Content
Prof. Thomaz Teodorovicz (Copenhagen Business School)
- Date: Tuesday, October 14th, 2025
- Time: 4:00 pm - 17:30 pm
- Location: Kaulbachstr. 45, Room 006
- Title: Can Organizations Benefit by Including Employees in Manager Selection? Evidence from the Education Sector
- Authors: Thomaz Teodorovicz (Copenhagen Business School), Samina Karim (Northeastern University), Monica Higgins (Harvard University)
- Abstract: How organizations select their managers has profound implications for them. While prior research has largely examined their consequences for individuals with an organizations, less is known about how specific selection practices contribute to different organizational goals. This study contrasts two selection approaches: systematic vetting based on knowledge, skills, abilities, and other competencies (KSAOs) and an emerging form of selection where employees select their own manager. We theorize that while selection by employees may enhance their satisfaction with managers, it may not ensure that managers possess the competencies to implement structured management practices that would benefit the organization. Conversely, systematic vetting may ensure managerial competencies but fail to create benefits to employees, such as satisfaction. Using panel data from 33,714 Brazilian public schools (2007-2017), we find evidence supporting these trade-offs. However, we also show that organizations can combine these selection practices to achieve both individual and organizational benefits. This study advances strategic human resource management research by highlighting the distinct roles of selection practices and how organizations can effectively benefit from including employees in manager selection in-as-much as they design a hybrid selection process that prevents employees from underweighting the role of general managerial competencies.
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