Webs of Influence: Secondary Stakeholder Actions and Cross-National Corporate Social Performance

2021 | Organization Science | Citations: 0

Authors: Odziemkowska, Kate; Henisz, Witold J.

Abstract: We analyze the relationship between the actions and interactions of secondary st ... Expand

Abstract: We analyze the relationship between the actions and interactions of secondary stakeholders with an interest in corporate social performance (CSP) and variation in firm-level CSP across countries. Our work represents a significant theoretical shift in research exploring comparative CSP, which, to date, has focused on cross-national variation in institutions. We propose that stakeholders can also drive cross-country heterogeneity in CSP by influencing the salience of the issues for which they advocate. Stakeholders raise salience of CSP issues through their interactions with important sociopolitical actors within a country, signaling their collective ability to change expectations on CSP. CSP issue salience is also heightened where heterogeneous stakeholder groups advocate for CSP issues, signaling that issues have garnered widespread acceptance or legitimacy. Managers are also more attuned to the urgency of issues through the direct actions that stakeholders take against firms in the country. We also argue and find that these effects are moderated by interstakeholder interactions, which signal the degree of consensus among stakeholders on issues and their ability to mobilize repeatedly against firms. We draw on a novel data set of 250 million media-reported events to identify secondary stakeholders with interests in the environmental and social issues that constitute CSP, their direct actions against firms, and their interactions with important sociopolitical actors and each other. We show empirically that variation in secondary stakeholder actions and interactions between countries, and within countries over time, is associated with differences in firm-level CSP among a sample of 2,852 firms spanning 36 countries from 2004 to 2013. Collapse

Topics: missing data corporate social responsibility database system accounting research and development

Methods: descriptive statistic linear regression analysis cross sectional research longitudinal research hierarchical linear modeling

Theories: stakeholder theory theory of economic development

A Social Capital Perspective on Computer-Mediated Group Communication and Performance: An Empirical Study

2020 | Group Decision and Negotiation | Citations: 0

Authors: Raghupathi, Viju; Benbunan-Fich, Raquel

Abstract: In light of the pervasiveness of collaborative decision making and technology in ... Expand

Abstract: In light of the pervasiveness of collaborative decision making and technology in organizations, this research examines computer mediated collaboration using the lens of social capital. We draw from the Distributed Cognition Theory and others for our socio-technical investigation that incorporates the technical component as the artifact of electronic memory (group memory), and the social component as the history of interactions between members (group history). We study these under the mediating influence of the relational social capital dimensions of relational closeness and relational trust. Our study shows how social capital adds an important flavor to collaborative performance. We highlight how the traditional premise of memory being an unequivocal enhancer of group performance gets altered if one fails to consider the influence of relational social capital in the equation. We propose to practitioners that collaborative technology that offers memory cannot be viewed independently, but as a vehicle that impacts performance through the dynamics of social capital of the group. Most importantly, our research reinforces the need for a novel perspective to collaborative development. With the diaspora of technological advancement, there needs to be a transition in perceiving collaborative development as a concurrent, rather than a sequential, process of discussion and development of group activity. Collapse

Topics: social capital team productivity Google+ computer supported cooperative work IT supported collaboration

Methods: experiment experimental task parametric test data transformation ANOVA

Theories: theory of distributed cognition media synchronicity theory social capital theory theory of shared mental models

Simulating Experiential Learning in Professional Online Courses

2018 | ACM SIGMIS Database | Citations: 0

Authors: Gasson, Susan; Waters, James

Abstract: Few studies have explored how to simulate the experiential learning of professio ... Expand

Abstract: Few studies have explored how to simulate the experiential learning of professional knowledge domains in online graduate courses. This paper addresses how to provide the type of deep, socially situated learning that is achieved in professional practice by employing peer and vicarious learning in discussion forums. We start by describing what we have learned about scaffolding peer learning environments from prior studies. We distinguish vicarious learning, which exposes and sensitizes students to situated knowledge based on observation of peer discussions, from peer interactions which engage students actively in co-constructing knowledge about professional practice. Then we present findings from a 10-week graduate course in Information Systems Project Management. Our findings present evidence for vicarious learning from observing peer interactions, and of interactive peer learning that not only demonstrates the co-construction of knowledge across learners but also uncovers a collaborative process based on a sense of community identity. We end with a substantive theory of social cognition in community learning based on our findings. The intention is to provide a framework for the evaluation of collaborative knowledge construction, so that courses may support deep, experiential learning in graduate online professional education. Collapse

Topics: sensemaking online learning system project management social network innovation management

Methods: synthesis grounded theory qualitative coding social network analysis deep learning

Learning Effects of Attention Guidance in Online Discussions

2016 | Americas Conference on Information Systems | Citations: 0

Authors: Eryilmaz, Evren; Thoms, Brian; Kim, Rosemary; Fuchsman, Alexander; Mary, Justin

Abstract: This paper reports on the design and learning effects of an awareness mechanism ... Expand

Abstract: This paper reports on the design and learning effects of an awareness mechanism integrated into an anchored discussion system. Drawing on social constructivist literature, the design aims to attract, retain, and if necessary reacquire students’ attention on instructional materials’ central principles in documentbased asynchronous online discussions. To form a holistic picture, we operationalized learning across three dependent variables: perceived learning, knowledge gain, and learning efficiency. We performed an experimental study (N=64) across two sections of a blended-format human-computer interaction course to evaluate our design. Results show that the proposed design increased students’ perceptions of learning. However, the difference in knowledge gain scores was marginally significant, and represented a medium effect size. Interestingly, we found that our design afforded more efficient learning. Moreover, we discovered students’ perceptions of learning to be a significant predictor of their learning efficiency. Theoretical and practical implications are also discussed. Collapse

Topics: usability human computer interaction open source user interface persuasive information system

Methods: experimental group experiment Student's t-test simple linear regression descriptive statistic

Theories: theory of affordance

The Role of Gender in Business Process Management Competence Supply

2016 | Business & Information Systems Engineering | Citations: 2

Authors: Gorbacheva, Elena; Stein, Armin; Schmiedel, Theresa; Müller, Oliver

Abstract: While Business Process Management (BPM) was originally focused on Information T ... Expand

Abstract: While Business Process Management (BPM) was originally focused on Information Technology as a key factor driving the efficiency and effectiveness of organizational processes, there is now a growing consensus among practitioners and academics that BPM represents a holistic management approach that also takes such factors as corporate governance, human capital, and organizational culture into account. Studies show that the BPM practice faces a shortage of competence supply that stems from a shortage of qualified BPM professionals. At the same time, there is a distinct underrepresentation of women in technology-related fields; it has been suggested that gender stereotypes are one of the reasons for this underrepresentation. The goal of this research paper is, thus, to better understand the role of gender in the BPM competences supply. In this study 10,405 LinkedIn profiles of BPM professionals were analyzed using a text mining technique called Latent Semantic Analysis. Twelve distinct categories of supplied BPM competences were identified and it was investigated how far gender biases exist among BPM professionals. The nature of BPM-related competences is discussed, together with the differences in their presentation by male and female professionals, which indicate potential existence of gender stereotypes. Further, it is discussed how the apparent underrepresentation of women among BPM professionals can be addressed to close the competence gap in the field. The study contributes to both the call for research on human capital in the BPM field, and the calls for research on gender and gender stereotypes in technology-related fields. Collapse

Topics: LinkedIn IT career human resource management social network systems development

Methods: descriptive statistic natural language processing hierarchical clustering latent semantic analysis Student's t-test

Categorical Stigma and Firm Disengagement: Nuclear Power Generation in the United States, 1970–2000

2015 | Organization Science | Citations: 0

Authors: Piazza, Alessandro; Perretti, Fabrizio

Abstract: How do organizations react to stakeholder disapproval of a category to which the ... Expand

Abstract: How do organizations react to stakeholder disapproval of a category to which they belong? In this paper, we draw on the categorization, stigma, and identity literatures in building a theory to predict whether firms that are involved in stigmatized activities will choose to reduce or terminate their involvement in them, as opposed to resorting to less drastic measures such as defensive practice adoption or impression management techniques. Conceptualizing groups of organizations involved in such contentious practices as stigmatized categories in the eyes of an audience, we argue that organizational responses rest on three elements: (1) the intensity of stigma targeting the category, (2) the media exposure of the category, and (3) the extent to which an organization is a member of the category. A quantitative study of proposed new nuclear reactor units in the United States between 1970 and 2000, in the face of mounting opposition to atomic power, provides empirical support for our claims. Collapse

Topics: decision making logistics management database system Wikipedia information system use

Methods: robustness check literature sample regression analysis method parametric test logistic regression

Theories: organizational theory

Fairness in the Institutional Valuation of Business Journals

2015 | Management Information Systems Quarterly | Citations: 2

Authors: Templeton, Gary F.; Lewis, Bruce R.

Abstract: The fairness of performance evaluation is a concern for all professions, and the ... Expand

Abstract: The fairness of performance evaluation is a concern for all professions, and the appraisal of research output is of particular interest to business scholars and academic administrators. We describe research assessment as a process of social construction that is heavily influenced by journal valuation in business schools. Using journal quality data from multiple sources, we empirically investigate whether the journals in each of eight business disciplines (Accounting, Economics, Finance, Information Systems, Management, Marketing, Operations Management, and Quantitative Methods) are treated evenly across the board. Specifically, we explore whether each business discipline exhibits recognition fairness (i.e., actual institutional journal evaluations are the same as market expectations) and inclusion fairness (i.e., actual availability of publication space in top journals being the same as market expectations). Our findings indicate that faculty in some disciplines enjoy an advantage, while faculty in other fields are disadvantaged. Consequently, we offer recommendations to ameliorate this inequity. Collapse

Topics: accounting database system marketing management artificial intelligence decision support system

Methods: Wilcoxon signed-rank test nonparametric test descriptive statistic journal ranking survey

Under Construction: How Commensuration and Management Fashion Affect Corporate Reputation Rankings

2014 | Organization Science | Citations: 8

Authors: Bermiss, Y. Sekou; Zajac, Edward J.; King, Brayden G

Abstract: This paper analyzes the antecedents of corporate reputation as a dynamic commens ... Expand

Abstract: This paper analyzes the antecedents of corporate reputation as a dynamic commensuration process in which management fashions influence audiences as they attempt to quantify corporate reputation. Using the context of Fortune reputation rankings over multiple decades, we find evidence consistent with our hypotheses that when asked to quantify corporate reputation, audiences rely heavily on traditional as well as emerging nontraditional measures of financial performance as they become more fashionable indicators of superior financial performance. However, audiences have recently begun to assess companies’ reputations based on indicators of social performance. We also examine how audience attention to these indicators is itself influenced by business press discourse. Collapse

Topics: financial performance business topic accounting database system organizational productivity

Methods: autoregressive moving average model autocorrelation analysis survey longitudinal research regression analysis method

Getting Ahead or Getting Along? The Two-Facet Conceptualization of Conscientiousness and Leadership Emergence

2013 | Organization Science | Citations: 0

Authors: Marinova, Sophia V.; Moon, Henry; Kamdar, Dishan

Abstract: We propose a theoretical process model of the social construction of leadership ... Expand

Abstract: We propose a theoretical process model of the social construction of leadership that sheds light on the relationship between conscientiousness and leadership emergence. The socioanalytic theory of personality is invoked to hypothesize different mediational paths linking the two facets of conscientiousness, achievement striving and duty, with leadership emergence. We tested the theoretical model with data from 249 employees matched with data from 40 of their coworkers and 40 supervisors employed in a Fortune 500 organization. Results indicate that the relationship between achievement striving and leadership emergence is partially mediated by competitiveness, providing support for a getting-ahead path to leadership. In contrast, the relationship between duty and leadership emergence is, in part, carried forward by trust, helping role perceptions, and helping behavior, supporting a getting-along path to leadership. Consistent with the self versus other distinction theoretically posited with regard to the facets of conscientiousness, although helping behavior is a predictor of leadership emergence, achievement strivers help only when they perceive helping as being an in-role requirement, whereas dutiful individuals enlarge their helping role perceptions. Collapse

Topics: task productivity personality anonymity organizational context missing data

Methods: structural equation modeling survey regression analysis method descriptive statistic survey design

Theories: organizational behavior theory evolutionary theory

The Cost of Status Enhancement: Performance Effects of Individuals' Status Mobility in Task Groups

2012 | Organization Science | Citations: 8

Authors: Bendersky, Corinne; Shah, Neha Parikh

Abstract: Although we know that considerable benefits accrue to individuals with high soci ... Expand

Abstract: Although we know that considerable benefits accrue to individuals with high social status, we do not know the performance effects of gaining or losing status in one's group over time. In two longitudinal studies, we measure the status positions of middle managers currently enrolled in a part-time MBA program at the beginning and end of their study group's life. In both samples, we compare the individual performance (course grades) of the students who gained or lost status to those who maintained high and low stable status positions in their groups. We find that higher status at the end of the group's life is associated with higher performance. We also find, however, that the performance of individuals who gain or lose status over time does not correspond to their final status positions. Instead, those who gain status—including those who eventually attain high status—perform worse than those who maintain high-status positions for the whole quarter. They perform no better than those in stable low-status positions throughout. Those who lose status over time actually perform as well as those who maintain high status. We interpret these results to suggest that people might trade off resources they could apply to individual performance for opportunities to enhance their status. After replicating this effect in our second sample, we identify overinvestment in increasing assertive communication and generosity as behavioral mechanisms through which individuals successfully gain status to the detriment of their own performance. Collapse

Topics: logistics management team productivity Slack social media

Methods: statistical hypothesis test descriptive statistic survey regression analysis method longitudinal research

Theories: organizational behavior theory