Measuring the effects of role efficacy enhancement on knowledge workers

2016 ◽  
Vol 65 (6) ◽  
pp. 860-872 ◽  
Author(s):  
Parijat Upadhyay ◽  
Rajni Singh ◽  
Saeed Jahanyan ◽  
Sreethi Nair
Keyword(s):  
Knowledge Workers ◽  
Role Stress ◽  
Primary Study ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Role Expectation ◽  
Organization Effectiveness ◽  
Human Resource Interventions ◽  
Role Efficacy ◽  
Client Side ◽  
The Relationship

Purpose – Knowledge workers (KWs) in information technology (IT) sector have become one of the key drivers for strategic competitiveness as they contribute toward an organization’s performance. In this context, the role of knowledge workers, who work on deputation to client side, is even more critical as they contribute directly to the revenue inflows. The purpose of this paper is to explore their role efficacy (RE) and organizational role stress dimensions, which have been affecting their performance and organization effectiveness. The study further explored the relationship between RE and role stress dimensions. Two distinct samples were identified, one where Indian KWs working in Indian company and Indian KWs working in foreign firm, where they have been discharging client facing technical roles. Design/methodology/approach – A primary study has been conducted choosing questionnaire survey and telephonic interviews. A questionnaire was designed in such a manner so that the authors can extract the required information from the respondents about various dimensions of RE. This instrument was used to test the conceptual model of RE. Overall 50+ responses were obtained from IT companies in each of the two selected categories. Findings – The results have shown that role expectation conflict and role isolation are the two major dimensions contributing to role stress for the selected sample, while centrality and integration have contributed to overall role efficacy for both the categories. Human resource interventions were suggested to enhance their RE and reduce their role stress. Originality/value – This study made an attempt to investigate the relationship between RE and role stress dimensions of the KWs which has not been attempted in any previous published literature.

Conflict handling styles as predictors of entrepreneurial intentions

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Gentrit Berisha ◽  
Besnik Krasniqi ◽  
Justina Shiroka-Pula ◽  
Enver Kutllovci
Keyword(s):  
Entrepreneurial Intention ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Entrepreneurial Intentions ◽  
Business Managers ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Unexplored Area ◽  
Conflict Handling ◽  
Human Resource Interventions ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose This paper aims to investigate the relationship between conflict handling styles (CHS) of business managers in their entrepreneurial intentions (EI). The business manager’s propensity to become entrepreneurs is a relatively unexplored area of research. The relationship between conflict handling style and entrepreneurial intention is under-researched, particularly in a developing country like Kosovo. Design/methodology/approach A self-report questionnaire containing measures of conflict handing style, entrepreneurial intention and demographics was delivered to business managers in Kosovo. Findings Forcing style has a positive and statistically significant relationship with entrepreneurial intention. Yielding, compromising, problem solving and avoiding have weak and insignificant effects on EI. Research limitations/implications The relationship between conflict handling styles of managers and their entrepreneurial intention is investigated. No situational, organizational or environmental factor was considered influencing this relationship. Practical implications Conflict management is important in predicting the entrepreneurial intention of managers. Organizations should design human resource interventions aimed at effective team composition and employee retention to ensure performance. Originality/value This is the first study to investigate the relationship between conflict handling style and entrepreneurial intention using a manager sample. Furthermore, it is the first study of conflict handling styles and entrepreneurial intention of managers in Kosovo.

The relationship between career capital and career success among Finnish knowledge workers

2020 ◽  
Vol 15 (5) ◽  
pp. 687-706
Author(s):  
Maria Järlström ◽  
Tiina Brandt ◽  
Anni Rajala
Keyword(s):  
Career Success ◽  
Psychological Capital ◽  
Knowledge Workers ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Positive Energy ◽  
Academic Degree ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Welfare Society ◽  
Career Capital ◽  
The Relationship

PurposeThis study aims to advance a holistic and integrated view to understand the relationship between career capital and career success among knowledge workers.Design/methodology/approachThe study examines the associations of three forms of career capital – human, social and psychological capital – on career success. Career success is measured through a subjective evaluation of career satisfaction and an objective evaluation of promotion. The data are drawn from 624 knowledge workers from Finland with an academic degree in business studies. The model is tested through structural equation modeling.FindingsThe results stress the importance of psychological capital as an important career resource among knowledge workers. Therefore, our findings contribute to career research by supporting the argument that context and/or occupational group matters in the relationship between career capital and career success.Research limitations/implicationsThe cross-sectional data partly restrict our ability to delimit an impact. Further research using a longitudinal design would be required to confirm longitudinal effects. The respondents were a relatively homogeneous group of knowledge workers, and thus, the results are not generalized to other samples. The Finnish context (e.g., a high-quality education system, welfare society, dual-earner model) may also include special aspects that may have an effect on results limiting generalization to different contexts rather than Nordic ones.Practical implicationsCareer capital is an important element of taking charge of one's career, which is expected in current working life scenarios. Given psychological capital has an impact on employees' career success, employees' psychological capital could be supported in organizations to help them to adapt to career changes. Employers benefit from individuals who are willing to invest in their work, and therefore, the employers should be aware of the individual factors that affect employees' career success.Social implicationsThe meaning of career success may be context and culture related, as might its predictors. Hence, perceived career success may benefit and spill over to several stakeholders such as employers, family members and friends through its effects of positive energy and well-being. Career counselors could place more emphasis than currently on developing the psychological capital of their clients. The findings are important for other practitioners as well, such as human resource (HR) professionals who might consider dedicated programs fostering psychological capital qualities, which seem to relate to career success among knowledge workers.Originality/valueA research model that considers career capital as an integrated entity is presented rather than focusing on a single form of career capital. Contextual issues were included by focusing on knowledge workers who represent careerists in a welfare society. These findings could advance career theory and provide developmental guidelines to help employers, HR and career-oriented individuals to build successful careers.

Age and job-specific skill obsolescence: the moderating effects of human resource practices

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lin-Yang Yue ◽  
Wei-de Huang
Keyword(s):  
Regression Models ◽  
Knowledge Workers ◽  
Moderating Effects ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Hr Practices ◽  
Workforce Aging ◽  
Specific Skill ◽  
Cross Sectional Design ◽  
The Relationship

PurposeThis paper aims to examine the J-shaped relationship between age and job-specific skill obsolescence (JSSO), and the differential moderating effects of development and maintenance HR practices on this relationship.Design/methodology/approachRegression models of survey data obtained from a sample of 722 Chinese knowledge workers were used to test the hypotheses.FindingsThe results show that among women age and JSSO are J-shaped related and the relationship weakens under high development HR practices; while among men the J-shaped age-JSSO relation is significant only under low maintenance HR practices.Research limitations/implicationsThis research is subject to the cross-sectional design, and the sample is restricted to knowledge workers.Originality/valueThis study advances previous studies that hold a linear (positive or negative) age-JSSO relationship by theorizing and testing a J-shaped one. The differentiated moderating effects of two bundles of HR practices proved improves our knowledge about how to use HR practices appropriately to sustain employee work competency in the context of workforce aging.

Structural determinants of psychological well-being for knowledge workers in South Korea

2016 ◽  
Vol 45 (5) ◽  
pp. 1069-1086 ◽  
Author(s):  
Baek-Kyoo (Brian) Joo ◽  
Jong Gyu Park ◽  
Taejo Lim
Keyword(s):  
South Korea ◽  
Goal Orientation ◽  
Psychological Empowerment ◽  
Knowledge Workers ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Cross Sectional Survey ◽  
Empowering Leadership ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Relationship

Purpose – Employee well-being has been an under-researched area in the field of human resources (HR) and organizational behavior. The purpose of this paper is to investigate personal (learning goal orientation (LGO)), contextual (empowering leadership), and job-related (psychological empowerment) antecedents of psychological well-being (PWB). Design/methodology/approach – Individual perceptions of knowledge workers in nine Korean consulting firms in South Korea were obtained using a cross-sectional survey. HR managers distributed paper versions of a survey questionnaire to 400 employees, and 334 usable questionnaires were collected, giving the authors a final response rate of 83.5 percent. Findings – As a result of structural equation modeling analysis, the level of employees’ psychological empowerment turned out to partially mediate the relationship between LGO and PWB, while fully mediating the relationship between empowering leadership and PWB. LGO and perceived empowering leadership accounted for 54 percent of the variance in psychological empowerment and the three antecedents explained 47 percent of the variance in PWB. Research limitations/implications – This study relied on a cross-sectional survey method with potential common method bias. As a result of the single-factor test, however, it is unlikely to confound the interpretations of the results. Another limitation of this study is that the sample of this study was restricted to knowledge workers with relatively high cognitive ability since they were mostly junior male managers with four-year college or graduate degrees. Practical implications – To enhance perceived empowerment and PWB, HR, and OD practitioners can support employees and their managers by providing relevant HR practices and services including developing supportive empowering leaders with effective coaching skills, hiring, and developing employees with higher LGO, and redesigning jobs for employees so they feel more empowered. Originality/value – This study linked four emerging subjects in management and positive psychology: goal orientation, empowering leadership, psychological empowerment, and well-being research. The theoretical contribution of this study lies in that it is one of the first attempts to investigate the relationships among LGO, psychological empowerment, and PWB specifically for knowledge workers in South Korea.

Unpacking the chain mediation process between transformational leadership and knowledge worker creative performance: evidence from China

2021 ◽  
Vol 15 (2) ◽  
pp. 483-498
Author(s):  
Kwame Ansong Wadei ◽  
Chen Lu ◽  
Weijun Wu
Keyword(s):  
Transformational Leadership ◽  
Perspective Taking ◽  
Knowledge Workers ◽  
Boundary Spanning ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Mediation Process ◽  
Creative Performance ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Behavioral Mechanism ◽  
The Relationship

Purpose This paper aims to draw upon motivated information processing theory to examine the sequential mediating roles of perspective taking and boundary spanning between transformational leadership and the creative performance of knowledge workers. Design/methodology/approach The study was carried out on a sample, including a dyad of 398 knowledge workers and their immediate supervisors in four research institutes in southwest China. The authors tested the theoretical model using structural equation modeling (SEM) and Mplus 7.0 software. Findings The results support the mediation model in which perspective taking was found to significantly and positively mediate the relationship between transformational leadership and boundary spanning. Boundary spanning was found to significantly and positively mediate the relationship between perspective taking and creative performance. Moreover, both perspective taking and boundary spanning were found to mediate the relationship between transformational leadership and creative performance. Practical implications The study findings imply that the transformational leadership behaviors of managers or supervisors nurture knowledge workers' perspective taking and their boundary spanning activities leading to creative performance. Originality/value The findings contribute new knowledge to the relationship between transformational leadership and creative performance by uncovering the causal chain of a cognitive mechanism (perspective taking) with a behavioral mechanism (boundary spanning).

Examining the role of perceived investment in employees’ development on work-engagement of liquid knowledge workers

2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 225-245 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jatinder Kumar Jha ◽  
Jatin Pandey ◽  
Biju Varkkey
Keyword(s):  
Work Engagement ◽  
Psychological Contract ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Discriminant Validity ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Knowledge Workers ◽  
Employee Development ◽  
Moderating Effects ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Relationship

PurposeThis paper aims to examine the relationship between perceived investments in employees’ development (PIED) on work engagement and the moderating effects of psychological capital on this relationship for liquid knowledge workers, employed in the Indian cutting and polishing of diamond industry (CPD).Design/methodology/approachA questionnaire composed of established scales was administered to 134 liquid knowledge workers. Having established convergent and discriminant validity using structural equation modelling, the model was further analysed using the Process macro to check for direct and moderating effects.FindingsThe research findings suggest that the perceived investment in employee development and psychological contract enhancement (relational and transactional) made by CPD units for liquid knowledge workers positively influenced their work engagement level. The study also finds that relational contract (not transactional contract) positively moderates the relationship between perceived investment in employee development and work engagement.Research limitations/implicationsThis is a cross-sectional single source study; future studies could look at longitudinal and multisource perspective.Practical implicationsThe study presents a “star matrix of engagement” that guides the application of the two strategies of perceived employee development and psychological contract enhancement for liquid knowledge workers. This has implications for design and implementation of human resource management practices and policies for employee management.Originality/valueThe study makes significant contributions to existing literature on antecedents of work engagement of liquid knowledge workers by examining the direct and moderating influences.

Workspace design and fit-out: what knowledge workers value

2014 ◽  
Vol 32 (5) ◽  
pp. 415-432 ◽  
Author(s):  
Raewyn Hills ◽  
Deborah Levy
Keyword(s):  
Knowledge Workers ◽  
Knowledge Worker ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Facilities Management ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Shared Space ◽  
Workplace Setting ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Workspace Design

Purpose – Organisations use “space” to support the profitability of their business. The workplace and the space that organisations occupy is continuously evolving and transforming. There has been a general trend globally to provide less assigned space and more shared space for employees at higher occupational density. Studies have shown that the workplace setting can contribute to an employee's sense of well-being and increased productivity. The purpose of this paper is to permit a deeper understanding as to how knowledge workers evaluate their workspace within this changing environment. Design/methodology/approach – The paper describes an integrated conceptual framework developed from a range of literature within the disciplines of property, psychology and facilities management. In order to investigate the pertinence of this framework a case study is undertaken comprising five one-to-one in-depth interviews with knowledge workers from an organisation that had recently relocated. The key changes between the original and newer premises in terms of space usage were the move from a more traditional layout incorporating larger desk space and eye-level partitioning to one incorporating a fit-out providing for a higher occupational density and a wider range of communal spaces. Findings – The findings identify a number of evaluative criteria including workability, comfort, occupational density, the need for privacy, control over the environment, adjacency to colleagues and functionality, all previously identified in the literature. A further two criteria, location and customisability were also identified. Research limitations/implications – The study although incorporating a wide ranging literature review concentrates on employees within one company and given the makeup of employees the interviewees were all male thus not able to pick up gender differences. Practical implications – The study provides stakeholders such as organisations, workplace consultants and design professionals with information about what knowledge workers value most in their workplace environment. Originality/value – Most extant literature investigating the link between employees and their workplace has focused on specific aspects of the relationship. This research contributes to understanding workplace by taking an overall perspective and providing knowledge worker employees with an opportunity to compare two distinct workplace settings.

An empirical examination of the mediating influence of time management on the relationship between adult attention deficit and role stress

2016 ◽  
Vol 45 (4) ◽  
pp. 681-706 ◽  
Author(s):  
Graeme Coetzer
Keyword(s):  
Organizational Development ◽  
Attention Deficit ◽  
Time Management ◽  
Research Study ◽  
Role Stress ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Empirical Examination ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Multimodal Management ◽  
The Relationship

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to conduct an empirical examination of the mediating influence of time management (TM) on relationship between adult attention deficit (AAD) and role stress (RS). Design/methodology/approach – In total, 117 actively employed business graduate students completed a self-report measure of RS and identified two close associates, one of which completed an observer version of the Brown Attention Deficit Scale while the other complete an observer version of a TM measure. Product moment correlations were used to test the hypotheses that AAD, TM and RS were associated. The Sobel test of mediation was used to test the hypothesis that TM mediated the relationship between AAD and RS. Findings – AAD, TM and RS are associated with each other and TM partially mediates the relationship between AAD and RS. Research limitations/implications – Research study is limited by a measure of AAD that may not fully represent all the key symptom clusters and an indirect workplace sample. Further investigation of AAD symptoms, including potentially positive manifestations like entre/intrapreneurial cognition and behavior, is required to stabilize the content, structure and measurement of the construct. Practical implications – Organizations wishing to ensure timely completion of tasks and limit disruptive RS need to be aware of the influence of AAD. The provision of TM training, productivity management tools and an organized work space free of distractions is suggested for disordered employees. Various forms of organizational coaching including a peer coaching system may help disordered employees better manage both their time and their role. The effective design and management of teams represents a significant opportunity for effectively distributing the potential benefits of the disorder while managing deficits like poor TM and increased RS. Organizational development interventions that focus on TM and role (re)negotiation are suggested. Employee assistance programs that raise awareness and provide access to assessment are an important part of multimodal management of the disorder. Social implications – Increasing social, economic and legal pressures to provide reasonable accommodation for functional but disordered employees and take appropriate advantage of employee diversity underscores the general social value of this research. Originality/value – This research study is the first empirical examination of the mediating influence of TM on the relationship between AAD and RS. The results are of value to researchers, organizational development specialists, human resource management specialists, managers and employees who are seeking effective multimodal management of the disorder in the workplace.

Linking protean career orientation to well-being: the role of psychological capital

2018 ◽  
Vol 23 (2) ◽  
pp. 178-196 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yongzhan Li
Keyword(s):  
Structural Equation ◽  
Psychological Capital ◽  
Knowledge Workers ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Career Orientation ◽  
Psychological Well Being ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Protean Career ◽  
The Relationship

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine the effects of protean career orientation (PCO) and psychological capital (PsyCap) on well-being among knowledge workers.Design/methodology/approachThe author adopted a two-wave cross-lagged design. In total, 518 knowledge workers at three enterprises in China were sampled to complete the Direnzoet al.’s (2015) Protean Career Orientation Questionnaire, Luthanset al.’s (2007) Psychological Capacity Questionnaire, and Ryff and Keyes’ (1995) Psychological Well-Being Scale. The main statistical methods involved descriptive statistics, structural equation modeling, and bootstrapping analysis.FindingsThe findings of the study were as follows: PCO positively predicted PsyCap among knowledge workers; both PCO and PsyCap positively contributed to knowledge workers’ well-being; and knowledge workers’ PsyCap partially mediated the relationship between their PCO and well-being.Originality/valueRare empirical studies were conducted on the relationship between PCO and psychological well-being. The previous findings are inconsistent on whether PCO is an antecedent of PsyCap, or PsyCap is an antecedent of PCO. The author conducted a cross-lagged survey to examine the above relationships; to certain extent, the present study addresses the research gap and contributes to the burgeoning literature.

Role of burnout on job level, job satisfaction, and task performance

2017 ◽  
Vol 38 (5) ◽  
pp. 630-645 ◽  
Author(s):  
Won Ho Kim ◽  
Young-An Ra ◽  
Jong Gyu Park ◽  
Bora Kwon
Keyword(s):  
Job Satisfaction ◽  
Task Performance ◽  
Organizational Context ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Job Level ◽  
Mediating Role ◽  
Final Sample ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
And Task

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the mediating role of burnout (i.e. exhaustion, cynicism, professional inefficacy) in the relationship between job level and job satisfaction as well as between job level and task performance. Design/methodology/approach The final sample included 342 Korean workers from selected companies. The authors employed the Hayes (2013) PROCESS tool for analyzing the data. Findings The results showed that all three subscales of burnout (i.e. exhaustion, cynicism, professional inefficacy) mediate the relationship between job level and job satisfaction. However, only two mediators (i.e. cynicism, professional inefficacy) indicated the mediating effects on the association between job level and task performance. Originality/value This research presented the role of burnout on the relationships between job level, job satisfaction, and task performance especially in South Korean organizational context. In addition to role of burnout, findings should prove helpful in improving job satisfaction and task performance. The authors provide implications and limitations of the findings.

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