bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Commitment Propensity, Organizational Commitment, and Voluntary Turnover: A Longitudinal Study of Organizational Entry Processes
Authors: Lee Thomas W. , Ashford Susan J. , Walsh James P. , Mowday Richard T.
Published: March 2006

This study investigated the effect of commitment propensity (a summary concept comprising personal characteristics and experiences that individuals bring to the organization) on the development of subsequent organizational commitment and voluntary turnover In a field setting where situational influences on attitudes and behaviors were very strong, commitment propensity, measured prior to the individual 's entry into the organization, predicted subsequent organizational commitment, measured at five points in time after entry. Moreover; initial commitment, measured at time of entry, predicted voluntary turnover across a 4-year period. The implications for theory and practice are discussed.
The Measurement of Work Value Congruence: A Field Study Comparison
Authors: Meglino Bruce M. , Ravlin Elizabeth C. , Adkins Cheryl L.
Published: March 2006

Although research and practice involving a large number of individual and organizational-level processes requires making comparisons between different work-related values or sets of values (i.e., work value congruence), there is an absence of research dealing with how value congruence should be conceptualized and measured. This study examined a number of issues involving the conceptualization and measurement of work value congruence using interpersonal value comparisons. Comparisons were made for supervisor-subordinate pairs using work value congruence indexes composed of single versus multiple value measures and specific versus general value measures. These comparisons were made for actual and squared indexes and for indexes that were corrected for association with their component value measures. Results showed that a squared congruence index using a more inclusive rank order measure was most appropriate for assessing the effect of value congruence on affective outcomes.
Alternative Methods for Measuring Organization Fit: Technology, Structure, and Performance
Authors: Hoffman James J. , Cullen John B. , Carter Nancy M. , Hofacker Charles F.
Published: March 2006

Using data from 68 newspaper organizations, this article examines the substantive and methodological implications of using two popular perspectives of measuringfit: moderation and matching. The strengths and weaknesses of these and other related methods are discussed. Based on this discussion, we use the multiplicative model (multiple regression with product terms) to test the moderation perspective and the deviation score model to test the matching perspective. After consideration of both relevant literature and the empirical results, the moderation approach was considered most viable, provided that proper interpretation methods are used.
Examining the Link Between Leader Member Exchange and Subordinate Performance: The Role of Task Analyzability and Variety as Moderators
Authors: Dunegan Kenneth J. , Duchon Dennis , Uhl-Bien Mary
Published: March 2006

Results from afield study with 152 members of a large urban hospital indicate that the relationship between the quality of leader-member exchange (LMX) and subordinate performance is moderated by perceptions of task analyzability and variety. LMX and performance are found to be significantly related when task challenge is either very high or very low. Under these task conditions, data indicate that there is a positive link between LMX and performance such that a higher quality leader-member exchange correlates with higher levels of performance. On the other hand, analyses also reveal that when tasks are perceived to be moderately challenging, no significant relationship between LMX and performance is present. In other words, these data suggest that characteristics of the task act as moderating agents of the LMX/performance relationship. Results are discussed in terms of theory development, managerial implications, andfuture LMX research.
Perceptions of Organizational Politics
Authors: Ferris Gerald R. , Kacmar K. Michele
Published: March 2006

The political nature of work environments has been discussed for quite some time; however surprisingly little is known about the personal and situational factors that influence employees' perceptions of organizational politics. In this study, portions of a model of organizational politics perceptions proposed by Ferris, Russ, and Fandt (1989) were tested in two studies using samples reflecting considerable variability on jobs, age, sex, and education, as well as hierarchical level, across four different organizations. In Study 1, regression analyses, used to empirically examine a proposed model of organizational politics perceptions, demonstrated that feedback, job autonomy, skill variety, and opportunity for promotion contributed significantly to the explanation of variance in perceptions of organizational politics, after controlling for variance due to organization. In Study 2, a new expanded measure of organizational politics perceptions was used to provide a more refined analysis of the antecedents and consequences of politics perceptions. Directions for theoretical and empirical research on organizational politics are discussed in light of the present results.
The Financial Cost of Absence Decisions
Authors: Martocchio Joseph J.
Published: March 2006

A theory of reasoned action (Ajzen & Fishbein, 1980) and behavioral costing approach (Cascio, 1987; Mirvis & Lawler, 1977) were used to estimate the variable financial cost (i.e., cost incurred by organizations that vary positively with production rates of goods and services such as wage costsfor an hourly workforce) of absence decisions made by employees. Measures of the theoretical components of the theory of reasoned action were developed and administered to blue collar and clerical employees of a financial services organization in order to develop an assessment of absence as the outcome of choice. Three months after the questionnaires were completed by 176 blue collar employees and 264 clerical employees, paid and unpaid absence information was obtained from the organization. The financial cost of absence was estimated. The study showed that the theory of reasoned action was usefil in predicting paid absence; the estimated financial cost of absence for the 3-month periodfor this sample was over $25,000. Implications are discussed.1
Examining the Causal Order of Job Satisfaction and Organizational Commitment
Authors: Vandenberg Robert J. , Lance Charles E.
Published: March 2006

Four hypotheses have been advanced regarding the causal relationship between job satisfaction and organizational commitment: (a) satisfaction causes commitment, (b) commitment causes satisfaction, (c) satisfaction and commitment are reciprocally related, and (d) no causal relationship exists between the two constructs. These four hypotheses were represented by separate structural equation models in a longitudinal research design. Using a sample of management information systems professionals, the models were tested using a combination of pseudo-generalized least squares, and full information maximumlikelihood estimation procedures. The latter procedures controlled for the unmeasured causal variables problem characterizing past studies. Results supported the commitment-causes-satisfaction model.
Cross-Currents in the River of Time: Conceptualizing the Complexities of Women's Careers
Authors: Powell Gary N. , Mainiero Lisa A.
Published: March 2006

Womenface a complex panorama of choices and constraints in their career and life development. This article presents an approach to the understanding of women's careers that (a) takes into account non-work as well as work issues; (b) incorporates subjective as well as objective measures of career and life success; (c) incorporates the influence of personal, organizational, and societalfactors on women's choices and outcomes; and (d) does not assume that women's careers go through a predictable sequence of stages over time. Such an approach is vastly differentfrom traditional models of men's careers. Implications of this approach for research, organizations, and men's careers are discussed.
Alcohol and Drug Use in the Workplace: Issues, Controversies, and Directions for Future Research
Authors: Harris Michael M. , Heft Laura L.
Published: March 2006

Drug and alcohol use in the workplace poses a problem of considerable practical interest; research on this issue, however, has lagged behind. The purpose of this article is to review extant research, highlight controversial issues, and provide suggestions for future studies. Topics include the relationship between work conditions and substance use, drug testing, Employee Assistance Programs, and legal issues.
Cross-Functional Structures: A Review and Integration of Matrix Organization and Project Management
Authors: Ford Robert C. , Randolph W. Alan
Published: March 2006

In this article, we review and summarize the literature on crossfunctional organization forms that has been published since 1976. We focus on the commonalities of the literatures that deal with matrix organization and project management. With a definition of cross-functional organization in hand, we review the literature for advantages and disadvantages of these organization forms, ending the section with a discussion of the great needfor empirical research to resolve numerous questions and paradoxes. Finally, we review a model for effective cross-functional organizations, comprising environmental influences, organizational characteristics, project characteristics, project team characteristics, project leader characteristics, and project effectiveness. Each section ends with a discussion of needed research, and the article ends with a call for research and theory building regarding cross-functional organizations, which continue to grow in application importance.
The Current State of Performance Appraisal Research and Practice: Concerns, Directions, and Implications
Authors: Bretz Robert D. , Milkovich George T. , Read Walter
Published: March 2006

On the surface, it is not readily apparent how some performance appraisal research issues inform performance appraisal practice. Because performance appraisal is an applied topic, it is useful to periodically consider the current state of performance research and its relation to performance appraisal practice. This review examines the performance appraisal literature published in both academic and practitioner outlets between 1985 and 1990, briefly discusses the current state of performance appraisal practice, highlights the juxtaposition of research and practice, and suggests directions for further research.
Innovation and Competitive Advantage: What We Know and What We Need to Learn
Authors: Lengnick-Hall Cynthia A.
Published: March 2006

Innovation, technology advances, and competitive advantage are connected by complex and multidimensional relationships. This article begins by examining four factors that shape the relationship between innovation and competitive advantage. Routes to corporate entrepreneurship (research and development units, intrapreneurshiplinternal ventures, external joint ventures and acquisition) are compared in terms of these criteria. The debates and questions that set the stage for further research in this area conclude the article.
Business-Level Competitive Strategy: A Contingency Link to Internationalization
Authors: Roth Kendall , Morrison Allen J.
Published: March 2006

The contingency fit between the organization and its environment suggests strategic adaptation to contextual conditions. Thus, it may be expected that businesses will use different strategic positioning when confronting an international context. To determine if such a difference does exist, an analysis of the business-level strategy of domestic businesses was compared to businesses engaged in domestic and international activities. Group differences existed suggesting the importance of internationalization as a contingency variable to examining the content of business-level strategy.
Transformational Leadership and the Performance of Research and Development Project Groups
Authors: Keller Robert T.
Published: March 2006

A longitudinal study was conducted of transformational leadership and the performance of project groups in three industrial research and development organizations. As hypothesized, transformational leadership predicted higher project quality and budget/schedule performance ratings at time I and one-year later at time 2. A moderator effect was hypothesized and found for type of research and development work. Here, transformational leadership was a stronger predictor of project quality ratings for research projects than for development projects. Initiating structure, however was a stronger predictor of project quality ratings for development projects than for research projects. Theoretical and methodological issues for transformational leadership research in professional organizations are discussed.
Takeover Resistance, Information Leakage, and Target Firm Value
Authors: Turk Thomas A.
Published: March 2006

This study examines the effect of management responses to takeovers on the value of the targetfirm. Three categories of takeover responses are identified: auction-inducing resistance, competitionreducing resistance, and support. Auction-inducing resistance is shown to increase competition for control of the target firm. This increased competition leads to increased gains to the target firm during the takeover battle relative to gains obtained when the initial takeover offer is supported. Competition-reducing resistance is shown to have the opposite effect.
Computer Skills Acquisition: A Review and Future Directions for Research
Authors: Gattiker Urs E.
Published: March 2006

This article provides an overview of past research on training employees for computer-mediated work. The article develops theory and propositions concerning the relationships between (a) individual factors, (b) task and person-computer interface, (c) characteristics of training design for the acquisition of computer skills and (d) the learning outcomes, namely the computer skills acquired by the employee. The review of existing research indicates that most studies are based on a narrow disciplinary and methodological focus, thereby ignoring important intervening variables that might help explain learning outcomes. Within the framework presented in this paper several otherfundamental concerns regarding existing research are identified and discussed and propositions forfurther empirical investigations are outlined. This article concludes with projections for the future based on past research and the present research climate.
Meta-Analysis of the Antecedents of Personal Goal Level and of the Antecedents and Consequences of Goal Commitment
Authors: Wofford J. C. , Goodwin Vicki L. , Premack Steven
Published: March 2006

Meta-analyses were conducted to examine the antecedents of personal goal level, and the antecedents and consequences of goal commitment based on 78 goal-setting studies. Meta-analyses of the antecedents of personal goal level indicated that prior performance and ability were significantly related to personal goals whereas knowledge of results had a marginally significant relationship with personal goal level. The relationships of three antecedent variables with goal commitment were found to be statistically significant (i.e., self-efficacy, expectancy of goal attainment, and task difficulty), whereas task complexity had a marginally significant relationship with goal commitment. The results of the meta-analyses on the consequences of goal commitment showed goal commitment to significantly affect goal achievement. A model was developed that integrated the results of the meta-analyses with conceptually derived variables and relationships.
Mediating and Moderating Effects in Job Design
Authors: Johns Gary , Xie Jia Lin , Fang Yongqing
Published: March 2006

A test of the complete Job Characteristics Model (Hackman & Oldham, 1976, 1980) was conducted, with particular emphasis on the little-investigated mediating and moderating effects specified by the model. Three hundred lower level managers provided questionnaire data. Results indicated that the model's psychological states generally mediated the relationship between job characteristics and outcomes. However; the correspondence between the job characteristics and the states was not precisely that specified by the model, all states were not needed to predict most outcomes, and common method variance was a concern. Moderator effects due to personal characteristics, context satisfaction, and petformance-reward contingencies were observed at several locations in the model, a number in an opposite direction from that predicted by the model.
An Examination of the Relationships Among Monetary Incentives, Goal Level, Goal Commitment, and Performance
Authors: Wright Patrick M.
Published: March 2006

This study tested the effects of incentive type, incentive level, and goal level on valence, goal commitment, and performance. Subjects (N=251) worked on a class scheduling task under either piece-rate, hourly, goal attainment bonus, or no-pay conditions, under either high or low amounts of money, and were assigned either easy, moderate, or difficult goals (a 4X2X3 design). Results demonstrated that both the level of valence and valence slope mediated the relationship between incentives and goal commitment. Incentive type, incentive level, and goal level interacted in determining performance, and these effects were not completely mediated by goal commitment.
Managing Internal Corporate Entrepreneurship: An Agency Theory Perspective
Authors: Jones Gareth R. , Butler John E.
Published: March 2006

Entrepreneurship is the process by which firms notice opportunities and act (by creatively organizing transactions between factors of production) to create surplus value. Using concepts from information and agency theory, this article examines how agency problems affect the dynamics of internal corporate entrepreneurship and the level of entrepreneurial behavior The relationship between internal corporate and external entrepreneurship is explored, and the organizationalfactors that cause agency problems are examined. Finally, solutions to agency problems are suggested that also promote internal corporate entrepreneurship.
Implementing International Strategy at the Business Unit Level: The Role of Managerial Decision-Making Characteristics
Authors: Roth Kendall
Published: March 2006

Several recent studies have examined the managerial characteristics associated with different strategy types. This research extends these studies by identifying the decision-making characteristics of top level management that are related to the strategic archetypes for competing in a global industry. The utility of three decision-making characteristics-risk taking, openness in decision making, and group consensus-are evaluated for global and multidomestic strategies. A contingency framework is also proposed, examining the simultaneousfit of all three characteristics to both international strategy types. Support was found for increased organizational performance as the decision-making characteristics are aligned more closely to the requirements of the organization's international strategy.
Insights Between Environmental Scanning Activities and Porter's Generic Strategies: An Empirical Analysis
Authors: Jennings Daniel F. , Lumpkin James R.
Published: March 2006

This study explored the relationships between the environmental scanning activities of chief executives from a single industry and their organizations' strategies, on the premise that executives employing different types of Porter's generic business-level strategies would use different scanning activities. There were differences in the strategy-scanning linkages. Specifically there are indications that firms with a differentiation strategy tend to employ a scanning activity that places more importance on evaluating opportunities and customer attitudes. Firms with a cost leadership strategy tend to use a scanning activity that evaluates competitive threats and tracks the policies and tactics of competitors.
Defeating the Minotaur: The Construction of CEO Charisma on the US Stock Market
Authors: Fanelli Angelo , Grasselli Nora Ilona
Published: March 2006

This paper illustrates the construction of CEO charisma within the US stock market. By metaphorically employing the myth of the Minotaur, we discuss three forces underlying the rise of heroic CEO images in the USA: Ariadne, or charismatic leadership theory and its formulation of charisma; Theseus, or the CEOs struggling to obtain power over stock market actors; and the Minotaur, or the stock market itself and the securities analyst profession. Building on the literature on organizational symbolism, we present a qualitative study of two CEO successions, focusing on the form and content of the persona and the vision projected by CEOs and elaborated by securities analysts. The results suggest that jointly constructing charisma through discourse, CEOs and analysts enact a form of power that does not lie in top-down coercion, but rather on the emergent, active involvement and contribution of its very subjects.
Innovation and Virtual Environments: Towards Virtual Knowledge Brokers
Authors: Verona Gianmario , Prandelli Emanuela , Sawhney Mohanbir
Published: March 2006

We examine the implications of virtual customer environments for supporting the innovation process. By building on the literature of knowledge brokers, we introduce the concept of virtual knowledge brokers—actors who leverage the internet to support third parties’ innovation activities. These actors enable firms to extend their reach in engaging with customers and they also allow firms to have a richer dialogue with customers because of their perceived neutrality. Consequently, virtual knowledge brokers help firms to complement the knowledge they can acquire through traditional physical and virtual channels for customer interaction. We highlight the capabilities and contributions of virtual knowledge brokers, and we discuss the implications of these entities for theory and practice in the management of innovation.
Changing Experiences of Work in Reformed State-Owned Enterprises in China
Authors: Chiu Catherine C. H.
Published: March 2006

Although previous studies on state-owned enterprise (SOE) reforms in China report the ascendancy of management control and highlight the exploitation of workers, studies that adopt a path-dependent approach report that managers in reformed SOEs are constrained by their traditional socialist ideology and practices in imposing drastic changes. Against this background, a study involving seven reformed SOEs was conducted. This paper focuses on worker reactions to enterprise reforms, and presents analyses that are based on the context-dependent approach to organizational changes in the West. Management control has become stricter in all of the reformed SOEs, but there are significant differences in various work dimensions across enterprises. Multivariate analyses indicate that improved job security and increased mental labour are key predictors of increased job satisfaction. This paper confirms the theoretical values of the context-dependent approach and introduces theoretically derived analyses to worker reactions to SOE reforms in China.
Thermo-elastic Stresses in Composite Beams with Functionally Graded Layer
Authors: Nirmala K. , Upadhyay P. C. , Prucz Jacky , Lyons Donald
Published: March 2006

Analytical expressions have been derived for the thermo-elastic stresses in a three-layered composite beam system whose middle layer is a functionally graded material (FGM). Continuous gradation of the volume fraction in the FGM layer is modeled in the form of an mth power polynomial of the coordinate axis in thickness direction of the beam. Solutions for beams with linear, quadratic, or cubic distributions of continuous gradation in the FGM layer can be obtained from a single algorithm, just by changing the value of the exponent ‘m’. A numerical scheme of discretizing the continuous FGM layer (in sublayers) and treating the beam as a discretely graded structure has also been developed. Appropriate expressions for the solution have been derived for the case of continuous power law gradation (mth power) of the FGM layer. The discretized FGM layer scheme has been shown to yield results that practically match those predicted analytically by the closed-form model.
Influence of Fiber Orientation on the Mechanical Properties of Polyester/Jute Composites
Authors: Laranjeira E. , de Carvalho L. H. , de L. Silva S. M. , D’Almeida J. R. M.
Published: March 2006

Tensile and impact properties of compression molded unsaturated polyester/jute composites were investigated as a function of fiber content and orientation. Both unidirectional fiber composites with 0-50% weight fiber content and a randomly distributed short-fiber composite with 30% w/w were manufactured. The unidirectional composites were tested along and transversally to the fiber axis. Higher values for all mechanical properties were obtained when long-fiber oriented composites were tested along the fiber axis, even at low fiber content (10% w/w). The tensile behavior of the unidirectional composites qualitatively followed the theoretical isostrain and isostress behaviors, when the tests were conducted along and perpendicular to the fiber axis, respectively. The tensile properties of the composites tested perpendicular to the fiber were dominated by the strain at the fiber-matrix interface. Properties for randomly distributed short-fiber composites were found to be intermediate between those obtained with long-fiber oriented composites with the same fiber load tested along and across the fiber direction.
Optimization of Injection Molding Process for Mechanical Properties of Short Glass Fiber and Polytetrafluoroethylene Reinforced Polycarbonate Composites: A Case Study
Authors: Yang Yung-Kuang
Published: March 2006

This study analyzes the mechanical properties of polycarbonate (PC) reinforced with 20% short glass fiber (SGF) and 6% polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), which is applied to the bottom cover of the reader body. The specimens were prepared under different injection molding conditions, by varying the filling time, melt temperature, mold temperature, and packing pressure using the gray relational analysis method. Plans of experiments via nine experimental runs are based on the orthogonal arrays to determine the optimum factor level condition. The mechanical properties of the Young’s module, ultimate stress, and strain variation are adopted as the quality targets. From the analysis of gray relational grade matrix, the most influential process factor and the most easily influenced mechanical property can be picked. The melt temperature is found to be the most influenced factor in the Young’s module, ultimate stress, and strain for the injection molding process in this study.
Tensile Impact Behavior of Multiaxial Multilayer Warp Knitted (MMWK) Fabric Reinforced Composites
Authors: Rong Jian , Sun Baozhong , Hu Hong , Gu Bohong
Published: March 2006

The uniaxial tensile behavior of multiaxial multilayer warp knitted (MMWK) E-glass/epoxy composite materials along warp, weft, and bias directions was investigated at high strain rates to analyze the influence of strain rate on tensile properties and failure mode of the MMWK composites under tensile impact. The uniaxial tensile test at strain rates from 1100 to 2200 s-1 were conducted with the split Hopkinson tension bar (SHTB) technique. The tensile test at quasi-static state was tested on MTS 810.23 system and compared with those in high strain rates. The results indicate that the failure stress, failure strain, and tensile stiffness are rate sensitive along warp, weft, and bias directions. The failure modes of the MMWK E-glass/epoxy composites under in-plane direction loading are matrix shear failure and yarn breakage in quasi-static state while interface failure and yarn pullout in high-strain-rate loading.
Characterization of the Failure and the Effect of Carbon Fiber Reinforced Composites on the Cracking in Cement Constructions I-Tensile Characteristics
Authors: El Arabi S. M. , Yu Weidong
Published: March 2006

Recently, fiber reinforced plastics have found applications in civil engineering. Owing to their mechanical properties, these materials have replaced steel and steel plates for external crack repairs in deteriorated structures. Fiber reinforced plastic sheets can be fixed to the structural parts in need of repair, using suitable adhesives. In this article, a new clamping system is introduced that simulates the actual cracking effect. Carbon fabric and its reinforced epoxy laminated composite material are used to join together two parts of a sand-cement mixture by an adhesive at three different gage lengths. Upon the effect of cracking, the performance of the adhesive joint is found to act differently with each material. The three-layer laminated composite is found to act better than the fabric. Each gage length shows a different joint strength.
Identification of a common gene signature for type II cytokine–associated myeloid cells elicited in vivo in different pathologic conditions
Authors: Hassanzadeh Ghassabeh Gholamreza , De Baetselier Patrick , Brys Lea , Noël Wim , Van Ginderachter Jo A. , Meerschaut Sofie , Beschin Alain , Brombacher Frank , Raes Geert
Published: March 2006

Compared with type I cytokine–associated myeloid (M1) cells, the molecular repertoire and mechanisms underlying functional properties of type II cytokine–associated myeloid (M2) cells are poorly characterized. Moreover, most studies have been limited to in vitro–elicited M2 cells. Here, comparative gene expression profiling of M1 and M2 cells, elicited in murine models of parasitic infections and cancer, yielded a common signature for in vivo–induced M2 populations independent of disease model, mouse strain, and organ source of cells. Some of these genes, such as cadherin-1, selenoprotein P, platelet-activating factor acetylhydrolase, and prosaposin, had not been documented as associated with M2. Overall, the common signature genes provide a molecular basis for a number of documented or suggested properties of M2, including immunomodulation, down-regulation of inflammation, protection against oxidative damage, high capacity for phagocytosis, and tissue repair. Interestingly, several common M2 signature genes encode membrane-associated markers that could be useful for the identification and isolation of M2. Some of these genes were not induced by IL-4/IL-13 or IL-10 under various in vitro settings and thus were missed in approaches based on in vitro–activated cells, validating our choice of in vivo models for expression profiling of myeloid cells.
Tumor growth impedes natural-killer-cell maturation in the bone marrow
Authors: Richards John O. , Chang Xing , Blaser Bradley W. , Caligiuri Michael A. , Zheng Pan , Liu Yang
Published: March 2006

Natural-killer (NK)-cell dysfunction and IFN-γ deficiencies have been associated with increased incidence of both malignancy and infection. The immunologic basis of NK-cell defects in cancer-bearing hosts has not been extensively studied. Here, we demonstrate that multiple lineages of tumors, including thymoma, breast cancer, colon cancer, and melanoma cell lines, interrupt functional maturation during NK-cell development in the bone marrow. The immature NK cells in the periphery of tumor-bearing mice had impaired IFN-γ production but seemingly normal cytotoxicity. T cells are not involved in this NK maturation arrest, because T-cell depletion did not restore NK-cell development. Moreover, the extent of tumor-cell infiltration into the bone marrow does not correlate with defective NK maturation. Interestingly, the defect was associated with a significant reduction in the IL-15Rα+ cells in the non-T, non-NK compartment of bone marrow cells and restored by overexpression of IL-15. Our data demonstrate that tumor growth can impede functional maturation of NK cells, most likely by interrupting the requisite IL-15 signaling pathway. (Blood. 2006;108:246-252)
Developmental regulation of the adhesive and enzymatic activity of vascular adhesion protein-1 (VAP-1) in humans
Authors: Salmi Marko , Jalkanen Sirpa
Published: March 2006

Vascular adhesion protein-1 (VAP-1) is a homodimeric glycoprotein that belongs to a unique subgroup of cell-surface-expressed oxidases. In adults, endothelial VAP-1 supports leukocyte rolling, firm adhesion, and transmigration in both enzyme activity-dependent and enzyme activity-independent manner. Here we studied the induction and function of VAP-1 during human ontogeny. We show that VAP-1 is already found in the smooth muscle at embryonic week 7. There are marked time-dependent switches in VAP-1 expression in the sinusoids of the liver, in the peritubular capillaries of the kidney, in the capillaries of the heart, and in the venules in the lamina propria of the gut. Fetal VAP-1 is dimerized, and it is enzymatically active. VAP-1 in fetal-type venules is able to bind cord blood lymphocytes. Also, adenovirally transfected VAP-1 on human umbilical vein endothelial cells is involved in rolling and firm adhesion of cord blood lymphocytes under conditions of physiologic shear stress. We conclude that VAP-1 is synthesized from early on in human vessels and it is functionally intact already before birth. Thus, VAP-1 may contribute critically to the oxidase activities in utero, and prove important for lymphocyte trafficking during human ontogeny.
Maternal Insulin-Like Growth Factors-I and -II Act via Different Pathways to Promote Fetal Growth
Authors: Sferruzzi-Perri Amanda N. , Owens Julie A. , Pringle Kirsty G. , Robinson Jeffrey S. , Roberts Claire T.
Published: March 2006

The placenta transports substrates and wastes between the maternal and fetal circulations. In mice, placental IGF-II is essential for normal placental development and function but, in other mammalian species, maternal circulating IGF-II is substantial and may contribute. Maternal circulating IGFs increase in early pregnancy, and early treatment of guinea pigs with either IGF-I or IGF-II increases placental and fetal weights by mid-gestation. We now show that these effects persist to enhance placental development and fetal growth and survival near term. Pregnant guinea pigs were infused with IGF-I, IGF-II (both 1 mg/kg·d), or vehicle sc from d 20–38 of pregnancy and killed on d 62 (term = 69 d). IGF-II, but not IGF-I, increased the mid-sagittal area and volume of placenta devoted to exchange by approximately 30%, the total volume of trophoblast and maternal blood spaces within the placental exchange region (+29% and +46%, respectively), and the total surface area of placenta for exchange by 39%. Both IGFs reduced resorptions, and IGF-II increased the number of viable fetuses by 26%. Both IGFs increased fetal weight by 11–17% and fetal circulating amino acid concentrations. IGF-I, but not IGF-II, reduced maternal adipose depot weights by approximately 30%. In conclusion, increased maternal IGF-II abundance in early pregnancy promotes fetal growth and viability near term by increasing placental structural and functional capacity, whereas IGF-I appears to divert nutrients from the mother to the conceptus. This suggests major and complementary roles in placental and fetal growth for increased circulating IGFs in early to mid-pregnancy.
Ligand-Independent Homo- and Heterodimerization of Human Prolactin Receptor Variants: Inhibitory Action of the Short Forms by Heterodimerization
Authors: Qazi Aamer M. , Tsai-Morris Chon-Hwa , Dufau Maria L.
Published: March 2006

Prolactin (PRL) acts through the long form (LF) of the human PRL receptor (hPRLR) to cause differentiation of mammary epithelial cells through activation of the Janus kinase-2 (JAK2)/signal transducer and activator of transcription 5 (STAT5) pathway and subsequent transcriptional events. To determine whether the inhibitory action of hPRLR short forms (SFs; S1a and S1b) on PRL-induced signal transduction through the LF results from heterodimerization, we studied complex formation among variant forms of the hPRLR. 3′-Tagged fusion constructs, with activities comparable to the wild-type species, were used to investigate homodimer and heterodimer formation. The LF and both SFs of the hPRLR formed homodimers under nonreducing conditions, independently of PRL, but formed only monomers under reducing conditions. Coimmunoprecipitation of the cotransfected LF with the SFs (S1a or S1b) in transfected cells showed ligand-independent heterodimerization of individual SFs with the LF. Bioluminescence resonance energy transfer analysis demonstrated homo- and heterodimeric associations of hPRLR variants in human embryonic kidney 293 cells. Biotin-avidin immunoprecipitation analysis revealed that hPRLR forms are cell surface receptors and that SFs do not influence the steady state or half-life of the LF. Significant homo- and heterodimerization of biotinylated membrane hPRLR forms was observed. These findings indicate that homo- and heterodimers of hPRLR are constitutively present, and that the bivalent hormone acts on the preformed LF homodimer to induce the active signal transduction configuration. Although SF homodimers and their heterodimers with LF mediate JAK2 activation, the SF heterodimer partner lacks cytoplasmic sequences essential for activation of the JAK2/signal transducer and activator of transcription 5 pathway. This prevents the heterodimeric LF from mediating activation of PRL-induced genes.
Reciprocal Regulation of Brain and Muscle Arnt-Like Protein 1 and Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor α Defines a Novel Positive Feedback Loop in the Rodent Liver Circadian Clock
Authors: Canaple Laurence , Rambaud Juliette , Dkhissi-Benyahya Ouria , Rayet Béatrice , Tan Nguan Soon , Michalik Liliane , Delaunay Franck , Wahli Walter , Laudet Vincent
Published: March 2006

Recent evidence has emerged that peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α (PPARα), which is largely involved in lipid metabolism, can play an important role in connecting circadian biology and metabolism. In the present study, we investigated the mechanisms by which PPARα influences the pacemakers acting in the central clock located in the suprachiasmatic nucleus and in the peripheral oscillator of the liver. We demonstrate that PPARα plays a specific role in the peripheral circadian control because it is required to maintain the circadian rhythm of the master clock gene brain and muscle Arnt-like protein 1 (bmal1) in vivo. This regulation occurs via a direct binding of PPARα on a potential PPARα response element located in the bmal1 promoter. Reversely, BMAL1 is an upstream regulator of PPARα gene expression. We further demonstrate that fenofibrate induces circadian rhythm of clock gene expression in cell culture and up-regulates hepatic bmal1 in vivo. Together, these results provide evidence for an additional regulatory feedback loop involving BMAL1 and PPARα in peripheral clocks.
Highly Efficient Method for Epoxidation of Olefms with Molecular Oxygen and Aldehydes Catalyzed by Nickel(II) Complexes
Authors: Yamada Tohru , Takai Toshihiro , Rhode Oliver , Mukaiyama Teruaki
Published: March 2006

In the presence of a catalytic amount of a bis(1,3-diketonato)nickel(II) complex, trisubstituted and exo-terminal olefins or norbornene analogues are smoothly monooxygenated into the corresponding epoxides in high to quantitative yields on treatment with aldehyde under an atmospheric pressure of oxygen at room temperature.
FT-IR Spectrometry of the Reduced CO2 at Pt Electrode and Anomalous Effect of Ca2+ Ions
Authors: Aramata Akiko , Enyo Michio , Koga Osamu , Hori Yoshio
Published: March 2006

The IR spectrum of the reduced CO2 was confirmed to be assigned as the adsorbed CO, and received an anomalous ca. 30 cm−1 downward shift by the addition of Ca2+ ions at very small concentration in a 0.1 M sulfuric acid solution. The change of voltammogram characteristics due to Ca2+ ions was observed in the presence of CO2, but not in its absence.
Processing body autoantibodies reconsidered
Authors: Bloch Donald B. , Gulick Tod , Bloch Kenneth D. , Yang Wei-Hong
Published: March 2006

Processing bodies (P-bodies) are cellular structures that have critical roles in mRNA degradation and post-transcriptional gene silencing. Some patients with autoimmune disease have high titer antibodies directed against P-bodies, and certain sera have been used as markers for the GW182 component of these structures. This study shows that available reference sera are unreliable markers for GW182 because the sera contain antibodies directed against Ge-1, a second P-body autoantigen.
Multiple domains of EBER 1, an Epstein-Barr virus noncoding RNA, recruit human ribosomal protein L22
Authors: Fok Victor , Mitton-Fry Rachel M. , Grech Angie , Steitz Joan A.
Published: March 2006

EBER 1, a small noncoding viral RNA abundantly expressed in all cells transformed by Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), has been shown to associate with the human ribosomal protein L22. Here we present in vitro binding studies using purified RNAs and recombinant proteins. Electrophoretic mobility-shift assays (EMSAs) show that recombinant L22 (rL22) and maltose-binding protein (MBP)-tagged L22 protein bind EBER 1 in vitro, both forming three specific protein-dependent mobility shifts. Use of a mixture of rL22 and MBP-L22 indicates that these three shifts contain one, two, or three L22 proteins per EBER 1 molecule. EMSAs performed with EBER 1 deletion constructs and EBER 1 stem–loops inserted into a nonbinding RNA, HSUR 3, identify stem–loops I, III, and IV as L22 binding sites. The existence of multiple L22 binding sites on EBER 1 inside cells is demonstrated by in vivo UV cross-linking. Our results are discussed with respect to the function of EBER 1 in EBV-infected human B cells.
Going Mobile: Aesthetic Design Considerations from Calder and the Constructivists
Authors: Barry David , Rerup Claus
Published: March 2006

Design thinking has long tried to join form, function, and aesthetic appeal. In cars, furniture, architecture, typography, clothes, or photography, good designs regularly solve problems of movement, massing, and balance in attractive and inspiring ways. The field of organization design is comparatively young in this regard, having mostly focused on questions of efficiency and expediency rather than aesthetics; nevertheless, designers are increasingly being called on to create organizations that “sing” rather than just “work.” Here, we consider how aesthetically sophisticated design thinking from the arts might be applied in organizational design. Specifically, we consider the case of Learning Lab Denmark—a research institute that has experimented extensively with aesthetically informed organizational design—in light of the mobile art of Alexander Calder and other constructivist artists who championed flexible design. We conclude that in such organizations, (1) designers must strike an ongoing, interactive balance between centric and acentric design orientations and practices, (2) aesthetic consideration is fundamentally important when it comes to crafting effective design, and (3) designing processes should be given as much attention as design solutions.
Construction Principles and Design Rules in the Case of Circular Design
Authors: Romme A. Georges L. , Endenburg Gerard
Published: March 2006

This paper proposes science-based organization design that uses construction principles and design rules to guide practitioner-academic projects. Organization science implies construction principles for creating and implementing designs. These principles serve to construct design rules that are instrumental in developing organization designs. Testing and implementing designs require pragmatic experimentation in complex, dynamic settings. The authors explore a circular design process as an example of science-based organization design. Tests of this circular process in over 30 organizations suggest that construction principles are important for creating new design rules as well as for a deeper understanding of the systems and practices created from these rules. In addition, explicit principles and rules for organization design appear to facilitate the transfer of learning between different projects. As such, they can help reconnect organization research to ongoing design work.
Organization Design and Effectiveness over the Innovation Life Cycle
Authors: Westerman George , McFarlan F. Warren , Iansiti Marco
Published: March 2006

Differing bases of competition in early and later stages of an innovation’s life cycle call for differing organization designs. Designs that fit early strategic contingencies tend to misfit later ones. Over time, innovating units must either minimize the negative effects of misfit, or make difficult changes in design. Using four paired case studies, we examine how firms address conflicts in strategic contingencies, how managers adjust to misfits, and how organizations adapt their designs. We find that firms use one of three adaptation modes, none of which is fully autonomous nor fully integrated, and all of which change over time. Each mode optimizes for one contingency while suboptimally attempting to address the other. The study suggests practical insights for researchers and managers.
Multiple Faces of Codification: Organizational Redesign in an IT Organization
Authors: Vaast Emmanuelle , Levina Natalia
Published: March 2006

This paper details a longitudinal interpretative field study of an information technology (IT) organization in which a new chief information officer (CIO) implemented a major organizational redesign. The redesign increased the degree of codification in activities of the IT organization so as to control, coordinate, and deliver services more cost effectively to its business clients. We examine different stakeholders’ views of the change, the implementation processes, and the consequences of the redesign.

The case analysis emphasizes specific challenges that designers of support organizations face when increasing the degree of codification. Key implications include the need for these designers to (1) pay as much, if not more, attention to the local organizational context as they do to the external environmental conditions; (2) communicate and negotiate constantly with various stakeholders concerning the appropriate degree of codification and control; (3) be wary of how a strict alignment of all design elements can blind the designer to important, unrecognized issues; and (4) consider that increased codification may help support organizations compete more efficiently with external vendors, but may also ease the process of outsourcing.
Emergent by Design: Performance and Transformation at Infosys Technologies
Authors: Garud Raghu , Kumaraswamy Arun , Sambamurthy V.
Published: March 2006

We explore how organizations may be designed to transform themselves even as they continue to perform seamlessly on a day-to-day basis. Our inquiry frame recognizes that organizational designs comprise several elements—people, technologies, processes, and governance. Our study of an exemplary organization, Infosys Technologies, yields two insights. At Infosys, each design element is seeded with generative properties. As these design elements interact, reinforcing and balancing one another, an overall organizational platform of resources, capabilities, and options emerges. The company draws on this emergent platform to perform in real time even as it transforms itself to adapt to changing environments.
Learning to Design Organizations and Learning from Designing Them
Authors: Dunbar Roger L. M. , Starbuck William H.
Published: March 2006

The academic focus of organization studies has unfortunately drifted over the years from the issues that organizations pose for their members and their societies, and the issues that confront people who seek to improve organizations. However, studies of efforts to design organizations can help us to better understand organizations and may also help us to improve them. The papers in this special issue of Organization Science describe several specific efforts to design organizations, telling why people wanted to make changes and what happened when people sought to make them.