Charles M. Carson

The Development and Validation of Scores on Perceived Work and Family Demand Scales

Two scales, Perceived Work Demand (PWD) and Perceived Family Demand (PFD), are developed and their scores validated using three diverse samples. The scales are of particular interest in the work-family conflict (WFC) area and provide needed clarification in predicting WFC. Scale development procedures were followed, and dimensionality, internal consistency, discriminant validity, and predictive validity results are discussed. The results provide support for both perceived work and family demand scales.

A social capital explanation of the relationship between functional diversity and group performance

Purpose – Functional diversity research has resulted in equivocal findings for group performance suggesting the need for theoretical clarification. A review of previous functional diversity research indicates that high quality productive relationships are a key determinant in the performance of cognitively diverse groups. A theoretical framework is provided that demonstrates that assets embedded in the social structure of group member relationships impact group performance. The primary goal of this paper is to consider the concept of social capital at the group level and explain its role in mentoring the relationship between functional diversity and group performanceDesign/methodology/approach – These concepts are supported by prior studies and theoretical development rather than empirical evidence.Findings – Social capital is introduced as a moderator in the group performance model improving the group processes of communication, social integration, and coordination. Enhanced group processes in turn lead ...

A historical view of Douglas McGregor's Theory Y

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to trace Douglas McGregors Theory Y thinking back from pre‐industrial revolution philosophers up through McGregor and his contemporaries and to explore how Theory Y evolved after its introduction.Design/methodology/approach – This is a review article relying on literature reviews and synthesizing concepts and ideas from related sources.Findings – This article examines the emergence of Theory Y as one of the hallmark relationship management principles of the last half of the 20th century. McGregor stands in a unique place in management history. He has one foot in the early human relations movement, and another foot in the movement of scholars who advocated a heightened awareness of managements responsibility for the human side of employer‐employee relations. McGregor serves as a true facilitator for growth and advancement in the field of management, in general, and human relations, in particular.Originality/value – This paper holds value to management scholars and p...

Performance gains through diverse top management teams

Emerging and future changes in workforce diversity have caused a need to examine the potential impact of these changes on all areas of the firm. One area of special interest is that of top management team (TMT) diversity. With more diverse TMTs on the horizon, there is potential for both conflict and performance gains as a result of increased diversity at the highest levels of organizations. This paper examines diversity in top management teams and the potential impact of TMT diversity upon firm performance. Issues surrounding TMTs, upper echelon theory, and team heterogeneity are examined and propositions are offered as potential avenues for empirical research. Managerial implications and future research directions are also discussed.

Leaving leadership: solving leadership problems through empowerment

Purpose – Has the objective of examining why the focus given to leadership should be severely curtailed in research and teaching, and replaced by concepts that are better defined, understood and whose positive contributions are clearly and consistently attainable. Education and research should firmly alter its focus to concentrate on empowerment, a concept that has been consistently tied to important organizational outcomes. Greater benefit can be attained by refining and advancing our understanding of empowerment (while instructing students/practitioners with our current knowledge), than by continuing to devote massive resources to the morass that is leadership.Design/methodology approach – These concepts are supported by prior studies and theoretical development rather than empirical evidence.Findings – Finds that we are infinitely better off teaching people what we know about using and encouraging empowerment than what we do not know about leadership, as traditionally defined. Moreover, in the twenty‐f...

Goal orientation and supervisory behaviors: impacting SMWT effectiveness

This paper explores the role of individual goal orientation on the self‐management work process and how individual goal orientation may impact self‐managed work team (SMWT) effectiveness. Supervisory encouragement, team member goal orientation, and work team behaviors are included in a conceptual model of work team effectiveness. Propositions addressing the relationships between goal orientation, encouraging supervisory behaviors, and self‐managed work team effectiveness are offered and practical implications addressing the usage of goal orientation as a selection tool for self‐managed work teams and the need for external supervisors to encourage certain work team behaviors to promote work team effectiveness are discussed.

Assessment of the validity of Netemeyer et al.'s (1996) WFC and FWC scales

Purpose – The purpose of the current paper is to continue assessment of the construct and predictive validity of the Netemeyer et al. Work Family Conflict (WFC) and Family Work Conflict (FWC) scales while reassessing the scales for possible improvements.Design/methodology/approach – Data were collected from workers in a poultry processing plant to reassess Netemeyer et al.s WFC and FWC scales. Carlson et al. were unable to include Netemeyer et al.s items in constructing and validating their new measures of WFC and FWC. This paper assesses and extends the validation of the Netemeyer et al. scales.Findings – This study supports the notion that a reduced model of both scales (four items for WFC and three items for FWC) fit the data in the sample better than the original five‐item measures presented by Netemeyer et al. By deleting items from each scale more variation in the constructs was accounted for and reduced unexplained error. By clarifying the measurement of WFC and FWC, the substantive predictive mo...

Development of a work/family social support measure

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to develop a comprehensive measure of social support to include within and across domain support from the organization, supervisor, coworkers, and family for two types of support, emotional, and instrumental. Design/methodology/approach – Four diverse samples were used in an iterative process to develop and provide an initial validation of the 16 dimensions of social support. Findings – The results provide support for the development and initial validation of the 16 dimensions of social support. Research limitations/implications – A cross-sectional design was used and may be problematic when examining relationships that occur over time. Further, capturing all scales with a single survey could result in common method bias, which may inflate predictive relationships. Practical implications – A comprehensive measure of social support can assess the differential effect of various types of social support, which can help in identifying unique work-family variables. The mul...

An evaluation of key determinants preventing intra-family business succession

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to identify the key determinants which inhibit intra-family business succession. The study also explores the effects these determinants have on preventing intra-family business succession. Finally, the study explores the probability that intra-family business succession does not take place based upon the effects of the identified determinants. Design/methodology/approach – A total of 250 surveys were mailed to family business owners across the USA, yielding 68 usable responses (27.2 percent response rate). Factor analysis was used to determine the most influential factors which inhibit intra-family business succession, and Bayesian networks were constructed to determine the probability that intra-family business succession does not occur based on these factors. Findings – The study results indicate that there are four key constructs comprised of 23 variables which have the most influence on deterring intra-family business successions. The results also suggest manager...

Bayesian analysis in entrepreneurship decision-making research: Review and future directions

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to review Bayesian analysis in recent entrepreneurship research to assess how scholars have employed these methods to study the entrepreneurship process. Researchers in other business fields (e.g. management science, marketing, and finance) have increasingly employed Bayesian methods to study issues like decision making. To date, however, Bayesian methods have seen only limited use in entrepreneurship research. Design/methodology/approach After providing a general overview of Bayesian methods, this study examines how extant entrepreneurship research published in leading journals has employed Bayesian analysis and highlights topics these studies have investigated most frequently. It next reviews topics that scholars from other business disciplines have investigated using these methods, focusing on issues related to decision making, in particular. Findings Only seven articles published in leading management and entrepreneurship journals between 2000 and 2016 employed or discussed Bayesian methods in depth when studying the entrepreneurship process. In addition, some of these studies were conceptual. Research limitations/implications This review suggests that Bayesian methods may provide another important tool for researchers to employ when studying decision making in high uncertainty situations or the impact of entrepreneurial experience on decision making over time. Originality/value This review demonstrates that Bayesian analysis may be particularly appropriate for entrepreneurship research. By employing these methods, scholars may gain additional insights into entrepreneurial phenomenon by allowing researchers to examine entrepreneurial decision making. Through this review and these recommendations, this study hopes to encourage greater Bayesian analysis usage in future entrepreneurship research.