Clifton O. Mayfield and Mark O’Donnell
COVID-19 accelerated the already growing prevalence of employees working remotely, and limited research exists on the effectiveness of proactive influence tactics in remote work…
Abstract
Purpose
COVID-19 accelerated the already growing prevalence of employees working remotely, and limited research exists on the effectiveness of proactive influence tactics in remote work settings. This study aims to identify which proactive influence tactics may best facilitate employee work engagement in a remote work setting.
Design/methodology/approach
Survey data stems from 231 employees who work remotely in the USA. Hierarchical regression was used to analyze the data and assess interaction effects.
Findings
Evidence was found for positive relationships between work engagement and multiple proactive influence tactics (collaboration, consultation, inspirational appeals, exchange, apprising, rational persuasion, personal appeals and ingratiation) and a negative relationship between work engagement and pressure. The percentage of time an employee spends working remotely moderated the proactive influence tactic-work engagement relationship. Significant interaction effects were found for exchange and personal appeals.
Practical implications
The results highlight several influence tactics that managers can consider using to increase employee work engagement. The findings also demonstrate the increasing effectiveness of certain influence tactics, such as exchange and personal appeals, as employees spend more time working remotely, shedding light on important considerations for managers seeking to optimize employee engagement in remote work environments.
Originality/value
The study contributes to the limited literature on proactive influence tactics and work engagement and examines these relationships in a remote work setting. In addition, it examines the moderating effect of the percentage of time an employee spends working remotely.
Details
Keywords
Nguyen Tho, Nguyen Thi Mai Trang and Nguyen Ngoc Quynh Thu
Recognizing the crucial role of leadership in innovation, this study aims to investigate the role of ambidextrous leadership (opening and closing leadership behaviors) in…
Abstract
Purpose
Recognizing the crucial role of leadership in innovation, this study aims to investigate the role of ambidextrous leadership (opening and closing leadership behaviors) in marketing departments’ innovation ambidexterity (exploratory and exploitative innovations), including the mediating and moderating roles of marketing managers’ psychological capital (PsyCap) and proactive personality, respectively.
Design/methodology/approach
A two-wave survey of 198 marketing managers from firms in Vietnam was conducted. Partial least squares structural equation modeling was used in hypotheses testing (net effects), and necessary condition analysis was used to decipher the necessity level of the determinants of innovation ambidexterity.
Findings
Opening leadership behavior positively affects exploratory innovation while closing leadership behavior enhances exploitative innovation. The effect of opening leadership behavior on exploratory innovation is mediated and moderated by PsyCap and proactive personality, respectively; the opposite is found for the relationship between closing leadership behavior and exploitative innovation. Finally, PsyCap is a necessary condition for exploratory innovation, whereas PsyCap and closing leadership behavior are necessary conditions for exploitative innovation.
Practical implications
Firms should pay attention to the role of ambidexterity in leadership to enable marketing managers to direct their marketing departments to acquire new knowledge, skills and processes, and reinforce existing ones to foster innovation ambidexterity. They should also consider the necessary role of the factors that help achieve the desired level of target outcomes.
Originality/value
This study identifies two boundary conditions (PsyCap, a mediator; and proactive personality, a moderator) for the relationship between opening leadership behavior and exploratory innovation. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is among the first to decipher the necessity level of the determinants of innovation ambidexterity.
Details
Keywords
Leila M. Marcano Nieves, Juan C. Sosa-Varela, Maribel Ortiz and Francisco Montalvo
This study investigates the impact of top management’s networking capabilities on the organizational networking and absorptive capacities of small and medium-sized enterprises…
Abstract
Purpose
This study investigates the impact of top management’s networking capabilities on the organizational networking and absorptive capacities of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Puerto Rico. This study aims to enhance understanding of how top management influences the networking behaviors that drive SME performance.
Design/methodology/approach
Data were collected from Puerto Rican SMEs and analyzed using multi-item reflective indicators on a five-point Likert scale. Partial least squares structural equation modeling was used to test the hypotheses and explore relationships between networking capabilities and absorptive capacities.
Findings
The study finds that top management’s networking capabilities are predominantly reactive, significantly impacting information acquisition, opportunity enabling and weak-tie resource mobilization. Both potential and realized absorptive capacities are critical for SMEs to leverage resources for competitive advantage.
Research limitations/implications
Further research is needed to explore how these findings apply to other regions or industries and expand on the role of proactive networking in enhancing SME competitiveness.
Practical implications
The study underscores the importance of refining proactive and reactive networking capabilities to sustain competitive advantage in dynamic environments.
Social implications
Puerto Rico’s unique economic context, including natural disasters and economic downturns, makes the findings relevant for SMEs in similar regions that rely on strong networks for resilience.
Originality/value
This research contributes to the dynamic capabilities literature by confirming SMEs’ proactive and reactive networking dimensions. It also offers a unique perspective by focusing on Puerto Rican SMEs facing distinct economic and social challenges.
Objetivo
Este estudio investiga el impacto de las capacidades de networking de la alta dirección en las redes organizacionales y las capacidades de absorción de las pequeñas y medianas empresas (PYMEs) en Puerto Rico. La investigación tiene como objetivo mejorar la comprensión de cómo la alta dirección influye en los comportamientos de networking que impulsan el desempeño de las PYMEs.
Diseño/metodología/enfoque
Se recopilaron datos de PYMEs puertorriqueñas y se analizaron utilizando indicadores reflexivos de múltiples ítems en una escala Likert de cinco puntos. Se empleó el modelo de ecuaciones estructurales de mínimos cuadrados parciales (PLS-SEM) para probar las hipótesis y explorar las relaciones entre las capacidades de networking y las capacidades de absorción.
Resultados
El estudio encuentra que las capacidades de networking de la alta dirección son predominantemente reactivas, lo que impacta significativamente en la adquisición de información, la habilitación de oportunidades y la movilización de recursos a través de vínculos débiles. Tanto las capacidades de absorción potenciales como las realizadas son fundamentales para que las PYMEs aprovechen los recursos para obtener una ventaja competitiva.
Originalidad/valor
Esta investigación contribuye a la literatura sobre capacidades dinámicas al confirmar las dimensiones proactivas y reactivas de networking en las PYMEs. También ofrece una perspectiva única al centrarse en las PYMEs de Puerto Rico que enfrentan desafíos económicos y sociales particulares.
Limitaciones de la investigación/implicaciones
Se necesita más investigación para explorar cómo estos hallazgos se aplican a otras regiones o industrias y para profundizar en el papel del networking proactivo en la mejora de la competitividad de las PYMEs.
Implicaciones prácticas
El estudio subraya la importancia de perfeccionar las capacidades de networking proactivas y reactivas para mantener una ventaja competitiva en entornos dinámicos.
Implicaciones sociales
El contexto económico único de Puerto Rico, incluidas las catástrofes naturales y las recesiones económicas, hace que los hallazgos sean relevantes para PYMEs en regiones similares que dependen de redes sólidas para su resiliencia.
Objetivo
Este estudo investiga o impacto das capacidades de networking da alta gestão nas redes organizacionais e nas capacidades de absorção das pequenas e médias empresas (PMEs) em Porto Rico. A pesquisa visa melhorar a compreensão de como a alta gestão influencia os comportamentos de networking que impulsionam o desempenho das PMEs.
Desenho/metodologia/abordagem
Os dados foram coletados de PMEs porto-riquenhas e analisados usando indicadores reflexivos de múltiplos itens em uma escala Likert de cinco pontos. Foi utilizado o modelo de equações estruturais de mínimos quadrados parciais (PLS-SEM) para testar as hipóteses e explorar as relações entre as capacidades de networking e as capacidades de absorção.
Resultados
O estudo conclui que as capacidades de networking da alta gestão são predominantemente reativas, impactando significativamente a aquisição de informações, a habilitação de oportunidades e a mobilização de recursos através de vínculos fracos. Tanto as capacidades de absorção potenciais quanto as realizadas são fundamentais para que as PMEs aproveitem os recursos para obter vantagem competitiva.
Originalidade
Esta pesquisa contribui para a literatura sobre capacidades dinâmicas ao confirmar as dimensões proativas e reativas de networking nas PMEs. Também oferece uma perspectiva única ao focar nas PMEs de Porto Rico, que enfrentam desafios econômicos e sociais distintos.
Limitações da pesquisa/implicações
Mais pesquisas são necessárias para explorar como esses achados se aplicam a outras regiões ou indústrias, além de expandir o papel do networking proativo no aumento da competitividade das PMEs.
Implicações práticas
O estudo destaca a importância de aperfeiçoar as capacidades de networking proativas e reativas para manter a vantagem competitiva em ambientes dinâmicos.
Implicações sociais
O contexto econômico único de Porto Rico, incluindo desastres naturais e crises econômicas, torna os achados relevantes para PMEs em regiões semelhantes que dependem de redes sólidas para sua resiliência.
Details
Keywords
Yunsheng Shi, Haibo Yu, Lei Gao, Muchuan Yang and Shanghao Song
With the rapid growth of the gig economy worldwide, gig workers’ perceived algorithmic control has been proven to have a crucial impact on the service performance, well-being and…
Abstract
Purpose
With the rapid growth of the gig economy worldwide, gig workers’ perceived algorithmic control has been proven to have a crucial impact on the service performance, well-being and mental health of gig workers. However, the literature suggests that gig workers’ perceived algorithmic control may be a double-edged sword. The purpose of this research is to explore how the perceived algorithmic control of gig workers can accelerate thriving at work.
Design/methodology/approach
Based on the model of proactive motivation and work design literature, a three-wave survey was employed, yielding 281 completed responses. The structural equation modeling method was used to test the theoretical hypothesis.
Findings
The results indicate that gig workers’ perceived algorithmic control has positive and indirect effects on thriving at work through the mediating role of job crafting. In addition, job autonomy can moderate the mediated relationship; specifically, when job autonomy is high, this mediated relationship will be stronger.
Practical implications
The health and well-being of gig workers is a concern around the world. The findings provide insights for service platform enterprises and gig workers.
Originality/value
Perceived algorithmic control is critical to mental health and positive work experiences during a gig worker’s service process. However, the current literature focuses more on the negative aspects of algorithmic control. This paper provides a comprehensive research agenda for how to accelerate thriving at work for gig workers.
Details
Keywords
Drawing on the conservation of resources (COR) theory, we propose a mediated moderation showing how proactive personality (PP) and job crafting toward interests (JC-interests…
Abstract
Purpose
Drawing on the conservation of resources (COR) theory, we propose a mediated moderation showing how proactive personality (PP) and job crafting toward interests (JC-interests) influence the relationship between interest incongruence and cyberloafing.
Design/methodology/approach
We used a three-wave survey and collected data from 429 full-time employees working in different industries in China.
Findings
We found that interest incongruence was positively related to cyberloafing. Furthermore, this positive relationship was more significant when employees were low in PP or engaged in low levels of JC-interests. In addition, the moderating effect of PP was mediated by JC-interests.
Practical implications
These findings are helpful for organizations in figuring out how to mitigate the detrimental effects of interest incongruence by providing more support to proactive employees and implementing various JC interventions.
Originality/value
This study suggests that PP and JC-interests (resource gain strategy) could mitigate the positive effect of interest incongruence on employees’ cyberloafing.
Details
Keywords
Renée M. Boesten, Evangelia Demerouti, Pascale M. Le Blanc and Keri A. Pekaar
This study adopts a person-centered perspective to explore how entrepreneurs combine multiple proactive behavioral strategies across the business, personal and…
Abstract
Purpose
This study adopts a person-centered perspective to explore how entrepreneurs combine multiple proactive behavioral strategies across the business, personal and business-environment domains. We research whether certain combinations of proactive behavioral strategies (i.e. seeking resources, optimizing demands, seeking challenges, idea generation, environmental exploration, network crafting, self-insight and boundary management) relate to well-being and business performance. Moreover, we investigate whether entrepreneurs’ daily use of these strategies aligns with their general profiles.
Design/methodology/approach
A sample of 286 Dutch entrepreneurs participated in a general survey study. Moreover, 49 of these entrepreneurs also participated in a six-day diary study (N = 255). Latent profile analysis was used to find specific profiles and multilevel regression to understand the daily patterns.
Findings
We uncovered four meaningful profiles: the minimum business effort entrepreneurs, the solid and self-caring entrepreneurs, the needy and self-ignorant entrepreneurs and the proactive business entrepreneurs, each with different outcomes in business performance and well-being. Daily proactive behavior showed stability, suggesting a foundation deeply rooted in their general proactive behavior.
Originality/value
The study highlights the value of proactive strategies across all life domains, as profiles encompassing this combination show greater entrepreneurial success.
Details
Keywords
Sanman Hu, Lixin Jiang, Qiong Zou and Mingqian Liu
Using conservation of resources and self-determination theories, this study explores the negative ties between proactive career behaviour and job insecurity, which are mediated by…
Abstract
Purpose
Using conservation of resources and self-determination theories, this study explores the negative ties between proactive career behaviour and job insecurity, which are mediated by work-related basic needs satisfaction, and how contract type affects these relationships.
Design/methodology/approach
Two waves of data were collected from 332 Chinese employees. The mediation and moderated mediation models were tested with MPLUS 8.30 and SPSS’s PROCESS macro.
Findings
Proactive career behaviour negatively affects (both quantitatively and qualitatively) job insecurity through work-related basic needs satisfaction. Contract type moderates the relationship between proactive career behaviour and work-related basic needs satisfaction as well as the indirect relationship between proactive career behaviour and quantitative (but not qualitative) job insecurity via work-related basic needs satisfaction. These findings suggest that temporary employees can obtain greater benefits by engaging in proactive career behaviour than can their permanent counterparts.
Originality/value
This study contributes to the limited research on job insecurity antecedents, mechanisms and key moderators.
Details
Keywords
Chen Chen, Jia Luo and Jiajing Hu
Marketers of new brands increasingly utilize complex names to draw consumers’ attention. Although complexity can make a brand stand out, whether it encourages or discourages…
Abstract
Purpose
Marketers of new brands increasingly utilize complex names to draw consumers’ attention. Although complexity can make a brand stand out, whether it encourages or discourages consumers’ patronage intention remains unclear. To address this issue, the research explores the double-edged sword of brand name complexity on consumers’ patronage intention, mediated by uniqueness perception and psychological distance. It also examines the moderating effect of brand self-introduction.
Design/methodology/approach
Three between-subjects experimental studies were conducted across different scenarios and brands. In Study 1 (N = 151), a single-factor (simple name vs complex name) between-subject design examined the mediating effect of uniqueness perception between brand name complexity and consumers’ patronage intention. Study 2 (N = 112) replicated this design to test the mediating effect of psychological distance. Study 3 (N = 231) conducted a 2 (simple vs complex name) × 2 (no introduction vs self-introduction) between-subject design to test the moderating effect.
Findings
The results indicate that a complex brand name (vs simple) can make the brand appear more unique, thereby increasing patronage intention. However, complexity also creates a sense of psychological distance, which can reduce patronage intention. Further, our results reveal that brand self-introduction can attenuate the association between brand name complexity and psychological distance.
Originality/value
This research extends brand name strategy literature by addressing the dual impact of brand name complexity on patronage intention, particularly emphasizing the impact of brand name complexity on psychological distance for a new brand. Additionally, the findings offer practical insights for marketers, highlighting that brand self-introduction is a key strategy to reduce psychological distance. This underscores the importance of balancing complexity with clear and effective communication.
Details
Keywords
This study aims to propose an architecture and presents the implementation of a unified chatbot that faces the challenges of heterogeneous communication channels. This approach…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to propose an architecture and presents the implementation of a unified chatbot that faces the challenges of heterogeneous communication channels. This approach enables the interaction with the chatbot to be carried out over multiple communication media on a single platform.
Design/methodology/approach
The chatbot was embedded in a unified communications framework. Furthermore, it has been developed and tested using the information and communications technology (ICT)Core platform. Three test scenarios have been considered in the context of a digital marketing company, which include the use of multiple channels such as text, audio and e-mail. Usability and empirical tests were performed to collect both qualitative and quantitative data.
Findings
The results indicate that the proposed model improves the completion rate and enables the chatbot to interact with the customer by capturing information over multiple channels. The findings also reveal that digital marketing organizations can use a unified chatbot in their marketing campaigns, which contributes to improving the quality of customer interaction, message personalization and continuous learning throughout the process.
Originality/value
While the use of a chatbot is a relatively common practice among companies, its integration into unified communications networks is an emerging topic. Proposals for integration into a unified communication channel have mainly focused on access to the same account and conversations from multiple devices or access platforms. This approach, while useful, does not allow for the integration of information from multiple sources. Alternatively, an integrated architecture is suggested in which a chatbot obtains knowledge from multiple sources and uses it to increase the quality of communication with the customer.
Details
Keywords
Antonina Tsvetkova and Britta Gammelgaard
This study aims to explore how operational resilience can be achieved within supply ecosystems in the delicate yet harsh natural environments of the Arctic.
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to explore how operational resilience can be achieved within supply ecosystems in the delicate yet harsh natural environments of the Arctic.
Design/methodology/approach
An in-depth, multiple qualitative case study of offshore supply operations in Arctic oil and gas field projects is conducted. Data from semi-structured interviews, personal observations and archival materials are analysed through institutional work and logics approaches.
Findings
The findings suggest that achieving social-ecological resilience depends on the interaction between social and natural (irreversible) systems, which are shaped and influenced by various institutional dynamics. Different resilience solutions were detected.
Research limitations/implications
This study develops a comprehensive understanding of how social-ecological resilience emerges in supply ecosystems through institutional dynamics. The study’s empirical basis is limited to offshore oil and gas projects in the Arctic. However, due to anticipated future growth of Arctic economic activities, other types of supply ecosystems may benefit from the study’s results.
Originality/value
This research contributes with empirical knowledge about how social-ecological resilience is created through institutional interaction within supply ecosystems to prevent disruptions of both social and ecological ecosystems under the harsh natural conditions of the Arctic.