Levels Of Organizational Hierarchy Research Articles

Safety Climate in the Utility Industry: Perceptual Discrepancies Across Organizational Hierarchy.

This study aims to extend safety climate research by considering perceptions across the following three hierarchical levels within a workplace: (1) senior leaders/executives, (2) field leaders/supervisors, and (3) front-line employees. We conducted a quantitative survey study at a US utility company where we collected data related to safety climate perceptions and employee-reported safety behaviors across the different levels of organizational hierarchy. The findings revealed the highest safety climate scores among senior leaders/executives, followed by field leaders/supervisors, and then employees, suggesting potential discrepancies between espoused and enacted safety values in the workplace. These results suggest that supervisors and top managers may have different mental models of workplace safety compared with employees. Consequently, assessing perceptions at different organizational levels provides a fuller picture of safety in the workplace.

Factors associated with the intention to use information technology in audit in Iraq

PurposeThis study aims to investigate the factors associated with the intention to use information technology in audit (ITIA) in Iraq.Design/methodology/approachThe study uses a quantitative approach based on a questionnaire survey of 186 respondents. The study population includes respondents who are board members, senior executives, internal auditors and information technology (IT) assistants in various Iraqi organizations from different sectors. Structural equation modeling has been used to estimate the results.FindingsThe findings exhibit that most auditors in Iraq use basic IT software. However, among several specialized and advanced IT audit software packages, only generalized audit software is used by about 20%. The results also indicate that social factors significantly and positively impact auditors’ and practitioners’ perceptions of ITIA use. Moreover, the results reveal that companies and auditors who use or audit complex accounting systems perceive higher benefits and intent to adopt ITIA. However, the results report that organizational support, professional support, competency and IT education have an insignificant effect on ITIA adoption.Originality/valueThe originality of the present research lies in several aspects. First, the research study focuses specifically on Iraq, which is an emerging and less developed country influenced by social and economic. This research context provides a unique perspective and contributes to the understanding of ITIA adoption in less developed countries. The study investigates how external factors, including social and external pressure and the support of government professional bodies, affect the adoption of ITIA. Further, it assesses the influence of firms’ specific factors such as management support, level of competency and complexity of accounting information systems. Second, the study uses a quantitative approach with a questionnaire survey from various Iraqi organizations and sectors. The specific sample composition adds originality by capturing insights from different levels of organizational hierarchy and diverse professional backgrounds. Third, the findings shed light on the current IT usage in auditing practices in Iraq, highlighting that most auditors use basic IT software and the limited adoption of specialized IT audit software packages. Finally, the study’s originality is also reflected in its contribution to expanding knowledge on the perceived benefits and challenges associated with ITIA adoption in less developed countries. By emphasizing the need for broader awareness of emerging technology-enabled auditing software and considering the unique characteristics of less developed countries, the research provides valuable insights and implications for practitioners, policymakers and researchers.

Ontology Creation Process in Knowledge Management Support System for a Research Institute

Though the issue of knowledge management is a hot subject of interest in nowadays market companies, integrated solutions fit to the specific needs of research institutes still require more attention. This paper documents a part of the research activities performed at National Institute of Telecommunications, related to development of research institute knowledge management support system. The ideas lying in the background of the system come from the recent theories of knowledge creation and creativity support and from experience with everyday practice of knowledge management in market companies. Main focus is put here on the issue of creation of a research topics ontology that is meant to be a semantic backbone of the system. Three-stage approach is proposed, aiming at the construction of ontologies for different levels of organizational hierarchy, from individual researcher, through group or unit, up to the whole institute. Created ontologies are linked to knowledge resources and support diverse activities performed at those levels

The Values of Modern Female Manager in Social and Structural Relations of the Business Sphere

Introduction. This article discusses the values of a modern female manager in social and structural relations of the business sphere from the gender point of view. The author sets the task of comparing the value positions of a female and a male manager in terms of several indicators (financial independence, career ambitions and expectations, balance between work and family, education and self-development) to identify gender differences in their activities, including those that affect the success of the organization in general.Methodology and sources. Using the methods of complex analysis, as well as data obtained in the course of a sociological survey that covered managers of various status in the employment of Russian and foreign companies of various forms of participation and different market segments, through the prism of values, the specifics of the labor status of a female manager in socio-structural relations in business area. A questionnaire on the value orientations of modern manager in business and their attitude towards success in professional life was developed for the study. Territorial scope: Russian Federation. Timeframe: autumn 2019 – January 2022. The sample is represented according to “the employee level in organizational hierarchy” criteria. The study involved 130 participants.Results and discussion. It was found that the value structure of women and men differs slightly, and those qualities that women possess by “their nature” could be “useful” in business. It was also found that family and children are no longer an obstacle to professional growth and development for a modern woman, allowing her to easily compete with men in various business segments, including management.Conclusion. The author concludes that in modern conditions not only the value orientations of a woman have changed, but also her behavior in the social life. This is explained by the fact that values, in particular social ones, are the product of a woman's socialization, her assimilation of social, moral, aesthetic, and ethical ideals and the requirements placed on her as a member of society. The same is true of the basic values – their structure has changed and today expresses the fundamental, universal orientations and norms of human behavior dictated by modern realities – digitalization, the economic crisis, political instability, and the pandemic.

Polyarchy and project performance in open, distributed forms of innovation

Although research on open collaboration for innovation has generally focused on the voluntary participation of individuals who are not strictly governed by formal authority concentrated at higher levels of organizational hierarchy, more recent studies highlight the importance of exploring how their tasks should be organized to enhance performance outcomes. This study extends this line of work by conceptualizing polyarchy as a decentralized decision-making structure that directs how core members of a project team screen a large collection of novel ideas generated by team members, and empirically examining whether and how polyarchy affects task completion time. In the context of online projects for open-source software development at GitHub, we find that a polyarchical decision-making structure reduces task completion time. Closer examination also shows that this positive effect on decision-making speed becomes stronger when tasks are explorative rather than exploitative in nature. Implications for open, distributed models of innovation and nontraditional forms of decision-making structures are discussed.

Three Examples of Engagement through Photovoice

Addressing the complex challenges of today’s world requires our collective creative capacity. As such, arts-based methods which promote creativity are increasingly important means of engaging people in the issues that matter most to them. This article focuses on one arts-based method, Photovoice, which is a “process by which people can identify, represent, and enhance their community through a specific photographic technique” (Wang & Burris, 1997, p. 369) where participants take photos in response to a question or topic of inquiry. To explore this engagement method, we draw from the methodological insights gleaned from three Master’s Arts in Leadership capstone projects that employed Photovoice (or variations thereof) as one method of inquiry.
 The article is organized as follows: We begin by reviewing Photovoice as a research and engagement method and then summarize the three projects, which occurred in two nonprofit organizations and one public sector institution. In the discussion, we then compare and contrast the methodological insights emerging from these projects, including the extent to which each project: (a) enabled workers at various levels of organizational hierarchies to share their voices; (b) required careful attention to ethics; and (c) generated relationships among participants. As this is a methodological paper, our emphasis here is to highlight the process and impact of using Photovoice as a method rather than sharing each of the study findings and conclusions. In each example, Photovoice as both a research and engagement method enabled participants to play a leadership role in participatory engagement, thus deemphasizing top-down decision-making and promoting more integrated approaches to research and leadership as engagement.

Glass Ceiling at Workplace: An Analysis with Reference to Laws of India

"Glass Ceiling" means an invisible or hidden barrier that describes the gender barriers, as it stands for gender, race, and class that obstruct women's opportunities for advancement at all levels of organizational hierarchy. It is not only a corporate term that is being generally used in the workplace for women but it is an unfortunate incident that can be happened at all levels, which lies in the mindset of people and society. The rise in female education and the feminization of higher professions - liberal and salaried have not removed the obstacles that women face in reaching the top levels of power, prestige, and remuneration. Women are facing various issues like gender inequality, discrimination, sexual abuse, and mental harassment at work or in society. So improving the condition of women, many organizations, Governments are coming forward and making some policies and laws for their betterment. This paper is an attempt to analyze the role of the Indian government towards the upliftment of women in their personal as well as professional growth.

Examining the role of emotional intelligence as a moderator for virtual communication and decision making effectiveness during the COVID-19 crisis: revisiting task technology fit theory

The COVID 19 has brought unprecedented changes in the way we communicate. There is a greater accent on Virtual communication. This paper aims to establish a relationship between Emotional intelligence and the effectiveness of Virtual communication on Decision making. This empirical study is based on a sample drawn from 296 working professionals at five different levels of organizational hierarchy. A standardized questionnaire (ɑ = 0.824) was used to collect the responses of Emotional intelligence, Virtual communication, and Decision-making effectiveness. Hierarchical regression using PROCESS Macro model 1 was used to identify the moderating effect of Emotional intelligence on Virtual communication and Decision making effectiveness. Since the p-value (p ≤ .007) is found significant, Emotional intelligence acts as a moderator that affects the strength of the relationship between Virtual communication effectiveness and Decision making. Validation of Task Technology fit theory is the theoretical implication of the study. Manipulation of individual dimensions in the model can reduce the dependence on technology for task completion with enhanced performance effectiveness. The findings are relevant to educators, consultants, and any professional who need to adapt Virtual communication platforms on an ongoing basis. Since work-life balance is projected as a constraint in this study, policymakers can consider policy amendments to reduce the stress caused due to Virtual communication which intrudes into their personal space. This empirical study is the first of its kind to benchmark the organizational practice of Emotional intelligence training to enhance Virtual communication and Decision making effectiveness during unprecedented times of pandemic.

An International Comparison of Enablers of Individual Readiness for Change: The Case of Executives Working in France, GCC and India

The purpose of this paper is to examine the components that foster individual readiness for organizational change. To address this question, we conducted an international comparison of the perception of managers at different levels of organizational hierarchy. This research employed a quantitative survey research design administrated to two hundred and fifty-six employees, in different hierarchical levels in organizations, from France, GCC (Arab states of the Gulf Cooperation Council) and India enrolled in several executive training programs. Our research supports the idea the perception of the change process unlike the context of change is a significant determinant of employees’ readiness for change. The study controls for key individual antecedents of change readiness. Accordingly, we have shown that readiness for change may vary according to nationality and hierarchical position of an individual. We conclude that successful implementation of change cannot be reached without a need for change being established, which can be triggered and nurtured through the appropriate change management processes.

Women and Men Municipal Managers Doing and Undoing Gender

Abstract Drawing on the literature from critical gender studies and feminist critiques of bureaucracy, we explore the demands for gender work created when women occupy traditionally masculine roles in municipal government management. The article traces the work performed when municipal managers and municipalities respond to gendered demands, maintain gender perceptions, and negotiate gendered expectations, collectively referred to as gender work. To examine this process, we apply inductive qualitative method to analyze 21 semistructured interviews with men and women municipal managers in southeast United States. Our study reveals gender work at different levels of organizational hierarchies and in multiple ways. We find that women CAOs perform masculine gender work to negotiate a place in municipal leadership. We also find that municipal governments and men CAOs do feminine gender work to cultivate an environment for women to occupy counterstereotypical roles. This study suggests that jobs, institutional rules and policies, informal arrangements, work structures, and individuals’ private lives interplay to require gender work from women that is more complex and more demanding than that required of men in the same roles.

Voting for Militants: Rebel Elections in Civil War

Rebel actors engage in a number of behaviors beyond violent conflict, including social service provision, diplomacy, and establishing local governance. This article centers on an oft-overlooked aspect of rebel behavior and governance: rebel groups conducting popular elections in wartime. We argue that rebel elections are a means through which rebels can strengthen both local and international legitimacy, but that there are risks to employing elections (such as logistical failures or publicized disconnect from civilians). We hypothesize that rebels that are pursuing legitimacy (local and international) in other ways are likely to set up rebel elections and that rebel groups with greater organizational capacity are more likely to introduce elections because they are well placed to manage the risks elections entail. Using a global data set of rebel use of elections where local civilians vote to elect rebel representatives at various levels of organizational hierarchy, we find empirical support for these propositions.

THE ROLE OF TRUST IN STIMULATING THE INNOVATIVE ACTIVITY OF INDUSTRIAL EMPLOYEES

The prospects of boosting the modernization of Russian industry necessitate the study of resources that might stimulate such endeavors. Contrary to the global literature, Russian publications mostly focus on the studies of generalized and institutional trust, as well as on the influence it exerts on modernization processes at the macro-level. Meanwhile, the impact of intra-firm trust as a factor, contributing to employee involvement in innovation, remains relatively misattended. Our purpose lies in encouraging the discussion of the presence of intra-firm trust and the effect trust has in furthering the processes of technological modernization. The intermediary tasks include the assessment of trust’s prevalence between colleagues, employees, and managers, as well as an analysis of the impact these types of trust have on the employees’ involvement into innovative activities at the enterprise level. The empirical ground for the study includes the results of a formalized survey of main industry workers conducted at three industrial enterprises in the Perm Territory in 2018-2019 (n = 450) using the method of a continuous survey of people present at their workplaces. The input of our research is due to the approach we propose to measure the horizontal trust by examining the vertical trust on several levels of organizational hierarchy; in addition, we employ an expanded list of indicators of employee involvement in innovation. The survey data are collected at three industrial plants. This helps to arrive at conclusions distinct from the published results of the studies of employees, sampled and surveyed per municipalities. Our results manifest the wide expansion of trust in organizations studied. However, we have not discovered any relationships between the organizational trust and actual employees involvement in the initiation and implementation of innovations. The impact of trust was detected only for the employees’ preparedness to take part in the ongoing projects. Thus, trust-building efforts at the workplace have a limited effect on employee involvement in innovations. We stress the importance of considering other factors that make the relationship between organizational trust and involvement in innovation more specific.

Understanding the Task Forces or Foundation to Support Public Health and Medical Services in Metropolitan Governments of South Korea

Objective The purpose of this study is to explore theoretically the rationale the Task Forces or Foundation to Support Public Health and Medical Services in metropolitan governments of South Korea(hereinafter referred to as TFFs) and to introduce the functions and the establishment status of them. The performance and the performance and limitation of them are discussed. Methods This study used the literature review and the information collection through TFFs or online. The literature includes law, municipal ordinances, national plans, textbooks, research reports related to TFFs. Results The rationale of TFFs is grounded on local autonomy/decentralization, policy process theory, governance theory. The fundamental goal of TFFs is to strengthen policy capacities of metropolitan governments. So the TFFs provide policy and technical support, research, education/training. The TFFs which are composed of a leader, a deliberative and decision-making body, working departments etc. are established by metropolitan governors and can be trusted to Public Health and Medical Institutions. As of September 2019, seven TFFs were established. Although the history of the TFFs is short, they have been performing the basic functions and building governance among public health and medical organizations. But some limitations relating to TFFs exist; the shortage of awareness and political will, the difficulty in funding and employment, the low level of organizational hierarchy, the poor independency and stability as a think-tank. Conclusions In terms of local autonomy, policy process, governance, the 3 key roles of TFFs are an agency to accountable for residents' health, a think-tank, a governance center. To do so, the social discussion on the optimal level of decentralization, the study on civil participation, the way to ensure the autonomy and independency of think-tank, the judicial and financial measures, the social deliberation on the term 'public' in TFFs' name are needed. Keywords: Task Force, Foundation, Public Health and Medical Services, metropolitan government, South Korea

Performance Assessment Model for Municipal Solid Waste Management Systems: Development and Implementation

Most of the municipalities in the Gulf region are facing performance-related issues in their municipal solid waste management (MSWM) systems. They lack a deliberate inter-municipality benchmarking processes. Instead of identifying the performance gaps for their key components (e.g., personnel productivity, operational reliability, etc.) and adopt proactive measures, the municipalities primarily rely on an efficient emergency response. A novel hierarchical modeling framework, based on deductive reasoning, is developed for the performance assessment of MSWM systems. Fuzzy rule-based modeling using Simulink-MATLAB was used for performance inferencing at different levels, i.e., component, sub-components, etc. The model is capable of handling the inherent uncertainties due to limited data and an imprecise knowledge base. The model’s outcomes can exclusively assist the managers working at different levels of organizational hierarchy for effective decision-making. Performance of the key components assists the senior management in assessing the overall compliance level of performance objectives. Subsequently, operations management can home in the sub-components to acquire useful information for intra-municipality performance management. Meanwhile, individual indicators are useful for inter-municipality benchmarking. The model has been implemented on two municipalities operating in Qassim Region, Saudi Arabia. The results demonstrate the model’s pragmatism for continuous performance improvement of MSWM systems in the country and elsewhere.

Važnost motiva za postignućem i moći za rad na rukovodećoj poziciji, plaću i intrinzičnu motivaciju za posao

U ovom je istraživanju vraćen fokus na dvije osobine koje su prije pojave petofaktorskog modela ličnosti, uz inteligenciju, smatrane ključnim odrednicama radnih i karijernih postignuća, motiv za postignućem i motiv za moći. Provjereno je hoće li ovi motivi predviđati tri važna radna ishoda: rad na rukovodećoj poziciji, plaću i intrinzičnu motivaciju za posao, povrh osobina petofaktorskog modela. Pri tome je rad na rukovodećoj poziciji operacionaliziran zauzimanjem posla na višim razinama organizacijske hijerarhije; plaća kao visina mjesečne neto plaće, a intrinzična motivacija za posao izmjerena je upitničkom mjerom. Istraživanje je provedeno na 160 zaposlenika različitih hrvatskih radnih organizacija, čiji su podaci prikupljeni internetskim anketnim upitnikom. Korelacijske i regresijske analize pokazale su da su motivi za postignućem i moći važna determinanta ovih radnih ishoda te ih objašnjavaju bolje od osobina petofaktorskog modela. Pri tome je motiv za postignućem bio važnija determinanta intrinzične motivacije za posao, a motiv za moći rukovodeće pozicije i plaće. Ovi nalazi pokazuju kako aspekti ličnosti koji su uže povezani s radnim kontekstom, kao što su motiv za postignućem i motiv za moći, imaju dodatnu vrijednost te bi ih se trebalo uzeti u obzir zajedno sa širokim osobinama petofaktorskog modela u svrhu što boljeg predviđanja radnih ishoda.

ПРИНЦИПИ АВТОМАТИЗОВАНОЇ ПОБУДОВИ ТА ВИКОРИСТАННЯ ТЕМПОРАЛЬНОЇ БАЗИ ЗНАНЬ ДЛЯ ПІДТРИМКИ ПРИЙНЯТТЯ РІШЕНЬ З УПРАВЛІННЯ ПІДПРИЄМСТВОМ

Предметом вивчення в статті є процеси автоматизованої побудови й використання бази темпоральних знань для підтримки управління підприємством в умовах невизначеності, яка виникає в результаті неповноти інформації про стан підприємства як об’єкту управління. Мета полягає в розробці концепції автоматизованої побудови темпоральної бази знань, що містить контекстно-залежні знання про процеси управління в інформаційній системі та забезпечує можливість підтримки прийняття рішень з тактичного управління, а також можливість підтримки виконання на рівні стратегічного управління. Задачі: розробка принципів автоматизованої побудови темпоральної бази знань; впровадження розроблених принципів у вигляді концепції використання темпоральної бази знань для підтримки управління підприємством. Методами, що використовуються, є: методи побудови темпоральних правил та темпоральної баз знань, а також методи ймовірнісного виводу. Отримані такі результати. Розроблено принципи автоматизованої побудови й використання бази знань для підтримки управління підприємством в умовах невизначеності. На базі розроблених принципів запропоновано концепцію побудови темпоральної бази знань та реалізації логічного виводу для вирішення неструктурованих та частково структурованих задач. Висновки. Наукова новизна отриманих результатів полягає в наступному: Запропоновано принципи автоматизованої побудови та використання темпоральної бази знань для підтримки прийняття рішень в інформаційній системі, що відрізняються врахуванням темпоральних залежностей як для процесу управління, так і для об’єкту управління, а також можливостями інтеграції залежностей на різних рівнях організаційної ієрархії. Розроблені принципи та концепція забезпечують можливість побудови множини ймовірнісних рішень вирішення частково структурованих задач на тактичному рівні та неструктурованих задач на стратегічному рівні в умовах неповноти інформації щодо зовнішніх впливів та стану підприємства.

How is the Perception of Fairness of Performance Evaluation Practices Constructed? A Case Study of Shop Floor Workers Employed by the Large FMCG Retailer in Scandinavia

Prior research, investigating the perception of fairness of performance evaluation practices has researched the topic as a cause-effect phenomenon. This investigation takes a different approach. First, it adopts the bottom-up investigating, starting from the worker herself. Second, it investigates the reasons that influence the construction of fairness, by that gaining an underlying understanding of the perception of fairness. In order to answer the research question, a method of open qualitative interviews has been adopted. A sample of ten shop floor workers from the Danish fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) retail industry has been chosen for the purpose of answering the research question. This study examines three sets of aspects of performance evaluation. The first set of characteristics analyzes the design of a performance measurement system. Second set of features investigates the formality of the performance evaluation procedures, and third set of characteristics explores the power of subordinate’s voice and its influence on the construction of fairness. I discovered three primary reasons, which collectively influence the construction of the perception of fairness. The first two are the contextual impacts of job design and logical mechanisms of workers. Both directly influence the construction of fairness, yet their impact is limited and strongly dependent on the job design and specific worker-manager relation. The third reason is the feelings. Feelings have the strongest impact on overall perception of fairness. They form an underlying condition, which is the wanted feeling of being appreciated. Performance evaluation managers need to evoke the feeling of being appreciated in order to positively influence the construction of fairness of the performance evaluation practices. The findings of this paper serve as tool for middle management when designing the performance evaluation practices for shop floor workers as well as a tool for evaluating managers when engaging in performance evaluating behavior. First, middle management should recognize that not all shop floor job designs are the same, and provisions for recognizing these differences should be implemented in the design of the performance evaluation system. Second, managers evaluating should recognize that workers want to feel appreciated and respected while receiving evaluation. Therefore, they should engage in a facilitating behavior, taking into consideration the needs of the individual worker, and by that positively influencing the construction of fairness. The contribution to the contemporary research is the provided insight into the process of constructing the perception of fairness, which is offered as an alternative to the established cause-effect studies. The researched population further contributes as it differs from those used prior in contemporary management accounting and behavioral research. The research subject of shop floor worker provides an interesting insight into the construction of the perception of fairness. It offers a unique perspective of an employee on the lowest level in organizational hierarchy, which differs from the perspective of prior researched white-collar workers.

Increased System Consistency through Incorporation of Coupling in Value‐Based Systems Engineering

The design of large-scale complex engineered systems involves hundreds to thousands of designers making decisions across different organizations and at different levels of organizational hierarchy. These systems are designed within a systems engineering framework, where requirements are used as proxies for stakeholder preference. Requirements drive the development process and are flowed across organizations and down through the organizational hierarchies. Value-driven design offers a new perspective where the preferences of the stakeholder are communicated directly through a decomposable value function, rather than decomposable requirements, thereby enabling improved consistency in system preference. This paper investigates two key aspects of achieving improved system consistency through a value-based systems engineering approach, using a commercial satellite system as a testbed. The paper first contrasts the diverse systems that result from traditional requirements-based versus preference-based formulations, demonstrating how a value-based approach aids in capturing the true preferences of the stakeholder in problem formulation. The paper demonstrates the importance of using system couplings to enable an improved accuracy for value function decomposition. The paper demonstrates that ensuring system analysis consistency through use of system sensitivities can overcome issues pertaining to: dependencies of attributes; inadequately capturing system interactions; and direct modification of attributes to determine value impact.

직무특성과 직무성과 간의 관계에 미치는 코칭 리더십의 조절효과

While managerial coaching has increased popularly as an effective leadership initiative in organization, the relationship between managerial coaching and its effects on performance has not been scholarly well defined. This study examined the role of managerial coaching as a moderator between job characteristics and job performance. Based on the sample of 453 employees in a financial firm, HLM was conducted to test the research model at multiple levels of organizational hierarchies. First, we found that managerial coaching has a direct impact on employee performance. Second, the strength of the relationship between job meaningfulness and job performance is positively related to the level of managerial coaching. Third, managerial coaching positively moderates the association between autonomy and job performance. However, any cross-level moderating effects of managerial coaching on the relationship between feedback and job performance is not observed. These results show that managerial coaching by managers could promote employees` performance through maximizing the impact of job characteristics on employees` motivation.

TMT pay dispersion and firm performance: the moderating role of organizational governance effectiveness

AbstractThis study supports tournament theory in relation to high levels of organizational hierarchies, indicating that the job complexity facing the top management team supposes that pay dispersion positively influences firm performance. Examining a sample of 709 firm-year observations of Spanish listed companies spanning the period 2004–2012, our results indicate that the association between firm performance and top management team pay dispersion is conditional on the effectiveness of corporate governance. High top management team pay dispersion is associated with better performance in owner-controlled firms, where more effective monitoring is exerted by the board of directors.