Employee social responsibility:development of an ESR measure and a multi-level investigation of antecedent and boundary conditions

The following thesis instigates the discussion on corporate social responsibility (CSR) through a review of literature on the conceptualisation, determinants, and remunerations of organisational CSR engagement. The case is made for the need to draw attention to the micro-levels of CSR, and consequently focus on employee social responsibility at multiple levels of analysis. In order to further research efforts in this area, the prerequisite of an employee social responsibility behavioural measurement tool is acknowledged. Accordingly, the subsequent chapters outline the process of scale development and validation, resulting in a robust, reliable and valid employee social responsibility scale. This scale is then put to use in a field study, and the noteworthy roles of the antecedent and boundary conditions of transformational leadership, assigned CSR priority, and CSR climate are confirmed at the group and individual level. Directionality of these relationships is subsequently alluded to in a time-lagged investigation, set within a simulated business environment. The thesis collates and discusses the contributions of the findings from the research series, which highlight a consistent three-way interaction effect of transformational leadership, assigned CSR priority and CSR climate. Specifically, efforts are made to outline various avenues for future research, given the infancy of the micro-level study of employee social responsibility.

The behavioural homogeneity evaluation framework:Multi-level evaluations of consumer involvement in international segmentation

This paper presents a generic strategic framework of alternative international marketing strategies and market segmentation based on intra- and inter-cultural behavioural homogeneity. Consumer involvement (CI) is proposed as a pivotal construct to capture behavioural homogeneity, for the identification of market segments. Results from a five-country study demonstrate how the strategic framework can be valuable in managerial decision-making. First, there is evidence for the cultural invariance of the measurement of CI, allowing a true comparison of inter- and intra-cultural behavioural homogeneity. Second, CI influences purchase behaviour, and its evaluation provides a rich source of information for responsive market segmentation. Finally, a decomposition of behavioural variance suggests that national-cultural environment and nationally transcendent variables explain differences in behaviour. The Behavioural Homogeneity Evaluation Framework therefore suggests appropriate international marketing strategies, providing practical guidance for implementing involvement-contingent strategies. © 2007 Academy of International Business. All rights reserved.

Innovation, productivity and growth in US business services:a firm-level analysis

This paper examines the impact of innovation on the performance of US business service firms. We distinguish between different levels of innovation (new-to-market and new-to-firm) in our analysis, and allow explicitly for sample selection issues. Reflecting the literature, which highlights the importance of external interaction in service innovation, we pay particular attention to the role of external innovation linkages and their effect on business performance. We find that the presence of service innovation and its extent has a consistently positive effect on growth, but no effect on productivity. There is evidence that the growth effect of innovation can be attributed, at least in part, to the external linkages maintained by innovators in the process of innovation. External linkages have an overwhelmingly positive effect on (innovator) firm performance, regardless of whether innovation is measured as a discrete or continuous variable, and regardless of the level of innovation considered.

Multi-level optimization of a fiber transmission system via nonlinearity management

linearity management is explored as a complete tool to obtain maximum transmission reach in a WDM fiber transmission system, making it possible to optimize multiple system parameters, including optimal dispersion pre-compensation, with fast simulations based on the continuous-wave approximation.

Knowledge capital, endogenous growth and regional disparities in productivity:multi-level evidences from China

This paper examines the role of knowledge capital in persistent regional productivity disparities in developing countries. The hypotheses are tested using regional and firm level longitudinal data from China. It is found that inequalities in knowledge creation and transfer, both inter-generational and international, played a significant role in increasing regional disparities in productivity. These inequalities are exacerbated by the accumulative nature of knowledge capital. All this leads to self-perpetuating cycles of success and failure, particularly compounded with asymmetric financial and human capital between different regions.

From practice to field:a multi-level model of practice-driven institutional change

This article develops a model of practice-driven institutional change - or change that originates in the everyday work of individuals but results in a shift in field-level logic. In demonstrating how improvisations at work can generate institutional change, we attend to the earliest moments of change, which extant research has neglected; and we contrast existing accounts that focus on active entrepreneurship and the contested nature of change. We outline the specific mechanisms by which change emerges from everyday work, becomes justified, and diffuses within an organization and field, as well as precipitating and enabling dynamics that trigger and condition these mechanisms. © Academy of Management Journal.

When does leverage hurt productivity growth? A firm-level analysis:a firm-level analysis

In the wake of the global financial crisis, several macroeconomic contributions have highlighted the risks of excessive credit expansion. In particular, too much finance can have a negative impact on growth. We examine the microeconomic foundations of this argument, positing a non-monotonic relationship between leverage and firm-level productivity growth in the spirit of the trade-off theory of capital structure. A threshold regression model estimated on a sample of Central and Eastern European countries confirms that TFP growth increases with leverage until the latter reaches a critical threshold beyond which leverage lowers TFP growth. This estimate can provide guidance to firms and policy makers on identifying "excessive" leverage. We find similar non-monotonic relationships between leverage and proxies for firm value. Our results are a first step in bridging the gap between the literature on optimal capital structure and the wider macro literature on the finance-growth nexus. © 2012 Elsevier Ltd.

Investing in conflict zones:a firm-level analysis

The purpose of this paper is to examine, using panel data econometric techniques, the determinants of a firm’s strategy to invest in a conflict location. To the best of our knowledge this has not been done before. We use a large database of firm-level data that includes 2858 multinational firms that have a subsidiary in a developing country (during 1999-2006). Out of these firms 290 are classified as having a subsidiary in a conflict location. The choice of a conflict location is based on data from the Inter Country Risk Guide (ICRG). We start with the population of multinationals who have chosen to invest in low income countries with weak institutions. Our analysis then proceeds to explain the decision of those firms to invest in conflict locations. We have four hypotheses: (1) Firms with concentrated ownership are more likely to invest in a conflict region; (2) Firms from countries with weaker institutions are more likely to invest in conflict regions; (3) Firms and Countries with less concern over corporate social responsibility are more likely to invest in conflict countries; and (4) that there is large sector level differences in the propensity to invest in a conflict region. The results suggest that all of these hypotheses can be confirmed.

A multi-level investigation of psychological contract breach and organizational identification through the lens of perceived organizational membership:testing a moderated-mediated model

Drawing on the perceived organizational membership theoretical framework and the social identity view of dissonance theory, I examined in this study the dynamics of the relationship between psychological contract breach and organizational identification. I included group-level transformational and transactional leadership as well as procedural justice in the hypothesized model as key antecedents for organizational membership processes. I further explored the mediating role of psychological contract breach in the relationship between leadership, procedural justice climate, and organizational identification and proposed separateness–connectedness self-schema as an important moderator of the above mediated relationship. Hierarchical linear modeling results from a sample of 864 employees from 162 work units in 10 Greek organizations indicated that employees' perception of psychological contract breach negatively affected their organizational identification. I also found psychological contract breach to mediate the impact of transformational and transactional leadership on organizational identification. Results further provided support for moderated mediation and showed that the indirect effects of transformational and transactional leadership on identification through psychological contract breach were stronger for employees with a low connectedness self-schema.

Teams, HRM and innovation:an organisation-level analysis

For organizations to survive and prosper they have to develop new and improved products, services and ways of working. Innovation is vital for organizational survival. Much research and managerial attention is therefore devoted to understanding the factors that predict innovation in organizations. This paper describes a research study of product innovation in manufacturing organizations and explores the extent to which team based working and team working effectiveness in these organizations predict product innovation. It also considers whether combinations of good HRM systems and practices, extensive team based working and effective team working are associated with product innovation.