Gedrag & Organisatie - Volume 18, Issue 5, 2005

Determinants of innovative behavior: A study among SME knowledge workers

Jeroen P.J. de Jong & Deanne N. den Hartog, Gedrag & Organisatie, Volume 18, October 2005, p. 235-259.

In order to develop new products, services and/or better work processes in organizations, innovative behavior of individual employees is an important requirement. This also applies to knowledge workers in small and medium-sized enterprises such as consultancy, research and engineering firms. Yet, in previous research SME knowledge workers' determinants of innovative behavior have rarely been examined. This study investigates the relationship between a strategic organizational focus on innovation and innovative behavior of knowledge workers. It also explores the moderating influences of various work and environmental characteristics. Multilevel analyses, applied on survey data from 360 knowledge workers in 36 firms, show that a strategic focus on innovation is positively related to the innovative behavior of knowledge workers. The effect increases when specific work characteristics apply, namely perceived job variation, job autonomy and an innovative working climate. Moreover, some work characteristics are directly related to innovative behavior of employees: once again variation and autonomy, as well as having frequent external contacts. Finally, the analysis demonstrates that knowledge workers behave more innovative in sectors where competition is based on new or improved products and services.

Work-life culture and attitude of managers towards work/non-work policies in the financial sector

Laura den Dulk & Judith de Ruijter, Gedrag & Organisatie, Volume 18, 2005, pp. 280-295.

What attitudes do managers in the financial sector hold towards work/non-work policies, such as flexible working hours and parental leave? To what degree do managers support requests of employees who want to exercise these policies and to what extent are their attitudes influenced by organizational culture? Attitudes of managers were measured in a vignette study in three organizations in the financial sector. Organizational culture was measured independently, through a survey among a sample of employees. The findings show that the more an organization supports the work/non-work balance, the more positively its managers respond to employee requests. In general, managers assess requests of female employees more positive than male employees' requests. Furthermore, characteristics of both the request itself and the employee filing the request, influence managers' assessments especially if the organizations' attitude towards work-life balance is ambiguous.

Leadership in change

Janka Stoker, Gedrag & Organisatie, Volume 18, October 2005, pp. 260-279.

In the process of organizational change, executives are an important factor for failure or success. Managers not only manage the change process, often they themselves are an object of change. This demands a double role of executives. Organizations put a lot of effort in defining the desired executive role, but very often this doesn't exceed the level of jargon and sloganizing. Research shows that there are considerable discrepancies between perceptions of executives and employees. Executives feel they live up to expectations, whereas employees perceive little change in leadership. Moreover, this study shows that the desired leadership is not always the most effective. The article gives possible explanations for these outcomes and describes how the two roles of executives in change processes interrelate. Playing the two roles demands of executives that they first change themselves, in order to subsequently be able to manage others. Therefore they need to gain insight to their own functioning.