Management Positions Research Articles

Does Success Really Hurt? Impostor Syndrome Among Managers of Polish Enterprises – Results of a – Preliminary Qualitative Study

Abstract Objective The aim of the study presented in this article was to examine how people in independent senior management positions (exposed and highly placed in the organisational structure), who are perceived as successful people in the social space, perceive themselves and the achieved professional success, and to what extent the attitudes adopted, perceptions and evaluation regarding themselves can be identified with impostor syndrome. Successful people, especially in the context of professional success, are usually defined as those who, in the professional and social dimensions, have achieved above-average results expressed in social, financial, economic, and job status. Methodology This article presents the results of a preliminary qualitative study conducted among 32 senior managers, directors, and business owners employed in large Polish organisations and in subsidiaries of foreign companies located in Poland. The research used Rosenberg’s SES self-assessment scale and individual in-depth interviews (IDI). Findings The research showed to what extent the problem of impostor syndrome actually affects people who seemingly should not be affected by it (managers). Value Added Research shows how diverse the perception of professional success is among people holding prestigious managerial positions. Recommendations Further in-depth research should be conducted to explore additional, individual psychological aspects related to the sense of professional success among managers.

Equilibrium Poaching in Labor Markets

Abstract When firms have to employ a high-ability worker at a managerial position, sometimes they have to poach a promoted worker from another firm without observing that worker’s ability. We discuss the implications of this practice for the promotion signaling framework. Our model shows the turnover of workers and the wages paid at such an economy, and how they depend on the worker’s own ability and the ability of other workers in the firm. We show that due to the winner’s curse, firms make a non-positive expected profit from poaching a worker. In that case, non-promoted workers “subsidize” the wage paid to their manager. The need to hire managers without observing their ability is a new barrier to entry for firms (JEL codes: M51, J31).

Management Education in The Context of Current Management Trends and Labour Market Changes

The current dynamic environment, accompanied by technological innovations and changes in the nature of work, creates the need for a transformation in the way companies are managed. The constant need to shape and adapt managerial competencies consequently translates into the need for comprehensive and innovative management education programs. This paper focuses on the analysis of current approaches to higher management education in relation to changes in the labour market in Slovak universities. It analyses how colleges and universities are adapting the educational model to promote interdisciplinary learning and provide opportunities for students to develop a wide range of competencies. Another important trend is the emphasis on digital learning, which offers managers access to learning regardless of geographic and time constraints. Universities need to adapt and respond to current trends and student needs in this regard. This study also examines the methods and tools used in higher education for managers and analyses the challenges and opportunities that universities face in implementing management programs. A questionnaire survey was used to collect the data, the sample consisted of 614 students of management programmes of Slovak higher education schools and universities. The results show that students evaluate their readiness for managerial positions positively, in education they prefer forms and methods that allow them to connect knowledge and form interdisciplinary competences using elements of digitalization.

Procedures for transferring organizational knowledge during generational change: A systematic review

The loss of organizational knowledge has emerged as a prevalent issue for 21st-century organizations. This systematic review aims to scrutinize knowledge transfer procedures applied to individuals in managerial and intermediate positions during generational change or knowledge management initiatives. Following the PRISMA statement [1], this review progressed through four stages, applying inclusion and exclusion criteria, and ultimately identifying 28 articles for the final analysis. Descriptive indicators and content-related metrics were employed in the study. Key findings include: (1) predominant investment in knowledge retention studies and procedure design is observed among large companies, primarily in the secondary sector; (2) digitalization emerges as a critical aspect of effective organizational knowledge transfer procedures and protocols; (3) intra-organizational communication styles are predominantly employed for knowledge transfer; (4) organizations prefer a collective approach to transferring both tacit and explicit knowledge. In summary, this research offers fresh insights into a pivotal area of business management, showcasing originality in its exploration of knowledge transfer within the realms of generational change and knowledge management.

Women on corporate boards and firm financial performance: Empirical evidence from a multi‐country in Asia

AbstractThe purpose of this research is to investigate the relationship between board gender diversity in management teams and financial performance of Asian firms in the transportation and logistics industry. To fulfill the research objectives, a total of 444 firm‐year observations operating in various nations of the Asia region from 2017 to 2020 were used in this present study, which was done by adopting the panel data regression approach. Results from a study demonstrate that the presence of female board members in the management structure will have a positive effect on financial performance of Asian firms in the sector of transportation and logistics at a certain level. Finally, our findings contribute to proposing some governance recommendations to enhance the presence and role of women in management positions in a firm's organizational structure in particular, while also promoting firm performance in the transportation and logistics industry in general.

We (All) Want You? Perceived Military Leadership Potential and Actual Leadership Role Occupancy in Working Life: A Longitudinal Study of a Swedish Cohort

One of the main tasks of the armed forces is to recruit and select future soldiers and to identify potential officers. However, these procedures may have a wider societal impact beyond the borders of the military organization itself. This study aims to examine how compatible assessments of military leadership potential are with those in the labor market. Using longitudinal data concerning a large cohort of Swedish males who underwent mustering during the early 1970s, we analyzed the association between officer suitability assessments and managerial role occupancy at age 50 to 55, while controlling for socio-demographic factors in childhood and adulthood. We found a high level of predictability, whereby those who were ranked highest were four times more likely to hold managerial positions than those with the lowest ranking. Results are discussed in relation to perceptions about leadership skills and possible institutional isomorphism between the armed forces and other societal organizations.

Las pérdidas en el camino hacia la dirección y la gestión del capital humano en las organizaciones turísticas

There are still barriers to equal opportunities for women in the tourism sector, which has a high feminization rate. Despite the higher education level in tourism, women face difficulty absorbing their human capital into the tourism labour market. This study aims to analyze the "leaky pipeline" phenomenon in managing organizations related to tourism, which refers to losing women throughout their careers towards better jobs. The study distributed 447 questionnaires to individuals with different job profiles (currently working, previously worked, or planning to work). Results showed that although the tourism sector is highly feminized, women face losses in the pipeline leading to management positions. The "Lost Talent" group, mainly consisting of highly educated women, indicated factors that hinder their career advancement, resulting in talent drain to other sectors. Conversely, the "Privileged Professionals" group, predominantly composed of men, faced no difficulties advancing in the labour market. This study confirms the leaky pipeline in a feminized sector and provides a foundation for targeted management models to address gender injustice and promote equal opportunities.

Female immigrant entrepreneurship – predicted by women’s empowerment in host country

PurposeThe social inclusion of immigrants has been a central public policy issue in European countries, and entrepreneurship is often promoted as a form of integration. Female immigrants face double discrimination of gender and ethnicity while becoming entrepreneurs. The aim of the paper is to investigate the female empowerment in the host country as a predictor of immigrant women engagement in entrepreneurship.Design/methodology/approachBased on panel data for European Union countries for years 2006–2021, female immigrant entrepreneurship was modelled by the impact of variables showing the empowerment of women in host countries. Data availability was the determinant regarding the inclusion of 22 countries: Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden were all in the research sample.FindingsAlthough immigrant entrepreneurship is highly context-oriented and locale-specific (as in the physical setting for relationships among people), some universal patterns for a group of countries are found. A stronger political and managerial position of power for the women in host countries encourages female immigrant entrepreneurship, while the gender pay gap is statistically insignificant.Originality/valueThe originality of the paper is due to the multi-country level and female-focused research perspectives in immigrant entrepreneurship. The study refers to the intersectionality of gender and ethnicity, arguing that the empowerment of women in host countries affects female immigrant entrepreneurship at the macro-level.

Drivers of Gender Imbalance in the Senior Management of the Parliamentary Service Commission of Kenya

Purpose: There have been several studies focussing on gender imbalance among the political leadership in Kenya and the internal workings of the Parliament of Kenya, however, minimal attention has been given to the leadership of the PSC employees. The objectives of this study were to analyse the extent to which promotion criteria, organizational politics, and corporate norms drive gender imbalance in the senior management of PSC.
 Materials and Methods: A descriptive research design guided the study. The research adopted the Skills theory of Leadership and the African Feminism theory. The study population was the permanent and pensionable employees of the PSC. Interviews and a structured questionnaire were used to collect the data efficiently and effectively. The study applied both descriptive and inferential analysis.
 Findings: The study concluded that practices entrenched in the overall organization politics, corporate norms and promotion criteria do significantly influence gender imbalance at the PSC. Individually, the study found out that only promotion criteria had a significant effect on the gender imbalance at the PSC. Specifically, supporting inclusive promotion criteria will help in reducing gender imbalance at the workplace as it will foster better gender representation in positions of senior management. The study found out that organization politics and corporate norms have an insignificant effect on gender imbalance at the PSC.
 Implications to Theory, Practice and Policy: The study, therefore, recommended that supporting inclusive promotion criteria will help in reducing gender imbalance at the PSC as it will foster better gender representation in positions of senior management. Further, the PSC should consider using affirmative action in the selection of their senior management to achieve the two-thirds gender principle. Another recommendation is that the PSC needs to implement and enforce a gender policy, as provided for in its Strategic Plan. This policy needs to be well communicated and disseminated to all employees. The study recognizes the importance of mentorship and coaching programs in shaping women’s views and perceptions of leadership and in building their confidence.

Education Corporate Social Responsibility and Financial Performance of Telecommunication Companies in Kenya

The financial performance of telecommunication companies has witnessed a decline in recent years. This study aimed to investigate the potential influence of education CSR on the financial performance of telecommunication companies in Kenya. The total population was 6,597 employees from the three major telecommunication companies: Safaricom, Airtel Kenya, and Telkom Kenya, with 3,859, 1,694, and 1,044 employees respectively. The unit of observation was employees in top and middle-level management positions. The sample size was determined using Yamane's formula, resulting in 353 employees. Data collection employed semi-structured questionnaires. Analysis was done using SPSS version 29 software. The correlation analysis found a positive significant association between education CSR programs and financial performance (r=0.772, p=0.000). The regression analysis also found a positive significant relationship between education CSR programs and financial performance (β = 0.748, t (324) = 21.794, p<.05). The study concludes that education CSR programs can include; scholarship initiatives, educational infrastructure, and skills development. The study recommends that companies should allocate resources to provide scholarships and financial assistance to students who are in financial need, and contribute to the development of educational infrastructure through providing support to existing schools and construction of new educational institutions.

“You never played the game so what do you know?”: An exploration of the lived experiences of British South Asians in management and governance positions in English football

ABSTRACT Rationale This paper aims to critically explore the lived experiences of British South Asian people working in managerial and governance positions in English football; critique cultures of Whiteness in football; consider ways to resist/challenge racism in football; and offer data-informed recommendations to help increase British South Asian representation in leadership positions across football. Methodology This research draws on the testimonies of 21 British South Asian leaders working in English football (5 women and 16 men). Findings Participants used racialised performances to “fit in”; commonly encountered racist “banter”, microaggressions and microinsults; and routinely experienced examples of implicit and explicit “othering”. Practical Implications Stakeholders and policy makers must commit to the (1) development of inclusive and diverse recruitment strategies; (2) supporting minoritised ethnic staff members through programmes such as mentoring schemes; (3) implementation of mandatory race equity education for the workforce. Research Contribution While British South Asian experiences as players, and to some extent coaches, have been captured, the experiences of British South Asians in managerial and governance positions have been overlooked. This article treads new ground by highlighting experiences in off-field roles, thus adding to the wider body of work. Originality This work has used new and original data to cultivate a series of measures designed to boost the recruitment, retention and progression of British South Asian people working in English football.

One down, fifty to go: managers' perceptions of their workload and how they cope with it to maintain their psychological health.

Like many other countries, healthcare services in Canada face numerous organizational changes with the main objective of doing more with less. The approach taken within different healthcare networks has brought about a reform in healthcare facilities in Quebec, leading to several mergers and eliminating over 1,000 managerial positions. As a result, this has placed a progressively heavier workload on the shoulders of the remaining managers. Research on mental health in the workplace has mainly focused with the workforce and generally neglects managers. However, studies have shown that workload is a risk factor for managers. Therefore, the objectives of our study are to (1) better understand the elements that make up a manager's workload and the factors that influence it and (2) identify the coping strategies used by managers to deal with their workloads. Employing a qualitative approach, we analyzed 61 semistructured interviews through an abductive method, utilizing diverse frameworks for data analysis. The participants came from the same Quebec healthcare establishment. Our findings align with the notion that workload is a multifaceted phenomenon that warrants a holistic analysis. The workload mapping framework we propose for healthcare network managers enables pinpointing those factors that contribute to the burden of their workload. Ultimately, this workload can detrimentally impact the psychological wellbeing of employees. In conclusion, this study takes a comprehensive look at workload by using a holistic approach, enabling a more comprehensive understanding of this phenomenon. It also allows for the identification of coping strategies used by managers to deal with their workloads. Finally, our results can provide valuable guidance for the interventions aimed at addressing workload issues among healthcare network managers in Quebec by utilizing the specific elements we have identified.

How Does Solution-Focused Management Influence Followership Behavior in Japan?

The purpose of this research is to empirically clarify how solution-focused / problem-focused communication in the workplace influences the followership behavior of Japanese non-managers. We took an empirical approach to verify hypotheses derived from past research. We contacted 300 full-time employees in Japanese organizations from a diverse range of industries to participate in this research through iBRIDGE Corporation. We wanted to examine the followership behavior of Japanese followers toward their managers, so we selected respondents who were in a non-managerial position and whose manager was in a managerial position. The final analysis included 273 responses. The results of our analysis revealed the following two points. Firstly, solution-focused management has a positive effect on every dimension of followership behavior. Secondly, solution-focused communication had a stronger influence on followership (active behavior) and followership (considerate behavior) than problem-focused communication.

Use of comprehensive psychodiagnostics of applicants for the position of sales manager

The subject of the study is the features of the process of psychodiagnostics of candidates for the position of sales manager. The object of the study is the process of psychodiagnostics of candidates for the position of sales manager. The author examines in detail such aspects of the topic as the correct selection of psychodiagnostic tools for the purpose of assessing a potential candidate, the difficulties in conducting psychodiagnostics of a potential sales manager, and provides instructions for identifying diagnostic needs and selecting the correct psychodiagnostic tools. This article used methods of analysis, synthesis and classification. The author of this article conducted a comprehensive diagnosis of job subjects using various psychodiagnostic techniques. The main conclusions of the research are: a list of difficulties was compiled when conducting psychodiagnostics of an applicant for the position of sales manager; Step-by-step instructions are provided on how to correctly classify the main qualities and properties of a sales manager, taking into account the specifics of the company’s work, a request from the owner or manager of the company, and taking into account the knowledge and skills of a psychologist who deals with psychodiagnostics in this company. The author’s special contribution to the study of the topic is the systematization of the most sought-after qualities and properties of a sales manager and the proposal of psychodiagnostic and other practical tools for diagnostics. This article expands the knowledge base on the use of various diagnostic tools for a comprehensive diagnosis of sales managers and projective techniques for the purpose of diagnosing employees, and helps to identify the personal characteristics of employees in the private and public sector.

"What helps your back pain?" A qualitative analysis of pain management strategies in opioid-treated adults with chronic low back pain.

The purpose of this qualitative analysis was to better understand what pain management strategies adults with opioid-treated chronic low back pain (CLBP) found most helpful. A subgroup of participants from a larger randomized control trial of two psychological interventions were asked: "What helps your back pain?" at baseline and 12 months (exit) in brief, video-recorded interviews. Videos were analyzed using qualitative thematic content analysis utilizing Transana™. Participants were recruited from the community and outpatient clinics in three United States sites. Seventy-nine adults with long-term (≥3 months) opioid-treated (≥15 mg/day morphine equivalent) CLBP. Participants' baseline and exit qualitative responses to the question "What helps your back pain?" At baseline, participants identified medication (n = 63), body position (n = 59), thermal application (n = 50), physical activity (n = 49), and stretching (n = 24) as the CLBP management strategies they found helpful. At exit, the reports of medication (n = 55), physical activity (n = 41), and stretching (n = 21) were often considered helpful for CLBP and remained relatively stable, while position (n = 36) and thermal application (n = 35) strategies were mentioned less frequently and psychological strategies (n = 29) were mentioned more frequently (up from n = 5) compared to baseline. Over time, the reports of medication and active pain management strategies, eg, physical activity, remained stable, while the reports of some passive pain management strategies, eg, position and thermal, declined over time. Increased use of psychological strategies implies that study interventions were incorporated as useful pain self-management strategies.

The fast-track ascent to the top: The role of human capital in European listed firms

Drawing on human capital theory, this study examines the role of different components of human capital—education (level and type), tenure, and career variety (functional, industry, firm, and country variety)—in the rapid or “fast-track” career ascent of individuals to their first top management position (highest level of organisational hierarchy) as chief executive officer (CEO) or non-CEO Senior Manager (SM). Using a retrospective approach to the career trajectories of over 7500 CEOs and non-CEO SMs s in European listed firms, we show the commonalities and differences in the composition of human capital in the career progressions of both groups. The results reveal that the human capital that accelerates CEOs’ careers include an MBA degree and long tenure, especially when combined with firm variety. In contrast, for non-CEO SMs, a high level of education and low functional variety accelerated their career ascent. For non-CEO SMs, tenure has a negative effect that is alleviated by career variety. By explicating the components of human capital, we suggest that many forms of career variety, such as experience acquired across countries, industries, or firms, are not valued in a fast-track career, and hardly create valuable human capital for top positions. Our study paves the way for exploring the composition of human capital not only for different organisational roles, but also for different hierarchical levels.

Succession Planning and Executive Compensation Strategies: Case Study on Multi-business Corporate Firms in India

In the age of Post COVID Resilience and Digitization, strategic issues in leadership research have gained prominence. Succession planning is one of such topics of strategic Human Resource Management (SHRM) which is considered by corporate boards as a major concern as it provides a way for business continuity. It is quite an important aspect for most of the start-up enterprises of modern times as they have to ensure its business continuity through the availability of strong leadership bench strength. Having a good successor on key management positions will ensure a family legacy for upcoming generations.Past literature offers insight that corporate firms including family and standalone groups have observed many challenges in terms of loss of leadership on key management positions due to the lack of a proper succession plan in place. In this study, it has attempted to explore various insights related to succession planning and its linkages to executive compensation in corporate firms having diversified business portfolios. Findings provide a fresh perspective on succession planning and executive compensation which is equally important for practitioners and new-age start-ups.

Exploring the influence of gender diversity and women's empowerment on family entrepreneurship performance: the moderating impact of firm characteristic

PurposeThis paper aims to examine how gender diversity and women’s empowerment influence the performance of family entrepreneurships and explores the role of firm characteristics as a moderating factor.Design/methodology/approachThe study used a structured questionnaire as the survey tool to collect data from 91 women managers working in family entrepreneurships, which originated from entrepreneurial initiatives, located in various Lebanese regions. The validity of the construct was assumed using the fitness of extracted index, incremental fit-index, non-normal fit-index, root mean square of residuals and standard root mean square residual. Composite reliability, Cronbach's alpha and value confirmatory factor analysis were used to measure the internal consistency. Data were analyzed using the structural equation modeling method.FindingsThis study reveals that gender equality, education level and family support significantly affect women's empowerment while an insignificant association was found between empowerment and earning social status and achieving financial independence. This paper also showed a significant interaction between women’s empowerment and the performance of family entrepreneurships. Additionally, the results showed that women holding managerial positions in family entrepreneurships is positively associated with firm performance. Finally, it was concluded that the location of the family firm moderates the relationship between gender diversity and firm performance.Originality/valueThis research contributes to theory and practice regarding the role of women in family entrepreneurships and sheds light on gender differences influencing family entrepreneurships and women empowerment issues.

Predictors of work-related cyberaggression in a random sample of the Swedish working population

PurposeWith greater numbers of employees using computer-mediated communication, cyberaggression is becoming a more pressing problem for employees and their organizations. However, while a growing body of research illustrates its harmful effects, little is known about the factors that drive its occurrence. The authors therefore sought to identify factors that increase the risk of cyberaggression among employees.Design/methodology/approachA random sample of the Swedish working population (N = 11,556) was surveyed via Statistics Sweden (SCB), which produced a final sample of N = 2,847 (response rate = 24.6%).FindingsLogistic regression analysis showed that emotionally demanding work, availability expectations, low perceived work quality, public sector work and being in a managerial position were related to higher levels of experienced cyberaggression. In addition, exploratory analyses indicated that some of these factors were more strongly related to cyberaggression enacted by organizational insiders compared to organizational outsiders.Originality/valueTogether, the authors' findings suggest that situational factors are stronger antecedents of cyberaggression victimization than personal factors. This has implications for organizations, as practical steps can be taken to reduce cyberaggression among employees.

Nurse Managers' Professional Quality of Life During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Health systems cannot effectively support nurse managers without understanding psychosocial effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. The objective of this study was to describe the professional quality of life of frontline nursing management during the COVID-19 pandemic. A cross-sectional online survey of 54 nurses in management positions at a large Midwest academic medical center during 2022 was conducted. Participants completed an electronic survey including demographics, Professional Quality of Life Measure Version 5, and items assessing past consideration of and future intent to leave their position, organization, or profession. Most participants had previously considered changing roles (80%) or leaving the organization during the pandemic (76%). Fewer respondents reported that changing role (24%) or organization (20%) was likely during the upcoming 6-12 months. Most participants scored in moderate ranges of Compassion Satisfaction, Burnout, and Secondary Traumatic Stress scales (85%, 89%, and 74%, respectively). Higher Compassion Satisfaction was associated with extreme unlikelihood of leaving for an internal non-management role. Higher Burnout scores were associated with more time working and past consideration or future likelihood of leaving for an external non-nursing position. Secondary Traumatic Stress scores were higher for nurse managers and house operation managers than assistant nurse managers and associated with past consideration of moving to an internal non-management role or external non-nursing position and future likelihood of moving to an external non-nursing position. Nurse management occupies a demanding position between frontline staff needs and administrative requirements, profoundly impacted by COVID-19. Health care researchers, administration, and policymakers must learn how to support, retain, and sustain nursing management in a post-pandemic world.