Reward systems provide a number of important functions in the organization including motivating active participation of organizational members, meeting role expectations, and…
Abstract
Reward systems provide a number of important functions in the organization including motivating active participation of organizational members, meeting role expectations, and motivating innovation and strong commitment to the organization (Steers and Porter, 1991). Organizations worldwide are actively grappling with the translation of Deming's (1986) fourteen principles into their own unique versions of Total Quality Management. As they proceed through the stages of transforming their organizational cultures toward continuous quality improvement, they have evolved a number of reward mechanisms to assimilate workers into the TQM culture and to maintain workers' efforts toward continuous quality improvement goals. The present article examines the reward systems in several organizations in the Pacific Basin, which was chosen because of the increasing emphasis upon quality taken by companies in Australia, Asia, and the western U.S.
Stephen B. Knouse, Paula P. Carson, Kerry D. Carson and Ronald B. Heady
The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of Deming's ideas on the twenty‐first century.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of Deming's ideas on the twenty‐first century.
Design/methodology/approach
A ProQuest search of articles is done mentioning “Deming” and “quality” or “legacy” in the title published between 1994 (Deming died in December 1993) and 2006.
Findings
It is found that 136 articles described Deming's legacy. Legacy in five areas are examined: professional accreditation, customer satisfaction, business ethics, human error, and supply‐side management.
Practical implications
Deming's ideas have furthered not only quality management but have also touched areas in the social sciences, such as ethics and organizational relationships.
Originality/value
This paper shows that Deming's ideas continue to flourish in areas that he emphasizes, such as the importance of customer satisfaction and understanding human error, and areas that he did not foresee, such as business ethics and supply‐side management.
Details
Keywords
Stephen B. Knouse, Vanessa D. Hill and J. Brooke Hamilton
The purpose of this paper is to trace a history of American codes of business ethics as they evolved from religious bases to legalistic bases to an international emphasis.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to trace a history of American codes of business ethics as they evolved from religious bases to legalistic bases to an international emphasis.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper describes the evolution of business codes of ethics over the twentieth century in relation to the development of social issues.
Findings
It is found that ethical codes are influenced by the prevailing ideology of the time regarding the social responsibility of business. The earlier part of the twentieth century emphasized religious values governing the treatment of customers and competitors and the responsibility of businesses for the well‐being of their employees by directing their private as well as business conduct. The latter part of the twentieth century stressed legal compliance as government regulation sought to control business behaviors that were harmful to society and to the environment. Entering into the twenty‐first century, we are seeing an increase in international emphases in codes of ethics. We discuss these trends in terms of evolving approaches to corporate social responsibility.
Practical implications
Organizations writing (and rewriting) codes of ethics should move beyond reactive legal compliance and proactively examine values associated with their stakeholder relationships as well as relationships to corporate social responsibility issues.
Originality/value
While there have been histories of medical and legal codes of ethics, to the authors' knowledge, this is the first exploration of a history of American business codes of ethics. The paper examines the development of codes of ethics in the context of business needs and social values prominent during those times.
Details
Keywords
Stephen B. Knouse and Schuyler C. Webb
Networking is important for all employees to acquire the information, guidance, feedback, and social support necessary for career success. Women and minorities, however, do not…
Abstract
Networking is important for all employees to acquire the information, guidance, feedback, and social support necessary for career success. Women and minorities, however, do not have the large, strong, dense networks that white males have used to definite advantage. The article presents virtual networking (acquiring this important information through Internet resources) as a means of strengthening women and minority networks. It discusses how Web pages, e‐mail, chat rooms, and other Internet resources may improve these networks and makes recommendations for organizations to enhance virtual networking.
Details
Keywords
Natalia Ermasova, Stephen Wagner and Lam Dang Nguyen
The purpose of this paper is to investigate how individual differences predict personal business ethics of business students with a particular focus on how these factors moderate…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to investigate how individual differences predict personal business ethics of business students with a particular focus on how these factors moderate the relationship between ethical organizational interventions and personal business ethics perception.
Design/methodology/approach
Totally, 488 participants completed Clark’s Personal Business Ethics Scores (PBES) survey. ANOVA analyses were then performed.
Findings
Significant correlations were observed between personal business ethics and diversity professional development, age, and education. The authors found significant difference on ethical behavior and diversity professional development. Professional development focusing on diversity was positively related to reports of ethical behavior for women but no significant relationship was observed for men. Furthermore, professional development focusing on ethics was positively related to reports of ethical behavior for younger employees but no significant relationship was observed for older employees.
Research limitations/implications
Researchers and scholars in cross-cultural management and business ethics fields can benefit from this study as it provides more empirical results in understanding the impact of demographic, educational, and cultural factors on the ethical maturity of business students in different countries.
Practical implications
Leaders, managers and practitioners, can benefit from this study as it provides managerial implications in managing this workforce in the most effective and efficient manner. The results from this research suggest that ethics education and diversity training play the critical role in creating an ethical climate on workplace.
Originality/value
This study fills the gap within the literature and offers a unique analysis of the personal business ethics of Russian business students. Determining the types of business ethics education and training that are the most effective in Russia would be beneficial to researchers and practitioners.
Details
Keywords
Rachida Sahraoui and Abderrahmane Laib
This chapter addresses a significant topic in Algeria, namely the issue of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), by examining the use of business ethics codes. In recent years…
Abstract
This chapter addresses a significant topic in Algeria, namely the issue of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), by examining the use of business ethics codes. In recent years, there has been growing interest among companies in implementing practices that can justify their CSR efforts, including the development of corporate business ethics codes. These codes play a crucial role in formalizing the integration of CSR strategies. In Algeria, several companies have adopted business ethics codes; one such example is the companies in the oil and gas sector, the leading oil industry company in Algeria. These companies have implemented a business ethics code to provide justification and guidance for their CSR practices. The main objective of this chapter is to demonstrate the commitment of companies to CSR through the development of their business ethics codes. It presents the results of a comprehensive analysis of the business ethics codes of Algerian companies in the oil and gas sector. The approach involved the development of an analytical framework with various criteria and an objective examination of the business ethics code to yield results that aligned with these criteria. The study concludes that the business ethics codes of these companies serve as sources of internal regulation that primarily address ethical concerns and reflects the existing Algerian regulations at the organizational level.
Details
Keywords
Lu Zhang, Mary A. Gowan and Melanie Treviño
The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between country of birth or ethnicity (cultural proxies) and career and parental role commitment, and whether or not that…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between country of birth or ethnicity (cultural proxies) and career and parental role commitment, and whether or not that relationship is mediated by two psychological dimensions known to differ across Mexican and USA cultures. These mediators are family achievement orientation and gender role orientation.
Design/methodology/approach
Data were collected from 372 working female students at community colleges in the USA and Mexico. The survey focussed on career and parental role commitment, family achievement orientation, and gender role attitudes.
Findings
Both country of birth and ethnicity predict career and parental role commitment. Females born in Mexico and Hispanics have higher career role commitment and lower parental role commitment than females born in the USA and non-Hispanic whites. Family achievement orientation and gender role attitudes partially mediate these relationships.
Research limitations/implications
Cross-cultural research of work and family issues needs to incorporate psychological dimensions in accounting for country/ethnic differences.
Practical implications
Employees’ cultural backgrounds should be considered in designing programs to support family and work balance.
Social implications
Assistance programs designed to enable Hispanics to work will be valued and fit with the Hispanic cultural focus on working as a means to care for family.
Originality/value
This study addresses a stated need in the work/life literature for research that addresses cross-cultural differences, and research in the cross-cultural research that calls for the inclusion of psychological dimension mediators between culture and the variables of interest.
Details
Keywords
The positive correlation between students’ internship and employability is well documented. However, there is no consensus on its relationship with academic performance. Previous…
Abstract
Purpose
The positive correlation between students’ internship and employability is well documented. However, there is no consensus on its relationship with academic performance. Previous studies investigated the Bachelor level: in the UK, the so-called sandwich placement is positively correlated; in the US, the results are mixed. This study aims to expand the scientific literature and focuses on Politecnico di Torino, Italy: the cases of the Industrial and Management Engineering Bachelor (BA) and Master of Science (MS) degree programs are examined.
Design/methodology/approach
The academic performance of 2,279 BA students and 2,560 MS students graduated between 2016 and 2021 is examined. Ordinary least square models are employed to test the relationship between grades and internship, controlling for ex ante academic scores, gender, age and geographical origin.
Findings
The results show a small robust negative correlation between internship and grades, especially at the bachelor level, where potentially a self-selection occurs. At the master level, the negative relationship is significant but very small and might be partially determined by the marks of the exams substituting the internship.
Originality/value
This study contributes to the empirical research on the relationship between students’ grade and internship and suggests the presence of complementarities in several ways: the Italian context, characterized by an optional internship is examined, both at the BA and MS level. Universities that intend to organize internship as overlapping with lectures and exams should be cautious, especially when considering the BA level students, whose maturity and skills are less developed than MS ones.