From conventional to digital leadership: exploring digitalization of leadership and innovative work behavior

Purpose The leadership shift from conventional to digital comes from the compulsory digitalization of the workplace because the technological progress provides the opportunity of doing work remotely, and this is a great advantage of reducing costs that stem from the offline workplace. Thus, this research aims at demonstrating the relationship between digitalization of leadership and innovative work behavior. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected from 320 Turkish department managers in the Textile Industry through digital leadership and innovate work behavior scales. The hypotheses were tested using path analysis. The analyses were conducted by using SPSS and AMOS package programs. Findings The results show that the employees’ perceptions of digital leadership have a positive and significant effect on all dimensions of an employee innovative work behavior. Also, the leaders with high digital skills were perceived positively by the employees and the employees tend to adapt innovative behaviors when they have the digitally skilled leaders. Originality/value This study contributes to leadership research by providing evidence for the role of leadership shift in innovative work behavior. Extending the verification of leadership shift in innovative work behavior that can be adopted in Turkey has also been considered.

Business employability for late millennials: exploring the perceptions of generation Z students and generation X faculty

Purpose The paper aims to explore employability in business as perceived by Generation Z (late millennials) business students and faculty. It focuses on perceptions regarding necessary employability skills from the diverse standpoints of two different groups of stakeholders within one Higher Education Institution. Design/methodology/approach The paper uses a Mixed Qualitative Design approach including a core and a supplementary component; Generation Z student perceptions are initially identified through a thematic analysis of students’ research reports on employability. These perceptions are then further contextualized through findings from a series of personal interviews conducted with Generation X academics in the same institution. Findings The findings support the two basic dimensions of perceived employability, work readiness and employability skills, for which students and educators hold similar notions. Both stakeholders distinguish between “hard” and “soft” skills, but filter their relative importance through a generational lens. An emerging finding was the link between personality traits and perceived employability skills. Originality/value The paper examines the much-debated issue of perceived employability through the eyes of Generation Z students; research on employability perceptions of Generation Z is, to date, limited. The topic is timely, as Generation Z is the newest generation entering the business job market. In addition, the paper adds to the emerging contemporary stream of literature exploring employability in the field of business education.

The emerging work system and strategy for skills transition in South Africa

Purpose The rapidly emerging digital work system, accentuated by technological innovation, has dramatically changed the nature of skill-sets required for employees to perform their tasks effectively at the workplaces. This paper aims to examine the skills development strategies that organizations in South Africa are adopting in the transitioning of their respective workforces to fit the skills dynamics of the emerging work system. Design/methodology/approach The paper uses the interpretive qualitative research strategy to draw evidence from semi-structured interviews conducted on 38 respondents, using the thematic analytical process to derive themes embedded in the data set. Findings Based on the strength of data analysis, this paper identified two broad themes and six sub-themes that are critical for the transformation and transition of existing pool of skills for the emerging work system in South Africa. Research limitations/implications The research lacks ability to be generalized, which is a methodological limitation that is inherently associated with cross-sectional design and qualitative strategy in terms of causality and generalizability of findings. Originality/value The main value-add of this paper is the development of evidence-based research outcomes that provide both theoretical and practical framework for skills development and transition initiatives that are imperative for policy formulation. The paper responded to, and advanced the respective works of Hirschi (2017), Sharma et al. (2021) and Barley et al. (2017), by establishing the following strategic themes that are critical for skills development and transition mechanisms in the emerging work system: stakeholder relationship, media and public perception, learning organization, higher education system, continuous skills development and technology and job losses.

E-fulfillment across product type: a review of literature (2000–2020)

Purpose This paper aims to review the literature on “E-fulfillment” with respect to marketing and operations issues in the current dynamic and complex e-tailing environment and thereby generate significant insights. Design/methodology/approach This paper is based on a systematic literature review on e-fulfillment focusing on marketing and operations issues therein. This systematic literature review consists of a critical review on e-fulfillment under planning (review question initialisation), searching (literature search), screening (literature evaluation), extraction and synthesis and reporting phases to conceptualise e-fulfillment. A total of 122 research articles have been reviewed to explore e-fulfillment and to develop key constructs and propositions. Findings This review provides the following three outcomes. First, the varied-fulfillment definitions have been critically reviewed, leading to synthesis, and thereby, an e-fulfillment definition is provided. Further, the variations for e-fulfillment across product types, which have been identified as a key variable for e-fulfillment, have been explored. Second, authors find five e-fulfillment components at the marketing and operations interface: website quality, customisation strategy, distribution strategy, last mile delivery and return management. Continuing with the e-fulfillment interface with marketing, the linkages between e-fulfillment and select post-purchase consumer behaviours measures across different product types have been reviewed. The paper thus with a focus on synthesising e-fulfillment literature from a process perspective emphasises the consumer behaviour metric for measuring e-fulfillment performance. Practical implications This study would help academicians, researchers, e-tailers and practitioners to understand e-fulfillment from a process perspective. For the researcher, it presents areas for future research by giving possible research directions in this emerging area. This study also brings out the impact of e-fulfillment according to product type on the post-purchase consumer behaviour measures, which will help e-tailers to link e-fulfillment to consumer behaviour metrics. Originality/value The paper classifies the fragmented literature to develop constructs and propositions for e-fulfillment. This is the first kind of study on e-fulfillment process and its impact on select post-purchase consumer behaviour measures across product types.

Abusive supervision, supervisor undermining, and turnover intentions: mediation of quiescent silence and desire to seek revenge among Thai banking frontliners

Purpose Drawing on the social exchange theory, this study aims to investigate the destructive impact of abusive supervision and supervisor undermining on quiescent silence and turnover intentions among frontline employees. Whether quiescent silence and the desire to seek revenge mediate the path from aggressive supervisory behaviors to turnover intentions is explored. Design/methodology/approach Following a time-lagged design, the authors collected data from 350 frontline banking officers in Thailand by a survey. For data analysis purposes, structural equation modeling procedures are used through Smart partial least square version 3.2.0. Findings Uniquely, findings suggest that abusive supervision does not result in any form of retaliation. Supervisor undermining has a trickle-down effect on the desire to revenge, quiescent silence and turnover intentions. For supervisor undermining, the direct path, as well as mediating roles are supported by data. Practical implications The findings of this study suggests organizational systems should discourage supervisors from undermining the subordinates. There is a need to offer regular training to supervisors. Furthermore, employees should be provided some platforms and the freedom to positively speak at work. Above all, supervisors should be more inspiring which can dilute negative perceptions of abuse. Originality/value The proposed mediation of desire to revenge and quiescent silence is unique to this study. Moreover, the challenge to the traditional trickle-down effects of abusive supervision is a unique intervention in the organizational behavior literature.

The paradoxes of just-in-time system: an abductive analysis of a public food manufacturing and exporting company in Thailand

Purpose study aims to investigate the implementation and impact of a just-in-time (JIT) system in a food manufacturing and exporting company in Thailand. Design/methodology/approach At the company, the authors used an anomaly case study. The authors performed content analysis on the data collected through semi-structured interviews and direct observations to determine operational flows through customer order, production and delivery. The authors constructed a framework that helped in mapping current operations and subsequently assessing JIT’s impacts; the authors reported the best practices to the company’s owner. Based on the follow-up after a year, the authors used an abductive approach to refine the JIT theory using data from case organizations and relevant studies. Findings The company encountered errors and delays in international delivery owing to inadequate inputs resulting from uncertain agricultural production, delayed contact with freight forwarders, improper documentation and insufficient staffing. Besides the highly centralized system, the limitations of the JIT philosophy contributed to the issues, thereby increasing mental and physical health problems and turnover rate. Owing to these paradoxical effects, the authors extended the JIT theory. Of the study’s several recommendations, the company observed only the following: contacting the freight forwarder after the purchase order confirmation, not production completion. The authors observed increased customer satisfaction, despite the additional cost of booking containers early. Originality/value This research presents a balanced JIT that can minimize JIT’s impacts and resource shortage, owing to demand-supply uncertainties and sustain competitiveness.

A millennial manager skills model for the new remote work environment

Purpose This paper aims to propose that millennials – those born between 1980 and 1995 – are uniquely impacted by the long-term impact of the pandemic, which has accelerated the work from home movement and exacerbated organizational issues associated with working remotely. Millennials, on the cusp of embarking on important leadership roles in this new remote work environment, pose challenges and opportunities for organizations will that will last long after the pandemic. Design/methodology/approach This paper provides a viewpoint based on a narrative review and on the authors’ professional experiences within organizations. Based upon these findings, this paper has reimagined the Mumford skills model to explore millennial managers in this new remote work, post-pandemic context. The goal of this narrative review was to provide a full picture of the “Millennial manager” and the challenges they face in becoming effective managers, as well as highlight the important strengths they bring to the table. Findings Managers may have challenges regarding job satisfaction, productivity and organizational commitment. The positive factors are millennials prefer flexibility, teamwork and creating a positive work-life balance. The negative side has to do with isolation and the ability to embrace the organization culture in a remote environment. This model shows positive and limiting factors of millennials related to organization effectiveness. The major propositions and model were that millennium managers in this new environment increase interpersonal communication to maintain trust, effective mentoring, resolve strong organizational culture and ensure effective delegation and conflict resolution. Practical implications This study discovered challenges for managers, including developing loyalty and improving employee job satisfaction and organizational commitment. Active listening is necessary for team management to show that all team members are valued irrespective of the work environment. Active listening and empathy will increase social support at work, which improves personal well-being and productivity. Millennials will continue to use their technological skills, their desire for teamwork and their preference for participative management, resulting in becoming an invaluable asset in this era of organizational transformation. The challenge for organizations is to realize the millennial generation possesses many talents and must successfully engage them in the pursuit of organizational goals. Originality/value This paper adds to the body of knowledge regarding millennials in organizations with a specific focus on the new work environment created by the global pandemic. The authors hope that their adapted skills model – the millennial manager skills model – becomes an important resource for articulation this new environment that millennial managers are in and that this model can be further refined and expanded through empirical exploration.

Distinctly lonely: how loneliness at work varies by status in organizations

Purpose This paper aims to study the differing pathways to loneliness in managers and their employees. Literature on emotions in organizational life, organizational management and leadership and loneliness are explored to develop and test hypotheses regarding the differential prototypical scripts that can be generative of loneliness in managers and employees. Design/methodology/approach A total of 28 managers and 235 employees from a horticultural company based in Mexico were surveyed, using measures of perceived connection quality, loneliness and meaningful work to test three hypotheses. Findings Data from 28 managers and 235 staff indicate that while loneliness scores do not significantly differ between managers and their subordinates, the predictors of loneliness differ between managers and employees, with emotional connection and mutuality predicting loneliness in employees but not in managers. Originality/value This paper adds specification to the literatures on workplace loneliness, the loneliness associated with management roles, emotions in organizational life and emotions and leadership. The findings are discussed in relation to the literature on manager-subordinate relationships.

Working role of women in a pandemic world: a poetic inquiry

Purpose The sudden outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has affected millions of people globally, and it has exacerbated the existing gender inequalities that have affected women. The purpose of this study is to understand the perceptions of women concerning gender inequality in the workplace during the current pandemic. The goal is to give women a voice so they can explain their feelings regarding the problems they face in a pandemic world. Design/methodology/approach In this study, four poetic inquiries were developed to investigate how the lives of working women were changed during the pandemic in Italy. Poetic methodology is a creative and aesthetic representation of qualitative research that is capable of reporting data with more fluidity and freedom. Findings The results suggest that the gender gap is increasing and is embodied in a series of relational and economic problems related to remote work, in difficulty in reconciling private and work life and in a series of new telematic violence against women. Practical implications This study offers practical implications for policymakers by suggesting the application of diversity management initiatives to remove barriers to gender equality. Originality/value This study, through a poetic approach, is the first to investigate women's perceptions during the pandemic related to difficulties experienced in the work sphere.

Benefits of workplace spirituality on real estate agents’ work outcomes: the mediating role of person-Job fit

Purpose This study aims to apply the person-environment fit theory to examine the effect of workplace spirituality on real estate agents’ person-job (P-J) fit. Moreover, P-J was proposed as a mediator to explain the effect of workplace spirituality on customer-oriented organizational citizenship behavior (CO-OCB) and job performance that real estate agents demonstrate. Design/methodology/approach A sample of 398 agents was obtained from 60 brokerage firms in Bangkok, Thailand. The data were collected through an online questionnaire survey. Data analysis was performed using partial least squares structural equation modeling. Findings The analysis supported the positive association between workplace spirituality and P-J fit. In addition, the mediating effect analysis showed that P-J fit mediated the association between workplace spirituality and CO-OCB in part, but mediated the association between workplace spirituality and job performance fully. Originality/value The findings overall clarify the theoretical mechanism by which workplace spirituality motivates real estate agents to demonstrate positive work behavior and enhanced performance.