bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Testing the Reliability and Validity of an Interviewing Skills Evaluation Tool for Use in Practicum
Authors: Vourlekis Betsy , Bembry James , Hall Gladys , Rosenblum Phillip
Published: March 2007

This study investigated the reliability and validity of a rating checklist for student process-recorded interviews in an effort to provide field education with an empirically sound feedback and evaluation tool. A stratified, nonproportional sample of practitioner-field instructors (n = 57) from B.S.W., first- and second-year M.S.W. field programs at three universities evaluated process-recorded interviews of their own students, as well as anonymous student work. The checklist was a highly consistent (r = .96) and unbiased measurement tool. The checklist also was shown to have content, concurrent, and predictive validity. A rationale and suggestions for its use in field education is presented.
Assessing Parenting Skills Through Role-Play: Development and Reliability
Authors: Magen Randy H. , Rose Sheldon D.
Published: March 2007

The development of a parenting role-play test is presented. The article briefly discusses the ad vantages of role-play tests over interviews, checklists, and direct observations. Item develop ment followed an empirically driven model suggested by Goldfried and D'Zurilla. The final par enting role-play test contained six common, yet difficult, parent-child situations. Judges used a scoring manual to rate parent's responses. The results indicated that the parenting role-play test could be scored with adequate reliability. Although the preliminary data gave indications of the role-play test's validity, further validation research is suggested. The application of the role-play test to social work practice is discussed.
Development of a Social Support Scale: An Evaluation of Psychometric Properties
Authors: Macdonald Grant
Published: March 2007

The measurement of the concept of social support is critical to researchers interested in examining the role that support plays in the development and treatment of mental health problems. This article presents a new scale for measuring this concept, the Scales of Perceived Social Support (SPSS), and evaluates some of its important psychometric properties. The scales were found to have good internal consistency and good test-retest reliability. In terms of validity, the scales correlated well with an established support measure. Factor analyses provided corroborating evidence for the scales' two main dimensions, namely support from family and from friends. Further study is required to assess the potential utility of the scales for single case research.
Core Issues for Female Child Abuse Survivors in Recovery from Substance Misuse
Authors: Hall Joanne M.
Published: March 2007

Female survivors of childhood abuse have increased risk for substance misuse. Childhood abuse survivors describe current mental health and substance misuse services as not addressing central problems, the “heart of the matter.” Negative core issues related to abuse events, contexts, substance use, and current problems were explored in open-ended interviews with 20 female abuse survivors. Most were marginalized because of cocaine use, poverty, and ethnic status. Narrative analysis involved within- and between-account comparisons through adequate paraphrasing of in vivo descriptions. Results include in-depth description of basic core beliefs, developmental core influences, and current core experiences. Implications for practice and policy include appreciation of the influence of negative core experiences on mental health, substance misuse recovery, and preparedness for adulthood demands.
Caring and Expressions of Spirituality by Urban Caregivers of People with Stroke in African American Families
Authors: Pierce Linda L.
Published: March 2007

Expressions of spirituality by urban caregivers in African American families are the focus of the study discussed in this article. Data presented here were collected as part of a larger study that examined these caregivers’ experience and meaning of caring as they influenced their capacity to care for people with stroke within their family systems. This study was executed within and supported the framework of systemic organization by Friedemann, according to which families as open systems strive for well-being. Spirituality, a component of well-being, is based on values concerning commitment, love, and affection. Eight themes concerning spirituality for all caregivers emerged from the data. Through spirituality, the caregivers felt well-being and were connected and comforted in difficult times related to caring.
The Discursive Properties of “Hope”: A Qualitative Analysis of Cancer Patients’ Speech
Authors: Eliott Jaklin , Olver Ian
Published: March 2007

The authors of this article question the usefulness of the empirico-realist search for a definitive definition of hope. Semistructured interviews on “do-not-resuscitate” issues with 23 oncology clinic outpatients were tape-recorded, transcribed, and analyzed following grounded-theory methodology and discursive analytical methodology. Twelve patients spontaneously spoke about hope as objective or subjective, a burden or a resource. Hope represented an evaluation of empirical states of affairs or the wish for desired outcomes and was a warrant for action or an excuse for inaction. It was attributed to both patient and caregiver, to individuals or situations. Hope was present or future oriented, both vulnerable and enduring. The variety of versions of hope has implications for interactions between health care workers and patients. Recognizing a taxonomy of hope might prove more useful than searching for definitions.
Covering your Back: Strategies for Qualitative Research in Clinical Settings
Authors: Daly Jeanne , McDonald Ian
Published: March 2007

Evaluating or analyzing clinical practice often involves an analysis of the social context of care. This has created research opportunities for health sociologists to work on multidisciplinary teams with clinicians. This article gives an account of the methodological strategies that were necessary for completing a critical, qualitative study of the social impact of echocardiography (cardiac ultrasound) when used to diagnose patients as normal. The biggest problem was that physicians saw qualitative research methods as "subjective," hence prone to bias. Highly structured methods of analyzing qualitative data were effectively used to reassure physicians concerned about researcher bias. Such methods of analysis are probably necessary for "covering one's back" in multidisciplinary teams and they can coexist with a more theoretically based sociological analysis.
The Doctor-Caregiver Relationship: Managing the Care of Family Members with Alzheimer's Disease
Authors: Morgan David L. , Zhao Ping Z.
Published: March 2007

When patients cannot manage their medical affairs, a doctor-caregiver relationship emerges. We used focus groups to investigate this relationship in two studies with caregivers for a spouse or parent with cognitive impairments. Qualitative content analyses showed that negative mentions of doctors predominated over positive mentions, especially in discussions of community doctors rather than specialists. Caregivers were generally negative in their mentions of doctors' attitudes, and of medical and nonmedical advice. The data also pointed to the importance of cognitive impairment as a specific condition and the necessity of seeing the doctor-caregiver relationship as extending beyond face-to-face medical encounters.
Leading by Losing: Sex and Fertility on Crack Cocaine
Authors: Keamney Margaret H. , Murphy Sheigla , Rosenbaum Marsha
Published: March 2007

Women who use crack cocaine have been characterized as promiscuous and careless about unintended pregnancy or sexually transmitted diseases. To evaluate the validity of these claims, we used the grounded theory approach to analyze transcripts from 100 interviews with women crack users, exploring their experiences and views on sexuality, fertility, contraception, and pregnancy-related decisions. Many women told of unforeseen events in the social world of crack cocaine use, such as pressures to trade sex for drugs, in a cultural and economic milieu already restrictive of women's reproductive and personal goals. The women accommodated shrinking control over their reproductive lives through "learning by losing,"finding out through failure how to protect their remaining options for seljhood. This process included stages of reappraising, limiting, and settling for less, as choices diminished over time. Women's actions were tied to their changing attitudes on motherhood, fertility, and sexuality issues.
Narrative and Medical Genetics: On Ethics and Therapeutics
Authors: Brock Stephen C.
Published: March 2007

Narrative, as a hermeneutic social science with its key concepts borrowed from literary theory, guides interpretation of lived-experience and has found expression in qualitative research in the health sciences. Narrative, as it will be advocated here, is an appropriate method for phenomenological investigations relating to genetic counseling. The benefits to the practice of medical genetics from qualitative-that is, narrative-studies will be explored and sources of resistance to phenomenological investigations will be identified. Narrative studies in medical genetics will be shown to have the potential clinical significance of fundamentally altering the stance of genetic counselors toward those who seek their services. By understanding the client's "illness experience," counseling practice, including the ethics of practice, is altered. Finally, the Human Genome Project, by compounding the social and ethical demands on genetic counseling, makes this advocacy especially timely.
Unacknowledged Casualties of the Vietnam War: Experiences of Partners of New Zealand Veterans
Authors: Frederikson Lesley G. , Chamberlain Kerry , Long Nigel
Published: March 2007

The negative aftermath of combat experience on the lives of military personnel has been widely documented. The limited research conducted on the psychological impact of traumatic experiences on soldiers' partners and families also demonstrates substantial adverse effects. This research has provided predominantly quantitative accounts of these effects. The present study involved a qualitative exploration of family functioning and interpersonal relationships as reported by five women partners of Vietnam veterans. The following three broad themes were identified from the interview transcripts: experience (what the situation and interpersonal communication was like); meaning (of being in a veteran's family); and understanding it all (explanations of why it took the form it did). Several subthemes were also identified under the first two of these major themes. These results are discussed in relation to posttraumatic stress disorder, family functioning, and the nature of the response appropriate for families in these situations.
Narrative Picturing: A New Strategy for Qualitative Data Collection
Authors: Stuhlmiller Cynthia M. , Thorsen Rolf
Published: March 2007

The use of qualitative research designs has been gaining rapid momentum and support across a variety of disciplines. Although methods of data collection and analysis vary within and between perspectives of each discipline, in one way or another, most rely on obtaining some kind of a narrative, as a means for gaining insight into phenomena. This article outlines a strategy that the authors have been developing and have found useful in narrative inquiry. Although as health care professionals they are primarily concerned with uncovering the realm of meanings that individuals create and draw on in health/illness transformations, they believe that the data generated from linking image formation to narrative expression can provide fruitful information. The aim here is to present the background, use, development, and basic steps of what the authors call "narrative picturing," as well as invite critique and stimulate further development.
Waiting—A Source of Hostile Interaction in an Emergency Clinic
Authors: Akerstrom Malin
Published: March 2007

In a study of a Swedish emergency clinic, it was found that patients' waiting produced different forms of hostile interaction between staff members and patients. A patient's hostility was interpreted as being not only a result of waiting per se but also-and predominantly-due to some features inherent in the relevant situation: the semiotics of space and the organization of waiting. Emotional and interactional responses to patient hostility included invoking counter moralities, adopting a certain style of interaction, and performing minor acts of revenge. The former are analyzed as expressions of veiled hostility, whereas descriptions of acts of revenge indicate the moral boundaries of proper nursing work. In such work, hostile expressivity is characteristically restrained and resentment must be veiled; consequently, Scheler's analysis of ressentiment is applied.
Typographical Design, Modernist Aesthetics, and Professional Communication
Authors: Kostelnick Charles
Published: March 2007

The technology of in-house publishing is radically shifting the responsibility for document design from the graphic specialist to the individual writer. To apply the new technology, professional communicators need to understand the principles underpinning typographical design and their origin in the functionalist aesthetics of modernism, particularly as articulated by the Bauhaus. While some of the key concepts of modernism—strict economy, uni versal objectivity, intuitive perception, and the unity ofform and purpose—are well-suited to business and technical documents, these concepts are bound to an historical and intellectual milieu. By understanding the influence ofmod ernism on typographical design, professional communicators equipped with the new technology can adapt design principles to the rhetorical context ofspe cific documents.
Manufacturing Power Relations: An Organizational Simulation
Authors: Kern Jill Allison
Published: March 2007

The idea that power relations have systemic consequences for behavior in organizations is too abstract to be meaningful to many students. This article focuses on a simulation of a hierarchical manufacturing firm designed to promote an experiential understanding of how behavior is shaped by the distribution of power in organizations. The exercise may also generate learning on topics such as attributions, motivation, communication, and conflict. The author discusses how and why she developed the simulation, its strengths and drawbacks, and student reactions. The appendix provides detailed instructions for conducting the exercise.
Musavi-Lari: An Experiential Exercise in Diversity Awareness
Authors: Berger Natalie S.
Published: March 2007

The Musavi-Lari exercise is an experiential activity designed to facilitate awareness of unconscious biases, prejudices, and hidden assumptions that influence our judgment. It can be used to illustrate the processes at work in social perception, decision making, group dynamics, groupthink, or diversity management. Participants report that the activity is engaging, is enlightening, and provides understanding of forces affecting the success of work groups and as well as global corporations.
The IT Audit Assignment: Viewing Technology in the Organizational and Strategic Context
Authors: Schwering Randolph E.
Published: March 2007

This article describes a structured learningactivity designed to explore information technology (IT) in organizational and strategic contexts. The assignment, known as the “IT Audit,” is structured around a set of interdisciplinary research questions that students apply to a client organization. The assignment builds the student’s ability to predict, diagnose, and subsequently mitigate organizational risks inherent in IT deployment. Learningoutcomes focus on IT as it relates to organizational strategy and competitive advantage, communications process design, motivational and values orientation of IT specialists, change leadership, organizational design, and quality of work life issues.
Teaching in China during the Age of Reform
Authors: Dougherty Thomas W. , Wall James A.
Published: March 2007

In recent years, the Peoples' Republic of China has seen unprecedented movement toward economic reform. This "reform mania" played a major role in our 1988 experience as visiting professors of organizational behavior and human resource management in a cooperative MBA program with Nanjing University. The culture of reform resulted in flexible, hands-off treatment from university administrators, students' eager acceptance of Western-style management ideas, and complete freedom to teach as we wished. We describe the Chinese environment in which our program was embedded, characteristics of our program, our classroom teaching, our students' responses, and other aspects of our experience. We conclude with a few specific suggestions for future instructors.
Work Orientations in the Classroom
Authors: London Michael B.
Published: March 2007

This article discusses the factors affecting a student's engagement in the classroom. Student predispositions toward work are examined, and four work orientations are described. It is concluded that the traditional educational environment is conducive to only one of the four orientations. Suggestions are given for developing pedagogies that appeal to students of each orientation.
Equity Theory in Action: Examples from the World of Sports
Authors: Clinebell Sharon , Clinebell John
Published: March 2007

This article examines equity theory using examples from the sports world. The publicity that surrounds contract negotiations in sports provides real-life examples of equity theory in action. Examples from football, baseball, and basketball are used. An in-depth discussion of Eric Dickerson's negotiations with the Los Angeles Rams is used to illustrate the role of equity theory in salary issues. The application of these examples for use in the classroom is discussed. Additionally, managerial implications of equity theory are addressed.
Management Development: Choosing the Right Leadership Simulation for the Task
Authors: Dunbar Roger L. M. , Stumpf Stephen A. , Mullen Thomas P. , Arnone Maria
Published: March 2007

In 1978 the first large-scale, behaviorally focused business simulation was completed and used to diagnosis and develop leadership skills. It was a fictitious company comprised of a series of realistic management situations permitting participants to perform individually and collectively within a corporate context. Based on observations of participants' performances, feedback was provided. Today, nine fictitious organizations are used by hundreds of companies as leadership practicums to accomplish learning objectives ranging from the development of communication skills to organization and from planning skills to strategic thinking skills. The similarities and differences among these fictitious organizations are described and guidance is provided for choosing among them based on learning objectives of various management development efforts.
To Teach Experience!
Authors: Payette Adrien
Published: March 2007

This article presents a form of training to help managers reflect on and improve their own practice. It is organized to facilitate the readers' understanding of how they might use the training method and what to expect if they do. The first part introduces the philosophy of the method. The second part describes the five steps of the method, each demonstrated by authentic examples. The third part briefly illustrates two settings in which the method has been used. The last part pinpoints conditions of success and discusses some questions.
Beyond Self-Directed Learning: A Partnership Model of Teaching and Learning
Authors: Ramsey V. Jean , Couch Peter D.
Published: March 2007

A model of teaching and learning is described which distinguishes between self-directed (where the focus is on autonomy and independence) and partnership learning (where the focus is on developing meaningful partnerships between teachers and learners that encourage both self-direction and cooperation in learning). The model has three dimensions: control of choices in learning, types of learning situations, and approaches to learning. It is suggested that both teachers and learners need to rethink the learning process, recognize multiple-almost unlimited-opportunities for learning, and develop the skills to become more effective at learning with and from others.
Want Participation? Have them "Vote with their Feet"!
Authors: Holmes Barbara H.
Published: March 2007

Beginning management students often hesitate to participate in class because they lack confidence and are afraid of saying something "wrong." This article describes and illustrates a technique that gently forces students to participate by making them physically move to a place in the room that expresses their viewpoint on a topic. This movement opens the door to greater participation as students then informally debate the reasons for their physical choices. Reasons for the success of the technique are discussed and limitations of the technique are considered.
Increasing Student Participation in Case Discussions: Using the MICA Method in Strategic Management Courses
Authors: Siciliano Julie , McAleer Gordon M.
Published: March 2007

The traditional approach to case discussion relies primarily on the students' responses to the professor's questions. However, even experienced teachers often have problems with the lack of active, intelligent, in-depth student participation. In the context of a strategic management course, this article describes the MICA method, an alternative means of analyzing cases, designed to encourage and increase student participation. Student teams administrate the flow of the discussion while the professor grades student participants on the relevance, value, and originality of their verbal arguments.
Discovering the Keys: Spirit in Teaching and the Journey of Learning
Authors: Dehler Gordon E. , Welsh M. Ann
Published: March 2007

This article explores teaching as an artful endeavor not unlike composing music, painting pictures, choreographing dance, or writing poetry. This art metaphor illustrates the creativity, discipline, and emotional and spiritual energy central to a learning paradigm where the reward for teaching is in the doing. The article focuses on the importance of bringing passion to and deriving meaning from teaching, the emergent nature of the learning journey, and the need to foster student self-sufficiency for life-long learning.
Critical Reflection and Management Education: Rehabilitating Less Hierarchical Approaches
Authors: Reynolds Michael
Published: March 2007

In response to the growing interest in applying a more critical perspective within management education, this article proposes an approach thatwould reflect critical principles in both its contents and its methods. The essential characteristics of a critical approach to management education are summarized, followed by a discussion of the significance of educational methods and of the ways in which less hierarchical methods in particular could, with some provisos, provide the basis for a critical management pedagogy. The article ends by drawing attention to some of the potential pitfalls of introducing management students to a critical perspective.
Management Classes as Online Learning Communities
Authors: Shrivastava Paul
Published: March 2007

This article examines the use of Internet-and World Wide Web-based learning systems in the context of business education. I propose the concept of “online learning communities” as an organizing frame for developing online learning systems. I describe some examples of online learning communities in business and academic institutions. I discuss the learning skills needed for and implementation issues in creating online learning communities.
Positive Health Practices and Perceived Health Status in Adolescents
Authors: Mahon Noreen E.
Published: March 2007

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships among the components of perceived health status and positive health practices in a sample of 211 adolescents, aged 15 to 21, using canonical variate analysis. All subjects completed the General Health Rating Index, which measures current health, prior health, health outlook, and resistance to illness; and the Personal lifestyle Questionnaire, which measures exercise, nutrition, relaxation, safety, substance use, and health promotion. Four canonical variates emerged in the statistical analysis, two of which had statistically significant canonical correlations. Implications for nursing practice and research are discussed along with the findings.
Mother-Daughter and Husband-Wife Attachment as Predictors of Psychological Well-Being during Pregnancy
Authors: Zachariah Rachel
Published: March 2007

This study explores the influence of mother-daughter and husband-wife attachment, and social support on the psychological well-being of women during pregnancy. The design represents passive observational approach. Sef-completed instruments were used to measure mother-daughter, and husband-wife attachment, social support, and psychological well-being for a convenience sample of 115 middle-class women, who attended prenatal classes at an urban health department in Canada. Multiple correlational and regression techniques were used to analyze the relationships among study variables. Results supported the hypothesis that mother-daughter and husband-wife attachment relationships were significant predictors of psychological well-being of women during pregnancy. There was significant pairwise relationship between psychological well-being and social support; however, after adjusting for husband-wife and mother-daughter attachment, there was no longer any significant relationship between the two variables. Findings provide new insights into the role of unique attachment relationships in promoting psychological well-being for pregnant women.
Young Adolescents' Identification of Difficult Life Events
Authors: Riesch Susan K. , Jacobson Gloria A. , Tosi Charlene B.
Published: March 2007

As part of a larger study of parent-child communication, young adolescents (n = 847), aged 1 I to 14 years, responded with brief written answers to the question: "Using your own words, list any happenings that occurred in the family that you feel may have been difficult and have long-lasting effects." The sample was chiefly seventh- and eighth-grade students from two-parent, White, middle-class, urban homes. Content analyses of their responses resulted in the following themes: feelings of loss due to death, divorce, relocation, or a sibling leaving the family; feelings of threat toward family relationships or integrity, personal or family health, personal of family safety and well-being, and violence; feelings of being hassled due to parents' expectations and limits and siblings' disagreements and conflicts; and testing maturity. The data provide significant examples of the life events offices. Recommendations to identify and care for families and young adolescents experiencing these events are proposed.
Incontinence and Clean Intermittent Catheterization Following Spinal Cord Injury
Authors: Gray Mikel , Rayome Richard , Anson Carol
Published: March 2007

Clean intermittent catheterization (CIC) is commonly used by individuals with neuropathic bladder dysfunction caused by spinal injury. Although the incidence of urologic complications such as infection, calculi and urethral erosion have been documented for patients managed by CIC, little is known about the incidence or characteristics of urinary incontinence among these patients. One hundred and fifty patients who had been discharged on CIC were investigated via a structured interview. Contrary to speculations in the literature, only 54% of those individuals who performed CIC experienced any continent episodes and 53% of those noted only episodic incontinence, with minimal or moderate volume leakage. A variety of strategies were used to attempt to prevent urinary leakage. Generally, patients demonstrated a lack of knowledge concerning nonpharmacological strategies to alleviate incontinence. This research provides a basis for nursing management strategies to reduce the incidence and severity or urinary leakage among spinal injured patients managed by intermittent catheterization.
Postpartum Early Discharge
Authors: Smith-Hanrahan Caroline , Deblois Denise
Published: March 2007

The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of a postpartum early discharge program, with home follow-up by hospital nursing staff, on the maternal fatigue and functional ability of low-risk mothers with healthy neonates. A quasi-experimental design was used. Subjects were randomly assigned to one of two groups receiving the early-discharge program (hospital stay less than 60 hours plus home follow-up by hospital-based nurses; n = 35) or traditional hospital care (hospital stay more than 60 hours and no home follow-up by hospital staff; n = 17). A third group emerged from those originally assigned to traditional care but later transferred to early discharge due to bed shortages (n = 29). The Rhoten Fatigue Scale and the inventory of Functional Status After Childbirth were used to collect the data at discharge and 1 and 6 weeks postpartum period. No significant differences between groups were found, suggesting that early discharge with adequate home follow-up does not affect the low-risk mother's fatigue and functional ability to any significantly greater extent than traditional care. It was also noted that regardless of type of care, the proportion of subjects reporting severe fatigue was relatively large (25%, 31%, and 19% at discharge, I and 6 weeks postpartum period), highlighting the need for further study of maternal fatigue in the postpartum period.
Religiosity as a Dimension of Well-Being
Authors: Astedt-Kurki Päivi
Published: March 2007

The principles of holistic nursing require understanding the human individual as a complex and coherent entity consisting of physical, psychic, social, and spiritual dimensions. Considering the research evidence about people's experiences of well-being, the spiritual dimension, here regarded as synonymous with religiosity, does not seem to receive due attention in nursing. This article describes the appearance of religiosity as an integral part of people's experiences of well-being. Data from interviews with 40 adults who had contacted the primary health care system were analyzed on the basis of a qualitative, thematic analysis. Christians who belonged to the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland incorporated their religious values into their experiences of well-being. These values were reflected in ideas of the good life, in solutions to everyday problems, and in self-care. The results highlight the importance of a nursing concept that recognizes each patient's individual well-being.
CABG Discharge Information
Authors: Moore Shirley M.
Published: March 2007

Women's descriptions of the coronary artery bypass surgery recovery experience were elicited for development of a preparatory discharge information intervention. In a convenience sample, 20 women (mean age= 67 years) were interviewed about the physical sensations, emotions, and concerns they experienced after CABG at three measurement points: discharge, 2 days after discharge, and 3 weeks following discharge. Many of the recovery experiences reported by women in this study are not addressed in traditional CABG discharge information.
Uncertainty and Stress in Women Hospitalized with High-Risk Pregnancy
Authors: Clauson Marion I.
Published: March 2007

The purpose of this descriptive correlational study was to describe how women hospitalized with high-risk pregnancy perceive the uncertainties and stress of their situations. A sample consisting of 58 hospitalized antepartum women in a tertiary maternity hospital completed the Uncertainty Stress Scale-High-Risk Pregnancy Version 48 hours after admission and at the time of discharge, when going home undelivered. Uncertainty at admission was found to be moderately low for 86% of the women, and was significantly lower at the time of discharge. Higher levels of uncertainty were positively correlated with higher levels of stress from the uncertainty in this sample. Women who stayed longer in the hospital reported higher uncertainty. These results have implications for the assessment support; teaching, and discharge planning provided by nurses during antepartum hospitalization.
Insider/Outsider Research Teams
Authors: Louis Meryl Reis , Bartunek Jean M.
Published: March 2007

The authors propose that research teams in which one or more members are relative insiders to a setting and one or more members are relative outsiders offer distinct advantages for integrating diverse perspectives on organizational activities. The approach taken builds on insights about insider/outsider collaboration presented by Evered and Louis (1981). This article develops a rationale for using insider/outsider teams, indicates their advantages and disadvantages, and contrasts this mode of inquiry with other forms of collaborative research. An example of the processes and products of such collaboration helps illustrate the issues associated with the implementation of insider/outsider research.
The Problem of Prediction and Control in Theoretical Diversity and the Promise of the Complexity Sciences
Authors: Mathews K. Michael , White Michael C. , Long Rebecca G.
Published: March 2007

Discovering the temporal limits to predictability is a prime area for research into a perspective of social organization as a complex adaptive system with emergent properties. However, to the extent that these insights on predictability and control apply to social systems, both the objectivist and subjectivist positions can be considered the true state of affairs. The purpose of this manuscript is to (a) examine the present state of theoretical diversity in organization theory, particularly, the notion of paradigm incommensurability, and (b) how the problem of prediction and control may be dealt with by the emerging complexity sciences.
Damage Evolution and Thermoelastic Properties of Composite Laminates
Authors: Weilin Zang  , Gudmundson Peter
Published: March 2007

An analytic model for the prediction of the thermoelastic properties of micro cracked composite laminates is presented. The expression for the calculation of en ergy release rates due to growth of micro cracks is also provided. Numerical results are presented that show that the present method, to a very good accuracy, can predict ther moelastic properties of micro cracked laminates at varying crack densities and layup con figurations. In addition, a resistance curve behavior of the energy release rate is observed for both carbon/epoxy and glass/epoxy composite laminates. The reasons for this R-curve behavior are discussed. Criteria that govern the initiation and growth of micro cracks in composite laminates are discussed and compared to experimental data.
Microcrack Interaction and Shear Fault Failure
Authors: Deng H. , Nemat-Nasser S.
Published: March 2007

The method of pseudo-tractions is used to solve the problem of interacting cracks which are arbitrarily distributed and are loaded by concentrated forces. The effect of interaction on the crack tip stress intensity factors is obtained for a set of equally spaced, parallel cracks which are loaded by both concentrated forces and uniform farfield stresses. For the special case when the cracks are collinear, the results are compared with those of the closed-form exact solution to check the accuracy of the method. The method is then applied to an array of dynamically growing wing cracks, and the growth regime of a periodic array of wing cracks of arbitrary orientation is studied. The shear fault failure mechanism is discussed in terms of such a model. The direction of the shear fault is related to the direction of a periodically distributed wing-crack array, in which tension cracks grow to a length equal to their spacing at a minimum applied load. The effect of confining pressure on the shear fault direction is discussed.
Brittle Residual Strain and Continuum Damage at Variable Uniaxial Loading
Authors: Najar Jerzy
Published: March 2007

Experimental data on brittle damage evolution lead to a reasonably simple model regarding material response both in damage-active and inactive branches of an arbi trary variable cyclic process. Distinction between the control and the internal strain fol lows, complemented by the introduction of a proper effective strain measure and a clear formulation of the brittle residual strain and continuum damage incremental growth laws. Earlier findings, [8], regarding the criterion for the failure damage and the determination of the dissipation at failure are thus complemented. Linear stress response to the effective strain is found to be valid throughout the process. The resulting kinematic formulation en ables efficient numerical evaluations, representing a convenient starting point for FE oriented multiaxial modelling at variable loads, [10].
After the Nurses' Strike: A Healing Project
Authors: Dannemiller Kathleen , Lippitt Ronald , Rogers Eileen
Published: March 2007

We conducted voluntary meetings with head nurses and supervisors at the University of Michigan Hospitals to encourage expression of feelings about the 1981 nurses' strike, and to gain an objective understanding of the decision- making struggles involved. We presented techniques and practice opportunities for supervisors to promote resolution of interpersonal rifts and resumption of teamwork (such as sharing feelings about the strike and concerns about leadership roles); demonstrated leading an objective diagnostic listing of reasons for "going out" or "staying in," brainstorm sessions, and the "proactive image procedure"; and discussed sources of support. We explored head nurses' readiness to conduct such activities with their staff, and conducted follow-up sessions. Finally, we presented summary documentation and recommendations for improving morale and productivity to management.
A Descriptive Model of Managerial Effectiveness
Authors: Luthans Fred , Welsh Dianne H.B. , Taylor Lewis A.
Published: March 2007

This study was designed to help understand what effective managers really do. Unlike previous research on managerial effectiveness, a diverse sample (N = 78) of managers was directly observed in natural settings. These data on managerial activities gathered by trained observers were related to a subordinate-report measure of unit effectiveness. Using canonical correlation analysis, a descriptive model of managerial effectiveness was derived. This one-dimensional model consists of a continuum ranging from a quantity-oriented human resource manager (who was observed to exhibit considerable staffing and motivating or reinforcing activities and was perceived to have quantity performance in the unit) to quality- oriented traditional manager (who was observed to exhibit a lot of interaction with outsiders, controlling and planning activities, and was perceived to have quality performance in the unit). This empirically derived descriptive model helps identify needed managerial activities and skills for quantity and quality performance in today's organizations.
Performance Appraisal Systems
Authors: Hall James L. , Posner Barry Z. , Harder Joseph W.
Published: March 2007

Research on performance appraisal systems provides many conceptual prescriptions, but little evidence exists about how well organizations adhere to these prescriptions. This article provides an empirical description of the performance appraisal systems of 36 high-technology firms, comparing what they do with what scholars have recommended they should do. Suggestions for minimizing the gap between practice and theory are offered.
The Pervasiveness of Senior Management's View of the Cultural Gaps Within a Division
Authors: Brightman Harvey J. , Sayeed Lutfus
Published: March 2007

Participants in the study were all 153 management and professional workers—the senior and management teams—of a division of an electric utility. We determined if the operations and staff departments and the senior team identified the same cultural gaps within the division. Having found differences, we then determined if these gaps could be explained by individual-difference variables derived from Kilmann's model of culture. The explanatory variables included social style, decision-making style, and basic values. Although the need for anonymity precluded the optimal method of data analysis, our data suggest that senior team members are versatile, have different decision-making styles, and have different basic values than the management team members. The article discusses how management can close the cultural gap, given the three groups' differences.
Implications of Member Role Differentiation
Authors: McClane William E.
Published: March 2007

Recent research exploring the leader-member exchange (LMX) model of leadership has suggested that members within the same work unit are differentiated in terms of their level of negotiating latitude. In this study, the possible impact of this role differentiation on member affective reactions was explored. As hypothesized, groups whose members experienced higher levels of negotiating latitude tended to have higher overall satisfaction with the leader, task, and co-workers. Contrary to expectations, however, the differentiation of follower roles was negatively related both to the level of negotiating latitude in the group and to member satisfaction with the task.
The Relationship between Supervisory Power and Organizational Characteristics
Authors: Atwater Leanne E.
Published: March 2007

This study tested hypotheses regarding the relationships between types of power used by supervisors and organizational characteristics. Data about organizational characteristics were provided by top level managers in 45 various organizations. Data about supervisory power were provided by 280 employees in those organizations. Results suggested that supervisors possessed more power in organizations that were formalized, growing, innovative, and not status stratified.
The Influence of Individual and Contextual Variables on 360-Degree Feedback System Attitudes
Authors: Funderburg Shelly Albright , Levy Paul E.
Published: March 2007

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the influence of individual and contextual variables on attitudes toward 360-degree feedback systems. It was hypothesized that individual differences as well as contextual factors would influence employees' receptivity to the implementation of a multirater appraisal system. Respondents were 52 employees from a manufacturing company and 23 employees from a telecommunications organization. All respondents had participated in the piloting of a multirater feedback system. The identified variables accounted for nearly 50% of the variance in 360-degree feedback system attitudes. These findings support the notion that organizations must begin to recognize the variety of needs of the workforce and understand the importance of providing a multitude of tools to improve performance. Further analyses indicated that contextual factors appear more important than personality in determining 360-degree attitudes. Implications for organizational practices are suggested along with areas of future research.
Perceptions of Relocation Services in Relocation Decision Making
Authors: Eby Lillian T. , Allen Tammy D.
Published: March 2007

The importance of relocation services is examined in a sample of 872 employees and spouses. Results indicated that spouses rated all relocation services higher than employees, with the exception of educational information. Comparisons among male and female employees, singleaners and dual-earners, as well as employees with children living at home and those without children living at home also yielded significant differences, primarily in terms of spouse employment assistance, dependent care information, and educational information. Results are discussed in terms of future research and practice, with an emphasis on exploring relocation issues for employees and spouses in a variety of a marital and family arrangements.
Adapted and Adaptive Properties in Neural Networks for Visual Pattern Discrimination: A Neurobiological Analysis Toward Neural Engineering
Authors: Ewert J.-P. , Buxbaum-Conradi H. , Fingerling S. , Schürg-Pfeiffer E. , Beneke T.W. , Dinges A.W. , Glagow M. , Schwippert W.W.
Published: March 2007

A topic of interdisciplinary research in neurobiology and neuroinformatics concerns visual pattern recognition by neuronal networks. Drawing on quantitative studies of visual releasers of prey catching in toads, it can be shown that moving objects are classified based on an evaluation of certain configurational features. The information regarding these features is provided in the manner of parallel distributed processing within a retino-pretectal-tectal interacting network. This processing structure is, to a considerable extent, modifiable and adaptive. Associative and nonassociative learning processes take advantage of loop operations involving various forebrain structures. An artificial neuronal net, applying some principles of the toad's visual system, is tested to promote the dialogue between neurobiology and engineering.
Reproduction of Nomative Agents: A Simulation Study
Authors: Paolucci Mario , ISTAT  , Conte Rosaria
Published: March 2007

The paper presents experiments of a simulation model of aggression control in populations of agents endowed with knowledge about others' reputation (compliant vs. cheaters). The reproduc tive advantages of different strategies of aggression control, i.e., normative (e.g., "do not attack a food-owner") vs. non-normative ("do not attack a stronger agent"), are compared under given cir cumstances (e.g., exchange of information about others' reputation).

The objectives of the model are: (a) investigate the role of social agents' internal variables (repre sentations, rules, etc.) in the interaction between social processes and agents; while the direction from agents to social processes is usually a focus of attention in simulation models, the reverse one (from social processes to agents) is not; our findings seem to show that some normative disposi tion of agents is an "emergent" effect of social processes; (b) question the widely shared assump tion that agents are egoist and all which is good in society is either an emergent effect of social life or an institutional task. Our findings seem to show that there may be an adaptive advantage in acting pro-socially.