Joshua Chang, Antonio Travaglione and Grant O’Neill
The purpose of this paper is to study job attitudes between unionized and non-unionized employees in Australia as recent research on attitudes among unionized employees has…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to study job attitudes between unionized and non-unionized employees in Australia as recent research on attitudes among unionized employees has centred on topics such as attitudes towards unionization and involvement, but not on work-related attitudes.
Design/methodology/approach
This study uses a data set of over 5,000 responses from the Australia at Work survey. Ten attitudinal survey questions adapted from the Australian Workplace Industrial Relations Survey and the Australian Survey of Social Attitudes were used to compare work-related attitudinal differences between unionized and non-unionized employees.
Findings
Findings show that unionized employees perceive less manager–employee consultation, health and safety, dispensability, time flexibility, workload flexibility, managerial trust, fair treatment and pay equity.
Originality/value
Not much is known about the attitudinal differences between unionized and non-unionized employees, given the paucity of research on unionist job attitudes. Recent research in this area has centred on employee attitudes towards unionization and involvement as opposed to studying work-related attitudes. The findings can help the management predict behavioural responses between unionized and non-unionized employees for improved decision making.
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Grant O’Neill, Antonio Travaglione, Steven McShane, Justin Hancock and Joshua Chang
This paper aims to investigate whether values enactment could be increased through frame-of-reference (FOR) training configured around values prototyping and behavioural domain…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to investigate whether values enactment could be increased through frame-of-reference (FOR) training configured around values prototyping and behavioural domain training for managers within an Australian public sector organisation.
Design/methodology/approach
Employees from an Australian public sector organisation were studied to ascertain the effect of values training and development via a three-way longitudinal design with a control group.
Findings
The findings indicate that FOR training can increase employee values enactment clarity and, thereby, have a positive impact upon organisational values enactment.
Practical implications
The application of FOR training constitutes a new approach to supporting the development of employee values clarity, which, in turn, can support the achievement of organisational values enactment. Through FOR training, employees can learn to apply organisational values in their decision-making and other behaviours irrespective of whether they are highly congruent with their personal values.
Originality/value
Empirical research into values management is limited and there is a lack of consensus to what is needed to create a values-driven organisation. The article shows that FOR training can be a beneficial component of a broader human resource strategy aimed at increasing organisational values enactment. With reference to the resource-based view of the firm, it is argued that values enactment constitutes a distinctive capability that may confer sustained organisational advantage.
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Joshua Chang, Grant O’Neill and Antonio Travaglione
The purpose of this study is to explain demographic influences on employee trust towards managers.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to explain demographic influences on employee trust towards managers.
Design/methodology/approach
Drawing upon a data set of over 5,000 responses from the Australian workforce, this paper examines demographic influences on employee trust in their managers.
Findings
The findings show that demographic influences have an effect on employee trust towards managers. Employees who are male, older, public sector, permanent, longer tenured and unionised were found to be less likely to trust managers.
Practical implications
Relevant to human resource practice, the findings offer potential for the development of trust by identifying employees who are less likely to trust managers. The expected outcome is that such employees can be selected for programmes and practices aimed at improving trust, such as increased managerial contact, consultation and support.
Originality/value
There has been a general decline of employee trust in managers over the past two decades. Research on the antecedents of trust has been reported to lag behind theory, with a paucity of research relating to demographic influences on employee trust towards managers. This study fills this research gap and offers potential for the targeted development of trust towards managers among employees.
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Chris Perryer, Catherine Jordan, Ian Firns and Antonio Travaglione
The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between organizational commitment, perceived organizational support (POS) and turnover intentions. The objective is to…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between organizational commitment, perceived organizational support (POS) and turnover intentions. The objective is to identify practical as well as theoretical implications of the relationships.
Design/methodology/approach
This research was undertaken via a questionnaire in a large Australian public sector organization.
Findings
The interaction between POS and organizational commitment was a significant predictor of turnover intention. Employees with low levels of commitment, but high levels of support from the organization, are less likely to leave the organization.
Research limitations/implications
This is a cross‐sectional study, using self‐reports for independent and dependent variables.
Practical implications
As POS was found to influence turnover, this provides an avenue of approach for managers struggling to retain valuable employees whose commitment alone may not be enough to prevent them from leaving.
Originality/value
The paper examines the impact of POS, a neglected variable in the study of turnover intention, and in particular in its interactive effect between commitment and turnover.
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Joshua Chang, Julia Connell, John Burgess and Antonio Travaglione
The purpose of this paper is to focus on the implications of the gender wage gap in Australia, before considering policy responses and their effectiveness at both the government…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to focus on the implications of the gender wage gap in Australia, before considering policy responses and their effectiveness at both the government and workplace levels.
Design/methodology/approach
The method concerns an extensive literature review and an examination of secondary data and reports relating to workplace gender equality and data.
Findings
While the gender wage gap in most OECD countries has decreased over time, in Australia the gap has increased, with the largest contributory factor identified as gender discrimination. Consequently it is proposed that current policy responses supporting women in the workplace appear to be ineffective in closing gender wage gaps.
Research limitations/implications
Further research is recommended to identify the impact of gender equality policies on hiring decisions and whether such decisions include an unwillingness to hire or promote women. As findings were based on secondary data, it is recommended that future research include workplace surveys and case studies.
Practical implications
It is suggested that articles such as this one can assist in guiding public policy and workplace decisions on gender wage equality issues, in addition to providing human resource leaders with the information to make better decisions relating to gender equality.
Originality/value
This paper suggests that current policy responses may not only be ineffective in closing the gender wage gap, but may even exacerbate it as employers may avoid hiring women or continue to pay them less than men, due to costs incurred when attempting to meet policy directives.
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Juan Carlos Hernandez-Matias, Jared R. Ocampo, Antonio Hidalgo and Antonio Vizan
Lean manufacturing (LM) constitutes a consolidated alternative that has been successfully used to increase company effectiveness and performance. However, different studies have…
Abstract
Purpose
Lean manufacturing (LM) constitutes a consolidated alternative that has been successfully used to increase company effectiveness and performance. However, different studies have shown that many companies that attempt to integrate LM into their manufacturing operations fail in their efforts. Recent studies have shown that soft practices are a key factor for a successful LM implementation. The purpose of this paper is to analyze an in-depth review of the different human-related lean practices (HRLP) referenced in the recent literature and to identify which of them are more relevant to a successful LM implementation.
Design/methodology/approach
The findings presented in this paper are based on the results of a study about the situation of LM in Spain carried out with lean production managers and frontline supervisors of 202 Spanish companies with a high percent (74 percent) of international firms with factories in different countries. The implemented methodology uses factor analysis and structural equation modeling.
Findings
The results shows statistical evidence of the relationship between management’s HRLP (fostering a lean culture, providing support to lean), employees’ HRLP (employee involvement and employee empowerment) and operational performance (OP) (waste reduction and flexibility).
Practical implications
The results have academic and practical relevance for clarifying lean phenomena, helping managers to define a sequence in which a company should implement HRLP to successfully implement LM and increase its OP.
Originality/value
This study fills a research gap by exploring the existing causal relationships between a greater number of variables, both dependent and independent in relation to human factors in LM implementations.
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Ece Ömüriş, Ferda Erdem and Janset Özen Aytemur
This study aims to investigate the relationship between cooperative and competitive behavioral tendencies and trust of coworkers in organizations. Two main hypotheses were…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to investigate the relationship between cooperative and competitive behavioral tendencies and trust of coworkers in organizations. Two main hypotheses were developed. The first hypothesis was that cooperativeness and trust in coworkers is positively correlated. The second hypothesis was that competitiveness and trust in coworkers is negatively correlated.
Design/methodology/approach
The sample was 442 Turkish tourism sector employees in a labor-intensive industry. Two scales were used to measure trust in coworkers and cooperativeness/competitiveness. A hierarchical regression analysis was performed to understand how individuals' behavioral tendency affects their coworkers' trust in them.
Findings
The findings strongly supported the first hypothesis, in that cooperativeness was positively correlated with trust in coworkers. The second hypothesis was only partially supported because there was no significant relationship between competitiveness and the competency and trustworthiness dimensions of trust. Unselfishness aspect of trust, however, was negatively correlated with competitiveness.
Research limitations/implications
The main contribution of this study is to show that employee cooperativeness and competitiveness can affect trust in coworker relations. However, the measurement of competitiveness and cooperativeness measurement had limitations due to differences in the culture-specific meanings of cooperation and competition. Future research employing mixed methods research is needed to further explain the content of the two tendencies and the relationship between the concepts.
Originality/value
The literature on trust and employee relations tends to focus more on the issue of trust between managers and subordinates while neglecting the complex and multifaceted structure of trust in employee–employer relations. However, new working forms mean that horizontal relations are increasingly important. Therefore, more research is needed to address the tendencies and structures that affect trust in coworkers. This study draws attention to the potential role of cooperative and competitive behaviors in trust in horizontal employee relations.
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Gutama Kusse Getele, Tsitaire Jean Arrive and Xiong Ruoliu
This study aims to understand better how business strategies impact a company’s corporate social responsibility (CSR).
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to understand better how business strategies impact a company’s corporate social responsibility (CSR).
Design/methodology/approach
In this research, two categories of business strategy are proposed, and partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) was used to test the research model using a sample of 150 valid surveys data from the Chinese manufacturing firms industry in Africa.
Findings
This study indicates business strategy in terms of real support and development approach plan in the Chinese manufacturing industry has a crucial influence on CSR effectiveness. Business strategy leads to effective CSR practices by adding value to firm products, services, marketing strategies and technological investment.
Practical implications
Companies can use a support strategy for effective CSR to improve corporate social performance. The study expands upon previous insights into corporate leaders enhancing their CSR strategy because it may successfully contribute to environmental preservation.
Social implications
This research mobilized and found academic gaps in business strategy regarding real support and development approach; it is necessary to combine the impacts of business strategy at multiple levels of analysis to explain the expansion of CSR to integrate the stakeholder theory.
Originality/value
This study offers a deeper perspective and provides empirical evidence of a better understanding of CSR effectiveness by emphasizing the role of business strategy. Effective CSR implementation requires integrating the influences of company strategy and real support at multiple levels of analysis to explain CSR dispersion.