bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Design Strategy from the Population Perspective
Authors: Aldrich Howard , McKelvey Bill , Ulrich Dave
Published: March 2006

The population perspective on organizational change downplays the consequences of managerial action and focuses on populations rather than on single organizations as evolving units. The population perspective is useful in suggesting broad classes of design strategies. Using this perspective, we argue that models of organizational change must accurately represent the diversity of units studied, be based on tests of alternative explanations, and explicitly incorporate organizational dynamics. Moreover, designs must take account of five empirical generalizations about organizations: individuals' intentions are not a good guide to organizational outcomes, environments are difficult to describe with typologies of a few attributes, designs are a joint product of organizational forms and environmental characteristics, population effects are as important as individual intentions, and environmental trends are increasingly short-lived. We present a simple classification of four categories of macro environments and draw inferences about the kinds of design strategies appropriate in each. We conclude with a strategy of design strategies: questions and issues to consider before beginning detailed planning.
The Anatomy of Organizational Design
Authors: Kimberly John R.
Published: March 2006

Current conceptualizations of organizational design context and process are examined, with the focus on a design/implement/evaluate approach. A case study of the developmental history of an educational service center, the Joint Access Cooperative System, is used to illustrate the ways in which current concepts are deficient and incomplete. Modifications which acknowledge the complexities involved over time in the design and redesign of an organization are explored. A more central role is advocated for the dimensions of personality, politics, pragmatism, and chance in the dynamics of organizational design.
The Effects of Group Performance on Cognitions, Satisfaction, and Behavior: A Process Model
Authors: Dorfman Peter W. , Stephan Walter G.
Published: March 2006

A model was developed and tested that traces the process by which group task performance influences individual cognitive and affective responses and the ways that these factors in turn influence subsequent effort and performance. The results indicated that initial performance influences attributions which in turn affect effort-reward expectancies. It was also found that attributions and expectancies had direct influences on satisfaction and indirect influences on subsequent effort and performance. With regard to intragroup processes it was found that high-cohesive groups outperformed low-cohesive groups. Individuals shared credit for success with their teammates while blaming members of opposing teams for their failures.
A Comparison of Centralizationl Decentralization of Decision Making Concepts and Measures
Authors: Carter Nancy M. , Cullen John B.
Published: March 2006

Representing three perspectives which have guided researchers, three new measures of Centralization/Decentralization (C/D) were developed and compared with the most common C/D indicator. The findings suggest that the measures tap different aspects of C/D. In addition, C/D was found to vary by the type of decision involved. Future researchers are cautioned to avoid using different conceptualizations of C/D interchangeably.
The Usefulness of Myth and the Myth of Usefulness: A Dilemma for the Applied Organizational Scientist
Authors: Schwartz Howard S.
Published: March 2006

The existential psychology of Ernest Becker (1971, 1973, 1975) is used to argue that organizations exist to provide a framework of myth which makes action possible. What they see as "useful" consists in furtherance of the myth. But knowledge about organizations requires seeing the myth as a myth: demythologizing. This poses a dilemma for the applied organizational scientist.
Understanding Organizations: The Poetic Mode
Authors: Ebers Mark
Published: March 2006

As a system of understanding reality, the organizational culture and symbolism perspective is similar to Romanticism. Both movements arose out of the recognition of the inadequacies of rationalism, and both attempt to chart areas of the human experience through the imagination in terms of metaphors, symbols, and myths. A comparison of the two, therefore, serves to explain the rise of the cultural and symbolic perspective in organizational studies and its theoretical basis. Further, the comparison at once suggests the potential of the symbolist perspective as well as its problems, especially relativism and the love of distance, while indicating how that perspective may evolve as a total system.
A Multiple-Period, Mixed-Integer-Programming Model for Multinational Facility Location
Authors: Haug Peter
Published: March 2006

Existing literature on multinational enterprises andfacility location lacks discussion of foreign site selection problems. This article presents a multiple-period, mixed-integer-programming mathematical model that maximizes after-tax profit to the parent corporation by selecting the optimal overseas manufacturing location(s). The model deals with such factors as time, political risk and threat of expropriation, host-nation incentives and regulations, labor characteristics and training grants, technology and experience effects, and parts and sourcing. A data matrix, using columns to define variables and rows to define the objective function and constraints, is presented. A hypothetical example illustrates the model, which is applicable to varying problem sizes even though the size of the data matrix increases quickly with larger-scale site-selection problems.
Taking Stock of Organizational Decline Management: Some Issues and Illustrations From an Empirical Study
Authors: Murray V. V. , Jick T. D.
Published: March 2006

This article reviews the recent literature on organizational decline and identifies four key elements or events: the problem definition decision process, substantive cutback decisions, the implementation process, and the resulting outcomes. The conceptual and empirical literature to date is somewhat deficient and limited in linking these elements together. A more integrative approach is demonstrated by our longitudinal research study of six hospitals which faced underfunding over a period offive years. Using a mixture of qualitative and quantitative methods, the responses of these hospitals to moderate cutbacks is documented and explained in the context of the phases noted above. Our findings illustrate the importance of linking rather than isolating the four components of decline management. It is suggested that this framework provides both a diagnostic explanatory toolfor practitioners and a source of useful hypotheses for researchers.
Management and Research Methodology
Authors: McGuire Jean B.
Published: March 2006

This article analyzes the relevance of the literature on research methodology to understanding the difficulty of linking theory and management practice, and the problems faced by the management professional in attempting to apply experience to new situations. After comparing the needs and modes of thinking of managers and researchers, it argues that each is faced with two issues: abstracting the more generally applicable elements of theories as experience and assessing the generalizability of their conclusions. Guidelines for each of these issues are provided, and the way in which researchers and practitioners can benefit from each others' perspectives is discussed.
Notes on the Practical and Theoretical Consequences of Implicit Leadership Theories for the Future of Leadership Measurement
Authors: Phillips James S. , Lord Robert G.
Published: March 2006

The accuracy of leadership questionnaires has been the subject of considerable debate in recent years. Although research has demonstrated that such measures can often be systematically biased indices of leader behavior, the issues surrounding the appropriate use of questionnaires are far from resolved. To help clarify some of these concerns, the present article attempts to (a) present a meaningful definition of accuracy in the measurement of leadership, (b) summarize the conclusions from existing research concerning leadership questionnaires, (c) assess the consequences of this research, and (d) offer several practical recommendations for the future of leadership questionnaires.
Thinking About Implementation
Authors: Sproull Lee S. , Hofmeister Kay Ramsay
Published: March 2006

This article is about the cognitive aspects of implementation. Recent ideas from cognitive psychology are used to explore the role of differential perceptions, attributions, and inferences in how people, especially managers, think about implementation. Illustrative data are presented from a case of managerial innovation in one urban school district. In the course of implementing the innovations management-by-objectives program-some perceptions, attributions, and inferences shifted over time, but initial major differences associated with organizational position and commitment to the innovation did not change. Implications are suggestedfor managers and for researchers who study implementation.
Uniformity and Variation in Occupational Earngs Determination: Potential Sources of Incomparable Worth
Authors: Fiorito Jack , Greer Charles R. , Dauffenbach Robert C.
Published: March 2006

This article examined earnings across different occupational groups to determine whether compensable factors (characteristics on which organizations base compensation) are treated uniformly. The dependent variable for this study was the log, of mean occupational earnings for males employed year-round in 300 out of 463 detailed 1970 Census occupations. The independent variables were human capital, labor market, industry, and job task. Job task variables were based on the Position Analysis Questionnaire (PAQ). Factor, correlation, and regression analyses were used to examine the data. Results indicate that compensable factors are rewarded differentially among occupational groups, but that there are no radically different emphases on specific compensable factors. The implications of these differencesfor the comparable worth issue callfor additional research.
A Preliminary Investigation Into the Influence of Customer-Firm Interface on Information Processing and Task Activities in Service Organizations
Authors: Mills Peter K. , Turk Thomas
Published: March 2006

This study examined how customer-firm interface (CFI) mediates the relationship between information processing and task activities in service organizations. Data were collectedfrom 181 service clerks, 83 nurses, and 126 pilot trainers, with average ages of 27 years, 38 years, and 31 years, respectively. The subjects were selectedfrom two retail organizations, two hospitals, and a military installation. Ninety-one percent of the pilot trainers and 63% of the retail clerks were male; all the nurses were female. Information processing was measured in terms of equivocality and amount, and correlational and hierarchical regression analyses were used to examine the data. CFI was found to mediate the relationship between information equivocality and task activities. CFI and task activities were also independently related to information amount. These findings suggest an expansion of earlier research showing only a bivariate relationship between information processing and task activities.
From the Atlantic to the Pacific Century: Cross-Cultural Management Reviewed
Authors: Adler Nancy J. , Doktor Robert , Redding S. Gordon
Published: March 2006

This article reviews the areas of comparative and cross-cultural management and discusses the impact of cultural diversity on international organizational behavior. With the growing shift of business from the Atlantic to the Pacific Basin, East-West cultural differences are becoming increasingly significant. Research in developmental psychology, sociology, and anthropology shows that there are major differences among the cognitive processes of people from different cultures. In the era of the global corporation, cultural diversity has to be recognized, understood, and appropriately used in organizations. It is suggested that cross-cultural management would greatly benefitfrom comparative studies considering the impact of the cognitive aspects of culture on managerial practice.
Correspondence From Henry L. Gantt to an Old Friend Reveals New Information About Gantt
Authors: Petersen Peter B.
Published: March 2006

This article provides fresh insights into the life of Henry L. Gantt by examining the papers of Duncan C. Lyle (1847-1938), Gantt's confidant, friend, and former teacher at the McDonogh School in Maryland. Lyle's papers at the McDonogh School include previously unrecorded articles and personal letters of Gantt's along with articles about him. These materials reveal new information about Gantt during his collaboration with Frederick W. Taylor and during his later years when he acted independently. Of particular interest are items pertaining to Gantt's involvement with a group called The New Machine and the question of Gantt's sanity in his later years.
Attribution Theories of Leadership and Network Analysis
Authors: McElroy James C. , Shrader Charles B.
Published: March 2006

This article examines the potential of applying network analysis to attribution theories of leadership. Network analysis allows the identification of social groups linked together by work, friendship, influence, or communication relations and of the relative position of actors within the social group. Moreover, network properties such as centrality, influence domain or prestige, and the presence of isolates enable the identification of leaders in relation to their position, status, and influence in a particular social setting. The use of network analysis in evaluating leader-subordinate relationships and leader behavior descriptions is discussed and a research agenda suggested.
Is Strategic Management Ideological?
Authors: Shrivastava Paul
Published: March 2006

This article advocates a new approach to research in strategic managementlbusiness policy. Organizational strategy is viewed as praxis, an action concept that involves integrating theory and practice. This advocacy is based on a critique of the existing ideological underpinnings of the field on five criteria. These include (a) the factual underdetermination of action norms, (b) the universalization of sectional interests, (c) the denial of contradictions and conflicts, (d) the normative idealization of sectional goals, and (e) the naturalization of the status quo. Conceptualizing strategy as praxis, the article suggests ways by which the field can reorient itself to lessen its ideological burden.
Managing From Below
Authors: Woodworth Warner P.
Published: March 2006

This article makes a case for workers' self-management through bottom-up strategies and decisions. The Mondragon system of 89 industrial cooperatives, operating in the Basque region of northern Spain, is viewed as a worker-designed organizational network that ensures equality as well as efficiency. The criteria for assessing the Mondragon experience include job retention and expansion, healthy labor relations, individual and collective motivation, organizational performance, and wealth creation. The implications of a worker-managed economy for American scholars and practitioners are discussed.
Applying a Causal Analytic Framework to the Mobley, Horner, and Hollingsworth (1978) Turnover Model: A Useful Reexamination
Authors: Bannister Brendan D. , Griffeth Rodger W.
Published: March 2006

Mobley, Horner, and Hollingsworth (1978) have proposed a sequential decisional model of the employee withdrawal process. In their model, cognitive and behavioral variables mediate the job satisfaction and turnover relationship. The authors of that model presented an explicit causal structure which has yet to be examined with causal analysis. In the present study, a path-analytic approach was used to conduct such an examination using the original data, which Mobley et al. derived from a sample of 203 full-time hospital employees from four general job categories: service, technical, clerical, and nursing services. The results of our analysis provide support for the general theoretical structure of the Mobley et al. model, but also point to more complexity in some of the model's hypothesized relations.
An Empirical Critique of In Search of Excellence: How Excellent are the Excellent Companies?
Authors: Aupperle Kenneth E. , Acar William , Booth David E.
Published: March 2006

This article examines the research methods used by Peters and Waterman in their book, In Search of Excellence (1982), and describes the results of empirical tests done to assess whether their exemplary firms are actually excellent. Peters and Waterman's "excellent" firms were compared with 1,000firms evaluated by Forbes in its annual report on American industry. Four measures offinancial performance were used: return on assets (ROA), return on equity (ROE), market valuation, and sales growth. A series of difference-of-means tests and direct tests were used to analyze the data. Results indicate that the excellent firms are not as superior as Peters and Waterman have suggested. The implications of these findings for culturelperformance research are discussed.
The Effects of Realistic Job Previews on Applicant Self-Selection and Employee Turnover, Satisfaction, and Coping Ability
Authors: Suszko Mary K. , Breaugh James A.
Published: March 2006

This article describes afield experiment which examined the effects of providing realistic job previews (RJPs) to applicants for the job of inventory taker. Subjects were 28 individuals (16 males and 12 females) who were randomly assigned to either an experimental (RJP) or a control (no RJP) condition. Data were gatheredfrom responses to questionnaires, personnel records, and self-report indices. Participants' responses were evaluated on 5-point scales. In comparison to individuals not receiving RJPs, RJP recipients were more likely to turn down a job offer, perceive the organization as being honest with them, be able to cope with job demands, be satisfied with their jobs, and remain in their jobs. The value of RJPs for both academics and practitioners is also discussed in the study.
Self-Reports in Organizational Research: Problems and Prospects
Authors: Podsakoff Philip M. , Organ Dennis W.
Published: March 2006

Self-reports figure prominently in organizational and management research, but there are several problems associated with their use. This article identifies six categories of self-reports and discusses such problems as common method variance, the consistency motif, and social desirability. Statistical and post hoc remedies and some procedural methods for dealing with artifactual bias are presented and evaluated. Recommendations for future research are also offered.
Early Career Factors That Differentiate Technical Management Careers From Technical Professional Careers
Authors: Mainiero Lisa A.
Published: March 2006

This study investigated the early career factors that affect the decision to move from a technical professional job to a technical management position. Sixty scientists and engineers from two research and development (R & D) divisions in the chemical industry were interviewed about their early career decisions. The constant comparative method of qualitative analysis was used to analyze the data. Respondents were categorized into three groups: career technical professionals by choice, career technical professionals by default, and technical managers. Results indicated that favorable job structure, access to mentorslsponsors, and entrepreneurial initiative characterized technical managers and technical professionals by choice, whereas technical professionals by default were characterized by the absence of these factors. The implications of these findings for management research and practice are discussed.
Job Involvement and Organizational Commitment as Interactive Predictors of Tardiness and Absenteeism
Authors: Blau Gary J.
Published: March 2006

This study examined job involvement and organizational commitment as interactive predictors of absenteeism and tardiness behaviors. Personnel records and questionnaires were used to collect tardiness and absence data for a subsample of 82 registered staff nurses out of a total sample of 228 nurses from a large Midwestern hospital. Results showed supportfor the hypothesis that individuals showing higher levels of job involvement and organizational commitment would exhibit less unexcused tardiness and absenteeism than those with lower levels of job involvement and organizational commitment. The implications and limitations of these findings are discussed.
Behavior Modeling Training in Organizations: Concerns and Conclusions
Authors: Mayer Steven J. , Russell James S.
Published: March 2006

Behavior modeling is a popular training methodology that has been found to be effective by a number of reviewers (Burke & Day, 1986; Decker & Nathan, 1985; Wexley, 1984). A review of studies infield settings concludes that the reasons for its effectiveness are not as clear as supposed and that there are issues that remain unresolved. Specifically, the concerns are that (a) internal and external threats to validity from field research are minimal, but variations in training programs do not rule out threats to the construct validity of behavioral and performance improvements in the work place; (b) there is no evidence that behavior modeling is more cost effective than other training methods; (c) a variety of behavior modeling techniques are used in the training programs, and little study has been completed on which techniques are the most effective; and (d) no studies to date have examined the long term shifts in the values and attitudes of trainees. Future research should focus on these concerns in evaluating the utility of behavior modeling methodology in organizational training and development interventions.
The Disintegration of an Organization: A Dialectical Analysis
Authors: Grimes A. J. , Cornwall J. R.
Published: March 2006

Innisfree, an alternative free school (K-8), existed for about 4 years. Ideographic methodology and dialectical analysis indicates the values and ideology of Innisfree members and the collectivist structure of the school led to ideological and structural contradictions. Ideology constrained structural and process changes that contributed to the school's disintegration. Organization leaders and members were unaware of the contradictions and hence they could not be overcome.
The Impact of Type A Behavior Pattern on Role Overload-induced Stress and Performance Attributions
Authors: Froggatt Kirk L. , Cotton John L.
Published: March 2006

A controlled laboratory experiment investigated the effects of Type A behavior pattern on role overload-induced stress and performance attributions. Although previous correlation studies have concluded that Type A individuals are more likely to feel stressed than Type B individuals, the present study did notfind this. The current study reports the alternative hypothesis that differences in reported stress between Type A and Type B individuals may occur because the Type A seeks out situations that are objectively more stressful. In contrast to the stress findings, performance attributions varied between Type A and Type B individuals. Results are discussed in terms of their theoretical and practical implications.
Creating Models of the Strategic Decision Making Process Via Participant Recall: A Free Simulation Examination
Authors: Wolfe Joseph , Jackson Conrad
Published: March 2006

Numerous models have attempted to explain the strategic decisionmaking process. Most of these models have used participant recall as their data base. Several theoretical arguments are cited regarding the potential invalidity ofparticipant recall data. The results of afree simulation study demonstrate a severe lack of agreement among participants about the nature and details of their own strategic decisions. Recallfidelity increased with deeper levels of detail, with an attendant loss in information comprehensiveness. A distinction was made between a lack of agreement arising from failures to remember elements mentioned by another decision maker and disagreements which occurred when each person remembered afact or event differently.
Organizational Diagnostics: Translating the Political into the Technical
Authors: Lucas Rob
Published: March 2006

The consequences of initial diagnoses for organizational decision making remain largely uninvestigated. This paper presents an account of a decision in a public bureaucracy whose outcome was essentially determined by its diagnostic component. Two aspects of diagnosis-framing and exclusion-are examined in detail, and the possibility that diagnosis tends to occur in one of two types of decision arenas is discussed.
Organizational Commitment: Pre-Employment Propensity and Initial Work Experiences
Authors: Pierce Jon L. , Dunham Randall B.
Published: March 2006

This study tracked the development of organizational commitment from a pre-employment period through the first three months of employment. All major linkages in the Mowday, Porter and Steers (1982) model of the determinants of organizational commitment were tested and supported. Commitment had a strong association with behavioral intentions to turnover, which in turn were significantly associated with subsequent turnover behavior.
Content, Process, and the Matthew Effect Among Management Academics
Authors: Hunt James G. , Blair John D.
Published: March 2006

This article concerns the sociology of management as a science. Different types of cosmopolitan activities are examined: content (direct contribution to content of scholarly knowledge), process (indirect contribution to scholarly knowledge) and mixed activities. The nature and consequences of the "Matthew Effect" (advantage leads to advantage) are detailed as it affects the perceptions by others of an individual academic's activities. Archetypes of management academics are developed and include the Involved Scholar, the Distant Scholar, the Association Loyalist and the Local (or Marginal Cosmopolitan). A model of the consequences of content, process and mixed content/process is presented. Professional implications to thefield of management are examined and extensions of the analyses suggested. Making the model operational is touched upon.
Organizational Behavior: Group Structure, Process, and Effectiveness
Authors: Gist Marilyn E. , Locke Edwin A. , Taylor M. Susan
Published: March 2006

This review examines the role of groups in the organization. Recent literature is discussed through a heuristic model of group behavior. Group structure, strategies, leadership, and reward allocation to members are viewed as inputs to the model. Outcomes are defined as group performance, quality of work lifefor group members, and ability to work independently in the future. A number of group process variables are seen as significant in this model. Implications of the current literature are offeredfor practitioners and researchers.
Labor Relations: Research and Practice in Transition
Authors: Fossum John A.
Published: March 2006

Profound changes in industrial performance in the 1980s have been accompanied by major changes in the practice of labor relations. This review identifies some of the major recent research directions in labor relations and examines theory development and empirical studies published since 1980. Primary coverage is given to union organizing; bargaining structures and issues; negotiating; contract administration; the effects of collective bargaining on employers, individuals, and unions; and unions and their environment. Research is grouped within areas according to the unit of analysis addressed by the study. Implications for practice andfuture research are suggested.
Health Care Organizational Performance: Present and Future Research
Authors: Fottler Myron D.
Published: March 2006

Health care organizations are presently attempting to adapt to an increasingly turbulent environment that poses significant challenges to both managers and management scholars. As a result of the unique nature of health care organizations and their external environments, most research and empirical writing is available only in context-specific sources. This paper examines and evaluates research evidence concerning issues that are likely to be crucial in health care management research and practice over the next decade. Specifically, we examine structural and process determinants of the following measures of health care organizational performance: cost efficiency, clinical quality, patient satisfaction, and financial outcomes. Managerial implications of this research are discussed along with some guidelines forfuture research.
Organization Development in the 1980's
Authors: Sashkin Marshall , Burke W. Warner
Published: March 2006

Analysis of past reviews helps define OD and critical issues: focus on structure versus behavioral process, and concern with performance versus people. A literature review shows how these conflicts are being resolved. Four major research issues are defined and discussed. The OD literature suggests (a) OD is now more a normal part of management, (b) the themes of structure and process have largely been integrated, and (c) focus on culture may help integrate conflicting values. OD is entering an exciting and productive new area of maturity and achievement.
The Satisfaction With My Supervisor Scale: Its Utility for Research and Practical Applications
Authors: Scarpello Vida , Vandenberg Robert J.
Published: March 2006

This paper describes initial development and testing of an empirically derived scale that measures satisfaction with immediate supervision. The Satisfaction With My Supervisor Scale (SWMSS) was developed over a 3-year period. Developmental samples consisted of 2,101 employees at seven manufacturing plants located across the United States. The scale was subsequently applied to a sample of 1,104 employees of a major insurance company in New England. The SWMSS exhibits convergent, discriminant, predictive, and content validities. Moreover, it shows promise for generalizability across employee groups and employment situations.
The Effect of CEO Succession on Stockholder Wealth in Large Firms Following the Death of the Predecessor
Authors: Worrell Dar L. , Davidson Wallace N.
Published: March 2006

Using event time methodology, this study explores, over the 17-year period of 1966 to 1982, the effect on the price of common stock in large publicly held corporations of Chief Executive Officer (CEO) succession following the death of each CEO's predecessor. The market was found to react positively to the announcement of internal succession, but external succession was not associated with significant abnormal returns. The findings support the importance of examining the organizational conditions surrounding succession events.
Effects of Social Support, Role Stress, and Locus of Control on Health
Authors: Fusilier Marcelline R. , Ganster Daniel C. , Mayes Bronston T.
Published: March 2006

The main and interactive effects of social support, work role stressors, and locus of control on three health variables were investigated. It was hypothesized that the buffering effect of social support would prevail for individuals with an internal locus of control, but not for those with an external locus of control. Prior research on this hypothesis was extended by (a) examing a sample of 312 fulltime police officers and firefighters, (b) using a multidimensional locus of control measure, and (c) assessing both long-term outcomes (depression and somatic health complaints) and a short-term strain response (epinephrine excretion). Results suggest that social support has ameliorative effects on depression and somatic complaints. Role stressors appear to exacerbate these same outcomes. Two-way interaction effects suggest that (a) social support may buffer the effect of job stress on somatic complaints and (b) externals may respond more strongly to job stress than internals. Interpretation of the significant three-way interactions suggests that locus of control and social support may jointly determine how workers respond to job stress. The form of the interactions, however, differs depending on whether the outcome represents a short-term alarm reaction or a longer-term health outcome.
Images of Death and Slavery in Organizational Life
Authors: Denhardt Robert B.
Published: March 2006

Organizational life is bounded by myths and symbols that affect the individual's behavior in mysterious ways. This paper examines the imagery of masters and slaves as a guide to the psychological dynamics of authority relationships in modern organizations. The master-slave relationship is related to the symbolic quest for immortality, and is analyzedfrom a historical and psychological perspective. Finally, its powerful imagery is connected to superior-subordinate relationships in modern organizations in order to demonstrate the continuing influence of the "irrational" in organizational life.
Imagery and Strategy
Authors: Sapienza Alice M.
Published: March 2006

This article addresses a relatively unexplored area: the language that top managers share in the process of strategic decision-making. An empirical investigation of two groups of top managers responding to the same external stimuli revealed, first, that much of the language with which strategy was articulated was filled with imagery and, second, that managers made strategic decisions in partial response to their figures of speech.

It is suggested that the process by which imagery emerges and influences decision-making may comprise three stages:

(a) collective discussion of individual perceptions of the stimuli; (b) evolution of a common vocabulary and syntax, including images, by which managers describe and communicate aspects of the stimuli; (c) emergence of a reigning image that permeates the language describing the stimuli to which top managers respond strategically.
Long-Term Acquisition Strategies in the U.S. Economy
Authors: Hopkins H. Donald
Published: March 2006

There is evidence suggesting,that acquisitive firms do not use consistent long-term acquisition strategies. Yet the research of strategic management academicians suggest that such strategies should be beneficial. As such, this study attempts to determine if acquisitive firms exhibit, by their externally observable patterns of behavior, evidence of pursuing consistent long-term acquisition strategies. If so, this study also attempts to determine the nature of these strategies, how common they are in the U.S. economy, and if consistent strategies are associated with superior performance. Results show that the majority of acquisitive firms do appear to follow acquisition strategies which are consistent over time. In fact, approximately one-half of the studied firms followed one of two highly consistent strategies. Finally, though the consistency of afirm's acquisition strategy wasfound not to be associated with better performance, strategies that evidenced "strategic fit" did show superior profitability.
Critical Administrative Scholarship, Praxis, and the Academic Workplace
Authors: Rosen Michael
Published: March 2006

This article is about the praxis concept in relationship to management theory and practice. Ideas from critical theory, and thus from dialectical analysis, are used to present a perspective towards the academic workplace based on transcending the theory-practice dichotomy. Propositions for praxis oriented academic action are drawn from the existing literature andfrom the arguments developed here.
Promotions in the Corporate World: Comparing the Perspectives of University Professors, MBA Students, and Corporate Managers
Authors: Snell Scott A. , Baldwin Timothy T.
Published: March 2006

Critics charge that professors have views that differ from experienced managers and, therefore, that MBA students do not receive an accurate classroom depiction of organizational reality. This study investigated the extent to which 102 managers, 111 MBA students, and 43 professors have similar perspectives regarding the importance of fourfactors in attaining promotions. MANOVA indicated that managers and professors did not significantly differ in their views. However, MBA students did differ from both managers and professors in the level of importance they attached to several promotion factors. MANCOVA indicated that amount of corporate experience was unrelated to response patterns.
Perceived Organizational Characteristics and Personality Measures as Predictors of Stress/Strain in the Work Place
Authors: Frew David R. , Bruning Nealia S.
Published: March 2006

The relationship between perceived organizational variables (sources of role stress and job characteristics), personality variables (manifest needs, type A personality and self-esteem) and physiological and attitudinal measures of stress were examined. Sixty-two employees from a manufacturing firm provided data on a questionnaire and agreed to have the physiological measurements taken. Correlational data indicated that the job characteristics were generally systematically related to diastolic blood pressure. Multiple regression analysis was conducted to examine the incremental variance accountedfor by certain personal characteristics, the personality variables and the organizational variables. Personality factors as a group accounted for significant variance in manifest anxiety. A number of organizational factors and personality variables accountedfor significant variance in each of the dependent measures.
Organizational Culture: Internal and External Fits
Authors: Arogyaswamy Bernard , Byles Charles M.
Published: March 2006

The culture of an organization is increasingly being viewed as an important determinant of its performance. This paper adopts the position that the importance (even relevance) of culture to performance is contingency driven. We conceptualize organizational culture in terms of the degree of internal fit (cohesion and consistency) and externalfit (linkages to strategy and the environment). The needfor tight or loose fits under a variety of conditions (within, and external to, the firm) is investigated. Conclusions are drawn regarding the nature of fits appropriate to an organization facing combinations of these conditions.
The Adoption of Technological, Administrative, and Ancillary Innovations: Impact of Organizational Factors
Authors: Damanpour Fariborz
Published: March 2006

The influence of six organizationalfactors on the adoption of three types of innovations was examined in public libraries. It wasfound that (a) all factors together were a better predictor of technological than administrative or ancillary innovations, and (b) specialization and organizational slack had a stronger effect on technological innovations than the other two types, whereas administrative intensity and organizational size had a stronger effect on administrative innovations. It is concluded that differentiation between types of innovations and stages of adoption is essential in developing realistic theories of organizational innovations.
The Attenuating Effects of Internal Mobility on Employee Turnover: Multiple Field Assessments
Authors: Dalton Dan R. , Todor William D.
Published: March 2006

Despite the continuing lack of empirical assessment, it has been speculatedfor some 30 years that intraorganizational mobility may be a surrogate for employee turnover. This study examines the association between lateral internal mobility and employee turnover. The hypothesis that internal mobility will act as a substitute for employee turnover was tested relying on two field sample cohorts (n = 521, n = 387) of nonmanagerial personnel over a 4-year period. Results strongly support the attenuating impact of internal mobility on turnover. Implications of these results are discussed.
Shifts in Resource Allocation Preference Following Panel Discussion
Authors: Kroeck K. Galen , Avolio Bruce J. , Small Ronit L. , Einstein Walter O.
Published: March 2006

The effect of panel discussion on resource allocation preferences was tested in the current study. Individual preferences for allocating resources were first determined using the Allocations Dilemma Questionnaire developed by Kroeck and Small (1985). The ADQ provides a measure of individual preference for allocating resources based on four allocation strategies: need, power, proportionality and merit. Comparisons between individual preferences for distributing resources and those based on consensus derived through panel discussion revealed a shift in preferred choice of resource allocation strategy toward greater emphasis on meritfollowing panel discussion. The effect was found for allocations to both meritorious individuals and groups. There was a decrease in preferencefor allocating resources to needy and powerful individuals, but not to powerful groups following panel discussion.
Participation: A Close Look at Its Dynamics
Authors: Tjosvold Dean
Published: March 2006

Managers and researchers have appeared to reach opposing conclusions about participation. Not fully appreciated is that the outcomes of participation depend upon how organizational members actually interact as they make decisions. Research on interaction indicates both the potential and limitations of participation. Cooperative goals and productive controversy contribute to participation. Future research can investigate interaction processes and validate procedures managers can use to make participation successful.
Variations in Critical Success Factors Over the Stages in the Project Life Cycle
Authors: Pinto Jeffrey K. , Prescott John E.
Published: March 2006

Afield study was conducted to investigate changes in the importance of project critical success factors across four stages in the project life cycle. A total of 408 project managers or project team members cur-rently involved in a project responded to the questionnaire. Ridge regression analysis was performed on the initially derived ten critical success factors, reducing the final number of critical success factors to eight. A stepwise regression was then done on the critical success factors at each of the four stages in the project life cycle. Results indi-cated that the relative importance of several of the criticalfactors change significantly based on life cycle stages.
Career Plateaus Reconsidered
Authors: Feldman Daniel C. , Weitz Barton A.
Published: March 2006

This paper suggests that a variety of individual, job-related, and organizational factors influence whether employees reach career plateaus. The importance of examining causes of career plateaus is discussed in terms of managing career development more effectively and in terms of conducting further research in the area.
The Efficacy of Business Political Activity: Competitive Considerations in a Principal-Agent Context
Authors: Keim Gerald , Baysinger Barry
Published: March 2006

This paper attempts to specify some conditions affecting the efficacy of business efforts to influence political decision making in legislatures and regulatory agencies. Two streams of literature are integrated to provide a model of political decision making from political economy and to draw on the strategic management literature to facilitate consideration of the implications of competition in the market to influence political decisions.

"In short, the overall policy impact of business political activity remains debatable, and the desirable mode and level of corporate political influence... remains undefined.

New research on business and politics should involve something more than the accumulation of additional case studies; these are the raw materials for serious analysis, but not the final product. The significant studies will be those that specify more clearly the conditions under which political activity of different types and levels produces (or fails to produce) different kinds of effects."

Preston, 1986

Given the structure of the American political economy, business organizations rank high among our most important political institutions and are... inevitable participants in the political process. The more we understand of the political structure, operations and objectives of these organizations and those who run them, the more insightful we can be concerning the actual conditions of political democracy in the United States. [However]... honest disagreement aplenty exists... concerning whether "Big Business"... poses a real or chimerical, a present or future, an active or passive threat to American democracy.

Epstein, 1980
Organizational Communication in the Information Age: Implications of Computer-Based Systems
Authors: Huseman Richard C. , Miles Edward W.
Published: March 2006

In the information age the use of computer technology has and will increasingly change the way communication occurs in organizations. In this article, we setforth an Integrative Model of Information Systems and Organizational Communication. Based on this model, we discuss the communication implications offour computer-based systems: (a) Electronic Messaging Systems (EMS), (b) Executive Information Systems (EIS), (c) Group Decision Support Systems (GDSS), and (d) Executive Presentation Systems (EPS). The major purpose of this article is to provide an overview of these systems and, through a series of propositions, to examine the potential impact of these computerized systems upon the traditional areas of organizational communication.
The Management Governance Theories of Justice and Liberty
Authors: Scott William G.
Published: March 2006

This article reviews the management theory literature about the role of the liberty and justice principles in organizational governance. It suggests that the justice principle is well developed compared to the liberty principle in this literature. This asymmetrical emphasis in theory building poses philosophical and research problemsfor thefield of management.
Time and Organizations
Authors: Bluedorn Allen C. , Denhardt Robert B.
Published: March 2006

The concept of time is introduced as a major topic for organizational and management research. Including a discussion of differing times and temporalities, macro level research and theory are described that relate time to such substantive areas as organizational culture, strategic planning, and organizational contingency theory. At the micro level, theory and research on time and individual differences, decision making, motivation, and group behavior are reviewed critically. Organizational and management topics of particular salience forfuture temporal research and management practice are identified.
Job Performance and Turnover Decisions: Two Field Studies
Authors: Mossholder Kevin W. , Bedeian Arthur G. , Norris Dwight R. , Giles William F. , Feild Hubert S.
Published: March 2006

Hypotheses involving relationships between job performance and turnover decisions were tested in two settings within the context of an integrated model. In an initial test with a sample of manufacturing operatives, support was foundfor (a) a curvilinear relationship between performance and turnover intentions, and (b) a satisfaction X performance interaction in predicting such intentions. A second test of the same hypotheses, using actual turnover as a criterion, was conducted for first-line manufacturing supervisors. Only the curvilinear hypothesis received support.
Outcomes of Work-Family Conflict Among Married Male and Female Professionals
Authors: Bedeian Arthur G. , Burke Beverly G. , Moffett Richard G.
Published: March 2006

The assumption that work and family are separate domains with little cross-impact has been increasingly questioned. Drawing on a sample of 423 male and 335 female accounting professionals, this study evaluates a model of the process by which work-related role stress and parental demands interact to influence job satisfaction and marital satisfaction and, ultimately, overall life satisfaction. Results indicate general support for the hypothesized model, revealing only minor sex differences. The relationship between parental demands and life satisfaction was mediated by satisfaction with childcare arrangementsfor women, but not men, with young children at home.