Effects of informal controls and psychological empowerment on job satisfaction

ABSTRACT The aim of this article was to investigate the effects of informal controls on psychological empowerment and job satisfaction. Despite previous studies having analyzed the role of certain management control systems in individual results, such as psychological empowerment and job satisfaction, the evidence on informal controls within this context is inconclusive. Credit union systems play a considerable role in economic growth, regional development, and employability. We therefore explore the perception of directors and managers of business units of one of the biggest cooperative systems regarding the informal controls used. Considering that job satisfaction has a series of implications for organizations (for example in employee loyalty and job performance), it is important to understand its determinants. The literature points to the growing concern among contemporary organizations about informal controls. Various studies focus on understanding the role of these controls and their respective effects on organizational and individual behaviors. From the individual perspective, there is a need to analyze the indirect effects of management controls on individual aspects by means of psychological variables. Thus, this study provides new evidence on informal controls in organizations by exploring the intervening role of psychological empowerment and the (beneficial) effects on job satisfaction. In addition, the study provides a methodological contribution to the national research on management control by adding an analysis based on mixed methods. A survey was applied to directors and managers of business units of one of the biggest credit union systems in Brazil. The data were analyzed using a mixed methods approach: partial least squares structural equation modeling and fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis. Informal controls are directly and indirectly associated (via empowerment) with job satisfaction. Moreover, the findings indicate more than one solution for high job satisfaction.

How firms can achieve positive employee outcomes

Purpose Turnover intention remains an issue for many firms but can be effectively reduced if a transformational leadership style is adopted. Psychological empowerment of employees by such leaders helps increase both loyalty to the firm and willingness to engage in organizational citizenship behavior. Design/methodology/approach This briefing is prepared by an independent writer who adds their own impartial comments and places the articles in context. Findings Turnover intention remains an issue for many firms but can be effectively reduced if a transformational leadership style is adopted. Psychological empowerment of employees by such leaders helps increase both loyalty to the firm and willingness to engage in organizational citizenship behavior. 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.

Organizational learning, resilience and psychological empowerment as antecedents of work engagement during COVID-19

PurposeThis paper aims to explore the relationship between organizational learning (OL) and work engagement (WE) in the Middle East region amid the COVID-19 pandemic and to test the mediating role of employee resilience (ER) and psychological empowerment (PE) on this relationship.Design/methodology/approachThe sample size was 208 respondents working in the Middle East area during COVID-19. Hypotheses were tested using regression analysis with bootstrapping.FindingsThe findings indicate a significant positive impact of OL on WE. Moreover, both constructs – ER and WE – were identified as mediators for this relationship.Practical implicationsPractical implications within this study call for organizations to focus on promoting a learning culture in order to adapt and respond effectively to unprecedented external challenges.Originality/valueThe current study extends previous research and strengthens the antecedents of WE, namely, OL, ER and PE in the Middle East region while controlling for COVID-19 perceptions.

Leadership Styles and Psychological Empowerment: A Meta-Analysis

Psychological empowerment has become a popular construct in organizational research and practice. Leadership ranks high among the best predictors of employees’ psychological empowerment, yet little is known about which leadership styles prove more effective than others. This meta-analysis investigates the effects of four leadership styles on psychological empowerment. More specifically, we test whether empowering leadership evokes more psychological empowerment than transformational leadership, servant leadership, or transactional leadership. We found that empowering, transformational and servant leadership contribute almost equally to psychological empowerment. No relationship was found with transactional leadership. In an explorative manner, we tested the effects on the different dimensions of psychological empowerment. We found that the leadership styles had a weaker influence on the competence dimension of psychological empowerment. We also investigated the effects of several moderators on the relationships with psychological empowerment: country culture (power balanced freedom (PBF)), study design (cross-sectional vs. multi-wave studies) and publication status (published vs. unpublished). We found no moderating effects of culture, which indicates the universally empowering effects of the leadership styles. The relationships between leadership and empowerment were somewhat weaker when data were collected at different measurement points, and publication bias does not seem to be an issue in this research field.

Impact of Servant Leadership on the Development of Change-Oriented Citizenship Behavior

Due to globalization; utilization of new innovations; adapting to a tempestuous climate; and political, cultural, and economical challenges, organisations face progressing cycles of change. They relegate the duty of expecting change and giving direction to their employees for their professional growth. Because of the change-oriented behavior of employees, the study proposed the importance of understanding the phenomena while examining the subject of change readiness and psychological empowerment of employees during the current era of change. This study examines the mechanism of the effect of servant leadership on change-oriented behavior. The study employed a survey-based method, and data is collected with the help of a questionnaire. The rate of response was 50%, qualifying for the minimum criteria of response rate. For the data analysis, SEM-PLS is used. Results of the current study supported the hypothesised relationships.

Using Technology and Innovation to Streamline Agile Project Management

Agile project management has transformed due to the rapid advancements in technologies. Digitisation of work processes has also contributed to increased efficiencies and lowering of costs within companies and organisations worldwide. This is essential in agile project management as managing and maintaining schedules and budgets are imperative for a successful project completion. The employees' drive, confidence, job meaningfulness, autonomy in job, and mastery of skills, or psychological empowerment as they often referred to in literature, are instrumental in nourishing employees' innovative work behaviour. This is a key contributor to successful agile project management.

Use and Impact of Online Travel Reviews for Planning Free and Easy Holidays

Online travel reviews (OTRs) are used by travelers to plan and book their holiday particular by the free and easy traveler. Hence, it is essential for hoteliers to understand the factors that affect and empower travelers when using OTRs to plan their holidays. This study has adopted three theories: dual-process theory, psychological empowerment (PE) and TPB. These theories were used to test additional dimensions of the informational and normative social influence, its links with perceived empowerment, and their impact on the intention to use OTRs. Using SmartPLS to analyze the data collected from 392 Malaysian, the results show that PE is significantly affected by informational and normative social influence, from travelers’ perception of PE positively affects their attitude toward using OTRs, and attitude significantly influences intention to use OTRs when plans for travel. Furthermore, the research findings contribute to the literature on travelers’ behavioral intention; this study also has direct implications for online travel providers.