Business Commons^™

Staff Matters: My Dental Assistant Asked For A Work Accommodation — What Are My Obligations?, Jodi Schafer Sphr, Shrm-Scp

The Journal of the Michigan Dental Association

This column addresses an employer's obligations when a dental assistant requests an accommodation for a medical condition that makes prolonged standing difficult. Both the federal Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA, for 15+ employees) and the Michigan Persons with Disabilities Civil Rights Act (PDCRA, for 1+ employee) mandate providing a "reasonable accommodation" unless it poses an "undue hardship". The employer must initiate the "interactive process"—a good-faith dialogue—to identify the employee's limitations and explore feasible accommodations. Medical documentation can be requested to substantiate the need. Examples of reasonable adjustments include providing a stool, offering schedule flexibility, or reassigning non-essential duties. Undue hardship …

Dentistry And The Law: There Will Be No Ban On Covenants Not To Compete, Daniel Schulte Jd

The Journal of the Michigan Dental Association

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) voted on September 5, 2025, to accept a federal court ruling that it had exceeded its authority in proposing a ban on covenants not to compete (CNTCs), ending two-and-a-half years of speculation. Consequently, the enforceability of CNTCs will primarily be determined by Michigan statutory and common law. Guidelines for drafting enforceable CNTCs include setting a reasonable term, typically two years or less for employees, though purchase agreements may allow up to five years. The restricted geographic territory must be limited to what is necessary to protect the practice’s current patient population, such as a 10-mile …

J Mich Dent Assoc November 2025

The Journal of the Michigan Dental Association

Each month, the Journal of the Michigan Dental Association delivers news, information, and features about Michigan dentistry to our state's oral health community and the MDA's 6,200+ members. It remains the main publication reaching Michigan dentists and is available worldwide through ADA Commons.

The November 2025 (Volume 107, No. 11) issue of the Journal is published in both hard copy and with a digital-only format to provide updates and insights for Michigan's oral health community and MDA members. Print editions will resume in November.

The November issue focuses on membership along with a reprinted clinical article on the Oral Manifestations …

A Just Transition For Female Seafarers : Ensuring Gender Equality In The Sustainable Maritime Industry, Danisa Ama Buakah

World Maritime University Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Do Underserved And Underrepresented Minorities Pay A Higher Premium For Employer-Sponsored Coverage?, Willie Reddic, Susan Albring, Patricia Crawford

The Lender Center for Social Justice

Employer-sponsored health insurance covers millions of Americans under 65, yet not all employees share the financial burden equally. This brief explores how underserved communities particularly Black, Hispanic, and American Indian/Alaska Native employees often pay a disproportionately high share of their income toward family coverage premiums. Drawing on national data and recent research, the study highlights systemic disparities in healthcare costs and access, that shows economic, social, and policy factors intersect to create uneven burdens. The importance of clear communication, tailored support tools, and equitable plan design to help employees make informed choices, while offering practical strategies for employers and entrepreneurs …

Hotel Supervisor Incivility And Its Effects On Employee Productivity And Turnover Intention: The Mediating Role Of Ego Depletion, Jean Paolo Lacap, Joe Mari Fadrigalan, Edgie Eser, Mach Ronald Maigue, Princess Airene Mabulay

The South East Asian Journal of Management

Research Aims: This study examines the influence of supervisor incivility on hotel employees’ productivity and turnover intention, and further investigates the mediating role of ego depletion in these relationships.

Design/Methodology/Approach: Participants were hotel employees (N = 300) who were selected using snowball sampling. A predictive research design and partial least-squares path modelling were used to gauge the propositions of the study.

Research Findings: The results indicate that supervisor incivility has a significant impact on ego depletion, employee productivity, and turnover intention. Ego depletion was found to have a substantial effect on both employee productivity and turnover intention, and served as …

How Fair Workweek Laws Affect Labor Markets: A New York City Case Study, Joseph Pickens, Aaron Sojourner

Employment Research Newsletter

No abstract provided.

Women In The Construction Skilled Trades: Career Progression, Challenges, And Motivational Factors, Richard Hannah, Andrew Parzyck, Andrea Janzen, Amanda Portinari

Engaged Management ReView

Women remain significantly underrepresented in the construction industry, particularly in the skilled trades. Through qualitative exploratory interviews with six women, this study investigates the career trajectories, worksite barriers, and motivational influences shaping women’s experiences in the construction skilled trades. The research is framed using Donald Super’s Life-Span, Life-Space theory and expectancy-value theory (EVT) to explore how career stages and career value affect women’s experiences. Participants described gender bias, limited mentorship, and restricted advancement opportunities as primary challenges. This study highlights the need for industry-led initiatives to increase early exposure to trades, improve mentorship and sponsorship programs, and create structured pathways …

Cv: Kami Tsai (Industrial/Organizational Psychology, Human Resource Management), Kami Tsai

Psychology Department Faculty Curricula Vitae

No abstract provided.

How Fair Workweek Laws Affect Labor Markets: A New York City Case Study, Joseph Pickens, Aaron Sojourner

Upjohn Institute Policy and Research Briefs

No abstract provided.

Catching On: Work Stress, Employee Wellbeing, And The Moderating Role Of Team-Level Emotional Contagion, Aglae Hernandez Grande, Ben Farr-Wharton, Fleur Sharafizad, Simon Darcy, Mihajla Gavin

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Work stress and employee wellbeing have gained heightened attention since the COVID-19 pandemic. Until now, organizations have primarily sought to conceptualize these variables as an individual-level phenomenon; thereby neglecting the potential influence of social dynamics within the workplace. Drawing on conservation of resources and emotional contagion theories, this study examines the extent to which team-level emotional contagion moderates the impact of stress on wellbeing, factoring in multilevel effects. Data from 237 professional services employees nested within 41 teams was analyzed. The results show support for emotional contagion as a team-level moderator between individual-level work stress and employee wellbeing. The role …

Toxic Leadership And Employees' Silence In The Public Sector: The Mediating Role Of Emotional Exhaustion And The Moderating Effect Of Cultural Values, Zubair Ahmed Pirzada, Shoukat Ali Mahar, Naveed Ahmed Mahar

Business Review

This study examines the impact of toxic leadership on employee silence in public healthcare institutions within Sukkur Division, Sindh, Pakistan. Although prior studies have mostly focused on corporate settings, little is known about how toxic leadership shapes employee silence in public healthcare systems of developing countries. This study proposes emotional exhaustion as the mediating variable and cultural value as a moderating variable for the indirect effect. The study employed a cross-sectional and quantitative design, collecting data from 255 employees working in District Health Offices, Basic Health Units, and public hospitals. Validated measurement scales were applied, and data were analyzed using …

Relational Realities Of Readiness: What Managers Wish Colleges Knew About Business Communication, Karen Mccullough, Laura N. Miller

Applied Business Faculty Publications

This grounded theory study, informed by Communication Accommodation Theory, explores how frontline managers (n = 11) support early-career employees’ communication development. Findings identify three support strategies—structured scaffolding, adaptive leadership, and onboarding for cultural fit—and suggest colleges emphasize verbal and intercultural communication, applied learning, and professional presence. These insights reframe communication readiness as a relational process shaped by emotion, power, and organizational norms. The study calls for stronger collaboration between higher education and employers.

The Role Of Employee Relationship Orientation In The Value Co-Creation – Firm Performance Link, Perry L. Parke, Prachi Gala, Pramod Iyer, Stefan Sleep, Mona Sinha

Faculty Scholarship

Purpose – This paper links employees’ relationship orientation, or their sense that the organization respects their contribution, to value co-creation and overall firm performance. It also measures the effects on innovation and knowledge sharing.

Design/methodology/approach – A total of 301 US product and marketing managers participated in a survey. Measurement and structural models were evaluated using partial least squares structural equation modeling.

Findings – Main findings suggest that increased value co-creation (VCC) activity has a significant effect on employee relationship orientation. This study also finds that employee relationship orientation plays a mediating role in the relationship between VCC and firm …

Interdisciplinary Narratives On Artificial Intelligence & Personnel Selection Systems, John Hunter, Melissa Intindola, Neil Boyd, Thiago Serra Azevedo Silva

Faculty Journal Articles

Artificial intelligence (AI) has quickly and persistently become a daily presence in our lives, and its omnipresence has eclipsed the speed with which scholars can fully assess its efficacy and pitfalls. AI’s ubiquity and the lack of a clear understanding of its implications for humanity has spurred scholars across disciplines to action, and scholars in the field of Human Resource Management (HR) have certainly joined the fray. As scholars with a variety of experience and scholarship across disciplines, we believe that the burgeoning conversation in the HR literature would significantly benefit from a greater presence of interdisciplinary knowledge.

Beyond Compliance: Investigating The Motivational Power Of Equality, Diversity And Inclusion (Edi) In European Hospitality, Alessandro Ferrazza Dr

ICHRIE Research Reports

The base concept of this study is to explore the interrelationship between Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) practices, employee motivation and performance within the European Hospitality Industry. The research aims to identify the barriers and facilitators that shape motivational synergies stimulating performance outcomes, particularly for underrepresented employee groups. The researcher employed a mixed-methods approach underpinned by a pragmatic interpretivist framework. The findings revealed that there is wide use of discriminatory practices, limited career progression and poor work-life balance which act as significant demotivators (Siu et al., 1997). The study also reconceptualises EDI not merely as a compliance requirement, but as …

Employee Training Methods On Performance, Retention, And Career Growth In A Multi-Skilled Workforce And The Impact Of Emerging Technologies, Julia Bellis

Research Awards

This research paper examines how different types of employee training like on-the-job training, micro-credentials and formal course can affect performance, retention, and career growth in today’s multi-skilled workforce. Many businesses will invest lots of money into training but struggle to understand whether these programs actually improve employee skills or provide positive return on investment. The literature shows that each training method has strengths and weaknesses and that their effectiveness depends on what industry it is used in, the skills that are required, and the resources that the company has. New technologies like virtual reality and extended reality also are changing …

Human Resources: Knowledge Transfer And Ramp-Up Curves In Onboarding, Sela Reid

Research Awards

This paper defines and discusses the importance of knowledge transfer, onboarding content, mentorships, internships, on-the-job training (OJT), job satisfaction, high employee retention and low employee turnover, and job rotation. A new employee’s first few days at a new job can be frightening, embarrassing, and overwhelming. If a new employee is given a bad impression of the company within their first week, the new hire is left rethinking their job decision; and the company’s reputation is at stake for not fostering a welcoming organizational culture. New employees do not need to feel lost, unprepared, apprehensive, or lonely during their first few …

Unraveling Equity: The Consequences Of Dismantling Dei Initiatives In Education., James D. Upshaw

2025 Fall Honors Capstones Projects - Archive

Recent political and institutional shifts have led to the dismantling of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives across schools and universities, raising concerns about how these changes affect both students and the future workforce. This research investigates how the removal of DEI programs influences student belonging, academic access, and long-term workforce diversity. Using a mixed-methods approach, the study combines qualitative interviews with professors and students and quantitative analysis of enrollment, retention, and diversity data from universities affected by DEI policy changes. Preliminary findings suggest that dismantling DEI initiatives leads to decreased student support, reduced faculty morale, and declining representation among …

Barriers And Best Practices In Diversity, Equity, And Inclusion (Dei) Initiatives: A Case Study From The United States Aerospace And Defense Industry, Jeremy A. Bailey

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

The main objective of this study was to unpack the barriers around diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, and then provide best practices to improve DEI efforts in the aerospace and defense (A&D) industry. There has been a multitude of research conducted on DEI in the past few years. However, very little research has focused on DEI practices in the A&D industry. This case study focused on one large company in this industry to explore and understand various aspects of DEI initiative implementation. As organizations strive to meet industry and client objectives, as well as address employee needs, two research …

Staff Matters: Maintaining Empathy And Respect When Performance Issues Occur, Jodi Schafer Sphr, Shrm-Scp

The Journal of the Michigan Dental Association

In her monthly column, human resource expert Jodi Schafer provides guidance on managing employee performance issues and terminations with empathy and respect. She highlights that a practice's reputation is influenced by how it treats people, especially during difficult moments. Strategies include early intervention—documenting specific incidents and giving timely feedback instead of waiting until frustration builds. Leaders should foster open dialogue to offer support, such as training refreshers, before resorting to discipline. Difficult conversations should be held in private with honesty and compassion. If termination is necessary, leaders should "exit with grace," clearly explaining final steps and making a neutral announcement …

The Gender Pay Gap: An Occupational Analysis (2012-2023), Curtis Long

Harriet L Wilkes Honors College Theses

This thesis examines the gender wage gap across thirty major U.S. occupations from 2014 to 2023 using data from the Current Population Survey (CPS), more specifically, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). The analysis measures the difference in median weekly earnings between women and men in each occupation and applies two statistical tests: a yearly z-test to evaluate whether the average wage gap is significant, and a ten-year t-test to identify persistent occupational gaps. Results show significant wage differences in every year, with the largest disparities in finance, management, and law, and smaller gaps in education and healthcare. Consistent …

J Mich Dent Assoc October 2025

The Journal of the Michigan Dental Association

Each month, the Journal of the Michigan Dental Association delivers news, information, and features about Michigan dentistry to our state's oral health community and the MDA's 6,200+ members. It remains the main publication reaching Michigan dentists and is available worldwide through ADACommons. The October 2025 (Volume 107, No. 10) issue of the Journal is published in a digital-only format to provide updates and insights for Michigan's oral health community and MDA members. Print editions will resume in November. The October issue highlights the critical importance of advocacy through the MDA Dental Political Action Committee (PAC) and provides practical, management-focused information …

News You Need: How Many Of These Ada/Mda Practice Resources Are You Using?

The Journal of the Michigan Dental Association

This October, MDA offers updates and resources including support for human resources, ongoing education, and professional tools. Michigan was selected for the Medicaid Oral Health Workforce Implementation Learning Series to enhance access to care. The MDA launched HERM-E, an AI-powered digital assistant providing 24/7 access to resources and quick answers. Supporting chairside advocacy for community water fluoridation, the News reports that a national survey indicates 81% of Americans support or are neutral about water fluoridation. Applications are now open for the 2026 MDA LEAD Program, and nominations are being accepted for MDA awards and leadership positions. The News column further …

Factors That Influence The Implementation Of Effective Succession Planning In Nonprofit Organizations, Sharon L. Cook

Human Resource Development Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore factors influencing the implementation of effective succession planning (SP) in nonprofit organizations within a specific traditional industry—the electric utility industry. This study adopted the concept of SP as a process or system, and systems theory was selected to examine the SP process. Rothwell’s (2016) seven- pointed star model for systematic SP and management provided the conceptual framework for this study. This study used an inductive, qualitative approach to collect information from participants, with semi-structured, open-ended interviews. Face-to-face interviews were preferred, but some online interviews via Zoom were necessary. Interviews were conducted …

Personality And Personnel Selection: Going Beyond Self-Reports And Linear Relationships, Filip Lievens, Jinyan Fan, Jingyi Li

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

The study of personality in selection and assessment represents one of the most longstanding and voluminous literature in industrial and organizational psychology. In this paper, we review two important recent research streams. First, we review studies on alternatives to self-report personality inventories, namely the use of Situational Judgment Tests (SJTs), assessment center (AC) exercises, and a multi-rater framework. Second, we review studies that go beyond linear relationships between personality and job performance. Generally, our review reveals that these alternative approaches show promises in better understanding personality and how personality relates to performance.

Examine Supreme Court Decisions That Have Influenced The Gender Salary Gap, Shinhae Hwang

Journal of the Symposium of University Research and Creative Expression

Project Mentor(s): Rodrigo Murataya, PhD

Despite significant advancements in gender equality policies and legal frameworks, women consistently earn less than men across various industries and job positions (Blau & Khan, 2017). As of 2023, median weekly wages of full-time women are 83.6 percent of the median weekly wages of men, an increase of just three percentage points since 2004 (BLS 2024). This stalled convergence in the gender gap in wages has led to a large and vibrant research literature that seeks to understand why change has been so slow (England 2010). This paper explores the impact of legislative acts such …

Cultural Dynamics And Reverse Culture Shock: A Strategy For Building Sustainable Human Resources In International Ngos, Haruka Minemura, Yuko Nishide

Journal of Nonprofit Innovation

This study explores the dynamics of cultural conflict between expatriate and local staff in international NGOs (INGOs) and proposes a framework for sustainable human resource management. While existing INGO management literature emphasizes cultural factors in expatriate-local relations, limited empirical evidence explains the developmental process of these relationships and their implications. Through qualitative case study methodology, this research addresses the question: How do cultural conflicts between expatriates and local staff evolve within INGOs, and what management strategies emerge from these dynamics?

The findings reveal a dual-phase conflict management model where both expatriates and local staff experience sequential cultural tensions. The first …

Digital Leadership And Literacy As Strategic Levers For Employee Outcomes In Pakistan's Telecommunication Sector, Saman Javed, Shaista Nayyar

Business Review

Digitalizing operations is essential for gaining and maintaining competitive advantage, driving product and process innovations, and ensuring effective decision-making. The performance and engagement of today’s workforce are also contingent upon its capability to handle digital technologies. Here, the digital prowess of the leaders plays a cardinal role in the digitalization process. Keeping this in mind, this research aims to determine the impact of digital leadership on employees’ digital literacy, and their subsequent effect on key employee outcomes like engagement and performance in the telecom sector of Pakistan. Data was collected from 369 telecom workers employed at the three major Pakistani …

An Exploration Of The Evolving Boundary-Spanning Leadership Role Of Architects, Rory Concannon, Roisin Murphy, Oluwasegun Seriki

Articles

Architects form part of multidisciplinary teams in the construction of the built environment. Traditionally they have played a leading role within the construction process, often managing entire projects to completion. In recent years the composition of construction teams have evolved, leading to a perception that the architects leadership role has been diminished. Little is known about the boundary-spanning leadership required by architects, particularly in the light of the evolving roles. Through in-depth, semi-structured interviews, this research reduces this gap by exploring architect’s leadership practices in the context of changing boundaries within the construction team. Our findings reveal six specific competencies …