Marilyne Pigeon, Francesco Montani and Jean-Sebastien Boudrias
Behavioural outcomes of empowerment are not often studied comprehensively and in a specific manner in the literature. The purpose of this paper is to test a research model that…
Abstract
Purpose
Behavioural outcomes of empowerment are not often studied comprehensively and in a specific manner in the literature. The purpose of this paper is to test a research model that specifies how two empowering conditions (empowering leadership and job autonomy) influence specific behavioural outcomes expected from empowered subordinates (discretionary-empowered behaviours and participation in decision making). A mediated model through psychological empowerment is hypothesised.
Design/methodology/approach
A cross-sectional questionnaire study relying on 141 dyads of subordinates-supervisors was conducted. Subordinates provided information on psychological empowerment and empowering leadership, while supervisors assessed job autonomy and behavioural outcomes.
Findings
Structural equation modelling analyses lent partial support to the hypothesised model. Psychological empowerment completely mediated the relationships between empowering leadership and behavioural outcomes. However, psychological empowerment was a partial mediator of the relationships between job autonomy and behavioural outcomes. A strong direct link was found between job autonomy and participation in decision making.
Originality/value
This study enables to extend the empowerment literature by showing how job design and leadership factors contribute to boost two types of specific empowered behaviours. The contribution is particularly original in the case of subordinates’ participation in decision making that is not often considered as a subordinate’s empowered behaviour.
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Denis Lajoie, Jean-Sébastien Boudrias, Vincent Rousseau and Éric Brunelle
Using the substitute for leadership framework, the purpose of this paper is to verify whether employees’ perceived value congruence with their organization can act as a moderator…
Abstract
Purpose
Using the substitute for leadership framework, the purpose of this paper is to verify whether employees’ perceived value congruence with their organization can act as a moderator of the relationship between transformational leadership and empowered behaviors. A triple moderation hypothesis, wherein value congruence could both enhance or substitute leadership practices depending on employee tenure, is tested.
Design/methodology/approach
Self-reported data were collected from 1,934 employees of a large public organization.
Findings
Hierarchical regressions show that value congruence enhances transformational leadership’s effectiveness in new employees, but plays either a substitute role or no role at all in more tenured employees.
Research limitations/implications
Findings suggest that the substitutes for leadership framework are useful in understanding both the enhancing and substitute role of value congruence with regards to transformational leadership. This study also underlines this framework’s complexity and the need for additional research that goes beyond bivariate models to further our understanding of transformational leadership moderators.
Practical implications
The knowledge of when leadership practices are enhanced or substituted could help leaders focus their efforts to maximize empowered behaviors.
Originality/value
This study verifies the theorized moderating role of value congruence in transformational leadership, which has been largely ignored in research. Additionally this study shows that this role can fluctuate according to tenure.
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Jean‐Sébastien Boudrias, Patrick Gaudreau, André Savoie and Alexandre J.S. Morin
The purpose of this paper is to extend past research by investigating the relationships between supervisors' empowering management practices (SEMP), employees' psychological…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to extend past research by investigating the relationships between supervisors' empowering management practices (SEMP), employees' psychological empowerment (PE), and a new measure of employees' behavioral empowerment (BE). A mediation model is hypothesized.
Design/methodology/approach
A questionnaire study is conducted among 359 non‐managerial employees. Because BE is both self‐reported and externally assessed, relationships are verified with single‐source and multi‐source data.
Findings
SEMP are quite strongly related to PE, but more weakly related to BE. Structural equation analyses tend to support a model where PE completely mediates the relationship between supervisors' managerial practices and employees' BE.
Research limitations/implications
This cross‐sectional study does not provide indication of causality among the variables.
Practical implications
First, this paper suggests that feeling empowered is a pivotal mindset that needs to be created by supervisors to generate proactive behaviors. Second, the moderate correlation found between PE and BE measures suggests that they capture different facets of empowerment. Given management concern for bottom line results, behavioral measures should not be ignored in assessing employee empowerment.
Originality/value
This paper used a behavioral criterion to assess employee empowerment rather than relying solely on a psychological measure.
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Alexandre J.S. Morin, Christian Vandenberghe, Jean‐Sébastien Boudrias, Isabelle Madore, Julien Morizot and Michel Tremblay
This paper seeks to examine the relationships between affective commitment and organizational citizenship behaviors (OCBs) across four foci: organizations, supervisors, coworkers…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper seeks to examine the relationships between affective commitment and organizational citizenship behaviors (OCBs) across four foci: organizations, supervisors, coworkers, and customers. Further, it aims to determine whether relationships among commitments and OCBs involve mediated linkages.
Design/methodology/approach
This study relies on matched employee‐supervisor data (n=216). The relative fit of different models representing relationships among commitments and OCBs was examined using structural equations modeling.
Findings
Results revealed that commitments to coworkers, customers and supervisors displayed positive relationships with OCBs directed at parallel foci. In addition, commitment to the global organization partially and negatively mediated the relationship of commitments to coworkers and customers to parallel OCBs dimensions. Results also revealed cross‐foci relationships between local commitments and OCBs. Finally, no commitment target was significantly associated with organization‐directed OCBs but the latter were positively related to local OCBs.
Originality/value
The paper demonstrates that multiple commitments and OCBs are involved in a complex net of relationships among which local foci play a critical, and positive, role.
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Jean-Sébastien Boudrias, Jean-Luc Bernaud and Patrick Plunier
– The purpose of this paper is to empirically verify a theoretical model of candidates' feedback integration in the context of individual psychological assessment (IPA).
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to empirically verify a theoretical model of candidates' feedback integration in the context of individual psychological assessment (IPA).
Design/methodology/approach
Structural equation modeling analyses were conducted in a two-wave longitudinal study. A total of 97 candidates completed questionnaires immediately after their feedback session as well as three months later.
Findings
Results indicate that candidates' motivational intention to act on IPA feedback is a pivotal variable linking feedback perceptions and post-feedback behaviors. Source credibility, assessment face validity, as well as perception that the feedback helped increase candidate's awareness were related to motivational intention. Conversely, feedback acceptance was not related to candidates' motivation to act on feedback and post-feedback behaviors.
Research limitations/implications
Because the authors relied on self-report questionnaires, future studies would benefit from including externally assessed behavioral outcomes. Future research efforts should continue distinguishing candidates' acceptance and awareness based on their distinctive contributions in the feedback integration process.
Practical implications
The results indicate that motivation created during the feedback session is a stronger predictor of day-to-day behavioral changes than it is of involvement in specific developmental activities.
Originality/value
This research fills a gap in IPA literature by highlighting some IPA benefits and the processes involved in increasing feedback value for the participant.
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Carlo Odoardi, Francesco Montani, Jean-Sébastien Boudrias and Adalgisa Battistelli
The purpose of this paper is to propose and test a theoretical model linking individual perceptions of participative leadership style and managerial practices (i.e. teamwork and…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to propose and test a theoretical model linking individual perceptions of participative leadership style and managerial practices (i.e. teamwork and information sharing) to individual innovative behavior through the mediating mechanisms of: perceptions of team support for innovation and team vision; and psychological empowerment.
Design/methodology/approach
Self-report data were collected from 394 employees working in five organizations. Structural equation models were conducted to empirically test the hypothesized research model.
Findings
As hypothesized, participative leadership, teamwork and information sharing positively predicted perceptions of team support for innovation and team vision, which in turn fostered psychological empowerment. The latter was further positively associated with innovative performance.
Practical implications
The results of the present study inform management of the group processes (i.e. team vision and support for innovation) that can mobilize employees to engage in effective innovative activities. Importantly, the findings indicate that for such processes to be developed and nurtured, teamwork activities should be promoted within work groups, effective communication systems should be implemented throughout the organization, and participatory skills should be developed among supervisors.
Originality/value
The study represents one of the first attempts to investigate the perceived group and psychological processes that can explain how managerial practices and leadership style jointly benefit employee innovative behavior.
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Imad-Addin Almasri, Nafiza Martini, Sedra Al Kadamani, Ensaf Abdullah Maasarani and Munir Abas
Sexual harassment is a pervasive and damaging issue that affects the physical and mental health and well-being of employees in the workplace. It is a serious public health concern…
Abstract
Purpose
Sexual harassment is a pervasive and damaging issue that affects the physical and mental health and well-being of employees in the workplace. It is a serious public health concern that requires urgent attention and action and very dangerous problem in management. Our studies have shown that women are more likely to be the victims of sexual harassment and are more dissatisfied with the situation, organizations have a moral and legal obligation to take proactive measures to prevent and address sexual harassment, including implementing effective policies, providing employee training and fostering a culture of respect and accountability. By doing so, we can create safer, healthier and more productive work environments for all the employees.
Design/methodology/approach
This study consisted of 344 individuals from the Syrian community who completed a questionnaire, that contained statements about harassment to gauge each gender’s perception and sensitivity toward it. The questionnaire was carefully designed to include 30 questions, including daily situations in the work environment that may occur and how they are classified by males and females. Is it harassment or not, and about the HR department have personal safety and security standards such as the code of conduct and the rules regulating these behaviors or not and our research project was a collaboration between the two nongovernmental organizations (NGOs): Stemosis and Institute of Human Resources Management (IHRM).
Findings
Our research reveals a distinction between the thinking patterns and coping mechanisms of females and males when it comes to dealing with this phenomenon. We presented various scenarios to our respondents, depicting situations that an individual might face in their everyday life and asked them questions related to the definition of harassment, its root causes and strategies for addressing it. Research has shown that women are at a higher risk of experiencing feelings of fear and dissatisfaction when subjected to sexual harassment. This unfortunate reality highlights the need for greater awareness and action to combat such reprehensible behaviors. Save Women!
Research limitations/implications
The study faced several limitations in collecting data due to the sensitive and shameful nature of the topic for both men and women in the Syrian Arab Republic. This caused embarrassment for some participants, leading to their unwillingness to participate in the research. Additionally, the study encountered difficulties in dealing with companies, as they did not accept exposure to such situations and failed to show any codes of conduct under the name of their company, and the participants did not consider certain factors as reasons for harassment. Specifically, 71.2% of participants did not consider inappropriate outfits as a reason for harassment. However, there was a significant difference between the opinions of men and women on this matter (p-value < 0.05). Additionally, political, social and psychological reactions were not considered a reason for harassment by 64.8% of participants.
Practical implications
In our study, there was a situation that one of the respondents (male) was exposed to by the HR manager (female) who was pretending to be a professional, after he confronted her, she threatened him with expulsion from work and despite his annoyance, he ignored her because it was pointless to talk with her and during the study, (44.7%) of the participants had experienced sexual harassment.
Social implications
Victims of sexual harassment experience a similar condition to post-traumatic stress disorder, which can lead to many mental and psychological issues. The overall organizational environment plays a critical role in the well-being of employees. It is widely accepted that victims of violence suffer from a lack of well-being. Employee well-being is based on feelings of happiness and satisfaction that come from a sense of security. According to the Maslow’s theory of needs, security is fundamental to people and a toxic workplace environment can destroy an individual’s sense of security, negatively impacting their well-being In Syria.
Originality/value
In Syria, society is considered closed about sexual issues and considers it a sensitive issue despite its presence and spread in work environments, as the results showed, and this is one of the challenges we face. Therefore, our study is the first in Syria and the largest that sheds light on this phenomenon clearly, strongly, deeply and directly.