Technostress in the workplace: a social network perspective

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sharath Sasidharan
Keyword(s):  
Social Networks ◽  
Structural Features ◽  
Performance Outcomes ◽  
Knowledge Flows ◽  
Friendship Networks ◽  
High Quality ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Large Organization ◽  
Female Employees ◽  
The Impact

PurposeKnowledge acquired by employees from co-workers through social networks may serve to reduce technostress during the use of a new and complex information system. The role of gender-based employee preferences in forming and acquiring system-related knowledge through friendship, advice, and expertise networks, and the impact of network-embedded expertise on performance outcomes are explored.Design/methodology/approachThe research hypotheses were empirically tested through survey data collected from employees of a large organization that had implemented an enterprise system.FindingsThe advice networks of female employees were an extension of their friendship networks, whereas that of male employees were configured to include co-workers with system-related expertise. Exposure to high quality knowledge flows resulted in lowered technostress levels among male employees compared to their female counterparts. However, there was only a marginal difference in performance outcomes. The “expertise-deficit” in the advice network of female employees was apparently compensated through their dependence on the helpdesk.Originality/valueResearch on system-related knowledge support through social networks has focused on the structural features of interaction ties with little or no emphasis on networking employees and their individual preferences. Moving away from this structural orientation, this study validates the contention that gender-driven motivations impact employee networking preferences, determine network-embedded expertise levels, and influence employee technostress. This study can help configure implementation environments that maximize network acquisition of high-quality knowledge, reduce technostress, and enhance performance outcomes.

Knowledge Value, Task Complexity, and Enterprise Technology Implementation

2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 19-38
Author(s):  
Sharath Sasidharan
Keyword(s):  
Social Networks ◽  
Technology Implementation ◽  
Task Complexity ◽  
Performance Outcomes ◽  
Planning System ◽  
Knowledge Sources ◽  
Enterprise Technology ◽  
Applied Knowledge ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Knowledge Value

Employees utilize their informal social networks for acquiring system-related knowledge during enterprise technology implementation. Prior research on knowledge acquisition through social networks has not considered the domain proficiency of knowledge sources or the quality of knowledge flows. This study assigns domain-proficiency levels to knowledge sources and introduces the concept of knowledge value: the net impact of acquired knowledge on performance outcomes. Conceptualized as the differential in the domain proficiency of the knowledge source and the knowledge recipient, knowledge value is examined in the context of both factual and applied knowledge, in relation to task complexity and its influence on performance outcomes. Data collected during the implementation of an enterprise resource planning system indicate that knowledge value has a significant impact on performance outcomes, but the impact of applied knowledge is moderated by task complexity. The results stress the importance of considering domain proficiency of knowledge sources during knowledge-network modelling.

The effect of the adoption of an alternative corporate governance system on firms’ performances

2016 ◽  
Vol 35 (4) ◽  
pp. 517-529 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carlo Bellavite Pellegrini ◽  
Bruno S. Sergi ◽  
Emiliano Sironi
Keyword(s):  
Corporate Governance ◽  
Propensity Score ◽  
Performance Outcomes ◽  
Corporate Law ◽  
Law Reform ◽  
Governance System ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Alternative System ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Board System

Purpose – Alternative corporate governance systems (CGSs) have attracted a significant bulk of research recently. While the connection between the adoption of an alternative system (one tier board or two tier board system) and firms’ performances has not been fully analysed yet, the purpose of this paper is to analyse whether companies which have turned into an alternative board system have eventually improved their performance over time. Design/methodology/approach – Using a sample of more than 15,000 Italian unlisted joint stock companies, the authors compare performance outcomes in 2009 of firms adopting alternative systems with performances of firms that maintained the system in force before the 2003 Corporate Law Reform (defined as “traditional”). Because of the choice of an alternative system (one tier or two tier board) instead of a traditional one is not random, the authors reduce selection bias implementing matching methods and comparing firms that are close in terms of propensity score measured in 2003 (the year before the new CGSs have been introduced by a corporate law reform). Findings – The authors do not find evidence of a significant improvement of performances in 2009 concerning those firms that have adopted a one tier or two tier board systems with respect to those which maintained a traditional one. Originality/value – The novelty of the study concerns the application of propensity score matching for the evaluation of the impact of the change of the CGS that is possible in presence of two conditions that are all verified in our setting: first, to have a country where corporate law allows for choosing among different systems; in this case Italy is a good laboratory, because it allows for the choice among three different systems; and second, to have the opportunity to evaluate the effect of the change in light of a relatively recent “pre-treatment” condition; this is made possible by the fact that before the 2003 Reform of corporate law all the companies had a traditional system.

In search of virtuous learning circles: absorptive capacity and its antecedents in the education sector

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Regina Lenart-Gansiniec ◽  
Wojciech Czakon ◽  
Massimiliano Matteo Pellegrini
Keyword(s):  
Organizational Learning ◽  
Prior Knowledge ◽  
Absorptive Capacity ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Knowledge Flows ◽  
Measurement Scale ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Measurement Scales ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Impact

Purpose This study aims to identify context-specific antecedents to schools’ absorptive capacity (AC) and to show how those can enact “a virtuous learning circle.” Design/methodology/approach The study uses a mixed method: an exploration based on semi-structured interviews with educational experts; the development of a measurement scale and a partial least squares structural equation modelling to test the impact of the antecedents. Findings The results yielded four empirically-grounded antecedents and their measurement scales, namely, prior knowledge, employees’ skills, educational projects and interactions with the environment (Studies one and two). All antecedents are significantly and positively related to AC processes (study three). Using the organizational learning theory perspective, the results have been interpreted as an AC “virtuous learning circle.” Practical implications With increasing pressures to adapt, a case of which was the COVID-19 pandemic, schools can greatly benefit from absorbing knowledge flows. This suggests the construction a favourable environment for AC. To this end, the individual (employees’ prior knowledge and skills), organizational (educational projects) and institutional level of managerial action (interactions with the environment) can be effective when create a recursive organizational learning circle. In addition, this study offers an expert-validated measurement scale for self-assessment of a school’s specific contingencies, and thus, for planning of punctual interventions to develop AC. Originality/value This study advances the existing body of knowledge management in the educational context by rigorously identifying and validating a scale for measuring the antecedents of AC and developing an interpretive approach to the AC “virtuous circle.”

The impact of intellectual capital and knowledge flows on incremental and radical innovation

2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (2/3) ◽  
pp. 149-170 ◽  
Author(s):  
Duy Quoc Nguyen
Keyword(s):  
Social Capital ◽  
Human Capital ◽  
Intellectual Capital ◽  
Radical Innovation ◽  
Knowledge Flows ◽  
Innovation Performance ◽  
Incremental Innovation ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Radical Innovations ◽  
The Impact

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to develop a theoretical and empirical exploration of link between organization intellectual capital and knowledge flows with its incremental and radical innovation performance.Design/methodology/approachThis paper adopts relevant literature of social capital and organizational learning to examine the impact of intellectual capital and knowledge flows on incremental and radical innovation based on surveying 95 firms. To test the research hypotheses, regression analysis is used.FindingsResults of the study show that human capital and top-down knowledge flows significantly and positively influence both incremental and radical innovations. Social capital and bottom-up knowledge flows do not have any significant impact on incremental or/and radical innovation. Organizational capital has a positive impact on incremental innovation as expected.Practical implicationsThe results offer several practical implications for business managers to harvest its knowledge bases resident in the firm’s different forms appropriately to make innovation successful. Particularly, knowledge resident in human capital and organizational capital is useful for making incremental innovation. Especially, new knowledge, new skills and new perspectives resident in human capital are crucial important for making radical innovation. Both incremental and radical innovations are positively influenced by dynamic managerial capabilities.Originality/valueThis study contributes to literature by providing new evidence linking organization intellectual capital and knowledge flows with its innovation performance. Especially, the missing link between top-down knowledge flows and radical innovation is empirically examined. Value of this study is that social capital and bottom-up knowledge flows are not universally beneficial for enhancing innovation and their impacts on innovation performance are context dependent and more sophisticated than it is recognized in the literature.

scholarly journals An Adaptive Bitrate Switching Algorithm for Speech Applications in Context of WebRTC

2021 ◽  
Vol 17 (4) ◽  
pp. 1-21
Author(s):  
Mohannad Alahmadi ◽  
Peter Pocta ◽  
Hugh Melvin
Keyword(s):  
Real Time ◽  
Data Exchange ◽  
Quality Of Experience ◽  
End User ◽  
High Quality ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Switching Algorithm ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
The Impact

Web Real-Time Communication (WebRTC) combines a set of standards and technologies to enable high-quality audio, video, and auxiliary data exchange in web browsers and mobile applications. It enables peer-to-peer multimedia sessions over IP networks without the need for additional plugins. The Opus codec, which is deployed as the default audio codec for speech and music streaming in WebRTC, supports a wide range of bitrates. This range of bitrates covers narrowband, wideband, and super-wideband up to fullband bandwidths. Users of IP-based telephony always demand high-quality audio. In addition to users’ expectation, their emotional state, content type, and many other psychological factors; network quality of service; and distortions introduced at the end terminals could determine their quality of experience. To measure the quality experienced by the end user for voice transmission service, the E-model standardized in the ITU-T Rec. G.107 (a narrowband version), ITU-T Rec. G.107.1 (a wideband version), and the most recent ITU-T Rec. G.107.2 extension for the super-wideband E-model can be used. In this work, we present a quality of experience model built on the E-model to measure the impact of coding and packet loss to assess the quality perceived by the end user in WebRTC speech applications. Based on the computed Mean Opinion Score, a real-time adaptive codec parameter switching mechanism is used to switch to the most optimum codec bitrate under the present network conditions. We present the evaluation results to show the effectiveness of the proposed approach when compared with the default codec configuration in WebRTC.

Marketing to the “middle of the pyramid” in emerging markets using a social network perspective

2014 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 400-423 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tendai Chikweche ◽  
Richard Fletcher
Keyword(s):  
Social Networks ◽  
Middle Class ◽  
Potential Role ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Business Executives ◽  
Advanced Economies ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
Corporate Social ◽  
The Impact

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to expand knowledge about how middle class consumers in Sub-Saharan African markets behave, focusing on the potential role of social networks and the subsequent interactions that take place between these consumers and firms. Design/methodology/approach – A qualitative research method approach comprising personal interviews and observations targeted at consumers and business executives was used covering all four countries. Findings – Key findings include identification of middle of the pyramid (MOP) social networks, their impact on consumer behaviour and nature of consumer and firm interactions that take place as a result of the impact of social networks. Research limitations/implications – The sample size was restricted to 80 consumers in each of the four countries. This might limit generalisability. Practical implications – The study provides managers with insights on the potential role of social networks on marketing to the MOP in Africa. Social implications – The study provides managers with insights on the potential opportunities for corporate social responsibility solutions at the MOP. Originality/value – Research into the middle class in markets other than western advanced economies is a relatively new area of study. The majority of studies on the middle class have focused on North America and Europe ignoring the merging middle class in Africa. Hence, this research expands knowledge by providing basis for exploring new insights on the emerging marketing opportunity within the middle class in Africa.

scholarly journals The impact of strategic transformation on employee productivity

2018 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. 55-57 ◽  
Author(s):  
John J. Oliver
Keyword(s):  
Longitudinal Analysis ◽  
Corporate Strategy ◽  
Employee Performance ◽  
Performance Outcomes ◽  
Employee Productivity ◽  
Operating Environment ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Operating Income ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Strategic Transformation

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to provide a strategic commentary on the interconnected areas of corporate strategy and employee performance by illustrating how two organizations adapted and transformed their businesses to the demands of digitalization and new media. Design/methodology/approach A longitudinal analysis (1995-2015) of employee productivity was calculated as operating income per employee for each firm and benchmarked against industry data. Findings Both firm’s corporate objectives and strategies were focused on ambitious levels of growth and the opportunities provided by an increasingly digital environment. However, the firms had transformed their businesses in different ways with distinct employee productivity performance outcomes. Practical implications This paper provides case studies of strategic transformation and argues that HR management strategies and practices need to be continually evaluated to assess their employee productivity in an uncertain digital operating environment. Originality/value This paper provides a longitudinal analysis of how media firms, Sky Plc and Pearson Plc, adapted, reconfigured and transformed their businesses to meet the demands of an operating environment characterized by inexorable changes in digital technologies. It presents data and conclusions on how the management of “human resources” had delivered different employee productivity outcomes over the long term.

Women and expatriate assignments

2016 ◽  
Vol 38 (2) ◽  
pp. 200-223 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arup Varma ◽  
Linda Russell
Keyword(s):  
Organizational Support ◽  
Multinational Enterprises ◽  
Process Model ◽  
Theoretical Perspective ◽  
Critical Issue ◽  
Critical Determinant ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Female Employees ◽  
Expatriate Assignments ◽  
The Impact

Purpose – The purpose of the paper is twofold – first, to explore the role of perceived organizational support (POS) during the three critical stages of the female expatriate experience, with a view to explaining the disproportionately low numbers of females in expatriate roles; and second, to offer specific suggestions to multi-national enterprises to help them create a level playing field so females can compete for expatriate assignments. Design/methodology/approach – The authors draw upon the theory of POS to explore how the perceived lack of support from their organization during the critical stages of expatriate assignments affects women’s interest, and potentially their performance, in expatriate assignments. The authors develop and present relevant propositions. Findings – This is a conceptual paper that offers a process model of the impact of POS on the three stages of selection of females for expatriates. Research limitations/implications – From a theoretical perspective it is clear that POS can play an important role in the willingness of females to accept international assignments. Thus POS can be a critical determinant of the potential levels of female participation in expatriate assignments. Previously, scholars have argued that the low numbers of female expatriates may be a result of a lack of interest on their part, or because they may not be welcomed in many countries. However, subsequent theses have argued, and many studies have shown, that females can be equally successful. The proposed process model helps to better understand how organizations might dismantle the barriers faced by potential female expatriates, by addressing the key issues at each stage. Practical implications – Multinational enterprises need to ensure that they are drawing from their full pool of talent, if they are to compete effectively against other multinational enterprises. By paying attention to the suggestions, and adopting and executing the propositions, they will be able to avoid the possibility that their qualified female employees may withdraw from the organization if they believe that they are not likely to be considered for expatriate assignments, simply because of their gender, even though they are interested. Social implications – From a societal perspective, it is indeed critical that qualified females are provided the same opportunities that are made available to males. Given that roughly half the population is female, multi-national enterprises that fail to treat their female employees fairly will be seen as poor corporate citizens. Originality/value – This is the first paper to address the critical issue of low numbers of females on expatriate assignments by drawing upon the tenets of the theory of POS. The authors offer several propositions to help multinational enterprises understand the impact of the gender imbalance in expatriate assignments, and offer suggestions on how organizations might improve the participation of females in expatriate assignments.

Does financial advisor quality improve liquidity and issuer benefits in segmented markets? Evidence from the municipal bond market

2018 ◽  
Vol 30 (4) ◽  
pp. 440-458
Author(s):  
Kenneth Daniels ◽  
Jack Dorminey ◽  
Brent Smith ◽  
Jayaraman Vijayakumar
Keyword(s):  
Bond Market ◽  
Current Data ◽  
Financial Advisors ◽  
Municipal Bond ◽  
High Quality ◽  
Regression Estimate ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Financial Advisor ◽  
Revenue Bonds ◽  
The Impact

Purpose Using a unique sample of about 563,000 competitively bid municipal revenue bonds with financial advisors issued during the period 1998–2012, the purpose of this paper is to examine the role and influence of financial advisor quality in the municipal bond market. Design/methodology/approach The authors use a sample of about 563,000 competitively bid municipal revenue bonds with financial advisors issued during the period 1998–2012. The authors estimate a selection model where the authors identify the factors leading to the selection of a high-quality financial advisor. The authors then, using the inverse mills ratio from the first regression, estimate the association of high-quality advisor (and other factors) with the cost of borrowing. Findings The results suggest that high-quality financial advisors provide a credible signal to market participants about issue and issuer quality. This signal translates to a greater number of bids for issues that use high-quality financial advisors, resulting in improved liquidity and lower borrowing costs for these issues. The results also show that the beneficial effects obtained by using higher quality financial advisors are prevalent across all categories of issues such as for refunding and non-refunding issues, and for both insured and non-insured issues. The benefits are also generally observed for issues of most size categories. The results also suggest that the passage of the Dodd–Frank Act requiring mandatory registration of financial advisors and enhanced scrutiny has only increased the benefits to issuers from using higher quality financial advisors. Originality/value This paper differs from previous research in several important ways. First, the study is, to the authors’ knowledge, the first study that explores the relationship between financial advisor quality and liquidity in the municipal sector. The authors show using higher quality financial advisors enhances liquidity for the issues by attracting a significantly large number of bids. Second, the sample is exclusively comprised of competitively bid revenue issues all of which rely on financial advisors. This enables us to examine more unambiguously the influence of financial advisor quality, without the confounding effects of issues without financial advisors. Third, time coverage (1998–2012) and size of the sample (roughly 563,000 bond issues) enables us to conduct varied sub-sample analyses with greater power since the resulting sub-sample partitions themselves are of very large size. This provides better and additional insights into the role of financial advisor quality. The more current data when compared to prior research enables us to examine the impact of financial advisor quality inter-temporally with special attention devoted to the period after passage of the Dodd–Frank Act.

Social networks and family firm internationalisation: cases from a transition economy

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Liridon Kryeziu ◽  
Recai Coşkun ◽  
Besnik Krasniqi
Keyword(s):  
Social Networks ◽  
Transition Economy ◽  
Family Firms ◽  
Family Firm ◽  
Research Strategy ◽  
Family Businesses ◽  
Product Diversification ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Competitive Prices ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The purpose of this study is to examine the impact of family firms’ types of social networks on internationalisation. By investigating the mechanisms and the process and complexity regarding the operation, function and impact of social networks, this paper aims to gain insights and understand the dynamism concerning the content, and process as well as build rich and detailed construct analysis. Design/methodology/approach This study used a qualitative case study as a research strategy to examine the impact of social networks on family firm internationalisation. A qualitative research strategy was used as the impact of networking relations and structure is challenging to be measured statistically. Findings The findings suggest that family firm internationalisation was gradual and characterised by an incremental learning process. This process facilitated the networking relations and structures that helped firms improve their quality, product diversification and set competitive prices. Research limitations/implications This study’s first limitation is that it focused mainly on low technology manufacturing firms. This paper recommends examining how high technology firms maximise social networks. Secondly, this paper examined family firms; therefore, this paper recommends comparing and contrasting networking relations and family and nonfamily firms' social structure. Thirdly, being limited only to social networks, this study did not focus on the impact of ownership; this paper suggests future studies to examine family ownership and involvement in firm internationalisation. Originality/value Understanding how firms’ social network types influence family firms’ internationalisation in a transition economy is critical to ensuring family businesses’ expansion. This study explains how family firms use social networks to internationalise, extending the current understanding of family business literature in transition economies. It also provides implications for policymakers and family firms managers for improving the growth prospects of family businesses.

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