Exploring the organizational socialization of engineers in Taiwan

2015 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 33-51 ◽  
Author(s):  
Russell Korte ◽  
Jessica Li

Purpose – The purpose of this study was to better understand the more complex social, technical and personal socialization experiences of engineers when they started new jobs in Taiwan. Much of the research and practice on the socialization of newly hired employees is narrowly focused on newcomer learning. Design/methodology/approach – The study is a qualitative, case study approach designed to collect in-depth data about the socialization experiences of engineers in Taiwan. Thirteen participants reported their experiences from when they began new jobs, and the researchers collected and analyzed data from semi-structured interviews. The analysis followed qualitative analysis methods for content analysis. Findings – The findings indicated that interpersonal relationships are critical to successful socialization, and the relational structures encountered by newcomers reflect the broader culture of Confucianism and the social interactions of guanxi in the Taiwanese workplace. Three main dimensions of socialization emerged from the data referring to social, technical and personal learning experiences. Practical implications – The findings identify what is working (mentoring) and what is not working well (training). Human Resource managers and supervisors of newcomers can take actions to better manage the multiple dimensions of socialization. Originality/value – Unlike most studies of socialization in Asia, this study took an in-depth, qualitative look into the experiences of newcomers. What emerged from the analysis of the data was a framework composed of three interdependent dimensions of socialization experiences. The findings inform both managers and newly hired employees about socialization experiences and how they can be improved.

2018 ◽  
Vol 118 (6) ◽  
pp. 1170-1191 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bill Wang ◽  
Yuanfei Kang ◽  
Paul Childerhouse ◽  
Baofeng Huo

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine how interpersonal relationships (IPRs) and inter-organisational relationships (IORs) interact with each other as driving forces of supply chain integration (SCI). More specifically (the) three dimensions of IPR – personal affection, personal credibility, and personal communication – are examined in regards to how they affect inter-organisational relationships during SCI. Design/methodology/approach The research employed an exploratory multiple case study approach with four New Zealand case companies selected as the empirical basis. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews of managerial executives in relation to supply chain activities, which were triangulated with company archival data. Findings The authors found that IPRs are able to interact with IORs to influence the integration of supply chains. More specifically, IPRs influence IORs by initiating organisational relationships in the SCI context; and influences from IPR dimensions on IORs tend to be of differing magnitudes and have different evolutional paths across the whole SCI process. Originality/value This research contributes to knowledge about the roles and mechanisms through which IPRs shape and enable inter-organisational level relationships within the SCI context.


2020 ◽  
pp. 0143831X2097547
Author(s):  
Daina Bellido de Luna

The article analyses a range of union-weakening practices developed in three Chilean workplaces. The findings suggest the existence of an ambivalent employment relationship between employers and trade unions where an ongoing informal labour–management partnership simultaneously coexisted with de-collectivising strategies. The article argues that the Chilean state has aided employers in the implementation of such union-weakening practices through the labour legislation. Sixty-nine semi-structured interviews with trade union leaders, human resource managers and field experts inform this research. The legacy of previous forms of state intervention that countered the processes of democratisation is found to be essential in the use of de-collectivisation.


2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 326-337 ◽  
Author(s):  
Caroline Doyle

PurposeThis paper aims to focus on how a public policy designed to address a social problem ultimately became the place brand.Design/methodology/approachThis paper uses a qualitative case study approach focusing on the city of Medellín, Colombia. It draws from fieldwork conducted in Medellín over 2014 and 2015, including semi-structured interviews with an array of local stakeholders.FindingsThe paper concludes that local governments should be aware that the policymaking process can become part of their branding. It also shows the importance of the continual involvement of stakeholders in the place brand process to ensure it is a sustainable brand.Originality/valueThere are limited studies which focus on how a public policy designed to address a social problem ultimately becomes the place brand. This paper shows how a public policy, social urbanism, became the branding of Medellín.


2022 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Zoltán Krajcsák ◽  
Anita Kozák

PurposeThe purpose of this article is to show how remote working affects employees' organizational citizenship behavior (OCB).Design/methodology/approachThe authors conducted research on organizations in the financial sector, as this segment was able to easily adapt to the challenges of remote working and teleworking. They used the case study approach: they analyzed organizational documents and management communications related to crisis management back to March 2020, when the pandemic started in Hungary, and conducted semi-structured interviews with managers and subordinates.FindingsThe results highlighted that the dominant organizational culture determines the effects of remote working on OCB. In organizations with a dominant market culture, OCB has changed the least because of the home office, with only a decline in the dimension of civic virtue. In organizations with a dominant clan culture, conscientiousness decreased, while the other three dimensions increased. The dominant hierarchy culture reacted the most unfavorably, excluding the dimension of courtesy, as all dimensions decreased.Originality/valueThe study shows how the pandemic and working in home office have changed the dimensions of OCB in different organizational cultures.


Author(s):  
Olivier Wurtz

PurposeExpatriation is known to be stressful. The purpose of this paper is to examine stress as an antecedent of substance use (SU) during expatriation and related effects on expatriates’ work adjustment. Moreover, the study sheds light on individual-level moderators (i.e. gender and prior international experience) and organizational-level moderators (i.e. organizational social support) that might condition the stress–SU link.Design/methodology/approachThis work adopts a quantitative survey approach. It is based on two studies, one of 205 expatriates and one of 96 expatriate–supervisor dyads. The data were collected through personal networks and with the help of multinational companies.FindingsThis research shows that stress at a medium- to high-level increases SU among male expatriates, but not among female expatriates. Expatriates with substantial prior international experience were identified as being more prone to react to stress by resorting to SU. It also provides evidence that SU to aid coping harms professional adjustment. Moreover, some implications relating to professional adjustment are discussed.Research limitations/implicationsSU was self-reported; this may have deterred users from accurately reporting their consumption levels. Moreover, convenience samples have been used. Preventive actions limiting SU, such as well-being programs, could be sponsored by local human resource managers in order to limit this phenomenon.Originality/valueThis work is one of the first to analyze SU among expatriates. It shows that some expatriates are more at risk than others of resorting to such use to cope with the hardships of expatriation.


2019 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 122-140 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jan Alpenberg ◽  
Tomasz Wnuk-Pel ◽  
Philip Adamsson ◽  
Johannes Petersson

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine why and how municipal managers and CEOs for municipally owned companies use the environmental performance indicators. Design/methodology/approach A case study approach as a research design was used. In total, 18 semi-structured interviews were conducted among managers for administrative departments and municipal company CEOs. Findings This study found that the environmental performance indicators are used by department managers mainly for resource allocation, control and for teaching the employees. The CEOs of the municipal companies use the environmental indicators for communicating with external stakeholders and see the indicators primarily as marketing tools. The main reason why the environmental performance indicators are used in the municipality can be the strong demand from the local politicians to push the “green agenda,” and therefore the managers have to comply. Research limitations/implications As in any case study, generalizations from the research should be made with care, but since this is only one municipality, further research is needed to find additional evidence. Practical implications The findings of this study have a number of implications for future practice, and it is worth mentioning that clear guidelines for how the information could be made more useful for managers at the managerial level in Växjö municipality (VM) are requested for both the municipal managers and the CEOs. Social implications Overall, this study strengthens the idea that environmental performance indicators could be used to a larger extent for communicating with external stakeholders both for municipal departments and companies. Originality/value The research adds to the literature by examining different patterns of using environmental performance indicators in a unique setting – in VM, which is called “the greenest city in Europe” and is one of the “pioneers” in environmental work and extensively uses performance indicators.


2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (2) ◽  
pp. 5-20
Author(s):  
Ali Ahmad ◽  
◽  
Dababrata Chowdhury ◽  

Resistance to change is widely recognized as the main reason forfailure whenit comes to any kind of change initiative. Despite its importance, there is still rather limited knowledge concerning the factors that trigger this behaviorinthe workplace. The primary purpose of this research study is to uncover the reason behind the resistance to change during uncertainty (perspective of covid-19). A mixed methodologyapproach was used in this research study to identify the factors that facilitate resistance management in healthcare organizations in Bangladesh. Data collection was semi-structured interviews with purposive sampling to select respondents which included top executives, human resource managers, CEOs,and line managers. To create themes and sub-themes computer software NVIVO has been used and 10 total interviews were recorded by the software. Clustered probability sampling method has been carried out for the questionnaire survey and analyzedthe data with computer software SPSS. The results show that effective communication reduces the intensity of resistance in healthcare organizations.The study also revealed that resistance to change often helps to explore alternative perspectives


Author(s):  
Lisa Mohn

This paper focuses on the views of Human Resource (HR) managers about the implementation of work life balance (WLB) initiatives. Increasingly, WLB has become an important part of employment relations discussion and knowledge. The literature presents two key themes in terms of how this is implemented in practice. Firstly there was a corporate theme, where WLB is developed and applied from within the organisation. In the second theme WLB is developed and applied in tripartite partnership. The literature showed the New Zealand (NZ) experience is confused as to which path it is following. Thus, the purpose of this study was to explore the views of HR managers in NZ government funded tertiary institutions about the implementation of WLB practices. The research involved 3 in-depth, semi-structured interviews, which were then transcribed, analysed and compared until stable categories emerged. The findings reflected the confusion found in the literature. Approaches and knowledge of WLB were standardised and essentially uniform; there was much pride and satisfaction in achievements, both individual and corporately: and despite being government funded, the organisations reflected a corporatist theme in their approach to WLB. In summary, regardless of the rhetoric of WLB as positive to workers regaining balance in their lives, the research showed in practice it was 'a wolf in sheep's clothing' -- more beneficial for the organisations in terms of increasing worker productivity, than for the workers.


2018 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
pp. 7-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maninder Singh ◽  
P.S. James ◽  
Shirshendu Ganguli

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to identify future directions for human resource managers to provide work accommodations to chronically ill employees. Design/methodology/approach The authors researched empirical studies in management, occupational health journals, and reports on chronically ill employees. Findings The paper provides research-based practical insights for human resource practitioners to deal with the growing number of chronically ill employees. Practical implications The paper highlights solutions for human resource managers to create an inclusive workplace for employees with chronic illness. Originality/value The authors identified effective human resource and health practices for chronically ill employees, which would help to increase their productivity.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Rinki Dahiya ◽  
Juhi Raghuvanshi

Purpose Researchers have strived to identify the factors enhancing happiness at work (HAW), and the causal relations among the enablers of happiness remained underexplored. Therefore, this study aims to map and prioritize the causal relation structures of enablers of HAW. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected from key representatives of information technology (IT) firms located in India. A framework based on the cause and effect relationship among enablers of HAW is proposed, and to establish this causality, the decision-making trial and evaluation laboratory (DEMATEL) technique was applied. Findings The findings indicate five out of 12 enablers as causal, namely, transformational leadership, authentizotic work climate, person–organization work fit, organizational virtuousness and meaningfulness in work. Originality/value Human resource managers, organizational policymakers and scholars will gain greater understanding through this causal framework of enablers of HAW. Knowledge and facilitation of these enablers will aid in nurturing a happy workplace.


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