Managers’ perceptions of trust in the workplace in times of strategic change

Abstract

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore and present current trends and developments in the field of managers’ perceptions of trust and the management of change in Cyprus, Greece and Romania, in a period of strategic organizational change. A total of 126 managerial employees (communication managers, operation managers, quality control managers, safety & environmental managers, and office managers) working in different departments of organizations in Cyprus, Greece, and Romania respond and complete the online questionnaire. Design/methodology/approach A qualitative study using an online questionnaire with interview questions was developed to arrive at the study’s findings. To acknowledge relevant perceptions of trust and the management of change during organizational change in different organizations in Cyprus, Greece and Romania, unique questions helped to support the research results and highlight themes that emerged from interview sessions with the study participants. Findings The findings highlight the need for organizational leadership to establish mutual trust and effective communication with managerial employees for successful cooperation during times of strategic change and enhanced overall employee performance. This study is relevant for researchers and academics in the areas of change management and communication, presenting current trends and developments in perceptions of trust and change management in Cyprus, Greece and Romania. It may also help them achieve recognition among their peers and colleagues from other disciplines. Research limitations/implications An important implication of the study derives from the finding on the uniqueness of the knowledge and information work carried out by the respondents and the impact that this can have in their working environment and their productivity. As a result of the above, this study provides indications to recruiters and managers regarding a number of desirable and necessary skills, and motivational factors that future employees may need to have or develop in order to carry out their job efficiently and effectively. Practical implications Researching managerial employees’ perceptions of trust and the management of change in organizations can have significant implications for human resources management during a time of strategic change. Social implications This research study may contribute to the management and communication area in European countries in stimulating new approaches to management and social issues and in the corporate management practice. Originality/value This study produces new knowledge instead of summarizing what is already known in a new form in the area of management and corporate communication. The researcher reports the results in analysis and interprets the results by discussing possible implications and solutions.

The influence of strategic alliances on human capital development

“…Therefore, carrying out joint actions between firms (strategic alliances) favours the creation and conversion of knowledge, generating human capital. This increases firms’ innovation capacity (Caldas and Candido, 2013), besides allowing improvements in their performance (Khalique et al , 2015; Komodromos et al , 2019).…”

“…Today, strategic alliances are present in many organisations, especially due to their extremely facilitating characteristics which help to promote improvements in performance (Bhattacharyya, 2018; Komodromos et al , 2019; Morcillo-Bellido, 2019), generate knowledge and develop human capital. Another factor is the need to adapt to the emergence of the new competition of lateral intra and inter-firm relationships.…”

“…This includes individuals’ theoretical and practical understanding and capacities of different kinds, such as artistic, sporting or technical. Team capital supposes the existence of a type of group that shares common objectives and is differentiated from others by its level of performance in a given task (Komodromos et al , 2019). Group work is only an intangible asset, but results in the ability to perform tasks efficiently and effectively, while creating satisfaction in team members.…”

Examining the role of internal communication and employee engagement in Cyprus-based medium-sized organisations in times of challenging strategic changes

“…The management's ability to develop relationships with the employees can be determined by the internal communication strategy within the organisation (Mishra et al, 2014). Literature supports that can be concluded that in medium-sized organisations, neglecting internal communication could result in decreased organisational commitment (Komodromos et al, 2019). In addition, the underutilisation of internal communication, lack of transparency, application of evasion, and the use of cohesion adversely affects internal communication (Mazzei and Ravazzani, 2014).…”

Open innovation in family firms: empirical evidence about internal and external knowledge flows

“…2.2.4 Entrepreneurial attitude of employees. Another feature to consider in the process of open innovation by family firms is the entrepreneurial attitude and behaviour of employees because through the involvement of talented staff, firms can improve their capability to convert external knowledge into innovation (Komodromos et al, 2018;Whelan et al, 2011). Despite this, the so-called "human side" of open innovation is under-researched, especially in family firms.…”