The impact of comparative state-directed development on working conditions and employee satisfaction

Westover, Jonathan H.

doi:10.1017/s1833367200000742

“…The results in models 8 and 12 in Table IV show that whether a country is what Kohli (2004) would classify as a cohesive-capitalist or a fragmented multi-class state does have a significant impact on worker satisfaction, while controlling for all level-1 independent variables. Thus, this HLM result provides evidence supporting H3a and H3b (consistent with regression results for these hypotheses in Westover, 2013b). However, other suggested empirical measures exploring the role of the state as an autonomous actor within a globalized economy (economic freedom index, rigidity of employment index, human development index, and democratization index) do not have statistically insignificant impacts on worker satisfaction, while controlling for all level-1 independent variables.…”

Section: State-directed Developmentsupporting

confidence: 84%

“…Thus, based on the different needs fulfillment models of Maslow (1943), Alderfer (1972), and Herzberg et al (1959), workers in cohesive-capitalist and neopatrimonial states with relatively worse working conditions would be more motivated and satisfied by extrinsic workplace factors, while workers in fragmented multi-class states with better working conditions would be better able to move beyond the various extrinsic "existence" needs and move toward the more "self-actualization" and "personal fulfillment" intrinsic needs. Thus, the next two hypotheses, following Kohli's typology, are as follows (see also Westover, 2013b):…”

Section: Job Satisfaction and State-directed Developmentmentioning

confidence: 99%

The international political economy of worker satisfaction: a cross-national HLM analysis

Westover

¹

2016

Evidence-Based HRM: A Global Forum for Empirical Scholarship

1

0

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Purpose – There is a growing body of comparative research examining country differences in job satisfaction and its determinants. However, existing research cannot explain similarities in job satisfaction levels across very different countries, nor can it explain the differences between seemingly similar countries. Moreover, there has been no significant research conducted to date that has examined the country-level contextual conditions that are poised to impact worker satisfaction and its determinants. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach – In this research, the author address this existing gap in the academic literature on job satisfaction by using non-panel longitudinal data from the International Social Survey Program (Work Orientations I, II, and III: 1989, 1997, and 2005) to examine cross-national differences in job satisfaction and its determinants. The author compare and combine previous international political economy theoretical work and hierarchical linear modeling (HLM) to examine global macro-level variables and their impact on worker satisfaction cross-nationally. Findings – Study results demonstrate that both intrinsic and extrinsic work characteristics strongly impact worker job satisfaction. Furthermore, country by country regression and HLM results suggest that there are important country differences in both the perceived importance of various work characteristics and workers’ self-report experiences with both intrinsic and extrinsic work characteristics. Research limitations/implications – To get a clearer picture in the HLM analysis as to the full impact of these various country-contextual impacts on differences in perceived job characteristics and worker satisfaction, future research needs to examine a greater number and wider variety of countries, while exploring other theoretically relevant country-level variables that may help to explore country-level differences from these various cross-national theoretical frameworks. Additionally, a more diverse and greater number of participating countries would also potentially help in achieving levels of significance in the level-2 covariates in the HLM models. Practical implications – Due to the fact the worker job satisfaction impacts firm performance and various measures of worker well-being, firms (regardless of economic sector or private/public status) need to be cognizant of these differences and unique challenges and work to tailor management philosophy and policy to create a unique work atmosphere that will benefit the interests of both the employer and the employee, as well as society at large. Originality/value – While the nature of work has changed dramatically in the post-war era in response to economic shifts and an increasingly global economy, particularly over the past two decades, this paper examines the previously unexamined country-level contextual and global macro-historical variables driving differences in work quality and perceived worker satisfaction.

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“…National business systems (Haake, 2002) illustrate how country-specific patterns can be created by historical patterns and interdependence between specific characteristics of the country such as the political sector, governmental institutions, labour unions, financial institutions, private business etc. Country-specific patterns are important because the most generalizable models appear to lack applicability across countries (Westover, 2014). Management fashions can have very different consequences in different countries depending on the national business systems (Andersson et al, 2011).…”

Section: Travelling Ideas and Ghost Myths In National Business Systemsmentioning

confidence: 99%

How incentive systems arrived in Sweden - a tale of travelling ideas and ghost myths in action

Wickelgren¹,

Andersson²,

Cäker³

2018

IJMCP

0

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This paper describes and explains how and why incentive systems began spreading in Sweden, despite the differences between the dominating values in American (where incentive systems originated) and Swedish business life. However, a ghost myth in Sweden's national business system explains why it happened when it did. Theories on travelling ideas underemphasize the fact that organisations/countries hold different and competing ideas of suitable practices at the same time. Ghost myths are important complementary concepts which focus on the activation of alternative ways of acting (ghost myth) when contextual circumstances allow for a shift in practices. This research is based on a hermeneutic and qualitative approach using texts and interviews and highlights the role of ghost myths in terms of how ideas travel and how they are translated in different contexts.

show abstract

“…National business systems (Haake, 2002) illustrate how country-specific patterns can be created by historical patterns and interdependence between specific characteristics of the country such as the political sector, governmental institutions, labour unions, financial institutions, private business etc. Country-specific patterns are important because the most generalizable models appear to lack applicability across countries (Westover, 2014). Management fashions can have very different consequences in different countries depending on the national business systems (Andersson et al, 2011).…”

Section: Travelling Ideas and Ghost Myths In National Business Systemsmentioning

confidence: 99%

How incentive systems arrived in Sweden - a tale of travelling ideas and ghost myths in action

Wickelgren

¹

,

Andersson

²

,

Cäker

³

2018

IJMCP

0

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

This paper describes and explains how and why incentive systems began spreading in Sweden, despite the differences between the dominating values in American (where incentive systems originated) and Swedish business life. However, a ghost myth in Sweden's national business system explains why it happened when it did. Theories on travelling ideas underemphasize the fact that organisations/countries hold different and competing ideas of suitable practices at the same time. Ghost myths are important complementary concepts which focus on the activation of alternative ways of acting (ghost myth) when contextual circumstances allow for a shift in practices. This research is based on a hermeneutic and qualitative approach using texts and interviews and highlights the role of ghost myths in terms of how ideas travel and how they are translated in different contexts.

show abstract

The impact of comparative state-directed development on working conditions and employee satisfaction

Cited by 4 publications

References 60 publications

The international political economy of worker satisfaction: a cross-national HLM analysis

The international political economy of worker satisfaction: a cross-national HLM analysis

How incentive systems arrived in Sweden - a tale of travelling ideas and ghost myths in action

How incentive systems arrived in Sweden - a tale of travelling ideas and ghost myths in action

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