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Full-Text Articles in Business

[Review Of The Book Personnel Economics], Gary S. Fields Nov 2011

[Review Of The Book Personnel Economics], Gary S. Fields

Gary S Fields

[Excerpt] What is personnel economics? Despite its name (non-economists may be put off by the use of the word “personnel,” which was left behind by what is now called human resource management about a quarter century ago), personnel economics deals with issues of fundamental importance in the workplace. As the editors explain in the introduction, “The literature is distinguished from other parts of labour economics primarily by its focus on problems that are central to business.” Thus, personnel economics is economics, it is that part of economics that deals with workplace issues, and it is firmly grounded in labor economics. …


Incentive Contracts And Time Use, Tor Eriksson, Jaime Ortega Oct 2011

Incentive Contracts And Time Use, Tor Eriksson, Jaime Ortega

Jaime Ortega

Empirical studies on incentive contracts have primarily been concerned with the effects on employees' productivity and earnings. The productivity increases associated with such contracts may, however, come at the expense of quality of life at or outside work. In this paper we study the effect on the employees' non-work activities, testing whether incentive contracts lead to a change in the allocation of time across work and non-work activities. In doing so, we distinguish between two effects, a substitution effect and a discretion effect. On the one hand, the introduction of explicit incentives raises the marginal payoff to work, hence employees …


Celebrating 50 Years, 50 Years Of Knowledge Sharing And Learning From A Field Moving Forward, James Hayton, Panagiotis Piperopoulos, Theresa Welbourne Oct 2011

Celebrating 50 Years, 50 Years Of Knowledge Sharing And Learning From A Field Moving Forward, James Hayton, Panagiotis Piperopoulos, Theresa Welbourne

Theresa M. Welbourne, PhD

No abstract provided.


The Economics Of Retirement Behavior, Olivia S. Mitchell, Gary S. Fields Oct 2011

The Economics Of Retirement Behavior, Olivia S. Mitchell, Gary S. Fields

Gary S Fields

This paper examines the role of economic factors in determining retirement behavior using a unique new data archive on more than 8,700 workers covered by 10 different pension plans. We build on our earlier work by estimating several different retirement models including both linear and discrete choice formulations. This framework provides new insights into how and why retirement ages differ across firms. We conclude that older workers' income opportunities differ depending on their pension rules, which in turn have a powerful influence on their retirement patterns. In addition, the models indicate that older workers' tastes for income are not uniform, …


Labor Retrenchment Laws And Their Effect On Wages And Employment: A Theoretical Investigation, Kaushik Basu, Gary S. Fields, Shub Debgupta Aug 2011

Labor Retrenchment Laws And Their Effect On Wages And Employment: A Theoretical Investigation, Kaushik Basu, Gary S. Fields, Shub Debgupta

Gary S Fields

Many countries have legislation which make it costly for firms to dismiss or retrench workers. In the case of India, the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947, requires firms that employ 50 or more workers to pay compensation to any worker who is to be retrenched. This paper builds a theoretical model to analyze the effects of such anti-retrenchment laws. Our model reveals that an anti-retrenchment law can cause wages and employment to rise or fall, depending on the parametric conditions prevailing in the market. We then use this simple model to isolate conditions under which an anti-retrenchment law raises wages and …


Organizations Of Professionals: Governance Structures In Large Law Firms, Pamela S. Tolbert Aug 2011

Organizations Of Professionals: Governance Structures In Large Law Firms, Pamela S. Tolbert

Pamela S Tolbert

Despite the growing number of studies of professionals in organizations, surprisingly little attention has been given to the way in which professions shape organizations. This research addresses this issue by examining the determinants of formal structures in large law firms for decision making in two areas: compensation and promotion. We argue that the structures for compensation decisions are strongly influenced by contemporary business strategies adopted by law firms, as indicated by a number of organizational characteristics. Because promotion decisions are closely tied to the institution of professional authority, however, structures for these decisions are largely unaffected by such strategies. The …


Introduction: At The Intersection Of Organizations And Occupations, Stephen R. Barley, Pamela S. Tolbert Aug 2011

Introduction: At The Intersection Of Organizations And Occupations, Stephen R. Barley, Pamela S. Tolbert

Pamela S Tolbert

[Excerpt] The lack of research and, by extension, the paucity of empirically grounded theory on organizations and occupations have left unanswered questions that are critical for understanding the social organization of work in post-industrial economies. Under what conditions are organizations likely to bureaucratize professional tasks? What types of tasks are most likely to be affected by such bureaucratization and how do occupations adjust to such changes? Conversely, what forces have transformed organizations into breeding grounds for new occupations? How are organizations affected when they employ large numbers of professionals? What dynamics occur when the boundaries between occupation and organization begin …


The Impact Of Ehr On Professional Competence In Hrm: Implications For The Development Of Hr Professionals, Bradford S. Bell, Sae-Won Lee, Sarah K. Yeung Jul 2011

The Impact Of Ehr On Professional Competence In Hrm: Implications For The Development Of Hr Professionals, Bradford S. Bell, Sae-Won Lee, Sarah K. Yeung

Bradford S Bell

[Excerpt] Information technology has been cited as a critical driver of HR’s transition from a focus on administrative tasks to a focus on serving as a strategic business partner. This strategic role not only adds a valuable dimension to the HR function but also changes the competencies that define the success of HR professionals. Interviews were conducted with HR representatives from 19 firms to examine the linkage between electronic human resources (eHR) and the reshaping of professional competence in HRM. Based on the findings, we draw implications for the development of HR competencies and identify learning strategies that HR professionals …


Slippage In The System: The Effects Of Errors In Transactive Memory Behavior On Team Performance, Matthew Pearsall, Aleksander Ellis, Bradford Bell Jul 2011

Slippage In The System: The Effects Of Errors In Transactive Memory Behavior On Team Performance, Matthew Pearsall, Aleksander Ellis, Bradford Bell

Bradford S Bell

[Excerpt] Although researchers have consistently shown that the implicit coordination provided by transactive memory positively affects team performance, the benefits of transactive memory systems depend heavily on team members’ ability to accurately identify the expertise of their teammates and communicate expertise-specific information with one another. This introduces the opportunity for errors to enter the system, as the expertise of individual team members may be misunderstood or misrepresented, leading to the reliance on information from the wrong source or the loss of information through incorrect assignment. As Hollingshead notes, “information may be transferred or explicitly delegated to the ‘wrong’ individual in …


Work Teams, Bradford S. Bell, Steve W. J. Kozlowski Jul 2011

Work Teams, Bradford S. Bell, Steve W. J. Kozlowski

Bradford S Bell

[Excerpt] Teams serve as the basic building blocks of modern organizations and represent a critical means by which work is accomplished in today's world. Therefore, significant research during the past few decades has been focused on understanding work team effectiveness. This entry looks at the history of this research and what it says about team types, team composition, team development, team processes, and team effectiveness.


A Trickle-Down Model Of Psychological Contract Breach: The Impact Of Supervisors’ Relationships On Employee Perceptions Of Kept Promises, Grace Lemmon Jun 2011

A Trickle-Down Model Of Psychological Contract Breach: The Impact Of Supervisors’ Relationships On Employee Perceptions Of Kept Promises, Grace Lemmon

Grace Lemmon

No abstract provided.


Women’S Managerial Aspirations From A Career Development Perspective, Grace Lemmon Jun 2011

Women’S Managerial Aspirations From A Career Development Perspective, Grace Lemmon

Grace Lemmon

No abstract provided.


Leadership & Organizational Change, Terri A. Scandura Phd, Monica Sharif Jun 2011

Leadership & Organizational Change, Terri A. Scandura Phd, Monica Sharif

Terri A. Scandura

In recent years, change has occurred within almost all organizations. Downsizing, relocations, restructuring, technological changes, mergers, process-oriented changes and people-oriented changes are happening on a daily basis. Therefore it is necessary to study the influence organizational change has on important organizational variables. We conducted a study examining reactions to different types of organizational change. We specifically looked at the extent to which employees trust their organization during different types of organizational change.


Mentoring – A Review Of The Science And The State Of The Art, Terri A. Scandura Phd Jun 2011

Mentoring – A Review Of The Science And The State Of The Art, Terri A. Scandura Phd

Terri A. Scandura

Mentoring is a relationship between a senior person and a junior person that enhances the junior person’s personal learning on the job and career development. Research on mentoring in organizations dates back to the late seventies to early eighties. In 1985, Kathy Kram at Boston University published a book entitled, “Mentoring at work: Developmental relationships in organizational life” that proved to be a catalyst for much research on mentoring in the management literature. In recent years, the emphasis on mentoring relationships at work has shifted to what mentee’s learn on the job – both jobrelated skills as well as political …


Looks Aren't Everything: Aren't Managers Concerned With Actually Being Fair, Terri A. Scandura Phd, Cecily D. Cooper Jun 2011

Looks Aren't Everything: Aren't Managers Concerned With Actually Being Fair, Terri A. Scandura Phd, Cecily D. Cooper

Terri A. Scandura

The justice literature has unequivocally noted how important it is employees feel they are treated fairly. Accordingly, managers often find themselves in predicaments of injustice which they must resolve. Research on social accounts describes strategies managers can use to make themselves “seem fair,” thus, alleviating their predicament. But in taking an impression management perspective of justice, this literature fails to acknowledge that many managers actually want to “be fair.” Based on the latter assumption, we propose an alternative framework for understanding how managers will address justice-related predicaments.


Validity Of Scandura And Ragins' (1993) Multidimensional Mentoring Measure: An Evaluation And Refinement, Stephanie L. Castro, Terri A. Scandura Phd, Ethlyn A. Williams Jun 2011

Validity Of Scandura And Ragins' (1993) Multidimensional Mentoring Measure: An Evaluation And Refinement, Stephanie L. Castro, Terri A. Scandura Phd, Ethlyn A. Williams

Terri A. Scandura

The establishment of a mentoring relationship can be important to an individual‘s career for multiple reasons. However, in order to study this construct, we must be able to accurately measure it. In this paper, three separate studies were conducted to examine and refine Scandura and Ragins‘ (1993) multidimensional mentoring measure. In Study 1, an empirical assessment of the content validity of the measure was conducted. The convergent and discriminant validity, reliability, and item-total correlations were then examined in Study 2, and the measure was reduced to nine items. The convergent and discriminant validity, reliability, and item-total correlations of this reduced …


An Investigation Of Leader-Member Exchange, Organizational Justice And Performance, Terri A. Scandura Phd, Manuel J. Tejeda Jun 2011

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 Jun 2011

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 …


Gender Differences In Mentoring In Australia: Mentor Functions And Outcomes, Terri A. Scandura Phd, Ethlyn A. Williams Jun 2011

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 Jun 2011

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 Jun 2011

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 Jun 2011

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 …


Managing Toxic Leaders: Dysfunctional Patterns In Organizational Leadership And How To Deal With Them, Marco Tavanti May 2011

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 …


Advances In Technology-Based Training, Bradford Bell, Steve Kozlowski May 2011

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 May 2011

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 …


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 May 2011

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 May 2011

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 May 2011

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 May 2011

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 May 2011

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 …