Jacob W. Breland

The Interactive Effect of Leader-Member Exchange and Political Skill on Subjective Career Success

Whereas previous research has examined the relationship between leader-member exchange (LMX) and objective measures of career success, it is likely that LMX is also an important predictor of subjective career success. Additionally, because of the political nature of an individuals career progression, it has been argued that ones personal style and resulting impressions are positively related to subjective career success. A sample of 295 retail workers was surveyed, and the results indicated that individuals in low-quality leader-member exchange experienced higher perceptions of subjective career success when they possess high levels of political skill.

Social Influence and Interpersonal Power in Organizations: Roles of Performance and Political Skill in Two Studies

This two-study investigation framed performance as one potential form of influence that interacts with political skill to affect power assessments. It was hypothesized that favorable performance is more likely to be leveraged into higher levels of interpersonal power when individuals possess high levels of political skill but not for individuals low in political skill. Study 1 (N = 97) demonstrated that individuals with positive performance were more likely to possess higher levels of interpersonal power if they were high in political skill. Furthermore, higher levels of performance were not related to power for individuals low in political skill. Thus, these results from Study 1 established support for the hypothesis. Study 2 (N = 384), using a multisource design, constructively replicated these findings. Contributions to theory and research, strengths and limitations, directions for future research, and practical implications are discussed.

Repatriate career exploration: a path to career growth and success

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine repatriate career exploration as a continuing growth‐oriented process and introduce repatriate hope as its crucial driver.Design/methodology/approach – Through a review of relevant literature, the framework of hope theory is introduced to argue for a more “agentic” view of the repatriate that can act as an independent career agent in the increasingly boundaryless career environment.Findings – The paper extends current knowledge of the repatriation process by describing ways in which repatriate hope drives career exploration toward valued outcomes of career growth and career success. It is also described how this repatriate career success will depend on the repatriate expectations and the social and organizational support received by the repatriate.Originality/value – The main contribution of this paper is a new view of the repatriation process through the lens of the hope theory that emphasizes positive psychological perspective indicating career growth/su...

Global dual-career exploration and the role of hope and curiosity during the process

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to use hope theory as a foundation from which to understand the global dual‐career exploration phenomenon. Additionally, the concept of curiosity is explored as a triggering mechanism for dual‐career couples to explore and learn about career options in a global context.Design/methodology/approach – Hope theory is used to provide theoretical support for the proposed conceptual model.Findings – It is concluded that hope and curiosity are important elements for dual‐career couples to leverage in order to reduce stress, maintain marital status, and allow the trailing spouse to resolve the potential dramatic and negative impact on their career path.Practical implications – Both hope and curiosity have been argued to have developmental aspects, meaning that individuals can nurture and strengthen their level of hopefulness and curiosity. Organizations which aid individuals in developing these abilities will likely increase the probability that their global employees will su...

Political skill and the job performance of bullies

Purpose – Recent studies suggest that 84 percent of employees are affected in some manner by workplace bullies. The current study aims to integrate theory from social information processing and political skill to explain how bullies can successfully navigate the social and political organizational environment and achieve higher ratings of performance.Design/methodology/approach – A questionnaire, archival performance data, and social networks methodology were employed in a health services organization in order to capture the individual differences and social perception of bullies in the workplace.Findings – While victims are usually targeted due to their social incompetence, on some occasions bullies can possess high levels of social ability. Due to their social competence, they are able to strategically abuse coworkers and yet be evaluated positively by their supervisor.Research limitations/implications – This study is the first attempt to measure the high performance of bullies who thrive in the workpla...

Customer relationship management: Barnard's foundations

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to delve into Barnards works to construct foundations of customer relationship management (CRM).Design/methodology/approach – The paper identifies Barnards insights on customer participation using a post‐analytic method and uses them as inputs to the analysis of current CRM practices.Findings – As an outcome of the analysis, the paper identifies the practices that are likely to lead to more effective participatory behavior of customers.Research limitations/implications – Examining CRM from a historical perspective can open promising avenues for future research.Practical implications – CRM programs should incorporate the practice of customer relations management in order to provide managers with the knowledge base required for appropriate decision making.Originality/value – By placing contemporary discussions of CRM in its seminal historical context, scholars can draw upon a wealth of historical inputs to advance the study of how collaborations with customers can be...

Management pioneer contributors: 30‐year review

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is twofold: to report the number of articles in the business academic literature that have been written about the pioneers depicted in a 1977 Daniel Wren and Robert Hay study; and to report the findings from a replication and extension of that study.Design/methodology/approach – The paper employed a systematic literature review combined with an empirical replication and extension of the 1977 study.Findings – The literature review revealed that 101 articles referenced only a few of the 1977 identified pioneers. In fact 47 of the articles were about three of the pioneers – keeping them firmly in the academic institutional memory, while others have fallen into insignificance. The results of the new study identified seven new names for the list of top ten, while three remained steadfast. Frederick Taylor was number one on both lists. Interestingly, no woman made the top ten.Research limitations/implications – The replication and extension is a strength and limitation in whi...

Customers cocreating value with the firm: implications for IHRM

The purpose of this article is to develop a theoretical framework for governing an organizations relationships with customers engaged as contributors to the organizations business processes (i.e. customers as quasi-employees). Based on our suggested framework, we explain how appropriate customer-centric HRM practices can support more cost-effective and accommodating adaptations in the organizations governance of its relationships with customers. We complement these propositions with practical examples illustrating how customers who take different cooperative roles will increasingly become valuable organizational assets. The collaborating customers not only provide the information necessary for the successful performance of the service exchange, but also contribute human and social capital in performing tasks that are a complement to or a substitute for employee tasks. In conclusion, we outline implications for international human resource management (IHRM), as well as future research directions for examining the relationships among customer governance, role configurations, and IHRM practices.