Carol Wong, Edmund J. Walsh, Kayla N. Basacco, Monica C. Mendes Domingues and Darrin R.H. Pye
The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of managers’ authentic leadership, person–job match in the six areas of worklife (AWLs) and emotional exhaustion on long-term…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of managers’ authentic leadership, person–job match in the six areas of worklife (AWLs) and emotional exhaustion on long-term care registered nurses’ job satisfaction.
Design/methodology/approach
A secondary analysis of baseline data from a national survey of 1,410 Canadian registered nurses from various work settings was used in this study, which yielded a subsample of 78 nurses working in direct care roles in long-term care settings. Hayes’ PROCESS macro for mediation analysis in SPSS was used to test the hypothesized model.
Findings
Findings showed that authentic leadership significantly predicted job satisfaction directly and indirectly through AWLs and emotional exhaustion.
Practical implications
Authentic leadership may provide guidance to long-term care managers about promoting nurses’ job satisfaction, which is essential to recruiting and retaining nurses to meet the care needs of an aging population.
Originality/value
As demand for care of the aged is increasing and creating challenges to ensuring a sufficient and sustainable nursing workforce, it is important to understand factors that promote long-term care nurses’ job satisfaction. Findings contribute to knowledge of long-term care nurses by suggesting that managers’ authentic leadership can positively affect nurses’ job satisfaction directly and indirectly through positive perceptions of AWLs and lower emotional exhaustion.
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Karen Cziraki, Carol Wong, Michael Kerr and Joan Finegan
This study aims to test a model examining the impact of leader empowering behaviour on experienced nurses’ self-efficacy, interprofessional collaboration, job turnover intentions…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to test a model examining the impact of leader empowering behaviour on experienced nurses’ self-efficacy, interprofessional collaboration, job turnover intentions and adverse patient outcomes.
Design/methodology/approach
Structural equation modelling in Mplus was used to analyse cross-sectional survey data from experienced nurses in Alberta, Ontario, and Nova Scotia, Canada (n = 478).
Findings
The results supported the hypothesized model: (164) = 333.021, p = 0.000; RMSEA = 0.047; CFI = 0.965; TLI = 0.959; SRMR = 0.051. Indirect effects were observed between leader empowering behaviour and nurses’ assessment of adverse events and leader empowering behaviour and nurses’ job turnover intentions through interprofessional collaboration.
Research limitations/implications
Leader empowering behaviour plays a role in creating collaborative conditions that support quality patient care and the retention of experienced nurses.
Practical implications
The findings will be of interest to academic and hospital leaders as they consider strategies to retain experienced nurses, such as nurse manager selection, development and performance management systems.
Originality/value
The influx of new graduate nurses to the nursing profession and changing models of care requires the retention of experienced nurses in the workforce. The findings suggest that leader empowering behaviour and interprofessional collaboration are important factors in supporting quality patient care and stabilizing the nursing workforce.
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This study aims to examine the relationships among authentic leadership of managers and new graduate nurses’ (NGNs) experience of manager incivility and their degree of trust in…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to examine the relationships among authentic leadership of managers and new graduate nurses’ (NGNs) experience of manager incivility and their degree of trust in their managers.
Design/methodology/approach
A secondary analysis of data using a non-experimental, correlational design was undertaken. From 2012 to 2013, 3,743 surveys were mailed to NGNs eligible for the study, and 1,020 returned completed questionnaires for a response rate of 27.3 per cent. The hypotheses were tested using hierarchical multiple linear regression.
Findings
Authentic leadership had a negative relationship with manager incivility, which in turn was negatively related to trust in the manager, and overall the model accounted for 59.9 per cent of the variance in trust. Authentic leadership was positively associated with trust in the manager.
Originality/value
Findings supported that authentic leadership may be an effective approach to enhance manager–nurse interactions because authentic managers are less likely to display uncivil behavior, which diminishes trust. Findings may be useful to inform the development of positive and respectful work environments and the everyday practice of nurse managers.
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Karen Cziraki, Emily Read, Heather K. Spence Laschinger and Carol Wong
This paper aims to test a model examining precursors and outcomes of nurses’ leadership self-efficacy, and their aspirations to management positions.
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to test a model examining precursors and outcomes of nurses’ leadership self-efficacy, and their aspirations to management positions.
Design/methodology/approach
A cross-sectional survey of 727 registered nurses across Canada was conducted. Structural equation modelling using Mplus was used to analyse the data.
Findings
Results supported the hypothesized model: χ2(312) = 949.393; CFI = 0.927; TLI = 0.919; RMSEA = 0.053 (0.049-0.057); SRMR 0.044. Skill development opportunities (ß = 0.20), temporary management roles (ß = 0.12) and informal mentoring (ß = 0.11) were significantly related to nurses’ leadership self-efficacy, which significantly influenced motivation to lead (ß = 0.77) and leadership career aspirations (ß = 0.23). Motivation to lead was significantly related to leadership career aspirations (ß = 0.50).
Practical implications
Nurses’ leadership self-efficacy is an important determinant of their motivation and intention to pursue a leadership career. Results suggest that nurses’ leadership self-efficacy can be influenced by providing opportunities for leadership mastery experiences and mentorship support. Leadership succession planning should include strategies to enhance nurses’ leadership self-efficacy and increase front-line nurses’ interest in leadership roles.
Originality value
With an aging nurse leader workforce, it is important to understand factors influencing nurses’ leadership aspirations to develop and sustain nursing leadership capacity. This research study makes an important contribution to the nursing literature by showing that nurses’ leadership self-efficacy appears to be an important determinant of their motivation to lead and desire to pursue a career as a nurse leader.
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Luminita Hurbean, Louie H.M. Wong, Carol XJ Ou, Robert M. Davison and Octavian Dospinescu
The authors investigate the relationship between instant messenger (IM) use and work performance, mediated by interruptions and two key indicators of the stress associated with…
Abstract
Purpose
The authors investigate the relationship between instant messenger (IM) use and work performance, mediated by interruptions and two key indicators of the stress associated with technology use: overload and complexity.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors validate this research model using partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) with data collected through a survey of 416 working professionals.
Findings
The data reveal that while IM use contributes minimally to work interruptions and to a greater extent to technological complexity, these two constructs fully mediate the direct influence of IM use at work on technology overload, and meanwhile significantly and directly contribute to work performance.
Research limitations/implications
This research provides theoretical insights into the deployment of IM and its actual impacts in the workplace. To improve the generalisation of the findings, the authors call for more IM-related research in other countries, with more native theories and various methodologies in this domain.
Practical implications
The level of stress generated through IM use is moderate, considering IM is not a significant contributor to work interruptions. Thus, despite the potential negative effects of IM communication, the positive effects of using IM at work prevail. As a result, the technology can be promoted as long as employees, their managers and the organisation as a whole are well prepared. Employees can transfer skills and behaviour from the personal setting to their work environment and thus may find an intrinsic motivation to make better use of the IM technology at work.
Originality/value
The authors argue that this research model is novel for its perspective on evaluating the actual impacts of IM use at work instead of the reasons of using it. The authors conceptualise the process to explain how IM contributes to interruptions and other technostress indicators in the working context, and the impact on performance. Contrary to some prior research, the authors find that overall IM applications do not have a negative impact on work performance, and instead may enhance it.
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Authentic leadership is an emerging theoretical model purported to focus on the root component of effective leadership. The purpose of this paper is to describe the relevance of…
Abstract
Purpose
Authentic leadership is an emerging theoretical model purported to focus on the root component of effective leadership. The purpose of this paper is to describe the relevance of authentic leadership to the advancement of nursing leadership practice and research and address the question of whether this is a new theory for leadership or an old one in new packaging.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper outlines the origins and key elements of the model, assesses the theoretical, conceptual and measurement issues associated with authentic leadership and compares it with other leadership theories frequently reported in the nursing literature.
Findings
The emerging authentic leadership theory holds promise for explaining the underlying processes by which authentic leaders and followers influence work outcomes and organizational performance. Construct validity of authentic leadership has preliminary documentation and a few studies have shown positive relationships between authenticity and trust. Furthermore, the clarity of the authenticity construct and comprehensiveness of the overall theoretical framework provide a fruitful base for future research examining the relationship between authentic leadership and the creation of healthier work environments.
Originality/value
A clear focus on the relational aspects of leadership, the foundational moral/ethical component, a potential linkage of positive psychological capital to work engagement and the emphasis on leader and follower development in the authentic leadership framework are closely aligned to current and future nursing leadership practice and research priorities for the creation of sustainable changes in nursing work environments.
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Despite vast research on outcome‐based education (OBE), there is little consensus among academics regarding its impact, with both positive and negative comments emerging from the…
Abstract
Despite vast research on outcome‐based education (OBE), there is little consensus among academics regarding its impact, with both positive and negative comments emerging from the literature. The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) has taken the view that OBE is conducive to the enhancement of student core competencies such as global outlook, critical and creative thinking, social and national responsibility, lifelong learning, entrepreneurship and leadership. The aim of this study was to investigate how a newly developed curriculum, based on the OBE philosophy, impacted on students’ core competencies in an engineering/surveying discipline of PolyU. Qualitative interviews were conducted to establish that OBE was being properly implemented prior to a quantitative examination of its impact on students. Only specific positive learning behaviours were identified among students experiencing OBE. Their core competencies, however, were not statistically proven to be greater than those of students with little or no exposure to OBE. Nevertheless, this did not offer unequivocal evidence to either prove or disprove the effectiveness of OBE, and numerous factors other than the OBE philosophy itself were considered possible causes. It also appeared that some teaching staff lacked faith and knowledge in the implementation of OBE which implicates a need for rectification of the situation.
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Albert P.C. Chan, Francis K.W. Wong, Carol K.H. Hon, Arshad Ali Javed and Sainan Lyu
With increasing employment of ethnic minority (EM) workers from different nationalities to mitigate the growing demand for a construction workforce, the safety and health problems…
Abstract
Purpose
With increasing employment of ethnic minority (EM) workers from different nationalities to mitigate the growing demand for a construction workforce, the safety and health problems of these workers have become a significant concern. The purpose of this paper is to identify and rank according to severity the safety and health-related problems confronted by EM construction workers.
Design/methodology/approach
Grounded theory approach was employed to construct the main categories and subcategories of the construction safety and health problems of EM workers. A two-round Delphi survey of 18 experts, who are highly experienced in managing EM workers, was conducted to rank the relative severity of the identified safety and health problems.
Findings
A total of 14 subcategories and 4 categories of construction safety and health problems of EM workers were identified. Among the 14 subcategories, the most urgent and serious ones were insufficient safety materials and training in their native language, insufficient safety staff from EM origin, and safety communication barriers. In addition, safety and health problems at the corporate and governmental levels are also worth paying attention.
Originality/value
This study contributes to the update on the existing body of knowledge on safety and health problems encountered by EM construction workers and revelation of their peculiar situation in Hong Kong. Findings of the study will be of value to various stakeholders in formulating safety and health measures for EM construction workers.
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Sainan Lyu, Carol K.H. Hon, Albert P.C. Chan, Arshad Ali Javed, Rita Peihua Zhang and Francis K.W. Wong
Previous studies have highlighted that communication barrier was one of the major safety problems faced by ethnic minority (EM) workers. This study aims to model the predominant…
Abstract
Purpose
Previous studies have highlighted that communication barrier was one of the major safety problems faced by ethnic minority (EM) workers. This study aims to model the predominant safety communication networks of EM crews and explore the relationships among safety communication networks, individual attributes, safety climate, near misses and injuries of EM crews.
Design/methodology/approach
Case studies were conducted with EM crews in the Hong Kong construction industry. Demographic attribute, network, safety climate and accidents data were collected through questionnaires and analyzed by a combination of social network analysis (SNA), cross-case comparison and nonparametric tests.
Findings
The results revealed that language proficiency, network density and level of reciprocity were contributing factors of distinguishing high and low safety performing EM crews. EM management received more safety information from EM workers than local management. The centrality of EM workers was significantly related to their age, the perceived priority of safety and language ability.
Practical implications
The research findings regarding the impact of safety communication network characteristics on the safety performance of EM crews provides insights to employers on how to cultivate effective safety communication patterns within EM crews that can lead to better safety performance. The connections between personal attributes and their positions in safety communication networks could help the employers identify the EM workers who are positioned on edges of networks and need more attention.
Originality/value
This study contributes to knowledge by enriching the limited research on analyzing safety communication of small construction crews using SNA and expanding the research object to EM construction crews in the literature, who are more vulnerable to construction accidents. This research also extends the existing body of knowledge from studies mainly carried out in Western culture to Eastern culture. Although safety communication has been regarded as important for EM workers, there is a lack of quantitative analysis on this at a crew level. The present study provides empirical research to reveal authentic safety communication networks and their connections with safety performance and personal attributes.
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Larry K.W. Ching, Carol Y.K. Lee, Chris K.P. Wong, Michael T.H. Lai and Amy Lip
This study aims to investigate the perceptions of elderly learners in experiencing Zoom learning under the effects of COVID in the case of Hong Kong.
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to investigate the perceptions of elderly learners in experiencing Zoom learning under the effects of COVID in the case of Hong Kong.
Design/methodology/approach
An online survey and focus group interviews have been conducted with quantitative and qualitative approaches, respectively. The survey design was based on the input-process-output (IPO) model conceptual framework and used to assess students’ perceptions regarding their Zoom learning experiences at the Elder Academy of Hong Kong Metropolitan University. Thereafter, selected students were invited to participate in focus group interviews to offer more in-depth comments for analysis purposes. Statistical Product and Service Solutions software and SmartPLS were used for data analysis of the survey, and content analysis was used to summarize opinions from the focus group interviews; thus, a comprehensive picture of elderly learners’ learning experiences on Zoom is presented.
Findings
An overall positive perception was the result of elderly learners’ Zoom learning journeys, particularly in the “input” and “process” stages of the IPO model. Yet, their perception of the “learning outcomes achieved” level in the “output” stage was lower among the rest, thus strongly affected by the factors of “interactions” and “teaching” experienced by elderly learners on Zoom. Although the perception of the youngest age group was more positive, none have agreed that Zoom learning was more favourable when compared with the traditional face-to-face mode.
Originality/value
Given Zoom as the short-term replacement option under the COVID pandemic, this study will provide recommendations for educators/institutions to improve their design of the whole learning process for elderly learners on the Zoom platform.