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Organizational Behavior (organizational + behavior)
Kinds of Organizational Behavior Selected AbstractsThe emerging positive agenda in organizations: greater than a trickle, but not yet a delugeJOURNAL OF ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR, Issue 2 2009Thomas A. Wright The evidence is clear regarding applied science's longstanding fascination with the negative aspects of organizational life. The purpose of this special issue of the Journal of Organizational Behavior is to tangibly demonstrate that the concept of a "positive psychology" is gaining importance in both psychology and organizational behavior. To that end, our lead article focuses on five topic areas. First, we provide a limited historical backdrop of positive organizational research. Second, we suggest the theoretical basis for why the current overwhelming emphasis on the negative. Next, we introduce the seven peer refereed articles contained in this special issue which, when considered together, highlight the varied application and potentially widespread benefits of studying the positive in organizational research. Fourth, incorporating the "point/counterpoint" JOB framework, we offer two varying, but insightful, perspectives on positive organizational research by Luthans and Avolio and Hackman. Finally, the article concludes with a discussion of how emerging research on the positive can be used to help build a stronger science of organizational behavior. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] A framework for testing meso-mediational relationships in Organizational BehaviorJOURNAL OF ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR, Issue 2 2007John E. Mathieu We advance a framework for testing mediational relationships that traverse levels of analysis. We differentiate mediation that functions within levels, as well as different forms of meso-mediation that operate downward across levels of analysis. We discuss the preconditions and evidential basis for these meso-mediational type relationships. We then provide an empirical example that illustrates the different types of mediation and conclude with recommendations and extensions for studying more complex meso-mediational organizational phenomena. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Darwinism,a new paradigm for organizational behavior?JOURNAL OF ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR, Issue 2 2006Nigel Nicholson The Special Issue reflects a growing interest in Darwinian ideas and their increasing application to work and organizational issues, analyzes factors that have impeded its adoption as a paradigm and considers the prospects for future growth. After a brief introduction to key concepts in the new Darwinism, some histories, and controversies are traced. Causes for the particularly slow uptake of the paradigm in Organizational Behavior (OB) are discussed, as well as some of the common misconceptions and incorrect attributions that have been leveled at evolutionary theory. The paper then overviews the scope and contents of the Special Issue (SI) papers, and concludes by considering future prospects for the field. The authors argue that the paradigm has compelling significance and wide applicability to the full range of OB topics and interests. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Why should I be generous when I have valued and accessible alternatives?JOURNAL OF ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR, Issue 5 2004Alternative exchange partners An Erratum has been published for this article in Journal of Organizational Behavior 26(7) 2005, 873. Previous research on the relationship between alternative employment opportunities and cooperation has neglected the distinction between evaluations and restrictions. Thus, one cannot analyze the relationship between attractiveness of alternative employment opportunities and organizational citizenship behaviors (OCB) under different levels of perceived ease of finding alternative employment. In a pilot study with N,=,149 German employees, we confirm the proposed distinction with confirmatory factor analyses. Based on power-dependence theory and rational choice models, we predict that under high ease the relationship between attractiveness and OCB should be more strongly negative than under conditions of low ease. In addition, we hypothesize that the interaction between attractiveness and ease should be greater for OCB than for task performance because task performance is exchanged in a relationship with an enforceable, binding contract, while OCB is voluntarily. Results from moderated multiple regression analysis on N,=,86 German professional,supervisor dyads support our prediction for a negative relationship between attractiveness and OCB under high ease. Under low ease, we find a positive relationship between attractiveness and OCB. Moreover, there was no relationship with the interaction and task performance. Implications of the findings both for extra-role and job mobility theory formation and research are discussed. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Organizational Behavior 1: Essential Theories of Motivation and LeadershipPERSONNEL PSYCHOLOGY, Issue 3 2006Article first published online: 17 AUG 200 No abstract is available for this article. [source] Organizational behavior in healthcare,the challenges are organizational, not just clinicalJOURNAL OF ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR, Issue 7 2006Ranga Ramanujam Co-Editor No abstract is available for this article. [source] Psychological capital: A positive resource for combating employee stress and turnoverHUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT, Issue 5 2009James B. Avey Abstract Workplace stress is a growing concern for human resource managers. Although considerable scholarly and practical attention has been devoted to stress management over the years, the time has come for new perspectives and research. Drawing from the emerging field of positive organizational behavior, this study offers research findings with implications for combating occupational stress. Specifically, data from a large sample of working adults across a variety of industries suggest that psychological capital (the positive resources of efficacy, hope, optimism, and resilience) may be key to better understanding the variation in perceived symptoms of stress, as well as intentions to quit and job search behaviors. The article concludes with practical strategies aimed at leveraging and developing employees' psychological capital to help them better cope with workplace stress. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [source] A review of the theories of corporate social responsibility: Its evolutionary path and the road aheadINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MANAGEMENT REVIEWS, Issue 1 2008Min-Dong Paul Lee This study aims to trace the conceptual evolutionary path of theories on corporate social responsibility (CSR) and to reflect on the implications of the development. The retrospection has revealed that the trend has been a progressive rationalization of the concept with a particular focus on tighter coupling with organizations' financial goals. Rationalization involves two broad shifts in the conceptualization of CSR. First, in terms of the level of analysis, researchers have moved from the discussion of the macro-social effects of CSR to organizational-level analysis of CSR's effect on profit. Next, in terms of theoretical orientation, researchers have moved from explicitly normative and ethics-oriented arguments to implicitly normative and performance-oriented managerial studies. Based on the retrospection, the limitations of the current state of CSR research that places excessive emphasis on the business case for CSR are outlined, and it is suggested that future research needs to refocus on basic research in order to develop conceptual tools and theoretical mechanisms that explain changing organizational behavior from a broader societal perspective. [source] A self-motives perspective on feedback-seeking behavior: Linking organizational behavior and social psychology researchINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MANAGEMENT REVIEWS, Issue 3 2007Frederik Anseel Both the feedback-seeking literature in management and the self-motives domain in social psychology have focused on how motives affect the way in which people acquire information for self-evaluation purposes. Despite apparent conceptual similarities, the implications of research in these domains have not been fully integrated. This paper aims to link research on feedback-seeking behavior to recent theoretical developments in social psychology. First, the current perspective in management on feedback-seeking motives is depicted. Second, a well-established framework of self-motives in social psychology is introduced. Third, similarities and differences between these two motivational perspectives are discussed and a first step towards integration is proposed. Fourth, it is demonstrated how a self-motives perspective might guide future research on six key issues. Self-motives might be useful in identifying new antecedents of feedback-seeking behavior, resolving inconsistencies in the feedback-seeking literature, understanding the interplay among feedback-seeking motives, integrating feedback-seeking and feedback reactions research, examining attitudinal outcomes of feedback-seeking motives, and enhancing the feedback,performance relationship. [source] Justice Expectations and Applicant PerceptionsINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SELECTION AND ASSESSMENT, Issue 1-2 2004Bradford S. Bell Expectations, which are beliefs about a future state of affairs, constitute a basic psychological mechanism that underlies virtually all human behavior. Although expectations serve as a central component in many theories of organizational behavior, they have received limited attention in the organizational justice literature. The goal of this paper is to introduce the concept of justice expectations and explore its implications for understanding applicant perceptions. To conceptualize justice expectations, we draw on research on expectations conducted in multiple disciplines. We discuss the three sources of expectations , direct experience, indirect influences, and other beliefs , and use this typology to identify the likely antecedents of justice expectations in selection contexts. We also discuss the impact of expectations on attitudes, cognitions, and behaviors, focusing specifically on outcomes tied to selection environments. Finally, we explore the theoretical implications of incorporating expectations into research on applicant perceptions and discuss the practical significance of justice expectations in selection contexts. [source] Epistemology of Transformative Material Activity: John Dewey's Pragmatism and Cultural-Historical Activity TheoryJOURNAL FOR THE THEORY OF SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR, Issue 4 2006REIJO MIETTINEN The paper compares John Dewey's pragmatism and cultural-historical activity theory as epistemologies and theories of transformative material activity. For both of the theories, the concept of activity, the prototype of which is work, constitutes a basis for understanding the nature of knowledge and reality. This concept also implies for both theories a methodological approach of studying human behavior in which social experimentation and intervention play a central role. They also suggest that reflection and thought, mediated by language and semiotic artifacts, serve the reorientation of activity and is vital in the development of new, alternative ways of action. That is why Dewyan pragmatism and activity theory supply means of understanding organizational behavior and change in human activities better than the concepts of practice based on rule following, routines or embodied skills. [source] The Limits of Organizational Theory and Incentives (Or, Why Corporate Success Is Not Just About Money)JOURNAL OF APPLIED CORPORATE FINANCE, Issue 4 2005Ronald Schmidt Most economists begin their study of organizational behavior by taking for granted that incentive compensation influences behavior. Managers and employees are assumed to have "utility functions" that reflect a very basic set of "preferences",preferences for things like money and leisure and job security. And, as clearly simplistic as it is, this "model" of human behavior has been shown to have considerable predictive power. But it is equally clear that financial incentives and rewards are not all that matters in motivating people within large organizations. What economists have failed to recognize is the important subjective consequences for employees of acting in accord with well-designed incentives that have been "internalized",viewed not just as leading to financial rewards and corporate success, but as "the right thing to do." In the language of economists, a well-designed incentive program can end up influencing not only people's behavior, but their underlying "preferences," or what non-economists like to call "values." And it is these preferences and values that are at the core of an organization's "culture." [source] Let Go or Retain?JOURNAL OF APPLIED SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY, Issue 7 2009A Comparative Study of the Attitudes of Business Students, Managers About the Retirement of Older Workers This study's central research question is: "How do managers evaluate the desirability of early retirement of their employees, and under what circumstances and for what types of workers are they in favor of delay?" We sought to compare managers' and business students' decision making regarding older workers. We examined the extent to which student samples are appropriate to study organizational behavior. An identical factorial survey was carried out among 26 managers and 25 business school students. The results revealed that business students concentrate on performance-related individual characteristics when making selection decisions, whereas managers also recognize contextual factors (need for downsizing, tight labor market) and older workers' attitudes toward retirement. [source] Perspectives on naturalistic decision making from organizational behaviorJOURNAL OF BEHAVIORAL DECISION MAKING, Issue 5 2001Glen Whyte No abstract is available for this article. [source] A conscious-authentic leadership approach in the workplace: Leading from withinJOURNAL OF LEADERSHIP STUDIES, Issue 1 2008Robert E. Hofman Jr. This study combines components of the relatively nascent concepts of conscious leadership and authentic leadership. It is a synopsis of a recent empirical study comparing two groups of companies and their respective CEOs. Each group is comprised of three companies. Group I is led by CEOs who use a conscious-authentic leadership approach in the workplace. They infuse their personal values, beliefs, and relational leadership behavior into the policies, practices, and employee programs within their respective organizations to achieve specific organizational outcomes. Group II CEOs do not use this leadership approach. The companies selected for study were categorized by disinterested third parties in the business community. This study explores the perceptions of the employees of both groups and the impact of the conscious-authentic leadership model on organizational behavior and specific organizational outcomes in the workplace. The organizational outcomes tested in this study are voluntary employee-withdrawal behavior and absenteeism during the period 2003,2005. An employee questionnaire was administered to the employees of both groups to measure organizational behavior. The same questionnaire was administered to the CEOs to determine their level of self-awareness and their sense of the reality of the human condition within their respective organization. A separate leadership questionnaire was administered to the CEOs for a self-assessment of personal attributes and leadership style. The findings provide a working definition of conscious-authentic leadership behavior and a working model of the components of this approach as implemented by Group I CEOs in the workplace. [source] The emerging positive agenda in organizations: greater than a trickle, but not yet a delugeJOURNAL OF ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR, Issue 2 2009Thomas A. Wright The evidence is clear regarding applied science's longstanding fascination with the negative aspects of organizational life. The purpose of this special issue of the Journal of Organizational Behavior is to tangibly demonstrate that the concept of a "positive psychology" is gaining importance in both psychology and organizational behavior. To that end, our lead article focuses on five topic areas. First, we provide a limited historical backdrop of positive organizational research. Second, we suggest the theoretical basis for why the current overwhelming emphasis on the negative. Next, we introduce the seven peer refereed articles contained in this special issue which, when considered together, highlight the varied application and potentially widespread benefits of studying the positive in organizational research. Fourth, incorporating the "point/counterpoint" JOB framework, we offer two varying, but insightful, perspectives on positive organizational research by Luthans and Avolio and Hackman. Finally, the article concludes with a discussion of how emerging research on the positive can be used to help build a stronger science of organizational behavior. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] The transition from the quality of working life to organizational behavior: the first two decadesJOURNAL OF ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR, Issue 1 2009Cary L. Cooper First page of article [source] Introduction to the Journal of Organizational Behavior's special issue on professional service firms: where organization theory and organizational behavior might meetJOURNAL OF ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR, Issue 8 2008Roy Suddaby First page of article [source] Linking service employees' emotional competence to customer satisfaction: a multilevel approach,JOURNAL OF ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR, Issue 2 2008Angelo Giardini This study investigates the role of the positive organizational behavior (POB) concept of emotional competence for the effective management of participants' affect in service encounters and customers' assessments about the encounter. We developed and tested a two-level model in which service employees' emotional competence is related to both service employees' and customers' state positive affect. Customers' positive affect, in turn, is related to customers' specific and general evaluations of the service rendered. A total of 394 service encounters involving 53 financial consultants of a bank were assessed. Data were analyzed by a combination of path analysis and hierarchical linear modeling (HLM), and the results support large parts of the model. More specifically, employees' emotional competence was related to customer evaluations through their own positive affective state during the encounter as well as through a direct link to the customer evaluations of the encounter. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Work-life benefits and positive organizational behavior: is there a connection?JOURNAL OF ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR, Issue 2 2008Lori Muse Focusing on the employee well-being component of positive organizational behavior (POB), this study explores the relationship between organization provided benefit programs and POB. Specifically, we ask the question: are employees' use and perceived value of a work-life benefit package associated with their positive attitudes and behaviors in the workplace? Grounded in social exchange theory and the norm of reciprocity, we develop and estimate a model identifying differential relationships of benefit use and perceived benefit value with employee attitudinal and performance outcomes. Employing the multigroup method, the hypothesized model was fit to the data of two dissimilar organizations. Results support our hypothesis that providing work-life benefits employees use and/or value is part of a positive exchange between the employee and employer. This exchange is positively related to employees' feelings of perceived organizational support and affective commitment to the organization and reciprocation in the form of higher levels of task and contextual performance behaviors. Results also revealed that employees' perceptions of benefit program value play a critical role regardless of actual program use in influencing attitudes and behavior. Our findings emphasize the importance of valuing employees and investing in their well-being inside as well as outside the workplace. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Darwinism,a new paradigm for organizational behavior?JOURNAL OF ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR, Issue 2 2006Nigel Nicholson The Special Issue reflects a growing interest in Darwinian ideas and their increasing application to work and organizational issues, analyzes factors that have impeded its adoption as a paradigm and considers the prospects for future growth. After a brief introduction to key concepts in the new Darwinism, some histories, and controversies are traced. Causes for the particularly slow uptake of the paradigm in Organizational Behavior (OB) are discussed, as well as some of the common misconceptions and incorrect attributions that have been leveled at evolutionary theory. The paper then overviews the scope and contents of the Special Issue (SI) papers, and concludes by considering future prospects for the field. The authors argue that the paradigm has compelling significance and wide applicability to the full range of OB topics and interests. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Darwinism, behavioral genetics, and organizational behavior: a review and agenda for future researchJOURNAL OF ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR, Issue 2 2006Remus Ilies In this article, a case is made for the importance of evolutionary processes and behavioral genetics for organizational behavior. First, we present scientific arguments connecting evolutionary biology and psychology, Darwinian theories, behavioral genetics, and individual differences. Second, we provide a review of behavioral genetics research on constructs relevant to organizational behavior, such as cognitive ability, personality, work attitudes, and leadership. Third, we discuss mechanisms explaining genetic influences on organizational outcomes such as attitudes and leadership. Finally, current issues in behavioral genetics research in general and their implications for organizational behavior are discussed. We also discuss issues specific to conducting research on genetic effects influencing constructs from the organizational realm, and offer suggestions for future research. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Cultural diversity recomposition and effectiveness in monoculture work groupsJOURNAL OF ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR, Issue 8 2005Willie E. Hopkins In this article, we discuss different types of cultural diversity recomposition that can occur in monoculture work groups. Several direct effect propositions are set forth about the impact of cultural diversity recomposition type on monoculture group effectiveness, as are several moderating effect propositions. We identify potential moderators that have not been explored in prior research and discuss the implications that each has for organizational behavior and practice. We then discuss some implications for future research. We conclude this article with a call for establishing a research agenda that will guide our thinking as we explore this topic in more depth. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Career communities: a preliminary exploration of member-defined career support structuresJOURNAL OF ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR, Issue 4 2004Polly Parker This paper explores the concept of career communities: social structures that provide career support and frequently transcend the boundaries of any single organization. The theoretical background notes the convergence of a number of different perspectives from both career development and organization studies, pertaining to the social contextualization of careers. The methodology involved eliciting expressions of the (individual) subjective career from the members of three potential career communities, and then exploring (communal) inter-subjective interpretations in focus groups. Our results suggest that career communities typically involve a hybrid of types rather than any one pure type. Preliminary support is found for the view that career communities facilitate career support, sensemaking and learning. The results invite further research into career communities and have implications for organizational behavior and human resource management, suggesting greater appreciation of the extra-organizational as well as intra-organizational communities in which careers develop. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] The informational content of the shape of utility functions: financial strategic behaviorMANAGERIAL AND DECISION ECONOMICS, Issue 2 2009Joost M.E. Pennings Recently, Pennings and Smidts (2003) showed a relationship between organizational behavior and the global shape of the utility function. Their results suggest that the shape of the utility function may be related to ,higher-order' decisions. This research examines the relationship between financial strategic decisions and the global shape of the utility function of real decision makers. We assess the shape of utility functions of portfolio managers and show that the global shape is related to their strategic asset allocation. The findings demonstrate the informational content of the shape of utility functions in the context of financial strategic behavior. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Cognitive adaptations for n -person exchange: the evolutionary roots of organizational behaviorMANAGERIAL AND DECISION ECONOMICS, Issue 2-3 2006John Tooby Organizations are composed of stable, predominantly cooperative interactions or n -person exchanges. Humans have been engaging in n -person exchanges for a great enough period of evolutionary time that we appear to have evolved a distinct constellation of species-typical mechanisms specialized to solve the adaptive problems posed by this form of social interaction. These mechanisms appear to have been evolutionarily elaborated out of the cognitive infrastructure that initially evolved for dyadic exchange. Key adaptive problems that these mechanisms are designed to solve include coordination among individuals, and defense against exploitation by free riders. Multi-individual cooperation could not have been maintained over evolutionary time if free riders reliably benefited more than contributors to collective enterprises, and so outcompeted them. As a result, humans evolved mechanisms that implement an aversion to exploitation by free riding, and a strategy of conditional cooperation, supplemented by punitive sentiment towards free riders. Because of the design of these mechanisms, how free riding is treated is a central determinant of the survival and health of cooperative organizations. The mapping of the evolved psychology of n -party exchange cooperation may contribute to the construction of a principled theoretical foundation for the understanding of human behavior in organizations. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] EMPLOYEES THAT THINK AND ACT LIKE OWNERS: EFFECTS OF OWNERSHIP BELIEFS AND BEHAVIORS ON ORGANIZATIONAL EFFECTIVENESSPERSONNEL PSYCHOLOGY, Issue 4 2003STEPHEN H. WAGNER A model of the psychological experience of employee ownership in work groups was developed to investigate antecedents (participation in a 401 (k) program and a climate of self-determination) and consequences (employee attitudes and financial performance) of psychological ownership. Based on data from a large retail organization, results showed that working in a climate supporting self-determination and 401(k) participation were positively related to the level of ownership beliefs in the 204 work groups studied. Ownership beliefs were positively related to ownership behaviors and employees' attitudes toward the organization, whereas ownership behaviors were positively related to financial performance. Implications of psychological ownership for organizational behavior and performance are discussed. [source] Product Development and Learning in Project Teams: The Challenges Are the Benefits,THE JOURNAL OF PRODUCT INNOVATION MANAGEMENT, Issue 2 2009Amy C. Edmondson The value of teams in new product development (NPD) is undeniable. Both the interdisciplinary nature of the work and industry trends necessitate that professionals from different functions work together on development projects to create the highest-quality product in the shortest time. Understanding the conditions that facilitate teamwork has been a pursuit of researchers for nearly a half century. The present paper reviews existing literature on teams and team learning in organizational behavior and technology and innovation to offer insights for research on NPD teams. Building on prior work, the organizational benefits of NPD teams are summarized, and five attributes of these teams are identified that hinder attainment of their potential: (1) project complexity; (2) cross-functionality; (3) temporary membership; (4) fluid team boundaries; and (5) embeddedness in organizational structures. It is argued here that effective management of these five attributes allows not only organization-level benefits but also team-level benefits in the form of new capabilities and team member resilience. The critical roles of leadership and of communication and conflict management training are then highlighted as strategies for overcoming the challenges to team effectiveness in NPD as well as for realizing five team benefits: (1) project management skills; (2) broad perspective; (3) teaming skills; (4) expanded social network; and (5) boundary-spanning skills. The paper concludes with a discussion of the implications of these ideas for conducting future team research. [source] The Estimation of a Cusp Model to Describe the Adoption of Word for Windows,THE JOURNAL OF PRODUCT INNOVATION MANAGEMENT, Issue 1 2004Rense Lange This article revisits earlier work in this journal by Paul Herbig (1991) that proposed a catastrophe model of industrial product adoption under certain conditions. Catastrophe models are useful for modeling situations where organizations can exhibit both smooth and abrupt adoption behavior. It extends Herbig's work by focusing on organizations' adoption of new products when network externalities are an important part of the decision process, and it presents an empirical estimation of the model. Network externalities occur when firms do not want to adopt a new innovation or product unless other firms do. The reason is that they do not want to end up with an innovation that ends up not being a standard of some sort. Mistakes of this nature can be costly as the firm must invest twice and loses time relative to competitors who have not made such a mistake. However, when such externalities exist, for example with regard to technological adoptions, then normal diffusion gives way to sudden discontinuous shifts as all firms seemingly act together an move to a new technology. Since, technology is an area where the authors expect network externalities to exist, that is the focus of this article. The specific application is developed from two sets of panel data on the organizational adoptions of Microsoft's (MS) Word for Windows software by organizations that previously were using either Word for DOS or Word for Macintosh (Mac). The theoretical framework for the analysis is based on work in the economics literature on network externalities. However, the organization and new product development catastrophe model comes primarily from Herbig (1991). The article focuses on an area of organizational adoption where relatively little empirical research has been done, namely organizational adoption "for use." Longitudinal data provided by Techtel Corporation is used to develop the estimations. Results of the empirical analysis are consistent with the theoretical framework suggested in Herbig's article and in those found in economics and catastrophe theory literatures. This lends clear support to the idea that organizations will adopt a bandwagon-type behavior when network externalities are present. It further suggests that in such markets, the standard S-shaped diffusion curve is not an appropriate model for examining organizational behavior. From a managerial perspective, it means that buyers and sellers may face nonstandard diffusion curves. Instead of S-shaped curves, the actual curves have a break or rift where sales end, and there is a sudden shift to a new product that is relatively high very early on. Clearly, for new product development (NPD), it suggest that organizations' "for-use" purchases may be similar to regular consumers and may change rapidly from one product to another almost instantly, as in the case of the switch from vinyl records to compact discs (CDs). From an old product seller's viewpoint, the market is here today and gone tomorrow, while for the new seller it is a sudden deluge of sales requests. To put it in more everyday terms, sudden changes in adoption behavior are a September 11-type experience for the market. It is the day the world changes. [source] Why do standardized ISO 14001 environmental management systems lead to heterogeneous environmental outcomes?,,BUSINESS STRATEGY AND THE ENVIRONMENT, Issue 7 2009Haitao Yin Abstract Institutional theories and resource-based views have suggested that, although they appear similar externally, standardized management systems may be implemented very differently in different organizations. This variability in implementation may be responsible for the heterogeneous performance of these standardized management systems. The current literature on the environmental impacts of ISO 14001 certification has largely neglected this phenomenon. Drawing on our survey of all US 14001 certificate holders, this study finds that great variability does exist in facilities' implementation of ISO 14001 standards. This heterogeneity has a significant impact on the linkage between ISO 14001 certification and facilities' environmental performance. In particular, we find that facilities that integrate ISO 14001 standards into their daily operations are more likely to report improvements in environmental performance. Environmental improvements are also more likely to occur in facilities that include performance management elements in their ISO 14001 standards. Furthermore, both types of facility are more likely to report that ISO certification contributes to this improvement. Neglecting the heterogeneity in facilities' implementation of ISO 14001 standards may explain the instability of findings from the empirical literature investigating the impacts of ISO 14001 certification. Theoretically, this paper informs the understanding of heterogeneous organizational behavior under isomorphic pressures. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment. [source] | ||||||||||||||||