Rossella Cappetta

When and How Trustworthiness Matters: Knowledge Transfer and the Moderating Effect of Causal Ambiguity

The recognition that better use of existing internal knowledge could enhance survival chances of organizations has spawned substantial interest in the transferability of routinized, experiential learning to additional settings within the organization. Previous research has established that trustworthiness of the source enhances such knowledge transfer. More recent work, however, suggests that this may not always be the case. Yet, little systematic attention has been paid to moderating conditions. The major purpose of this paper is to identify a moderator, causal ambiguity, which delineates the conditions as to when and how a recipients perception of the trustworthiness of a source affects the effectiveness of the transfer of organizational practices.

Managing integrators where integration matters: insights from symbolic industries

Recently, companies have been faced with strong need for integration in order to deal with the trade-offs of the current competitive environments – quick response and customization, technical functionality and stylistic appeal, low cost and top quality. This need has led to the introduction of different integrating positions. Although these positions already exist within the firm, in recent years they have become strategic and therefore have to be carefully managed. The relevance and the management of integrators are particularly evident in the symbolic industries, where the need to combine the symbolic and the functional facets of products and services has become increasingly critical for companies to succeed. We provide evidence based on four case studies conducted in the European fashion industry in order to build an original framework for the effectiveness of the integrators and to highlight the relevance of HRM practices in dealing with these positions.

Is It Always Worth Waiting? The Effect of Autonomy‐supportive Teaching on Short‐term and Long‐term Learning Outcomes

Autonomy is known for its positive effects and its use in management practice. Recently an urgent debate has emerged on its drawbacks on individual outcomes. In this study, we investigate and test a model on the effect on individual learning of an autonomy‐supportive teaching style and its interplay with the learners previous experience and perceived management support. Specifically, while research has emphasized the positive effect of similar contexts, this study focuses on its differential effect on short‐term and long‐term learning outcomes, challenging the traditional view of autonomy. We also explore how job experience and management support can improve the effects of autonomy on individual learning. We test our model by collecting longitudinal data on a sample of 200 individuals participating in a training programme on managerial skills. Our results show that (1) the extent to which teachers were perceived as autonomy‐supportive presents a linear relationship with short‐term learning outcomes (utility reactions) and a positive curvilinear relationship with training transfer in the long term; (2) learner job experience and perceived management support for learning have a positive moderating effect on the linear relationship between autonomy and learning outcomes.