TY - JOUR
T1 - The impact of status-leveling symbols on employee attitudes
T2 - a moderated mediational analysis
AU - Morand, David
AU - Zhang, Lu
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2018 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.
Copyright:
Copyright 2020 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.
PY - 2020/10/27
Y1 - 2020/10/27
N2 - Status-leveling symbols (defined as physical, verbal, and behavioral manifestations in an organization that are designed to downplay hierarchical systems within the organization) are considered central to high-involvement work systems, yet these practices have received little attention in the empirical literature. Using data collected from 147 working adults, this study examined the relationship between status-leveling symbols and work-related attitudes, as mediated by organizational culture. We also examined how individual power-distance orientation moderated this mediated relationship. We found that perceived low power-distance organizational culture mediated the relationship between status-leveling symbols and attitudes. Furthermore, individual power-distance orientation moderated the second path of the mediated relationship, yet in a direction opposite to our prediction. This study advances the theory related to organizational symbols and, more broadly, to high involvement work practices. Our findings also provide practical guidance relative to the role of perceived organizational culture as an important mechanism for managing employees’ reactions to status-leveling symbols.
AB - Status-leveling symbols (defined as physical, verbal, and behavioral manifestations in an organization that are designed to downplay hierarchical systems within the organization) are considered central to high-involvement work systems, yet these practices have received little attention in the empirical literature. Using data collected from 147 working adults, this study examined the relationship between status-leveling symbols and work-related attitudes, as mediated by organizational culture. We also examined how individual power-distance orientation moderated this mediated relationship. We found that perceived low power-distance organizational culture mediated the relationship between status-leveling symbols and attitudes. Furthermore, individual power-distance orientation moderated the second path of the mediated relationship, yet in a direction opposite to our prediction. This study advances the theory related to organizational symbols and, more broadly, to high involvement work practices. Our findings also provide practical guidance relative to the role of perceived organizational culture as an important mechanism for managing employees’ reactions to status-leveling symbols.
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U2 - 10.1080/09585192.2018.1454488
DO - 10.1080/09585192.2018.1454488
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85044327934
SN - 0958-5192
VL - 31
SP - 2495
EP - 2520
JO - International Journal of Human Resource Management
JF - International Journal of Human Resource Management
IS - 19
ER -