Group & Organization Management recent issues

Leader--Member Exchange as a Moderator of the Relationship Between Work Group Diversity and Team Performance

Stewart, M. M., Johnson, O. E. — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 15:58:58 PDT

This study tests a moderator of the association between diversity and work group performance: leader—member exchange (LMX). The authors theorized performance effects associated with the differentiation and aggregate level of the dyadic LMX relationships in work groups and that the nature of these LMX effects would vary qualitatively as a function of work group diversity. The model was tested with a U.S. military operational simulation, including 224 high-ranking officers in 65 temporary work groups. Results indicate that LMX interacted with work group gender diversity, such that in more gender diverse groups LMX differentiation was positively associated with work group performance when aggregate LMX was high (above the median); among less gender diverse groups, LMX differentiation was not associated with performance when aggregate LMX was high, consistent with prior research. No effects of gender diversity were found among work groups reporting low aggregate LMX or with regard to group member functional background diversity.

Valuing Skill Differences: Perceived Skill Complementarity and Dyadic Helping Behavior in Teams

Oosterhof, A., Van der Vegt, G. S., Van de Vliert, E., Sanders, K. — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 15:58:58 PDT

This article reports effects of perceived skill dissimilarity and perceived skill complementarity on dyadic helping behavior using a cross-lagged panel study. Specifically, the authors hypothesize that perceived skill dissimilarity is negatively related, whereas perceived skill complementarity is positively related, to self-rated and peer-rated dyadic helping behavior in teams. The authors compare the effects of both perceptions in a sample of 301 unilateral work relationships within 20 student research teams. The study shows that perceived skill dissimilarity is unrelated to self-rated and peer-rated dyadic helping behavior whereas perceived skill complementarity is positively related to both self-rated and peer-rated dyadic helping behavior.

Individual Task Choice and the Division of Challenging Tasks Between Men and Women

Fri, 09 Oct 2009 15:58:58 PDT

Challenging experiences are considered important for career development, and previous studies have suggested that women have fewer o f those experiences in their jobs than men have. However, the nature and possible determinants of this gender gap in job challenge have hardly been empirically studied. In the present study, the authors examine (a) gender differences in individuals’ choice to perform challenging tasks and (b) gender differences in the allocation of challenging tasks in opposite-sex dyads. Results show that the men and women in the sample did not differ in their individual choice to perform challenging tasks, but after task allocation in opposite-sex dyads men ended up with more of the challenging tasks, whereas women ended up with more of the nonchallenging tasks. The authors discuss the possible consequences of these results for women’s career development.

Moderating Role of Follower Characteristics With Transformational Leadership and Follower Work Engagement

Zhu, W., Avolio, B. J., Walumbwa, F. O. — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 15:58:58 PDT

This study examines whether follower characteristics moderate the relationship between transformational leadership and follower work engagement. Data were collected from 140 followers and their 48 supervisors from a diverse range of industries in South Africa. Hierarchical linear modeling results show that follower characteristics moderate the positive relationship between transformational leadership and follower work engagement. More specifically, transformational leadership has a more positive effect on follower work engagement when follower characteristics are more positive. Implications of the findings for theory, research, and practice are discussed.

Values in Authentic Action: Examining the Roots and Rewards of Altruistic Leadership

Sosik, J. J., Jung, D., Dinger, S. L. — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 16:21:57 PDT

This study examined whether managers' values intensities and self-concept salience influence their altruistic leadership behavior and performance. Hypotheses derived from the goal hierarchy model of personality and the positive psychology literatures were tested using multisource data. Two hundred and eighteen managers reported their self-transcendence and self-enhancement values intensity and hoped-for and feared possible selves. Nine-hundred and thirty-five subordinates rated their manager's altruistic behavior and 218 superiors provided ratings of managerial performance. Results of partial least squares analysis indicated that managers' collective self salience partially mediated the relationships between self-transcendence and self-enhancement values intensity and altruistic behavior. Subordinates' ratings of managers' altruistic behavior predicted superiors' ratings of managerial performance. Managers' self-monitoring moderated the relationships between self-construals, altruistic behavior, and performance.

Shareholder Returns for a Catalyst Award

Arthur, M. M., Cook, A. — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 16:21:57 PDT

Using an event study methodology, the authors examine firm share price reactions to the designation of a Catalyst Award. They find a positive relationship between the human resource award and share price reactions. In addition, they find varying degrees of support that timing, firm size, and labor force composition moderate share price reactions. Specifically, the authors find that earlier award announcements generate larger share price reactions than more recent award announcements. They also find support that larger firms reap greater share price reactions than do smaller firms. And last, they find limited support that the proportion of women in an industry moderates the award and share price relationship.

Anonymity and Counter-Normative Arguments in Computer-Mediated Discussions

Kahai, S. S. — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 16:21:57 PDT

A laboratory study examines (a) the effects of source and participant anonymity on the incidence of counter-normative arguments during computer-mediated discussion of an issue that has a normative position, and (b) how the incidence of counter-normative arguments, in turn, affects members' agreement with the normative position. In source-anonymous groups, members know their group's composition but they do not know who has provided what input. In participant-anonymous groups, members do not know their group's composition or the source of any input. When initial opinions among group members differ, source anonymity leads to a lower incidence of counter-normative arguments compared with the identified or participant-anonymity conditions. In groups with a lower incidence of counter-normative arguments, there is greater agreement with the issue's normative position, and members also deviate less from each other after the discussion. Theoretical and practical implications of the results are presented.

An Examination of the Roles of Trust and Functional Diversity on Virtual Team Performance Ratings

Peters, L., Karren, R. J. — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 16:21:57 PDT

This study investigates the relationship among trust, functional diversity, and team performance in a virtual environment. The authors conducted research on more than 200 team members representing 33 virtual teams and found that both trust and functional diversity had a direct impact on team performance using team member ratings; however, neither had a direct impact on team performance using external manager ratings. Instead, trust was found to moderate the functional diversity to performance relationship using the managers' ratings. Differences in the development of trust between virtual teams and face-to-face teams are also discussed, as are the implications that the results of this study may have on organizations, managers, and team members.

Psychological Empowerment and Job Satisfaction: An Analysis of Interactive Effects

Guangping Wang, , Lee, P. D. — Tue, 12 May 2009 18:01:37 PDT

This research investigates the interactive effects of the psychological empowerment dimensions on job satisfaction. Using data collected from employees of multiple organizations, the authors find intriguing three-way interactions among the dimensions. Choice has a weak but negative effect on job satisfaction when both competence and impact are high or low but has a strong positive effect when one of the two dimensions is low and the other is high. Impact has no effect on job satisfaction when choice and competence are both high or both low. The effect of impact is positive only when one of the two dimensions is high and the other is low. In addition, high levels of choice and competence reinforce the positive effect of meaning on job satisfaction. The results offer important insights for future theory development on psychological empowerment.

Knowledge Transfer Within Multinationals and Their Foreign Subsidiaries: A Culture-Context Approach

Zaidman, N., Brock, D. M. — Tue, 12 May 2009 18:01:37 PDT

The authors' research introduces a culture-sensitive approach to the analysis of knowledge transfer in multinational organizations. This article investigates the knowledge itself, how knowledge is represented, and its flow within social structures. The analysis considers forms of knowledge transfer as cultural products, and their interaction with the populations involved. Sociocultural structures as well as specific cultural characteristics of the populations are analyzed in reference to knowledge transfer as well as the interaction between the relevant contexts. Data were collected in two multinational Israeli software development companies and their affiliates in India. The analyses included various qualitative analyses of 96 interviews, informal discussions, documents, including instant messaging chats and observations. The authors show, for example, how the influences of contemporary professional work norms as well as customary behavior from the national context combine to influence who talks to whom, what kind of information is transferred, and the extent to which people of disparate status and background are willing to share.

Contextual Inhibitors of Employee Creativity in Organizations: The Insulating Role of Creative Ability

Jin Nam Choi, , Anderson, T. A., Veillette, A. — Tue, 12 May 2009 18:01:37 PDT

This study highlights the importance of negative predictors of employee creativity. The authors identified a set of work environment characteristics that may inhibit employee creativity. Using data collected from 123 Canadian employees in various industries, the authors empirically tested the relationships between these inhibiting factors and peer-rated creative performance. Aversive leadership and unsupportive organizational climate were negatively related to creativity, whereas close monitoring was positively associated with creativity. Interaction analyses indicate that creative ability of employees may either enhance or attenuate the detrimental effects of inhibitory contextual factors. Complementing the existing studies that have largely focused on facilitators of creativity, the present study introduces a more balanced perspective to the organizational creativity literature by examining inhibitory contextual factors.

The Role of Mentoring Others in the Career Plateauing Phenomenon

Lentz, E., Allen, T. D. — Tue, 12 May 2009 18:01:37 PDT

The purpose of the present study is to investigate relationships between mentoring others, perceptions of career plateauing, and job attitudes. A total of 306 government employees located in the southeastern United States completed surveys (50.08% response rate). Of these, 110 reported experience as a mentor. As expected, the results indicated that mentoring others was associated with more favorable job attitudes, whereas greater job content and hierarchical plateauing was associated with less favorable job attitudes. The results provided mixed support that mentoring others may alleviate the negative consequences associated with career plateauing. Specifically, the results indicated that mentor experience and psychosocial mentoring moderated the relationship for job content plateauing. Similar relationships were not found for hierarchical plateauing. Implications and future research suggestions are provided.

Thank You Reviewers!

Tue, 12 May 2009 18:01:37 PDT

Abusive Supervision and Employee Emotional Exhaustion: Dispositional Antecedents and Boundaries

Wu, T.-Y., Changya Hu, — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 11:02:54 PDT

The authors examined the relationship between subordinates' core self-evaluations and supervisors' abusive supervision. Furthermore, they examined whether subordinates' perceived coworker support and subordinates' susceptibility to emotional contagion moderated the relationship between supervisors' abusive supervision and subordinates' emotional exhaustion. They analyzed data from 290 subordinates who had immediate supervisors using hierarchal multiple regression. Results show that core self-evaluations were negatively related to abusive supervision, whereas abusive supervision was positively related to emotional exhaustion. Both perceived coworker support and susceptibility to emotional contagion moderated the relationship between abusive supervision and emotional exhaustion. It is surprising that the moderating effect of perceived coworker support showed an unexpected pattern such that a stronger relationship between abusive supervision and emotional exhaustion existed when coworker social support was high. The authors conclude with a discussion of these findings.

A Longitudinal Study of Team Conflict, Conflict Management, Cohesion, and Team Effectiveness

Tekleab, A. G., Quigley, N. R., Tesluk, P. E. — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 11:02:54 PDT

This study examines the relationships among team conflict, conflict management, cohesion, and team effectiveness. Data are collected longitudinally from 53 teams, and the results indicate that conflict management has a direct, positive effect on team cohesion and moderates the relationship between relationship conflict and team cohesion as well as that between task conflict and team cohesion. These results suggest that a high level of conflict management not only has a direct impact on team cohesion but also alters the negative and positive effects of relationship conflict and task conflict, respectively, on team cohesion. We also found team cohesion to be positively related to perceived performance, satisfaction with the team, and team viability. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.

Connecting Work--Family Policies to Supportive Work Environments

Cook, A. — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 11:02:54 PDT

This research provides a theory-driven approach to study the relationship between the availability of work—family policies and family-supportive organization perceptions (FSOPs) and supervisory support perceptions (SSPs). At-risk family characteristics, which are characteristics that potentially affect work—family conflict such as a young child in the home, are investigated as a moderator of the proposed relationships. Findings substantiate positive relationships between the availability of work—family policies and FSOPs and SSPs; in addition, at-risk family characteristics are found to strengthen the relationship between work—family policies and SSPs. FSOPs and SSPs are also examined as mediators of the relationship between work—family policies and employee outcomes of intention to turnover, job satisfaction, and job burnout. Findings partially support FSOPs and SSPs as having mediating influences in the work—family policies and work attitudes relationship.

Attitudes Toward Flexibility: The Role of Task Characteristics

Molleman, E. — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 11:02:54 PDT

Although worker flexibility may well be beneficial for team performance, it may also have unanticipated social side effects. This study examines to what extent task interdependence and perceived task autonomy are related to the beliefs of team members that being flexible brings social benefits and social downsides. Completed questionnaires are returned by 432 employees and their supervisors, working in 90 flexible teams across 15 organizations. The results demonstrate a positive relationship between perceived task autonomy and the perceived social benefits of worker flexibility, but only for teams with high levels of task interdependence. In addition, task autonomy, in the sense of having discretion over the use of flexibility, proves to be negatively related to the perceived social downsides of being flexible, but only if task interdependence is high. The results suggest that it is important to match the level of task autonomy with the level of task interdependence.