Isaac Nana Akuffo and Kurmet Kivipõld
The purpose of this study is to explore how an authentic leader’s internal (self-regulation, self-awareness and internalised moral perspective) and external competencies…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to explore how an authentic leader’s internal (self-regulation, self-awareness and internalised moral perspective) and external competencies (relational transparency and balance processing) influence nepotism, favouritism and cronyism (NFC).
Design/methodology/approach
The study used a quantitative research approach and respondents were sampled from private and public banks across the ten regions of Ghana using survey questionnaires. Overall, 127 branch managers and 997 subordinates were sampled. The collected data were analysed using exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, and multiple regression was used to explore the influence the of authentic leadership (AL) competences on NFC.
Findings
On leader’s internal competences, the results revealed that self-awareness had a significant decreasing influence on nepotism in terms of operations, while internalised moral perspective had a significant increasing influence on favouritism in the context of position. Self-regulation did not have any significant influence on NFC. Regarding the leader’s external competences, relational transparency had a significant positive influence on favouritism and nepotism, while balance processing had a significant negative influence on favouritism and nepotism in the context of position and operations, respectively.
Research limitations/implications
The results suggest that AL competences have a mixed influence on NFC in the context of this study. However, the findings are limited to Ghana and cannot be generalised to countries that do not share a similar culture with Ghana such as countries in Europe, North and South America, Asia and even certain countries in Africa.
Practical implications
The authors advise family businesses to use free and fair measures to appoint or promote employees who have the required skills to manage the office rather than appointing family members to positions without merit. Training on AL and NFC should be conducted for managers to enable them to understand the potential negative effects of NFC on the employees and the organisation at large.
Social implications
Laws must be passed to guard against appointments or recruitments of employees in the public sector organisations based on NFC to minimise these unethical behaviours.
Originality/value
This is the first study which empirically explores AL competences influence on the leaders’ behaviour in the context of NFC.
Details
Keywords
Artur Meerits, Kurmet Kivipõld and Isaac Nana Akuffo
The purpose of this paper is twofold: to test existing Authentic Leadership (AL) instruments simultaneously in the same environment, and based on these, to propose an extended…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is twofold: to test existing Authentic Leadership (AL) instruments simultaneously in the same environment, and based on these, to propose an extended instrument for the assessment of AL intrapersonal and interpersonal competencies.
Design/methodology/approach
Three existing instruments of AL – Authentic Leadership Questionnaire (ALQ) (Walumbwa et al., 2008), Authentic Leadership Inventory (ALI) (Neider and Schriesheim, 2011) and the Three Pillar Model (TPM) (Beddoes-Jones and Swailes, 2015) – were tested, and an extended instrument was proposed based on the results. Two different samples were used – a homogeneous sample (N = 1021) from the military and a heterogeneous sample (N = 547) from retail, catering, public services and logistics industries. Construct validity for the instruments was assessed using a confirmatory factor analysis, and the internal consistency of the factors was analysed using Cronbach’s alpha.
Findings
From existing instruments, two out of three indicate issues with internal factor consistency and model fit. The internal consistency of factors and model fit of the extended instrument developed here is satisfactory and suitable for assessing authentic leadership competencies in a single organisation or industry.
Originality/value
This paper sees AL as the behaviour of leaders affected by leadership competencies. Three existing AL instruments were tested alongside a proposed extended instrument to assess AL intrapersonal and interpersonal competencies in the same context.
Details
Keywords
Gaygysyz Ashyrov and Isaac Nana Akuffo
The link between corruption and firm performance has received considerable critical attention. However, until now, far too little attention has been paid to different dimensions…
Abstract
Purpose
The link between corruption and firm performance has received considerable critical attention. However, until now, far too little attention has been paid to different dimensions of corruption and their relationship with firm performance. The aim of this paper is, therefore, to examine the relationship between dimensions of corruption and firm productivity.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper uses the fifth wave of Business Environment and Enterprise Performance Survey, which is based on the survey questionnaire with senior managers of 16,566 randomly selected firms across 32 developing countries. Empirical analysis employs structural equation modeling (SEM) and instrumental variable two-stage least square (IV 2SLS) estimation techniques.
Findings
Our results revealed that political corruption and red tape have a positive relationship with firm productivity. We also found that perceived extent of bribe and corruption experience are positively related to the firm productivity.
Practical implications
Findings suggest that multifaceted dimensions of corruption exist. Therefore, policymakers should develop anticorruption measures by taking into account these dimensions. In addition, policymakers should focus on improving institutional quality by reforming laws and measures to detect and punish government officials.
Originality/value
So far only few studies have looked at the dimensions of corruption; therefore, this study seeks to examine the effect of different dimensions of corruption together on firm performance in postcommunist countries.
Peer review
The peer review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/IJSE-08-2019-0476