Business Commons^™

Factors Which Improve The Construct Validity Of Assessment Centers: A Review, Filip Lievens

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

This article reviews 21 studies which manipulated specific variables to determine their impact on the construct validity of assessment centers. This review shows that the studies regarding the impact of different observation, evaluation, and integration procedures yielded mixed results. Conversely, dimension factors (number, conceptual distinctiveness, and transparency), assessor factors (type of assessor and type of assessor training), and exercise factors (exercise form and use of role-players) were found to moderate construct validity. On the basis of the review, practical recommendations are derived to maximize the probability that practitioners design and administer an assessment center with construct validity. Finally, new perspectives …

Generalizations About Trust In Marketing Channel Relationships Using Meta-Analysis, Inge Geyskens, Jan-Benedict E. M. Steenkamp, Nirmalya Kumar

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

This meta-analysis examines the role of trust in marketing channels. First, the analysis of painwise relationships involving trust indicates that trust, on average, exhibits a robust and strong relationship with other channel relationship constructs under a wide range of different conditions. Next, we explored systematic patterns of variation in the correlations. The results demonstrate that the use of experiments, samples drawn from multiple industries, and US data tend to produce larger effects than the use of field studies, samples drawn from a single industry, and European data respectively do. Various other methodological characteristics of studies did not have significant effects. …

When "Reason" Is In The Eye Of The Beholder: A Reexamination Of The "Reasonable Man" Standard As Applied To Organizational Management, James R. Jones

Marketing and Management Faculty Proceedings & Presentations

“Specifically, issues of race, gender, disability, status, etc. provide a new context in which to judge the reasonableness of an individual’s actions.” The concept of the "reasonable man" is one of long standing in the legal profession of the United States. As the United States has become an increasingly polyglot society, the need to reexamine the sufficiency of a single "reasonable man" standard is clear. Specifically, issues of race, gender, disability status, etc. provide a new context in which to judge the reasonableness of an individual's actions.

Effects Of An Interview Guide On The Accuracy Of Ratings For Applicants With Disabilities, Catherine Quinn Greenwald Mergen

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

The problem of bias in the employment interview for applicants with disabilities was addressed with research to identify if a decision aid can increase the decision making accuracy of interviewers. A survey designed to allow participants to rate applicants with five disabilities for three jobs (with three essential functions listed for each job) was used to assess rating accuracy of two groups. Participants who received the decision aid in the form of a Guide to Interviewing People with Selected Disabilities were expected to have more rating accuracy than those participants without access to the Guide. Accuracy was assessed by comparing …

Telling Tales: Management Gurus' Narratives And The Construction Of Managerial Identity, Timothy Adrian Robert Clark, Graeme Salaman

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

This paper examines the reasons for the apparently powerful impact of management gurus' ideas (i.e. guru theory) on senior managers. An examination of the limited literature on management gurus and other related literatures suggests three explanations for the appeal of guru theory for senior managers. The first set of explanations relates to various features of management work which may heighten managers' receptivity to guru ideas. The second set focuses on the gurus themselves and emphasizes the form in which they are presented (i.e. public performances). The final set of explanations highlights the importance of the socioeconomic and cultural context within …

Managing Creativity In Organizations: A Total System Approach, Gilbert Tan

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

Organizations need creativity to adapt to the fast-changing environment and revitalize itself. In response to this need, managers have invested in various single approaches, such as, creativity training programmes, team-building, and leadership development to improve creativity. This paper argues that managing creativity in organization is a complex problem and thus requires a more integrated approach. In this paper, I have provided a theoretical framework to explain how managers can foster and sustain creativity in their organizations using a total systems approach. In the framework, I depict the organization as having four subsystems, namely, culture, techno-structural subsystems, management and people. Each …

Ua1b3 A Study Of The Status Of Women On Campus, Wku Task Force On Status Of Women On Campus

WKU Administration Documents

Report given by the WKU Task Force on the Status of Women on Campus regarding research methodology and findings about employment, advancement, compensation, climate and culture for women at Western Kentucky University.

Managing For Flexibility: A Manufacturing Perspective, Ravi Kathuria

Business Faculty Articles and Research

This paper investigates managerial practices that are conducive to the management of flexibility. Using data from manufacturing plants in the United States, this paper identifies managerial practices that manufacturing managers strongly demonstrate in plants that place a high emphasis on flexibility. The results indicate that managers who pursue flexibility, emphatically engage in team building, employee empowerment, and other relationship oriented practices that generate enthusiasm among employees. These practices seemingly motivate workers to deal with the uncertainty and changes, in the form of product mix, customer delivery schedule, capacity adjustments, etc., that characterize manufacturing flexibility. Furthermore, workers are entrusted with the …

Handbook Of Counselling In Organizations : Edited By Michael Carroll And Michael Watton, New Delhi : Sage Publications, 1997., Aroon D Joshi

IIMB Management Review

No abstract provided.

The Institutional Construction Of Organizations : International And Longitudinal Studies : Edited By W Richard Scott And Soren Christensen, New Delhi : Sage Publications, 1995., Abhoy K Ojha

IIMB Management Review

No abstract provided.

Attracting And Retaining Talent : A Managerial Challenge, Y Sriram, Abhijit Bhaduri

IIMB Management Review

Getting the right person for the right job and retaining him/her is a challenge all organisations face. What are the strategies evolved by organisations to attract and retain talented manpower, across different levels and functions? How do attractive compensation schemes and 'golden handcuffs' rate against providing learning opportunities and a work culture that promotes creativity? Where do the old fashioned virtues of loyalty, honesty and hard work stand? Are some organisations more successful in nurturing their employees in line with their vision? What can be done to counter the flight of talent? These were some of the issues which came …

The Role And Impact Of Leaders' Mental Models In Effecting Planned Transformational Change, Stephen C. Rathmill

Educational Studies Dissertations

Presidents and CEOs play a critical role in leading their organizations through planned transformational change (PTC) and generally, do not do it very well. This may, in part, be a result of leaders not closely examining and challenging their thinking about PTC and their role in leading it. Leaders' mental models determine what and how they think about their organizations, employees, transformational change and what their leadership means and how their mental models determine their actions and behaviors in planning and implementing PTC. By examining and challenging their mental models, leaders may gain insights into alternative ways of leading and …

Where All The Children Are Above Average: A Meta Analysis Of The Performance Appraisal Purpose Affect, J. Jawahar, Chuck R. Williams

Scholarship and Professional Work - Business

More than 40 years ago, Taylor and Wherry (1951) hypothesized that performance appraisal ratings obtained for administrative purposes, such as pay raises or promotions, would be more lenient than ratings obtained for research, feedback, or employee development purposes. However, research on appraisal purpose has yielded inconsistent results, with roughly half of such studies supporting this hypothesis and the other half refuting it. To account for those differences, a meta-analysis of performance appraisal purpose research was conducted with 22 studies and a total sample size of 57,775. Our results support Taylor and Wherry's hypothesis as performance evaluations obtained for administrative purposes …

Correcting Turnover Correlations: A Critique, Chuck R. Williams, L. H. Peters

Scholarship and Professional Work - Business

In this article, the authors argue that turnover correlations do not need to be corrected. First, they maintain that correction formulas cannot correct for poor construct validity. Second, they discuss the original purposes of turnover correction formulas. Third, the authors describe the logical fallacies of correcting turnover correlations. Finally, they show why turnover correlations are not, as is widely believed, statistically limited to a maximum of .80.

Commitment In The Workplace : Theory, Research And Application : By John P Meyer And Natalie J Allen, New Delhi : Sage Publications, 1997., Anand Kasthuri

IIMB Management Review

No abstract provided.

A New Look At Within-Source Interrater Reliability Of 360-Degree Feedback Ratings, Gary J. Greguras, Chet Robie

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

This study investigated within-source interrater reliability of supervisor, peer, and subordinate feedback ratings made for managerial development. Raters provided 360-degree feedback ratings on a sample of 153 managers. Using generalizability theory, results indicated that little within-source agreement exists; a large portion of the error variance is attributable to the combined rater main effect and Rater X Ratee effect; more raters are needed than currently used to reach acceptable levels of reliability; supervisors are the most reliable with trivial differences between peers and subordinates when the numbers of raters and items are held constant; and peers are the most reliable, followed …

Predictors Of Coping Behavior After A Layoff, Carrie R. Leana, Daniel C. Feldman, Gilbert Tan

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

A study examined the effects of individual differences and situational characteristics on individuals' use of 6 job loss coping strategies among laid-off industrial workers. In each case the predictors explained a significant portion of the variance (30%-47%) although different predictors were significantly associated with each of the 6 coping strategies. The results also suggest that the use of problem-focused and symptom-focused coping strategies are complementary rather than mutually exclusive.

From Entrepot To Nic: Economic And Structural Policy Aspects Of Singapore's Development, Jochen Wirtz, Thomas Menkhoff

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

This paper describes the development of Singapore from an entrepot to an industrialized economy and analyzes the role of its structural and industrial policies as one important factor in this success story. The advance of Singapore to an industrialized economy can be structured into four phases. Phase I, the early phase from 1959 to the mid-1960s is characterized by an import substitution policy followed together with Malaysia. Phase II describes the enhanced export-orientation and industrialization from 1967 to 1973. Phase III includes the industrial restructuring from 1973 to 1984. Phase IV describes the development towards diversification of the industrial base …

Creating The 'Right' Impression: Towards A Dramaturgy Of Management Consultancy, Timothy Adrian Robert Clark, Graeme Salaman

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

This article adopts a novel approach by examining the activities of management consultants in terms of the dramaturgical metaphor. This is a useful framework within which to illuminate their activities since a number of service characteristics combine to create a context within which the key task of management consultants is to convince clients of their quality and value. Impression management is therefore a core feature of consultancy work. In this sense management consultants are viewed as systems of persuasion creating compelling images which persuade clients of their quality and worth. This argument is illustrated with reference to the activities of …

Group Decision Support Systems (Gdss) And Influence Modes: A Comparative Field Study Between Gdss Mediated Groups And Non-Gdss Mediated Groups, L. Grant Bridgewater

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the effect of Group Decision Support System (GDSS) technology on perceived influence modes. The researcher measured perceived influence modes in two group treatments: GDSS groups and non-GDSS (N-GDSS) mediated groups. Actual groups in both treatments performed judgmental tasks of their own choosing. Group members then completed a survey which measured their perceptions regarding five influence sources: expert influence, influence from legitimate authority, referent influence, reward influence, and coercive influence. The survey also measured the extent to which members perceived an "opportunity to influence" other group members. For each variable measured in both treatment groups, mean scores were …

A Comparison Of The Decision Quality Of Group Decisions Made In A Face-To-Face Environment With Decisions Made Using A Distributed Group Decision Support System, Hope D. Cullen

Theses and Dissertations

The Air Force is increasingly turning to a team approach for decision making. When team members are geographically separated it can be expensive for them to meet in a traditional face to face setting. Group Decision Support Systems (GDSS), designed to help groups make decisions, may be able to support these groups in a distributed mode. The assertion of this thesis is that a GDSS can indeed support such distributed processes and that these processes will be of higher quality than decisions made in a face to face environment. This study explores decision quality in terms of quality of the …

The Process Of Internationalization In The Operating Firm, Timothy Adrian Robert Clark, Derek S. Pugh, Geoff Mallory

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

Two factors have been emphasised as influencing the choice of, and subsequent shifts between, modes of foreign market servicing: (1) market-specific knowledge; and (2) the generalised knowledge from operating internationally. The process-oriented literature on internalisation has tended to emphasise the former over the latter. This article maintains that market-specific knowledge is not the only source of information available to a firm. As firms operate in foreign markets they develop, in addition to networks of institutional arrangements, a knowledge of the process of internationalization. Account therefore has to be taken of the general knowledge from operating internationally in understanding the development …

Organizational Support Of Internet Technology Infusion: An Exploratory Analysis, Anthony J. Davis

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis identifies managerial, organizational, and individual attributes which influence Internet technology infusion. Infusion can be defined as the incorporation of a technology into an organization's key processes. As infusion increases, the extended, integrative and emergent use of the technology increases, leading to increased leveraging of the technology. A survey was distributed to 1100 Air Force members throughout four Major Commands, divided into 600 officers and 500 enlisted. The analysis used Structural Equation Modeling to test models relating managerial, organizational and individual constructs as positive influences on infusion. Findings in the officer group indicate executive involvement and participation, policy, receptivity …

An Analysis Of The Effectiveness Of Online Peer Feedback At The United States Air Force Academy, Annette M. Driscoll

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis explores the effectiveness of the Air Force Academy's Department of English local area network peer feedback system. Four main questions were examined. These questions explored a) whether students reported improvement in their writing, b) whether students reported that feedback is worthwhile, c) whether students reported that LAN sessions increase enjoyment of writing, and d) what types of feedback the students 1) received and 2) found most helpful. Three groups were studied. Forty-six students received feedback online, fifty students received feedback face to face, and thirty-three students did not receive feedback. Comparisons were made for the questions mentioned above …

Ethical Issues In A Networked Environment, Kristen G. Sallberg

Theses and Dissertations

The research objective was to provide a preliminary understanding of how USAF computer users perceive the ethical considerations of computer networks and how the USAF is addressing ethical issues of networked environments. A survey was undertaken to explore questions of ethics in the use of information networks. The literature review explored issues of ethics in the private sector and USAF guidance regarding use of official government resources. The sample population consisted of military members stationed at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base Ohio. The responses regarding certain attitudes about behaviors and actions in a networked environment were consistent overall. A significant difference …

Private Businesses In China : Emerging Environment And Managerial Behavior, Kong Wing, Clement Chow, Chung Ming Lau, Hang Yue Ngo

Hong Kong Institute of Business Studies Working Paper Series

This paper reviews the development and contribution of private businesses to the Chinese economy. The political and market environment are analyzed to picture the current position of private businesses in the national economy. Major characteristics of private businesses and their owners are presented through three survey results conducted in different periods. Managerial implications, in terms of macro environment, competition, resources, management structure and governance, and leadership and human resources are discussed.

No. 130 1997 November

International Journal for Business Education

SIEC Historical Documents

The Effects Of Organizational And Individual Learning On Job Satisfaction And Organizational Commitment, David Lee Wright

Doctoral Dissertations

The objective of this dissertation was to assess how certain organizational-level and individual-level factors affect member job attitudes. Specifically, market orientation and organizational learning, contingent on the individual's orientation toward learning, were examined as potential predictors of job satisfaction and organizational commitment. Individual performance of employees affects organizational performance. Consequently, these organizational and individual factors are significant to management because of their potential influence on the attitudes of employees.

A national sample consisting of sales and marketing executives made up the sample frame. A self-report questionnaire was mailed to 2000 randomly selected potential respondents. The return of 213 usable questionnaires …

Core Values: A History Of Values-Related Initiatives In The Air Force, Gregory J. Dierker

Theses and Dissertations

This research explored the historical Air Force values-related initiatives that have existed since its creation in 1947. The Air Force has long been interested in and conducted values-related initiatives, although sometimes with a different focus and objective than its preceding initiatives. This study specifically examines two of the assumptions made in the current Air Force Core Values initiative against the historic values-related initiatives to identify any differences that have occurred over time. The two assumptions specifically deal with the degree to which the initiatives emphasize character development, and secondly, the role the chaplain plays in these identified initiatives. Other attributes …

Influence And Consensus In Group Decision Making Environment, Fiona Fui-Hoon Nah, Byungcho Kim

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

In this research, the effect of expert support on influence and consensus in group decision making is investigated. The results indicate that ESS support diminishes the group members' influence on the group judgment as well as the influence exerted by the most influential group member. On the other hand, explanations support provided by ESS increases consensus in group decision making.