bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Social Rights and Responsibilities of Pregnant Women: An Application of Parsons's Sick Role Model
Authors: Myers Sheila Taylor , Grasmick Harold G.
Published: March 2006

A study sought to identify the role expectations ascribed to pregnancy, and to examine whether such expectations differed across categories of socioeconomic status, age, race, and gender. In particular, the adequacy of Parsons `s model of the sick role for describing social expectations for pregnant women was analyzed. For each of the four components of Parsons `s sick role, items were developed for a questionnaire administered to a sample of 329 adults in a metropolitan community. The results indicate that for the vast majority of the respondents, the behavior expected of pregnant women is similar to Parsons's sick role. A factor analysis of item responses, however, reveals that they are not unidimensional. Furthermore, significant variation occurred across categories of socioeconomic status, gender, race, and age in the extent to which respondents ascribed the four implications of these findings are discussed.
Differences in Perception of Strategic Decision-Making Processes: The Case of Physicians and Administrators
Authors: Ashmos Donde P. , Mcdaniel Reuben R. , Duchon Dennis
Published: March 2006

Understanding the differences in perceptions among organization leaders of the strategic decision-making process and who participates in it can help leaders manage potential conflict. Although differences in perception occur because of differences in roles and group membership, these differences in perception may be exacerbated by the content of the decision itself and by the generic strategy of the organization. In a study of hospital strategic decision making, findings show that the decision makers' roles, the content of the strategic decision, and, in some cases, the generic strategy of the organization affect differences in perception of the extent to which physicians participate in strategic decision making. Findings also show that decision makers may agree about who participates, but not about how physicians participate. Implications for managers are discussed.
Enlightened Upheaval and Large-Scale Transformation: The Polish Solidarity Trade Union Case
Authors: Elmes Michael B. , Wynkoop Cal
Published: March 2006

Most models of large-scale change assume that only outside experts working closely with senior management can initiate and implement change successfully. Using the Polish Solidarity Trade Union case, a model is presented that explains how system insiders-who may or may not have formal status have the potential to initiate and implement transformational change. The following two facets of the model are emphasized: legitimizing, whereby new beliefs, ideas and theories are legitimated; and reconstructive learning, whereby underlying beliefs and assumptions are explored and reformulated into new practices and ideologies. The article also addresses the relationship of legitimizing and reconstructive learning to implementing, the process whereby new practices, systems, and structures are set in place for the purpose of achieving desired objectives. Research propositions and implications for practitioners are presented.
Attitude Profiles of Anonymous Responders
Authors: Koslowsky Meni , Zeev Uri Bar
Published: March 2006

Findings for self-reported measures provided by anonymous subjects differed from those provided by subjects who voluntarily identified themselves while responding to a survey. A study was conducted to develop some distinctive attitude profiles for each of these two types of respondents. The sample consisted of a total of 101 employees in two large Israeli corporations who were asked to provide their names at the end of a long questionnaire they completed about attitudes and behavior related to work. A multivariate analysis of variance showed that the identifiable subjects differed from the anonymous subjects on two factors related to moral commitment, but not on calculative commitment. An alternative explanation for the findings is examined, and some of the unique aspects of the study are discussed.
Quality Circle Problem Solving and Common Cents: Evaluation Study Findings from a United States Federal Mint
Authors: Steel Robert P. , Jennings Kenneth R. , Lindsey James T.
Published: March 2006

A study was conducted to determine the outcomes of quality circles (QCs) established in seven departments in a United States federal mint. The sample consisted of 260 mint employees, and comprised QC members and a comparison group of employees in the 19 departments that did not participate in the QC process. Survey and performance appraisal data were collected in three waves over a 14-month period. Data for behavioral measures—submitting suggestions, filing grievances, disciplinary actions, accidents, and sick leave used—were collected over a period of 34 months. The data were analyzed using repeated measures analyses of variance. The QC process had little demonstrable effect on the study's criterion measures for key organizational outcomes. The study did find, however, isolated significant effects on suggestion, grievance, and sick leave statistics.
Character Change in Executives as "Re-Form" in the Pursuit of Self-Worth
Authors: Kaplan Robert E.
Published: March 2006

For executives to improve the ways they lead their organizations, they may need to undergo not merely behavioral change, but also some change in character. Character is formed in response to the value placed on a child, and is the set of strategies a person adopts to achieve a sense of self-worth. Executives are usually shaped-and rewarded by their organizations-in ways that overemphasize an "expansive" way of life and self-worth based on mastery. The author presents findings from an intensive, ideographic, biographical action research project involving 39 upper-level managers that examined the subjects' life histories, their work and home environments, and their outer and inner lives. The research and change processes are illustrated with the case of one project participant who achieved and sustained both personal growth and improvements in his management style. Used with appropriate precautions, the whole-life approach to executive development can effect lasting, internalized change.
Executive Identity and the Hero's Story: The Voyage of Dodge Morgan and the American Promise
Authors: Palus Charles J. , Nasby William , Easton Randolph D.
Published: March 2006

Executive performance is discussed in terms of Bakan's theory of the dualism of human motivation with respect to agency (the motivation toward self-differentiation and personal mastery) and communion (the subsuming of the self within a shared entity). The article demonstrates that agency is prototypical of executive performance, and that communion is a goal for the potential development of executives. Agency provides benefits leading to executives' success, but has concomitant drawbacks that can cause executives to risk career derailment and the loss of supportive relationships. Using McAdams's model of personal identity and the life story, the authors propose that identity provides a means of channeling agency so that one may use its power yet minimize its hazards. Illustrations of the ideas presented herein are provided from the extensively documented life story of Dodge Morgan, an executive who sailed nonstop and alone around the world in 1986.
Collaborative Alliances: Moving from Practice to Theory
Authors: Gray Barbara , Wood Donna J.
Published: March 2006

The Journal of Applied Behavioral Science presents two special issues on collaborative alliances that examine the contributions and limits of existing theories for explaining collaboration, and that clarify and expand our understanding of this phenomenon. In this introduction, the following major theoretical perspectives are applied to explain collaboration and collaborative alliances: resource dependence theory; corporate social performance/institutional economics theory; strategic management/social ecology theory; macroeconomics theory; institutional/negotiated order theory; and political theory. The nine case research articles in the two special issues analyze a wide variety of collaborative alliances and provide unique insights. The articles `contributions, the levels of analysis they focus on, and the ways they address three broad issues of collaborative alliances -preconditions, process, and outcomes -are discussed. No single theoretical perspective provides an adequate foundation for a general theory of collaboration, but the articles point the way to the construction of such a theory.
Strategic Bridging: The Collaboration between Environmentalists and Business in the Marketing of Green Products
Authors: Westley Frances , Vredenburg Harrie
Published: March 2006

A case of interorganizational collaboration in Canada involving a retail grocery chain and several environmental groups is analyzed. In this case, one environmental group attempted to act as a bridge between business and environmentalists by endorsing a line of "green" products. Based on material drawn from news reports and personal interviews, the authors use the case to illuminate the concept of strategic bridging as a distinctive form of collaboration. Like other forms of collaboration, bridging relies on collaborative negotiations and "back-home" commitment to the outcome of the negotiations and "back-home" commitment to the outcome of the negotiations. It differs from other forms -such as joint ventures, multiparty task forces, and mediation -with respect to the degree of organizational interpenetration involved in the negotiations and the complexity of the problem of gaining back-home commitment. Based on their analysis, the authors speculate that strategic bridging is more likely to occur when the problem domain is underorganized and the willingness of the stakeholders to collaborate is low. Implications for future research are discussed.
Using an Agency-Based Approach to Analyze Collaborative Federated Interorganizational Relationships
Authors: Fleisher Craig S.
Published: March 2006

An agency-based approach is used to analyze the factors that affect the creation and maintenance of collaborative federated interorganizational relationships. An overview of several theoretical perspectives on federative collaborations is presented, and these are found to imply a strong agency component. Agency theory suggests four generic situations that lead principals to seek agents to act on their behalf, which result in "contentful, " practical, symbolic, and systemic agency. The predominant agency costs to be managed are associated with specifying, rewarding, and monitoring and policing agent behavior; the predominant agent problems are agent information acquisition, agent preference mismatch, agent effort, and agent capability. Three types of federations and federation management organizations are formed-participatory, independent, and mandated -as different means to solve different agency problems. The costs and problems most significant for each type of federation are noted, and an assessment of federation efficiency based on minimizing agency costs and problems is suggested.
The Use of Negotiated Order Theory as a Tool for the Analysis and Development of an Interorganizational Field
Authors: Nathan Maria L. , Mitroff Ian I.
Published: March 2006

Negotiated order theory provides a useful tool for cooperative planning among organizations, which may be the best approach for addressing shared problems. Organizations can negotiate the terms of their future interactions with one another, and in so doing mold their interorganizational (IO) fields. Representatives of three major food manufacturers sought recommendations for policies and procedures for crisis management related to product tampering. A 2-year project was designed to (a) uncover deficiencies in the IO field's means of managing product-tampering crises, (b) describe the IO field's existing negotiated order related to such crises, and (c) recommend ways in which the IO field `s highly fragmented negotiated order could be transformed to achieve greater unity. The case presented provided the groundwork for an extension of negotiated order theory to interorganizational relations.
The Context of Interorganizational Collaboration in the Garment Industry: An Institutional Perspective
Authors: Sharfman Mark P. , Gray Barbara , Yan Aimin
Published: March 2006

This article presents a model of the context of interorganizational collaboration. The model is made up of driving and restraining forces from both the competitive and institutional sectors of the organizational field surrounding the collaborative effort. A case study of an alliance among garment manufacturers, state agencies, and educational institutions shows that different elements of the organizational field become more or less important as collaborations evolve, thereby changing the balance between the driving and restraining forces and shaping the course of the collaboration. The case is used to develop several propositions for future research that address the coevolution of collaborations and their environmental contexts. Theories of interorganizational collaboration should adopt a more dynamic orientation to take into account shifts in the balance between driving and restraining forces and their impact on both the initiation and the sustainability of a collaborative alliance.
A Multilateral Negotiations Challenge: International Management of the Communications Commons
Authors: Golich Vicki L.
Published: March 2006

The community of nations faces the task of governing many new global commons issues, including information access and availability, and common property resources. One approach to addressing this challenge arises from current efforts to create an international legal regime for the global communications commons. The context for international collaboration involving a communications commons regime is defined by identifying and describing (a) the stakeholders; (b) the characteristics of a global commons and a communications commons; (c) the prevailing political, economic, and legal principles that influence behavior in both the international system and the communications commons; and (d) typical barriers to collaboration. The evolving governance structure of the global communications commons is analyzed, and suggestions are offered for creating effective legal regimes to manage similar challenges in international relations.
The Researcher, the Topic, and the Literature: A Procedure for Systematizing Literature Searches
Authors: Helmericks Steven G. , Nelsen Randal L. , Unnithan N. Prabha
Published: March 2006

Currently, no systematic procedure exists for ensuring the range and representativeness of publications included in a search of literature on a research topic. Using the logic of fieldwork methods, this article suggests such a procedure. The research topic is viewed as a "sensitizing concept, " and publications and authors are identified as "sites" and "informants, " respectively. Snowball sampling allows the researcher to build a sampling frame of publications. "Key" sites and informants are identified using consensual and "gatekeeper" validation criteria. These key sites and informants are subjected to careful reading resembling content analysis.
Uncovering Culture in Organizations
Authors: Sackmann Sonja A.
Published: March 2006

There is a large interest in organization culture, yet only a few empirical studies address the topic. This fact may be due to the lack of appropriate research methods able to uncover such an elusive phenomenon in a reasonable amount of research time. An inductive methodology developed as a compromise between a detailed ethnography and a questionnaire approach is suggested as being appropriate to the task The application of this method in an actual empirical study is described and evaluated. Suggestions are made for further developments.
Organizations and their Discontents: A Psychoanalytic Contribution to the Study of Organizational Culture
Authors: Gabriel Yiannis
Published: March 2006

Sigmund Freud's model of dream interpretation provides a useful starting point for the study of organizational myths and symbols-viewing these as manifestations of the shared unconscious wishes of organization members that find expression in distorted form. This article examines why individuals in organizations frequently espouse and sustain myths, with little regard for their truth or accuracy. Through a detailed account of one particular organizational myth, the article proposes that culture, embodied in myths and stories, infuses life in organizations with meaning for organizational members and also provides members a legitimate outlet for emotion and protective armor against misfortune and suffering. Organizational culture thus offers organization members a symbolic mechanism for turning passivity into activity, powerlessness into control, and for making organizational life bearable or even enjoyable.
Managing Around Roles: Building Groups in Labor Negotiations
Authors: Friedman Raymond A. , Gal Shahaf
Published: March 2006

Although the formal role structure of labor negotiations is explicitly confrontational, informal relationships and attempts at problem solving may develop among members of the opposing negotiating teams during the course of negotiations. Effective management of negotiations, it is argued, is a process of managing around formal role structures so that negotiators can interact openly and informally. The intervening variable that makes this possible is the creation of "joint" team identity among labor and management negotiators. This process of managing around roles is illustrated by a comparison of two labor negotiations.
Cause Maps and Social Network Analysis in Organizational Diagnosis
Authors: Nelson Reed E. , Mathews K. Michael
Published: March 2006

Cause maps and social network analysis both use simple matrix techniques to represent organizational processes that are not well described using traditional research tools. These approaches are particularly suited to operationalizing the concepts of organizational complexity and structure in a concrete, practical manner. This article integrates these two techniques in the service of organizational diagnosis. Specifically, a juxtaposition matrix dividing organizational subunits into functional types and correlating these with critical organizational variables is created and analyzed Data from an empirical study of a small title company are used to illustrate the procedures developed and their relevance to the practical problems of actual organizations.
Escape from a Mine Fire: Emergent Perspective and Work Group Behavior
Authors: Vaught Charles , Wiehagen William J.
Published: March 2006

Fire (destructive burning on a scale that threatens serious harm) is an important sociotechnical problem. This article analyzes miner responses to a 1988 coal mine fire from a symbolic interaction perspective. Lengthy qualitative interviews were conducted with 21 miners caught in the blaze studied. The data show that workplace culture (e.g.,the buddy system) conditions participant responses to a fire emergency and, in the case of miners, largely facilitates their efficient and effective escape to safety. The orientation shift away from routine work behavior into the short-term perspective associated with an emergency is problematic. Theoretical implications for organizational behavior and practical implications for mine safety are discussed.
Normative Commitment and Instrumental Attachment as Intervening Variables in the Prediction of Union Participation
Authors: Heshizer Brian P. , Martin Harry J. , Wiener Yoash
Published: March 2006

This study analyzed organizational commitment as a social psychological process in a labor union setting. It proposed that normative commitment and instrumental attachment are variables that intervene between antecedent constructs and union participation as a behavioral outcome and, further, that such commitment and attachment are separate motivational processes that affect behavior differentially. Two competing theoretical models were evaluated, using structural equation analysis of self-report data from a sample of 176 recently unionized public agency employees. The model predicting that normative commitment and instrumental attachment mediate between union participation and four antecedent constructs provided a significantly better fit to the data than did the model predicting that these antecedents relate directly to participation. Path coefficient patterns observed within each model also supported the intervening variable hypothesis. The proposition that normative commitment and instrumental attachment are different processes also was supported by the finding that commitment has stronger links to participation than does attachment. These results are consistent with the identification theory of organizational commitment.
Process Feedback in Task Groups: An Application of Goal Setting
Authors: McLeod Poppy Lauretta , Liker Jeffrey K. , Lobel Sharon A.
Published: March 2006

An experiment was conducted to test the effects of interpersonal group process feedback on interpersonal behaviors and task performance in task groups. The form of process feedback was based on research findings about characteristics of task feedback that lead to effective goal setting. The feedback resulted in changes in dominance behaviors of individual members. No changes in friendly or emotionally expressive behaviors were found. Feedback had no effect on task performance. The results are discussed in terms of implications for the relationship between feedback and task performance and the stability of interpersonal behavior patterns.
Quality Circles and Employee Withdrawal Behaviors: A Cross-Organizational Study
Authors: Buch Kimberly
Published: March 2006

This article proposes a new theoretical approach to quality circles (QCs) and reports the results of a cross-organizational test of that theory. Improved attendance and retention were predicted as a result of the boundary-tightening effect of quality circles on employee work units. Study participants were 675 employees from five diverse organizations: a bank, a utility, a manufacturing plant, a hospital, and a university. Results supported the hypotheses, in that turnover was reduced following the circle interventions and absenteeism for circle members remained stable, whereas it rose substantially for noncircle employees. The QC intervention, by tightening the boundary around employees `immediate work units, counteracts the effects of a fragmenting system (the organization) in relation to its suprasystem (the environment). It is proposed that this systems perspective offers a more parsimonious interpretation of quality circle effects than existing QC models.
Conducting Action Research: Relationships between Organization Members and Researchers
Authors: Israel Barbara A. , Schurman Susan J. , Hugentobler Margrit K.
Published: March 2006

Action research in an organizational setting draws researchers and the employees involved into a joint process aimed at meeting both research and intervention objectives. The active collaboration of participants has major implications for researcher roles, and the manner in which these role shifts are carried out has a significant effect on study outcomes. Few have concretely analyzed the issues faced by researchers and organization members as they assume shared roles in the action research process. This article treats the relational aspect of researcher-participant co-investigation as a methodological issue. The authors share aspects of their experience in implementing an action research project aimed at understanding and reducing the deleterious effects of occupational stress. Relationships between researchers and organization members are dynamic. As they develop over time, role-related tensions and differences may arise around the issues of values and interests, resources and skills, control, political realities, and rewards and costs. Each of these is addressed, using examples from the authors' recently completed 6-year study. Further, the action research study participants helped revise this article and that process taught the authors much about these methodological issues.
Affective Reactions to Leadership Education: An Exploration of the Same-Gender Effect
Authors: Klein Edward B. , Kossek Ellen Ernst , Astrachan Joseph H.
Published: March 2006

This study examines influences of the gender of participants and of small group leaders on the affective reactions of experienced managers attending a 1-week residential training program on leadership. A sample of 404 upper-level managers from the private and public sectors participated in eight offsite seminars held over a 3-year period. Three-month follow-up data were collected from 63% of participants. As expected, male managers were more likely than female managers to report positive affective reactions to this educational program. In addition, a "same gender" effect was found for women; the most positive affective reactions were reported by female managers with female leaders. A combination of social systems and attitude theories provides an explanation of the obtained differences. The results suggest that greater involvement of female group leaders and participants in educational programs is needed to enhance affective reactions by managers in an increasingly heterogeneous workplace.
The Principal as Orchestra Conductor
Authors: Marshall Amanda
Published: March 2006

This is a case study of an elementary school principal. Its purpose is to explore the principal's leadership style. The research was conducted over a period of 4 months through observation and interviews with the principal, teachers, and students. Six themes emerged: a problem-oriented focus, administrative abilities, a commitment to creating a good school, and relationships with, respectively, staff students, and external individuals and organizations. To understand this principalship requires considering each theme individually and in combination. Perceptions of the principal within the system vary depending on which theme the perceiver is attuned to.
A Case Study of an Assistant Director of Special Services: Special Problems in Educational Leadership
Authors: Connelly Patrick
Published: March 2006

This article presents a case study of an assistant director of special services. The study examines various components of his position including his work as supervisor of child study teams and as administrative team member and his work with parents, teachers, and the Board of Education. He emphasizes an inclusive environment that is responsive to the unique needs of each child. The challenges of including special needs children into the culture and community of schools is included. Also, the complex changes both in the school district and in special education during the 24 years of his career are presented to show the great challenges facing leaders in education today.
Boundary Relations and Teacher Engagement in High School
Authors: Tyree Alexander K.
Published: March 2006

This article analyzes boundary theory and teacher engagement in a pair of suburban U.S. high schools. Cherry Glen, situated in a thriving white-collar community, has many college-bound students. Pinehill, situated in a declining blue-collar community, has few such students. A sample of 16 teachers, 8 from each school, was selected for intensive observation and interviewing, along with supplemental data gathering. The study found that boundary relations, evidenced by intergroup relationships, are associated with variation in teachers `sense of engagement, that is, their involvement in and commitment to teaching, to students, and to the school. The more highly bounded high school (Cherry Glen) appears to encourage substantial and relatively uniform teacher engagement. The less bounded school appears to encourage considerable diversity in the level and the direction of teacher engagement. Implications of these findings for secondary education and improvement in school quality are discussed.
Group Representatives in Educational Institutions: An Empirical Study of Superintendents and Teacher Union Presidents
Authors: Currall Steven C.
Published: March 2006

As critical group representatives in public school districts (K-12), superintendents and teacher union presidents have a direct impact on the success of education reform programs. Aspects of the superintendent-union president interface were explored by focusing on one ingredient of effective work relations, namely, interpersonal trust. Regression analyses of survey data from 305 superintendents and 293 presidents investigated potential differences across the two samples concerning variables influencing respondents ` willingness to trust the other group representative. For both samples, willingness to trust was influenced primarily by expectations about the other group representative's future trustworthy behavior Social judgment factors were important predictors of expectations for both superintendents and presidents. For presidents, personality failed to influence expectations. Perceptions of normative referent groups suggested that superintendents and presidents operate under conflicting intergroup pressures.
Ethical Value Systems: A Typology
Authors: Musser Steven J. , Orke Eric A.
Published: March 2006

The role of value systems in the study of ethical motivation is a neglected area of research, partly due to an absence of typologies which classify entire value systems. In this article, a theoretical typology of four ethical value system types is created by placing Rokeach's value types onto a matrix. Individuals exhibiting each value system type are identified through a scoring system supported by a cluster analysis. Studies testing this typology indicate that subjects describe themselves on personal inventories for Machiavellianism and narcissism consistently with predictions derived from the value system model. Subjects also were able reliably to associate these four value system types with the perceived ethical behavior of well-known individuals.
Clarence Thomas, Anita Hill, and Us: A Group Relations Perspective
Authors: Noumair Debra A. , Fenichel Ann , Fleming Jennifer L.
Published: March 2006

This article uses a group relations perspective to explore the unconscious meanings of the Clarence Thomas-Anita Hill hearings for the nation as a whole. The magnitude of media coverage and the reciprocal nature of viewer/reader voyeurism provided evidence that this event had meaning far beyond the individual. In this sociopolitical event, Clarence Thomas, Anita Hill, and the Senate Judiciary Committee were put forward to work through issues that we as a nation could not otherwise consciously address. A group relations perspective speaks to the role everyone played unconsciously in creating and colluding with the process. In essence, these group members were elected to work on behalf of the larger system, and, as in any election, such choices were not accidental. The authors propose that an examination of the larger social unconscious will enable us to understand the powerful psychic meaning that the hearings held for the nation.
Changing the Way Organizations Change: A Revolution of Common Sense
Authors: Dannemiller Kathleen D. , Jacobs Robert W.
Published: March 2006

This article describes the history, practical applications, and possible future of a unique and powerful technology for changing the way that organizations change: whole systems changing themselves in real time. This technology addresses several key challenges to bringing about change in large and complex organizations: (a) increased ownership of and commitment to change efforts by all interested and affected parties, (b) faster implementation of plans rather than merely leaving more "binders on shelves" at the end of the day, and (c) ongoing decisions made by organization members aligned behind the organization's overall strategic direction, thereby creating significant leverage for change. This article illustrates how groups of up to 600 people working interactively can collaborate in creating their own and their organization `s future. Two case studies demonstrate the successful application of this technology to implementing strategy and total quality management.
Designing the Social Architecture of Participation in Large Groups to Effect Organizational Change
Authors: Gilmore Thomas N. , Barneyt Charles
Published: March 2006

Health care organizations are facing dramatic changes. Given their complexity and the value of autonomy held by many of the key professional groups, much of the adaptation to these changes will require working in large groups with multiple levels and different units present. Yet it is known that leading large groups is difficult. They are either over structured, thereby reducing the learning component, or they are under structured, thereby allowing participants `anxieties to lead to dysfunctional splitting, fight/flight, or dependency. This article addresses the challenge of structuring large groups, what the authors term the social architecture for participation.
Simu-Real: A Simulation Approach to Organizational Change
Authors: Klein Donald C.
Published: March 2006

Simu-Real is a method that uses simulation to help an organization become more visible to itself It enables key members of organizations to work together on tasks and issues while at the same time helping them to become more aware of and skilled in dealing with organizational dynamics. Consisting of action periods followed by analysis sessions, the method is used to help client systems explore differences, solve complex problems, work on redesign, determine goals and priorities, and engage in future planning. This article describes how to configure a 1-day, all-person simulation of the basic components of a client organization in a single large space in which participants work within and between groups to deal with a predetermined task that is important to the well-being of the organization. It describes the Simu-Real method, summarizes ground rules, and discusses the role of the Simu-Real facilitator in both action and analysis periods.
Enhancing the Perceived Self-Relevance of Technology to Influence Attitudes and Information Retention
Authors: James Keith
Published: March 2006

Based on existing theory and research, it was proposed that reactions to novel technologies are substantially shaped by factors that influence their apparent fit with individuals' self-conceptions. Three studies, one in the field and two in the laboratory, involving three different manipulations aimed at influencing perceived self/novel (to the participants) technology fit were done to test this proposition. In Studies I and 2, the manipulations yielded significantly more positive attitudes toward a novel technology (both studies) and better retention of information about it (Study 2). In Study 3, measurement of the strength of a major chronic value tied to self-definition (individualism/collectivism) among subjects was crossed with a manipulation of apparent self/technology fit. Significant main and interaction effects of these factors on two types of attitudes toward the technology and on memory for information about it were found. Applied implications of these results are discussed.
Woolman's "I am We" Triple-Loop Action-Learning: Origin and Application in Organization Ethics
Authors: Nielsen Richard P.
Published: March 2006

This article interprets within a behavioral science, action-learning theory framework three ethics cases where John Woolman's "I Am We" action-learning method was used. The method looks for the source of current problematic behavior in biases of a shared tradition system rather than simply within individuals; it approaches those involved in a friendly manner, asks for help in deconstructing how behaviors and values might be based on troublesome biases within our tradition, and works together with those who are agreeable to experiment with alternative behaviors that do not rest on the troublesome biases. Relevant aspects of such behavioral science concepts as exit, voice and loyalty, reciprocal interactions, and action-learning are employed and extended. Three cases where the Woolman method was used are presented and interpreted within a behavioral-science-based action-learning framework Strengths and limitations of the method are discussed. A new type of action-learning-triple-loop-is suggested.
Individual, Group Context, and Individual-Group Fit Predictors of Self-Help Group Attendance
Authors: Luke Douglas A. , Roberts Linda , Rappaport Julian
Published: March 2006

Three different conceptualizations of person-group fit are proposed for predicting self-help group attendance. Measures were calculated in three domains: individual characteristics, group characteristics, and individual-group dissimilarity. Survival analysis was used to relate the measures to patterns of attendance over time in a self-help group for persons with a history of serious mental illness. Variables in each domain were significantly related to attendance duration. Persons who were older, not married, educated, and low functioning were likely to attend for longer periods of time. Persons who attended first meetings that were predominately female were more likely to drop out of the group earlier Persons who had a different marital status and different psychiatric hospitalization history also had a shorter attendance duration. The results are discussed in light of the importance of multiple definitions of person-group fit, the mechanisms for group entrance, and practical and policy implications for self-help organizations.
The Role of Assumptions in Implementing Management Practices Across Cultural Boundaries
Authors: DiBella Anthony J.
Published: March 2006

This article presents a model of the relationships between cultural assumptions and the selection, implementation, and outcome of management practices. Cultural assumptions are used to analyze three cases of planned intervention in which imitated management practices, intended to create change, were implemented across cultural settings. Data from the cases indicate how culture affected both the process and product of the management practices. When cultural differences existed and the practice was not adapted, change outcomes differed from what had been intended. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.
A Comparison of Two Attitude-Behavior Models for Predicting Attrition in Higher Education
Authors: Koslowsky Meni
Published: March 2006

Several attitudinal behavior models have been proposed for predicting educational attrition. The present study evaluated and compared predictions from an updated version of the Ajzen and Fishbein intention model with the Rusbult and Farrell commitment model. Using attitudinal scales and information obtained from the files of 75 undergraduates, it was shown in a longitudinal study that the Ajzen and Fishbein intention model is the better predictor of registration for graduate school. Also, as expected, Time 2 measures were better predictors of the criterion than were the Time I measures. The present findings are compared with studies using traditional measures of organizational turnover.
Strategy and Tactics: Utilization of Research in Three Policy Sector Contexts
Authors: Nilsson Kjell , Sunesson Sune
Published: March 2006

Studies of research utilization have not taken up Janet Weiss's challenge: to make local research utilization policies understandable in institutional contexts. This article presents research from three different policy sectors: the social services; building and planning; and the working life area. The results of the studies are presented as typical patterns of utilization. The purpose of the article is to analyze utilization strategies, long-term adaptation patterns, and tactics, short-term adaptation patterns in relation to institutional differences between the policy sectors. Several addenda to the original framework suggested by Janet Weiss are presented. The authors conclude that the degree of institutionalization and professionalization of policy sectors explain the variations in local research utilization patterns, the most important of which is the distinction between agencies that use research as a means to control the environment, and agencies that use it for internal governance and expertise formation.
A Feminist Critique of Organizational Humanism
Authors: Ramsey V. Jean , Calvert Linda McGee
Published: March 2006

This article argues that most recent organizational "innovations" or management prescriptions for the future are simply extensions of the human relations or humanist theories of the 1950s and 1960s. Two limitations of these models are suggested: organizational humanism sees diversity as something to be managed rather than valued, and humanist prescriptions often end up being manipulative or disguised forms of control because underlying assumptions of hierarchical control remain in place. Feminist thought is proposed as a way to move beyond these limitations, to stretch our thinking about what organizations of the future might look like, and to offer new ways of approaching the challenges of managing over the next decades.
Felix and Oscar Revisited: An Exploration of the Dynamics of a Real-Life Odd Couple Work Relationship
Authors: Rickards Tudor , Moger Susan Teresa
Published: March 2006

The authors examine the dynamics of their own personal and work activities as an example of an effective but anomalous team, studied through self-reported cases of three critical incidents, and supported by measures of the two partners' cognitive styles. The case material and psychometrics demonstrate that the partners have profoundly differing preferred styles of dealing with their shared business problems. It is suggested that a cognitive approach alone is inadequate for exploring the collective life of the partnership as a collaborative entity. Exploration of deeper issues emerged from considering perceived similarities with the fictional odd couple, Felix and Oscar From this starting point the authors began to examine previously unconsidered aspects of their relationship including its denial of the significance of status, dominance, and gender differences. They suggest that homogeneity of style in a team may increase the likelihood of satisficing behaviors, whereas more heterogeneity reduces satisficing tendencies but with concomitant personal costs.
Beyond the Buzz Word: Empowerment in Community Outreach and Education
Authors: Strawn Clare
Published: March 2006

Social service practitioners are challenged by serving target populations that are increasingly diverse ethnically. The challenge is compounded by budget and program cuts that limit resources for multicultural staff and training. This case study of a perinatal outreach and education program targeting low-income women from diverse ethnic backgrounds speaks to program planners and practitioners faced with these issues. The study invites a critical assessment of how "empowerment" is conceptualized and operationalized in program objectives. The impact of the social organization of an agency-driven program on the interaction between the educator and the client is examined. An alternative approach, decentralized in the diverse target communities, is suggested for future projects. This perspective requires critical consciousness on the part of planners and change agents as mediators of an empowerment process.
The Ambivalence of Departing Employees: Reactions of Involuntary and Voluntary Exiters
Authors: Van Steenberg LaFarge Vicki
Published: March 2006

The research reported in this article uses a clinical methodology to explore the complex process of organizational exits from the perspective of both voluntary and involuntary exiters. In particular, it focuses on the ambivalence manifested by all exiters in regard to three emotional themes that shaped the exit experience: termination, separation, and change. The article also reflects on the way in which the researcher's group membership influenced the choice of a research topic and the research itself. Implications for research and practice are discussed
Information Technology and the Integration of Change: Sociotechnical System Approach
Authors: (Rami) Shani A. B. , Sena James A.
Published: March 2006

The integration of change over time is one of the ongoing challenges in a firm's life. Organizations seem to develop unique mechanisms that help them facilitate the integration of changes throughout and across organizational units. Information technologies based on electronic data processing are having a widespread impact on information flow within and between firms, on the structural configurations of the firm, and on management's ability to integrate change. This article proposes sociotechnical systems as a framework for examining the organizational implications of new information technology systems and as a tool for guiding the integration of change. The implications of the implementation of a local area network and its concomitant impact in a software development firm are examined over a 4-year period. The sociotechnical systems approach suggests that the same new information technology is likely to have different implications in various companies in terms of system integration, work design, and organization structure. These implications are likely to necessitate a realignment of the entire organization. The article concludes with the identification and discussion of some theoretical issues.
Underorganized Interorganizational Domains: The Case of Refugee Systems
Authors: Hardy Cynthia
Published: March 2006

This article uses the example of refugee systems-the government, nongovernment, and refugee organizations that are involved in the reception of asylum seekers; the determination of refugee status; and the settlement of refugees-to further our understanding of under organized interorganizational domains. The comparison of Canada, the United Kingdom, and Denmark demonstrates that there are different forms of under organization. Domains may be underdeveloped due to a lack of convergence around key values, the exclusion of relevant stakeholders, or both. The nature of under organization has implications for the political processes that occur in them. Accordingly, the example of refugee systems alerts us to a potential irony: Domains that seem to be relatively organized and that display a higher degree of collaboration may have excluded key stakeholders who threaten existing domain definitions; whereas domains that display high levels of conflict and disorganization may do so precisely because all the relevant stakeholders have secured equal access to the domain and are able to influence its definition. These findings have been drawn from a comparative study of refugee systems in the three countries. This study used in-depth interviews and archival data to compare the structure, values, and relations of stakeholder groups in Canada, the United Kingdom, and Denmark. Interviews were carried out with 81 civil servants, politicians, nongovernmental organization (NGO) officials, and refugees. Documentary and archival evidence was drawn from a wide variety of sources.
Self-Efficacy and Performance as a Function of Feedback Sign and Anxiety: A Service Experiment
Authors: Waldersee Robert
Published: March 2006

Self-efficacy has become a central explanatory variable in work behavior, yet little is known about how it is formed and how it changes. Rather than being the simple direct effects model, which is widely accepted, it is proposed that trait anxiety and feedback sign interact to affect self-efficacy. It is also proposed that, due to selection effects, trait anxiety exists as a vulnerability of self-efficacy in situations with low barriers to exit, rather than as an interacting variable. The results of a quasi-experimental field study supported both propositions.