Showing papers by "Geoff Soutar published in 2009"
TL;DR: In this article, the authors examined the management practices of owner-managers of small businesses seeking to grow their firms, and found that firms that possessed formal written business plans were more likely to have stronger support network partnerships, formal quality assurance and the ability to lead change among employees.
Abstract: Purpose – The paper aims to examine the management practices of owner‐managers of small businesses seeking to grow their firms. It seeks to better understand their strategic thinking in relation to internal and external environmental issues.Design/methodology/approach – A sample of 204 owner‐managers who had indicated their desire for growth was surveyed using a questionnaire developed from earlier research that examined their strategic and operational behaviour. Follow‐up discussions over their results were conducted face‐to‐face. Data were analysed using confirmatory factor analysis and discriminant analysis.Findings – Firms that possessed formal written business plans were found to be more likely to have stronger support network partnerships, formal quality assurance and the ability to lead change among employees. A relationship was found between an above average level of annual sales turnover and the personal vision of the owner‐managers.Research limitations/implications – Although the sample was atyp...
92 citations
01 Jan 2009
7 citations
01 Jan 2009
TL;DR: In this article, the authors examined the relationship between personality and self-leadership in a sample of vocational college academics and found that general selfefficacy and conscientiousness were positive predictors of selfleadership practices.
Abstract: This study examined the relationship between personality and self-leadership in a sample of vocational college academics. Structural equation modelling was used to assess the factor structure of self-leadership and its relationship with personality. Contrary to prior research the best fitting model was a one-factor model for self-leadership. The results did support the distinctiveness of locus of control, general self-efficacy and conscientiousness from overall self-leadership, but not from the behaviour-focused, natural reward and constructive thought pattern dimensions. General self-efficacy and conscientiousness were found to be positive predictors of self-leadership practices. The practical and research implications of the results for self-leadership are discussed.
2 citations
01 Jan 2009
2 citations
01 Jan 2009
TL;DR: This paper examined the relationship between preferred conflict handling styles and complaining behaviours in a service encounter and found that people's preference for the oblige, avoid, and dominate conflict-handling styles is related to their use of complaint behaviours in service failure situations.
Abstract: Conflict handling styles is a commonly examined construct in negotiation and organisational research, however there is little research on this topic in the marketing literature. The current study begins to address this deficiency by examining the relationships between preferred conflict handling styles and complaining behaviours in a service encounter. The results show that people’s preference for the oblige, avoid, and dominate conflict handling styles is related to their use of complaint behaviours in a service failure situation.
1 citations
01 Jan 2009
TL;DR: In this paper, four emotional labour strategy groups have been identified: amateurs (low on all three strategies), masqueraders (high surface and deep acting), empathists (high deep acting and genuine expression) and chameleons (high on all the three strategies).
Abstract: Prior research suggests employees use different combinations of surface acting, deep acting and genuine expression to regulate their emotions. Four emotional labour strategy groups have been identified: amateurs (low on all three strategies), masqueraders (high surface and deep acting), empathists (high deep acting and genuine expression) and chameleons (high on all three strategies). Discriminant analysis was used to examine personality differences among these four emotional labour groups. The amateurs had a higher need for social approval than did any other group and the empathists had higher positive affect. The chameleons and masqueraders, the groups with the highest use of surface and deep acting strategies, had greater negative affect. These results have important managerial implications that are discussed.
1 citations
01 Jan 2009
TL;DR: The results suggest researchers would be wise to compute coefficient beta as they may be combining items in inappropriate ways and the present paper outlines this approach using data from three different types of marketing scales.
Abstract: Multiple-item scales are central to empirical research in marketing, but there are measurement issues that are sometimes not considered. For example, homogeneity should be properly assessed. Many researchers fail to realize this and combine items inappropriately. Revelle (1979) suggested coefficient beta as a way to examine homogeneity in an analytical way and the present paper outlines this approach using data from three different types of marketing scales. The results suggest researchers would be wise to compute coefficient beta as they may be combining items in inappropriate ways. Page 1 of 7 ANZMAC 2009