Stacie Chappell

Management, Spirituality, and Religion (MSR) ways and means: a paper to encourage quality research

Abstract Despite 15 years of functioning as an interest group, our domain of inquiry is relatively young and there are limited theoretical boundaries to support, shape, and assist our efforts. This metaphorical “blank canvas” is both empowering, in that so many inquiries are open for exploration, and yet also limiting. In this document we highlight three critical elements to emphasize their importance in MSR research: (a) delineating and operationalizing the key terms of religion, spirituality, and workplace spirituality; (b) acknowledging the work to date in the MSR corpus around definitions of these terms, and (c) being explicit about how ontological and epistemological assumptions inform our methods. The intention is to encourage growth in the quality and rigor of our individual and collective scholarship.

MSR Founders Narrative and Content Analysis of Scholarly Papers: 2000–2015

Abstract This is a founders’ narrative and research paper content analysis of the first 15 years of the Management Spirituality and Religion Interest Group (MSR) of the Academy of Management. Based on archival data and founder interviews, our inquiry recounts how the early collaborators established the Interest Group. The founders interviewed were identified through preliminary inquiry and from archival sources. As complement and extension, we concurrently conducted a content analysis of the 15 years of MSR Best Papers and Carolyn Dexter Award MSR nominated papers for Academy internationalization: a corpus epitomizing MSR research and practice. The combined study is a benchmark of founding and institutionalization for current and potential MSR members. By tracing the research trends MSR has taken in light of the founding aspirations, we illuminate the distinctive values, tensions, and meanings of spirituality in management practices that infuse MSR with its enduring organizational vitality.

Exploring the Process of Implementing Healthy Workplace Initiatives: Mapping to Kotter's Leading Change Model.

Objective: The aim of this study was to use Kotters leading change model to explore the implementation of workplace health and wellbeing initiatives. Methods: Qualitative interviews were conducted with 31 workplace representatives with a healthy workplace initiative. Results: None of the workplaces used a formal change management model when implementing their healthy workplace initiatives. Not all of the steps in Kotter model were considered necessary and the order of the steps was challenged. For example, interviewees perceived that communicating the vision, developing the vision, and creating a guiding coalition were integral parts of the process, although there was less emphasis on the importance of creating a sense of urgency and consolidating change. Conclusions: Although none of the workplaces reported using a formal organizational change model when implementing their healthy workplace initiatives, there did appear to be perceived merit in using the steps in Kotters model.

Culture, management and finances as key aspects for healthy workplace initiatives.

The aim of this study was to qualitatively explore the barriers and enablers to implementing healthy workplace initiatives in a sample of workplaces based in Perth, Western Australia. In-depth interviews were conducted with representatives from 31 organizations representing small, medium and large businesses in the Perth metropolitan area which reported having healthy workplace initiatives. In total, 43 factors were mentioned as influencing the implementation of healthy workplace initiatives. Factors appearing to exert the most influence on the implementation of health promoting initiatives in this sample were culture; support from managers and staff; collaboration with industry providers; financial resources circumstances and the physical environment. These factors appeared to be mutually reinforcing and interconnected. Findings suggest there may be merit in applying an organizational development lens to the implementation of workplace health promotion initiatives as this could assist in leveraging enablers and minimizing barriers.

Improving Organizational Responses to Sexual Harassment Using the Giving Voice to Values Approach

Despite significant expenditures on organizational responses to sexual harassment, it remains a persistent challenge. We argue that the legal environment has unduly and negatively influenced the ways in which organizations address the problem of sexual harassment and offer an alternative. Giving Voice to Values (GVV) is an action-oriented approach to business ethics education that can be used to improve the ways in which organizations address the phenomenon of sexual harassment (SH). Because of its focus on action and expressing personal values, GVV can be used to prepare targets, observers, and managers to intervene in instances where they may encounter this behavior at work. The original contribution of this article is a detailed application of GVV to the unique organizational issue of SH training. Ways of developing dialogue in response to sexual behavior at work are presented and implications of the GVV approach are discussed.

Close and Distant Female Role Models in the Workplace

This chapter reports on an exploratory study of young adults’ perceptions of female role models in the workplace. The disproportionate number of male-to-female leaders, a reality of modern organisations, translates into fewer females being available as role models. Instead, female portrayals in the media may be important as distant role models. The chapter begins with a background discussion of the role model construct. The authors report on an exploratory study of young adults’ perceptions regarding role models in the workplace and how these role models inform their leadership practice. The study includes both male and female participants and enables comparison of their perspectives. The authors conclude with a discussion of the findings and recommendations for future practice and research.

Developing Students’ Writing Skills With the IDEAL Framework:

Although written communication is a foundational skill, especially for careers in management, faculty can be reluctant to utilize writing assignments for a number of reasons including the subjective nature of and time involved in grading. In this article, we present the IDEAL framework—an andragogical tool developed in an effort to address these problems, while teaching students to produce more coherent and logical writing. We then share an in-class exercise to introduce students to the IDEAL framework and apply it to writing samples through a peer-feedback activity. Throughout the article, we highlight the benefits, to both educators and students, of incorporating the IDEAL framework as a meta-model for writing in management courses.

Recruiting the Soul: Spiritual Labor as Organizational Practice

Critically examining spirituality in the workplace offers a way forward in understanding the potential for both domination and liberation in organizations. To this end, our aim is to further develo...