Meso-level theory of accountability in organizations

Frink, Dwight D.; Hall, Angela T.; Perryman, Alexa A.; Ranft, Annette L.; Hochwarter, Wayne A.; Ferris, Gerald R.; Royle, M. Todd

doi:10.1016/s0742-7301(08)27005-2

Cited by 80 publications

(213 citation statements)

References 197 publications

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“…Specifically, accountability has been found to influence performance appraisals, organizational citizenship behaviors, job tension, influence/political behaviors and creativity (Frink and Klimoski, 1998). Using a role-taking/role-making perspective (Katz and Kahn, 1978), Frink et al (2008) suggested that individuals have the power to shape and create the accountabilities that others have for them. Indeed, individuals may actually seek out accountabilities, such as when a senior employee volunteers to mentor a junior colleague (Frink et al, 2008).…”

Section: Accountability and Legal Claimingmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Using a role-taking/role-making perspective (Katz and Kahn, 1978), Frink et al (2008) suggested that individuals have the power to shape and create the accountabilities that others have for them. Indeed, individuals may actually seek out accountabilities, such as when a senior employee volunteers to mentor a junior colleague (Frink et al, 2008). Thus, accountability can be used by both management and employees to shape behavior in organizations, influencing actors to specific actions deemed appropriate or desirable.…”

Section: Accountability and Legal Claimingmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Social influence and the invocation of rights: The effects of accountability, reputation and political skill on legal claiming

2016

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Issues relating to litigation and other forms of employee legal claiming are at the forefront of the practice of human resource management. However, organizational scholars have paid scant attention to this important aspect of organizational life. Underrepresented in this collective research have been investigations into how social influence variables impact the legal claiming process. We add to the understanding of legal claiming by evaluating how perceived levels of accountability, reputation and political skill affect individuals' willingness to engage in contentious and non-contentious legal claiming. We also investigate the impact that social influence has on individuals' advice to other potential claimants. This study employed a longitudinal design utilizing both scenarios and survey data collection. Results from our study partially support the conclusion that individuals are more risk-averse in their own legal claiming considerations than they are in the advice they offer to similarly-situated others. Furthermore, accountability, reputation and interpersonal influence (one aspect of political skill) were found to significantly influence the likelihood of legal claiming. The pattern of results indicates

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Section: Accountability and Legal Claimingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Accountability and Legal Claimingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Social influence and the invocation of rights: The effects of accountability, reputation and political skill on legal claiming

2016

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“…Accountability is a meso-level and multi-level construct that is ubiquitous throughout society, and the organizations within them (Frink et al 2008;Lerner and Tetlock 1999). Accountability is present contemporaneously across and within multiple levels of organizations to multiple constituents (Frink and Klimoski 1998).…”

Section: Phenomenological View Of Accountabilitymentioning

confidence: 99%

Accountability and Extra-Role Behavior

Hall

Ferris

2010

Employ Respons Rights J

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107

104

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Accountability is a foundational element of every organization, and it exists at multiple of levels. Every organization, regardless of size, has accountability mechanisms. However, the formal accountability mechanisms adopted by an organization are subject to the interpretations of individual organizational actors. As such, individuals facing ostensibly similar formal organizational accountability systems may feel or experience different levels of accountability. This distinction is critical because it is the perception of reality (i.e., as opposed to reality itself) that drives individual behavior. In this paper, we examined the relationship between accountability and a key organizational outcome-extrarole behaviors. Our results partially support the notion that some level of accountability is essential, but that the relationship between accountability and extra-role behaviors is non linear in nature, assuming a U-shaped form. Implications of these results are discussed.

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“…Despite its recognized pervasiveness and significance (Lerner and Tetlock, 1999), only recently has research examined processes associated with accountability phenomena in employment contexts (Hochwarter et al, 2007). Frink et al (2008) called for research to identify elements that influence the direction and magnitude of accountability -work outcomes relationships. Similarly, Zellars et al (2011) argued that a failure to examine factors influencing accountabilityoutcome relationships introduces ambiguity, triggering flawed conclusions in an already uncertain knowledge base.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Although previous studies have added to knowledge base by examining moderated accountability-outcome relationships, the complexity of the accountability phenomenon mandates investigating the joint effects of multiple constructs (Blickle et al, 2013;Frink et al, 2008). Specifically, research needs to assess the intricate role of both organizational and individual factors on outcomes associated with accountability (Yang, 2012).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Examining the interactive effects of accountability, politics, and voice

Hochwarter

Ellen

Ferris

2014

Career Development International

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Purpose – Research has shown accountability can produce both positive and negative outcomes. Further, because of inherent environmental uncertainty, perceptions of organizational politics often interact with accountability to produce negative effects. However, using uncertainty management theory, the purpose of this paper is to argue that employees can use proactive voice to exercise control in the ambiguity of highly accountable and political environments. Design/methodology/approach – This two sample study of graduate school alumni (n=211) and insurance employees (n=186) explored the three-way interaction of felt accountability×politics perceptions×proactive voice on work performance, job satisfaction, and job tension. Findings – As hypothesized, high levels of felt accountability and politics were most strongly associated with favorable outcomes when coupled with increased voice behavior. Conversely, felt accountability and politics were related to negative outcomes in settings associated with low proactive voice. Results supported in Sample 1 were then constructively replicated in Sample 2. Practical implications – All employees are held accountable to some degree, and all work in potentially political settings. Often, these environmental features are dictated to employees, leaving only employee reactions in direct control. One possible response is voice. As demonstrated in the present research, employees who engage in proactive voice appear to exercise some degree of control over their environment, resulting in more positive outcomes than their less active counterparts. Originality/value – The present research extends understanding regarding the effects of accountability in organizations by demonstrating that contextual factors (e.g. politics) and individual difference variables (e.g. in levels of proactive voice) differentiate favorable vs unfavorable outcomes of accountability.

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Meso-level theory of accountability in organizations

Cited by 80 publications

References 197 publications

Social influence and the invocation of rights: The effects of accountability, reputation and political skill on legal claiming

Social influence and the invocation of rights: The effects of accountability, reputation and political skill on legal claiming

Accountability and Extra-Role Behavior

Examining the interactive effects of accountability, politics, and voice

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