Monica L. Forret

Correlates of Networking Behavior for Managerial and Professional Employees

Networking is an important strategy for managing one’s career, but little is known about those who engage in networking behaviors. A study of 418 managers and professionals was conducted to examine the relationship of personal and job characteristics to involvement in networking. Multiple regression results showed that gender, socioeconomic background, self-esteem, extraversion, favorable attitudes toward workplace politics, organizational level, and type of position are significant predictors of involvement in networking behaviors. Implications of these results and directions for future research on networking are discussed.

Using the kaleidoscope career model to examine generational differences in work attitudes

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine, utilising the Kaleidoscope Career Model, whether members of the Baby Boom generation and Generation X differ in their needs for authenticity, balance, and challenge.Design/methodology/approach – Survey data were obtained from 982 professionals located across the USA. Correlations, t‐tests, and multiple regressions were performed to test the hypotheses.Findings – Members of Generation X have higher needs for authenticity and balance than Baby Boomers. There was no difference in needs for challenge between Baby Boomers and members of Generation X.Research limitations/implications – A limitation in the study, as well as in most of the research on generational differences, is the use of cross‐sectional designs that fail to capture the influence of the aging process. A longitudinal, multi‐survey design over the lives of individuals would enable scholars to capture within‐ and between‐person differences and to permit a better understanding of whether difference...

Employee justice perceptions and coworker relationships

Purpose – The purpose of this investigation is to explore whether perceptions of organizational justice are related to coworker trust and morale. As jobs have become more broadly defined and collaboration with colleagues has become increasingly important for accomplishing work, coworker relationships are especially critical to manage effectively.Design/methodology/approach – Survey packets were distributed to 364 non‐supervisory employees at six small companies in a large Midwestern city in the USA. Useable surveys were returned from 264 respondents for a response rate of 72 percent.Findings – The results showed that distributive, procedural, and interactional justice perceptions are related to perceptions of coworkers. The distribution of rewards, organizational policies and procedures, and interpersonal treatment by supervisors are related to coworker trust and morale.Research limitations/implications – This study was a cross‐sectional field study with the data collected at one point in time, precluding...

Careers in a non‐Western context: An exploratory empirical investigation of factors related to the career success of Chinese managers

Purpose – The aim of this paper is to conduct an exploratory empirical examination to determine if factors (e.g. demographic, human capital, motivational, and organizational) associated with career success in Western countries are also related to the career outcomes of Chinese managers.Design/methodology/approach – Survey data were obtained from 139 managers working in China. Correlation and regression analyses were performed to examine the relationship among common predictors of career success and the actual outcomes of Chinese managers.Findings – Predictors of two career outcomes were explored: total compensation and career satisfaction. Although some of the findings were similar to the findings of studies on the career outcomes of managers in Western countries, there were some surprising differences. The results showed that women and top‐level decision makers had higher total compensation. Furthermore, holding a middle management (as opposed to a line management) position, and perceptions that ones or...

Exchange Relationships at Work: An Examination of the Relationship Between Team-Member Exchange and Supervisor Reports of Organizational Citizenship Behavior

The authors investigate how perceptions of the exchange relationships among coworkers in traditional work group settings are related to supervisor evaluations of organizational citizenship behavior (OCB). Perceptions of coworker relationships were collected from employees at six companies representing a range of industries, with the employees supervisor completing a measure of OCB for each employee. Using matched data for 235 respondents, the regression analyses showed that team-member exchange (TMX) was related to supervisor ratings of an aggregate measure of OCB. In addition, TMX was related to four of the five subdimensions of OCB: altruism, conscientiousness, civic virtue, and courtesy. The results indicate the strong influence of social exchange and the norm of reciprocity for engaging in OCB.

Family Status and Work Attitudes: An Investigation in a Professional Services Firm

To help employees better balance work and family responsibilities, organizations are increasingly offering a variety of work–family programmes. However, anecdotal reports suggest that employees without spouses or children perceive that they receive fewer organizational benefits and bear greater burdens than their married or parent counterparts. By providing a more ‘family‐friendly’ work environment, organizations may foster perceptions of inequity in people without families (single adults without dependent children, SAWDCs), possibly resulting in lower job satisfaction and other work‐related outcomes. Using a sample of 454 employees of a professional services firm, we examined attitudinal differences between individuals with and without families. Findings suggest that SAWDCs and non‐SAWDCS differed in terms of age, organizational level, use of flexible work arrangements and firm tenure. However, we found no differences in hours worked, job involvement, job satisfaction or organizational commitment. Interestingly, SAWDCs had more favourable perceptions of the organizations work–family culture than non‐SAWDCs, suggesting that those who do not utilize family‐friendly benefits view them more favourably than those who actually need or use the benefits. In addition to identifying directions for future research, we offer suggestions for organizations, including taking a more universal approach to benefits to the advantage of all employees.

Internal and external networking behavior

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationships of internal and external networking behaviors of managers and professionals with their affective, continuance, and normative commitment. Design/methodology/approach – Data were obtained from 335 managers and professionals of a health system who completed a survey on networking behavior and organizational commitment. Correlation analyses and multiple regressions were performed to test our hypotheses. Findings – The results showed that networking behavior focussed within an individuals organization was positively related with affective commitment and normative commitment. Networking with individuals outside of an individuals organization showed a significant negative relationship with normative commitment. Contrary to expectations, networking externally was not related to affective commitment, and neither internal nor external networking behaviors were related to continuance commitment. Research limitations/implications – Because data wer...

No regrets? An investigation of the relationship between being laid off and experiencing career regrets

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore the under‐examined topic of career regrets. Although much of the careers literature has examined factors that contribute to success, little research has been completed on the regrets individuals may experience as they enact their careers.Design/methodology/approach – A large internet sample of 1,480 professionals was used to examine whether individuals who had been laid off in their careers experienced greater career regrets.Findings – Individuals who had been laid off experienced greater regrets with regard to their political behavior (e.g. lack of networking, not being more politically savvy) and their career choices (e.g. not spending more time with their family, failing to pursue more meaningful work) than individuals who had not been laid off.Research limitations/implications – The findings may have limited generalizability because of the use of a cross‐sectional, internet‐based survey design.Practical implications – The regrets individuals have may i...