School of Human Resource Management

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Open Access
Job-related Well-being of Sexual Minorities: Evidence from the British Workplace Employment Relations Study
(British Journal of Industrial Relations, 2022-09-05) Wang, Jing; Wicks, David; Zhang, Chris
Despite the increasingly liberal views toward sexual orientation and the evolution of legal rights worldwide, sexual minorities have been an understudied demographic group, especially in mainstream management scholarship. Using a national representative employer and employee linked survey, this study examines the relationship between sexual minority identity and job-related well-being. Multilevel regression analysis reveals that bisexual employees have higher levels of anxiety and depression at work than their heterosexual counterparts. The difference is greater in industries that are not friendly to sexual minorities. When bisexual employees believe their managers are trustworthy and supportive, that difference disappears. No differences are found in well-being between lesbians, gay men, and their heterosexual counterparts. This study provides initial evidence on the effect of sexual minority identity on job-related well-being. It also sheds light on the different workplace outcomes between bisexual employees, lesbian women, and gay men.
Open Access
Managing flexworkers: holding on and letting go
(Emerald, 2010) Richardson, Julia
Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to explore what it means to be a manager in the context of working from home, or "flexworking", as an increasingly common work practice. Design/methodology/approach - The paper is located within an interpretive interactionist perspective, drawing on interviews with managers who took part in a larger qualitative study of employees who work from home two or more days a week in the Canadian subsidiary of a high-tech MNC. Template analysis identified themes which are most salient in managers" experiences of managing these "flexworkers". Findings - The findings point to several key themes in interviewees' experiences of managing flexworkers: maintaining a balance between providing autonomy alongside appropriate levels of cohesion between themselves and employees and between employees; the increasing importance of trust and the centrality of interpersonal relationships and interactions. Research limitations/implications - A limitation is a relatively small sample size (27) in the Canadian hi-tech industry. Also, the findings may not be applicable to other industries or to managers in other countries. The paper's location within an interpretive interactionist framework accords primary focus to individual action rather than structural forces. Practical implications - Contemporary management development initiatives should balance communication and support, while avoiding micromanagement. They should also develop managers' ability to ensure that social bonds are maintained but do not undermine the principles of flexwork. Originality/value - There is a paucity of qualitative research on flexworking in Canada. Moreover, the paper contributes a theoretical understanding of this work arrangement, whereas previous research has been primarily descriptive.
Open Access
Integrating realistic job previews and realistic living conditions previews: realistic recruitment for internationally mobile knowledge workers
(Emerald, 2008) Richardson, Julia; McBey, Ken; McKenna, Steve
Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to explore the use of realistic job previews (RjPs) and realistic living conditions previews (RLCPs) during the recruitment of a group of internationally mobile knowledge workers who elect to go overseas independently rather than as part of an overseas assignment. It also aims to explore individual perceptions of the value of RjPs and RLCPs in contributing to work and general living adjustment. Design/methodology/approach - The paper draws on a qualitative study of international faculty in six Canadian universities using in-depth interviews to examine their experiences of recruitment and focusing specifically on the extent to which RjPs and RLCP were provided. Findings - The findings reflect the need for realistic recruitment that includes information about position specifications and responsibilities as well as non-organizational factors such as opportunities for spousal employment. Thus, respondents did not conceptualize the recruitment process in terms of two separate components of "job" (RjP) and "living conditions" (RLCP). Instead realistic recruitment emerged as a holistic process, with each individual having hislher own differential weighting of the relative importance of different factors. Research limitations/implications - The sample comprises mostly white-western faculty, thus ethnic minority faculty are underrepresented. Further research might also explore the perceptions and experiences of international recruiters. Originality/value - The paper extends the current literature on RjPs and RLCPs to consider internationally mobile knowledge workers who elect to go overseas independently. Located within an interpretive perspective it also enhances our understanding of individual experiences and the need for a more holistic approach to international recruitment.
Open Access
Managing, managerial control and managerial identity in the post-bureaucratic world
(Emerald, 2010) McKenna, Steve; Garcia-Lorenzo, Lucia; Bridgman, Todd
Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of the issues involved in managerial control and managerial identity in relation to the idea of a post-bureaucratic organization. In addition it introduces the papers in this special issue. Design/methodology/approach - The paper identifies the increasing complexity of issues of managerial control and managerial identity that arise from the idea of a post-bureaucratic organization and post-bureaucratic working practices, such as flex-work and project management. Findings - The paper suggests that the form and nature of managerial control and managerial identity are constantly evolving and in a state of flux as a consequence of processes of (de)bureaucratization and (re)bureaucratization. Originality/value - The paper raises important questions about the nature of management in post-bureaucratic work environments and challenges the behaviourist competencies approach to developing managers.
Open Access
Managerial narratives: a critical dialogical approach to managerial identity
(Emerald, 2010) McKenna, Steve
Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to explore the use of a dialogical approach, associated with the Russian literary critic and philosopher Bakhtin, in understanding the portrayal of managerial identity in management narratives. In particular, it applies these ideas critically to understand how managers' identities are partly shaped by the dominant discourse or idea about what a manager should "be." Design/methodology/approach - The paper draws on three written narratives of managers. It applies a dialogical approach to consider how they position themselves interactionally in the narratives in such a way as to highlight a managerial identity based on being "enterprising" and "for change," while simultaneously voicing alternative identities negatively. The use of the written narratives of managers and the application of a dialogical approach is an important contribution to the literature. Findings - The findings suggest that managers, when reflecting on organizational events through narrative, assume a managerial identity that reflects current dominant discourse about what a manager should ''be.'' In doing so they reject other possible discourses that offer alternatives, not only to managerial ''being,'' but also to what management and organizations might reflect and represent. The paper also, however, recognizes that some managers reject this identity and its implications for organizational activity. Research limitations/implications - The paper suggests that managerial identity is partly a product of a dominant discursive/ideological formation rather than individual choice. Although managers may reject this interpellation creating an alternative is constrained by the regime of truth that prevails about what management is at any given time. The approach might be considered overly deterministic in its view of managerial identity. Originality/value - The paper extends the understanding of managerial identity and how it is portrayed through narrative by using a dialogical approach to interpretation.
Open Access
Barriers and paths to success: Latin American MBAs' views of employment in Canada
(Emerald, 2010) Turchick-Hakak, Luciana; Holzinger, Ingo; Zikic, Jelena
Purpose - This paper aims to examine perceived barriers and paths to success for Latin American immigrant professionals in the Canadian job market Design/methodology/approach - Findings are based on 20 semi-structured interviews with Latin American graduates of Canadian MBA programs. Interviews were analyzed for emergent categories and common themes. Findings - Despite their strong educational backgrounds, participants perceived several challenges to their success in the Canadian workplace, specifically, language barriers, lack of networks, cultural differences and discrimination. They also identified factors that influenced their professional success in Canada, such as homophilious networks and their Latin American background Research limitations/implications - By investigating stories of Latin American immigrant professionals, the study explores subjective views of immigration experiences and discrimination in this unique and rarely examined group. A larger sample will increase the confidence of the study's findings and future studies should examine dynamics of these issues over time. Originalitylvalue - This paper presents insight onto the labor market experiences and coping mechanisms of the currently understudied group of Latin American immigrant professionals in Canada. The study's qualitative approach enabled the examination of challenges experienced by immigrant professionals beyond those typically studied in this literature (e.g. devaluation of foreign credentials) and led to the finding that being Latin American can act both as a disadvantage in the form of discrimination and as an advantage as it differentiates immigrant professionals from other job seekers.
Open Access
Job-search strategies and reemployment quality: the impact of career adaptability
(Elsevier, 2010) Koen, Jessie; Klehe, Ute-Christine; Van Vianen, Annelies E.M.; Zikic, Jelena; Nauta, Aukje
Past job-search research has focused on how hard unemployed people search for a job, but we still know little about the strategies that people use during their search and how we can predict the quality of the reemployment found, The first aim of this study was to predict the use of different job-search strategies via job-seekers' career adaptability, The second aim was to examine the impact of different job-search strategies on both the number of job-offers and the quality of the obtained job. In a two-wave study, 248 unemployed people indicated their career adaptability and the job-search strategies that they used. The use of a focused and exploratory strategy contributed to the number of job offers, whereas the use of an exploratory strategy reduced the quality of reemployment 8 months later. Moreover, career decision making and career confidence positively predicted reemployment quality. Implications for reemployment practice and further research are discussed.
Open Access
Becoming a leader: the challenge of modesty for women
(Emerald, 2010) Budworth, Marie-Helene; Mann, Sara L.
Purpose - While the number of women in managerial positions has been increasing, the gender composition of top management teams is skewed. There are barriers and obstacles in place that limit the movement of women into leadership roles. The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between modesty and access to leadership. Specifically, tendencies toward modesty and lack of self-promotion are hypothesized to perpetuate the lack of female involvement in top management positions. Design/methodology/approach - The literature on modesty and self-promotion is reviewed. The findings are discussed in terms of the persistent challenges faced by women with regard to their ability to enter senior levels of management. Findings - The overall message of the paper is that behaviours that are successful for males in the workplace are not successful for females. The good news is that women do not need to adopt male ways of being in order to succeed. A limitation is that the paper is largely "uni-cultural", as the research referenced is primarily that undertaken in a North American context. Self-promotion and modesty may be conceptualized differently in other contexts. Originality/value - The paper is one of the first to focus on modesty, an important gendered individual difference, to explain persistent workplace inequalities.
Open Access
Work intensity: potential antecedents and consequences
(Emerald, 2010) Burke, Ronald J.; Singh, Parbudyal; Fiksenbaum, Lisa
Purpose - The purpose of this exploratory research is to examine the relationship of a measure of work intensity with potential antecedents and consequences. Design/methodology/approach - A questionnaire was developed and pre-tested. It included a new 15-item measure of work intensity. Data were collected from 106 respondents enrolled in three university business courses using anonymously completed questionnaires. Regression and factor analyses were used in developing the measure and testing the relationships. Findings - The 15-item measure of work intensity was found to have high internal consistency and reliability. Work intensity was significantly related to respondents' organizational level and work status. In addition, respondents indicating higher levels of work intensity also reported working more hours, a higher workload, and greater job stress. Work intensity was unrelated to organizational values supporting work-personal life imbalance, three workaholism components, or to indicators of work engagement. Factor analysis of the work intensity measure produced three factors: emotional demands, job demands, and time demands, the first two were fairly consistently related to other study variables, whereas time demands was not. Research limitations/implications - The sample was relatively small and the data were collected using self-reports. The design was cross-sectional, thus limiting causal inferences. Practical implications - Managers will find the study useful in assessing the effects of work intensity and working long hours for employees, including stress levels and work engagement. Originality/value - The study developed a work intensity measure and examined its properties and correlates, something that is lacking in the literature.
Open Access
Canada's bold experiment with pay equity
(Emerald, 2010) Singh, Parbudyal; Peng, Ping
Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to examine the evolution, implementation and effectiveness of the Pay Equity Act in Ontario, Canada. Given that this Act is considered by many as the world's most progressive equal pay for work of equal value legislation, there are important implications for policy globally. Design/methodology/approach - Through a review of relevant documents and the literature, the paper examines the need for the Pay Equity Act in Ontario, its origins, and with two decades of experience, analyze its effectiveness. A case study is also used to assess related procedures and effects of the law. Findings - In spite of its limitations and the wide pay gap that still exists between men and women, many female workers have benefited from Ontario's progressive Pay Equity Act. In targeting the discriminatory aspect of women's work evaluations, the Act has resulted in pay increases for thousands of women, especially in the public sector. Practical implications - There are many practical and social implications for jurisdictions across the globe, as they try to grapple with gender pay equities. Policy makers can learn from the successes and challenges experienced in Ontario. Pay equity legislation will unlikely achieve any significant progress in reducing the wage gap if it relies on workers to complain about the inequity in their pay. A proactive pay equity law, such as that in Ontario, will force employers to make more focused efforts to deal with gender pay discrimination. Ontario's bold "experiment" with pay equity holds valuable lessons for jurisdictions globally. Originality/value - While there has been some research on the Ontario Pay Equity Act, there is a paucity of scholarly work that examines the details of the pay system that the Act has spawned. There is also little work in assessing the effectiveness of the legislation.
Open Access
The drunkard's search: looking for 'HRM' in all the wrong places
(Springer Verlag, 2008) McKenna, Steve; Singh, Parbudyal; Richardson, Jules
Specific concerns have been raised about the ontologies and epistemologies that have dominated HRM research and the concomitant ubiquity of positivistic research methodologies. These concerns have also given rise to calls for more pioneering research framed within alternative paradigms. This paper considers the theoretical and practical value of alternative approaches to the study of HRM. Results show, drawing on interpretive studies of HRM rooted in different epistemologies, ontologies, and methodologies that a composite body of HRM scholarship is needed, where dominant and emerging approach is to the study of HRM are mutually supportive.
Open Access
In justice we trust: A model of the role of trust in the organization in applicant reactions to the selection process
(Elsevier, 2008) Celani, Anthony; Deutsch-Salamon, Sabrina; Singh, Parbudyal
Despite the reliance on organizational justice in applicant reactions research, and the research attention devoted to the relationship between organizational justice and organizational trust (Brockner, J., & Siegel, P. (1996). Understanding the interaction between procedural and distributive justice: The role of trust In R. Kramer, & T. Tyler (Eds.), Trust in organizatiorc: Frontiers of theory and research (pp.390-413 ). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage; lewicki, R.J., Wiethoff, C., & Tomlinson, E. C. (2005). What is the role of trust in organizational justice? InJ. Greenberg, &J.A. Colquitt (Eds.), Handboak of ArganizationalJustice (pp.247-270). Mahwah, NewJersey: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates), to date little, if any, attention has been directed to cornbining organizational justice and organizational trust perspectives in applicant reactions research. In this pape[ we first review extant applicant reactions literature which has been based on the organizational justice literature. We then develop a model that integrates organizational justice and trust perspectives to better understand the processes underlying applicant reactions across different stages of the selection process. We explain how the propositions derived from this model can inform future research on applicant reactions to selection procedures.
Open Access
Job analysis for a changing workplace
(Elsevier, 2008) Singh, Parbudyal;
Job analysis sits at the heart of all human resource practices, making it a critically important management activity in every organization. However, with increasing competition, shorter product life-cycles, rapid technological innovations, and the changing nature of organizational structures, its underlying assumptions are becoming increasingly questionable in today's dynamic work environment. Moreover, the methods used by traditional job analysis are simply not applicable to many new and emerging jobs and some authors feel it may even be an obstacle to organizational success. This has led to calls for a more proactive and strategic approach to job analysis so that the procedures will continue to be relevant. In this article, I emphasize the need for a strategic approach to job analysis, present a strategic job analysis framework, and discuss implications for organizations.
Open Access
Pay for performance - panacea or Pandora's box? Revisiting an old debate in the current economic environment
(SAGE, 2009) Bevilacqua, Christine M.; Singh, Parbudyal
New research in neuroeconomics suggests that money may be a more powerful motivator than previously thought, with important implications for incentive pay programs.
Open Access
The evolution of employee benefits at the Economical Insurance Group
(SAGE, 2009) Hubbard, Jennifer; Singh, Parbudyal
Employee benefit plans can be an important part of an organization's employment deal and can help differentiate one employer from another. This article defines employee benefits as an extensive offering of programs that is broader than the conventional definition. Not only does it include traditional benefits; it also includes pension and savings, time off work, wellness and flexible work arrangements. The article reviews one company's experience as its employee benefit program has evolved from one of fixed and defined benefits to one that prOVides greater choice, flexibility and control to better support the organizational and human resource strategy and to better meet the needs of its diverse workforce. Several lessons have been learned by this company and are shared in this article. Although the company has focused on continual improvement of its employment deal over the past several years, it cannot halt the progress it has made thus far.
Open Access
The man behind the woman: a qualitative study of the spousal support received and valued by executive women
(SAGE, 2008) Ezzedeen, Souha R.; Ritchey, Kristen G.
Little is known about the spousal support received by married executive women and the support behaviors that they value. This article details the results of a qualitative study of 20 senior and executive-level women, with the aim of understanding their received and valued spousal support. An inductive typology was developed through semistructured interviews of the supportive behaviors deemed general, most valued, and least valued, as well as those behaviors perceived as being unsupportive, across six categories: emotional support, help with household, help with family members, career support, esteem support, and husbands' career and lifestyle choices. This article concludes by contextualizing the results relative to existing research, discussing study implications and limitations, and presenting recommendations.
Open Access
Facilitating class discussions around current and controversial issues: ten recommendations for teachers
(Taylor & Francis, 2008) Ezzedeen, Souha R.
Facilitating productive class discussions is one of the most challenging tasks facing college educators, especially when potentially divisive issues are discussed. The author shares ten recommendations derived from teaching a course on current and controversial managerial issues via conversational learning. Excerpts from student comments are included to demonstrate the appropriateness of these recommendations. These recommendations are applicable to conversations across subjects and are meant to encourage college teachers to experiment with conversational learning in their own classrooms.
Open Access
Career advancement and family balance strategies of executive women
(Emerald, 2009) Ezzedeen, Souha R.; Ritchey, Kristen G.
Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to explore coping strategies devised by executive women in family relationships to advance their career and to maintain career/family balance. Design/methodology/approach - A qualitative methodology using a sample of 25 executive women explores career advancement and career/family balance strategies within work and family contexts. Findings - Analysis produces multiple career advancement and career/family balance strategies, including professional support, personal support, value system, and life course strategies such as the "ordering" of career and family, negotiating spousal support, and whether to have children. Research limitations/implications - Adaptive strategies facilitate engagement in career and family, even in challenging gender environments, encouraging continued research on executive women's advancement and career/family balance. The idiosyncratic nature of career/family balance calls for greater emphasis on the context and timing of career and family experiences. Practical implications - The paper offers guidance to women seeking to combine executive career and family and to organizations committed to the advancement and retention of women. Originality/value - The paper jointly explores career advancement and career/family balance strategies pursued by executive women in family relationships. It contributes to a growing body of research on the coping mechanisms and adaptive strategies underlying balance between career and family.
Open Access
Career and family strategies of executive women: revisiting the quest to "have it all"
(Elsevier, 2009) Ezzedeen, Souha R.; Ritchey, Kristen G.
Open Access
Transitions from temporary to permanent work in Canada: who makes the transition and why?
(Springer Verlag, 2008) Fang, Tony; MacPhail, Fiona
The focus of this paper is on a microeconomic analysis of the annual transition rate from temporary to permanent work of individual workers in Canada for the period 1999-2004. Given that a large proportion of temporary employment is involuntary, an understanding of the factors associated with the transition to permanent work may inform public policy. Factors associated with the transition, namely, human capital, household structures and labour market segmentation are analyzed using data from the Statistics Canada's Survey of Labour and Income Dynamics (SLID) for the period 1999-2004, limited to paid workers aged 2-4 years, excluding students. Among the key factors associated with the transitions are younger age and low unemployment rates. The analysis adds to the Canadian and international literature on transitions from temporary to permanent work.