Business Commons^™

The Structure Of Opportunity: Network Configuration And Career Mobility, Terri A. Scandura Phd

Terri A. Scandura

Within organizations, managers are constantly choosing with whom they will begin, continue or cease to interact (Fischer, 1977; Kaplan, 1984). Organizations have been defined as "fish nets" of interrelated offices, and can be viewed as social groupings with relatively stable patterns of interaction over time (Katz and Kahn, 1978; Weick, 1969). If such a model of organizing is to move beyond this metaphor, coherent frameworks, and accompanying methods of analysis capable of capturing these emergent processes are necessary. The social network perspective was proposed by Tichy, Tushman and Fombrun (1979) and has guided data collection and analysis on emergent network …

An Investigation Of Leader-Member Exchange, Organizational Justice And Performance, Terri A. Scandura Phd, Manuel J. Tejeda

Terri A. Scandura

Recently, the concept of organizational justice has been employed to re-examine the Leader-member exchange (LMX) literature. LMX, and three forms of justice (distributive, procedural and interactional) examined using a sample of N = 275 leader-member dyads. Results indicated procedural justice moderates the relationship between LMX and performance.

Assessing The State Of Cross Cultural Mentoring Research, Terri A. Scandura Phd, John Mezias

Terri A. Scandura

There is increased attention to examining cross-cultural mentoring due to increased internationalization of the firm and the rise of the Multinational Corporation (MNC). New contexts for mentoring relationships will require new theoretical lenses and a variety of research designs in the coming years. We provide an overview of the literature that touches on various aspects of Cross Cultural Mentoring Research (CCMR) and develop a framework to categorize emergent streams of research. These streams are the diversity/diversified mentoring perspective, the cross-cultural mentoring perspective, and the expatriate mentoring perspective. All three approaches examine cross-cultural mentoring; however, we develop an integrative framework that …

Garbage-In, Garbage-Out: Item Generation As A Threat To Construct Validity, Terri A. Scandura Phd, Lucy R. Ford

Terri A. Scandura

Item generation has received only cursory attention in the research literature, despite the fact that it seems obvious that poorly written items will result in poor psychometric properties of measures. In this paper, we review the literature on item generation, develop a typology of threats to construct validity, and evaluate five commonly usedorganizational research measures with respect to typology. Our results demonstrate that the sampled measures have significant problems that may represent threats to construct validity. recommendations for improved item generation practice are offered.

Gender Differences In Mentoring In Australia: Mentor Functions And Outcomes, Terri A. Scandura Phd, Ethlyn A. Williams

Terri A. Scandura

The issue of gender differences in mentoring remains controversial since some studies find gender differences and many do not. Perhaps the context of the mentoring relationship provides an explanation of why gender affects mentoring in some studies. Since most studies of mentoring to date have employed U.S, samples, the question of whether gender differences may emerge in studies of menta ring in non-U.S. samples needs investigation. The present study will examine the role of gender, mentoring functions and the interactive effects of gender and mentoring in relation to career expectations, job satisfaction and organizational commitment in a sample of N=156 …

Structural Effects Of Mentoring Relationships And Protege Career Outcomes, Terri A. Scandura Phd, Chester A. Schriesheim

Terri A. Scandura

The effects of having a mentor and levels of mentoring functions on the career outcomes reported by a sample of N-664 Certified Public Accountants were examined. In addition, structural characteristics of mentoring dyads (mentor hierarchical level, duration of the mentoring relationship, and lapse in mentoring) were proposed to have direct and possibly moderator effects with mentoring on protege career outcomes. Results indicated that structural characteristics are significantly associated protege career outcomes of Annual Salary, Promotions, Number of Direct Reports and Commitment to the Organization, and infrequently act as moderators. Implications for future research on mentoring are discussed.

Team Learning, Development, And Adaptation, Steve W. J. Kozlowski, Bradford S. Bell

Bradford S Bell

[Excerpt] Our purpose is to explore conceptually these themes centered on team learning, development, and adaptation. We note at the onset that this chapter is not a comprehensive review of the literature. Indeed, solid conceptual and empirical work on these themes are sparse relative to the vast amount of work on team effectiveness more generally, and therefore a thematic set of topics that are ripe for conceptual development and integration. We draw on an ongoing stream of theory development and research in these areas to integrate and sculpt a distinct perspective on team learning, development, and adaptation.

Toward A Theory Of Learner-Centered Training Design: An Integrative Framework Of Active Learning, Bradford S. Bell, Steve W. J. Kozlowski

Bradford S Bell

[Excerpt] The goal of this chapter, therefore, is to develop an integrative conceptual framework of active learning, and we do this by focusing on three primary issues. First, we define the active learning approach and contrast it to more traditional, passive instructional approaches. We argue that the active learning approach can be distinguished from not only more passive approaches to instruction but also other forms of experiential learning based on its use of formal training components to systematically influence trainees' cognitive, motivational, and emotion self-regulatory processes. Second, we examine how specific training components can be used to influence each of …

Institutional, Macro Economic Policy Factors And Foreign Direct Investment: South Asian Countries Case, Muhammad Azam, Hashim Khan, Ahmed Imran Hunjra, H. Mushtaq Ahmad, M. Irfan Chani

Ahmed Imran Hunjra (PhD)

Risk And Return Relationship In Stock Market And Commodity Prices: A Comprehensive Study Of Pakistani Markets, Ahmed Imran Hunjra, Muhammad Azam, Ghulam Shabbir Khan Niazi, Babar Zaheer Butt, Kashif Ur Rehman, Rauf I. Azam

Ahmed Imran Hunjra (PhD)

The objective of this study is to determine the risk and return relationship on the basis of univariate modeling approach. This study is helpful to analyze the asymmetric nature of data including the seasonal affect and non linear properties in risk and return relationship scenario. In this study, monthly data was used regarding gold price, cotton prices and sugar price along with KSE 100 index. The data span of all variables cover the time period from July 1998 to July 2008. The overall results indicate that asymmetric and seasonal effect is present in commodities market and stock market. But the …

Relationship Between Customer Satisfaction And Service Quality Of Islamic Banks, Muhammad Naeem Akhtar, Ahmed Imran Hunjra, Syed Waqar Akbar, Kashif Ur Rehman, Ghulam Shabbir Khan Niazi

Ahmed Imran Hunjra (PhD)

Llcs And Corporations: A Fork In The Road In Delaware?, Joshua P. Fershee

Joshua P Fershee

As Vice Chancellor Laster explained in CML V, LLC v. Bax, 6 A.3d 238 (Del. Ch. Nov. 3, 2010): '[T]here is nothing absurd about different legal principles applying to corporations and LLCs.'" This short paper argues that courts should respect the LLC as a business form distinct from corporations and that Delaware courts have taken the first step toward doing just that.

Where legislatures have decided that distinctly corporate concepts should apply to LLCs—such as allowing piercing the veil or derivative lawsuits—those wishes (obviously) should be honored by the courts. But where state LLC laws are silent, courts should carefully …

Managing Toxic Leaders: Dysfunctional Patterns In Organizational Leadership And How To Deal With Them, Marco Tavanti

Marco Tavanti

This study reviews different typologies of toxic leaders in organizations-from bullies to narcissistic leaders. Unfortunately, toxic leaders are a painful but common reality in many organizations. Their destructive behaviors and dysfunctional personal characteristics often generate enduring poisonous effects on those they lead. They are identified by selfish outcomes in their decision-making and how they leave subordinates worse off than when they began. What distinguishes excellent from average managers is their ability to effectively manage dysfunctional leaders in the workplace. Even though some organizations may promote or simply tolerate toxic leaders for economic or political reasons, the long-term impact on the …

The Effectiveness Of Virtual R&D Teams In Smes: Experiences Of Malaysian Smes, Nader Ale Ebrahim, Salwa Hanim Abdul Rashid, Shamsuddin Ahmed, Zahari Taha

Nader Ale Ebrahim

Advances In Technology-Based Training, Bradford Bell, Steve Kozlowski

Bradford S Bell

[Excerpt] There is a growing utilization of technology-based training in the workplace. The 2005 State of the Industry Report published by the American Society for Training and Development (ASTD) revealed that in the average organization, technology-based training accounted for 28.1 percent of all training hours in 2004 (Sugrue and Rivera, 2005). The report also revealed that the utilization of technology-based training has almost doubled since 2002 and is projected to further increase to 32.5 percent in 2005. In this chapter, we examine this trend and explore recent advances in technology-based training. We begin by discussing the environmental factors pushing companies …

Disentangling Achievement Orientation And Goal Setting: Effects On Self-Regulatory Processes, Steve Kozlowski, Bradford Bell

Bradford S Bell

The Heckhausen and Kuhl (1985) goal typology provided the conceptual foundation for this research, which examined the independent and integrated effects of achievement orientation and goal setting approaches on trainees’ self-regulatory activity. Using a complex computer-based simulation, the authors examined the effects of three training design factors cutting across these two theoretical domains – goal frame, goal content, and goal proximity – on the nature, focus, and quality of the self-regulatory activities of 524 trainees. Results revealed that all three factors had a significant influence on self-regulation, with goal content exhibiting the greatest influence. In line with expectations, congruent learning …

Mentors Give Female Leaders Business Boost

Terri A. Scandura

No abstract provided.

Building The Infrastructure: The Effects Of Role Identification Behaviors On Team Cognition Development And Performance, Matthew J. Pearsall, Aleksander P. J. Ellis, Bradford S. Bell

Bradford S Bell

The primary purpose of this study was to extend theory and research regarding the emergence of mental models and transactive memory in teams. Utilizing Kozlowski et al.’s (1999) model of team compilation, we examine the effect of role identification behaviors and argue that such behaviors represent the initial building blocks of team cognition during the role compilation phase of team development. We then hypothesized that team mental models and transactive memory would convey the effects of these behaviors onto team performance in the team compilation phase of development. Results from 60 teams working on a command and control simulation supported …

Developing Adaptability: A Theory For The Design Of Integrated-Embedded Training Systems, Steve W. J. Kozlowski, Rebecca J. Toney, Morell E. Mullins, Daniel A. Weissbein, Kenneth G. Brown, Bradford S. Bell

Bradford S Bell

[Excerpt] This convergence of forces – environmental, technological, and economic – is driving a reconceptualization of the nature of training systems. Training is shifting from an inefficient, time consuming, and expensive enterprise to one that can be delivered efficiently, as needed, and just-in-time. It is shifting from an off-site single episode to a systematic series of learning experiences that are integrated in the workplace and embedded in work technology. It is shifting from a primary emphasis on retention and reproduction to a broader emphasis that also includes the development of adaptive knowledge and skills (Kozlowski, 1998). Training will not be …

Conducting Industrial And Organizational Psychological Research: Institutional Review Of Research In Work Organizations, Daniel R. Ilgen, Bradford S. Bell

Bradford S Bell

Although informed consent is a primary mechanism for insuring the ethical treatment of human participants in research, both federal guidelines and APA ethical standards recognize that exceptions to it are reasonable under certain conditions. But agreement about what constitutes reasonable exceptions to informed consent sometimes is lacking. The research presented the same protocols to samples of respondents drawn from four populations –Institutional Reviewer Board (IRBs) members, managers, employees, and university faculty who were not members of IRBs. Differences in perceptions of IRB members from the other samples with respect to the risks of the protocols without informed consent and on …

Self-Assessments Of Knowledge: Where Do We Go From Here?, Bradford Bell, Jessica Federman

Bradford S Bell

[Excerpt] In this paper, we argue that there remain several unanswered questions surrounding self-assessments of knowledge that must be addressed before we can reach a more definitive conclusion on the viability of these measures. The answers to these questions may provide further evidence that self-assessments should not be used as an indicator of learning or they may serve to qualify the conditions under which self-assessments can be used with reasonable confidence. In either case, addressing these issues is critical if work in this area is to influence how researchers and practitioners evaluate trainees’ learning.

The Effects Of Technical Difficulties On Learning And Attrition During Online Training, Traci Sitzmann, Katherine Ely, Bradford S. Bell, Kristina N. Bauer

Bradford S Bell

Although online instruction has many potential benefits, technical difficulties are one drawback to the increased use of this medium. A repeated measures design was used to examine the effect that technical difficulties have on learning and attrition from voluntary online training. Adult learners (N = 530) were recruited online and volunteered to participate in a four-hour training program on using computer spreadsheets. Technical difficulties were inserted in some of the training modules in the form of error messages. Using multilevel modeling, the results indicated that the presence of these technical difficulties impaired learning, such that test scores were lower in …

A Comparison Of The Effects Of Positive And Negative Information On Job Seekers’ Organizational Attraction And Attribute Recall, Adam M. Kanar, Christopher J. Collins, Bradford S. Bell

Bradford S Bell

To date there have been no direct studies of how strong negative information from sources outside of organizations’ direct control impacts job seekers’ organizational attraction. This study compared models for positive and negative information against a neutral condition using a longitudinal experimental study with college-level job seekers (n = 175). Consistent with the accessibility-diagnosticity perspective, the results indicated that negative information had a greater impact than positive information on job seekers’ organizational attraction and recall, and this effect persisted one week after exposure. The results did not indicate that the influence of information sources and topics that fit together was …

Active Learning: Effects Of Core Training Design Elements On Self-Regulatory Processes, Learning, And Adaptability, Bradford S. Bell, Steve W. J. Kozlowski

Bradford S Bell

This research describes a comprehensive examination of the cognitive, motivational, and emotional processes underlying active learning approaches, their effects on learning and transfer, and the core training design elements (exploration, training frame, emotion-control) and individual differences (cognitive ability, trait goal orientation, trait anxiety) that shape these processes. Participants (N = 350) were trained to operate a complex computer-based simulation. Exploratory learning and error-encouragement framing had a positive effect on adaptive transfer performance and interacted with cognitive ability and dispositional goal orientation to influence trainees’ metacognition and state goal orientation. Trainees who received the emotion-control strategy had lower levels of state …

Consequences Of Organizational Justice Expectations In A Selection System, Bradford S. Bell, Darin Wiechmann, Ann Marie Ryan

Bradford S Bell

This study examined several consequences of applicants’ expectations of organizational justice at multiple stages in a selection process. We assessed the justice expectations of 1,832 job applicants prior to their participation in a testing process and examined how these expectations influenced their pretest attitudes and intentions as well as their perceptions of the testing process. Results revealed that applicants with higher expectations of justice reported higher levels of pretest motivation and more positive job acceptance and recommendation intentions. Justice expectations were also positively related to applicants’ perceptions of justice in the testing process. Results also provided some evidence that justice …

Current Issues And Future Directions In Simulation-Based Training In North America, Bradford Bell, Adam Kanar, Steve Kozlowski

Bradford S Bell

A number of emerging challenges including globalization, economic pressures, and the changing nature of work have combined to create a business environment that demands innovative, flexible training solutions. Simulations are a promising tool for creating more realistic, experiential learning environments to meet these challenges. Unfortunately, the current literature on simulation-based training paints a mixed picture as to the effectiveness of simulations as training tools, with most of the previous research focusing on the specific technologies used in simulation design and little theory-based research focusing on the instructional capabilities or learning processes underlying these technologies. This article examines the promise and …

Auburn University Team Takes Third Place In 2011 Launchpad Competition

Paul Swamidass

"Launchpad helps motivate the Thomas Walter Center to prepare a sound business plan for a promising Auburn University engineering invention each year," said Swamidass. "The screening provided by the Launchpad judges and publicity offered by the competition increases the chances that a strong Auburn invention will get to market for the benefit of the economy and the public. We expect IPC Foam to attract a CEO and private capital to establish a local startup to successfully commercialize this technology."

Practices Of Working Capital Policy And Performance Assessment Financial Ratios And Their Relationship With Organization Performance, Dr. Ghulam Shabbir Khan Niazi, Ahmed Imran Hunjra, Majid Rashid, Syed Waqar Akbar, Muhammad Naeem Akhtar

Ahmed Imran Hunjra (PhD)

The purpose this study is to highlight the application of working capital policy and the performance assessment financial ratios and to determine their relationship with organization performance. The target respondents were the finance executives/financial analysts of the companies. 64 properly filled questionnaires were processed for analysis. This study concludes that the finance executives consider that the proper practices of working capital and financial ratios are very important for the growth and performance of the organization. This research study also finds that there is positive and significant relationship between these practices and organization performance.

Role Of Emotional Intelligence On The Relationship Among Leadership Styles, Decision Making Styles And Organizational Performance: A Review, Rana Rashid Rehman

Rana Rashid Rehman

This paper constructs a conceptual model to study the impact of emotional intelligence on the relationship among leadership styles, decision making styles and organizational performance. Study also give the brief review of emotional intelligence, leadership styles and the relationship among leadership styles, emotional intelligence and other studied variables. The paper has conceptual based theoretical evidences to support the model. Research findings of the previous literature supports the idea that emotional intelligence moderates the relationship among leadership styles and decision making styles as emotional intelligence strongly associated with leadership styles and decision making styles. Emotional intelligence also moderates the relationship between …

Competition Law And Sector Regulation In The European Energy Market After The Third Energy Package: Hierarchy And Efficiency, Michael Diathesopoulos

Michael Diathesopoulos

The aim of this research is to provide the basic parameters for a model for the definition of the relation between the general competition and sector specific frameworks and rules regarding the regulation of the Internal Energy Market, especially after the Third Energy Package. The research considers the recent sector specific framework in relation to a series of recent competition law cases of the Energy Market where structural remedies were applied under the commitments procedure. Essential facilities doctrine and generally competition law tools do not seem to provide a suitable framework for effectively addressing the dynamic competition concept, treating the …