Said Al Riyami, Mohammad Rezaur Razzak and Adil S. Al-Busaidi
This study investigates whether prolonged durations of work from home (WFH) leads to workplace ostracism (WO), and whether such relationship is moderated by perceived…
Abstract
Purpose
This study investigates whether prolonged durations of work from home (WFH) leads to workplace ostracism (WO), and whether such relationship is moderated by perceived organizational support (POS). The context of this research is based on the post-COVID-19 pandemic period, when most organizations have either recalled their employees back to their physical workplaces, or in other cases employees are relegated to continued WFH or to a hybrid model that combines both in-office and remote work. The importance of this study is the spotlight it brings to employees who feel ostracized from their workplace due the continued practice of WFH.
Design/methodology/approach
A conceptual model is developed, by leveraging the conservation of resources (COR) theory. The hypotheses are tested by using cross-sectional survey data collected from 240 employees working in various organizations in the Sultanate of Oman from both public and private sectors. The data are analyzed using R Core Team software.
Findings
The findings of the study reveal that WFH does not have any direct impact on WO. However, when POS is applied as moderator, the results indicate that at low levels of POS, the relationship between WFH and WO becomes significant, but not at moderate to high levels of POS.
Research limitations/implications
This study provides insights into how the phenomenon of WFH is likely to influence perceptions of employees in terms of feeling excluded from the organization by being asked to continue to work remotely, while many of their colleagues have returned to their prepandemic workplaces. The implications of the findings are relevant to the growing literature on employee experiences in the realm of emerging work models being introduced by organizations. Among the limitations of this study is the fact that there may be missing mediators that link WFH with WO, and the possibility that such a study if replicated in other cultural contexts may yield different results.
Practical implications
This study presents evidence to managers on leveraging the power of organizational support to ensure that negative emotions among employees such as WO are mitigated.
Originality/value
This appears to be among the first studies that attempts to provide insights into employee perceptions about WO in the postpandemic period, especially with regards to the emerging work arrangements that are primarily based on WFH that are being widely adopted by many organizations around the world. The results of this study provide useful information about how WFH and POS come together to influence emotions of individuals who have been longing to get back to their normal workplace once the social distancing guidelines of the pandemic were lifted.
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Aasim Yacub, Maureen T.B. Drysdale and Sarah A. Callaghan
This study explored the relationship between perceived peer support, mental health and the well-being of students enrolled in work-integrated learning (WIL) at a Canadian…
Abstract
Purpose
This study explored the relationship between perceived peer support, mental health and the well-being of students enrolled in work-integrated learning (WIL) at a Canadian institute of higher education, who were completing remote work experiences.
Design/methodology/approach
An online survey and virtual semi-structured interviews were used to collect data. The online survey captured demographic information as well as measures of perceived peer support, loneliness, positive mental health (PMH) and stressors associated with the on-going pandemic. The interviews captured narratives regarding peer support, attitudes surrounding remote work, mental health and well-being.
Findings
WIL students completing remote work terms experienced only moderate levels of peer support, moderate loneliness, below-average PMH and all the stressors associated with the on-going pandemic. Data also revealed that completing a remote work term negatively impacted work communications, opportunities to build connections with colleagues and overall motivation. On the other hand, WIL students appreciated the flexibility and comfort of working from home, as well as reduced work-related expenses.
Originality/value
With remote work experiences increasing globally and now a reality for many WIL students, the potential negative effects emphasize the importance of providing social and mental health support and resources, especially during stressful times.
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Jessica Liem, Narongsak Thongpapanl and Brent E. Faught
The role of public health organizations during the COVID-19 pandemic was crucial. These groups acted to slow the spread of infection through the implementation of initiatives…
Abstract
Purpose
The role of public health organizations during the COVID-19 pandemic was crucial. These groups acted to slow the spread of infection through the implementation of initiatives, policies, research and more. However, the rapidly changing and uncertain climate of the pandemic resulted in suboptimal processes and decision-making within these organizations. These already complex organizations and networks of people became even more nuanced. Thus, organizational decision-making processes must be improved upon based on previous experiences and lessons learnt. With minimal peer-reviewed literature available, resources for effective organizational decision-making in these organizations are scarce. This served as the impetus for this review.
Design/methodology/approach
To conduct this literature review, both peer-reviewed and grey literature were incorporated to better understand effective organizational decision-making practices for public health organizations. Recommendations found in the literature review were identified, coded and themed to provide a novel decision-making framework to be used by public health executives.
Findings
Nine key themes of effective organizational decision-making were identified, including utilize decision-making tools, define the problem and acknowledge an imminent decision, establish decision rights, outline a clear escalation path, create a supportive organizational culture, set decision objectives and goals, and evaluate decision alternatives. These findings in conjunction with existing decision-making models were used to create a seven-step effective decision-making framework for public health organizations.
Originality/value
The review and analysis of effective organizational decision-making practices is instructive. Public health executives and decision-makers should incorporate the themes identified and employ the proposed decision-making framework to encourage improved decision-making practices.
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Sampa Chisumbe, Clinton Ohis Aigbavboa, Erastus Mwanaumo and Wellington Didibhuku Thwala
Laura Farrugia, Gavin Oxburgh and Fiona Gabbert
Effective forensic interviewing is crucial, particularly if the interview is the only source of evidence. Whilst there are a number of interview models that advocate for…
Abstract
Purpose
Effective forensic interviewing is crucial, particularly if the interview is the only source of evidence. Whilst there are a number of interview models that advocate for reflective practice, the evaluation of interviews rarely gets the time or attention it deserves. This is concerning, given that interviewer skills drop significantly after six months, and there are limited opportunities for refresher training. This study aims to explore how law enforcement officers reflect upon and evaluate their interviews and seek their insight into what they believe an effective evaluation tool would constitute.
Design/methodology/approach
A total of 32 officers from three police forces in England and Wales and six international security organisations completed a qualitative questionnaire that explored their views on how interview evaluation is conducted and the impact on the interview, and how technology could assist in this important stage in terms of usability, efficacy and capability of a new evaluation tool.
Findings
Thematic analysis was used, resulting in three overall themes being identified from the data. These focused on current evaluation methods, barriers to conducting evaluations and technological solutions.
Originality/value
The findings are discussed in relation to interviewing and the development of tools to assist in evaluations. Implications for practice include the need for much more effort to be put into (re)introducing the evaluation stage into training to ensure that officers are allowed to reflect upon and evaluate their interview performance.
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Amrik Singh and Shuaibu Chiroma Hassan
Introduction: Skills are vital for the survival of an organisation to meet its objectives through producing goods and services. Due to their importance, they are among the…
Abstract
Introduction: Skills are vital for the survival of an organisation to meet its objectives through producing goods and services. Due to their importance, they are among the sought-after aspects of employment. However, organisations need more skilled employees to bridge the gaps due to disruptions, shifts in consumer demands and needs, and transformations in the global world.
Purpose of the Study: This study aims to identify various skill gap in talent, competencies, and experience emerging in the hospitality sector. It will also present some challenges to the hospitality sector that faces due to the skill gap identified.
Industrial and Academic Justification of the Study: The study examines the needs and challenges from academic and industry perspectives. Hence, it provides significance for academics and industry to apply the findings to address skill gap.
Research Gap: Previous research has focused on different aspects of skills in other countries. This study will look at the issue globally and the recent trends emerging from disruptions and shifts in consumer behaviour.
Results and Findings: Though the study is ongoing, the findings show that specific skill gap exist, particularly in emerging technologies, digitisation, data, robotics, and various job openings from different countries’ perspectives, hospitality, and the tourism industry.
Practical Implications: The findings have implications for the tourism and hospitality industry as a whole, as well as individual organisations. The tourism and hospitality industry should apply these suggestions, such as operational skills, digital skills, and interpersonal skills in various sections of tourism and hospitality organisations
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This paper aims to comment on resilience research within the context of frontline employees in sales and services marketing.
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to comment on resilience research within the context of frontline employees in sales and services marketing.
Design/methodology/approach
This commentary is a reflection based on my research, extant academic and managerial literature and personal perspectives.
Findings
Research findings show resilience is associated with increased employee effort and reduced turnover intentions in customer-facing roles. In addition, resilience can change over time and is not just a trait the employee is born with (or not). Hence, managers can cultivate resilience in employees.
Practical implications
Resilience cannot be purchased. Instead, managers can inspire resilience in frontline employees by developing their feelings of self-efficacy on the job, a sense of belongingness to the organization and peers and a sense of purpose and relatedness to customers.
Social implications
Resilience is not merely perseverance or grit; it is overcoming adversity and bouncing back to become better in the process. Thus, resilience is an important construct to study, particularly in customer-facing roles.
Originality/value
This commentary offers a unique approach to understanding resilience, its outcomes and its antecedents in customer-facing roles.
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Ozge Can and Duygu Turker
Despite the ongoing scholarly interest in greenwashing, it is not well known the impact of multiple institutional pressures on greenwashing in corporate social responsibility…
Abstract
Purpose
Despite the ongoing scholarly interest in greenwashing, it is not well known the impact of multiple institutional pressures on greenwashing in corporate social responsibility (CSR). Following the institutional logics perspective, this study investigates how three distinct logics – commercial, public, and social welfare – drive greenwashing and whether organizational capability for blending diverse CSR expectations reverses this link.
Design/methodology/approach
The current study conceptualized and tested an original model on how three institutional logics influence greenwashing in CSR, with the mediation effect of hybridization capability as a response to logic plurality. Partial least squares structural equation modeling was performed on a survey data, which was collected from 150 middle managers in Turkey.
Findings
The results show that while commercial logic has no direct or indirect impact on greenwashing, public and social welfare logics drive greenwashing in CSR. However, these effects are reversed when the CSR hybridization capability increases.
Practical implications
This study contributes to the understanding of what predicts CSR greenwashing by integrating a comprehensive theoretical framework involving multiple institutional logics, conflicting stakeholder demands, and organizational hybridity.
Originality/value
To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study that theoretically and empirically analyzed how the exposure of multiple external pressures affects the CSR greenwashing and how it can be reversed by CSR hybridization capability. This capability mitigates the threats and challenges of multiple logics and turns them into an opportunity to gain legitimacy in the eyes of stakeholders by preventing greenwashing.
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Rebecca Chunghee Kim, Hugh Scullion, Mohan V. Avvari, Stefan Jooss and Helal Uddin
The purpose of this paper is to provide a critical perspective on how the COVID-19 crisis shaped inclusive leadership behaviors of global business leaders.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to provide a critical perspective on how the COVID-19 crisis shaped inclusive leadership behaviors of global business leaders.
Design/methodology/approach
Using quantitative and qualitative methods, the authors analyzed 240 CEO statements in 120 multinational enterprises from six countries (France, India, Japan, South Korea, UK, USA), pre- and mid-COVID-19.
Findings
Results show that CEO emphasis on inclusive leadership increased during the pandemic. More substantively, the authors identify three key behaviors of inclusive leadership – fidelity, calmness and collective resilience.
Originality/value
The authors provide empirical evidence of inclusive leadership behaviors by global business leaders. In doing so, the authors integrate inclusive leadership into societally engaged international business research.
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Xiuping Lai, Wenhong Zhang and Yapu Zhao
Changes in regulation systems make professional organizations more likely to undergo rapid, profound and radical change. The issue of how micro-institutional change in…
Abstract
Purpose
Changes in regulation systems make professional organizations more likely to undergo rapid, profound and radical change. The issue of how micro-institutional change in professional organizations can be carried out is somewhat ignored.
Design/methodology/approach
We conducted a process study of a primary hospital in China to trace a pathway through which low-status professionals successfully proceed with radical change at the micro-level.
Findings
We present a model involving three strategies that, reconfiguring jurisdictional boundaries in combination, activate low-status professionals' long-standing implicit jurisdictions: expertise redefinition, value reorientation and promotion.
Research limitations/implications
Our study contributes to understanding how low-status professionals reconcile needs for change with contradictions from the core attributes and ambiguities of professional work. Rather than mixed practices enhancing the role of dominant professions, a desire to separate jurisdiction space opens up the access of newly dominant experts.
Originality/value
Changes in the regulation system make professional organizations more likely to undergo rapid, profound and radical change. The issue of how micro-institutional change in professional organizations can be carried out is somewhat ignored.