Gabriela Gonçalves, Marta Reis, Cátia Sousa, Joana Santos, Alejandro Orgambídez-Ramos and Peter Scott
Negotiating effectively in multicultural contexts or others is not only a very important skill for all organizational elements but also crucial to inter-organizational relations…
Abstract
Purpose
Negotiating effectively in multicultural contexts or others is not only a very important skill for all organizational elements but also crucial to inter-organizational relations (Adler, 2008). If defined as a process that occurs when one party feels adversely affected by another (De Dreu, 1997). Conflict management styles can be analyzed as a function of personality variables. In this respect, cultural intelligence and self-monitoring appear to be relevant variables, as they are characterized by the demonstration of flexibility and interest in elements that are present in conflict management styles. This study aimed to evaluate the extent to which variables such as cultural intelligence and self-monitoring can positively influence the ability to solve interpersonal conflicts more effectively.
Design/methodology/approach
This study, with a sample of 399 individuals, aimed to test a model that explores how cultural intelligence and self-monitoring are related as predictor variables in the styles of conflict resolution.
Findings
It was observed that cultural intelligence presents itself as a reasonable predictor of conflict management styles, whereas self-monitoring appeared as a dispositional and controversial measure in relation to those styles. Self-monitoring exhibited itself as an important predictor of conflict management, but on the other hand, it had an influence on the choice of the dominating style in conflict situations.
Practical implications
Understanding the predictors of conflict management style and, in particular, realizing the extent to which cultural intelligence promotes a more effective conflict management style can help in the development of selection processes and skill training programs. The development of these multicultural skills will contribute to individual, social and organizational well-being.
Originality/value
This study contributes to the literature of individual differences and conflict management, demonstrating that some individual differences that predict the styles of conflict management can lead to a certain ambiguity in understanding the behaviour that an individual may adopt in situations of conflict.
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Graca Miranda Silva, Filipe Coelho, Cristiana R. Lages and Marta Reis
This study aims to investigate the configurations that drive employee service recovery. Rather than analyzing the net effects of individual antecedents of service recovery, which…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to investigate the configurations that drive employee service recovery. Rather than analyzing the net effects of individual antecedents of service recovery, which is the common approach in the literature, this study uses a configurational approach to investigate how five antecedents (customer service orientation, rewards, teamwork, empowerment and customer service training) combine to yield employee adaptive and proactive service recovery behaviors.
Design/methodology/approach
The study collects responses from 90 frontline employees through an online survey. Building on configurational theory, the authors developed and empirically validated four research propositions by using a fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis.
Findings
Three equifinal configurations of managerial practices result in either employee proactive or adaptive service recovery behaviors. Two of these three configurations result in both adaptive and proactive behaviors. In addition, the findings show that two out of the three configurations that lead to proactive behavior in service recovery also lead to the simultaneous existence of proactive and adaptive behaviors in service recovery. None of the sufficient configurations require the presence of all managerial practices. These results underscore that managers do not have to act on every single managerial intervention area to promote service recovery.
Research limitations/implications
The study advances the knowledge on the antecedents of employee behavior in service recovery by investigating how these antecedents combine to yield different recipes for developing either employee adaptive or proactive behavior in service recovery.
Practical implications
The findings provide insights for managers into the different combinations of practices that can be used to develop employee proactive or adaptive behavior in service recovery.
Originality/value
To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study that relies on a configurational approach to understand the combinations of managerial practices that result in employee proactive and adaptive behaviors in service recovery.
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Explores the impact of marketisation and enterprise restructuring processes on a Polish case study organisation. “Polskie” illustrates that certain western HRM practices are…
Abstract
Explores the impact of marketisation and enterprise restructuring processes on a Polish case study organisation. “Polskie” illustrates that certain western HRM practices are informing the process of restructuring organisations. These new approaches signal managers’ intentions to change attitudes to work and reassert control over the production process. The assessment, development and utilisation of human resources is an integral part of the overall management of the post‐communist enterprise. The field of personnel management is set to assume a key position. A key research question is whether women, as existing practitioners, have been able to augment their position in this growing area of expertise. Discusses whether the process of political and economic reform in Poland has provided an opportunity to improve the employment status of women and identifies reasons for being optimistic, but also highlights several areas for concern.
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The case focuses on Martas Precision Slides, a late entrant in the growing furniture fitting market in Taiwan. The company is led by an ambitious and aggressive management team…
Abstract
Purpose
The case focuses on Martas Precision Slides, a late entrant in the growing furniture fitting market in Taiwan. The company is led by an ambitious and aggressive management team which has helped in achieving phenomenal growth to date. The company management however is now at a crossroads with regard to entering new international markets and has to make some important strategic decisions regarding its future. This paper aims to address these issues.
Design/methodology/approach
The case uses case study methodology collecting primary data from Martas Precision Slides' executives.
Findings
The discussion focuses on the major shift required in the company's strategic thinking and how to handle a growing division among the management team regarding the company's direction.
Research limitations/implications
As this study uses only a single company case study, the discussion should be approached with caution.
Practical implications
The case focuses on the dilemma often faced by medium sized firms from Asia in entering European markets and considers different options in following a branding or generic product development strategy. The case illustrates the differences in culture that exist between East and West and how culture influences decision making and management style in Asian firms.
Originality/value
The study is one of the few which focuses on Asian companies, the impact of culture on branding, and market entry into European markets.
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Marta Rey-Garcia and Vanessa Mato-Santiso
The purpose of this paper is to understand the roles that social capital and real-world learning may play in enhancing the effects of university education for sustainable…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to understand the roles that social capital and real-world learning may play in enhancing the effects of university education for sustainable development (ESD) on social sustainability.
Design/methodology/approach
A conceptual framework that identifies the plausible effects of university ESD on social sustainability along three outcome dimensions (think-act-leverage), broadening desirable program learning outcomes and proposing enabling roles for social capital and real-world learning, is substantiated and validated through qualitative insights from a focus group. The framework serves to structure a survey to alumni of a postgraduate program in sustainability (2011–2018). Hierarchical clustering analysis is used to identify differences in perceived, sustainability-related effects of the program on direct beneficiaries and their relationship with stakeholders in their communities.
Findings
Implementation of real-world learning in partnership with organizations in the community that actively involves alumni not only extends desirable effects beyond individual program learning outcomes and outside the academia but may also renew them over time.
Practical implications
University administrators should foster the creation of new social capital of students and alumni and their commitment with service learning and other credit-bearing opportunities as actionable enablers to enhance the social sustainability effects of university ESD.
Originality/value
The paper contributes to a dual theoretical and empirical void related to the effects of university ESD on the social dimension of sustainability through the proposal of a conceptual framework and quantitative assessment of the dynamic effects of university ESD at the local level.
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Maheran Zakaria, Hasnah Haron and Ishak Ismail
The paper aims to investigate: the influence of knowledge of ethics (KOE) on auditors' perceived ethical problems (PEB); the influence of PEB on ethical judgments (EJ); and the…
Abstract
Purpose
The paper aims to investigate: the influence of knowledge of ethics (KOE) on auditors' perceived ethical problems (PEB); the influence of PEB on ethical judgments (EJ); and the mediating impact of PEB that mediate the relationship between KOE and EJ.
Design/methodology/approach
A total of 940 questionnaires were distributed to auditors of audit firms in Malaysia and 250 auditors responded. However, only 224 questionnaires were usable. Data were analyzed using SPSS 16.0 and structural equation modeling (SEM) using AMOSS 16.0.
Findings
The results indicated that statistically significant relationships exist between KOE and PEB, PEB, and EJ. Additionally, PEB are found to mediate the relationship between KOE and EJ.
Practical implications
This paper provides important implication for audit firms to enhance sufficient knowledge of Malaysian Institute of Accountants (MIA)'s code of ethical principles among their members. Another implication is for professional bodies to design a complete and effective code of ethics, disseminate free information to members through web site and e‐notification and conduct professional development programs with the latest development on a regular basis.
Originality/value
The number of studies on the impact of PEB as a mediator that mediates the relationship between KOE and EJ is scarce. Therefore, this paper aims to fill this gap. The findings provide insights that it is imperative to emphasize the importance of KOE and PEB in enhancing auditors' EJ.
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Bethan Alexander, Marta Blazquez and Courtney Chrimes
This study adopts the customer journey framework to investigate the role of the metaverse in the customer purchase experience. It establishes the effect of the metaverse on the…
Abstract
Purpose
This study adopts the customer journey framework to investigate the role of the metaverse in the customer purchase experience. It establishes the effect of the metaverse on the three stages of the customer purchase journey, namely pre-purchase, purchase and post-purchase, in the context of the fashion industry, an early adopter of the metaverse.
Design/methodology/approach
The research is a qualitative case study explored through consumer diaries and focus groups. The resultant data are analysed thematically.
Findings
Metaverse usage is the most significant at the pre-purchase stage. However, technical problems and other sources of friction negatively impact the customer experience journey, providing insight into the reasons underlying the recent decline of metaverse marketplaces.
Originality/value
This study’s empirical findings have theoretical and practical implications related to metaverse retailing and the customer experience journey. The study benefits metaverse designers and customers and will influence retail strategy choice. Additionally, it contributes two conceptual frameworks to the underdeveloped metaverse retailing field and extends the customer experience journey framework to the metaverse context, thus contributing to the body of knowledge on omnichannel retailing.
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Di Wang, Deborah Richards, Ayse Aysin Bilgin and Chuanfu Chen
Federico Dell'Anna, Marta Bottero, Cristina Becchio, Stefano Paolo Corgnati and Giulio Mondini
The cost-optimal analysis is not able to address the multi-dimensionality of the decision according to the new European objectives and International sustainable development goals…
Abstract
Purpose
The cost-optimal analysis is not able to address the multi-dimensionality of the decision according to the new European objectives and International sustainable development goals in the field of the nearly-zero energy building (NZEB) design. The purpose of this paper is to study the role of multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) for guiding energy investment decisions.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper explores the Preference ranking organization method for enrichment of evaluations II (PROMETHEE II) application to support the project of transforming a rural building into a NZEB. The evaluation provides an estimate of the effects of alternative energy efficiency measures, involving energy consumption, life cycle costs, carbon emissions, property value and indoor comfort criteria. The study performs a multi-actors analysis in order to understand how different consumers' point of views can influence the final choice of the best investment. Furthermore, a multi-site analysis explores the spatial variation of NZEB building appreciation in the real estate market.
Findings
The PROMETHEE II-based model ranks 16 alternative solutions for the NZEB according to energy, economic and extra-economic criteria. The multi-actors analysis highlights the configuration of the NZEB building that best meets the needs of different end-users, respecting the European directives and national standards. The multi-site analysis concludes that location does not change users' appreciation and not influence the output for the best solution.
Originality/value
The MCDA occurs as a support tool that helps to optimize the preliminary design phase of NZEB through the exploration of the optimal solution considering crucial criteria in the energy and environmental and real estate market rules.
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Marta Santos, Cláudia Pereira, Daniel Silva, Maria Antónia Cadilhe and Liliana Cunha
The purpose of this paper is to analyse a programme designed to welcome and train new employees, implemented in a chemical industry, privileging the transmission of know-how as a…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to analyse a programme designed to welcome and train new employees, implemented in a chemical industry, privileging the transmission of know-how as a dynamic process where learning is co-constructed in the course of the activity.
Design/methodology/approach
The design of the programme was based on the analysis of the work performed in real context by operators and supervisors. The data about the programme’s evaluation were collected by questionnaire, assessing the trainees’ global development and the impact of the training programme (after six months).
Findings
This paper involves designing, planning and implementing “4 × 4 Training”, a training programme for young trainees. Combining in-class training with an extensive component of on-the-job mentoring, the programme involved trainees, mentors and internal trainers, monitored by work psychologists. The results show both the trainees and the mentors evaluate the programme positively. The professional transmission stands out as an activity that is thought through and defined in group, assisted by a mentoring relationship of mutual learning.
Practical implications
When planning and developing intergenerational transmission processes, it is crucial to consider the organisational conditions, to involve from an early stage the key players of each work situation and to guarantee that the mentoring activity and the productive activity overlap coherently.
Originality/value
It is an innovative process to integrate trainees in the chemical industry in Portugal. The methodological approach and the findings provide a first framework that justifies the relevance of the transmission of know-how through a real work situation.