Samantha C. Paustian-Underdahl

Getting to the “COR”: Understanding the Role of Resources in Conservation of Resources Theory

Proposed as a theory of motivation, the basic tenet of conservation of resources (COR) theory is that humans are motivated to protect their current resources and acquire new resources. Despite its recent popularity in the organizational behavior literature, several criticisms of the theory have emerged, primarily related to the central concept of resources. In this review, we address concerns regarding the conceptualization, conservation, acquisition, fluctuation, and measurement of resources. We highlight gaps in the COR literature that can be addressed by integrating research from other areas of psychology and management. In this manner, we hope to push the COR literature forward by resolving several concerns and providing suggestions for future research that might address other concerns.

Gender and Perceptions of Leadership Effectiveness: A Meta-Analysis of Contextual Moderators

Despite evidence that men are typically perceived as more appropriate and effective than women in leadership positions, a recent debate has emerged in the popular press and academic literature over the potential existence of a female leadership advantage. This meta-analysis addresses this debate by quantitatively summarizing gender differences in perceptions of leadership effectiveness across 99 independent samples from 95 studies. Results show that when all leadership contexts are considered, men and women do not differ in perceived leadership effectiveness. Yet, when other-ratings only are examined, women are rated as significantly more effective than men. In contrast, when self-ratings only are examined, men rate themselves as significantly more effective than women rate themselves. Additionally, this synthesis examines the influence of contextual moderators developed from role congruity theory (Eagly & Karau, 2002). Our findings help to extend role congruity theory by demonstrating how it can be supplemented based on other theories in the literature, as well as how the theory can be applied to both female and male leaders. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2014 APA, all rights reserved).

The Work–Family Interface and Promotability: Boundary Integration as a Double-Edged Sword

Based on role accumulation theory and boundary theory we propose and examine a model that represents the process by which family involvement influences promotability through enrichment, and the moderating roles of employees’ boundary management preferences (i.e., segmentation/integration) in that process. Data collected from 347 registered nurses and their supervisors (N = 40) across three periods showed that as employees’ family involvement increases, they are able to accumulate resources from their family role and transfer them to the workplace. This increase in family-to-work enrichment (FWE) benefits employees by increasing supervisor perceptions of employees’ promotability. As hypothesized, an integrating boundary management preference serves as a double-edged sword for employees such that it strengthens the positive influence of family involvement on FWE, but weakens the relationship between FWE and supervisor perceptions of promotability.

The Role of Economic Development and Perceived Growth Opportunities in Employee Reactions to M&As: A Study of the Merger Syndrome Across 29 Countries

We draw on the economic institutions literature and on transactional stress theory to explain differences in employee reactions to mergers and acquisitions (M&As) across 29 nations. Using a sample of 10,803 middle managers and executives, we find that country-level economic development moderates the effects of an M&A on employee attitudes and outcomes. Unlike in more advanced economies where M&As are associated with a reduction in perceived growth opportunities among employees, in less advanced economies, M&As are associated with increased perceptions of growth opportunities. These perceived growth opportunities post-M&A are associated with positive employee outcomes such as work–life balance, job satisfaction, organizational satisfaction, and reduced turnover intentions. Our results highlight the role that growth opportunities and the economic context play in harnessing human capital after an M&A.

Revisiting the beauty is beastly effect: examining when and why sex and attractiveness impact hiring judgments

We contribute to the body of literature on the what is beautiful is good heuristic (Dion, Berscheid, & Walster, 1972, Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 24, 285–290), the beauty is beastly effect (Heilman & Saruwatari, 1979, Organizational Behavior and Human Performance, 23, 360–372) and lack of fit theory (Heilman, 1983, Research in Organizational Behavior, 5, 269–298) by reconciling previous discrepancies in the literature and by examining the circumstances in which attractiveness may and may not be detrimental for female job applicants. First, we perform a review of studies which have previously tested the beauty is beastly effect, and we provide and test explanations for previous discrepancies in the literature. Next, we conduct two new studies on the beauty is beastly effect using corporate types of jobs, and empirically test Heilmans lack of fit theory (1983) as an explanation for the effect. We find support for the effect in a general population sample, and partial support for the effect in a sample of human resource professionals. We also provide support for a mediated moderation model showing that applicant sex is related to job suitability for a male-typed job through the indirect effect of perceived agency, which is moderated by applicant attractiveness.

Perceptions of supervisor support: Resolving paradoxical patterns across gender and race

This work reconciles previous discrepancies regarding when and how the demographic composition of supervisor–subordinate dyads relates to perceived supervisor support. We draw from social identity theory to argue that building relationships with higher-status group members, while distancing oneself from the lower-status group, is a contextually induced way female and racial minority employees may cope with identity threat in the workplace. Our results supported the hypotheses, indicating that this self-distancing effect via reduced perceived supervisor support only emerges in settings where gender or racial identities may be considered threatened (in organizations with climates of higher perceived gender inequity, Study 1; or climates of higher perceived diversity inequity, Study 2). Such results are particularly important and timely given the recent ample attention in popular media and academic outlets regarding the ‘queen bee’ effect, the ‘crabs in the barrel’ mentality, and diversity-valuing behaviour of leaders. The current research suggests that such behaviours are not generalizable to all female or minority employees; rather, this effect seems to be context-driven. Practitioner points Organizational climates that are higher in gender and/or diversity inequity may bring about negative in-group behaviours between supervisors and subordinates. To increase perceptions of supervisor support, especially among traditionally low-status employees, organizations should improve their diversity climates to be more inclusive for all employees. Building active mentoring programmes for under-represented groups and increasing the number of women and non-White employees in senior positions, while emphasizing equal opportunity for all employees, are some ways organizations can reduce perceptions of gender and diversity inequity. A career-lattice approach to employee career development would allow employees to engage in more lateral transfers – enabling them to gain diverse skills, be exposed to multiple mentors, and to remove themselves from a potentially harmful supervisor–subordinate relationship.

Queen bees, mother hens, and king apes: A multi-source and cross-cultural examination of gender differences in supervisor-subordinate relations

A. (2016). Queen bees, mother hens, and king apes: A multi-source and cross-cultural examination of gender differences in supervisor-subordinate relations. Paper presented at Closing the Gender Gap: Advancing Leadership and Organizations.