Hierarchical linear modeling as an example for measuring change over time in a leadership development evaluation context

Balancing privacy and communication in activity-based workspaces: a longitudinal study

Purpose

The aim of this study is to investigate whether activity-based workspaces (ABWs) are able to solve the privacy-communication trade-off known from fixed-desk offices. In fixed-desk offices, employees work in private or open-plan offices (or in combi-offices) with fixed workstations, which support either privacy or communication, respectively. However, both dimensions are essential to effective employee performance, which creates the dilemma known as the privacy-communication trade-off. In activity-based workspaces, flexible workstations and the availability of different spaces may solve this dilemma, but clear empirical evidence on the matter is unavailable.

Design/methodology/approach

To address this knowledge gap, the authors surveyed knowledge workers (N = 363) at a medium-sized German company at three time points (T1–T3) over a one-year period during the company’s move from a fixed-desk combi-office (a combination of private and open-plan offices with fixed workplaces) to an ABW. Using a quantitative survey, the authors evaluated the employees’ perceived privacy and perceived communication in the old (T1) and the new work environments (T2 and T3).

Findings

The longitudinal study revealed a significant increase in employees’ perceived privacy and perceived communication in the ABW. These increases remained stable in the long term, which implies that ABWs have a lasting positive impact on employees.

Originality/value

As the privacy and communication dimensions were previously considered mutually exclusive in a single workplace, the results confirm that ABWs can balance privacy and communication, providing optimal conditions for enhanced employee performance.

From mentors to leaders: leader development outcomes for mentors

Purpose

The present study examines leader development as one of the potential outcomes for mentors and investigates whether the provision of mentoring contributes to developing mentors' leader identity and leader self-efficacy.

Design/methodology/approach

Relying on a quasi-experimental design, data were collected at four points in time over eight months from a mentor (n = 46) and an equivalent nonmentor group (n = 25). Participants in the mentor group were volunteer mentors from a doctoral mentoring program that was implemented at a large Canadian university.

Findings

Participants in the mentor group experienced a more positive change in leader identity and leader self-efficacy, compared to the participants in the nonmentor group. Further analysis of the participants in the mentor group suggests that the extent to which mentors provide career and psychosocial support explains the growth rate in the development outcomes.

Practical implications

By documenting benefits of mentoring for mentors, program administrators may be able to recruit mentors who are more engaged in the process. In addition, they can encourage their members to volunteer as mentors to gain leader development outcomes.

Originality/value

This longitudinal study connects the areas of mentoring and leadership development. While the majority of mentoring studies focus exclusively on mentoring outcomes for protégés, the present study shows that mentoring can benefit mentors as well.

Regional Differences in Municipal Solid Waste Collection Quantities in China

The rapid growth in urban population has led to a dramatic increase in municipal solid waste (MSW) generation, with ramifications more pronounced in developing countries. The regional Chinese governments have made great efforts to reduce MSW generation and collection quantities. However, the results of these efforts vary across cities. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the regional differences in MSW collection quantities. A two-level hierarchical linear model (HLM) was used to examine the variations in MSW collection quantities among 287 prefecture-level cites in China over the period from 2008 to 2017. The analysis reveals a strong negative correlation between the regional economic development level and the growth trend of MSW collection quantities. The empirical findings indicate that the level of economic development and waste collection measures are critical determinants of MSW collection quantities.

Effectiveness of training, based on positive psychology and social skills, applied to supervisors, to face resistance to organizational change

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to analyze the effectiveness of training, applied to supervisors, to face the effects of resistance to organizational change on work motivation and organizational climate of their direct employees.

Design/methodology/approach

A quasi-experimental design with a control group was used. The training program was applied in a public organization, which was going through a process of organizational change. The human resources unit formed two groups according to the needs of the organization. A group of seven supervisors received training (experimental group), and another group of eight supervisors received no training (control group). The effectiveness of the training was measured in the subalterns of the supervisors who formed both groups. The training was based on positive psychology and social skills and covered a period of one month and three weeks. The outcomes variables were: work motivation and organizational climate.

Findings

There was a statistically significant increase, from the pretest to the posttest, in the dependent variables registered in the experimental group, compared to the control group. The size of the change (effect size) was moderate magnitude to high.

Originality/value

This research shows an effective training system, applied in supervisors, to improve the work motivation and the organizational climate of the subordinates in processes of organizational change that generate resistance to change in them.

Intervention for supervisors, based on social skills and leadership, in order to improve organizational climate perception and organizational performance outcomes

Purpose

Interventions to develop leadership have attracted the interest of both the professional world and academia. The latter through review papers has highlighted the need to incorporate organizational performance outcomes when evaluating the effectiveness of programs for leadership development, because they have been particularly scarce. Keeping this in mind, the purpose of this paper is to analyze the effectiveness of an intervention aimed at direct supervisors, on the basis of social skills and transformational/transactional leadership, in order to improve organizational climate (OC) perception and objective outcomes of organizational performance.

Design/methodology/approach

A quasi-experimental pretest-posttest design was used, with no quasi-control group. Intervention was applied to all direct supervisors (n=8) of a private company in the industrial sector, with national implementation. The intervention covered a period of two months, with a total of eight sessions. The frequency of the intervention was a weekly session of 90 minutes each. The impact was measured in their direct subordinates (n=34). The outcome variables were OC perception and various indicators of organizational performance.

Findings

The results showed a statistically significant increase, moderate-to-high magnitude (dMR=0.38-1.21), in most sub-dimensions of OC. The various organizational performance indicators (e.g. volume of sales, positioning of the company, etc.) also showed improvements.

Practical implications

Results suggest that the authors’ intervention program, based on social skills and leadership, aimed to develop leadership, has an effect on organizational efficacy outcomes, such as OC perception and organizational performance. The implications of this study’s findings for HR managers are that there is a direct relation between improvement in outcomes associated with organizational effectiveness and the training of direct supervisors; this is because the leadership in the levels that deal directly with workers is responsible for carrying out the main tasks of the organization.

Originality/value

The overall objective of this research was to analyze the effectiveness of an intervention aimed at direct supervisors, on the basis of social skills and transformational/transactional leadership, in order to improve OC perception and objective outcomes of organizational performance.

An outcomes evaluation of a leadership development initiative

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to report the impact of a leadership development initiative in eight organizations and to demonstrate the use of promising evaluation methods.

Design/methodology/approach

– This study used multiple methods including surveys with quantitative and qualitative data from participants and their supervisors.

Findings

– Program participants and their supervisors reported improved on-the-job performance of participants. There were statistically significant increases in participant self-efficacy over time.

Research limitations/implications

– In this time series design, some changes may be due to factors besides the program. Limitations in self-report data, common in studies such as this, were partially mediated by the use of supervisor ratings. Future research could include more objective measures of performance.

Practical implications

– Because this evaluation reported on-the-job performance improvements for participants in a leadership development program, other organizations can adapt the program model and expect similar performance improvements. This study also advances leadership development evaluation methods by addressing on-the-job performance to a much greater extent than in past studies.

Social implications

– This study of a program training leaders in human service organizations can help similar organizations better train their leaders with expectations of improving the quality of life for clients such as families experiencing poverty, unemployment, and child abuse or neglect.

Originality/value

– This evaluation makes a unique contribution in terms of measurement of on-the-job performance of program participants in a time series design which includes ratings of supervisors and self-ratings, benefiting organizations designing such programs and evaluations of them.

Self-determination and leader development

Self-determination theory serves as the primary explanatory mechanism in this article of significant differences in the outcomes of leader development interventions. A total of 445 organizational administrators in a year-long leadership professional development programme are categorized based on their self-determination. Self-determination is categorized by the initial choice in programme participation and the pursuing choice in programme content and methods. The empirical results show differences based on self-determination categorizations in terms of self-assessments and subordinate assessments. However, the significant differences are not as expected in all cases. Theoretical and empirical contributions are discussed that inform researchers and practitioners.