Marcela Peterson In many performance appraisal systems, it is assumed that objective criteria are sufficient to ensure fairness. However, research shows that managers’ emotions and subjective judgments often carry more weight than is commonly acknowledged and, in some cases, directly influence ratings, rewards, and even employees’ future career prospects. One of the most significant findings in this area is that the quality of the relationship between leader and subordinate s

Daniel C. Ganster et al Keywords: Organizational Stress, Intervention, Occupational Health, Relaxation, Cognitive Restructuring The Study: This study evaluated the effectiveness of a stress-management training program in the workplace through a field experiment involving 79 public-agency employees randomly assigned to treatment and control groups. The program consisted of 16 hours of training over eight weeks and included cognitive restructuring and progressive relaxation tec

Marcela Peterson In many organizations, encouraging employees’ self-confidence is seen almost as a leadership obligation. The prevailing assumption is that individuals who “believe in themselves” are more motivated, learn faster, and deliver better results. However, research suggests that this relationship is far from straightforward. The study by Vancouver and Kendall (2006) reveals a counterintuitive phenomenon: in learning and preparation contexts, higher self-confidence m

Miriam Erez P. Christopher Earley Keywords: Goal-Setting, Culture, Participation, Performance, Goal Acceptance The Study: This study investigated whether different goal-setting strategies affect goal acceptance and performance depending on cultural context. Three approaches were assessed: assigned goals, goals set by a representative in negotiation with the researcher, and group-set goals. Participants were 180 students from three cultural groups: Americans, urban Israelis,

Regina Eckert et al Keywords: 360-Degree Feedback, Rating Discrepancy, Culture, Leadership, Implicit Leadership Theories The Study: This study examined whether cultural values shape discrepancies between self-ratings and observer ratings in 360-degree leadership feedback. Using data from 4,019 managers across 31 countries, the authors investigated how self and others evaluated three leadership skills: decisiveness, leading employees, and managerial composure. Main Findings: C

Aminu Mamman Mohamed Sulaiman Alfadli Fadel 04/12/2025 Keywords:  Pay systems, Culture, Compensation preferences, Cross-cultural comparison, Human Resource Management The Study:  This article examines how employees from four different countries assess the criteria used to determine compensation, focusing on factors such as performance, responsibility, education, seniority, and cost of living. Using a sample of 420 employees from Australia, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Hong Kong,

Eric A. Surface Erich C. Dierdorff  Keywords:  Training Needs, Work Experience, Capability, Needs Assessment, Performance The Study:  This study examined whether employees’ work experience and capability influence their perceptions of training needs and their actual performance. Using a sample of workers with varying levels of experience and ability, the authors assessed whether these attributes affect the accuracy with which individuals recognize their developmental needs an

Julia Brandl Anne-Katrin Neyer  Keywords:  Cognitive Adjustment, Cross-Cultural Training, Global Virtual Teams, Anxiety, Uncertainty The Study:  This article examines how cross-cultural training influences cognitive adjustment among members of global virtual teams. The authors argue that cultural diversity and technology-mediated communication increase anxiety and uncertainty, challenging trust development and effective interaction. Drawing on Anxiety/Uncertainty Management t

Marcela Peterson Organizations often rely on norms and procedures to maintain order. In some contexts, as shown in the research of Chan and Gelfand (1996), this tightening of rules — known as tightness  — creates environments where deviation is minimally tolerated. In others, flexibility ( looseness ) allows for freer interpretation of norms, encouraging adaptation and creativity. This cultural difference is more than an academic curiosity; it shows up directly in the daily l

Marcela Peterson In people management processes, we often rely on detailed job descriptions, as if work were a fixed, stable entity independent of the person performing it. This logic underpins traditional job analysis. But Sanchez and Levine (2009) remind us that, although methodologically rigorous, this perspective is limited when we try to align human behavior with organizational strategy. Competency modeling emerges precisely to fill this gap. Instead of merely describing

Vincent Cheng Jo Rhodes Peter Lok  Keywords:  Chinese Culture, Strategic Decision-Making, Organizational Performance, Collective Orientation, Guanxi The Study:  This research examined how Chinese cultural values shape strategic decision-making processes and affect organizational performance. An integrative framework was developed to explore the interplay between cultural characteristics, decision-making styles, and performance outcomes among overseas Chinese managers. Data we

Stefanie T. Bell Steve W. J. Kozlowski  Keywords:  Active Learning, Self-Regulation, Training, Adaptability, Team Development The Study:  This study evaluated how key training design elements — guided exploration and exploratory practice — influence self-regulatory processes (e.g., goal setting, cognitive strategies), learning outcomes, and adaptability. Conducted in a simulation-based environment, participants completed training scenarios designed to measure how instructiona

Marcela Peterson Job interviews often carry an aura of objectivity. We tend to believe that by talking with a candidate, it is possible to grasp their essence, predict their performance, and even anticipate their future behavior. But evidence suggests that this confidence may be overstated. Research by Barrick, Patton, and Haugland (2000) highlights exactly this limitation: interviewers’ judgments about candidates’ personality traits are not as accurate as one might assume. T

Timothy D. Golden  Keywords:  Telecommuting, Work–Family Conflict, Social Interaction, Employee–Supervisor Relationship, Remote Work The Study:  This study investigated how telecommuting affects work–family conflict, recognizing that working from home can help balance or intensify work and family demands. Using a sample of partial telecommuters, the research examined whether the effects of working remotely depend on social dynamics, particularly the level of interaction and r

Ekin K. Pellegrini Terri A. Scandura  Keywords:  Paternalistic Leadership, Culture, Authoritarianism, Benevolence, Organizational Management The Study:  This article provides a comprehensive review of paternalistic leadership, including its definition, antecedents, consequences, and conceptual challenges. Drawing on international evidence, the authors explain how paternalistic leadership blends authoritarian control, discipline, and benevolent care, and is particularly preval

Marion Festing Martina Maletzky  Keywords:  Leadership Adjustment, Structuration Theory, Culturally Endorsed Implicit Leadership Theory, Expatriation, Cross-Cultural Management The Study:  This article proposes a theoretical framework for understanding leadership adjustment in cross-cultural contexts, grounded in Anthony Giddens’ theory of structuration and the culturally endorsed implicit leadership theory (CLT). The authors argue that despite progress in expatriate adjustme

Marcela Peterson Anyone who has ever tried to hold back anger during a difficult meeting knows how exhausting emotional control can be. Suppressing impulses, staying calm, choosing words carefully — all of this demands effort and often leaves a feeling of mental fatigue. But what if there were a way to manage difficult emotions without so much conscious effort? Recent research shows this is possible. Instead of relying only on deliberate self-control — which requires attentio

Lisa Feldman Barrett et al Keywords:  Emotion Differentiation, Emotion Regulation, Negative Emotions, Emotional Intelligence, Emotional Intensity The Study:  This study explored the relationship between emotion differentiation and emotion regulation, particularly in the context of intense negative emotions. Drawing on self-regulation theory, the authors proposed that individuals who experience emotions in a more differentiated manner—clearly distinguishing among various negat

Marcela Peterson I’ve been in workplaces where acting transparently felt natural because everyone around me did the same. I’ve also experienced environments where rules were confusing or simply didn’t apply to everyone. The difference this made to my engagement and well-being was enormous. DeConinck’s (2010) research helps explain this contrast. The author found that an organization’s ethical climate — how employees perceive ethical norms and practices — directly influences b

Jason A. Colquitt Jeffrey A. LePine Raymond A. Noe  Keywords:  Training Motivation, Self-Efficacy, Valence, Personality, Training...