Gender, formal organizational status and humor use: perceptions of social acceptance

PurposeHumor can be a useful tool in the workplace, but it remains unclear whether humor used by men versus women is perceived similarly due to social role expectations. This paper explored whether female humorists have less social latitude in their use of aggressive and affiliative humor in the workplace. This paper also examined how formal organizational status and the target's gender can impact audience perceptions.Design/methodology/approachTwo scenario-based studies were conducted where participants rated the foolishness of the humorist. For Study 1, participants responded to a scenario with an aggressive, humorous comment. For Study 2, participants responded to a scenario with an affiliative, humorous comment.FindingsResults suggested that high-status female humorists who used aggressive humor with low-status women were viewed as less foolish than low-status female humorists who used aggressive humor with low-status women. Conversely, status did not impact perceptions of male humorists who used aggressive humor with low-status women. Results also indicated that high-status women who used affiliative humor were viewed as less foolish when their humor was directed toward low-status men versus low-status women. Conversely, no differences existed for high-status men who used affiliative humor with low-status men and women.Practical implicationsNarrower social role expectations for women suggest that interpersonal humor can be a riskier strategy for women.Originality/valueThis study suggests that women have less social latitude in their use of humor at work, and that organizational status and target gender influence perceptions of female humorists.

Hidden Champions and their integration in rural regional innovation systems: Insights from Germany

This article studies the integration of Hidden Champions – little-known highly innovative global market leaders – in rural regional innovation systems (RIS) in Germany. These firms are analyzed in relation to their integration into a RIS framework, which differentiates two subsystems: knowledge generation and diffusion, and knowledge application and exploitation. The relevance of firm-internal and firm-external regional influencing factors on rural RIS integration is examined. The article proposes that Hidden Champions are weakly integrated in RIS due to their international sales focus and high technological specialization. To test this premise, 57 expert interviews with Hidden Champions and regional actors were conducted. It was found that key influences for RIS integration of this firm type are ownership structure, firm size, organizational status, location economies, and urbanization economies. Family businesses are on average more integrated than other firm types, but vary significantly in their integration.

Supervisors as recipients and implementers of organizational change: evidence from an Indian chain hospital

Purpose Supervisors play an important role in the implementation of organizational policies and practices. This study aims to examine the role of supervisors as both recipients and main implementers of organizational change by investigating how supervisors’ relationship with organization would affect their attitude toward change (ATC) and how employees–supervisor relationship, as perceived by employees, would influence their reaction to change. Design/methodology/approach The influence of participation, perceived organizational support (POS) and mutual expectation clarity (MEC) on supervisors’ ATC was examined, along with the influence of leader–member exchange, perception of supervisor’s expressed ATC and also supervisors’ organizational status on employees’ ATC. Two studies were conducted in a chain hospital in India. Findings The findings suggest that supervisors’ ATC improved by higher participation, POS and MEC. Also, while employees’ change attitude was predicted by how they perceived their supervisors’ status, expressed reaction toward change and perception of employee–supervisor relationship, for employees who either perceived highly negative change attitude of their supervisors or believed that their supervisors had low organizational status, the employee–supervisor relationship had almost no effect on improving employees’ attitude. Originality/value Considering that supervisors often tend to engage in professional relationships with their subordinate employees, little is investigated on how, through the lens of relationships, supervisors may affect employees’ ATC. This paper attempts to make a difference by conducting two connected studies in a chain hospital to examine how supervisors – as recipients and implementers of organizational policies and practices – could influence employees’ ATC. The findings suggest managerial implications that could inform practitioners toward improvement of employee buy-ins for change programs.

Validity Evidence of the Team Psychological Safety Survey

The objective of this study was to adapt and investigate validity evidence for the Team Psychological Safety Survey for Brazil and to test its feasibility to emerge at the team level. A sample of 8,310 female workers answered the scale. Initial analyses indicated the single-factor solution fitness, with Cronbach’s alpha = 0.84. Confirmatory factor analysis model obtained good fitness coefficients, CFI = 0.995, RMSEA = 0.07. Emersion was viable due to group variance identified by and ICC calculations. The hypothesis stated that psychological safety correlates with perceived organizational practices and that differences exist between men and women’s practices. Findings support that the good practices positively related to psychological safety, with differences between gender, while a negative relationship with bad practices was partially confirmed. A quadratic trend was identified between organizational status and psychological safety. Results provide validity evidence for the survey for samples of Brazilian women.

Unmasking the career impacts of Queen Bee syndrome within organizational hierarchies

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 This research paper concentrates on understanding the experiences of Saudi Arabian women who've worked under a female manager, and on determining how these relationships with senior women impact the career prospects of women lower in the hierarchy. The results reveal that when positive sisterly relationships are achieved with a female manager, the less senior women feel their workplace is aligned with societal values. However, the relationship quickly becomes toxic when female managers begin displaying Queen Bee behaviors to protect their organizational status from potential competition. 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.

KEY FEATURES OF THE ORGANIZATION OF EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES IN THE SYSTEM OF ADDITIONAL PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION

Представлены теоретические и методологические материалы организации образовательной деятельности в системе дополнительного профессионального образования. Установлено, что особенности организации образовательной деятельности в системе дополнительного профессионального образования наиболее ярко проявляются в предмете, процессе, организационном статусе ее субъекта (андрагога), ее типичных условиях, содержании и технологии реализации. Показано, что основное содержание образовательной деятельности в системе дополнительного профессионального образования как метадеятельности проявляется в «деятельности по организации профессиональной деятельности». Theoretical and methodological materials that reveal the key features of the organization of educational activities in the system of additional professional education are presented. It is established that the key features of the organization of educational activities in the system of additional professional education are most clearly manifested in the subject, process, organizational status of its subject (andragog), its typical conditions, content and technology of implementation. It is shown that the main content of educational activities in the system of additional professional education, as a meta-activity, is manifested in «activities for the organization of professional activities».

Taking the Pandemic by Its Horns: Using Work-Related Task Conflict to Transform Perceived Pandemic Threats Into Creativity

This study investigates a pressing topic, related to the connection between employees’ perceptions that the COVID-19 pandemic represents a pertinent threat for their organization on one hand, and their exhibited creativity, a critical behavior through which they can change and improve the organizational status quo, on the other. This connection may depend on their work-related task conflict, or the extent to which they reach out to colleagues to discuss different perspectives on work-related issues, as well as their collectivistic orientation. Data were gathered from employees working in the real estate sector. The results inform organizational practitioners that they should leverage productive task conflict to channel work-related hardships, such as those created by the coronavirus pandemic, into creative work outcomes. This beneficial process may be particularly effective for firms that employ people who embrace collectivistic norms, so they prioritize the well-being of others.

The Testamentary and Philanthropic Value of the Settlement Bequeathed to All Saints’ Monastery by Its Founder, Saint Anthim the Iberian, Metropolitan Bishop of Wallachia

Anthim the Iberian (1650 -1716) was a Georgian theologian, scholar, calligrapher, philosopher and one of the greatest ecclesiastic figures of Wallachia, led the printing press of the prince of Wallachia, and was Metropolitan of Bucharest in 1708-1715. Alongside his literary output, the cleric was the builder of the All-Saints Monastery in Bucharest - nowadays known as the Anthim Monastery in his memory. Established between 1713-1715 years, the monastery was bestowed by the founder with properties, necessary for the maintenance of the monastic congregation and the assistance of those in need. The holy metropolitan endowed it with an extremely inspired and coherent organizational status. This Settlement with a Testamentary value contains a number of 32 chapters whose content represents a veritable spiritual monument in which cult and culture, liturgy and philanthropy , homily and school, serving God and people are admirably interwoven. By his will, the Metropolitan ordained a beautiful work of social assistance from the monastery’s income. This testament may be considered a rule to live by, a guideline to the organization and management of living together both for monks and for family men, which has not lost its present interest.