Contextualizing Positionality, Intersectionality, and Intelligence in the Anthropocene

The geological epoch of the Anthropocene has challenged traditional definitions of what intellectual abilities are necessary to creatively problem-solve, understand, and address contemporary societal and environmental crises. If we hope to make meaningful changes to how our society addresses these complex issues and pave the way for a better future for generations to come, we must advance traditional theories and measures of higher-order abilities to reflect equity and inclusion. To this end, we must address global issues by integrating the complexities of intersectional identities as they impact our understanding of what constitutes intelligence in individuals, groups, and diverse communities. This re-envisioning of intelligence presents new complexities for understanding and challenges for our field beyond the boundaries of what has been previously touted by many disciplines, including psychology. It is an opportunity to re-envision what it means to be intelligent in a diverse global context while also honoring and recognizing the value of difference, positionality, and other ways of knowing.

The impact of market-incentive environmental regulation on the development of the new energy vehicle industry: a quasi-natural experiment based on China's dual-credit policy

Promoting new energy vehicles (NEVs) is considered to be one of the most effective ways to solve the increasingly serious problems of energy security and environmental pollution. Under the background of a gradual decline in the use of subsidy policy, the dual-credit policy (DCP), as a market-incentive environmental regulation, has been introduced to the process of policy development. This is of great significance in promoting NEVs and upgrading of the automobile industry. Based on data for 56 listed companies related to NEVs from 2012 to 2019, this study investigated the impact of the DCP on total factor productivity (TFP) under the framework of the propensity score matching difference-in-differences (PSM-DID) and further analyzed the mechanisms by how the DCP impacted on TFP. In addition, the heterogenous impacts of different firms were investigated. The results reveal three key findings. (1) After using instrumental variable to overcome endogenous problems and carrying out a series of robustness tests, the DCP can significantly improve firms' TFP, and this effect is increasing annually. (2) The results of the mechanism analysis show that technological innovation, reputation enhancements, and the reduction of manager motivation have promotional effects on firms' TFP. Besides, environmental tax can reduce the contribution of research and development (R&D) innovation to TFP. (3) In terms of regional and market structural levels, the promotional effect of the DCP on firms' TFP in the eastern region is greater than that in the midwestern region. Furthermore, it has no significant effect on competitive firms, but plays a significant role in the improvement of oligopolistic firms' TFP. This study supported the Porter Hypothesis that flexible market-incentive environmental regulation is likely to trigger positive productivity effects, and provided an empirical basis and latest information for promoting the accuracy and effectiveness of the DCP implementation.

The Imperative for Diversity and Inclusion in Interventional Radiology

OBJECTIVE. The purpose of our study was to review key social justice and competitive advantage arguments for diversity in interventional radiology (IR) to substantiate the need for a more inclusive workforce. CONCLUSION. As a specialty based on innovation and flexibility of thought, IR is well positioned to be a driver of diversity and inclusion in medicine. The status quo is far from ideal. Social justice and business advantage arguments provide us with the imperative for change.

The nexus between diversity management (DM) and organizational performance (OP): mediating role of cognitive and affective diversity

Purpose

Present day organizations are considering workforce diversity as one of the main challenges in the human resource management. This study aims to find out the relationship between diversity management (DM) in the context of strategic human resource management (SHRM) and organizational performance (OP). An attempt is made to find out the mediation effect of cognitive diversity (CD) and affective diversity (AD) in the relationship between DM and OP.

Design/methodology/approach

The constructs investigated in the present study include DM, OP, CD and AD. Structural equation modeling has been used to test the model fit. The data was collected from 50 human resource professionals working in different organizations in the information technology (IT) sector in Bangalore, India. Confirmatory factor analysis has been used for establishing the reliability.

Findings

The results show that there exists a significant relationship between DM and OP. This significant positive relationship can be attributed to the mediating role of CD and significant negative relationship is because of the AD.

Research limitations/implications

This study has several limitations. In this study, only three DM practices have been considered. The generalization of the results is another limitation as the study has been conducted in the IT sector in Bangalore, India. Similarly, sample size also affects the implications of an empirical study and sample size in this study is small. This study has investigated only the impact of two aspects of diversity, cognitive and affective, while neglecting the effect of communicational and symbolic processes.

Practical implications

The results indicate that organizations must consider that by providing intercultural trainings (ICTs), work–life balance (WLB) and work-time flexibility options, the negative aspects of diversity can be minimized. Moreover, organizations should encourage the task conflict which leads to better decision-making as well as creates a sense of group identification, which may help in the avoidance of negative consequences of AD.

Originality/value

This study is undertaken to find out the effect of certain diversity-oriented SHRM practices such as flexible working times, WLB, ICT and its impact on the OP in the Indian IT industry. This study has investigated the mediating role of CD and AD on the relationship between diversity-oriented SHRM practices and OP, which is the novelty of this study. Third, the study has been undertaken considering that there is a dearth of research on the impact of AD and CD on OP in the Indian context.

Exploring adaptability and proactivity across cultural contexts

Behavioral performance indicators linked to traits of adaptability and proactivity have been increasingly promoted in workplace management initiatives as predictors of high performance and employee potential (Grant and Ashford, 2008; Griffin et al., 2007). While these behaviors have been found to be helpful heuristics in Western workplace research samples, additional insight would help managers understand how they vary across geographical regions amidst rapidly expanding multinational markets. This study aimed to examine the relationship between workplace performance behaviors of adaptability and proactivity across diverse geographical regions, including North and South America, Asia, Africa, Europe, and Oceania. Using data gathered from professional employees from global companies, the study sample consisted of 3,860 participants working across 15 countries (Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, Great Britain, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, New Zealand, Philippines, South Africa, and the United States). The results indicate that there is a statistically significant relationship between work performance adaptability and proactivity across countries, though a much smaller effect across groupings based on subsets of high versus low economic gross domestic product (GDP). Implications for talent management approaches to better develop these constructs cross-culturally are discussed.

Creating Mutual Gains to Leverage a Racially Diverse Workforce: The Effects of Firm-Level Racial Diversity on Financial and Workforce Outcomes Under the Use of Broad-Based Stock Options

Despite substantial scholarly attention to workforce demographic diversity, existing research is limited in understanding whether or in what contexts firm-level racial diversity relates to performance and workforce outcomes of the firm. Drawing on social interdependence theory along with insights from social exchange and psychological ownership theories, we propose that the use of broad-based stock options granted to at least half the workforce creates the conditions supporting a positive relationship between workforce racial diversity and firm outcomes. We examine this proposition by analyzing panel data from 155 companies that applied for the “100 Best Companies to Work For” competition with responses from 109,314 employees over the five-year period from 2006 to 2010 (354 company-year observations). Findings revealed that racial diversity was positively related to subsequent firm financial performance and individual affective commitment and was not significantly associated with subsequent voluntary turnover rates, when accompanied by a firm’s adoption of broad-based stock options. However, under the nonuse of broad-based stock options, racial diversity was significantly related to higher voluntary turnover rates and lower employee affective commitment, with no financial performance gains. By documenting the beneficial effects of financial incentives in diverse workplaces, this paper extends theory asserting the value of incentives for performance.

Diversity management: a systematic review

Purpose

Diversity management plays a significant role in the organization’s outcomes. This study seeks to provide a brief review of the history of diversity management and to identify the articles published on diversity management since 1991. A systematic review of the literature has been carried out to understand the literature in more detail to know the future scope of research.

Design/methodology/approach

This study provides a comprehensive systematic review of quantitative, qualitative and theoretical studies published in leading peer-reviewed management journals from 1991 to 2018 and identifies 123 articles that fall within its established search inclusion criteria.

Findings

The literature review highlighted several aspects related to diversity management. The findings of the study revealed that there is a high concentration of researches in the USA and most number of articles published in the Academy of Management Journal. Although diversity management is a very emerging topic across the globe in management literature yet there is a lack of research in developed countries. Furthermore, most studies are found empirical in nature and the majority of the studies were published during the period of 1996–2000. This finding suggests that age, gender and racial diversity have been repeatedly discussed in diversity management research while other forms of diversity have given less attention

Originality/value

This study is one of the first systematic studies that describe the in-depth analysis of diversity management literature. The significant contribution of this study is to propose the integrated model with contemporary trends and patterns of results reported in diversity research, as well as contextual factors that have received more attention to date.

Clustering knowledge and dispersing abilities enhances collective problem solving in a network

Diversity tends to generate more and better ideas in social settings, ranging in scale from small-deliberative groups to tech-clusters and cities. Implicit in this research is that there are knowledge-generating benefits from diversity that comes from mixing different individuals, ideas, and perspectives. Here, we utilize agent-based modeling to examine the emergent outcomes resulting from the manipulation of how diversity is distributed and how knowledge is generated within communicative social structures. In the context of problem solving, we focus on cognitive diversity and its two forms: ability and knowledge. For diversity of ability, we find that local diversity (intermixing of different agents) performs best at all time scales. However, for diversity of knowledge, we find that local homogeneity performs best in the long-run, because it maintains global diversity, and thus the knowledge-generating ability of the group, for a longer period.

Using agent-based models of a problem-solving task in a network, the authors show that clustering people of similar knowledge maintains solution diversity and increases long run system collective performance. Clustering those with similar abilities, however, lowers solution diversity and performance.

Company values guiding the recruitment of employees with a foreign background

Purpose

In this paper, the following research question is addressed: Why do business organisations recruit employees with a foreign background? This was examined in terms of the values that guide organisations and their management. The paper aims to discuss this issue.

Design/methodology/approach

The study focused on two businesses in Finland that are pioneers in the recruitment of immigrants. A case study approach was adopted. The research data consist of interviews and documentary data. The data were analysed using content analysis in accordance with grounded theory.

Findings

Companies can act as an enabling force in the integration of immigrants into the local labour market, especially when the company’s value basis extends beyond only economic values.

Research limitations/implications

The study was conducted only in two case companies in Finland.

Practical implications

Companies have the potential to affect local people’s attitudes towards immigrants as workers. This is important because many western societies are likely to face a labour shortage in the future due to the ageing population and low birth rate.

Originality/value

Prior research has mostly investigated the topic from the viewpoints of the immigrants themselves and of policy makers. The value of this study is that it makes the employers’ viewpoint visible. The dominant theories applied in the field of immigrant recruitment are inadequate to explain employers’ behaviour because of their underlying assumption of the overwhelming importance of economic values in decision making.

The History and Horizons of Microscale Neural Interfaces

Microscale neural technologies interface with the nervous system to record and stimulate brain tissue with high spatial and temporal resolution. These devices are being developed to understand the mechanisms that govern brain function, plasticity and cognitive learning, treat neurological diseases, or monitor and restore functions over the lifetime of the patient. Despite decades of use in basic research over days to months, and the growing prevalence of neuromodulation therapies, in many cases the lack of knowledge regarding the fundamental mechanisms driving activation has dramatically limited our ability to interpret data or fine-tune design parameters to improve long-term performance. While advances in materials, microfabrication techniques, packaging, and understanding of the nervous system has enabled tremendous innovation in the field of neural engineering, many challenges and opportunities remain at the frontiers of the neural interface in terms of both neurobiology and engineering. In this short-communication, we explore critical needs in the neural engineering field to overcome these challenges. Disentangling the complexities involved in the chronic neural interface problem requires simultaneous proficiency in multiple scientific and engineering disciplines. The critical component of advancing neural interface knowledge is to prepare the next wave of investigators who have simultaneous multi-disciplinary proficiencies with a diverse set of perspectives necessary to solve the chronic neural interface challenge.

Harnessing demographic differences in organizations: What moderates the effects of workplace diversity?

To account for the double-edged nature of demographic workplace diversity (i.e,. relational demography, work group diversity, and organizational diversity) effects on social integration, performance, and well-being-related variables, research has moved away from simple main effect approaches and started examining variables that moderate these effects. While there is no shortage of primary studies of the conditions under which diversity leads to positive or negative outcomes, it remains unclear which contingency factors make it work. Using the Categorization-Elaboration Model as our theoretical lens, we review variables moderating the effects of workplace diversity on social integration, performance, and well-being outcomes, focusing on factors that organizations and managers have control over (i.e., strategy, unit design, human resource, leadership, climate/culture, and individual differences). We point out avenues for future research and conclude with practical implications. © 2015 The Authors. Journal of Organizational Behavior published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Knowing what we know differently

Purpose

Building on knowledge-based view and demographic diversity theory, the purpose of this paper is to re-conceptualize knowledge heterogeneity (KH) (i.e. diversity in individual or organizational knowledge) and to explore a broader set of relationships between KH and the multidimensional (i.e. dynamics and ambidexterity) innovation.

Design/methodology/approach

Case studies of organizational KH and innovation ambidexterity were conducted in four representative companies with variated characteristics. Similarities in the heterogeneity-innovation relationships were identified across four very different types of companies, providing a good exploratory base for future large-scale empirical studies.

Findings

Grounding on locus-of-knowing and timing-of-knowing dimensions, this paper utilizes an inductive approach that analyzes qualitative materials to construct the essential meanings of intraorganizational KH, and to explore the influences KH brings onto the ambidextrous innovation. A four-category typology of KH is emerged. Overall, KH is categorized into four distinctive but inter-related forms: individual professional backgrounds, collective profession backgrounds, individual evolving knowledge portfolio, and collective evolving knowledge portfolio.

Research limitations/implications

Building on such typology, this paper discusses propositions for the differentiated influences of different forms of KH on dynamic and ambidextrous innovations.

Originality/value

Whereas individual knowledge benefits independent creativity, complex collective knowledge is more critical for organizational innovation. While research has placed more emphasis on the effects of knowledge accumulation or flow, it neglects the knowledge profile and structure for innovation. The present study explores the effect of heterogeneous knowledge structure on dynamic and ambidextrous innovation.

Examining the Link Between Diversity and Firm Performance

Given the scarcity of empirical research on the impact of diversity on organizational performance, the authors used longitudinal data for 100 firms to test hypotheses related to the effects of diversity reputation and leader racial diversity on firm financial outcomes. The results showed a positive relationship between diversity reputation and book-to-market equity and a curvilinear, U-shaped relationship among leader diversity and revenues, net income, and book-to-market equity. The analyses suggest that economic benefits generated from diversity reputation may primarily derive from capital rather than product markets. Furthermore, firm performance declines with increases in the representation of racial minorities in leadership up to a point, beyond which further increases in diversity are associated with increases in performance.

The Compositional Impact of Team Diversity on Performance: Theoretical Considerations

During the past 2 decades, numerous theories have been postulated to test the compositional effects of member characteristics on group and organizational performance. However, the impact of team composition on performance and moderating variables potentially affecting this relationship is still not clearly understood, and research endeavors have, consequently, produced mixed and inconsistent findings. This review, therefore, synthesizes the current theories and models of team diversity into an integrative theoretical framework by conceptually refining key variables to examine the multidimensional facets of the relationship between team diversity and performance. The implications of this review for future research and organizational practices are also discussed.

Multi-Ethnic Workforce and Business Performance: Review and Synthesis of the Empirical Literature

This article provides an updated review and synthesis of the empirical literature of the determinants of business performance, and discusses directions for future research aimed at developing better theories and advancing knowledge of the specific influence of ethnic minorities on firm financial achievements. The review is intended to overcome the weaknesses in previous reviews by focusing exclusively on studies that concentrate on ethnic minority–related determinants of business performance. This article suggests that future research should take a more holistic approach to analyzing the impact of a multicultural workforce on the performance of medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). This article proposes a tentative research model that links six different ethnic-related concept groups directly to the financial and export performance of the firm.

Autonomy and citizenship behavior: a moderated mediation model

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to investigate the mediating role of perceived organizational support (POS) in the relationships between job autonomy and organizational citizenship behavior (OCB), and the moderating role of organizational strategy in those relationships.

Design/methodology/approach

– The hypotheses were tested by a moderated mediation model using multilevel survey data that were collected in South Korea in 2008.

Findings

– This study found that POS mediated the relationship between autonomy and OCB regardless of organizational strategy, and that job autonomy was more strongly related to POS in companies with an analyzer strategy than with a defender strategy. The results also indicated that the indirect relationship between job autonomy and OCB via POS was stronger in companies with an analyzer strategy than in companies with a defender strategy.

Research limitations/implications

– This study provides a new mechanism in the relationship between job autonomy and OCB using social exchange theory. An analyzer strategy should not be treated as a hybrid of defender and prospector strategies.

Practical implications

– While all organizations may benefit from providing employees with job autonomy regardless of organizational strategy, companies with an analyzer strategy in particular should provide their employees with sufficient autonomy.

Originality/value

– The present study bridged the gap between the macro and micro approaches through multilevel analyses. This study is unique in that it examined the vertical fit between job autonomy and organizational strategy while focussing on individual employee outcomes.

Diversity Strategies and Business Logic

Firms have many reasons to employ ethnic minorities or refrain from employing them. Management scholars focusing on workplace diversity have made several attempts to describe these reasons, but a theoretically grounded framework is still missing. This article outlines a novel approach to this topic based on resource dependence theory. We propose a typology of diversity strategies defined by the kind of critical resources that ethnic minorities provide to organizations. Focusing on business logic, the typology offers many applications for future research on antecedents and consequences of the strategies, a diverse competence pool, and power relations. We suggest resource dependence theory as a fruitful explanatory approach to diversity and describe practical implications for different actors.

A Workgroup Climate Perspective on the Relationships Among Transformational Leadership, Workgroup Diversity, and Employee Creativity

Previous research on the effects of workgroup diversity and workgroup functioning and outcomes has produced mixed results. We address these inconsistencies by proposing a model that considers the effects of both transformational leadership and workgroup climate on one workgroup outcome believed particularly relevant to diversity: employee creativity. Multilevel analyses of 172 individuals working in 31 teams found that innovation workgroup climate level mediated the relationship between transformational leadership and employee creativity. Furthermore, results indicated that diverse groups had higher innovation climate strength when transformational leadership was high, and that innovation climate level was more strongly related to employee creativity when innovation climate strength was high. Overall, these results suggest that transformational leadership may lessen the negative effects associated with workgroup diversity. Implications for both theory and practice are discussed.

Attitudes of Group Incentive Participants

Using expectancy theory, this study investigated (1) the mediating roles of job satisfaction and organizational commitment in the relationship between group-incentive participation and turnover intention and (2) the moderating role of human capital level in these relationships. Although a few studies have found group-incentive participation to be closely related to individual employees’ attitudes, the field knows little about the mechanisms that drive this relationship and the role of human capital level in these relationships. The findings of this study provide evidence that job satisfaction and organizational commitment mediated the relationship between group-incentive participation and turnover intention. Cross-level analyses showed that these relationships were stronger in companies with more human capital than in companies with less human capital. The findings provide insight into how group incentives affect employees’ attitudes and suggest that organizations with more human capital would benefit more from introducing group incentives actively.

Understanding Diversity Management Practices: Implications of Institutional Theory and Resource-Based Theory

Diversity management practices consist of the set of formalized practices developed and implemented by organizations to manage diversity effectively among all organizational stakeholders. We review the extant literature on antecedents and outcomes of diversity management practices. Applying institutional and resource-based theories, we develop a research model outlining several possible avenues for future research. We also identify ways that research on diversity management practices has the potential to advance the two theoretical perspectives.

Managing Sexual Orientation Diversity

This article examines the relation between a firm's stock market value and the extent to which the firm manages sexual orientation diversity in its workplace. To investigate this issue, we analyze the stock market reaction to the release of the inaugural corporate equality index (CEI). The CEI rates firms on how extensively they manage gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender (GLBT) workplace issues. The article is structured as a series of competing hypotheses that parallel societal views on GLBT workplace equality. Proponents of GLBT workplace equality suggest that good corporate citizenship increases firm value although opponents argue that the primary, if not sole, purpose of the firm is to maximize shareholder wealth, and that the value of the firm may be negatively affected due to public backlash. Our findings suggest that GLBT-friendly workplace policies are at worst value neutral and firms are not penalized for supporting GLBT workforce diversity.

Work Group Diversity

Work group diversity, the degree to which there are differences between group members, may affect group process and performance positively as well as negatively. Much is still unclear about the effects of diversity, however. We review the 1997-2005 literature on work group diversity to assess the state of the art and to identify key issues for future research. This review points to the need for more complex conceptualizations of diversity, as well as to the need for more empirical attention to the processes that are assumed to underlie the effects of diversity on group process and performance and to the contingency factors of these processes.

A Dynamic Multilevel Model of Demographic Diversity and Misfit Effects

In this study, the authors proposed and evaluated the linkages of a dynamic multilevel model of demographic diversity and misfit effects in a large sample of quick-service restaurants. Using a cross-level approach, the authors studied an employee's demographic misfit in relation to coworkers' demographics as a predictor of turnover risk over time. At the business-unit level, they studied changes in restaurant demographic diversity in relation to changes in profitability over time and unit turnover rates in relation to profitability. The authors also studied the impact of the match between the racial compositions of the restaurants and their communities on profitability. The results supported linkages between demographic misfit and turnover and partially supported a negative association between racial diversity and changes in profitability.