Showing papers on "Organizational effectiveness published in 2005"

Managing Strategic Contradictions: A Top Management Model for Managing Innovation Streams

Abstract: Sustained organizational performance depends on top management teams effectively exploring and exploiting. These strategic agendas are, however, associated with contradictory organizational architectures. Using the literature on paradox, contradictions, and conflict, we develop a model of managing strategic contradictions that is associated with paradoxical cognition-senior leaders and/or their teams (a) articulating a paradoxical frame, (b) differentiating between the strategy and architecture for the existing product and those for innovation, and (c) integrating between those strategies and architectures. We further argue that the locus of paradox in top management teams resides either with the senior leader or with the entire team. We identify a set of top management team conditions that facilitates a team's ability to engage in paradoxical cognitive processes.

Existing Knowledge, Knowledge Creation Capability, and the Rate of New Product Introduction in High-Technology Firms

Abstract: A field study of top management teams and knowledge workers from 72 technology firms demonstrated that the rate of new product and service introduction was a function of organization members’ ability to combine and exchange knowledge. We tested the following as bases of that ability: the existing knowledge of employees (their education levels and functional heterogeneity), knowledge from member ego networks (number of direct contacts and strength of ties), and organizational climates for risk taking and teamwork.

Human resource management and labor productivity: does industry matter?

Abstract: There has been growing interest in the degree to which human resource systems contribute to organizational effectiveness, yet limited research attention has been paid to the contextual conditions that moderate the efficacy of these practices. In this study, we examined how industry characteristics affect the relative importance and value of high-performance work systems. Findings indicate that the impact of these human resources systems on productivity is influenced by industry capital intensity, growth, and differentiation.

Validating the organizational climate measure: links to managerial practices, productivity and innovation

Abstract: This paper describes the development and validation of a multidimensional measure of organizational climate, the Organizational Climate Measure (OCM), based upon Quinn and Rohrbaugh's Competing Values model. A sample of 6869 employees across 55 manufacturing organizations completed the questionnaire. The 17 scales contained within the measure had acceptable levels of reliability and were factorially distinct. Concurrent validity was measured by correlating employees' ratings with managers' and interviewers' descriptions of managerial practices and organizational characteristics. Predictive validity was established using measures of productivity and innovation. The OCM also discriminated effectively between organizations, demonstrating good discriminant validity. The measure offers researchers a relatively comprehensive and flexible approach to the assessment of organizational members' experience and promises applied and theoretical benefits. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The Role of Entrepreneurial Orientation in Stimulating Effective Corporate Entrepreneurship

Abstract: This article discusses research that examines the relationship between a firm's entrepreneurial orientation and their overall performance. The authors note that firms that follow a strategy of corporate entrepreneurship are able to pursue growth through new venture opportunities and strategic renewal. Firms that are able to effectively follow this strategy experience sustainable advantages and yield above-average returns. They outline and discuss five dimensions of corporate entrepreneurship including autonomy, innovativness, proactiveness, competitive aggressiveness and risk-taking. They examine what implications these strategies have for managers and identify areas of future research.

Talentship, talent segmentation, and sustainability: A new HR decision science paradigm for a new strategy definition

Abstract: Two paradigm shifts are discussed here: talentship and sustainability. First, the traditional service-oriented HR focus must be extended to a “decision science” that enhances decisions about human capital. We call this decision science talentship. It includes talent segmentation, or identifying pivotal talent pools where the quality and/or availability of human capital makes the biggest difference to strategic success. Second, HR and business leaders increasingly define organizational effectiveness beyond traditional financial outcomes to encompass sustainability—achieving success today without compromising the needs of the future. A common strategic human capital decision science can reveal pivotal talent under both traditional and sustainability-based definitions, and thus uncover important insights about the talent implications of the shifting definition of strategic success. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The Impact of Organizational Culture and Reshaping Capabilities on Change Implementation Success: The Mediating Role of Readiness for Change

Abstract: It was hypothesized that employees' perceptions of an organizational culture strong in human relations values and open systems values would be associated with heightened levels of readiness for change which, in turn, would be predictive of change implementation success. Similarly, it was predicted that reshaping capabilities would lead to change implementation success, via its effects on employees' perceptions of readiness for change. Using a temporal research design, these propositions were tested for 67 employees working in a state government department who were about to undergo the implementation of a new end-user computing system in their workplace. Change implementation success was operationalized as user satisfaction and system usage. There was evidence to suggest that employees who perceived strong human relations values in their division at Time 1 reported higher levels of readiness for change at pre-implementation which, in turn, predicted system usage at Time 2. In addition, readiness for change mediated the relationship between reshaping capabilities and system usage. Analyses also revealed that pre-implementation levels of readiness for change exerted a positive main effect on employees' satisfaction with the system's accuracy, user friendliness, and formatting functions at post-implementation. These findings are discussed in terms of their theoretical contribution to the readiness for change literature, and in relation to the practical importance of developing positive change attitudes among employees if change initiatives are to be successful.

Organizational learning as a determining factor in business performance

Abstract: Purpose – With the decline of some well‐established firms, the diminishing competitive power of many companies in an increasingly globalized market and the need for organizational renewal and transformation, interest in organizational learning has grown Senior managers in many organizations are convinced of the importance of improving learning in their organizations Therefore, it is necessary not only to clarify the concept of organizational learning, but also to establish the relationship between it and business performance This paper aims to explore this relationshipDesign/methodology/approach – The degree to which organizational learning influences business performance is investigated for 195 Spanish firms with more than 200 employees using the statistical technique of structural equation modelingFindings – The results provide support for the view that organizational learning contributes positively both to innovation and competitiveness and to economic/financial results Furthermore, the results s

CEO transformational leadership and organizational outcomes: The mediating role of human-capital-enhancing human resource management

Abstract: Using a field survey and company data of 170 firms in Singapore, we tested an integrated theoretical model relating CEO transformational leadership (TL), human–capital-enhancing human resource management (HRM), and organizational outcomes, including subjective assessment of organizational performance, absenteeism, and average sales. We found that human–capital-enhancing HRM fully mediates the relationship between CEO transformational leadership and subjective assessment of organizational outcomes and partially mediates the relationship between CEO transformational leadership and absenteeism. We discuss practical and theoretical implications.

Creativity and standardization: complementary or conflicting drivers of team effectiveness?

Abstract: We examine relationships between creativity, the use of standardized work practices, and effectiveness (measured as both performance and customer satisfaction) among 90 empowered teams of service technicians. Despite the seemingly contradictory natures of creativity and standardized procedures, our results indicate that they can be complementary. Specifically, standardization was found to moderate the relationship between creativity and both team performance and customer satisfaction, although the pattern of results differed for the two measures of effectiveness. We discuss how and when teams can effectively employ both work practices.

Creating high performance organizations

Abstract: The relationship between people and the organizations they work for is changing. Corporations no longer can offer the job security and career paths they used to. A new relationship needs to be developed that rewards performance and skills in ways that contribute to organizational effectiveness.

Turnover, Social Capital Losses, and Performance

Abstract: A theory of turnover, social capital losses, and store performance was developed and tested in 38 locations of a restaurant chain. We assessed the ability of social capital losses to predict varian...

Bringing humility to leadership: Antecedents and consequences of leader humility:

Abstract: As noted by McGill and Slocum (1998), effective leadership tends to operate as a contingency theory. The romanticized notion of celebrity CEOs that has been lionized in the popular business press has its place in the leadership pantheon, but, like any other approach to leadership, has limitations in its application. In particular, as discussed by Collins (2001a), sustained organizational functioning is more likely to be the result of the celebrity’s antithesis, a person possessing a blend of humility and strong personal will. This article draws from a diversity of sources in order to explore this potential nexus between humility and leadership. It offers a precise conceptualization of the concept of humility, identifies traits that are predictors of humility as well as the specific leadership behaviors that are likely to be the outcomes of high levels of humility.

Can Businesses Effectively Regulate Employee Conduct? The Antecedents of Rule Following in Work Settings

Abstract: Achieving employee adherence to organizational rules and policies is critical for successful coordination and functioning within organizations. In this article, we explore the antecedents of such rule-following behavior and present two studies of employees that compare two strategies for achieving rule and policy adherence: (1) an extrinsically oriented command-and-control model and (2) an intrinsically oriented self-regulatory model. The findings of both studies suggest that the influence of the self-regulatory strategy exceeds that of the command-and-control approach. Overall, these studies highlight the potential value of fostering employee rule following via intrinsically oriented self-regulatory mechanisms and suggest strategies for implementing such mechanisms.

Managing Stakeholder Relationships and Nonprofit Organization Effectiveness

Abstract: This research examined how nonprofit organizations manage their relationships with stakeholders and how these practices relate to perceived organization effectiveness. We conducted semistructured, open-ended interviews with executive directors of nonprofit organizations (NPOs) to discover whom they see as their stakeholders, the types of expectations they encounter from stakeholders, and the practices they use in managing stakeholder relationships. The two nonprofits that were evaluated as most effective used a consistent, thematic rationale in dealing with stakeholder issues: one organization discussed its actions in terms of its mission and core values, the other based its actions in terms of building relationships and networks. Our study suggests that organizations that ground their external relations in issues that are recognized as good nonprofit management, and do so consistently across stakeholder groups, will tend to be rated as more effective by multiple, external evaluators.

Employee involvement climate and organizational effectiveness

Abstract: This study empirically examines the relationship between the perceived employee involvement (EI) climate and organizational effectiveness. Using a sample of insurance companies, results indicate that organizations with high levels of perceived EI climate lead to organizational effectiveness as measured through financial performance, turnover rate, and workforce morale. Implications of the results for research and practice are discussed. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Examining the relationship between learning organization characteristics and change adaptation, innovation, and organizational performance

Abstract: The main purpose of this exploratory study was to examine the relationship between certain learning organization characteristics and change adaptation, innovation, and bottom-line organizational performance. The following learning organization characteristics were found to be the strongest predictors of rapid change adaptation, quick product or service introduction, and bottomline organizational performance: open communications and information sharing; risk taking and new idea promotion; and information, facts, time, and resource availability to perform one's job in a professional manner.

Organizational Citizenship of Faculty and Achievement of High School Students

Abstract: All successful organizations, including successful high schools, have employees who go beyond their formal job responsibilities and freely give of their time and energy to succeed. Organ was the first to use the phrase "organizational citizenship behavior" (OCB) to denote organizationally beneficial behavior of workers that was not prescribed but occurred freely to help others achieve the task at hand (Bateman & Organ, 1983). The willingness of participants to exert effort beyond the formal obligations of their positions has long been recognized as an essential component of effective organizational performance. Research on organizational citizenship behavior has produced some intriguing insights in a variety of organizational settings (Organ, 1988; Organ & Ryan, 1995), but it has been neglected in the study of schools. In an earlier paper (DiPaola & Tschannen-Moran, 2001), Organ's concept of organizational citizenship (Organ, 1988; Organ & Ryan, 1995) was developed and applied to public schools. This analysis builds on that earlier work. In this analysis, the concept of organizational citizenship behavior is reviewed and then applied to schools. A set of hypotheses linking organizational citizenship behavior with student achievement in high schools is developed and tested. A significant relationship was found between student achievement on standardized tests and the level of organizational citizenship behaviors of the faculty in the high school sample studied. The relationship remained significant even after controlling for socioeconomic status (SES). Finally, a set of suggestions for further research and a series of practical suggestions for high school administrators are provided. ********** Successful organizations have employees who go beyond their formal job responsibilities and freely give of their time and energy to succeed at the task at hand. Such altruism is neither prescribed nor required; yet it contributes to the smooth functioning of the organization. In an earlier paper (DiPaola & Tschannen-Moran, 2001), Organ's concept of organizational citizenship (Organ, 1988; Organ & Ryan, 1995) was developed and applied to public schools. The current analysis builds on that earlier work. First, we review the concept of organizational citizenship behavior, then we apply the concept to schools, and finally, we develop and test a set of hypotheses linking organizational citizenship behavior with student achievement. Conceptual Framework The three major variables of this study are organizational citizenship behavior, student achievement, and socioeconomic status. Organizational Citizenship Behavior Organ was the first to use the phrase "organizational citizenship behavior" (OCB) to denote organizationally beneficial behavior of workers that was not prescribed but occurred freely to help others achieve the task at hand (Bateman & Organ, 1983). Research on organizational citizenship behavior has produced some intriguing insights in a variety of organizational settings (Organ, 1988; Organ & Ryan, 1995), but it has been neglected in the study of schools. Teachers perform the task of teaching. They are professionals in the sense that they study a relatively long time to master the fundamentals of teaching (expertise) and their primary commitment is to their students (service to clients). Teaching is a complex activity that requires professional judgments; it cannot adequately be prescribed in teachers' job descriptions or contracts. Thus organizational citizenship behavior is an especially important aspect of the performance of faculty in schools. Organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) is defined as "performance that supports the social and psychological environment in which task performance takes place" (Organ, 1997, p. 95). Such behavior is said to "lubricate the social machinery of the organization" (Bateman & Organ, 1983, p. …

Integrating managerial perceptions and transformational leadership into a work‐unit level model of employee involvement

Abstract: Employee involvement is an organizational phenomenon that has received increasing empirical attention. Although much research has examined the outcomes of involvement at the organization level, arguments can be made for exploring involvement at the work-unit level and for investigating the processes by which a unit-level climate of involvement may be created or emerge. Building on largely untested suggestions that such processes are likely to be motivational and initiated by employees' immediate supervisors, this paper incorporates two concepts of managerial perceptions and leadership into a work-unit level model of involvement climate. In particular, this study examines the indirect association of managerial perceptions about subordinates' ability to perform and about the utility of organizational practices for facilitating performance, as well as the direct association of transformational leadership, with a climate of involvement. The association of involvement climate with citizenship, absenteeism, and voluntary turnover is also considered. Using structural equation modeling in a sample of 167 work units, results indicate that leadership fully mediates the relationship between managers' perceptions about their subordinates and climate. Further, climate partially mediates and fully mediates the relationship between leadership and citizenship, and absenteeism, respectively. Implications for future research are discussed. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Teacher‐principal relationships: Exploring linkages between empowerment and interpersonal trust

Abstract: Purpose – To investigate relationships between teacher empowerment and interpersonal level trust in the principal.Design/methodology/approach – Trust is a fundamental element in well‐functioning organizations. Studies of empowerment, a motivational construct, have suggested that empowering employees is a key factor in managerial and organizational effectiveness. An instrument was constructed to measure perceived teacher empowerment and level of interpersonal trust in the principal. Established measures of psychological empowerment and affect‐and cognition‐based trust were adapted for use in the study. Elementary school teachers in an urban school district in the USA completed the survey instrument.Findings – Teachers who perceived that they were empowered in their work environments had higher levels of interpersonal trust in their principals. Teachers who found their work personally meaningful, and who reported significant autonomy and substantial influence in their work environments had higher levels of ...

Examining the relationship of leadership and physical distance with business unit performance.

Abstract: Measures of transformational and transactional contingent reward leadership and physical distance were used to predict the business unit performance of 101 managers. Results revealed that transformational leadership positively predicted unit performance, while contingent reward leadership was not related to performance. Physical distance between leaders and followers negatively moderated the relationship between transformational leadership and unit performance, and positively moderated the relationship between contingent reward leadership and performance. Implications for future work on leadership at a distance are discussed.

Leadership group coaching in action: The Zen of creating high performance teams

Abstract: Executive Overview Although one-on-one coaching can be very effective, this article advocates the benefits of leadership coaching in a group setting, because durable changes in leadership behavior are more likely to occur. Discussion is offered to show that leadership group coaching establishes a foundation of trust, makes for constructive conflict resolution, leads to greater commitment, and contributes to accountability, all factors that translate into better results for the organization. The article suggests that a change methodology centered on leadership group coaching creates high-performance teams, is an antidote to organizational silo formation, helps put into place boundaryless organizations, and makes for true knowledge management. A strong plea is made for aspiring leadership coaches to undergo clinical training to prepare them for the kind of deep-seated psychological problems that can derail the leadership coaching process. Commentary about the clinical approach to organizational intervention...

Flexible work bundles and organizational competitiveness: a cross‐national study of the European work context

Abstract: The present study explores the categorization of flexible work arrangements (FWAs) into bundles and their connection to organizational competitiveness in the European Union. The measures of competitiveness were performance, turnover, and absenteeism. Four moderators were used in the study, organization sector, industry sector, organization size, and organizational women-supportiveness. The analyses revealed four FWA Bundles, namely Non-Standard Work Patterns, Work Away from the Office, Non-Standard Work Hours and Work Outsourced. Non-Standard Work Patterns were found to be related to decreased turnover (in the private sector), while Work Away from the Office was related to improved performance and reduced absenteeism. Non-Standard Work Hours and Work Outsourced (within the public sector) were positively related to turnover, suggesting that these types are possibly not being used as true flexibility arrangements. Finally, post-hoc analysis revealed that Non-Standard Work Hours was related to increased performance only among Swedish organizations. Implications for management and future research are discussed. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.