The prior literature on role congruity theory has revolved around demographic-based expectations, emphasizing role incongruity derived from a mismatch between prescriptive expectations of distinct roles. In this study, we depart from this traditional focus on between-role incongruity and explore an alternative source of role incongruity by examining how language can trigger the within-role incongruity of function-based expectations. Through an analysis of conference call transcripts and contracts for 7,649 deals during 2003–2018, we show that the incongruity of function-based expectations manifested through the language of the CFO leads banks to employ more debt contract covenants. This takes place because such incongruity increases banks’ perceived hazards. In addition, by investigating the moderating effects of corresponding CEO language and media sentiment, we show how the social context and sentiment toward the firm weaken this incongruity effect. We discuss the theoretical implications of our study for future research on the sources of role incongruity and the antecedents of contract design.
- PhD (Management and Organization), University of Iowa, 2012-2015
- Principles of Management
- Strategic Human Resource Management
- Team Social Network
- Leader Succession
- Work and Time
- Hom, P. W., Rogers, K., Allen, D. G., Zhang, M., Lee, C., & Zhao, H. H. (2024). Feel the pressure? Normative pressures as a unifying mechanism for relational antecedents of employee turnover. Human Resource Management. Forthcoming.
- Zhao, H. H., Shipp, A. J., Carter, K., Gonzalez‐Mulé, E., & Xu, E. (2024). Time and change: A meta‐analysis of temporal decisions in longitudinal studies. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 45(4), 620-640.
- Zhao, H. H., Deng, H., Chen, R. Parker, S. K. & Zhang, W. (2022) Fast or slow: How temporal work design shapes experienced passage of time and job performance. Academy of Management Journal. 65(6), 2014-2033.
- Zhao, H. H., Li, N., Harris, T. B., Rosen, C. C., & Zhang, X. (2021). Informational Advantages in Social Networks: The Core-Periphery Divide in Peer Performance Ratings. Journal of Applied Psychology. 106(7), 1093-1102.
- Lam, W., Lee, C., Taylor, M. S., & Zhao, H. H. (2018). Does Proactive Personality Matter in Leadership Transitions? Effects of Proactive Personality on New Leader Identification and Responses to New Leaders and their Change Agendas. Academy of Management Journal. 61(1), 245-263.
- Deng, H., Walter, F., Lam, C. K., & Zhao, H. H. (2017). Spillover Effects of Emotional Labor in Customer Service Encounters Toward Coworker Harming: A Resource Depletion Perspective. Personnel Psychology. 70(2), 469-502.
- Zhao, H. H., Seibert, S. E., Taylor, M. S., Lee, C., & Lam, W. (2016). Not Even the Past: The Joint Influence of Former Leader and New Leader During Leader Succession in the Midst of Organizational Change. Journal of Applied Psychology. 101(12), 1730-1738.
- Li, N., Zhao, H. H., Walter, S. L., Zhang, X., & Yu, J. (2015). Achieving More With Less: Extra Milers’ Behavioral Influences in Teams. Journal of Applied Psychology. 100(4), 1025-1039.
- Huang, G., Zhao, H. H.*, Niu, X., Ashford, S. J., & Lee, C. (2013). Reducing Job Insecurity and Increasing Performance Ratings: Does Impression Management Matter? Journal of Applied Psychology. 98(5), 852-862. (*correspondence author)
Organizations frequently rely on peer performance ratings to capture employees’ unique and difficult to observe contributions at work. Though useful, peers exhibit meaningful variance in the accuracy and informational utility they offer about ratees. In this research, we develop and test theory which suggests that raters’ social network positions explains this variance in systematic ways. Drawing from information processing theory, we posit that members who occupy core (peripheral) positions in the network have greater (less) access to firsthand and secondhand performance information about ratees, which is in turn associated with more (less) accurate performance ratings. To overcome difficulties in obtaining a “true” performance score in interdependent field settings, we employ an external criterion comparison method to benchmark our arguments, such that larger validity coefficients between established predictors of performance (i.e., a ratee’s general mental ability [GMA] and conscientiousness) and peer performance ratings should reflect more (less) accurate ratings for core (peripheral) members. In Study 1, we use an organization-wide network in a technology startup company to examine the validity coefficient of a ratee’s GMA on performance as rated by central versus peripheral members. In Study 2, we attempt to replicate and extend Study 1’s conclusions in team networks using ratee conscientiousness as a benchmark indicator. Findings from both studies generally support the hypotheses that core network members provide distinct, and presumably more accurate, peer performance ratings than peripheral network members.
The article by Dr. Ning Li, Associate Professor at Tippie College of Business, The University of Iowa, and Dr. Helen Hailin Zhou, Assistant Professor in Management Strategy
The article by Dr. Helen Hailin Zhou, Assistant Professor in Management Strategy and Dr. Ning Li, Assocaite Professor at Tippie College of Business, The University of Iowa