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    Employee change orientation (echo) framework: A meta-review and taxonomy
    (Cambridge University Press in association with Australian and New Zealand Academy of Management, 2025-10-01) Brazzale P; Cooper-Thomas H; Smollan RK; Haar J
    Given the ubiquity of organizational change, it is fitting that considerable research has focused on employees’ responses to change, much of it collated in review articles. With the aim of integrating this diverse review literature and providing an employee-centric theorization, we provide a meta-review, a systematic review of reviews. We present the meta-construct of employee change orientation (EChO), which aggregates employee responses, attitudes, behaviors, and the associated psychological mechanisms related to organizational change. Our meta-review includes 50 scholarly reviews published between 2001 and June 2025, drawing on 1,606 primary studies. Through a synthesis of these reviews, we present the EChO framework and taxonomy. We identify areas for improvement, particularly for research design, and generate key insights for change practitioners working with employees experiencing change. Our meta-review contributes by clarifying well-researched areas, extending theorizing, and highlighting the need for further research to understand how employee responses to change influence outcomes.
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    The effects of employee ownership upon work attitudes : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in Psychology at Massey University
    (Massey University, 1994) Cotter, Tim
    The present study explores the role of employee ownership in increasing positive work attitudes in New Zealand companies. In particular, the study examines the extent to which employees view their stake in the company as a purely financial investment as opposed to an opportunity to assume more control and influence within the organisation. Questionnaires regarding attitudes toward the company and to the company share scheme were completed by 156 subjects from two organisations, one a small goods company, and the other a financial institution. Participants who owned shares in their company (n = 33) reported higher organisational commitment and job satisfaction, and lower turnover intention, than those who did not own shares (n = 123). However, none of the differences between owners and non-owners were found to be significant. Those who did hold shares showed a significant positive correlation between share scheme satisfaction and organisational commitment and job satisfaction, and a significant negative correlation between scheme satisfaction and turnover intention. Shareholders who were satisfied with the financial return on their investment were more likely to want to buy more shares if offered them in the near future. The results indicate that, when employees are given no extra influence over their job as a result of owning shares in the company, the financial benefits gained from ownership are not sufficient to create more positive attitudes toward the organisation. It is concluded that successful share ownership schemes require a corresponding increase in employee decision-making participation. Findings are contrasted with those of overseas studies and recommendations are made for longitudinal research which addresses the effects of employee ownership upon organisational culture and power distribution.
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    An empirical study of the characteristics of generational cohorts at work : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Human Resource Management, Massey University, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2013) Murray, Kristin
    It has been suggested in the media and popular literature that there are significant differences between the generational cohorts (Veterans, Baby Boomers, Generation X and Generation Y) and that organisations, therefore, need to manage people from each cohort differently. However, the evidence is largely anecdotal. In contrast, empirical studies investigating generational cohorts have provided no consistent picture of a generational cohort's values and characteristics. This thesis investigates whether the popular characteristics of generational cohorts are valid. A total of 164 participants completed a 69-item questionnaire developed from constructs elicited from 64 repertory grid interviews in which participants identified constructs and rated their importance in their ideal job. More similarities than differences between the cohorts were found, providing limited support for the assertion in the popular literature that there are differences between the generational cohorts. Limited support was found for the depiction of each of the cohorts in the popular literature and empirical studies. In addition, strong support was found for heterogeneity within cohorts, in particular with respect to gender. The use of linear discriminant analysis identified that only nine of the 69 questions provided a reasonable level of discrimination between the generational cohorts, further supporting the finding that there are more similarities than differences between the cohorts. By removing participants from the cusp years (i.e., either side of the cut-off date for cohorts) the predictive accuracy of correctly assigning participants to the correct cohort increased, supporting the assertion that cohorts are most distinct in the middle and less distinct at the edges. This study contributes to the literature through the development of a sound psychometric model for researching generational cohorts and by providing valuable insight into what the different generational cohorts most value in the workplace. The results challenge the depiction of generational cohorts depicted in the popular literature and identified that while there are some differences between the cohorts, there are more similarities than differences. This raises the suggestion that there may be greater heterogeneity within generational cohorts than between them. People are complex and cannot be summed up by a small set of statements or stereotype. In the end, there can be no substitute for managers engaging with employees individually to understand their particular values.
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    Self-perception and performance : exploratory research into the narcissists' first 20 months within a corporate graduate recruitment programme : a dissertation presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Human Development Studies at Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2012) Simpson, Jeff
    The intent of this exploratory study was to examine the nature and impact of narcissism in the early career stages of a graduate cohort, where there has previously been little applied narcissism research. Self-reports on self-perception and critical self-insight were obtained individually from 63 new recruits in a multi-national company as part of a graduate recruitment programme. Self-report data were collected on day one of the recruits’ induction programme followed by repeated data collections at nine months and at twenty months into their employment. In addition, at months nine and twenty, two line managers of each recruit completed indicators on their perceptions of the recruits’ actual work performance. Using a newly designed narcissistic traits indicator, line managers also indicated their views of each recruit’s narcissistic tendencies. Results obtained indicated ten of the sixty three graduates had significant narcissistic tendencies. The self-ratings of recruits were subsequently compared to their actual performance as rated by their managers. The self-perceptions of those identified as having narcissistic tendencies were also compared to self-ratings and performance of peers displaying little or no narcissistic tendencies. In both the first and second years of employment, the results indicated that those viewed as having narcissistic tendencies significantly self-enhanced more than the non-narcissists and despite their comparative higher self-rating, narcissists underperformed in their role in comparison to non-narcissists. Narcissists’ self-perception was less consistent over twenty months, indicating a less stable sense of self than the non-narcissists. A critical self-insight (CSI) self-perception gauge was developed for assessing degree and style of self-critique. Although analyses revealed five clusters of sub-scales, the narcissists’ CSI was significantly different from non-narcissists on only one of these clusters; they reported as being less emotive-sensitive than did the non-narcissists. Narcissists were overall less self-critical than non-narcissists. In light of these findings, developmental and environmental influences of narcissism are discussed, along with the effect of such traits both for the hiring organization and for the narcissistic individual within the first 20 months of career induction.