La participación en los órganos sociales de las cooperativas en España

En los estudios de las organizaciones domina la investigación relacionada con la gestión. Sin embargo,poco a poco, el análisis de la participación y la implicación activa de los socios en los órganos de gobierno de las organizaciones democráticas va creando su propio espacio de interés. Los directivos empiezan a descubrir que la implicación del socio en la sostenibilidad económica proporciona ventaja competitiva. En el caso del cooperativismo de consumo en España, es este artículo se presentan los resultados de un estudio encargado por Hispacoop al Centro de Investigación de Economía y Sociedad (cies, 2010) de la Universidad de Barcelona, siendo esta una primera aproximación al estudio de la participación del socio en el gobierno de diez cooperativas de consumo que operan en el mercado español. Palabras clave: consumo, cooperativas, gestión, gobierno organizacional, procesos de participación.

A systematic review of organizational workplace wellness programs and their financial and nonfinancial incentives

Workplace wellness programs have revealed immense beneficial results for both the employer and employee. Examples of results include decrease in absenteeism, turnover rate, medical claims and increases in employee satisfaction, productivity, and return on investment. However, the approach taken when implementing requires greater attention since such programs and the financial and/or non-financial incentives chosen have shown to significantly impact employee participation thus the amount of savings the organization experiences. A systematic review was conducted to evaluate the overall effectiveness of workplace wellness programs on employee health status and lifestyle change, recognize the majority types of returns observed by such programs, and identify whether financial or non-financial incentives created a greater effect on the employee. Overall employee health status improvement occurred when participating in wellness programs. The dominant indirect benefit for the organization was employee weight loss leading to a decrease in absenteeism and direct benefits included decreases in medical claims and increases in return on investment. In general, factors such as rate of participation and health status changes were most influenced when a financial incentives was provided in the wellness program. The basis of providing a program with effective incentives resides from efforts made by the employer and their efforts to play a role on every level of the organization regarding planning, implementing, and strategizing the most optimal approach for creating changes for the employees' wellbeing and productivity, thus the organizations overall returns.^

Implementing an Integrated Management System (IMS) at an Aerospace Manufacturing Facility

This project analyzes the challenges, issues, benefits, and lessons learned that several companies experienced while implementing integrated management systems. Based on previous experiences, this paper defines several strategies that an organization should use to increase the probability of implementing an integrated management system (IMS) successfully. Strategies include completing a feasibility analysis, creating a policy, allocating resources, developing objectives, modifying documentation, and creating a continuous monitoring process. Moreover, an organization can reduce potential obstacles by promoting a culture that encourages management commitment and employee participation. Results indicate the implementation of an IMS provides the framework to manage environmental, health, and safety programs effectively. By implementing an IMS, an organization can save time and money, as well as proactively control risk.

Profit sharing, technical efficiency change and finance constraints

This paper analyses the mechanisms through which profit-sharing schemes may induce debt constrained firms to improve technical efficiency over time to guarantee positive profits. This hypothesis is first formalised in a partial equilibrium framework and then is tested on a sample of Italian traditional and cooperative firms. Technical efficiency change indexes are computed by DEA. These are regressed on a measure of finance constraints to analyse their impact on firms’ efficiency growth. The results support the hypothesis that a restriction in the availability of financial resources can affect positively the growth in efficiency in firms with profit-sharing schemes.

Towards a multilevel model of the high performance work systems–workplace safety relationship

Human Resource (HR) systems and practices generally referred to as High Performance Work Practices (HPWPs), (Huselid, 1995) (sometimes termed High Commitment Work Practices or High Involvement Work Practices) have attracted much research attention in past decades. Although many conceptualizations of the construct have been proposed, there is general agreement that HPWPs encompass a bundle or set of HR practices including sophisticated staffing, intensive training and development, incentive-based compensation, performance management, initiatives aimed at increasing employee participation and involvement, job safety and security, and work design (e.g. Pfeffer, 1998). It is argued that these practices either directly and indirectly influence the extent to which employees’ knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics are utilized in the organization. Research spanning nearly 20 years has provided considerable empirical evidence for relationships between HPWPs and various measures of performance including increased productivity, improved customer service, and reduced turnover (e.g. Guthrie, 2001; Belt & Giles, 2009). With the exception of a few papers (e.g., Laursen &Foss, 2003), this literature appears to lack focus on how HPWPs influence or foster more innovative-related attitudes and behaviours, extra role behaviors, and performance. This situation exists despite the vast evidence demonstrating the importance of innovation, proactivity, and creativity in its various forms to individual, group, and organizational performance outcomes. Several pertinent issues arise when considering HPWPs and their relationship to innovation and performance outcomes. At a broad level is the issue of which HPWPs are related to which innovation-related variables. Another issue not well identified in research relates to employees’ perceptions of HPWPs: does an employee actually perceive the HPWP –outcomes relationship? No matter how well HPWPs are designed, if they are not perceived and experienced by employees to be effective or worthwhile then their likely success in achieving positive outcomes is limited. At another level, research needs to consider the mechanisms through which HPWPs influence –innovation and performance. The research question here relates to what possible mediating variables are important to the success or failure of HPWPs in impacting innovative behaviours and attitudes and what are the potential process considerations? These questions call for theory refinement and the development of more comprehensive models of the HPWP-innovation/performance relationship that include intermediate linkages and boundary conditions (Ferris, Hochwarter, Buckley, Harrell-Cook, & Frink, 1999). While there are many calls for this type of research to be made a high priority, to date, researchers have made few inroads into answering these questions. This symposium brings together researchers from Australia, Europe, Asia and Africa to examine these various questions relating to the HPWP-innovation-performance relationship. Each paper discusses a HPWP and potential variables that can facilitate or hinder the effects of these practices on innovation- and performance- related outcomes. The first paper by Johnston and Becker explores the HPWPs in relation to work design in a disaster response organization that shifts quickly from business as usual to rapid response. The researchers examine how the enactment of the organizational response is devolved to groups and individuals. Moreover, they assess motivational characteristics that exist in dual work designs (normal operations and periods of disaster activation) and the implications for innovation. The second paper by Jørgensen reports the results of an investigation into training and development practices and innovative work behaviors (IWBs) in Danish organizations. Research on how to design and implement training and development initiatives to support IWBs and innovation in general is surprisingly scant and often vague. This research investigates the mechanisms by which training and development initiatives influence employee behaviors associated with innovation, and provides insights into how training and development can be used effectively by firms to attract and retain valuable human capital in knowledge-intensive firms. The next two papers in this symposium consider the role of employee perceptions of HPWPs and their relationships to innovation-related variables and performance. First, Bish and Newton examine perceptions of the characteristics and awareness of occupational health and safety (OHS) practices and their relationship to individual level adaptability and proactivity in an Australian public service organization. The authors explore the role of perceived supportive and visionary leadership and its impact on the OHS policy-adaptability/proactivity relationship. The study highlights the positive main effects of awareness and characteristics of OHS polices, and supportive and visionary leadership on individual adaptability and proactivity. It also highlights the important moderating effects of leadership in the OHS policy-adaptability/proactivity relationship. Okhawere and Davis present a conceptual model developed for a Nigerian study in the safety-critical oil and gas industry that takes a multi-level approach to the HPWP-safety relationship. Adopting a social exchange perspective, they propose that at the organizational level, organizational climate for safety mediates the relationship between enacted HPWS’s and organizational safety performance (prescribed and extra role performance). At the individual level, the experience of HPWP impacts on individual behaviors and attitudes in organizations, here operationalized as safety knowledge, skills and motivation, and these influence individual safety performance. However these latter relationships are moderated by organizational climate for safety. A positive organizational climate for safety strengthens the relationship between individual safety behaviors and attitudes and individual-level safety performance, therefore suggesting a cross-level boundary condition. The model includes both safety performance (behaviors) and organizational level safety outcomes, operationalized as accidents, injuries, and fatalities. The final paper of this symposium by Zhang and Liu explores leader development and relationship between transformational leadership and employee creativity and innovation in China. The authors further develop a model that incorporates the effects of extrinsic motivation (pay for performance: PFP) and employee collectivism in the leader-employee creativity relationship. The papers’ contributions include the incorporation of a PFP effect on creativity as moderator, rather than predictor in most studies; the exploration of the PFP effect from both fairness and strength perspectives; the advancement of knowledge on the impact of collectivism on the leader- employee creativity link. Last, this is the first study to examine three-way interactional effects among leader-member exchange (LMX), PFP and collectivism, thus, enriches our understanding of promoting employee creativity. In conclusion, this symposium draws upon the findings of four empirical studies and one conceptual study to provide an insight into understanding how different variables facilitate or potentially hinder the influence various HPWPs on innovation and performance. We will propose a number of questions for further consideration and discussion. The symposium will address the Conference Theme of ‘Capitalism in Question' by highlighting how HPWPs can promote financial health and performance of organizations while maintaining a high level of regard and respect for employees and organizational stakeholders. Furthermore, the focus on different countries and cultures explores the overall research question in relation to different modes or stages of development of capitalism.

Participative Budgeting and Participant Motivation: A Review of the Literature

In their discussion - Participative Budgeting and Participant Motivation: A Review of the Literature - by Frederick J. Demicco, Assistant Professor, School of Hotel, Restaurant and Institutional Management, The Pennsylvania State University and Steven J. Dempsey, Fulton F. Galer, Martin Baker, Graduate Assistants, College of Business at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, the authors initially observe: “In recent years behavioral literature has stressed the importance of participation In goal-setting by those most directly affected by those goals. The common postulate is that greater participation by employees in the various management functions, especially the planning function, will lead to improved motivation, performance, coordination, and functional behavior. The authors analyze this postulate as it relates to the budgeting process and discuss whether or not participative budgeting has a significant positive impact on the motivations of budget participants.” In defining the concept of budgeting, the authors offer: “Budgeting is usually viewed as encompassing the preparation and adoption of a detailed financial operating plan…” In furthering that statement they also furnish that budgeting’s focus is to influence, in a positive way, how managers plan and coordinate the activities of a property in a way that will enhance their own performance. In essence, framing an organization within its described boundaries, and realizing its established goals. The authors will have you know, to control budget is to control operations. What kind of parallels can be drawn between the technical methods and procedures of budgeting, and managerial behavior? “In an effort to answer this question, Ronen and Livingstone have suggested that a fourth objective of budgeting exists, that of motivation,” say the authors with attribution. “The managerial function of motivation is manipulative in nature.” Demicco, Dempsey, Galer, and Baker attempt to quantify motivation as a psychological premise using the expectancy theory, which encompasses empirical support, intuitive appeal, and ease of application to the budgetary process. They also present you with House's Path-Goal model; essentially a mathematics type formula designed to gauge motivation. You really need to see this. The views of Argyris are also explored in particular detail. Although, the Argyris study was primarily aimed at manufacturing firms, and the effects on line-supervisors of the manufacturing budgets which were used to control and evaluate their performance, its application is relevant to the hospitality industry. As the title suggests, other notables in the field of behavioral motivation theory, and participation are also referenced. “Behavioral theory has been moving away from models of purported general applicability toward contingency models that are suited for particular situations,” say the authors in closing. “It is conceivable that some time in the future, contingency models will make possible the tailoring of budget strategies to individual budget holder personalities.”

Uppföljning och utvärdering av det balanserade styrkortet : Är balanserat styrkort ett värdeskapande och strategiskt instrument inom den kommunala verksamheten?

The need to steer economic development has always been great and as management model has the balanced scorecard has been popular since the mid- 1990s, mainly in the private sector but also in the municipal sector. The introduction of the balanced scorecard has been primarily to organizations to see more than economic dimensions. The Balanced Scorecard was originally a measurement system, and today it works more as a strategic instrument. In our study is a case study to evaluate a municipality and how they make use of the balanced scorecard as a tool for strategic and value-adding work in municipal activities. In the local business is it important that the organization adapts the balanced scorecard, so it fits on the basis that it is a politically driven organization, with mandates, committees and administrations. In our study, we used a qualitative method with a deductive approach. In the study, we have gathered information through a case study where we interviewed 7 people in leading positions. In our analysis and results section, we came to the conclusion that the municipality does not use the balanced scorecard correctly. We also found that the balanced scorecard as a tool for value creation and strategic planning does not work in a favorable way. In our study, we see difficulties with the implementation of the balanced scorecard. If the municipality has invested in implementing the balanced scorecard at all levels of the business so the municipality would be able to use it on one of the activities more adequately. When the municipality is a politically driven organization, it is important that vision alive and changing based on the conditions that reflect the outside world and the municipality in general. Looking at a vivid vision, goals and business ideas, it's balanced scorecard in line with how a balanced scorecard should look like. The municipality has a strategic plan in terms of staff and employees at large. In the study, we have seen that the strategic plan is not followed up in a good way and for the business favorably, the municipality chooses the easy way out for evaluation. Employee participation to changes and ongoing human resources management feels nonexistent. However, as has been the vision of creating empowered and motivated employees. In our conclusion, we describe how we in our study look at the use of the balanced scorecard in municipal operations. We can also discern that a balanced scorecard as a tool for value creation and strategic work is good if it is used properly. In the study, we have concluded that the municipality we have chosen to study should not use the balanced scorecard when you have not created the tools and platforms required for employees, civil servants and politicians to evaluate, monitor and create a living scorecard change over time. The study reveals major shortcomings in the implementation, evaluation and follow-up possibilities, and the consequence of this is that the balanced scorecard is not - 4 - preferable in municipal operations as a strategic instrument for value creation and long-term planning.

Validation de l’échelle de mesure de la conscience de l’environnement d’affaires

La conscience de l’environnement d’affaires est définie comme l’ensemble des savoirs détenus par les employés non-cadres par rapport à l’environnement d’affaires interne et externe de leur organisation. Elle se manifeste lorsque l’employé est impliqué dans la prise de décision ou résolution de problème affectant l’entreprise. Ce travail a comme objectifs la validation d’une échelle de mesure du concept à l’étude, ainsi que la vérification de sa validité de construit et nomologique. L’ensemble initial d’items de l’échelle de mesure a été déterminé suite à des entrevues avec les employés d’organisations participantes (Gauvreau-Jean, 2008). L’ensemble initial de 40 items a été testé avec un échantillon de 508 employés d’une manufacture. Suite à des ajustements, l’échelle modifiée couvre quatre dimensions du construit. L’adéquation de son contenu a ensuite été mise à l’épreuve par deux groupes cibles et deux évaluations expertes (Lessard, 2014). Finalement, dans le cadre de notre étude, la validité du contenu et nomologique de l’échelle modifiée (contenant 24 items) a été testée avec 330 employés de première ligne de quatre entreprises. Les quatre dimensions du construit furent supportées, la fiabilité de l’échelle était haute, puis les hypothèses reliant la conscience de l’environnement avec les caractéristiques au travail, l’évaluation de la performance par un superviseur et l’engagement affectif furent supportées également. Un autre sondage complété par les gestionnaires (n=43) avait comme but une évaluation de la performance contextuelle des employés supervisés. Le développement de l’échelle à 24 items sur la conscience de l’environnement d’affaires pourrait répondre aux questions portant sur la participation de l’employé et l’efficacité organisationnelle.

Validation de l’échelle de mesure de la conscience de l’environnement d’affaires

La conscience de l’environnement d’affaires est définie comme l’ensemble des savoirs détenus par les employés non-cadres par rapport à l’environnement d’affaires interne et externe de leur organisation. Elle se manifeste lorsque l’employé est impliqué dans la prise de décision ou résolution de problème affectant l’entreprise. Ce travail a comme objectifs la validation d’une échelle de mesure du concept à l’étude, ainsi que la vérification de sa validité de construit et nomologique. L’ensemble initial d’items de l’échelle de mesure a été déterminé suite à des entrevues avec les employés d’organisations participantes (Gauvreau-Jean, 2008). L’ensemble initial de 40 items a été testé avec un échantillon de 508 employés d’une manufacture. Suite à des ajustements, l’échelle modifiée couvre quatre dimensions du construit. L’adéquation de son contenu a ensuite été mise à l’épreuve par deux groupes cibles et deux évaluations expertes (Lessard, 2014). Finalement, dans le cadre de notre étude, la validité du contenu et nomologique de l’échelle modifiée (contenant 24 items) a été testée avec 330 employés de première ligne de quatre entreprises. Les quatre dimensions du construit furent supportées, la fiabilité de l’échelle était haute, puis les hypothèses reliant la conscience de l’environnement avec les caractéristiques au travail, l’évaluation de la performance par un superviseur et l’engagement affectif furent supportées également. Un autre sondage complété par les gestionnaires (n=43) avait comme but une évaluation de la performance contextuelle des employés supervisés. Le développement de l’échelle à 24 items sur la conscience de l’environnement d’affaires pourrait répondre aux questions portant sur la participation de l’employé et l’efficacité organisationnelle.

Gobierno empresarial: etnografía de un proyecto de cultura organizacional en la Cía. Aceros Ltda

La presente investigación analiza las dinámicas y relaciones sociales de la implementación de un estudio de cultura organizacional en un escenario etnográfico concreto. El propósito del presente trabajo, es analizar el estudio de la cultura organizacional como una técnica de gobierno con unas prácticas específicas, negociadas, consensuadas y establecidas en el marco de la participación de los empleados en el estudio realizado por la empresa.

The influence of individual characteristics on employee creative participation

In a knowledge-based economy and dynamic work environment retaining competitiveness is increasingly dependent on creativity, skills, individual abilities and appropriate motivation. For instance, the UK government explicitly stated in the recent "Review of Employee Engagement and Investment" report that new ways are required through which British companies could boost employee engagement at work, improving staff commitment and, thereby, increase workplace productivity. Although creativity and innovation have been studied extensively, little is known about employees' intrinsic willingness to contribute novel ideas and solutions (defined here as creative participation). For instance, the same individual can thrive in one organisation but be completely isolated in another and the question is to what extent this depends on individual characteristics and organisational settings. The main aim of this research is, therefore, to provide a conceptual framework for identification of individual characteristics that influence employees' willingness to contribute new ideas. In order to achieve this aim the investigation will be based on a developed psychological experiment, and will include personal-profiling inventory and a questionnaire. Understanding how these parameters influence willingness of an individual to put forward created ideas would offer an opportunity for companies to improve motivation practices and team efficiency, and can consequently lead to better overall performance.