{"title":"Driven to work as a double-edged sword: The role of polychronicity and sleep quality in employee psychological outcomes","authors":"Saima Naseer , Dave Bouckenooghe , Shadab Qazi","doi":"10.1016/j.emj.2025.04.007","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.emj.2025.04.007","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Drawing on the conservation of resources theory, we hypothesize that employees with a strong internal drive to work are more likely to engage in mind-wandering, exhibit task persistence, and experience low psychological detachment from work during off-job time, with polychronicity serving as the underlying explanatory mechanism. Additionally, our study posits that employees' sleep quality serves as a moderating condition in the relationship between their drive to work and polychronicity. To test these hypotheses, we collected multi-wave data at three distinct time points from a sample of 270 employees working in Pakistan's service sector. Our path analytical model provided support for the hypothesized direct, conditional, and conditional indirect effects. Our findings underscore the importance of sleep quality as a psychological resource that helps employees with a strong drive to work effectively engage in multitasking.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48290,"journal":{"name":"European Management Journal","volume":"44 3","pages":"Pages 494-504"},"PeriodicalIF":7.3,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148246880","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"管理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Religious faith as a double edge sword: Buffering and amplifying the negative effect of despotic leaders","authors":"Shazia Nauman , Hassan Imam , Huong Le , Lilian Otaye-Ebede","doi":"10.1016/j.emj.2026.03.007","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.emj.2026.03.007","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Despotic leadership is a destructive supervisory style that drains employees' emotional and psychological resources, yet little is known about the mechanisms through which it undermines performance and the role of religious faith in shaping employees' responses. Drawing on Conservation of Resources theory, this study examines how surface acting and emotional exhaustion operate as parallel and sequential mediators linking despotic leadership to job performance and investigates the dual role of religious faith as a boundary condition. Using three-wave, time-lagged data from 247 supervisor–subordinate dyads in Pakistan's manufacturing and service sectors, the findings show that despotic leadership reduces job performance through increased surface acting and emotional exhaustion. Religious faith functioned as a double-edged resource: employees with stronger religious faith engaged in less surface acting and were better able to buffer the negative effects of emotional exhaustion on job performance, yet religious faith did not lessen the emotional exhaustion generated directly by despotic leadership. These findings extend emotional labor research by revealing how spiritual belief systems simultaneously promote resilience and intensify vulnerability in demanding work contexts. The study contributes to a contextualized understanding of emotional labor in collectivist, highly religious societies and highlights the importance of supporting employees' religious identity as a resource for emotional regulation and sustained job performance.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48290,"journal":{"name":"European Management Journal","volume":"44 3","pages":"Pages 402-413"},"PeriodicalIF":7.3,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148246266","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"管理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Regulate with the invisible: A study of the role of the Holy Spirit in the elective process of the Dominican order","authors":"François Delorme , Ewan Oiry","doi":"10.1016/j.emj.2026.03.004","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.emj.2026.03.004","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>How does the religious dimension intervene in the management of religious orders? While the literature has mainly highlighted the role of formal rules in the management of these situations, this article sheds light on the role of religion. To better understand how this little-known aspect of this management operates, we introduce the concept of \"floating signifier,\" which refers to a process that aggregates different elements (words, images, objects, beliefs, etc) to build a common sense shared by members of the community and thus guide their behaviors. Through in-depth interviews, this article analyzes the role of a spiritual dimension—the Holy Spirit—in the process of electing a new leader (of a convent, province or the Order globally) in the Dominican Order. The results show that in the management of this Order, the formal rules are useful but not sufficient. They are closely linked to and complemented by an invisible and religious dimension, the Holy Spirit. By considering it as a “floating signifier,” we highlight how the Holy Spirit acts in this decision making process. We also explore its dual dimension, simultaneously individual and collective. This explanation of how the “invisible” intervene in a decision making process allows us to formulate managerial recommendations, including for private companies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48290,"journal":{"name":"European Management Journal","volume":"44 3","pages":"Pages 377-387"},"PeriodicalIF":7.3,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148246264","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"管理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Adapting human resource management to social change: Enhancing employee innovation and sustainability outcomes","authors":"Sikandar Ali Qalati , Domitilla Magni","doi":"10.1016/j.emj.2026.02.003","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.emj.2026.02.003","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study examines how top management's environmentally oriented entrepreneurial approach shapes sustainability outcomes in the hospitality sector. Drawing on survey data collected from hotel employees in China, it shows that when senior leaders actively prioritize environmental initiatives, organizations are more likely to adopt human resources practices that encourage employees to contribute ideas and behavior aimed at reducing environmental impact. The findings further indicate that these practices are most effective when they are supported by a strong organizational culture that embeds environmental values into everyday work routines. In such contexts, employee-driven innovation and improvements in environmental performance are more likely to emerge. By highlighting the combined role of leadership orientation, human resource practices, and organizational culture, the study offers actionable insights for managers seeking to translate sustainability ambitions into concrete employee behavior and measurable environmental outcomes. It also contributes to ongoing debates on how firms in resource-intensive service industries can align strategic intent with day-to-day practices to address environmental challenges.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48290,"journal":{"name":"European Management Journal","volume":"44 3","pages":"Pages 532-544"},"PeriodicalIF":7.3,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148246877","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"管理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Finding support in emotional expression: An analysis of the implications of emotional communication on enterprise social media","authors":"Ward van Zoonen , Anu E. Sivunen","doi":"10.1016/j.emj.2025.04.003","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.emj.2025.04.003","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Emotions are widely present in the digital architectures that shape organizational communication. This paper examines the role of emotional expressions on enterprise social media (ESM) and their impact on the perception of social support and trust among employees. Drawing from affective events theory (AET) and emotion as social information (EASI), it explores how digital expressions of emotions shape organizational relationships, specifically focusing on the persistence of such expressions. Through a survey of 313 employees, we analyze perceived emotional expressions on Microsoft Teams and their correlations with social support and trust. Hypotheses are tested using structural equation modeling. The findings highlight that positive emotional expressions are positively associated with affective and cognitive trust through social support. In contrast, negative emotions are negatively associated with these trust dimensions through social support. Notably, the findings highlight the moderating effect of communication persistence, which mitigates negative emotional expressions’ adverse effects on social support. These findings contribute to the organizational behavior and management literature by highlighting the nuanced relationships between persistent digital emotional expressions and trust dynamics in the digital workplace.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48290,"journal":{"name":"European Management Journal","volume":"44 3","pages":"Pages 431-442"},"PeriodicalIF":7.3,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148246258","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"管理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Measuring regenerative orientation: A new scale for firms' net-positive impact beyond sustainability","authors":"Denise Fischer-Kreer , Andrea Greven , Louisa Desel , Malte Brettel","doi":"10.1016/j.emj.2025.04.008","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.emj.2025.04.008","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study introduces regenerative orientation (RO), a firm's strategic approach going beyond traditional sustainability and actively seeking to enhance social–ecological systems. We developed and validated a 12-item, two-factor scale that considers social and ecological perspectives, offering a consistent measurement. The scale, refined and validated with two large survey samples and 1680 responses, shows robust properties and a significant association with firm performance. Addressing theoretical ambiguity between existing concepts, we propose RO as an emerging firm-level paradigm that aims to create net-positive benefits for social–ecological systems and has the potential to revolutionize strategic sustainability. Our findings enable further research on the mechanisms and drivers of RO and on factors that influence organizational resilience and performance.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48290,"journal":{"name":"European Management Journal","volume":"44 3","pages":"Pages 505-519"},"PeriodicalIF":7.3,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148246879","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"管理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Beyond linear models: how (in)authenticity and identity asymmetry shape the visibility and invisibility of religious identity among Muslim women who wear the hijab at work in France","authors":"Sarra Chenigle","doi":"10.1016/j.emj.2026.03.005","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.emj.2026.03.005","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study examines how hijabis navigate internal identity asymmetry through authenticity and coping strategies in professional contexts. Based on 38 semi-structured interviews conducted in France, the findings show that internal identity asymmetry emerges through social interactions when discrepancies arise between self-perceived identities and others' perceptions. Two forms of asymmetry were identified: asymmetry associated with authenticity, resulting from the stigmatized visibility of religious identity and stereotyping processes, and asymmetry associated with inauthenticity, resulting from identity invisibility and social non-recognition. The results highlight that authenticity and inauthenticity are not opposing states but are dynamically interconnected through identity management processes. Hijabis adopt three main coping strategies in response to internal identity asymmetry: endurance, resolution, and escape. This study contributes to authenticity, identity asymmetry, and religious identity literature by conceptualizing religious identity management as an active, socially embedded, and cyclical process shaped by workplace and societal contexts. These results are then discussed in relation to existing literature, followed by a presentation of the study's limitations and several managerial and practical implications.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48290,"journal":{"name":"European Management Journal","volume":"44 3","pages":"Pages 388-401"},"PeriodicalIF":7.3,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148246267","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"管理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Afraid to be vulnerable? Women, leadership, and the constructive role of vulnerability for organizations","authors":"Zuzanna Staniszewska , Martyna Śliwa","doi":"10.1016/j.emj.2026.03.003","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.emj.2026.03.003","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This article draws attention to the value, for leaders and organizations, of recognizing and working with vulnerability. In the opening, we mobilize the “writing differently” approach. Specifically, we present a poem co-written by the authors to sensitize ourselves and readers to the importance of acknowledging and embracing vulnerability, which we view as an existential condition and an inherent aspect of the leadership experience. We then discuss insights from our qualitative study, based on photo-elicitation interviews with thirty-five senior women leaders in Poland, highlighting the role of vulnerability in their experiences and practices. Our research suggests that, in response to organizational norms that often discourage the expression of emotions and the display of vulnerability, especially by leaders, women leaders consciously manage and even suppress their sense of vulnerability. We argue that embracing vulnerability can bring much more positive outcomes for individuals and organizations. The article concludes with practice-oriented implications for leaders, organizations, and researchers, promoting a more sustainable and integrated approach to vulnerability in professional life.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48290,"journal":{"name":"European Management Journal","volume":"44 3","pages":"Pages 414-420"},"PeriodicalIF":7.3,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148246259","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"管理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Fostering organizational innovation in SMEs through employee-driven innovation: The role of IB-HRM practices and empowering leadership","authors":"Ceyda Maden Eyiusta , Ayla Esen","doi":"10.1016/j.emj.2025.04.006","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.emj.2025.04.006","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In the contemporary dynamic and complex business environment, innovation is a key driver of firms' growth, adaptability, and competitiveness. This is particularly crucial for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), which contribute significantly to global economies but face unique challenges in fostering innovation. With limited resources, SMEs rely heavily on their employees to drive innovation, underlining the need to understand the key factors that stimulate employee innovativeness. This study investigates how innovation-based human resource management (IB-HRM) practices, in conjunction with empowering leadership, foster innovative behaviors among employees in SMEs, thereby enhancing organizational innovation<span><span> performance. Using a time-lagged, multi-source research design, we collected data from 619 employees and 147 SME managers/owners across three time periods. The results reveal that IB-HRM practices and empowering leadership positively and indirectly impact employees' innovative behaviors in SMEs through a supportive organizational climate for innovation. Moreover, the results indicate a significant positive relationship between innovative behaviors and organizational innovation performance, including product, process, administrative/managerial innovations, and </span>innovation outputs (e.g., patents, copyrights). These findings deepen the theoretical understanding of the structural factors driving employee innovation in SMEs and provide empirical validation for the employee-driven innovation in SMEs.</span></div></div>","PeriodicalId":48290,"journal":{"name":"European Management Journal","volume":"44 3","pages":"Pages 476-493"},"PeriodicalIF":7.3,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148246262","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"管理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Activated faultlines, group efficacy and group performance: The moderating role of group self-enhancement and group uncertainty","authors":"Meng Qi , Yulin Niu , Yujie Dong","doi":"10.1016/j.emj.2025.04.005","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.emj.2025.04.005","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>An accumulating number of social identity studies have recorded the effect of group identification on group processes and outcomes. However, they neglect to investigate the role of subgroup categorical processes and the basic motivations underlying this influence. To fill this gap, we draw on social identity theory to investigate the relationship between activated faultlines, group efficacy and group performance and the boundary conditions of this relationship. The theoretically driven hypotheses were tested based on collected data from 694 employees within 68 groups of three organizations. The results reveal that activated faultlines negatively affect group efficacy which also mediates the relationship between activated faultlines and group performance. The findings also show that group uncertainty and group self-enhancement play essential roles in moderating this relationship. Specifically, strong activated faultlines are more likely to inhibit group efficacy when individuals have high levels of group uncertainty and low levels of group self-enhancement.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48290,"journal":{"name":"European Management Journal","volume":"44 3","pages":"Pages 466-475"},"PeriodicalIF":7.3,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148246263","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"管理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}