Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate decision-processing effects of incidental emotions in managerial decision-making situations. Design/methodology/approach – A complex multi-attribute, multi-alternative decision task related to international human resources management is used as a research vehicle. The data are obtained by means of an electronic information board. Findings – Happiness and anger cause the decision maker to process less decision-relevant information, whereas fear activates more detail-oriented processing. The results are explained within the valence model and cognitive-appraisal framework. Research limitations/implications – A boundary condition of the study is the level of induced emotions. Processing effects of extremely high levels of emotions are not examined, which necessarily limits the generalizability of the findings. Also, the experiment focusses on the decision-processing effects of single isolated emotions extracted by manipulations; future research needs to examine decision-making implications of an entire emotion episode, which is likely to contain emotion mixtures. Practical implications – For managers, this study demonstrates the importance of being mindful of how incidental emotional states can bias choice processing in complex managerial decisions. Originality/value – This study extends earlier organizational research by focussing on decision-making consequences of emotion, rather than those of mood or stress. It brings together research on incidental emotions and process-tracing methodologies, thereby allowing for more direct assessment of the observed effects. Decision-processing consequences of emotion are shown to persist throughout a content-rich managerial decision task without being neutralized by an intensive cognitive engagement.

The personal characteristics of entrepreneurs can be importantly related to entrepreneurial startup intentions and behaviors. A country-moderated hypothesis including the relationship between an individual’s risk-taking propensity and entrepreneurship (behaviors or intentions of the person) was conceptually developed and empirically tested in this study. The data collection was performed through a structured questionnaire. Multinominal logistic regression was used for analyzing data obtained from 1,414 students in six countries. The crucial contribution of this research is the clarification of the character of risk-taking propensity in entrepreneurship and the indication that the risk-taking propensity-entrepreneurship relationship can be moderated contingent on power distance.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore the relationship between external monetary incentives (EMI) and affective commitment (AC), normative commitment (NC), and continuance commitment (CC). Design/methodology/approach Data were obtained from a sample of 880 employees of different education and job levels, industries, sectors, and salary grades. Findings An increase in EMI value is linked to a weakening of AC. In a non-Western context, specific employee characteristics – salary grade, educational level, industry type, and employment in the private vs public sector – are associated with different levels of CC. At the same time, employees at different job levels (top managers, middle managers, supervisor, and operative-level employees) are differently predisposed toward AC and NC. Job level emerged as a moderating variable between EMI and AC. Practical implications Understanding of the ways in which EMI are related to organizational commitment will inform organizational decision makers about how to be more successful in retaining valuable employees. Originality/value The study offers a systematic exploratory examination of the relationship between commitment components (AC, NC, and CC) and the amount of salary offered by an alternative employer.

Purpose The purpose of this study is to examine, through the lens of the buying center concept, a theorized link between organizational buying behavior (OBB) and a national culture of collectivism, large power distance, particularism and a wasta practice. Design/methodology/approach A qualitative methodology was used to gain better understanding of OBB in an under-researched business environment of the Arabian Gulf. The data come from 41 organizational practitioners who reported on the industrial buying processes in their organizations with reference to the buying center framework. Findings The study developed a model of the buying center for the emerging markets governed by socio-political institutions. Research limitations/implications The data were obtained only from one culturally specific world region. Practical implications To attain efficacious results in culturally distant business environments, industrial marketers should complement home country experience with a thorough understanding of how national cultures affect the dynamics of OBB. Originality/value The study updates the conceptualization of the buying center’s organizational actors (OAs) for business contexts beyond traditional, mature markets. It reveals the typology of decisional influencers, introduces and defines the role of advisers and clarifies the role of the gatekeeping bureaucracy and differing perceptions thereof by OAs.

Purpose – The purpose of this study is to explore the key cultural factors that shape the Arab style of buyer-seller negotiations in the industrial goods sector; formulate propositions predicting behaviors of empowered buyers, avoidant buyers and deciders in an expensive industrial purchase situation; and develop a model of communication structure in an industrial buyer firm in the Arabian Gulf. In addition, the study advances propositions concerned with the bargaining style of Arab industrial buyers and the relationships between industrial sales effectiveness and negotiation tactics. Design/methodology/approach – The study draws on literature in the domains of industrial buying behavior, influence tactics in industrial buyer-seller negotiations and communication in industrial buyer-seller bargaining interactions. Findings – The more expensive an industrial purchase is the more empowered buyers will tend to anticipate the wishes of and seek the endorsement of powerful stakeholders, the more avoidant buyers will tend not to take responsibility for the purchase and the more decision makers will tend to rely on unwritten and formal rules and consult with influencers, subordinates and peers. Aggressive bargaining is unlikely to be used by Arab industrial buyers, who prefer a problem-solving approach. Sales effectiveness will be higher when industrial vendors incorporate tactics of ingratiation and inspirational appeal to influence Arab industrial buyers. Originality/value – The study offers a systematic examination of industrial purchasing characteristics through the lens of Arab culture. It synthesizes several literature streams, develops eight original research propositions and proposes a new conceptual model of the communication structure in an industrial buyer firm in the Arabian Gulf.

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Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate monetary reward allocation decision-making in an Arab-Islamic business environment. Design/methodology/approach In this mixed-method (quantitative/qualitative) study, data were obtained from a sample of 342 practicing managers of different genders and educational levels working in different industries at different organizational levels in Oman. Findings The more individualistic personal orientation, the more likely the decision makers are to allocate the biggest reward to the best performer and to believe that the equity principle is best for distributing rewards. In the context of a society transitioning from collectivistic to individualistic cultural values, the level of education is associated with preference for the equity principle in reward allocations. Research limitations/implications The reported findings advance the theoretical understanding of how an emic perspective can explain reward allocation decision-making in Arab-Islamic environment. Practical implications Practical implications of this study lie in the guidance that global managers can draw regarding which allocation principle to use in which cultural context: the principle of equity – not equality, need or seniority – is embraced by organizations in the Arabian Gulf. Originality/value The study examines reward allocation decision-making behavior in the under-researched context of the Arabian Gulf and adds to the body of knowledge based on data obtained from practicing managers rather than college students.

This study explored the issues related to interculturality and organisational positivity in culturally diverse teams (CDTs). The findings showed that interculturality in the expatriate settings of the Arabian Gulf is linked to organisational positivity, the manifestations of which include enjoyment, relationship building through concerted efforts to learn about others, and family‐like work environments. Interculturality‐driven organisational positivity is posited to encourage humanistic management, the attributes of which are sensitivity to human suffering, open‐mindedness, fairness, and respect. Organisational positivity is also theorised to improve CDT performance and stimulate professional and personal learning. Theoretical and practical implications of the findings are discussed.