Research Papers in Education

PurposeThis study develops and tests an integrative theoretical framework that synchronizes conservation of resources (COR) theory with self-determination theory (SDT), thus permitting a simultaneous estimate of both antecedents and outcomes of work passion. The study utilizes a key assumption: work-family enrichment (WFE) and trust in one’s manager may be perceived as resources supporting greater employee work passion, resulting in decreased turnover intentions.Design/methodology/approachA survey was conducted online in three waves with 352 respondents from various private and public sector organizations responding.FindingsComplete indirect effects were found in WFE/FWE regarding turnover intentions through work passion as a mediator. Work passion partially mediated the relationship between trust in the manager and turnover intentions. Hybrid employees were found to be more passionate than onsite employees.Practical implicationsHuman resource (HR) departments should implement programs that support both employees and their families to foster WFE and encourage work passion, particularly in the current era of flexible work arrangements. As well, managers should prioritize building trust with their employees through open communication and consistent support, as this trust directly enhances work passion and reduces turnover intentions.Originality/valueBy integrating COR theory and SDT principles, our findings provide valuable empirical insights not only for understanding the context in which work passion develops but also how it is incorporated into a “resource caravan passageway.” This dynamic reflects a “gain spiral” in which contextual resources can promote work passion and ultimately reduce turnover intentions.

PurposeThe Q method is an inherently mixed-method approach suitable for tackling issues regarding theory, conceptualization and operationalization in the social sciences. Nevertheless, the application of this method in organizational behavior (OB) studies is still limited. This paper aims to delineate to what extent, regarding what topics, and in what ways the Q method has been applied in OB studies. Moreover, it aims to systematically explore the strengths and weaknesses of this method for the OB field.Design/methodology/approachWe present a systematic literature review of 47 studies employing the Q method in OB research.FindingsThere is an upward trend in the application of Q in OB research. The studies in our sample address the following OB topics: Human resource management (HRM) (14), leadership (10), group decision-making (6), collaboration (4), culture (9) and organizational change and development (4). We describe how Q is used in a wide variety of ways.Practical implicationsThis study shows how performance-oriented organizations can benefit from the Q method as a managerial diagnostic and intervention tool in organizational change and development and in human resources management.Originality/valueTo the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first systematic literature review on the Q method that spans the field of organizational behavior across topics and research levels, including the individual, team and organizational levels.

PurposeWide participation in the strategic processes of public organizations can enhance inclusion and transparency, thereby contributing to improved performance of public organizations. However, engaging with external participants is easier said than done. This study aims to identify how public organizations can open up their strategic processes to external participants.Design/methodology/approachThe analysis is based on qualitative data from 12 early-phase strategy projects in the 2023 Dutch Multi-Year Program for Infrastructure, Spatial Planning and Transport (MIRT). Interviews and document data were collected and analyzed using qualitative comparative analysis (QCA).FindingsThis study identifies that the government steering the process itself, by aiming for idea generation, opens up strategic processes. This is necessary for contributing to improved public service performance.Practical implicationsThis study provides strategy actors (e.g. managers, planners and consultants) with actionable knowledge about what open strategizing with external participants requires to create openness.Originality/valueThis study addresses the ongoing and increased interest in the openness of strategy processes in general and in infrastructure planning in particular. It contributes to the discussion on whether and how participation leads to improved performance of public organizations. Additionally, this study illustrates the application of QCA to the study of open strategy processes.

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to investigate the causal recipes among training competencies (TC) dimensions and self-esteem in predicting employability skills (ES) perceptions. It also examines the different combinations across specific demographic characteristics and professions.Design/methodology/approachA survey was used to collect data from 225 youths aged 15–35 years, purposively selected from leadership training programmes in Brunei. A fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) method was adopted to confirm the propositions.FindingsThe findings captured multiple combinations of TC dimensions (i.e. knowledge, skills, attitude and behaviour) and self-esteem in achieving high levels of perceived ES. The study also unveils how different levels of determinants can be more or less important for greater ES outcomes across youths' demographic characteristics and professions.Practical implicationsThe findings will assist organisations and training providers of leadership programmes in understanding the significance of TC and self-esteem as well as its alternative routes in pursuing greater employability narratives.Originality/valueThis study was the first attempt to integrate ES into a configurational framework, offering a multifaceted perspective of the causal combinations of TC dimensions and self-esteem as their determinants. Taken together, the study is set within the principles of human capital theory and self-determination theory, confirming the crucial positions of TC and self-esteem in encouraging youth’s acquisition of ES, which is an increasingly pertinent, yet under-examined, area of research.

PurposeThe objective of this paper is to analyze the country-level causal configurations of digital enablers that result in entrepreneurial innovation in new ventures. Entrepreneurial innovation is a complex phenomenon that draws on a combination of context-dependent causal conditions, which explain the configurations of external factors that integrate into the entrepreneurial process. In this paper, we focus on the contextual role of information and communication technologies (ICT) from an organizational center-edge approach.Design/methodology/approachThis study employs case-oriented techniques, specifically fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) and necessary condition analysis (NCA), to identify the necessary and sufficient conditions that lead to entrepreneurial innovation. A dataset comprising 61 countries was merged from the World Economic Forum’s Networked Readiness Index and the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor in order to explore the causal combinations of ICT adoption, online transactions business-to-business, business model innovation and organizational innovation.FindingsThe fsQCA demonstrates that entrepreneurial innovation can be attributed to two causal configurations. The first configuration includes ICT adoption, online business-to-business transactions and the absence of organizational innovation. The second configuration is characterized by ICT adoption, online business-to-business transactions and business model innovation. The NCA reveals that the conditions in question possess varying degrees of importance, with each condition exerting a distinct degree of influence on the generation of varying levels of entrepreneurial innovation. The case-oriented techniques employed in this research paper have yielded preliminary insights into the relationship between digital enablers and entrepreneurial innovation, particularly in groups of countries with varying degrees of necessity to these enablers.Practical implicationsOur research provides a framework for the development of more effective digital strategic mixes for each identified group of countries. It also raises theoretical questions about the national conditions that encourage a particular digital enabler to stimulate a specific form of entrepreneurial innovation in new ventures.Originality/valueIn lieu of pursuing definitive causal explanations, this study proposes alternative configurations. While fsQCA demonstrates that entrepreneurial innovation is contingent upon distinctive causal conditions, extending the analysis to NCA reveals the level of necessity required for a condition to yield varying degrees of entrepreneurial innovation. The integration of fsQCA and NCA offers a more nuanced understanding of context-dependent factors that define entrepreneurial innovation in new ventures than fsQCA alone.

PurposeDrawing upon the Conservation of Resources theory and Relational Demography Theory, we examine the crossover of supervisor family experiences to subordinates in the workplace. We posit that supervisor family-to-work enrichment and conflict influence subordinate perceptions of supervisor support for work–family, which, in turn, positively affects subordinate work engagement and job satisfaction and negatively affects subordinate turnover intentions. The effects of supervisor family-to-work enrichment and conflict on perceptions of supervisor support are respectively suggested to be strengthened and weakened by the demographic similarity between the supervisor and the subordinate.Design/methodology/approachUsing a sample of 496 employees nested within 83 supervisors from China, we conducted a multilevel analysis.FindingsOur results indicate that supervisor family-to-work conflict and supervisor family-to-work enrichment have negative and positive effects (respectively) on subordinates’ perceptions of supervisor work–family support, and this effect is moderated by low, rather than high, similarity in the supervisor–subordinate dyad. An overall indirect effect of supervisor family-to-work enrichment and family-to-work conflict on subordinate work engagement, job satisfaction and turnover intentions through the mediator of perceived supervisor work–family support is also confirmed.Practical implicationsFrom a practical standpoint, our research emphasizes the importance for organizations to support supervisors in achieving work–family balance in order to promote positive employee work-related outcomes.Originality/valueOur study contributes to work–family literature by unraveling how and when resources may travel through supervisors to affect the generation of new resources (i.e. supervisor support for work–family) and ultimately affect subordinate outcomes in the workplace.

PurposeThe strict regulations and reporting requirements in microfinance institutions require a high level of knowledge and expertise in finance, accounting and risk management. Therefore, microfinance institutions (MFIs) must possess a high absorptive capacity to understand their customers’ needs and develop appropriate products and services to meet them. This study explains how organizational culture influences absorptive capacity in MFIs, with a particular focus on the mediating role of knowledge sharing.Design/methodology/approachData were collected from 450 randomly selected employees of microfinance banking institutions in Pakistan. The data were tested for reliability and validity, and hypotheses were tested through structural equation modeling in WarpPLS 8.0.FindingsThe findings show that knowledge! sharing mediates the relationship between organizational culture and absorptive capacity. Thus, MFIs should promote knowledge sharing as a cultural value to improve their ability to acquire and utilize new knowledge, enhance absorptive capacity to drive innovation and facilitate the development of new products and services.Practical implicationsMFIs with higher absorptive capacity are more likely to be able to respond to changes in the market, such as new technologies or shifting customer demands. Therefore, managers should promote a culture of sharing knowledge and expertise to ensure adaptability in dynamic market conditions.Originality/valueThis research provides a framework for organizations to better understand the role of knowledge sharing in their success and how to leverage it to enhance their absorptive capacity. It is valuable for academics and practitioners seeking to improve organizational performance and competitiveness.

PurposeThe field of spirituality is undergoing a transition from an advocacy-based approach to one that is grounded in scientific evidence. The advantages of workplace spirituality for employee performance remain under-researched, however, particularly in the context of service roles. This study addresses this gap by examining the mediating role of workplace spirituality between social exchange, organizational trust and organizational citizenship behavior (OCB).Design/methodology/approachA two-wave online survey was conducted, with 350 participating Israeli service employees. Structural equation modeling was utilized to test the hypotheses.FindingsEmpirically testing workplace spirituality and OCB by their dimensions advances the field, exposes unique rather than general relationships. Workplace spirituality’s latent factors were found as mediators: alignment with organizational values mediated the relationship between social exchange, organizational trust and OCBs directed toward individuals (OCBI), whereas meaningful work mediated the relationship between social exchange, organizational trust and citizenship behaviors directed toward the organization (OCBO).Practical implicationsIt would be advisable to give direct attention to strategies and programs that foster workplace spirituality and OCB among employees by HRM and service department managers.Originality/valueThe current study is the first of its kind to address workplace spirituality as a mediator between social exchange, organizational trust and OCB. The findings serve as a springboard for integrating workplace spirituality into employee performance research.

PurposeDrawing on job demands-resources theory, this paper aims to investigate the impact of workplace spirituality on mindfulness and the subsequent effects of mindfulness on open innovation mindset and job embeddedness. Additionally, it examines the mediating role of mindfulness between workplace spirituality and key outcomes, including open innovation mindset and job embeddedness. Lastly, the study investigates the moderating role of self-efficacy in the relationship between workplace spirituality and mindfulness.Design/methodology/approachThe research utilized multiple sampling techniques to collect data from employees across numerous sectors. A total of 197 viable responses were collected. Partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) was used to test the proposed hypotheses.FindingsThe results indicate that workplace spirituality has a positive impact on mindfulness, which in turn increases employees’ job embeddedness and an open innovation mindset. Additionally, it was found that mindfulness mediates the relationship between workplace spirituality and both job embeddedness and open innovation mindset. Surprisingly and unexpectedly, the results indicate a negative moderating impact of self-efficacy between workplace spirituality and mindfulness.Practical implicationsCultivating a sense of purpose and meaningful work, alongside mindfulness programs and recruitment practices focused on cultural fit, can enhance both employee retention and innovation.Originality/valueLittle to no research exists that clarifies how workplace spirituality impacts employees’ job embeddedness and an open innovation mindset. Notably, the mediating role of mindfulness remains unexplored. This study is among the first to explore the mediating role of mindfulness between workplace spirituality and outcomes such as job embeddedness and an open innovation mindset. Additionally, the moderating role of self-efficacy between workplace spirituality and mindfulness is almost absent in the existing literature. Lastly, the unexpected findings on the role of self-efficacy in this study open fresh avenues for future research.

PurposeThis paper investigates the role of organization engagement and extra-role behavior in nonprofit sport clubs and examines how team dynamics and eudaimonic well-being in sport club members are influential for organization engagement. We further investigate the moderating influence of organizational tenure between team reflexivity and team identification.Design/methodology/approachWe collected data from 545 sport club members in the UK and applied structural equation modeling (SPSS AMOS 29) to test the research model.FindingsThe results show that organization engagement is positively associated with extra-role behavior, except the social dimension of engagement, which is negatively associated. We established that team identification and eudaimonic well-being fully mediate the association between team reflexivity and organization engagement. The moderating effect of organizational tenure supports that team reflexivity is more effective for members with short-term tenure to strengthen team identification.Practical implicationsManagers in sport clubs are advised to consider the type of information exchanged, the way it is discussed, the intensity or regularity of team reflexivity and the degree of interactivity between members as critical factors that influence team dynamics and organization engagement.Originality/valueWe contribute to research in two major ways. First, we extend previous research on organization engagement by offering a multidimensional investigation of organization engagement in a nonprofit sport club context. Second, we extend previous research on organization engagement by introducing new antecedents and consequences in this context.

PurposeDrawing on the frustration-aggression-displacement (FAD) hypothesis, this study investigates the link between supervisor incivility and workplace deviant behavior through the mediating pathways of supervisor-targeted aggression and emotional exhaustion. Additionally, it examines the moderating role of psychopathy in the relationships between supervisor incivility and supervisor-targeted aggression and supervisor incivility and emotional exhaustion.Design/methodology/approachData were collected from hotel employees through a three-wave study, and variance-based partial least square structural equation modeling (VB-SEM) was employed to analyze the hypothesized associations.FindingsResults indicate that supervisor-targeted aggression and emotional exhaustion mediate the relationships between supervisor incivility and workplace deviant behavior. However, psychopathy did not show any significant moderating effect.Practical implicationsThe findings provide valuable insights for managers to develop effective strategies for reducing organizational incivility and deviant behaviors.Originality/valueThis study identifies two mediating mechanisms linking supervisor incivility to workplace deviant behavior and adds to the limited understanding of how supervisor incivility can lead to negative employee behaviors.

PurposeDrawing on social exchange and street-level bureaucracy (SLB) theories, the authors of the present paper seek to identify how public banks in Egypt strategically manage their frontline employees to maintain high performance even during periods of economic uncertainty.Design/methodology/approachThe empirical sample comprises semi-structured interviews with 28 frontline employees working in 4 public banks. The authors used the Gioia mechanism to analyze their data.FindingsThe authors identified job-related (discretionary power of bank employees, nature of banking jobs and hiring elite individuals for banking jobs); learning-related (continuous learning of bank employees, spread of MBA programs and resilience of bank employees) and context-related categories of factors (career support and more financial rewards during economic uncertainty) that explain the stability of the performance of the frontline bank employees addressed in this study despite the economic uncertainty their country is passing through.Practical implicationsGiven the findings of the present paper, the authors propose that the administration of the addressed banks maintain the policy of providing training opportunities to their employees. However, such training should pay more attention to issues such as crisis management, customer-employee engagement and the mental health of employees during crises, among others. Second, as dissatisfaction is very high with other public sector organizations in Egypt, their top management should try to learn from public banks, follow the best practices and collaborate with them to improve their service offerings to the citizens. Finally, for global financial institutions such as the International Monetary Fund who are involved in rescuing Egyptian economy should incorporate strategic human resources management implementation in public sector organizations in their recommendations, along with economic reforms package.Originality/valueThis paper contributes by filling a gap in the literature on strategic human resources management and economic uncertainty in which empirical studies of the association between them, particularly in the context of North African countries such as Egypt, have been limited so far.

PurposeThis study investigates the relationship between perceived organizational support (POS), employee resilience and workload on burnout in the consulting sector, which is characterized by long working hours and high pressure.Design/methodology/approachThe proposed hypotheses were tested using data collected from a sample of 169 management consultants. The key constructs were examined using the PROCESS statistical package.FindingsThe findings indicate that POS has a positive effect on exhaustion, cynicism and professional inefficacy. This effect is partially mediated by employee resilience for all three dimensions. A significant moderation between workload and POS has been found for the cynicism dimension of burnout, suggesting that the positive effect of high POS is especially useful for consultants with high workloads (exceeding 60 working hours per week).Practical implicationsThese findings highlight the importance of making employees feel supported in high-pressure work environments, as this has both a direct effect on employees' mental health and an indirect effect by increasing resilience, which in turn reduces the risk of burnout.Originality/valueThe study addresses the paucity of research on the workloads of management consultants and how they navigate burnout. The findings show that both personal resources (in this case, resilience) and organizational resources (POS) have a favorable impact on preventing burnout.

PurposeGiven the concept of loafing at work and its IT equivalent, cyberloafing, we propose the concept of BallotLoafing to metaphorically describe a similar phenomenon occurring during political elections. BallotLoafing describes how employees’ attention can become absorbed by discussions, debates or following news related to an election, shifting focus away from work tasks. This study aims to investigate the effects of attitude, subjective norm and perceived behavioral control on employees’ intention to engage in BallotLoafing behaviors through the lens of the theory of planned behavior. Additionally, the research explores the moderating role of political belief in the relationship between these variables.Design/methodology/approachThe statistical population of this research was the employees of public organizations in Isfahan, Iran. We conducted a two-wave lagged survey. The data were collected during the 2024 elections for the 12th convocation of the Islamic Parliament of Iran. This study used structural equation modeling to examine the proposed model.FindingsEmployees’ attitude, subjective norm and perceived behavioral control positively impacted employees’ intention to engage in BallotLoafing. In addition, behavioral intention positively impacted actual BallotLoafing behaviors. Finally, the results showed that the political belief did not play a moderating role in the relationship between these variables.Practical implicationsManaging or reducing BallotLoafing involves addressing the key factors that influence such behavior: attitudes, subjective norms and perceived behavioral control.Originality/valueThis research introduces a novel concept: BallotLoafing, which captures employee distraction during elections.

PurposeThis study aims to explore the nuanced role of organizational “collectives” in transmitting the effect of high-performance work systems (HPWS) on organizations’ market success and workforce retention.Design/methodology/approachThe multi-source data was collected from 113 construction firms operating in Pakistan using a survey questionnaire.FindingsThe findings indicate that collective human capital and collective satisfaction of organizations differentially mediate the effect of HPWS on market success and workforce retention. Collective satisfaction mediates the effect of HPWS on both market success and workforce retention, however collective human capital only mediates this relationship for market success of organizations.Practical implicationsOrganizations should consider prioritizing investment in cognitive and affective development of overall human resources. Knowledge, skills, abilities and emotions of individual employees operate at the collective level so organizations should design HRM practices to manage collective thoughts and interpretations.Originality/valueThis is the first study to investigate human capital and satisfaction at the collective organization level to explore collective developmental and motivational paths for HPWS to boost organization strategic outcomes.