bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The development of an occupational attributional style questionnaire
Authors: Furnham Adrian , Sadka Valda , Brewin Chris R.
Published: July 2007

Ninety working adults completed the OASQ — an occupational attributional style questionnaire aimed specifically at examining attributions for work‐related events. They also completed well‐known and validated measures of job satisfaction and intrinsic motivation. The OASQ was shown to have satisfactory internal reliability. Attributions for positive events, rather than negative events, were significantly correlated with demographic variables like occupational status and salary but also job satisfaction and motivation. The study supports previous work to the effect that an ‘optimistic’ internal attributional style at work is associated with satisfaction and motivation.
‘Work’ or ‘leisure’? The protestant work ethic and participation in an employee fitness program
Authors: Mudrack Peter E.
Published: July 2007

Is a company's in‐house fitness center perceived as a place to engage in ‘leisure ’activities that are distinct from ‘work’, or as an extension of normal ‘work ’activities? This exploratory study examined the possibility that Protestant Work Ethic (PWE) beliefs might influence the frequency with which employees use their company's exercise programs and facilities. If exercise programs are regarded as ‘leisure’, then PWE endorsers would likely not participate, but the reverse might be true to the extent that such programs are seen as ‘work’. A short survey was completed by 335 employees of a large Canadian corporation which maintained an in‐house fitness center that had been in operation for 16 months. The sample was almost evenly divided between users and non‐users of the facilities. Results indicated that PWE endorsement was positively related both to the frequency with which respondents visited their company's fitness center, and to the perception that exercise provided work‐related benefits, and these findings suggest that on‐the‐job fitness is regarded more as a component of ‘work ’than of ‘leisure’.

‘A corporate fitness program is the hottest perk since the executive washroom ’(Hoffman and Hobson, 1984, p. 110).
Work—nonwork conflict and the perceived quality of life
Authors: Rice Robert W. , Frone Michael R. , McFarlin Dean B.
Published: July 2007

From additive models of overall quality of life, two hypotheses were derived about the relationships among work—family conflict, work—leisure conflict, job satisfaction, family satisfaction, leisure satisfaction and global life satisfaction. In supporting these two hypotheses, path analyses of survey data from a national probability sample of United States workers (n = 823) showed: (1) the direct paths between work—nonwork conflict and global life satisfaction were nonsignificant; and (2) the indirect paths between work—nonwork conflict and global life satisfaction, which are mediated by job satisfaction and nonwork satisfaction, were all significant. Further analyses indicated that, in general, the magnitude of these path coefficients was not significantly moderated by sociodemographic variables. Discussion considered the role of additive models as conceptual frameworks for studies concerned with the effects of work experiences on the overall quality of life.
The effects of type A behavior dimensions and optimism on coping strategy, health, and performance
Authors: Lee Cynthia , Ashford Susan J. , Jamieson Linda F.
Published: July 2007

Type A behavior dimensions and optimism were examined as predictors of health and performance. In addition, this research also explored the ways that Type As and optimists cope with stressful situations. The achievement striving dimension of the Type A behavior pattern and optimism were positively related to class performance, while the anger/hostility dimension was positively related to the health symptom of anxiety. Optimism, on the other hand, was negatively related to anxiety. The interaction of achievement striving and optimism was negatively related to anxiety. Additionally, while achievement striving was positively related to problem‐focused coping, irritability showed a negative association with problem‐focused coping strategy. The results of this study provide insights for both individuals and organizations regarding how to cope with daily stresses in order to lower health risks and improve performance.
Profiles of commitment: An empirical test
Authors: Becker Thomas E. , Billings Robert S.
Published: July 2007

Prior research has demonstrated the importance of distinguishing among foci and bases of commitment. Foci of commitment are the individuals and groups to whom an employee is attached, and bases of commitment are the motives engendering attachment. This study uses distinctions among foci and bases of commitment to develop four profiles of commitment, and examines the extent to which differences in these patterns predict other variables. Cluster analysis of 440 employees suggests the following profiles: (1) The Locally Committed (employees who are attached to their supervisor and work group), (2) the Globally Committed (who are attached to top management and the organization), (3) the Committed (who are attached to both local and global foci), and (4) the Uncommitted (who are attached to neither local nor global foci). The profiles are differentially related to intent to quit, job satisfaction, prosocial organizational behaviors, and certain demographic and contextual variables. Implications of these findings for theory and practice are discussed.
The feedback environment: An exploratory study of cue use
Authors: Ashford Susan J.
Published: July 2007

This paper examines individuals' theories about cue use in organizations — theories about which of the many cues available in an organization's feedback environment they should use to guide their behavior. It also investigates how these theories vary with increasing organizational experience. The research assesses individual's implicit theories regarding cue use using both open‐ and closed‐ended data collection methods. Results suggest that, regardless of experience, individuals place the most importance on cues from the company and their supervisors. Peer feedback and self‐observations were seen as much less important. These results are interesting in light of previous studies showing that the self was the most available, and the organization the least available, source of feedback. With experience, managers appear to learn to emphasize negative over positive feedback, especially from superiors, and to emphasize their peers' actions over their words when a negative message is being conveyed.
Development and use of English versions of Japanese PM leadership measures in electronics plants
Authors: Peterson Mark F. , Smith Peter B. , Tayeb Monir H.
Published: July 2007

Scaling and convergent validity findings are provided for indices derived from English translations of Performance (P) and Maintenance (M) field measures of leadership used for production employees in Japanese manufacturing organizations (Misumi, 1985; Misumi and Peterson, 1985). LISREL confirmatory factor analyses indicate some weaknesses in the measures ordinarily used. Item analyses using seven items from the Ohio State scales indicate that the English version of the Japanese ’maintenance‘ leadership function measure is very similar to the Ohio State ’Consideration‘ measure. The measures of two aspects of the ’Performance‘ function — Planning‐P and Pressure‐P — show differences from items often used to measure various aspects of Initiating Structure. Regressions reported for two electronics assembly plants (one British and one U.S.) show relationships partially consistent with usual Japanese results for group process/attitude descriptions by subordinates, but not for performance. Results for performance ratings by superiors show that experiencing the M function from a superior is positively associated with two of three aspects of rated performance at one site. Pressuring leadership is negatively related to interpersonal cooperation at both sites. The results suggest that field research using English versions of the PM measures is likely to produce different results than research using many measures based on the Ohio State tradition. Revisions needed in PM measures and methods to take advantage of the theory's basic insights and to integrate it with Western research are discussed.
Sources of individual differences in interviewer effectiveness: A model and implications for future research
Authors: Graves Laura M.
Published: July 2007

In response to recent suggestions that employment interview researchers adopt an idiographic approach focusing on differences in effectiveness across interviewers, this article proposes a model of sources of individual differences in interviewer effectiveness. The model is used as a framework for evaluating existing research. This review of the literature reveals individual differences across interviewers in a number of areas, but indicates that research has failed to examine adequately the possible sources of individual differences and their links to effectiveness. Suggestions for future research are offered.
Stress experienced by active members of trade unions
Authors: Nandram Sharda S. , Klandermans Bert
Published: July 2007

The literature presents role conflict, role ambiguity and role overload as psychological stressors which arise when a person plays conflicting roles, receives conflicting signals of what the environment expects of him, or both. Complexity increases when a role or a plurality of roles involves more activities and when a person functions in more than a single system (environment) and hence is faced with a variety of role senders. Research into this kind of stress has not covered active labor union members, even though their position would seem to make them likely stress candidates. In this article we demonstrate that active union members do indeed face role problems. We also report findings that are generally supportive of the expected positive association between active union members' experience of the central component of burnout (viz. emotional exhaustion) and each of the examined role problems individually and in combination (i.e. an index of overall role stress). Further, the results of a multiple regression analysis showed that emotional exhaustion was most strongly associated with intra‐sender conflict and qualitative role overload.
Trade union support following an underground explosion
Authors: Bluen Stephen D. , Edelstein Ilana
Published: July 2007

We examined emotional support offered by a trade union and psychological distress four months after an underground explosion in a South Africa gold mine, which caused 63 fatalities and five injuries. The disaster occurred the day after the end of a three‐week, industry‐wide strike by the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM). Statistically controlling for industrial relations stress, no psychological distress differences were recorded between the experimental group (21 NUM members who were underground at the time of the blast) and a control group of 22 NUM members employed at a different gold mine in the region. Union emotional support interacted with exposure to the disaster: Whereas union support was significantly and inversely related to psychological distress for the experimental group, the relationship was non‐significant for the control group. Results are discussed in terms of the importance of trade unions as a source of social support.
Attributional conflict between managers and subordinates: An investigation of leader‐member exchange effects
Authors: Wilhelm Caroline C. , Herd Ann M. , Steiner Dirk D.
Published: July 2007

The present study investigated the discrepancies, or conflict, between the attributions of leaders and members as a function of LMX quality and explored the relation between attributional conflict and subordinate job satisfaction, perceptions of equity, and turnover intentions. Data for the study were provided by 141 supervisor‐subordinate dyads from the managerial ranks of a large manufacturing organization. Both parties of the dyad made attributions for subordinate loyalty, affect, and contributions, member behaviors identified as critical in previous LMX research. Limited support emerged for the hypothesis that attributional conflict would be greater in dyads where subordinates reported lower rather than higher LMX quality. Findings suggested that attributional discrepencies are due, in part, to the tendency of leaders to make more favorable attributions for subordinates reporting higher LMX quality than for subordinates reporting lower LMX quality. Results also revealed that, while attributional conflict was negatively related to subordinate satisfaction and perceptions of equity and positively related to turnover intentions, attributional conflict did not predict subordinate work outcomes when the effects of LMX quality were controlled. Implications of these findings were discussed.
Perceived intra‐organizational mobility: Reliable versus exceptional performance as means to getting ahead
Authors: Beehr Terry A. , Taber Tom D.
Published: July 2007

‘Work hard and get ahead’ is a fundamental tenet of modern organizations, but employees have different interpretations of what it means to ‘work hard’ and perceive that there are multiple channels to ‘get ahead’. The current research explores employees' perceptions of the factors affecting their intra‐organizational upward mobility. Results using a survey instrument in a large American medical college show that employees can distinguish among intra‐organizational mobility channels based on reliable role performance, on exceptional role performance, and on non‐performance factors such as personal characteristics (e.g. race and gender), or luck and favoritism. Perceptions of mobility channels are related to such organizationally relevant outcomes as employee satisfaction and turnover intentions. Occupational sub‐groups, however, perceive different structures for upward mobility.
Cognitive and motivational effects of participation: A mediator study
Authors: Latham Gary P. , Winters Dawn C. , Locke Edwin A.
Published: July 2007

Previous experimental studies of participation have typically examined its motivational (especially commitment) benefits. These studies showed that these benefits are neither large nor consistent. The present study focused on the cognitive benefits of participation in decision making (pdm) and on the role of a different motivational mediator, self‐efficacy. Unlike previous research which claimed to study the cognitive (informational) effects of participation, the present experiment: (a) allowed the information concerning task strategies to emerge from group discussion rather than being manipulated by the experimenter; (b) measured the actual strategies that were developed and used by subjects in the pdm condition; and (c) measured self‐efficacy which was associated with the discovery and use of these strategies. It was found that the strategies developed by the subjects and their self‐efficacy completely mediated the effect of participation on performance. Further, participation in setting goals, consistent with previous studies, did not affect performance but did affect self‐efficacy.
The importance of gender in mid‐career: A longitudinal study of MBAs
Authors: Schneer Joy A. , Reitman Frieda
Published: July 2007

This longitudinal study investigates whether the work environment in mid‐career is comparable for men and women MBAs. No gender differences were found in early career. However by mid‐career, women report less income, career satisfaction, and boss appreciation than men. Discrimination is also more prevalent for women.
Individual and contextual influences on self‐assessed training needs
Authors: Guthrie James P. , Schwoerer Catherine E.
Published: July 2007

Reliance on self‐assessed training needs for input into decisions regarding training participation and design is increasingly common. Previous study results indicate that perceptions of training utility influence these self‐assessments. In a sample of 380 managers and supervisors, this study found that training self‐efficacy and managerial support positively influenced perceptions of training utility, while educational level was negatively associated with these perceptions. In addition, training utility perceptions and span of control both directly and positively influenced reported need for training in management skills. Implications for both research and practice are discussed.
Charismatic leadership in organizations: Perceived behavioral attributes and their measurement
Authors: Conger Jay A. , Kanungo Rabindra N.
Published: July 2007

Recent interest in the charismatic leadership role of managers in organizations calls for the identification and measurement of perceived behavior characteristics of such leadership. This article reports on the development of a questionnaire measure of the perceived behavioral dimensions of charismatic leadership proposed by the Conger and Kanungo (1987, 1988) model. Data were collected from 488 managers belonging to four organizations located in the U.S.A. and Canada. Analysis of the results revealed sound psychometric properties of the measure with adequate reliability, convergent and discriminant validity coefficients, and a stable factor structure. Implications of the measure for future research and practice are discussed.
Expressed and suppressed anger as predictors of health complaints
Authors: Begley Thomas M.
Published: July 2007

In this study, associations were examined of expressed and suppressed anger with anxiety, depression, and somatic complaints in a sample of owner/managers of smaller businesses. A direct relationship between suppressed anger — anger‐in — and the three health complaints was found. Also, anger‐in moderated the relationship between the responsibility for people stressor and both anxiety and depression. Further, expressed anger — anger‐out — moderated the relationship between responsibility for people and depression. In each interaction, responsibility for people related more strongly with the health complaint when anger‐in or anger‐out was high than when it was low.
Moderating effects of self‐efficacy for the relationship between training method and anxiety and stress reactions of newcomers
Authors: Saks Alan M.
Published: July 2007

The purpose of this study was to examine the moderating effect of self‐efficacy for the relationship between training method and newcomers' anxiety and stress reactions. The two methods of training examined were formal orientation and training and tutorial training. A sample of 198 newly‐hired entry‐level accountants completed a questionnaire following their first few weeks of entry. The results indicated that self‐efficacy was negatively related to anxiety but not stress. However, a positive relationship between anxiety and stress suggested that self‐efficacy was indirectly related to stress through its relationship with anxiety. Further, self‐efficacy was found to moderate the relationship between training method and anxiety. Formal orientation and training was related to lower anxiety for newcomers with low technical self‐efficacy. The opposite result was found for tutorial training. Tutorial training was related to higher anxiety for newcomers with low academic self‐efficacy. The relationship between training and anxiety did not vary by training method for newcomers with high self‐efficacy. The research and practical implications of a self‐efficacy theory framework are discussed for the training, socialization, and adjustment of newcomers.
Occupational stress: Coping of police and their spouses
Authors: Beehr Terry A. , Johnson Leanor B. , Nieva Ronie
Published: July 2007

One hundred seventy‐seven police officers and their spouses from two metropolitan areas completed separate questionnaires regarding stress and coping. Both the police and spouses reported using four coping activities in response to their own stressors: problem focused, emotion focused, religiosity, and rugged individualism. Three potential police strains previously noted in non‐empirical literature were given special attention; divorce potential, drinking behavior, and suicide thoughts.
Correlates of motivation for competitive or cooperative strategy among employed adults
Authors: Ward Edward A.
Published: July 2007

The degree to which two measures of locus of control (LOC) and two measures of need for achievement (NACH) correlate with the motivations of persons for competitive or cooperative strategy was measured in 191 graduate students who are employed full‐time as salaried employees. Results indicated significant correlations between motivation for competitive strategies and LOC, NACH, and the factors of LOC entitled self‐confidence, internality, and belief in chance. The motivation to avoid the use of competitive strategies was correlated with belief in control by powerful others and chance. The motivation to use cooperative strategies failed to correlate significantly with either NACH or LOC.
Some effects of teenagers' part‐time employment: The quantity and quality of work make the difference
Authors: Barling Julian , Rogers Kimberley‐Ann , Kelloway E. Kevin
Published: July 2007

We investigated the associations of the quantity and quality of part‐time employment with the school performance (amount of class cutting, homework, and average grades) and personal functioning (self‐esteem and time use) of high‐school students. Two hypotheses were tested: (a) working long hours would be associated with detrimental effects, but (b) the quality of employment would moderate these effects, such that employment quantity would be associated with detrimental effects only for low quality jobs. Data from 563 high school students (n = 233 in part‐time employment) provided support for the hypotheses. Conceptual, practical and policy ramifications of these findings are considered.
Intercultural interaction: A burden on international managers?
Authors: Janssens Maddy
Published: July 2007

This study discusses the applicability of culture shock and cultural distance with respect to intercultural interaction, one of the cross‐cultural adjustment dimensions. It examines the relationship of intercultural interaction with length of time in the host country and location of the foreign assignment. This study used a sample of 162 international managers from five multinational companies. The results suggest that the culture shock hypothesis does not hold for intercultural interaction. Rather, intercultural interaction continued to increase over time. The cultural distance hypothesis is also questioned. European managers completing a foreign assignment in Europe showed less intercultural interaction than European managers in North America and Asia. The desirability of intercultural interaction is discussed in the context of the strategic balance between global integration and local responsiveness and the need for dual citizen and mediating persons.
Personnel department expenditures and labor productivity
Authors: Eastwood Karen , Rudin Joel P. , Lee Ten Pao
Published: July 2007

Empirical evidence relating personnel department budgets to desired organizational outcomes remains sketchy and inconclusive. An analysis was conducted of the relationship between previous year's personnel department expenditures and total annual output, for 11 large railroads over a six‐year period. There was a significant partial correlation between these two variables. However, after controlling for total assets and workforce size, a regression analysis indicated that individual railroads were unable to adjust their personnel department expenditures over time to maximize productivity. Implications for research and practice are discussed.
Critical comments on applying covariance structure modeling
Authors: Brannick Michael T.
Published: July 2007

Covariance structure modeling, also known as structural equation modeling or causal modeling, appears increasingly popular. Such techniques can be used to conduct tests of complex theory on empirical data. To conduct such tests, researchers need measures of known factor structure and the knowledge of structural relations among the constructs of interest. Researchers typically have neither the required measures nor the knowledge of structural relations. Instead of conducting tests of theory, researchers use covariance structure models to develop measurements and theoretical models. This paper discusses why such use of covariance structure models is unlikely to produce scientific progress and proposes some alternative procedures thought to be more fruitful.
Family Support Inventory for Workers: A new measure of perceived social support from family members
Authors: King Lynda A. , Mattimore Laura K. , King Daniel W. , Adams Gary A.
Published: July 2007

A measure of family social support for workers was developed, and initial investigations of its psychometric characteristics were conducted. Data from several samples endorse the internal consistency of the support dimensions of emotional sustenance and instrumental assistance, and confirmatory factor analysis findings reinforce the bidimensional structure of the instrument. Lack of a relationship with social desirability, correlations with life and job satisfactions, and gender differences in perceived instrumental assistance afford preliminary validity evidence. Exploratory multiple regression analyses revealed significant three‐way interactions suggesting that the level of emotional sustenance from family members may be important to job satisfaction for employed women. Furthermore, empirical evidence was generated to assess the viability of the instrument relative to other existing measures of social support. Results supported convergent, discriminant, and nomological validity.
Predictors of intentions to leave the ward, the hospital, and the nursing profession: A longitudinal study
Authors: Krausz Moshe , Koslowsky Meni , Shalom Nirra , Elyakim Nirra
Published: July 2007

The stages preceding and following the intention to withdraw from an organization have not been adequately examined. Data were collected at two time periods from a sample of 146 nurses working in a general hospital located in a large metropolitan area in Israel. Essentially, intention to withdraw from three levels — ward, hospital and profession — were examined. LISREL was used to test alternative longitudinal models for the best fitting set of linkages among variables. The findings supported a progression model of withdrawal intention. According to this conceptualization, a nurse first decides to leave the ward, then the hospital, and, finally, the profession. Theoretical and practical implications of the results were presented.
Goal setting and competition as determinants of task performance
Authors: Campbell Donald J. , Furrer David M.
Published: July 2007

Although research has demonstrated that difficult, specific goals produce higher performance than easy or non‐specific goals, little research has examined goal setting in relation to competition. In such circumstances, at least four potential outcomes are logically possible (i.e. complete or partial performance enhancement with competition versus complete or partial performance reduction). Thus, this investigation manipulated goal level and competition in a 3 × 2 factorial design. Participants (N = 109) solved routine arithmetic problems. Results demonstrated that competition had a significant dysfunctional effect on task performance within goal setting conditions.
The relationship of race and gender to managers' ratings of promotion potential
Authors: Landau Jacqueline
Published: July 2007

The purpose of this paper was to examine the relationship of race and gender to managers' ratings of promotion potential for a sample of 1268 managerial and professional employees. Hierarchial regression analysis showed that controlling for age, education, tenure, salary grade, functional area, and satisfaction with career support, both race and gender were significantly related to promotion potential. Females were rated lower than males, and Blacks and Asians were rated lower than Whites. There were no interaction effects between race and gender.
Further evidence on some new measures of job control, cognitive demand and production responsibility
Authors: Wall Toby D. , Jackson Paul R. , Mullarkey Sean
Published: July 2007

Current approaches to job design and job stress, and their application in the context of new manufacturing technologies and practices, call for new widely applicable measures of job properties. In response to this need, Jackson, Wall, Martin and Davids (1993) described the development of new scales of timing control, method control, monitoring demand, problem‐solving demand and production responsibility. This article provides further evidence concerning these measures, based on the responses of nearly 1700 employees from five separate samples. The evidence includes: investigation through confirmatory factor analysis of the applicability of the underlying five‐factor measurement model on two new samples; improvement of the problem‐solving demand scale; a test of the replicability of the measurement model by formal factorial invariance tests across four samples; additional information on scale reliability and construct validity; and normative data for a wide range of shopfloor and related jobs.
An examination of beliefs about older workers: Do stereotypes still exist?
Authors: Hassell Barbara L. , Perrewe Pamela L.
Published: July 2007

This study examined individuals' beliefs about older workers. Of particular interest was the relationship between those beliefs and individuals' (a) interactions with older workers, (b) supervisory status, and (c) demographic variables. Findings indicated that although older workers hold more positive beliefs about older workers than younger workers hold, even younger workers tended to have generally positive beliefs. Chronological age was found to moderate two relationships. First, the number of younger workers' interactions with older workers significantly, positively affected younger workers' beliefs about older workers. Second, an examination of the interaction between supervisory status and age found that older supervisors hold more negative beliefs about older workers than younger supervisors.
Operationalizing the outcomes of union commitment: The dimensionality of participation
Authors: Parks Judi Mclean , Gallagher Daniel G. , Fullagar Clive J. A.
Published: July 2007

In contrast to the past and current reliance upon a unidimensional or additive index of union participation, our research presents evidence of the multidimensional nature of the construct of union participation, a behavioral manifestation of union commitment. In this study, we examined a more diverse set of items than typically used in studies of union commitment and participation, ranging from holding union office to voting and to the more mundane, day‐to‐day activities which may take place in the workplace. Our results suggest three distinct dimensions to union participation, each representing potentially varying strengths of union commitment: an administrative factor reflecting office holding duties; an intermittent factor, reflecting participation in activities scheduled or available at particular times; and a supportive factor, reflecting on‐going participative activities in support of other members of the union. Our findings further suggest these dimensions are relatively stable across time periods in two diverse samples: a retail worker sample and a nursing sample. Implications of the results are discussed.
Developing and maintaining union commitment: A theoretical framework
Authors: Tetrick Lois E.
Published: July 2007

This article presents a dynamic model of the process in which union commitment is developed and maintained. Central to the model is the fact that commitment occurs in a context of organizational rights which are provided by the union as well as organizational responsibilities or citizenship behaviors on the part of union members. Based on an integration of the literature on organizational citizenship behaviors, psychological contracts, and organizational socialization, specific hypotheses are proposed.
Polarization-dependent optical 2D Fourier transform spectroscopy of semiconductors
Authors: Zhang Tianhao , Kuznetsova Irina , Meier Torsten , Li Xiaoqin , Mirin Richard P. , Thomas Peter , Cundiff Steven T.
Published: July 2007

Optical 2D Fourier transform spectroscopy (2DFTS) provides insight into the many-body interactions in direct gap semiconductors by separating the contributions to the coherent nonlinear optical response. We demonstrate these features of optical 2DFTS by studying the heavy-hole and light-hole excitonic resonances in a gallium arsenide quantum well at low temperature. Varying the polarization of the incident beams exploits selection rules to achieve further separation. Calculations using a full many-body theory agree well with experimental results and unambiguously demonstrate the dominance of many-body physics.
Disrupting antibiotic resistance propagation by inhibiting the conjugative DNA relaxase
Authors: Lujan Scott A. , Guogas Laura M. , Ragonese Heather , Matson Steven W. , Redinbo Matthew R.
Published: July 2007

Conjugative transfer of plasmid DNA via close cell–cell junctions is the main route by which antibiotic resistance genes spread between bacterial strains. Relaxases are essential for conjugative transfer and act by cleaving DNA strands and forming covalent phosphotyrosine linkages. Based on data indicating that multityrosine relaxase enzymes can accommodate two phosphotyrosine intermediates within their divalent metal-containing active sites, we hypothesized that bisphosphonates would inhibit relaxase activity and conjugative DNA transfer. We identified bisphosphonates that are nanomolar inhibitors of the F plasmid conjugative relaxase
in vitro
. Furthermore, we used cell-based assays to demonstrate that these compounds are highly effective at preventing DNA transfer and at selectively killing cells harboring conjugative plasmids. Two potent inhibitors, clodronate and etidronate, are already clinically approved to treat bone loss. Thus, the inhibition of conjugative relaxases is a potentially novel antimicrobial approach, one that selectively targets bacteria capable of transferring antibiotic resistance and generating multidrug resistant strains.
Does Voting by Mail Increase Participation? Using Matching to Analyze a Natural Experiment
Authors: Kousser Thad , Mullin Megan
Published: July 2007

Would holding elections by mail increase voter turnout? Many electoral reform advocates predict that mail ballot elections will boost participation, basing their prediction on the high turnout rate among absentee voters and on the rise in voter turnout after Oregon switched to voting by mail. However, selection problems inherent to studies of absentee voters and Oregon give us important reasons to doubt whether their results would extend to more general applications of voting by mail. In this paper, we isolate the effects of voting in mail ballot elections by taking advantage of a natural experiment in which voters are assigned in a nearly random process to cast their ballots by mail. We use matching methods to ensure that, in our analysis, the demographic characteristics of these voters mirror those of polling-place voters who take part in the same elections. Drawing on data from a large sample of California counties in two general elections, we find that voting by mail does not deliver on the promise of greater participation in general elections. In fact, voters who are assigned to vote by mail turn out at lower rates than those who are sent to a polling place. Analysis of a sample of local special elections, by contrast, indicates that voting by mail can increase turnout in these otherwise low-participation contests.
The Medicago truncatula DMI1 Protein Modulates Cytosolic Calcium Signaling
Authors: Peiter Edgar , Sun Jongho , Heckmann Anne B. , Venkateshwaran Muthusubramanian , Riely Brendan K. , Otegui Marisa S. , Edwards Anne , Freshour Glenn , Hahn Michael G. , Cook Douglas R. , Sanders Dale , Oldroyd Giles E.D. , Downie J. Allan , Ané Jean-Michel
Published: July 2007

In addition to establishing symbiotic relationships with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, legumes also enter into a nitrogen-fixing symbiosis with rhizobial bacteria that results in the formation of root nodules. Several genes involved in the development of both arbuscular mycorrhiza and legume nodulation have been cloned in model legumes. Among them, Medicago truncatula DMI1 (DOESN'T MAKE INFECTIONS1) is required for the generation of nucleus-associated calcium spikes in response to the rhizobial signaling molecule Nod factor. DMI1 encodes a membrane protein with striking similarities to the Methanobacterium thermoautotrophicum potassium channel (MthK). The cytosolic C terminus of DMI1 contains a RCK (regulator of the conductance of K+) domain that in MthK acts as a calcium-regulated gating ring controlling the activity of the channel. Here we show that a dmi1 mutant lacking the entire C terminus acts as a dominant-negative allele interfering with the formation of nitrogen-fixing nodules and abolishing the induction of calcium spikes by the G-protein agonist Mastoparan. Using both the full-length DMI1 and this dominant-negative mutant protein we show that DMI1 increases the sensitivity of a sodium- and lithium-hypersensitive yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) mutant toward those ions and that the C-terminal domain plays a central role in regulating this response. We also show that DMI1 greatly reduces the release of calcium from internal stores in yeast, while the dominant-negative allele appears to have the opposite effect. This work suggests that DMI1 is not directly responsible for Nod factor-induced calcium changes, but does have the capacity to regulate calcium channels in both yeast and plants.
Phosphate Homeostasis and Root Development in Arabidopsis Are Synchronized by the Zinc Finger Transcription Factor ZAT6
Authors: Devaiah Ballachanda N. , Nagarajan Vinay K. , Raghothama Kashchandra G.
Published: July 2007

Phosphorus availability is limited in many natural ecosystems. Plants adapt to phosphate (Pi) deficiency by complex molecular processes. There is growing evidence suggesting that transcription factors are key components in the regulation of these processes. In this study, we characterized the function of ZAT6 (zinc finger of Arabidopsis 6), a cysteine-2/histidine-2 zinc finger transcription factor that is responsive to Pi stress. ZAT6 is induced during Pi starvation and localizes to the nucleus. While the RNAi suppression of ZAT6 appeared to be lethal, its overexpression affects root development and retards seedling growth as a result of decreased Pi acquisition. The ZAT6 overexpression also resulted in altered root architecture of older plants, with consequent changes in Pi acquisition. These results indicate that ZAT6 regulates root development independent of the Pi status of the plant, thereby influencing Pi acquisition and homeostasis. In addition, the expression of several Pi starvation-responsive genes was decreased in ZAT6 overexpressing plants, thereby confirming the role of ZAT6 in regulating Pi homeostasis. This study thus indicates that ZAT6 is a repressor of primary root growth and regulates Pi homeostasis through the control of root architecture. To our knowledge, ZAT6 is the first cysteine-2/histidine-2 zinc finger transcription factor reported to regulate root development and nutrient stress responses.
Differential Expression of Genes Important for Adaptation inCapsella bursa-pastoris(Brassicaceae)
Authors: Slotte Tanja , Holm Karl , McIntyre Lauren M. , Lagercrantz Ulf , Lascoux Martin
Published: July 2007

Understanding the genetic basis of natural variation is of primary interest for evolutionary studies of adaptation. In Capsella bursa-pastoris, a close relative of Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana), variation in flowering time is correlated with latitude, suggestive of an adaptation to photoperiod. To identify pathways regulating natural flowering time variation in C. bursa-pastoris, we have studied gene expression differences between two pairs of early- and late-flowering C. bursa-pastoris accessions and compared their response to vernalization. Using Arabidopsis microarrays, we found a large number of significant differences in gene expression between flowering ecotypes. The key flowering time gene FLOWERING LOCUS C (FLC) was not differentially expressed prior to vernalization. This result is in contrast to those in Arabidopsis, where most natural flowering time variation acts through FLC. However, the gibberellin and photoperiodic flowering pathways were significantly enriched for gene expression differences between early- and late-flowering C. bursa-pastoris. Gibberellin biosynthesis genes were down-regulated in late-flowering accessions, whereas circadian core genes in the photoperiodic pathway were differentially expressed between early- and late-flowering accessions. Detailed time-series experiments clearly demonstrated that the diurnal rhythm of CIRCADIAN CLOCK-ASSOCIATED1 (CCA1) and TIMING OF CAB EXPRESSION1 (TOC1) expression differed between flowering ecotypes, both under constant light and long-day conditions. Differential expression of flowering time genes was biologically validated in an independent pair of flowering ecotypes, suggesting a shared genetic basis or parallel evolution of similar regulatory differences. We conclude that genes involved in regulation of the circadian clock, such as CCA1 and TOC1, are strong candidates for the evolution of adaptive flowering time variation in C. bursa-pastoris.
Enhancing coaching skills and emotional intelligence through training
Authors: Grant Anthony M.
Published: July 2007

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to compare the impact of a long‐term (13‐week, spaced learning) with a short‐term (two‐day, block intensive) coaching skills training programme on participants' coaching skills and emotional intelligence.

Design/methodology/approach

In the study 23 participants completed a 13‐week coaching skills training course which consisted of weekly 2.5‐hour workshops and action learning. In comparison, 20 participants completed a two‐day “Manager as Coach” training programme, with a three‐week action learning break between day one and day two. Both training programmes used the same coaching frameworks, with the two‐day programme being more condensed.

Findings

Participation in the 13‐week training course was associated with increases in both goal‐focused coaching skills and emotional intelligence, whereas the two‐day block intensive training was associated with increased goal‐focused coaching skills, but not emotional intelligence. Further, the magnitude of the increase in goal‐focused coaching skills was less for the two‐day programme than for the 13‐week programme.

Research limitations/implications

These studies used a quasi‐experimental pre‐post design, and the long‐term effects were not measured. Future research should use control groups and random assignment to short‐ or long‐term training.

Practical implications

The main implications of these findings are that, while short, intensive programmes may improve participants' goal‐focused coaching skills, organisations seeking to deepen the impact of “Manager as Coach” training programmes and improve the underlying emotional intelligence of participants should use a spaced learning approach over a number of weeks.

Originality/value

This is the first study to examine the impact of different approaches to coaching skills training and their impact on emotional intelligence.
Connecting human resources management and knowledge management
Authors: Svetlik Ivan , Stavrou‐Costea Eleni
Published: July 2007

Purpose

The article seeks to demonstrate the benefits of using an integrative approach between human resource management (HRM) and knowledge management (KM), where one reinforces and supports the other in enhancing organisational effectiveness and performance.

Design/methodology/approach

This contribution is a collection of research articles that explore how HRM and KM are interrelated and provide empirical support for such connection.

Findings

The authors firmly believe that the articles of this issue will not only provide for interesting and worthwhile reading material, but also set the stage for enlarging and enriching the research base on the relationship between HRM and KM.

Research limitations/implications

It is not an exhaustive analysis of the connections between HRM and KM; however, it is a very good first step in that direction. Even though HRM and KM have much in common, there are few studies that make such a connection explicit.

Practical implications

The article provides a very useful source of information and practical advice on how the connection between the two disciplines can enhance organisational functioning.

Originality/value

This special issue fulfils a gap in the existing literature for both academics and practitioners on the merits of using HRM and KM integratively.
Knowledge management and innovation performance
Authors: Lundvall Bengt‐Åke , Nielsen Peter
Published: July 2007

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to show why the establishment of “learning organisations” must be a central element of knowledge management – especially in firms operating on markets where product innovation is an important parameter of competition.

Design/methodology/approach

The argument straddles and combines insights related to management and organisation theory with an evolutionary economic analysis of the relationship between innovation, learning and knowledge. It is supported by an empirical analysis of survey data on Danish private sector firms. The survey was addressed to all firms in the private urban sector with 25 or more employees, supplemented with a stratified proportional sample of firms with 20‐25 employees.

Findings

The analysis shows that firms that introduce several organisational practices, assumed to characterise the learning organisation, are more innovative than the average firm.

Research limitations/implications

The empirical findings are limited to the private sector and do not cover public sector organisations.

Practical implications

The learning organisation characteristics have a positive impact on dynamic performance and there are obviously lessons to be learned from the successful firms operating in turbulent environments that introduce specific organisational characteristics such as job rotation, inter‐divisional teams, delegation of responsibility and reducing the number of levels in the organisational hierarchy.

Originality/value

The paper puts “knowledge management” into the wider concept of “learning economy” and shows how a key element of knowledge management is to enhance the learning capacity of the firm.