Simon C.H. Chan

A qualitative study of information technology adoption: how ten organizations adopted Web‐based training

Abstract.  Web‐based training (WBT) has become prevalent in business organizations. This study used evidence from 10 organizations in Hong Kong to identify the significant factors that influenced their decision to adopt WBT. A qualitative field study was used. This study concluded the following three key factors significantly affect the adoption of WBT in Hong Kong: (1) the perceived benefits/costs of WBT, (2) organizational readiness, and (3) external pressures. The results and implications are discussed.

The joint effect of leader–member exchange and emotional intelligence on burnout and work performance in call centers in China

We examined the joint effect of LMX and emotional intelligence (EI) on burnout and work performance. Results based on data collected from 493 leader-member dyads in the call center of a large Chinese telecommunication company indicated that LMX was negatively related to burnout, yet was not significantly related to objective work performance. Moreover, we examined the effects of the four dimensions of EI (self-emotion appraisal, other-emotion appraisal, use of emotion, and regulation of emotion) on burnout and performance, and found that burnout mediated the link between use of emotion and work performance. Results also showed that LMX was associated with burnout and work performance more strongly for service workers with lower levels of self-emotion appraisal. More surprisingly, the link between LMX and work performance was stronger for service workers with higher levels of use of emotion.

Importance of the internet to human resource practitioners in Hong Kong

Purpose – The purpose of this study is to empirically examine the perceptions of the importance of the internet to human resource management (HRM) and to understand the existing human resource (HR) practices and needs of the internet to support HRM functions.Design/methodology/approach – A structured questionnaire survey was used to collect data from selected public companies quoted on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. Questionnaires were returned by 147 respondents and used for the analysis. The overall response rate was 29 percent, which was higher than expected.Findings – The findings indicated that the most frequently cited internet‐supported HRM function in the existing literature is recruitment and selection. The results showed that there are no significant organization size differences or significant differences in internet connectivity as far as the perceived importance of the internet to HR practitioners is concerned. Specifically, helping managers to stay informed is the most important reason for ad...

High performance human resource practices and organizational performance: The mediating role of occupational safety and health

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the mediating role of occupational safety and health (OSH) on the relationship between high performance human resource practices (HPHRP) and organizational performance.Design/methodology/approach – The authors collected data from 227 human resource management professionals in Hong Kong, the Peoples Republic of China and used exploratory factor analysis and multiple regression for data analysis.Findings – The results supported the construct validity of the preliminary measure of HPHRP with the inclusion of a measure on OSH. The mediating role of perceived safety climate in the relationship of HPHRP and organizational performance was also confirmed.Research limitations/implications – This research highlights the importance of OSH on HPHRP in Hong Kong organizations. Results explored that HPHRP positively influences organizational performance through the mediator of perceived safety climate.Originality/value – This paper adds value by improving the understan...

Transformational leadership, pride in being a follower of the leader and organizational commitment

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship among transformational leadership, pride in being a follower of the leader, and organizational commitment, as represented by affective and normative commitment. Design/methodology/approach – Data were collected from two samples in Mainland China (Study 1 of 145 executive MBA students in one of the local universities located in Xian; Study 2 of 210 employees in a service-based private-owned company located in Shenzhen). Descriptive statistics and regression analyses, Sobel tests, and bootstrapping tests were used to analyze the data. Findings – Both studies found that transformational leadership is positively related to pride in being a follower of the leader, and affective and normative commitment. Results indicated that pride in being a follower of the leader fully mediated the relationship between transformational leadership, affective and normative commitment. Research limitations/implications – The main limitation of this study is to collect data from a self-reported single source in a cross-sectional survey design. The findings are susceptible to problems of common method variance of the independent variable, mediator and dependent variables. Practical implications – The findings assist managers to better understand the importance of getting the support of their followers. If the followers are pride in being a follower of their leader, they are more likely to be committed toward an organization. Originality/value – This paper contributes to the existing literature by which pride in being a follower of the leader as a mediator between transformational leadership and organizational commitment in the Chinese context.

Team identification and interpersonal helping behavior in work teams: a hotel industry study.

The authors of this study examined the relationship between team identification and interpersonal helping behavior and the moderate effects of cooperative and competitive goal climate among work team members. From a student sample of 154 members (639 dyadic relations among team members) in 32 work teams of a hospitality institute in the Peoples Republic of China, results revealed that team identification is positively related to interpersonal helping behavior. The positive relationship between team identification and interpersonal helping behavior is weaker when team members perceive high levels of competitive goal climate. Implications for research and practice are discussed.

Are we in sync? How industry practitioners and academics profile managerial competencies: A study of an Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business–accredited business school in Hong Kong

ABSTRACT The authors draw on the taxonomy of managerial competencies to assess the alignment of perceptions between industry practitioners and business academics when profiling managerial competencies required for effective performance in workplaces. Findings show that the set of managerial competency profiles, as viewed by practitioners, generally fit well with the perceptions of business academics as represented in the intended learning outcomes specified in the undergraduate business programs. It suggests that the targeted managerial competencies built around business curricula are largely in sync with the expectations of practitioners. Implications for theory and practice are discussed.

Benevolent leadership, perceived supervisory support, and subordinates' performance the moderating role of psychological empowerment

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the mediating role of perceived supervisory support (PSS) and the moderating role of psychological empowerment between benevolent leadership and subordinates’ objective performance (from appraisal report evaluated by immediate supervisors after a year) over time. Design/methodology/approach A sample of 312 employees in a manufacturing plant in the People’s Republic of China was collected. Descriptive statistics and linear regression analyses were used to analyze the data. Findings The results indicated that PSS mediated the relationship between benevolent leadership and subordinates’ objective performance. This positive relationship of benevolent leadership and subordinates’ performance was stronger when supervisors exhibited higher levels of psychological empowerment. Research limitations/implications The main limitation of this study is that the sample was collected from the administrative staff of a manufacturing plant in China. The results may not be generalized in different contexts and professions, given the contextually and culturally specific setting. Practical implications Benevolent leadership appears to be effective in driving the work performance of subordinates. Originality/value The relationships among benevolent leadership, PSS, and work performance of subordinates have shown significant explanation.

Have you experienced fun in the workplace?: An empirical study of workplace fun, trust-in-management and job satisfaction

Purpose This purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between workplace fun, trust-in-management, employee satisfaction and whether the level of fun experienced at work moderates the effects. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected from a sample of 240 frontline staff in a large-scale retail store in Hong Kong. Findings The results show that trust-in-management mediates the relationship between workplace fun and employee job satisfaction. Additionally, employees who experience a high level of fun in the workplace have a greater effect on workplace fun, trust-in-management and job satisfaction. Research limitations/implications The main limitation of this study is that it collects data from a self-reported single source in a cross-sectional survey design. Practical implications Because workplace fun helps organizations promote employee trust and job satisfaction, organizations should provide more enjoyable activities for employees to participate in. Originality/value This study provides a new insight into the effects of workplace fun on employees’ trust-in-management and job satisfaction.

Leadership Threshold: Participative Leadership, Information Sharing, and Performance

This study examined a J-shaped curvilinear relationship between participative leadership and performance, suggesting that participative leadership was unrelated to employee performance before attaining a moderate level of participative leadership (i.e., a threshold); above this threshold, higher participative leadership was related to higher employee performance. Integrating theories of activation and dissonance, we hypothesized that leaders’ information-sharing behavior would moderate this curvilinear relationship. We tested this model using two independent samples (Study 1: office administrators, Study 2: agents at call centers and sales representatives). Results across the two studies revealed that this curvilinear relationship was particularly pronounced when leaders’ information-sharing behavior was high and buffered when it was low. Further, Study 2 also found a similar curvilinear relationship between participative leadership and organizational commitment that is moderated by information sharing.