Merits

Despite advances in understanding the factors that predict unethical behaviors such as counterproductive workplace behavior (CWB), there is still substantial variance left unexplained in the occurrence of unethical behavior. Recent research has examined how unethical behavior may change beyond initially reported levels due to the gradual erosion of ethicality via justification processes such as moral disengagement. The present study extends this research by examining the role of personality in determining the extent to which individuals make subsequent unethical decisions at greater or lower levels beyond their initial levels. Studies 1 and 2 used an experimental design that presents half of participants with an opportunity to practice moral disengagement by allowing participants to justify their actions. Results in study 1 demonstrate that individuals with high levels of dark personality traits tend to increase their level of unethical decision making when given the chance to justify their actions, whereas those with low levels of dark personality become less unethical. Study 2 examines the extent to which the mediating role of perceived justice changes when participants are given an opportunity to justify their actions. Results from study 2 show the effects of justice as a mediating mechanism are significantly diminished when the justification manipulation is present. Implications emphasize the need to use both selection and development interventions in organizations to reduce gradual decreases in ethicality as well as reduced reliance on cross-sectional research to study a phenomenon that can change as unethical behavior is justified. Full article

The multifaceted challenges posed by globalization, medical advancements, conflicts and crises necessitate a critical examination of social and organizational inclusion. Despite the acknowledged advantages of inclusive leadership (IL), there remains a significant research gap concerning the perceptions of IL among diverse employee groups, particularly within heterogeneous organizations. This study aims to bridge this gap by exploring the perceptions of IL across various sociodemographic groups within fintech companies in Lithuania. By concentrating on this rapidly evolving sector, this research enhances the understanding of IL by assessing how sociodemographic variables influence perceptions of inclusive leadership practices. A total of 236 responses were analyzed using the Mann–Whitney U and Kruskal–Wallis tests, supplemented by the Bonferroni correction to ensure statistical robustness. The findings elucidate the dynamics of IL within the fast-paced fintech environment, revealing unique challenges and opportunities to foster organizational inclusivity. The implications of this research provide actionable insights for industry leaders striving to implement IL strategies that empower minority groups and enhance overall organizational performance. Although the results indicate that fintech organizations have made strides in embedding IL principles, these advancements are not uniformly experienced across diverse employee demographics. Specifically, this study identifies significant disparities in IL perceptions between employees of other genders and those with health-related impairments. Acknowledging certain limitations, particularly the small sample sizes of some examined employee subgroups, this study advocates for further research to yield generalizable findings that can inform and improve inclusive organizational practices. Full article

Artificial intelligence (AI) technologies with human-level cognitive abilities are increasingly integrated into workplaces, posing risks of job displacement and redundancy. Understanding AI’s impact on job automation is thus essential, as it helps students understand which occupational roles are likely to be automated. However, there is a lack of coherent understanding of this topic due to the diverse research methodologies deployed, leading to the formation of fragmented and inconsistent insights. This article reviews career literature and global reports from expert sources (e.g., the World Economic Forum) to provide an overview of AI’s influence on job sectors and the skills students need to thrive in a technologically disrupted workplace. The findings emphasize the importance of developing human-centric skills. Full article

The military serves as a vital bridge between strategic goals and societal values. This study aims to comprehensively analyze the potential and limitations of Empowering Leadership (EL) in the armed forces. Considering the current post-pandemic context and the geopolitical shifts in a volatile, uncertain, fragile, and complex world, we look at how EL can boost adaptability. We started by addressing military organization structure and evolution, followed by the EL concept and its impact on organizational performance. We discussed its benefits, progress, and role in modern military environments. The analysis points out EL benefits, despite the challenges posed by the military’s strict hierarchy, which can limit EL’s effectiveness, but concluded that this style can be effective when aligned with Mission Command. We analyze EL’s nuances in military settings, presenting three propositions and stating their potential, challenges, and limitations. This study offers insights into leadership dynamics in the military, highlighting the delicate balance between empowerment and traditional structures. Full article

This study examines the critical role of inclusive, people-centered strategies in driving organizational sustainability, focusing on two key institutions in the Ashanti Region of Ghana: Presbyterian University College (PUC) and Presbyterian Agogo Women’s College of Education (APWCE). Employing a qualitative research design, including 100 interviews, five focus groups, and participant observations, this study investigates employee perspectives on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) practices in the workplace. The findings identify key empowerment strategies—flexible job roles, participatory decision-making, leadership development, and open communication—that enhance employee engagement and commitment to sustainability efforts. The findings also demonstrate employees’ vital role in advancing sustainability through involvement in green initiatives, community engagement, and integrating sustainability into core organizational practices. This contribution intellectually bridges the gap between DEI policies and their practical application, offering a nuanced understanding of how cultural and social dimensions influence sustainability in underexplored contexts like Ghana. It emphasizes aligning organizational values with employee well-being to enhance job satisfaction and retention, presenting actionable strategies for fostering innovation, resilience, and long-term success. The increasing global focus on sustainability and the growing need for inclusive practices in organizational settings underscores the timeliness of this manuscript. It offers a holistic, forward-thinking approach that is especially relevant for organizations navigating post-pandemic workplace dynamics and seeking to align sustainability with equity and inclusivity. Full article

Rarely do so many areas of society change as quickly as now. This study analyses the disruptive transformation of HR/qualification in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the leading sectors of mechanical and plant engineering and the automotive industry in Lower Franconia, Bavaria. More precisely, this study is about the Mainfranken region. Administratively, it comprises the two independent cities of Würzburg and Schweinfurt as well as seven administrative districts. This paper researches the long-term transformation of the world of work in terms of skill shortages, procurement strategies and employee performance. This study is based on quantitative and qualitative findings from the funding project transform.RMF in the form of an overarching literature review, a commissioned online survey, stakeholder workshops to identify regional trends and self-conducted expert interviews. Unsurprisingly, the shortage of skilled labour is a serious problem for regional SMEs. Managing directors are aware of the need to act in the acquisition and retention of recruited specialists. This includes in-house benefits, New Work models and competitive acquisition strategies. We must overcome the biggest obstacle to transformation—a lack of qualified personnel—together, structurally. Based on our insights, we create recommendations for action and connecting the potential in the network. In the future, the aim will be to intensify cooperation between society, business, science and politics at the regional level—transform.RMF’s mission in the interests of its members. Full article

Tom MacDonald’s success in the music industry can provide valuable insights for leaders and founders, particularly in the context of high-reliability organization (HRO) theory—MacDonald’s approach to music challenges conventional wisdom and societal norms, promoting open communication and adaptability. HROs should prioritize open channels, invest in training, and support continuous learning. Clear communication is crucial for employees to understand the organization’s roles, responsibilities, and goals, facilitating collaboration and problem-solving. It also helps manage change and prevents crises. Investing in communication skills and practices is essential for driving organizational success and resilience in today’s fast-paced business environment. Full article

Lessons learned from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the well-being of teachers reveal how school administrators can promote teacher stress adaptation and thriving, even in highly disruptive work environments. In a mixed-methods study within a single school district in Canada, consisting of a survey of 65 K-12 teachers and interviews with 10 administrators and teachers, the results showed the degree to which teachers were coping, had job satisfaction, and demonstrated thriving. Interviews yielded information on the limitations of the education system response and how school district administration could provide additional key resources that would strengthen individual stress coping and resiliency, create a culture of safety and community, and lay the foundations for teacher thriving, even in challenging and disruptive conditions Full article

The concept of the ‘glass ceiling’ represents the significant barriers that women face in climbing the corporate hierarchy, but recently, the focus has shifted to the ‘broken bottom rung’, where women are bypassed for initial leadership roles. This paper investigates the impact of gender on performance evaluations, particularly female-to-female peer ratings, which are critical to career progression. Our study tested three hypotheses about the disparity in female allyship within professional contexts. Participants (N = 160) from psychology classes in 2018–2019 evaluated their peers in project teams using five ITPMetrics measures. Contrary to previous research suggesting that women receive more critical evaluations than men, this study found no evidence supporting such bias. However, it revealed that women scored higher in process-based skills rather than outcome-based skills, aligning with role congruity theory and the notion of gendered skills. These findings highlight the need for further research into female peer evaluations and their impact on career advancement. This study challenges assumptions about women’s roles in the workplace and advocates for organizations reconsidering the emphasis placed on performance appraisals, proposing alternative assessment methods to foster more equitable and inclusive professional environments. Full article

When analyzing occupational safety factors, a human factor is associated with 80–90% of incidents and accidents that occur. Controlling this factor is essential when it comes to creating healthy and safe organizations. Personality traits have shown great relevance when understanding the behavior of safety or self-protection in the workplace, affecting the motivation of subjects and, therefore, their behavior. The objective of this study is to analyze the influence of the extraversion trait on compliance with safety rules and behaviors, while evaluating the mediating effect of motivation for safety in health professionals. The sample is composed of 183 nurses and wardens of a hospital in Spain. The obtained results confirm the hypotheses raised, validating the negative influences of extraversion on motivation for security and compliance with norms, behaviors, and security, while verifying the effect of the total mediation of motivation for security in the influence of extraversion on security compliance. This confirms the effect of this personality trait on employees’ safety behaviors, and the possibility of reducing this influence by controlling personal motivations with interventions from the organization. Full article

Background: Law professionals are understudied, and little is known about their mental health. This cross-sectional study aimed to assess the relationship between the amount of physical activity and depressive symptoms. Methods: A sample of 681 law professionals completed a survey that assessed mental health conditions and activities to promote well-being. Crude and adjusted odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence interval (95% CI) were calculated for the relationship between the number of days of an hour or more of physical activity and two levels of depression from the patient health questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9). Results: Law professionals were found to have significantly more depressive symptoms, mild or worse and moderate or worse, when reporting 0 days of physical activity when compared to 7 days, with OR of 6.07 (95% CI 2.55–14.48) and 8.64 (95% CI 1.97–37.82) and adjusted ORs of 3.91 (95% CI 1.58–9.68) and 6.32 (95% CI 1.4–28.33), respectively. A dose response was also noted. Conclusions: There was a statistically significant relationship found between amounts of physical activity and depressive symptoms in law professionals. We recommend future research be conducted to better understand this relationship. Full article

Innovation is crucial for achieving and maintaining a competitive edge, especially evident in the digital business landscape, where the fourth and fifth industrial revolutions are occurring concurrently. Leadership behavior significantly influences the direction of organizations toward innovation. This study investigated whether a propensity for risk taking, along with a commitment to diversity and agility, promotes or impedes leaders’ innovative behavior. Fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis was employed to assess the data gathered from an online survey of 119 global leaders. The results exposed four distinct routes to fostering innovative behavior and three paths leading to noninnovative behavior that should be evaded. All conditions play a vital role in triggering innovative behavior. Conversely, the lack of these conditions can result in noninnovative leadership. This study’s novelty rests on the empirical evidence it provides about the paths guiding leaders toward innovative behavior and avoiding the danger of noninnovative leadership. These findings can assist managers and HR departments in pursuing certain paths for hiring and training managers to boost innovative behavior and preclude paths leading to noninnovative conduct. Full article

Purpose—This study aims to examine the links between transformational leadership, team-member exchange and job performance of people with disabilities in Hong Kong. Design/methodology/approach—Data were collected from a sample of 108 direct supervisors of people with disabilities via an online survey with validated scales. The structural equation modelling approach via SmartPLS (Version 3.0) was used to investigate the linear relations and the mediated effect amongst the variables. Findings—Transformational leadership was positively related to team-member exchange (p = 0.013), but its link with job performance was insignificant (p ≥ 0.05). Team-member exchange was positively related to job performance (p = 0.000). Hence, team-member exchange fully mediated the relationship between leaders’ transformational leadership and the job performance of people with disabilities. Originality/value—Transformational leadership is favorable for the job performance of people with disabilities, but its influence is indirect. High level of team-member exchange quality is necessary, as team-member exchange fully mediates the relationship between transformational leadership and the job performance of people with disabilities. Managers should demonstrate transformational leadership to all employees and not only pay attention to people with disabilities. This insight helps drive workplace disability inclusion. Full article

Leaders who lack leadership energy may struggle to demonstrate sustained competence and achieve effectiveness in difficult leadership situations. This research investigates the sources of leadership energy and examines the impact of leadership energy on the development and sustainability of leadership effectiveness and competence. This study employed a hypothetico-deductive research design, wherein the formulated hypotheses were tested through structural equation modelling (SEM). Data were collected using a questionnaire survey. A total of 272 responses were received from leaders of various industries, indicating a response rate of 66%. The findings of this study indicate that a leader’s capacity to respond to various situations, comprehend the importance of being directive, prioritize the development of positive attitudes and supportiveness, and recognize the significance of achievement are all factors that contribute to the internal mechanisms necessary for the leader’s manifestation of leadership energy. The study additionally discovered that leaders’ skills, qualities, and abilities are derived and maintained through their internal capacity and personal resilience emanating from their leadership energy. The hypotheses that were validated suggest a direct causal relationship, indicating that leadership motivation, leadership personality, and leadership orientation are significant factors in the generation of leadership energy. This study’s conclusions suggest that to sustain leadership competence and effectiveness, leaders must cultivate a culture that prioritizes both effectiveness and competence. The findings also imply that individuals must establish precise developmental objectives, as well as exhibit cognizance of and the acquisition of leadership expertise, knowledge and approaches. Thus, the need to reevaluate the competency-based approach to leadership is overwhelming. This study introduces the concept of leadership energy as a catalyst for perpetuating leadership effectiveness and competence. The study claims that the energy emanating from the intricate interplay of leaders’ orientation, experience, development, personality, and motivation engenders and perpetuates their efficacy and aptitude. Full article

This study endeavors to automate the assessment of competencies within the domain of entrepreneurship, specifically targeting the augmentation of entrepreneurial cognition and conduct within universities in German rural regions, like Lower Franconia. Employing methods, including literature analyses and expert interviews, we formulated and validated an entrepreneurship competence profile and accompanying self-assessment tool. The ensuing evaluative framework is poised for seamless integration into learning management systems, thereby facilitating intelligent competence monitoring within educational environments. Purpose: The aim of this thesis is to develop an automated competence assessment procedure in the field of entrepreneurship. This can be used in the university environment in the long term to promote and teach entrepreneurial thinking and behavior in order to sustainably improve the quality of learning outcomes and achieve targeted promotion of entrepreneurship. Methodology: Based on a relevant literature analysis, four guideline-based expert interviews were created and conducted. The results of the interviews were compiled and validated in a structured competence profile (entrepreneurship competence profile). Based on this competence catalog for entrepreneurs, an empirically valid self-test was created using standard psychometric questionnaire construction methods. Results: The entrepreneurship competence profile and a consequential empirically validated self-test for competence assessment were created. This test provides the basis for the long-term competence development of students and can further be embedded automatically into a learning management system (LMS) as part of intelligent competence monitoring, which allows for the recording of competencies for each student and the individual incorporation of gap closure into the curriculum. Originality/value: In previous research, there were no competence profiles or competence assessment procedures in the field of entrepreneurship that derived relevant competencies directly from actors within this environment. This work illustrates the development of a competence assessment procedure for entrepreneurs and shows which methods can be used to close prevailing research gaps in the field of intelligent competence monitoring. Full article

A lot of time and effort is put into reducing waiting times in organizational life. However, jobs can include phases of waiting. The aim of this conceptual paper is to analyze waiting on the job level and provide a theoretical rationale for individual management of waiting times of employees. Wait crafting is introduced based on (job) crafting and its advantages for individuals and organizations outlined. Steps towards integrating the possibility of job crafting and needs for future research are indicated. Full article

Due to the emerging threat conditions in the work environment, firefighters are at a high risk of exposure to not only toxic substances but also biological agents in the dayroom and during emergency runs. The aim of this study is to evaluate firefighter (career and volunteer) knowledge and practice behaviors on infection control. This study surveyed 444 firefighters (210 career, 234 volunteer) in rural Northwestern Kentucky. The self-reported survey focused on individual characteristics, knowledge on exposure incident control, precautionary actions, and personal protections. We evaluated the descriptive characteristics of knowledge and practice scores stratified by firefighter groups (career and volunteers). The associations between infection control training received (yes/no) and firefighter knowledge and practice scores were also examined. Firefighters who were trained on infection control prevention had significantly higher knowledge scores (M = 63.7, SD = 13.4 vs. M = 59.7, SD = 15.9; p = 0.012). Volunteer firefighters exhibited better infection control practice behaviors than career firefighters (M = 70.6, SD = 13.0 vs. M = 67.4, SD = 11.1; p = 0.05). Firefighters who followed infection control guidelines (M = 69.5, SD = 11.9 vs. M = 58.1, SD = 9.9; p = 0.012) and expressed need for a comprehensive training on personal protective equipment (PPE) selection (β = 3.41, SE = 1.54, aOR = 30.22, 95% CI: 1.47–620.87; p = 0.028) had significantly higher practice scores compared to those who did not. The study results have policy implications for infection prevention and control (IPC) in rural fire departments, both career and volunteer. A review of infection control policies is needed, especially as it relates to training and practice behaviors during emergency calls and in the dayroom. Results also suggest the need to develop strategies to improve the culture of PPE use and training on the selection of PPEs appropriate to the emergency response type. Full article