Employment arrangements diversity and work group performance

2016 ◽  
Vol 22 (5/6) ◽  
pp. 310-330 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sagi Akron ◽  
Ofek Feinblit ◽  
Shlomo Hareli ◽  
Shay S. Tzafrir
Keyword(s):  
Group Performance ◽  
Work Groups ◽  
Work Group ◽  
Real Life ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Actual Performance ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Work Arrangements ◽  
Unique Data ◽  
Work Group Performance

Purpose The purpose of this study was to explore the relation between diversity in work group members’ employment arrangements and the actual performance of the work groups. Design/methodology/approach A field study was conducted on 31 work groups in a public plant belonging to the industrial sector that constitute a unique data set. The 441 employees are contracted under four significantly different employment arrangements and are mixed together in heterogeneous work groups, but perform similar tasks. Findings The results indicated that the influence of employment arrangement diversity on work group performance is best represented as variation, and work arrangements diversity is positively correlated with improved work group performance. Research limitations The study design prevented assessment of employees’ opinions. Rather, the authors used objective type of employment arrangements as the basis for calculating diversity as separation. Using mean Euclidean distance as suggested by Harrison and Klein (2007), the authors arbitrarily set the distance between two different employment arrangements as one. Practical implications The research results help in the stages of recruiting, structuring and development and application of necessary work team. Formal emphasis of diversity in work arrangements improves performance. Originality/value To the authors’ knowledge, this is one of the first studies using unique data set analyzing real-life team diversity and performance in the public sector. The research highly contributes to organizational decision-making processes regarding the importance of incorporating non-standard work arrangements in organizations. Management’s implementation of formal diversity seems to alleviate the negative sides of diversity and increases its positive performance effects.

The moderating effects of status and trust on the performance of age-diverse work groups

2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 56-74 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cara-Lynn Scheuer ◽  
Catherine Loughlin
Keyword(s):  
Group Performance ◽  
Work Groups ◽  
Work Group ◽  
Moderating Effects ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Age Diversity ◽  
The One ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Status Differences ◽  
Work Group Performance

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to help organizations capitalize on the potential advantages of age diversity by offering insight into two new moderators in the age diversity, work group performance relationship – status congruity and cognition-based trust.Design/methodology/approachThe authors surveyed 197 employees and 56 supervisors across 59 work groups to test for the moderating effects of status congruity and cognition-based trust on the age diversity, work group performance relationship.FindingsThe results demonstrated, on the one hand, that under conditions of status congruity (i.e. when there were high levels of perceived status legitimacy and veridicality) and/or when perceptions of cognition-based trust were high within the group, the relationship between age diversity and work group performance was positive. On the other hand, under conditions of status incongruity and/or low levels of cognition-based trust, this relationship was negative.Research limitations/implicationsThe findings contribute to the literature by being the first to provide empirical evidence for the theorized effects of status on the performance of age-diverse work groups and also by demonstrating the effects of cognition-based trust in a new context – age-diverse work groups.Practical implicationsArising from the study’s findings are several strategies, which are expected to help organizations enhance perceptions of status congruity and/or trust and ultimately the performance of their age-diverse work groups.Originality/valueThe paper is the first to empirically demonstrate the moderating effects of status congruity and cognition-based trust on the age diversity, work group performance relationship. The study also establishes important distinctions between the effects of objective status differences vs status perceptions.

Diversity and group performance in a real estate project

2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 62-78 ◽  
Author(s):  
Liesa Schrand ◽  
Tobias Just
Keyword(s):  
Real Estate ◽  
Work Experience ◽  
Group Performance ◽  
Work Group ◽  
Group Formation ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Real Estate Project ◽  
Group Diversity ◽  
The Impact

Purpose Successful developers need to manage a large number of cooperation partners and find innovative solutions for specific tasks, as each real estate project is somehow unique. Thus, the question arises as to whether intelligent group formation for real estate development calls for more or rather less diverse project groups. Design/methodology/approach This paper aims to test the impact of group diversity on overall group performance with a unique data set. The authors collected the results of 150 project assignments from real estate executive education students at the IREBS Real Estate Academy from 2010 until 2016. Findings The authors find that group results were impacted positively for groups with disparity in work experience and ability. Differences in sex and age did not yield any measurable impact, neither positive nor negative. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first time that the relationship between work group diversity and group performance was tested for real estate educational projects. The authors believe that the results are highly relevant for all university work, for which teams have to cooperate on complex rather than basic assignments and problems. Moreover, they are the first to develop a framework that combines diversity theories with a clear distinction between three diversity concepts.

Seizing the benefits of age diversity: could empowering leadership be the answer?

2021 ◽  
Vol 42 (3) ◽  
pp. 495-515
Author(s):  
Cara-Lynn Scheuer ◽  
Catherine Loughlin
Keyword(s):  
Transformational Leadership ◽  
Group Performance ◽  
Work Groups ◽  
Work Group ◽  
Empowering Leadership ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
Age Diversity ◽  
Indirect Relationship ◽  
The Relationship

PurposeAcknowledging that only examining the main effects of diversity may be limiting, the authors explore integrating van Knippenberg et al.'s (2004) categorization–elaboration model (CEM) of workgroup diversity as a linchpin in the relationship between empowering leadership and performance in age-diverse work groups. While prior research has focused almost exclusively on the impact of transformational leadership in diverse contexts, few studies have found the positive effects of transformational leadership to be diminished in certain age-diverse contexts. Consequently, the authors investigate whether empowering leadership may be a better approach in this context due to its emphasis on accommodating and participative behaviors.Design/methodology/approachUsing survey data gathered from work group members across a wide array of industries (N = 214), the authors test for the moderating effects of empowering leadership on the relationship between age diversity and work group performance and its indirect relationship via information elaboration (while controlling for transformational leadership).FindingsEmpowering leadership positively moderated the direct relationship between age diversity and work group performance and the indirect relationship via information elaboration, whereas transformational leadership had the opposite effect. “Coaching” and “showing concern/interacting with the team” drove the positive effects of empowering leadership, and “personal recognition” and “intellectual stimulation” predicted the negative effects of transformational leadership.Practical implicationsThis research offers insights into how managers can lead age-diverse work groups more effectively (i.e. by utilizing an empowering as opposed to a transformational leadership approach, with a particular emphasis on “coaching” and “showing concern/interacting with the team” behaviors).Originality/valueThe study identifies an “alternative” moderating contingency to the age diversity–performance relationship (empowering leadership).

Does credit market inefficiency affect technology adoption? Evidence from Sub-Saharan Africa

2016 ◽  
Vol 76 (4) ◽  
pp. 494-511 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abdul-Hanan Abdallah
Keyword(s):  
Technology Adoption ◽  
Credit Market ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Food Crops ◽  
Agricultural Technologies ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Unique Data ◽  
Market Inefficiency ◽  
Sub Saharan

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate factors affecting the adoption of agricultural technologies in Sub-Saharan Africa, specifically the role of credit market inefficiency in adoption of agricultural technologies in the region. Design/methodology/approach Most importantly, the paper applies a 2SLS model on a unique data set on nine agrarian countries from Sub-Saharan Africa’s intensification of food crops agriculture (Afrint) to provide evidence on how credit market inefficiency affects adoption of technologies in the sub region. Findings The study finds that the relationship between credit and technology adoption is one-way causal relation (i.e. credit access leads to technology adoption) as opposed to a two-way relation (i.e. mutual dependent relation). Further, the results indicate that credit market inefficiency can be a major barrier to the adoption of yield enhancing technologies in Sub-Saharan Africa. Further, the study showed mixed results for household variables. The results give credence to studies that highlight the importance of infrastructure and risk control in the adoption of new technologies. Research limitations/implications The study is limited to only nine countries in Sub-Saharan Africa. Thus, the findings and interpretations should be considered as such. Further, there is the need for further research that considers all the region so as to establish whether or not there is a relationship between credit market inefficiencies and technology adoption in the region. Practical implications The policy implication is that microfinance institutions should consider scaling up their credit services to ensure that more households benefit from it, and in so doing technology adoption will be enhanced. Originality/value The main contribution of the study lies in its use of a unique data set from Sub-Saharan Africa’s intensification of food crops agriculture (Afrint) to investigation relationship between credit market inefficiency and technology adoption.

How to make a knowledge-sharing group: a group social capital perspective

2016 ◽  
Vol 45 (3) ◽  
pp. 523-538 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wei-Li Wu ◽  
Yi-Chih Lee
Keyword(s):  
Social Capital ◽  
Social Interaction ◽  
Knowledge Sharing ◽  
Work Groups ◽  
Work Group ◽  
Task Interdependence ◽  
Group Level ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Group Trust ◽  
Group Social Capital

Purpose – Although the work group is the main context for knowledge exchange and combination in today’s organizations, few knowledge-sharing studies have been conducted at the group level. The purpose of this paper is to apply the concept of group social capital to determine how to promote knowledge sharing at the group level. The authors divided group social capital into two segments, conduits and resources, and argue that different group social capital conduits (i.e. work design in this study) lead to varied resources, which subsequently influence group knowledge sharing. Design/methodology/approach – In this study, group social capital conduits included social interaction and task interdependence, and group social capital resources included group trust and a supportive climate for knowledge sharing. The authors conducted a survey on work groups in the high-tech industry using a sample of 86 work groups. Findings – The results indicated that social interaction in a work group was positively related to group trust and that task interdependence was positively related to group trust and a supportive climate for knowledge sharing. Furthermore, group trust and a supportive climate for knowledge sharing were both found to have an influence on knowledge sharing. Originality/value – Applying the concept of group social capital, this paper is the first research to discuss how group social capital conduits and resources influence knowledge sharing. The results of this study lead us to a better understand the relationship between group social capital and knowledge sharing.

Economics of savings-based finance: an interest-free model of rotating savings and credit association in Turkey

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yusuf Dinç ◽  
Rashed Jahangir ◽  
Ruslan Nagayev ◽  
Fahrettin Çakır
Keyword(s):  
Financial Market ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Unique Data ◽  
Credit Associations ◽  
Free Model ◽  
Savings And Credit Associations ◽  
Financing And Investment ◽  
Credit Association

Purpose The emerging markets have been witnessing a remarkable revival of rotating savings and credit associations (ROSCAs) serving as alternative informal financing and investment platforms, also known as savings-based finance (SBF) in Turkey. The purpose of this study is to present the SBF model mathematically, analyse the performance of the SBF sector and propose a new Sharīʿah-compliant SBF model for the acquisition of durables. Design/methodology/approach The paper thoroughly reviews the concept and practice of ROSCA across the globe, mathematically models and empirically analyses the performance of Turkish SBF companies using a unique data set. Findings The study formulates a two-person SBF model and proposes a Mudarabah-Wakalah hybrid model with a new investment feature. It is found that the concept of ROSCA is being operationalized in 105 countries across the globe under different names with slight business model modifications. The research also reveals that the demand for financing of durables in Turkey significantly increased in recent years with the demand for housing is twice greater compared to vehicles. Most importantly, a strong significant inter- and intra-comovement is observed between these durables implying that the success of the sector in one segment has attracted the customers to other SBF products. It shows that the SBF institutions can effectively serve as the alternative financing houses for pooling savings and financing the durables, and they have strong potential to capture a larger financial market share in Turkey and even globally. Originality/value The study constructs mathematical models and proposes a new investment wing to an existing SBF wealth fund.

Dynamic testing resource allocation modeling for multi-release software using optimal control theory and genetic algorithm

2020 ◽  
Vol 37 (6/7) ◽  
pp. 1049-1069
Author(s):  
Vijay Kumar ◽  
Ramita Sahni
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Algorithm ◽  
Optimal Control ◽  
Resource Allocation ◽  
Real Life ◽  
Theoretic Approach ◽  
Numerical Illustration ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Allocation Model ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Software Firms

PurposeThe use of software is overpowering our modern society. Advancement in technology is directly proportional to an increase in user demand which further leads to an increase in the burden on software firms to develop high-quality and reliable software. To meet the demands, software firms need to upgrade existing versions. The upgrade process of software may lead to additional faults in successive versions of the software. The faults that remain undetected in the previous version are passed on to the new release. As this process is complicated and time-consuming, it is important for firms to allocate resources optimally during the testing phase of software development life cycle (SDLC). Resource allocation task becomes more challenging when the testing is carried out in a dynamic nature.Design/methodology/approachThe model presented in this paper explains the methodology to estimate the testing efforts in a dynamic environment with the assumption that debugging cost corresponding to each release follows learning curve phenomenon. We have used optimal control theoretic approach to find the optimal policies and genetic algorithm to estimate the testing effort. Further, numerical illustration has been given to validate the applicability of the proposed model using a real-life software failure data set.FindingsThe paper yields several substantive insights for software managers. The study shows that estimated testing efforts as well as the faults detected for both the releases are closer to the real data set.Originality /valueWe have proposed a dynamic resource allocation model for multirelease of software with the objective to minimize the total testing cost using the flexible software reliability growth model (SRGM).

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