The Impact of Poor Performers on Team Outcomes: An Empirical Examination of Attribution Theory*

The Role of Extraversion and Openness on Host Country Nationals' Task Performance and Contextual Performance at Work

Purpose

This study answer calls for research on host country nationals (HCNs) by examining factors that may influence HCN task performance and contextual performance during work with their self-initiated expatriate (SIE) colleagues.

Participants and Methods

Data on personality traits (extraversion, openness), socialization self-efficacy, and frequency of interaction, task, and contextual performance were collected by surveying 373 Chinese HCNs. The first author recruited the HCNs through SIEs working and living in China. SIEs who participated in this project provided the email addresses of HCNs with whom they worked.

Results

The frequency of interactions fully mediated the relationship between (a) extraversion with task and contextual performance and (b) openness with task and contextual performance. Only socialization self-efficacy moderated the mediating effects of extraversion on task performance via the frequency of interaction; it also moderated the mediating effects of openness on contextual performance via the frequency of interactions, but not in the hypothesized direction.

Conclusion

This study investigated the neglected stakeholder in the expatriation process, namely, HCNs, and what factors may impact HCNs' performance during work and collaboration with their SIE colleagues.

Helping coworkers only when I have more? Integrating social comparison, attribution and conservation of resources theories

Purpose

Drawing upon conservation of resources (COR) and attribution theories, prior research in helping behavior has mainly focused on an independent view of the helper’s personal resources. This perspective, however, falls short of capturing the comparative nature of personal resources and attributions in a helping context. The purpose of this paper is, therefore, to develop a theoretical model that helps predict employees’ decisions to help or not to help.

Design/methodology/approach

A theoretical model was developed by integrating social comparison, COR and attribution theories.

Findings

The theoretical model proposes the following. First, when employees perceive that they have fewer personal resources than a coworker who needs help, they are less likely to help. Second, when employees perceive that they have more personal resources than a coworker who needs help, they make causal attributions as to why the coworker failed to deploy personal resources. Finally, when employees have more personal resources than a coworker who needs help, they are more likely to help if they make situational, unstable and uncontrollable attributions to the coworker’s failure to deploy personal resources.

Originality/value

This paper extends the literature by offering a theoretical model that emphasizes comparisons and attributions of personal resources in a helping context. Additionally, this paper offers several managerial implications that help managers manage helping behavior effectively.

Dealing with non-performers

Purpose

Non-performance should be addressed urgently given the high associated costs: on average, 17 percent of management time is spent overseeing non-performing employees, thus distracting managers from important business issues and initiatives and, non-performers can reduce productivity by as much as 30–40 percent. Though many organizations recognize the importance of dealing effectively with non-performers, this remains difficult in practice for various reasons, including cultural aspects. The purpose of this paper is to answer the following question: What are some of the ways for managers in different national cultures to deal effectively with non-performers?

Design/methodology/approach

To collect the necessary data, semi-structured interviews were conducted with managers of profit and non-profit companies in different countries. After the interviews were transcribed, key themes and patterns were identified by manual open coding. The collected data were disaggregated into conceptual units and provided with labels. After significant themes and issues were identified, axial coding was used to look for relationships between the data categories that had emerged from open coding.

Findings

There are two main culture-independent findings. First, clarity is needed when managers give assignments to and set expectations for employees. Thereafter, managers should monitor employee performance and give immediate feedback when employees make mistakes. Second, this feedback needs to take the form of true two-way dialogue between the manager and employees: the manager needs to listen to employees’ situation and what they want and need as development opportunities to progress. These findings in itself are not earth-shattering but still important for two reasons: the findings are culture-independent and can thus be seen as generic approaches for dealing with non-performers in many (most) cultural settings; and in practice the authors still see many managers ignoring these activities while dealing with non-performers, making them less effective than they could and should be. In this respect, the findings serve as a reminder not only of the fact that these activities still are the most effective in order to deal with non-performers, but also point out how important they are as they are effective in many cultural settings.

Practical implications

In practical terms, the results should assist managers in various cultural settings to determine if there are non-performers in their organizations, identify the causes of their non-performance and apply interventions to effectively tackle the issue.

Originality/value

The research contributes to the literature by examining topics such as how to define non-performers, how they can be recognized from their behavior, what causes their non-performance and how national cultures influence the management of non-performers.

Interpersonal Affect and Peer Rating Bias in Teams

This study assessed the consequences of performance feedback received from peers on a team member’s subsequent ratings of others, and the mediating influence of interpersonal affect. Undergraduate participants ( N = 142) working in 30 teams during a 7-week period were assigned collective bargaining and arbitration tasks. We found that a team member’s prior positive or negative peer feedback resulted in increased leniency or severity, respectively, and increased restriction in range when these same members subsequently rated fellow team members. Interrater agreement on ratings of peers at Time 3 was higher when raters received similar feedback (i.e., both received positive or negative feedback) from their peers at the Time 1. The mechanism through which feedback at Time 1 influenced rating biases at Time 3 was found to be interpersonal affect (measured at Time 2).

Two facets of pride and helping

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate the influence of two different facets of pride – authentic and hubristic – on helping.

Design/methodology/approach

– Hypotheses were tested combining an experimental vignette study (n=75) with correlational field research (n=184).

Findings

– Results reveal that hubristic pride is associated with lower levels of intended helping compared with authentic pride when experimentally induced; further, trait hubristic pride is negatively related with helping, whereas trait authentic pride is positively related to helping, while controlling for alternative affective and cognitive explanations.

Research limitations/implications

– The use of vignettes and self-reports limits the ecological validity of the results. But when considered in combination, results provide important indications on how helping can be fostered in organizations: by emphasizing successes and the efforts that were necessary to achieve them.

Originality/value

– The results highlight the differential effects of discrete emotions in organizations.

Best Practice Recommendations for Designing and Implementing Experimental Vignette Methodology Studies

We describe experimental vignette methodology (EVM) as a way to address the dilemma of conducting experimental research that results in high levels of confidence regarding internal validity but is challenged by threats to external validity versus conducting nonexperimental research that usually maximizes external validity but whose conclusions are ambiguous regarding causal relationships. EVM studies consist of presenting participants with carefully constructed and realistic scenarios to assess dependent variables including intentions, attitudes, and behaviors, thereby enhancing experimental realism and also allowing researchers to manipulate and control independent variables. We describe two major types of EVM aimed at assessing explicit (i.e., paper people studies) and implicit (i.e., policy capturing and conjoint analysis) processes and outcomes. We offer best practice recommendations regarding the design and implementation of EVM studies based on a multidisciplinary literature review, discuss substantive domains and topics that can benefit from implementing EVM, address knowledge gaps regarding EVM such as the need to increase realism and the number and diversity of participants, and address ways to overcome some of the negative perceptions about EVM by pointing to exemplary articles that have used EVM successfully.

Effects of personality traits (big five) on expatriates adjustment and job performance

Purpose

– Researchers have been focusing on the predictors of expatriates adjustment and job performance at different levels (individual level, organizational level, and societal level) but still some of the predictors have been ignored or unclear in the expatriate literature. The purpose of this paper is to examine the effects of personality traits (big five) on expatriates adjustment and job performance.

Design/methodology/approach

– In this regards, data were collected from 201 expatriates working in Malaysia and analyzed by using structural equation modelling with Amos 16.

Findings

– The findings of this study indicated that personality traits (big five) which include extroversion, openness to experience, agreeableness, conscientiousness, and neuroticism positively influence expatriate adjustment which further influence expatriate performance rated by peers. In other words, expatriates adjustment (work, interaction, and general) mediate the relationship between big five personality traits (extroversion, openness to experience, agreeableness, conscientiousness, and neuroticism) and expatriates job performance (task, relationship building, and overall performance).

Research limitations/implications

– The findings of this study will help the researchers to further understand the importance of personality traits required for successful completion of international assignment. Furthermore, the findings also suggest human resource professionals to consider these personality traits before selecting an individual for international assignment. Finally, future research directions have been proposed.

Originality/value

– Literature on expatriate adjustment and job performance is still at developing stage. This paper shed light on the individual characteristics which work as predictors for expatriates adjustment and job performance.