The impact of perceived servant leadership traits and safety climate on task performance and risk-taking behavior in times of crisis

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohammed Aboramadan ◽  
Khalid Abed Dahleez

Purpose The adverse effects of the COVID-19 pandemic have opened the door to investigations of the leadership practices needed to guarantee positive work-related outcomes among employees in organizations. Therefore, building on the norm of reciprocity, this research aims to propose a model to examine servant leadership’s role in stimulating task performance and risk-taking behaviors during crisis times. In this model, safety climate was hypothesized to serve as a mediating variable between servant leadership, task performance and risk-taking behavior. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected from 237 staff (medial and administrative staff) working in Palestinian hospitals. Partial least squares structural equation modeling was used to analyze the data. Common method bias remedies were presented. Findings This study demonstrates that servant leadership is effective in fostering task performance and risk-taking behaviors in times of crisis through the mediation of safety climate. According to the results, safety climate demonstrated to fully mediate relationship between servant leadership and task performance (ß = 0.225, p-value = 0.000), and the relationship between servant leadership and risk-taking behavior (ß = 0.248, p-value = 0.000). Moreover, the results demonstrated that employees with higher experience tend to be more willing to engage in risk-taking behavior. Practical implications The findings may be useful for hospital managers on the role servant leadership can play in generating positive work-related outcomes during crisis times. Originality/value The paper is among the few empirical endeavors which examine the consequences of servant leadership in times of crisis, taking into account the intervening role of safety climate.

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Wei Liu ◽  
Dimitri van der Linden ◽  
Arnold B. Bakker

PurposeUsing positive psychology theories, the authors build a model to test whether episodic fluctuations in strengths use coincide with changes in flow experiences and further predict risk-taking behavior and attentional performance.Design/methodology/approachA field study covering five working days was conducted among 164 Chinese employees; twice a day, they were asked to complete questionnaires regarding their strengths use and flow experiences during the previous hour (N = 938 observations). Immediately afterward, their risk-taking behaviors and attentional performance were tested using computerized tasks.FindingsMultilevel analyses showed that when employees used their strengths more often in the previous hour, they also reported an increase in flow. Episodic fluctuations in flow were positively associated with risk taking and negatively related to attentional performance.Practical implicationsEmployees should be encouraged to use their strengths more at work, as this might increase their flow experiences. At the same time, they should pay attention to the downsides of flow (i.e. less attention after flow) at an episodic level.Originality/valueThe authors add to previous studies by using a more objective approach, namely employing computerized tasks on risk-taking behavior and attention to capture the behavioral outcomes of work-related flow.


Author(s):  
Low ◽  
Man ◽  
Chan ◽  
Alabdulkarim

Behavioral-based safety is an important application of behavioral science that can be used to address safety problems in the construction sector. An understanding of construction worker risk-taking behavior is deemed to be a crucial basis on which concerned authorities and construction companies can develop effective safety interventions to reduce construction accidents. However, no studies have been conducted to examine the effects of safety climate, work condition, attitude toward risk, cognitive bias, and risk perception on construction worker risk-taking behavior through a quantitative approach. Accordingly, this study aims to propose a research model that explains construction worker risk-taking behavior. A total of 188 valid datasets were obtained through a series of questionnaire surveys conducted in representative construction projects in Hong Kong. Confirmatory factor analysis with structural equation modeling was adopted to validate the hypothesized research model. Results show that attitudes toward risk and cognitive bias have a positive influence, whereas risk perception and work conditions have a negative influence on construction worker risk-taking behavior. In addition, safety climate was negatively correlated with construction worker risk-taking behavior. Practical recommendations for reducing construction worker risk-taking behavior are also discussed in this paper.


2018 ◽  
Vol 19 (4) ◽  
pp. 361-378 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aluisius Hery Pratono

Purpose This paper aims to contribute to the risk management studies in small and medium enterprises (SMEs) by examining the complicated relationship between risk-taking behavior and firm performance. Design/methodology/approach The study conducted a survey of the Indonesian SME owner-managers and used partial least square structural equation modeling to examine the mediating effect of pricing capability and moderating effects of information technological turbulence. Findings The results do not only confirm the positive impact of risk-taking behavior on firm performance but also identify that impact of risk-taking behavior on firm performance is more effective at the low information technological turbulence than at the high one. Research limitations/implications This study relied on information from the owner-managers in SMEs, which may bias against the perspective of their employees and the business partners. Originality/value This study advances the risk-taking behavior research in SMEs context by introducing the effect of pricing capability and information technological turbulence.


2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohammad Nisar Khattak ◽  
Peter O'Connor

PurposeUsing the frameworks of social exchange theory (SET) and conservation of resources (COR) Theory, this study examined the influence of servant leadership on employees' performance through the social exchange indicator (trust), and how perceived organizational politics (POP) influences these relationships.Design/methodology/approachSurvey data were collected from 236 supervisor/subordinate dyads in a public sector organization in Pakistan. Structural equation modeling and bootstrapping were used to test the study hypotheses.FindingsServant leadership was found to positively influence employees' task performance and organizational citizenship behaviors (OCBs). Further, analysis revealed that trust in leader partially mediated the positive relationship between servant leadership and subordinates' task performance and OCBs. However, although POP moderated the indirect relationship between servant leadership and subordinates' task performance, it did not moderate the indirect relationships between servant leadership and OCBs.Originality/valueThis is one of the first studies to be conducted in the South Asian context, testing the relationship between servant leadership and employee performance through the social exchange indicator (trust) in a political organizational environment. Theoretical contributions, practical implications, study limitations and future research directions are discussed at the end of the study.


2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 22-43 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jia Liu ◽  
Frida Thomas Pacho ◽  
Wang Xuhui

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to empirically explore the impact of culture (using individualism, power distance and uncertainty avoidance) on entrepreneurial risk taking behavior which leads to the opportunity exploitation decision. Moreover, it also uses risk taking behavior of entrepreneurial as the mediation variable between culture and opportunity exploitations decisions. Design/methodology/approach The study took place in Tanzania, which is allocated in East Africa and is one of under researched countries. In total, 140 entrepreneurs who own venture of 5-99 employees were able to be interviewed using a survey questionnaire. In this study, structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to examine the direct and indirect relationship of culture in entrepreneurial opportunity exploitation decisions. Findings After hypothesis testing, the empirical results showed that Tanzania’s culture has an impact on entrepreneurial risk taking behavior, which influences entrepreneurial opportunity exploitation decision. It also showed culture through individualism and uncertainty avoidance measurements affect entrepreneurial opportunity exploitation decisions. The empirical results on power distance were insignificant. Research limitations/implications This study is a wake-up call to policy makers and formal institutions such as government authorities, education institutions and religion institutions. Thus, culture has an ability to influence the behavior of entrepreneurs and so the performance of ventures if it is consistent and well structured. Therefore it should be not taken for granted. Data for our study are based on only two cities and therefore the results should not be generalized as the whole country’s inference. Generalizability is questioned because the data are from only two cities in Tanzania and therefore future research should include more cities to be able to validate the generalizability. Practical implications This study is a wake-up call to policymakers and formal institutions such as government authorities, education institutions and religion institutions. Thus culture has an ability to influence the behavior of entrepreneurs and so the performance of ventures if it is consistent and well structured. Therefore it should be not taken for granted. Data for our study are based on only two cities and therefore the results should not be generalized as the whole country’s inference. Social implications In the country which has well-structured culture, influence the behavior of entrepreneurs to exploit opportunities. Originality/value This is the first empirical study to use SEM for exploring the culture of individualism, power distance and uncertainty avoidance impact on entrepreneurial opportunity exploitation in Tanzania.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Wioleta Kucharska

Purpose This study aims to understand and compare how the mechanism of innovative processes in the information technology (IT) industry – the most innovative industry worldwide – is shaped in Poland and the USA in terms of tacit knowledge awareness and sharing driven by a culture of knowledge and learning, composed of a learning climate and mistake acceptance. Design/methodology/approach Study samples were drawn from the IT industry in Poland (n = 350) and the USA (n = 370) and analyzed using the structural equation modeling method. Findings True learning derives from mistake acceptance. As a result of a risk-taking attitude and critical thinking, the IT industry in the USA is consistently innovation-oriented. Specifically, external innovations are highly correlated with internal innovations. Moreover, a knowledge culture supports a learning culture via a learning climate. A learning climate is an important facilitator for learning from mistakes. Originality/value This study revealed that a high level of mistake acceptance stimulates a risk-taking attitude that offers a high level of tacit knowledge awareness as a result of critical thinking, but critical thinking without readiness to take a risk is useless for tacit knowledge capturing.


2018 ◽  
Vol 44 (4) ◽  
pp. 459-477 ◽  
Author(s):  
Santi Gopal Maji ◽  
Preeti Hazarika

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the association between capital regulation and risk-taking behavior of Indian banks after incorporating the influence of competition. Further, the study intends to enrich the existing literature by providing empirical evidence on the role of human resources in managing risk along with the influence of other bank specific and macroeconomic variables. Design/methodology/approach Secondary data on 39 listed Indian commercial banks are collected from “Capitaline Plus” corporate data database for a period of 15 years. Capital is measured by capital adequacy ratio as defined by the regulators, and two definitions of risk – credit risk and insolvency risk – are employed. Competition is measured by Herfindahl-Hirschman deposits index, concentration ratio and H-statistic. The value-added intellectual coefficient model is employed to compute human capital efficiency (HCE). Three-stage least squares technique in a simultaneous equation framework is used to estimate the coefficients. Findings The study finds that absolute level of regulatory capital and bank risk are positively associated, although the influence of capital on risk is not statistically significant. The influence of competition on risk is negative for all the models, which supports the “competition stability” view. The impact of human capital on bank risk is also negative for all cases. Practical implications The findings of the study are useful for the decision makers in several ways based on the inverse influence of competition and HCE on bank risk. Further, the observed positive association between capital and risk indicates that the capital regulation is not sufficient to enhance the stability in the banking sector. Originality/value This is the first study in the Indian context that incorporates the competition in the banking industry as an explanatory variable in the extant bank capital and risk relationship.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Fadi Youssef Bou Reslan ◽  
Zanete Garanti ◽  
Okechukwu Lawrence Emeagwali

PurposeThis study aims to peruse the underlying effect of servant leadership (SL) on innovative work behavior (IWB) and employee knowledge sharing behavior (KSB), directly and through the mediating effect of job autonomy (JA), by using autonomous psychological needs of self-determination theory and embracing Hofstede's framework in information and telecommunication technology (ICT) companies in Latvia.Design/methodology/approachA quantitative analysis of data from 271 employees and managers in Latvian ICT companies was used by applying structural equation modeling.FindingsThe result discloses that SL can promote IWB and KSB directly and through mediating effects of JA.Research limitations/implicationsThe research is constricted by geography and sample data representation from a specific sector. Hence, future studies can determine the gender effects, carry out more preventive measures to avoid common method bias between constructs, measure antecedents and the mediator before outcomes and examine JA as a moderator.Practical implicationsThe findings demonstrate that the Latvian ICT sector should recruit managers with SL potentials, train and equip managers with the required resources to implement SL practices properly and integrate JA across the organization to increase the manifestation of IWB and KSB.Originality/valueThis paper is the first to examine JA as the underlying process through which SL’s effects on IWB and KSB are explained in an individualistic country.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  

Purpose This paper aims to review the latest management developments across the globe and pinpoint practical implications from cutting-edge research and case studies. Design/methodology/approach This briefing is prepared by an independent writer who adds their own impartial comments and places the articles in context. Findings Small business seeking to innovate can create valuable social capital and gain access to other key resources through positive relationships with business partners. This likewise helps develop the trust necessary to engage in risk-taking behaviors which can inspire new product development and secure a competitive edge. Originality/value The briefing saves busy executives and researchers hours of reading time by selecting only the very best, most pertinent information and presenting it in a condensed and easy-to-digest format.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sunil P. Omanwar ◽  
Rakesh Kumar Agrawal

Purpose This paper aims to study the relationship between servant leadership (SL), employee turnover intention (TI) and organizational identification (OI) in hospitals. Design/methodology/approach The study uses a quantitative approach to investigate the relationships between SL, OI and TI, using data collected from a sample of 266 front-facing employees in a private Indian hospital setup. Structural equation modeling is used to analyze the data and test the hypotheses. Findings The findings reveal that servant leadership has a positive relationship with organizational identification and negatively impacts turnover intentions of the front-facing employee. Further, the study also reveals, contrary to expectations, organizational identification has no significant mediating effect between servant leadership and turnover intentions. Research limitations/implications This research is limited to front-facing employees in hospitals and the study may be extended to other industries in the service sector. Future studies may consider other mediating and moderating variables to fully understand the mechanism of impact of servant leadership on turnover intention. Multi-level studies can also be carried out. Practical implications With the ever-increasing expectations for better patient care, robust leadership models have required that address front-facing employee’s well-being, enabling their attention toward patients. This paper provides the impetus for the development and adoption of servant leadership specifically within hospitals and the service sector. Originality/value This study is one of the few studies that empirically examines servant leadership in the health-care domain. The study also contributes to the extant literature on servant leadership by empirically examining the mediation effect of organizational identification between SL and TI. To the authors’ best of knowledge, this study may be the first of its kind, providing evidence of servant leadership’s impact on turnover intention and organizational identification in hospitals using data from the Indian context.


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