Jay H. Hardy

Understanding the role of networking in organizations

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to review and synthesize research and theory on the definition, antecedents, outcomes, and mechanisms of networking in organizations. Design/methodology/approach – Descriptions of networking are reviewed and an integrated definition of networking in organizations is presented. Approaches for measuring and studying networking are considered and the similarities and differences of networking with related constructs are discussed. A theoretical model of the antecedents and outcomes of networking is presented with the goal of integrating existing networking research. Mechanisms through which networking leads to individual and organizational outcomes are also considered. Findings – Networking is defined as goal-directed behavior which occurs both inside and outside of an organization, focussed on creating, cultivating, and utilizing interpersonal relationships. The current model proposes that networking is influenced by a variety of individual, job, and organizational level factors and leads to increased visibility and power, job performance, organizational access to strategic information, and career success. Access to information and social capital are proposed as mechanisms that facilitate the effects of networking on outcomes. Originality/value – Networking is held to be of great professional value for ambitious individuals and organizations. However, much of the research on networking has been spread across various disciplines. Consequentially, consensus on many important topics regarding networking remains notably elusive. This paper reviews and integrates existing research on networking in organizations and proposes directions for future study. A comprehensive definition and model of networking is presented and suggestions to researchers are provided.

A multilevel approach to relating subjective workload to performance after shifts in task demand

Objective: The aim of this laboratory experiment was to demonstrate how taking a longitudinal, multilevel approach can be used to examine the dynamic relationship between subjective workload and performance over a given period of activity involving shifts in task demand. Background: Subjective workload and conditions of the performance environment are oftentimes examined via cross-sectional designs without distinguishing within- from between-person effects. Given the dynamic nature of performance phenomena, multilevel designs coupled with manipulations of task demand shifts are needed to better model the dynamic relationships between state and trait components of subjective workload and performance. Method: With a sample of 75 college students and a computer game representing a complex decision-making environment, increases and decreases in task demand were counterbalanced and subjective workload and performance were measured concurrently in regular intervals within performance episodes. Data were analyzed using hierarchical linear modeling. Results: Both between- and especially within-person effects were dynamic. Nevertheless, at both levels of analysis, higher subjective workload reflected performance problems, especially more downstream from increases in task demand. Conclusion: As a function of cognitive-energetic processes, shifts in task demand are associated with changes in how subjective workload is related to performance over a given period of activity. Multilevel, longitudinal approaches are useful for distinguishing and examining the dynamic relationships between state and trait components of subjective workload and performance. Application: The findings of this research help to improve the understanding of how a sequence of demands can exceed a performer’s capability to respond to further demands.

Management lore continues alive and well in the organizational sciences

Purpose – The purpose of this paper was to identify examples of management lore currently in the organizational sciences. Design/methodology/approach – The authors deliberated and developed a series of examples of management lore in the organizational sciences and surveyed management practitioners concerning their beliefs in the lore hypothesized. Findings – Pervasive beliefs that conflict with academic research exist in management practices. Although many of these ideas are commonly accepted as immutable facts, they may be based upon faulty logic, insufficient understanding of academic research, anecdotal evidence and an overdependence upon common sense. Buckley and Eder (1988) called these as examples of management lore. In this conceptual paper, we identify and discuss 12 examples of management lore that persist in day-to-day management practices. Topics we explore include personality, emotional intelligence, teams, compensation, goals, performance, work ethic, creativity and organizational citizenship...

Are applicants more likely to quit longer assessments? Examining the effect of assessment length on applicant attrition behavior.

Conventional wisdom suggests that assessment length is positively related to the rate at which applicants opt out of the assessment phase. However, restricting assessment length can negatively impact the utility of a selection system by reducing the reliability of its construct scores and constraining coverage of the relevant criterion domain. Given the costly nature of these tradeoffs, is it better for managers to prioritize (a) shortening assessments to reduce applicant attrition rates or (b) ensuring optimal reliability and validity of their assessment scores? In the present study, we use data from 222,772 job-seekers nested within 69 selection systems to challenge the popular notion that selection system length predicts applicant attrition behavior. Specifically, we argue that the majority of applicant attrition occurs very early in the assessment phase and that attrition risk decreases, not increases, as a function of time spent in assessment. Our findings supported these predictions, revealing that the majority of applicants who quit assessments did so within the first 20 min of the assessment phase. Consequently, selection system length did not predict rates of applicant attrition. In fact, when controlling for observed system length and various job characteristics, we found that systems providing more conservative (i.e., longer) estimates of assessment length produced lower overall attrition rates. Collectively, these findings suggest that efforts to curtail applicant attrition by shortening assessment length may be misguided.

Looking back: A quantitative review of the Journal of Management History, 1995-1999

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to reflect on the early direction and maturation of the Journal of Management History (JOMH), evaluate the lasting impact of this primary work and identify implications of findings of this paper for future developments in the study of management history. This article provides a review of the first five years (1995-1999) of the JOMH. Design/methodology/approach – Articles published in the JOMH between the years of 1995 and 1999 were reviewed, and unifying thematic categories were developed. Two independent raters, then, sorted the articles into their respective categories. After agreement was established, general trends in the JOMH’s early direction and focus were considered. Lasting impact was evaluated using citations in Google Scholar by category and year. Similarities among the most cited articles during this period are discussed. Findings – The early years of the JOMH were characterized by shifts in contributions from various management and public administration perspectives, a transition from an early emphasis on historical individuals to a broader focus on topics and ideas and a balance between describing historical accounts (i.e. retelling or recording historical events and individuals) and historical analysis (i.e. considering the influence of historical events and ideas on future events and modern perspectives). The most influential early contributions to the JOMH were articles that focused on the histories of specific management concepts, an approach that is still important and relevant today. Originality/value – This review provides insights into the development and maturation of the JOMH following its formation.

Interrelationships Among Self-Regulated Learning Processes: Toward a Dynamic Process-Based Model of Self-Regulated Learning:

Self-regulation and learning are fundamentally dynamic phenomena that occur at the within-person level and unfold over time. However, the majority of the extant empirical research on self-regulated learning has been conducted at the between-person level, which can obscure the true nature of interrelationships among self-regulatory mechanisms. In the present study, we seek to advance a more nuanced view of the role of self-regulation in modern training and development by presenting a novel theoretical perspective that integrates cognitive, motivational, and behavioral mechanisms central to the literature on active learning with the more dynamic theoretical principles and mechanisms underlying stage-based cognitive models of skill acquisition. Hypotheses derived from this model were tested in a laboratory study with 305 participants who practiced a dynamic computer game involving strong cognitive and perceptual-motor demands. Bivariate cross-lagged latent growth models generally supported the proposed model, revealing systematic trends over the course of practice consistent with a series of iterative, bidirectional, and self-correcting reciprocal interrelationships among self-efficacy, metacognition, exploratory behavior, and practice performance. Collectively, these findings suggest that strong positive interrelationships among self-regulated learning variables at the between-person level may, in some cases, actually belie the true nature of their functional effects. Implications for theory and practice are discussed.

Are You Thinking What I’m Thinking?: The Influence of Leader Style, Distance, and Leader–Follower Mental Model Congruence on Creative Performance:

Leaders have been classified as having charismatic, ideological, or pragmatic (CIP) leadership styles, each characterized by distinct patterns in cognition and interaction. Although each CIP style has been shown to facilitate certain aspects of the creative process for followers, questions remain regarding the impact of leadership style on overall follower creative performance. One factor likely to influence this relationship is leader distance, composed of the physical distance, perceived social distance, and perceived task interaction among leaders and followers. Past research has also emphasized the role of leaders’ mental models as they relate to follower performance. Less understood, however, is how the mental models of followers may affect this process. Using the CIP model of leadership, this study explores leader distance and leader–follower mental model congruence on follower creative performance. Results indicated that while leadership style does not directly influence follower creativity, it interacts with leader distance to shape creative outcomes. Results further indicated that while general mental model congruence is not predictive, alignment on specific mental model dimensions contributes to enhanced creative performance among followers. Implications and future research directions are discussed.

Let’s Look at This Another Way: How Supervisors Can Help Subordinates Manage the Threat of Relationship Conflict:

Despite decades of scholarly and practitioner attention on conflict management, few studies have addressed the important role that supervisors play in managing relationship conflict (RC). The current research addresses this gap by investigating the use of supervisory interpersonal emotion management in helping subordinates manage perceptions of RC. Examining RC through a threat framework, we propose that when individuals perceive RC in their workgroup, they are less likely to identify with their group and more likely to withdraw from the group in ways that affect critical team processes, both of which have performance implications. Furthermore, we propose that supervisors can mitigate the consequences of perceiving RC by encouraging subordinates to reappraise past negative events that contribute to such perceptions. Using a field sample of 917 employees, we tested and found support for these predictions. This research primarily has implications for conflict theory, RC management theory, and RC management practices.

Too many sheep in the flock? Span of control attenuates the influence of ethical leadership.

There has been growing interest in ethical leadership from both scholars and practitioners because of the positive effects that ethical leaders can have on their subordinates. These benefits come not only from ethical leaders acting as moral exemplars, but also from the tendency for ethical leaders to forge high-quality social exchange relationships with subordinates that help to establish expectations for appropriate conduct and ensure accountability through reciprocal obligation. However, the act of developing and maintaining strong social exchange relationships is resource intensive and requires considerable personal investment from ethical leaders. Extending current theory, we propose that wider spans of control attenuate the positive relationship between ethical leadership and leader-member exchange (LMX). Across two organizational samples, we developed and tested a moderated mediation model in which the effects of ethical leadership on performance, organizational citizenship behavior, and reduced production deviance via LMX were weakened by a widened span of control. Results in both studies supported the hypothesized model. Although it may be tempting to increase the number of subordinates assigned to ethical leaders in an effort to maximize their positive impact, the current findings suggest that the benefits of ethical leadership are diminished as span of control widens.