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Article
Publication date: 7 May 2024

António Cunha Meneses Abrantes, Maybritt Bakenhus and Aristides Isidoro Ferreira

The literature on communication in change processes, although fundamental, appears to still be very fragmented. The purpose of this study is to provide an explanatory and…

Abstract

Purpose

The literature on communication in change processes, although fundamental, appears to still be very fragmented. The purpose of this study is to provide an explanatory and integrated framework for the communication process in organizational change processes.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors conducted 22 semi-structured interviews with employees from 21 companies and 13 different sectors in Germany. The four-step Gioia inductive coding approach was adopted as the methodological approach of the current study.

Findings

A final research model reveals that the organizational change communication (OCC) process is marked by specific change-restraining forces associated with the fear of the unknown, habits and convenience. Results also suggest the importance of communication timing and factors that help shape the OCC process, namely the scope, contents and channels of the communication process. Finally, the current research highlights contextual variables of the OCC process, such as credibility or the level of honesty.

Originality/value

The importance of OCC, in particular the understanding of the scope, contents of the message and the channels of communication adopted in the change management process, are important variables in the complexity of change. The paper illustrates the intricacy of communication in change and reinforces the internal and external variables that help shape the OCC process, with implications for change agents and scholars.

Details

Journal of Organizational Change Management, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0953-4814

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 20 November 2017

Aristides Isidoro Ferreira, Carla Cardoso and Timo Braun

This study drew upon conservation of resources and organizational support theory to develop a deeper understanding of the antecedents of affective and behavioral reactions to…

1250

Abstract

Purpose

This study drew upon conservation of resources and organizational support theory to develop a deeper understanding of the antecedents of affective and behavioral reactions to change processes. The purpose of this paper is to construct a theoretical framework based on previous findings of change management research to suggest that the relationship between organizational support and resistance to change is mediated by ego-resilience. This framework was then validated empirically.

Design/methodology/approach

To test this model, the mediation relationship was examined using regression analysis with bootstrapping. The sample consisted of 323 employees from private and public organizations.

Findings

The results confirmed that the relationship between organizational support and affective and behavioral reactions to imposed change is mediated by ego-resilience. The theoretical model was thus validated for use in future research.

Research limitations/implications

This study’s findings have implications for organizations regarding how managers guide their employees through change processes. The research’s limitations arise from the use of convenience non-probability sampling and cross-sectional, self-reported data, which only allow for a tentative generalizability of the results.

Originality/value

The findings show that organizational change processes are affected by factors on both the individual (i.e. ego-resilience) and organizational level (i.e. organizational support). This study’s results thus provide empirical support for the conclusion that ego-resilience mediates the indirect relationship between organizational support and employees’ resistance to change.

Details

Baltic Journal of Management, vol. 13 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1746-5265

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 February 2016

Aristides Isidoro Ferreira and Joana Diniz Esteves

Activities such as making personal phone calls, surfing on the internet, booking personal appointments or chatting with colleagues may or may not deviate attentions from work…

1674

Abstract

Purpose

Activities such as making personal phone calls, surfing on the internet, booking personal appointments or chatting with colleagues may or may not deviate attentions from work. With this in mind, the purpose of this paper is to examine gender differences and motivations behind personal activities employees do at work, as well as individuals’ perception of the time they spend doing these activities.

Design/methodology/approach

Data were obtained from 35 individuals (M age=37.06 years; SD=7.80) from a Portuguese information technology company through an ethnographic method including a five-day non-participant direct observation (n=175 observations) and a questionnaire with open-ended questions.

Findings

Results revealed that during a five-working-day period of eight hours per day, individuals spent around 58 minutes doing personal activities. During this time, individuals engaged mainly in socializing through conversation, internet use, smoking and taking coffee breaks. Results revealed that employees did not perceive the time they spent on non-work realted activities accurately, as the values of these perceptions were lower than the actual time. Moreover, through HLM, the findings showed that the time spent on conversation and internet use was moderated by the relationship between gender and the leisure vs home-related motivations associated with each personal activity developed at work.

Originality/value

This study contributes to the literature on human resource management because it reveals how employees often perceive the time they spend on non-work related activities performed at work inaccurately. This study highlights the importance of including individual motivations when studying gender differences and personal activities performed at work. The current research discusses implications for practitioners and outlines suggestions for future studies.

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