Emerald | Journal of Management Development | Table of Contents

Employee involvement and Organizational Effectiveness.

literatinetwork@emeraldinsight.com (Edwinah Amah, Augustine Ahiauzu) — Fri, 12 Jul 2013 00:00:00 +0100

Abstract

Purpose - To examine the extent to which employee involvement influences organizational effectiveness. To examine the extent to which employee involvement influences profitability, productivity, and market share. Design/methodology/approach - The correlational study was conducted as a cross-sectional survey. Research questionnaires were administered; interviews were held with managers in the organizations studied. A total of 388 managers were randomly drawn from a population of 13,339 managers of all the 24 banks in Nigeria. The independent variable, ‘employee involvement’ was measured by empowerment, team orientation, and capacity development. The dependent variable, organizational effectiveness was measured by profitability, productivity, and market share. The measures all used a 5-point Likert scale- (ranging from 1-strongly disagree to 5-strongly agree), Spearman’s Rank Correlation Statistical tool was used to test the hypotheses.Findings - The descriptive statistics of the study variables shown in Table 1 indicates that employee involvement positively influences organizational effectiveness.The result (Rho=0.515 P<0.05) ( see Table 2) shows a positive significant relationship between employee involvement and profitability. The result (Rho=0.126 P< 0.05)(see Table 3) shows a positive relationship between employee involvement and productivity. The result (Rho=0.256 P<0.05) (see Table 4) shows a positive relationship between employee involvement and market share.Research limitations/implications - The result cannot be generalized because the study was carried out only in the banking industry. Not all the questionnaires given out were retrieved. Some respondents were reluctant to give out information about their organizations because of fear that such information will get to their competitors. Relevant literature on the topic of African origin were scarce, thus most of the literature reviewed was from Europe and America.Practical implications - The results imply that increase in the level of employee involvement in organizations will enhance profitability,productivity, and market share. This means that employee involvement is associated with organizational effectiveness.Originality/value - The study provides increased understanding, prediction, and appreciation of human behaviour. It enables us analyze the relationship that exist between employee involvement and organizational effectiveness. The study significantly enhances the body of knowledge in this area of management as it provides reliable empirical results that can be used by scholars and practitioners. It will also help to alert managers on the implications of cultivating a culture of employee involvement that can serve as a competitive advantage.The study will be a challenge to further research because of its findings.

Exploring Trends in the Codes of Ethics of the Fortune 100 and Global 100 Corporations

Fri, 12 Jul 2013 00:00:00 +0100

Abstract

Purpose - The aim of this research is to explore emerging trends in the content of codes of ethics of U.S Fortune 100 and Global 100 corporate websites through a longitudinal study.Design/methodology/approach - The websites of the 200 companies were surfed and the relevant documents of the codes of ethics were extracted to separate text files. The computer files, then, were mined using the customized developed software and each ethical keyword was counted. The number of filed codes of ethic was 95 for both 100 US based and 100 Global based companies.Findings - In addition to the content analysis of the ethic codes of the studied groups and finding high-frequency ethical keywords, the results of this study indicate a convergence of the contents. Moreover, the results also show that the ethical codes are now more readily available on corporations’ websites; that is a sign of higher level of disclosure of ethical codes comparing to that in 2006. Finally, this research proposes some hypotheses to explain the changes from 2006 to 2009.Practical implications - Many smaller corporations and start up companies can benefit from the results of this study by comparing their codes of ethics with those of the major U.S. and global companies using key ethical phrases that are discussed here. Moreover, U.S. companies who want to establish new subsidiaries in other countries can also take advantage of the results of this study. They can find out what are the common dissimilarities between American corporates and other international firms from ethical point of view when they want to reach at a uniform code of ethics.Originality/value - This study analyses the content of codes of ethics of world top firms and compare fortune 500 and global 500 companies considering the frequency of ethical keywords on their codes. It also compares the similarities and difference and indicates whether the content is divergent or convergent. The study also presents that how the disclosure of codes of ethics has changed in the time span of research.

Industry strategic variety and performance: The role of market and institutional forces in the Chinese industrial enterprises

literatinetwork@emeraldinsight.com (Linghua Qin, Runtian Jing, Cheryl Long) — Fri, 12 Jul 2013 00:00:00 +0100

Abstract

Purpose - Market-based theories assume that firms’ differential strategic commitments to businesses lead to differential strategic positions within the industry. While the institutional perspective from organization theory emphasizes the institutional pressures which lead to legitimacy and firm isomorphism. Yet, it is not clear how intra-industry organizations behave during institutional transitions. This paper combines the insights of these theories by examining the role of market and institutional forces in affecting industry strategic variety and its impact on average industry performance in transitional China based on the strategic view of neoinstitutional theory.Design/methodology/approach - Empirical tests using industrial enterprise data of China from 2000 to 2006 are carried out.Findings - Empirical results using industrial enterprise data of China from 2000 to 2006 suggest that: (1) industry competitiveness has a strongpositive influence on strategic variety; (2) the weakening relationship between government and market leads to increased strategic variety. And indicators of strategic variety haves complicate effects on industry performance.Originality/value - The strategic view of neoinstitutional theory was used to gain a better understanding of intra-industry strategic variety during the institutional transition of China. Thus this paper combines seemingly contradictory theories in our understanding of how intra-industry organizations behave in response to institutional change.

Managers Coping in Further Education Colleges

literatinetwork@emeraldinsight.com (Damien Page) — Fri, 12 Jul 2013 00:00:00 +0100

Abstract

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to document the coping styles of First Tier Managers in English Further Education Colleges in relation to the most significant stressors and to create an original, grounded scale of coping based on the data.Design/methodology/approach - This study adopted a qualitative approach to coping strategies and involved semi-structured interviews with 23 first tier managers in four colleges.Findings - The study identified 16 distinct coping strategies employed by the first tier managers that ranged from ‘compliant’ strategies such as increased effort and self-coaching, to ‘affective’ strategies such as exercise and tension reduction; finally were those strategies that were ‘non-compliant’ such as escape and dissent. Research limitations/implications - This research presents a tentative coping scale for first tier managers that could potentially inform the design of structured development programmes according to their particular needs.Originality/value - This is the first coping scale of first tier managers in further education and its findings may have implications for first tier managers in other organisational settings.

Organisational justice climate, social capital and firm performance

literatinetwork@emeraldinsight.com (Ashish Mahajan, Philip G Benson) — Fri, 12 Jul 2013 00:00:00 +0100

Abstract

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to develop a conceptual framework in order to understand the impact of organizational justice climate on firm performance. Design/methodology/approach - This paper reviews the literature on organizational justice and social capital and theorizes their relationship with firm performance. The underlying argument of this paper is that a climate of organizational justice influences firm performance indirectly through its influence on social capital. Findings - This paper suggests ways through which different types of justice climate- distributive, procedural, interactional - are related to different dimensions of social capital. This paper also extends the findings of organizational justice research from an individual level to organizational level by proposing an indirect relationship with firm performance.Originality/value - This paper is unique as no research to date has proposed a conceptual framework integrating organizational justice climate, social capital and firm performance.

Does Accreditation Promote Organizational Learning? A Multiple Case Study of Canadian University Business Schools

literatinetwork@emeraldinsight.com (CATHERINE Jane ELLIOTT, Swee Goh) — Fri, 12 Jul 2013 00:00:00 +0100

Abstract

Purpose - The purpose of this research was to explore the potential learning consequences of AACSB accreditation as perceived by administrators and faculty members at four Canadian university business schools.Design/methodology/approach - A qualitative, multiple case study approach was employed. A purposive sample of four Canadian business schools was selected; and data were collected from multiple sources. The data were analyzed using NVivo7 and a cross case analysis was performed.Findings - The results indicate that AACSB accreditation facilitated organizational learning in three of the four schools. Respondents felt that accreditation promoted strategic alignment, a re-assessment of the school’s mission, and an emphasis on performance management; others identified an increased focus on quality and/or research. Accreditation also served as a catalyst for change, one which motivated program improvement. In terms of contextual factors, leadership was found to be the most pervasive influence on organizational learning effects. Resource dependence was also found to be influential. Research limitations/implications - This research highlights the importance of educational leadership in facilitating organizational learning through evaluative inquiry. Because of the qualitative methodology, the sample size is limited to four university business schools.Practical implications - This study has practical implications for management education internationally, as AACSB accreditation is increasingly a global phenomenon. The findings will be of interest to educational administrators, policy makers, managers, and accrediting bodies who are interested in facilitating learning through accreditation. Originality/value - This research offers a novel approach to studying the question of AACSB accreditation and its learning effects. By using a qualitative multiple case study method, this research provided a unique opportunity to focus more keenly on context and its role in influencing the potential learning consequences of accreditation.

Experiential Learning for Developing Managers: A Practical Model

literatinetwork@emeraldinsight.com (Dean Elliott Frost, Valerie Wallingford) — Fri, 12 Jul 2013 00:00:00 +0100

Abstract

Purpose - This paper’s purpose is to create a practical system for assessing the need for developmental opportunities for management development while functioning on the job and to assist managers in selecting from those opportunities. This includes assessment strategies, discussion of developmental patterns, and potential gains in organizational commitment and managerial performance.Design/methodology/approach - A model is proposed for connecting previously established management competencies to developmental opportunities in the manager’s current task and group environments.Findings - Self-assessment instruments are presented for general management competencies and for task structure with notes on how managers, their supervisors and/or mentors might complete those ratings in order to then use the proposed action model for learning/development.Practical implications - The potential impact of managerial coaching processes or diversity in organizational cultural contexts on the use of this model are noted.Originality/value - This paper presents a new model for self-assessment of managerial development needs, discusses how those can be linked with on-the-job tasks within an existing job placement and organization. While the literature documents the value of developmental opportunities, no system exists for the assessment or selection of a developmental plan within an existing job title or organization. The proposed model fills a large conceptual gap in mapping a manager’s personal career goals onto the organization’s career paths or management development system objectives.

Managerial Coaching: Challenges, Opportunities & Training

literatinetwork@emeraldinsight.com (Grace McCarthy, Julia Milner) — Fri, 12 Jul 2013 00:00:00 +0100

Abstract

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to provide insights into the growing practice of managerial coaching. Much of the coaching literature is set in the context of an external coach coming into an organisation. However managers are increasingly being expected to coach their employees, a change in role which can create tensions. Design/methodology/approach - This paper examines the literature on coaching managers. The paper also discusses practical implications for coach training.Findings - This paper identifies key differences in the issues faced by coaching managers and by internal/external coaches. Recognises the importance of adequate training of managers in coaching skills as an important issue for organizations to tackle. Furthermore the development of a supportive coaching culture should not be underestimated in facilitating managers to apply their coaching skills on a daily basis. Originality/value - Gives an overview of the challenges of the coaching managers, identifies areas for development/consideration of coaching training programs and offers practical suggestions for supporting managers in applying their coaching skills.

The perceptions of an EMBA experience in China: an exploratory study

literatinetwork@emeraldinsight.com (Aurora S. Chen, Noeleen Doherty) — Fri, 12 Jul 2013 00:00:00 +0100

Abstract

Purpose - This paper reports on perceptions of an Executive MBA (EMBA) experience to the development of Chinese managers’ careers.Design/methodology/approach - This qualitative research drew on in-depth interviews with a sample of alumni from two business schools in China. Narrative analysis focused on career competency development.Findings - Chinese managers perceived the career outcomes of undertaking the EMBA and reported knowing-whom benefits such as sharing information, building reputation and exchanging acquired knowledge, knowing-how namely as a source of learning and knowing-why namely work-life balance.Research limitations/implications - The research presents a small sample and so cannot be applicable to the wider population. It is exploratory in nature and intended to encourage debate over the perceived importance of career competencies accrued from EMBA studies in an Eastern context.Originality/value - The paper adds to existing research on career competency development through the EMBA experience. It offers insights into Chinese managers’ networking ability to put people together and to acquire information, opportunities and resources for career management and development purposes.