Understanding Attractive Work in a Globalized World (eBook)

Urmi Nanda Biswas is Professor and Head, Department of Psychology, the M. S. University of Baroda, Vadodara, India.Karin Allard is Director of the Master Programme, Strategic Human Resource Management and Labour Relations and Senior Lecturer, Department of Sociology and Work Science, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.Anders Pousette is Researcher of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, and Assistant Professor at the Department of Psychology, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.Annika Härenstam is Professor of Work Science with special focus on work organisation, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.

Preface 5
Acknowledgements 8
Contents 9
Authors and Contributor 16
Abbreviations 19
List of Figures 21
List of Tables 24
1 Attractive Work in a Globalized Context 26
1.1 Introduction 26
1.2 Conceptualizing Attractive Work 27
1.3 Attractive Work in the New Economic Context of India 31
1.4 Attractive Work in the Swedish Context 32
1.5 Factors Influencing Perception of Attractive Work in India and Sweden 34
1.6 Attractive Work Across Types of Industries/Sectors 35
1.7 Concomitants of an Attractive Workplace 38
1.8 Making the Workplace Attractive Through Organizational Values 39
References 46
2 Employer Branding and Attractive Work 51
2.1 Employer Branding and Attractive Work 51
2.2 Perspectives on Employer Branding 51
2.3 The Concept of the ‘Employer Brand’ and Organizational Attributes 53
2.4 Employer Branding and Values 54
2.5 The Process of Employer Branding from an HRM Perspective 55
References 58
3 Corporate Social Responsibility and Equal Opportunities for Men and Women as Organizational Values 60
3.1 Corporate Social Responsibility 60
3.1.1 Approaches to Understanding CSR 60
3.1.2 Who and What Determines the Nature of CSR 62
3.1.3 Impact of CSR 63
3.1.4 CSR as a Business Strategy 64
3.1.5 Linkages of CSR Performance with Organizational Performance 64
3.1.6 CSR and Social Change 66
3.1.7 Legislation and CSR 67
3.1.8 Communicating CSR 69
3.1.9 Organizational Culture and CSR Practices 70
3.1.10 The Indian Context 72
3.1.11 CSR in the Swedish Context 76
3.2 Equal Opportunities for Men and Women in the Organization (EO) 79
3.2.1 The Era of Gender Change in India and Sweden 79
3.2.2 Gender Gaps Remain 83
3.2.3 Gender Segregation in the Labour Market 84
3.2.3.1 Women’s Participation in the Labour Market 85
3.2.3.2 External Horizontal Gender Segregation: Between Sectors and Occupations 85
3.2.3.3 Internal Horizontal Gender Segregation 86
3.2.3.4 Internal Vertical Gender Segregation 86
3.2.4 Organizational Culture and Gender Regimes 87
References 89
4 Multicultural Perspectives on Attractive Work 96
4.1 Why Culture Is Important in Studies of Attractive Work 96
4.2 Exploring Whether Values Are Universal or Context-Specific 98
4.3 Two Approaches 100
4.4 Choice of Contexts 101
4.4.1 Nations 102
4.4.2 Sectors 102
4.4.3 Gender 102
4.5 Research Questions and Analysis Strategy 103
4.6 Summary of the Contextual Approach 105
4.7 Concluding Remarks 106
References 106
5 Study Design and Methodologies 108
5.1 Values as Perceived Organizational Practices 108
5.2 Challenges Associated with Cross-cultural Research 109
5.2.1 The Necessity of Measurement Equivalence 109
5.2.2 Different Types of Threats to Measurement Equivalence 109
5.2.3 Procedures to Identify Measurement Equivalence 110
5.2.4 Measurement Invariance 111
5.3 Empirical Studies and Major Research Questions 111
5.4 The First Survey Questionnaire Study 112
5.4.1 Study Design and Sample 112
5.4.2 Instruments 112
5.4.2.1 Perceptions of CSR Practices in the Organization 113
5.4.2.2 Perceptions of EO Practices in the Organization 113
5.4.3 Analysis 113
5.4.4 The Dimensionality of CSR Practices in Study 1 117
5.4.5 Testing for Measurement Equivalence in CSR Practices in Study 1 118
5.4.6 The Dimensionality of EO Practices in Study 1 120
5.4.7 Testing for Measurement Equivalence in EO Practices in Study 1 122
5.5 Cognitive Interviews with Managers 123
5.5.1 Cognitive Interviews 123
5.5.2 Participants 125
5.5.3 Procedure 125
5.6 The Second Survey Questionnaire Study 126
5.6.1 Sample 126
5.6.2 Instruments 127
5.6.2.1 Perceptions of CSR Practices in the Organization 127
5.6.2.2 Perceptions of EO Practices in the Organization 127
5.6.2.3 Measures of Attractiveness and Performance 129
5.6.3 Analysis 129
5.6.4 The Dimensionality of CSR Practices in Study 2 130
5.6.5 Testing for Measurement Equivalence in CSR Practices in Study 2 131
5.6.6 The Dimensionality of EO Practices in Study 2 134
5.6.7 Testing for Measurement Equivalence in EO Practices in Study 2 135
5.6.8 Reliability of the Final Measures for Perceptions of CSR and EO Practices 137
5.6.9 Putting All Scores on a Common Scale 137
5.6.10 Aggregation and Sharedness 137
5.6.11 Screening for Extreme Observations 139
5.6.12 Summary of Study Variables 140
5.6.12.1 Perceptions of CSR Practices 140
5.6.12.2 Perceptions of EO Practices 141
5.6.12.3 Outcome Variables 141
5.7 Interviews with HR Managers 142
5.8 Summary 143
References 144
6 The Manufacturing Sector 146
6.1 The Manufacturing Sector in India and Sweden 146
6.2 Profile of Organizations According to Socio-demographic Characteristics 149
6.2.1 The Indian Manufacturing Organizations 149
6.2.2 The Swedish Manufacturing Organizations 150
6.3 Conceptualization of CSR and EO 152
6.3.1 CSR 152
6.3.2 EO 155
6.4 CSR and EO Policies in Practice 158
6.5 Differences Between the Countries in Perceptions of CSR and EO 163
6.6 Profiles of Sample Organizations on CSR and EO 165
6.7 Differences Between the Countries in Perceptions of Attractiveness and Effectiveness 167
6.8 Attractiveness and Effectiveness Across Sample Organizations 168
6.9 Importance of Values for Attractiveness 169
6.10 Summary and Discussion 170
References 173
7 The Information Technology Sector 174
7.1 The IT Sector in India and Sweden 174
7.2 Profile of Organizations According to Their Socio-demographic Characteristics 176
7.2.1 The Indian IT Organizations 176
7.2.2 The Swedish IT Organizations 177
7.3 Conceptualizing CSR and EO 179
7.3.1 CSR 179
7.3.2 EO 181
7.4 CSR and EO Policies in Practice 183
7.5 Differences Between the Countries in Perceptions of CSR and EO 188
7.6 Profiles of Sample Organizations with Regard to CSR and EO 190
7.7 Differences Between the Countries in Terms of Attractiveness and Effectiveness 192
7.8 Attractiveness and Effectiveness Across Sample Organizations 192
7.9 Importance of Values for Attractiveness 194
7.10 Summary and Discussion 194
References 196
8 The Education Sector 198
8.1 The Education Sector in India and Sweden 198
8.2 Profile of Organizations According to Their Socio-demographic Characteristics 201
8.2.1 The Indian Educational Organizations 201
8.2.2 The Swedish Education Organizations 202
8.3 Conceptualizing CSR and EO 204
8.3.1 CSR 204
8.3.2 EO 206
8.4 CSR and EO Policies in Practice 208
8.5 Differences Between the Countries in Perceptions of CSR and EO 213
8.6 Profiles of Sample Organizations with Regard to CSR and EO 214
8.7 Differences Between the Countries in Terms of Attractiveness and Effectiveness 216
8.8 Attractiveness and Effectiveness Across Sample Organizations 217
8.9 Importance of Values for Attractiveness 218
8.10 Summary and Discussion 219
References 221
9 The Healthcare Sector 222
9.1 The Healthcare Sector in India and Sweden 222
9.2 Profile of Organizations According to Their Socio-demographic Characteristics 225
9.2.1 The Indian Healthcare Organizations 225
9.2.2 The Swedish Healthcare Organizations 226
9.3 Conceptualization of CSR and EO 227
9.3.1 CSR 228
9.3.2 EO 230
9.4 CSR and EO Policies in Practice 233
9.5 Differences Between the Countries in Perceptions of CSR and EO 238
9.6 Profiles of Sample Organizations on CSR and EO 240
9.7 Differences Between the Countries with Respect to Attractiveness and Effectiveness 243
9.8 Attractiveness and Effectiveness Across Sample Organizations 244
9.9 Importance of Values for Attractiveness 245
9.10 Summary and Discussion 246
References 247
10 Gender Equality in the Swedish Educational Sector: A Case Study on Swedish Academia 248
10.1 Introduction 248
10.2 Swedish Academy from a Gender Perspective: History and Current State 249
10.3 Political Striving for Gender Equality in a Swedish Academic Context 250
10.4 Gender in a Meritocratic Organization 251
10.5 Gender Policy Meets Academia 252
10.6 Distinctions Between Equal Opportunities and Gender Equality: An Analytical Statement 253
10.7 Organizational Prerequisites in Academic Settings 254
10.8 Findings from the Interviews: Understandings of Gender Equality 255
10.9 Gender Equality as Part of the Work Environment 256
10.10 Challenging Core Activities 258
10.11 Nature of the Tasks 260
10.12 Summary 261
References 262
11 Attractive Values Across Sectors in Sweden and India 264
11.1 Introduction 264
11.2 Are Perceptions of CSR and EO Shared Between Managers in the Same Organization? 264
11.3 Exploring the Impact of CSR and EO Practices on Managers’ Perceptions of Workplace Attractiveness and Performance 267
11.3.1 Bivariate Correlations 267
11.3.2 Multilevel Regression Analysis 268
11.4 Exploring the Impact of National, Sectoral, Organizational and Gender Contexts on How CSR and EO Are Perceived 274
11.4.1 National and Sectoral Context 274
11.4.2 Organizational Context 277
11.4.3 Gender Context 278
11.4.4 What Matters Most? 280
11.5 Cross-Cultural Validity of the Significance of CSR and EO for Workplace Attractiveness and Effectiveness 280
11.5.1 Contingent on Country 281
11.5.2 Contingent on Sector 284
11.5.3 Universal or Context-Specific Impact 285
11.6 Summary 285
References 287
12 Major Findings and Insights 288
12.1 Introduction 288
12.2 National and Organizational Context 291
12.3 Major Findings on Perceptions of CSR and EO 294
12.3.1 CSR and EO as Cultural Expressions 294
12.3.2 CSR and EO as Part of an Attractive Organizational Culture 295
12.3.3 Implications for Employer Branding 295
12.4 Conceptualization of CSR and EO from Quantitative Data 298
12.4.1 Conceptualization of CSR 298
12.4.2 Conceptualization of EO 300
12.5 Findings on CSR from Qualitative Data 301
12.5.1 Understanding of CSR 301
12.5.2 CSR Policies in Practice 302
12.6 Findings on EO from Qualitative Data 303
12.6.1 The Understanding of EO 303
12.6.2 EO Policies in Practice 305
12.7 National Comparisons from Quantitative Data 305
12.7.1 General Pattern of Variation Between Organizations in India and Sweden 305
12.7.2 Differences Between India and Sweden in CSR 306
12.7.3 Differences Between India and Sweden in EO 307
12.7.4 Differences Between India and Sweden in the Impact of CSR and EO on Managers’ Ratings of Workplace Attractiveness and Performance 308
12.8 Sector Comparisons from Quantitative Data 309
12.8.1 Differences Between Sectors in CSR and EO 309
12.8.2 Sector Differences in the Impact of CSR and EO on Managers’ Ratings of Workplace Attractiveness and Performance 310
12.9 Gender 311
12.10 Limitations 313
12.11 Summary 314
12.11.1 National 315
12.11.2 Sectoral 315
12.11.3 Organizational 316
References 316
13 Implications for Stakeholders and Recommendations for Attractive Work 319
13.1 Introduction 319
13.2 Generic Implications and Recommendations 320
13.2.1 The Impact of Organizational Values 320
13.2.2 Legislation and National Culture Strengthen Each Other 322
13.2.3 Global and National Cultures 322
13.2.4 Gender Aspects 323
13.3 Specific Implications and Recommendations 323
13.3.1 Implications for Employers and HR Specialists 323
13.3.2 Implications for Potential Managers 327
13.3.3 Implications for Policy Makers 327
13.3.4 Implications for Researchers 328
13.4 Conclusions 329
References 330