Exploratory study

Work-based learning: a catalyst for leadership, organizational development and economic growth in Tennessee

PURPOSE

This paper explores the significance of work-based learning in the context of leadership development, organizational growth and the promising economic success in Tennessee organizations. It aims to investigate the practical implications of work-based learning, focusing on its role in enhancing leadership capabilities, fostering innovation and contributing to a prosperous economic future.

DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH

The research employs a systematic literature review to examine existing studies on work-based learning, leadership development, organizational growth and economic success in Tennessee. It also involves data collection from various sources, including government agencies, colleges and organizations in the state. The collected data are rigorously verified and cross-referenced to ensure reliability and relevance.

FINDINGS

The findings emphasize the transformative potential of work-based learning initiatives in Tennessee. They reveal that work-based learning programs are vital in developing influential leaders, fostering a culture of learning and innovation and contributing to economic competitiveness. The research also highlights the interconnectedness of leadership development, organizational growth and economic success, emphasizing the critical role of work-based learning in driving positive outcomes in all these dimensions.

ORIGINALITY/VALUE

This research contributes to the existing body of knowledge by emphasizing the practical applicability of work-based learning findings. It provides insights into the unique context of Tennessee organizations and their motivations, challenges and opportunities related to work-based learning. The research also outlines recommendations and future research directions to bridge the gap between theory and practice, enhancing the impact of work-based learning initiatives in Tennessee and beyond. The insights gained can assist other states and industries in developing effective work-based learning programs tailored to their specific economic needs and industry demands, fostering broader economic prosperity.

Culturally and contextually adaptive indicators of organizational success: Nunavik, Quebec

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to develop a preliminary guide to culturally and contextually relevant indicators to assess community resources in the 14 communities of the Inuit territory of Nunavik, Quebec.

METHODS

As part of the Community Component of Qanuilirpitaa? of the 2017 Nunavik Health Survey, data were collected from 354 organizations located across Nunavik. Data were collected via short structured interviews with representatives of the organization. An inductive qualitative analysis was conducted to identify emerging themes describing the contexts that influence organizations, how key informants conceptualized what is a successful resource, and the facilitators and needs to achieving these indicators of success. Inuit partners were involved throughout the project to offer insight and to ascertain its pertinence and validity.

RESULTS

Interviews revealed structural and community realities that influenced organizations. Three main indicators were used to describe successes: (1) team efficiency and dynamics; (2) accessibility of the resource; and (3) ability to impact clients and the community. The third indicator was by far the most discussed indicator of success. Participants and leaders offer suggestions as to how to achieve these indicators and advocate for the conditions necessary for organizational sustainability.

CONCLUSION

This data-driven framework suggests that the measures of success that are frequently used by funding agencies (e.g., number of people reached, number of activities) may not fully represent the potential of local services in a given community. Indeed, services may be creating job opportunities for Inuit, instilling pride, offering cultural opportunities, and increasing capital (human, economic, health) within the community, all of which are equally important indicators of success that may more adequately further improve the social determinants of health among communities.

Guidelines for Assessing and Enhancing the Organizational Vitality of Pharmacy Educational Programs: A Call to Action!

Organizational vitality encompasses organizational mission and identity, organizational purpose and values, and employee engagement, cohesiveness, anxiety, and information sharing. Using the organizational vitality framework consisting of the following five pillars: (1) human, (2) knowledge, (3) intellectual, (4) financial capital, and (5) market value, we propose a reflection guide and specific calls to action for academic leaders including deans, department chairs, assistant/associate deans, and others within pharmacy and healthcare education systems. Our overall aim is to provide a blueprint for academic leaders to assess and enhance the organizational health, vitality, resiliency, and sustainability of their pharmacy educational programs using an established organizational vitality framework. This guide can help academic leaders at all levels to reflect on their organization’s vitality and use the steps outlined here to renew conversations about faculty life, identities as leaders, the global pharmacy Academy’s core mission and values, and the pursuit of work-life harmony in the context of their pharmacy schools’ organizational vitality. All leaders within pharmacy educational programs should identify and embrace a holistic and guided framework that emphasizes organizational vitality.

Information systems project team members: factors for high performance

Purpose

The main aim of this study is to contribute to the discussion on the factors that can influence the high performance of information systems (IS) project team members, from the individual perspective. This study also allows both IS project team members and their managers to have a thorough picture of high-performing project teams, helping them improve team design, management and performance in today's demanding business environment.

Design/methodology/approach

To address the research questions, the authors carried out an exploratory case study of a small-sized holding company and a qualitative analysis of the data.

Findings

Results show a set of perceived factors that can influence (facilitate/hinder) the high performance of IS project team members. “Proper reward systems” was the most mentioned facilitating factor. “Negative affectivity” and “Lack of competence” were the two most referred as hindering factors. Most of the perceived factors are classified in the literature as non-technical.

Originality/value

Besides being among the very few empirical studies consolidating knowledge on the high performance of IS project team members, this paper extends the authors' previous research (done at the team level) to the individual team member level (as opposed to the team or organizational levels). In spite of IS being a highly technical industry, this study came across mostly human-centered factors transversal to different professionals (IS and non-IS) involved in project teams.

Job meaningfulness, employee engagement, supervisory support and job performance: a moderated-mediation analysis

Purpose

Guided by social exchange, broaden and build and conservation of resources theoretical perspectives, this study explores the moderated mediating role of supervisory support (SS) on the relationship between job meaningfulness (JM) on job performance (JP) through employee engagement (EE).

Design/methodology/approach

Field data were collected from two hundred and nineteen executives and their thirty-eight supervisors of a large paint manufacturing industry through a time-lagged research design and was analyzed with partial least squares based structural equation modeling.

Findings

Findings of this study indicate that JM mediated by EE contributes to JP, which means if an employee finds one's job meaningful, she/he is likely to be more engaged emotionally, psychologically and cognitively to deliver better JP. SS is also found to be salient as it moderates both direct and indirect relationships between JM and JP through EE.

Research limitations/implications

Generalizability of the findings of this study should be done with caution. Though the study has time-laggard data from two different sources but missing longitudinal data restricts causality of relationships/findings.

Practical implications

These findings are relevant for organizations given that organizational leaders can create a context, by appropriate job design and engaging work context that motivates employees to perform better in their jobs. Insights of this study will be useful for organizations to curate meaningful jobs for their employees and also groom leaders with requisite skills and competencies to help subordinates perform up to their potential.

Originality/value

This study is an attempt toward a better understanding of the interplay of JM, work engagement and SS on JP in a manufacturing set-up in India, which has not been hitherto examined in Indian context.

Autobiographical internal dialogue on TQM

Purpose

To present the internal dialogue of a TQM practitioner using the conceptual lens of reflective practice.

Design/methodology/approach

This study used a pragmatic philosophical approach to collect qualitative critical reflection data and quantitative career construction data from stratified and purposively sampled respondents, using structured questionnaires. The qualitative data were analyzed through reconstruction, while the quantitative data were analyzed through co-construction using the percentage agreement value and Wilcoxon–Mann Whitney test.

Findings

Five questions were found to be valuable for steering the internal dialogue for critical reflection, thus recommended as a must-have in a TQM practitioner's toolkit. This study found the career adapt–abilities scale to be a valuable tool for assessing the career construction of a TQM practitioner. This was supported by a 64% agreement and non-significant difference between the two groups of raters used, p < 0.05 (U = 3356.5, W = 7451.5, Z = 1.9826), two-tailed.

Research limitations/implications

The pragmatic philosophical stance used in this study lends it to a certain level of subjectivity. However, the inputs from the three other participants neutralize the subjectivity. Most notably, this study is not about consensus-seeking but rather verifiable/testable self-reflection.

Practical implications

The theory-informed results presented in this study are useful for the continuing professional development of TQM practitioners.

Originality/value

This study provides insights for applying an individual-level self-assessment tool for TQM implementation.

Identification of drivers of employee engagement in Indian power companies

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to extend the scope of social exchange theory (SET) to explore employee engagement and test its application in the context of Indian power companies. The study also attempts to explore the antecedents of employee engagement. This study includes organizational culture and three trusts, that is co-worker trust, supervisor trust and organizational trust whose presence in the organization influences employee engagement.

Design/methodology/approach

The study includes a sample of 812 executives who represent three major functions of the Indian power sector, that is power generation, power transmission and power distribution. The relationships between constructs are evaluated using structural equation modeling.

Findings

The findings of this study indicate that four resources in the organization influence employee engagement in different ways. Three constructs representing co-worker trust, supervisor trust and organizational trust partially mediate the relation between organizational culture and employee engagement. This study also compares the engagement levels of the employees from three power companies.

Research limitations/implications

This study is focused on companies operating in only the government sector.

Practical implications

Ensuring engagement from employees for the critical power sector is expected to support the development of the HR practices in this sector. Identification of sector-specific resources is expected to aid both employees and policymakers from the organization.

Social implications

This study assists the policy makers in the organization by showcasing the importance of organizational culture, interpersonal and organizational trusts and their impact on employee engagement.

Originality/value

Resource theory explains why certain resources in the workplace are exchanged for employee engagement. This study extends theories of engagement as well as SET and examines their application as employee engagement in the context of executives from Indian power companies. This understanding will aid the practitioners and researchers to further their understanding of employee engagement.