Assessing and mitigating the impact of organisational change on counterproductive work behaviour: An operational (dis)trust based framework.:Full Report

This report comprises the findings of CREST funded research into organisational change and insider threat. It outlines the individual, social and organisational factors that over time, can contribute to negative employee perceptions and experiences.These factors can produce a reduction in an employee’s psychological attachment to, and trust in, their employing organisation which then allows them to undertake Counterproductive Work Behaviour (CWB). CWB concerns action which threatens the effectiveness, or harms the safety of, an employer and its stakeholders.It can develop from small scale discretions (e.g., time wasting, or knowledge hiding) into serious insider threat activities (e.g., destroying systems or exchanging confidential information with malicious others). Following past research linking CWB to both organisational change and trust breach, the aim of the study was to produce a (dis)trust based framework for predicting, identifying and mitigating counterproductive work behaviour and insider threat within the context of organisational change.We posed the following research questions:1. What effect does organisational change have in relation to counterproductive work behaviour (CWB) and insider threat acts?2. What role does (dis)trust play in CWB during organisational change?3. What preventative measures can be taken by organisations to help mitigate CWB and insider threat in organisational change initiatives?To address these questions, we collected empirical data from a case study organisation undergoing change: two sets of interviews, i.) with selected managers and staff outlining the key changes in the organisation, ii.) with a range of stakeholders involved in/privy to one of three insider threat case studies in two different departments, iii.) a review of HR and security paperwork on the insider threat cases, and then, iv.) anonymous surveys of the workforce in the same two departments in which our case studies occurred. Using these methods, we explored individuals’ cognitions and emotions to understand why while some employees remain engaged, loyal and trusting during change, others become disengaged, distrusting and behave in deviant ways

Customer Envy at Service Encounters

Envy has been regarded as a complex emotion which can produce both positive and negative outcomes for consumers. This study explored the subjective experience of customer envy at service encounters in order to better understand how customers respond to unflattering comparisons with an envied customer. A questionnaire was designed to measure the cognitive appraisals, emotional responses, and consequences of customer envy. Study participants were also asked to share their envy incidents in the survey. A sample of 300 participants was collected and used for analysis. The findings illustrate that distinctively different patterns of cognitive appraisals such as preferential treatment, are associated with specific types of envy. Secondly, customer envy was shown to be a hybrid emotion, where other discrete emotions along with envy were experienced. In addition, service providers were found to be a major agency of customer envy. Finally, the results demonstrated that it is not envy, but other emotions experienced simultaneously that triggered interpersonal and organizational consequences. These findings offer insights into how the experience of customer envy is different at service encounters. They also forward implications for service managers as it was revealed that service employees have the ability to spark negative customer envy encounters

2005- 2008 UNLV McNair Journal

Journal articles based on research conducted by undergraduate students in the McNair Scholars Program Table of Contents Biography of Dr. Ronald E. McNair Statements: Dr. Neal J. Smatresk, UNLV President Dr. Juanita P. Fain, Vice President of Student Affairs Dr. William W. Sullivan, Associate Vice President for Retention and Outreach Mr. Keith Rogers, Deputy Executive Director of the Center for Academic Enrichment and Outreach McNair Scholars Institute Staf

Dancing on shaky ground: the power-laden interactions between exotic dancers and their customers

There are three major sociological approaches to studying exotic dancers: the traditional 1960s and 1970s deviance perspectives; newer and conflicting feminist views; and the most contemporary approach, that of examining dancers and others who work within the sex industry as workers. For this thesis, I interviewed twelve women who are exotic dancers, three male customers, two male bouncers, and a male police officer to tell yet another story about dancers. I follow the model of Robin Leidner in examining the interactions between dancers and customers as an integral element of service work. I detail the strategies that dancers utilize in order to control their interactions with customers. These interactional strategies include methods that dancers employ to generate tips and to manage customers who are non-compliant. I demonstrate that to fully understand exotic dancers, it is best not to construct them as social deviants, patriarchal pawns, or powerless service workers. Instead, I construct dancers as possessing a great deal of personal agency that is reflected in their interactions with their customers. I conclude with an examination of how the personal power that exotic dancers possess mirrors that of other service workers and conclude that the real power may lay within larger, capitalist patriarchal systems

Emotion in organisations: working in British pubs

Research into emotions in organisations has grown considerably in recent years, inspiring both academic and practitioner interest. This thesis reviews the growing literature on the subject, especially considering Hochschild's (1983) concept of emotional labour and the possible emotional demands and impacts of service work. Concepts such as emotional exhaustion, burnout and desensitisation are often referred to in the literature although relatively few researchers draw attention to any more positive effects. This project sought to widen the study of the emotional implications of service work to include the large, but under researched public house sector of Britain's hospitality industry. This thesis investigates the nature of emotion rules in public houses, how such rules are learnt and identifies a variety of both negative and positive emotional demands of pub work and how workers react to these. A single ethnographic study was undertaken within a large chain of public houses. A mixture of participant observation and in-depth interviews provided a rich variety of data resulting in a broad picture of the nature of the emotions within a number of individual public houses within the chain, with the fieldworker taking on the role of an employee in five such units. When discussing the emotional demands of their work, there was a common assertion among study participants that pubs were rather different to other types of hospitality outlet. This was seen as particularly relevant to the nature of emotion rules, which were influenced by a variety of stakeholders, including management, colleagues, customers and self. The idea that bar staff need to be and be seen to be genuine with customers was often stressed. Although all were able to recall some specific incidents when some surface and deep acting was called for, these were perceived to be exceptions rather than the norm. Some negative emotional aspects were raised by participants, especially relating to dealing with unpleasant customers or situations. More positive 'effects' of emotional labour were also alluded to, with bar staff claiming to enjoy much of their work dealing with customers They described pleasure from satisfying customers and even 'enjoying' dealing with less pleasant ones when they felt they could maintain an element of control over potentially damaging situations. The thesis takes a reflexive approach to the topic being investigated. This is felt to be particularly important given the participatory nature of ethnography and the generally tacit nature of emotions and the management of emotion. The researcher discusses influences, experiences, problems and successes from a personal perspective, helping readers to understand the personal research journey undertaken and come to their own conclusions regarding the value of this piece of work