A Critical Review and Best-Practice Recommendations for Control Variable Usage

Assessing the predictive validity of expectancy theory for academic performance

BACKGROUND

Despite expectancy theory's widespread appeal and influence as a framework for motivation in organizational and educational settings, studies that have examined the theory's validity for performance-based outcomes, particularly with academic performance as the criterion, have been characterized by inconsistent results. Given numerous methodological concerns associated with past studies (e.g., prevalence of between-person rather than within-person design), we examined the predictive validity of expectancy theory for academic performance using methods that were consistent with the theory's original conceptualization. Additionally, we assessed the validity of the theory for students' study effort.

METHODS

The final sample included 123 undergraduate students who reported their final grades in four courses. Study effort and other variables were measured with self-report surveys. Because course grades were nested within each person, multilevel modeling was used to test study hypotheses.

RESULTS

Both the valence model and the force model predicted a student's current study effort, but contrary to expectations, neither model predicted a student's final course grades. In contrast, both valence for academic success and the simplified force model (based only on valence and expectancy) predicted current study effort, final course grades, and explained incremental variance beyond cognitive ability. Furthermore, the predictive validity of this force model was relatively stable across the 11 weeks of the study.

CONCLUSIONS

Based on methods congruent with expectancy theory's original framework, we find that the force model does not predict academic performance. An alternative version of the model, however, predicts course grades and has incremental validity over cognitive ability. Our results have several significant theoretical and practical implications.

From the U.S. to Denmark and Beyond: It's Time to Reimagine the Use of Control Variables in Observational Research

Methodologists from a variety of social and behavioral sciences have called attention to misunderstandings, misclassifications, and misapplications of third variable "controls" in observational research. We are unaware, however, of a comprehensive discussion of these issues in the sexological literature. In this article, we attempt to detail several of the more important potential pitfalls within the context of a case study commentary on a recent Journal of Sex Research inquiry into Danish persons' pornography use, sexual satisfaction, and sexual behavior. We emphasize that our own (still limited) edification came only through personal error and chart an optimistic path forward wherein the current state of practice can be transformed into theoretical progress and innovation.

Unraveling the Link between Perceived ESG and Psychological Well-Being: The Moderated Mediating Roles of Job Meaningfulness and Pay Satisfaction

Enhancing corporate accountability in areas such as environment, social, and governance (ESG) has solidified its role in the discussion on improving corporate resilience and growth. ESG management activities not only augment corporate sustainability and risk control but also influence the professional roles and personal lives of members through their perceived ESG. Historically, most ESG research has centered on the interrelation of corporate ESG endeavors and outcomes, while studies focusing on the influence of perceived ESG on members have been sparse. In this light, our investigation, rooted in the conservation of resources theory, aimed to delineate the mechanistic link between perceived ESG and members' psychological well-being. This study employed a stratified random sampling technique and collected data across three waves, each spaced four weeks apart. Our sample comprised 325 Korean employees working in administrative, technical, service, and sales roles. This study recruited 325 Korean employees across three time-lagged phases and found that ESG comprehension enhances job meaningfulness, subsequently amplifying psychological wellness. Intriguingly, as pay satisfaction escalates, the mediating role of job meaningfulness between perceived ESG and well-being intensifies. Our study underscores that for organizations to harness perceived ESG to boost psychological well-being via job meaningfulness, managing pay satisfaction is imperative. These findings highlight a crucial policy implication: policymakers must actively promote ESG awareness and incorporate it into employee compensation strategies. This integration is essential to cultivating a healthier, more engaged workforce and driving long-term organizational success.

Connecting the organizational incomes and outcomes: a systematic review of the relationship between talent management, employee engagement, and turnover intention

Introduction

In a post-pandemic environment, characterized by volatility and uncertainty, organizations need to adapt to it for their survival.

Methods

Following a systematic review method, the aim of this study is to assess the relationship between talent management practices, employee engagement, and turnover intention. Carried out using PRISMA guidelines, this systematic review includes 43 studies.

Results

Results showed a lack of consensus on the talent management concept, definition, and measurement. Also, talent management practices seem to increase employee engagement and decrease turnover intentions. That is, when organizations provide effective talent management practices to employees, they become more engaged and less likely to abandon the company. It is important to highlight the mediating role of engagement in the relation between talent management and turnover intention. Furthermore, the most studied talent management practices for promoting engagement and reducing turnover intention were identified. Regarding control variables, data highlighted the importance of age and organizational tenure in the aforementioned relationships.

Discussion

This review draws attention to the need of designing and implementing talent management practices in an effective way in order to generate a healthy and engaged workforce that is willing to remain in an organization.

What's the point in even trying? Women's perception of glass ceiling drains hope

In this study, we focus on glass ceiling perceptions, characterized by women's subjective feelings about their ability to move upward in their organization. Drawing on social information processing and hope theory, we propose that glass ceiling perceptions decrease women's citizenship behaviors and increase their turnover intentions by draining their hope in the workplace. Moreover, we suggest that the strength of the association between glass ceiling perceptions, drained hope in the workplace, and these two outcomes is conditional upon women's perceptions of their work-family conflict. Using a two-study design, we tested our hypothesized relationships. We found a mediating effect of drained hope in the workplace between glass ceiling perceptions and (a) turnover intention and (b) organizational citizenship behaviors. This effect is significant when work-family conflict is high. Finally, we discuss the implications of our findings regarding the tensions that women experience with simultaneously managing their careers and conflict in the family.

Examining Public Service Motivation's Impact on Organizational Commitment: Focusing on Moderating Roles of Hygiene and Motivation Factors

Despite previous studies on public service motivation among public sector employees, the empirical analysis of the influential contextual conditions that moderate public service motivation's impact on employees' work attitudes remains inadequate. Given these limitations, this study examines public service motivation's effects on public employees' organizational commitment and investigates how Herzberg's hygiene and motivation factors moderate the relationship between these aspects in the context of South Korea's central government. For this, we used the data of 1021 public employees from the Differences in the Values of Different Generations of Public Officials and Organizational Innovation Survey, which the Korea Institute of Public Administration had conducted in 2022. We analyzed the data through hierarchical multiple regression analyses, and the results indicated that public service motivation exerts a positive effect on organizational commitment. Specifically, hygiene factors weaken the positive relationship between public service motivation and organizational commitment, while motivation factors have a moderating effect that strengthens said relationship. These findings suggest that, in order to enhance organizational commitment among motivated public employees, human resource management practices should prioritize motivational factors that can enhance job content, meaning, and autonomy instead of solely focusing on providing monetary incentives or improving external conditions.

The Relationship Between Trait Competitiveness and Competitive Attitudes: The Moderating Effect of Core Self-Evaluation

This article explores the multifaceted nature of the individual motivations behind engaging in competition. In doing so, we investigate the theoretical and empirical links between general trait competitiveness and the three competitive attitudes: personal development, hypercompetition, and competition avoidant, as moderated by core self-evaluation. Findings indicate that it is not merely the level of general trait competitiveness that influences an individuals attitude towards competing, but heightened levels of core self-evaluation decrease the neurotic and unhealthy competitive attitudes of hypercompetitive and competition avoidant individuals. We discuss the implications for these relationships.

Leader workaholism and subordinates' psychological distress: The moderating role of justice climate

Leader workaholism, characterized by an excessive drive to work long hours, is prevalent among organizational leaders. Its impact on subordinates' mental health warrants examination. This study investigated the direct relationship between leader workaholism and subordinates' psychological distress. Drawing on substitutes for leadership theory, it also assessed the buffering effects of procedural, interactional, and distributive justice climates in this relationship. Data from an online survey of 40 leaders and 200 subordinate employees revealed a positive correlation between leader workaholism and subordinates' psychological distress. However, the procedural and interactional justice climates negatively moderated this relationship, whereas the distributive justice climate did not. This disparity may result from the strong link between distributive justice climate and specific, objective outcomes. The study enhances understanding of the adverse effects of leader workaholism on employee psychological health and suggests organizational strategies, such as fostering procedural and interactional justice climates, to mitigate these effects.

When does cognitive crafting matter more in enhancing employee thriving at work? The moderating role of skill variety and job autonomy

The job crafting literature has not devoted much attention to the effects of specific forms of job crafting, particularly cognitive crafting. The present study builds on Conservation of Resources theory to explain how cognitive crafting might influence work meaningfulness for employees, and in turn, increase their experienced thriving at work. Moreover, we hypothesise that the impact of cognitive crafting on these outcomes is influenced by two motivational job characteristics: skill variety and job autonomy. To test our hypotheses, we collected three-wave survey data from 223 employees employed in a variety of occupations and industries in China. Results indicate that engaging in cognitive crafting enhances employees' work meaningfulness, resulting in thriving at work. Furthermore, skill variety and job autonomy are crucial moderators of these relationships. Specifically, when employees perceived low levels of skill variety or job autonomy, engaging in cognitive crafting was more likely to lead to enhanced work meaningfulness, which in turn resulted in higher levels of thriving at work. Implications for research, theory and practice are discussed.

Coworker support amplifies strain in the COVID-19 pandemic for working parents

The COVID-19 pandemic directly threatened our health and safety, while contradictory scientific and media reports generated uncertainty. Social information processing theory suggests that employees may have relied on their coworkers, via coworker support, to make sense of the confusion. Because previous research shows that coworker support can counterintuitively increase strain, we investigated the effects of coworker support on strain during the pandemic. Specifically, we collected data from a heterogeneous US sample of 314 working parents in May 2020 to illustrate the path from personal traits (i.e., optimism, generalized self-efficacy, and internal locus of control) to COVID-19 anxiety to workplace outcomes (i.e., self-rated performance, emotional exhaustion, and work-family conflict) in a multiphasic study design. Employees with low levels of these traits reported more COVID-19 anxiety, and in turn, more decrement to their workplace outcomes. This mediation is moderated by coworker social support, such that the indirect effect is exacerbated by coworker social support. This is consistent with social information processing theory, which states that coworker social support can unintentionally corroborate and amplify employee stress perceptions. We therefore recommend that, when faced with significant adversity, organizations provide communication training oriented toward increasing positive coworker interactions and guiding social information.

Leadership Blossoms in Parental Warmth: Positive Parenting Practices Shape Adolescent Leader Emergence via Intrapersonal and Interpersonal Mechanisms

Developing leadership skills during adolescence is crucial for future career success. Previous studies have primarily focused on the impact of school settings, academic courses, and simulated team tasks on leader emergence, neglecting the significant role of parental influence in this process. Employing a mixed-methods approach, this research investigated the positive relationship between parental warmth and adolescent leader emergence and the underlying mechanisms of this relationship. The quantitative study (Study 1) collected multi-source data from 1255 adolescents (Mage = 14.2, SDage = 0.56, 48.2% male) and their parents, teachers and peers. Findings from Study 1 revealed a positive correlation between parental warmth and adolescent leader emergence. Structural equation modeling showed two mediating pathways: an intrapersonal pathway involving self-esteem and leader self-efficacy, and an interpersonal pathway involving empathy and prosocial behavior. Encouragement of independence, as an additional adolescents-focused parenting practice, strengthened the observed positive relationship. The qualitative study (Study 2) conducted in-depth interviews with adolescents to identify the parental practices that facilitate or hinder adolescent leader emergence for the triangulation of the central research question. Study 2 collected data from 32 adolescents (Mage = 15.16, SDage = 1.37, 50% male). Findings from Study 2 corroborated the significance of parental warmth and the encouragement of independence for adolescent leader emergence, elucidating specific parenting behaviors conducive to these positive parenting practices, such as providing companionship and communication, as well as encouraging adolescents to participate in household tasks. This mix-methods research prepositioned the stages of leadership development, advocating for the importance of the warmth and autonomy from parents as formative factors for cultivating the next generation of leaders.

From burnout to behavior: the dark side of emotional intelligence on optimal functioning across three managerial levels

Introduction

Burnout has been typically addressed as an outcome and indicator of employee malfunctioning due to its profound effects on the organization, its members, and its profitability. Our study assesses its potential as a predictor, delving into how different sources of motivation-autonomous and controlled-act as mediational mechanisms in the association between burnout and behavioral dimensions of functioning (namely, organizational citizenship behaviors and work misbehaviors). Furthermore, the buffering effects of emotional intelligence across three different managerial levels were also examined.

Methods

To this end, a total non-targeted sample of 840 Romanian managers (513 first-, 220 mid-, and 107 top-level managers) was obtained.

Results

Burnout predicted motivation, which predicted work behaviors in a moderated-mediation framework. Contrary to our initial prediction, emotional intelligence augmented the negative association between burnout and motivation, exhibiting a dark side to this intelligence type. These findings are nuanced by the three managerial positions and shed light on the subtle differences across supervisory levels.

Discussion

The current article suggests a relationship between multiple dimensions of optimal (mal)functioning and discusses valuable theoretical and practical insights, supporting future researchers and practitioners in designing burnout, motivation, and emotional intelligence interventions.

Black Young Adult Superwomen in the Face of Gendered Racial Microaggressions: Contextualizing Challenges With Acceptance and Avoidance and Emotional Eating

BACKGROUND

Black young adult women (ages 18-35) are at disproportionate risk for obesity and emotional eating. Emotional eating interventions target psychological flexibility, such as reducing experiential avoidance and increasing acceptance of food-related thoughts. Yet Black women face gendered racism, and some endorse roles that reduce psychological flexibility, such as the superwoman schema role. Culturally centered stress and coping has often been overlooked, leading to an incomplete understanding of processes that engender emotional eating and the implications for appropriate and effective interventions for Black young adult women.

PURPOSE

We investigated direct and indirect pathways of associations between stress from gendered racial microaggressions to emotional eating through the endorsement of superwoman schema and two aspects of psychological flexibility.

METHODS

Black young adult women (N = 504; Mage = 24.72; 75.2% African American; 98.4% cisgender) participated in an online survey wherein they reported demographics, stress from gendered racial microaggressions, superwoman schema, experiential avoidance, acceptance of food-related thoughts, and emotional eating. Path analysis was conducted to examine direct and indirect effects.

RESULTS

Results provided evidence for indirect associations between more stress from gendered racial microaggressions and more emotional eating. More stress was associated with greater endorsement of the superwoman schema which was associated with more experiential avoidance and less acceptance of food-related thoughts, which were each associated with more emotional eating.

CONCLUSIONS

Endorsement of superwoman schema and concomitant avoidance and less acceptance may be one way that gendered racial stress propels emotional eating. Future research could test intervention components that disrupt this path.

The analysis of collective orientation and process feedback in relation to coordination and performance in interdependently working teams

Effective teamwork is not only essential for teams themselves, but also for organizations and our society. To facilitate team processes and enhance team performance, feedback interventions are a widely used means. However, different types of feedback (i.e., individual vs. team-level feedback, performance vs. process feedback) can have various effects leaving the question of their effectiveness unanswered. This is especially important when team members' attitudes (namely collective orientation) are considered. Thus, understanding the interplay between types of feedback and team members' attitudes would reveal new opportunities for fostering reliable teamwork. The methodology of the present study is based on a laboratory approach. Teams (N = 142) of two worked together over four scenarios to extinguish forest fires in a microworld. We examined the effects of collective orientation on team coordination and team performance. To understand the interplay between feedback and attitudes we examined the effect of different feedback interventions on team performance and on a change in collective orientation. For analyzing multilevel mediation and changes over time, Bayesian multilevel models were applied. Results show a positive relationship between collective orientation and team performance mediated by coordination. Additionally, team-level process and performance feedback seem to be slightly more beneficial for maintaining performance over time with increasing difficulty of the task compared to individual-level process feedback. Feedback can lead to an increase in collective orientation if these values are low at the beginning. Our research highlights the importance of collective orientation and feedback interventions on team processes and performance for interdependently working teams.

The relationships between parental attachment, peer attachment, automatic thoughts, and mindfulness skills among Iranian adolescents

This study aimed to examine the relationship between parental attachment, peer attachments, and automatic thoughts with adolescent mindfulness skills in Iranian adolescents, drawing on internal working models and social cognitive theory. The data was collected from a sample of Iranian adolescents in Tehran using standardized measurement instruments previously developed by researchers. The collected data was analyzed using both simple and multiple regression analyses. The results revealed a positive and significant association between parental attachment and peer attachments with adolescent mindfulness skills. Conversely, automatic thoughts were found to have a negative impact on adolescent mindfulness skills. These findings suggest that strengthening attachments can contribute to the enhancement of mindfulness skills in adolescents, while addressing automatic thoughts is crucial in preventing the erosion of mindfulness skills. Consequently, experts can design interventions that focus on improving attachments and addressing automatic thoughts to promote adolescent mindfulness skills.

How perceived coercion polarizes unvaccinated people: The mediating role of conspiracy beliefs

During the COVID-19 pandemic, different policies were implemented to increase vaccination uptake. Meanwhile, conspiracy theories spread widely, and vaccinated versus unvaccinated people increasingly polarized against each other. This study examined the associations between perceived vaccination coercion, conspiracy beliefs and polarization. We tested the relationship of vaccination status with perceived vaccination coercion, conspiracy beliefs, and polarization, with a total sample size of N = 1202 (n = 400 in China, n = 401 in the US, and n = 401 in the UK), among them n = 603 were vaccinated and n = 599 were unvaccinated. As pre-registered, unvaccinated people perceived more vaccination coercion and endorsed more conspiracy theories. Conspiracy mentality was positively related to perceived coercion. Contrary to our hypotheses, vaccinated people were more polarized toward unvaccinated people than vice versa. Finally, conspiracy beliefs mediated the link between perceived coercion and polarization among unvaccinated people.

The dark side of mobile work during non-work hours: moderated mediation model of presenteeism through conservation of resources lens

Owing to the development of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and the inevitability of telecommuting in the COVID-19 environment, the boundary between working and non-working hours has become blurred. mWork, that is, ICT-based off-hour work, which has increased through the pandemic, affects employees' work attitudes, such as presenteeism. Hence, we designed a study to investigate the antecedents and mechanisms of employee presenteeism from the perspective of the conservation of resources theory. We supported our hypothesis using a sample of 325 Korean office workers obtained through three rounds of time-delay surveys. The results show that presenteeism is higher among employees with high mWork. In addition, employees' mWork increases sleep deprivation and presenteeism, and the exchange ideology of employees reinforces the positive effect of sleep deprivation on presenteeism. Additionally, the higher the level of exchange ideology, the stronger the mediating effect of mWork on presenteeism through sleep deprivation. This study verified the conservation of resources theory by identifying the mechanism by which mWork affects an employee's life, which in turn affects their work, and provides practical implications for managing productivity loss due to presenteeism.

The Double-Edged Sword Effect of Illegitimate Tasks on Employee Creativity: Positive and Negative Coping Perspectives

Purpose

The purpose of our study is to explore how employees respond to illegitimate tasks and the impact it will have on employee creativity, as well as to explore the important boundary conditions for weakening the negative impact of illegitimate tasks and enhancing its positive impact.

Methods

We collected 271 pairs of employee-supervisor valid matching data through three rounds of surveys, and conducted statistical analysis and hypothesis testing using SPSS 26.0 and AMOS 24.0 statistical analysis tools.

Results

The results show that both job crafting and work withdrawal play a mediating role between illegitimate tasks and employee creativity, and the negative mediating role of work withdrawal is stronger than the positive mediating role of job crafting; supervisor developmental feedback not only positively moderates the relationship between illegitimate tasks and job crafting but also enhances the positive mediating role of job crafting; supervisor developmental feedback not only negatively moderates the link between illegitimate tasks and work withdrawal but also weakens the negative mediating role of work withdrawal.

Conclusion

Drawing on Conservation of Resources theory and Stress-as-Offense-to-Self theory, we reveal that employees will adopt job crafting and work withdrawal in response to illegitimate tasks from positive and negative coping perspectives and how it will positively and negatively affect employee creativity, respectively. Meanwhile, we find that supervisor developmental feedback is a boundary condition for reducing the negative impact of illegitimate tasks and promoting their positive impact. In addition, we provide implications for organizations to weigh the pros and cons of illegitimate tasks and improve employee creativity.

Servant versus directive leadership and promotability: does leader gender matter?

Are leaders more promotable when they show servant or directive leadership - and does this hold for women and men alike? Servant leaders are likely seen as more effective, likable, and thus promotable but less prototypical than directive leaders. We argue that differing degrees of communion (i.e., warmth, morality) and agency (i.e., competence, dominance) underlie the relationship of servant and directive leadership with leaders' promotability. Based on expectancy-violation theory, we assume that men benefit more from servant leadership and women benefit more from directive leadership. Servant leadership aligns more with communion and stereotypes about women. In contrast, directive leadership aligns more with agency and stereotypes about men. These differences may result in gender-biased evaluations threatening fairness in leadership promotions. In a pre-study, servant leadership was more expected of women leaders than of men leaders. However, directive leadership was equally expected of women leaders and men leaders. An experimental vignette study (N = 454) revealed that servant leaders were seen as more effective, likable, and promotable than directive leaders, regardless of gender. Perceived leader warmth, morality, and competence were positively, and dominance was negatively, related to leader effectiveness and leader liking, which were positively related to leader promotability. We also investigated whether raters' gender role beliefs influenced the evaluations, which they did not (as reported in the Supplementary material). Concluding, women and men profit equally from exhibiting servant compared to directive leadership.

Work-life conflict and facilitation: Mostly indirect effects on domain-specific and work-life balance satisfaction over time

The majority of work-life research has been anchored around work-life conflict/facilitation and balance constructs, though these constructs have largely been examined in isolation from one another. The purpose of the current study is to provide a direct replication and longitudinal extension of Grawitch et al.'s cross-sectional study exploring work-life balance satisfaction's relation to interdomain conflict and facilitation. We conducted a three-wave longitudinal study (0, 1 and 6 months) to test the causal assumptions of the original study. In addition to exploring relationships between bidirectional conflict/facilitation and work-non-work balance (WLB) satisfaction variables, the pathways by which work-life constructs influence work and non-work life satisfaction were examined. Time 1 results largely replicated those from Grawitch et al. Time 2 and Time 3 models demonstrated consistency in the relationships between satisfaction with work and non-work life and work-life balance and general stability across time points. Work-life conflict and life-work facilitation demonstrated the strongest indirect effects from Time 1 to Time 3 satisfaction constructs. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed in light of these findings.

Getting Good Sleep with Family Support: The Role of Fear of Crime and Loneliness

Sleep problems in middle-aged and older people can threaten their physical and mental health. Family support is regarded as a key factor that affects sleep quality, but the influence mechanism remains underexplored. This study analyzes the mediating effects of fear of crime (FOC) and loneliness in the relationship between family support and sleep quality, and explores whether gender plays a moderating role between family support and FOC. A questionnaire survey was conducted among 1043 Chinese middle-aged and older people aged 45-93 years. Using 10,000 bootstrapped samples, the study shows that middle-aged and older people who receive more family support have better sleep quality, and FOC and loneliness play mediating role in this association. Gender moderates the relationship between family support and FOC. Compared with men, family support for females has a greater impact on their FOC condition, and the mediating effect of family support on sleep quality through FOC is also greater among women. Family support can affect sleep quality through the chain mediating effect of FOC and loneliness for women. This study provides an in-depth understanding of the relationship between family support and sleep quality.

Green finance and environmental, social, and governance: evidence from Chinese listed companies

In recent years, academics have paid more attention to green finance, and public companies have reached a broad consensus on the concept of timely environmental, social, and governance (ESG) disclosure. Due to the close relationship between green finance and ESG, this presents an opportunity to determine whether green finance compels companies to actively disclose ESG. The sample for this study consists of China's non-financial A-share listed companies from 2010 to 2021, and the empirical findings demonstrate that green finance can positively influence the ESG performance of listed companies. Through an analysis of heterogeneity, this study reaches the following conclusions: state-owned enterprises, heavy pollution companies, and companies in low-carbon pilot cities perform better in terms of green finance's role in promoting ESG scoring. This study also introduces market concentration and social trust as the moderating variables, enriching the green finance research framework. Through the analysis of moderating variables, the 'black box' effect of green finance on ESG is disclosed, providing theoretical support for the government and companies to better comprehend the policy effect as well as a reference for reform and experimental promotion of green finance.

Negative Life Events on Depression of Vocational Undergraduates in the Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling Approach Perspective: A Mediated Moderation Model

BACKGROUND

Following China's strategy of developing applied and compound social talents, vocational undergraduates are surging rapidly, and it is essential to understand the causes of their depression to effectively prevent and intervene in schools.

OBJECTIVE

We aimed to investigate the relationship between negative life events (NLEs) and depression among vocational undergraduates in China, along with the mediating role of loneliness and the moderating role of socioeconomic status (SES).

METHODS

A convenience sample survey was conducted at a vocational education university (N = 1487), and analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modeling.

RESULTS

Findings showed that NLEs directly predicted depression (β = 0.399, 95% CI [0.339, 0.452], p < 0.001) among vocational undergraduates. Furthermore, this relationship was partially mediated by loneliness (β = 0.182, 95% CI [0.145, 221], p < 0.001); SES moderated the link between NLEs and depression (β = 0.051, 95% CI [0.004, 092], p < 0.05), but not between NLEs and loneliness (p > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

The current study highlights the impact of NLEs on depression among vocational undergraduates, indicating the importance of addressing NLEs and consequent feelings of loneliness to promote mental health. In addition, the moderating role of SES underscores the necessity of targeted interventions to mitigate the impact of NLEs on depression. The present study contributes to our understanding of the unique characteristics of depression in vocational undergraduates and has practical implications for psychological support services. Moreover, it probably has broader implications for addressing mental health challenges in global education settings for vocational undergraduates.

Knowledge about and prevalence of Chlamydia trachomatis in a population-based sample of emerging Croatian adults

To determine the prevalence of genital Chlamydia trachomatis (chlamydia) infection, knowledge about chlamydia and experience of previous testing for chlamydia, we carried out a national probability-based survey in emerging adults aged 18-25 years in Croatia in 2021-2022. Participants (n = 1197), members of a national online panel, completed a web-based questionnaire that collected information on socio-demographics, sexual behaviours and knowledge about sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Urine specimens from a sample of sexually experienced participants were self-collected and tested for chlamydia using Cobas 4800 CT/NG test. To achieve broad representativeness of the emerging adult population in the country, we applied post-hoc weighting for gender and age. Multivariable ordinary least squares linear regression was used to determine correlates of knowledge about chlamydia infection and binomial logistic regression to assess correlates of the willingness to test for chlamydia. Among 448 participants who sent in their urine specimens chlamydia prevalence was 2.5% (95% CI 1.2-5.1) in women and 1.0% (0.3-3.2%) in men. A total of 8.0% of women and 4.7% men reported testing for chlamydia prior to the survey. About a quarter of the sample was characterized by not answering correctly any of the six questions related to knowledge about chlamydia, while only 9.6% had five or six correct answers. In the multivariable analysis, significantly higher odds of willingness to test for chlamydia were found in females compared to males (OR = 1.34, p = 0.024), those with better knowledge about the infection (OR = 1.11, p = 0.005), and those with lower religiosity (OR = 0.91, p = 0.017). In conclusion, prevalence of chlamydia in emerging adults in Croatia is considerable. Efforts to control this infection should focus on primary prevention and targeted testing combined with effective case management strategies.

Entrepreneurial well-being and performance: antecedents and mediators

Entrepreneurial well-being is tied to increasing firm performance because entrepreneurs possess additional resources to invest in their businesses. However, research integrating antecedents, specific mechanisms related to the emergence of entrepreneurial well-being (EWB), and performance is scarce. Furthermore, the collective impact of their roles as entrepreneurs and individuals outside the work context is yet to be investigated concerning venture performance. The present study addresses these issues by presenting and testing a comprehensive model employing entrepreneurs' psychological capital as an antecedent of EWB and, indirectly, performance. We investigate this relationship through a serial mediation mechanism enabled by work engagement and entrepreneurial satisfaction regarding entrepreneurs' work roles. Also, we employ work-life balance and mental health as mediators regarding their home roles. Drawing on data from 217 Romanian entrepreneurs, structural equation modeling analyses supported our model. PsyCap was a precursor of entrepreneurial satisfaction both directly and through work engagement. Also, PsyCap predicted entrepreneurs' mental health directly and through work-life balance. Furthermore, both EWB components - entrepreneurial satisfaction and mental health - were associated with business performance. Hence, our model provides valuable insights regarding the interplay between entrepreneurs' work and home roles and their relation to EWB and venture performance. It also provides the basis for future interventions that can psychologically prepare entrepreneurs to be successful in their entrepreneurial endeavors.

Impact of environmental sustainability on open innovation in SMEs: An empirical study considering the moderating effect of gender

Sustainable development has emerged as a crucial factor enhancing the competitiveness of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in light of societal expectations and government regulations. Within this context, innovation assumes a significant role in this challenge, particularly for smaller companies facing greater obstacles in fostering innovation. These constraints have prompted both internal and external innovation initiatives, commonly referred to as open innovation. In this article, we scrutinize the influence of environmental practices on innovation endeavors, specifically examining whether the innovation strategy and its implementation facilitate the advancement of open innovation within SMEs. Furthermore, we explore the potential moderating effect of firm owners' gender on these relationships. The research model is validated using data from 543 companies in Ecuador, employing the partial least squares (PLS) method. The findings elucidate how environmental sustainability can promote the adoption of open innovation practices, with the innovation strategy and its implementation acting as mediators in this relationship. The impact of gender only manifests in the innovation strategy pertaining to environmental sustainability. In conclusion, open innovation stemming from the pivotal role of environmental sustainability emerges as a critical driver in augmenting innovation performance across various dimensions, such as quality, growth, efficiency, process enhancement, organizational practices, employee motivation, and acquisition of new product/service skills.

Unraveling the perceived overqualification puzzle: The role of distributive justice and leader political skill in influencing knowledge sharing

Perceived overqualification is a prevalent phenomenon in any type of organization due to overeducation and worldwide economic downturn. Despite numerous empirical examinations of such phenomenon, the impact of perceived overqualification on individual behaviors is inconsistent and inconclusive. We draw on equity theory to examine the negative effect of perceived overqualification on knowledge sharing through distributive justice. In addition, we investigate a leader's political skill as a boundary condition that influences the impact of perceived overqualification on distributive justice and subsequent knowledge sharing. Using a sample of 339 team members in South Korea, we found that perceived overqualification negatively impacts distributive justice, subsequently deteriorating employees' knowledge-sharing behaviors. Furthermore, when team leader is politically skilled, the negative impact of perceived overqualification on knowledge sharing is weakened. Theoretical implications and directions for future research are discussed.

Time and Punishment: Time Delays Exacerbate the Severity of Third-Party Punishment

Punishments are not always administered immediately after a crime is committed. Although scholars and researchers claim that third parties should normatively enact punishments proportionate to a given crime, we contend that third parties punish transgressors more severely when there is a time delay between a transgressor's crime and when they face punishment for it. We theorize that this occurs because of a perception of unfairness, whereby third parties view the process that led to time delays as unfair. We tested our theory across eight studies, including two archival data sets of 160,772 punishment decisions and six experiments (five preregistered) across 6,029 adult participants. Our results suggest that as time delays lengthen, third parties punish transgressors more severely because of increased perceived unfairness. Importantly, perceived unfairness explained this relationship beyond other alternative mechanisms. We explore potential boundary conditions for this relationship and discuss the implications of our findings.

Intolerance of uncertainty fuels preservice teachers' smartphone dependence through rumination and anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic: A cross-sectional study

Objectives

We aimed to explore the relationship among intolerance of uncertainty (IU), rumination, anxiety, and smartphone dependence (SPD) in preservice teachers during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods

Two cross-sectional studies were conducted with Chinese preservice teachers, using questionnaires on IU, rumination, anxiety, and SPD. Data were analyzed using AMOS 24.0 and SPSS 25.0, and the mediating mechanism was tested using the macro program Model 6. Study 1 recruited participants who were forcibly sequestered in a university due to an anti-epidemic policy during the COVID-19 crisis. Study 2 was surveyed online from different universities to replicate and enhance the reliability of Study 1 finding.

Results

Study 1 (N = 553, Mage = 20.8 ± 2.3, 30.0% female) and Study 2 (N = 1610, Mage = 21.1 ± 2.1, 51.4% female) both found that IU affected SPD through the independent mediators of rumination and anxiety, as well as the chain mediation of rumination→ anxiety. In Study 1, the indirect effect of IU on SPD was significant through rumination (β = 0.16, 95% CI [0.03, 0.06]), anxiety (β = 0.11, 95% CI [0.03, 0.06]), and the chain mediation (β = 0.02, 95% CI [0.01, 0.04]); in Study 2, the indirect effect of IU on SPD was significant through rumination (β = 0.08, 95% CI [0.05, 0.11]), anxiety (β = 0.10, 95% CI [0.08, 0.13]), and the chain mediation (β = 0.02, 95% CI [0.02, 0.03]).

Conclusion

Two cross-sectional studies found that preservice teachers' SPD is indirectly connected to IU, mediated by rumination and anxiety, and weakly mediated by the chain mediation of rumination and anxiety. Our findings may help educators understand the impact of anti-epidemic policies on preservice teachers and possible inclusive later interventions.

Does Leader Humility Foster Employee Bootlegging? Examining the Mediating Role of Relational Energy and the Moderating Role of Work Unit Structure

Prior research has framed bootlegging as employees' unofficial innovation that occurs without organizational authorization or official support. In this paper, we call for bringing leadership back into the study of antecedents of bootlegging and examine the effects of leadership context, specifically leader humility, on employee bootlegging. Following the conservation of resources (COR) theory, we propose that leader humility can provide valuable endogenous resources, such as relational energy, for employee bootlegging. We also propose that work unit structure (organic versus mechanistic) can serve as a boundary condition in this relationship. We test our hypotheses in (i) a scenario-based experiment, (ii) a three-wave time-lagged study with a sample of 212 employees, and (iii) a three-wave time-lagged study with a sample of 190 employees embedded in 20 teams. The results show that leader humility positively relates to relational energy, which, in turn, causes employee bootlegging. Furthermore, an organic structure strengthens the relationship between relational energy and bootlegging, and the indirect effect of leader humility on employee bootlegging via relational energy. The paper concludes with a discussion of what these findings suggest for future research and managerial practice.

Compulsive religious practices in the workplace: through the looking glass and back in search of authenticity among Iranian women

Over the last four decades, employees' adherence to Islamic rules, even if they do not follow Islam, became necessary in Iran's organizational environment. As a result, Iranian employees, especially women, are required to conform to religious norms and regulations at work, despite their non-Islamic identity. In this study, we extend identity theory and social identity theories to examine the Islamic-based identity threat experienced by Iranian women and its effect on women's authenticity at work, turnover intentions, and job satisfaction. We also predict that accepting external influence, as an individual trait, will moderate the effect of Islamic-based identity threat on authenticity at work. Surveying 177 Iranian women, we examine a moderated mediation model. Our findings show that women's perceptions of Islamic-based identity threat driven by their organizations' religious rules, policies, and norms prevent them from expressing their authentic core values, resulting in increased turnover intentions and decreased job satisfaction.

Conformity to masculine norms, interoceptive dysfunction, and changes in muscle dysmorphia symptoms

Muscle dysmorphia (MD) is a psychiatric illness characterized by preoccupation and compulsive behaviors to increase muscle size/definition. Despite its severity, few risk factors/mechanisms for MD have been identified. Conformity to masculine norms may be a MD risk factor. Furthermore, interoceptive dysfunction may facilitate MD. symptoms, as well as underlie relationships between conformity to masculine norms and MD symptoms. However, research has yet to test the mediating role of interoceptive dysfunction for said relationships. The current study tested if interoceptive dysfunction underlies relationships between conformity to masculine norms and MD symptoms among 269 US men who completed three surveys separated by one month that contained measures of focal constructs. Our sample was majority White, heterosexual, and non-Hispanic. A three-wave autoregressive mediation model was tested in which conformity to masculine norms predicted interoceptive dysfunction, which then predicted MD symptoms. Results indicated that conformity to specific masculine norms predicted both interoceptive dysfunction and MD symptoms over time. Furthermore, our hypothesized mediation pathways were not discovered. Conformity to masculine norms appears to be a risk factor for MD symptoms and interoceptive dysfunction. If clinicians can reduce rigid adherence to masculine stereotypes, this may increase connection with one's body and reduce subsequent MD symptoms.

Psychosocial safety climate as a predictor of work engagement, creativity, innovation, and work performance: A case study of software engineers

Introduction

Creativity is vital for competitive advantage within technological environments facing the fourth industrial revolution. However, existing research on creativity has rarely addressed how a climate beneficial for worker psychological health, a psychosocial safety climate (PSC), could additionally stimulate the growth of workplace creativity, innovation, and performance in digital environments.

Method

To examine how individually perceived PSC influences subsequent work engagement promoting higher levels of computer-based radical and incremental creativity, innovation, and work performance, employees in a software engineering firm (N = 29, 86 observations) completed a weekly questionnaire for 4 consecutive weeks.

Results

At the between-person level PSC was positively related to average future weekly individual fluctuations of creativity (radical and incremental), work engagement, and job performance. Additionally weekly work engagement was related to future creativity (radical and incremental). Work engagement also mediated the between-person relationship between PSC and future creativity (both radical and incremental). PSC did not predict innovation.

Discussion

This study contributes to the theory on PSC, creativity, and work performance by elucidating the individual perceived PSC-creativity relationship and suggesting PSC systems as meaningful antecedents to digital work performance.

Consumer vulnerability and well-being across contexts: Implications for international businesses

This article assesses the relationship between consumer vulnerability (CV) and well-being (WB) by comparing the effects of ordinary (non-pandemic) and pandemic consumption contexts among Portuguese and Brazilian consumers. Data on pre-and post-pandemic perceived vulnerability and well-being from a cross-cultural sample of 397 consumers were analyzed through structural equations modelling using the PLS-Path. The results revealed an inverse relationship between CV and well-being, which worsened with the emergence of the pandemic. Refund Policies, Product Promotions and Purchase Ability are the dimensions of CV identified as the most affected by the COVID-19 outbreak. Furthermore, fear proved to mediate the effect of vulnerability on well-being partially. The findings allow us to conclude that the most disrupted CV dimensions during COVID-19 are Refund Policy (RP), Purchase Ability (PA), and Product Promotion (PP). Studies comparing consumer vulnerability in international contexts are scarce. By finding the most critical dimensions of CV during a pandemic crisis, this study provides novel insights for companies and public institutions when planning responses and strategies to future disruptive occurrences. The conclusions represent an original contribution by analysing and comparing consumers' vulnerability in an everyday consumption situation and an extreme situation deployed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Valuable insights for governments and policymakers are provided. Firms working in international markets can use the insights to adapt their business strategy as effects on well-being vary across cultures.

Worker aging, control, and well-being: A specification curve analysis

Among the many work (and life) characteristics of relevance to adult development and aging, various forms of control are some of the most extensively and diversely studied. Indeed, "control," whether objectively held (i.e., "actual" control), perceived, or enacted through self-regulation, is a concept central to our understanding of person-environment interactions, development, and well-being within and across life domains. However, variability in conceptualization and analysis in the literature on control presents challenges to integration. To partially address these gaps, the present study sought to explore the effects of conceptual and analytical specification decisions (e.g., construct types, time, covariates) on observed control-well-being relationships in a large, age-diverse, longitudinal sample (Midlife in the United States I, II, and III datasets), providing a specification curve analysis (SCA) tutorial and guidance in the process. Results suggest that construct types and operationalizations, particularly predictor variables, have bearing on observed results, with certain types of control serving as better predictors of various forms of well-being than others. These findings and identified gaps are summarized to provide direction for theoretical clarification and reconciliation in the control and lifespan development literatures, construct selection and operationalization in future aging and work research, and inclusive, well-specified interventions to improve employee well-being.

Family firm ambidexterity: the influence of paradoxical tensions and the Entrepreneurial Family’s cohesion

This study presents paradoxical tensions as the ‘missing link’ at the intersection of the entrepreneurial family and family firm management: a link that crucially affects innovation-related decisions such as ambidexterity. Specifically, the study argues that the relationship between family cohesion and organizational ambidexterity within entrepreneurial family firms is mediated by paradoxical tensions (latent and salient). Drawing on survey data from 206 German family firms, support is found for the hypotheses advanced. Building on cognitive resource theory, this study demonstrates that differently perceived paradoxical tensions in entrepreneurial family firms have different meaningful effects on organizational ambidexterity. Implications for theory and future research are discussed.

Green project management practices, green knowledge acquisition and sustainable competitive advantage: empirical evidence

Purpose

This study aims to envisage the impact of green project management (GPM) practices on sustainable competitive advantage (SCA). Moreover, this study also accessed the mediating role of green knowledge acquisition (GKA) as a mechanism between GPM and SCA.

Design/methodology/approach

Using a quantitative field survey, the data were collected from the multi-sector manufacturing enterprises (n = 265) in Pakistan. The measurement and structural model were tested through Analysis of Moment Structure by conducting a covariance structure analysis.

Findings

The findings suggest that GPM practices are positively related to SCA. In addition to this direct effect, GKA play a significant role in explaining the associations between GPM practices and SCA. The findings bring essential insights for the enterprises, policymakers, practitioners and project managers to promote GPM practices for low-carbon projects to achieve SCA.

Research limitations/implications

The data used in this study is cross-sectional in nature. The geographic location is limited to firms in Pakistan, while well-validated subjective measures are used to make the survey more convenient for participants.

Practical implications

The practitioners in general, while project managers in particular, are recommended to implement GPM practices and GKA to achieve high performance of SCA.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is one of the first studies to examine GPM practices and its effect on SCA directly and via GKA in a single model.

How remote working increases the importance of positive leadership for employee vigor

Introduction

Leadership is essential for creating a healthy and happy work environment for employees. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, working remotely from home has become prevalent for many employees, which challenges leaders to reach out to their followers even if these followers are not physically at work. Drawing on positive psychology theories, the aim of this study is to investigate the relationship between positive leadership and psychological energy (i.e., vigor), and particularly the extent in which this relationship is affected by whether employees are working from home, as well as the tenure of the leader-follower relationship.

Methods

A two-wave time-lagged study design is used with a sample of 186 followers.

Results

Findings indicate that the effect of positive leadership on followers' vigor is especially strong when employees work from home, and even more so when leaders and followers have a long lasting work relationship.

Discussion

The study shows that positive leadership behaviors are positively related to employee vigor. Such positive leadership behaviors consist of praising follower's individual performance, personally thanking followers, cheering them up, and helping them with specified tasks.

The impact of knowledge management on the quality of services in nursing homes

Introduction

Current management strategies in nursing homes (NH) aim to ensure effective knowledge management (KM) in order to provide both best possible services to residents, and care for staff in NH. Teamwork in NH is essential for effective delivery of the highest quality of services. As a result, NH are increasingly adopting KM activities to enable knowledge creation, storage, transfer, and implementation in an environment facing many challenges such as lack of staff, increasing demands, and expectations of residents.

Methods

In our quantitative study, we examined how two Slovenian state NH that adopted the E-Qalin quality management model (European quality-improving learning model) adapted their KM, and what impact their quality management system and KM activities actually have on the quality of services. Furthermore, we examined how two Slovenian private NH that have not adopted a certified quality management program (like ISO or E-Qalin) tackle the issue of quality of services from the KM perspective. The sample consisted of 80 nursing professionals. In every NH that is part of this study, teamwork is essential and every individual that was involved in our survey is part of a team. In our study, we analyzed relationships between individual variables using linear regression.

Results

We found a significant and positive relationship between knowledge creation, transfer, and implementation in NH with and without the E-Qalin certificate. We found a significant and positive relationship between knowledge storage and the quality of services only in NH without a E-Qualin certificate. It seems that when connecting multidisciplinary fields such as NH and KM, there is still a lack of awareness and knowledge on the topic of KM, which might be one of the reasons for some bias in the answers provided by respondents. We also found different teamwork approaches in NH with and without a E-Qalin certificate. Our research results therefore emphasize the need to gain additional insight into quality management and KM in the environment of NH.

Conclusion

Teamwork based on knowledge storage, transfer, the implementation of existing knowledge, and creation of new knowledge are essential for well-trained professionals and, as a result, contribute to continuous improvement in service quality. Implementation of KM is well received by NH, and enables them to better meet the needs and expectations of residents. More importantly, nursing staff also share and pass on tacit knowledge through teamwork. Finally, all of the NH in our study that implemented quality and KM activities noted an improvement in the quality of services that are offered to residents in practice. Our results indicate that the topic of KM in NH is interesting, and it has a positive impact on the quality of services in practice. However, the problem of awareness and knowledge on the topic of KM in the environment of NH still exists, highlighting the need for further research, additional insight, and dissemination of knowledge to every interested stakeholder functioning in the field of NH. The results of the study make an important contribution to the research of KM in NH, focusing on the transfer of tacit knowledge.

Mapping knowledge-sharing behavior through emotional intelligence and team culture toward optimized team performance

Purpose

Research unveiled that interdisciplinary health-care teams are often found to be ineffective because of deprived team mechanisms. Considering effective team functioning, a leader’s non-cognitive abilities, knowledge-sharing behavior and the role of culture remain central concerns of health-care teams. This study aims to investigate how a leader’s emotional intelligence (EI) in a prevailing team culture can nurture the sharing of knowledge and enhance team EI that influences team performance.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors used multisource data representing a sample of 195 teams (735 respondents) to examine the hypothesized relationships by using the analytic strategy of partial least squares-structural equation modeling. This study bridged the methodological gap by using the repeated indicator approach that includes the reflective-formative second-order hierarchical latent variable model.

Findings

The results revealed a standpoint that leaders practicing the ability of EI influences team performance by understanding each other emotions in the leader–member relationship. Further, culture adds value and maps knowledge-sharing behavior which is tailored and beneficial for effective team outcomes.

Practical implications

This study provides valuable inputs by articulating uniquely modeled variables for health-care teams confronting high work demands. This study highlights that leaders' EI can enhance understanding of the emotions of the team and can exchange information by harnessing knowledge-sharing behavior amongst professionals.

Originality/value

This study provides a novel contribution by integrating leaders’ EI, knowledge-sharing behavior, the role of culture and team performance in a single framework. The integrated theoretical model sheds light on team working in the health-care setting and advances the understanding of a leader’s EI and team culture through mapping knowledge sharing particularly being central to enhancing team performance.

How perceptual differences between leaders and followers affect the resilience-workability relationship

Drawing on Conservation of Resources theory and its notion of resource passageways, the aim of this study is to investigate the relationship between resilience and workability, and particularly the extent in which this relationship is buffered or strengthened by differences in perception between leaders and employees about the degree in which a certain influence tactic (pressure or rational persuasion) is used. To this end, this study uses a two-wave time-lagged survey design with a multi-sourced sample of 146 leader-follower dyads. Findings indicate that leader-follower perceptual differences about the use of pressure as an influence tactic buffers the positive resilience-workability relationship of followers. No evidence was found of a similar effect with respect to rational persuasion as an influence tactic.

Unravelling the relationship between perceived values-congruence with organizational change readiness: A moderated mediation model

Recent studies have demonstrated that organizations often fail to execute organizational changes effectively due to a lack of their employees' organizational change readiness (OCR). However, the absence of employees' OCR is rooted in whether their values align with their organizations. The research aims to clarify when and why employees' perceived values-congruence with their organizations, supervisors, and workgroups (PVC-O, PVC-S, and PVC-G) helps stimulate their organizational change readiness (OCR). Specifically, it Integrates the self-categorization theory and social information processing theory and proposes a moderated mediation model to investigate the roles of perceived insider status (PIS) and the quality of change communication (QCC). This study gathered a valid sample of 252 employees from six Chinese companies at three different time points, and performed the structural equation modeling and multiple regression to test the proposed research model. The results demonstrate that PVC-O, PVC-S, and PVC-G are all positively related to employees' PIS, which further promotes their readiness for organizational change. Additionally, QCC strengthens not only the positive effect of employees' PVC-O and PVC-G (except for PVC-S) on PIS but also the indirect effects of PIS. This study offers valuable implications for practitioners implementing their organizational change practices in China. Moreover, this study can contribute to the organizational change literature by uncovering the underlying mechanism between perceived values-congruence and employees' OCR in the light of the person-environment interaction.