C. Muhammad Siddique, Hinna Fatima Siddique and Shama Urooj Siddique
This study has two primary objectives: (1) to shed light on the mechanism by which authoritarian leadership unfolds its impact on such critical aspects of subordinates' work lives…
Abstract
Purpose
This study has two primary objectives: (1) to shed light on the mechanism by which authoritarian leadership unfolds its impact on such critical aspects of subordinates' work lives as job satisfaction and in-role performance and (2) to identify the moderating conditions which place limits on the impact of authoritarian leadership on work outcomes.
Design/methodology/approach
Data were collected on 552 supervisor-subordinate dyads from the United Arab Emirates. A series of research hypotheses were tested using a mixed-method statistical approach, including CFA and moderated hierarchical regression analysis.
Findings
As predicted, authoritarian leadership exerts negative impact on subordinates' job satisfaction and performance through poor quality LMX and weak employee organizational embeddedness. Both LMX and employee embeddedness mediated the negative relationship between authoritarian leadership and outcome measures while power distance moderated the relationship of authoritarian leadership with LMX and employee organizational embeddedness. Low power distance orientation was found to exacerbate the negative impact of authoritarian leadership on the quality of both LMX relationships and employee embeddedness.
Research limitations/implications
The study shares limitations of most studies cast in the survey research design.
Practical implications
The findings underscore the importance of work environment in nurturing high quality LMX relationships and employee organizational embeddedness to buffer the negative effect of authoritarian leadership on subordinates' job satisfaction and performance. In high power distance cultures where workplace inequality is largely rationalized, subordinates who perceive their leaders as authoritarian tend to show low job satisfaction and poor in-role performance. These findings illustrate the importance of management intervention in the early stage of recruitment and selection to attract managers receptive to egalitarian leadership approaches who can equip subordinates with appropriate resources to enhance their job satisfaction and performance outcomes.
Originality/value
The study offers valuable new insights into the mechanism by which authoritarian leadership influences work outcomes in a high-power distance culture. It represents first systematic effort in the Middle Eastern context to identify the conditions that mediate the linkage between authoritarian leadership and work outcomes. The study adds value to the literature by investigating the moderating role of power distance at the individual level of analysis. It detects significant differences in subordinates' perception of power inequality in the workplace in a culture viewed as a high-power distance culture and illustrates how such differences in turn shape the quality of LMX and employee organizational embeddedness.
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C. Muhammad Siddique and Hinna Fatima Siddique
This paper aims to examine managerial decision-making approaches, their antecedents and consequences in the Arabian Gulf context. Using recent survey data, the study offers a…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to examine managerial decision-making approaches, their antecedents and consequences in the Arabian Gulf context. Using recent survey data, the study offers a critical assessment of prevailing myths about decision-making styles in the Arabian Gulf.
Design/methodology/approach
Survey data were collected from a sample of 432 managers working in public and private sector companies in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). A combination of statistical techniques including confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and hierarchical regression analysis was used to test research hypotheses.
Findings
The findings of this study question the myth that UAE or Gulf managers mostly pursue consultative and participative styles of management. Most UAE managers continue to practice an autocratic and a pseudo-consultative style of decision-making, undermining the value of employee input in the decision-making process. The data revealed a strong negative relationship between autocratic management style and a range of personal and organizational outcomes such as job satisfaction, organizational commitment, organizational citizenship behavior, performance and innovative human resource management practices pertaining to work-family life balance and diversity programs. Most employees perceived autocratic management style as a major source of job stress, absenteeism and turnover. Socio-demographic characteristics of managers and their work organizations, considered as antecedents of decision-making styles, played a limited role in shaping decision-making approaches or their consequences. Globalization and associated socio-cultural changes that UAE and other Gulf region countries have experienced over the past two decades seem to have only a marginal impact on decision-making styles.
Research limitations/implications
Use of perceptual survey data places some constraints on the generalizability of our findings. Future research may address this issue with multiple data sources including an in-depth case study.
Practical implications
The findings of this research should be of special interest to both domestic and multinational companies in seeking alignment of their management approaches with the emerging competitive business environment in UAE and other Gulf countries. Theoretically, the paper documents the value of the continuum theory of managerial behavior in UAE and the Arabian Gulf context.
Originality/value
The study represents a first major effort to develop and test a comprehensive conceptual model of antecedents and consequences of managerial decision-making styles in UAE, which may be extended to other countries in the Arabian Gulf region. The value-added contribution of the study may be seen in its critical analysis of prevailing beliefs and assumptions about management practices in the Arabian Gulf.
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Kelly Mara Seronato and Tomás Sparano Martins
Although studies have analyzed individual factors and their impact on marketing strategies and organizational performance, little is known about the owner-manager’s…
Abstract
Purpose
Although studies have analyzed individual factors and their impact on marketing strategies and organizational performance, little is known about the owner-manager’s decision-making style. In the marketing literature of micro, small and medium enterprises (SMEs), little attention has been paid to the decision-maker. This study aims to gauge the impact of the manager's decision-making styles (rational, intuitive, dependent, avoidant and spontaneous) on marketing strategy creativity, on its implementation effectiveness and, consequently, on organizational performance.
Design/methodology/approach
This study uses a quantitative and descriptive approach. The data collection technique was through a survey with structured questionnaires in an online format. The data were collected from Brazilian micro, small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the commerce and service sectors. The nonprobabilistic sampling included 206 valid responses. The data were analyzed using the technique of structural equation modeling (SEM) through the partial least squares method (PLS).
Findings
Among the main results, it was observed that rational, dependent and avoidant styles influence the creativity and implementation effectiveness of marketing strategies, and that these two factors positively impact organizational performance. In addition, it was found that part of the effect of rational, dependent and avoidant styles on performance occurs through the creativity and implementation effectiveness of the marketing strategy. However, the effect of the intuitive style and spontaneous style was not significant.
Practical implications
For owner-managers, the main implication is that they need to be rational, carefully analyzing the information and options available, ask for support when necessary for their team or partners and avoid procrastinating decisions. This can aid the development of more creative and effective implementations of their marketing strategies, which consequently, may contribute to better performance results.
Originality/value
The main contribution of this study was to add a new approach (decision-making styles) to the SME marketing literature. Moreover, this study integrates organizational (focused on marketing) and behavioral (focused on the manager's decision-making style) perspectives as factors that improve organizational performance.
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The purpose of this paper is to identify organizational resources that may enhance the performance outcomes of a learning culture; this study was undertaken in the United Arab…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to identify organizational resources that may enhance the performance outcomes of a learning culture; this study was undertaken in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), an emerging economy in the Arabian Gulf region.
Design/methodology/approach
A survey questionnaire was used to collect data on a sample of 254 firms from the Emirates of Dubai and Abu Dhabi. The target respondents included middle to senior managers working in logistics, operations, finance and general management positions.
Findings
The data revealed a positive relationship between learning organization (LO) initiatives and four measures of firm performance considered in the study: employee skills development, product/service innovation, cost-effectiveness and growth in revenues. This relationship was moderated by strategic orientation of the human resource management function and perceived organizational support. Effective HRM strategies and organizational support systems were identified as critical resources that can add substantial value to the performance outcomes of an LO culture. These findings suggest that investing in the development of an LO culture makes a good business sense.
Research limitations/implications
Use of perceptual measures was one of the major limitations of the present study.
Practical implications
The largely positive impact of LO-related programs underscores the strategic importance of the LO concept to maintain superior performance outcomes in the emerging knowledge economy of UAE.
Originality/value
The paper represents an initial effort at making a business case for the LO concept in a non-western context. It brings into focus the role of organizational support and strategically oriented human resource management initiatives in optimizing the performance impact an LO culture.
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Three decades of academic and professional discourse on HR technologies (HRTs) have produced continued disagreement over construct definitions and research streams that are highly…
Abstract
Three decades of academic and professional discourse on HR technologies (HRTs) have produced continued disagreement over construct definitions and research streams that are highly fragmented. These realities suggest that greater consistency in meanings is sorely needed if we are to integrate and upgrade knowledge in this area. This chapter draws on the findings of a systematic research review to properly define the content domains of human resource information systems (HRIS), virtual human resources (virtual HR), electronic human resource management (e-HRM), and business-to-employee (B2E) systems. An integrative synthesis was performed on 242 system-level writings that appeared in the literature from 1983 to 2017. The weight of the evidence strongly supports treating HRIS, virtual HR, e-HRM, and B2E systems as independent, complimentary constructs. While the first three comprise a firm’s HRT system, the fourth construct is more appropriately positioned in the business-collaborative system. The sample was further evaluated with an analytic framework to detect patterns of practice in research designs. This revealed that much more attention has been focused on system actions and outcomes than on attitudes and system characteristics. Different units of analysis were well represented aside from trans-organizational studies. Finally, a case is made for better contextualizing HRT research by recognizing differences in assimilation stage, functional penetration, and collective proficiency. These factors are rarely mentioned, let alone studied, raising additional concerns about measurement error. Detailed suggestions are offered on ways to incorporate them. Together, these materials should promote more sophisticated and generalizable assessments of technology, improving our ability to understand its impacts.
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Ahmadreza Karimi Mazidi, Fariborz Rahimnia, Saeed Mortazavi and Mohammad Lagzian
This study aims to investigate the possible negativity of job embeddedness in developing countries. Operationally, the study aimed to configure the relationship between job…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to investigate the possible negativity of job embeddedness in developing countries. Operationally, the study aimed to configure the relationship between job embeddedness and cyberloafing with respect to both contextual (job satisfaction) and individual (internet addiction) factors.
Design/methodology/approach
Incorporating the conservation of resources theory and reactance theory into the theory of job embeddedness, the present study adopted a resource-based approach to job embeddedness to examine its main and moderated effects on cyberloafing in a three-way interaction model. With the focus on public organizations, 500 administrative employees from an Iranian university were surveyed using self-reporting measures, and the collected data were analyzed using partial least squares–structural equation modeling and hierarchical moderated multiple regression.
Findings
As predicted, job embeddedness was positively associated with cyberloafing; however, in contrast with predictions, job satisfaction had no inverse impact on the job embeddedness–cyberloafing relationship, and its role was limited to neutralizing the increasing effect of internet addiction.
Practical implications
Consideration should be given to how job embeddedness interacts with contextual and individual moderators to affect cyberloafing. In particular, this study implicated some practical procedures to provide employees with on- and off-the-job resources and avoid fighting over the organization's resources. Additionally, this study provides insights into embeddedness-satisfaction interplay to provide employees with propitious work conditions in line with organizational productivity.
Originality/value
There is little research on the association between job embeddedness and counterproductive work behaviors, and the findings are inconsistent. A review of the literature revealed no study addressing cyberloafing implications of job embeddedness. This study expands the literature by theoretically and empirically correlating job embeddedness and cyberloafing in a non-western developing country. Accordingly, the significance of this study is its capability in mitigating cyberloafing behaviors by promoting the adverse job embeddedness.
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Carry Mak and Jacky Hong
This paper aims to offer a contextualized and multi-stakeholder perspective for creating a learning organization (LO) 2.0.
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to offer a contextualized and multi-stakeholder perspective for creating a learning organization (LO) 2.0.
Design/methodology/approach
Based on a systematic review of the critiques of LO in the past three decades, this paper suggests some possible directions for the development of next-generation of LO (e.g. LO 2.0).
Findings
It is suggested that LO 2.0 should adopt a contextualized perspective by considering the social, organizational, cultural and industrial contexts to enhance the success of LO implementation and help fine-tune the universal LO model. Accordingly, LO 2.0 should adopt a multi-stakeholder perspective by incorporating multiple stakeholders during the process of design and implementation under the rationales of counteracting managerial dominance of low-power marginalized employees and mitigating the impacts of increased competition and technology advancement.
Practical implications
This paper provides some practical advice to business practitioners regarding how the practices of LO 2.0 can be adopted.
Originality/value
The study adds to the existing LO literature by further supporting and developing a contextualized and multi-stakeholder perspective to create the next generation of LO.
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The author argues that we must stop and take a look at what our insistence on human labour as the basis of our society is doing to us, and begin to search for possible…
Abstract
The author argues that we must stop and take a look at what our insistence on human labour as the basis of our society is doing to us, and begin to search for possible alternatives. We need the vision and the courage to aim for the highest level of technology attainable for the widest possible use in both industry and services. We need financial arrangements that will encourage people to invent themselves out of work. Our goal, the article argues, must be the reduction of human labour to the greatest extent possible, to free people for more enjoyable, creative, human activities.
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Bashaer Almatrooshi, Sanjay Kumar Singh and Sherine Farouk
The purpose of this paper is to review the existing literature on determinants that influence organizational performance and to develop a framework that could be beneficial for…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to review the existing literature on determinants that influence organizational performance and to develop a framework that could be beneficial for leaders.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper uses a systematic review of articles on the factors that influence organizational performance. The purpose of this systematic review is to collect and summarize all empirical evidence from literature that fits the context of this study.
Findings
The findings of the study have been weaved together in a proposed framework for the role of cognitive, emotional, and social competencies on leadership competencies that in turn influence both employee and organizational performance.
Research limitations/implications
This paper is a literature review, a framework on the determinants of organizational performance has been proposed but has not yet been tested empirically.
Practical implications
Leaders can leverage the results of this study to enhance their leadership competencies for the purpose of improving the performance on both individual employee and organizational levels.
Originality/value
There are few research-based studies on the determinants of organizational performance. This paper has identified key variables that play a significant role in helping organizations perform effectively.
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This study was undertaken to explore obstacles to market orientation in the retail small- and medium-sized retail enterprises (SME) sector of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), a…
Abstract
Purpose
This study was undertaken to explore obstacles to market orientation in the retail small- and medium-sized retail enterprises (SME) sector of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), a rapidly growing economy in the Gulf region. The paper aims to discuss these issues.
Design/methodology/approach
The study used a triangulation data collection approach, including a case study, participant observation, and a questionnaire-based survey. Five research hypotheses were developed on context-specific impediments to market orientation, identified by means of in-depth interviews with owners/operators of SMEs, their channel partners and customers, and were tested with survey data.
Findings
The study revealed a weak market orientation among UAE-based retail SMEs. An undifferentiated competition, limited resource infrastructure, and a short-term planning horizon occurred as the major impediments to the development and implementation of a market orientation. SMEs that preferred to maintain the status quo, and those who perceived UAE ' s commercial environment as lenient and pro-business, also expressed a lack of interest in the marketing concept and market orientation as a competitive strategy.
Research limitations/implications
The study supports the contention that social-structural conditions and business practices can create formidable barriers to a market orientation in emerging markets. The findings call for shifting the current research focus from intra-organizational antecedents of market orientation to context-specific factors that may impede or facilitate market orientation.
Originality/value
The study unravels a unique set of impediments to market orientation in UAE ' s retail sector and thus contributes to the ongoing interest of marketing scholars in expanding the range of possible antecedents of a market orientation. The findings of this study should be of special interest to foreign business firms aspiring to enter the growing retail sector of UAE and other emerging markets in the Gulf region.