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1 – 10 of 29Saija Mauno, Bettina Kubicek, Jaana Minkkinen and Christian Korunka
In order to understand the driving forces behind intensified job demands (IJDs), the purpose of this paper is to examine demographic factors, structural work-related factors…
Abstract
Purpose
In order to understand the driving forces behind intensified job demands (IJDs), the purpose of this paper is to examine demographic factors, structural work-related factors, personal and job resources as antecedents of IJDs.
Design/methodology/approach
The study is based on cross-sectional (n=4,963) and longitudinal (n=2,055) quantitative data sets of Austrian employees. Data sets were analyzed via regression analyses.
Findings
The results showed that IJDs, as assessed through five sub-dimensions: work intensification, intensified job-related, career-related planning and decision-making demands, intensified demands for skills and for knowledge-related learning, remained fairly stable overtime. The most consistent antecedents of IJDs were personal initiative and ICT use at work. Job resources, e.g. variety of tasks and lacking support from supervisor, related to four sub-dimensions of IJDs.
Research limitations/implications
The findings suggest that personal (being initiative) and job resources (task variety) may have negative effects as they associated with IJDs. Moreover, supervisors’ support is crucial to counteract IJDs.
Practical implications
Employers should recognize that certain personal (e.g. personal initiative) and job-related resources (e.g. lacking supervisory support) might implicate higher IJDs, which, in turn, may cause more job strain as IJDs can be conceived as job stressors.
Originality/value
IJDs have received very little research attention because they are new job demands, which however, can be expected to increase in future due to faster technological acceleration in working life. The study has methodological value as longitudinal design was applied.
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Johanna Bunner, Roman Prem and Christian Korunka
Non-technical skills are of increasing importance for safety engineers to perform their job. In their position as expert consultants, they work closely with managers. Thus…
Abstract
Purpose
Non-technical skills are of increasing importance for safety engineers to perform their job. In their position as expert consultants, they work closely with managers. Thus, gaining management support is oftentimes crucial for safety engineers to successfully improve occupational health and safety. Drawing on organizational support theory (OST), this study investigates how safety engineers’ non-technical skills in communication and persuasion (i.e. rational and hard influence tactics) are related with their management support, and how management support is related with their individual task proficiency (ITP). The purpose of this paper is to examine the moderating role of safety engineers’ expert power in this context.
Design/methodology/approach
Using an online questionnaire, survey data were collected from 251 safety engineers working in Austria.
Findings
Rational influence tactics are positively related to ITP via management support, whereas hard influence tactics are not. Safety engineers’ expert power moderates the relationship between influence tactics and management support and, consequently ITP. High (vs low) expert status strengthens the positive relationship of rational influence tactics on ITP via management support. For hard influence tactics, high (vs low) expert power buffered the negative relationship of upward appeal and pressure on ITP via management support.
Practical implications
Safety engineers should rely on rational persuasion when cooperating with management to obtain support and improve their own performance.
Originality/value
This study connects the effect of influence tactics in the context of safety engineers’ work performance with OST. It demonstrates that safety engineers’ influence tactics are related to work role performance through management support and that these relationships are moderated by expert power.
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Christian Korunka, Bettina Kubicek, Matea Paškvan and Heike Ulferts
Increasing speed in many life domains is currently being discussed under the term “social acceleration” as a societal phenomenon which not only affects western societies, but may…
Abstract
Purpose
Increasing speed in many life domains is currently being discussed under the term “social acceleration” as a societal phenomenon which not only affects western societies, but may also lead to job demands arising from accelerated change. Demands such as work intensification and intensified learning and their changes over time may increase emotional exhaustion, but may also induce positive effects. The purpose of this paper is to examine how increases in demands arising from accelerated change affect employee well-being.
Design/methodology/approach
A total of 587 eldercare workers provided data on work intensification and intensified learning as well as on exhaustion and job satisfaction at two points in time.
Findings
Work intensification was negatively related to future job satisfaction and positively related to future emotional exhaustion, whereas intensified learning was positively associated with future job satisfaction and negatively with future emotional exhaustion.
Social implications
Intensified demands represents a growing social as well as work-specific challenge which needs to be addressed by practitioners.
Originality/value
Using a longitudinal perspective this study is the first to examine the relationship of increases in work intensification and intensified learning with job satisfaction and emotional exhaustion at work.
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Hermann Frank, Christian Korunka, Manfred Lueger and Josef Mugler
Entrepreneurship is defined as a “life skill”, and the European Union (EU) has recently called on member states to promote the development of entrepreneurial attitudes from…
Abstract
Purpose
Entrepreneurship is defined as a “life skill”, and the European Union (EU) has recently called on member states to promote the development of entrepreneurial attitudes from primary school right through to university level. The paper aims to investigate which factors influence entrepreneurial thinking and attitudes towards entrepreneurship in vocational and general secondary education in Austria.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper is based on the configuration approach. This approach was adapted as a conceptual model for the origins of entrepreneurial orientation and start‐up inclinations among school pupils. The model consists of four dimensions: person, education context, education process, and environment. A total of 900 Austrian pupils at secondary‐level schools were surveyed with a standardized questionnaire.
Findings
The results show that entrepreneurial orientation as well as inclinations to start up a new business can indeed be influenced considerably, with potential targeted influences at the personality level, in the education process, and in the pupil's immediate and general environment. It is easier to influence entrepreneurial orientation than start‐up inclinations.
Research limitations/implications
Owing to the heterogeneous school systems in Europe it may be difficult to transfer findings from one country to another. Much more research is needed for identifying country‐specific factors of influence.
Practical implications
The results provide evidence that the potential for developing entrepreneurial orientation and promoting the abilities needed for a free and self‐determined career has not been exhausted by any means.
Originality/value
The study shows that the education process can have a considerable influence on entrepreneurial orientation, and that the EU's call for the promotion of entrepreneurial spirit can be fulfilled in the sphere of education.
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Bernadette Kamleitner, Christian Korunka and Erich Kirchler
Small business owners play an important role in the tax system. This paper seeks to establish a framework to highlight the particular tax situation of small business owners and…
Abstract
Purpose
Small business owners play an important role in the tax system. This paper seeks to establish a framework to highlight the particular tax situation of small business owners and the resulting implications, from a psychological perspective.
Design/methodology/approach
A framework identifying the key characteristics of small business owners' actual and perceived tax situation is established. Literature investigating these characteristics is reviewed in line with the proposed framework.
Findings
Three key aspects seem to distinguish small business owners' perceptions of their tax situation: small business owners are likely to perceive more opportunities not to comply than employed taxpayers; they are more likely to experience a lack of meaningful taxation knowledge; and they are more likely to face decision frames that render taxes as painful losses.
Research limitations/implications
The suggested link between the subjective experience of the tax situation and compliance calls for a focus on strategies that aim to influence taxpayers' perceptions of their own evasion opportunities, their level of legislative and procedural knowledge, and their sense of ownership of tax money. Such a strategy is suggested to be particularly likely to be effective in the phase of nascent entrepreneurship and in a climate of mutual trust between taxpayers and tax authorities.
Originality/value
This paper comprehensively identifies and reviews the perceptual correlates of factors unique to small business owners' tax behaviour.
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The purpose of this paper is to determine the managerial capabilities that are required of medical and nursing managers, in a Christian-affiliated hospital in Israel, in order to…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to determine the managerial capabilities that are required of medical and nursing managers, in a Christian-affiliated hospital in Israel, in order to promote the job satisfaction of their subordinates.
Design/methodology/approach
Data were gathered via questionnaires, administered to 107 doctors and nurses of a small Christian-affiliated hospital in Israel, regarding the job satisfaction of the respondents, and their evaluation of the managerial capabilities of their medical and nursing superiors. Correlations and regressions were carried out on the data.
Findings
Overall managerial capabilities of medical and nursing managers were shown to be significantly related to how their subordinates felt about their teams and about their work. The results suggest differences between nurses and doctors. When analyzed for the two dimensions of managerial capabilities and the two dimensions of job satisfaction, the results were significant for the nurses, but not significant for the doctors. When tested for Christians vs non-Christians, the results for the nurses were the same as in the sample as a whole; whereas for the doctors, there were differences between the two religious groups.
Research limitations/implications
The sample is small and culturally specific, thus limiting the generalization potential of this study.
Practical implications
Findings of this research may have practical implications regarding hospitals’ recruitment, promotion, instruction and follow-up policies.
Originality/value
This study sheds light on the issue of hospital management and leadership within a specific cultural-religious setting, which has not been previously investigated.
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Lan Li, Xingshan Zheng and Qi Zhang
The present study aims to determine the effect of adopting voice on subordinates' work engagement based on organization-based self-esteem (OBSE).
Abstract
Purpose
The present study aims to determine the effect of adopting voice on subordinates' work engagement based on organization-based self-esteem (OBSE).
Design/methodology/approach
Three variables were rated according to the seven-point Likert-type response scales. To control the effect of common method variance, an online survey was conducted to collect data from 206 samples at Chinese firms by employing a two-wave and time-lagged approach. In addition, structure equation modeling analysis was adopted to verify the hypotheses with Mplus 7.
Findings
Leaders' adoption of employee voice shows a positive association with employee OBSE and work engagement. OBSE is positively associated with work engagement and mediates the effect of adopting voice on work engagement.
Practical implications
As suggested from the mentioned results, organizations are required to encourage leaders to adopt employees' reasonable voice that can be an effective management tool impacting employee work engagement.
Originality/value
Though existing studies have discussed the effects of leader behaviors on subordinates' work engagement, the effect of leaders' adoption of employee voice on employee work engagement has been rarely studied. Based on the job demand-resource model, this study fills the gap by empirically examining the effect of adopting voice on work engagement. As indicated by the findings here, leaders' adoption of employee voice enhances employee OBSE, thereby facilitating work engagement. The present study provides insights to stimulate employee work engagement.
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