Search Results (6)

This study explored the employees’ perception of followership and its evolution in business transformation, given the case of the Hyundai Motor Group (HMG). Using a case study approach for explorative research, we conducted informal conversations and in-depth interviews with twenty participants to solicit employees’ and stakeholders’ perceptions of followership and its cultural formation through interpersonal relationships. Drawing on Kelley’s followership typology, we found three characteristics in participants’ followership perceptions: Ill-sa-bul-lan (extraordinarily well-organized), speed, and devotion. To explore the cultural formation of followership between leaders and followers, which is under-explored in Kelley’s theory, we adopted alternative theories (i.e., responsible leadership and implicit followership) to analyze the interpersonal relationship during the business transformation. Consequently, we found that the HMG followership, shaped by the relationships between leaders and followers within the Korean cultural context, evolved to facilitate successful business transformation. Initiated by top management, new and diverse elements from outside spurred the drive for business transformation and instigated changes in organizational culture, including perceptions of followership. This evolution of followership, in turn, reinforced the business transformation, creating a virtuous cycle. This study offers valuable insights into the dynamics of followership and its impact on organizational performance, providing a foundation for further empirical research in this underexplored area of followership. Full article

This research investigated the relation between motivation to avoid uncertainty, as reflected in the need for cognitive closure, implicit theories about the malleability of human attributes, and attitudes toward women as leaders vs. followers. In a cross-sectional study (N = 470) conducted in Italy, we hypothesized and found that the need for cognitive closure directly enhanced the belief that women are compatible with followership roles rather than leadership roles. Furthermore, the results from a mediational analysis revealed that the relation between the need for cognitive closure and the belief that women are compatible with followership roles rather than leadership was mediated by implicit person theories (i.e., the conviction that people features are malleable vs. unchangeable). Notably, we obtained these results while controlling for participants’ gender, educational level, and age. The theoretical and practical implications are discussed. Full article

Due to the impact of COVID-19, a large number of employees of organizations around the world have been forced to work remotely from home starting in 2020. As a result, leaders and followers face new communication and interaction challenges. If an enterprise is to be successful in the new wave of economic development, it must embrace the role of employee followers. However, there is currently no relevant research. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to analyze the interaction between organic leadership and implicit followers from the perspective of followers who are working remotely and further analyze their relationship with trust in their supervisor, organizational citizenship behavior, and active followership. Using the method of questionnaire measurement, multigroup analysis and ANCOVA and PLS-SEM analysis found the following. First, difference in leadership styles (IV) and implicit followers (IV) had significant effects on employees’ trust in supervisor (DV), organizational citizenship behavior (DV), and active followers (DV). Secondly, the influence of the leaders’ styles (IV) on employees’ trust in supervisor (DV), organizational citizenship behavior (DV), and active followership (DV) was significantly affected only when IFTs were anti-prototypical traits. Finally, organizational citizenship behavior (Med) had an indirect effect between trust in supervisor (DV) and active followership (DV). This article not only fills the gaps in the literature related to leaders and followers, but also provides analytical evidence and new thinking which will enable companies to propose management strategies more effectively for employees working remotely in the face of the impact of the epidemic. Full article

Amid the growth of COVID-19 pandemic, SMEs are facing greater uncertainties and pressures to survive because even though they are efficiently managed, their human resource organizations lack a large number of resources and a well-developed training system to foster the sustainable development of employees. Employees are important assets of the company, and their continuous growth and development are keys to the survival of the company. In this context, the individual worker’s assessment of his or her job role and how the assessments drive the employee to exhibit an appropriate proactive work behavior are particularly important. Previous research has typically focused on how organizations and leaders perceive employees but has rarely explored employees’ own implicit followership cognitive states. This study integrates the traits of positive implicit followership of employees, namely, industry trait, enthusiasm trait, and good citizen trait, with perceived supervisor support (PSS) and feedback-seeking behavior (FSB) into one research framework. In this study, 207 valid questionnaires were collected by using offline convenience sampling, and structural equation modeling (SEM) analysis was conducted. The results show that employees’ industry traits directly and positively influence FSB, while enthusiasm traits and good citizen traits have no direct effect on promoting FSB. In addition, industry trait, enthusiasm trait, and good citizen trait significantly and positively influence PSS, with good citizen trait having the greatest positive effect on PSS. Furthermore, PSS has a significant positive effect on FSB. Finally, PSS was found to mediate between industry traits and FSB. Corresponding to the results of the study, the actions shaping employees’ positive implicit followership cognition and forming a good supportive atmosphere to promote employees’ performance of more feedback-seeking behaviors are recommended. Full article

The innovation behavior (IB) of followers is vital for individuals and organizations. It is not only an important part of individual performance but also an essential foundation of organizational innovation. In general, understanding the formation mechanism of followers’ IB could enhance organizational innovation performance and sustainable competitiveness. The innovation of this study includes the following points. First, in the previous research on the antecedent variables of the IB of followers, the key factor of implicit follow cognitive difference (IFCD) was not examined. We add this key factor to the independent variables of our formation mechanism. Second, in the relationship between IFCD and followers’ IB, we investigate the mediating role of psychological empowerment (PE) and the moderating role of person-organization Fit (P-O Fit), further shown as a mediation model with moderating variables. Third, this study adopts a longitudinal research design, and the data were obtained from 1:1 matched leaders and their followers of large and medium-sized enterprises in China. To avoid deviation in the homologous method, this study gathers data at three-month intervals to ensure that leadership’s influence on followers is effective. In this study, Amos 24.0 and SPSS 24.0 are used for empirical research. The results show IFCD has a negative effect on the IB of followers; PE has a partial mediating effect on the relationship between IFCD and IB of followers; P-O Fit plays a positive regulatory role in the relationship between IFCD and PE, and P-O Fit moderates the mediating effect of PE on the relationship between IFCD and IB. Based on our empirical research, we put forward some feasible suggestions for company managers to increase sustainability in market competition by promoting the formation of the IB of followers. Full article

Leaders’ positive and implicit followership theory (LPIFT) in a university scientific research team influences innovation in university scientific research. Individual creativity is an important aspect of innovation in university scientific research. However, the influence mechanism of LPIFT of a university scientific research team on individual creativity remains unclear. Based on social cognitive theory and the input–process–output (IPO) theoretical model, we selected a postgraduate supervisor and postgraduates of a university scientific research team as the research objects. We explored the influence between LPIFT of a university scientific research team leader and individual creativity using a questionnaire. A total of 413 valid paired samples were collected from the postgraduate and postgraduate supervisor. We drew the following conclusions: LPIFT of the university scientific research team had a direct positive effect on individual creativity. Individual creative role identity, individual creative self-efficacy, and individual willingness to create knowledge had completely mediating effects on the relationship between LPIFT of the university scientific research team and individual creativity. Proactive personality positively moderated the relationship between LPIFT of the university scientific research team and individual creative role identity, as well as LPIFT of the university scientific research team and individual creative self-efficacy. Proactive personality also positively moderated the mediating effect of individual creative role identity and individual creative self-efficacy. However, the moderating effect of proactive personality between LPIFT of university research teams and individual willingness to create knowledge was not significant. Proactive personality also did not positively moderate the mediating effect of individual willingness to create knowledge. Full article