.


2020 ◽  
Vol 24 (6) ◽  
pp. 1315-1342
Author(s):  
Peter Heisig ◽  
Selvi Kannan

Purpose This paper aims to review for the first time existing research literature about the role of gender in creating, sharing and using knowledge in organizations and proposes a conceptual framework to guide future research directions. Design/methodology/approach Based on the systematic literature review method this study collects, synthesizes and analyses articles related to knowledge management (KM) and gender published in online databases by following a pre-defined review protocol. The paper analyses 41 papers published in peer-reviewed journals. Findings The role of gender in KM has been rarely addressed in KM journals and journals with specific emphasis on gender. The existing literature is fragmented, but existing research suggests that knowledge sharing might be influenced by gender. Based on the analysis and synthesis, a conceptual framework is proposed to guide further research on determining if gender matters in KM. Research limitations/implications Academic researchers should aim to include gender-related variables into their KM research to further explore if gender matters in KM. Practical implications The practical implication suggests that managers and knowledge managers should raise awareness about how stereotypes and gendered expectations about role behaviour affect how knowledge and experiences are created and shared within the organization. Social implications The authors believe that a better understanding of knowledge handling and gendered role expectations at the workplace could also have an impact beyond organizational boundaries. Originality/value The paper presents the first comprehensive systematic literature review of the article published on knowledge creation, sharing and usage and gender and provides a conceptual framework for future research.


2017 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 151-165 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julie Uldam ◽  
Hans Krause Hansen

Purpose Corporations are increasingly expected to act responsibly. The purpose of this paper is to examine two types of corporate responses to these expectations: overt and covert responses. Specifically, it examines oil companies’ involvement in multi-stakeholder initiatives and sponsorships (overt responses) and their monitoring of critics, including non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and activist organisations (covert responses). Design/methodology/approach Theoretically, the paper draws on theories of visibility and post-political regulation. Empirically, it focuses on case studies of the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI), Shell and BP, drawing on qualitative methods. Findings The paper demonstrates that overt responses create an impression of consensus between antagonistic interests and that covert responses support this impression by containing deep-seated conflicts. Research limitations/implications Corporate responses have implications for the role of the corporation as a (post-)political actor. By containing antagonism and creating an impression of consensus, the interplay between overt and covert responses open up further possibilities for the proliferation of soft governance and self-regulation through participation in voluntary transparency and corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities. Data on covert practices of corporations are difficult to access. This impedes possibilities for fully assessing their extent. The findings of this paper support trends emerging from recent research on covert corporate intelligence practices, but more research is needed to provide a systematic overview. Originality/value The paper contributes to the understudied area of covert corporate activity in research on the political role of multinational corporations.


2011 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-9
Author(s):  
Stephanie Jones ◽  
Ahmad Ahmad

Subject area HRM; recruitment; managing cultural expectations in business; leadership. Study level/applicability Undergraduate management courses; MBA and MSc. Case overview This case focuses on recruitment problems in Europe with an Asian dimension. A young Dutch and a young Chinese graduate are considering a career with postal, courier and logistics firm TNT – what are their concerns as graduating students in looking for a job? From the opposite perspective, the case considers how employers attract graduate recruits. The case encourages students of a wide range of cultural backgrounds to question if they are following their cultural norms, or their own personal needs, regardless of their culture. It introduces students to the concept of perceptions of employer value propositions (EVPs) and how employers can “market” themselves to employees. The case is appropriate for courses in leadership, human resource management, corporate social responsibility (CSR), managing culture, also job hunting and career workshops. Expected learning outcomes This case is aimed at projecting the importance of career choice criteria from both graduate and employer perspectives. The case examines issues of national culture and associated differences in employee and organizational expectations. The case also examines the role of CSR in attracting employees; and the particular concerns of Generation Y employees. Supplementary materials Teaching note.


2019 ◽  
Vol 31 (4) ◽  
pp. 555-577 ◽  
Author(s):  
Valeriano Sanchez-Famoso ◽  
Myriam Cano-Rubio ◽  
Guadalupe Fuentes-Lombardo

Purpose This study aims to identify the mediating role of cooperation agreements in the relationship between family involvement in international firms and their level of international commitment. Design/methodology/approach The study focuses on Spanish international wine and olive oil companies that have varying levels of family involvement. The final sample consists of 263 companies. SmartPLS was used to perform the analysis. Findings A higher level of family involvement in business implies greater difficulties with cooperation agreements. Additionally, family involvement is negatively associated with the firm’s level of international commitment, and the perceived difficulties of cooperation agreements mediate this relationship. Practical implications This study is of interest to business managers with different levels of family involvement. The study clarifies their perceptions of cooperation agreements and international business commitment. Managers of firms with a high level of family involvement should emphasize the multiple benefits of cooperation agreements for international strategy performance rather than the drawbacks of cooperation. Additionally, through cooperation, companies can learn about destination markets, which may help them to focus their resources effectively in those markets. Originality/value This study contributes to the literature on the internationalization strategies of family businesses. This study is the first to address the mediating role of cooperation agreements in the relationship between family involvement and international commitment.


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