Coaching leaders toward favorable trajectories of burnout and engagement

Existing literature on executive coaching has shown beneficial outcomes for leaders. Indeed, executive coaching can positively affect an individual's psychological well-being and quality of work life. However, while burnout among leaders is on the rise, to our knowledge no prior study has investigated the influence of executive coaching on the dimensions of burnout and engagement concurrently. Therefore, the aim of the current study is to examine if an executive coaching intervention has positive effects on managerial burnout and engagement. We implemented a ten-week coaching intervention for leaders, where questionnaire data were collected at two time points. Participants (N = 92; Mage = 42; 64% male) were randomly assigned to an intervention or a wait-list control group. Self-reported levels of engagement and burnout were collected at the start of the study protocol (T1) and at the end (T2). Coaching sessions for the intervention group were one hour once per week. The control group did not receive coaching. Repeated measures ANOVAs examined the extent to which the intervention influences the leader's engagement and burnout. Analyses revealed that all three dimensions of burnout significantly decreased for the intervention group over time while vigor increased. Findings did not reveal an increase in dedication and absorption. Consistent with prior literature, this study supports that executive coaching can improve a leader's well-being. Specifically, this study shows that an executive coaching intervention can decrease burnout symptoms and increase vigor in leaders. Adding a follow-up survey to the design would allow for further exploration of the intervention on engagement.

Relating green information acquisition, absorptive capacity, institutional pressure, and firm performance: an environmentally sustainable perspective

Numerous Chinese manufacturing organizations are grappling with the challenge of absorbing and using green information acquisition across the supply chain to achieve excellent firm performance. Utilizing the organizational learning theory's indirect stream of research, we address this research gap by developing a moderated-mediation framework to investigate the impact of green information acquisition and institutional pressure on a firm's performance. Hypotheses are evaluated by taking a sample of 567 manufacturing enterprises in China. Structural equation modeling (SEM) has been applied to analyze and investigate the proposed hypotheses. Empirical results indicate that absorptive capacity significantly mediates the relationship between green information acquisition and firm performance. In a similar vein, institutional pressure significantly moderates the relationship between green information acquisition and firm performance. Study findings have essential managerial recommendations for Chinese manufacturing enterprises, proposing that they considerably enhance their absorptive capacity and continuously monitor institutional pressure to reap the advantages of green information acquisition on firm performance.

Psychological contract breach and job performance of new generation of employees: Considering the mediating effect of job burnout and the moderating effect of past breach experience

With the intensification of COVID-19 epidemic, it becomes prominent to discuss the issue about the influence of psychological contract breach on job performance of new generation of employees. Based on social exchange theory, fairness theory, and conservation of resource theory, this study constructed a relationship model between psychological contract breach and job performance of new generation of employees with considering the mediating effect of job burnout and the moderating effect of past breach experience. Our hypotheses were tested using data from 235 respondents working in Yunnan Province, China. The results were as follows: first, psychological contract breach had a significant negative effect on job performance of new generation of employees, whether in the whole sample or in two grouped samples; second, both in the overall sample and the grouped sample of state-owned enterprises, job burnout partially mediated the negative relationship between psychological contract breach and job performance of new generation of employees, and past experience of breach positively moderated the negative relationship between psychological contract breach and job performance of new generation of employees; third, in the grouped sample of non-state-owned enterprises, job burnout did not play a significant mediating role in the relationship between psychological contract breach and job performance of new generation of employees, and past breach experience did not play a significant moderating role in this relationship. These findings uncover the psychological mechanism underlying work performance of new generation of employees, and also provide useful theoretical reference for management practices of new generation of employees among different natures of enterprises.

Knowledge management process, infrastructure, and system quality as resilient strategies to respond to COVID‐19 pandemic challenges: Evidence from higher educational institutions in India

The COVID‐19 global pandemic has adversely affected educational institutions worldwide, resulting in frequent mandatory lockdowns and social distancing rules. After waiting for a brief period, most organizations, including educational institutions, moved their operations from traditional in‐class to virtual, web‐based teaching‐learning. As a result of unprecedented change, faculty, students, and administrators faced several challenges. However, how the educational institutions were coping with this challenging situation remained an important question. To address this, we present Knowledge Management Process (KMP), Knowledge Management System Infrastructure (KMSINF), and Knowledge Management System Quality (KMSQU) as resilient strategies to convert the challenges into opportunities. Using the KM processes and practices, a complex model is constructed to positively influence employee commitment, performance, and job satisfaction. A survey instrument was used to collect data from 747 faculty members from 14 higher educational institutions in the southern part of India. After testing the measurement properties using the Lisrel package of structural equation modeling, the complex model was tested using Hayes PROCESS macros. The results indicate (i) KMP is positively related to performance and employee commitment, (ii) employee commitment mediates the relationship between KMP and performance, (iii) KMSINF moderates the relationship between KMP and employee commitment, (iv) KMSQU moderates the moderated relationship between KMP and KMSINF in influencing the employee commitment, and (v) performance is positively related to job satisfaction. The results suggest that KM processes, system infrastructure, and system quality are effective, resilient strategies to bring educational institutions to normal functioning during the present global pandemic. The implications for KM, employee commitment, and job satisfaction are discussed.