bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Tyranny of the Customer and the Cost of Consumerism: An Analysis Using Systems and Psychoanalytic Approaches to Groups and Society
Authors: Long Susan
Published: August 2005

This paper argues that an organizational discourse on consumerism is replacing a prior discourse of dependency. This discourse encourages, and is encouraged by, economic rationales for behavior and is marked by the collapse of many complex societal roles into the simpler category of "customer." Moreover, practices emergent from consumerism and economic rationalism often act as organizational and social defences against anxieties about the uncertainties and changes occurring in a world increasingly dominated by global markets where the customer is "sovereign." Six working hypotheses are proposed to explain the operation of these new social defences. Evidence in support of these hypotheses comes from collaborative action research projects in which the author is involved. The argument moves toward a consideration of the new "consumer-provider pair" which, it is proposed, has become a major signifier within the consumer discourse and which might be considered as a transitional pair in dealing with widespread organizational change.
Distributive Justice Evaluations in Two Cultural Contexts: A Comparison of U.S. and South Korean Teachers
Authors: Mueller Charles W. , Iverson Roderick D. , Jo Dong-Gi
Published: August 2005

The justice literature suggests, but has not tested, a positive relationship between met expectations about multiple workplace rewards and distributive justice evaluations (the individual's assessment of whether s/he has been treated fairly). Data from samples of teachers in South Korea (N = 649) and the U.S. (N = 810) are used to examine this relationship. In addition, U.S.-South Korea cultural value differences in individualism, seniority, and hierarchical authority are the basis for hypothesizing that certain reward-specific met expectations will be linked differently to justice evaluations across the two societies. As hypothesized for both societies, the more onés expectations about job-related rewards are met, the greater the perception of just treatment. Also as hypothesized, several societal differences based on cultural differences are found. Met expectations about autonomy are more important in explaining justice evaluations in the U.S., whereas met expectations about advancement opportunities are more important in South Korea.
The Impact of Psychological Contract Violations on Exit, Voice, Loyalty, and Neglect
Authors: Turnley William H. , Feldman Daniel C.
Published: August 2005

This study examines the relationships between violations of employees' psychological contracts and their exit, voice, loyalty, and neglect behaviors. Using a sample of over 800 managers, this research found that psychological contract violations result in increased levels of exit, voice, and neglect behaviors and decreased levels of loyalty to the organization. In addition, this research examines the moderating effects that situational factors (such as the availability of attractive employment alternatives) have on the relationships between psychological contract violations and managers' behaviors. The results suggest that these situational factors moderate the relationship between psychological contract violations and exit, but not the relationships between psychological contract violations and voice, loyalty, or neglect. Finally, this research also examines differences in the nature of psychological contract violations experienced across three categories of workers: new managers entering the workforce, expatriates and managers in international business, and managers working in downsizing or restructuring firms. The results suggest that psychological contract violations are both more frequent and more intense among managers working in downsizing or restructuring firms, particularly in terms of job security, compensation, and opportunities for advancement.
The Usefulness of Theory: A Case Study in Evaluating Formal Mentoring Schemes
Authors: Gibb Stephen
Published: August 2005

The establishment, extension and development of formal mentoring schemes in workplaces have been accompanied by an extensive analysis of the preconditions for successful implementation. These have tended to explore the "mechanics" of formal mentoring schemes; namely policy development, scheme design, mentor competence, and mentor training. These studies tend to be normative and prescriptive. Substantive theoretical analysis of formal mentoring has been either absent, implicit, limited, or underdeveloped.
Career Commitment as a Complex Moderator of Organizational Commitment and Thrnover Intention
Authors: Chang Eunmi
Published: August 2005

This study investigated the moderating role of career commitment on the relationships between employees' perception of company practices and organizational commitment, and between organizational commitment and turnover intention. Using a sample of 225 researchers from eight business-related research institutes in Korea, it was found that (1) career commitment was perceived as distinct from the two dimensions of organizational commitment (affective and continuance) by Korean researchers; (2) career commitment moderated the effect of employees' perception of supervisory support on affective commitment; and (3) career commitment also moderated the effect of affective commitment on turnover intention. The practical and conceptual implications of these results are discussed.
On the Use of "Intent to..." Variables in Organizational Research: An Empirical and Cautionary Assessment
Authors: Dalton Dan R. , Johnson Jonathan L. , Daily Catherine M.
Published: August 2005

Organizational research often relies on surrogate variables. By "surrogate" we do not refer to family of construct, factor, or latent variables. Rather, we address the situation where one variable is literally the substitute for another variable that is generally unavailable. Consider, for example, the use of "intent to turnover" or "intent to transfer" variables commonly used when actual turnover or transfer data are unavailable. We demonstrate that reliance on such surrogate variables may lead to some misinterpretation. This tendency may be particularly apparent when the relationship between the surrogate and the actual variable is low. This may be further exacerbated when the relationship between the surrogate variable and a third variable is modest as well.
A Longitudinal Study of the Leadership Development Process: Individual Differences Predicting Leader Effectiveness
Authors: Atwater Leanne E. , Dionne Shelley D. , Avolio Bruce , Camobreco John E. , Lau Alan W.
Published: August 2005

This study tracked the leadership development of 236 male cadets from matriculation through graduation at a military college. Cognitive ability, physical fitness, prior influence experiences, and self-esteem measured in Year I were relevant to predicting those who assumed formal leadership positions in Year 4. Physical fitness and prior influence experiences measured when cadets entered the college predicted leader effectiveness rated in their fourth year. Stress tolerance and moral reasoning levels did not predict leader emergence or effectiveness, though the set of individual difference measures significantly predicted emergence and effectiveness. Physical fitness levels and moral reasoning increased over time for all cadets, though surprisingly, levels of self-esteem and stress tolerance did not increase over time. Overall the study demonstrated that leadership effectiveness and emergence could be predicted from early measures of individual differences.
Workers’ Playtime?
Authors: Fleming Peter
Published: August 2005

This article examines the popular trend among management academics, consultants, and practitioners of prescribing “cultures of fun” to enhance productivity. This management approach suggests inter alia that organizations should break with the conventional wisdom of delineating work from play and instead craft an environment of fun and humor. Drawing on a field study of a communications firm, the article demonstrates how managed “fun” involves the symbolic blurring of traditional boundaries that usually distinguish work and nonwork. Typically nonwork experiences associated with family, lifestyle, consumption, and school are evoked to create a more pleasurable atmosphere. In the study however, this blurring had an unintended effect of fuelling cynicism among some employees. Although this cynicism probably has a number of sources, it is argued that its relationship to boundary management provides some interesting insights about the limitations of contemporary culture management.
Toughening Effect of Continuous Fiber Bundles
Authors: Kong Xinguo , Qiao Yu
Published: August 2005

In a continuous fiber reinforced brittle matrix composite, the transverse fracture is often dominated by the crack trapping and bridging effects as well as the fiber breakage. In this article, the toughening effect of flat fiber bundles with the cross-sectional aspect ratio, ranging from 0.05 to 5 is discussed in the context of energy analysis. With a constant size/spacing ratio of the fiber bundles, the fracture resistance increases monotonically with, primarily due to the influences on the crack front behavior. The elastic properties of matrix and the crack length have little effect on the critical energy release rate.
The Newly Acquisitive Affluent Worker?
Authors: Newman Otto
Published: August 2005

This paper takes issue with the thesis of embourgeoisement in all its various manifestations; from its initial presumption of manual workers having become normatively as well as materially enhanced, to its most recent version depicting the working class as beset by predatory acquisitiveness and crass hedonism to an extent where their previous social betters have found themselves compelled to adopt their `cash on the table' mentality in sheer self-defence. Yet, a comprehensive range of empirical data fails to offer objective warrant for such sets of assumption. The question of the ideological background underlying the myth of The New Acquisitiveness is then examined under three separate headings; namely those of positional exigencies; intensified contradictions; and, new corporatism. The stucture of Corporatism, with its emphasis upon functional hierarchy, social homogeneity, and organic cohesion suggests itself as the most likely explanatory framework.
The Poem's Defiance of Sociology
Authors: Ward J. P.
Published: August 2005

It is pointed out that the new `sociology of literature' makes virtually no reference to poetry and is unable to cope with it. I argue that the reason for this is that in some sense poetry is incompatible with the idea of sociology. The language of poetry is almost definable as that which cannot be used in ordinary discourse or in the affirmation of social organizations. Examples are given to support this view. The implication is then drawn that `academic sociology' by overlooking this feature of poetic language stays unaware of the limitations of its own language; on the other hand Marxism, although clearly more sympathetic to poetic uses of language, is over-eager to then explain that use in Marxist terms. But even Marxist criticism pays little attention to poetry, thus supporting the general view of this paper. The parallels with the view expressed in terms of the views of social phenomenology, and its view of language, are also drawn out.
Permissiveness and Norm Evasions: Definitions, Relationships and Implications
Authors: Jacobsen Chanoch
Published: August 2005

This article discusses the interrelations and the distinctions between permissiveness, patterned evasion and institutionalized evasions. All three are adaptive modes contributing to the functioning of normative systems, but they are distinct social phenomena, and each reflects a different systemic problem. Patterned evasion indicates impediments to the mechanisms of social control. Institutionalized evasions relieve tensions in the normative structure. Permissiveness helps the system to cope with a surfeit of normative regulations, but it also reduces the level of predictability in social interation. The various concepts are defined, and their etiology and inter-relations outlined in a theoretical model, based on Smelser's theory of collective behaviour. The model suggests that these phenomena are linked in a positive feedback cycle of increasing permissiveness. The conclusion is that societies with a permissive social climate will either develop functional alternatives to the conventional mechanisms of social control, or else run the risk of extreme social disorganization.
Biasing the News: Technical Issues in `Media Studies'
Authors: Anderson Digby C. , Sharrock W. W.
Published: August 2005

The first part of the article is a general critique of radical media/cultural studies; the second is an illustration of these criticisms detailed through analysis of one media student's treatment of a newspaper. In general, the authors find media studies do not establish that their reading of materials is the reading made by media consumers; that the bias they allege in the media is not significant; that they set up a false and irrelevant model of what the media producers are trying/claiming to do; that they displace the technical-professional interests of media producers with their own ideological interests and that their analysis of texts is crude. In particular, they show how trivial identifications are turned into significant ones; how items are transformed in their transfer from media page to media criticism page; and how readings of a media text are argumentatively and constrastively organized. In summary it is argued that such plausibility as the media critics' arguments possess derives not from the accuracy but from the presentational organization of their analysis.
Self-Selection and the Small Firm Worker-A Critique and an Alternative View
Authors: Curran James , Stanworth John
Published: August 2005

The thesis that some manual workers gradually develop a stable set of orientations which leads them to choose to work for small rather than large firms is tested against data from a study of small and large firm workers in the printing and electronics industries. Little support is found for the thesis and an alternative view is presented which suggests that the main reasons why some manual workers come to work in small firms are connected with their overall market situation, the employee selection practices of small and large firms' employers and position in the life cycle. It is also shown that workers' orientations may be more related to industrial subculture than factors associated with size of firm.
The Lesson of Mannheim's Historicism
Authors: Vallas Steven P.
Published: August 2005

Although nearly half a century has elapsed since Mannheim's sociology of knowledge was first developed, the precise nature of its lesson remains ambiguous. In this essay it is argued that Mannheim's work is best understood within the context of historicism, which informed many of its most basic assumptions. Mannheim's work, thus approached, is seen to be the product of an unresolved antagonism between historicism and Marxism, the two traditions between which he was torn. Mannheim's eventual relativization of Marxism, which resulted in myriad theoretical impasses, was in fact motivated by an idealist yearning for emancipation from the material world itself. It was this `ecstatic' tendency which not only framed Mannheim's epistemology, but guided the whole of his sociology of knowledge as well. The lesson of Mannheim's historicism, then, is seen to rest in its pathos: the suffering inherent in soulful flight from the world.
Capitalism and Culture: A Comparative Analysis of British and American Manufacturing Organizations
Authors: Jamieson Ian
Published: August 2005

This article reports a study of the effects of socio-cultural factors on business organizations. The difficulties of generating a conceptual framework for carrying out such a study are discussed and a framework proposed. Six American manufacturing firms operating in Britain are selected for study and carefully compared with a closely matched sample of British manufacturing firms. A wide range of hypothesized differences is then drawn from the existing literature and the theoretical framework and tested. The similarities and differences between the two groups of firms from the point of view of organizational structure and process, and the characteristics of the management are reported. The study concludes with some observations on the difficulty of separating out cultural and economic factors in the explanation of the structure and process of economic organizations.
Epilepsy, Crime and Delinquency: A Sociological Account
Authors: Oliver M. J.
Published: August 2005

The first part of the paper examines the body of writing and research on the topic of the supposed relationship between epilepsy and crime. Further, it finds this work wanting in that it is neither able to provide adequate causal explanations of any such relationship nor has it resulted in the reduction of the substantial number of `labelled' epileptics currently resident in penal establishments. The second part reports on research conducted in one particular establishment and argues that more attention should be focused on both `how' people get labelled in the first place and the kinds of social experiences such labelling may bring about. It is suggested that such a concentration is potentially more fruitful than the traditional causal approaches in explaining any supposed relationships between epilepsy and crime.
Unequal Opportunity Structure and Labour Market Segmentation
Authors: Kreckel Reinhard
Published: August 2005

Sociology of social stratification and labour market economics have developed in isolation from one another. The present paper attempts to bring these two traditions closer together. The starting point is a critique of the very notion of social `stratification'. A return to Max Weber's idea of `class situation as market situation' and to his concept of `social closure' is advocated. On this basis, a conception of structured social inequality in advanced capitalist societies is developed which is open for conceptual innovations to be taken from labour market economics. A number of approaches to labour market analysis are discussed, and the special significance of several recent contributions related to the so-called `dual labour market theory' is emphasized. This leads up to the construction of a typological model supposed to supersede the traditional notion of social inequality as a system of hierarchically superposed strata. This model comprises eight levels of labour market structuration characterizing structured social inequality in advanced capitalist societies.
A Sociological Model of Inflation
Authors: Gilbert Michael
Published: August 2005

Recent attempts by British writers to give sociological accounts of inflationary processes suffer from the defect that they fail to distinguish clearly between factors which are inherent in all capitalist societies and those that are peculiar to British industrial development. Hence their discussions make it unclear whether the `British sickness', which includes high inflation, is likley to be prototypical of all capitalist societies. This paper begins by examining how `sociological' factors enter into economists' explanations of inflation and goes on to outline a distinctively sociological model of inflation. The model has four elements: the extent to which economistic values are held by different groups of income-receivers; the existence and strength of any normative system which might restrain the pursuit of such values; the structure of power between groups of income-receivers; and the structural capacity of the socioeconomic system to meet the demands placed on it. It is suggested that two different configurations of these variables are empirically more likely to occur. One being highly likely to promote inflationary tendencies, the other being likely to mitigate such pressures. Finally, it is argued that Britain's particular pattern of industrial development means that she corresponds to the first type, whereas other capitalist societies with different historical paths may correspond to the second type.
Crises in the Definition of Reality
Authors: Homan Roger
Published: August 2005

This paper is an analysis of functionary skills and prerogatives deployed in the process of framing, negotiating and establishing conditions for action in pentecostal assemblies. It is based upon overt non-participant observation and interviewing in 66 pentecostal institutions in England and Wales, Canada and the United States. Its focus is upon the crises that arise either when the prerogative of definition is contested by two or more `special definers' or when there is a compelling resemblance of phenomena in the sacred domain to realities familiar in the profane. The skills which enable the professional functionary to sustain sacred definitions during such conflicts include competence in the sacred language, the management of laughter and the sacred gift of `discernment'.
Research Methodology Teaching: Trends and Developments
Authors: Burgess Robert G. , Bulmer Martin
Published: August 2005

The teaching of research methodology in graduate and undergraduate courses is discussed with reference to British experience. Recent trends are examined, with reference to the place of methods, statistics and changes in course content. `Alternative' methodologies, deriving from critical, autobiographical, Marxist or feminist positions, are evaluated. The importance of core methodological elements in a sociological education is suggested.
From Methods to Practice: A Critical Note on the Teaching of Research Practice to Undergraduates
Authors: Wakeford John
Published: August 2005

Teaching sociological practice in Britain in the 1960's was carried out in `methods' courses which focused on large scale survey techniques. Although in subsequent years courses have been broadened, there is still a clear conflict between the model of research contained in the syllabuses, texts and examination papers for these courses and sociological work as a whole. It is suggested that a reformulation of such courses to cover all aspects of research practice and the involvement of students in designing and carrying out their own research work would move it into the centre of sociology teaching.
Teaching Data Collection in Social Survey Research
Authors: Brown George W.
Published: August 2005

Respondent and investigator-based approaches to measurement in survey-type research are described. While the former, based on standardized questionnaires, have dominated sociological research, they are of limited use for the measurement of any phenomena of complexity or emotional depth. It is essential to develop an alternative tradition of measurement based on intensive interviews and investigator-based ratings. Postgraduate teaching needs to concentrate on three issues: (1) ways of developing interview schedules and rating scales; (2) methods of testing the reliability and validity of measures; (3) conveying something of the skills required for interviewing and rating.
The Thinning of Administrative Institutions in the Hollow State
Authors: Terry Larry D.
Published: August 2005

During the past 20 years or so, governments worldwide have embarked on an ambitious journey to improve government performance. Relying on a multitude of administrative technologies broadly classified under the heading of the New Public Management (NPM), reformers have sought to radically change the manner in which the public's business is conducted. Although the verdict is still out, evidence is accumulating that NPM philosophy and practices may have produced unintended consequences. The author argues that in addition to contributing to an increasingly hollow state, NPM philosophy and practices have contributed to a phenomenon described as the thinning of administrative institutions. Thin institutions are weak; they lack the capacity for good administration—a requirement for maintaining the American people's confidence in government.
Work-Family Conflict, Gender, and Parenthood, 1977-1997
Authors: Winslow Sarah
Published: August 2005

Although many observers assume that balancing the often-competing demands of work and family has become increasingly difficult in recent decades, little research has explicitly examined this proposition. This study examines this question by drawing on data from the 1977 Quality of Employment Survey and the 1997 National Study of the Changing Workforce. The author found that work-family conflict has increased during this period, particularly for men. In addition, marital, parental, and spouse’s employment status prove to be consistently important predictors of work-family conflict. Future research focusing on men’s experiences of conflict, examining conflict from the perspective of the family unit, and exploring the effects of workplace policies is suggested.
Work-Family Facilitation and Conflict, Working Fathers and Mothers, Work-Family Stressors and Support
Authors: Hill E. Jeffrey
Published: August 2005

Work-family research frequently focuses on the conflict experienced by working mothers. Using data from the National Study of the Changing Workforce ( N = 1,314), this study also examined work-family facilitation and working fathers. Ecological systems, family stress, family resilience, and sex role theories were used to organize the data and create hypotheses. Work-to-family facilitation was positively related to job satisfaction and life satisfaction, and negatively related to individual stress. Family-to-work facilitation was positively related to marital satisfaction, family satisfaction, and life satisfaction, and negatively related to organizational commitment. Working fathers reported long work hours (49 hours/week), major involvement in household responsibilities (46 hours/week), and a work culture less supportive of their family life than working mothers reported. However, working fathers reported less work-family conflict, less individual stress, and greater family satisfaction, marital satisfaction, and life satisfaction than working mothers. The results support including facilitation and gender in future work-family research.
Culture, Emotion and the Normative Structure of Reality
Authors: Baerveldt Cor , Voestermans Paul
Published: August 2005

A central concern for a psychology of culture is the question of how people come to commit themselves to ‘shared’ forms of understanding. Although the ‘shared’ or social nature of human understanding has received ample attention in different forms of cultural psychology, what is lacking is an account of the normative ‘force’ or compellingness of cultural forms. We argue that both phenomenology and social constructionism have failed to acknowledge the inherently normative dimension of social and cultural life. For an alternative grounding of cultural psychology we turn to the work of Merleau-Ponty. We show that at the end of his life Merleau-Ponty was working on a theory of meaning that acknowledges the normative dimension of our affective engagements in the world as well as the affective dimension of our normative engagements. We argue that this theory may be a powerful alternative for a social constructionist approach to culture.
Criminal Injustice
Authors: Denov Myriam S. , Campbell Kathryn M.
Published: August 2005

During the past decade, there has been growing international interest in the topic of wrongful conviction and its serious implications. As in other jurisdictions, Canada has seen several high-profile cases of wrongful conviction that have led to an increased recognition of the fallibility of the criminaljustice process.However, despite increased media attention to the issue, corresponding academic literature on the problem has been limited in this country. This article begins by reviewing the literature on the causes of wrongful conviction and uses examples from Canadian cases as illustrations. Following this, through qualitative interviews with five wrongly convicted Canadians, the article examines some long-termeffects of a wrongfulimprisonmenton individuals and their families both during incarceration and following their release. Finally, government responses to the issue are discussed, illustrating their limitations and their relevance for criminal justice policy and practice.
Manifestations of Enduring During Interviews With Sexual Assault Victims
Authors: Esposito Noreen
Published: August 2005

The retelling of a sexual assault, whether during sexual assault care or law enforcement interviews, or in the process of seeking social support, is an emotionally stressful event, yet there is little research describing the psychological experiences of retelling. In a study of barriers to sexual assault care, 43 survivors recounted 76 assault events during individual interviews. Although assaults occurred from 1 to 15 years prior to the interview, participants demonstrated emotional upset. Using the praxis theory of suffering as a scaffold, the author describes manifestations of enduring and emotional suffering. The separation of enduring from emotional suffering indicates potential usefulness of the praxis theory of suffering in the provision of post-sexual assault care.
Visual Rhetoric in the Curriculum
Authors: Brumberger Eva R.
Published: August 2005

A survey of BizCom listserv subscribers suggests that visual rhetoric receives relatively little attention within business communication curricula. Results indicate that programs typically do not require a course in visual rhetoric, and on average, 20% or less of teaching in undergraduate courses is dedicated to visual communication. The findings suggest that business communication curricula may not adequately prepare students for the multimodal communication tasks they are likely to encounter in the workplace, particularly those tasks that rely on knowledge of visual rhetoric. Possible solutions include adding courses, integrating visual communication more deeply into existing courses, contextualizing existing design projects to ensure they are more than software exercises, and incorporating visual communication into other typical course projects.
Preparing Students for Early Work Conflicts
Authors: Myers Laura L. , Larson R. Sam
Published: August 2005

To improve college students’ skills in resolving workplace conflict, the authors studied the types of workplace conflicts that students encounter with peers or supervisors in part-time or seasonal work and with whom they discuss these conflicts. The authors found that most students report conflicts that are process or relational in nature, with few students reporting task-oriented conflict. Nearly all students report discussing the conflict with third parties—individuals outside the organization and/or the conflict—and nearly all students find these discussions helpful in resolving or working through the conflict. Based on their literature review and research, the authors developed scenarios to help students “read” and resolve workplace conflicts. The scenarios use conversations with people outside the conflict—third-party discussions—to help students respond appropriately to the conflict.
The Business Profession
Authors: Clark Thomas
Published: August 2005

Designed to guide those who want to replicate a similar program at their institutions, this article examines Xavier University’s experience with The Business Profession, a required, noncredit series of career-related events that business majors take over a 4-year period. This program was developed in response to research indicating that early career decision making and excellent career communication skills lead to better student employment choices. The Business Profession differs from traditional university career education programs in several ways. It is (a) developmental: It offers learner-centered programming over a 4-year period covering topics that match students’ growing career maturity; (b) cocurricular: It is offered as a cocurricular supplement to the academic business program; (c) mandatory: Business majors are required to complete this program as a graduation prerequisite; and (d) faculty directed: A tenured business communication faculty serves as director. Evaluations indicate students find the program valuable in helping them create a career plan that relates academic learning to real-world needs.
Diagnostic and Value-Added Assessment of Business Writing
Authors: Fraser Linda , Harich Katrin , Norby Joni , Brzovic Kathy , Rizkallah Teeanna , Loewy Dana
Published: August 2005

To assess students’ business writing abilities upon entry into the business program and exit from the capstone course, a multitiered assessment package was developed that measures students’ achievement of specific learning outcomes and provides “value-added” scores. The online segment of the test measures five competencies across three process levels; the in-class writing segment measures the same five competencies across higher process levels. The data can then be cross-referenced for multitiered measurements. The learning outcomes are derived from the grading rubric used in the business communication classes, thus bringing classroom grading practices into assessment at the program level. The core competencies, rubric, writing prompt, and sample questions are provided. The process of designing the assessment, engaging faculty participation, and measuring outcomes are detailed.
The Origins of the Seder and Haggadah
Authors: Kulp Joshua
Published: August 2005

Emerging methods in the study of rabbinic literature now enable greater precision in dating the individual components of the Passover seder and haggadah. These approaches, both textual and socio-historical, have led to a near consensus among scholars that the Passover seder as described in rabbinic literature did not yet exist during the Second Temple period. Hence, cautious scholars no longer seek to find direct parallels between the last supper as described in the Gospels and the rabbinic seder. Rather, scholarly attention has focused on varying attempts of Jewish parties, notably rabbis and Christians, to provide religious meaning and sanctity to the Passover celebration after the death of Jesus and the destruction of the Temple. Three main forces stimulated the rabbis to develop innovative seder ritual and to generate new, relevant exegeses to the biblical Passover texts: (1) the twin calamities of the destruction of the Jerusalem Temple and the Bar-Kokhba revolt; (2) competition with emerging Christian groups; (3) assimilation of Greco-Roman customs and manners. These forces were, of course, significant contributors to the rise of a much larger array of rabbinic institutions, ideas and texts. Thus surveying scholarship on the seder reviews scholarship on the emergence of rabbinic Judaism.
Adult Ambulatory Care Visits to Nurses and Physicians: Methodological Limitations of the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey Data
Authors: Rosenfeld Peri , Kim Hongsoo , Londono Grace , Kovner Christine , Mezey Mathy
Published: August 2005

The 1997 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) data report that approximately 80 million adult ambulatory visits are made to nursing personnel. Adults who visit nursing personnel and who visit physicians are similar with regard to sex and income. As compared to nursing personnel, physician visits are longer and more likely to involve diagnosis or treatment. Older adult visits (ages 65 to 90) to nursing personnel are significantly longer than the visits of younger adults. As compared to physician visits, nursing personnel visits are significantly more likely to be characterized as “other” for all adults and especially for older adults. Although these findings suggest important differences between physician and nurse ambulatory care visits, the undifferentiated use of the term nurse and the significant percentage of uncharacterized visits to nursing personnel signal serious deficiencies in the MEPS data in exploring nonphysician ambulatory care.
Passing a Smoke-Free Law in a Pro-Tobacco Culture: A Multiple Streams Approach
Authors: Greathouse Lisa W. , Hahn Ellen J. , Okoli Chizimuzo T. C. , Warnick Todd A. , Riker Carol A.
Published: August 2005

This article describes a case study of the policy development and political decision-making process involved in the enactment of Lexington, Kentucky’s smoke-free law. The multiple streams framework is used to analyze the development of the law in a seemingly unlikely and challenging political environment. Proponents developed a dissemination research plan targeted at policy makers and the public to demonstrate the need for a comprehensive law. The existence of a strong coalition of health care providers and health care systems including the board of health, as well as long-standing tobacco control expertise and a strong legal team, were essential ingredients for success. A deliberate strategy to expose the tobacco industry was effective in preparing policy makers for the opponents’ policy arguments. As expected, a hospitality industry association was formed to oppose the ordinance, resulting in a legal challenge that delayed enactment of the law.
Projections and Trends in RN Supply: What Do They Tell Us About the Nursing Shortage?
Authors: Unruh Lynn Y. , Fottler Myron D.
Published: August 2005

This article presents an analysis of trends in the supply of RNs. When weighted for population growth, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ 2002 projection of future RN shortages indicates a more immanent and stronger decline in RN supply than initially presented. Analysis of national RN survey data from 1977 to 2000 finds recent decreased gains and increased losses from the RN license pool, a decline in RNs working or looking for work in nursing, and RN supply shifts away from bedside nursing. Policy implications to address these trends include regulatory/legislative and incentive approaches aimed at improving education and employment.
Nurses’ Work Environment Perceptions When Employed in States With and Without Mandatory Staffing Ratios and/or Mandatory Staffing Plans
Authors: Cox Karen S. , Anderson Shelly C. , Teasley Susan L. , Sexton Kathleen A. , Carroll Cathryn A.
Published: August 2005

Multiple stakeholders have sought regulatory and nonregulatory strategies to address nursing workforce and patient safety concerns. This study examines differences in nurses’ work environment perceptions. Approximately 4,000 nurses employed in 10 states provided their perceptions of key characteristics of their work environment using the Individual Workload Perception Scale. Univariate statistics were used to characterize mean values of the nurses’ work environment perceptions by state of employment and whether these perceptions changed if employed in states with versus without mandatory staffing ratios and/or mandatory staffing plans. This study provides preliminary evidence that mandatory staffing plan legislation may be linked with the most positive nurse work environment perceptions when compared with implementation of mandatory staffing ratios or no workforce regulation. Based on this preliminary observation, further analysis comparing the relative benefits and costs of workforce regulation may be warranted.
A Nursing PhD Specialty in Health Policy: University of Massachusetts Boston
Authors: Ellenbecker Carol Hall , Fawcett Jacqueline , Glazer Greer
Published: August 2005

This article describes the Nursing PhD Program specialty in health policy conceived and developed at the University of Massachusetts Boston. The rationale for a specialty in health policy is that nurses have valuable knowledge and a unique perspective of the health care system. Nurses belong to the largest group of health care providers and are the providers that spend the most time with patients. The nursing profession has a responsibility to help assure members of society have access to safe and effective quality health care. As a group, nurses need to be politically savvy to translate their knowledge and perspective to benefit society. Nurses need to direct their attention to understanding issues and policy arguments and to contribute to policy discussion with reasoned arguments and objectivity. The PhD program at the University of Massachusetts Boston prepares nurses as policy analysts, researchers, and educators who will positively contribute to the health of society.
Practice Patterns and Potential Solutions to the Shortage of Providers of Older Adult Mental Health Services
Authors: Hanrahan Nancy P. , Sullivan-Marx Eileen M.
Published: August 2005

Little is known about the contribution of advanced practice nurses (APNs) to the mental health care of older adults. This study describes mental health services to older adults by APNs compared with primary care physicians, psychiatrists, psychologists, and social workers. The study uses a retrospective, cross-sectional design with a 5% national sample of 1999 Medicare outpatient claims. Bivariate statistics and multinomial logit models were used to determine differences among these mental health providers. A small proportion of the nationally available providers (10.4%) submitted claims for mental health services rendered to older adults. APNs, psychiatrists, and primary care physicians care for a disproportionate number of rural and poor older adults with complex medical/psychiatric needs compared with psychiatrists, psychologists, and social workers. APNs seem to be an untapped resource for providing mental health services to older adults. Health policy reform is needed to remove barriers to meet mental health care needs.
Trends in Nurse Overtime, 1995-2002
Authors: Berney Barbara , Needleman Jack
Published: August 2005

Nurses and their advocates have expressed concern about increasing use of overtime in hospitals, but systematic data on trends in the amount of overtime worked by nurses has been lacking. Using data on New York hospitals, we find that overtime increased 51% between 1995 and 2002, from 3.9% of total hours to 5.9%. Most of the increase occurred after 1997, and the rate of overtime use leveled out from 2001 to 2002. Overtime increased more in nongovernment unionized hospitals and nonteaching hospitals, but the wide variation in changes in overtime suggests there is substantial management discretion in using overtime to address fluctuations in census and staffing.
Policy Perspectives of Major Nursing Organizations, Part II
Authors: Keepnews David M.
Published: August 2005

Understanding the roles of interest groups is an important element of examining policy change. There are a number of interest groups that affect the policy environment for nursing and that shape the profession’s impact on health policy. This article, the second of a two-part series, presents interviews with executive directors and chief executive officers of major nursing organizations about their organizations’ policy priorities and policy-related activities. Included in this article are the American Organization of Nurse Executives, the National League for Nursing, Sigma Theta Tau International, and the National Black Nurses Association.
Developing a New Resource on International Nurse Migration: The International Centre on Nurse Migration
Authors: Nichols Barbara , Oulton Judith
Published: August 2005

A new collaborative project on nurse migration was recently launched by the International Council of Nurses and the Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools. This collaboration, the International Centre on Nurse Migration, guided by the principles of ethical recruitment and equitable treatment of migrating nurses, focuses on promoting, collecting, creating, and disseminating data and information on nurse migration; acting as a resource center; tracking trends and patterns of global health care workforce migration; analyzing policy; generating policy options; advocating for sound policy concerning nurse migration; promoting, undertaking, and disseminating research; providing consultant and expert advice; and offering continuing education about migration.
Impact of California’s Licensed Nurse-Patient Ratios on Unit-Level Nurse Staffing and Patient Outcomes
Authors: Donaldson Nancy , Bolton Linda Burnes , Aydin Carolyn , Brown Diane , Elashoff Janet D. , Sandhu Meenu
Published: August 2005

This article presents the first analysis of the impact of mandated minimum-staffing ratios on nursing hours of care and skill mix in adult medical and surgical and definitive-observation units in a convenience sample of 68 acute hospitals participating in the California Nursing Outcomes Coalition project. Findings, stratified by unit type and hospital size, reveal expected changes as hospitals made observable efforts toward regulatory compliance. These data cannot affirm compliance with ratios per shift, per unit, at all times; however, they give evidence of overall compliance. Assessment of the impacts of the mandated ratios on two common indicators of patient care quality, the incidence of patient falls and the prevalence of pressure ulcers, did not reveal significant changes despite research linking nurse staffing with these measures. These findings contribute to understanding unit level impacts of regulatory staffing mandates and the preliminary effect of this legislation on core quality of care indicators.
A New Device for Experimental Modeling of Central Nervous System Injuries
Authors: Bilgen Mehmet
Published: August 2005

This article introduces a new device for inducing central nerve system injuries in experimental studies with animal models. The construction of the device is based on a commercially available servo-drive system incorporating the latest instrumentation technology and software developed in house to control the motion profile of the injury bit. The software, which is available upon request from the author, was designed such that the user can set the mechanical properties of the motion. For the purpose of quality control, tests were described and performed to assess the ability of the device to reproduce the prescribed motion when operated repetitively under the same set of parameters. Experiments were then conducted on animals to injure mouse brain and rat spinal cord. Following the injuries, in vivo magnetic resonance imaging was performed on the animals to depict the pathologies of the resulting injuries in the corresponding neuronal tissues. Rat spinal cords injured mildly and severely were followed longitudinally for up to 28 days postinjury. The neurobehaviors of the animals evaluated using locomotor rating scores indicated the ability of the device to produce repeatable graded injuries.
Assessment of the Quality of Life of Mothers of Children with Cerebral Palsy (Primary Caregivers)
Authors: Ones Kadriye , Yilmaz Ebru , Cetinkaya Banu , Caglar Nil
Published: August 2005

Objectives. To evaluate the quality of life and psychological status in mothers of children with cerebral palsy (MCCPs) and to assess their relation with regard to the degree of their child’s disability. Design. Face-to-face interviews with MCCPs have been performed. A prospective, case control study. Setting. Physical therapy and rehabilitation training and research hospital. Subjects. 46 MCCPs and the mothers of 46 healthy children. Main Outcome Measure. Notthingam Health Profile-1, Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), and Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) scores in MCCPs and the mothers of healthy children. Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) was used for the children with cerebral palsy. Results. A significantly worsened (P = 0.001) quality of life was observed in MCCPs compared to the mothers of healthy children. BDI scores of the MCCPs were significantly higher than the mothers in the control group (P = 0.000). There were no significant differences in BAI scores between MCCPs and control mothers (P > 0.05). A positive correlation between the quality of life and BDI scores was noted in MCCPs (P = 0.000, r = 0.57), and no correlation was detected between the quality of life in MCCPs and the GMFCS levels of children with cerebral palsy (r = 0.012, P = 0.95). Conclusion. The quality of life in MCCPs is significantly lower than that of control mothers. Also, although the BAI scores were not significantly different between the groups, the BDI scores were poorer in MCCPs compared to those the control group.