Peter Standen

Teleworking: Frameworks for organizational research

Teleworking is a work practice that entails remote working for at least some of the time. Common arrangements include work done at home or in the field, by teleworkers in a range of occupations. As such, telework is one of the most radical departures from standard working conditions in the suite of flexible work practices now gaining widespread acceptance. In this paper, we develop an explanatory model of organizational adoption of teleworking. We do this as a means of integrating the current literature on the incidence of teleworking and to provide a theoretical grounding and framework for understanding differentials in the growth of teleworking in different organizations, industries and countries. We begin by developing an appropriate framework for conceptualizing teleworking. We propose a multivariate approach that is able to differentiate the various forms of teleworking. We then use this framework to develop a model and a series of propositions concerning the adoption of different forms of teleworking. Neo-institutional theory, as well as recent empirical evidence on teleworking informs this model.

Home, Work and Management in the Information Age

Allowing employees to work at home for at least part of the week is a management concept said to be rapidly gaining popularity. There is evidence that employees working at home are more productive, satisfied and committed, and that homeworking allows organisations to reduce office overheads, recruit from a wider pool, and retain valued workers. This paper examines the spread of homeworking and its telecommunications-based variant teleworking in Australia. A survey of human resource managers in Western Australia shows that, while 28 percent of large organisations have homeworkers, they are generally few in number and permitted only on an informal basis. Factors inhibiting use of homeworking include a lack of awareness and support amongst senior and middle managers, concerns over issues such as security and occupational health, and unsupportive organisational cultures. It is concluded that, contrary to media reporting, home-working and teleworking are not likely to become widespread in Australia in the near future.

The perceived personal characteristics of entrepreneurial leaders

ABSTRACT Although the concept of entrepreneurial leadership has begun to attract interest from leadership scholars, it remains a neglected area in entrepreneurship and SME research. This exploratory study attempts to bridge the fields of entrepreneurship and leadership by proposing a model of the characteristics common to entrepreneurs and leaders and showing how entrepreneurial leaders (ELs) differ from entrepreneurs and leaders. Semi-structured interviews and a short-structured questionnaire were used to gather data from a purposive sample of 20 corporate managers and business owners. Respondents considered ELs to have personal characteristics different from those of non-leader entrepreneurs. ELs were specifically perceived as visionary entrepreneurs who also have the motivation and ethics of a leader. The findings suggest leadership plays a critical role in venture growth and long-term entrepreneurial success, and therefore requires greater research attention. Implications for developing leadership in entrepreneurs and the conceptual development of entrepreneurial leadership research are identified.