The Effect of VR Avatar Embodiment on Improving Attitudes and Closeness Toward Immigrants

Past research has discussed how the embodiment of an outgroup avatar in virtual reality (VR) can reduce intergroup bias. However, little is known about the mechanisms and boundary conditions that shape this effect. This study examines how the embodiment of both outgroup and ingroup VR avatars in different orders influences attitudes and perceived closeness toward a co-ethnic immigrant outgroup in Singapore. It also investigates the role of empathy and social identity orientation (SIO) in this relationship. An experiment with four avatar embodiment conditions (ingroup-then-outgroup, outgroup-then-ingroup, ingroup-only, and outgroup-only) was carried out with 171 participants from a public university in Singapore. Results showed that embodying an outgroup avatar alone, compared to embodying an ingroup avatar alone, significantly improves both attitudes and closeness toward an immigrant outgroup. The order of embodiment matters to an extent, suggesting the greater effectiveness of outgroup-first over ingroup-first embodiment in reducing bias. Empathy mediates the effect of all three outgroup embodiment conditions on improved attitudes and closeness toward immigrants. It was also found that the stronger one’s SIO is, the more effective embodiment is in improving perceived closeness with the outgroup via empathy. Theoretical implications of these findings are discussed.

Understanding the Spirit of the Sectors: Exploring Identity in a New Era of Organizing

While sector distinction debates often re-emerge during periods of cultural and institutional upheaval, none have considered an identity-orientation perspective. Identity orientation is a natural domain in which to address these debates as it considers the individualistic, relational, and collectivistic foundations of organizations. This study explores whether organizational members across sectors view their organization’s identity orientation differently. Findings suggest that member perceptions of identity orientation are significantly different across sectors and align with traditional sector values and motivations. However, no one sector can be defined solely as individualistic, relational, or collectivistic. These findings are discussed and future research paths laid out.

Beyond the 2-Dimension Approach of Individualism–Collectivism: The 4-Dimension Approach of Individualism–Collectivism on Organizational Citizenship Behaviour

Capturing the effectiveness of organizational citizenship behaviour (OCB), authors have adopted the 2-dimension approach of individualism/collectivism to predict OCB in their studies on the OCB-individualism/collectivism relationship. However, given that employees undertake OCB toward different recipients in the workplace, a more refined approach of individualism/collectivism is required to predict OCB. To meet such a demand, the current study aimed to propose the 4-dimension approach of individualism/collectivism beyond the traditional 2-dimension approach of individualism/collectivism. The current study collected the data through an online survey and analysed the data using regression. The analysis revealed that vertical individualism is related to OCB toward the organization and the supervisor but not towards coworkers, while horizontal individualism is not related to OCB toward any of those recipients. Also, the current study found that horizontal collectivism is related to OCB toward the organization, the supervisor, coworkers, but vertical collectivism is not related to OCB toward any of those recipients. To predict the different effects of each dimension of individualism/collectivism on OCB, the current study proposed the theory-based nomological network for individualism/collectivisms-OCB relationship by incorporating cultural values with other theories including identity orientation, motives for OCB and the multifoci approach of OCB.

Intersectoral partnerships in the recycling sector

Purpose This study aims to identify the nature of the characteristics and the social results of partnerships established between nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) and the company. Design/methodology/approach This research is a qualitative collective case study. Data were collected through 12 interviews and analyzed through the content analysis technique. Findings The findings indicate that in the first case, the partnership is driven by the company’s interest in qualifying its supplier, facing a relational identity orientation, establishing philanthropic relationships. In the second case, the search for social legitimacy is evident, in the face of a collectivist identity orientation, in which Petro establishes a relationship of a transactional nature. Thus, the differential in intersectoral collaboration lies in the interaction among company, NGO and cooperatives. The results also show that the dialogue proximity between companies and civil society have a strong relationship with social results for the local communities. Social implications This study reveals the need to broaden the understanding of the social results of social partnerships to local communities. Originality/value The nature of the relationship among state, companies, NGOs and local communities in developing countries are different from developed countries. In the first case, companies are called to assume state’s role in improving quality of life and income generation.

Identities Hidden in Challenges: The Sequential Mediation of Thriving at Work and Employee Investment

The present study explores the influence of challenge stressors on identity orientation directly and via thriving at work and employee investment. Drawing on the broaden–and–build theory of positive emotions, this study proposes challenge stressors as a critical predictor of identity orientation. The purpose of this article is to explore if a particular identity is salient in different contextual factors, and this study suggests that challenge stressors stimulate personal, relational, and collective identities to respond to a situation. The relationships hypothesized in this study were tested using a sample of 225 employees from the banking sector of Pakistan. A time-lagged research design consisting of two waves of data collection was employed. A structural equation modeling technique was used to test the hypotheses regarding the relationship between challenge stressors and identity orientation, including the role of thriving at work and employee investment as intervening mechanisms of this relationship. Results showed that challenge stressors had a significant positive relationship with identity orientation. The results also confirmed the sequential mediation of thriving at work and employee investment in the relationship between challenge stressors and identity orientation. The findings suggest that the positive side of stress as a strength motivates employees for continued self-development. Importantly, challenge stressors enhance employees’ ability to thrive at work and, in turn, they invest in the work more and identify themselves strongly with their organization and work.

The Logic of Identity and the Normative Logic

Attention is focused on the instrumental uses of identity, that is, how identity affects perceptions of organization design and how it can be instrumental in changing organization designs. The concept of identity orientation is highlighted, given the crucial role it plays in the linking between the identity logic and the normative logic. In many ways, identity is also normative because, once established, it sets the standards of behaviour. Given the intimate relationship between the two logics, they are dealt with in the same chapter. The normative logic is inspired by the principle of ethics from design theory, but for purposes of organization design it finds translation in stakeholder theory, which holds that (1) enterprises have a moral duty to ensure the welfare of all their stakeholders, not only that of stockholders; (2) by acting in a socially responsible manner toward all their stakeholders, firms can enhance their performance and gain business advantage

Leader and organizational identification and organizational citizenship behaviors: Examining cross-lagged relationships and the moderating role of collective identity orientation

People may identify with multiple entities at work, but how are different foci of identification related and how do they influence extra-role work behaviors? Drawing from social identity theory, our article examines: (a) the potential bidirectional relationship between leader and organizational identification; (b) the mediating role of organizational identification on the relationship between leader identification and organizational citizenship behavior (organization-targeted, OCBO); and (c) the moderating role of collective identity orientation on the indirect relationship between leader identification and OCBO via organizational identification. Cross-lagged analyses of two-time data in two independent studies provided support for identification generalization from leader identification to organizational identification and confirmed the hypothesized mediating role of organizational identification. Our results also confirmed the moderating role of collective identity orientation and showed that the relationship between leader identification and organizational identification was stronger for employees with low collective identity orientation. Support was also provided for moderated mediation. Overall, our findings showcase the importance of examining multiple identifications foci when studying social identification at work, and provide support for spillover effects of lower-order to higher-order identifications.