bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Managers, Values, and Organization Development
Authors: Goodstein Leonard D.
Published: March 2007

In order to test the differences in values between managers and OD consul tants, the Management Values Inventory (MVI) was administered to sam ples of each group. The results revealed that the differences between the two groups were modest, even when statistically signficiant. The often-stated differences between these groups were not present on the MVI.
Passages Through the Organization: Old Dogs and New Tricks
Authors: Guy M.E.
Published: March 2007

Individual values of personnel change as their careers unfold with an organization. A comparison of staff's values at two hospitals indicates that, regardless of how long personnel work at the same site, their priorities are changing. The amount of conflict among those who have been employed equal lengths of time seems to reflect a cyclical phe nomenon in which one tenure cohort is in agreement whereas a different tenure cohort is in conflict. Much as Gail Sheehy's Passages describes the evolution of personal priorities, a similar phenomenon of passages occurs on the job. Implications for organization development are discussed.
Differential Performance Appraisal Criteria: A Field Study of Black and White Managers
Authors: Cox Taylor , Nkomo Stella M.
Published: March 2007

Performance appraisal ratings of 125 first-level managers were analyzed to investigate the degree to which the criteria used to evaluate the overall job performance of black managers differs from that used to evaluate white managers. The performance appraisal form included items that measured both the social behavior dimen sion and task/goal accomplishment dimension of job performance. The appraisal ratings of both groups on each dimension were correlated with measures of overall job performance and promot ability. Results indicated that social behavior factors are more highly correlated with the overall job performance of black ratees than for white ratees. Implications of these results for both black managers and organizations are discussed.
The Social Information Processing Model of Task Design
Authors: Schnake Mel E. , Dumler Michael P.
Published: March 2007

This research experimentally investigated the social information processing (SIP) model of task design in a realistic work setting. Subjects were hired from the community for temporary part-time clerical work and were exposed to positive cues from a supervisor, positive cues from a supervisor and negative cues from a coworker, or no social cues. Results suggest that although social cues may have little impact on perceived task characteristics, they are an important influence on other task-role perceptions. In addition, the research demonstrated the varying effect of social cues over time, indicated offsetting effects of conflicting cues, and offered little support for individual needs as moderating variables.
Determinants of the Institutionalization of Planned Organizational Change
Authors: Buller Paul F. , McEvoy Glenn M.
Published: March 2007

A survey of randomly selected employees from a large county government organization was taken to evaluate the extent to which a new performance appraisal system had been institutionalized, that is, had been accepted and was being used by the organization's members. A total of 477 out of 1,034 employees from six county departments completed the survey, for a 46% response rate. The results showed that employees perceived a moderate degree of institutionalization, with a significant difference between departments. Further, the new system was perceived to have had less than a moderate impact on performance. Four factors were found to contribute significantly to the perceived level of institutionalization, and five factors were found to have a significant effect on the perceived performance impact of the new system. It is suggested that improvements in one or more of these factors may enhance the level of institutionalization and the perceived performance impact.
Participative Decision Making
Authors: Schwarz Roger M.
Published: March 2007

This study examines the effects of participative decision making within the context of a union-management cooperative effort. A survey was administered to 664 data transcribers at two sites with participatively designed programs and three sites with programs designed by management alone. The participative decision-making programs were seen as more equitable, more responsive to problems, and more motivating, and they generated higher satisfaction. The moderate level of positive impact at the participative sites is considered to reflect the moderate level of the intervention.
Leadership and Corporate Audit Committee Effectiveness
Authors: Spangler William D. , Braiotta Louis
Published: March 2007

Audit committees are standing committees of corporate boards of directors with responsibility for overseeing the company's annual audit and coordinating the efforts of external auditors, senior management, and internal auditors. Despite the growing importance of audit committees in corporate governance and despite the increasing attention given to corporate financial fraud by the media and by the U.S. Congress, little research has inquired into the determinants of audit committee effectiveness. The purpose of this study was to examine audit committee effectiveness in terms of the leadership styles of audit committee chairpersons. Results of a survey mailed to audit committee members, external auditors, and senior management suggest that transformational leadership and active management by exception, as defined by Bass (1985), have a substantial impact on the performance of audit committees.
An Examination of the Correlates of Job Involvement
Authors: Elloy David F. , Everett James E. , Flynn W. Randolph
Published: March 2007

Rabinowitz and Hall (1977) suggested that the relationships between job involvement and personal situational characteristics and work outcomes are approximately equal in size. This study explored the portions of common variance shared with job involvement by combinations of personal and situational characteristics and outcome variables. Correlation and regression generally supported Rabinowitz and Hall's profile of the job-involved employee. Situational characteristics and outcome variables are each found to display comparable amounts of common variance with job involvement and considerably more than do personal characteristics.
Job Security, Health, and the Intrinsic and Extrinsic Characteristics of Work
Authors: Kuhnert Karl W. , Palmer Dale R.
Published: March 2007

This study extends previous work that has shown that perceived threats to the security of employees' jobs can have deleterious effects on their health. The study examined (a) whether intrinsic work characteristics are better predictors of perceived job security than extrinsic work characteristics and (b) whether job security contributes to the prediction of employee health independent of intrinsic and extrinsic characteristics of their jobs. Participants in the study were 104 employees from the central personnel office of a large state agency. Job security was found to be related to both intri nsic and extrinsic work factors, although more closely related to intrinsic factors. Perceptions of job security contributed unique (and significant) variance to the prediction of employee health, suggesting that job security is central to the physical and psychological well-being of employees. Implications for understanding the impact of job security on workers' lives are discussed.
The Importance of Equity Perception and Job Satisfaction in Predicting Employee Intent to Stay at Television Stations
Authors: Berg Thomas R.
Published: March 2007

The purpose of this study was to determine what predicts employee intent to stay at commercial television stations. Above-the-line employees of five commercial television stations completed a survey questionnaire, which focused on employee turnover in three departments: news, production, and sales. Data analysis indicated that a category of system outcomes predicted perception of equity; that a category of interpersonal outcomes, in conjunction with opportunity and perception of equity, predicted job satisfaction; and that job satisfaction, in conjunction with perception of equity and education, predicted intent to stay.
Perceptions of Subordinates and Requests for Support
Authors: Smith Gerri L. , DeWine Sue
Published: March 2007

This research was concerned with the consequences of organizational members requesting social support from superiors. Specifically, the effects of biological sex and sex role orientation on the superior's perception of the subordinate's communicative competence, when the subordinate requested support, was examined. Participating in the study were 137 midlevel managers/ administrators. Videotaped vignettes were developed based on subjects'responses to open-ended questions about typical problems they faced at work. Subjects were asked to assume the role of supervisor as they watched both male and female employees request help with a work-related problem and then evaluated the communicative competence of individuals in the vignettes. Monge, Bachman, Dillard, and Eisenberg's competence instrument was used. Subjects also completed the Personal Attributes Questionnaire. Ratings of the subordinate's communicative competence were examined in relation to the target's sex and to rater's sex and sex role. The female subordinate, when requesting support from the superior, was perceived as more competent than the male subordinate by both male and female subjects regardless of subjects' psychological gender. Implications of the results are discussed.
Conceptualizing the Role of Self-Esteem in the Burnout Process
Authors: Rosse Joseph G. , Boss R. Wayne , Johnson Alan E. , Crown Deborah F.
Published: March 2007

Recent studies have suggested that self-esteem may be an important variable in employee burnout, although questions remain as to how it affects burnout. Using separate, large samples of police officers (N = 1,163) and hospital workers (N = 494), self-esteem was investigated as an antecedent, moderator, or consequence of employee burnout. Self-esteem was clearly related to burnout, probably as both cause and consequence. However, we did not find that self-esteem acts as a "buffer" to protect individuals from becoming burned out or from experiencing health disorders once they have become burned out. These results indicate that self-esteem may be an important factor in predicting who will be more likely to develop burnout, and they also suggest the importance of rebuilding self-esteem as part of the rehabilitation of burned-out employees.
The Relationship between Organizational and Environmental Factors and the Use of Innovative Human Resource Practices
Authors: Tannenbaum Scott I. , Dupuree-Bruno Lisa M.
Published: March 2007

Few studies have examined the influence of organizational and environmental characteristics on human resource (HR) practices. To identify potential correlates of progressive HR practices, concepts from the innovation literature were applied. In particular, the extent was explored to which size, climate, organizational structure, external conditions, and workforce variables were related to the use of HR innovations in a sample of 40 New York State public agencies. Agency size and the external condition variables of labor availability and public scrutiny exhibited the strongest linear relationships with HR innovation. Formalization, centralization, and HR department climate demonstrated somewhat weaker linear effects. External favorability demonstrated a nonlinear relationship with HR innovation. The results are discussed with consideration given to the differences between idea generation and adoption, formal and informal innovations, organic and mechanistic organizational structures, and the role of the external environment. Diagnostic questions are provided to assist in the application of these findings to other settings.
A Social Cognitive Approach to Examining Joint Venture General Manager Performance
Authors: Frayne Colette A. , Geringer J. Michael
Published: March 2007

Joint ventures (JVs) are an important element of many firms' strategies, but many of these ventures fail to achieve their objectives. A critical factor influencing venture performance is the joint venture general manager (JVGM), because this executive must manage the frequently divergent motivations and cultures of each of the partner firms, as well as the competitive requirements of the JV itself. Yet minimal attention has been devoted to skills that might help improve performance of JVGMs and their ventures. This study addresses one particularly promising type of skill, self-management, which is a central variable in social cognitive theory. This study examines the relationship between self-management and JVGM performance, using both qualitative and quantitative research methods. Based on 95 responses from a sample of 39 JVs, several significant relationships were discovered between various dimensions of self-management practices and the performance of JVGMs and their JVs. The implications of these findings for theory and practice are discussed, along with the organizational implications of using social cognitive theory to examine JVGM performance.
Dutch Reactions to Behavioral Observation, Behavioral Expectation, and Trait Scales
Authors: Wiersma Uco J. , Van Den Berg Peter T. , Latham Gary P.
Published: March 2007

Dutch managers and computer programmers appraised the performance of a subordinate or peer, respectively, using Behavioral Observation scales (BOS), Behavioral Expectation scales (BES), and Trait scales, and then evaluated the three appraisal instruments on eight criteria: ability to give feedback, ability to differentiate, objectivity, position differences, ability to provide training, setting corporate-wide standards, ability to set goals, and overall ease of use. Users preferred the BOS to the BES on seven criteria, and to the Trait Scale on all but two criteria. They preferred the Trait Scale to the BES on two criteria, namely, ease of use and position differences, and considered the BES and Trait scale equivalent on the remaining criteria. These findings parallel those found in a similar study conducted in the United States.
The Role of Justice Judgments in Explaining the Relationship between Job Satisfaction and Organizational Commitment
Authors: Martin Christopher L. , Bennett Nathan
Published: March 2007

The organizational literature includes a number of studies examining the relationship between satisfaction and commitment. In all, the discrepant findings characteristic of this research seem to be a function of both the range of independent variables used by researchers to model the satisfaction-commitment relationship and the choice of satisfaction-commitment measures. We argue generally that justice judgments are central to the development of satisfaction and commitment. Specifically, the literature suggests that procedural justice is closely related to "global" evaluations of systems, leaders, and institutions (e.g., commitment); whereas distributive justice is closely linked to evaluations of "specific" personally relevant outcomes (e.g., facet satisfaction). Four competing models linking distributive and procedural justice to employee satisfaction and commitment were tested using confirmatory analytic techniques. Results suggest that, when considering the role of justice judgments, satisfaction and commitment are causally independent. Implications for both managerial practice and further research are discussed.
On the Meaning of Networks
Authors: Chisholm Rupert F.
Published: March 2007

Interorganizational networks are a key type of system that is emerging to meet requirements into the 21st century. This article analyzes the responses of 96 conference participants to determine what role a multiorganizational network may assume in community economic/social development. Participants identify embodying and maintaining vision, serving as a forum, promoting changes in attitudes and perceptions, and communication as key network functions. Results suggest several unique aspects of the network role in leading and supporting community economic and social development. Findings also demonstrate the capacity of relatively uninitiated participants to understand and describe crucial, yet subtle, aspects of networks. Such understanding is essential for building and managing networks hat can support broad-based development.
Predictors of Employee Preferences for Multirater and Group-Based Performance Appraisal
Authors: Waldman David A.
Published: March 2007

This study conceptualizes and measures user preferences for 360-degree appraisals and group-level performance management (PM). Users are defined as either recipients of PM processes or those whose job it is to administer the process. Aspects of individual users, their work design, and current appraisal context were used to predict preferences. Two studies were conducted involving data collection in a large Canadian telecommunications conglomerate and a department of the Canadian government, respectively. Predictors explained significant amounts of variance in user preferences, especially those pertaining to group-level PM. Practical implications are suggested with regard to collecting and using user preferences. In addition, suggestions for future research are offered concerning the need to examine a broad range of users in different organizational settings and to measure actual system design features and their effectiveness.
Change, Transfer Climate, and Customer Orientation
Authors: Bennett Joel B. , Lehman Wayne E. K. , Forst Jamie K.
Published: March 2007

The success of large-scale or “paradigm change” training programs often hinge on work climate factors that support transfer of training. Focus groups ( N = 70) and survey data from both trained ( N = 564) and untrained ( N = 345) municipal employees were used to assess perceptions related to change (e. g., role ambiguity) and transfer climate that constrained or facilitated their use of Total Quality (TQ) training. Employees who felt blocked from applying training reported significantly less customer orientation than untrained employees, whereas those reporting a helpful transfer climate reported significantly more customer orientation than the untrained group. Regression analyses suggested that controlling for contextual factors (e. g., department affiliation), both a change and stress climate and, to a lesser extent, transfer climate (e. g., supervisor and coworker support) predicted customer orientation. Results have implications for organizational development practitioners and managers who seek to improve transfer of training in the midst of organizational change and stress.
The Impact of High Involvement Work Processes on Organizational Effectiveness
Authors: Vandenberg Robert J. , Richardson Hettie A. , Eastman Lorrina J.
Published: March 2007

Using a second-order latent variable approach with 3,570 participants across 49 organizations, the current study examined the impact of high involvement work processes upon organizational effectiveness. Using a structural model of higher order influences, and taking into consideration mixed-level effects, the analyses supported a model in which a collection of organizational practices positively influenced high involvement work processes. In turn, the high involvement processes influenced organizational effectiveness (defined through return on equity [ROE] and turnover) both directly and indirectly through positive influence on employee morale. The implications of these findings for expanding this perspective of high involvement are presented as well as issues needing immediate attention in the research literature.
Dynamic Scheduling and Division of Labor in Social Insects
Authors: Campos Mike , Bonabeau Eric , Théraulaz Guy , Deneubourg Jean-Louis
Published: March 2007

A method for assigning tasks or resources, based on a model of division of labor in social insects, is introduced and applied to a dynamic flow shop scheduling problem. The problem consists of assigning trucks to paint booths in a truck facility to minimize total makespan and the number of paint flushes. Similarities between the ant-based approach and a market-based approach are high-lighted. Both systems are able to adapt well to changing conditions.
Postponed Conditioning: Testing a Hypothesis About Synaptic Strengthening
Authors: Halperin Janet R. P. , Dunham David W.
Published: March 2007

A connectionist neural circuit model of motivated behavior that uses a variant on Hebbian synaptic plasticity (Halperin, 1990, 1991) predicts that transient excitatory conditioning should occur to a stimulus presented after the US has been removed, provided that this CS presentation is postponed until just before the end of a behavioral afterdischarge. We report here some experimental confirmations of this prediction, using the social display system of male Siamese fighting fish, in which afterdischarge is visually observable. A mirror was presented and removed, to elicit social display followed by display afterdischarge. A CS object was presented just as the afterdischarge faded. After 10 to 12 such pairings, the CS shown alone elicited display. The model, however, also predicts that no excitatory conditioning should occur to a CS presented near the beginning of a long afterdischarge. This arrangement and an unpaired CS condition were used as controls, and the prediction was confirmed. However, the model further suggests that a CS presented at the beginning of an afterdischarge should show excitatory conditioning if the display afterdischarge could be artificially shortened so that the CS presentation would come just before the end of the afterdischarge. In a second experiment, the CS was presented immediately after mirror removal, and then afterdischarge was ended by feeding the fighting fish a guppy. Since the CS now predicted the arrival of food as well as the end of the afterdischarge, we depressed conditioned feeding responses by food-satiating the fish before presenting the CS alone. Display conditioning was confirmed. Controls were included for the effects of feeding.
On Rate-Sensitive Habituation
Authors: Staddon John E. R.
Published: March 2007

The responses elicited by many stimuli diminish in strength with repeated stimulus presentation (habituation). This property is consistent with models in which short-term memory for recent stimuli suppresses the current response. Habituation also depends on stimulus spacing: It occurs more rapidly when interstimulus intervals (ISIs) are short than when they are long, but also recovers more rapidly after short ISIs (rate sensitivity). The effect of ISI on habituation rate is consistent with a simple one-stage process, but the effect of ISI on recovery rate seems to require a serial process in which two or more habituating units are cascaded, with earlier (peripheral) units in the series having shorter time constants than later (central) units. Rate-sensitive habituation may underlie puzzling effects of reinforcement learning such as the partial-reinforcement and successive-contrast effects.
Sequential Behavior and Learning in Evolved Dynamical Neural Networks
Authors: Yamauchi Brian M. , Beer Randall D.
Published: March 2007

This article explores the use of a real-valued modular genetic algorithm to evolve continuous-time recurrent neural networks capable of sequential behavior and learning. We evolve networks that can generate a fixed sequence of outputs in response to an external trigger occurring at varying intervals of time. We also evolve networks that can learn to generate one of a set of possible sequences based on reinforcement from the environment. Finally, we utilize concepts from dynamical systems theory to understand the operation of some of these evolved networks. A novel feature of our approach is that we assume neither an a priori discretization of states or time nor an a priori learning algorithm that explicitly modifies network parameters during learning. Rather, we merely expose dynamical neural networks to tasks that require sequential behavior and learning and allow the genetic algorithm to evolve network dynamics capable of accomplishing these tasks.
Computationally Efficient Approach for the Integration of Design and Manufacturing in CE
Authors: Öztürk Nursel , Öztürk Ferruh
Published: March 2007

Today, companies are faced with fierce competition which is characterized by the necessity to bring the higher quality prod ucts and lower priced products to the market in shorter times than their competitors. The key to the success of organizations is the effec tive integration of design and applications following design such as machining, process planning, analysis, assembly, inspection etc. It was seen that effectiveness of the traditional CIM systems is not satisfactory to ensure competitiveness and high productivity. Recently, the concept of CE has been proposed to overcome the problems exist in integration. However, it has been recognized by both academic and industrial environments that efficient application of CE is still not achieved. In this research, STEP based feature recognition using neural networks is presented to develop feature based model and to enhance the integration of production activities in CE.
An Optimization System with Integrated Knowledge Base
Authors: Bengü Gölgen
Published: March 2007

A microcomputer-based optimization system with an integrated knowledge base is described The objective of the system is to consolidate the analytic and simulation techniques relevant to the problem domain, and employ a knowledge-based framework to interface with the user to capture the problem knowledge, choose the appropriate technique(s), execute the technique, validate the approach, and finally prescribe a solution The functional design of the system is illustrated using the continuous review inventory system as the problem domain. The system is designed to increase the transparency of the solution process (to the user), namely understanding the basic issues of the problems and tailoring a solution technique based on the characteristics of the problem and the capabilities of the model base. Additionally, the problem-solving approach embodied in the design provides pointers to the concurrent engineering of business systems such as inventory management systems
Prototyping: a Tool for Rapid Learning in Product Development
Authors: Barkan Philip , Iansiti Marco
Published: March 2007

This paper examines the crucial roles which prototyping plays in fast-start product development - a concept which emphasizes thorough, up-front planning, early product definition, greater staffing during the start-up phase of the program, and intensive early-design effort. The diverse uses of prototypes in product development are first reviewed in general terms, followed by an examination of how prototypes were used in a number of development projects studied as part of the "Manufacturing Vision" program [2]. The effectiveness of use of prototypes at critical junctures proved to be pivotal events in the outcome of many of the product development programs studied.
Performance Analysis of Design Process Using Timed Petri Nets
Authors: Belhe Upendra , Kusiak Andrew
Published: March 2007

Design in a concurrent engineering environment attempts to minimize the total design time subject to variety of constraints. A limited number of available human resources constrain the simultaneous execution of design activities. In this paper, a timed Petri-net model is built to represent the design process as a discrete event process. The state equations for the timed Petri-net model are established by dioid algebra. When the durations of design activities are deterministic, the allocation of human resources is analyzed by this model by determining the start times of the succeeding activities The discussion on the behavior of the system is further extended to the case when the occurrences of events are probabilistic.
Design for Stamping: a Group Technology-based Approach
Authors: Poli Corrado , Mahajan Prashant , Dastidar Pratip , Graves Robert J.
Published: March 2007

The design of parts for metal stamping is often accomplished following a rules-of-thumb-based design process. The approach descnbed here, as part of a broader design for manufacturability (DFM) strategy, is based upon detailed models in contrast to rules of thumb and is developed through extensive interactions with toolmakers and stampers. The design for stamping (DFS) system includes consideration of costs due to rooling, costs due to processing, and costs due to material where these costs are functions of the part design, thus enabling qualitative and quantitative assessments at a preliminary concept sketch as well as further developed design stages.
Multimedia Processing in Concurrent Engineering
Authors: Golshani Forouzan , Henderson Mark R. , Nielson Gregory M.
Published: March 2007

Many types of information that traditionally were considered to be analog, such as images and sound, are now processed and utilized in digital form. These developments require the integration of storage, communication, analysis, and presentation mechanisms for diverse types of data, including still images, graphics, audio, video, and text. Scientific visualization enables engineers and scientists to examine large amounts of data efficiently and with a greater degree of comprehension In the recent years, visualization has become an important component of the scientific discovery process. Concurrent engineering refers to the methodology used by a team for simultaneously designing the entire life cycle of a product from product specification and design, through manufacturing and assembly, to shipping and disposal.
Standardising the Design of Automobile Electronic Inter-Connection Architectures Using the Analytical Hierarchy Process
Authors: O'Connor R.F. , Williams G.B.
Published: March 2007

The specification of automobile electrical and electronic inter-connection architecture is becoming increasingly complex The designer not only has a wider range of devices and control circuits to choose from, but must also consider the "best" strategies for supply, manufacture, assembly and service Details are presented relating to a methodology that embraces a comprehensive scheme of decision criteria Life Cycle Cost Analysis is used to calculate a realistic cost comparator between architecture alternatives This information is used with decision factors of design, manufacture, assembly and logistics as input to the Analytical Hierarchy Process The result is a multi-criteria decision technique that pro motes a scientific selection of design alternatives. A comprehensive set of criteria are considered in such a way that a Concurrent Engineering approach to architecture design is promoted
Predictable Leader Election Algorithm
Authors: Tai Woo Kim  , Tai Yun Kim
Published: March 2007

The existing leader election algorithm can be characterized by the extrema-finding algorithm in which all nodes are assumed to have a unique ID number. The leader to be elected is the node simply having the largest ID number. In this paper, the leader election algorithm which is based upon the performance and operation rate of nodes and links is proposed. The per formance of the existing leader election algorithms should be improved because the system pauses until a node becomes a unique leader among all nodes in the system. The pre-election algorithm which elects a leader while leader is running is also proposed.
Modelling Manufacturing Process Information Using EXPRESS
Authors: Al-Ashaab Ahmed H. S. , Young Robert I. M.
Published: March 2007

A critically important aspect of concurrent engineering is to ensure that the most appropriate information is available, early in the design process, to support design decision making The authors of this paper consider that future software systems can be of particular benefit to concurrent engineering by providing such information support Two complementary areas of information, product and manufacturing process information, have been identified as necessary to support the design process The authors have explored the representation of manufacturing process information, within a Manufacturing Model, to support design decision making
Concurrent Engineering in the Construction Industry
Authors: Love Peter E. D. , Gunasekaran A.
Published: March 2007

The construction industry has been suffering from low productivity and poor performance In an attempt to improve its performance, industry practitioners and researchers have looked at the manufacturing industry as a point of reference and a source of innovation Conse quently, the industry has acquired and adapted the Concurrent Engineering (CE) approach to manufacturing, to construction Concurrent Con struction (CC) The motivation for importing a CE approach to construction is presented in this paper To assist in overcoming the industry's poor productivity and performance, this paper suggests that construction processes need to be carried out concurrently Furthermore, people in volved in the project need to be integrated into a unified development process by becoming a multi-disciplinary team Thus, all downstream aspects of the design and construction process and non-value adding activities (waste) can be considered throughout the design stage of the project
Levity and Learning: Lessons from Life in a Family and Family Counseling
Authors: Gladding Samuel T.
Published: March 2007

In humorous moments, family counselors and families often learn a lot about themselves and their relationships. This article focuses on the importance of levity and learning within family life and family counseling through the use of a series of vignettes drawn from the author’s own experiences.
Play and Family Therapy
Authors: Rotter Joseph C. , Bush Melissa V.
Published: March 2007

This article looks at current literature that emphasizes the importance of involving children in the therapeutic process. It reviews several approaches to including children through the use of play in family therapy. The emphasis is on the need to understand how children express themselves differently from adults and how family therapists can best engage children as significant family members in the therapeutic process.
A Biopsychosocial Theory of Infertility
Authors: Gerrity Deborah A.
Published: March 2007

This article briefly reviews the literature on infertility and its emotional, physical, existential, and relational effects on individuals, couples, and families. Life crisis and biopsychosocial theories are discussed as they apply to persons struggling with infertility issues. In addition, stage models derived from a biopsychosocial perspective are presented. Most of the literature applies to White, middleclass persons. A short review of the literature for diverse individuals (race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, marital status) is included. Treatment suggestions are posited for the mental health practitioner working with individuals and/or couples.
Effective Group Work for Elementary School-Age Children Whose Parents are Divorcing
Authors: DeLucia-Waack Janice L. , Gerrity Deborah
Published: March 2007

Parental divorce is the issue of most concern for elementary school children. The purpose of this article is to describe interventions for children-of-divorce groups for elementary school children. Specifically, this article will suggest guidelines related to goal setting; securing agency and parental consent; leadership planning; recruitment, screening, and selection of members; group member needs and goal assessment; group format; and specific group interventions.
Children as Participants in Family Therapy: Practice, Research, and Theoretical Concerns
Authors: Miller Lynn D. , McLeod Elissa
Published: March 2007

The inclusion of children in family therapy is an issue that has been largely overlooked in the research literature. Although many of the founders of family systems approaches espouse the inclusion of children in therapy, today family systems therapists are often not working with the entire family. In practice, family counselors more often than not exclude children or include them when convenient or by default. Reasons for this dichotomy are explored and implications for practice and training are discussed. An inventory of questions for professionals to consider including children in their own practice is offered.
Opening Space for Client Reflection: A Postmodern Consideration
Authors: West John D. , Watts Richard E. , Trepal Heather C. , Wester Kelly L. , Lewis Todd F.
Published: March 2007

It is suggested in this article that perhaps during those occasions in which some distance exists between ourselves and our problems in life, we might experience an opportunity for reflective thinking. It is also suggested that opportunities for reflective thinking might be of benefit to clients in counseling. This article reviews selected literature addressing reflective thinking and it reviews selected literature that would seem to provide a perspective on facilitating “space” for reflective thinking during family counseling.
Racial Socialization in African American Families: The Art of Balancing Intolerance and Survival
Authors: Stevenson Howard C.
Published: March 2007

The climate of racial hostility in American society remains one of the most difficult obstacles for families of color to overcome. As African Americans and other families of color raise their children to become healthy, wealthy, and wise, many feel compelled to prepare them psychologically for survival in this climate. This article takes the stance that racial socialization is necessary to ameliorate the impact of racial hostilities and for African American children to achieve and develop positive self-images. Family therapists must understand not only how societal institutions (e.g., school) may adversely affect the psychological well-being of children and their parents, but also how to intervene.
Introduction
Authors: Walsh William M.
Published: March 2007

The case consultation column is intended to be both theoretical and applied. Each journal issue addresses a particular case or professional issue from a specific therapeutic model or professional position. Different therapeutic models are used as treatment options to cases submitted by practitioners. The theory of each model is used to explain the dynamics of the case, as well as to serve as the basis for treatment suggestions and techniques that may be appmpriate to that model and case. Professional issues are treated from contrasting positions with different treatment options whenever possible.
Families and Forgiveness: A Theoretical and Therapeutic Framework
Authors: Hargrave Terry D.
Published: March 2007

Although forgiveness is a concept with which families from various cultures have been familiar for ages, there has been little in the way of therapeutic literature that seeks to define and delineate methodology to help families in the process of forgiving. This article examines a theoreticalframework in which therapeutic forgiveness is conceptualized as afour-station process of insight, understanding, giving the opportunity for compensation, and overt forgiving. A definition of forgiveness, theoretical reasoning for forgiveness, and how the framework is applied in family therapy are discussed.
The Presentation Effect and the Family Counseling Literature
Authors: Huber Charles H.
Published: March 2007

This article addresses the "presentation effect" that occurs when text-books offer minimal or no coverage of a topic and thus leave studentsmarginally informed or unaware of potentially important information. A recent four-article exchange from the family counseling literature regarding textbook coverage of abortion and adoption is reviewedto highlight this issue.
Strategies for Career Assessment Research on the Internet
Authors: Oliver Laurel W. , Chartrand Judy M.
Published: March 2007

Research is essential for the development of Internet career assessment, yet little research has been published to date. This paper describes several different data collection approaches suitable for the Internet, including survey research, case studies, and participant observation. Areas of needed research are identified including the evaluation of measures and interventions on the Internet and recruiting sites and the examination of other career-related Internet phenomena, such as chat rooms and message boards. Aspects of Internet career research are described in the context of intervention models and research questions that may differ from those of traditional research. Finally, challenges researchers may encounter are presented, such as the ease and rapidity of site changes and the difficulties associated with funding site research and development.
The Interest-Finder: Evidence of Validity
Authors: Wall Janet E. , Baker Harley E.
Published: March 2007

Developed over a 4-year period by the Department of Defense, the Interest-Finder assesses the RIASEC constructs associated with Holland's (1985a) vocational personality theory. Analyses based on a large national sample of high school students and military recruits (N = 3,608), were conducted to assess Interest-Finder content-, construct-, and criterion-related evidence of validity. Results showed that the Interest-Finder (a) is composed of six factors, with each factor representing one RIASEC domain, (b) has a hexagonal shape, (c) has substantial relationships with the Strong Interest Inventory (SII; Hansen & Campbell, 1985), (d) can predict certain high school courses taken by students, and (e) can predict certain types of career choices made by high school students. The Interest-Finder is an exceptionally promising instrument with very high levels of reliability and validity.
The Impact of Evaluation Procedure on Occupational Sex-Typing at Different Educational Levels
Authors: Kulik Liat
Published: March 2007

This article examines the impact of two evaluation conditions on sex-typing of occupations in Israel: "vague instructions" (no specific criterion for assessing gender-based occupational stereotypes), and "gender-related capabilities" (i.e., gender attributes perceived as essential for practicing an occupation). The sample consisted of 614 respondents from four different educational groups: junior high school students, high school students, university students, and teachers. Sex-typing was examined according to three occupational categories: "feminine," "masculine," and "gender neutral," reflecting the representation of the genders in each field in Israel. On the whole it was found that in the "gender-related capabilities" condition respondents expressed less sex-typed perceptions of occupations than in the "vague instructions" condition. In addition, the findings revealed that the university students expressed less sex-typed perceptions than the other education groups in both evaluation conditions. Regarding the impact of gender, the female respondents were generally less sex-typed than the males regardless of evaluation condition. Several practical recom mendations are provided in an attempt to counteract sex-typing of occupations at different educational levels.
International Cooperation in Conflict: A Study of the Contradictions between International Trade Agreements and Environmental Responsibilities
Authors: Taylor Annie
Published: March 2007

International agreements for trade liberalization and national and international environmental concerns are increasingly perceived as being in conflict. Thechiefdangeristhattheseconflictsmayunderminetheeffectiveness of international cooperation on both trade and environmental issues. The conflicts between the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade and the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer are a case in point. This article examines these conflicts and their possible resolution, focusing on the case of India. A common agenda unifying these concerns is emerging, but remains in a rudimentary form. Only with explicit acknowledgment of the inherent conflict between trade and environmental agreements can future discord be averted.
CONFERENCE REPORT Local Heritage in the Changing Tropics: Innovative Strategies for Natural Resource Management and Control YALE SCHOOL OF FORESTRY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, New Haven CT, February 10-12, 1995
Authors: Hardner Jared
Published: March 2007

In recent years, international concern has mounted in response to the destruction of cultures and associated natural resource use systems at the economic frontier between the global economy and traditional societies. Local peoples have forged new alliances amongst themselves and with global partners to assert customary resource control. Constructive alternatives to the victimization of market new-comers as well as the amelioration of long-standing inequities faced by 'traditional' resource users are being developed in diverse settings by indigenous groups, labor organizations, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), research institutions, governments, and other entities.
Environmental Conflict: Reviewing the Arguments
Authors: Elliott Lorraine
Published: March 2007

Much attention has recently been focused on the concept of environmental security. Two main schools of thought regarding environmental security have arisen, those of the "environment-and-security" scholars and those of the "securing-the-environment" school. This article examines and compares the two schools of thought as they address the issue of environmental conflict, concluding that the less militaristic focus of the second is better suited to identifying and preventing causes of such conflict.
Citizen and Biomedical Responses to the Dutch Pollution/Health Debate
Authors: L'Engle Williams Frank
Published: March 2007

The impact of pollution on the well-being of Dutch citizens in the Netherlands is currently the subject of acrimonious debate between the volunteers of the Dutch NGO (nongovernmental organization) Health and Environment and Dutch doctors of environmental medicine. The volunteers of NGO Health and Envi ronment have challenged the epidemiological approach employed by doctors of environmental medicine by means of the registration of citizens'environmentally related health complaints into a nationwide database. The perspectives of NGO Health and Environment volunteers and doctors of environmental medicine differ radically with regard to (a) how to ascertain exposure to pollutants and (b) how to evaluate environmentally related health complaints from citizens. The objective of this study was to find ways in which NGO Health and Environment and doctors of environmental medicine could work together more closely to better understand how environmental pollution may affect human health in the Netherlands.
Economic Integration and the Environment in Southeast Asia: Securing Gains from Open Markets While Preventing Further Environmental Degradation
Authors: Clémençon Raymond
Published: March 2007

Economic integration and freer trade are expected to further boost economic growth in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). Rapid growth, however, is causing increasingly serious environmental degradation and depletion of the natural resource base. Without determined political steps in ASEAN countries, supported by international cooperation, a further wors ening of the state of the environment in this region of the world may soon affect the very basis on which economic development depends. This article is based on a workshop on economic integration and environment in Southeast Asia and explores options ASEAN countries have for addressing the environmental challenges ahead while enjoying the benefits from trade liberalization.