An empirical study of international private label branding in the food sector in Hungary

Private label branding strategies differ to that of the manufacturer. The study aims to identify optimal private label branding strategies for (a) utilitarian products and (b) hedonistic products, considering the special factors reflected in consumer behavior related to private labels in Hungary. The issue of House of Brands and Branded House strategies are discussed and evaluated in the light of retail business models. Focus group interviews and factor analysis of the survey found differences in branding strategies preferred by consumers for the two product categories. The study also outlines a strong trend in possible private label development based on consumer’s changing attitude in favor of national products.

Factors influencing employee perceptions in lean transformations

The purpose of the study was to investigate employee perceptions during a lean transformation1. The combination of case study and survey methodologies was used to define elements influencing the perceived lean success of shop floor employees. According to our findings, belief, commitment, work method and communication all have a considerable direct impact on workers’ perceptions of lean success. However, their effects are very different based on the scope and focus of changes that is influenced by process characteristics. Perceptions regarding successful lean transformation during a moderate reorganisation of the company’s welding plant, where mainly males work, are affected only by commitment and work method, whereas the deep reorganisation of the sewing plant (populated by female employees) is only influenced by belief and communication.

Magyarországi „munkavállaló-barát” (employee friendly) szervezetek – Valóság vagy utópia (avagy mit tanulhatunk tőlük?) = The Hungarian employee friendly organizations: reality or Utopia (or what can we learn from them?)

A szerzők feltáró kutatásukban munkavállaló-barát szervezeti megoldásokat kerestek és vizsgáltak multiparadigmikus (Primecz, 2008) megközelítéssel, kritikai és funkcionalista szemszögből. Munkavállalóbarát szervezeti gyakorlatnak tekintették azokat a szervezeti kultúrában gyökerező szervezeti kereteket és gyakorlatokat, amelyek nagymértékben támogatják a munkavállalókat a munka és magánélet egyensúlyának elérésében és megtartásában (Toarniczky et al., 2011). Eredményeik szerint a munkavállaló-barát gyakorlatokat akkor értékelik legjobban a szervezeti tagok, ha a közvetlen vezető és kollégák jól értik a támogatandó munkavállaló helyzetét és rugalmasan fordítják le a hétköznapokra a HR-rendszereket. Ezzel együtt több feszültség keletkezik a szervezetben a munkavállaló-barát gyakorlatokban, amelyekre figyelni lehetne, anélkül, hogy a kialakított gyakorlatokat felszámolnák. _____ The authors in their research investigated employee friendly practices, which they defined as frameworks and practices rooted in organisational culture that gives maximum support for employees trying to reach and keep balance between work and private life (Toarniczky et al., 2011) through multiparadigm research (Primecz, 2008). They conducted exploratory research (interviews, focus groups, document-analysis, and questionnaire) at ten Hungarian-based organizations, and they investigated employee friendly work practices through functionalist and critical lenses. Their results shows that employee friendly practices work well, when the immediate boss and colleagues understand the need of organization al member, who are supported, and HR procedures are translated flexibly. At the same time tension within the organization al subgroups always present, and this should be handled by the organization without cancelling employee friendly practices.

How to Transfer a Coupon-Based Event into a Hedonic Shopping Experience? Retail Branding Implications Based on the Glamour Shopping Days

The paper examines the motivational drivers behind the participation of Hungarian consumers on a special shopping event, also known as Glamour Days. The study encompasses a variety of related conceptualizations such as hedonic/utilitarian shopping values, self-gifting as well as impulsive buying practices. After the introduction of relevant consumer behaviour concepts and theoretical frameworks, the paper presents a qualitative research on adult and adolescent female consumers’ shopping experiences during Glamour Days. By building on phenomenological methodology, this study also portrays the ways this shopping event has changed consumer society within an originally strongly utilitarian attitude driven Hungarian culture. The phenomenological interview results highlight differences within the motivational drivers of pleasure-oriented shopping for the two age groups. For teenagers, the main motivation was related to the utilitarian aspect due to their financial dependence and the special opportunity to stand out of their peer group by joining an event that is exclusively held for adult women. On the other hand, adult women are motivated by combined hedonic and utilitarian values manifested in self gifting and impulse buying within an effectively planned and managed shopping trip. Based on the results, retail specific strategies are provided along with future research directions.

The effect of vision congruence on employee empowerment, commitment, satisfaction, and performance

Five models delineating the person-situation fit controversy were developed and tested. Hypotheses were tested to determine the linkages between vision congruence, empowerment, locus of control, job satisfaction, organizational commitment, and employee performance. Vision was defined as a mental image of a possible and desirable future state of the organization.^ Data were collected from 213 employees in a major flower import company. Participants were from various organizational levels and ethnic backgrounds. The data collection procedure consisted of three parts. First, a profile analysis instrument was used which was developed employing a Q-sort based technique, to measure the vision congruence between the CEO and each employee. Second, employees completed a survey instrument which included scales measuring empowerment, locus of control, job satisfaction, organizational commitment, and social desirability. Third, supervisor performance ratings were gathered from employee files. Data analysis consisted of using Kendall's tau to measure the correlation between CEO's and each employee's vision. Path analyses were conducted using the EQS structural equation program to test five theoretical models for goodness-of-fit. Regression analysis was employed to test whether locus of control acted as a moderator variable.^ The results showed that vision congruence is significantly related to job satisfaction and employee commitment, and perceived empowerment acts as an intervening variable affecting employee outcomes. The study also found that people with an internal locus of control were more likely to feel empowered than were those with external beliefs. Implications of these findings for both researchers and practitioners are discussed and suggestions for future research directions are provided. ^

Predicting employee compliance with safety regulations, factoring risk perception

The purpose of this research was to develop a methodology that would evaluate employees' personality traits, demographic characteristics, and workplace parameters to predict safety compliance along with the moderating effect of risk perception. ^ One hundred and twenty five employees of a manufacturing facility were given questionnaires to gather their demographic and perception information. Surveys were also used to measure their personality characteristics, and periodic observations were recorded to document employee's safety compliance. A significant correlation was found between compliance and the worker's perception of management's commitment to safety (r = 0.27, p < 0.01), as well as with gender (r = −0.19, p < 0.05). Females showed a significantly higher average compliance (78%), than males (69%). These findings demonstrated the value of developing a model to predict safety behavior that would assist companies in maintaining a safe work environment, preventing accidents, ensuring compliance, and reducing associated costs. ^

Team Primacy Concept-based employee evaluation and job performance

This qualitative case study explored how employees learn from Team Primacy Concept (TPC)-based employee evaluation and how they apply the knowledge in their job performance. Kolb's experiential learning model (1974) served as a conceptual framework for the study to reveal the process of how employees learn from TPC evaluation, namely, how they experience, reflect, conceptualize and act on performance feedback. TPC based evaluation is a form of multirater evaluation that consists of three components: self-feedback, supervisor's feedback, and peer feedback. The distinctive characteristic of TPC based evaluation is the team evaluation component during which the employee's professional performance is discussed by one's peers in a face-to-face team setting, while other forms of multirater evaluation are usually conducted in a confidential and anonymous manner.^ Case study formed the methodological framework. The case was the Southeastern Virginia (SEVA) region of the Institute for Family Centered Services, and the participants were eight employees of the SEVA region. Findings showed that the evaluation process was anxiety producing for employees, especially the process of peer evaluation in a team setting. Preparation was found to be an important phase of TPC evaluation. Overall, the positive feedback delivered in a team setting made team members feel acknowledged. The study participants felt that honesty in providing feedback and openness to hearing challenges were significant prerequisites to the TPC evaluation process. Further, in the planning phase, employees strove to develop goals for themselves that were meaningful. Also, the catalyst for feedback implementation appeared to stem from one's accountability to self and to the client or community. Generally, the participants identified a number of performance improvement goals that they attained during their employment with IFCS, which were supported by their developmental plans.^ In conclusion, the study identified the process by which employees learned from TPC-based employee evaluation and the ways in which they used the knowledge to improve their job performance. Specifically, the study examined how participants felt and what they thought about TPC-based feedback, in what ways they reflected and made meaning of the feedback, and how they used the feedback to improve their job performance.^

Employee engagement: An examination of antecedent and outcome variables

This nonexperimental, correlational study (N = 283) examined the relation among job fit, affective commitment, psychological climate, discretionary effort, intention to turnover, and employee engagement. An internet-based self-report survey battery of six scales were administered to a heterogeneous sampling of organizations from the fields of service, technology, healthcare, retail, banking, nonprofit, and hospitality. Hypotheses were tested through correlational and hierarchical regression analytic procedures. Job fit, affective commitment, and psychological climate were all significantly related to employee engagement and employee engagement was significantly related to both discretionary effort and intention to turnover. For the discretionary effort model, the hierarchical regression analysis results suggested that the employees who reported experiencing a positive psychological climate were more likely to report higher levels of discretionary effort. As for the intention to turnover model, the hierarchical regression analysis results indicated that affective commitment and employee engagement predicted lower levels of an employee’s intention to turnover. The regression beta weights ranged from to .43 to .78, supporting the theoretical, empirical, and practical relevance of understanding the impact of employee engagement on organizational outcomes. Implications for HRD theory, research, and practice are highlighted as possible strategic leverage points for creating conditions that facilitate the development of employee engagement as a means for improving organizational performance.

Employee Orientation: An Organizational and Experiential Learning Approach

Employee orientation problems for a resort chain were studied and addressed through action research. The implemented solution leveraged experiential learning to foster employee initiative and problem solving to instill a culture of learning, improve customer satisfaction and increase employee retention. Business results were achieved but learner/ management reaction was mixed.

Exploring Employee Engagement Among Three Non-Salaried Employees: A Phenomenological Study

This exploratory empirical phenomological study looks at employee engagement using Kahn (1990) and Maslow’s (1970) motivational theories to understand the experience of non-salaried employees. This study finds four themes that seem to affect employee engagement: work environment, employee’s supervisor, individual characteristics of the employee, and opportunity for learning.

Geocentric Corporate Organizational Culture and Employee National Identity

The purpose of this paper is two-fold. First, the literature on geocentric organizational culture is reviewed; second, the dynamics between geocentric organizational culture and employee national identity is suggested as a necessary direction for HRD research.

The Role of Leadership Style in Employee Engagement

This paper explores the relationship between leadership styles and engagement in the workplace. The competitive global markets are forcing organizations to look past their products and the bottom line and move beyond just employee motivation and towards having an engaged workforce.

A Historical Perspective of Employee Engagement: An Emerging Definition

This paper explores the development of employee engagement through a historical perspective lens. Using a structured literature review, seminal works are identified and reviewed. A working definition is proposed.

Instituting Tobacco-Free Employee Policies: An Invasion of Privacy or an Employer’s Legal Right?

Rising health care costs are causing some employers to assess and regulate the health behaviors of their employees. Different approaches and levels of non-smoking regulations are discussed, and the legal parameters and challenges of regulating employees’ private behaviors are explored.

Employee Job Satisfaction in Major Cruise Lines

A survey of 244 crew members with six major cruise Iines indicated the most satisfaction with organization and supervision, satisfaction with working environment and ship life, and least satisfaction with rewards. The study suggests that the analysis of job satisfaction level may be used to develop organizational strategies to improve shipboard employee job satisfaction.