Purpose This study aims to examine how psychological, relational, experiential and organisational conditions shape employee agency and professional initiative among young professionals working in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Casablanca, Morocco. Design/methodology/approach An abductive qualitative design was used across 50 data-collection sessions involving 135 employees: 30 individual semi-structured interviews and 20 focus-group discussions. The material was complemented by more than 200 h of workplace observation and approximately 50 organisational documents. Analysis combined iterative thematic coding, triangulation and systematic examination of contrasting and disconfirming evidence. Findings Four interrelated configurations were identified: capability without permission, relationally authorised agency, the translation of experience and training into situated practical judgement and organisational gatekeeping. Relational authorisation was the most recurrent configuration (39/50 sessions), followed by capability without permission (35/50), organisational gatekeeping (31/50), situated practical judgement (28/50) and training-to-work translation (20/50). Individual resources did not independently generate initiative; their effects depended on organisational permission, relational validation, discretion and workplace fit. Research limitations/implications The Casablanca-based sample supports analytical rather than statistical generalisation. Transferability should be examined across other regional and national SME contexts. Practical implications SMEs can strengthen agency by clarifying decision boundaries, supporting peer mentoring, reducing fear of blame and aligning training with workplace realities. Social implications By promoting employee agency and professional initiative, organisations can contribute to improving job satisfaction, professional development and workplace engagement. Encouraging supportive social environments within SMEs may also enhance employees’ capacity to adapt to changing professional contexts and strengthen organisational resilience in dynamic economic environments. Originality/value The study conceptualises employee agency as situated practical action produced through the conversion of individual capability into socially legitimate and organisationally permitted initiative.
Purpose Organisational ethics has become increasingly important in shaping stakeholder relationships, particularly in markets where consumers expect firms to demonstrate transparency and social responsibility. While prior research has examined ethical perceptions in branding contexts, less attention has been given to how individual characteristics shape these relationships. This study aims to examine how perceived organisational ethics influences engagement and loyalty in the food industry, using Alpina® as the empirical context, while exploring whether these relationships vary across educational levels. Design/methodology/approach A cross-sectional survey was conducted with Colombian consumers of Alpina products. From 472 questionnaires collected, 281 valid responses were retained after screening procedures. The proposed model was tested using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM). Bootstrapping and multigroup analysis (MGA) were used to examine differences across educational groups (secondary, university and postgraduate). Measurement reliability and validity were assessed through confirmatory factor analysis. Findings Perceived organisational ethics significantly influences brand engagement and perceived value, which in turn predict loyalty. Customer experience and trust also shape how consumers interpret the organisation’s positioning. MGA reveals significant differences across educational segments, suggesting that educational background influences the cognitive mechanisms through which relational drivers translate into loyalty. Originality/value By introducing educational background as a source of heterogeneity, this study extends research on ethics-driven relationship building and highlights how individual characteristics shape stakeholder responses to organisational signals in emerging markets.
Purpose This study aims to examine whether telework evaluations and the relationships among key telework-related constructs differ between a low-experience, prospective context and a context of enacted telework. Design/methodology/approach The study compares anticipated and enacted telework perceptions using two independent surveys of Romanian employees: a 2018 survey in which respondents evaluated telework as a hypothetical work arrangement (n = 1,180) and a 2020 survey in which respondents reported their actual telework experience during the COVID-19 pandemic (n = 1,142). The analysis combines mean comparisons with partial least squares structural equation modelling and multi-group analysis. Because the samples are independent, the design permits a contextual between-sample comparison but does not trace within-person change from anticipation to experience. Findings Structural relationships differ across the two samples. In the 2018 anticipated-telework sample, self-management is positively associated with schedule flexibility, whereas in the 2020 enacted-telework sample this association is negative. Interpersonal trust is positively associated with schedule flexibility in both samples, with a larger estimated path coefficient in the 2020 sample. The association between schedule flexibility and work-life balance is also stronger in the 2020 sample. These results indicate between samples contextual differences rather than within-person change. Research limitations/implications The study relies on two independent cross-sectional samples rather than a longitudinal panel, so the findings should be interpreted as contextual differences rather than within-person change. Practical implications The findings suggest that managers should consider both individual and relational dimensions when evaluating remote work arrangements. In particular, differences in the relationships among self-management, interpersonal trust, schedule flexibility and work–life balance indicate that employee expectations and contextual conditions require attention when remote work is introduced or redesigned. Originality/value The study contributes by treating prospective and enacted telework as distinct evaluative contexts, a distinction relevant whenever employees assess remote-work arrangements before their specific organisational implementation.
Purpose The rapid emergence of Shadow artificial intelligence (AI), the informal and unauthorised use of AI tools by employees, poses a growing challenge for global organisations. It creates cybersecurity threats, compliance risks, data breaches and ethical violations such as bias and opacity, ultimately undermining ethical AI adoption and stakeholder trust. Existing research often portrays the Chief AI Officer (CAIO) as a static role, focusing on compliance enforcement or policy integration while overlooking its potential to balance innovation and governance. This study aims to examine how the CAIO as a moderator influences the relationship between Shadow AI Usage and Ethical AI Adoption. Design/methodology/approach A deductive, theory-driven, cross-sectional research design was adopted, drawing on 665 AI practitioners and organisational decision-makers recruited through professional networks across multiple countries. Partial least squares structural equation modelling was employed to test the hypothesised moderating relationship. Findings Higher Shadow AI Usage was negatively associated with Ethical AI Adoption, whereas the positive Shadow AI Usage × CAIO interaction indicates that stronger CAIO governance attenuates this negative relationship. Originality/value This study contributes to AI governance research by conceptualising CAIO governance as an organisational boundary condition that attenuates the negative association between Shadow AI Usage and Ethical AI Adoption.
Purpose Technology-based companies (TBCs) often rely on virtual teams (VTs), which allow them to overcome the limitations of face-to-face teams. However, VTs have their own challenges in terms of relationships. The relational dynamics and the influence of the organizational context on VTs is not yet entirely clear. In this study, the authors aims to explore some leadership dynamics in teams working in TBCs. Design/methodology/approach This research explores how the leadership role has been adapted to TBCs adopting agile methodologies. The authors conducted an abductive thematic analysis of the accounts of seven leaders and nine members of six VTs operating in Latin American TBCs. Findings The authors’ results suggest that team cohesion depends directly on open communication and active listening, informal relationships and spaces for growth. Some of the interviewed leaders indicate that they implement these practices to incite bonds within their teams. In this sense, the participants of the authors’ study place great value on interpersonal relationships that emerge in informal spaces to strengthen communication and trust. Furthermore, the authors’ findings suggest that agile methodologies enable the creation of a formal structure. Specifically, these methodologies clearly establish workflows, roles and individual responsibilities. Originality/value The authors’ study explores leadership dynamics in virtual environments. The findings suggest that adopting agile methodologies in VTs should be approached with caution. The formation modality of VTs may be critical to the success of agile methodologies in TBCs.
