title: Occupational Stress in Academic life: A Study of Academics of Malaysian Public Universities

authors: Idris, Mohd Kamel

subjects: occupational stress

abstract: Stress can lead to poor health and loss of productivity among employees across
occupations. Stress does not only affect individuals but also organizations by
causing work absence and staff turnover. Academics in Malaysian public
universities are no exception. Due to the rapid developments in tertiary
education, academics in Malaysian public universities are believed to be
experiencing increased job demands that potentially lead to increased stress.
This study was carried out to examine: i) the direct effect of role stressors (i.e.
role overload, role ambiguity and role conflict) on strain; ii) the direct effect of strain
on the outcomes of strain (i.e. cynicism, professional efficacy, and organizational
commitment); iii) the moderation effects of organizational support, peer support, and
self-efficacy on the relationships between role stressors and strain; iv) the mediation
effect of strain on the relationship between role stressors and strain; and v) the
mediation effect of outcomes of strain (i.e. cynicism, professional efficacy, and
organizational commitment) on the relationship between strain and intention to leave
among those academics.
This study used a non-experimental two-wave panel design. Eleven of the 12
study variables were measured using pre-existing scales except for self-efficacy,
iii
which was measured by items specially developed for this study. A longitudinal
survey with a six-month time interval yielded 357 respondents (academics) at time 1
and 210 respondents at time 2. Data were analyzed using multiple regression,
hierarchical regression, and structural equation modeling (SEM) to test for direct
effects, moderation effects and mediation effects respectively.
The findings of this study indicate that academics who experienced increased
levels of role stressors were more likely to have increased levels of strain.
Subsequently, the strained academics were more likely to show higher levels of
cynicism and lower levels of professional efficacy and organizational commitment.
The predicted moderators (i.e organizational support, peer support, and self-efficacy)
had no significant influence on the relationships between role stressors and strain.
Mediation analyses consisted of two parts. In the first part, I found that strain
strongly mediated the relationship between role ambiguity and outcomes of strain
(i.e. cynicism, professional efficacy, and organizational commitment). In the
subsequent mediation analysis, I found that cynicism and organizational commitment
fully mediated the relationship between strain and intention to leave, but not
professional efficacy.

text: Occupational Stress in Academic life: A Study of Academics of Malaysian Public Universities Stress can lead to poor health and loss of productivity among employees across
occupations. Stress does not only affect individuals but also organizations by
causing work absence and staff turnover. Academics in Malaysian public
universities are no exception. Due to the rapid developments in tertiary
education, academics in Malaysian public universities are believed to be
experiencing increased job demands that potentially lead to increased stress.
This study was carried out to examine: i) the direct effect of role stressors (i.e.
role overload, role ambiguity and role conflict) on strain; ii) the direct effect of strain
on the outcomes of strain (i.e. cynicism, professional efficacy, and organizational
commitment); iii) the moderation effects of organizational support, peer support, and
self-efficacy on the relationships between role stressors and strain; iv) the mediation
effect of strain on the relationship between role stressors and strain; and v) the
mediation effect of outcomes of strain (i.e. cynicism, professional efficacy, and
organizational commitment) on the relationship between strain and intention to leave
among those academics.
This study used a non-experimental two-wave panel design. Eleven of the 12
study variables were measured using pre-existing scales except for self-efficacy,
iii
which was measured by items specially developed for this study. A longitudinal
survey with a six-month time interval yielded 357 respondents (academics) at time 1
and 210 respondents at time 2. Data were analyzed using multiple regression,
hierarchical regression, and structural equation modeling (SEM) to test for direct
effects, moderation effects and mediation effects respectively.
The findings of this study indicate that academics who experienced increased
levels of role stressors were more likely to have increased levels of strain.
Subsequently, the strained academics were more likely to show higher levels of
cynicism and lower levels of professional efficacy and organizational commitment.
The predicted moderators (i.e organizational support, peer support, and self-efficacy)
had no significant influence on the relationships between role stressors and strain.
Mediation analyses consisted of two parts. In the first part, I found that strain
strongly mediated the relationship between role ambiguity and outcomes of strain
(i.e. cynicism, professional efficacy, and organizational commitment). In the
subsequent mediation analysis, I found that cynicism and organizational commitment
fully mediated the relationship between strain and intention to leave, but not
professional efficacy.

year: 2009

title: Making it explicit and clear: From ‘strong’ to ‘hyper-’ inferentialism in Brandom and Peirce

authors: Legg, Catherine

subjects: Brandom

abstract: This article explores how Robert Brandom's original "inferentialist" philosophical framework should be positioned with respect to the classical pragmatist tradition. It is argued that Charles Peirce's original attack (in "Questions Concerning Certain Faculties Claimed for Man" and other early papers) on the use of "intuition" in nineteenth-century philosophy of mind is in fact a form of inferentialism, and thus an antecedent relatively unexplored by Brandom in his otherwise comprehensive and illuminating "tales of the mighty dead." However, whereas Brandom stops short at a merely "strong" inferentialism, which admits some non-inferential mental content (although it is parasitic on the inferential and can only be "inferentially articulated"), Peirce embraces a total, that is, "hyper-," inferentialism. Some consequences of this difference are explored, and Peirce's more thoroughgoing position is defended.

text: Making it explicit and clear: From ‘strong’ to ‘hyper-’ inferentialism in Brandom and Peirce This article explores how Robert Brandom's original "inferentialist" philosophical framework should be positioned with respect to the classical pragmatist tradition. It is argued that Charles Peirce's original attack (in "Questions Concerning Certain Faculties Claimed for Man" and other early papers) on the use of "intuition" in nineteenth-century philosophy of mind is in fact a form of inferentialism, and thus an antecedent relatively unexplored by Brandom in his otherwise comprehensive and illuminating "tales of the mighty dead." However, whereas Brandom stops short at a merely "strong" inferentialism, which admits some non-inferential mental content (although it is parasitic on the inferential and can only be "inferentially articulated"), Peirce embraces a total, that is, "hyper-," inferentialism. Some consequences of this difference are explored, and Peirce's more thoroughgoing position is defended.

year: 2008

title: Assessment of fish populations in Lake Horowhenua, Levin

authors: Tempero, Grant Wayne

subjects: Lake Horowhenua

abstract: Lake Horowhenua (Waipunahau) is of substantial historical, cultural and recreational value to the people of the Horowhenua region. However, water quality and biodiversity within the lake has been in decline for a number of years. As part of lake restoration efforts by Horizons Regional Council and the Lake Horowhenua Trustees, a survey of fish species in Lake Horowhenua was conducted by the University of Waikato using boat electrofishing and fyke netting. A lake restoration plan had previously identified invasive fish species such as koi carp (Cyprinus carpio) and European perch (Perca fluviatilis) as being potential barriers to rehabilitation of the lake. The purpose of this survey was to determine the abundance and diversity of fish species within the lake and to ascertain if pest fish species were present at biomasses high enough to be negatively impacting on lake ecology. Recommendations would then be made as to the potential methods and necessity for pest fish removal.

text: Assessment of fish populations in Lake Horowhenua, Levin Lake Horowhenua (Waipunahau) is of substantial historical, cultural and recreational value to the people of the Horowhenua region. However, water quality and biodiversity within the lake has been in decline for a number of years. As part of lake restoration efforts by Horizons Regional Council and the Lake Horowhenua Trustees, a survey of fish species in Lake Horowhenua was conducted by the University of Waikato using boat electrofishing and fyke netting. A lake restoration plan had previously identified invasive fish species such as koi carp (Cyprinus carpio) and European perch (Perca fluviatilis) as being potential barriers to rehabilitation of the lake. The purpose of this survey was to determine the abundance and diversity of fish species within the lake and to ascertain if pest fish species were present at biomasses high enough to be negatively impacting on lake ecology. Recommendations would then be made as to the potential methods and necessity for pest fish removal.

year: 2013