Power hierarchy has the potential to both benefit and harm the functioning of new venture teams (NVTs) and hence new venture performance. Integrating structural contingency theory with the literature ...on power hierarchy, we propose that the effect of NVT power hierarchy on new venture performance is contingent on NVT homogeneity (as indicated by functional background homogeneity and shared team experience) and the powerholder's prior founding experience. Specifically, we propose that the effect of NVT power hierarchy on new venture performance will be positive when NVT homogeneity is low but negative when NVT homogeneity is high. Furthermore, this positive (negative) effect under low (high) NVT homogeneity will be strengthened by the powerholder's prior founding experience. Based on a five-year panel data of 285 new Internet ventures listed on the National Equities Exchange and Quotations (NEEQ) in China combined with qualitative fieldwork, our hypotheses received general support. We discuss the theoretical and practical implications of our findings on how NVTs should design power structures to achieve optimal new venture performance.
•It remains a puzzle whether power should be centralized or be equally shared in new venture teams.•There is no one best power structure for all new venture teams.•A centralized (decentralized) power structure should be adopted in a heterogeneous (homogeneous) team.•The powerholder's prior founding experience amplifies the positive and negative effects of power hierarchy.
Ethical leadership exerts a powerful influence on employees, and most studies share a basic premise that leaders display the same level of ethical leadership to all subordinates. However, we ...challenge this assumption and suggest that subordinates’ characteristics and supervisors’ characteristics may jointly influence supervisor ethical leadership behavior. Drawing upon research on person–supervisor fit and moral identity, we explore the questions of whether and how supervisor–subordinate (in)congruence in moral identity affects the emergence of supervisor ethical leadership behavior. Using multi-level and multi-source data, the results of cross-level polynomial regressions revealed that the less aligned a supervisor’s moral identity was with a subordinate’s, the more negative sentiments the supervisor held toward the subordinate, which, in turn, influenced the supervisor’s ethical leadership behavior. We also argue that not all types of congruence are alike. Our results confirmed that supervisor negative sentiments toward subordinates were higher in low–low congruence dyads than in high–high congruence dyads. Results also confirmed that by reducing supervisor negative sentiments toward subordinates, supervisor–subordinate congruence in moral identity had an indirect positive effect on supervisor ethical leadership behavior. Overall, this research highlights the importance of taking both subordinates’ and supervisors’ traits into consideration in understanding the emergence of ethical leadership.
•Little is known about how abusive supervision affects actors.•We reveal that abusive supervisory behavior leads to enhanced state sense of power.•Abusive supervision relates to managerial ...self-efficacy via state sense of power.•Low chronic sense of power strengthens these relationships.•Managerial self-efficacy further relates to task-oriented leadership behavior.
While a large number of studies have shown the detrimental effects of abusive supervision on subordinates’ work attitudes and outcomes, little is known about how abusive supervision impacts supervisors themselves. Drawing upon self-perception theory and power-dependence theory, we take a unique actor-focused approach to examine how and when engaging in abusive supervisory behavior may benefit actors (i.e., supervisors). Specifically, we propose that abusive supervisory behavior is positively related to supervisors’ state sense of power, which in turn positively relates to their managerial self-efficacy and task-oriented leadership behavior. Furthermore, the relationship between abusive supervisory behavior and state sense of power and the positive indirect effect of abusive supervisory behavior on managerial self-efficacy via state sense of power are stronger for supervisors with low, rather than high, levels of chronic sense of power. Our hypotheses are substantially supported by a multi-wave field diary study (Study 1) conducted across 10 consecutive workdays and three experiments (Studies 2a, 2b, and 3). Moreover, supplementary analyses showed that abusive supervisory behavior was positively related to sense of power and managerial self-efficacy only in the short term (i.e., these relationships turned negative after one week). Our findings contribute to the abusive supervision literature by delineating a nuanced view of the supervisory outcomes of abusive supervision.
•Subordinate BSB results in supervisor perceived status threat only when supervisors’ managerial self-efficacy (MSE) is low (vs. high).•Supervisor perceived status threat leads to abusive supervisory ...behavior (AS).•Supervisor perceived status threat mediates the interactive effect of subordinate BSB and supervisor MSE on AS.
Although research suggests that subordinates’ boundary spanning may result in unintended negative responses from their supervisors, little is known about which supervisors are likely to react adversely and which are not. We draw on self-protection theory to answer this question. Specifically, we argue that when supervisors experience low levels of managerial self-efficacy, boundary spanning behavior threatens their perceived work status within the team, resulting in abusive supervisory behavior. The results of two field survey studies and an experimental study support our hypotheses. Our research identifies managerial barriers that may hinder boundary spanning behavior at work and provides invaluable insights into how upper-level organizations may create constructive work contexts that encourage employees to engage in such behavior.
Structural holes are important network structures that have positive implications for individuals' job performance. Although the emergence of structural holes is closely related to self-monitoring, ...little is known about how chameleon-like high self-monitors manage to occupy brokerage positions. We posited that leader–member exchange (LMX) quality and network diversity might serve as two important mediating paths through which self-monitoring links to structural holes and sequential job performance. Using structural equation modelling to analyse 10 department networks, we found that high self-monitors were more likely to build high-quality LMX relationships and diversified co-worker networks, which helped to enhance structural holes and job performance. Theoretical contributions and managerial implications are discussed.
•We explore the mechanism through which high self-monitors manage to occupy structural holes.•High self-monitors would upwardly strengthen exchange with leaders and latently diversify their contacted co-workers to earn brokerage positions.•The dyadic-specific leader–member exchange may influence individuals' structural holes throughout the entire network.•By integrating two perspectives, this paper provides additional insight on the pathways toward performance improvement.
Teamwork is widely adopted in organisations. Although much evidence indicates that using person‐organisation (P‐O) fit as a selection criterion benefits individual employees, little is known about ...how this practice influences team functioning. Drawing on the input‐mediator‐outcome model and the research on value congruence, this study built and tested a model that links P‐O fit in recruitment to work teams' performance. Based on data collected from team members, team leaders, human resources managers, and chief executive officers in 96 firms, we found that P‐O fit in recruitment had a positive relationship with team performance and that intrateam trust mediated the relationship between P‐O fit in recruitment and team performance. Further, this mediated relationship existed only when the organisation had a weak, rather than strong, respect‐for‐people culture. This study contributes to the P‐O fit and team literature and has practical implications for human resources practices and team management.
Although empirical evidence has accumulated showing that abusive supervision has devastating effects on subordinates’ work attitudes and outcomes, knowledge about how such behavior impacts ...supervisors who exhibit it is limited. Drawing upon conservation of resources theory, we develop and test a model that specifies how and when engaging in abusive supervisory behavior has immediate benefits for supervisors. Via two experiments and a multi-wave diary study across 10 consecutive workdays, we found that engaging in abusive supervisory behavior was associated with improved recovery level. Moreover, abusive supervisory behavior had a positive indirect effect on work engagement through recovery level. Interestingly, supplemental analyses suggested that these beneficial effects were short-lived because, over longer periods of time (i.e., one week and beyond), abusive supervisory behavior was negatively related to supervisors’ recovery level and engagement. The strength of these short-lived beneficial effects was also bound by personal and contextual factors. Empathic concern––a personal factor––and job demands––a contextual factor––moderated the observed effects. Specifically, supervisors with high empathic concern or low job demands experienced fewer benefits after engaging in abusive supervisory behavior. We discuss the theoretical and practical implications of these findings, and propose future research directions.
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to explore the determinants of family business owners’ intrafamily succession intention based on the theory of planned behavior and neo-institutional theory.
...Design/methodology/approach
National survey data were collected from Chinese private firms in 2010, and a sample of 804 family firms was used to test the hypotheses.
Findings
At the micro level, familism, intrafamily succession regulation and family control have positive effects on owners’ intrafamily succession intention. At the macro level, district succession orientation, which is the district prevalence of intrafamily succession practice, has a positive effect on owners’ intrafamily succession intention. Additionally, the district succession orientation weakens the positive effects of intrafamily succession regulation and family control.
Originality/value
The paper contributes to the understanding of family business owners’ intrafamily succession intention from both micro and macro perspectives. Besides, it also contributes to the integration of micro and macro research by examining the interaction effects.
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