James B. Avey, Upasna Agarwal and Jadvir K. Gill
The purpose of this research was to understand the mediating role of employee positive psychological capital on the negative relationship between abusive supervision and employee…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this research was to understand the mediating role of employee positive psychological capital on the negative relationship between abusive supervision and employee outcomes.
Design/methodology/approach
The research design consisted of a multi-wave study with a heterogeneous sample of working adults in the United States. Study variables included the independent variable of abusive supervision, the mediating variable of positive psychological capital and the dependent variables of psychological well-being, job satisfaction and general health.
Findings
Results from 293 working adults in the United States suggest employee positive psychological capital is an explanatory mechanism as a mediator in the relationship between abusive supervision and outcomes. In other words, abusive supervisors reduce employee psychological capital leading to sub-optimal outcomes.
Practical implications
Results of this study suggest several practical implications, however one is primary. In sum, we found the deleterious effects of abusive supervisors occur through positive psychological capital. While it is often difficult to immediately terminate manager employment for abusive supervision, results here suggest firms can use psychological capital interventions to buffer the negative impact of abusive supervisors.
Originality/value
It is well understood that abusive supervision has a negative impact on employees. However, the underlying mechanisms of how and why this occurs is not well understood. While much research has speculated on why this happens prior to this study, few explanatory mechanisms have been subjected to empirical tests.
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Sean Dahlin, Brent D. Oja, James B. Avey and Gregory S. Sullivan
To give a full understanding of how servant leadership impacts organizational performance and needs satisfaction of followers, two unique populations were sampled (i.e. college…
Abstract
Purpose
To give a full understanding of how servant leadership impacts organizational performance and needs satisfaction of followers, two unique populations were sampled (i.e. college athletic administrators and coaches) to weigh the importance of leadership on different elements of a sports organization. The purpose for this two-sample design was to enhance the external validity of the results through replication and convergence of conclusions.
Design/methodology/approach
This study utilized a two-sample structure that consisted of intercollegiate coaches (N = 223) and administrative staff members (N = 176) perceptions of their leader’s servant leadership to better understand its influence on sport organizational performance. From the study’s hypotheses, data were collated and subjected to correlation and step-wise regression analysis.
Findings
The results indicate a relationship between servant leadership and organizational performance from both a sport coach and administrative follower perspective. Furthermore, in the administration sample, servant leadership’s relationship with organizational performance was mediated by competency. This study also expands upon the literature by demonstrating that servant leadership had a positive impact on organizational performance beyond tenure effects.
Practical implications
For an athletic director, implementing behaviors from servant leadership could be valuable tools to enhance the performances of the teams within intercollegiate athletic departments.
Originality/value
The results indicate a relationship between servant leadership and organizational performance from both a sport coach and administrative follower perspective. Furthermore, in the administration sample, servant leadership’s relationship with organizational performance was mediated by competency. This study also expands upon the literature by demonstrating that servant leadership had a positive impact on organizational performance beyond tenure effects.
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Todd J. Weber and James B. Avey
The purpose of this paper is to examine the influence of both value congruence between employees and supervisors as well as the important role of employee voice for optimal…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine the influence of both value congruence between employees and supervisors as well as the important role of employee voice for optimal outcomes in organizations.
Design/methodology/approach
A heterogeneous sample of 495 working adults across business sectors completed instruments on value fit, voice, citizenship behaviors, commitment and psychological well-being.
Findings
Results suggest when employees experience value fit with their immediate supervisor, they express voice in organizations. Employee voice partially mediated the effects of value congruence on citizenship behaviors, commitment and psychological well-being.
Originality/value
While it is common for employees and supervisors to share and observe personal values at work, few studies have considered the effects of alignment between these values. Further, this is one of the very few studies that have considered the employee consequences of this value congruence.
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Upasnaa A. Agarwal and James B. Avey
The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of abusive supervision on cyberloafing behavior, to test the mediating role of PsyCap in this relationship and the extent to…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of abusive supervision on cyberloafing behavior, to test the mediating role of PsyCap in this relationship and the extent to which these relationships are moderated by psychological contract breach.
Design/methodology/approach
A total of 394 full-time managers across different Indian organizations served as the sample for this study.
Findings
The results revealed that the abusive supervision and PsyCap are significantly correlated with cyberloafing, the relationship between abusive supervision and cyberloafing is partially mediated by PsyCap and the impact of abusive supervision and PsyCap on cyberloafing is moderated by psychological contract breach such that the effects of abusive supervision and PsyCap on cyberloafing are stronger when employees perceive high psychological contract breach.
Research limitations/implications
A cross-sectional design and use of self-reported questionnaires are a few limitations of this study.
Originality/value
This is one of the first studies examining cyberloafing in response to abusive supervision and one of the few attempts to examine the effects of abusive supervision on individual resources (PsyCap) in response to workplace mistreatment. This study is also the first to examine these phenomena in the Indian context.
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James B. Avey, James L. Nimnicht and Nancy Graber Pigeon
The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between psychological capital (comprised of hope, optimism, efficacy and resilience) and employee performance through…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between psychological capital (comprised of hope, optimism, efficacy and resilience) and employee performance through multiple studies and methods of data.
Design/methodology/approach
The study included two samples in a large financial firm headquartered in Melbourne, Australia. The employees' level of psychological capital were measured with the psychological capital questionnaire. Via regression, this was related to individual level financial performance data from the firm and manager rated performance.
Findings
As hypothesized, psychological capital was found to be related to employees' level of financial performance, referrals within the firm and manager rated performance. The findings are relevant to advancing previous studies on psychological capital and employee performance in that multiple sources and types of data were used to test hypotheses overcoming past concerns of common method and source variance and adding validity to these results.
Limitations/implications
While the use of two samples replicating results enhanced generalization, the major limitation in the study concerns internal validity. Specifically, this study did not use an experimental design and, thus, relationships may be reverse causal or reciprocal.
Originality/value
Overall, the integration of positive psychology and organizational behavior continues to flourish. The paper demonstrates that psychological capital is associated with multiple measures of employee performance across two field studies. In conclusion, empirical research in positive organizational behaviour is likely to advance to the boundaries of the theory including how psychological capital manifests across multiple contexts, bio‐data predicting psychological capital and multi‐level issues such as team, group, organizational and even cultural psychological capital.
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Fred Luthans, Shanggeun Rhee, Brett C. Luthans and James B. Avey
The purpose of this study is to examine whether the use of money, social recognition, and feedback have a similar impact on employee performance in the context of a modern Korean…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to examine whether the use of money, social recognition, and feedback have a similar impact on employee performance in the context of a modern Korean broadband internet service firm.
Design/methodology/approach
The study design was a quasi‐field experiment (with control group). First, the leaders of this Korean firm were trained in behavioral performance management. Following the steps of organisational behaviour modification (O.B. Mod.) they identified, measured, and analyzed critical performance behaviors and then intervened with the following reward incentives: money (n=38), social recognition and caring attention (n=41), and objective feedback only (n=31). The main dependent variable was overall performance, and this was also broken down into quantity and quality dimensions.
Findings
As hypothesized, money and social recognition had a significant impact on performance outcomes, but feedback did not result in as strong a result. When compared to the control group (n=23), all three reward incentives showed significantly more improvement of overall performance. These findings also indicated, as hypothesized, that the impact of this behavioral management approach on Korean employees did not appear as robust as previous meta‐analytic research based on samples of US employees. Finally, although in the predicted direction, the hypothesis that social recognition would have a relatively stronger impact than money and feedback in this context was not statistically supported.
Research limitations/implications
The major limitation concerns generalizability of the findings. However, the experimental design provides support for internal validity.
Practical implications
The study results have practical implications for the value of behavioral performance management, but also that cultural contingencies should also be considered for successful application.
Originality/value
This study contributes preliminary evidence for O.B. Mod to have applicability across cultures.
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James B. Avey, Larry W. Hughes, Steven M. Norman and Kyle W. Luthans
The purpose of this study is to hypothesize and test a conceptual model linking concepts of leadership and positive organizational behavior to a reduction in employee negativity…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to hypothesize and test a conceptual model linking concepts of leadership and positive organizational behavior to a reduction in employee negativity, with empowerment as an important mediator in the causal relationships.
Design/methodology/approach
A heterogeneous sample of 341 working adults completed survey measures as two separate points in time. Confirmatory factor analysis was used to validate psychometric properties of instruments, and path analysis using structural equation modeling software was used to test hypotheses.
Findings
As hypothesized, both transformational leadership (β=0.27) and positive psychological capital (hope, efficacy, resilience and optimism) (β=0.61) were significantly related to feelings of empowerment. Empowerment was significantly related to intentions to quit (β=−0.38) but not employee cynicism. Empowerment also fully mediated the relationship between the independent variables and intentions to quit.
Research limitations/implications
A convenience sampling method limited the generalizability of results. Causal and longitudinal research designs would extend findings discussed here. Implications for management are significant in terms of countering employee negativity using leadership processes, employee selection and development.
Originality/value
This study offers the first conceptual model integrating emerging concepts from positive organizational behavior, in the form of positive psychological capacities, with validated leadership models (transformational leadership). Both were suggested to influence negative outcomes, with empowerment as an effective mediator of these relationships. Findings generally support the hypotheses advanced herein.
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Larry W. Hughes and James B. Avey
This study seeks to offer an empirical test of a model addressing how a leader's humor use will moderate the effects of a transformational leader style on follower attitudes, such…
Abstract
Purpose
This study seeks to offer an empirical test of a model addressing how a leader's humor use will moderate the effects of a transformational leader style on follower attitudes, such as trust, identification, affective commitment, and job satisfaction.
Design/methodology/approach
Working adults (n=369) participated in a two‐phase data collection of self‐reported attitudes and their perceptions of leadership behavior. Perceptions of transformational leadership and humor were collected at Time 1. Trust, identification, affective commitment, and job satisfaction were collected a week later.
Findings
Results demonstrate significant relationships between transformational leadership and trust, identification, affective organizational commitment, and job satisfaction. The moderator effect was only supported in relationships between transformational leadership and both trust and affective commitment, suggesting that transformational leaders who are seen as using more humor rate higher on these outcomes than followers of low humor leaders.
Research limitations/implications
The primary limitation of the study is the potential for single source bias in that both perceptions of leader behavior and self‐reported attitudes were measured from the followers' perspectives.
Practical implications
The findings have several managerial implications. Primarily, a transformational leader who effectively uses humor might expect an effect on the outcomes explored here, but also on more distal results of which the study variables may be theoretically antecedent, such as job performance and turnover.
Originality/value
There has been little research on the influence of a leader's humor use on the relationships between transformational leadership and trust, identification, commitment and job satisfaction. The study augments the extant literature on these relationships.
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This paper aims to review the latest management developments across the globe and pinpoint practical implications from cutting-edge research and case studies.
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to review the latest management developments across the globe and pinpoint practical implications from cutting-edge research and case studies.
Design/methodology/approach
This briefing is prepared by an independent writer who adds their own impartial comments and places the articles in context.
Findings
Employees who face abusive behaviors from their supervisors typically experience lowers levels of job satisfaction and both mental and general health. This issue can be addressed through efforts to enhance different elements of employee psychological capital to make negative personal and work-related outcomes less likely.
Originality/value
The briefing saves busy executives and researchers hours of reading time by selecting only the very best, most pertinent information and presenting it in a condensed and easy-to-digest format.
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Cindy Yunhsin Chou, Wei Wei Cheryl Leo, Yelena Tsarenko and Tom Chen
Informed by the broaden-and-build theory of emotions, this study aims to investigate the relationships between consumers’ motives and personal and social outcomes in access-based…
Abstract
Purpose
Informed by the broaden-and-build theory of emotions, this study aims to investigate the relationships between consumers’ motives and personal and social outcomes in access-based services (ABS). Further, drawing on territorial behaviour literature, the second goal of this research is to test the moderating effects of psychological ownership on the relationships between personal outcomes and consumer territorial behaviour.
Design/methodology/approach
This research comprises a quantitative online survey complemented by a qualitative interview study. The quantitative study employed an online consumer panel survey of 317 samples. Later, the qualitative study sought additional insights into the economic benefit motives and manifestation of territorial behaviour of bicycle-sharing users to enrich the results of quantitative study. The quantitative data were analysed using structural equation modelling, and the interviews were transcribed and analysed using an inductive and deductive thematic analysis.
Findings
The results indicated that specific motives significantly affected certain personal outcomes. Namely, economic benefit, enjoyment and reputation motives drove life satisfaction, while enjoyment, sustainability and social relationships promoted feelings of gratitude. Furthermore, life satisfaction positively affected consumer cooperation, helping other consumers and territorial behaviour. In contrast, feelings of gratitude had a positive relationship with cooperation and helping other consumers, but a negative one with territorial behaviour. Additional examination revealed that consumers’ psychological ownership of the shared bicycle in an ABS model moderated the effect of gratitude on consumer territorial behaviour.
Research limitations/implications
This study offers and tests a model on ABS in the context of bicycle-sharing services. Thus, it presents avenues to test the model on other ABS, e.g. clothing or home sharing.
Practical implications
Managers in ABS can foster positive emotional states of gratitude and life satisfaction that will inevitably promote consumer cooperation and helping behaviour.
Originality/value
This study is among the first to propose and examine a model that tests the relationships between consumers’ motives and personal and social outcomes in ABS.