Bernd E. Irmer

Uncertainty during Organizational Change: Managing Perceptions through Communication

Abstract Although uncertainty has been identified as a major consequence of organizational change for employees, there still remains a lack of understanding regarding the processes through which employees address such perceptions. This research examines the role that different sources of communication play in addressing change-related uncertainty for employees. Firstly, a qualitative study was conducted in which 25 interviews with employees from a range of organizations were undertaken. The goal of the first study was to examine how employees manage change-related uncertainties. From employee responses, it was revealed that specific change-related uncertainties may be best addressed by different sources of communication. Findings suggest that direct supervisors are the preferred sources of implementation-related and job-relevant information during change, while senior management typically provide more strategic information. Furthermore, results indicated that trust influences which sources employees seek information from and how they appraise the information they receive. Secondly, a quantitative field study was conducted in a large government department that was about to undergo a restructure of its corporate and human services divisions. This follow-up study was designed to provide a partial examination of the relationships identified in the qualitative study. Results indicated that employees who perceived they received quality change communication reported being more open toward the change. In addition, change-related uncertainty mediated this relationship. The results are discussed in terms of theoretical contributions to the change management literature, and the implications regarding effective communication strategies during change.

The Expression of Conflict in Computer-Mediated and Face-To-Face Groups

This study integrated the research streams of computer-mediated communication (CMC) and group conflict by comparing the expression of different types of conflict in CMC groups and face-to-face (FTF) groups over time. The main aim of the study was to compare the cues-filtered-out approach against the social information processing theory. A laboratory study was conducted with 39 groups (19 CMC and 20 FTF) in which members were required to work together over three sessions. The frequencies of task, process, and relationship conflict were analyzed. Findings supported the social information processing theory. There was more process and relationship conflict in CMC groups compared to FTF groups on Day 1. However, this difference disappeared on Days 2 and 3. There was no difference between CMC and FTF groups in the amount of task conflict expressed on any day.

Haunted by the Past: Effects of Poor Change Management History on Employee Attitudes and Turnover

Change management research has largely ignored the effects of organizational change management history in shaping employee attitudes and behavior. This article develops and tests a model of the effects of poor change management history (PCMH) on employee attitudes (trust, job satisfaction, turnover intentions, change cynicism, and openness to change) and actual turnover. We found that PCMH, through PCMH beliefs, led to lower trust, job satisfaction and openness to change, and higher cynicism and turnover intentions. Also, PCMH beliefs predicted employee turnover over 2 years.

To What Extent is the Mayer and Salovey (1997) Model of Emotional Intelligence a Useful Predictor of Leadership Style and Perceived Leadership Outcomes in Australian Educational Institutions

Researchers have found that transformational leadership is related to positive outcomes in educational institutions. Hence, it is important to explore constructs that may predict leadership style in order to identify potential transformational leaders in assessment and selection procedures. Several studies in non-educational settings have found that emotional intelligence is a useful predictor of transformational leadership, but these studies have generally lacked methodological rigor and contextual relevance. This project, set in Australian educational institutions, employed a more rigorous methodology to answer the question: to what extent is the Mayer and Salovey (1997) model of emotional intelligence a useful predictor of leadership style and perceived leadership outcomes? The project was designed to move research in the field forward by using valid and reliable instruments, controlling for other predictors, obtaining an adequately sized sample of current leaders and collecting multiple ratings of their leadership behaviours. The study (N = 144 leaders and 432 raters) results indicated that emotional intelligence was not a useful predictor of leadership style and perceived leadership outcomes. In contrast, several of the other predictors in the study were found to predict leadership style.

EVALUATION APPREHENSION AND PERCEIVED BENEFITS IN INTERPERSONAL AND DATABASE KNOWLEDGE SHARING.

Evaluation apprehension (the fear that your work or performance may be critiqued) can inhibit knowledge exchange, an essential component of effective knowledge management. The current study examine...

KNOWLEDGE SHARING IN RESPONSE TO A SUPPORTIVE WORK ENVIRONMENT: EVIDENCE FROM AN AUSTRALIAN ENGINEERING FIRM

AbstractEmployee willingness to share knowledge is vital for successful knowledge management. In this paper, we propose that employees are more likely to engage in knowledge sharing if they feel supported by their organization and co-workers. On the other hand, if employees feel that the organization has failed in its obligations (i.e., a violation of psychological contract), they will withhold knowledge. We test these ideas with empirical data from an Australian engineering firm. Knowledge sharing was measured by employee self-report and supervisor ratings. Our results show that perceived organizational support was related to knowledge sharing with the organization (e.g., codifying knowledge into databases) and perceived co-worker support was related to knowledge sharing with individuals at work (e.g., sharing personal expertise with a co-worker). Further, as predicted, psychological contract violation was negatively related to knowledge sharing. These findings have important implications for initiatives to enhance knowledge sharing, as managers need to adopt differing strategies to promote different types of knowledge sharing.

Discrepancy between human resource research and practice: Comparison of industrial/organisational psychologists and human resource practitioners' beliefs

Abstract There is a large and growing body of research to show that human resource (HR) practices affect individual performance, organisational productivity and organisational performance. Academic findings about effective HR practices, however, have not readily been adopted by practitioners. A variety of theoretical and practical explanations have been advanced about the research–practice gap. Research by Rynes, Colbert, and Brown (2002) suggested that the research–practice gap is due to a lack of knowledge, but the extent to which these findings apply to the Australian context is unknown. The sample consisted of 102 industrial/organisational (I/O) psychologists and 89 HR practitioners. The main aim of the present study was to replicate and extend the work of Rynes et al. by examining and comparing the knowledge of I/O psychologists and HR practitioners. It was found that overall I/O psychologists were better informed about HR research than HR practitioners; in particular, they were more knowledgeable ab...

HAUNTED BY THE PAST: EFFECTS OF POOR CHANGE MANAGEMENT HISTORY ON EMPLOYEE ATTITUDES AND TURNOVER.

Change management research has largely ignored the effects of organizational change history in shaping employee attitudes and behavior. This paper develops and tests a model of the effects of poor change management history on employee attitudes (trust, job satisfaction, turnover intentions, change cynicism and openness to change) and voluntary turnover.

Taking A Closer Look: The Influence of Type of Nonprofit Organization on Management Capabilities

An increased emphasis on improved governance and accountability and the need to develop organizational agility, in addition to balancing competing stakeholder demands has intensified the focus on management capabilities in the nonprofit sector. However, the examination of critical management capabilities and how they vary by nonprofit organization type has been limited. This study compared the management capabilities required in public-serving and member-serving nonprofit organizations. Findings suggest that the type of nonprofit influences the emphasis placed on particular management capabilities as a function of the inherent differences in organizational purpose and context. The public-serving nonprofit emphasized problem-solving and conflict management, reflecting the challenges of operating in an environment where teams are essential for service delivery. While the member-serving nonprofit valued planning, innovating and representing the organization in an environment where advocacy and shaping the political landscape is critical. Drawing from these findings, we highlight theoretical and practical implications of these contextual factors for human resource management practices within the nonprofit sector.