The double-edge sword effect of interorganizational trust on involvement in interorganizational networks: The mediator role of affective commitment

open3siSome organizations collaborate with other partner organizations to reach common goals and establish interorganizational networks. The governance of the network is often enacted by an interorganizational governing team composed of the directors or top managers of the partner firms. This team plans, manages, and supervises the advancement of the network’s common goals. The success of the network depends, to a large extent, on the involvement of the members of the governing team. In this study, we tested a multilevel model of the antecedents of the involvement of governing team members in the management activities of interorganizational networks. We examined whether the relationship between team interorganizational trust, as a team level construct, and individual involvement in management activities is partially mediated by individual affective commitment. Using a sample of 101 respondents belonging to 28 interorganizational governing teams, we tested a multilevel mediation model. Results showed, as expected, a positive indirect effect of team interorganizational trust on individual involvement through individual affective commitment. However, unexpectedly, team interorganizational trust also showed a negative direct relationship with individual involvement. Based on our findings, we highlight the need to also consider the “dark side” of interorganizational trust, and we propose potential mediators to explain the unexpected negative relationship.embargoed_20211223Donati, Simone; Zappalà, Salvatore; González-Romá, VicenteDonati, Simone; Zappalà, Salvatore; González-Romá, Vicent

Leadership conversations: the impact on patient environments

Purpose – The aim of this study is to examine 15 NHS acute trusts in England that achieved high scores at all their hospitals in the first four national Patient Environment audits. No common external explanations were discernible. This paper seeks to examine whether the facilities managers responsible for the Patient Environment displayed a consistent leadership style. Design/methodology/approach – Overall, six of the 15 trusts gave permission for the research to take place and a series of unstructured interviews and observations were arranged with 22 facilities managers in these trusts. Responses were transcribed and categorised through multiple iteration. Findings – The research found common leadership and managerial behaviours, many of which could be identified from other literature. The research also identified managers deliberately devoting energy and time to creating networks of conversations. This creation of networks through managing conversation is behaviour less evident in mainstream leadership literature or in the current Department of Health and NHS leadership models. Practical implications – The findings of this study offer managers (particularly those in FM and managers across NHS) a unique insight into the potential impact of leaders giving an opportunity to re-model thinking on management and leadership and the related managerial development opportunities. It provides the leverage to move facilities management from the role of a commodity or support service, to a position as a true enabler of business. Originality/value – Original research is presented in a previously under-examined area. The paper illuminates how facilities management within trusts achieving high Patient Environment Action Team (PEAT) scores is led.</p

The Nature of the Relationships between Social Networks, Interpersonal Trust, Management Support, and Knowledge Sharing

Purpose – Past research has shown that, by implementing knowledge sharing, an organisation can maintain its long-term competitive advantage. Hence, this research will explore the nature of the relationships between social networks, interpersonal trust, management support, and knowledge sharing. Methodology/approach – In order to achieve the above purpose, semi-structured interviews were used to gather qualitative data. Interviewee participants included top and middle managers and frontline employees. The total number of participants included in the research was 25, equally representing five companies. The core business of all the companies was large-scale manufacturing. A grounded theory approach was used to analyse the data, augmented by the computer-assisted qualitative data analysis software, Nvivo. Findings – The results reveal that social networks facilitate knowledge sharing in diverse ways. These ways are: the use of multiple communication styles, brainstorming and problem solving, learning and teaching, training, employee rotation, and consultation. In addition, the data from the interviews suggests that, through various factors, the level of interpersonal trust, influences the extent to which employees are willing to share knowledge. These factors are organisational, relational, and individual factors. Furthermore, this study shows that both middle and top managers can play significant roles in facilitating knowledge sharing between employees. These roles are: encouragement of participation in decision-making, provision of recognition, breaking down of barriers, building up of teams, providing training or assigning others to do training, encouragement of training, communication, learning, putting knowledge into practice in the form of processes, and movement of employees. Research contributions – Six models were developed from the qualitative analysis of the field data. The brainstorming and problem solving model identifies various steps for brainstorming and problem solving which influence social networks and knowledge sharing. The model of learning and teaching explains how social networks can be built based on the receivers’ levels of knowledge, namely, the novice, competent, expert, and proficient levels. The model of factors influencing social networks and knowledge sharing illustrates various factors. These are: using multiple communication strategies, brainstorming and problem solving, learning and teaching, training, employee rotation, and consultation. The model of factors influencing interpersonal trust describes three factors for achieving such trust: organisational, relational, and individual factors. This model also elaborates on three factors that negatively influence interpersonal trust. These are division between departments, team conflict, and a sense of vulnerability. The model of the role of management teams in encouraging participation in decision-making elaborates on levels of decision-making among employees and the way in which knowledge flows between top and middle management and frontline employees. The integrative model deciphers the relationships between social networks, interpersonal trust, management support, openness, and knowledge sharing. In addition, the relationships between each area of emphasis and knowledge sharing are included in the model. Based on this model, a survey questionnaire was developed. These models provide new insights into the relationships between social networks, interpersonal trust, management support, and knowledge sharing. By applying these models to appropriate field situations, both practitioners and academics may be able to improve current practices relating to how knowledge is shared and evolves within organisations

Corporate responsibility champions network: A 'how to' guide

This guide aims to show the what, why, and how of a CR champion and related networks. CR champions are emerging as a powerful tool available for embedding CR philosophy into an organisation, proving critical in the process of embedding CR.They play a strategic role, committed to causing change and to continuing the work in the long-term.A CR champion network takes time and effort to build but the use of champions, as one within a number of tactics to embed CR, has several clear advantages: by working directly with staff on initiatives champions can engage staff and become themselves more committed; champions connect divisions and regions, thus finding and propagating best CR practices and ideas; and they allow for a credible two-way interface between global and local in international companies

ICT–supported reforms of service delivery in Flemish cities: testing the concept of 'information ecology'

This paper explores organizational reforms in Flemish cities related to making the cities’ individual service delivery more efficient, customer orientated, customer friendly and integrated. The paper is the first one of a recently started research project and PhD research about the complexity of managing ICT-supported change of ‘individual’ service delivery. The overall objective of this paper is to set the stage for the research project’s research design in terms of its theoretical framework. Therefore, we report about our first explorative, inductive and descriptive findings related to this type of change within one city. We firstly inductively report about the objectives and the objects of change. Secondly, we develop a provisional theoretical framework. We therefore take the notion of an information ecology as a conceptual starting point and use a combination of elements of neo-institutional theory, system theory and a political perspective on organizational development. In order to explore the potentialities of this approach, we test the framework’s value for understanding the changes within the city. The framework enabled us to describe and analyze this type of reforms without neglecting the complexity of these changes. It tries to link some important public administration theories to the study of the e-government phenomenon that is still an important challenge. The most important lesson is that further refinement of the conceptual framework is needed. Although the analysis shows that the framework offers a conceptual basis to analyze front and back office reforms within public organizations, it still lacks a full and straightforward operationalization of its components, constructs, relations, etc

Strengthening America's Best Idea: An Independent Review of the National Park Service's Natural Resource Stewardship and Science Directorate

NRSS requested that an independent panel of the National Academy conduct a review of its effectiveness in five core functions, its relationships with key internal stakeholders, and its performance measurement system. Among other things, the National Park Service's Natural Resource Stewardship and Science Directorate (NRSS) is responsible for providing usable natural and social science information throughout the National Park Service (NPS). NRSS leadership requested this review of the directorate's performance on five core functions, its relationships with key internal NPS stakeholders, and its performance measurement system.Main FindingsThe panel determined that NRSS is a highly regarded organization that provides independent, credible scientific expertise and technical information. The panel also found that NRSS and NPS have additional opportunities to advance natural resource stewardship throughout the Service. If implemented, the panel's eight major recommendations will: (1) help the Service respond to the parks' environmental challenges while raising public awareness about the condition of these special places; (2) strengthen NRSS as an organization; (3) promote scientifically based decision-making at the national, regional, and park levels; and (4) improve the existing performance measurement system