Gil Sharoni

Relations between leader‐subordinate personality similarity and job attitudes

Purpose – This study aims to investigate the associations between organizational citizenship behaviors (OCBs), leader‐member exchange (LMX), perceived organizational justice, and similarity between subordinate and supervisor on the Big Five personality traits.Design/methodology/approach – A research questionnaire was administered to 120 blue‐collar workers in a large industrial company in Israel. A structural equation model was conducted to test the proposed relations and mediating hypotheses.Findings – OCBs were found to be related to LMX and organizational justice. In addition, LMX was found to mediate the relationship between organizational justice and OCBs. Contrary to expectations, a negative correlation was found between personality similarity and LMX.Practical implications – Organizations may facilitate OCBs by improving LMX relationships and organizational justice. Supervisors should be encouraged to form high‐quality LMX relationships with dissimilar subordinates.Originality/value – The study emp...

Attachment to work, job satisfaction and work centrality

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate the associations between attachment styles, work centrality and job satisfaction with turnover intentions. Design/methodology/approach – A self-report questionnaire that included psychometrically sound measures of the key constructs was completed by a sample of 125 employees. A structural equation model was conducted to test the proposed relations and mediating hypotheses. Findings – Attachment styles were found to be linked directly to turnover intentions, and not mediated by job satisfaction and work centrality, as predicted. Avoidant and anxious employees showed higher levels of turnover intentions. A positive relationship was found between work centrality and job satisfaction; job satisfaction was negatively related with turnover intentions. Research limitations/implications – Although the study involved cross-sectional self-report data, it shed light on the associations between attachment theory and the costly organizational phenomena of voluntary...

Constructive Deviance, Leader-Member Exchange, and Confidence in Appraisal: How Do They Interrelate, if at All?

This study examined connections between elements of Leader-Member-Exchange (LMX) relationships, trust and confidence in performance appraisal processes, and constructive deviant behavior. The sample consisted of 120 members of a large public service organization. The results support positive connections between the constructs of LMX, confidence in appraisal processes, and constructive deviant behaviors. However, when predicting constructive deviance we found no difference in using confidence in appraisal processes as a single predictor compared to using both confidence in appraisal and LMX. The implications of these results are discussed, and we offer several suggestions for developing research programs dealing with the intersection of LMX, confidence in appraisal processes, and constructive deviant behavior in organizations.

The relationship between work-family conflict, stress, and work attitudes

Purpose - Work-family conflict is a rapidly developing field of research, considering the changes that have occurred in the structure of the family and of work in recent years. The purpose of this paper is to put forward a wide theoretical framework that encompasses the relationships between organizational justice, organizational citizenship behavior (OCB), job stress, and the work-family conflict. The authors suggest an explanatory model that associates those variables. Design/methodology/approach - The explanatory model was empirically examined by means of structural equation modeling. In all, 120 Israeli-Arab employees responded to the research questionnaires. Findings - As hypothesized, organizational justice was found to relate positively to OCB, and stress was found to relate positively to the work-family conflict. However, contrary to the hypotheses, OCB was found to relate negatively to job stress and work-family conflict. Namely, the higher the OCB, the lower the job stress. Research limitations/implications - Theoretical implications and suggestions for possible future research were advanced. Originality/value - Organizations that want to avoid the negative implications of the work-family conflict should encourage OCBs, which reduce the workers’ job-related stress and consequently reduce the conflict between the realms of family and work.

HR Strength as a Mediator or a Moderator in the Relationship between HR Practices and Organizational Innovation? The Romanian Study

The literature points to the positive role of Human Resource Management (HRM) best practices affecting organizational innovation. However, it is still insufficiently clear which mechanisms produce this outcome. In this study, we focus on Human Resource Strength (HRS) as a major variable in that process. More precisely, we examine whether Human Resource Strength (HRS) is a mediator or a moderator in the relationship between four high commitment HR practices and organizational innovation. We investigated a sample of 323 Romanian managers. Our findings indicate that HR strength has a double role as a moderator (training only) and full mediator (training and education and performance appraisal only) in the relationship between HR practices and organizational innovation. The discussion elaborates on the theoretical implications and indicates ideas for future research.

Organizing the Confusion Surrounding Workaholism: New Structure, Measure, and Validation

Since “workaholism” was coined, a considerable body of research was conducted to shed light on its essence. After at least 40 years of studying this important phenomenon, a large variety of definitions, conceptualizations, and measures emerged. In order to try and bring more integration and consensus to this construct, the current research was conducted in two phases. We aimed to formulate a theoretical definitional framework for workaholism, capitalizing upon the Facet Theory Approach. Two basic facets were hypothesized: A. Modalities of workaholism, with three elements: cognitive, emotional, and instrumental; and B. Resources of workaholism with two elements: time and effort. Based on this definitional framework, a structured questionnaire was conceived. In the first phase, the new measure was validated with an Israeli sample comparing two statistical procedures; Factor Analysis (FA) and Smallest Space Analysis (SSA). In the second phase, we aimed to replicate the findings, and to contrast the newly-devised questionnaire with other extant workaholism measures, with a Romanian sample. Theoretical implications and future research suggestions are discussed.