bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Chinese Elders Speak out
Authors: Mackinnon Marian E. , Gien Lan , Durst Douglas
Published: March 2007

The purpose of the study was to describe the experience of some Chinese elders who are living with, and dependent on, their adult children. A second purpose was to explore the potential physical and mental health outcomes associated with being dependent on their adult children for psychological financial, social, and, in some cases, physical care and support. The sample consisted of 10 first-generation Chinese elderly. Taped interviews were carried out with the assistance of an interpreter using semistructured and open-ended questions developed by the researcher. The data analysis used the constant comparative method, and four major themes emerged: loneliness and isolation, reduced resources with which to reciprocate in the care-receiving relationship, an expressed need for meaningful relationships and roles within the family, and the desire for greater independence. Implications for providing culturally sensitive care are discussed, as well as implications for client education and further research.
An Evaluation of a Self-Management Program for Adults with Asthma
Authors: Berg Jill , Dunbar-Jacob Jacqueline , Sereika Susan M.
Published: March 2007

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of a self-management program for adults with moderate to severe asthma on compliance with inhaled, prescribed, nonemergency medications; asthma symptoms; and airway obstruction. In this controlled experimental study, 55 subjects from a rural community were randomized to one of two groups. Self-efficacy theory served as the framework for this study. Primary measures included the Metered Dose Inhaler (MDI) Chronolog, a journal of daily asthma concerns, and a peak-flow meter to appraise airway obstruction. Secondary measures included the Asthma Self-Management Assessment Tool (ASMAT) and the Self-Efficacy for Asthma Management Scale (SEAMS). These measures were completed pre- and post-intervention. Data analysis using descriptive and inferential statistics revealed that subjects receiving the self-management program increased compliance with inhaled medications (U = 271, p =.043).
The Effectiveness of Neuromuscular Release Massage Therapy in Five Individuals with Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease
Authors: Beeken Janice E. , Parks Douglas , Cory JoAnn , Montopoli George
Published: March 2007

The purpose was to examine neuromuscular release massage therapy (NRMT) as an intervention for individuals with chronic obstructive lung disease (COLD) to improve pulmonary function, respiratory muscle strength, and qualig of life. Variables measured were thoracic gas volume, peak flow, oxygen saturation, blood pressure, heart rate, forced expiratory volume in one second (FEVI), forced vital capacity (FVC), FEVI/FVC, and quality of life to determine if improvement occurred with 24 weekly treatments of NRMT. Four of five participants had an in-crease in thoracic gas volume, peakflow, and FVC. Paired differences t test resulted in significant changes in heart rate, oxygen saturation, and time of breath hold Repeated measured analysis of variance indicated a significant interaction between participant and time for heart rate, oxygen saturation, and systolic blood pressure. The results suggest that individuals with COLD do benefit from NRMT, but the exact physiological mechanism for the changes warrants additional study.
The Preparation of Patients for Cardiac Surgery
Authors: Lamarche Daniele , Taddeo Rita , Pepler Carolyn
Published: March 2007

This study examines the impact of a preadmission telephone intervention on anxiety, knowledge, and readiness for discharge for patients attending a preadmission teaching program prior to cardiac surgery. The primary goal of the telephone intervention was to provide support by giving additional information about individual concerns. The telephone intervention did not have an effect on anxiety and knowledge. A significantly higher level of anxiety was found in the experimental group on admission, but this difference became nonsignificant when baseline level and length of waiting time were entered as covariates. The more anxious group rated their perceived knowledge level lower, despite the fact that both groups had similar scores in actual knowledge. Given the potential barrier that anxiety can pose for patient learning, nurses need to adapt their interventions to deal with the patients' feelings of anxiety that accompany cardiac surgery to make the learning process effective.
"Strong" Objectivity and the Use of Q-Methodology in Cross-Cultural Research
Authors: Jacobson Sarah Williams , Aaltio-Marjosola Iiris
Published: March 2007

This article describes a cross-cultural exploration of the experiences of two groups of women managers and uses Q-methodology to create career scripts. This approach, based theoretically in a feminist standpoint and strong objectivity, links rich understanding of the subjective expressions of local inhabitants of a national culture and organization with concrete historical, political, and economic structures, thus bridging micro and macro levels of analysis. The project was conducted in Finland and the United States, two nations with quite different values, attitudes, policies, and programs concerning work life support and equal opportunity. Results indicate that gender is complex, multifaceted, and deeply internalized in individual behavior. It is also persistently, although differentially, embedded in societal as well as organizational structures and cultural notions of what it is to be a "good" person.
Revisiting the Military Stereotype
Authors: Scarborough Jack
Published: March 2007

The author argues that the realities of contemporary military services differ markedly from the recollections of many readers who served in past decades. Modern military management practices are not only closer to what is familiar in the private sector but also offer considerable potential for improving the competitiveness of private firms. Traditional stereotypes of the military still taught in the classroom are in need of serious revision.
The Resource-Advantage Theory of Competition
Authors: Hunt Shelby D.
Published: March 2007

The major thesis of this article is that combining the resource-based theory of the firm with Austrian economics and heterogeneous demand theory provides the foundations for a new theory of competition, the resource-advantage theory. This new theory has macro and public policy implications. Specifically, when compared with neoclassical perfect competition theory, the resource-advantage theory better explains productivity and economic growth.
The Minimalist Organization as a Postbureaucratic Form
Authors: Seabright Mark A. , Delacroix Jacques
Published: March 2007

This article explores the concept of the minimalist organization as the antithesis of the bureaucratic form. We argue that one inherent shortcoming of bureaucracy is the cost of hierarchical control; as a structure of control, it employs resources to support its compliance machinery, resources that could be used to create value. By contrast, we advance the concept of the minimalist organization as a form that economizes on compliance structures. We define the minimalist form in terms of its structural slightness and, through the example of Alcoholics Anonymous, identify its key dimensions: porous membership boundaries, lean administrative structure, nonhierarchical authority, and federalist governance. We use the example of Alcoholics Anonymous to explore the boundary conditions of the minimalist form. We conclude by considering its implications for our understanding of organizations in general.
Multifaceted Relationships Under Coopetition
Authors: Dowling Michael J. , Roering William D. , Carlin Barbara A. , Wisnieski Joette
Published: March 2007

This article examines a growing form of interorganizational "multifaceted" relationship under "coopetition," where a buyer, supplier, and/or partner is also a competitor. We first describe different types of such relationships and the strategic dilemmas they present. Then, using resource dependence and transaction cost theories, we consider the antecedent conditions for the formation of such relationships and discuss strategies for dealing with them. Finally, we consider questions for further study of these types of arrangements.
Corporate Judo
Authors: Bastien David T. , Hostager Todd J. , Miles Henry H.
Published: March 2007

Corporate judo is an innovative approach to increased growth, market share, and profitability. In this paper the authors present a framework for applying judo to competitors that have recently undergone a merger, acquisition, downsizing, or restructuring. Case study data illustrate the potential benefits of corporate judo. The authors conclude by discussing some implications of the framework for competitive theory and practice.
Damage Induced Anisotropy: On the Difficulties Associated with the Active/Passive Unilateral Condition
Authors: Chaboche J.-L.
Published: March 2007

Continuum damage theories have been developed that incorporate both the damage induced anisotropy and the unilateral effect of damage. Four of them are discussed in this paper using respectively scalar damage variables, vectors, second-order tensors, and fourth-order damage tensors.
Delamination Prevention in Composites by Interleaving Techniques
Authors: Philippidis T.P. , Theocaris Pericles S. , Roupakias G.S.
Published: March 2007

A failure analysis is performed to study the effect of adhesive interleaves on the development of damage modes such as transverse cracking or delamination in fiber reinforced composite laminates. The quadratic tensor polynomial failure criterion used in the analysis is divided appropriately into two components corresponding to intra-ply fail ure or matrix transverse cracking and interlaminar delamination respectively. The beneficial role of adhesive interleaves, placed in-between the anisotropic plies of a com posite laminate, in preventing delamination, is exemplified for the case of the straight-edge tensile coupon of angle-ply stacking sequence. It is shown that the component of the fail ure condition responsible for delamination is drastically reduced by the presence of adhe sive interleaves while the overall strength of the laminate depends on the stacking se quence. In addition, it is pointed out that residual curing stresses are of paramount importance in failure analyses and their omission often leads to erroneous results.
Ichihara Prison for Traffic Offenders: An Innovative Model in Japan
Authors: Johnson Elmer H.
Published: March 2007

A prison specializing in sentenced traffic offenders is presented as an innovative model for Japan and elsewhere because of its unique features. Ichihara Prison for Traffic Offenders was established as a governmental response to a traffic crisis. Its appearance and persistence are attributed to a combination of expanded criminalization and accommodation to the relative tolerance that is extended to traffic law transgressors in Japan. The article places the innovation within the context of Japan's culture and of Japanese criminal justice processing, which produces one of the lowest imprisonment rates among industrial societies.
The Manifest and Latent Functions of Legal Aid
Authors: Hackler Jim
Published: March 2007

The way in which legal aid services are provided can make a difference in the quality of that service. This paper argues that the fee-for-service model, which is profitable for lawyers, has considerable drawbacks for juvenile clients. By way of contrast, the Children's Court in Melbourne, Australia, illustrates how young, poorly paid lawyers can become skilled and effective in juvenile matters. Instead of going through the slow learning process experienced by new lawyers in the U.S. juvenile courts, and by duty counsels in Canadian youth courts, the young Melbourne lawyers take part in a training process that quickly familiarizes them with the subtleties of the system, gives them access to communication networks, and makes them part of a subculture that generates both competence and high morale. These young lawyers develop confidence and know that they are good at their job. In the Children's Court of Melbourne they accomplish more for their clients than the better paid, better dressed, higher status lawyers who occasionally appear in the juvenile system.

The practices developed in Melbourne will probably not be imitated in North America, nor in the rest of Australia for that matter. The process that produces. expertise in legal matters relating to juveniles may be good for the clients, but it leads to greater efficiency and works against the financial interest of lawyers. One can therefore anticipate strenuous resistance from the established legal profession wherever such a program is suggested.
Police Violence and Uncertainty in Latin America: Linking the Macro-and Micro-Levels of Analysis
Authors: Gabaldon Luis Gerardo
Published: March 2007

Recent interest among Latin American scholars in the use of deadly force by police has led to the authoritarian-state hypothesis as an explanatory framework for the phenomenon. However, apart from its questionable assumptions regarding the development of a strong state in Latin America, this approach does not link the macro-level of analysis with the micro-level, which is related to ordinary situational encounters between police and citizens. An alternative model is proposed for explaining police violence, using the concept of situational uncertainty. The model links historical and cultural factors with empirical data on police-citizen encounters drawn from Latin America and elsewhere.
Recent Legal and Political Changes in Vietnam and the Role of the Courts in the Vietnamese Criminal Justice System
Authors: Holscher Louis M.
Published: March 2007

Over the past decade Vietnam has slowly implemented a mixed market economy, and in 1992 it adopted a new constitution that lists a large number of rights and duties for its citizens. With these changes has come the need for a rule of law and a more sophisticated criminal justice system. This article describes the structure of the national government and the lawmaking process and discusses the role of the Ministry of Justice, prosecutors, judges, and attorneys in the criminal justice system. An overview of the crime problem in Vietnam is also presented. The last part of the paper describes the Vietnamese criminal justice system from intake through sentencing. Criminal law and procedure in Vietnam, although similar to those of many other countries in the world, are also unique because of the country's Buddhist-Confucian, French, and socialist heritage. Although major problems continue to exist, there have been recent political, legal, and economic developments that indicate a relatively stable future for Vietnam.
The Use of Feedback for Organizational Change: Promises and Pitfalls
Authors: Nadler David A.
Published: March 2007

The research literature on survey feedback as a tool for organizational intervention is reviewed. Specifically, three different areas of research are examined, including early work in the development of survey feedback, research on the results of feed back interventions, and research on the process of using survey feedback. The re search to date provides inconsistent support for the idea that survey feedback alone will bring about organizational change. The work to date also indicates that the process of collecting, analyzing, and using data for feedback is important as a de terminant of the nature and extent of feedback effects. Problems with existing re search and practice are identified, and suggestions for future directions for both research and use of data for interventions are given.
Principal-Centered Preventive Consultation
Authors: Carr Rey A.
Published: March 2007

Although consultation models have expanded, research demonstrating the effectiveness of consultation has lagged far behind, thus limiting the acceptance of consultation as an accountable method of intervention in schools. This study, which has implications for all "internals," presents a preventive consultation framework and demonstrates its effectiveness in working with school principals to change the climate of staff meetings.
Personal-Growth Groups: Who Joins and Who Benefits?
Authors: Epps Jerry Dean , Sikes Walter W.
Published: March 2007

Diverse opinions (some positive, some neutral, and some negative) exist concerning the efficacy of personal-growth groups (PGGs). To determine if varying sociological backgrounds could account for the diversity of results of such groups, a mail survey of PGG participants was utilized to answer the research question "Do the selected variables indicate one's likelihood to (1) participate in PGG, and (2) have a positive or negative outcome?" Age, sex, occupation, income, education completed, marital status, and degree of religious affiliation were found to vary significantly from their distribution in the general population. The degree of positive- ness of response was found to be associated with three of the descriptive variables; four were associated with what was liked most about the PGG. Recommendations for practical applications and further research were made.
Privacy Regulation in Small and Large Groups
Authors: Koneya Mele
Published: March 2007

The contrasting interaction potentials of commonly used seating ar rangements for small and large group meetings are discussed from the vantage point of contemporary definitions of privacy, which define pri vacy as the right individuals have to control what information about themselves should or should not be communicated to others and under what circumstances. Privacy is further defined as a functional aspect of the design of physical environments. Research is reviewed to show that seat location is associated with verbal interaction rates and visual acces sibility among and between group members and leaders. Furthermore, it is argued that group members' seating choices may be manifestations of coping behavior and privacy regulation and that it might be appropriate, therefore, to design and test seating layouts that allow individual users self-selected options for involvement or withdrawal. A seating arrange ment that provides these options is suggested along with some pos sibilities for enhancing privacy regulation by individuals. The paper concludes with the suggestion that user-initiated interventions into the design of physical environments can follow awareness of the dynamics of these environments.
A Systems Model of Organization Development Careers
Authors: Cotton Chester C. , Browne Philip J.
Published: March 2007

The authors bring together empirically based information on organiza tion development careers and their personal knowledge of the field to synthesize a systems model of the OD career milieu. The OD professional system is shown to overlap the university system and the organizational or client system. Three main OD practitioner roles are identified: the internal OD role, the full-time external OD role, and the university faculty/part-time external OD role. Mitchell's concept of consultant burnout is combined with Herzberg's two-factor theory of motivation to create a predictive model of career change in OD practitioners. New empirical findings are reported on significant differences between inter nal and external OD practitioners in age, education, experience, and proportion of time spent in OD.
OD in the Public Sector: Intervening in Ambiguous Performance Environments
Authors: Davis Tim R.V.
Published: March 2007

Important differences exist between corporate and public-sector organi zations. This article begins by identifying some of the major external and internal variables in the literature that affect public-sector organiza tions. An integrated contextual framework is developed that is used as an orienting device for an organization development (OD) intervention in a division of a state welfare system. The study describes the tactics of change in an ambiguous performance setting and focuses on some of the internal influence variables that may typically be expected to affect change attempts in public-sector organizations.
Organizational Change and the Politics of Success
Authors: Bateman Thomas S.
Published: March 2007

This article discusses recent efforts to define tactics for gaining power in organizational-change interventions and notes the need for integrating knowledge of organizational power and politics into a model for change based on political considerations. Such a model is presented via consid erations of the formulation of political goals, a situational-power audit, the identification and commitment of political targets, specific power tactics of the change agent and the internal change unit, and monitoring of the change process. As a complement to more general diagnostic models, this model is intended to help increase the probability of successful change.
Re-Entry: Managing Cross-Cultural Transitions
Authors: Adler Nancy J.
Published: March 2007

The author studied the re-entry process of two hundred corporate and governmental employees returning to Canada after working overseas for an average of two years. Re-entry into the original culture was found to be a more difficult transition than was the move to the foreign culture. Home-country managers tended to exhibit xenophobia (fear of foreign things) in assessing the potential and actual effectiveness of returnees. Based on the present research, ways for organizations to manage the re-entry transition more effectively are suggested.
The Effects of MBO on Levels of Performance and Satisfaction Among University Faculty
Authors: Terpstra David E. , Olson Philip D. , Lockeman Brad
Published: March 2007

The present study investigated the impact of an MBO application in a university setting. It was hypothesized that faculty performance levels would be positively affected, while satisfaction levels would not be influenced. A total of 23 faculty from the College of Business and Economics at the University of Idaho completed a questionnaire regarding their perceptions of performance and satisfaction both prior to and after the MBO application. Additionally, data were gathered through archival, nonobtrusive methods (performance records) and interviews with department heads. The results suggest that performance increased as a result of the MBO application, while satisfaction generally declined. Possible reasons for the findings are offered, and implications are discussed.
Organizational Culture: Elements in its Portraiture and Some Implications for Organization Functioning
Authors: Marshall Judi
Published: March 2007

Following a cross-company research study of managers' perceptions of potential freedom in their jobs and subsequent behaviour, the author arrived at a framework for charting significant elements of organizational culture. This centered on four "dimensions of difference": a company's stock of managers, the conceptual job model managers used, significant influences onjob performance, and managers' perceptions of freedom. In this article, two of the organizations studied are portrayed in these terms, exploring factors that appear to have influenced theircultures'development. The companies are markedly different in their attitudes toward change, one being particularly optimistic and adaptive, the other typified by feelings of constraint and relative powerlessness. The implications for each organization's ability to cope with change are considered. Finally, the author evaluates the framework as an organization mapping tool.
Toward Designing Optimal Problem-Solving Procedures: Comparisons of Male and Female Interacting Groups
Authors: Mathews Robert C. , Lane Irving M. , Reber Robert A. , Buco Steven M. , Chaney Courtland M. , Erffmeyer Robert C.
Published: March 2007

Performances for male and female groups were compared using three different group problem-solving procedures: unstructured, structured-open (anyone could contribute to the group solution at any time), and structured-forced (turn taking). As predicted, the results indicated that female groups performed better with the structured-forced procedure than with the structured-open procedure and male groups performed better with the structured-open procedure than with the structured-forced procedure. These results provide support for the contention that males andfemales perform best under a different set of group problem-solv ing procedures. Implications of these results for managers and group facili tators are discussed.
The Self-Analytic Case Method: Changing Learners' Attitudes About the Utility of the Applied Behavioral Sciences
Authors: Rasmussen R.V.
Published: March 2007

This article focuses on an instructional/training problem in the behavioral sciences, namely, that learners often see the field as a collection of common sense and often (mistakenly) believe that they already follow the prescriptions of theories as diverse as Reinforce ment Theory and Theory Y Management. A method for changing these perceptions and attitudes called the self-analytic case study is presented along with preliminary evidence suggesting that the method works. Since the study was done both with undergraduate and MBA students, it is suggested that the method is a valuable training tool in both university classes and management develop ment workshops.
Theatres and Organizational Effectiveness
Authors: Vozikis George S. , Clevinger Donna L. , Mescon Timothy S.
Published: March 2007

This study examines the effectiveness of theatrical organizations. It searches for a pattern of use of effectiveness criteria by different types of theatres using a multidimensional construct of organiza tional effectiveness: performance, intraorganizational, and inter organizational. Research findings show that regardless of type, theatres do not pursue artistic performance only but place equal emphasis on intraorganizational and interorganizational compo nents of effectiveness.
The Team Building-Task Performance Relation: Some Conceptual and Methodological Refinements
Authors: Buller Paul F.
Published: March 2007

Previous research is inconclusive regarding the effects of team building on task performance. Two reasons for these findings are that team building has not been clearly defined and team building research has been inadequate from a methodologicaL standpoint. This article provides a conceptual definition of team building and proposes a preliminary theoretical model describing its relation to performance. Methodological issues are discussed and suggestions are made for improving the quality of team building research.
The Participation-Performance Controversy Reconsidered
Authors: Steel Robert P. , Mento Anthony J.
Published: March 2007

Recent literature reviews (Locke, Feren, McCaleb, Shaw, & Denny, 1980; Locke & Schweiger, 1979) dealing with the impact of participation in decision making (PDM) on work outcomes have tended to cast doubt upon the relationship between PDM and job performance criteria. Results of cross-sectional research from six different U.S. military organizations are reported. Self-report measures of the degree of influence perceived by employees (i.e., PDM) were significantly correlated with job satisfaction ratings and with supervisory performance ratings in all six samples. Moderated regression analysis and partial correlation analysis indicated that PDM performance correlations were potentially confounded with the employee's self- ratings of task competence.
Communication Relationship Satisfaction and Organizational Commitment
Authors: Putti Joseph M. , Aryee Samuel , Phua Joseph
Published: March 2007

This exploratory study examines the relationship between communication relationship satisfaction (CRS) and organizational commitment. CRS was measured by organizational communication relationship (OCR) instrument developed by the International Communication Association (ICA). Organizational commitment was measured by Porter, Steers, Mowday and Boulian's (1974) scale. Data were obtained from 122 white-collar employees in an engineering company through a paper-and-pencil questionnaire. A factor analysis of the ICA-OCR instrument indicated 4 factors but only 2 (top management and supervisor relationships) were considered appropriate for the study. Our results indicate that top management relationships relate more closely to organizational commitment than either the global CRS or supervisor relationship. The implication of our findings for managers and directions for future research are indicated.
Organizational Politics and Planned Organization Change
Authors: Kumar Kamalesh , Thibodeaux Mary S.
Published: March 2007

Since the late 1960s, the political aspect of planned organizational change has received considerable attention. But despite the increasing acceptance of the fact that organizational change is inextricably linked with organizational politics, organization development (OD) professionals have continued to be cautious in grappling with the political realities involved in the implementation of planned organizational change. This article conceptualizes planned organizational change as a continuum of relationships with three degrees or levels of change. A sequential approach to the political involvement of OD professionals has been developed and an analytical framework has been presented that calls for matching degrees of political involvement to the level of change desired.
Link of Manager Behavior to Supervisor Performance Rating and Subordinate Satisfaction
Authors: Castaneda Maria , Nahavandi Afsaneh
Published: March 2007

Data from 503 subordinates and the corresponding bosses of a group of 94 first-level managers were used to test the hypotheses that different managerial behaviors are related to subordinate satisfaction and bosses' rating of performance. The results indicate that a manager's consideration and structuring behavior are related to subordinate satisfaction, whereas structuring was the only behavior related to higher performance ratings from bosses.
Effects of Perceived Decision-Making Influence on Labor Relations and Organizational Outcomes
Authors: Steel Robert P. , Jennings Kenneth R. , Mento Anthony J. , Hendrix William H.
Published: March 2007

By providing employees with an outlet for expressing dissatisfaction and advocating remedial action, influence in organizational decision making may foster more harmonious industrial relations. Longitudinal research at a U.S. federal mint found that degree of perceived influence was significantly correlated with organizational outcomes (e.g., organizational commitment, sick leave) and labor relations outcomes (e.g., unfair labor practice complaints, adverse actions). Hierarchical regression analysis, controlling for a range of personal and organizational factors, yielded mixed support for relationships between perceived influence and outcome. Boundary conditions and theoretical implications relating to the study's results are outlined.
Business Students' Justifications of Exceptionally High Salaries
Authors: Mitchell Terence R. , George-Falvy Jane , Crandall Susan R.
Published: March 2007

A sample of 164 business students rated the fairness and appropriateness of 14 justifications for someone receiving a salary of $2 million a year. The occupation (marketing executive, movie star) and the gender of the person being rated were manipulated. Also manipulated was the response condition: whether one responded as if they were the $2 million salary recipient or whether the recipient was someone else. The results show that certain types of factors (e.g., inputs such as hard work, talent, and performance) are seen as better justifications than other factors (e.g., external factors such as positive benefits to society or difficulty of the job). There were very few gender differences in justifications, but the different occupations were related to different justifications. Also, people felt the salary was fairer and more justified when they were perceived as receiving the money than when it was someone else. The results are discussed in terms of theoretical and practical issues related to student perceptions of executive compensation.
What You Know is What You Get from Experience
Authors: Rentsch Joan R. , Heffner Tonia S. , Duffy Lorraine T.
Published: March 2007

Team members with different levels of experience may understand the process of teamwork very differently and if these differences were identified, team training, team management, and team performance may be enhanced. In the present study, representations of teamwork knowledge as a function of team experience were investigated. Teamwork knowledge structures, or teamwork schemas, were assessed using multidimensional scaling and "freehand" concept maps. Consistent with contemporary expert-novice literature, the results revealed that higher experience team members conceptualized teamwork more concisely and in more abstract terms than did lower experience team members. In addition, results from the two methodologies converged to a greater degree for higher experience individuals than for lower experience individuals suggesting that higher experience individuals can express consistently what they understand about teamwork. The results suggested that team training should be designed based on trainees' prior team experiences and teamwork knowledge. Team managers might also keep in mind potential team members' experience levels when making team assignments.
Differential Effects of Survey-Guided Feedback
Authors: Born Dana H. , Mathieu John E.
Published: March 2007

An organizational development (OD) survey was administered to members of a military organization, supervisory groups received feedback, and a follow-up survey was conducted one year later. We hypothesized that initial levels would predict which supervisors would use the feedback, and that use of the feedback would lead to subsequent improvements. Results indicated that workgroup (N = 142) perceptions of management-supervision, supervisory communications, and work-unit climate changed significantly, but differentially, consistent with our hypotheses. Results are discussed in terms of previous meta-analytic reviews of OD interventions and practice in organizations.
In the Eye of the Beholder
Authors: Salam Sabrina , Cox Jonathan F. , Sims Henry P.
Published: March 2007

This longitudinal field study examined how leader behavior influences performance ratings of leaders, and the extent to which this relationship depends on the person rating the leader. The study was not a direct probe of 360-degree performance evaluation, yet the results are especially informative with regard to this relatively new approach to evaluating performance. Results indicate differences in the way leader behavior correlated with subsequent performance ratings, depending on who completed the rating. Leaders who were seen as challenging the status quo and encouraging subordinates' independent action were rated lower by their superior managers, but rated higher by their subordinates. Discussion speculates about the possible reasons underlying these findings, especially the role of the person doing the rating. The authors conclude that lack of convergence of ratings from different sources is not necessarily rater "error" but can stem from legitimate differences in the structural role of the person rating the leader.
Social-Role versus Structural Models of Gender and Influence Use in Organizations
Authors: Aguinis Herman , Adams Susan K.R.
Published: March 2007

We adopted a strong inference epistemological approach and confronted predictions derived from 2 competing paradigms that attempt to explain poor evaluations and slow organizational advancement of female managers as compared to male managers. Participants viewed a video tape of a manager (female, male) occupying identical roles in the organizational structure and using 1 of 2 forms of influence behaviors (direct or indirect). The prediction of the social-role model was that female managers would receive more negative evaluations than did male managers when using (sex-role incongruent) direct influence behaviors. The prediction of the structural model was that there would be no gender-based differences and there would be a main effect for influence use (because direct influence is more congruent with the managerial position than is indirect influence). Supporting the structural model, ratings of managerial power, leadership effectiveness, managerial attributes, and reactions to an influence attempt were affected by the type of influence used and not by gender.
The Impact of Downsizing on Workplace Attitudes
Authors: Luthans Brett C. , Sommer Steven M.
Published: March 2007

Downsizing has become a popular organization-wide intervention for improving effectiveness. However, much of the existing literature is based on prescriptions and anecdotes. This article presents a longitudinal, quasi-experimental field study of a downsizing intervention in a healthcare organization. Measures of work attitudes (job satisfaction, organizational commitment, supervisor support, and workgroup trust) were taken at annual intervals over a 3-year period. Results partially supported the hypotheses that managers and front-line employees would report different reactions to downsizing programs. Explanations and implications for future research and practice are discussed.
Infant-like Social Interactions between a Robot and a Human Caregiver
Authors: Breazeal Cynthia , Scassellati Brian
Published: March 2007

From birth, human infants are immersed in a social environment that allows them to learn by leveraging the skills and capabilities of their caregivers. A critical pre-cursor to this type of social learning is the ability to maintain interaction levels that are neither overwhelming nor under-stim ulating. In this paper, we present a mechanism for an autonomous robot to regulate the intensity of its social interactions with a human. Similar to the feedback from infant to caregiver, the robot uses expressive displays to modulate the interaction intensity. This mechanism is integrated within a general framework that combines perception, attention, drives, emotions, behavior selection, and motor acts. We present a specific implementation of this architecture that enables the robot to react appropriately to both social stimuli (faces) and non-social stimuli (moving toys) while maintaining a suitable interaction intensity. We present results from both face-to-face interactions and interactions mediated through a toy.

Note: This paper was submitted in June, 1998.
Neural Mechanisms Underlying Direction-Selective Avoidance Behavior
Authors: Liaw Jim-Shih , Arbib Michael A.
Published: March 2007

Avoiding looming objects (possible predators) is essential for animals'survival. This article presents a neural network model to account for the detection of and response to a looming stimulus. The generation of an appropriate response includes five tasks: detection of a looming stimulus, localization of the stimulus position, computation of the direction of the stimulus movement, determination of escape direction, and selection of a proper motor action. The detection of a looming stimulus is achieved based on the expansion of the retinal image and depth information. The spatial location of the stimulus is encoded by a population of neurons. The direction of the looming stimulus is computed by monitoring the shift of the peak of neuronal activity in this population. The signal encoding the stimulus location is gated by the direction- selective neurons onto a motor heading map, which specifies the escape direction. The selection of a proper action is achieved through competition among different groups of motor neurons. The model is based on the analysis of predator-avoidance in frog and toad but leads to a comparative analysis of mammalian visual systems.
Training Agents to Perform Sequential Behavior
Authors: Colombetti Marco , Dorigo Marco
Published: March 2007

This article is concerned with training an agent to perform sequential behavior. In previous work, we have been applying reinforcement learning techniques to control a reactive agent. Obviously, a purely reactive system is limited in the kind of interactions it can learn. In particular, it can learn what we call pseudosequences—that is, sequences of actions in which each action is selected on the basis of current sensory stimuli. It cannot learn proper sequences, in which actions must be selected also on the basis of some internal state. Moreover, it is a result of our research that effective learning of proper sequences is improved by letting the agent and the trainer communicate. First, we consider trainer-to-agent communication, introducing the concept of reinforcement sensor, which lets the learning robot explicitly know whether the last reinforcement was a reward or a punishment. We also show how the use of this sensor makes error recovery rules emerge. Then we introduce agent-to-trainer communication, which is used to disambiguate ambiguous training situations—that is, situations in which the observation of the agent's behavior does not provide the trainer with enough information to decide whether the agent's move is right or wrong. We also show an alternative solution to the problem of ambiguous situations, which involves learning to coordinate behavior in a simpler, unambiguous setting and then transferring what has been learned to a more complex situation. All the design choices we make are discussed and compared by means of experiments in a simulated world.
Learning to Learn: Real-Time Features and a Connectionist Model
Authors: Kehoe E. James , Horne Amanda J. , Macrae Michaela
Published: March 2007

Two experiments used classical conditioning to examine transfer of response features specific to the warning interval between a conditioned stimulus (CS) and an unconditioned stimulus (US). Rabbits were given initial training with a stimulus (CSA) in one modality (tone) at a designated interval (e.g., 200 ms). In a second stage, the conditioned response (CR) to CSA was extinguished. Finally, training was shifted to a new stimulus (CSB) in another modality (light) at a new interval (e.g., 400 ms). Compared to rest controls, there was an enhanced rate of CR acquisition to CSB and a tendency for early CRs to CSB to reflect the CSA-US interval. However, the extinction procedure and the change in CS-US interval together reduced these two aspects of transfer across stimulus modalities. The findings are discussed in terms of their implications for theories of cross-modal transfer. A layered network with real-time features is offered.
Escape, Avoidance, and Imitation: A Neural Network Approach
Authors: Schmajuk Nestor A. , Zanutto B. Silvano
Published: March 2007

We present a real-time neural network that integrates classical and operant processes to describe how animals learn to escape and avoid an aversive stimulus either by trial and error or by imitation. It is assumed that through classical conditioning animals build an internal model of the environment and that through operant conditioning animals select from alternative responses. The internal model of the environment provides predictions of the aversive stimulus based on environmental stimuli and the animal's own responses, and these predictions are used to train the operant conditioning block to generate responses that minimize the aversive stimulus. Computer simulations show that the model correctly describes many of the features that characterize escape and avoidance.

The network also is able to describe the imitation of a demonstrator by an observer. During the demonstration, a neural network representing the observer stores classical associations between environmental stimuli and the demonstrator's responses and aversive stimuli, and these associations serve to train the operant associations during the observer's performance. It is assumed that the demonstrator's responses evoke a representation of identical responses in the observer and that the demonstrator's unconditioned response to the aversive stimulus serves as an aversive reinforcer for the observer.

The network contributes to a general theory of adaptive behavior and is relevant to the design of autonomous systems that learn either through trial and error or through imitation.
The Process of Crescive Legitimation: Theory, Simulation Model, and Three Empirical Tests
Authors: Jacobsen Chanoch
Published: March 2007

It is argued that the source of crescive legitimation lies in social conditions that permit noncon formities to normative expectations, so that unsanctioned violations increase and spread. This, together with the paucity of palpable reactions create the positive feedback that propels legitima tion. Crescive delegitimation, the reverse process, originates in open challenges to legitimate objects when they appear to conflict with established norms or beliefs. It is driven by a positive feedback in the opposite direction. This theoretical argument was transformed into a System Dynamics simulation model and tested with time series data on unmarried cohabitation (U.S.A., 1960-1994), reform marriages in Israel (1990-1996), and homosexuality (U.S.A., 1973-1996). The plotted output matched the data trends in each set, and the model reproduced over 85% of the variance of the data.
An Agent-Based Decision Network for Concurrent Engineering Design
Authors: Reza Danesh Mohammad , Jin Yan
Published: March 2007

Engineering design is a complex process. Even in designing a simple product, many decisions must be made by a designer. The problem gets more complex when multiple designers work as a team to design single artifact. In this paper, we take a decision- based approach to model design process and introduce an agent-based decision network (ADN) to support concurrent decision-making and collaboration in design. ADN focuses on making designers consider other team members' decisions when making their own and at tempts to achieve coherent design decisions among designers by explicitly representing and enhancing individual design decision-mak ing and negotiation processes. ADN is composed of a decision-based design process model (DDPM), an objective-based negotiation model (OBNM), and a number of intelligent agents, each associated with a human designer. The DDPM was developed to capture indi vidual designers' design processes. OBNM was developed to facilitate objective-based negotiation and to track both dependencies gen erated and decisions made at each design stage for downstream negotiation support. In ADN, each designer is associated with an agent and both the DDPM and OBNM are captured and facilitated by agents and are not explicitly visible to designers. Agents generate and uti lize the DDPM and OBNM information to support their designers. This paper describes the ADN framework in detail, points out its advan tages, and presents an application example to demonstrate the effectiveness of the ADN framework.
Hierarchical Process Model for Concurrent Activity
Authors: Kikuchi Yoshihito , Kishinami Takeshi
Published: March 2007

We propose a hierarchical manufacturing process model that consists of three parts to represent a concurrent manufacturing activity using a formal description technique They are a manufacturing group interface model, manufacturing process information model and dynamic manufacturing process model In this model the object is treated as a communication target The process is represented as an observation of the communication Finally, we present a formal description of the hierarchical manufacturing process model
Representation and Management of Requirements: The RAPID-WS Project
Authors: Kott Alexander , Peasant Janet L.
Published: March 2007

RAPID-WS (Requirements Process in Design for Weapon Systems) is an advanced research and development project conducted by the Air Force Armstrong Laboratory, Logistics Research Division RAPID-WS prototypes and demonstrates decision support system tools and supporting methodologies to improve requirements determination and analysis in a concurrent collaborative environment