Beliefs about the Nature of Forgiveness and Avoidance of an Offender among Chinese College Students

Previous research on beliefs about the nature of forgiveness (unconditional and conditional) has focused on their effects on health and well-being. However, little is known about how they influence victims' responses to interpersonal offenses. Given that avoidance is a common response to offenses during early adulthood, this study investigated the relationships between beliefs in unconditional and conditional forgiveness and avoidance of an offender among Chinese college students, the mediating role of forgiveness, and the moderating role of whether or not the offender explains the offense. Participants were 423 Chinese college students. They were asked to recall an unforgettable incident in which another person had offended them, and then completed the following measures: the offender's explanation, the belief in unconditional/conditional forgiveness, forgiveness, and avoidance of the offender. The study found that: (1) Victims' belief in unconditional forgiveness negatively predicts their avoidance of an offender, whereas their belief in conditional forgiveness positively predicts the avoidance of an offender. (2) Forgiveness mediates the relationships between beliefs in unconditional and conditional forgiveness and avoidance of an offender. (3) The offender's explanation moderates the relationships between the belief in conditional forgiveness and forgiveness, as well as avoidance of an offender.

Workplace ostracism and employee wellbeing: A conservation of resource perspective

Introduction

As a common phenomenon of workplace ostracism in corporate management, it is urgent to clarify how it affects employee well-being.

Methods

Based on Conservation of Resource Theory, this study investigates the mechanisms of workplace ostracism on employee well-being and examines the mediating role of emotional exhaustion and the moderating role of team forgiveness climate by surveying 282 employees from 68 companies in mainland China.

Results

The results show that (1) workplace ostracism negatively affects employee well-being; (2) emotional exhaustion plays a mediating role between workplace ostracism and employee well-being; (3) team forgiveness climate weakens the negative effect of workplace ostracism on emotional exhaustion and negatively moderates the indirect effect of workplace ostracism on employee well-being through emotional exhaustion.

Discussion

It tries to provide theoretical basis and practical guidance for eliminating the negative effects of workplace ostracism and focusing on employee well-being.

In a team forgiveness climate, the influence of paradoxical thinking of leaders on the team voice behavior: Mediated by team cooperation

In order to clarify the influence of the paradoxical thinking of leaders on team voice behavior, a moderating mediation model was constructed to explore the mediating role of team cooperation and the moderating effect of team forgiveness climate based on the social exchange theory. Based on the "leader-employee" matching data of 477 employees from 101 teams, SPSS (Statistic Package for Social Science) and AMOS (a macro-micro model of Scotland) were used to analyze the three-stage data linear regression. The research conclusions indicate that: (1) The paradoxical thinking of leaders positively affects team voice behavior; (2) Team cooperation plays a completely mediating role in the relationship between the paradoxical thinking of leaders and team voice behavior; (3) The team forgiveness climate positively moderates the relationship between the paradoxical thinking of leaders and team cooperation, which means that their positive relationship is stronger in a higher forgiveness climate; (4) The team forgiveness climate moderates the mediating role of team cooperation between the paradoxical thinking of leaders and team voice behavior. Compared with a lower forgiveness climate, this moderating mediating effect is significant at a higher forgiveness level. This study clarifies the connection of the paradoxical thinking of leaders to the team voice behavior through team cooperation and has practical insights into how a team forgiveness climate promotes the team voice behavior.

Unpleasant Memories on the Web in Employment Relations: A Ricoeurian Approach

Cybervetting has become common practice in personnel decision-making processes of organizations. While it represents a quick and inexpensive way of obtaining additional information on employees and applicants, it gives rise to a variety of legal and ethical concerns. To limit companies’ access to personal information, a right to be forgotten has been introduced by the European jurisprudence. By discussing the notion of forgetting from the perspective of French hermeneutic philosopher Paul Ricoeur, the present article demonstrates that both, companies and employees, would be harmed if access to online information on applicants and current employees would be denied. Consistent with a Humanistic Management approach that promotes human dignity and flourishing in the workplace, this article proposes guidance for the responsible handling of unpleasant online memories in personnel decision-making processes, thereby following Ricoeur’s notion of forgetting as “kept in reserve”. Enabling applicants and employees to take a qualified stand on their past is more beneficial to both sides than a right to be forgotten that is questionable in several respects.

When leaders forgive: encouraging radical innovation in more altruistic organizations

Purpose

There is general agreement on the importance of innovation to improve business performance and competitiveness. In recent years, many studies have sought to unravel what conditions are conducive to innovation. Following this trend, the present study seeks to broaden the understanding of the antecedents of radical innovation. To this end, and drawing on positive organizational psychology, the study focuses on the role of leaders and the importance of improving working conditions within companies, favoring innovation in more respectful and prosocial organizations.

Design/methodology/approach

The study provides, through structural equations, empirical evidence of the relationship between leader's forgiveness and radical innovation, using altruism as an explanatory variable. The study was conducted in a population of 11,594 Spanish companies. A sample frame of 554 questionnaires from 277 different firms was obtained.

Findings

Results confirm the hypotheses proposed in the model. Forgiveness, analyzed as a leader behavior, promotes altruism within companies and, in turn, radical innovation.

Originality/value

This is one of the few empirical studies that analyzes the consequences of leader's forgiveness in the organizational context.

Interpersonal forgiveness and employee life satisfaction: the role of affect at work

Purpose

Amidst the new realities of the modern world, a happy and satisfied workforce has become a necessary requirement for organizations to maintain their competitive edge. While most of the available literature revolves around positive organizational behaviour, there is dearth of research on the influence of interpersonal forgiveness on affect and life satisfaction in employees. Keeping this precept in mind, this study aims at bridging this gap in research by developing and testing a mediation model to examine the link between interpersonal forgiveness to affect and life satisfaction.

Design/methodology/approach

The sample consists of 378 employees working in different Indian manufacturing organizations. To test the hypotheses, structural equation modelling was applied.

Findings

The results reveal that interpersonal forgiveness significantly influences life satisfaction and affect partially mediates this relationship in employees.

Practical implications

The study recommends that organizational development practitioners and human resource professionals focus on forgiveness among co-workers to foster a balanced affect and enhanced life satisfaction by developing and implementing positive psychological interventions and practices. This can help organizations in regulating interpersonal transgressions and conflicts at an early stage and also make the employees happy and satisfied.

Originality/value

This study offers concrete insights into the complicated interplay of affect in the link between interpersonal forgiveness and life satisfaction in the yet underexplored context of Indian organizations.

Forgiveness Working: Forgiveness, Health, and Productivity in the Workplace

PURPOSE

Associations between forgiveness and health promotion in the workplace were examined as mediating effects of workplace interpersonal stress.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional.

SETTING

Multiple Washington, DC, office-based and Midwestern manufacturing workplaces.

PARTICIPANTS

Study 1: 108 employees (40 males and 68 females); mean age was 32.4 years. Study 2: 154 employees (14 males and 140 females); mean age was 43.9 years.

MEASURES

Questionnaires measured forgiveness, unproductivity, absenteeism, stress, and health problems.

ANALYSIS

Bivariate and multiple correlation/regression and structural equation models were used. Indirect effects were estimated with bootstrapping methods.

RESULTS

In study 1, forgiveness of a specific workplace offense was inversely associated with unproductivity ( r = -.35, P < .001) and mental ( r = -.32, P = .001) and physical ( r = -.19, P = .044) health problems. In study 2, trait forgiveness was inversely associated with unproductivity (β = -.20, P = .016) and mental (β = -.31, P < .001) and physical health problems (β = -.28, P = .001), and workplace interpersonal stress partially mediated these associations (indirect effects = -.03, -.04, -.05, respectively).

CONCLUSION

The association of forgiveness and occupational outcomes is robust. Forgiveness may be associated with outcomes by (at least partially) reducing stress related to workplace offenses. Forgiveness may be an effective means of coping following being emotionally hurt on the job that may promote good health, well-being, and productivity.

Self-oriented forgiveness and other-oriented forgiveness: Shaping high-quality exchange relationships

We examine the effects of two distinct forgiveness motives, self-oriented and other-oriented, on relationship quality within supervisor–subordinate relationships. We provide empirical evidence that both forgiveness motives are positively associated with leader–member exchange and differentially associated with interpersonal citizenship behavior and suggest that previous forgiveness research may be incomplete. We demonstrate that high-quality leader–member relationships and interpersonal citizenship behavior can be enhanced by self-oriented forgiveness motive and other-oriented forgiveness motive. We further show that the association between forgiveness motive and leader–member exchange can be strengthened by one’s disposition, such that proactive personality strengthens the influence of self-oriented forgiveness motive on leader–member exchange and empathic concern strengthens the influence of other-oriented forgiveness motive on leader–member exchange. This manuscript aims to empirically examine two key pathways to forgiveness: one driven by self-orientation and the other driven by other-orientation.

Protective factors and risk factors

Dyadic work relationships are fundamental to effective organizing and are a means by which individuals find meaning at work. Such relationships may contain latent competencies with the potential to infuse the dyad with purpose. Meaningful dyadic relationships depend on the dyad’s ability to be resilient to within-dyad adversity. Our conceptual analysis examines how interpersonal interactions emerge to dyad-level phenomena in the wake of such adversity. We introduce dyadic resilience, detail the process by which it emerges, identify protective factors and risk factors of dyadic resilience, and posit that the emergence of dyadic resilience influences dyadic thriving over time.

The role of value and virtues in TQM: an overview of literature

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to analyze the relation between values and virtues and the principles of Total Quality Management (TQM) and thus to propose a tentative framework of relationships.

Design/methodology/approach

– The paper is conceptual. It reviews some lists of values present in literature, and summarizes them in a more comprehensive list. Then the list of values is summarized in conjunction with a list of core virtues. Thus, it tries to explain the relation between them and the principles of TQM, passing through the two mediating variables passion and trust.

Findings

– A model of TQM based on core virtues is proposed.

Research limitations/implications

– The lack of empirical data that can validate the model.

Practical implications

– Considering the emphasis placed on virtues, the model can have some practical implications in the field of recruitment, promotion, and leadership.

Originality/value

– The paper attempts to link values and virtues to the principles of TQM by developing a model of interactions. A novel framework that can provide a basis for further research into the profound nature of quality management has been proposed. Furthermore, some implications that should be useful for recruiters and managers are discussed.

It’s the act that counts: minimizing post-violation erosion of trust

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to examine the effects of damage incurred by the trustor as a result of a trust violation and the impact of different levels of post-violation trust repair behaviours by the trustee on the subsequent erosion of trust.

Design/methodology/approach

– Data were collected from 232 middle to senior level managers using a two-part scenario-based experimental design to test the impact of damage incurred (avoided) and post-violation repair behaviour. Respondents’ levels of trust were measured pre- and post-violation as well as forgiving and a range of demographic variables.

Findings

– Results showed that trust eroded independent of the level of damage that may have been caused. Further, post-violation trust repair behaviour by the trustee led to a significantly lower erosion of trust as compared to not engaging in such behaviours. Furthermore, erosion of trust was minimized, when the trustee engaged in increasing levels of trust repair behaviour. Results also showed that trustors who were relatively more forgiving were less likely to lose trust in the trustee after a violation.

Research limitations/implications

– In this study we focused on two key factors influencing the erosion of trust. Further factors need to be identified and empirically tested in order to get a more holistic view on how trust erodes. The results serve as one step towards building an integrated model of trust erosion.

Practical implications

– For practicing managers, the results imply that the actual incurrence or avoidance of damages from a trust violation appears to be peripheral – trustors are more concerned about the violation as a principle and a harbinger of similar future incidents. Further, quickly engaging in trust repair behaviours, such as offering an a good explanation, a heartfelt apology, and appropriate remedy, helps minimize the erosion of trust.

Originality/value

– This paper addresses an under-investigated facet of trust research in organizations – erosion of trust – which is especially crucial in light of the growing awareness that most organizational relationships actually start off with high levels of trust rather than low trust. Thus, this study offers insights into maintaining (as opposed to building) trust.

Supervisor transgressions: a thematic analysis

Purpose

– Despite the harmful impact of supervisor transgressions, they have received little empirical attention. The purpose of this paper is to addresses this important gap, examining the nature of transgressions committed at work by supervisors against subordinates.

Design/methodology/approach

– A critical incident technique was employed in which employees described a transgression committed by their supervisor. Qualitative responses were then analyzed, resulting in the emergence of supervisor transgression themes.

Findings

– In total, 11 themes emerged, including: performance criticisms, demeaning insults, false accusations, undue demands, unfair employment decisions, inconsiderate treatment, inequitable behavior, inappropriate contextual selections, disregard of opinions, undersupplied resources, and underprovided recognition.

Research limitations/implications

– While this approach is not without limitations, including the potential for participant memory error and researcher analytical bias, it offers a necessary initial exploration into the content of supervisor transgressions. Findings open new areas for continued research exploration into the nature and functioning of supervisor transgressions.

Practical implications

– Practitioners also stand to benefit from this work, as this identification of supervisor transgression themes affords organizations knowledge about how to best target supervisory interventions.

Originality/value

– Though researchers have just begun to examine the nature of leader transgressions, they have yet to analyze the content of supervisor transgressions. This study offers an original investigation into how supervisors transgress against subordinates at work.

On the relationship between justice and forgiveness: are all forms of justice made equal?

This research investigates whether, following a wrongdoing, the restoration of justice promotes forgiveness. Three studies - one correlational recall study and two experimental scenario studies - provide evidence that while a restored sense of justice is overall positively related to forgiveness, forgiveness is highly dependent on the means of justice restoration being retributive (punitive) versus restorative (consensus-seeking) in nature. The findings showed that, overall, restorative but not retributive responses led to greater forgiveness. Although both retributive and restorative responses appeared to increase forgiveness indirectly through increased feelings of justice, for retributive responses these effects were counteracted by direct effects on forgiveness. Moreover, the experimental evidence showed that, while feelings of justice derived from restorative responses were positively related to forgiveness, feelings of justice derived from retributive responses were not.

Organizational and Supervisory Apology Effectiveness

We synthesize the interdisciplinary literature into a heuristic for crafting effective organizational and supervisory apologies (the OOPS four-component apology). In the first experiment, we demonstrate how an offense committed by an organization is perceived to be more egregious than an offense committed by a friend or supervisor. Furthermore, results did not support that OOPS apologies are unequally effective if issued by a friend, supervisor, or organization. In the second experiment, we test OOPS apology-training effectiveness. Results indicated that trained participants crafted more effective apologies. Our apology heuristic is an innovation for training business communicators how to apologize effectively.

Having the Power to Forgive: When the Experience of Power Increases Interpersonal Forgiveness

The present research examined the association between power, defined in terms of experienced control over outcomes and resources in a relationship, and interpersonal forgiveness. Based on recent findings in the literature suggesting that power is associated with goal directedness, it was hypothesized that high levels of experienced power should facilitate forgiveness, in particular in relationships of strong commitment. The results of three studies, using both correlational and experimental designs, supported this prediction: Power was positively associated with forgiveness, but this effect was stronger in relationships of strong (rather than weak) commitment. This pattern of results was observed for both the inclination to forgive hypothetical offenses and actual forgiveness regarding a past offense. Study 3 provided some preliminary evidence for the role of rumination in the link between power and forgiveness. Implications of these findings for the literature on forgiveness and the literature on social power are discussed.

“With Edges of Rage and Despair”: Anger and the Poetry of Office Life

In the past two decades, management studies have made significant use of poetry both in research projects and teaching contexts. During the same time, numerous collections of poetry have appeared focusing on business life with contributions in particular by office workers. This article addresses the relationship between management research on poetry and the actual poetry in these ever more frequently appearing collections. Most work in management studies focuses on the form of poetry, rather than the content. By applying the concepts of “evoked knowledge” and “shared texts” from Antonio Strati’s organizational aesthetics, the content themes are made visible. Persistent in these collections is the appearance of the related feelings of anger, rage, and despair. An interpretive exploration of relevant poems illustrates how this kind of analysis can contribute to a broader understanding of workplace-anger issues, one that fully and deeply incorporates the inner lives of workers.

Justice and the Political in Organizational Life

This article explores the link between justice and the political in organizational life. In contrast to the traditional organizational justice literature, the authors assume that justice experience cannot exist without political consciousness and use a narrative approach to explore this link. They draw from interviews with members of a human relations committee about organizational justice within their experience. Analyzing transcripts of these interviews, they read for narrative structures and themes. The discussion focuses on the political nature of justice in participants' stories as revealed in three themes: paradoxical implementation, cultural context, and personal intervention. The authors critique theories of organizational justice as being incomplete without consideration of political concerns and dynamics.