Jo Ann E. Brown and Barbara Jo White
Leaders model behaviors they want followers to emulate, and they use various technologies to enhance their message, but which tools are most effective? Using two studies, this…
Abstract
Purpose
Leaders model behaviors they want followers to emulate, and they use various technologies to enhance their message, but which tools are most effective? Using two studies, this paper sets out to compare the effectiveness of newer and older computer technologies used by leaders for describing and demonstrating desired behaviors.
Design/methodology/approach
The first study, an interdisciplinary experimental design, involved 110 students across two college campuses and data were analyzed using a 2 (modeling and no modeling)×2 (older and newer technology) between‐subjects ANOVA. The second study further explored modeling with both technologies on one campus, and data were analyzed with independent samples t‐tests.
Findings
Newer technology was more effective than older technology in increasing desired behaviors but only when coupled with modeling of those behaviors by the leader. However, after the novelty of the new technology had worn off, no significant difference in production of desired behaviors was observed.
Practical implications
Justifying the expense of purchasing new technology to replace functional older equipment is an important consideration for businesses and universities. Organizational leaders need factual, unbiased data to guide their decisions about allocating limited financial resources.
Originality/value
The studies were designed to provide decision‐makers with some much‐needed empirical data.
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This report summarizes research on gender, diversity and related topics presented at the 2007 Southern Management Association (SMA) conference in Nashville TN.
Abstract
Purpose
This report summarizes research on gender, diversity and related topics presented at the 2007 Southern Management Association (SMA) conference in Nashville TN.
Design/methodology/approach
The SMA is a regional affiliate of the Academy of Management. SMA's annual conference promotes its mission of advancing the research, teaching, learning and practice of management.
Findings
Diversity topics were scheduled throughout the conference and included in five of the eight tracks. One symposium was devoted to deep‐level diversity.
Originality/value
The papers presented at the SMA conference highlight the growing interest in and variety of diversity research.
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Milorad M. Novicevic, Walter Davis, Fred Dorn, M. Ronald Buckley and Jo Ann Brown
The purpose of this paper is to reacquaint researchers and practitioners with Barnard's contributions to understanding of the moral conditions that underlie the authenticity of…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to reacquaint researchers and practitioners with Barnard's contributions to understanding of the moral conditions that underlie the authenticity of organizational leadership.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper identifies Barnard's insights on leadership and uses them as inputs to theorizing about authentic leadership.
Findings
As an outcome of theorizing, the paper identifies the conditions that are likely to lead to inauthentic, pseudo‐authentic or authentic leader behavior.
Research limitations/implications
Examining authentic leadership from a historical perspective can open promising avenues for future research.
Practical implications
Leadership development programs should incorporate concepts of responsibility and conflicts of responsibility in order to provide executives with the knowledge base required for ethical decision making.
Originality/value
By placing contemporary discussion of authentic leadership in its proper historical context, scholars can draw on a wealth of existing theory to advance the study of authentic leadership.
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Aneeq Inam, Jo Ann Ho, Siew Imm Ng and Rosmah Mohamed
Leadership styles appear to influence unethical pro-organizational behavior (UPB), but there has been little empirical research on employees' ethical behavior as an outcome of…
Abstract
Purpose
Leadership styles appear to influence unethical pro-organizational behavior (UPB), but there has been little empirical research on employees' ethical behavior as an outcome of responsible leadership. This study examines the positive effect of responsible leadership on unethical pro-organizational behavior (UPB) via the mediator, leader–member exchange (LMX).
Design/methodology/approach
Responses from 200 full-time working employees in Pakistan were collected in two waves, and structural equation modeling was used to test the hypotheses.
Findings
The results indicated that LMX mediated the relationship between responsible leadership and UPB. Our research also yielded a negative relationship between responsible leadership and employees' willingness to engage in UPB and between LMX and UPB. In addition, the mediation and direct relationship results were stronger for employees who spent more than seven years in the organization as compared to those with less than seven years.
Research limitations/implications
The leader's responsible behavior trickles down to the subordinates and encourages their employees to behave responsibly too. We also showed that responsible leadership influenced employees’ UPB engagement through LMX.
Practical implications
By adopting a responsible leadership style through training practices and appraisal tools, organizations may increase quality exchange relationship between leader and subordinates, which will reduce UPB.
Originality/value
This paper is one of the few empirical studies which have examined the relationship between responsible leadership, LMX and UPB. The results from our study help to enhance findings from earlier studies on the antecedents of UPB. Contrary to previous studies, our study also shows that LMX can lead to ethical behavior i.e. reduce UPB.
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First January 1973 will not only mark the beginning of a New Year but a year which history will mark as a truly momentous one, for this is the year that Britain, after centuries…
Abstract
First January 1973 will not only mark the beginning of a New Year but a year which history will mark as a truly momentous one, for this is the year that Britain, after centuries of absence, re‐enters the framework of Europe as one of the Member‐States of the enlarged European Community. This in itself must make for change on both sides; Britain is so different in outlook from the others, something they too realize and see as an acquisition of strength. There have been other and more limited forms of Continental union, mainly of sovereignty and royal descent. Large regions of France were for centuries under the English Crown and long after they were finally lost, the fleur de lis stayed on the royal coat of arms, until the Treaty of Amiens 1802, when Britain retired behind her sea curtain. The other Continental union was, of course, with Hanover; from here the Germanized descendants of the Stuarts on the female line returned to the throne of their ancestors. This union lasted until 1832 when rules of descent prevented a woman from reigning in Hanover. It is interesting to speculate how different history might have been if only the British Crown and the profits of Tudor and Stuart rule had been maintained in one part of central Europe. However, Britain disentangled herself and built up overwhelming sea power against a largely hostile Europe, of which it was never conceived she could ever be a part, but the wheel of chance turns half‐circle and now, this New Year, she enters into and is bound to a European Community by the Treaty of Rome with ties far stronger, the product of new politico‐economic structures evolved from necessity; in a union which cannot fail to change the whole course of history, especially for this country.
John H. Bickford III and Cynthia W. Rich
Common Core State Standards Initiative mandates increased readings of informational texts within English Language Arts starting in elementary school. Accurate, age-appropriate…
Abstract
Common Core State Standards Initiative mandates increased readings of informational texts within English Language Arts starting in elementary school. Accurate, age-appropriate, and engaging content is at the center of effective social studies teaching. Textbooks and children’s literature—both literary and informational—are prominent in elementary classrooms because of the esoteric nature of primary source material. Many research projects have investigated historical accuracy and representation within textbooks, but few have done so with children’s trade books. We examined children’s trade books centered on three historical figures frequently incorporated within elementary school curricula: Eleanor Roosevelt, Rosa Parks, and Helen Keller. Findings revealed various forms of historical misrepresentation and differing levels of historicity. Reporting such lacunae is important for those involved in curricular decisions. We believe children’s books, even those with historical omissions and misrepresentations, provide an unique opportunity for students to incorporate and scrutinize diverse perspectives as they actively assemble historical understandings. All secondary narratives, even historically representative children’s books, can benefit from primary source supplementation. We guide teachers interested in employing relevant and rich primary source material.
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Woon Leong Lin, Jo Ann Ho, Siew Imm Ng and Chin Lee
The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between corporate social responsibility (CSR) and corporate financial performance (CFP), as the findings on the…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between corporate social responsibility (CSR) and corporate financial performance (CFP), as the findings on the relationship have been inconsistent and have led to calls to further examine this relationship. However, instead of investigating the connection between CSR and CFP, academics have stated that a contingency viewpoint must be used for uncovering the context and conditions which catalyse the relationship between both constructs.
Design/methodology/approach
This study acquired the CSR data from 100 companies listed in Fortune’s most admired US companies between 2007 and 2016. These data were used to investigate the CSR–CFP link with the help of the dynamic panel data system, which is the generalised method of moments (GMM) estimator.
Findings
The results indicate that CSR and CFP have a neutral relationship which characterises the effect between CFP and CSR. However, this study found that financial slack positively affected the CSR–CFP relationship, implying that companies will only benefit from CSR activities if they have excess financial resources.
Originality/value
This study offers a very distinctive perspective regarding the CSR–CFP link according to the financial slack perspective.
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Sinan Obaidat, Mohammad Firas Tamimi, Ahmad Mumani and Basem Alkhaleel
This paper aims to present a predictive model approach to estimate the tensile behavior of polylactic acid (PLA) under uncertainty using the fused deposition modeling (FDM) and…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to present a predictive model approach to estimate the tensile behavior of polylactic acid (PLA) under uncertainty using the fused deposition modeling (FDM) and American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) D638’s Types I and II test standards.
Design/methodology/approach
The prediction approach combines artificial neural network (ANN) and finite element analysis (FEA), Monte Carlo simulation (MCS) and experimental testing for estimating tensile behavior for FDM considering uncertainties of input parameters. FEA with variance-based sensitivity analysis is used to quantify the impacts of uncertain variables, resulting in determining the significant variables for use in the ANN model. ANN surrogates FEA models of ASTM D638’s Types I and II standards to assess their prediction capabilities using MCS. The developed model is applied for testing the tensile behavior of PLA given probabilistic variables of geometry and material properties.
Findings
The results demonstrate that Type I is more appropriate than Type II for predicting tensile behavior under uncertainty. With a training accuracy of 98% and proven presence of overfitting, the tensile behavior can be successfully modeled using predictive methods that consider the probabilistic nature of input parameters. The proposed approach is generic and can be used for other testing standards, input parameters, materials and response variables.
Originality/value
Using the proposed predictive approach, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, the tensile behavior of PLA is predicted for the first time considering uncertainties of input parameters. Also, incorporating global sensitivity analysis for determining the most contributing parameters influencing the tensile behavior has not yet been studied for FDM. The use of only significant variables for FEA, ANN and MCS minimizes the computational effort, allowing to simulate more runs with reduced number of variables within acceptable time.