Ana Paula Ferreira | Universidade do Minho (original) (raw)
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Publications by Ana Paula Ferreira
Organizational Management: Policies and Practices in a Global Market
It is through T&D that SMEs can guarantee the development of critical competencies. However, trai... more It is through T&D that SMEs can guarantee the development of critical competencies. However, training in these companies is typically informal, with little involvement of management, focused in the short term, and poorly related with the business needs. This research addresses the employers’ perspective of the reasons for SMEs investing in training, and of the problems throughout the training process. The questionnaire’s results of 275 SMEs from two cities of Portugal show as reasons for investing in training the need to improve skills, enhance individual and organizational performance, and achieve credibility. The major problems are associated with the acceptance of after work hours, availability of trainees, and the perception of the cost-benefit relation of training. Implications of these findings are discussed and solutions are provided.
This paper grew out of the observation that there is little evidence as to whether the changes ha... more This paper grew out of the observation that there is little evidence as to whether the changes happening within the New Public Management paradigm and entrepreneurial orientation adversely or positively affect Portuguese academics’ work and careers. Using Psychological Contract as a framework to characterize and explain the relationship between employer and employee, we have conducted six exploratory interviews with academics working in a public higher education institution. According to the interviewees, the university is not fulfilling its side of the deal. They describe the main perceived breached contents and report episodes of organizational (in)justice, as well as an unprecedented degree of peer competitiveness and increasing individualism.
Referência - Revista de Enfermagem/Journal of Nursing, Feb 25, 2015
Theoretical framework: This study focuses on the concept of Psychological Contract (PC) from the ... more Theoretical framework: This study focuses on the concept of Psychological Contract (PC) from the perspective that the
perceived obligations between employer and employee are constructed by the individual.
Objectives: To identify the contents of the head nurses’ PC, the (in) existence of perceived PC violation and reactions to the
possible perception of violation.
Methodology: Qualitative exploratory descriptive study. Semi-structured interviews were performed in a sample of 10 head
nurses.
Results: The contents of the PC - what head nurses expected to receive from their employers - included professional recognition, job satisfaction, career progression and fair compensation. As to what they were willing to offer their employers, loyalty to the hierarchy, employer and professional group, as well as a performance of excellence were identified.
Conclusion: All interviewees considered that their employers had violated the PC. The main reactions to PC violation were:
decreased organisational performance, rushing into retirement (intention to leave the organisation), demotivation and denial of
the new professional status.
This chapter looks at workers’ perceptions of psychological contract (PC) breach by their employe... more This chapter looks at workers’ perceptions of psychological contract (PC) breach by their employers, and also assesses whether this perception will cause them to experience feelings of contract violation. Although the concept of PC is paramount in explaining the employer-employee exchange relationship, it is a virtually unknown issue amongst HR managers in Vietnam. Moreover, in the last years, the educated workforce in Vietnam, with at least a college degree, has entered the labor market with short-term employment contracts and precarious employment conditions. The aim of this study is to assess the extent of the perception of PC breach and violation amongst these type of workers. An online questionnaire was administered to a sample of 106 workers holding a higher education degree and having short-term employment contracts in Ho Chi Minh City in 2012. The findings showed that these workers experienced a breach in their PC, revealing that their employers failed to fulfill the promises made to them and consequently experienced negative feelings that resulted in in PC violation. This study is the first attempt to explore the concept of PC breach and violation in a cultural and organizational context relatively unknown such as the Vietnamese one.
The current chapter aims to uncover the crucial issues and trends regarding workers' emotional in... more The current chapter aims to uncover the crucial issues and trends regarding workers' emotional intelligence at the workplace. The primary objective of this chapter is to review the studies that correlate emotional intelligence with occupational/job performance. The chapter aims to explore the emotional aspects of intelligence and its related outcomes on employees' performance. Intelligence is considered as an important variable for analyzing workers' capabilities and behaviors necessary to perform a particular task. It is briefly explained what emotional intelligence (EI) is, how it is measured and why it is important in organizations and, specifically, in occupational performance. The case of leadership is also specified.
The chapter reveals interesting findings about the nature of the relationship between individuals' emotional intelligence and their respective performance in the workplace. It also opens the way to the development of innovative management practices. The chapter proposes that emotional intelligence can be used as an approach for attaining organizational results by promoting appropriate workers' behaviors.
Training and development (T&D) has become a paramount subject in the workplace and societies, par... more Training and development (T&D) has become a paramount subject in the workplace and societies, particularly
in today’s scenario of the European crisis. T&D literature has long highlighted the benefits for employees,
managers and governments of training and education strategies and systems. However, the employees’ perception
of the T&D process has been systematically neglected. This paper presents an exploratory study focusing
on the employees’ perception about the T&D rationale, the initiatives, and tools used by their employing
organizations. A sample (n= 101) of currently employed MSc students enrolled in management courses at a
Portuguese University was used to analyse their opinion about the employers’ reasons to invest in training
activities, the organizational instruments adopted to conduct the training needs’ assessment and evaluating the
training effectiveness, and the problems underlying the whole process of training within their organizations.
A questionnaire was used to collect data on those issues. Results are analysed and some major implications
for employing organizations are discussed.
Training and development (T&D) has become a paramount subject in the workplace and societies, par... more Training and development (T&D) has become a paramount subject in the workplace and societies, particularly in today’s scenario of the European crisis. T&D literature has long highlighted the benefits for employees, managers and governments of training and education strategies and systems. However, the employees’ perception of the T&D process has been systematically neglected. This paper presents an exploratory study focusing on the employees’ perception about the T&D rationale and initiatives and tools used by their employing organizations. A sample (n= 56) of currently employed MSc students enrolled in management courses at a Portuguese University was used to analyse their opinion about the employers’ reasons to invest in training activities, the organizational instruments adopted to conduct the training needs’ assessment and evaluating the training effectiveness, and the problems underlying the whole process of training within their organizations. A questionnaire was used to collect data on those issues. Results are analysed and implications for employing organizations are discussed.
Português: Este estudo examina o papel do empenhamento na carreira na relação empregado-empregado... more Português:
Este estudo examina o papel do empenhamento na carreira na relação empregado-empregador, tendo como modelo desta relação o conceito de contrato psicológico. Num contexto de declínio da lealdade organizacional e da segurança de emprego, a noção de empenhamento na carreira, dada a menor longevidade da relação entre a organização e os seus colaboradores, torna-se uma atitude relevante que caracteriza a lealdade do indivíduo à carreira e não à organização. Para explorar a influência desta atitude na manutenção do contrato psicológico foi aplicado um inquérito por questionário a trabalhadores sindicalizados do setor bancário português. Os resultados indiciam que o empenhamento na carreira se associa a uma menor perceção de quebra do contrato psicológico, sugerindo que os indivíduos mais empenhados na carreira são mais tolerantes ao incumprimento das obrigações dos empregadores. As implicações dos resultados para a gestão e compreensão da relação empregador-empregado são discutidas.
English:
This study examines the role of career commitment in employee-employer relationship, using the concept of psychological contract as a model for this relationship. In a context of organizational loyalty and job security decline, the notion of career commitment, given the shorter longevity of the relationship between an organization and its employees, it is a relevant attitude that characterizes the individual's loyalty to a career, not to an organization. To explore the influence of this attitude in maintaining the psychological contract a questionnaire was applied to unionized members of the Portuguese banking setor. Results indicate that career commitment is associated with a lower perception of psychological contract breach, suggesting that career committed individuals are more tolerant to the unfulfillment of the employers’ obligations. The implications of these results for managing and understanding the employer-employee relationship are discussed.
Organizational Management: Policies and Practices in a Global Market
It is through T&D that SMEs can guarantee the development of critical competencies. However, trai... more It is through T&D that SMEs can guarantee the development of critical competencies. However, training in these companies is typically informal, with little involvement of management, focused in the short term, and poorly related with the business needs. This research addresses the employers’ perspective of the reasons for SMEs investing in training, and of the problems throughout the training process. The questionnaire’s results of 275 SMEs from two cities of Portugal show as reasons for investing in training the need to improve skills, enhance individual and organizational performance, and achieve credibility. The major problems are associated with the acceptance of after work hours, availability of trainees, and the perception of the cost-benefit relation of training. Implications of these findings are discussed and solutions are provided.
This paper grew out of the observation that there is little evidence as to whether the changes ha... more This paper grew out of the observation that there is little evidence as to whether the changes happening within the New Public Management paradigm and entrepreneurial orientation adversely or positively affect Portuguese academics’ work and careers. Using Psychological Contract as a framework to characterize and explain the relationship between employer and employee, we have conducted six exploratory interviews with academics working in a public higher education institution. According to the interviewees, the university is not fulfilling its side of the deal. They describe the main perceived breached contents and report episodes of organizational (in)justice, as well as an unprecedented degree of peer competitiveness and increasing individualism.
Referência - Revista de Enfermagem/Journal of Nursing, Feb 25, 2015
Theoretical framework: This study focuses on the concept of Psychological Contract (PC) from the ... more Theoretical framework: This study focuses on the concept of Psychological Contract (PC) from the perspective that the
perceived obligations between employer and employee are constructed by the individual.
Objectives: To identify the contents of the head nurses’ PC, the (in) existence of perceived PC violation and reactions to the
possible perception of violation.
Methodology: Qualitative exploratory descriptive study. Semi-structured interviews were performed in a sample of 10 head
nurses.
Results: The contents of the PC - what head nurses expected to receive from their employers - included professional recognition, job satisfaction, career progression and fair compensation. As to what they were willing to offer their employers, loyalty to the hierarchy, employer and professional group, as well as a performance of excellence were identified.
Conclusion: All interviewees considered that their employers had violated the PC. The main reactions to PC violation were:
decreased organisational performance, rushing into retirement (intention to leave the organisation), demotivation and denial of
the new professional status.
This chapter looks at workers’ perceptions of psychological contract (PC) breach by their employe... more This chapter looks at workers’ perceptions of psychological contract (PC) breach by their employers, and also assesses whether this perception will cause them to experience feelings of contract violation. Although the concept of PC is paramount in explaining the employer-employee exchange relationship, it is a virtually unknown issue amongst HR managers in Vietnam. Moreover, in the last years, the educated workforce in Vietnam, with at least a college degree, has entered the labor market with short-term employment contracts and precarious employment conditions. The aim of this study is to assess the extent of the perception of PC breach and violation amongst these type of workers. An online questionnaire was administered to a sample of 106 workers holding a higher education degree and having short-term employment contracts in Ho Chi Minh City in 2012. The findings showed that these workers experienced a breach in their PC, revealing that their employers failed to fulfill the promises made to them and consequently experienced negative feelings that resulted in in PC violation. This study is the first attempt to explore the concept of PC breach and violation in a cultural and organizational context relatively unknown such as the Vietnamese one.
The current chapter aims to uncover the crucial issues and trends regarding workers' emotional in... more The current chapter aims to uncover the crucial issues and trends regarding workers' emotional intelligence at the workplace. The primary objective of this chapter is to review the studies that correlate emotional intelligence with occupational/job performance. The chapter aims to explore the emotional aspects of intelligence and its related outcomes on employees' performance. Intelligence is considered as an important variable for analyzing workers' capabilities and behaviors necessary to perform a particular task. It is briefly explained what emotional intelligence (EI) is, how it is measured and why it is important in organizations and, specifically, in occupational performance. The case of leadership is also specified.
The chapter reveals interesting findings about the nature of the relationship between individuals' emotional intelligence and their respective performance in the workplace. It also opens the way to the development of innovative management practices. The chapter proposes that emotional intelligence can be used as an approach for attaining organizational results by promoting appropriate workers' behaviors.
Training and development (T&D) has become a paramount subject in the workplace and societies, par... more Training and development (T&D) has become a paramount subject in the workplace and societies, particularly
in today’s scenario of the European crisis. T&D literature has long highlighted the benefits for employees,
managers and governments of training and education strategies and systems. However, the employees’ perception
of the T&D process has been systematically neglected. This paper presents an exploratory study focusing
on the employees’ perception about the T&D rationale, the initiatives, and tools used by their employing
organizations. A sample (n= 101) of currently employed MSc students enrolled in management courses at a
Portuguese University was used to analyse their opinion about the employers’ reasons to invest in training
activities, the organizational instruments adopted to conduct the training needs’ assessment and evaluating the
training effectiveness, and the problems underlying the whole process of training within their organizations.
A questionnaire was used to collect data on those issues. Results are analysed and some major implications
for employing organizations are discussed.
Training and development (T&D) has become a paramount subject in the workplace and societies, par... more Training and development (T&D) has become a paramount subject in the workplace and societies, particularly in today’s scenario of the European crisis. T&D literature has long highlighted the benefits for employees, managers and governments of training and education strategies and systems. However, the employees’ perception of the T&D process has been systematically neglected. This paper presents an exploratory study focusing on the employees’ perception about the T&D rationale and initiatives and tools used by their employing organizations. A sample (n= 56) of currently employed MSc students enrolled in management courses at a Portuguese University was used to analyse their opinion about the employers’ reasons to invest in training activities, the organizational instruments adopted to conduct the training needs’ assessment and evaluating the training effectiveness, and the problems underlying the whole process of training within their organizations. A questionnaire was used to collect data on those issues. Results are analysed and implications for employing organizations are discussed.
Português: Este estudo examina o papel do empenhamento na carreira na relação empregado-empregado... more Português:
Este estudo examina o papel do empenhamento na carreira na relação empregado-empregador, tendo como modelo desta relação o conceito de contrato psicológico. Num contexto de declínio da lealdade organizacional e da segurança de emprego, a noção de empenhamento na carreira, dada a menor longevidade da relação entre a organização e os seus colaboradores, torna-se uma atitude relevante que caracteriza a lealdade do indivíduo à carreira e não à organização. Para explorar a influência desta atitude na manutenção do contrato psicológico foi aplicado um inquérito por questionário a trabalhadores sindicalizados do setor bancário português. Os resultados indiciam que o empenhamento na carreira se associa a uma menor perceção de quebra do contrato psicológico, sugerindo que os indivíduos mais empenhados na carreira são mais tolerantes ao incumprimento das obrigações dos empregadores. As implicações dos resultados para a gestão e compreensão da relação empregador-empregado são discutidas.
English:
This study examines the role of career commitment in employee-employer relationship, using the concept of psychological contract as a model for this relationship. In a context of organizational loyalty and job security decline, the notion of career commitment, given the shorter longevity of the relationship between an organization and its employees, it is a relevant attitude that characterizes the individual's loyalty to a career, not to an organization. To explore the influence of this attitude in maintaining the psychological contract a questionnaire was applied to unionized members of the Portuguese banking setor. Results indicate that career commitment is associated with a lower perception of psychological contract breach, suggesting that career committed individuals are more tolerant to the unfulfillment of the employers’ obligations. The implications of these results for managing and understanding the employer-employee relationship are discussed.