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Open Access
Article
Publication date: 21 August 2023

Susanne Tafvelin and Britt-Inger Keisu

The purpose of this study was to develop a scale that can be used to assess inequality at work based on gender, age and ethnicity that is grounded in Acker’s (2006) inequality…

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to develop a scale that can be used to assess inequality at work based on gender, age and ethnicity that is grounded in Acker’s (2006) inequality regimes.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors used three representative samples (total N = 1,806) of Swedish teachers, nurses and social workers to develop and validate the scale. The validation process included the assessment of content validity, confirmatory factor analysis for factorial validity, internal consistency and associations with theoretically warranted outcomes and related constructs to assess criterion-related validity and convergent validity.

Findings

The authors found evidence supporting the content, factorial, criterion-related and convergent validity of the InEquality in organisations Scale (InE-S). Furthermore, the scale demonstrated high internal consistency.

Originality/value

The newly developed scale InE-S may be used to further the understanding of how inequality at work influences employees. This study makes a contribution to the current literature by providing a scale that, for the first time, can test Acker’s hypotheses using quantitative methods to demonstrate the consequences of inequality at work.

Details

Gender in Management: An International Journal , vol. 39 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1754-2413

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 25 May 2021

Susanne Tafvelin, Henna Hasson, Karina Nielsen and Ulrica von Thiele Schwarz

In previous studies, outcomes of leadership training have varied, with some studies suggesting large effects and others small. Although the transfer of training literature…

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Abstract

Purpose

In previous studies, outcomes of leadership training have varied, with some studies suggesting large effects and others small. Although the transfer of training literature suggests a number of factors that influence training outcomes, this knowledge has seldom been used when evaluating the outcomes of leadership training. The purpose of the present study is therefore to examine how factors related to transfer of training influence outcomes of leadership training.

Design/methodology/approach

In the present research, follower-rated outcomes of a leadership training program in Denmark (N = 298) was examined from a transfer of training perspective.

Findings

Using Baldwin and Ford's transfer of training model as a framework, analyses revealed that leaders' utility reactions (i.e. perception of usefulness) and learning were linked to transfer of training. In addition, leaders' perceptions of transfer were associated with post-intervention follower-rated transformational leadership and collective self-efficacy.

Practical implications

Making sure that leaders find the training useful for their everyday activities (i.e. positive utility reactions) and that they have time to learn the training content is important to enable transfer and for leaders to use trained skills back at work.

Originality/value

The findings indicate the importance of understanding how leaders' perception of training content influences leadership training outcomes and that these perceptions need to be a part of the evaluation of leadership training. In addition, the findings suggest that factors predicting transfer of leadership training differ from other types of training.

Details

Leadership & Organization Development Journal, vol. 42 no. 6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0143-7739

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 7 April 2020

Robert Lundmark, Karina Nielsen, Henna Hasson, Ulrica von Thiele Schwarz and Susanne Tafvelin

Line managers can make or break organizational interventions, yet little is known about what makes them turn in either direction. As leadership does not occur in a vacuum, it has…

Abstract

Purpose

Line managers can make or break organizational interventions, yet little is known about what makes them turn in either direction. As leadership does not occur in a vacuum, it has been suggested that the organizational context plays an important role. Building on the intervention and leadership literature, we examine if span of control and employee readiness for change are related to line managers' leadership during an organizational intervention.

Design/methodology/approach

Leadership is studied in terms of intervention-specific constructive, as well as passive and active forms of destructive, leadership behaviors. As a sample, we use employees (N = 172) from 37 groups working at a process industry plant. Multilevel analyses over two time points, with both survey and organizational register data were used to analyze the data.

Findings

The results revealed that span of control was negatively related to constructive leadership and positively related to passive destructive leadership during the intervention. Employee readiness for change was positively related to constructive leadership, and negatively related to both passive and active destructive leadership.

Practical implications

Our findings suggest that contextual factors need to be assessed and considered if we want line managers to engage in constructive rather than destructive leadership during interventions.

Originality/value

The present study is the first to address line managers' making or breaking of organizational interventions by examining the influence of context on both their destructive and constructive leadership.

Details

International Journal of Workplace Health Management, vol. 13 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1753-8351

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 9 January 2020

Henna Hasson, Ulrica von Thiele Schwarz and Susanne Tafvelin

The purpose of this paper is to explore the consequences of self–other agreement (SOA) between leaders and subordinates on constructive and passive leadership behaviors for…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore the consequences of self–other agreement (SOA) between leaders and subordinates on constructive and passive leadership behaviors for employee well-being, performance and perception of learning climate.

Design/methodology/approach

Questionnaire ratings of 76 leaders and 211 subordinates in a forest industrial company on full-range leadership and subordinate ratings of well-being, work performance and learning climate have been used in this paper. The data were analyzed using polynomial regression with response surface analysis.

Findings

SOA on constructive leadership (transformational leadership and contingent reward) was related to subordinates’ perception of a positive learning climate. SOA on passive leadership (management-by-exception passive) reduced subordinates’ performance, while disagreement reduced their well-being.

Practical implications

It is important to give leaders feedback on their own and their subordinates’ ratings of not only constructive leadership behaviors but also passive behaviors.

Originality/value

The study demonstrates how SOA on leaders’ constructive and passive leadership behaviors impacts employees’ well-being, performance and work climate.

Details

Leadership & Organization Development Journal, vol. 41 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0143-7739

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 15 June 2018

Karin Villaume, Susanne Tafvelin and Dan Hasson

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the possible associations between health-relevant personality traits and adherence; and if these traits predict adherence to a…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the possible associations between health-relevant personality traits and adherence; and if these traits predict adherence to a web-based occupational health intervention.

Design/methodology/approach

In total, 563 participants were analyzed using the Health-relevant Personality Inventory. Adherence measures were: logins, utilization of self-help exercises and time spent logged in.

Findings

Higher levels of antagonism (a facet of agreeableness) and impulsivity (a facet of conscientiousness) correlated to fewer logins, and higher levels of negative affectivity (a facet of neuroticism) and impulsivity correlated to a higher utilization of self-help exercises. Alexithymia (a facet of openness) negatively predicted self-help exercise utilization and antagonism was a positive predictor. Negative affectivity was a positive predictor of time spent logged in to the intervention. There were sex-related differences in outcomes.

Originality/value

This is the first study to investigate health-relevant personality traits in relation to adherence to a web-based occupational health intervention. The practical implications are that intervention developers could benefit from taking personality into consideration to better understand and improve adherence.

Details

International Journal of Workplace Health Management, vol. 11 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1753-8351

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 11 April 2016

Henna Hasson, Ulrica von Thiele Schwarz, Stefan Holmstrom, Maria Karanika-Murray and Susanne Tafvelin

This paper aims to evaluate whether training of managers at workplaces can improve organizational learning. Managers play a crucial role in providing opportunities to employees…

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Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to evaluate whether training of managers at workplaces can improve organizational learning. Managers play a crucial role in providing opportunities to employees for learning. Although scholars have called for intervention research on the effects of leadership development on organizational learning, no such research is currently available.

Design/methodology/approach

The training program consisted of theoretical and practical elements aimed to improve line managers’ transformational leadership behaviors and, in turn, improve organizational learning. The study used a pre- and post-intervention evaluation survey. Line managers’ and their subordinates’ perceptions of organizational learning were measured with the Dimensions of Organizational Learning Questionnaire and with post-intervention single items on organizational learning.

Findings

Comparisons between pre- and post-intervention assessments revealed that managers’ ratings of continuous learning and employees’ ratings of empowerment and embedded systems improved significantly as a result of the training. The leadership training intervention had positive effects on managers’ perceptions of individual-level and on employees’ perceptions of organizational-level aspects of organizational learning.

Originality/value

The study provides empirical evidence that organizational learning can be improved through leadership training. Both line managers and their subordinates perceived that organizational learning had increased after the training intervention, albeit in different ways. Implications for developing leadership training programs and for evaluating these are discussed.

Details

Journal of Workplace Learning, vol. 28 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1366-5626

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 6 July 2015

Kristina Westerberg and Susanne Tafvelin

The purpose of the this study was to explore the development of commitment to change among leaders in the home help services during organizational change and to study this…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of the this study was to explore the development of commitment to change among leaders in the home help services during organizational change and to study this development in relation to workload and stress. During organizational change initiatives, commitment to change among leaders is important to ensure the implementation of the change. However, little is known of development of commitment of change over time.

Design/methodology/approach

The study used a qualitative design with semi-structured interviews with ten leaders by the time an organizational change initiative was launched and follow-up one year later. Thematic content analysis was used to analyze the interviews.

Findings

Commitment to change is not static, but seems to develop over time and during organizational change. At the first interview, leaders had a varied pattern reflecting different dimensions of commitment to change. One year later, the differences between leaders’ commitment to change was less obvious. Differences in commitment to change had no apparent relationship with workload or stress.

Research limitations/implications

The data were collected from one organization, and the number of participants were small which could affect the results on workload and stress in relation to commitment to change.

Practical implications

It is important to support leaders during organizational change initiatives to maintain their commitment. One way to accomplish this is to use management team meetings to monitor how leaders perceive their situation.

Originality/value

Qualitative, longitudinal and leader studies on commitment to change are all unusual, and taken together, this study shows new aspects of commitment.

Details

Leadership in Health Services, vol. 28 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1751-1879

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 5 October 2015

Kristina Palm, Susanne Ullström, Christer Sandahl and David Bergman

– This paper aims to explore if and how employees in a healthcare organisation perceive changes in their managers’ leadership behaviour over time.

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Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to explore if and how employees in a healthcare organisation perceive changes in their managers’ leadership behaviour over time.

Design/methodology/approach

An interview study was conducted with employees whose managers had participated in a two-year leadership development programme offered by their employer, Healthcare Provision Stockholm County. Qualitative content analysis was applied, and the interview discussions focused on areas in which the majority of the informants perceived that a change had occurred over time and their answers were relatively consistent.

Findings

The majority of employees did discern changes in their managers’ leadership over time, and, with very few exceptions, these changes were described as improvements.

Practical implications

The knowledge that employees perceived changes in their managers’ leadership supports investments in leadership development through courses, programmes or other initiatives.

Originality/value

The present findings contribute to a deeper empirical understanding of leadership as it is practised over time in everyday contexts among employees in healthcare organisations.

Details

Leadership in Health Services, vol. 28 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1751-1879

Keywords

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