Semiotic vagueness as a tool for goal fulfilment

Over the past 15 years, ‘platform of values’ texts presenting core values have become common in most Swedish public authorities. This article presents a study of how this genre is understood and used in professional practices. The aim is to show how semiotic vagueness in such texts serves a number of previously under-researched purposes in public organizations, including, rather paradoxically, concrete goal achievement. The framework of critical genre analysis enables the analytical process to move from text to practice, and further to the superordinate level of professional culture. Three different data sets are analysed: 47 ‘platform of values’ texts; a focus group discussion with seven senior civil servants/managers; and a quantitative questionnaire study answered by civil servants from three public authorities. The findings suggest that vagueness serves as a means to exercise managerial control through the promotion of interpretative work and continuous, identity-related dialogues on value related issues. The article argues that even though such uses of the ‘platform of values’ genre may be functional in neo-bureaucratic organizations, it is also problematic when semiotic vagueness is used as a tool for concrete actions such as internal promotions.

Performance based incentives and employees’ productivity in commercial organisations

The study examined the relationship between performance-based incentives and employees’ productivity in commercial organizations in Cross River State, Nigeria. Specifically, the study investigates the links between performance-based incentives such as promotions, bonus, recognition and employees’ productivity. Expectancy theory was used to situate the study. Descriptive survey design that allows for the use of questionnaire as quantitative tool was adopted as well as in the selection of respondents from commercial organizations. Quantitative data were analyzed using multi-variance analysis. It was revealed that performance-based promotion, performance-based bonus, performance-based recognition significantly influence productivity of employees in commercial organizations. The study further reveals a joint relationship between the predictor variables (performance-based promotion, bonus, recognition) and productivity of employees. It was recommended among others that promotion policies in commercial organizations should be transparent and fair. Management of these entities should make personnel policies that outline key performance indicators and their relationship to internal promotions, bonuses and wages.

Welcome Back? Job Performance and Turnover of Boomerang Employees Compared to Internal and External Hires

“Boomerang” employees are workers who leave an organization and are later rehired by that same organization. Although many organizations rehire former employees, only a handful of studies have examined this phenomenon. The present study uses a large, longitudinal data set to examine the performance and turnover of boomerang employees rehired into management positions (n = 1,318). Further, we provide some of the first comparisons between boomerang employees and two traditional sources of employees: external hires (n = 20,850) and internal promotions (n = 8,546). Evaluations of job performance before and after being rehired revealed that boomerang managers’ performance tended to remain the same—rather than increase or decrease—after being rehired. Furthermore, boomerang managers performed similarly to internally and externally hired managers in the first year on the job, but both internal and external hires improved more than rehires over time. Internal and external hires were also less likely to turn over from the organization than rehires. Finally, supplemental analyses indicated that boomerang managers who turned over a second time tended to do so for reasons similar to their initial turnover reasons. The overall results call into question some of the assumed benefits of rehiring and suggest that organizations consider factors such as the reason for initial departure, the time horizon of performance, and the availability of other types of hires before considering boomerang employees.

Which Way to High Performance? Comparing Performance Effects of High-Performance Work System Components in Small- to Medium-Sized Establishments

The authors examine variation in firm choices to invest in HR practices. They identify three approaches: investments in high-involvement programs (such as employee participation and teams); in high-commitment practices (such as internal promotions and job security); and in ability-enhancing selection and training programs. The authors test the performance effect of these choices in a sample of 165 small- and medium-sized hotel establishments (SMEs). They also consider how job-level differences in skill requirements and customer contact affect the relative effectiveness of these three groups of high-performance work practices. Consistent with the authors’ predictions, findings show that, on average, the group of high-commitment practices has the strongest relationship with SME performance. However, the performance effect of high-involvement practices is significantly stronger for front desk jobs compared to housekeeping jobs.

Quits and ladders: does mobility improve outcomes?

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to compare internal and external job mobility (quits and promotions) as separate mechanisms for workers improving earnings and job fit. Design/methodology/approach The authors sample the core workforce from the British Household Panel Survey, estimating the effects of quits and promotions on two sets of outcomes. The first is subjective; satisfaction with work, pay and hours. The second is objective realities about the job; gross monthly pay and weekly working hours. The authors use linear fixed-effects estimation to control for individual heterogeneity. Findings Quits and promotions are distinctly different mechanisms for improving earnings and job fit. Quits improve measures of job fit (satisfaction with work, pay and hours) but have little effect on earnings. Internal promotions bring earnings growth but have little effect on job fit. The findings shed light what drives “voluntary” mobility; internal mobility may be driven by higher “reservation wages” and career progression, while external mobility may be driven by job matching and the need to find more appropriate work. Social implications Researchers should treat mobile labour markets with scepticism. The growth of “boundaryless careers” may closer resemble a release valve for poor working conditions in a varied market than a growth in new opportunities for earnings and career progression. Originality/value Studies of job mobility overwhelmingly focus on the effects quitting without explicitly comparing this mobility to promotions. This omission gives an incomplete picture of mobility. Bringing promotions back into the discussion, helps to understand why workers commit to internal careers and firm tenure. The paper shows that quits and promotions yield distinctly different outcomes for core workers, despite both mobility types being labelled “voluntary”. Thus, the authors show that inequality in earnings and working conditions is closely tied to access to the “life-chances” of mobility; those who are able to pursue promotion are rewarded objectively; those who quit for a new employer seek a better job fit.

To Promote or Hire? How Racial Processes and Organizational Characteristics Affect Internal Promotions in NCAA Division I College Basketball Coaching

We use data from 2008–2013 on the universe of internal promotion opportunities in the labor market of NCAA Division I men's college basketball coaching to examine how race and racial homophily affect the likelihood of internal promotion. We run probit regression analyses from the individual and organizational perspective, offering a robust test of six hypotheses. In line with the relational inequality perspective, we find that the racial match of assistants and head coaches explains discrepancies in internal promotion, with homogeneous white pairings seeing significantly increased odds compared to other racial combinations. In addition, our findings reveal that colleges and universities are more likely to promote internally as the racial composition of the staff more closely matches the race of the outgoing head coach, thereby underscoring how racial processes inform the micro-level interactions that shape organizational behavior.

The Impact of hiring for passion in specialization on the creativity and development of companies in MENA

The objective of this study was to highlight the importance of hiring for passion toward specialty and its impact on the creativity and development of companies in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). The sample was taken from the following countries: Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Kuwait, Qatar, Jordan, Egypt, Algeria and Tunisia. This study summarized the importance of passion in work and its reflection on the performance of employees and how to consider this criterion seriously in the selection of candidates and internal promotions and how it reflects the improvement of the performance, creativity and development of organizations. The study identified some reasons why employees leave organizations and search for another opportunity like: increase in salary, better opportunity and etc. In addition, the study stated some recommendations to enhance recruiting in the organizations, some of which are: hiring for the passion of specialization and eliminating those who are looking for any job with any salary and looking for a financial return only.

The Impact of hiring for passion in specialization on the creativity and development of companies in MENA

The objective of this study was to highlight the importance of hiring for passion toward specialty and its impact on the creativity and development of companies in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). The sample was taken from the following countries: Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Kuwait, Qatar, Jordan, Egypt, Algeria and Tunisia. This study summarized the importance of passion in work and its reflection on the performance of employees and how to consider this criterion seriously in the selection of candidates and internal promotions and how it reflects the improvement of the performance, creativity and development of organizations. The study identified some reasons why employees leave organizations and search for another opportunity like: increase in salary, better opportunity and etc. In addition, the study stated some recommendations to enhance recruiting in the organizations, some of which are: hiring for the passion of specialization and eliminating those who are looking for any job with any salary and looking for a financial return only.