scholarly journals Achieving employee support during the COVID-19 pandemic – the role of relational and informational crisis communication in Austrian organizations

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sabine Einwiller ◽  
Christopher Ruppel ◽  
Julia Stranzl
Keyword(s):  
Crisis Communication ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Internal Communication ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Relational Communication ◽  
Job Engagement ◽  
Organizational Resources ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Organizational Crises

PurposeBased on social exchange theory, the study examines the influence of informational and relational internal communication on cognitive and affective responses and job engagement during organizational crises caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.Design/methodology/approachData were collected by means of an online survey among people working in organizations with a minimum of 10 employees (N = 1,033) and analyzed using structural equation modeling.FindingsResults show that informational and relational communication as organizational resources have a significant but distinct influence on how employees support their employer during the crisis. While informational communication influences employees' acceptance of managerial decisions, relational communication exerts most influence on affective commitment, which is the strongest driver of job engagement.Research limitations/implicationsThe cross-sectional design, specific crisis situation and geographic location are limitations of the study.Practical implicationsDelivering relevant information to employees quickly and reliably is important. Yet, relationship-oriented communication that demonstrates appreciation and allows for participation has even stronger effects on job engagement, which is essential to mastering challenges arising from a crisis.Social implicationsDuring the COVID-19 pandemic, organizations demanded much from their employees. In exchange, organizations should provide the resources information, status and love (Foa and Foa, 1980) by means of internal crisis communication.Originality/valueThe study demonstrates the role of different types of internal communication during organizational crises used to convey organizational resources, and it highlights the mediating role of acceptance and commitment to enhance employees' engagement at work.

Exploring the interrelationship and roles of employee–organization relationship outcomes between symmetrical internal communication and employee job engagement

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ejae Lee ◽  
Minjeong Kang ◽  
Young Kim ◽  
Sung-Un Yang
Keyword(s):  
Latent Variables ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Practical Importance ◽  
Internal Communication ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Job Engagement ◽  
Full Time ◽  
Validity And Reliability ◽  
Content Type

PurposeThis paper aims to investigate how employee–organization relationship (EOR) outcomes – types and qualities – are interrelated and how employees' perceptions of types (exchange and communal EORs) and qualities (trust, satisfaction, commitment, and control mutuality) play a role in their evaluations of symmetrical internal communication (SIC) and employee job engagement (EJE).Design/methodology/approachThis study conducted an online survey of full-time employees (N = 804) from major US industries. This study performed a confirmatory factor analysis to check the validity and reliability of the measurement model using latent variables and then conducted structural equation modeling.FindingsThe findings demonstrate that employees' perceptions of both exchange and communal EORs are associated with each of the four EOR qualities. The results also show that only communal EORs have a significant relationship with perceived SIC and that employees' perceptions about one of the EOR quality indicator, satisfaction with an organization, has a significant association with their perceived EJE.Originality/valueThis study contributes to relationship management theory within the internal context by examining the interrelationship between each of the EOR types and qualities that are perceived by employees. This paper also suggests the practical importance of developing not only communal but also exchange EORs to enhance EOR quality. Additionally, the results imply that SIC programs could help to enhance employees' perceptions of communal EORs and employees could be engaged in their workplace when they are satisfied with their organizations.

scholarly journals The antecedents of Muslim customers’ intention to invest in an Islamic bank’s term deposits: evidence from a Muslim majority country

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sri Rahayu Hijrah Hati ◽  
Sigit Sulistiyo Wibowo ◽  
Anya Safira
Keyword(s):  
Perceived Risk ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Perceived Value ◽  
Perceived Quality ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Product Knowledge ◽  
Islamic Banks ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Islamic Bank

Purpose The purpose of this study is to examine the impacts of product knowledge, perceived quality, perceived risk and perceived value on customers’ intention to invest in Islamic Banks. This study specifically examines an Islamic bank’s term deposits. Design/methodology/approach Structural equation modeling was used to analyze the data collected from 217 customers of an Islamic bank in Indonesia using an online survey. Findings This study highlights the central and dual roles of perceived risk as both the independent and the intervening variable that mediates the relationship between product knowledge and Muslim customer intention to invest in an Islamic bank’s term deposits. Research limitations/implications This study only investigates term deposits as one type of investment in Islamic banks. This study contributes to the literature by examining the role of product knowledge, perceived quality, perceived risk and perceived value on Muslim customer intention to invest in Islamic term deposits. Practical implications The results of this study highlight the requirement for Islamic banks to educate customers to improve the depositors’ product knowledge because Muslim customers’ risk and value perception and intention are strongly influenced by product knowledge. Originality/value The investigation of perceived risk is particularly relevant for Islamic financial products because of the inherent nature of risk sharing in Islamic finance. This study investigates the role of product knowledge in influencing the Muslim customers’ perception of risk, quality, value and their intention to invest in Islamic bank term deposits. Ideally, the profit loss sharing concept (PLS) should be applied; however, in this context, revenue sharing is applied because of Indonesia’s central bank regulation.

Enhancing employees’ knowledge sharing through diversity-oriented leadership and strategic internal communication during the COVID-19 outbreak

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yeunjae Lee ◽  
Weiting Tao ◽  
Jo-Yun Queenie Li ◽  
Ruoyu Sun
Keyword(s):  
Knowledge Sharing ◽  
Crisis Communication ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Internal Communication ◽  
Full Time ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Knowledge Sharing Behavior ◽  
Needs Satisfaction ◽  
The Usa ◽  
Sharing Behavior

Purpose This study aims to examine the effects of diversity-oriented leadership and strategic internal communication on employees’ knowledge-sharing behavior during a crisis situation, coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak in particular. Integrating knowledge sharing research with internal crisis communication literature as well as self-determination theory, the mediating roles of employees’ intrinsic needs satisfaction are also identified. Design/methodology/approach An online survey was conducted with 490 full-time employees in the USA across industry sectors during the COVID-19 outbreak. Findings Results suggest that diversity-oriented leadership contributes to transparent internal communication during a crisis and increases employees’ satisfaction of autonomy, competence and relatedness needs. Transparent internal communication also increases employees’ intrinsic needs satisfaction, which in turn fosters their job engagement and knowledge-sharing behavior during the crisis. Originality/value This study is one of the earliest studies to demonstrate the effectiveness of diversity-oriented leadership and strategic internal crisis communication in enhancing employees’ knowledge-sharing behavior, especially in the context of COVID-19.

Exploring the relationship between employee engagement and its antecedents: the moderating role of smartphone use

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sheng-Wei Lin ◽  
Yuan-Hung Liu ◽  
Eugenia Y. Huang
Keyword(s):  
Organizational Communication ◽  
Employee Engagement ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Indicator Method ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Smartphone Use ◽  
Moderating Role

PurposeThis study empirically verified employee engagement (EE) as an outcome of organizational communication and confirmed that the formation of EE is strengthened when smartphone use (SU) is at a higher level.Design/methodology/approachA quantitative approach was used in this research, whereby 408 valid samples were collected with an online survey. The hypotheses of direct effects were tested using the structural equation modeling (SEM) procedure, and the moderating effects were tested using the unconstrained product indicator method and the PROCESS macro.FindingsThe results showed that EE was significantly influenced by person–organizationvalue fit (POVF), transformational leadership (TFL) and job autonomy (JA), and the effects of POVF and TFL were moderated significantly by SU. Although the influence of social support (SS) on EE was insignificant in the full model, SU moderated the effect of SS. The evidence also showed that work–family conflict (WFC) had no negative impact on EE.Research limitations/implicationsThe participants of this study were restricted to a local area.Practical implicationsOrganizations should develop job designs via two-way communication to bring up EE and SU can facilitate the process.Originality/valuePrevious research has identified EE as an outcome of organizational communication, but this concept has not yet been empirically verified. This research provides evidence to verify the above-mentioned concept and additionally confirms the moderating role of SU.

Effects of customer-based corporate reputation on perceived risk and relational outcomes: empirical evidence from gender moderation in fashion retailing

2017 ◽  
Vol 26 (3) ◽  
pp. 227-238 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gianfranco Walsh ◽  
Mario Schaarschmidt ◽  
Stefan Ivens
Keyword(s):  
Corporate Reputation ◽  
Perceived Risk ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Firm Reputation ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Relational Outcomes ◽  
Customer Outcomes

Purpose Given the strategic importance of firm reputation because of its potential for value creation, extant reputation research focuses on favorable customer outcomes. This study proposes and tests a model that relates the customer-based corporate reputation (CBR) of fashion retailers to customer-perceived risk and two relational outcomes – trust and commitment. In addition, this study aims to test whether or not the hypothesized paths are equally strong for male and female shoppers. Design/methodology/approach Data for this study were collected through an online survey approach. Using a sample of more than 300 retail customers and structural equation modeling, the authors tested the hypotheses. Findings Drawing on previous research, the commitment–trust theory of relationship marketing and signaling theory, the authors find support for direct and indirect links between retailers’ reputation and relational outcomes, the intervening role of perceived risk and the partially moderational role of gender. Practical implications The findings of this research suggest that a retailer’s positive reputation can reduce customers’ risk and engender trust, which in turn promotes customer commitment. Originality/value A growing number of examples suggests that retailers (specially fashion retailers) need to manage their reputation, which can come under threat in myriad ways, and its outcomes. However, so far, no individual study empirically investigated any of these reputation outcomes simultaneously or considered gender differences. Thus, the authors address an important research gap by examining the mechanism through which CBR affects relevant customer outcomes and by considering contextual factors.

The role of customers in co-creating m-services in the O2O model

2017 ◽  
Vol 28 (5) ◽  
pp. 866-883 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jung-Kuei Hsieh
Keyword(s):  
Customer Loyalty ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Cognitive Factors ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Emotional Factors ◽  
Message Source ◽  
Store Environment

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate customer loyalty in the online-to-offline (O2O) model by conceptualizing and measuring emotion and cognition. Design/methodology/approach An online survey was used to collect 514 questionnaire responses. The data were analyzed using structural equation modeling. Findings Three emotional factors influence two cognitive factors, which in turn affect customer loyalty. The type of message source acts as a moderator. In addition to pleasure and arousal, dominance is a key factor of emotion. The effects of social enhancement and store environment on customer loyalty reflect the O2O model’s integration of online and offline environments. Practical implications The moderating role of the type of message source implies that marketers of brick-and-mortar stores can promote positive offline experiences to attract online customers and then encourage these customers to disseminate personal messages in their social circles. By attracting online customers through appealing m-services and retaining these customers through favorable store environments, marketers can maximize the utility of the O2O model. Originality/value Three emotional factors and two cognitive factors are conceptualized to predict customer loyalty in the O2O model. This study shows that the relationships between cognitive factors and customer loyalty are moderated by the type of message source. When check-in activity messages are sent by friends, the perception of social enhancement can lead to greater customer loyalty. In contrast, when check-in activity messages are sent by unfamiliar sources, customer loyalty is driven more by cognition of the store environment than by online interaction. The findings enrich existing knowledge of the O2O model and m-services, and have implications for researchers and marketers.

What’s love got to do with it? Place brand love and viral videos

2019 ◽  
Vol 30 (1) ◽  
pp. 23-43 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carola Strandberg ◽  
Maria Ek Styvén
Keyword(s):  
Structural Equation ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Word Of Mouth ◽  
Place Branding ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Brand Love ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Cultural Aspects ◽  
Place Brand

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore the role of brand love in place brand communication by incorporating potential antecedents and behavioral outcomes of place brand love in a social media setting. Design/methodology/approach Data were gathered from 281 residents and visitors of a place through an online survey focusing on a place brand video. Structural equation modeling was employed to examine the research model. Findings Results show that place brand love has a strong direct relationship with positive word of mouth (WOM), and an indirect effect on intention to share the place brand message. Self-expressiveness of the place brand message also seems to influence place brand love as well as intention to share the message. Research limitations/implications The role of self-related concepts and brand love to a place has theoretical implications for research in place branding and electronic word of mouth. The study has limitations to its generalizability in terms of cultural aspects and sample representativeness. Practical implications Place marketers need to successfully reflect the self-concept of key stakeholders in communication messages in order to increase the probability that recipients will engage in positive WOM and share the message. Originality/value Research on place brand love is scarce and previous studies have focused solely on brand love in connection to tourists. The main contribution of the current study is the exploration of the role of brand love in connection to residents, who are vital co-creators of the place brand.

Dual mechanisms of reinforcement reward and habit in driving smartphone addiction

2019 ◽  
Vol 29 (6) ◽  
pp. 1551-1570 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chongyang Chen ◽  
Kem Z.K. Zhang ◽  
Xiang Gong ◽  
Matthew Lee
Keyword(s):  
Structural Equation ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Value Added ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Smartphone Addiction ◽  
Formation Mechanisms ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Underlying Mechanisms

Purpose In the limited existing research on smartphone addiction, reinforcement reward and automatic habit have been identified as two distinct underlying mechanisms. The purpose of this paper is to better understand the interaction between these two mechanisms, as well as role of smartphone features in activating different formation mechanisms. Design/methodology/approach An online survey with 379 samples was conducted to empirically validate the model. The data were analyzed by structural equation modeling approach. Findings The automatic habit strengthens the driving effects of reinforcement rewards (i.e. perceived enjoyment and mood regulation) on smartphone addiction. Smartphone features activate distinct underlying mechanisms. Value-added function facilitates the perception of reinforcement rewards, while convenience promotes the habit formation. Originality/value This study is one of the first ones that assess the interplay between the two formation mechanisms in the extant literature on smartphone addiction. This study also reveals the dangers of smartphone features which have always been regarded as advantages. The findings contribute to the current understandings of smartphone addiction.

Stock exchange brands as an influence on investor behavior

2017 ◽  
Vol 35 (3) ◽  
pp. 391-410 ◽  
Author(s):  
Betül Çal ◽  
Mary Lambkin
Keyword(s):  
Brand Equity ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Stock Exchange ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Mediating Role ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Corporate Brands

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effect of stock exchange-related brand equity on intention to invest and the mediating role of perceived risk (PR) in this relationship in a comparative analysis between a developed and a developing market. Design/methodology/approach The study is carried out through an online survey among financially literate adults in two countries, Turkey and Ireland. Structural equation modeling is used to empirically test the relationships between brand equity dimensions and intention to invest, with a mediating role of PR. Findings The results indicate that the brand equity of a stock exchange is a relevant construct that significantly influences intention to invest. Also, the mediating role of PR is found to be strong in a developing market such as Turkey, but weak in a developed market like Ireland. Research limitations/implications One limitation of this paper is its inclusion of individual investors as the unit of analysis while leaving out institutional ones. The second limitation is the difficulty in generalizing the results to overall country populations. Practical implications This paper offers managerial implications regarding the need for emphasizing “stock exchange brand,” besides corporate brands traded, and customizing the management of brand-related influencers in investment decisions according to country context. Originality/value The impact of corporate brands in investment choices has been demonstrated before, but the influence of intermediaries – stock exchanges – through which investments are transacted, has not yet been investigated. This study addresses this gap, and further shows the differing extent of PR in this relationship between a developed and a developing country setting.

Interpersonal leadership and job engagement: testing the mediating role of deep acting, initiative climate and learning goal orientation

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Muhammad Zia Aslam ◽  
Safiah Omar ◽  
Mohammad Nazri ◽  
Hasnun Anip Bustaman ◽  
Mohammed Mustafa Mohammed Yousif
Keyword(s):  
Goal Orientation ◽  
Emotional Labor ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Job Engagement ◽  
Deep Acting ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Learning Goal ◽  
Learning Goal Orientation ◽  
Labor Skills

PurposeThough employee job engagement has been one of the few most proliferated organizational concepts during the last two decades, evidence on how to achieve an engaged workforce is unclear. The purpose of this study was to contribute to the engagement literature by investigating the role of interpersonal leadership in developing job engagement through the relative importance of deep acting emotional labor skills, initiative climate and learning goal orientation as intervening mechanisms.Design/methodology/approachThis study employed an online self-reported survey in data collection, gathering input from 438 frontline service employees in Malaysia. The data was then tested using the structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) to evaluate the proposed parallel mediation model of the study.FindingsThe findings demonstrated that deep acting emotional labor skills, initiative climate and learning goal orientation were significantly effective in intervening mechanisms through which interpersonal leadership impacted job engagement.Practical implicationsThis study offers insightful evidence that can be utilized by service organizations to improve employees' job engagement. The evidence derived from this study suggests that interpersonal leadership is a valuable organizational resource that can help carve pathways through which the objective of employee job engagement can be achieved. Therefore, while crafting organizational interventions for employee job engagement, service managers should address the findings of this study.Originality/valueDespite the evidence presented in previous literature on the notable relationship between leadership and engagement, there is yet to be an apt understanding of the impact of new leadership perspectives and the intervening mechanisms in predicting job engagement. This study attempts to fill the research gap.

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