Covariance-based Structural Equation Research Articles

Obliged to follow your command: examining how and when servant leadership affects service performance

PurposeThis study is undertaken to explain how servant leadership affects employees’ service performance through their felt obligation toward their leaders. Furthermore, the study explores how the relationship between felt obligation and service performance is moderated by performance pressure.Design/methodology/approachThe data were collected from 312 manager–subordinate dyads working in private sector hospitals of Karachi. The data were analyzed through covariance-based structural equation modeling.FindingsThe study found that employees’ performance is affected by servant leadership and felt obligation toward managers. Furthermore, the study found that felt obligation toward leader mediates the relationship between servant leadership and employees’ performance. Finally, the study found that the relationship between felt obligation toward leader and employees’ performance was not contingent upon perceived performance pressure.Originality/valueThe study confirms the mediating role of felt obligation toward leaders linking servant leadership to employees’ service performance. The study also tests the moderating role of performance pressure influencing the relationship between relationship between felt obligation toward leaders and employees' service performance.

Does environmental knowledge and performance engender environmental behavior at airports? A moderated mediation effect

PurposeDrawing on the reasoned action theory, this study aims to examine the impact of environmental knowledge (EK) and environmental sustainability performance (EP) on environmental behavior (EB) mediated by environmental attitude (ATT). Furthermore, to examine the moderating effect of environmental advertising (ADD) on the indirect relationship between EP and EB, mediated by ATT on the one hand, and EK on EB, on the other hand, mediated by ATT.Design/methodology/approachThe data were gathered within an international context for passengers from North African countries (NAC) (Egypt, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Morocco and Sudan) using primary quantitative data from online and self-administered questionnaires. A total of 1,052 questionnaires were collected from passengers who traveled through Egyptian airports. The collected data were analyzed through covariance-based structural equation modeling.FindingsThe findings indicated that ATT moderates the relationship between environmental knowledge and behavior. In addition, ATT mediates the airports' environmental behavior and environmental sustainability performance. Moreover, ADD moderates the indirect association between EP and individuals' environmental knowledge and behavior through the mediated effect of ATT.Research limitations/implicationsThis research output will help extend the theory’s scope by conceptualizing its abstract ideas using research variables and applying them in NAC countries. This can be a milestone for altering individuals' behavior toward the environment in airports.Practical implicationsThis study aims to assist airport authorities in the development of standards for enhancing environmental performance. Enhancing environmental issues is of utmost importance, especially in the context of airports, which have been a subject of significant environmental concern. This study examined the environmental practices of airport passengers in NAC, given their significant role as the primary source of greenhouse gas emissions on the African continent. The present approach has the potential to be utilized in modifying airport conduct and enhancing stakeholder engagement, specifically within the context of NAC.Social implicationsThe objective of this study is to enhance the relationship between nature and humans by endeavoring to modify human attitudes toward the environment. The objective of this initiative is to bridge the current disparity in the socio-environmental connection by fostering environmental consciousness among individuals who utilize airport facilities. The objective will be accomplished by the construction of a theoretical framework that integrates crucial elements acknowledged for their substantial influence on altering human attitudes, thus fostering a greater sense of environmental consciousness and ultimately improving societal well-being.Originality/valueSince the global supply chain prioritizes environmental transportation systems, this study provides a conceptual framework for airport authorities to develop and create policies to push air passengers' behavior toward environmental practices in NAC.

Fostering the digital mindset to mitigate technostress: an empirical study of empowering individuals for using digital technologies

PurposeTechnostress reduces employees' work performance and increases their turnover intentions, such that technostress harms organizations' success. This paper investigates how the digital mindset of employees, reflecting their cognitive filter while using digital technologies, influences reactions to techno-stressors.Design/methodology/approachIn this quantitative study, the authors conducted a survey among 151 employees who regularly use digital technologies and encounter various techno-stressors in their daily work. To build this research model and evaluate the influence of employees’ digital mindset on technostress, the authors followed arguments from the transactional model of stress. The authors evaluated our research model using the covariance-based structural equation model.FindingsThe study findings reveal that employees’ digital mindset influences technostress. Employees with high levels of digital mindset react with less adverse effects on perceived techno-stressors. Further, the authors find that employees with high levels of digital mindset perform well and are satisfied with their job. The authors contribute to technostress research by revealing that digital mindset buffers the adverse effects of techno-stressors. The authors also contribute to research on digital mindset by showing that it influences psychological and behavioral reactions to techno-stressors.Originality/valueThis study develops and empirically tests an integrated model of technostress to explain how digital mindset mitigates technostress. The study findings outline relevant research avenues for studies investigating employees’ characteristics and technostress.

A multidimensional lens of environmental consciousness: towards an environmentally conscious theory of planned behavior

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine the purchase behavior of consumers towards green products by adapting and extending the theory of planned behavior with the inclusion of three pertinent environmental factors posited to reflect environmental consciousness in the form of environmental concern, environmental knowledge and environmental values.Design/methodology/approachThe data was collected from 410 consumers at shopping malls with retail stores selling green and non-green products in a developing country using cluster sampling and analyzed using covariance-based structural equation modeling.FindingsThe findings of this study indicate that environmental factors reflecting environmental consciousness positively influence consumers’ attitude towards purchasing green products, wherein consumers’ environmental values have a stronger influence than their environmental concern and environmental knowledge. The findings also reveal that subjective norm, attitude and perceived behavioral control toward purchasing green products positively shape green purchase intention. The same positive effect is also witnessed between green purchase intention and behavior. However, perceived behavioral control towards purchasing green products had no significant influence on green purchase behavior.Practical implicationsThis study suggests that green marketers should promote environmental consciousness among consumers to influence and shape their planned behavior towards green purchases. This could be done by prioritizing efforts and investments in inculcating environmental values, followed by enhancing environmental knowledge and finally inducing environmental concern among consumers. Green marketers can also leverage subjective norm and perceptions of behavioral control toward purchasing green products to reinforce green purchase intention, which, in turn, strengthens green purchase behavior. This green marketing strategy should also be useful to address the intention–behavior gap as seen through the null effect of perceived behavioral control on purchase behavior toward green products when this strategy is present.Originality/valueThis study contributes to theoretical generalizability by reaffirming the continued relevance of the theory of planned behavior in settings concerning the environment (e.g. green purchases), and theoretical extension by augmenting environmental concern, environmental knowledge and environmental values with the theory of planned behavior, resulting in an environmentally conscious theory of planned behavior. The latter is significant and noteworthy, as this study broadens the conceptualization and operationalization of environmental consciousness from a unidimensional to a multidimensional construct.

Investigating chatbot users’ e-satisfaction and patronage intention through social presence and flow: Indian online travel agencies (OTAs)

PurposeThe concept of ubiquitous assimilation in e-commerce, denoting the seamless integration of technologies into customer shopping experiences, has played a pivotal role in aiding e-satisfaction and, consequently, fostering patronage intention. Among these, text-based chatbots are significant innovations. In light of this, the paper aims to develop a conceptual framework and comprehend the patronage behaviour of artificial intelligence-enabled chatbot users by using chatbot usability cues and to determine whether the social presence and flow theories impact e-satisfaction, which leads to users’ patronage intention. The current research provides insights into online travel agencies (OTAs), a crucial segment within the travel and tourism sector. Given the significance of building a loyal clientele and cultivating patronage in this industry, these insights are of paramount importance for achieving sustained profitability and growth.Design/methodology/approachThe research framework primarily focused on the factors that precede e-satisfaction and patronage intention among chatbot users, which include social presence, flow, perceived anthropomorphism and need for human interaction. The researchers collected the data by surveying 397 OTA chatbot users by using an online questionnaire. The data of this cross-sectional study were analysed using covariance-based structural equation modelling.FindingsFindings reveal that e-satisfaction is positively linked with patronage intention and the variables of social presence and flow impact e-satisfaction along with chatbot usability cues. There were direct and indirect relations between chatbot usability and e-satisfaction. Moreover, the personal attributes, “need for human interaction” and, “perceived anthropomorphism” were found to moderate relations between chatbot usability cues, social presence and flow.Originality/valueThe impact of chatbot’s usability cues/attributes on e-satisfaction, along with perceived attributes – social presence and flow in the realm of OTAs contributes to the human–chatbot interaction literature. Moreover, the interacting effects of perceived anthropomorphism and the need for human interaction are unique in the current contextual relations.

The pathways of increasing online celebrity brand equity and followers' hotel booking intention: a serial multiple mediation model

PurposeFrom a consumer–brand relationship (CBR) perspective, this study proposes a serial multiple mediation model to explore the pathways (e.g. cognitive, affective and hybrid) to increase online celebrity brand equity (OCBE) and follower's hotel booking intentions (FBI).Design/methodology/approachPaper-based and online surveys were used to collect data from 443 respondents who had been using TikTok and had followed at least one online celebrity on TikTok, while that online celebrity had reviewed one or more types of accommodation. A serial multiple mediation model was evaluated through covariance-based structural equation modeling.FindingsThe results confirmed the hybrid cognitive–affective and cognitive–affective–conative pathways among antecedents and components of OCBE and FBI.Originality/valueFrom a CBR perspective, this study provides a serial multiple mediation model to increase OCBE via hybrid cognitive–affective pathways and to drive FBI via cognitive–affective–conative pathways. These sequential relationships contribute to the human branding literature by defining a mechanism of how online celebrities can efficiently attract followers, thus driving online celebrity brand loyalty and hotel booking intentions.Research limitations/implicationsThe results should be validated in other cultural contexts to generalize findings and broaden the range of target respondents to include international followers and those within other nations.

Perceptions underlying road safety behaviours of drivers in urban Ghana – a health-belief and planned behaviour perspective

PurposeThe study aims to examine social-psychological beliefs and personality traits and their linkage with driver predispositions and road safety behaviour grounded on notions derived from an integration of the health belief model (HBM) and the theory of planned behaviour (TPB) in social marketing.Design/methodology/approachThe study used a cross-sectional survey to gather data from 587 licenced drivers in 3 major urban settlements in Ghana. The theoretical model was tested by using covariance-based structural equation modelling.FindingsThe study finds that the effects of perceived benefits, perceived behavioural control, social norms and cues to action on road safety behaviour are direct; the effects of perceived susceptibility, severity and barriers on road safety behaviour are fully mediated by driver attitude towards safe driving. Some of these effects were moderated by conscientiousness and neuroticism.Practical implicationsThe findings offer empirical grounds for the development of evidence-based social marketing interventions that leverage efficacy-centred messages, social influence through community-based approaches, informational cues with consistent education and are tailored to the personality traits of drivers with the aim of inducing wilful on-road safety behaviour towards achieving sustainable road safety culture.Originality/valueThis study extends the integrative applicability of the HBM and TPB in understanding road safety behaviour and establishes attitude as a vital facilitator, and personality traits as moderators of the belief-preventive behaviour linkage within a developing country context. It contributes towards the use of theory-based outcomes to enhance the efficacy of social marketing road safety campaigns.

From brick and mortar to click and order: consumers' online food delivery service perceptions post-pandemic

PurposeThis study explores consumers' intentions to utilize online food delivery services (OFDS) in a shared economy beyond the COVID-19 pandemic, employing the protection motivation theory (PMT) as the underlying framework.Design/methodology/approachUtilizing a random sampling technique, a quantitative approach was employed to gather responses from 347 Australian consumers. The proposed model was tested through covariance-based structural equation modelling.FindingsThe findings of this study demonstrate significant positive relationships between restaurant credibility, food quality, e-service quality, price, online food delivery applications, consumer e-satisfaction and e-loyalty. It reveals that consumers satisfied with OFDS may continue exhibiting e-loyalty intentions in a shared economy beyond COVID-19. The relationship between consumer e-satisfaction and e-loyalty intention is moderated by consumer-perceived COVID-19 risk.Practical implicationsThis study offers practical implications for online food delivery providers, restaurants, regulators, application developers and policymakers. These implications aim to enhance the e-service quality, price value, usefulness and security of OFDS, along with strategies to improve the online food delivery application.Originality/valueThis study contributes to the existing body of knowledge by examining a unique selection of antecedents, including the OFDS app, to determine consumer e-satisfaction and e-loyalty in the context of a shared economy beyond COVID-19. The utilization of the OFDS app as a second-order construct adds a meaningful contribution to the OFDS literature. Furthermore, this study investigates and contributes to the limited understanding of the moderation effect of consumer-perceived COVID-19 risk on consumer e-satisfaction and their intended continued use of OFDS.

Examining toxic leadership, pay satisfaction and LMX among nurses: evidence from Ghana

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to establish a relationship between pay satisfaction and leader–member relationship and examine pay satisfaction as a moderator of the relationship between toxic leadership and LMX among public sector nurses in Ghana.Design/methodology/approachUsing a cross-sectional survey approach, the authors used questionnaires to collect data from 225 nurses working in public hospitals in Ghana. The hypotheses were tested using covariance-based structural equation modelling.FindingsThe results of this study revealed that pay satisfaction levels of nurses had an influence on leader–member exchange (LMX). The results further showed that pay satisfaction as a moderator of the relationship between toxic leadership and LMX was not statistically significant.Research limitations/implicationsCross-sectional surveys are often criticised for causality issue. The causality issue here is that the link between toxic leadership, pay satisfaction and LMX was explored at a given point in time and ignores changes through time.Practical implicationsHospitals must encourage their leaders to demonstrate more supportive and positive behaviours to foster positive leader–member relationships. Maladjusted, malcontent and malevolent leadership behaviours are dangerous for nurses and hospitals and can be addressed through leadership training and development.Social implicationsToxic leadership has considerable organisational costs of low productivity and negative work relationship at the workplace. The indirect effects of toxic leadership at the workplace on employees’ families and friends are often silent in organisations.Originality/valueNurses have been ignored in toxic leadership research in emerging economies. LMX is extended to examine toxic leadership and pay satisfaction in public hospitals in an emerging economy.

Understanding employees' perceptions of SETA events: the role of pedagogical and communication approaches

PurposeSecurity education, training and awareness (SETA) programs are the key to addressing “people problems” in information systems (IS) security. Contrary to studies using conventional methods, the present study leveraged an “event” lens and dimensionalized employees' perceptions into three sub-dimensions: perceived novelty, perceived disruption and perceived criticality. Moreover, this research went a step further by examining how pedagogical and communication approaches to a SETA program affect employees' perceptions of the program. This study then investigated whether – and if so, how – these approaches impact employees' perceptions of the SETA program and their subsequent commitment to it.Design/methodology/approachUtilizing a factorial-based scenario survey, this study empirically tested a model of the above relationships via covariance-based structural equation modeling.FindingsThe results of this research showed that pedagogical approaches were more effective than communication approaches and that employees' perceptions of the SETA program accounted for a large variance in their commitment to SETA.Originality/valueFirst, this research deepens understanding of the protection of information assets by elaborating on the different approaches that organizations can take to encourage employees' commitment to SETA. Second, the study enriches the SETA literature by theorizing a SETA program as an organizational “event”, which represents a major shift from the conventional approach. Third, the study adds to the theoretical knowledge of the event lens by extending it to the SETA context and investigating the relationship among three event strength components.

The effect of proximal personality traits on entrepreneurial intention among higher education students

PurposeAccording to the literature, general personality traits are less strongly related to the creation of new ventures than specific/proximal personality traits. Therefore, this study aims to understand the different proximal personalities that influence the entrepreneurial intention to start a new venture and the relationship between them.Design/methodology/approachData were gathered through a self-administered questionnaire filled in by students of entrepreneurship or related courses at the end of the second semester (2019/2020 academic year), and the research option is based on covariance-based structural equation modelling.FindingsThe results of this study show that entrepreneurial intentions can be predicted by specific individual traits, namely, risk-taking, entrepreneurial alertness, creativity, proactivity and self-efficacy. Moreover, it was found that risk-taking mediates the relationship between entrepreneurial alertness and proactivity. On the other hand, students’ creativity mediates the relationship between risk-taking and proactivity. Finally, students’ self-efficacy mediates the relationship between proactiveness and entrepreneurial intention.Practical implicationsThe results have implications for entrepreneurship education given that a better understanding of the personality traits that influence entrepreneurial intentions can lead to the development of new approaches and pedagogical tools.Originality/valueThis model can be used as a diagnostic tool for designing an effective and efficient entrepreneurship curriculum and pedagogy, acting as an (ongoing) audit of students’ entrepreneurial intentions to get a scientific basis in case of further course/module adjustments.

Dynamic capabilities in new product development – the role of operational capabilities

PurposeThis research investigated the individual and combined effects of dynamic and operational capabilities on new product success using an improved measurement instrument.Design/methodology/approachThe empirical data were collected from 872 manufacturing firms in Thailand via a questionnaire survey. Then data were analyzed by covariance-based structural equation modeling.FindingsThe improved measurement instrument provided good reliability and validity. Dynamic capabilities improved new product success through operational capabilities, which fully mediated this relationship. Dynamic capabilities negatively moderated the effect of operational capabilities on new product success.Research limitations/implicationsThe empirical model derived from private manufacturing company data should be further tested in service industries, public firms and nonprofit organizations.Practical implicationsThe research provided two implications: the complementarity between dynamic capabilities and operational capabilities and the measurement instruments and the industrial benchmarks.Originality/valueThis study contributes three new insights: firstly, the complementary role of dynamic capabilities and operational capabilities supporting new product success; secondly, the mediating role of operational capabilities and thirdly, the moderating role of dynamic capabilities in this relationship.

Customers’ positive WOM toward m-banking: a standpoint of extended fairness theory and value-in-use

PurposeThis paper aims to illuminate a mechanism of positive word of mouth (PWOM) toward mobile banking (m-banking) by extending the fairness theory (FAT) with satisfaction (SAT) and value-in-use (VIU).Design/methodology/approachA research model is examined by obtaining data from a web-based survey of 398 respondents who have used m-banking in Vietnam. AMOS 21.0 software is applied to analyze the hypothetical model with covariance-based structural equation modeling.FindingsThe results reveal that price fairness (PRI) is of primary importance of fairness perception (FAI) in m-banking, followed by informative fairness, procedural fairness, interactional fairness and distributive fairness. Furthermore, SAT and VIU play a vital role in developing PWOM. In addition, FAI exerts a positive influence on SAT and VIU.Practical implicationsThis study would help practitioners have the deep insights into affective and behavioral responses among customers and develop effective marketing trajectories to spur SAT, VIU and PWOM toward m-banking. The results hint that marketers may be tempted to simultaneously focus on the important dimensions of FAIs as they are indispensable to derive SAT and VIU from a customer perspective. This research assists governments and banks to adopt training programs and policies that will incite customer behaviors toward m-banking.Originality/valueThe value of the work lies in the combination between FAT with SAT to enlighten FAI and PWOM toward m-banking in a developing country. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this work is among the first to consider VIU that motivates PWOM. Moreover, this study links PRI to FAI to understand PWOM among Vietnamese customers.

Improving self-regulated learning competencies of service employees: roles of regulatory appraisals and supportive resources

PurposeIn the era of technological advancements such as artificial intelligence and robotics, the working environment of service employees is changing, and the need to self-regulate their learning efforts has reached a pinnacle. The purpose of this study is to investigate how supportive resources (organizational investments in social capital, supervisor support and favorable customer feedback) facilitate service employees' self-regulated learning competencies (SRLCs) and how individual factors (self-efficacy and goal orientation) regulate service employee performance outcomes (commitment to service quality and job performance).Design/methodology/approachDrawing on the social cognitive theory and social capital perspectives, a quantitative survey was implemented with 516 service employees of a corporation operating in Turkey in various service sectors (i.e. retailing, health and technology). The data are analyzed through a covariance-based structural equation model.FindingsResults showed that organizational, supervisory and customer-level supportive resources improved SRLCs and subsequently performance outcomes. Service employees' goal orientation and self-efficacy attenuate the relationship between supportive resources and SRLCs.Originality/valueThis paper enhances the current literature by investigating SRLCs of frontline service employees who need more dynamic and adaptive self-managed self-regulated learning rather than passive training activities. Moreover, the unexpected negative effect of regulatory mechanisms (goal orientation and self-efficacy) on the relationship between supportive resources and SRLCs opens new avenues for managers.

What causes social media users to engage and mimic virtual influencers? The role of self-congruity

Influencer marketing has been widely utilized in marketing communication. With the growing interest in virtual influencers, this study aims to investigate why social media users would interact with virtual influencers. The research model was developed based on the self-congruity theory. The data were obtained by questionnaires distributed to social media users using judgmental sampling (respondents were above 18 years old and actively used Instagram within the past six months). The questionnaire was posted on social media, and 230 responses were collected and analyzed using a covariance-based structural equation. Influencer-brand fit was found to have a weak direct effect on engagement (γ = 0.158, p < 0.05), but insignificant direct effect on mimicry desire (γ = 0.160, p > 0.05). Value homophily significantly affects both engagement and mimicry desire directly (β = 0.338 and β = 0.622, p < 0.01). Moreover, value homophily was found to fully mediate the virtual influencer-brand fit/mimicry desire relationship (B = 0.546, p < 0.01) and partially mediate the relationship of virtual influencer-brand fit/engagement (B = 0.229, p < 0.01). However, the mediating effect of mimicry desire on the virtual influencer-brand fit/engagement relationship was found to be non-significant (B = 0.065, p > 0.05). This study contributes to influencer marketing by highlighting value homophily as the most significant factor explaining why consumers respond to a virtual influencer when used as a message source in marketing communication.

The role of resource investment as a key element for resolving the bank size paradox

PurposeThis study aims to explore the role of resource investment in resolving the bank size paradox, in which there is a direct positive impact on financial performance but also the potential for increased business diversification, which thus poses the risk of a negative impact on financial performance.Design/methodology/approachThis study assessed secondary data on 108 commercial banks in Indonesia using specific document types, including financial reports and banking directory reports published by the financial regulatory authority. The data thus obtained were analysed via covariance-based structural equation modelling.FindingsIn the context of the Indonesian banking industry, the results showed that firm size (or bank size) had positive effects on both diversification strategy and financial performance. Meanwhile, diversification strategy had a direct negative impact on financial performance but an indirect positive effect on financial performance when mediated by resource investment.Originality/valueWhile this study empirically demonstrated the existence of the bank size paradox, the results confirmed that it could be reduced through the strategic role of resource investment, which minimises the negative impacts of diversification strategies on financial performance.

Backer funding intention in reward-based crowdfunding: service-dominant logic and stimulus-organism-response perspectives

PurposeThe new age of entrepreneurs recognizes crowdfunding as an innovative and effective means of obtaining funding from backers. However, attracting backers is challenging and related scholarly knowledge lacking. Therefore, this study investigates the diverse factors influencing backer funding intention in reward-based crowdfunding.Design/methodology/approachThis study conducted an online survey of 401 registered backers from two reward-based crowdfunding platforms in Taiwan. Data were analyzed using covariance-based structural equation modeling.FindingsResults show that entrepreneur activeness has a negative effect on perceived risk but positively, while entrepreneur activeness and platform interactivity have a positive effect on backer engagement and backer value creation. Although it had no significant impact on backer engagement, project novelty positively influenced backer value creation. Perceived risk had no influence on either backer engagement or backer value creation. Backer engagement positively influenced backer value creation and backer funding intention, with the former having a positive impact on the latter.Originality/valueThis study provides a multi-perceptual lens by proposing an integration of diverse factors such as entrepreneurial- (entrepreneur activeness), project- (project novelty and perceived risk) and platform-related characteristics (platform interactivity) as antecedents to backer funding intention. By integrating a service-dominant logic perspective into the stimulus-organism-response model, this study highlights the essence of value creation by perceiving backers as value co-creators.

Knowledge sharing behavior among academics: Insights from theory of planned behavior, perceived trust and organizational climate

PurposeExtant literature on knowledge sharing in higher education institutions (HEIs) concentrates on non-behavioral perspectives and indicates that academics continue to hoard knowledge despite being given incentives to bolster knowledge sharing behavior (KSB). This study aims to examine KSB among academics from a behavioral perspective through the lenses of the theory of planned behavior, perceived trust and organizational climate.Design/methodology/approachSelf-administered questionnaires were distributed to 12 private universities using the drop-off/pick-up approach, resulting in 405 usable responses, which were analyzed using covariance-based structural equation modeling.FindingsAcademics’ salient beliefs – that is, behavioral beliefs, normative beliefs and control beliefs – significantly influence their attitude, subjective norms and perceived behavioral control (PBC). Attitude, subjective norms, PBC, perceived trust and organizational climate directly influence knowledge sharing intention (KSI), whereas attitude, KSI, subjective norms and PBC directly influence KSB. Noteworthily, KSI is a mediator in the relationships between attitude, subjective norms and PBC with KSB.Originality/valueThis study makes a seminal contribution through the novel conceptualization and theoretical generalizability of the theory of planned behavior by which HEIs can reinforce their competitiveness and global position by enhancing KSB among academics using a profound behavioral strategy.

Emotional culture of joy and happiness at work as a facet of wellbeing: a mediation of psychological safety and relational attachment

PurposeDrawing upon theories of conservation of resources (COR), broaden-and-build (BnB), self-determination, and the job demands- resources (JD-R) model, this study uniquely tries to understand the mechanisms that contribute to happiness at work by proposing a model of the effects of emotional culture of joy on happiness at work, where psychological safety and relational attachments serve as intervening mechanisms among the aforesaid relationship.Design/methodology/approachA three-wave time-lagged study with 340 employees from Pakistani organizations was conducted. Data were analyzed using covariance-based structural equation modelling.FindingsThe results indicate that emotional culture of joy significantly predicts happiness at work. Furthermore, emotional culture of joy significantly and positively influences both psychological safety and relational attachment. Finally, the relationship between emotional culture of joy and happiness at work is found to be mediated by both relational attachment and psychological safety.Practical implicationsThe results are of utmost importance as they provide insights to policy makers and organizations administrators on the value of emotional culture of joy and its contribution to employees’ wellbeing, and indeed its role in fostering important psychological and emotional resources such as psychological safety and relational attachment.Originality/valueThis study is unique for the following reasons. First, it addresses and bridges a gap pertaining to the drivers of happiness at work. Second, this is the first study that considers emotional culture of joy as an antecedent to happiness at work. Third, the employment of both psychological safety and relational attachment as intervening mechanisms in the relationship between emotional culture of joy and happiness at work has not been previously addressed in the management and wellbeing literature. Finally, the study shifts direction from studying organizational drivers (i.e. HR, organization support, etc.) of happiness at work to the examination of psychological and emotional resources that may influence happiness at work.

The impact of the relationship commitment and customer integration on supply chain performance

PurposeThis study aims to show how to improve supply chain performance through the relationship between firms and their customers. In doing so, this study examines the impact of a firm’s relationship commitment and customer integration on supply chain performance. The aim is to detail a way to increase supply chain performance through the relationship between companies and their customers.Design/methodology/approachThe empirical analysis was based on a survey on 205 corporate-Egypt multi-industry businesses including manufacturing, retailing, wholesaling and shipping services firms. Data collection was through a questionnaire survey distributed to 1,264 senior managers with responsibilities in the field of supply chain, logistics, purchasing, marketing and operations and with a 16% response rate. A conceptual model was designed, and hypotheses were analysed with covariance-based structural equation modelling.FindingsThis study makes a significant contribution to the supply chain management (SCM) literature by examining the influence of firms’ relationship commitment on supply chain performance in the supply chain management context by means of the disaggregation of customer integration into two dimensions: integration with customer (IWC) and integration by customer (IBC). The findings indicate that firms’ relationship commitment does not relate directly to supply chain performance, but rather indirectly through integration both with and by customers.Research limitations/implicationsThis paper outlines a conceptual model in which firms’ relationship commitment relates indirectly to supply chain performance. The model also sheds light on the fact that IWCs precedes IBCs in supply chains. This finding suggests that firms should focus on customer integration to improve supply chain performance.Practical implicationsThis study offers a particularly refined understanding of the reasons behind and situations in which supply chain integration (SCI) enables firms to gain superior supply chain performance. In fact, firms focusing on customer integration may improve their supply chain performance, thus enhancing the value of the supply chain.Originality/valueThis study contributes to the literature by considering a relational view of the SCI-Performance path. In particular, by disaggregating customer integration into IWCs and IBCs, this paper verifies customer integration acting as a mediator between relationship commitment and supply chain performance in supply chains.