Kim Hester

Perceived external prestige and internal respect: New insights into the organizational identification process

The group engagement model (Tyler & Blader, 2003) suggests that identification with ones organization is based not only on the individuals evaluation of the status of the organization (i.e. perceived external prestige), but also the individuals evaluation of their own status within the organization (i.e. perceived internal respect). Using data drawn from three different sources (subordinates, supervisors, and company records), results from a sample of healthcare employees (n = 205) provide support for the core relationships proposed in the group engagement model and extend the model by showing that prestige and respect have different antecedents. The perceived status of the organizations employees, the organizations perceived success in achieving its goals, the visibility of the organization, and the status level of the individual employee were all associated with perceived external prestige. The results also indicate that visibility within the organization, perceived opportunities for growth, and participation in decision-making were all related to perceived respect. Further, prestige and respect were directly related to organizational identification, but only indirectly related to organization-supportive behavior. These results extend the group engagement model in that we utilize a form of supportive behavior that focuses upon constructive change (i.e. voice behavior; Van Dyne & LePine, 1998), rather than the helpful, but status quo maintaining behavior.

A Social Identity Perspective on the Relationship Between Perceived Organizational Support and Organizational Commitment

RESEARCHERS HAVE CONSISTENTLY FOUND perceived organizational support (POS) to be positively related to organizational commitment ( e g , Settoon, Bennett, & Liden, 1996). POS is defined as people’s “global beliefs about the extent to which the organization cares about their well-being and values their contributions” (Eisenberger, Huntington, Hutchinson, & Sowa, 1986, p. 501). The relationship between POS and organizational commitment is based on social exchange theory and the norm of reciprocity (Gouldner, 1960). That is, because commitment can be an exchange commodity, people are likely to become committed to an organization when they feel that the organization is committed to them. Because no research had explored other theoretical explanations for the relationship between POS and organizational commitment, the present study was designed to examine that relationship from a perspective of social identity theory. Social identity theory suggests that people “remain loyal when they feel that their organizations . . . value and appreciate them” (Tyler, 1999, p. 235). However, social identity theory maintains that when people feel that their organization values and appreciates them, it is a sign of organizational respect for them or of

Perceived Organizational Support and Perceived External Prestige: Predicting Organizational Attachment for University Faculty, Staff, and Administrators

The present article introduces a social-exchange model of organizational attachment incorporating both direct exchange and indirect exchange. Participants were 325 university employees. The present results indicated that perceived organizational support (POS) and perceived external prestige (PEP) both contribute to organizational attachment. Further, the results showed that the extent to which POS and PEP are related to organizational attachment is moderated by occupational proxies of cosmopolitan-local role orientation. POS was more strongly related to the affective commitment and withdrawal cognitions of staff and administrators than to those of faculty. PEP was more strongly related to affective commitment and withdrawal cognitions of university faculty than to those of university staff and administrators. The authors discussed the need to incorporate relational variables such as PEP into other social-exchange frameworks.

Construed External Image and Organizational Identification: A Test of the Moderating Influence of Need for Self-Esteem

According to Social Identity Theory (cf., J. G. March & H. A. Simon, 1958), individuals tend to identify with prestigious or high-status groups. Researchers (J. E. Dutton, J. M. Dukerich, & C. V. Harquail, 1994) have revealed that organizational members also identify with organizations that have attractive public images. To gain a better understanding of the theoretical reasons underlying the relationship between image and identification in organizations, the authors examined this relationship in a healthcare setting. In addition, they investigated need for esteem as a moderator of the relationship between construed external image and organizational identification. Consistent with previous findings, the present results indicated that construed external image is positively related to organizational identification. Perhaps it is more important that the present findings also supported need for esteem as a moderator of the relationship between construed external image and organizational identification.

Comparing the Sample-Weighted and Unweighted Meta-Analysis: An Applied Perspective

An extensive comparison of the sample-weighted method (Hunter & Schmidt, 1990), and a newer unweighted method (Osburn & Callender, 1992) of meta-analysis is presented using actual data. Several of the advantages of the unweighted method predicted by Osburn and Callendar’s simulation research did not always hold in actual application. Specifically, the unweighted method did not always produce larger estimates of observed variance, credibility intervals, and confidence intervals than the sample-weighted method when large sample outliers are present. Also, Osburn and Callender’s research on mean sampling variance formulae did not generalize to meta-analysis using the average correlation estimator to measure sample error variance. Finally, results show that while both methods may generate similar parameter and variance estimates in primary meta-analysis, they may lead researchers to reach different substantive conclusions in the analysis of moderators.

Leader reactions to follower proactive behavior: Giving credit when credit is due:

In the present study, we rely upon an integration of proactive motivation and performance theories to investigate a neglected research question – when is proactive behavior likely to be rewarded or punished? Based upon a self-determination theory perspective of proactive motivation, we hypothesize that leader feelings of responsibility for constructive change moderate the relationship between follower proactive behavior and performance evaluation. The results of a time-lagged study support this hypothesis, indicating that follower taking charge behavior is rewarded with higher performance evaluations only when leaders feel responsible for constructive change. Following the discussion of findings, we discuss practical implications, potential limitations of the present study and directions for future research.

A Closer Look at Select Cognitive Precursors to Organizational Turnover: What Has Been Missed and Why

Two meta-analytic procedures are used to investigate the relationship between job satisfaction and selected withdrawal cognitions. Moderating influences not found in previous integrative research were identified by controlling for the influence of a Large sample-size outlier and a target of behavioral intention, i.e., intention to stay versus, in tendon to leave. Findings for 49 studies indicate previous integrative models of turnover by Hom, Caranikas-Walker, Prussia, and Griffeth, and of Tett and Meyer should be altered to reflect context (civilian versus military) and intention target (staying versus leaving) moderators but not an intention to turnover or a moderator of withdrawal cognition as indicated by Tett and Meyer in 1993. The adequacy of measures of current intention to leave is discussed regarding their consistency with recent intention theory. General implications for meta-analytic research are discussed with regard to accounting for sample-size outliers.

ANOTHER LOOK AT PREEMPLOYMENT PREDICTORS OF GENERAL UNION ATTITUDES

This study replicated and extended the family socialization model of development of attitudes toward unions. Previous tests of this model were conducted using Canadian samples, and this study used a sample from the United States. The results were generally supportive of the model, although the magnitude of the correlations was much smaller. Contrary to expectations, only Marxist beliefs about work were significantly related to general attitude about unions, while Humanistic beliefs about work and Protestant Work Ethic were not.

Linking authentic leadership to subordinate behaviors

The purpose of this paper is to examine how authentic leadership influences employees’ workplace behavior through three intermediate mechanisms.,The cross-sectional surveys were conducted at a large health organization with over 500 employees. Multi-source data were drawn from 124 employees and 16 supervisors.,This study provides empirical evidence that authentic leadership is positively related to subordinates’ proactive behavior and negatively related to subordinates’ workplace deviance behavior through mediation effects of three psychological factors, including supervisor identification, psychological safety, and job engagement.,Due to the selected survey approach, the data are correlational. The small sample size of the study may reduce the ability to find statistically significant results. The current study would have benefited from organizational data on individual performance and proactive behavior, such as archival annual performance appraisals.,To practitioners, this study provides evidence that authentic leadership is sufficient in creating a positive work climate within which the employees feel safe to contribute their effort on their jobs. Based on the current findings, the practitioners can be more confident to hire or to promote authentic persons to be leaders in the organization.,This study is among those few empirical studies which help to validate the authentic leadership theory and provide a clear understanding of the mechanisms by which authentic leadership influences outcomes.

The effects of monitoring environment on problem-solving performance

ABSTRACT While effective and efficient solving of everyday problems is important in business domains, little is known about the effects of workplace monitoring on problem-solving performance. In a laboratory experiment, we explored the monitoring environment’s effects on an individual’s propensity to (1) establish pattern solutions to problems, (2) recognize when pattern solutions are no longer efficient, and (3) solve complex problems. Under three work monitoring regimes—no monitoring, human monitoring, and electronic monitoring—114 participants solved puzzles for monetary rewards. Based on research related to worker autonomy and theory of social facilitation, we hypothesized that monitored (versus non-monitored) participants would (1) have more difficulty finding a pattern solution, (2) more often fail to recognize when the pattern solution is no longer efficient, and (3) solve fewer complex problems. Our results support the first two hypotheses, but in complex problem solving, an interaction was found between self-assessed ability and the monitoring environment.