Empowerment in the Public Sector: Testing the Influence of Goal Orientation

Empowerment has emerged as an important new issue in the public sector organization setting in the wake of mainstream new public management (NPM). Nevertheless, few studies in this frame have combined structural (managerial) and psychological (individual) approaches in an integrative study of empowerment. There is also a need to examine the moderating variables involved in this relationship, as well as to extend research on work motivation in public management. This study explores the effect of structural empowerment on psychological empowerment, and it also draws on goal orientation (GO) theory to examine the moderating role of employees’ GO in this link. The model is tested on a sample of 521 Spanish local authority employees. The results do not confirm the direct link between structural and psychological empowerment, but show that learning GO has considerable moderating power in this relationship, and its interaction with structural empowerment affects employees’ psychological empowerment levels

Examining nonlinear relationships between quality management and financial performance

Purpose A thorough analysis of nonlinear relationships between quality management (QM) and organizational outcomes has largely been ignored in the current empirical QM literature, which can have profound theoretical and managerial implications. The existence of nonlinear relationships implies taking a contingent view in that QM practices are more effective depending on their level of implementation in an organization. The purpose of this paper is to focus on this possibility and undertake an in-depth study of the sparse nonlinear relationship suggested by the literature. Design/methodology/approach The authors introduce an empirical study carried out on a sample of 168 service firms belonging to sectors experienced in QM and, through polynomial regression analysis, identify the nature of the relationship between QM and financial performance (return on assets). Findings The results, by showing an S-shaped curve, support a nonlinear association between these two variables. The presence of this functional form provides a satisfactory solution to the growing debate among researchers who, from a linear perspective, defend the positive effects of QM on organizational outcomes, those who find no significant effect, and still others who claim that QM has a negative effect. Originality/value The results show that in organizations with a low level of QM implementation, managers should increase investment in QM, even though this increase will not be correspondingly beneficial in the same proportion. In contrast, in organizations with a high level of QM implementation, managers are advised to reflect on undertaking projects that represent an additional investment in QM, with the aim of finding their optimal level

Understanding employees’ intrapreneurial behavior: a case study

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to provide a deeper insight into the organizational factors and personal motivations of intrapreneurs that may foster intrapreneurial behaviors of employees in a new technology-based firm (NTBF). Design/methodology/approach – The paper takes a qualitative approach to explore organizational and individual antecedents of employees’ intrapreneurial behavior. A single case study was conducted on the basis of semi-structured interviews with the founders and top managers of the firm and with intrapreneurial employees. Findings – Results show that intrapreneurial projects may arise in firms whose top managers support corporate entrepreneurship (CE) in a non-active manner. Intrapreneurial behaviors of employees can emerge despite the lack of time and limited resources available for undertaking projects. Moreover, work discretion and mutual confidence and the quality of the relationship between employees and top managers are the most valued factors for intrapreneurs. Practical implications – Based on the intrapreneurial projects studied, this paper helps to contextualize intrapreneurs’ perception of organizational support and the personal motivations for leading projects within an NTBF. Originality/value – Traditionally, the literature has mainly focused on the top-down implementation of entrepreneurial projects within large firms. This paper contributes to the understanding of the combination of firm- and individual-level factors that facilitate intrapreneurial behaviors of employees. It also illustrates the contextual conditions and the firms’ orientation on CE within an NTBF

The relationship between EFQM levels of excellence and CSR development

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to analyse the level of corporate social responsibility (CSR) development, in accordance with the dimensions of Maon et al.’s (2010) model, which could be achieved when organisations adopt the EFQM model, as well as how the EFQM model can foster this CSR development. Design/methodology/approach The research method chosen was a qualitative methodology involving multiple case studies. The empirical research relies on an in-depth study of four cases of organisations recognised by the EFQM model in Spain. Findings The findings show that, although a higher commitment to the EFQM model implies a greater level of CSR development, with the knowledge and attitudinal dimensions more developed than others, organisations still have to make CSR an internalised management ideology. Research limitations/implications The very nature of the process of EFQM assessment does not ensure uniformity in all aspects of management. Limitations that are inherent to case studies: factors that can be chosen by the researcher, such as geographical location, size, sector and ownership, can have an influence on the characteristics of the CSR practices that are found. Practical implications This study contributes to the literature on excellence by approaching the EFQM model as a tool to integrate CSR issues into management. Social implications A relationship between commitment to excellence and CSR development does exist. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, no previous analysis has been performed to address the potential relationship between CSR development in accordance with Maon et al.’s (2010) model and commitment to excellence

Employees' proactive behavior and innovation performance. Examining the moderating role of informal and formal controls

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to analyze the degree to which employees’ proactive behavior contributes to innovation performance in firms operating in high-technology sectors. Despite the benefits of these behaviors for individuals and organizations, few studies have analyzed the contextual conditions that enable firms to capture their value in order to improve innovation performance. Drawing on the interactionist perspective, the authors also examine the extent to which informal and formal controls, such as perceived support for innovation and innovation process formalization, can facilitate the contribution of proactive behaviors to improve innovation performance (product and process innovation). Design/methodology/approach – Based on an empirical study with a sample of 173 firms operating in chemical and information technology service sectors, hierarchical regression analysis was used to test the relationship between employees’ proactive behavior and innovation performance, and the moderating effects of informal and formal controls. Findings – The results reveal a positive and significant association between proactive behaviors and product and process innovation performance. Both control mechanisms positively moderate the association between proactive behavior and product innovation, but no moderating role was found for process innovation. Moreover, rather than inhibiting innovation performance, innovation process formalization is positively associated with innovation. More specifically, a curvilinear relationship was found, which implies that when the level of formalization is high, it is able to improve product and process innovation. Practical implications – The findings suggest that managers should consider proactive behavior in selection processes and performance management, and should cultivate a climate to support innovation and establish formal controls for innovation as a way to channel employees’ initiatives into product innovation. Originality/value – This study contributes to the theoretical and managerial understanding of the extent to which proactive employees and organizational controls are able to enhance innovation in a technologically dynamic context

Drivers and internalisation of the EFQM excellence model

Purpose Although the European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM) Excellence Model has been widely adopted throughout Europe, a thorough examination of the factors that contribute to the internalisation of the model (i.e. a substantive adoption) has been neglected in the literature. The purpose of this paper is to present a model that analyses the drivers of the real internalisation of the EFQM excellence model, with a focus on the role of motives for adoption, and appraisal and compensation systems. Design/methodology/approach An empirical study was carried out based on a sample of Spanish organisations that had been awarded EFQM recognition. Structural equation models, cluster analysis and ANOVA were used to examine the research questions. Findings Internal motives concerning the creation of a participative style are the main driver of internalisation. Moreover, having an appraisal system-oriented towards the development of employees helps the substantive adoption of the EFQM model. These findings reinforce the importance of the soft elements of the EFQM model. Originality/value This study enhances evidence about the motives for adoption and their influence on the internalisation of the EFQM model. It analyses internalisation in a novel context, EFQM recognised organisations, and contributes to the debate about the efficacy of the EFQM model to performance improvement, by unveiling the factors that could foster the internalisation of the model within the organisational routines

Structural empowerment and organisational performance: the mediating role of employees’ well-being in Spanish local governments

We extend the ‘black box’ picture of public management and the ‘balanced view’ of HRM literature to explore, in the public context, the impact of structural empowerment on organisational performance and the mediating role of three employee outcomes: job satisfaction and affective commitment as attitudinal variables related to eudaimonic well-being, and job anxiety as an employee health variable related to hedonic well-being. Using multilevel methodology on a sample of 103 local authorities, results show that structural empowerment is positively associated with organisational performance, both directly and indirectly, via employee health. This evidence supports the mutual gains perspective, but not as intensely as expected (empowerment does not affect attitudinal variables) and differently to the traditional perspective, since empowerment contributes to reduce job anxiety in Spanish local governments

The link between Quality Management and Innovation Performance: A content analysis of survey-based research

Previous contributions have reported contradictory findings about the effects of Quality Management (QM) on innovation performance. The purpose of this paper is to critically appraise methodological issues in the literature concerning the link between QM and innovation performance, in order to reveal possible differences in the research design which may explain the heterogeneity of the findings. Through a content analysis of peer-reviewed journal articles on this topic from 1994 to 2016, the authors compare the research designs used, and identify the most prevalent practices in conducting survey-based research. In addition, cross-tabulations are used to analyze the relationships between methodological issues and type of findings. The main findings can be summarized as follows: some papers report incomplete information about methodological issues; they focus on the organizational level of analysis and see higher managers as common informants; there is a lack of research which combines surveys with other methods, as well as of longitudinal designs; and the way QM and innovation performance are measured conditions the findings obtained in the articles reviewed. The characteristics revealed in this analysis provide a platform to assist scholars in developing future stances in this and similar fields of research

Performance appraisal and compensation in EFQM recognised organisations: Rhetoric and reality

What type of performance appraisal and compensation systems do quality-driven organisations use? Is there a dominant pattern among these companies? This paper presents the findings of an empirical study conducted on a sample of 180 Spanish organisations that have obtained EFQM recognition. The results, based on cluster analysis and ANOVA, indicate that only one group of organisations use development-oriented systems, and are therefore aligned with approaches recommended in the Quality Management literature. In addition, two other systems are identified, one that evidences inconsistency between performance appraisal and compensation, and another focusing on target achievement.¿Qué sistemas de evaluación del desempeño y remuneración de sus empleados utilizan las organizaciones que trabajan en un contexto organizativo orientado a la Gestión de la Calidad y la excelencia? ¿Existe un patrón dominante entre estas organizaciones? En este artículo se presentan los resultados de un trabajo empírico realizado sobre una muestra de 180 organizaciones españolas que cuentan con un Reconocimiento a la Excelencia según el esquema de la EFQM. Los resultados, basados en análisis clúster y ANOVA, indican que sólo un grupo de organizaciones utiliza sistemas de evaluación del desempeño y remuneración orientados al desarrollo y, por tanto, alineados con lo que desde la literatura sobre Gestión de la Calidad se propone como un enfoque adecuado. Asimismo, se observan otros tipos de sistemas que presentan una falta de coherencia entre la evaluación del desempeño y la remuneración, o que están centrados en la consecución de objetivos.Los autores agradecen la financiación recibida desde la Universitat Jaume I (Ref. P1.1B2013-26), la Generalitat Valenciana (Ref. AICO/2015/029) y el Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (Ref. ECO2015-66671-P). También agradecemos al CEG su apoyo al proporcionarnos el contacto con las empresas de la muestra