Business Commons^™

Evaluating Job Redesign: Strategies And Preliminary Findings From Louisiana, Quality Improvement Center For Workforce Development

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The Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services, Child Welfare Division (CWD), in partnership with the Quality Improvement Center for Workforce Development (QIC-WD) conducted a needs assessment of their child welfare system. The needs assessment indicated high caseloads and administrative tasks were barriers to caseworkers’ ability to support families, engage clients, determine root causes of maltreatment, and implement timely services. Furthermore, surveys conducted with caseworkers revealed that they perceived their jobs as highly complex - requiring a wide range of tasks, a variety of specialized skills, and a high degree of information processing. These findings resulted in CWD and the …

Workplace Incivility, Megan Paul

Umbrella Summaries

What is workplace incivility? Workplace incivility refers to “low-intensity deviant behavior with ambiguous intent to harm the target, in violation of workplace norms for mutual respect. Uncivil behaviors are characteristically rude and discourteous, displaying a lack of regard for others” (Anderson & Pearson, 1999, p. 457). Though there is some conceptual and empirical overlap between incivility and ostracism, bullying, and abusive supervision, incivility is considered distinct (Yao et al., 2021). Incivility has been examined from the perspective of both the victim and the instigator, exploring factors related to being the target of incivility and factors related to engaging in uncivil …

Camping, Weather, And Disasters: Extending The Construal Level Theory, Christopher Craig, Siyao Ma, Ismail Karabas, Song Feng

Faculty & Staff Research and Creative Activity

Camping is an outdoor accommodation and type of recreation that is susceptible to weather and climate change. Camping—in addition to the relationships camping shares with weather— remains understudied despite the subsectors’ salient economic impact and high participation rate. The observable effects of non-meteorological/climatological (e.g., pandemic) is also a topic that has received limited attention. Accordingly, we introduce the Camping-Weather-Disaster (CWD) framework to examine the concurrent impact of weather and the COVID-19 disaster on post-disaster camping trip plans among leisure travelers in the 48 contiguous United States (n=2,442). Extending the Construal Level Theory, the CWD framework considers traveler construal (i.e., understanding) …

Social Media Influencers (Smis) In Context: A Literature Review, Charles Alves De Castro, Isobel O'Reilly Dr, Aiden Carthy

Articles

This review focused on three main areas, "Social Media Influencers (SMIs) in Context, The Impact of SMIs on Adolescents, and Consumer Behaviour in a Digital Era – Generation Z in Perspective". This article aims to further the overall understanding of SMIs and outlines the impact of SMIs on adolescents‘ lives. Thus, the main objective of this literature review is to raise awareness within the marketing field about the influence of social media influencers on adolescents and how brands promote their products and content through social media influencers. The review comprised a regular search using electronic journal databases and secondary data …

Frontline Job Redesign Louisiana - Implementation Overview, Quality Improvement Center For Workforce Development

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The Implementation Team

The QIC-WD worked with the Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS), Child Welfare Division (CWD) to establish an Implementation Team to lead the development and implementation of their intervention. The Implementation Team included the Site Implementation Manager (SIM); the project Training and Coaching Specialist; the Data Coordinator; representatives from Human Resources (HR), Civil Service and the Department’s training unit; representatives from the intervention parishes (from administrators to frontline workers); and three members of the QIC-WD (representing expertise in workforce, implementation, and evaluation). Members were selected for their leadership abilities, knowledge, experience, and their willingness …

Behavior Modeling Training, Megan Paul

Umbrella Summaries

What is behavior modeling training? Behavior modeling training (BMT) involves the following five steps: “(a) describing to trainees a set of well-defined behaviors (skills) to be learned, (b) providing a model or models displaying the effective use of those behaviors, (c) providing opportunities for trainees to practice using those behaviors, (d) providing feedback and social reinforcement to trainees following practice, and (e) taking steps to maximize the transfer of those behaviors to the job” (Taylor et al., 2005, p. 692). BMT can be used to train a variety of skills, from interpersonal skills like conflict management, interviewing, assertive communication, and …

An Investigation Of The Personality Traits That Could Identify Vulnerable Young People Who Will Be Susceptible To Undue Influence By Social Media Influencers (Smis) - 7th Sim (Società Italiana Marketing) Doctoral & Research Colloquium, Charles Alves De Castro, Isobel O'Reilly Dr, Aiden Carthy

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Presentation for the 7th SIM Doctoral & Research Colloquium organised by the Società Italiana Marketing (Italian Marketing Society) and University of Salento in Italy. Experts and research colleagues reviewed my presentation and proposal. I received feedback about many aspects of my research regarding research questions, clarity, focus, methodology and other elements. This is important to enhance the quality of my research and makes it relevant to the scientific field.

The Maritime Domain Awareness Center– A Human-Centered Design Approach, Gary Gomez

Political Science & Geography Faculty Publications

This paper contends that Maritime Domain Awareness Center (MDAC) design should be a holistic approach integrating established knowledge about human factors, decision making, cognitive tasks, complexity science, and human information interaction. The design effort should not be primarily a technology effort that focuses on computer screens, information feeds, display technologies, or user interfaces. The existence of a room with access to vast amounts of information and wall-to-wall video screens of ships, aircraft, weather data, and other regional information does not necessarily correlate to possessing situation awareness. Fundamental principles of human-centered information design should guide MDAC design and technology selection, and …

Signaling In Training, Megan Paul

Umbrella Summaries

What is signaling? In a learning environment, signaling refers to cues that direct learners’ attention to specific instructional content or that emphasize how the content is organized (van Gog, 2014). Signals can be verbal (oral or written) or visual (static or dynamic images or graphics). More commonly studied examples include:  signals in written materials: underlining, italics, bold, highlighting, outlines, headings, overviews, and summaries  signals in visual materials: arrows, circles, flashing, color coding, spotlighting (graying out some content), zooming in on key content, and gestures of pedagogical agents When signals are used only in written text (i.e., without accompanying …

Secondary Traumatic Stress (Sts) – Its Impact On The Child Welfare Workforce And Strategies For Agencies To Address It, Quality Improvement Center For Workforce Development

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Secondary traumatic stress (STS) can mimic symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) (Bride, 2007). These symptoms include having dreams and flashbacks of the traumatic event, avoiding activities or places that might remind someone of the traumatic event, having sleep issues, being irritable, difficulty concentrating, or being hypervigilant. In this video, child welfare staff share how the trauma they experience as part of their job affects them, including physical and emotional reactions and the desire to leave the field. Unfortunately, experiencing STS is very common among the child welfare workforce. Although child welfare is not the only profession that is exposed …

Improving The Child Welfare Workforce Through Training: Common Questions And Evidence-Informed Answers From The Qic-Wd, Quality Improvement Center For Workforce Development

QIC-Tips

Training is often the first intervention child welfare agencies use to address critical workforce development issues. This QIC-Tip aims to answer child welfare agency leaders’ questions about effective training strategies to increase knowledge, enhance skills, and improve job performance. Answers are drawn from the QIC-WD Umbrella Summaries which present a synopsis of the published meta-analyses of specific workforce topics.

What broad-based training approaches can improve employee learning outcomes and job performance?

Coaching uses a structured learning process, over time, to help the learner reach specific goals. Meta-analytic research on the use of professional coaches (not managers or experienced coworkers) …

Organizational Change Process Milwaukee - Implementation Overview, Quality Improvement Center For Workforce Development

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Implementation Team

The QIC-WD worked with the Division of Milwaukee Child Protective Services (DMPCS) to establish an implementation team to lead the development and implementation of the workforce project. The implementation team was composed of representatives from Human Resources; Quality Assurance; DMCPS frontline staff, supervisors, and administrators; Department of Children and Families state office leaders, the Site Implementation Manager (SIM), and three members of the QIC-WD (representing expertise in workforce, implementation, and evaluation).

The implementation team met monthly, face-to-face for the first year of the project. During these meetings, the SIM led the team in discussions about intervention development, implementation …

Organizational Change Process Milwaukee - Site Overview, Quality Improvement Center For Workforce Development

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The Division of Milwaukee Child Protective Services (DMCPS) of the Wisconsin Department of Children and Families (DCF) has approximately 185 State employees, responsible for the delivery of child protective services and ongoing case management services through contract agencies in Milwaukee County. DMCPS performs intake and investigative functions, while ongoing casework is managed by partner agencies in the community.

The majority of DMCPS staff work in the Access Section (hotline) and the Initial Assessment Bureau (IAB). Within the IAB was a constellation of Initial Assessment Specialists (IAS), mentors, supervisors, and program directors, who are led by the Bureau Director. While the …

Burnout Isn’T Just Exhaustion: Workers Can Also Feel Cynical Or Inadequate, Tina Li Yi Ng, Andree Hartanto

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

Employers, take note: There’s more to burnout which corporate wellness initiatives alone cannot solve, say SMU researchers. The huge wave of resignations spurred by the pandemic has forced companies to confront burnout, implementing “burnout breaks” to curb the loss of productivity that comes with working too much. Though initiatives like “mental health weeks” are widely appreciated, they merely scratch the surface and do not solve the issue. To truly put out the flames of burnout, a precise diagnosis of the problem is critical. This is especially true in Singapore, the world’s most fatigued country where one in two workers feels …

Designing A Multiple Submission Policy Supporting Mastery Learning For A Design Thinking Class In A Purely Online Learning Environment, Marianne Kayle Amurao, Joseph Benjamin R. Ilagan

Quantitative Methods and Information Technology Faculty Publications

Mastery learning is defined as an approach where students are equipped with complex skills required in the VUCA world instead of simple skills that only apply to traditional classrooms. One way to encourage mastery learning in the classroom is through repeated assessment, specifically formative ones. In this paper, we describe our experience in designing a multiple submission policy to support mastery learning for a design thinking class taught purely online amidst lockdowns due to COVID. The transition to online learning and today’s context presented an opportunity to target mastery learning instead of traditional learning outcomes, which we achieved in two …

Self-Explanation In Training, Megan Paul

Umbrella Summaries

What is self-explanation? Self-explanation is “a process by which learners generate inferences about causal connections or conceptual relationships” (Bisra et al., 2018). It involves pausing to think more deeply about instructional content, to better connect it with prior knowledge or to check for understanding. Self-explanations can be prompted (through specific instructions or questions) or unprompted (done spontaneously by a learner). Prompts can include instructions to explain, open-ended questions, or closed-ended questions such as multiple choice (Bisra et al., 2018). There is no one type of self-explanation. Examples include providing rationale for a decision or belief and explaining a concept, process, …

Branding Kidfluencers: Regulating Content And Advertising On Youtube, Gavin Feller, Benjamin Burroughs

Hank Greenspun School of Journalism and Media Studies Faculty Publications

This paper analyzes emerging shifts in YouTube, advertising, and children’s digital media industries through a case study of Pocket Watch, a digital-first production and distribution studio built exclusively for YouTube child stars. Our analysis reveals the company’s strategic use of legacy media industry power, networks, and expertise to transform YouTube stars into global brands through the creation of toy, clothing, and lifestyle product lines across several industries. We further argue that Pocket Watch’s newly formed advertising division, Clock Work, exploits its child partners through problematic native advertising and host selling practices. The strategies implemented by Pocket Watch and other similar …

Xviii Sim Conference Presentation - Social Media Influencers (Smis) In Context: A Literature Review, Charles Alves De Castro Mr, Isobel Oreilly Dr, Aiden Carthy Dr

Other Resources

This review focused on three main areas, “Social Media Influencers (SMIs) in Context, The Impact of SMIs on Adolescents, and Consumer Behaviour in a Digital Era – Generation Z in Perspective.” This article aims to further the overall understanding of SMIs and outlines the impact of SMIs on adolescents’ lives. Thus, the main objective of this literature review is to raise awareness within the marketing field about the influence of social media influencers on adolescents and how brands promote their products and content through social media influencers. The review comprised a deep search using electronic journal databases and secondary data …

Social Media Influencers (Smis) In Context: A Literature Review, Charles Alves De Castro, Isobel O'Reilly, Aiden Carthy

Conference papers

This review focused on three main areas, “Social Media Influencers (SMIs) in Context, The Impact of SMIs on Adolescents, and Consumer Behaviour in a Digital Era – Generation Z in Perspective.” This article aims to further the overall understanding of SMIs and outlines the impact of SMIs on adolescents’ lives. Thus, the main objective of this literature review is to raise awareness within the marketing field about the influence of social media influencers on adolescents and how brands promote their products and content through social media influencers. The review comprised a deep search using electronic journal databases and secondary data …

Time Management, Megan Paul

Umbrella Summaries

What is time management? The definition of time management varies across disciplines, researchers, and practitioners. In the context of workplace research, one suggested definition is “behaviours that aim at achieving an effective use of time while performing certain goal-directed activities” (Claessens et al., 2007, p. 262). Another is “a form of decision making used by individuals to structure, protect, and adapt their time to changing conditions” (Aeon & Aguinis, 2017, p. 311). Most research on time management has used self-report measures; diaries and ratings by others (e.g., supervisors) are used much less frequently. Of the self-report measures, no one measure …

Confirmation Bias Susceptibility: Social Domains, Metacognitive Self, And Gender, Emily N. Roush

Student Publications

Confirmation bias is a daily and commonly under-recognized cognitive bias, one in which requires more research. More specifically, confirmation bias is when individuals seek out information to confirm beliefs and reject opposing views. This phenomenon is readily studied in economics and psychology to name a few. However, confirmation bias is often neglected in an empirical setting. Thus, with a gap in the literature, this study tested the susceptibility of confirmation bias in college students, and utilized social domains, Metacognitive Self Score (MCS), and gender to predict the level of confirmation bias. Using a between-subjects design, participants were randomly assigned to …

Leadership Training, Megan Paul

Umbrella Summaries

What is leadership training? Leadership training is a broad term with no universal definition. For the purposes of this review, it refers to “programs that have been systematically designed to enhance leader knowledge, skills, abilities, and other components” and it includes “all forms of leader, managerial, and supervisory training/development programs and/or workshops” (Lacerenza et al., 2017, p. 1687). As with all training, leadership training can vary in many ways. Below are some of the more common aspects that have been empirically evaluated:  Needs analysis: whether a systematic process was used to identify training needs and design the training accordingly …

Conversational Style In Training, Megan Paul

Umbrella Summaries

What is conversational style? Conversational style refers to a combination of stylistic strategies to personalize instructional text (oral or written) for learners. These include “the use of first and second rather than third person, directly addressing the reader, revealing [the author’s] personal beliefs, and/or using polite forms of address” (Ginns et al., 2013, p. 452). The following excerpts illustrate such styles:  “During inhaling, the [your] diaphragm moves down creating more space for the [your] lungs” (Mayer et al., 2004)  “Let me tell you what happens when lightning forms” (vs. just the scientific description; Moreno & Mayer, 2000)  …

Organizational Change Process Milwaukee - Evaluation Overview, Quality Improvement Center For Workforce Development

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The QIC-WD evaluation was conducted with the support of the Division of Milwaukee Child Protective Services (DMCPS) to determine if an Organizational Change Process intervention (Availability Responsiveness Continuity or ARC) was effective in improving workforce and child welfare outcomes.

Research Questions

Process Evaluation

1. Did the ARC purveyor follow the training curriculum with fidelity and quality delivery?
2. Did the ARC Team Leaders follow the ARC implementation model with fidelity and quality?
3. Were participants satisfied with the quality of leadership, training, and group dynamics?
4. Did participants learn the required concepts and skills?
5. What were the mediators of fidelity and training outcomes?
6. Did …

Supportive Supervision And Resiliency Ohio - Implementation Overview, Quality Improvement Center For Workforce Development

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The Implementation Team The QIC-WD worked with the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS), through the Office of Families and Children (OFC), to establish an implementation team to lead the development and implementation of their supportive supervision and resiliency intervention. After recruiting nine counties to participate in the QIC-WD project, the Workforce Implementation Team (WIT) initially was composed of representatives from the nine public children services agencies including administrators, managers, and human resources staff, the Site Implementation Manager (SIM), the Data Coordinator, OFC leadership, and three members of the QIC-WD (representing expertise in workforce, implementation, and evaluation). The …

Supportive Supervision And Resiliency Ohio - Evaluation Overview, Quality Improvement Center For Workforce Development

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The QIC-WD evaluation was conducted with the support of the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services to determine if a Supportive Supervision and Resiliency intervention, known as Coach Ohio, was effective in improving workforce and child welfare outcomes. Research Questions The site-level evaluation for Ohio was designed to understand implementation of and outcomes related to the Coach Ohio intervention and its component parts: (1) the ACCWIC Coaching Model for managers and supervisors to introduce the key principles of supportive supervision and (2) Resilience Alliance (RA) groups for supervisor and frontline workers to enhance coping in the face of exposure …

Addressing Work-Related Traumatic Stress Nebraska - Implementation Overview, Quality Improvement Center For Workforce Development

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The Implementation Team

The QIC-WD worked with Nebraska Division of Children and Family Services (DCFS) to establish an implementation team to lead the development and implementation of their intervention to address secondary traumatic stress. The implementation team was called the Nebraska Workforce Project Team. It included a representative from each of the five geographic regions of the state (known as a Service Areas), a representative from each staff level (worker, supervisor, administrator), the Site Implementation Manager (SIM), the Data Coordinator, sponsors (the DCFS director and Human Resources [HR] director), and three members of the QIC-WD (representing expertise in workforce, implementation, …

Data Segmentation (Video), Quality Improvement Center For Workforce Development

Workforce Analytics Resources

Data segmentation is the process of breaking down “big” data into smaller, more meaningful groups, called segments. In the case of workforce data, each segment represents a group of people with similar characteristics, either that pertain to them as an individual (e.g., gender, race, educational background) or to their connection to the organization (e.g., their job title, supervisor, or work schedule).

There are a variety of ways to “slice and dice” your data into meaningful groups. Some possibilities are listed below. The squares represent the unit of categorization (e.g., agency structure), and dashed green squares represent the data segments (e.g., …

Linking Human Resources And Child Welfare Data (Video), Quality Improvement Center For Workforce Development

Workforce Analytics Resources

When examining workforce data, it can be valuable to capitalize on data from a variety of systems, such as various human resources (HR) databases, learning management systems, and child welfare information systems. Each can be useful on their own, but additional information can be learned when different types of data are connected. For example, applicant information may be stored in a database that is separate from other HR data on those hired, and there is value in looking at the connections between applicant data and later aspects of employment.

Data linkage involves pairing observations from two or more data files …

Workforce Metrics Using Child Welfare Data, Quality Improvement Center For Workforce Development

Workforce Analytics Resources

Workforce metrics that can be constructed from child welfare data fall into three categories: caseload/workload, case continuity, and worker- and unit-level variability.

Caseload/Workload Metrics

Caseload metrics can help to

• Assess compliance with caseload standards (e.g., policy, statute)
• Describe and inform case assignment decisions
• Describe and address the work burden experienced by staff
• Describe and address inequities in caseloads among workers
• Inform workforce planning or staffing decisions
• Monitor caseloads to assess policy or practices intended to affect caseloads

Caseload metrics are among the most commonly used workforce metrics that can typically be obtained from child welfare data. These metrics are usually …