Does perceived morality of CEO activism matter? Understanding employees' responses to CEO actions on sociopolitical issues

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yeunjae Lee ◽  
Weiting Tao
Keyword(s):  
Public Relations ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Chief Executive ◽  
Full Time ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Positive Attitudes ◽  
Ceo Leadership ◽  
Perspective Drawing ◽  
Economic Expectations ◽  
Sociopolitical Issues

PurposeFrom an internal perspective, the purpose of this study is to understand employees' responses to chief executive officer (CEO) activism, a phenomenon wherein a company's CEO expresses his/her own opinions and ideas on controversial sociopolitical issues. Integrating corporate social responsibility (CSR), public relations and leadership literature, this study examines the effects of employees' expectations toward CEOs and transformational CEO leadership on the perceived morality of CEO activism and its attitudinal and behavioral outcomes.Design/methodology/approachAn online survey was conducted with 417 full-time employees in the US whose CEO has been engaging in sociopolitical issues.FindingsThe results showed that employees' ethical expectations toward their CEOs and transformational CEO leadership were positively associated with perceived morality of CEO activism, whereas economic expectations toward CEOs had no significant relationship with it. In turn, perceived morality of CEO activism contributed to employees' positive attitudes and supportive behaviors for their CEOs and their companies.Originality/valueThis study is among the first attempts to examine the effectiveness of CEO activism from an internal perspective, drawing from CSR, public relations and leadership literature.

Exploring the impacts of relationship on employees’ communicative behaviors during issue periods based on employee position

2017 ◽  
Vol 22 (4) ◽  
pp. 542-555 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yeunjae Lee
Keyword(s):  
Public Relations ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Relationship Building ◽  
Employee Relations ◽  
Full Time ◽  
Exchange Relationship ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Communicative Behaviors ◽  
The Usa ◽  
High Level

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine different communicative behaviors employees engage in according to their position level and the impacts of relationship they perceive. By comparing the behaviors and perceptions of low-, middle-, and high-level employees, the study investigates when and why employees become active in communicative behaviors about an organizational issue. Design/methodology/approach A quantitative online survey was conducted with 412 full-time employees in medium- and large-sized corporations with more than 300 employees in the USA. Findings Results show that those who are the most likely to be active not only in expressing ideas (i.e. voice) to solve an issue but also in forwarding positive information about their organization (i.e. megaphoning) are high-level employees. The findings also reveal distinct impacts of two types of relationship – communal and exchange relationship – on behaviors of employees in different positions. Research limitations/implications The study extended the understanding of relational approach by exploring the consequences of two types of relationship in the context of employee relations, and filled the research gap on relationships and issue management studies in public relations from an internal perspective. Practical implications To encourage employees to engage actively in positive megaphoning and voice during issue periods and to minimize the threats by reducing employees’ negative megaphoning behavior, the study suggested different relationship-building strategies based on employees’ position levels. Originality/value The current work examined the distinct impacts of organization-employee relationships on employees’ internal and external communicative behaviors based on their position level within an organization, especially focusing on employees’ role as potential advocates or adversaries for an organization during periods of an organizational crisis.

The impacts of CEO leadership behaviors on employees' affective commitment and scouting behavior: the mediating role of symmetrical internal communication

2022 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yeunjae Lee ◽  
Jarim Kim
Keyword(s):  
Public Relations ◽  
Affective Commitment ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
The United States ◽  
Internal Communication ◽  
Full Time ◽  
Senior Leadership ◽  
Theoretical Understanding ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Symmetrical Communication

PurposeThis study aimed to examine how senior leadership influences corporate communication and employees' attitudinal and behavioral outcomes. Using two-way symmetrical communication model in public relations and leadership theory, it investigated the effects of CEOs' task- and relationship-oriented leadership on symmetrical internal communication, employees' organizational commitment and communicative behaviors.Design/methodology/approachAn online survey was conducted with 417 full-time employees working in various industries in the United States.FindingsThe results showed that CEOs' relationship-oriented leadership significantly influenced symmetrical internal communication, which, in turn, increased affective commitment and employees' scouting behavior. CEOs' task-oriented communication had no significant effect on symmetrical communication.Originality/valueThis study advances theoretical understanding of two-way symmetrical communication in relation to senior leadership and provides practical insights for corporate leaders and public relations practitioners regarding how to improve employee outcomes through CEOs' strategic leadership and internal communication practices.

Understanding the impacts of issue types and employee–organization relationships on employees’ problem perceptions and communicative behaviors

2019 ◽  
Vol 24 (3) ◽  
pp. 553-568
Author(s):  
Yeunjae Lee ◽  
Katie Haejung Kim ◽  
Jeong-Nam Kim
Keyword(s):  
Public Relations ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Internal Communication ◽  
Corporate Communication ◽  
Full Time ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Communicative Behaviors ◽  
The Usa ◽  
Communicative Actions ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of different types of corporate issues and employee–organization relationships (EORs) on employees’ perceptions of the issues and on their communicative actions. Specifically, this study investigates how employees who have experienced an internal or an external issue within their organizations differently perceive the organizational issue and engage in positive and/or negative communicative behaviors. Design/methodology/approach An online survey was conducted with 363 full-time employees in large-sized companies in the USA who have experienced any internal or external issues within the past six months. Findings Employees are more cognitively aware of and feel more involved and less constrained in solving an internal company issue than an external one. Experiencing internal issues has led employees to share negative information about their organization externally. The quality of EORs pre-issue significantly increases employees’ involvement and positive communication behavior and decreases constraint levels and negative communication behaviors regarding an issue. Practical implications Corporate communication and public relations practitioners should incorporate strategic internal communication strategies to preemptively manage internal issues and to avoid them from evolving into internal crises. Originality/value This study is among the first to distinguish internal and external issues perceived by internal stakeholders and to examine their impacts on employees’ issue-specific perceptions and communicative behaviors. This study also provides significant practical guidelines for corporate communication practitioners and leaders by explicating the strategic role of issue type and employee behaviors in issue management.

How different CSR dimensions impact organization-employee relationships

2019 ◽  
Vol 24 (1) ◽  
pp. 63-78 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zifei Fay Chen ◽  
Cheng Hong ◽  
Aurora Occa
Keyword(s):  
Online Survey ◽  
Relationship Management ◽  
The Body ◽  
Full Time ◽  
Corporate Communications ◽  
Organizational Setting ◽  
Theoretical Frameworks ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Qualitative Approaches ◽  
Employee Relationships

PurposeDrawing on interdisciplinary insights from stakeholder theory, relationship management and organizational justice, the purpose of this paper is to examine corporate social responsibility (CSR) from an internal and relational perspective. Specifically, it examines the effects of CSR in overall as well as the discretionary, ethical, legal and economic CSR dimensions on organization–employee relationships, respectively. The moderating role of employees’ perceived CSR-culture fit on these effects was also explored.Design/methodology/approachAn online survey was conducted with 303 participants from the USA who were full-time employees at for-profit organizations.FindingsResults indicate that CSR performance in overall positively influences organization–employee relationships, and such effect is amplified as employees’ perceived CSR-culture fit increases. Discretionary and ethical CSR positively influence organization–employee relationships, but perceived CSR-culture fit only amplifies the influence from ethical CSR. For legal and economic CSR, the effects on organization–employee relationships are only significant when perceived CSR-culture fit is high.Research limitations/implicationsThis study extends the body of knowledge of CSR and internal relationship management. However, the limitations regarding the factors from culture, business sectors and organizational setting should be addressed in future studies through both quantitative and qualitative approaches.Originality/valueThis study provides a comprehensive understanding of the effects from four different CSR dimensions on organization–employee relationships as well as how such effects were moderated by employees’ perceived CSR-culture fit. Integrating interdisciplinary theoretical frameworks, this study offers insights for corporate communications and public relations professionals on how to effectively build and cultivate relationships with employees through different dimensions of CSR.

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.

How prevalent is mental ill-health in the workplace – and how can employers help workers who are suffering?

2019 ◽  
Vol 33 (6) ◽  
pp. 4-7
Author(s):  
Zain Sikafi
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Common Knowledge ◽  
Health Problems ◽  
Significant Rise ◽  
Full Time ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Nationally Representative ◽  
The Uk

Purpose This research was commissioned by Mynurva in October 2018. The independent, nationally representative survey was conducted among more than 2,000 UK adults to uncover the number of full-time workers who suffer from mental health problems, how many of them seek help for their issues, and the main barriers that hold them back from doing so. Design/methodology/approach A nationally representative sample of 2,003 adults in employment were surveyed about their mental health. Via an online survey, employees responding that they had experienced mental health problems were asked to respond further to a series of statements. Contingency tables were then produced, revealing what percentage of respondents agreed or disagreed with each statement that was presented to them. Findings Almost a third (32 per cent) of full-time employees have suffered from mental health problems in the workplace. More than one in three workers suffering from mental health symptoms have never sought any professional help, and at 42 per cent, male workers were more likely than female workers (32 per cent) not to seek help. In total, 44 per cent have never disclosed their issues to a manager at work. Of those struggling with their mental health, the authors found that 55 per cent of workers fear admitting their problems to a manager would hinder their chances of a promotion. A majority (59 per cent) also believe that if their mental health problems became common knowledge in the office, then it would negatively affect their relationships with colleagues. This figure rises to 71 per cent among workers of age 18-34. Confidentiality was cited as a key obstacle for employees, with 58 per cent worrying that their mental health problems would not remain confidential if they were to discuss them in the workplace. There was a significant rise among millennials, 68 per cent of which shared these sentiments. Originality/value The authors commissioned Opinium to conduct independent research in the UK.

Innovative use of technologies to enhance knowledge management

2020 ◽  
Vol 41 (6/7) ◽  
pp. 503-514
Author(s):  
Everlyn M'mbone Anduvare ◽  
Marlene Holmner
Keyword(s):  
Knowledge Management ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Academic Staff ◽  
Distributed Learning ◽  
Target Population ◽  
Analysis Data ◽  
Full Time ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Staff Members

PurposeThe study aims to identify and recommend to the Marist International University College (MIUC) technologies that enhance knowledge management, with a particular focus on collaborative and distributed learning.Design/methodology/approachNine senior full-time academic staff members were purposively selected for the study. The study employed a qualitative research design that involved the use of Google forms to conduct an online survey to collect data from the target population, and it achieved a 100% response rate. Using content analysis, data were analysed, interpreted and presented in a mini-dissertation.FindingsThis research paper presents the findings relating to the innovative use of technologies to enhance collaborative and distributive learning. The findings confirm the existence of informal knowledge management practices at the MIUC and recommend technologies established through a review of the literature to expedite these practices.Practical implicationsThe proposed technologies are thought to be useful in enhancing collaborative and distributed learning in academic institutions as technologies act as enablers in knowledge management within academia.Originality/valueAs technologies continue to emerge, there is a chance for universities to hit a stalemate in terms of identifying appropriate technologies to enable knowledge management. This paper contributes by identifying not only KM practices at the university under study but also specific multimedia, social media, media sharing and brainstorming technologies from the literature that would be ideal in enhancing collaborative and distributed learning.

scholarly journals Drivers of local food consumption: a comparative study

2015 ◽  
Vol 117 (9) ◽  
pp. 2282-2299 ◽  
Author(s):  
Constanza Bianchi ◽  
Gary Mortimer
Keyword(s):  
Food Consumption ◽  
Purchase Intention ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Local Food ◽  
Extended Model ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Food Purchase ◽  
Positive Attitudes

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to empirically explore antecedents of local food purchase intention in two food producing countries with different cultural backgrounds. Design/methodology/approach – An online survey was employed to collect data from consumers located in Chile (n=283) and Australia (n=300). A proposed model is tested with structural equation modelling. Findings – Attitude towards consuming local food is a strong and direct driver of intentions to purchase local food in both countries. Attitude towards supporting local agri-businesses and consumer ethnocentrism are found to positively impact attitude towards consuming local food in both countries. Attitude towards local agri-businesses also has a direct effect on intentions to purchase local food in Australia, but not in Chile. Interestingly, subjective norms are not found to affect intentions to consume local food in either country. Research limitations/implications – The paper examines factors affecting the attitude towards and behavioural intention regarding local food consumption and develops an extended model of local food consumption. An outcome of this new model is the inclusion of personal variables, which influence local food purchasing behaviour. Practical implications – Producers and retailers need to develop campaigns explaining how consuming local food supports local businesses and farmers, which will reinforce personal values associated with local consumption. Originality/value – This is the first study to demonstrate that positive attitudes towards local foods are important drivers of local food purchase behaviour, independent of the cultural characteristics or level of economic development within a country.

Organizational learning in context of part-time employment

2016 ◽  
Vol 24 (4) ◽  
pp. 650-672 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kurmet Kivipõld ◽  
Richard C. Hoffman
Keyword(s):  
Organizational Learning ◽  
Learning Organization ◽  
Organizational Leadership ◽  
Full Time ◽  
Entrepreneurial Behavior ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Learning In Context ◽  
Positive Attitudes ◽  
Part Time ◽  
The Baltic

Purpose Combining trends in employment flexibility, organizational learning, need for improved leadership and entrepreneurship is important in managing today’s organizations. This study aims to explore these relationships within a single media firm in one of the Baltic States. Design/methodology/approach The subject for this exploratory case study is a small Estonian media company having a total of 43 members/employees. Data for the study were collected using two questionnaires (organizational leadership capability and dimensions of learning organizations) and by in-depth interviews. Assessment and analysis of the data included: measurement of organizational leadership (OL) and learning organization; measurement of entrepreneurial behavior; and analysis of the results gained from studying the issues pertaining to OL, learning organization and entrepreneurial behavior. Findings The results of this study reveal that part-time versus full-time employees have more positive attitudes toward the organization’s decentralized leadership and of six of seven learning characteristics. It appears that the entrepreneurial orientation of the part-time employees (PTEs) helps explain the differences observed. Practical implications The implications for practice based on this study is that firms should consider their PTEs as a valuable asset not only because of the flexibility they offer to the workforce but also because of the special skills and outlooks they bring to the organization. Originality/value This paper explores the relationships among organizational learning, OL and entrepreneurship in context of part-time employment.

Unpacking the relationship between organizational culture and excellent leadership in public relations

2014 ◽  
Vol 18 (4) ◽  
pp. 363-385 ◽  
Author(s):  
Juan Meng
Keyword(s):  
Organizational Culture ◽  
Public Relations ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Structural Model ◽  
Leadership Effectiveness ◽  
Reciprocal Relationship ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Usa ◽  
Excellent Leadership ◽  
The Relationship

Purpose – By looking into the relationship between organizational culture and excellent leadership in public relations, the purpose of this paper is bifold: first, how and to what extent organizational culture can affect leadership effectiveness in communication management; and second, what possible impact excellent leadership in public relations may generate to reshape organizational culture in a way to further support the value of public relations. Design/methodology/approach – An online survey was distributed to a randomly selected group of 1,000 senior public relations executives in the USA by using the PR executive database of Heyman Associates, a PR executive search firm in New York City. A final sample of 222 senior public relations executives was recruited. This group of respondents mirrored the characteristics of senior executives in the public relations profession in the USA. Findings – The results identified the reciprocal relationship between organizational culture and excellent leadership in public relations. The testing of a non-recursive structural model confirmed that organizational culture generates a direct, positive effect on the achievement of excellent leadership in public relations. More importantly, excellent leadership in public relations also influences organizational culture by reshaping it in a favorable way to support public relations efforts in the organization. Originality/value – There is insufficient empirical research linking public relations leadership and organizational culture, although it is agreed these two institutional conditions are critical. Thus, this study unpacked the independent and dependent roles of organizational culture in influencing leadership effectiveness in public relations, which may generate implications for both research and practice purposes.

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