Gupta College of Business

Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14026/2072

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A Field Study of an Employee Fit-Centered Approach to Understanding Employee Engagement Across a Generation-Diverse Workforce
(2018-04-03T00:00:00-07:00) Brightenburg, Mark; J. Lee Whittington; Greg Bell
A primary concern of organizations is the development of an engaged workforce. This concern stems in part from recurring reports that approximately two-thirds of U.S. employees are not highly engaged. This problem is exacerbated as the workforce becomes increasingly generation diverse. Generation diversity has always been present in the U.S. labor force, but in recent years it has become more prevalent. It is not uncommon to see individuals from each of the three main generations in todayâ s workforce working side by side, and, there is evidence that the levels of engagement experienced by each generation vary. Drawing from person-environment (P-E) fit and engagement theories, this study presents an employee fit-centered approach to better understand employee engagement across a generation-diverse workforce. A field study research design was employed to test an expanded model of employee engagement. Self-report data were collected from three subsamples (N = 196) and analyzed using quantitative methods. Hypothesis testing was performed using correlation and regression applications. Specifically, this study examined (a) the relationships between employee fit, engagement, and employee attitudes, (b) the mediating effect engagement has on the relationship between employee fit and employee attitudes, (c) generational v differences in work values, and (d) the conditional impact different generations had on the relationship between employee fit and employee engagement. In sum, the results from this study offer strong support for organizations to be more intentional in leveraging the fit -engagement connection. The study findings were used to develop actionable solutions to facilitate high levels of employee engagement.
An Exploration of the Reciprocal Relationship Between Job Crafting Techniques and Job Demands-Resources Job Crafting
(2018-04-05T00:00:00-07:00) Morrow, Donna; Sue Conger, Ph.D; Heather Kissack, Ph.D; Blake Frank, Ph.D
Based on extant literature, job crafting research had two schools of thought, not yet related â one was that job demands and job resources are balanced through job crafting and the other was that individuals seek physical, cognitive, and relational improvements through job crafting. This research sought to relate the two types of job crafting to determine if both methods were not mutually exclusive, but rather reciprocally related. Therefore, the research for this dissertation filled a research gap by conducting a cross-sectional field survey to explore to what extent there was a reciprocal relationship between job crafting techniques and job demands-resourcesâ job crafting. Data were collected and split into two data sets to conduct exploratory (n=146) and confirmatory (n=147) analyses. Hypotheses were tested and supported by using partial least squares structural equation modeling. This research adds value to businesses by showing that the two approaches actually overlap a great deal and can be thought of together in the conduct of job crafting. Future research is required to determine how best to combine the two approaches most effectively to conduct job crafting.
An Investigation of the Relationship Among Honesty-Humility, Authentic Leadership and Employee Engagement
(2017-10-01T00:00:00-07:00) Meskelis, Simone; Dr. J. Lee Whittington; Dr. Timothy Galpin
Despite managementâ s growing awareness of the issue, low levels of engagement remain a critical problem for organizations around the world. Addressing employee engagement requires a comprehensive approach that acknowledges both individual and organizational factors as antecedents. This dissertation examines the positive impact of personality traits (individual factors) and leadership style (organizational factor), on employee engagement. This study extends the understanding of the role of individual differences beyond the established Big Five model. Specifically, this study investigates the impact of trait honesty-humility on employee engagement and the moderating effects of authentic leadership. The research was conducted through a field study involving participants from Brazil and U.S. Findings show that honesty-humility impacts employee engagement and that authentic leadership functions as a substitute for honesty-humility. Results also suggest that a combination of high levels of honesty-humility, extraversion, and conscientiousness may represent an engaged personality.
Assessing the Impact of Career Experience on Leadership Effectiveness in a Large Equipment Rental Company
(2019-10-01T00:00:00-07:00) Cedillos, Cesar Jr.; Dr. Rosemary Maellaro; Dr. Scott Wysong
Many organizations face the challenge of selecting competent individuals to fill leadership positions. The consequences of placing individuals who are not appropriately qualified into leadership positions can negatively impact organizational and employee outcomes, yielding lower sales, decreased quality of customer service, higher employee turnover, diminished performance levels, or low employee engagement. Thus, it is imperative that organizations carefully consider the selection criteria used to make leader hiring and promotion decisions. The target of this study was a large equipment-rental company that strongly prefers to fill branch-leader positions with individuals who possess prior sales experience. The study examined the impact of leadersâ prior career experience, specifically, sales experience, on employeesâ perceptions of leader effectiveness, sustainable engagement, and, ultimately, the overall effectiveness of location leaders based on financial performance. Results showed that marginally better employee outcomes emerged in locations led by individuals with prior sales experience, and slightly better financial performance emerged in locations led by individuals without prior sales experience. However, an analysis of variance revealed these differences were not statistically significant. Hence, these mixed results suggest that prior sales experience is not the singular determinant of branch-leader success in this organization.
Chasing Realism: Consumption Science & Platform Performance Convergence in the Video Game Industry
(2023-08) Tedder, Robbie Jr
For decades, the video gaming community has passionately debated whether the best gaming experience can be found using a personal computer (PC) or a gaming console (Xbox, PlayStation, etc.) platform. While PCs have had superior performance (e.g., speed, graphics, etc.) for many years, some experts now believe that the gaming hardware industry is becoming isomorphic. That is, with advances in technology, “the playing field has been levelled,” and gamers should get the same experience whether they are using a PC or a console. If this truly is the case, have gamers noticed, and has it affected their perceptions of the different platforms? Using a cross-sectional survey of gamers, we examined if a gamer’s platform (i.e., hardware) expectations directly influenced their engagement, and if this relationship is mediated by perceived isomorphism by the gamer. Moreover, we posited that the relationship between gamer platform performance utility and perceived isomorphism will be moderated by how much importance a gamer places on hardware price. A survey measuring these constructs was sent to gamers resulting in a final sample of 512 respondents. Using PROCESS model 7 for moderated mediation, a direct relationship between performance utility and engagement was significant. In addition, we found that perceived isomorphism also directly influenced engagement. Yet, support for our moderated mediation model put forth was not found. Altogether, we believe that this research will enable gaming platform manufacturers to better position their products, and that our findings will extend the very limited consumer behavior gaming research in academia.
Connecting with Multi-Campus Systems in Higher Education: The Moderating Role of Proximity Between Perceived Organizational Support and Employee Commitment
(2023-08) Nabors, Ernie R.
This study examines how proximity influences the relationship between perceived organizational support and employee commitment in multi-campus organizational structures. Authors have underlined how geographical proximity is not the only measure of the closeness of an organization. Proximity can be further examined through cognitive, institutional, social, and organizational proximities. We hypothesized that not only does the closeness of an organization influence employee commitment, but it also influences the relational dynamics of an employee's perceived organizational support. The purpose of this paper is twofold: to provide a conceptual framework to measure an organization's closeness and assess how proximity influences the relationship between organizational support and employee commitment. A survey was sent to the faculty and staff at a regional community college (n=92). The regression results aligned with the direct effects of perceived organizational support and employee commitment; however, the hypothesized moderating effects of proximity were insignificant. This research has implications for higher-education institutions with multiple campuses and contributes to organization proximity and employee commitment literature.
CSR and Employee Outcomes: The Role of Organizational Identification
(2022-09) Barland, Jeff
The Dirty Workers Among Us: The Intervening Role of Job Crafting and the Moderating Role of Leader Member Exchange in The Evaluation of Self Determination & Work Engagement
(2022-09-13) Davis, DeAndrea Y.
This study evaluates job crafting as a strategy the hospital may utilize with guest services personnel to reduce turnover, increase work engagement, and improve the quality of patient care. Employee turnover is costly for organizations, as measured in dollars; however, turnover costs associated with guest services in a healthcare setting are problematic as they could go beyond financial implications. Since these workers ensure cleanliness standards are met and take care of dietary needs, patient care could be negatively impacted, leading to significant life and monetary cost. This study hypothesizes that individuals who job craft do so proactively, which leads to work engagement. Though job crafting is a self-initiated action taken by employees, this study postulates that leader involvement impacts employee self-determination, job crafting activity, and work engagement. The study is a non-experimental, quantitative, correlational field study, and the conceptual framework is grounded in Job Demand Resources Theory. The sample consists of hospital cleaners and food and nutrition specialists in a North Texas regional hospital. Participants were surveyed using a 40-item questionnaire comprised of the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES), the Work Extrinsic and Intrinsic Motivation Scale (WEIMS), the Job Crafting Questionnaire Scale (JCQ), and the Leader-Member Exchange Multi Dimensional Measurement Scale. Moderating and mediating effects were assessed using the statistical software package PROCESS macro for SPSS®. Each job crafting factor was assessed individually to understand the uniqueness and interactions of each with self-determination, work engagement, and LMX. The results suggest a significant positive relationship between self-determination, relational and cognitive job crafting, and work engagement for dirty workers. Subsequently, only cognitive job crafting was found to be a full mediator of self-determination and work engagement, while relational job crafting was not. No support was found for LMX as a moderator; however, its inclusion covers a gap in the literature. In conclusion, the results of this study reflect that an individual's ability to reframe their work environment is paramount to achieving work engagement.
Does Transparency in Communication Matter? The Impact of Transparent Communication by Immediate Supervisors on Trust in Supervisors and Readiness to Change
(2022-11) Becker, Chris
Change is constant within organizations today, and transparency in communication is essential to ensure employees are ready to change. The aim of this research was to assess the impact of transparent communication by an immediate supervisor during strategic change on the perceived trust in the immediate supervisor and employees’ readiness to change. Transparent communication by immediate supervisors was hypothesized to positively impact trust in supervisors and employee readiness to change, and trust in supervisors was hypothesized to positively impact employee readiness to change, and partially mediate the relationship between transparent communication by immediate supervisors and employee readiness to change. Data was collected through a Qualtrics® panel using an online cross-sectional survey of respondents who worked full time in the U.S., were experiencing change at work, and reported to a supervisor in an organization. The hypothesized relationships between transparency,readiness to change, and trust were supported. This study was the first to assess the impact of transparency by immediate supervisors on the readiness to change of employees, and the hope is that this finding will spur additional research and practical conversations around the impact of transparent communication on employee outcomes.
EMPIRICAL STUDY OF THE ANTECEDENTS OF POLICY NON-COMPLIANCE, THE ROLE OF LEADERSHIP, AND THE MEDIATING ROLE OF NORM LEGITIMACY
(2021-05-01T00:00:00-07:00) Akatsa-Hinga, Pauline; Dr. Greg Bell, PhD; Dr. Brian Murray, PhD
Corporate policy non-compliance continues to be a major concern for many organizations. Non-compliance to policy can lead to loss in revenue. Many organizations have measures in place to address non-compliance such as monitoring and enforcing policy. However, these measures do not always work. What leads to the non-compliance of policy? And what can organizations do to address the non-compliance? By integrating neutralizations, this study investigated the mechanisms that employees use to mitigate anticipated guilt from unethical behavior intention. The study also incorporated ethical leadership (EL) to investigate how direct managersâ ethical behaviors influence employee behavioral intentions. A field study research design was employed to test the conceptual model of intention to comply. Self -report data were collected from a sample in the United States (N = 334) and analyzed. The results show that neutralization mediates the relationship between ethical leadership and norm legitimacy. These findings suggest that when employees use neutralizations, they negate the influence of ethical leadership on policy legitimacy, and they are then more likely to be non-compliant with policy. The most important implications of these findings are that neutralizations influence employee intentions through the medium of norm legitimacy, and that influence makes non-compliance to policy the â normâ . This finding indicates that creating an awareness of how managers can mitigate the use of neutralizations can help address policy non-compliance. Theoretical and practical implications for ethical leadership and neutralization research are discussed, and future research recommendations are included.
Enhancing the Learning Experience in Higher Education by Stimulating Student Engagement with Simulations
(2022-04) Randall, Gayle L.
Administrators and educators have been debating how to improve the student learning experience for decades. More recently, there has been widespread discussion on the effect of experiential learning in the classroom to help develop student comprehension. Current research emphasizes the link between the experiential learning process and student learning outcomes, with the premise that experiential learning is a holistic method that focuses on student engagement with respect to the student’s learning style. This study contributes to the community of experiential learning theory by examining its effect on multiple dimensions of engagement through business simulations in higher education, and the impact of each dimension on student performance and satisfaction. Results revealed a positive relationship between experiential learning and student satisfaction through the mediating influence of participation engagement, but were unable to confirm its relationship with all four dimensions of engagement. Further, analysis of the effect of experiential learning through simulation games in entry-level business courses suggested an improved learning experience through heightened performance. These findings are worthy as they could assist instructors in teaching methods that produce an enhanced educational experience resulting in more student engagement and satisfaction, as well as higher student performance.
ENTREPRENEURIAL SELF-EFFICACY AND PERSISTENCE: THE ROLE OF SOCIAL SUPPORT AND GENDER
(2023-12) Fuller, Lauran
The topic of social support has held a steady place in entrepreneurship over the years. While the literature addresses social support in various facets, peer-to -peer social support has yet to garner significant attention. This study evaluates the role of entrepreneurial peer support, paying close attention to gender differences. Specifically, both emotional and instrumental social support are examined to determine their influence on entrepreneurial self-efficacy and persistence. Small business owners are surveyed to evaluate the role of peer to entrepreneurial persistence. In addition, this study investigates the role of gender in how support is realized. The results could revitalize a stream of entrepreneurial research that draws back to the value of personal connections , and point to new opportunities for research in self self-efficacy and persistence.
Human Capital and Connectedness in a Municipal Innovation Ecosystem
(2021-01-01T00:00:00-08:00) Sabol, Misty; Dr. Dale Fodness; Dr. Sue Conger
Open innovation ecosystems have been found to contribute to the success of economic development at the municipal level, yet there is little research on the factors driving innovative behavior within a municipal innovation ecosystem (MIE). Drawing upon the diverse literature of endogenous growth theory, complexity, and innovation, this study explores how the interpersonal and intrapersonal resources of the individuals involved contribute to innovative behavior within a cityâ s economy. This mixed-methods case study collects a mix of interview, observational, and survey data. After qualitative insights from MIE participants were gathered, the resulting data was used to develop and test hypotheses about the relationships between the constructs of social capital, human capital, well-being, institution engagement, and innovative behavior. This study focused on building a novel framework that examined innovative behavior in a city-region. The moderated mediation model was tested using PLS-SEM. The results of this study highlight the importance of individual well-being in an MIE and raises awareness that idea sharing via social capital and institution engagement leads to innovative behavior in a city region. This study contributes to innovation research by suggesting that innovative behavior is impacted by more than the typical factors of affect, trait, personality, and environment, which have been the focus of research on individual level innovation.
"I Craft So That I Can Flow": A Comparative Study of Neuro Type to Explore the Relationship Between Job Crafting and Flow and the Mediating Role of Meaningful Work
(2022-05-19) Bharwani, Shamsuddin S.
Individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) face significant challenges entering and remaining in the workforce. Those with ASD possess unique attributes such as attention to detail, willingness for repetitive tasks, reliability, and intense focus. To fully engage and include individuals with ASD, a deeper understanding of the cognitive style and talents of individuals with ASD is needed. This comparative study aimed to examine the mediating role of meaningful work in the relationship between job crafting dimensions and flow and whether there are differences in the assessed mediated model by Neuro Type (autistic and non-autistic employees). Mediation analyses revealed that meaningful work mediated the relationship between cognitive crafting and flow. However, meaningful work did not mediate this relationship for task crafting or relational crafting. In addition, the results indicated that there are no differences in the assessed model by Neuro Type. These findings are worthy as they could encourage employers to hire and develop individuals with ASD as there are no significant differences between Neuro Type in how motivated and concentrated they are when performing their work. Theoretical and practical implications for these findings are discussed, and recommendations for future research are included.
Identifying the Propensity for Burnout in a Professional Setting: A Field Study of Accountants
(2024-04) Trotter, Rebecca Lea
The issue of burnout among accountants has been a significant concern in recent years, with both micro and macro-level implications. Accounting roles are characterized by demanding schedules, complex tasks, stringent time constraints, and a fundamental requirement for precision and detail-oriented work. These inherent characteristics increase the likelihood of feelings of burnout and turnover intentions. The situation has been even more pronounced after COVID-19. Yet, discussions on the subject matter are largely missing in accounting literature. This study is significant because it is one of the few studies in accounting literature to address this literature gap by seeking to empirically test how proactive coping strategies and personality traits can effectively mitigate burnout in accountants. Accountants who proactively utilize coping strategies are expected to be better equipped to navigate job demands and reduce burnout. This research discusses strategies for improving employee well-being and retention within the accounting field. The Job Demands-Resource (JDR) model, transactional stress model, and proactive coping strategy are the theoretical foundations of the study. Based on its findings, the study also recommends coping strategies to address the issue of turnover intentions in the accounting industry.
Increasing the success rate of capital projects: Servant leadership to the Rescue?
(University of Dallas Satish & Yasmin College of Business Administration, 2022-05-10) Carson, Joseph
Given the demand for capital projects, such as the need to replace the aging infrastructure in the US, there will be an increase in the number of capital projects in the near future. The purpose of this study was to quantitatively evaluate the project manager's use of servant leadership principles in the capital project setting.
THE INFLUENCE OF COGNITIVE ABILITY AND EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE ON ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE
(2022-08) Sargent, Matthew J.
A primary objective of higher education is to assist students in the area of cognitive development. When cognitive ability is developed and maintained at an optimal level, students can effectively manage and use pieces of information to solve complex problems. Research provides evidence that cognitive ability plays a critical role in predicting academic achievement. Research also notes that emotions play an essential role in cognitive ability, and cognitive ability may be easier or more difficult because of the emotional state. This study, one of the few to investigate the relationship between cognitive ability and academic performance within various outputs of upper-level accounting courses at a major US university, finds that students in accounting courses can leverage their cognitive ability to achieve higher performance in the classroom. This study found that cognitive ability is positively related to data analytics assignment grades and shows the importance of cognitive ability in helping to elevate one’s ability to use data analytics effectively. However, emotional intelligence (EI) was not found to moderate the relationship between a student’s cognitive ability and academic performance. This study is significant because it is one of the few studies on cognitive ability using a measurement that can separate the structure of a performance (indicative of a cognitive-developmental level) from the base content of a performance.
Listen With Your Heart: Building Job Satisfaction Through Emotional Intelligence
(2020-07-01T00:00:00-07:00) Winton, Bradley; Dr. Scott Wysong; Dr. Benjamin Dilla
The changing environment of todayâ s organizations creates an atmosphere ripe for emotions. This ebb and flow of emotions need to be managed in order to facilitate positive outcomes such as job satisfaction. The literature provides evidence that emotional intelligence directly impacts oneâ s satisfaction at work. This research attempts to go beyond these higher-order findings to examine the dimensional aspects of emotional intelligence and the impact each one has on job satisfaction in U.S.-based workers. Further, the research adds to the conversation about emotions and job satisfaction by examining the leader-follower relationship and its enhancement of follower job satisfaction. The results confirmed previous findings of higher levels of emotional intelligence increasing levels of job satisfaction, whether that emotional intelligence is found in the leader or the follower. However, results could not confirm that all four emotional intelligence dimensions significantly and positively related to job satisfaction. Analysis of the leader-follower dyad indicated that the congruence between the leadersâ and followersâ emotional intelligence led to an enhancement of job satisfaction in followers, enhancing the effect both leader and follower emotional intelligence had on job satisfaction. These findings are significant in that they are among the first to elaborate on the dimensions of emotional intelligence and appear to be the first to indicate the importance of leader and follower emotional intelligence similarity in the improvement of oneâ s satisfaction at work.
The Mediating Role of Employee Prevention Focus in the Relationship Between Work Group Structure and Employee Adaptive Behaviors
(2022-07) Rowsey, April L.
This research explores how work group initiating structure, which includes group behaviors and activities pertaining to completing tasks, adhering to policies and laws, or fulfilling work-role obligations, functions as a primer of employee prevention focus. In addition, the effects of prevention focus are explored for their subsequent influence on the focal work outcomes of functional presenteeism and prohibitive voice. A survey-supported research design was used to test a model based on regulatory focus theory (RFT) by exploring how employees' prevention focus at work mediates the influence of work group initiating structure on the focal outcomes of functional presenteeism and prohibitive voice. The results show that regulatory focus fully mediates the relationship between initiating structure and presenteeism at moderate to high levels of work locus of control, while initiating structure directly impacts prohibitive voice behavior. Theoretical and practical implications for these findings are discussed, and recommendations for future research are included.
Mothers' Awareness of Their Breastfeeding Rights: A Factor Influencing Breastfeeding Rates
(2020-04-01T00:00:00-07:00) Smith, Russell; Dr. Scott Wysong; Dr. Sri Beldona; Dr. Blake Frank
Breast milk has been well established as superior to formula for infants. However, while exclusive breastfeeding initiation rates of 83.2% are relatively high in the U.S. (CDC, 2018), breastfeeding rates drop off considerably after three months, with an average rate of 46.9%, and only 24.9% at six months (CDC, 2018). To improve these rates, federal and state governments have passed laws to promote breastfeeding, educate parents, and protect mothersâ rights while breastfeeding. However, new mothers do not appear be aware of the rights that have been granted by these new laws. This study was designed as a field study to examine whether mothersâ level of awareness of the breastfeeding centric laws and of their rights thereunder are an additional factor in breastfeeding rates. The study used a cross-sectional descriptive survey, collecting data from 118 mothers from six states with high, median, and low breastfeeding duration rates as reported by the CDC. The results indicate that age, household income, education, and employment status do influence breastfeeding duration. There is no statistically significant indication that race, age, household income, education, state of residence, fathersâ feeding preferences, number of children, or employment status influence mothersâ awareness of breastfeeding laws. There is also no statistically significant evidence that mothersâ awareness of breastfeeding legislation influences breastfeeding duration rates.

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